“PASS THE PLATE PLEASE!”

2 Kings 7:9, “Then they said to each other, “What we’re doing is not right. This is a day of good news AND WE ARE KEEPING IT TO OURSELVES…” (NIV)

So, Thanksgiving is almost here and it immediately makes me think about sitting at the family table. You see, somewhere in the ‘Fathers Handbook’, I’m convinced it says that the father automatically gets to carve the turkey, or the ham, or the roast. And most men don’t mind; they actually feel very fatherly when they get to do that, very manly sitting at the head of the table with their super carving knife. But I have observed something rather odd. Now, if you come from a huge family like mine, you’re accustomed to large portions of chicken, turkey, ham, ribs, rice, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, cornbread, yams, and the like. In other words, you’re used to there being a lot of food! Yet, even with all of this food available, often someone ends up with an empty plate! See, sometimes at a large dinner gathering, you’ve got someone who loads up their own plate, starts chowing down and shortstops all the food where they are! Ever notice that it all seems to pile up sometimes in a corner and doesn’t get moved past there? After all, it’s not going to bother the person whose plate is piled high, and they’re satisfied stuffing their face! But while they’re enjoying a full plate of food, some of us end up with nothing in our corner, because they got there’s, but didn’t continue to pass the trays to those who didn’t! However, the way this should work is that you take what you need and you pass it on to others who don’t have any yet. Sad to say but when you’ve got plenty, it’s awfully easy to forget those who haven’t been served anything as yet!

With that in mind, I want you to travel with me to Matthew 10. Jesus is speaking to His disciples, who have in a sense been sitting at the dinner table and being very well fed. They have sat in many meetings with Jesus, they have heard, seen and received a lot, and now He calls them together in Matthew 10:8 and says, “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons…” (NIV) He’s sending them out now. And He does so with these added words, “…Freely you have received; FREELY GIVE.” (NIV) In other words, Jesus is saying, “Look, I passed it to you, not just so you could be full (especially of yourselves), but you’re supposed to pass it on to others!” But the problem comes in because we, as His disciples, get so satisfied with OUR healing; OUR restoration; OUR renewal; and OUR salvation and deliverance, that we forget that we have been commissioned to ensure that others receive all of these same blessings too. It’s wonderful that we’re healed, restored, renewed, saved and delivered, but what about those who don’t have that testimony yet?

The word “selfish” is what immediately comes to mind. The word “selfish” is defined as “to be concerned chiefly with one’s own personal profit or pleasure at the expense and consideration of others.”

Which takes us to Deuteronomy 15:7-9, “When you happen on someone who’s in trouble or needs help among your people with whom you live in this land that God, your God, is giving you, don’t look the other way pretending you don’t see him. Don’t keep a tight grip on your purse. No. Look at him, open your purse, lend whatever and as much as he needs. Don’t count the cost. Don’t listen to that SELFISH voice saying, “It’s almost the seventh year, the year of All-Debts-Are-Canceled,” and turn aside and leave your needy neighbor in the lurch, refusing to help him. He’ll call God’s attention to you and your blatant sin.” (MSG).

For Those Who Don’t Know: Selfishness Is Sin! Which takes me back to the family table. Remember now, this is the FAMILY TABLE. Which makes this behavior all the more worse! How do you sit at a table with more than enough, and yet allow your FAMILY to go without?! Likewise, how do we, as believers who serve a self-sacrificing Savior, have all that we have, and yet we’re Selfish?!

Galatians 5:16-18, “My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit. Then you won’t feed the compulsions of SELFISHNESS. For there is a root of SINFUL SELF-INTEREST in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with SELFISHNESS. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don’t you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence?” (MSG)

In other words, if we imitate how our Savior lived, we can then live better. He was forgiving, loving, compassionate, gentle, kind, patient, and giving. I wonder would the people around us be able to say that they see those very same attributes in us, His disciples?

John 13:34-35, “Let me give you a new command: Love one another. IN THE SAME WAY I LOVED YOU, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they SEE the love you have for each other.” (MSG).

