I AM PASTOR DEB

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Recently someone asked me about Matthew 5:48 which reads “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect”.  The question that was asked was how can God who knows that we are flawed creatures put such a demand on us?

Let me explain to you this way God is the ultimate parent, there is not one greater.  What parent would  push and motivate their child, by letting them know mediocre is enough.  No, we push our children to be their absolute best, to go for the best, to be conquerors, if they fall down we say get back up, if they fail at something we say if that is what you want go for it.

Be ye therefore perfect, is God’s parental push, with perfect being the goal. Just imagine if God said, ‘I know you will never be perfect, just do the best you can, just limit your sins to no more than 6 a day. 

Well,  just like our children, if God were to set such low expectations, we would consider ourselves good if we only sinned 5 days and then have the audacity to try to figure out if we can carry over our unused sin to the next day.

God wants the best for us, and expects the best from us…. His grace and mercy is there for us when we mess up, but our focus should be on be on being the absolute best, 

I want to read to you a collaboration of scriptures to give you a clearer perspective:

Gen 1:26  “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion…..over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. .”

Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through [a]Christ who strengthens me.”

1 Corinthians 10:31 “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God”

Because of the image of who we were created, because God has mandated that we can do all things through Christ and then explained to us that whatever we do should be done as glory unto Him.  It's clear we are to operate with a spirit of excellence at all times, striving for perfection, never be comfortable with mediocrity.

All God wants from us is our absolute best. And striving for perfection in the eyes of God is bigger than us because when we strive for godly perfection, perfection is not measured by dollars or cents, speed, height, grades or any other systems or voices of validation spearheaded by mankind. 

 When you strive for godly perfection, you become infectious, you turn heads, you will get questions asking about your level of commitment when the circumstances seem less than acceptable, when the people around you seem to be arrogant, self-centered and full of greed. When the questions come…. The door opens for you to tell them about the God you serve.

God’s definition of  “perfect” is an attitude of excellence, an attitude of putting your all in everything you commit to do.

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I was watching a news segment the other morning and it was talking about the outbreak of violence in our school systems.  Now these incidents are newsworthy because they are fist fights, but the school board representative said they are seeing more discord amongst our children than ever before.  He went on to say the name-calling and lack of mutual respect is also at an all time high.

They contributed some of this behavior to the pandemic, with the lack of socialization during lock down, civic unrest, and economic fall out.  But the number one cause they say they can contribute to this rise of discord amongst our children is due them watching and imitating the adults they see on television, shows, social media, the news, in their neighborhoods and yes in some cases even in their homes.

Our children are watching us, our children are imitating us. Everywhere they turn they see people engaging in slander, and name calling, on the reality shows, in public places, on social media, between our politicians.

Civic conversations have been dismissed from our norms, we can’t disagree without slander and physical threat of an uproar and our children are watching.  But what concerns me even more is that most of our children are witnessing all of this chaos without a filter rooted in godliness.

I titled this sermon this morning, Ask the children?

Because as much as we may engage with our children, if we are not teaching them about God, prayer and faith, we are not adequately preparing them for their future in this world.

Ask your children, your grandchildren? Who is God, How does he relate to Jesus, what is the bible, why do we pray, what is faith.

Some of you may be thinking well my child is too young.  If they can talk and comprehend they are not too young for you to start teaching them about God, to pray with them, to lay a foundation of faith.  I know it's considered old school now, but it's time we recognized old school needs to be revised and made, “new school” but there was a time when Children’s Sunday school existed and from ages 3 up you were in Sunday school.  There was a time when there was vacation Bible School.  (I am not suggesting anyone go to church as much as I did growing up….)

But what I am suggesting is that parents, grandparents and guardians set the tone for God in their home that engages and teaches our children about God and His Word. As adults we engage in church, dial into the prayer line, attend conferences, but we allow days, weeks, and months to go by without tapping in with our children about God.

Proverbs 22:6 reads “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

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Father God in the name of your son Jesus, we give you honor and praise first and foremost for waking us up this morning, for granting us another day, not because we are so deserving, but because you are so merciful.

Lord today all around the globe people are celebrating and honoring mothers. Lord, we come before your throne, today to say thank you.  

Lord, we thank you not just for the mothers who bore a child from their womb, we thank you and also give honor to those who have exalted the spirit of mothering.

Lord, we thank you for …. and honor grandmothers, stepmothers, foster mothers, aunties, godmothers, and those who may not have been natural mothers, but who YOU by YOUR divine design put in place to sacrifice the time, energy and effort to mother and nurture us. 

And to every mother, and everyone with a mothering spirit, we honor you today for  the sacrifices you have made, for the late nights you have spent  rocking and calming a sick child. Thank you for the times you remained committed to your call and never stopped cooking, teaching, washing, wiping, scrubbing, mixing, stirring, hugging, patting, disciplining, holding, writing, erasing, painting, and pouring. We thank you for finding patience when it seemed your patience had run out.

