Winners N Christ

09/20/2024

Let’s be the change and get out and vote for Kamala Harris!!!!!

Our campaign is fueled by hope, optimism, and our love of country. Momentum is on our side—and there is a lot of hard, but joyful work to do between now and ...

04/11/2024

Good morning, There will be times in life God places you in times of loneliness and desolation so that you are forced into a place of isolation with him.

Why? Sometimes we get so wrapped and tangled up in the world and what it has to offer that we forget to focus on the creator of it all.

He is creator, way maker, light in darkness, the only companion that never leaves you hanging, he is the fixer, best friend, greatest teacher, father and mother, he is God since the beginning and will be the same God at the end.

"and behold, I am with you to the end of the age."
- Matthew 28

“he will never leave us or forsake us.”
- Hebrews 13

Following Christ doesn’t mean we will not face storms. It doesn’t mean that there won’t be great loss in life that rocks us to the core. But, it does mean that no matter what comes our way, it is not the end of the story.

Him placing us in moments of loneliness is to replant us and focus us to be razor focused on him and him alone.

Have the best Thursday ever!

10/11/2022

“We are secured not because we hold tightly to Jesus, but because he holds tightly to us.”

RC Sproul

What it means to me: I’m a fickly person who can’t possibly love God with anything other than broken promises, mixed motivations, and selfish intentions. I can’t possibly hold onto God with that kind of heart, but I’m saved because, despite all that, God doesn’t want to let me go. And, to think against all my flaws, he does not desire to let me go brings tears to my eyes just to think about it.

If you’re not sure whether or not you’re a “good Christian,” remember that there is no such thing. Moses’s burst of anger got him barred from the Promised Land. King David committed adultery, murder, and an attempted coverup of both. Peter denied his love for Jesus three times. If these biblical heroes, who were also completely human were saved by God, then so can me and you.

09/27/2022

Did you know your biggest regrets, failures, and most broken seasons in your life is what God uses to create the most beautiful masterpieces. I am having some health issues that had me feeling like I little broken. But, today I saw a picture of broken crayons and with it I could hear this voice inside me saying just like these broken crayons you are built to create masterpieces. Your best service to me has not been seen yet.

Had to share that regardless to what you have experience in your life, what mistakes you have made, what naysayers say about, and so like a broken crayon you still are able to color beautiful masterpieces. Your best is yet to come. We are all a little broken, but last time I checked a broken crayon still colors. From our mess and brokenness, God has a masterpiece just waiting to be colored.

God does not call those perfect. He equips the called.

Happy Tuesday

02/03/2022

This my morning devotional that I just had to share after reading it. I pray that it helps you day get started in the right direction as mine.

Blessings and Love!

Aleka Harris Thomas

We’re All in the Same Boat!

Hebrews 6:19, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure…”

Think - meditate on it
You own a million-dollar yacht. You are near an island that only small crafts can access, so you board a smaller vessel to take you to shore. Now imagine if you decided that anchoring the yacht was unnecessary, that it would be there when you returned. No one would take that chance with such an expensive boat because there’s a 100% chance it would go adrift!

Our lives are like that valuable craft. We are created by God, and He doesn’t want us to drift. But, without the true anchor for our souls — Jesus — we can easily be pulled by currents, surprised by sudden storms, susceptible to the winds of relativity and the waves of bitterness and pain. He is what keeps us moored to a life of purpose and joy; He is our certainty in the face of an unknown future.

We’re all in the same boat — our circumstances may vary, but our basic needs are the same, and none of us immune to life’s difficulties. So, what is your anchor? What do you cling to when trouble strikes? Placing our future hope in anything other than Christ eventually fails. Place your faith in God’s promises and trust in His amazing love. When you do, smooth sailing isn’t assured — the water will be rough at times – but you can be confident that you’ll not only survive the storm, but thrive in this one and only life!

Act - put into action
Are you feeling “adrift” in any areas of your life? What is one step of obedience you can take to tether that part of your life to Christ?

Pray - go to Jesus for help
Lord Jesus, I place my hope in your strength and unfailing love. Anchor me when I begin to drift. Pull me into the safety of Your arms and guide me along Your path of righteousness. Amen.