Do we love as unconditionally as Jesus? Of course not, that’s why so many are sitting at the corner of the family table with no provision while we pig out in our little section of the family table! As believers, we are indeed held to a higher standard in society, no matter how bad the society may get. We as believers, are to be “…recognized…” as forgiving, loving, compassionate, gentle, kind, patient, and giving. And the word “recognize” is defined as, “to clearly identify; to acknowledge or take notice of in some definite way; to perceive without question; to discern.” People should be able to look at our characteristics as Christ-like believers, and clearly see; take notice of; perceive without question and easily discern that we are in fact who we say we are and belong to who we say we belong to! In addition, we are “…commanded…” to love others “…IN THE SAME WAY…” that Jesus loved us. And a “command” is not a suggestion! A “suggestion” is defined as “an idea or plan put forward for consideration.” But we have not received a “suggestion” to be considered as a possible good idea. No, we’ve been given a Command! And a “command” is defined as, “to give an authoritative order with the expectation that it will be followed.” And our Authority is Jesus Christ as Lord, King, Savior, Master, God, Chief, and Commanding Officer! We are Commanded to Love Others “…IN THE SAME WAY…” that Jesus loved us! And that can’t be done by starving family members at the family table!

Even Judas was provided for at the family table, how much more should we then provide for the least, the lost, the lonely, the last, the looked over, and the left out?!

Galatians 6:7-8, “Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants SELFISHNESS, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.” (MSG)

If You Don’t Want to Reap Selfishness, Stop Sowing It!

Let’s travel back to our opening text. There’s a story in the Old Testament in the book of 2 Kings. It tells about four lepers who lived outside a city that was being starved to death by an enemy siege. Finally they decided just to surrender to the enemy thinking, “Well, you know what? We’re probably going to be killed anyway, or we’re going to die of starvation. So, maybe they’ll take us and feed us, or we’ll just die like we’re going to die here.” However, what happened was they found out that God had performed a miracle and driven the enemy out. The camp was empty. And they ended up with all of this food that had been left behind! They’re sitting there eating and chowing down all night long while people are still starving to death in the city that they just came from!

Finally, by the morning light, one of them says, “What we’re doing is not right. This is a day of good news AND WE ARE KEEPING IT TO OURSELVES.” (7:9 NIV) What a picture of us as American Christians! Think about it: We’re the spiritually wealthiest Christians in all of history: We have seminars, and workshops, and radio programs, and TV programs, and conferences, convocations, magazines, books, blogs, iPods; iPads; tablets; laptops; and websites. It’s just so easy to get caught up in a comfortable cycle of listening and just saying, “Well, you know, that was a nice sermon, wasn’t it?” Going to Bible study, and attending a fellowship we enjoy, going to concerts, and feeling real spiritual a lot of the time. And honestly with all of this at our disposal, we ought to be growing. We ought to be filling up with spiritual resources– and loading up on the Lord, loading up on His truth-HOWEVER NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHERS! “…Freely you have received all of this; FREELY GIVE.”

Now some may not like what I’m about to say, but I will say it anyhow, and I stand by it 100%! Everything we do as Christians CANNOT have a price tag attached to it! We say we want unbelievers saved, but they have to pay for the Gospel we received for free! Well, what happens when the book would be a tremendous blessing to them, but they can’t afford the $19.99 price tag? What happens when that conference would’ve changed her life, but she couldn’t afford the registration, hotel rate and air fare to attend? What happens when he would’ve been greatly encouraged, but couldn’t attend your men’s retreat because he’s unemployed? Jesus met people where they were! Why don’t we?

I’ve been asked for the last 16 years why I don’t turn the devotionals into a book? Or why haven’t I published my book yet? Or why do I post all of my bible studies, sermons and devotionals on my website for FREE? Well, this is the reason in a nutshell: Not everyone can afford a price tag! But what I’ve found personally priceless is the Pastor in Nambia who emailed his thanks for allowing him to use a bible study series that brought souls into his church. Or the missionary in Botswana that used a devotional to teach the children about having dreams. Or the Evangelist in Brooklyn that preached a devotional because it encouraged her heart personally. Or the Sister in Detroit that rediscovered Worship through the ‘Quiet Time With God Series’. Or the Brother in Atlanta that’s newly married and follows faithfully every ‘Manhood Monday’s Devotionals for Men’ to see how he can apply the lessons to his life and become a better father, husband and man.