Lord, we thank you and honor our mothers for their wisdom, for without their wisdom many of us would not know you .

Lord, We thank you and honor our mothers for their words, words  that will forever resonate in our minds and hearts, 

And yes Lord we thank you and honor our mothers for their even for their discipline.  for without their discipline many of us would not have made this far.

Lord God  as we exalt gratitude for our mothers, we bow to your throne in recognition that your son Jesus, became human through a woman, through the mother of all mothers.  

Lord it is our prayer that all mothers and every mothering spirit stand with the same courage  Mary did, trusting in you when faced with the uncertainty the life of  every child brings. 

Let every mother, oh God …. find joy and delight in their children, as they remain diligently committed to their godly assignment through the trials of motherhood

Lord God in the name of your son  we ask that you strengthen mothers, guide them, direct them, hold their hand, speak to their hearts, let each one draw closer to you, let each one lean on you for understanding, let each one embrace your word as their standard as they shape, mold, and  teach our next generation of leaders, professionals,  entrepreneurs educators, politicians, parents, elders, missionaries, and pastors.

Lord, give each mother a worshipful reverence of you, the Creator and Sustainer of life. Help each mother to rest in the knowledge that they are but stewards of your children and that only your Spirit can produce change in the hearts and minds of each boy and girl. May each mother find rest in you.

As we honor mothers today, we give God the glory, and we give God our praise.  Amen Amen and Amen.

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For Believers, praying is supposed to be like breathing, for prayer is a form of serving God. We pray because God commands us to pray (Philippians 4:6-7 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving). 

 Some say all that sounds all nice and fluffy, but I pray and it seems I still can’t get a break. I can’t see where my prayers have significantly made a major difference in my life.

 Many of us exalt our prayers as directives upon which we give to God.  God is the Almighty we are called to worship and serve Him. 

 God is the omniscient one, the one who knows all, but we often pray  as if we know it all and God is just the genie who is supposed to listen to our request and magically work things out according to what we deem as good and pleasing. 

 And when things don’t work out according to our standards then we dismiss our prayers as being unanswered.  When in fact every prayer ever prayed has been answered.  God loves us too much to ignore us.  

 Sometimes the answer to our prayer is yes, sometimes it's no, and then other times it is wait, not now.

 We, like spoiled children, only want to hear a “yes” from God. When His no is oftentimes a means of protecting us and His “wait, not now” is due to a timing issue.

 God sometimes wants us to work something out in or around us to better prepare us  for what we are praying to Him for.

 We have to stop throwing tantrums when we don’t get what we want from God the way we want it, and humble ourselves and go back to Him for clarification and directives.

 James 4:3 “You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions”.

 There are 3 fundamental principles that we need to consistently allow to guide us concerning prayer:  1. Humility  2. Faith  3. Action.

 1 Peter 5:6 “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,”

 What does humility concerning prayer really look like?  First and foremost, humility acknowledges God in all His glory with all His power. Humility approaches the throne of God shutting down any residue of pride, understanding that prayer is not a right it is a gift.  

 A gift, not earned!  For none of us is worthy to enter into the presence of God.  

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This morning I am going to piggy-back off of yesterday’s message concerning Jesus as the Son of Man.  This morning I am going to answer the question, if God said no one shall see my face and live, then how then was Jesus God?  

If you turn to Exodus 33:11 you will find this scripture tells us that the Lord spoke to Moses face to face. Seems a little contradictory doesn’t it? How could Moses speak with God “face to face” if no one can see God’s face and live? 

Well  the phrase “face to face” is a figure of speech indicating God and Moses were speaking to each having a  close and in depth conversation.  The reason we know that this was just a figure of speech is because if we backtrack a bit and start reading at  Exodus 33:19 the scripture reads:

18 Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”19 And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”

So you see God was responding to Moses' request when he said “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live”, which confirms that the words, “face to face” was a figure of speech.

IF Moses had actually been face to face with God and seen His face, his request of God would have been different and certainly God’s response would have been different.

Our humanity leads us to crave for the physical and the visual, as it is our nature to find ease in trusting what we can see, feel and touch. 2 Cor 4:16-18 gives us a perspective as to what our minds should be fixated on as it reads:

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 

17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 

18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

What the scripture is essentially telling us is don't be so consumed with what we see because all we can see, feel and touch is temporary, but it is the unseen, which is God that is eternal.  

From the beginning of human existence, going back to the Garden of Eden, we have allowed what we can see to distract us from the very mandates of God.

We take the words, “see and sight” to be strictly physical, but God Almighty does not look at our external but he looks inward.  His measure of seeing and sight goes beyond the physical.

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Jesus is referred to as the “Son of Man” 88 times in the New Testament. In fact, Son of Man is the primary title Jesus used when referring to Himself.  

