Youth In Action at the 2014-215 Baltimore Annual Conference

By: Rev. Meisha Osbourne

On April 4, 2015, Mt. Calvary AME's YPD had the opportunity to attend the Baltimore Conference Annual YPD Day the Camp Ramglewood, located in Darlington, MD. Mt. Calvary AME's YPD attended and retured from Annual YPD Day with great praise reports; Sis. Jamie Marshall of Hampton University, was elected and remains as the Baltimore District's Financial Secretary; Bro. Derrick Watson, Bro. Nathan Epps and Bro. Christopher Nash participated in the Conference Spelling and advanced as finalist outside of their age categories; and ultimately - shared the love of Christ with one another and with other youth from difference churches within the Baltimore Conference. Spiritually, it was a blessing to witness the purity of laughter, profound brotherhood and sisterhood - within our youth.

The richest takeaway of the day: under the direction of Saving Our Sons (SOS) Leader, Bro. DuRan Epps - All of Mt. Calvary AME's young men attracted other youth from other churches to join and make an additional football game that quickly grew from 7 places to an estimated 16 players; that all had such a wonderful time and did not want it to end.

The was no way this year's annual day could have been a success without the help and support of our Pastor, Exec. Ministry, our Church, and Parents / Guardians! Annual day was truly a blessing. We look forward to next year.

Ministry Spotlight - W.O.W. Ministry

The mission of the Women of Warfare (WOW!) Ministry at Mount Calvary is "It's time for a revolution... We Declare War!!!" Fighting for our families, friends, ourselves, and One Another!! Wiping out... Worry, Weariness, Waywardness, Weakness, Wounds (Hurt)! Everyone that looks upon this ministry will have to proclaim... WOW!!! Look at what the Lord is doing through these mighty women of God. Even the enemy will have to step back and say WOW. Because the ministry has declared war, their leadership titles are that of an army, with Pastor Ann Lightner-Fuller leading the army as General, along with Rev. Lori Hines, Rev. Dana Gaymon, Sis. Cassie Smith and others leading the charge.

This year, the WOW Ministry will host several activities during Women's Month with the theme, "This Girl Is On Fire For Jesus," taken from Acts 2:1-3. Beginning with a Bible Study / Workshop on May 14th, all women are asked to come out be blessed. T-Shirts ($10-$15) with this year's theme will also be on sale; you may begin placing your order on 1st Sunday. WOW will also host their 3rd Annual Anointed Service on Friday, May 22nd, end the month the Annual Women's Day Service on May 24th at 8 a.m. & 11 a.m. (Assessments: $100.00 for men & women. $10.00 for children and youth.) The day will commence with a Comedy Luncheon / Fancy Shoe Contest at 1:30 p.m. in the Family Life Center. Donation $25.00

The ministry has regular monthly Bible Study and quarterly Chat & Chew Workshops. If you are interested in joining the WOW Ministry, come out a any of their regularly scheduled activities and declare war on the enemy.

THIS GIRL IS ON FIRE FOR JESUS

Meditation From the Pew... 


By: Rev. Dana Gaymon
W.O.W. Lieutenant of Bible Study

Spring is in the air and with it comes expectations of growth from the earth. Spring is also the seaon that we celebrate women! May is Women's Month at Mount Calvary and this year out them ("This Girl is on Fire for Jesus") is commensurate with our purpose, calling and desire to be... "On Fire For The Lord."

As we kick off Women's Month, I would like to challenge each of us to take a cue from Mother Nature and being to blossom this spring! Women of Warfare, now is the time to grow where you have been plants. The seeds that God has placed in us have germinated and taken root. It is time to push through and grow!

Women's Day is May 24th, Pentecost Sunday! Acts 2:1-3, tells us that when Pentecost came the people were all togehter, tongues of fire rested on each of them, and ALL were filled with the Holy Spirit! Please join us this month as we received , rekindle and rejoice in the fire from on high!

Let us ponder the question, now that you have received the fire, what will you do with it?

Attentiveness and Responsiveness to The Risen Savior

By: Rev. Thomasine Adams

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus predicts his death three times. It is during the third
prediction that he says, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be
delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn
him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on
him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.” (Mark 10:33-34)

Jesus’ predictions reveal the importance of attentiveness and responsiveness for his
disciples and Christians today.

