E. L. Louie
My daughter texted me a link to this song. After listing to it, I felt joy in aging gracefully and enjoying life. I texted her back and told her that the song was simply beautiful—And how amazingly happy Gladys Knight looked on the cover—her joyous radiance was evident. I was reminded of the Apostle Paul in Philippians 4:11, Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content.
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The idea, ‘God exist, therefore, I exist—I exist, therefore, God exist’ entered my thoughts this morning. However, God is omnipotent and independent of my existence, while my existence is dependent on God and a testimony to God. No matter how we grapple with reality, it is clear that God exist. We are the proof we often seek. Humans made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27)!
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Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. ~ 2 Corinthians 5:20 Merriam-Webster defines ambassador as: (1) an official envoy—especially: a diplomatic agent of the highest rank accredited to a foreign government or sovereign as the resident representative of […]
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The biblical narrative about the Israelites and Pharaoh (capital “P” denotes numerous pharaohs during this historical time) comes to mind when I consider the seriousness of guarding our hearts. In Exodus 1-18, we learn of the exchange between Moses and Pharaoh. We witness the love of God for His people through miraculous events. We also observe God’s compassion towards Pharaoh. For, He sent Moses to warn Pharaoh numerous times.
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Maybe it came with the onset of Covid-19 into the world—maybe it was here sooner— visceral unrest permeating the air. Each day’s portion disheartening and more disturbing than the day before. My hiding place of serenity appeared to float off in the distance, drifting, across a tiresome void where my thoughts did not find my voice. Until during fervent prayer with blinding tears… God’s grace covered me with His feathers, and under His wings I found refuge (Psalm 91:4). I heard this song in my spirit, Precious Lord, Take My Hand. I smiled. Psalms 116:8 flashed in my mind, For thou hast delivered my soul from death, mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. Precious Lord take my hand, Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee (Psalm 119:11).
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But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness. ~ Psalm 86:15 During trying times, the topic of God’s wrath or anger often comes up in conversations. Sadly, some folks will attribute the pain and suffering of others to God’s anger towards them. God’s compassion towards humanity […]
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Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled. ~ Matthew 5:6 (NKJV) Today is Day 11 of our “40 Days of Prayer and Fasting” at my church. Today, I am moving in a place of clarity of mind and refreshing of spirit. It is a phenomenal experience. With humility and grace, I […]
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But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. ~ Galatians 5:22-23 “Fruit of the Holy Spirit” is a biblical phrase that refers to several attributes—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. It does not appear that Apostle Paul’s intent is […]
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Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. ~ Philippians 3:12 Sometimes, you can feel discouraged, defeated, and emotionally drained from day-to-day. Unrequited goals that steal your joy and stifle motivation. You find yourself in […]
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But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded. ~ 2 Chronicles 15:7 Tommy and I visited our daughter Emily a few weekends ago. A highlight of our trip was the laughs we got from watching her dog Benji (2½-yrs old) and our dog Kobie (10-yrs old) interact. […]
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Our senior pastor shared that as far back as we can look into the history of God’s people, one of our God given duties is hospitality. The deliberate act of simply welcoming people into our personal space through our deeds, resources, and words. This is affirmed in Leviticus 19:33–34. Romans 12:13 tells us to pursue hospitality not just during holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries. And not only with those we know… In Hebrews 13:1–2, we are encouraged to show hospitality to strangers… for in doing so we might entertain angels unaware. Therefore, as Christians, we need to develop the perpetual attitude and habit of hospitality.
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Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.~ Luke 12:6-7 One morning, I saw a bird. The regal fowl leisurely strolled along as it pecked in […]
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Galatians 6:9 tells us to not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. On your journey to do great things, there will be challenges, stresses, pressures and set-backs along the way. But you must not embrace negative feelings—let them come—and let […]
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Words fascinate me. They are immortal—unforgettable. Scripture speaks of the power of words—Proverbs 18:21, John 1:1, Matthew 12:36—to name a few. And while a picture is worth a thousand words… it’s words that we use to describe a Picasso… Renoir masterpiece… or a magnificent sunrise. Even our universal language—music—has an alphabet!
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Sooner or later, we all face giants. By giants, I’m referring to an overwhelming problem or issue that physically drains us and leaves us mentally exhausted. A giant could be fear, sickness, pride, guilt, shame, debt, envy, lust, or gluttony. It could be a feeling of unworthiness, insecurity, doubtfulness, or helplessness. Giants… block our prosperity.
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Growing up in Greene County, Alabama, I learned early on that the concept of pro-Black didn’t mean anti-White or anti any race or culture. It meant having a mind to promote a people who struggled to overcome—a people—who still struggles to overcome injustices. Oftentimes, the idea is misrepresented because of a lack in understanding the […]
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As I embrace Black History Month—my ancestors—people of color. . . I’m honored by their creativity, ingenuity and sheer perseverance. And while I orientated myself in place and time, Aesop’s Fables came to mind. My brothers and I were often enchanted by stories that our mom told involving some ants and a grasshopper, a fox and […]
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Who are the peacemakers? Without conflict… there’d be no need for peacemakers. But, we’re unlikely to always avoid strife… so there must be peacemakers. Ignoring problems or pretending everything is okay when in fact it’s not—doesn’t make one a peacemaker. Who does Jesus call the peacemakers? Let’s look at the word peacemaker. It’s a compound […]
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I once went to church with a lady, who during service would stand up and give thanks to God for allowing her to see another day. In my immature state of mind, I would think, “…that’s the same thing you said last week”. Now let me put this in context, other members were testifying about […]
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There are days, when regardless of the circumstances of life, you feel God’s loving embrace. You snuggle up in fellowship with reverence, thankful for forgiveness and hopefulness—praising Him for what isn’t as though it was. In Acts 13:22, we’re told that David was a man after God’s own heart. You wonder, “Is this how David […]
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