01/18/2022

Becoming the Smile of God

The message today comes from Luke 19:1-10 but I am only going to
read vs 10.
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost. Luke
19:10 (NIV)

Zacchaeus was unhappy because no one liked him. He
was working for the enemy (the Romans).
He was also stealing by making people pay more taxes than they
were owed. He was short and he had no friends, but Jesus knew all
about him even before He met him (He called Zacchaeus by name).
See Jesus loved him and wanted to change his unhappy life.
Zacchaeus was unpopular, no one saw anything good in him,
except Jesus. Zacchaeus was willing for Jesus to come into his
house and heart—note verse 6: Zacchaeus hurried down and
welcomed Him with great joy. Jesus loves us just the same as
Zacchaeus and wants to live in our heart and make us happy.

It all began when Jesus had arrived in Jericho and crowds of people
came to see Him. Jesus had become quite famous because he had
performed many miracles. He had raised Lazarus from the dead and
had restored sight to a blind man named Bartimaus, so when he
entered the city of Jericho, the atmosphere was very much like a
parade. People lined the streets hoping to get a glimpse of Jesus.
One of the people in the crowd was a man who was very short. He
was so short that he couldn’t see above all the people in the crowd.

He was a rich man, a chief tax collector called Zacchaeus. He was
hated by his own people because he worked for the Romans and
cheated the people out of their money by demanding they pay more
taxes than they should.

But this day, he was eager to see Jesus, but because he was small,
he could neither force his way through the crowd, nor see over the
people in front of him. Finally, in desperation, he ran on ahead and
climbed up into a sycamore-fig tree that stood beside the road that
was filled with people all trying to reach Jesus.

As Jesus passed beneath the tree, he stopped, looked up and saw
Zacchaeus sitting on one of the branches. “Zacchaeus, come down
from there! Jesus said. Take me to your house, I’d like to stay with
you for a while.” What a surprise. How did Jesus know he was
there? How did he know his name? Zacchaeus was so happy. He
jumped down and ran home as fast as he could to prepare a
welcome for Jesus. I want to pause for one minute.

But others began to murmur resentfully. “How do you like that,”
they said, “Jesus has gone home with that big cheat!”
Let me pause and point out something about Jesus that we all can
cheer about. Jesus was not worried about how others viewed Him.
He knew that His mission came from God, and that it involved
loving all people. He also knew change was possible for all, and that
He would forgive all who asked.

By the time Jesus arrived at the house Zacchaeus had realized
Jesus loved him even though he had done lots of wrong things.
Zacchaeus said to him, “I will give to the poor half of everything I
own. And if I have cheated anyone, I will repay four times the
amount I took dishonestly.”

Because Zacchaeus was sorry for what he had done and told Jesus
the truth about what he had done, Jesus forgave him and said,
"Today salvation has come to this house."

Here the 2nd point to cheer about. Jesus requires action from us.
He already knows what we have done. He knows everything about
us. Remember, he called Zacchaeus down from the tree. But, he
wants us to release it to him by sharing what we have done.

Yes, Zacchaeus was a little man with a big problem -- sin! But he
met Jesus and his life was changed. His life changed around to full
blown smile.

Here is our 3rd thing to cheer about, it doesn't matter if
you are short or tall, what you did just minutes before, how bad you
were, how much trouble you have been in, you can be dirty, young
or old, you can be considered as a person others look down on,
when you meet Jesus, (a daddy that saves those who are unworthy
sinners) he will change your life to reflect His smile. He welcomes you with open arms to God’s family. Then the goodness, happiness,
and joy of Jesus is shared with others from you.

03/19/2020

Hi Everyone!

I wanted to share a word with you.

Over the last several days, fear over the coronavirus has spiked as the number of cases and infected countries has multiplied.

Nearly 170,000 cases have now been reported, across more than 100 nations. Thousands have died. The nation of Italy has been almost completely shut down, after being hit hardest after China. Major universities have moved online. Disneyland has closed its gates. The NCAA has canceled its much-anticipated March Madness tournament. The NBA, NHL, and MLB all have suspended league play, to the tune of millions and millions of dollars. The United States has banned travelers from most of Europe for thirty days. By some estimates, some 200 million Americans eventually may be infected. If that prediction becomes reality, and the current 3 percent death rate holds, that would mean more than 6 million deaths in the US alone.

While we are learning more by the hour, there’s so much we still don’t know (and may not know for some time, if ever) about the virus. Which is part of its staggering power: the awful fear of the unknown.

Most of the world may be deaf to the divine warning in a global pandemic. But the Lord of heaven, who governs every germ and molecule in the universe, says to anyone with ears to hear,

Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Matthew 10:28)

While projected mortality rates are lower than in previous epidemics, like SARS or MERS, the virus has spread much farther and wider, meaning that even while the percentages may look small, many millions may die, especially from the weaker and more vulnerable among us.

