Boldness (Replay)

On Wednesday, May 28, 2008 I did a WFTD (Word For the Day - for those who do not know the meaning) on boldness.  I have said it before, but sometimes I think some things bear repeating.  We all read the Bible and same passages several times but we all get different meanings depending on how the Word speaks to us.  So without further adieu, here is "Boldness".

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May 28, 2008

Good morning family and Happy Hump Day to ya!

I pray that everyone had a good holiday weekend.  I tell you, I have to thank God for keeping my family as we traveled on the highway to and from Milwaukee over the holidays.  The roads were not for the faint of heart over the holidays especially with bad weather out there.  It's the vacation though that really let me see again my children in action since Daddy is off at work these days.  I mean man, I am learning that I can learn a lot from children.  I think I mentioned this once before, but I think it could be repeated that children have no sense of holding back their thoughts based on the circumstance.  They say what's on their mind at that exact same moment.  It is us, we have learn to bridle our tongue and hold our thoughts when they need to be said.

For example, my daughter went to visit some family friends and she walked into the home where someone apparently had just finished cooking/eating – smelled like some good home cooking to me!  Well my daughter turns around and says, "IT STINKS IN HERE!".  We were like no Zion, that's not nice, do not say that.  However, you could see the frustration on her face because she felt she had not done anything wrong.  It is this very same boldness that all of us need to maintain because some of us get run over by the world and others in it.  In 1 John 2:28, it says,

"And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming."

Confidence and unashamed.  That's what I saw in the face of a 3 year old that day.  I rather felt bad for having her to be quiet because I fear that the very things that make her a bold person, we are asking her to suppress.  If we aren't careful, we could suppress them forever and wonder why she is a quiet & meek little adult woman.  The word says we should be confident and unashamed.  As adults, we should be looking within to find that boldness to speak out for and about the Kingdom of God even when the situation feels uncomfortable to you.   Walk boldly throughout your day and remember you are a child of God who is not ashamed of you!

Be blessed and have a good Hump Day!
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Regards,

Antoine E. Hall

Blog:   http://toinebo.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AntoineHall

"It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect." - 2 Samuel 22:33

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Fear And Its Place

Good Afternoon family,

I hope that you all are doing well this fine day.  You know something has been really stirring on my brain lately and it has been the topic of "Fear".  Why?  Why in the world would the topic itself be on my brain as something about which I need to write?  It's simple.  We all have to deal with it and so thus here I am.

I know, I know we (Christians) are quick to quote 2 Timothy 1:7 that says "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind".   We are spiritual beings living in a fleshly body, thus fear is something we have to deal with from time to time.  I don't want to sound contradictive so, let me explain a little more.  First lets get a definition.  TheFreeDictionary.com says that fear is "A feeling of agitation and anxiety caused by the presence or imminence of danger".  

The BadFear can be a dilating thing and sometimes it is used against us to stop us from prospering in what God would have for us.  If you recall, the devil is out there prowling around like a roaring lion seeking whom He can devour (1 Peter 5:8).  This is where 2 Timothy 1:7 applies and we need to recognize there is a spiritual aspect of fear being pressed against us by the enemy.  We just need to use discernment to know when the devil is coming against us.  So, how does this apply to you in the real world?  I will use myself as an example. 

I use to always say, that I would never move to Milwaukee, WI. I just refused and said it was nothing I wanted to do.  My reasoning was that it was cold here (and it does get cold), but my overall reason was the fear of change from what was my norm.  I will be one to admit that I had that problem.  In the flesh this is what people deal with on a daily basis, but it had a spiritual implication.  Despite all the other things happening in my family, God had a plan for me.  Now, I may have chosen to be disobedient and try to stay in NC where I was not finding a job.  Or, I could have quickly gotten over my fear, walked in faith and trust God.  Needless to say, I trusted in God, conquered that fear, and I have been working since January.  Because I decided to be obedient, another spiritual battle was won for the kingdom.  ....that's another "L" in the devils column in the name of JESUS!!!!  Sorry, got excited. 

If you are ever to the point where you are scared to do something but have no concrete reason as to why, you need to question whether the enemy is trying to paralyze you from something Christ wants you to do.

The Good
OK, so you have to be wondering how fear could be a good thing.  I will tell you how.  I have heard adrenaline junkies say something to the affect that they are still afraid and have fear of what they do.  Fear keeps them on their toes because the moment they become comfortable, they could get killed.  See, in the flesh fear, can also serve as a warning to you.  Remember touching a hot stove once?  You did not do it again and now you know that touching a hot stove will get you burned.  Fear can serve as a mechanism to warn you not to do something in order to keep you safe. 

Have you ever gotten ready to do something you did not have any business doing and you seemed to get a little nervous?  Maybe even a little fearful?  If so, a few things were happening.  The Holy Spirit keeps us and God even watches over us until we can find our way to Him (ie, becoming saved).  I know that He has kept me safe because I could have gone down the wrong path several times.  That thing we call our conscious (I now call it the Holy Spirit) speaks to us to keep us safe and on the right path.

As with many things in life, fear has its place and purpose, but if you find yourself fearful of carrying out the will of the Lord, you are on the wrong side of fear.  Fear the Lord.  Fear His power.  Fear God's warnings.  Take heed to the the "fear" that keeps you safe and in the will of the Lord.  Never fear anything else.

Be blessed folks!

Regards,

Antoine E. Hall

Blog:   http://toinebo.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AntoineHall

"It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect." - 2 Samuel 22:33

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A Prayer Answer Held Up

Good Afternoon Fam,

In what may seem like a continuation to yesterday's post, I wish to talk about the devil's angels once again.  I think it merits discussion to know that not only are there evil angels but to know they do serve a purpose in going against the will of God (at Satan's direction).  Without further adieu, let's go to Daniel 10:10-14.

