Rev. Dr. Delesslyn A. Kennebrew, J.D., M.Div.
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Visionary Strategist Faithful Innovator Inspirational Essayist
Visionary Strategist Faithful Innovator Inspirational Essayist
Salvation and Stilettos Blog
Salvation and Stilettos Blog
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Starting Over - Blog Re-Introduction
| Posted on October 2, 2018 at 6:24 AM |
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 Greetings!!! Great Day to YOU! BlogFam, we are starting over. Why? Simply because it is time to do so. So much has transpired in my own life since I last blogged at the beginning of this year. I have had time to pray and think about how we are to move forward together. It has been a season of re-imagination and transition. It has been a blessed and at times stressful season but everything has been necessary. So, today, I feel compelled to tell you that we are starting over. When I began this blog almost seven years and over 400 blog posts ago, I did so because I had recently experienced an employment transition in my life and needed an outlet to encourage myself and hopefully inspire others. And honestly, today, I write for the same reason and for so much more. Yes, I still write to encourage myself. Yes, I still write to inspire you. But today, I also write because I feel called and deeply compelled to write words that touch the hearts of women and call them to a higher standard of life and leadership. It is my desire to see women of all ages and at all stages of life, lead well. So, now, I am writing with the specific focus on women who love the Lord and choose to be led by the Holy Spirit to live their best life while leading in various arenas within the church and beyond. BlogFam, WELCOME BACK to those who have journeyed with me throughout the years and WELCOME to those who are new to the journey as it is now. I am so very glad that YOU are here! THANK YOU for your love, support, patience, and flexibility! Blessings, Glory, and Sunshine! Delesslyn Twitter @AudraSunshine IG @AudraSunshine1 |
WAIT ON IT!
| Posted on January 7, 2016 at 9:44 AM |
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Greetings! HAPPY NEW YEAR BlogFam! I hope and pray that 2016 has started off with much excitement and a renewed energy for your life's goals, dreams, and aspirations! I hope and pray that you are focused and doing all that you can to THRIVE! And I hope and pray that your desire to grow in the knowledge of our Lord is your highest priority! Friends, a new year is a new beginning. New beginnings are opportunities to start over, make amends, get on track, moving in a direction that hopefully is better and more productive than before. New beginnings are opportunities to rediscover your purpose and reignite your passion to live your best life. New beginnings are opportunities for fresh ways of seeing God's movement in your life and for embracing God's will for your life. A new year is a new beginning. And a new beginning is full of potential, hope, and promise of brighter days ahead. But, BlogFam, do not get anxious or restless or overly frustrated by one inevitable reality that comes with every new beginning... the waiting period. For with every new beginning, there is a waiting period. I just want you to know that now. I do not want you to be blindsided or caught off guard or feel tricked by the waiting period. I want you to know up front that there will be a waiting period at the point of every new beginning. Think about it. When you begin a new job or a new relationship or move into a new house, there is a waiting period. We wait for all paperwork to be processed. We wait for the first phone call. We wait for the keys to be handed over. Waiting is an inevitable reality that comes with every new beginning. We wait for yes. We wait for no. We wait for maybe. And I love you all too much to let you think that your new beginning will not carry you through a period of waiting. As fast as you want to jump right in and get things going, at some point, you will have to wait. And waiting does not necessarily mean that there is something wrong or someone has lied or that circumstances have changed. It could mean one or none of those things but either way, you will be waiting. And waiting is good. I know that you may not want to hear that. We want everything quick, fast, and in a hurry OR we at least want it to happen in what we personally deem a reasonable period of time that we would consider a quick turnaround in line with our own level of patience. I know that there are times when I have to wait and in my own mind, I have consciously or unconsciously set a "deadline" for something to happen or for someone to respond, etc. And that may or may not have been communicated, but that clock is ticking in my head. What about you? Let's be honest. I know we all do. Even the most laid back of personalities is doing that mental check in that we all do, even if nothing is said. And then we still have to wait. But waiting is good. Waiting in some respects gives us time to process, to further investigate, to pray, to step back before we engage in something or with someone that with more time have decided is not the best for our lives. Waiting is good. Waiting is kind of like a grace period that humbles us and reminds us that we are human and convicts us that God's timing is not our timing. Waiting is good. And at some point I hope you recall that someone has, is, or will have to wait for you. Friends, EVERYBODY has to wait. Waiting comes with every new beginning. Therefore, since we love new beginnings, starting over, starting fresh, we must come to terms with the waiting period that will follow. So, do not let your waiting be in vain! Embrace your waiting period as you never have before! Reprogram your thinking about waiting. Develop a strategy for what you will do while you wait. And encourage yourself in your next waiting period. Above all, TRUST GOD and know this... They that WAIT upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. [Isaiah 40:31] GOD LOVES YOU and I DO TOO! Blessings! Glory! And Sunshine! Delesslyn |
KISS and PRAY
| Posted on July 26, 2013 at 1:09 PM |
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KISS and PRAY! 1 Thessalonians 5:25-28 Greetings! BlogFam, KISS and PRAY! I know that your interest is excitedly peaked
or your eyebrow might be slightly raised, or maybe you are just outright giving
me the side eye….. but please KEEP READING!