Those things were possible because what they needed was within reach and free. When I hear that it encouraged, empowered or inspired someone to do and be better, that’s the gift to me! Because when I was unsaved it was a Deaconess who shared a Free Scripture with me from John 1:12, when I told her I wasn’t the type of person Jesus of all people would want to associate with. And yet she quoted, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” At the time I was homeless with 2 toddlers in a shelter. She invited me to her church, and I told her I couldn’t come because I didn’t have any money or the right clothes to wear. She picked me and my girls up, took us to her apartment, introduced us to her family, fed us and clothed us. I had nothing to give her in return, but my thanks and friendship, which remained intact until her passing. In fact, she became the matron of honor at my wedding 23 years ago and her husband served as my husband’s best man!

I share all of this because my heart grieves for those who need, but are not being helped! While we’re running, jumping, praising, worshiping, dancing, spinning, speaking in tongues, preaching, teaching and praying…someone is wondering where they’re going to live; what they’re going to eat; where will they get coats for a cold season; when will a job finally come through; what will I say to the kids for Christmas, when I have no gifts for them? How do we celebrate Thanksgiving when we don’t feel as if we have anything to be thankful for? How will I get the lights and gas back on? Then, you have those that are trying to pull themselves out of the bed just one more day. Those who are depressed, discouraged, wounded, desperate, in pain, and just all around frustrated with life!

People of God, you have no idea what the planting of your small seed may one day yield for someone else’s harvest. My friend Samantha Gerald had no idea what I would one day become, but she FREELY sowed anyhow! And I am fully persuaded that had she not sown, I would never have grown into half the woman I am today! For that, I Give God Thanks!

You see, Jesus said, “To whom much is given, much is required.” (Luke 12:48). Therefore, shouldn’t we (believers; the church; the disciples of Christ; the children of Light; the children of God) then be found giving as much as we’re getting? Honestly, can you imagine for someone like me, with all of that as my testimony, to be selfish? Truth is, I can’t afford to be! Because when I needed God, one of His servants was there and I didn’t need to pay her to be there either! I don’t know what my life would be like had me and Samantha never crossed paths. And I truthfully don’t want to know! But what I learned from her is to always share the unconditional love of God and to do for others as I want done for me. I needed someone, and someone was there. Likewise, I want to be there as God’s mouthpiece for the person who is at the end of their rope. I want to teach them how to hold on even if it’s to the last string. Because that’s what was done for me. There are lost people who need at least a little of what we have a lot of!

So, what did the lepers from 2 Kings ultimately do? “So they went and called out to the city gatekeepers and told them…” (vs. 10 NIV) We need to do the same. Those who are perishing, hurting, depressed, discouraged, need us to call out to them because we remember what it was like on the other side of the wall. We need to tell them what God did. We need to tell them what we’ve found. We need to share our discovery. We need to tell them the Good News. We need to feed those who are so desperately hungry, both naturally and spiritually. Don’t get me wrong, it’s alright to pray for your cup to run over, just make sure you amend your prayer to say and Lord give me a saucer for the overflow so I can pass the blessing on! Don’t sit at the table full, while others are empty, and you have extra!

BE GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO PASS THE PLATE PLEASE!

Every believer should be actively involved in reaching the lost; rescuing the dying somehow…including you, in an outreach to people that you are uniquely close to, or by starting or supporting outreach programs through your church, or by giving time or talent to a Christian ministry that is actively rescuing lost people. Maybe even by changing your life plans. But just don’t keep piling it up on your plate, because there are people all around you who are dying of starvation both naturally and spiritually.

Today is a good day to share some of your food, and why not start with some Fruit? Share a pot of love, a plate of joy, a cup of peace, a forkful of longsuffering, a spoonful of gentleness, a glass of goodness, a saucer of faith, a serving of meekness and a good portion of temperance? (Galatians 5:22-23).

Today, Let Us BE the People of God in Both Our Word and Deed!

Today, Let’s Pass the Plate to Those Starving Who Need Sustenance…Naturally AND Spiritually!