Jesus had high purpose and deep vision for as we see “…he steadfastly set his face to
go to Jerusalem where he would die for the sins of the world” (Luke 9:51). The
disciples were given three predictions of His death and resurrection, but seemingly,
they were not as attentive as Jesus desired them to be.

In the first prediction, Peter took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him (Mark 8:31-
33). In the second prediction, the disciples did not understand what Jesus meant and
were afraid to ask him about it (Mark 9:31-32). Finally, in the third prediction, the
sons of Zebedee wanted to sit on Jesus’ right and left (Mark 10:33-37). The disciples
were not attentive to Jesus’ predictions.

What does it mean to be attentive? It means to be mindful of God's presence in all of
life. You cannot truly experience Jesus’ presence if you are not attentive to His call on
your life. It is important to be attentive to what you resist. Attentiveness means not
turning away when Jesus ask you to accept and do the hard things, just as he tried to
explain to the disciples.

How are you responding to the Risen Savior on this Christian journey? Is your face
fixed on the Cross as you respond to the Risen Savior in all of life? Are you responding
with love, obedience, compassion, and thankfulness for the great Gift of Salvation?
God calls us to be attentive and responsive in our daily lives which will enable us to
desire and embrace a deeper relationship with the Risen Savior.
As you seek to be attentive to the Risen Savior and respond with “A Heart to Follow
Jesus”, your prayer life will be your foundation, the Holy Spirit will be your guide,
and your faith will be your anchor.

Meditation From The Pew...

Authentic Missions: Being A Reflection of Christ
By Sis. Roxanne Epps

For just a moment allow your imagination to carry you off to the Christmas season when we tend to be more compassionate and kindhearted than any other time of the year. Be still for a minute and listen to the chatter and enthusiasm. "Do we have enough turkeys? Does anyone know where we put the sweet potatoes and green beans?" Take notice of the merriment and excitement during the holiday when missionaries are diligently working to prepare baskets for families in the community. There are certain seasons when we customarily go the extra mile to do something for those we consider to be less fortunate than us. Why - often we believe it makes us look good and because it makes us feel good. However, that should never be the primary reason we serve God's people. If God isn't glorified then we've missed the mark.

Missionary endeavors afford us the opportunity to represent God. God should be the motivating factor; therefore, we shouldn't lose sigh of Him. There is nothing sinful about feeling good when we have reached our objective to serve others, be it through missions, our calling, or our gift and talents. But its imperative to stay focused on His light and not allow ourselves to get caught up in the "act". Be it Jamaica, East Towson or wherever, people should see God in action through us. They should see a spirit that is humble, pure, and meek. Authentic missions should replicate a spirit that is stripped down of everything that is not a reflection of Jesus Christ. Let's remember to keep God as our focal point in our ministry of missions and Jesus Christ as an example.

A Message from Our Executive Minister

"The Harvest In Plentiful and We Still Need Laborers!"

Peace and blessings to my Mt. Calvary Family!

We are still in the dawn of a new year and there is a lot of work to be accomplished. As the Lord brings the harvest the real question is this, who will be available to gather up the crops? So if the Lord is calling you to serve, step outside of your comfort zone and say here I am Lord, use me.

We need your talents and remember no talent is too small or large to be used in kingdom work. e need kingdom workers in every facet of church life. From teachers to cleaners, from cleaners to cooks, from cooks to communicators - the Lord has need of you!

The Lord need your time, which means in 2015 we must being to reprioritize our lives so that kingdom matters have priority in our lives. We can no longer come to church on Sunday and just expect everything to be in order, especially if we have not given any time to the up building of this church. Please think of the church when you are at home, work, or even at play. Ask yourself what I can do or give to make the church even more effective?

Finally, the Lord has called for your treasure, yes beloved, the money! The church does not just operate on good wishes and prayer, but on tithes and offerings as well. Become a tither today, try God and put Him to the test in 2015. Watch God bless you in areas you were dried up and withering away. Mount Calvary, you have witnessed what your tithes and sacrificial gifts to the kingdom have accomplished: A beautiful sanctuary, a state of the are Life Center, supporting missions in Africa, Caribbean, and right here in the communities of Baltimore and Towson. Here is the truth - the best is till yet to come!

So listen to the words of Paul, "I beg you therefore, my brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, that your present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service!" (Romans 12:1)

Determined to live by faith,
Dr. Stanley

Youth Perspective on the Movie "SELMA"...