I have only minimized the verbiage in our verses for today. Here is what the text actually says… Brothers
and sisters, PRAY for us. Greet all God’s people
with a holy KISS. I charge you before the Lord
to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters. The
grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you See!
KISS and PRAY! LOL! Talk about a whole lot of grace that we are
being asked to extend to our neighbors… But My Friends, seriously, Paul makes a
very direct point about how we are to show God’s love one to another. We are to be willing to PRAY for one another
and greet ALL God’s people with a HOLY KISS.
And if that still seems a bit too much, perhaps you will like the way
the Message Bible reads… Friends,
keep up your prayers for us. Greet all the followers of Jesus there with a holy
EMBRACE. Perhaps the current “norms” of social
grace, common greetings, and personal space give us pause to the whole idea of
kissing as a standard way of greeting ALL of the followers of Jesus
Christ. I am pretty sure that Paul did
NOT mean the romantic kiss shared by couples in love or the kind of kiss shared
between family members, so before we totally dismiss the idea of “kissing,”
maybe we should all just pause and reevaluate the kind of care and affection
Paul is encouraging us to share amongst those of us who are followers of Jesus
Christ. Actually and probably unfortunately, this
verse, just might be right on time. I intentionally
phrased the previous statement in that way because the fact that the church has
to have greeters and hospitality ministries, and welcoming committees, and
trainings on “customer” service is very telling. The fact that we even need to entertain and
study and implement strategies in order to make people feel welcome is the
actual reality we face and it is unfortunate.
Now, I am NOT at all saying that we should
absolutely do away with these often superficial means of portraying that our
church is the Body of Christ that welcomes whosoever will walk into our doors. I am NOT saying that at all. I am simply offering a critique of the
reality of hundreds, if not thousands, of churches today. We need to be told to be welcoming and
hospitable when the BIBLE has already told us to do so. In other words, we should not need a committee
or a visitor’s card to tell our churches to be nice. We, who make up the body of Christ, should
simply embody the epitome of what it means to be so. BlogFam, KISS and PRAY. We were told to do that thousands of years
ago. And yes, perhaps we can
modernize our methods for being welcoming given the modern conveniences of
transportation, technology, buildings, brochures, and any other 21
century convenience that was not available in Paul’s day. But at the end of the day, with all of our
ushers, greeters, workshops, receptions, bags, and balloons, we are simply
jazzing up what we are supposed to be doing, how we are supposed to be living
anyway. So, on today, I invite you to be the
leader, captain, spokesperson, representative, and any other words we might use
in our local churches that are fancy for saying SERVANT of God. I invite you to BE the one to exemplify what
it means to love and welcome others into your home, school, office, or place of
worship. I invite you not to wait for
the next training but to start with the people you sit next to every
Sunday. I invite you to KISS and PRAY
and show everyone through your words and actions just how welcoming and
inviting our God has been to you. BlogFam, KISS and PRAY! And in doing so, YOU will show and experience the amazing GRACE of Jesus Christ! God Loves You and I Do Too! Delesslyn |
GOD IS FAITHFUL! 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
| Posted on July 25, 2013 at 2:16 PM |
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LISTEN FIRST! [Prophecy] - 1 Thessalonians 5:20
| Posted on July 24, 2013 at 11:31 AM |
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LISTEN FIRST! 1 Thessalonians 5:20 Do
not treat prophecies with contempt but test
them all; hold on to what is good, reject
every kind of evil. Greetings! BlogFam, For probably more years that any one of us
can count, the word, the practice, the content of what is or is not considered
a PROPHETIC word has been in controversy.
