Burnt Biscuits

Every now and then, you hear a story that has a meaning that is so profound it grabs hold of you and doesn't let go until you pass it on to someone else. Today, I am compelled to share this gift with you:

When I was a kid, my mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work. On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet all my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don't remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that biscuit and eat every bite!

When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I'll never forget what he said: "Honey, I love burned biscuits."

Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, "Your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she's real tired. And besides - a little burnt biscuit never hurt anyone!"

You know, life is full of imperfect things... and imperfect people. I'm not the best at hardly anything, and I forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else.
What I've learned over the years is that learning to accept each others faults - and choosing to celebrate each others differences - is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.

And that's my prayer for you today. That you will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of God. Because in the end, He's the only One who will be able to give you a relationship where a burnt biscuit isn't a deal-breaker!

We could extend this to any relationship. In fact, understanding is the base of any relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent-child or friendship!

"Don't put the key to your happiness in someone else's pocket - keep it in your own."

God Bless You... Now, and Always.

SD Denny, Author of The Baker's Dozen
2009 African American Literary Award Nominee
www.sddenny.com

The Life Altering Word of God

Remember, we don't change God's message -- His message changes us.

Scripture:
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:17-19 (New International Version)

I remember a time when I wasn’t saved, sanctified and Holy-Ghost filled. I used to believe that people who believed in God were stupid and foolish. I mean, how could they believe in something that they could not see?

Yeah, I used to go to church and listen to the Man of God preach about heaven, but I found it hard to believe that there could be a heaven with so much hell on earth. I saw poverty and despair all around me. I saw supposedly “good” people suffering in ways that they didn’t deserve. I watched as a very good “Christian” friend suffered through the pain and agony of a cancer that would one day take her life. Yes, I knew about God but somehow, I found it hard to believe that He knew about me.

Then one Sunday as I sat in church listening to the preacher talk about how God knows and sees our struggles and about how we needed to see beyond our natural and start looking at God through His supernatural eye; I felt something that I had never before experienced; A peace that passes all understanding. My eyes were opened for the very first time.

On that all important day, I began to see and experience the true power of the Holy Spirit as it landed on me and changed the course of my life. I finally got it. I finally understood with my heart what God’s message was all about. It wasn’t about what we see and hear around us, it is about what a relationship with God truly meant.

I finally understood that what I had been going to church for all those years weren’t meant to change the world around me. Rather, it was meant to change my world; A world that places God at its center. The word of God is an instrument that is used to lead us and teach us as we journey through this world. The word of God is a lesson to aid us as we are reconciled to the kingdom of God. The word of God is the key to the kingdom.

Aren’t you glad for His Word?

Be Blessed

Prayer:
Father God, we come before the throne of grace to give thanks for Your word. Your word that gives us life eternal through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We thank You for the gift of life: for the breath that sustains life, for the food of this earth that nurtures life, for the love of family and friends without which there would be no life. O Lord, Your compassions never fail and Your mercies are new every morning: We give You thanks for giving each of us relief from pain and hope of health renewed. Continue in us, we pray, the good work You have begun; that we, daily increasing in bodily strength, and rejoicing in Your goodness, may so order our lives and conduct that we may always think and do those things that please You; through Jesus Christ our Lord. We give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever. Amen.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR THE VICTIMS IN HAITI. I AM ALSO ASKING FOR SPECIAL PRAYER FOR THE FOLLOWING U.S. MISSIONARIES WHO ARE MISSING:

Leonard, Gabrielle, Gertrude and Renie.

Warning: Sin is Addicting

All sin tends to be addictive, and the terminal point of addiction is what is called damnation~W.H. Auden

Scripture:
What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey--whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. Romans 6:15-17

Saints, how many of you have ever gone through an addiction? Exactly, what is addiction? I found a few interesting definitions I want to share with you.

1. Being abnormally tolerant to and dependent on something that is psychologically or physically habit forming. 2. An abnormally strong craving. 3. (Roman Law) a formal award by a court sentence of a thing or a person to another (as of a debtor to his creditor).

Now, personally I found all three definitions to be of great interest. Especially, number 3, but I am getting ahead of myself.

I started smoking when I was about 16. It was the cool thing to do. Now here I am, 35 years later, and I am still smoking. Not because it is the cool thing to do, but because I am physically addicted.