“A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal.” (Dr. Steve Maraboli)

“Do all the good you can; by all the means you can; in all the ways you can; in all the places you can; at all the times you can; to all the people you can; as long as ever you can.” (John Wesley)

“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” (Pablo Picasso)

“No one has ever become poor by giving.” (Anne Frank)

“Generosity: The habit of giving freely without expecting anything in return.” (Pinterest)

“Real generosity is doing something nice for someone who will never find out.” (Frank A. Clark)

“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” Mother Teresa)

“Generosity is what keeps the things we own from owning us.” (Pinterest)

“The greatest miracle of life is to give generously and see how what you have given returns to you manifold.” (Roxana Jones)

“What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.” (Albert Pike)

“You do not have to be rich to be generous.” (Pinterest)

“True generosity: You give your all, and yet you always feel as if it cost you nothing!” (Simone de Beauvoir)

“Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly, and most underrated agent of human change.” (Bob Kerrey)

“Generosity is the best investment.” (Diane Von Furstenberg)

“The most truly generous persons are those who give silently without hope of praise or reward.” (Carol Ryrie)

“The heart that gives, gathers.” (Marianne Moore)

“God is always trying to give good things to us, but our hands are too full to receive them.” (Augustine)

Much Love, Dr. Shermaine #EnjoyTheRead #BeInspired #BeEncouraged #BeEmpowered #BeChallenged #BeThankful #ShareTheWord

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LET’S STAY CONNECTED!

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“Selfless Living in a Selfie World”

Romans 12:3, “For by the grace (unmerited favor of God) given to me I warn everyone among you not to estimate and think of himself more highly than he ought [not to have an exaggerated opinion of his own importance], but to rate his ability with sober judgment, each according to the degree of faith apportioned by God to him.” (AMPC)

The Oxford Dictionary defines “Selfie” as: “A photograph one has taken of oneself typically one taken with a smartphone or a webcam and uploaded to a social media website.”

Facebook, for instance, has afforded us the wonderful privilege of knowing more about our family and friends than we ever really wanted to. “I just blew my nose. Thought you all should know it, better yet, see it.” Or, “Current Status: mad at everybody!” Best of all, we can share our “selfies“; pictures of ME, taken by ME. Because it’s all about ME, right? After all it is called Social MEdia! So clearly, it’s all about ME! NO! At least it’s not supposed to be.

Our text says in part: “…I warn everyone among you not to estimate and think of himself more highly than he ought [not to have an exaggerated opinion of his own importance]…”

One TV documentary said, “Despite the Social MEdia attention, there’s still an epidemic of loneliness today.” It’s true. Even in a world that, in one way, is more connected than ever before, so many are still publicly social and yet privately lonely. Superficially, but strangely lacking in the kind of deep human connection that satisfies our love-starved hearts. In essence, life was never meant to be a “selfie” existence.

Think about it this way: Even in the beginning, God didn’t say let ME make man in MY OWN image and in MY OWN likeness. No, He said, “…LET US (FATHER, SON, HOLY SPIRIT) make man in OUR image, according to OUR likeness [not physical, but a spiritual personality and moral likeness]; and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the cattle, and over the entire earth, and over everything that creeps and crawls on the earth.” (Genesis 1:26 AMP). Even God Himself focused more on US, OUR and WE, than ME, MYSELF AND I! If only WE’D learn to follow HIS example!

The selfie mentality is where it’s all about how I look, what I’m doing, what I’m feeling, what I want to talk about, what I’m hearing, what I need etc. The problem is that a world that’s only as big as me, is a world that’s too small for anybody else to live in. Or in today’s language, “Status: lonely”.

Years ago a young man wrote to Mother Teresa with a pretty compelling question. This woman who had buried her life in the needs of the most broken in Calcutta’s slums was clearly the one who would know the answer. He asked, “What can I do to have a significant life like you have?” Mother Teresa’s postcard reply was only four words: “Find your own Calcutta.” Or in a different translation: “Find some people who need you and be there to help them.“

Now, before you feel the need to get a passport and hop on a plane, understand that you don’t have to go to Calcutta to find people who need you. Truth is, they’re in the local senior citizens’ facility, the hospital, hospice, they’re laid up in cancer centers, they’re receiving chemotherapy, radiation or dialysis, they’re sick and shut-in, they’re disabled and handicapped, they’re laid up in the VA hospital, they’re riding the train to stay warm, they’re digging through the garbage can for breakfast, lunch and dinner, they have a gun to their head, a razor to their wrist, a rope around their throat, or some pills in their hand in hopes that somebody, somewhere will intervene in the midst of their desperation, despair, dysfunction, and distress, they’re sleeping in a cardboard box under the bridge by your house, they’re pushing their entire life in a shopping cart, or they may be kids struggling in school who could flourish if someone took time to tutor them. “Calcutta” is anybody, anywhere that needs help!

