Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Prayer is not Enough Sometimes

Ida is a Christian and she is wealthy. When she comes across various people who are having problems she tells them, "I will pray for you." and moves along. She feels she has done her duty in loving her fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. At night before bed she prays for those others and she doesn't worry. "God will take care of them," she believes and she goes to sleep.
Now some would say that Ida has strong faith knowing that her prayers are all she needs to do. But I believe that her faith maybe strong but it's not enough.

James 2:14-17(niv) says, " My brothers and sisters, what good is it if people claim they have faith but don't act like it? Can that kind of faith save them?
Suppose a brother or sister has no clothes or food. Suppose one of you says to them, "Go. I hope everything turns out fine for you. Keep warm. Eat well." And you do nothing about what they really need. Then what good have you done?
It is the same with faith. If it doesn't cause us to do something, it's dead. "

Now you may not be wealthy like Ida, but you can reach out and do what you say you believe. If you tell someone, "I'm believing for you that you find somewhere to stay" why not offer your home to them? Or if you are praying that your church find a bigger building or find more people to volunteer, why not give more in the collection on Sunday or volunteer your time? I'm not saying not to pray but you have to back up your faith with good works. Even if you say there is nothing that you can do to help that person, you can reach out and help them find someone who can help them.

We all fall short of this from time to time. Sometimes I will tell someone I will pray for you, and get home and realize that I can do more. Let's pray about this and then go out and act on it.

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Tuesday, February 21, 2006

What stands out

I know many has said, Telika what you say is ridiculous. You can't just go around loving everyone, you have to find a reason to love someone. They have to deserve your love.

Is that what God says? Is the greatest commandment to love one another or love those deserving of it? Let's look,

Mark 12:30-31 "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Love him with all your mind and with all your strength.'And here is the second one. 'Love your neighbor as you love yourself.' There is no commandment more important than these"

and in John 13:34-35 Jesus says, "I give you a new command. Love one another. You must love one another, just as I have loved you. If you love one another, everyone will know you are my disciples." How did Jesus love us? He sacrificed for us despite our sins. We were deserving of death and Jesus loved us enough to give us life eternally.

Still need to see more? Romans 13:9 sums up love as the ultimate rule to follow, "Here are some commandments to think about. "Do not commit adultery." "Do not commit murder." "Do not steal." "Do not want what belongs to others." These and other commandments are all included in one rule. Here's what it is. "Love your neighbor as you love yourself." Love does not harm its neighbor. So love does everything the law requires.

So when you are walking in love instead of debating, scoffing, judging, pointing your finger, and thinking you are better you are doing everything the law requires. All those rules and commandments in the Bible can be followed just by walking in love!

There are many more scriptures in the Bible that prove my point but I'm going to end on some well known and used ones that many use for weddings and have hung up on their walls but don't think about when they are faced with others that really rub them the wrong way.

1 Corinthians 13:1-8, 13
"Suppose I speak in the languages of human beings and of angels. If I don't have love, I am only a loud gong or a noisy cymbal. Suppose I have the gift of prophecy. Suppose I can understand all the secret things of God and know everything about him. And suppose I have enough faith to move mountains. If I don't have love, I am nothing at all. Suppose I give everything I have to poor people. And suppose I give my body to be burned. If I don't have love, I get nothing at all.
Love is patient. Love is kind. It does not want what belongs to others. It does not brag. It is not proud. It is not rude. It does not look out for its own interests. It does not easily become angry. It does not keep track of other people's wrongs.
Love is not happy with evil. But it is full of joy when the truth is spoken. It always protects. It always trusts. It always hopes. It never gives up.
Love never fails. But prophecy will pass away. Speaking in languages that had not been known before will end. And knowledge will pass away.

The three most important things to have are faith, hope and love. But the greatest of them is love. "


Friday, February 17, 2006

Recognize Your Power

Once you become a Christian you not only have eternal life through Jesus Christ, grace and forgiveness you are given power. Power to overcome your circumstances of sickness, sadness, attacks, oppression, weakness and so much more. This power is something you do not try and obtain, but you need to recognize you already have!

"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God" 1 Corinthians 2:12. We have received which is past tense meaning it has already been given. It doesn't say we are to work hard to obtain. The scripture also says that we may know the things freely given to us. We need to know or recognize the power that is already in us.

I know I have used Ephesians 3:20 in many passages before but there is this one fact that many don't notice about the scripture "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us" According to the power that works in us That is the power that is already in you not the power that you have to beg God for. We shouldn't beg God for anything anyway, because His love for us is so strong that all it takes is our faith and our patience and we will receive what we ask.

I end with this scripture of Jesus words in Mark 11: 24 "Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they shall be granted unto you.
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Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Blog Book Club



I just finished the most entertaining and interesting book I have read in a long time. Dinner with a Perfect Stranger by David Gregory is a book about an average man with a family and usual life problems who gets invited to dinner by Jesus Christ. He goes, thinking it's a joke and the dinner becomes the most enlightening and revolutionary discussion for Christians and non-Christians.
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The book is a short read, only 100 pages, but in those 100 pages David Gregory through the character of Jesus Christ, successfully and biblically talks about Christianity and how living with Jesus is the one and only way to live. In fact other religon's such as hinduism, buddhism, and Islam are picked apart in an intelligent manner

Here is one of my favorite exerpts, (Jesus says) "There is no path to God...What I mean is this: a path is something you travel down by your own effort to reach a destination. But there's no such path to God. There is nothing you can do to work your way to God. That path doesn't exist...God is like that, He's not interested in people trying to perform well enough for him. They can't. He created people to have a relationship with him, to enjoy his love. But humanity rejected God and severed that relationship. His program is putting it back together."