Now some people who have never gone through a physical addiction would say, just quit. But it's not that easy. My body and my emotions start going through some things. Without going through every detail, ultimately my body says, no; don't give it up because we need it in order to feel normal.

Well sin is like smoking. Some sins started out as the cool thing to do. "Everybody else is doing it, it must be okay." Every smoker knows that smoking is bad for you and can lead to serious health problems or even death. There are even warnings on each and every pack of cigarettes.

Unfortunately, there is not a warning on every sin. But there is the bible. The Bible is like the "Surgeon General's Warning"

"Quitting sin now greatly reduces the risk of serious spiritual problems later."

Be Blessed

Prayer:
Lord, I am a sinner. I have not always done what You have said. I ask Father that You would help me to overcome my addiction(s) whatever it may be. Strengthen me Lord, so that I would not give in to the cravings. Calm my spirit and my soul so that I may not use my addiction as an excuse. Help me Lord to realize and recognize that Satan is using my addiction to keep me from You. Lord, I ask that in all that I do and in all that happens, let me never lose hope. Strengthen my faith O'Lord. Let me never think that the things that I do in Your name have been done in vain. Whatever the day may bring, let me trust that You are with me. Whatever path You have chosen for my life, let me follow it without fear. Whatever Satan may bring my way; I shall rebuke it and send it back to him with all authority that has been given to me through my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Father, let me not forget my brothers and sisters whom I pray for and with in all earnestly. Lord, let us not forget Your word which is still the blueprint for us to live more righteously. Lord, I love and praise You. Thank You Lord for my breakthroughs and victories. As I ask and pray these things in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Let It Go!

Some people think it's holding on that makes one strong; sometimes it's letting go. ~ Sylvia Robinson

Scripture:
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. Revelation 3:19-21

A few years ago I received a message from a very good friend of mine that was written by Bishop T.D. Jakes. I have read the message titled "Let it Go", several times. In this very inspiring message, Bishop Jakes talks about letting go of people who are not good for you, past pains and hurts that you may still carry, and a multitude of excess baggage that may be holding you back.

We as believers often times will prevent ourselves from receiving our blessings, our salvation, our deliverance, because we cannot "Let it Go.” We do not go before the mercy seat and ask God to forgive us for our past mistakes; we allow the world to tell us how we feel, how we should think, and what to believe. We allow the sins of our past to continue to be our sins of today.

God has given us the keys to the kingdom. He has given us a plan, a blueprint, a way out of the valley of the shadow of death. He is standing at your door right now. He is letting you know that he is only a prayer away. All you have to do is open up the door and let him in.

Won't you let him in today and let out those things that are preventing your from gaining entrance into his kingdom?

Be Blessed

Prayer:
Father God, we come kneeling before the mercy seat, asking that You would forgive us of our sins and transgressions. Father, we know that there is nothing that we could ever do on our own to deserve Your goodness and Your mercy, but we come asking anyhow. Help us to look at our lives through Your eyes. Give us the courage and the strength to let go of those people and those things that may be holding us back from You. Help us to realize that everything that we desire isn't always what You desire for us. Father, we hear You knocking at the doors of our hearts this day. We ask You to magnify Your presence and Your power within us. Help us Lord, to be submissive to Your will and Your word, not only today, but each and everyday. Continue to touch those who have come asking for intercessory prayer. Touch the lives and the families of everyone reading this message today. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Help me celebrate the launch of my new website, http://www.jacquelinedmoore.com by stopping by and signing my guestbook!

Faith Challenge - Part Three

Remember, Faith is not simply a patience that passively suffers until the storm is past. Rather, it is a spirit that bears things - with resignations, yes, but above all, with blazing, serene hope. ~ Corazon Aquino

Scripture:
But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

Today is the third and final faith Challenge. The first faith challenge was to NOT speak our negative situations into existence. The second faith challenge was to speak life into our situations and to thank him for handling our problems. The third and final challenge is to wait. Wait on God to answer our prayers.