In fact, you may not have to look any farther than the people you work with or play with or go to school with. On any given day, someone in your world needs a smile, a hug, a compliment, a word of encouragement, a listening ear, a helping hand, or just to be noticed or included. It’s a matter of recalibrating your radar to see the people for whom you could make a difference.

And if we are to really be honest, your “Calcutta” may be in your very own home. Your son may need to tell you what he’s really been doing after school; your daughter may need to tell you where she’s been going instead of school; your husband may need to tell you how he’s been feeling as he’s getting older; your wife may need to tell you what she’s been thinking about the job she hates so much. And it may stretch out a little further, where your niece or nephew may need an ear besides their mom and dad; your in-law may be struggling in his or her marriage and you may be able to provide some encouragement and support. Your next-door neighbor who you wave at in passing and say good morning or good night, may just need you to ask “how have you been doing? Or how are you feeling?” And then have you intentionally sit there and listen to their response.

The bottom line is, with an approximate 7.53 billion people  in the world (in 2017 alone), you should not be the center of your own little world today!

Your life’s photo album should not be made up of “selfies”. Can you imagine your friend Ted, who’s married with 3 kids, a dog, cat and a fish, inviting you over to their home for dinner. And then during dessert, he breaks out the family photo albums, yep all 999 of them, but page after page, it’s only “selfies” of himself? How does a wife feel who shares her life with a husband who only shares “selfies” of himself? How do their children feel after cheerleading try-out’s, football championships and track and field medals, to look in the family photo album to see only “selfies” of him?

Believe it or not, but the world is a lot bigger than YOU!

I’ve learned how to wake up and ask the “make a difference” question: “Who needs me today?” It’s a deliberate decision to be a giver today instead of a taker. Luke 6:37-38, “Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults—unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don’t condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you’ll find life a lot easier. Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity.” (MSG)

There’s more important things, and especially people, than just you! Stop giving people your ‘selfie’s’ and give them yourself!

Matthew 7:1-5, “Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted by contempt? It’s this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.” (MSG)

Get the focus off of you, and put it on others where it belongs! After all, that’s what Jesus did! And as a Christian, aren’t you to be Like Christ?!

Self-sacrifice is not without personal benefit, because the fastest way to get out of your pit is to pull someone else out of theirs! And the best antidote for being lonely is to be there for someone else. So, turn your camera lens the other way to make your life a “you-ie” instead of a “selfie” where the other person is the big-picture, instead of your selfish starring role. Sounds comical I know, but how about we live in such a way that our life’s mission is simple: make each person feel like they matter, because they do.

In 2 Corinthians 5:15, God says, “He died for all so that all who live – having received eternal life from Him – might live no longer for themselves, to please themselves, but to spend their lives pleasing Christ who died and rose again for them.” (TLB). See, we’re not supposed to live for ourselves anymore. In a nutshell: Believers don’t do “selfies”! That’s just not our mentality! It’s always about others because we are servants who serve!

George Martin (NY Giants), is a great football player, yes – Super Bowl ring and all. But an even greater man, because he always made other people the big deal instead of himself. He spoke one year for a local high school football team. He had just been named the NFL’s Man of the Year for his work with sick and dying children along with many other charitable causes. It wasn’t the only award he received for “finding his own Calcutta.” He told the players, “You need to know the real reason I’m doing these things that people give me awards for. I’m just copying my hero. My hero is Jesus Christ.” He went on to explain how Jesus forgot about Himself to give us a chance to go to heaven someday. To have a relationship with the God whose love we were made for. For that to happen, the wall between us and God had to come down. It’s a wall I suspect many of us know is there without anyone telling us. And it could only come down if the penalty for us running our own life was paid; a death penalty. As the Bible says, “For the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23). I’m dead meat if that Bible verse ends there. But thank God, it doesn’t. It goes on to say, “…but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Living forever instead of punishment forever; heaven instead of hell. Or in The Message Bible translation: “But now that you’ve found you don’t have to listen to sin tell you what to do, and have discovered the delight of listening to God telling you, what a surprise! A whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way! Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God’s gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master.” (Romans 6:22-23 MSG).