And though it is a gift of the Spirit, the ways in which we have seen it
in operation is often not reminiscent of the ancient prophets as recorded in
the Bible. The ways in which we have seen
those who claim to be prophets function in the church universal has raised more
questions than has answered more questions.
And unfortunately, the words that were confirmed by the acts of God that
followed as demonstrated in the text are contemporarily imitated by exaggerated
moments of emotionally charged environments where no lives are changed, saved,
set free, or delivered as a result.
Furthermore, the ways in which the prophetic has been “re-defined” and
sometimes limited to the realm of social justice is an unfortunate
misunderstanding of the scope of the ways in which the prophetic can be used to
speak truth to power and to speak truth with power. Now, I am not dismissing the role of the prophetic
in the 21 century. I do
believe that the role of the Prophet is necessary as any other gift in the body
of Christ and I do believe that we all need to righteously experience the
divine inspired utterances of men and women who are obediently speaking words
of prediction, instruction, or exhortation.
Actually, today I am strongly encouraging us to LISTEN for the ways that
the divine will speak such words through us and through those around us. I do not think we should be so quick to
dismiss the potential for God to continue to speak words of revelation that are
relevant to our personal and communal situations as they stand today. We just need to LISTEN. The ONLY way that we will be in a position to
discern or test the words of the prophets of today is if we actually LISTEN. So - Do
not treat prophecies with contempt but test
them all; hold on to what is good, reject
every kind of evil. Do not treat with contempt before you
LISTEN. Do not test before you LISTEN. Do not hold on before you LISTEN. Do not reject before you LISTEN. Friends, LISTEN FIRST. We can glean so much when we listen and we can
miss so much when we do not listen. I do
not think that we should get overly excited about the person or the personality
or prowess of the individual who is delivering the prophecy before we actually
have heard what they have had to say. It
is immature and irresponsible for any of us to run with a so-called word from
the Lord from someone when we have not really LISTENED, tested and determined
what we need to hold on to and what we need to reject. BlogFam, I pray that on today you would be
OPEN to the flow of the prophetic in the 21 century. God is still speaking to us and through us,
words of prediction, instruction, and exhortation. I pray that you would make it a priority to LISTEN
FIRST no matter who is speaking. LISTEN
FIRST before you hold on or reject the declarations of the prophet. LISTEN FIRST and by faith, test the
revelation by the confirming truth of Christ and community via Scripture, Reason,
Experience, and Tradition. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but
test them all; hold on to what is good, reject
every kind of evil. LISTEN FIRST! GOD LOVES YOU AND I DO TOO! Delesslyn A. Kennebrew FOLLOW Me on Twitter: @AudraSunshine @SpiritedConcept @MyVisionFast P.S. - I want to INVITE ALL VISIONARIES to join me in a 21 day fast this month to TUNE IN to what the Lord may be speaking to you in this latter half of 2013. WILL YOU JOIN ME? I am excited that beginning TODAY, July 7 and through July 27, I will be TUNING IN to what God's VISION is for me. I want to continue to SEE clearly God's purpose/vision for my life and I want the same for ALL of you! |
Do NOT Quench the Spirit! - 1 Thessalonians 5:19
| Posted on July 19, 2013 at 12:36 PM |
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Do
NOT Quench the Spirit! 1 Thessalonians 5:19  Greetings! BlogFam, There are a lot of things we really just need
to STOP doing. I am sure that there are
things you can think of in your own life and obviously in the lives of others
that you think just need to STOP. There
are many reasons why we do not STOP the things we need to STOP and I will not
explore all of those here but I will at least say that STOPPING the things we
need to STOP is not always so easy. I
could make a list of things I need to STOP in my own life but “ain’t nobody got
time for that!” Besides, I will not allow
you to be that nosey so I will just STOP right there! LOL! But for real… BlogFam, there are things we can all admit
that we definitely need to STOP and there are also things that we have stopped
that we need to START again. And again,
I will not make a list but I will offer our verse for reflection on today as it
relates to this idea of stopping and starting, now and again. Today’s verse “simply” says - DO NOT QUENCH THE SPIRIT. And the SPIRIT to which Paul refers, I do
believe is the HOLY SPIRIT. DO NOT QUENCH THE HOLY SPIRIT. Now, this might sound like “common” sense
but we all know that “common” sense is not so “common” and with that being
said, I want to ask us to just take a moment to reflect on the ways in which we
quench or dare I say, STOP the work of the Holy Spirit in our own lives. We have all had moments when we just had a
“feeling” about a person, place, thing, situation, conversation, revelation, or
inclination and we dismissed, ignored, or “quenched” that feeling even though
deep down we knew that we should “listen.”