So often when we pray for something or for someone, we want that prayer to be manifested right now! When God doesn't answer our prayers right now, we become frustrated and sometimes we even get angry about it. But the word of God says, "But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

You see, there are various reasons as to why God doesn't always answer our prayers in the timely manner that WE think He should. Sometimes, not answering is His answer. Sometimes, what we want isn't always what God wants for us. We need to learn to wait until He answers.

At times, God has to make sure things are in place for us. Sometimes He has to prepare us for our blessing. And then there are those times when our answer is right there in front of us, but because it's not what we expect, we just don't see it. I once heard that we sometimes spend so much time looking at the closed door, we can't see the window that He has opened for us.

Every now and then, God just needs us to rest, be still and know that He is still in control. You see, our lives are not our own. Sometimes God has to let things go a certain way until His time. Sometimes He allows things to happen in our lives, so that He can step in. Sometimes, He doesn't answer until He is sure that we are ready to receive His answer.

Saints, do not be weary in well doing. Be still and know that He is God.

Wait on the Lord. When you are faithful, know this, His blessings are on the way!

Be Blessed

Prayer:
Our Father, Our Lord, Our Savior, we enter into Your courts with praise and thanksgiving in our hearts and on our tongues. I love the Lord, because He heard my cry. Father, Father, we ask that You would forgive us for not being as faithful to You, as You are to us. Lord we come asking that You would be patient with us as we learn to be still and wait on You. Father, as we wait until it's our time and our season, help us to be at peace with whatever our situations may be. Lord, I know that things are not the way I may want them to be, but I come asking that You would strengthen me so that I can stand and fight the good fight of faith one more day. Lord, I thank You for my deliverance. I thank You for my blessings. Lord, I praise You, for You alone are God. You are everything to me. Father, You are my rock, my strength, my redeemer. You are my fortress and my Hightower. You are my Father, my friend, my Savior. You are everything to me. Thank You Lord. We will praise You anyhow. We will bless Your name at all times. We will be still and know that You alone are God. Thank You Lord, for the Blood. The Blood, that cleanses, renews, revitalizes, forgives, heals, and most of all, gives me the right to come before You with all rights and privileges as your son Jesus Christ, it is in His mighty name we pray, Amen.

Jacqueline Moore is a Christian author who offers spiritual words of encouragement daily on her website at http://www.jacquelinedmoore.com . She has contributed to several anthologies and is the 2009 African American Literary Show romance author of the year for her first novel, “Serving Justice” under the Peace in the Storm imprint.

Faith Challenge Part Two

Remember, Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they're supposed to help you discover who you are. ~ Bernice Johnson

Scripture:
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14

Yesterday, I issued a faith challenge. The first part of the challenge was to turn our problems over to the Lord and not to speak of our problems again. Once we have turned our problems over to God, we are to let Him handle them.

Today's faith challenge is to begin to thank God for handling those same problems we were worrying about yesterday. Now I am not saying that our problems with suddenly disappear because we said we left it at the altar. But what I am saying is that we have to BELIEVE that Gods got it! Now that's what we call faith.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things, which are seen, were not made of things, which do appear.

Jesus once said, "if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. He told the woman with the issue of blood, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well." And the woman was made well from that hour. And then He told the one Samaritan whom He had healed from leprosy, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well." There are many more examples in the bible of how FAITH was the answer to the problem.

We go to God in prayer so that He will answer when we cry out to Him. We seek Him, so that we will be delivered, be healed, be blessed, be over comers. There is power in the tongue. There is healing in the tongue. There is deliverance, in the tongue.

There is a song that Shirley Caesar sings called "We Praise You Lord". In it she says, "You've been telling God all about your problems, start telling your problems about your God!” So today's faith challenge is to Praise Him, thank Him, stand on His word and His promise.

He's got this one!

Be Blessed

Prayer:
I love the Lord, for He Heard my voice; He heard my cry for mercy. Because He turned His ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live. We Praise You Lord, from the rising of the sun, until the going down of the same. We Love You Lord. Lord, I thank You for my victories. I thank You Lord, because the victory is already mine. It was given to me by Your son, Jesus Christ. Lord, I am learning to be still and letting You fight my battles for me. I know Lord, that I can do all things through Christ Jesus, who strengthens me. I know there is power in the Precious name of Jesus. We call on the name of Jesus. We invoke His power and His presence in our lives and in our Hearts today. Bless the name of the Lord. Thank You Lord, my blessings and my breakthroughs today. Thank You Lord, for loving me, despite me. We enter into Your gates with praise and thanksgiving on our tongues and in our Hearts. Thank You Jesus, in whose name we pray. Amen.