Because as the Bible says, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). Or better yet, in The Message Bible: “What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn’t work. So I quit being a “law man” so that I could be God’s man. Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that. Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that, to repudiate God’s grace. If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then Christ died unnecessarily.” (Galatians 2:19-21 MSG)

That’s a love you need to experience for yourself if you never have. It’s a relationship you’ve looked for your whole life, and you could begin today. Life is never the same once you have experienced for yourself the transforming love of Jesus Christ. And once you receive it for you, you don’t take a “selfie” and keep it to yourself, you share that with the world!

Can you imagine how many people you pass by on any given day? Especially when you include in that number people on buses, trains, cabs, walking, subways, or in traffic? So many people, and some grant it have heard the good news, but many have not. What are you waiting for? Shift the camera lens from pointing at you, and refocus on those around you. Someone needs to hear the love of Christ, and many more than that need to SEE, HEAR, TASTE, SMELL AND FEEL it. Someone needs to SEE you give help to a child struggling with their grades in school; someone needs to HEAR you compliment the teenage girl with a face full of acne; someone needs to TASTE a good meal prepared by your hands because they haven’t eaten in the last 3 days; someone needs to SMELL a hot cup of coffee as they try not to fall asleep after working triple shifts to keep a roof over their families head; and someone needs to FEEL the embrace of someone who is not offended by their body odor because being homeless doesn’t always offer you the opportunity of a nightly shower.

In other words, the world needs to see the God in you, not just YOU! People need to see a self-portrait of Jesus, instead of just a “selfie” of you.

Today, in some small way, find your “Calcutta”. Find someone who needs you even if it’s just a cup of coffee, a smile, carrying someone’s groceries or helping someone’s grandma get safely across the street. Somewhere, Somebody Needs YOU! Capture The Moment By Showing You Care!

“Do not hurt someone who has hurt you. Do not keep on hating the sons of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:18 NLV).

“Do the right thing for the weak and those without a father. Stand up for the rights of those who are suffering and in need” (Psalm 82:3 NLV).

“So then, while we [as individual believers] have the opportunity, let us do good to all people [not only being helpful, but also doing that which promotes their spiritual well-being], and especially [be a blessing] to those of the household of faith (born-again believers).” (Galatians 6:10 AMP)

“He who makes it hard for the poor brings shame to his Maker, but he who shows loving-favor to those in need honors Him” (Proverbs 14:31 NLV).

“He who shows kindness to a poor man gives to the Lord and He will pay him in return for his good act” (Proverbs 19:17 NLV).

“He who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be answered.” (Proverbs 21:13 NLV).

“He who gives much will be honored, for he gives some of his food to the poor” (Proverbs 22:9 NLV)

“If anyone fails to provide for his own, and especially for those of his own family, he has denied the faith [by disregarding its precepts] and is worse than an unbeliever [who fulfills his obligation in these matters].” (1 Timothy 5:8 AMP)

“He who gives to the poor will never want, but many bad things will happen to the man who shuts his eyes to the poor” (Proverbs 28:27 NLV).

“Religion that is pure and good before God the Father is to help children who have no parents and to care for women whose husbands have died who have troubles. Pure religion is also to keep yourself clean from the sinful things of the world” (James 1:27 NLV)

“because I helped the poor man when he cried for help and the child without parents who had no one to help him” (Job 29:12 NLV)

“If you could take a selfie of your soul would you find it attractive enough to post?” Selah…

Much Love, Dr. Shermaine #EnjoyTheRead #BeInspired #BeEncouraged #BeEmpowered #BeChallenged #ShareTheWordFeel free to also join us at: http://www.selfcarewithdrshermaine.blogspot.com “How to Lose Weight Without Counting Calories”

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“Selfless Living in a Selfie World”

Romans 12:3, “For by the grace (unmerited favor of God) given to me I warn everyone among you not to estimate and think of himself more highly than he ought [not to have an exaggerated opinion of his own importance], but to rate his ability with sober judgment, each according to the degree of faith apportioned by God to him.” (AMPC)

The Oxford Dictionary defines “Selfie” as: “A photograph one has taken of oneself typically one taken with a smartphone or a webcam and uploaded to a social media website.”