Then we later thought about that very moment and remarked to ourselves…
I had a “feeling” about this or about that.
I do believe that there is a higher and a holy sense that God places
within each of us that can inform us in ways beyond the five we have come to
rely upon so heavily. We rely upon our
physical senses so much so that when our holy sensor alerts us in order to warn
or teach or change or lead us in a way that we cannot physically touch, taste,
see, hear, or smell, we “quench” our holy sense. The Holy Spirit is a teacher and the Holy
Spirit inside of us will always lead us to ways of thinking, and being and
doing that are in line with the divine.
We must “TRUST in the Lord with ALL of our heart and lean NOT to our own
understanding.” We must NOT quench the
Holy Spirit. The New Life Version (NLV) says - Do
not try to stop the work of the Holy Spirit. Friends, the work of the Holy Spirit is
the work of God and it is ultimately for our good, whether we “feel” it at the
time or not. AND the work of the Holy
Spirit will direct us to BE good, whether we “feel” like it at the time or
not. The work of the Holy Spirit bears the
kind of fruit in our thoughts, our words, and our deeds as listed in Galatians
5:22-25: But
the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness,gentleness and
self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those
who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and
desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let
us keep in step with the Spirit. BlogFam, Do NOT quench the Spirit. Do NOT try to stifle,
subdue, stagnate, suppress, scare off, or stop the work of the Holy Spirit in
your life or in the lives of others. Do
NOT forego her wisdom or forget her power.
Just TRUST that the Holy Spirit will work good in you and for you. The Holy Spirit will not fail or falter or
let you fall behind. My Sisters and
Brothers, DO NOT QUENCH THE HOLY SPIRIT! Now that is one thing you can STOP doing today! GOD LOVES YOU & I DO TOO! Delesslyn FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER: @AudraSunshine or @SpiritedConcept |
A Prescription for Life in the Face of Injustice… #TrayvonMartin
| Posted on July 16, 2013 at 1:09 PM |
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A Prescription for Life in the Face of
Injustice… #TrayvonMartin 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice
always, pray continually, give
thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ
Jesus.  Greetings! BlogFam, as I write this post, I cannot separate
the thoughts, feelings, emotions that I have regarding the verdict in the case
against George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin in the State
of Florida. I am very intentional about
not using this blog as a space for social or political commentary on the
current events of the day because that is not the intent of this blog. I simply aim to share my reflections on the
Holy Writ and I pray that my reflections will inspire you to love God, love
yourself, love your neighbor and perhaps, thereby change the world in which we
live for the better. And as I continue
to type, perhaps, this blog will be no different. In all honesty, I am not completely sure
how to apply these verses in light of the NOT GUILTY verdict in this case or
any other case, statute, amendment, or vote where injustice, prejudice, de-humanization,
racism, gender bias, intolerance and ignorance seem to prevail. Rejoice
always, pray continually, give
thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ
Jesus. I can definitely and most readily apply
the verse that says PRAY CONTINUALLY. I
do not think that any person of faith would argue that PRAYER is always in
order. There is something that is life
giving about being able to reach out to a power beyond ourselves for whatever
our family, our community, our nation, and Florida might need. I am grateful for the privilege to approach
God in prayer in every situation that I face personally and on behalf of people
whose life situations and circumstances need supernatural attention. I am grateful that God hears and answers
prayer as continually as I pray. I am
grateful for the peace of mind, clarity, comfort, and divine companionship that
comes when I pray and YES I do believe this is…Prayer is God’s will for you and
for me in Christ Jesus. BUT now I am forced to wrestle with the
verses around the verse about prayer that say to REJOICE ALWAYS and GIVE THANKS
IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES in light of this verdict. What in the world is there to REJOICE about? What exactly should I be THANKING GOD for? I have read countless tweets and Facebook
status updates of men and women responding in so many different ways to this
verdict. So many have criticized, questioned,
protested, rebelled, marched, blacked out, hooded up, come down on the judge,
the jury, the jurisdiction and the justice system. And after all of that, the words of this text
still call for what has to be two of the most awkward and most "churchy" things
to do and say... REJOICE and GIVE THANKS. Really? Yes, Really. And without exception to ANY situation where