There I sat with my mom in the Cinemark,
Looking at the movie "Selma" wondering why life was so complex.
I remember reading all the textbooks
How my ancestors struggled while the other game them dirty looks.
Whips and chains because they wanted to vote.
The test they took were not a joke.
While forming lines, the marched the streets of a small town.
Those who opposed gave them several dirty frowns.
But MLK, as my generation calls him, did not stop.
 Several times, he went to the White House to voice his concerns without arguing or shout.
Peace, not violence, was the plan for you to see.
They marched and cried till they saw victory.
I ask how one man can stand the test,
But I see he had God and that was best.
They kneeled down in silence and began to pray.
His followers wondered why did he just walk away.
Finally LBJ saw the light.
Because Martin Luther King did not give up his fight.
A good eye opener for the youth to see.
A good eye opener for the young at Mt. Calvary A.M.E.

By: Jada Scruggs, Grade 10

Leave it There!

One of the greatest challenges to one’s faith is taking things to God in prayer and leaving it there! No matter how long we’ve been walking on our Christian journey, it’s natural for all of us to feel the need to be in control of our lives and destiny. When challenges arise – whether it be facing sickness, encountering a financial burden, or watching our families fall apart – we feel a need to figure out ways to fix things. It’s our natural human response, BUT in this Lenten season, we are being asked to take a step of faith and trust God with the things in our lives that we can’t fix. We are being challenged to trust God more and more on a daily basis to deliver on His promises for our lives.

What are God’s promises for your life? Do you truly trust Him with these promises? Are you willing to trust God with those things that may make you look a bit crazy?

We can’t expect God to deliver on His promises without recognizing our role in the relationship. God’s request for us is to bring our burdens to Him and leave them there. God’s request is for us to bring those things that we struggle to release from our hearts and hands to Him, so He can show us that He can meet our every need. God’s Word tells us that His yoke is easy and His burdens are light. We can find rest and giving our lives and our burdens to God. Mt. Calvary, will you be bold enough to take your burdens to our amazing God and leave them with Him, trusting that He will deliver on His promises!

Why not draw a circle around God’s promises for your life today?

You have longed for sweet peace,
And for faith to increase,
And have earnestly, fervently prayed;
But you cannot have rest,
Or be perfectly blest,
Until all on the altar is laid.

Is your all on the altar of sacrifice laid?
Your heart does the Spirit control?
You can only be blest,
And have peace and sweet rest,
As you yield Him your body and soul.

​Is Your All on the Altar?
​Elisha A. Hoffman

Lenten Season 2013

Amazing Things!
The 40 Day Prayer Challenge

2 Chronicles 7:14


"If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."


When Pastor Corey Brooks got fed up with the murder and mayhem that became a way of life around his south Chicago church, he drew the proverbial line in the sand. Instead of complaining about, "Those people in our neighborhood," calling the cops, or turning his head, he decided to do something about it. During the coldest 94 days of the year, Pastor Corey lived in a tent across the street from his church on top of an abandoned hotel that served as headquarters for drug dealers and prostitutes. He wound up birthing Project HOOD and raising $450.000 to tear down the hotel to make room for a new community and economic development center. I don't know if Pastor Corey read the Circle Maker, but his actions put fast feet and crazy faith to what God had spoken to him. Sometimes when God speaks to us about our purpose and our destiny it may look crazy to other people. I know that it looked downright ridiculous for Pastor Corey to hole up in a tent in the middle of the winter in Chicago, but he did it anyway. I encourage you to move on what God is saying to you this Lenten Season. Like Pastor Corey, you are not going to understand it completely, and it doesn't matter if others understand it, however, moving on what God has said shows God that you trust Him and that you believe the promises He has designed just for you. Where do you start? By listening to God and knowing His voice. How do you act? By moving to circle your prayers. When you go to Mt. Calvary this week you will see circles drawn all over the property. Get inside of a circle and pray. If that circle is too small for your problems and prayers-get your own chalk and draw one that suits your needs. Draw one that you can fit your entire family or your ministry in. Draw one that you can leave your heartbreaks or dreams in. I don't care....just draw your circle. When the rain or snow washes it away...draw another one. Will you look crazy drawing a circle with chalk and standing in it and praying? Probably so, but it felt crazy suggesting it until I read ahead to the chapter in Draw the Circle that speaks about crazy faith. God knows your beginning and your end. Get to drawing and watch God move.