The warning in Matthew 10, however, comes with a remarkable promise for those who fear God and find refuge in him. In the very next verses, Jesus says,

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Matthew 10:29–31)

While the Center for Disease Control (CDC) races to contain COVID-19, your Father in heaven is attending to every hair on your head. He rules over a worldwide pandemic, and still cares for your every need. If you or I die, in Christ, it will not be because he has forgotten or forsaken us.

On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” Mark 4:35-41

This story holds a profound lesson challenging our response to fear.
It is important to recognize that the fear in this story was valid. This is not a story about irrational anxiety. Notice the language in the text describing “a great windstorm,” “the waves beat the boat” and “that the boat was already being swamped.” This was real. The disciples were lifelong fishermen who knew the sea and could recognize genuine danger, and they were convinced they’d die.

This makes the contrast with Jesus all the more remarkable. Look at how Jesus acted: “He was in the stern, asleep on a cushion.” Mark paints a picture of serenity, but one surrounded by chaos. I wonder how the disciples viewed Jesus at this moment. He was one of the few in the boat who was not a trained fisherman. Perhaps they viewed his nonchalant attitude as a symptom of ignorance rather than an enduring sign of faith. They faced real danger, one they expertly understood, while their teacher seemed oblivious and out of touch.

It was at that moment Jesus awoke. I like to picture Him slowly sitting up, maybe stretching for a moment and then stepping out to command the waves to “be still!” Instantly, the wind died and seas calmed. At His word. The very word that spoke the sea into existence.

His question is one we must all answer, “Why are you afraid?”

I encourage you take a moment and ask yourself.

Fear can be a symptom of a lack of faith. It is human to imagine a worst-case scenario occurring in the future—whether a pandemic, economic collapse or something else entirely. But, do we remember that God will be with us in that future? Do we see only waves or is our attention fixed on Jesus who still rests in the boat? Fear is a form of thinking in which when we imagine a future in which God will not be present. Even in a “worst-case scenario,” Jesus has a funny habit of showing up and transforming into something else entirely.

This does not negate the reality of human suffering and grief. Jesus repeatedly demonstrates His compassion for those suffering. Furthermore, we should not feel condemned for the fear we feel. It’s natural to worry and, no matter how strong your faith, you’ll probably still deal with it to some extent. But this does challenge us to lift our perspective so we are not defined by fear. No matter what occurs in this life, Jesus the very Word of God is still with us. He still has authority over the storm, and He has conquered death itself. We may go through this trials with the Coronavirus, but we live in hope.

It is all-too-easy and all-too-human to let fear grow bigger than God. Like the disciples, we follow Jesus during everyday life, but what happens when a storm appears out of nowhere and threatens to swamp us? How do we view Jesus? As a man who doesn’t understand the danger of the situation? Or as a God who reigns over all the earth? Our perspective changes everything.

What can we do as Christians in this crisis? Perhaps we can help point people to God and show them what He offers to those who trust in Him even as we battle our fears and concerns of being infected by the Coronavirus.. And we can pray for the people in the United States, and all those affected by the outbreak, that we will personally experience:

The presence of God, who “is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).

The protection of God, who “will protect him, for he acknowledges my name” (Psalm 91:14).

The peace of God, which “transcends all understanding [and] will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

Will you join me in praying tonight:

Lord, I pray for all affected by the outbreak or worrying about it. May You reach out to everyone and show them Your presence, protection, and peace. We pray for all who are at risk, our medical professionals, and those in decision-making positions. We pray that Trump learns to put you first in his life and in all decisions he makes for this country.

In Jesus Name!

Amen

01/13/2019

Trust Is The Heart of Intimacy

Psalm 62:8 New International Version (NIV)

8 Trust in him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.

What if I asked you to describe your relationship with God. Would you say He is like a friend whom you meet occasionally for dinner? Or, is He a valued member of your family who is included in every part of your daily life?

Whatever the state of your relationship with the Lord, please understand that He wants something closer and more meaningful. God desires a connection so deep, so connected, so loyal, so desired, so rich, so fruitful, and so strong that the word “friend” cannot even describe it. He created us for intimacy.

Out of all His creations on earth, human beings are the only ones made in God’s image. So God created human beings in His own image. In the image of God He created them; male and female He created them (Genesis 1:27) Like Him, we can think, reason, feel, and make choices, though we do none of these things as fully, wholeheartedly, or perfectly as He does. The qualities that sets us apart from the rest of creation gears us to relate to the Lord in a unique way.