we might believe or clearly see that liberty and justice for all is lacking or questionably applied or apprehended,
we, who are servants of the Most High are called to REJOICE ALWAYS and to GIVE
THANKS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES. BlogFam, how in the world is this even
possible? Placing that NOT GUILTY
verdict to the side for a brief moment, the truth is that this is NOT the first
time in history that people have felt the tension in our nation when it comes
to defining JUSTICE and regardless of the legal standard to pronounce criminal verdicts
Beyond A Reasonable Doubt, someone, somewhere will always have DOUBTS about whether
or not the burden of proof was met by the Prosecution. Perhaps, this could be why verses like
those we are highlighting today and others like them are to be daily
prescriptions in the lives of every believer.
Meaning, in this life, the most certain truth that we can stand on BY
FAITH is the will of God concerning Christ Jesus. And regardless of how you may or may not feel
about the verdict in the case against George Zimmerman, the perspective we gain
when we REJOICE and GIVE THANKS helps us all to re-calibrate and keep Christ at
the forefront of every expression of support or disagreement we might offer. So, again, I ask you… What in the world is
there to REJOICE about? What exactly should
you be THANKING GOD for? I will not say
but I do believe that even in the most recent turn of events… To Rejoice and To Give Thanks is the will of
God for you in Christ Jesus. So, in your
tweets, your rants, your outrage, your updates, your prayers, your rallies,
your rambling and your rumblings…. Rejoice
always, pray continually, give
thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ
Jesus. This is a Prescription for ALL of our
Lives… and it is not an easy pill to swallow. GOD LOVES YOU AND I DO TOO!!! Delesslyn A. Kennebrew FOLLOW @AudraSunshine @SpiritedConcept @MyVisionFast |
Quid Pro Quo: From A Kingdom Perspective
| Posted on July 15, 2013 at 11:19 AM |
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Quid Pro Quo: From A Kingdom Perspective 1 Thessalonians 5:15 Make
sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what
is good for each other and for everyone else.  Greetings! BlogFam, first of all, please know that I
am not trying to teach you how to speak in tongues with the title of this blog
post! QUID PRO QUO are not terms from
the heavenly language but in fact is a Latin phrase meaning: “Something for
Something.” According to Black’s Law
Dictionary, it is a phrase used in the Legal community meaning: A thing that is
exchanged for another thing of more or less equal value; A substitute. Quid Pro Quo. Since we now have that very basic
understanding of the meaning of our title phrase, how do we begin to reconcile
its meaning with the words we find in our verse for today? Make
sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what
is good for each other and for everyone else. The truth is that there are times in our
lives when we really want to get back at those who have done something wrong to
us by doing something wrong to them. In
our moments of flawed judgment, we will do our best to justify why it would
really be OK to exchange the wrong we have received for a wrong of more or less
equal value and most of the time, we can always find someone to agree with us
on this even if we have never agreed on anything before. We too often look for ways to get back at
people because what they have done has hurt us, embarrassed us, shamed us, left
us out, burned us, ostracized us, ruined us, killed us in one way or
another. And we want to go all QUID PRO
QUO and give them and make them feel more or less of what we received and/or
felt. BUT then we read here in 1 Thessalonians a
word of advice from Paul whose way of exchange does not seem to make the impact
we want to make after the “something” we have experienced at the hand, heart,
or mouth of another. Make sure that
nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for
each other and for everyone else. We might try to twist the verse and
satisfy ourselves by giving the other person what is “good” for them by our own selfish and vindictive standards
but Paul is calling us to a higher QUID PRO QUO from a Kingdom perspective. Paul is challenging us to DO WHAT IS GOOD
all the time! Paying back wrong for
wrong is not even an option in his opinion and NOBODY is an exception to this
rule. This is not easy! We live in a world where we are taught
intentionally and unintentionally to get back at each other, to get before you
get got, and to never get fooled or shamed twice by the same person or
situation. So, for Paul to enlighten us
to a way of living that strives to DO WHAT IS GOOD all the time and to NEVER
pay back wrong for wrong even in situations where “everyone” would agree Quid
Pro Quo would be in order seems CRAZY! It just does not make sense to NOT do
wrong for wrong, to help people reap what they have sown, to facilitate the what
goes around comes around process, to directly exchange for another thing of
more or less equal value based on what has already been exchanged. You Know?