Facebook, for instance, has afforded us the wonderful privilege of knowing more about our family and friends than we ever really wanted to. “I just blew my nose. Thought you all should know it, better yet, see it.” Or, “Current Status: mad at everybody!” Best of all, we can share our “selfies“; pictures of ME, taken by ME. Because it’s all about ME, right? After all it is called Social MEdia! So clearly, it’s all about ME! NO! At least it’s not supposed to be.

Our text says in part: “…I warn everyone among you not to estimate and think of himself more highly than he ought [not to have an exaggerated opinion of his own importance]…”

One TV documentary said, “Despite the Social MEdia attention, there’s still an epidemic of loneliness today.” It’s true. Even in a world that, in one way, is more connected than ever before, so many are still publicly social and yet privately lonely. Superficially, but strangely lacking in the kind of deep human connection that satisfies our love-starved hearts. In essence, life was never meant to be a “selfie” existence.

Think about it this way: Even in the beginning, God didn’t say let ME make man in MY OWN image and in MY OWN likeness. No, He said, “…LET US (FATHER, SON, HOLY SPIRIT) make man in OUR image, according to OUR likeness [not physical, but a spiritual personality and moral likeness]; and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the cattle, and over the entire earth, and over everything that creeps and crawls on the earth.” (Genesis 1:26 AMP). Even God Himself focused more on US, OUR and WE, than ME, MYSELF AND I! If only WE’D learn to follow HIS example!

The selfie mentality is where it’s all about how I look, what I’m doing, what I’m feeling, what I want to talk about, what I’m hearing, what I need etc. The problem is that a world that’s only as big as me, is a world that’s too small for anybody else to live in. Or in today’s language, “Status: lonely”.

Years ago a young man wrote to Mother Teresa with a pretty compelling question. This woman who had buried her life in the needs of the most broken in Calcutta’s slums was clearly the one who would know the answer. He asked, “What can I do to have a significant life like you have?” Mother Teresa’s postcard reply was only four words: “Find your own Calcutta.” Or in a different translation: “Find some people who need you and be there to help them.“

Now, before you feel the need to get a passport and hop on a plane, understand that you don’t have to go to Calcutta to find people who need you. Truth is, they’re in the local senior citizens’ facility, the hospital, hospice, they’re laid up in cancer centers, they’re receiving chemotherapy, radiation or dialysis, they’re sick and shut-in, they’re disabled and handicapped, they’re laid up in the VA hospital, they’re riding the train to stay warm, they’re digging through the garbage can for breakfast, lunch and dinner, they have a gun to their head, a razor to their wrist, a rope around their throat, or some pills in their hand in hopes that somebody, somewhere will intervene in the midst of their desperation, despair, dysfunction, and distress, they’re sleeping in a cardboard box under the bridge by your house, they’re pushing their entire life in a shopping cart, or they may be kids struggling in school who could flourish if someone took time to tutor them. “Calcutta” is anybody, anywhere that needs help!

In fact, you may not have to look any farther than the people you work with or play with or go to school with. On any given day, someone in your world needs a smile, a hug, a compliment, a word of encouragement, a listening ear, a helping hand, or just to be noticed or included. It’s a matter of recalibrating your radar to see the people for whom you could make a difference.

And if we are to really be honest, your “Calcutta” may be in your very own home. Your son may need to tell you what he’s really been doing after school; your daughter may need to tell you where she’s been going instead of school; your husband may need to tell you how he’s been feeling as he’s getting older; your wife may need to tell you what she’s been thinking about the job she hates so much. And it may stretch out a little further, where your niece or nephew may need an ear besides their mom and dad; your in-law may be struggling in his or her marriage and you may be able to provide some encouragement and support. Your next-door neighbor who you wave at in passing and say good morning or good night, may just need you to ask “how have you been doing? Or how are you feeling?” And then have you intentionally sit there and listen to their response.

The bottom line is, with an approximate 7.53 billion people  in the world (in 2017 alone), you should not be the center of your own little world today!