I took out the main character's responses and other things but you get the picture. I'm asking everyone who reads this blog go get this book and comment on it. I would like to keep this book club going. You can order the book and read a full exerpt at http://www.randomhouse.com/waterbrook/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781578569052&view=excerpt
You can also read more information on the book at its website http://www.dinnerwithaperfectstranger.com At the website you can download question and answer sheets and scriptures that corresponds with what Jesus says during the dinner discussion.

Monday, February 13, 2006

Beyond It All February's Issue!


Finally the Feb issue is out. I take a very poignant view on love and sex and the truth in it. I wanted to step out of the box of popular magazines and not keep teens in the belief that they have to rush off and meet the love of their life or they are missing out on something. I also take a different direction from other Christian magazines who simply say don't do it, by adding in my own experiences and relating on their level. I love the quiz. I think that we don't encourage teens to volunteer as much and it's centered around what they would enjoy doing when helping someone else.

I have had some controversy from certain writers who I told to cool down the preachiness because I wanted my magazine to also appeal to non-Christian teens so that it could be avenue for them to find Christ themselves. But it's hard for some adults to truly relate to a teen and their problems without pointing their finger. God is everywhere and in everything we do and I like to take everyday situations and bring out a positive biblical solution to them without them outright knowing it. Don't get me wrong I do cite scripture and I do mention Jesus but it's not overwhelming.

Friday, February 10, 2006

Beyond It All


Below is the storefront for Beyond It All Magazine's Premier Issue dated January 2006
February's issue is around the corner. I will be posting that issue this Monday.
To order go to www.lulu.com/beyonditallmag
Thank you all for your prayers and support




Telika Howard
Welcome to Beyond IT All Magazine's Website. I am so excited about the first issue January 2006! In January's Issue: How are you coming off? Communicating what you need the right way. She'll Be sorry...The best way to get revenge, Model yourself:The best and worst role models. Get an instant makeover that changes your life. Order the one time 12.00 subscription on this website.(click on name below for credit card orders) You will then be sent issues from January to December as they come out. If you would like to order one magazine for 1.50 please order at wwww.beyonditallmag.50megs.com IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DONATE TO THIS MAGAZINE SEND CHECKS AND MONEY ORDERS TO 200 MCCOMB ST HARVARD, IL 60033 THANK YOU
Email:
telika8@elitemail.org
Web Site:
matthew1236.blogspot.com
Address:
200 mccomb st

harvard, Illinois 60033

United States

Beyond It All Magazine Bringing the teen above and beyond the problems of life by giving valid and inspiring information in an entertaining and informative manner. Each and every 13-18 year old who reads this magazine will walk away rejuvinated, uplifted, and educated. 12.00 for one full subscription.

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

All I am

If done correctly the song All I Am by gospel artist Kierra "Ki Ki" Sheard should be playing
http://media.emicmg.com/egd97304/audio/wma/60sec/100/108.asx



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This is the perfect song for this post because as a Christian you are sometimes seen as this greater person then others,when you really are not. All I am is someone who loves Jesus and has a relationship with Him and desire to share His words with others. What you need from God, I need. I am no better then anyone else, my sins are just washed by the blood of Jesus.

Monday, February 06, 2006

You are Good

God wants you to know that you are good. That He created you and that you don't need to live in guilt, constantly condemning yourself. Stop listening to the devil when he points out all of your failures.

I had to learn to look past my failures. It's easy to get caught up on what you haven't done correctly and give up. That's what satan wants you to do, to give up God and make you think that it's too hard. It's not too hard. It's only too hard when you make it that way. With God's grace He loves and forgives you. Through Jesus Christ you don't need to beat yourself up anymore.

Is that an excuse to do the wrong thing? No. But God knows your heart. He knows when you try to please Him. When you listen to His voice and speak with Him. In fact, the more you walk in the spirit you no longer desire to do the wrong thing anyway.

Friday, February 03, 2006

End the Race

I wonder when our spirits leave our bodies and we live in paradise with God and Christ will we be able tell what race was each spirit before Jesus called us home. Will there be debates in heaven that one spirit came from a certain race and therefore will have a poor corner of heaven? Or will God have us grouped apart by what bodies we had and what politics we followed and have a different love for the each of us. Ofcourse not!

So why do we act like this here on earth? Especially Christians should know better. So let's all get hung up on who's White and how they act or what they get or who's Black and what they deserve. God sees two kinds of people. Those who are His children and those who He desire to become His children.

Satan wants us to be hung up on the superficial so that we stop blessing others with the word of God. How many times you turned away from someone because of race or politics? When have you walked past a group of people and shook your head at them instead of coming by saying God loves you! Those people may reject you, but continue to pray for them and believe in the power of God.

It's sad to see so many blogs pulling people apart with their heated messages of condemning others. We all make mistakes. If someone wanted to focus on all the mistakes we make and write a blog about it, I bet they could. Let's bring together unity. Unity through Jesus Christ.

"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:28

If you are not saved, change your life and become a blessed child of God by confessing Jesus Christ as Lord of your life.(e-mail me if you need more help becoming saved telika8@elitemail.org)

Thursday, February 02, 2006

My prayer for all of you

Colossians 1:9-12 are great scriptures to pray for others. I use these scriptures to pray for friends, family, strangers, when I'm watching the news. (I'm always provoked to pray when I watch the news.) To me, these scriptures has the essence of everything you should desire for you fellow neighbors. It's also useful when you feel angry because of what someone else believe or how they act or if they treat you in an undesirable manner. Praying this prayer puts the problem with others in God's hands and eases the burden of the debate.

I will pray this prayer for all of my visitors of my blog

I ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, that you are bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowlege of God, strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. In Jesus Name Amen