QUID PRO QUO. It is “Legal.” BUT is it “KINGDOM?” And here is where the line is drawn
because if we were all to experience QUID PRO QUO when it comes to how faithful
and obedient and loving we are to God, how many of us would be able to stand or
survive that “get back” from the All Powerful One? Let me help you. NOBODY.
BUT for the GRACE of God we are NOT consumed… and it is the same grace that has been
extended to us from God that we are to extend to others. GRACE and FORGEIVENESS are the key
components of Quid Pro Quo from a Kingdom perspective. This is a higher way of living and being in
the world. It is not always easy and it
is often misunderstood. But it is
Kingdom. So, BlogFam, Make sure that
nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for
each other and for everyone else.
This is the kind of Quid Pro Quo that may not satisfy your own feelings
but it is the kind that will please the Lord. GOD LOVES YOU and I DO TOO! Delesslyn FOLLOW Me on Twitter: @AudraSunshine @SpiritedConcept @MyVisionFast P.S. - I want to INVITE ALL VISIONARIES to join me in a 21 day fast this month to TUNE IN to what the Lord may be speaking to you in this latter half of 2013. WILL YOU JOIN ME? I am excited that beginning TODAY, July 7 and through July 27, I will be TUNING IN to what God's VISION is for me. I want to continue to SEE clearly God's purpose/vision for my life and I want the same for ALL of you! |
Are you a "GOOD" person? 1 Thessalonians 5:14
| Posted on July 11, 2013 at 10:32 AM |
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Are you a “GOOD” person? 1 Thessalonians 5:14 And
we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive,
encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Greetings! BlogFam, sometimes we just need to be
reminded that we must be committed to being "good" people. As Paul closes out his letter to the church
at Thessalonica, he closes it by sharing nuggets of wisdom that admonish the original
recipients of the letter as well as those of us who read it in our contemporary
settings. These nuggets are basic
instructions that any “good” person
could follow and thereby lead a decent life. Yet, for the believer, I would dare to say
that these are non-negotiable spiritual practices of the life of those who
follow Jesus. Over the next few days we
will walk through the nuggets closing 1 Thessalonians 5, but on today let’s
look at one verse: And
we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive,
encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. The one thing that strikes me about the
content of this particular verse is its focus on how we are to respond to those
we would conveniently, preferably and would much rather ignore. It is true.
We might as well be honest. We do
not want to hang around IDLE people who are not passionate or proactive about
fulfilling their purpose in life. We do
not want be distracted by those who are DISRUPTIVE to the flow of ideas and
actions that allow us to have forward momentum individually or in a particular
group. We do not want to be weighed down
by the DISHEARTENED men and women in our lives who rain on everybody’s parade
and for whom the glass seems to always be half empty. We would rather be associated with people who
are strong and confident, smart and attractive inside and out, not those who
are WEAK and are struggling socially or physically or financially, ignorant and
put down on themselves. However, Paul pushes us to look beyond our
personal or socially acceptable comfort zones to respond with the patience of
Christ to those we would otherwise avoid.