Jacqueline Moore is a Christian author who offers spiritual words of encouragement daily on her website at http://www.jacquelinedmoore.com . She has contributed to several anthologies and is the 2009 African American Literary Show romance author of the year for her first novel, “Serving Justice” under the Peace in the Storm imprint.

Faith Challenge - Part One

Remember, A word of encouragement during a failure is worth more than an hour of praise after success. ~ Unknown

Scripture:
The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." Deuteronomy 31:8

Periodically, I have an epiphany about God's word. Epiphany means, a sudden manifestation of the meaning or essence of something. Well not long ago as I sat listening to my pastor preach, I had one about my level of faith.

You see, not long ago, my Pastor did a preaching/teaching series on Be Encouraged. He spoke from the book of Exodus, Chapter 14, and verse 14. "The LORD will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace." Now how many times have we all heard this message? If we would just learn to be obedient and be still, the Lord, our God, will fight our battles for us. In essence, if we would turn our problems over to God and LEAVE them with God, he will handle it.

Now even though, I know this word from God and have learned so much more, I don't always adhere to it. You see, we go before God in prayer everyday to talk to him and tell him all about our problems. We ask God to help us and then we continue to worry about the same old problems all over again.

We go before the altar of sacrifice, and place our cares and concerns there for God to take them from us and then, when we finish praying, we start worrying about the same old things all over again; taking the same old problems away with us.

The day after I returned home from church, I issued a faith challenge to myself. I went before the altar and pledged to God that I would not speak anything negative about my situation in the coming week. Sounds easy doesn't it? Well, it may not be as easy as it sounds.

I know that saying you are going to do something and then making it happen isn't always easy. In order to leave my troubles and problems with the Lord, I have to commit to not taking them back from him. I can start by not speaking them into existence. This is part one of my faith challenge.

Will you join me today?

Be Blessed

Prayer:
Lord, we come before the throne of grace this day, to thank You for Your word. Lord, You are my rock and my strength. I can do all things through Christ Jesus, who strengthens me. Lord, I come before You this day to place my all on the altar. Lord, we know that You are our Alpha and Omega, our beginning and our end. We know that You can do anything but fail. Lord, we come standing on Your word and Your promise. The promise of everlasting life through Christ Jesus, my redeemer. Father, You have said there is power in the tongue. The power of life and death. We speak life into our situations. We thank You Lord, for keeping us in perfect peace. You speak to the storms in our lives, Peace Be Still. You wipe away our tears and heartaches. Thank You Lord. Father, we surrender all to You today and we will walk away knowing that all things are in Your hands. Thank Lord. We praise, uplift and exalt Your name. Praise be to God, for he is worthy of all honor, praise and glory. Amen.

Jacqueline Moore is a Christian author who offers spiritual words of encouragement daily on her website at http://www.jacquelinedmoore.com . She has contributed to several anthologies and is the 2009 African American Literary Show romance author of the year for her first novel, “Serving Justice” under the Peace in the Storm imprint.

My Tears

by Jacqueline D. Moore

My tears are the window to my soul. They reflect all that I am and all that I hope to be.
My tears speak the words that my mouth cannot say. They express my joy and my pain. They tell a tell of heartbreak and hope.
My tears tell a tell of what was and what is to be.
My tears are both anger and love. They flow for my children who are and for loved ones who were.
My tears flow freely because to hold them inside would drown my spirit and dry up my heart.
My tears release the pain and anguish of love recently lost. Hoping and praying that with each drop that falls from my eyes, the pain and loneliness will eventually subside.
My tears keep me company in the loneliest of hours. Taunting and teasing of a life unfulfilled.
My tears are my red badge of courage and my scarlet letter of shame.
My tears are me, all that I am and all that I hope to be.


Jacqueline Moore is a Christian author who offers spiritual words of encouragement daily on her website at http://www.jacquelinedmoore.com . She has contributed to several anthologies and is the 2009 African American Literary Show romance author of the year for her first novel, “Serving Justice” under the Peace in the Storm imprint.