Jesus called His followers “friends” (John 15:15), and Paul wrote that believers are sons of God (Gal. 4:7). Those are not distant or impersonal relationships! When we spend time with the Lord, we grow as close to Him as a beloved child to a father. He is our first love, best friend, confidant, way maker, counselor, miracle worker, mentor, everlasting love, promise keeper, light in the darkness, blessing provider, hear, mind regulator, family, guide, creator and so much more. He is our Father.

Intimacy with God is available to you. It is as accessible to you as God’s promises. And God’s invitation to you to enjoy intimate fellowship with Him is that thing that is putting your faith to the test more than anything else (James 1:2–4).

Intimacy is what we call the experience of really knowing and being known by another person. An intimate friend is someone we feel very close too. They know and understand us deeply. If something happens that damages the intimacy with our friend, they feel distant from us.

We all know what it’s like to be sitting right next to a person with whom we feel distant and we can feel close to a person who is many miles away.

What makes us feel intimate with another person? While there are many ingredients to intimacy and each intimate relationship we have has a different recipe, a common factor is trust. We cannot be intimate with a person if we do not trust them.

Trust is at the heart of intimacy. The more we trust someone, the closer we let them get to us. When trust is compromised, intimacy leaves.

This is true in our relationship with God. Our experience of God’s nearness or distance is not a description how physically far or near He is to us. Scripture shows us that God is intimate with those who trust Him. The more we trust God, the more intimately we come to know Him. A felt distance from God is often due to some type disturbance in trust, such as a guilt or sorrow.

The secret to drawing near to God and having him draw near to us is revealed clearly in the Bible, we draw near to God through faith in Christ who alone gives us access to him (Hebrews 4:14–16; 7:25; Philippians 3:9), and we put our trust in all of “his precious and very great promises” which find their Yes to us in Christ (2 Peter 1:4; 2 Corinthians 1:20).

God is excited about our faith, not our feats. Where faith is lacking, he is not pleased with the quantity of our knowledge or the quality of our attractive events.

And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)
When God sees someone whose heart fully trusts his promises and lives by them, God comes to strongly support that saint (2 Chronicles 16:9) and manifests himself to him:

“Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” (John 14:21)

When we truly get to a place where we desire God and our hearts can’t take being without Him, we are in a intimate relationship with God like King David described in Psalm 63 verses 1-8:

O God, You are my God;
Early will I seek You;
My soul thirsts for You;
My flesh longs for You
In a dry and thirsty land
Where there is no water.
2 So I have looked for You in the sanctuary,
To see Your power and Your glory.
3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,
My lips shall praise You.
4 Thus I will bless You while I live;
I will lift up my hands in Your name.
5 My soul shall be satisfied as with [a]marrow and [b]fatness,
And my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips.
6 When I remember You on my bed,
I meditate on You in the night watches.
7 Because You have been my help,
Therefore in the shadow of Your wings I will rejoice.
8 My soul follows close behind You;
Your right hand upholds me.

Here are some other witnesses to having great faith that shared an intimate relationship with God. As I was was reading the other night, I ran across an article titled, “Ten Bible Characters of Great Faith written by Walter Bright 6 years ago but the perfect end for today’s message.

Noah was a man who took God seriously.
Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him. Genesis 6:22

Nehemiah was a man who silenced the Nay Sayers and did what they said he couldn’t do.
Then I replied to them, “The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem.” Nehemiah 2:20

Job was a man whose life and resolve was tested beyond imagination, yet did not curse God.
“In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.” Job 1:22

Joseph was a man who was wholly devoted to the Lord even in times of injustice, betrayal, and temptation.
“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” Genesis 50:20

Ruth was a woman who left everything she had for something far more significant than anything she’d ever imagined.
But Ruth said, “Do not urge me to leave you or to return from following you. For where you go I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the LORD do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you.” And when Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more.” Ruth 1:16-18

Esther was a woman who understood her times and seized the day not only for her people but also for God.
“For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14

Daniel was a man whose integrity and prayer life Helped him to see incredible miracles and prophetic mysteries.
“He went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done.” Daniel 6:10

Elijah was a man who availed himself in such a way to God. As a result, Gods used him mightily.
“Then the angel of the LORD said to Elijah, “Go down with him; do not be afraid of him.” So he arose and went down with him to the king.” 2 Kings 1:15

Paul was a man so passionate for the lost, that he literally would have walked upon broken glass just to reach the next person.
“A prophet named Agabus came down from Judea… took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles… For I am ready not only to be imprisoned but even to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” Acts 21:10-14

Phillip was a man who chose to live by the spirit; follow His promptings, and be used by the Spirit.
“Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place… And there was an Ethiopian.” Acts 8:25-40

01/11/2019

“How do I build or cultivate a relationship with God?”