The only use of Son of Man in a clear reference to Jesus, spoken by someone other than Jesus, came from the lips of Stephen as he prophesied about the ascension of Jesus  just as he was about to be stoned to death. Acts 7: 55- 56 reads “ But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

The term Son of Man, in contrast, focuses on the humanity of Christ. God called the prophet Ezekiel “son of man” 93 times. But why was he referred to as the son of man.

The first time Ezekiel is referred to as “son of man” is in Ezekiel 2:1 “He said to me, “Son of man,[a] stand up on your feet and I will speak to you.” As he spoke, the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet, and I heard him speaking to me.

Per the scriptures it is clear God had a special relationship with Ezekiel.  Ezekiel’s very name means “strengthened by God,” so God’s reference to Ezekiel as “son of man” despite their very special relationship to remind him of the importance of humility in His sight.

And not just him but to also keep people from idolizing him as we do today, putting those who have been strengthened or anointed by God on a pedestal. The term Son of man is simply an indirect term for “human.”

Now if you pay close attention as you turn in your bible to the book of Ezekiel, if you turn to scriptures referring to Ezekiel as son of man,  notice the difference in the emphasis. The references to  Ezekiel as son of man all the lettering is in lowercase letters, unless the word “son” begins a sentence,  but any reference to Jesus as the Son of Man shows a capital S and capital M. 

Is that a big deal, it absolutely positively is a big deal.  Just as there is a big difference in  capital G od and lowercase g o d.  We know capital G o d references the Almighty, the Creator of all things, while lowercase  g o d, represents idolatry, and ungodliness. Son of man with capital S and M references bears witness to Jesus’ equality to the God Almighty, while the all lowercase lettering references humanity alone.  

Also take note that when Ezekiel is referred to as “son of man” there is never a “the” preceding the reference but when reference is made concerning Jesus he is referred to as The.  That “the” indicates exclusivity concerning this title.

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There are so many who profess to be looking for love.  I am here to tell you this morning many of you are looking in the wrong places and for the wrong things.  

I get prayer requests weekly from men and women asking me to pray for them to find their soulmate.

We have to be mindful that God wants the absolute best for us and with that in mind …. understand….His will and His way is the absolute best. 

When it comes to THE CHARACTER of man and woman God is very clear as to what their character should look like.

In Proverbs 17:19 The bible speaks of how when you look on water you can see the reflection of your face, and speaks of how you can look at the heart of a man and discern the man.  

Ladies, I am going to talk to you first for a moment.  Ladies, Take the time to learn and know a man’s heart before you allow yourselves to be charmed by all of his other attributes. 

It doesn’t matter how much money he has, his fine clothes, his swag or let’s just be real or even the size of his endowment if heart is absent of character, if his heart does not seek to obey and revere the Lord. 

If a man’s heart is tainted, everything else he has going on is useless, and I can assure you it will be just a matter of time before you reach that conclusion.

I think women get caught up in looking for the wrong thing in men because they have lost sight of a man’s primary responsibilities.  The word of God calls man  to be the ministerial steward over his household, meaning the man of the house should believe, exalt, study the Word of God and set the standards for the household according to will and ways of Christ Jesus, not look to rule but to lead and guide. 

A man is assigned the role of  the head, the leader, the director, the protector, not domineering, but showing love, patience and humility.  

Women tend to struggle with the word submission, because very few of us have ever seen a man walking, talking and living according to the will and ways of God, allowing God and only God to order his steps.  

Don’t be fooled,  a real man is a godly man and is mandated to usher the woman he loves into the presence of the Lord.

But as a woman, as a lady you have to set your heart on more than what you can see and touch.

And men, your heart thirst for a virtuous woman, as outlined in Proverbs 31 which describes such a woman as one worth far more than rubies with a heart that longs for God and one that her man can trust.  

I say the same thing to you that I have said to the women, focus on the heart of a woman.  Her curvaceous figure may be what caught your attention, but it should be her heart that captivates your interest. 

Take the time to learn and know a woman’s heart, don’t profess to want a virtuous woman, which is who reveres god, but when you look into her eyes all you can imagine is ungodly pleasures.  

Be who God has called you to be as a man, as a mate as husband, you have been charged to love a woman with the same heart Jesus had for the church.

To those looking for real relationships that are solid and good, revamp your standards, expand your patience, and do more searching with your ears than your eyes.  In Matthew 12 the scriptures tell us from the mouth speaks the heart.

I pray these two songs minister to the heart and soul of women and men seeking what God has for them in the arena of relationships.  Be blessed.. 

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Proverbs 22:1 "A sterling reputation is better than striking it rich;  a gracious spirit is better than money in the bank.

No one wants to hear the words of someone who has a  reputation of being a liar.

No one wants to be around someone who has a reputation of being arrogant.