He urges us to: WARN those who are idle and disruptive – SPEAK
UP and tell them know how important it is for them to be passionate and
proactive about God’s call upon their lives and whatever their hands find to
do, may they DO it as unto the Lord with joy and thanksgiving. ENCOURAGE the disheartened – SIT DOWN and
remind them that God has an amazing plan for their lives, a plan to prosper and
not harm them, plans to give them hope and a future that they can look forward
to with optimism and victory. HELP the weak – SLOW DOWN and lend a
helping hand or a listening ear to someone who needs a friend to inspire them
to keep pressing through whatever they might be struggling with in this present
moment knowing that whatever they are going and growing through right now is
NOT worthy to be compared with the glory of God that shall be revealed in their
lives if they just hold on! BE PATIENT with everyone including ALL of
the above! BlogFam, I pray that today and everyday we
would just be “good” people who care about others so much so that we will SPEAK
UP, SIT DOWN, and SLOW DOWN in order to be there for someone else exemplifying the
PATIENCE that is characteristic of our Lord.
I pray that you would BE PATIENT with the idle and disruptive, the disheartened,
and the weak. I pray that you would make
up in your mind to just be a “good” person who is willing to share with someone
else the warnings, encouragement, the help, and the patience that you have also
received. Friends, will YOU be a GOOD person to
someone else today? GOD LOVES YOU AND I DO TOO!!! Delesslyn FOLLOW Me on Twitter: @AudraSunshine @SpiritedConcept @MyVisionFast P.S. - I want to INVITE ALL VISIONARIES to join me in a 21 day fast this month to TUNE IN to what the Lord may be speaking to you in this latter half of 2013. WILL YOU JOIN ME? I am excited that beginning TODAY, July 7 and through July 27, I will be TUNING IN to what God's VISION is for me. I want to continue to SEE clearly God's purpose/vision for my life and I want the same for ALL of you! |
Nobody Likes A SHOW OFF!!! 1 Thes. 5:12-13
| Posted on July 9, 2013 at 8:24 AM |
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Nobody Likes A Show Off! 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 Now
we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among
you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold
them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with
each other. Greetings! BlogFam, Nobody likes a show off! Nobody.
And I wonder what the person was thinking who came up with that
phrase. Show Offs are people we love to
hate. Show Offs are people who like to
have the spotlight shining on them. Show
Offs like to toot their own horn, star in their own show, and be the life of
everyone’s party! And nobody likes a
show off! BlogFam, I think everyone has a little bit
of show off inside of them that is waiting to come out. I think we all secretly and some of us not so
secretly want to be the center of attention in one way or another. Now, that desire is not completely out of order but if the
means by which you achieve your “stardom” are rude, arrogant, prideful, unloving,
or unjust, well, then you just might be showing off in the worst kind of way. On the other hand, there are some people
who are show offs that many of us are drawn to because they really are
excellent in their craft, generous with their resources, passionate about
certain causes, or they possess genuinely kind and joyful personalities and
optimistic outlooks. There are some show
offs whom we all just absolutely adore because it just does not seem right not
to. Friends, what kind of show off are
you? Are you the kind of show off who
works hard and cares for others? Are you
the kind of show off who will give really good advice to help encourage and
protect those in your circle of influence?
Are you the kind of show off who lives to love and loves to live in
peace with everyone? If so, then those
around you are to hold you in highest regard because of your work. If not, then you are probably facing some
challenges in your relationships that reflect the negative energy that you are
choosing to show off. My sisters and brothers, nobody likes a
show off! But if you happen to be the
kind of show off that is described in our verses for today, I pray that you are
loved and appreciated, and held in the highest regard because of your
work. On the other hand, if you are
jealous or bitter, angry or upset because the spotlight is not shining on you,
GET OVER YOURSELF! For as soon as you
repent and realize that the SUPER-STAR is and has actually been Jesus Christ
and it is only because of the light of Christ shown through our lives that we
become the types of show offs that Paul describes, then you can be a show off
too. So, if you want to be a show off – and do
not tell me that you don’t – then allow the light of Christ to shine through in
the way that you work, love, care for others, advise and live in peace with all
people. GOD LOVES YOU and I DO TOO! Delesslyn P.S. - I want to INVITE ALL VISIONARIES to join me in a 21 day fast this month to TUNE IN to what the Lord may be speaking to you in this latter half of 2013. WILL YOU JOIN ME? I am excited that beginning TODAY, July 7 and through July 27, I will be TUNING IN to what God's VISION is for me. I want to continue to SEE clearly God's purpose/vision for my life and I want the same for ALL of you! |