The 40 Day Prayer Challenge

Lenten Season 2013

Amazing Things!
The 40 Day Prayer Challenge

2 Chronicles 7:14


"If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."


When Pastor Corey Brooks got fed up with the murder and mayhem that became a way of life around his south Chicago church, he drew the proverbial line in the sand. Instead of complaining about, "Those people in our neighborhood," calling the cops, or turning his head, he decided to do something about it. During the coldest 94 days of the year, Pastor Corey lived in a tent across the street from his church on top of an abandoned hotel that served as headquarters for drug dealers and prostitutes. He wound up birthing Project HOOD and raising $450.000 to tear down the hotel to make room for a new community and economic development center. I don't know if Pastor Corey read the Circle Maker, but his actions put fast feet and crazy faith to what God had spoken to him. Sometimes when God speaks to us about our purpose and our destiny it may look crazy to other people. I know that it looked downright ridiculous for Pastor Corey to hole up in a tent in the middle of the winter in Chicago, but he did it anyway. I encourage you to move on what God is saying to you this Lenten Season. Like Pastor Corey, you are not going to understand it completely, and it doesn't matter if others understand it, however, moving on what God has said shows God that you trust Him and that you believe the promises He has designed just for you. Where do you start? By listening to God and knowing His voice. How do you act? By moving to circle your prayers. When you go to Mt. Calvary this week you will see circles drawn all over the property. Get inside of a circle and pray. If that circle is too small for your problems and prayers-get your own chalk and draw one that suits your needs. Draw one that you can fit your entire family or your ministry in. Draw one that you can leave your heartbreaks or dreams in. I don't care....just draw your circle. When the rain or snow washes it away...draw another one. Will you look crazy drawing a circle with chalk and standing in it and praying? Probably so, but it felt crazy suggesting it until I read ahead to the chapter in Draw the Circle that speaks about crazy faith. God knows your beginning and your end. Get to drawing and watch God move.

Goodness and Mercy Shall Follow Me

Mount Calvary On-Line Bible Study

23^rd Psalm

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me”

November 8, 2012

I thank God that we have shared in this brief study of the 23rd Psalm.  Our time together has been fruitful, informative and challenging and to God be the glory for it all.  

Finally we are at the end and David says something interesting: He says, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

We have to ask ourselves what would cause David to make such a statement and what does that have to do with the sheep shepherd relationship?  Well let me share a few things and then we can let this scripture rest for a moment. 

Sure About it!

We live in a strange and confused world.  Things that were written in stone yesterday no longer hold any permanence today.  Values are in flux, ethics are flexible and honesty and integrity are lost as collateral damage.  Many ministers have been caught up in the wave of secular relativism and have allowed themselves to be compromised. These incursions into the life of the Church and believer leave some of us wondering about life and God.   Here is the question for us today is there anything that you are sure about?  Can you list at least three things that you sure about and nothing can dissuade you otherwise?

David makes this statement based on:

Key principle:

1. His relationship with the master!  

Because of what you have been through thus far there should be some things that you can stake your life on.  My relationship with the master has revealed some truths about his love for me, his care for me and his strength.

Here is what I know:

1. I am blessed!

David said that the Lord is my shepherd.  I am sure about it today that the Lord is my shepherd.  David says because of all that has occurred to me surely goodness and mercy will follow me and I will dwell in Gods house forever.  I can now look back over my life and see some things.

1. Not because of me but because of him I am blessed/ he did it in spite of me
2. My relationship with him makes me blessed/ as long as I am connected to him I am blessed
3. Because of what he has already done
4. Relationship has its privileges

Key principle:  Before goodness and mercy followed me it flowed to me!

I have experienced it and now it is a part of my character and my personality.

David would say that because of what has come my way the mercy that I received, the grace that was evident in my life mercy flowed to me before I even acknowledged it.  Think about beloved can you look back over your life and see God intervening in your affairs?  Before you ever acknowledged him he blessed you! 

Principal at work.  

Goodness and mercy do not mean that I will never have a hard time but what it does say this:

Good can come out of evil!

My confidence in him is based on the fact that he has set principles in order he has loosed them in my life.

He has declared that if it does not kill me it has to bless me.