And no one wants to share their ideas with someone who has a reputation for finding fault in everything.

One's reputation sets a stage for how they are received and perceived by others.

One's reputation also positions to be blessed in ways unimaginable, as people go above and beyond for those with a good reputation.

Those with good reputations receive recommendations, favor, support, and accolades, they are taken more seriously than most, and granted grace more than most.

The reason the scripture says reputation is better than money in the bank is because money can buy you things at cost, and yes there are times when good deals come along, 

But one’s good reputation gives THEM access to things not for sale, like respect, sincere friendships, doors of opportunity,and unlimited leverage at the most opportune times.

Guard your reputation, work on consistently improving yourself, how you communicate and how show up for others, even those you think whose thoughts  don’t matter. 

Establish a reputation of keeping your word, a reputation for helping the helpless, giving to those in need, encouraging those who have lost hope.

I am thankful we serve a God with such a good reputation, He is a promise keeping God, a God who shows up when no one else will, one who never fails

I encourage you this morning to Invest in the wealth of your very being…. the interest earned is greater than anyTHING money can buy

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First understand Jesus was born for the sole purpose of being the ultimate sacrifice as payment of our sin debt and  affirming our inheritance.

Jesus lived a sinless life as part of inheritance, that we may have access to untainted wisdom 1 Corinthians 1:26-31  Because of the wisdom of Jesus Christ, we with our imperfect self, we who have fallen short of the glory of God can impact the world, can shift a culture, can walk in dominion if we recognize and embrace the wisdom we have access to through our godly inheritance. 

Jesus faced every challenge we face; ridicule, satanic temptation, false accusations, ill gotten intention presented to him, the list goes on and on, but he held firm on the Word of God so he could provide us as part of our inheritance a living example of righteousness. 

How we live our lives now whether we realize it or not we are setting up an inheritance for our children and children’s children based on the examples we live out. Children pay more attention to what you do, how you act and react than what you say.

Jesus after imparting wisdom, and being a living example of righteousness, told us that upon His death he would send us a helper, The Holy Spirit, to remind us of the wisdom he provided, and of how he faced adversity with godliness. John 14

Then Jesus as part of our inheritance He put us on the board of The Kingdom of God Inc., so that we can go about the business of God and building the Kingdom. Everything up to now are tools to effectively complete the assignment of building the Kingdom of God.  

Jesus provided access to the wisdom needed, set the example, and provided us with help we needed. Matthew 4:18-20.  These men were fishing using ordinary means of getting the job done, until Jesus came and when they began to follow them they embraced a whole new type of fishing. 

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As we approach the celebration of the resurrection, I thought it only befitting that I collaborate all the promises of Jesus Christ as outlined in New Testament scripture.  Collectively we declare them as the last will and testament of Jesus The Christ.  

If any of you have ever been included in someone’s will, it is a honor, as it is evidence that the person loved you enough to look after you beyond their death and Jesus although He knew there was no grave that could hold him still included us in His last will and testament and when He rose, our inheritance remained in tact.

On this day I read to you The Last Will and testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

I, Jesus Christ of Nazareth, King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Son of God make this my last will and testament. 

I give to you an inheritance that will last forever. It has been reserved for you from my Father, the Almighty God, the Creator of the universe.

I give you access to the Holy Spirit, who will comfort, guide and direct your path if you only receive it.
I give you access to every spiritual blessing in heavenly places, 

I give you access to the free gift of salvation through faith, 

I give you access to the forgiveness of all your sins, 

I give you access to the peace that passes all understanding.

I give you access to joy unspeakable and full of glory. 

I crown you with access to loving kindness and mercy. 

I give you access to blessings that will exceed anything you could ask or think. 

I give you access to wisdom 

I give clothe you in strength and honor

I give you  unlimited access to the greatest gift you’ll ever know, my love, a love so deep it caused me to give my life for your sins. 

In addition to all these blessings, I give you access to a mansion where you can live out eternity. This mansion is a place where you will shed no more tears, where death will be no more, sorrow will not exist, no more pain, no evil, for the throne of God will be there, and the greatest of all, you will see me face to face.

 I also give you access to a treasure worth more than silver and gold, the Sacred Scriptures which is filled with undeniable wisdom, and unchangeable principles and standards on how to use the riches of your inheritance. 

All these blessings are yours  for the taking, when you believe that I am the Son of the Living God and receive me as Savior and Lord. 

I beseech you all to spread the Gospel, 

share what I accomplished on earth and done in your life  to all. 

And in all you do be intentional about loving God Our Father, with all your heart, 

Obey His commands, for with obedience comes wisdom, and with wisdom comes the ability to walk in dominion.

Don’t mourn by death, for I was born to be the ultimate sacrifice, so you could live abundantly on earth and in eternity.  

So celebrate and make me proud.  

All my love, Jesus the Christ

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