Who of anyone of us has not said things we should not have said and did not fully realize the impact of what we have said until it comes back to haunt us through our own conscience or through the words of someone else? Who? Remember what James said (James 3:6), “the tongue is a fire. Words set on fire the course of nature.” I haven’t heard yet how this coronavirus got started. But nevertheless, Almighty God is doing something and sending us a message. He is renovating the universe, because His imminent return is on the divine calendar. Mark says “What comes out of a person defiles that person or blesses that person.” People underestimate words. Words are powerful and once spoken, they come alive and take on a life. Words have to be thoughts before they are words. You cannot utter words without thinking them first. You cannot take an action without first conceptualizing it. Although, it may not be fully realized what will be the outcome of what you have been thinking and how it will be demonstrated in the physical realm, but nevertheless, you thought it! Think success thoughts. Think progressive thoughts. Think thoughts that have upward trajectory. Train your mind. Take control of your mind —you take control of your thoughts—and you take control of your words—and you take control of your actions—and you take control of the direction of your life. Yes. It takes diligence and vigilence. Watchfulness. Isn’t your life worth it? You betcha it is. Success and purging the conscience takes courage! It’s a process. Daily “training” your mind. You cannot leave it undone. Nurture and direct your life through your thought life! Remember only you are in charge of your thought life. Only you! No one else. Get it….Be a good listener. Okay. Let’s get back to the conscience. Remember when Phillip left the revival at the direction of the Holy Spirit….he found the Ethiopian treasurer (Acts 8:26) who was curious about his reading of Isaiah 53. He didn’t understand what he was reading and Phillip explained it to him. This Ethiopian took the Gospel back to Ethiopia. Now that is African History. Remember Simeon called Niger (the black man”) (New Living Translation) Niger (Luke 23:26). The Egyptians found it abhorrent to dine with the Hebrews. (Genesis 43:32 & 46:32. The Egyptians thought it abhorrent and an abomination for the shepherds to have social contact and dine with the Hebrews. Here’s the truth. People set up customs and traditions which contradict and exceed what God has mandated through His law! We cannot see what people can be (or will become, so we judge them by their present appearance. Those who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and those who accept the one true God until the time comes when God will gather in ALL who are His chosen people, let us not judge by appearance. The “middle wall partition has been demolished…broken down (Ephesians 2:14). There is “one new man” In Christ Jesus. There is no more this nation or that nation or other nations when all are gathered in under one tent. Let us vacate hatred, prejudice, discrimination, shunning others because we don’t like their looks for what ever the reason. Looking into our conscience requires an emotional struggle. Saul struggled emotionally with his thougthts. He looked at his prior behavior and needed to reconcile his life of forcing women and men to go to the High Priests because they were Christ Followers. Jesus Christ challenged him to be a better person and to accept Jesus as Lord, God and Savior. He had to reckon with his conscience because he was in a high position of influence. He realized he was up against “the Lord.” And he could not resist. Peter also acquiesced to his own way of life and followed “the Almighty God. He could no longer simply adhere to the ritualistic Levitical dietary laws. Today we are challenged to make a sharp turn toward salvation and reach out to others in our environment whether at work, on the street or whereever. Sometimes you have to get out of the “clique.” You can’t be one of the “boys.” Or the “girls.” Doing the work of Christ takes courage…a lot of it. Thanks for reading! Teach the children! Jeanette Grattan Parker, Founder-Superintendent Today’s Fresh Start Charter School 323-293-9826 www.todaysfreshstart.org; [email protected] [email protected]tm “Inquiring minds want to know.”© All rights reserved©Askdrjeanetteparker.comtm TodaysFreshStart.org Today’s Fresh Start Charter School 323-293-9826.
