Simply Church Folk

Sometimes things that happen in church are not so pleasant.  As is written in the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 28, it is written:

19.    Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20.     Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

This passage is after the death, burial and resurrection when Christ gives this profound command to go. However, it is something else when God leads someone to do something.  There is a sound of “you can’t do that”, or you will receive a good tongue lashing from people.  However, God never said for us to just do what you say do.  Church folk can really hurt people in ways that are not healthy and yet, they say they love the Lord.  If one has a ministry, does that mean that I can’t have the same ministry separate and yet still be productive in the two.  Our territory is too large to be combative about trivial things.  If my circle only consists of one kind of people “church folk” then how can we help the world, our neighbors or our co-workers.  The power of prayer transcends through the barriers of time and yet there are undertones because someone else branches out.

My argument is real.  If my neighbor, co-worker or friend asks me to pray for them and I do, does that mean I have to get permission to pray?  I don’t think so but do I feel that sometimes church folk think more highly of themselves than they ought.  Humility is the best method and minding your own business and not be offensive to others.  Stop pulling rank on God’s people and, if you mind your own business, I’m quite sure others will mind theirs.

I’m talking about simply church folk.

 

Simply Church Folk

I often wonder what makes church folk think they have a built in babysitter(s).  They come in with God bless you and Oh, it’s so nice to see you then they sit down with you and have a conversation.  How they forget that their children are not sitting by them makes me laugh.  The funny thing about the entire scenario is they hear their children acting up but somehow manage not to respond.  It’s almost like they have given the Ushers that responsibility.  The poor Ushers are constantly speaking to the children while that parent acts as if they don’t exist.  What’s wrong with this picture!

The other things that happen in church can sometimes startle you.  For instance, we always pray for the man or woman of God after they have completed delivering the word.  Now, when we pray, we are suppose to be asking God to strengthen them as they have poured out so much.  All the ministers gather around and bow their heads while one of the ministers begin to pray.  Then all of a sudden one of the ministers just starts wailing which shocked me because I was thinking “we are just praying for strength for this person.  Me and my curious self has to see because I know the Bible says, “watch and pray.”  I started to stare intently because I wanted to see if she was really crying for real.  To my amazement, there were no tears and I was standing there like someone had just said “boo.”  I put my head down and dropped my hands, turned around and walked away and went back to my seat.  Sometimes there is no explanation for some of the things that happen but they sure are funny.

I’m talking about Simply Church Folk

 

Keeping Your Composure

I must say that at times you will be put through some difficult situations or circumstances.  It will boggle the mind and it can even give you brain freeze as if you gulped down an ice-cold drink.  But just sometimes, it would be best to keep your composure.  Here’s my story.

I have spent months on writing and I write according to what God has given me.  On June 13, 2012, I received 30 complimentary copies of my latest book entitled “Blood In The Street.”  According to the email sent to me confirming that I would be receiving them on June 14, 2012, they came a day early.  I know a lot of ministers and pastors and I had already decided who I was going to send copies to.  So you can imagine my excitement.  However, that excitement quickly turned a gasp when I opened the hard copies to begin to sign them.  The cover was mine but the contents were that of another author.  Oop!  I felt as if I was going to explode and quickly began to dial the number on the invoice.  There was no one there as it was late in the evening when I got home.  I then went on to call my publisher.  However, before the phone even rang, I heard the spirit of God gently say “keep your composure” I immediately hung the phone up because I was just not there at that particular moment.  As I sat at the kitchen table staring at all of these books a calm overtook me and I dialed the number again and spoke with one of my representatives.  I spoke with composure and didn’t lose my witness for something that can be so easily corrected.

I thank God for the things He does in our lives.  Sometimes we really have to press to keep our composure but once you press really hard, it can be done.  You never know who you will have to give a kind, loving word to, and God is always looking for a few good men/women to carry His message to treat someone like you would want them to treat you.

 

 

Simply Church Folk 8

Here we go again talking about simply church folk.   If you have ever been in church on a Sunday morning when the spirit of God descends on His people, some funny things happen.  Some you can see and some you can’t.  This is one of those “you can’t” see, however, I happen to know the persons who have been caught in this precarious position.

  Meet Minister Holmes-Thomas.  She is a true woman of God and she let’s Him have his way.  This particular Sunday there was a mighty move of God and Minister Holmes-Thomas received a blessing from the Lord.  She started to wail and speak in an unknown tongue.  Then she started to dance and dance and dance.  However, when she began to how I say it is “come back to earth”, I helped her to her seat when she gently spoke to me in a soft voice, I can’t sit down, I wet my pants and I have to go and change.  I was so tickled and I looked at her in dismay and said to myself “now that’s what I call break forth praise.”

 

Missing in action!