If you want to get warm, you stand near the fire or turn on a heater. If you want to be wet, you jump into water. If you want love, healing, happiness, joy, power, peace, eternal life, you must get close to, connect to, plug into the one and only source that has them all.

To build a relationship with God requires action. I love water. The sounds and touch of it energizes me. I particularly like to take vacations where I can get to a beach or waterfall. Now imagine that I take vacation specifically go to a waterfall. Typically, it requires some type of walking to get to it. I have to get out of the car, then make that first step. Once I walk the distance it takes to get to this wonderful, beautiful, hidden gems of God, the experience is relaxing, tranquil, and peaceful. I share this because it is not difficult to build a closer and meaningful relationship with God. But, it does take action.

Don’t make it complicated!

If you have a desire to build a relationship with God, that is truly the first step. This sets your intention and focus. The rest is a matter of taking more regular steps towards God and being open to what happens.

I was in Piggly Wiggly in line once behind two guys. One of the men asked the other do he still hunt. The other replied with a yes. The man then said “I wouldn’t mind learning how to hunt deers.” The other responded, “Man, it is not hard. You just take you and your shot gun to where they are.” If you want to build a relationship with God, you have to go, metaphorically, to where God is and place yourself in His presence. This the only way you can receive the gifts He wants to give you.

God is always present but never pushy.

God is not going to knock you over to get closer to you. We have the freedom to invite Him into our lives or not. You're not likely to wake up one morning with the certain feeling that you've become friends with God. Like any human relationships, it usually takes an investment of time, attention, and caring, and it's up to you to take the initiative of moving closer to God—of placing yourself in His presence and just abiding there. It's rarely dramatic. You might not even feel anything at all at first. But, when you do this over and over again, the emotion and belief will follow, faith and yearning Him activates. And, you'll begin finding yourself trusting He is with you and is guiding you.

Think of building a relationship with God just as you would a relationship with anyone else. Suppose you wanted to get to know a certain person better. The way you would do that is the way you can approach your relationship with God.

Take the time to touch bases with God, acknowledging and giving thanks for His presence. Invite Him to come close. Invite Him to come hang out with you so you can connect with Him. Talk with God. Some days this will feel like pouring out your heart. Other days, it will be casual chit-chat. Occasionally, all you'll be able to manage is, “Here I am, Lord. Please be with me.” And, that is fine because to be in the presence of a good friend some times do not require a lot of chatter but still you enjoy their presence.

You must also listen. It is a two-way conversation. Expect to hear from God, just as you would from a trusted friend. God wants you to know how much He loves you. He wants to offer support and guidance to you. If you don't take the time to listen, you won't hear His “still, small voice.” For me, this communication from God comes in any of various forms: thoughts, feelings, music, reading, nature, other people, or circumstances. Sometimes I only recognize God's voice after a situation has occurred.

Make contact throughout your day. Being in touch with God doesn't have to be only during times of meditation or prayer. It can be while you're on the run, when you're in the midst of activities, or when you have a moment's break. I love to touch base with God when I am driving to and from work. To me, it is our alone time.

Take action when you hear God's voice. If you feel God is guiding you or telling you something, take action on it as soon as possible. The insight you receive may only show you where to take the next step, but once you've taken that step, the following step will appear in front of you. Even though there is electrical power in your house, the light doesn't turn on until you have flipped the switch to generate the power. God's power is waiting for you. So, flip the switch.

Make these steps regular practices, and expect it to take time. You'll find yourself gradually learning to recognize God's voice and beginning to trust it. One day, you'll realize you're in a relationship with God that is treasured and invaluable in your life. Don't confuse the emotion with the reality. Even with earthly friends, some days you feel closer to them than others. True friendships surpass the day-to-day earthly emotion.

I believe in the Trinity which means that God is three-in-one, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. When I go to Jesus in prayer or I feel the power of God's Holy Spirit, it is all God to me. At the end of the day, there is only one God. Revelation 1:8 tells us, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, [d]the Beginning and the End,” says the [e]Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” It is to our benefit to plug in to Him.

Stay tuned to pick back up tomorrow fam!