(10) A hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. (11) He said, "Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you." And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling. (12) Then he continued, "Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. (13) But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia. (14) Now I have come to explain to you what will happen to your people in the future, for the vision concerns a time yet to come."

Alright, so here we have Daniel who had lifted up his prayers to the Lord. An angel has come to answer Daniel's prayers, but notice something here.  The angel said that Daniel's prayers had been heard but he had been held up for 21 days trying to get to him to give him an answer.  What in the world could hold up one of God's angels from carrying out their duties....survey says....one of Satan's angels!

In verse thirteen, it references the prince of the Persian kingdom is what resisted him.  One thing to note is that a man (you and I) cannot war with an angel who is spiritual, so the prince is not mortal.  Thus the prince here was an angel in opposition of the angel sent by God.  It was not until Michael, an angel (referred to as one of the chief princes), came to his aide that he was able to get to Daniel with the answered prayer.

I once did a WFTD that talked about God going silent and prayers seem like they are not being answered.  Well today, I also want to offer you an alternative explanation as to why a prayer could be held up.  There is a battle going on that we do not see and while we may feel abandoned at times, there are still angels out there who are on the side of Christians.  Ephesians 6:12 says, it best:

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Know that your prayers are not mere words falling on deaf ears.  There is a war going on and anything to get you to believe that God is not able to answer you is a victory for the enemy.  You keep sending up the same prayers and eventually you will get an answer.

Regards,

Antoine E. Hall

Blog:   http://toinebo.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AntoineHall

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Angels Aren't Always Good

Heeeeeeey Folks,

I how are you all doing?  Today, I do not want to be too long, but I want to share something with you that never dawned on me.  Did you know that Satan has angels too?  Let's go to the Word.

"The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him." (Revelations 12:9)

Typically, we all have the image in our minds that angels are on the side of God.  We always associate them with being good, having halos, and having wings however, this is not always the case.  Remember that Satan is an angel himself and it was not until he wanted take God's place that he and his cohorts (other angels participating in trying to take God's place) were thrown out Heaven.

In 1 John 4:1, it says "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world."  Anybody can be touched by an angel.  The question is whether that angel is being sent with an intention of your good or bad.

Be blessed folks.

Regards,

Antoine E. Hall

Blog:   http://toinebo.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AntoineHall

"It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect." - 2 Samuel 22:33

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Two Blocks From Main Street

Hello Family,

I hope that you are doing well this fine Thursday. Today, I want to talk to you life on your street.  According to the Free Online Dictionary Main Street can be defined as the "[a]verage businesses and households considered as a group".  If you remember, the past Presidential Election put heavy in emphasis on "Main Street" vs "Wall Street" (where Wall Street is for big business and the wealthy).

Why am I talking about this?  Well it is because the other day I was at work and received a phone call from a past co-worker.  He had been out of work since November 2009 and was looking for work.  As many of you may (or may not know) I was out of work from May 2009 until January 2010 of this year!  Yep, my family and I survived and God brought us through it all!  I had to move to Milwaukee, WI to find employment but the good news is that I found some.

I say all of this because I was just out of work and it is easy to get caught up in the day to day churn of life, therefore, forgetting what it was like being out of work.  Well that call woke me up really quickly and made me realize that times are still rough for a lot of people and I am blessed to even have a job right now.  When you are in your own little world and street, it's hard to understand what is happening two blocks over because you do not see it. 

I do not want to be misunderstood as bragging, but I count it all joy that the Lord has brought my family to where we are.  Had we not been in the trial that we are exiting, our faith would not have grown at all.  In James 1:2-3 it says to "(2) Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, (3) because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance."  We all have persevered something, but always remember that you are but a blink of an eye of being back where you were.  Always continue to learn and grow in faith and do not take God's blessings for granted.

Be blessed folks!

Regards,

Antoine E. Hall

Blog:   http://toinebo.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AntoineHall

"It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect." - 2 Samuel 22:33

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JM: Made To Love

Hello family.  I do not have the embed video because it appears to be disabled, but today I want to share with you Toby Mac's "Made To Love": 

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBaX1T4VxOw

Enjoy folks!

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Are You Mad About Where You Are?

Hello Everyone,

The subject that I pose was triggered by something I heard Joyce Meyers say last week.  She said (and I am paraphrasing): 

You will never be where God has designed for you to be until you can stop being angry about where you think you should be.

It sounds like a mouth full but then I went "hmmmm.....".  That is good.  You mean to tell me that I have been clouded and jaded with anger because I think my life should be going in a direction planned by me?  When it boils down to it our steps should be ordered by the Lord (see Psalms 37:23).  Yes, I have been frustrated about how life has gone these days but who hasn't?

I think if I were to do a survey a lot of us would probably line up in the same line behind me.  This is a prime example of taking your eyes off of Jesus.  All it takes is a split second of lost focus.  When Peter got out of the boat to walk on water, he was doing fine.  It wasn't until he took his sight off of Jesus that he started to sink (see Matthew 14:25).  We all get distracted sometimes and a lot of the times we are the source of our own distraction. It is the moment where we can take a step back to analysis where we are with God to realize that our ways may not be His ways.

If you haven't had that moment yet, then I encourage you to take it after you read this message.  Do not beat yourself up over what you think, but build yourself up in what God knows and where/what He wants you to be.

Be blessed family!

Regards,

Antoine E. Hall

Blog:   http://toinebo.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AntoineHall

"It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect." - 2 Samuel 22:33

Read More