What's on my mind?- Relationships between men and women. Not just romantically. But in business, ministry and in the community- particularly among Believers.
Women, I know "all [your] life you've had to fight [sexism, misogyny, discrimination, abuse etc]" but every man is not a chauvinistic hater. You don't have to be so rude and defensive to everyone with a penis. You don't have to compete with him. You don't have to prove yourself to anyone except the Lord. The word says study to show yourself approved unto GOD! (2 Timothy 2:15)
Please keep in mind, you don't have to defer to every man just because he's a man. The ONLY man who automatically gets your deference is YOUR husband. You don't have to shrink back into false humility and false meekness to cater to inflated egos. Blessed are the peace MAKERS- not status quo keepers.
Sometimes you have to disturb the status quo so that things come into alignment with godly standards. But be careful. Don't react defensively as a trauma response to abuse. Go with God, in the character and nature of God with the wisdom of God as you speak the truth in love.
Men, God blessed humanity- male and female to be fruitful, multiply, and have dominion in the earth. (Gen 1:27-28) You're not the head of every woman. Just your wife. (Ephesians 5:22) Unless there's some other established line of authority, you and everyone else- including women, owe each other the same level of honor and respect- honor all humanity, love sisters and brothers in Christ, respect leadership offices [without regard to the gender of the person who occupies the office].(1 Peter 2:17)
I sometimes sit back and discern the hearts of men toward women and watch the actions of women toward men, and I'm troubled- deeply!😪 Where is the love? 🙏🏾 That's what's on my mind right now- love and mutual respect and admiration among men and women of God.
Monday, June 17, 2024
Monday, March 18, 2024
Look to God and Live!
Some of you have gone through a season of trials and tribulations that has literally caused you to curse God and die! And the worst part is you don't even know it. How? You may ask.
One aspect of cursing someone is to say that a person is without significance. Some of us have made our issues larger than the God we claim to trust, obey and serve. By focusing on the challenges rather than focusing on God some have begun to doubt, waiver, and lose your zeal for the things of God. Your worship life, prayer life, word life are all declining.
You are literally DYING spiritually! God is not at the center of your thoughts, emotions and devotion. You've made God insignificant in the matter. I have been there. In fact, if I am really honest with myself I am in a place of asking God for God's grace to recenter and refocus my attention on Him rather than what has been going on around me for the past four or five years. Its been challenging to say the least. But God! God us faithful.
When challenges arise, one of best things we can do as one man of God advised me is to "Move forward with God!" Remember, God is sovereign. Whatever you're going through God allowed it. If you die and you're in Jesus, you will go home to be with the Lord. That's a win! If you live through it, God is with you in the fire. God causes all things to work together for your good. That's a win! James said we should consider it pure JOY when we go through trials and tribulations!
Look for the God factor even in the midst of the trial. You, your trials, and tribulations are present in the fire. Look for the fourth One in the fire! When trouble comes, don't do as Job's wife advised him to do by cursing God and dying. Do as a wise woman of God- The Rev. Dr. Marguerite Dorothy Doctor, told me when we suffered the loss of our son in 2020- "Look to God and live!" I didn't FULLY understand what she was TRULY saying in that moment. But her words had spirt and life in them and I was encouraged. Those words stirred something within me.
When trouble comes- Look to GOD and LIVE!!
One aspect of cursing someone is to say that a person is without significance. Some of us have made our issues larger than the God we claim to trust, obey and serve. By focusing on the challenges rather than focusing on God some have begun to doubt, waiver, and lose your zeal for the things of God. Your worship life, prayer life, word life are all declining.
You are literally DYING spiritually! God is not at the center of your thoughts, emotions and devotion. You've made God insignificant in the matter. I have been there. In fact, if I am really honest with myself I am in a place of asking God for God's grace to recenter and refocus my attention on Him rather than what has been going on around me for the past four or five years. Its been challenging to say the least. But God! God us faithful.
When challenges arise, one of best things we can do as one man of God advised me is to "Move forward with God!" Remember, God is sovereign. Whatever you're going through God allowed it. If you die and you're in Jesus, you will go home to be with the Lord. That's a win! If you live through it, God is with you in the fire. God causes all things to work together for your good. That's a win! James said we should consider it pure JOY when we go through trials and tribulations!
Look for the God factor even in the midst of the trial. You, your trials, and tribulations are present in the fire. Look for the fourth One in the fire! When trouble comes, don't do as Job's wife advised him to do by cursing God and dying. Do as a wise woman of God- The Rev. Dr. Marguerite Dorothy Doctor, told me when we suffered the loss of our son in 2020- "Look to God and live!" I didn't FULLY understand what she was TRULY saying in that moment. But her words had spirt and life in them and I was encouraged. Those words stirred something within me.
When trouble comes- Look to GOD and LIVE!!