What is following you?

And what determines what follows you?

• Watch your attitude it will determine what you see and what you say
• Your altitude will determine how and you receive.

What should follow you?

What I am asking here is this, are all the blessing of God in your life just for you?  

Why does God allow us to suffer and then survive?  

Is there a message to the motives of God?  What is God trying to say to us?

Keys to the lesson:

Manure:  This is what sheep leave behind and it is the very best manure known to humanity!  It can cultivate a dry field; turn a desert into an oasis.  .

The point is this, if goodness and mercy are following you what should be the end result of your presence in a place?

Here are a few suggestions:  

People should be blessed just-

• talking to you
• singing with you
• Working with you
• Praying with you 
• Riding on the bus with you
• Living in the house with you
• Being married to you
• Being in the same class with.

They ought to be blessed because goodness and mercy.

Final thought:

You see beloved I have come to understand that the more blessed I am the more of a blessing that I should be to others. 

What are you resolved to as a result of the goodness and mercy of God?

I am determined to stay in his house! I will never leave his pasture!

No Fly Zone

Mount Calvary online Bible Study

Psalm 23

No fly zone

He anoints me head with oil and my cup runs over

November 1, 2012

We have now reached a point in our time together where everything has finally been put into place.  The sheep are where the shepherd wants them to be.  The sheep are eating the greenest grass and drinking the coolest water.  The Shepherd is right there with them.  They are in table land a plateau, a higher elevation the next level if you will.  The sheep and shepherd are now close they have formed that intimate relationship.  Everything is good everything is lovely.  It is a perfect situation: The mountain lions have been tamed and the snakes have been chased away and the poisonous plants have been plucked up.  This is what the Shepherd has been trying to move the sheep to all along.

Has it ever been that way with you and God?  Prayer is easy, studying Gods word brings nothing but pleasure.  You can’t wait to get to church.  You can see and hear God at work, at home and even at play; you are in an intimate relationship with your Savior.

Oh beloved just when everything is going well, its summer warm days and cool nights, but with all that perfection there is a literal fly in the ointment.  You see beloved it’s now summer and its fly time!

Hoards of flies invade sheep territory in the summer.  This is a serious problem for the sheep and the shepherd relationship.  Yes beloved flies, show up not just your run of the mill ordinary fly but special flies that have their own agenda!

• There are warble flies, Bot flies, heel flies, deer flies, black flies, mosquitoes, gnats.  There attack can and will ruin the perfect rest and relationship of sheep and shepherd.  They drive the sheep to distraction.  But beloved the most notorious of those flies are the nose fly.

Flies with an agenda! /Distraction

1. He wants to plant his eggs in a vulnerable place on the sheep

1. In the nose mucus membranes

1. The eggs hatch and crawl up the nasal passage into you guessed it the head of the sheep
2. Once he plants them and they hatch and crawl up to his head they dig themselves into his brain and they cause the sheep pain swelling 
3. The problem is this, the sheep need relief from these flies, so they deliberately beat their heads against trees, rocks, post, bushes thorn bushes.  They rub themselves in dirt.  Just trying to get some respite from these flies.

Keys to the Lesson: Distractions come from the enemy!

If the enemy can’t get you with the big stuff he will send bugs, flies the small stuff to distract you.  He realizes by now because of your relationship with the shepherd he can’t get you with a mountain lion or a snake or a poisonous plant.  

He will attempt to drop the egg of:

• Doubt
• Fear
• Negativity
• Stinginess
• Hoarding

Because of the irritation some sheep have gone blind and some have even killed themselves just to escape relief from the flies.  

Keys to the lesson: Fear/Distraction

So when the sheep even see the flies hovering around he takes his eyes off the shepherd and becomes afraid he becomes frantic with fear and panic.  

The results of this fear:

The female sheep stop milking the baby sheep/ death

The larger sheep in an attempt to escape run over baby sheep/ death

The sheep become so afraid that they even refuse to go out into the pasture because that is where the flies hover, in the green grass.

Confess to the Lord:  Lord I am a sheep because it is the small stuff that drives me crazy.  Notice if you will the flies are always trying to get into the head of the sheep

Keys to the Lesson:  Attack the head and the body will fall!

Why do you think the fly attacks the head?

What happens when the enemy gets in your head?

Stinking thinking!