When our troops are fighting on behalf of humanity in different places, you often hear the words “missing in action.”  I had been feeling some type of way for the past week or so.  With two books out in a period of two months in between, and trying to figure out how I was going to promote them at the same time began to take its toll.  I kept praying and asking God to let me clear my head so that He could finish what He had already started.  For me, missing is action was just that.  I stopped being connected to each and everyone at WordPress,stopped working  on my website “Women Let’s Talk”, stopped responding to the authors at Authorhouse and even stopped paying close attention when outside with my dog Zoey.  I was standing on a curb outside and had two fingers holding her lease.  I was looking up at the sky asking God how was this going to get done when all of a sudden something scared her and she bolted.  I hit the ground on my left side, bruised my ribs and sternum and hit my knee.  One thing for sure, she brought me back to my senses in a painful way.  I now understood that when God is doing something in your life, don’t take it away from Him because it pains His heart to know that you didn’t fully trust Him.  Scripture says “Trust in the Lord with thy whole heart and lean not on your  own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.”

Well, I am no longer missing in action, I came back!

Please feel free to comment and press like.

Be Blessed,

 

Simply Church Folk

As times goes on and we continue in the body of Christ, there are times that some thing that happen are past hilarious.  Here is a great example of when Pastor Bartley has had enough.

Music Department!!!!

The band was tight in its precision and could go from contemporary music to the old familiar hymns.  This band knew how to lead the worship service.  It’s funny to watch the bass guitarist Ronnie as he nods his head at Devin the organist and Fred the keyboardist when they change keys, and the lead guitarist Robbie begin the strum to the melody.  While the drummer at that time was Jonathan moves his head up and down and get in the groove of the instruments.  Now you are looking a band that did a lot of traveling, was always at all the church services whether we had other churches coming in or if we were going out.  They would pack up their instruments and head out to where we had been invited.

I don’t know what happened this particular week, but when I parked my car in front of the church, you could hear a pin drop.  So my thought process was maybe they were still getting into position.  The praise and worship were singing when I opened the doors and people were clapping their hands and singing along.  As I walked through the doors my eyes went directly to the corner where the band sits.  Everything neatly in place but without the bodies.

When praise and worship finished singing Pastor Bartley walks out of his office, sits down, rubs the top of his forehead, steps up to the podium, looks at the congregation and smiles.  When he begins to speak he first tells the congregation how much he loves each and everyone, takes a breath and then says “I fired the band.”  WHAT!!!  My first response was to lift my eyebrow and start to chuckle.  While I am trying to wrap by brain around this news, the words in my head like a typewriter says “Who Does That!”

In my church we have a banner that is hung on the wall that says “Unusual, Uncommon, Unpredictable.”  Now, what would you called that.

I’m talking about simply church folk.

 

“Blood In The Streets

Here is a small portion of my new book entitled “Blood In The Street.”  Let me know your thoughts.

I have this need of urgency to pray.  Pray until something happens.  Pray that a change is going to come.  Believe beyond a doubt that this too shall pass and because we are praying, God is going to turn it around.  Continue to cry out unto God.

On March 29, 2012, I took Zoey my dog out. As we came down the stairs, I could not make a distinction as to whether it was a giant cloud or a vision of a mountain hovering against the sky.  The vastness of this vision of a grayish, earth tone cloud color in the evening looked as if it was a large mountain covering the vastness of the sky. It had the appearance of a large mountain behind the trees, however, where I live at there are no mountains in sight.

As I stood and watched this mass that covered the sky from end to end, I was in awe at how great our God is.  As this mass kept coming forward, it gave me a feeling as it was engulfing something that we can’t even touch and the beauty of it I can’t even begin to describe.  I stood there wondering what God was showing me.

Today our young people have no way out according to them.   But as far as I can see, Jesus is still the answer.

 

Shh!

If you ever would like to hear a thought, then “shh”;

If you ever want to hear what you see, then “shh”;

If you ever want to hear a sound far away, then “shh”;

If you ever want to hear yourself pray, then “shh”;

If you ever want to listen for the voice of God, then “shh” and

If you ever want to hear the Lord speak, then “shh.”

 

The transparency of a worried look

The transparency of a worried look for all to see,  The transparency of a worried look for lines to form across your forehead, the transparency of a worried look when no one seems to care, the transparency of a worried look brings down gray hairs, the transparency of a worried look just wears you out, the transparency of a worried look, gives you a chance to speak to God and God alone; that’s when the transparency of a worried look is forever cast out as far from the east to the west.  So next time you find yourself with the transparency of a worried look, give it to God and he will work it out.

 

Oh How Good!

Oh How good it is to be blessed everyday you wake up.  Just the wake up part alone is worthy of praise;

Oh How good it is to be blessed everyday you place your feet on the floor.  Just putting your feet on the floor is worthy of praise;

Oh How good it is to be blessed everyday you open your mouth and say “Good Morning Jesus.”  Just opening your mouth and speaking to Him alone is worthy of praise.

Oh How good it is to be blessed everyday you have food to eat.  Just that you have something to eat is worthy of praise.

Oh How good it is to be blessed everyday you get yourself dressed.  Just that you can cloth yourself is worthy of praise.

Oh How good, Oh How good, Oh How good, and just that alone is worthy of praise.