Not just your physical head but the spiritual head

Remember the enemy wants your life and your soul!

The Cure

Only the watchful eye of a shepherd can cure these issues.  He is always watching the sheep even though they take their eyes off him and when he notices there behavior pattern changes, he gets the remedy.  When he notices that they are bugging out he gets the remedy.

He gets some oil and sulfur and tar and he mixes it together and then he rubs it all over the head of the sheep and guesses what, instantly the behavior of the sheep changes.  The sheep begin to eat, drink and graze.  

Keys to the Lesson 

Notice that the shepherd does not remove the sheep from the situation he just adds an agent into the mix, the Holy Spirit!  He anoints the head of the sheep in the presence of the flies.  The Holy Spirit is the oil of my life.  When petty annoyances begin to drive me crazy the Holy Spirit is the cure.

An Advent Message of Hope

HOPE

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

     Christ through the Spirit brings us hope when we accept him. That hope must be nurtured and cared for, especially in the face of persecution.

     In this season some of us may be experiencing road blocks, dead end jobs, and funny money. However, remember the Hymn, "Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus Blood and Righteousness. On Christ, the solid rock I Stand."

     During the Advent season our focus is the celebration of the birth of Jesus. We must have a spirit of expectation and anticipation. Therefore we celebrate the coming of the Christ in our hearts with hope of eternal life.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I ask that you would fill our hearts with hope and faith, that we would expect and anticipate great things. Your word says "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord "Plans to prosper you not to harm you, plans to give you Hope and a Future." Jeremiah 29:11 In Jesus name Amen.

Submitted by : Minister Shaman Shine-Lee

Character Matters

Genesis 39:20-23, 40:1-8 Ministering to Others: I know it has been a minute since you have had a message from the Mount, but be not dismayed we are back and please believe this, the Lord has been speaking! This was a trying summer for me and as I was going through, the Lord spoke familiar words to me and those words were about development of character. The Lord has designs on us and he intends to use us for his purposes. Before anything can be used it must be tried or proven and in the spiritual realm this is called development. Yes beloved here we are again talking about the development of character, because being gifted without the correction of development is disaster! So the Lord has been working on me; how about you? As I was going through my season, the Spirit directed me to my old friend Joseph, yes Joseph, gifted but in need of guidance and development. The text before us shares some interesting insights regarding how to handle caring for others when you need care for yourself! Joseph has been thrown into jail because of a lie and while he is in jail the scriptures reveal that God is with him. Key thought: Knowing God and having God on your side does not mean you escape difficulty. Key thought: The blessing of our trials is that God said I will never leave you neither will I forsake you. The text reveals that God was with him and prospered him in jail. Key thought: God can make you prosperous in a poisonous situation. Joseph sees two men who are sad and he asks them "why are you so sad?" What a question! He is in prison with them. He has been lied on and imprisoned because of it, and yet he has to minister.   Key thought: Trouble in your life does not mean you get a time out from ministry. The real test of our ministry is not what we do when the skies are fair and the wind is calm, but it is how we handle the dark days and restless nights. Our ministry and character is perfected when the conditions are far from perfect. I will share more from this in the upcoming weeks but please read through the scripture and let the Lord minister to you. Determined to Live by Faith, Dr. Stan

Online Bible Study Lesson 12

Character Development 

Blessing others before we bless ourselves!

Genesis 39:1-28

Key thoughts:

Many times your gift becomes evident to others before you even realize it yourself!

Before Joseph even knew it the Bible declares his master saw it.  We are growing when we are able to use our gifts to bless someone else even when we can’t bless ourselves.

God does not always remove us from hardship to bless us.  As a matter of fact it is often times the hardship that makes way for the favor!

Working against bitterness

“We must guard against bitterness because what you thought would happen has not happened yet.”

Remember in your developmental process as people of God delay is not always denial.  Sometimes God is just working out the details!

Online Bible Study Lesson 11

Character development

PITFALLS!

Genesis: 37:19-36

Point to ponder:

Perhaps this is part of the great challenge of the Christian life, we have been saved by a God who has plans for us that he will not divulge but he let us know it by the development process.  “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Jeremiah 28:11

In out text today Joseph is sent out to spy on his brothers and bring back a report.  His brothers see him from a distance and decide to kill him.  

What do you think about the statement they made when they saw him?

Verse 20:  Here comes the dreamer, let’s kill him and throw him into a pit and see what comes of his dreams.

What do they do to him?  Remember everything in the verse is important!

Verse 23:  

What do they strip him?  What does that have to do with development?  The scripture say that the pit was empty, what if anything does that mean?

Purpose of Pits

What is the purpose of a pit?

What is the significance of the pit being empty?

Runners on the Track

Scripture:—Hebrews 12: 1-2

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”  

We as Christians, we as Believers are runners on a race track. We have prepared for the race; we’re strong, agile, fast, and talented. All these skills and attributes would be enough if we were running a normal race that’s straight down the track to the finish line; instead, we are in the more difficult track event: Long Distance Hurdles.  When hurdles are in the race, you just can’t expect to sprint down the track because you’ll never make it without falling. In this race, there are hurdles that we have to jump over. The first hurdle or challenge is Matthew 6:33, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” If we keep God our number one priority, the other hurdles in our lives will be easier to leap over. Our minds should be stayed on Him all the time, but we let the enemy creep in and our minds become overpowered by the stress of our daily obligations, the ambiguity of our own selfish ambitions, the fleshy desires of the world, and everything else that takes our minds of Christ. Let’s be real, this is not an easy command to obey, which is why it’s identified as a hurdle. God wants us to work on our relationship with Him, if we make this relationship a priority on our lives, all other relationships will fall into place, or, if God sees fit, some relationships will fall out of place. Nevertheless, this is just the first hurdle on the track, there will be one soon to follow, and another after that, and will continue one right after another. But be encouraged because the first hurdle prepares us to make it over the next hurdles. There will be times that we run with overconfidence, thinking that we’ve got it, so we try to run faster and wind up crashing into the hurdle that we thought we had sized up just right and could out jump.  What happened? What happened is that we lost focus on God and shifted the focus on ourselves and our own strategies toward reaching the finish line. This crash can be embarrassing and humiliating, but the good news is that we can get back up, make some adjustments, and try again. When you get back up from the fall, it allows you to be a witness to the crowd that watched you fall.  Sometimes God will even pull us all the way back to the beginning. In this instance, a step backward is a step forward in the right direction. 

Prayer:

Lord, help me to keep my eyes stayed on You, help me to fully devote myself to our relationship, and help me to always be in preparation for the next hurdle…until I finish the race. Amen.

Mariah Dixon

Occupy Until I Come/ Use What You Have!: Scripture: Luke 19:11-27

Greetings my brothers and sisters, I pray that you and your family are basking in the goodness of the Lord. Occupying until he comes can be challenging, particularly when time is an element that we do not control. Time frustrates us because we would like to manipulate it for our good. Although time can be burdensome it can also be a blessing.  Waiting helps us learn to manage time, gifts and even problems. We learn that we can take more than we thought we could, simply by surviving the storm. So while you are waiting, use what you have. What am I talking about? Glad you asked. In the text, before we are told that Nobleman was on his way to a far country to be crowned king and called for his servants; He gave them some money and told them to go and put it to work until I come back. The first thing to note is this; we have all been given something to work with. God never makes a promise and leaves us empty handed.  He gives us patience, love, strength, the ability to sing, compute numbers, dance, counsel, and speak or some other gift. The Lord expects us to use these gifts until he comes back. So beloved stop crying about what you do not have and use what you have to bless God and yourself.

The next thing the Bible reminds us of is this; the master will return and ask for an account of what we did with our gifts. Occupy means that we use and even enhance what we have been given. First, use what you have to get more. Remember if you are not using what you have effectively why would He give you more. The next item is just as important; enhance what you already have. Yes you are saved but that does not prohibit you from reading and studying. Find out more about your faith, go to the bookstore and enhance your knowledge of our Lord and savior. Finally, the text reveals that the rewards based on faithful activity not ignorant slothfulness. We cannot come to the Lord with some church saying that has no basis in scripture, but we must be faithful over what we have been given. Crying over spilled milk may get you sympathy from friends but it does not move God in your favor. It appears that the Lord wants to know what you did after the break down, after the lay-off, after the divorce! We can answer like the foolish servant and say I just went and hid in my hurt so that no one could ever do that to me again, or we can say Master I learned some things about healing and love and patience and I present to you a better man a better woman. Use what you have!  

Determined to live by Faith,

Dr. Stan