Your life’s photo album should not be made up of “selfies”. Can you imagine your friend Ted, who’s married with 3 kids, a dog, cat and a fish, inviting you over to their home for dinner. And then during dessert, he breaks out the family photo albums, yep all 999 of them, but page after page, it’s only “selfies” of himself? How does a wife feel who shares her life with a husband who only shares “selfies” of himself? How do their children feel after cheerleading try-out’s, football championships and track and field medals, to look in the family photo album to see only “selfies” of him?

Believe it or not, but the world is a lot bigger than YOU!

I’ve learned how to wake up and ask the “make a difference” question: “Who needs me today?” It’s a deliberate decision to be a giver today instead of a taker. Luke 6:37-38, “Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults—unless, of course, you want the same treatment. Don’t condemn those who are down; that hardness can boomerang. Be easy on people; you’ll find life a lot easier. Give away your life; you’ll find life given back, but not merely given back—given back with bonus and blessing. Giving, not getting, is the way. Generosity begets generosity.” (MSG)

There’s more important things, and especially people, than just you! Stop giving people your ‘selfie’s’ and give them yourself!

Matthew 7:1-5, “Don’t pick on people, jump on their failures, criticize their faults— unless, of course, you want the same treatment. That critical spirit has a way of boomeranging. It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted by contempt? It’s this whole traveling road-show mentality all over again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face, and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor.” (MSG)

Get the focus off of you, and put it on others where it belongs! After all, that’s what Jesus did! And as a Christian, aren’t you to be Like Christ?!

Self-sacrifice is not without personal benefit, because the fastest way to get out of your pit is to pull someone else out of theirs! And the best antidote for being lonely is to be there for someone else. So, turn your camera lens the other way to make your life a “you-ie” instead of a “selfie” where the other person is the big-picture, instead of your selfish starring role. Sounds comical I know, but how about we live in such a way that our life’s mission is simple: make each person feel like they matter, because they do.

In 2 Corinthians 5:15, God says, “He died for all so that all who live – having received eternal life from Him – might live no longer for themselves, to please themselves, but to spend their lives pleasing Christ who died and rose again for them.” (TLB). See, we’re not supposed to live for ourselves anymore. In a nutshell: Believers don’t do “selfies”! That’s just not our mentality! It’s always about others because we are servants who serve!

George Martin (NY Giants), is a great football player, yes – Super Bowl ring and all. But an even greater man, because he always made other people the big deal instead of himself. He spoke one year for a local high school football team. He had just been named the NFL’s Man of the Year for his work with sick and dying children along with many other charitable causes. It wasn’t the only award he received for “finding his own Calcutta.” He told the players, “You need to know the real reason I’m doing these things that people give me awards for. I’m just copying my hero. My hero is Jesus Christ.” He went on to explain how Jesus forgot about Himself to give us a chance to go to heaven someday. To have a relationship with the God whose love we were made for. For that to happen, the wall between us and God had to come down. It’s a wall I suspect many of us know is there without anyone telling us. And it could only come down if the penalty for us running our own life was paid; a death penalty. As the Bible says, “For the wages of sin is death…” (Romans 6:23). I’m dead meat if that Bible verse ends there. But thank God, it doesn’t. It goes on to say, “…but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Living forever instead of punishment forever; heaven instead of hell. Or in The Message Bible translation: “But now that you’ve found you don’t have to listen to sin tell you what to do, and have discovered the delight of listening to God telling you, what a surprise! A whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way! Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God’s gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master.” (Romans 6:22-23 MSG).

Because as the Bible says, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). Or better yet, in The Message Bible: “What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn’t work. So I quit being a “law man” so that I could be God’s man. Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that. Is it not clear to you that to go back to that old rule-keeping, peer-pleasing religion would be an abandonment of everything personal and free in my relationship with God? I refuse to do that, to repudiate God’s grace. If a living relationship with God could come by rule-keeping, then Christ died unnecessarily.” (Galatians 2:19-21 MSG)

That’s a love you need to experience for yourself if you never have. It’s a relationship you’ve looked for your whole life, and you could begin today. Life is never the same once you have experienced for yourself the transforming love of Jesus Christ. And once you receive it for you, you don’t take a “selfie” and keep it to yourself, you share that with the world!

Can you imagine how many people you pass by on any given day? Especially when you include in that number people on buses, trains, cabs, walking, subways, or in traffic? So many people, and some grant it have heard the good news, but many have not. What are you waiting for? Shift the camera lens from pointing at you, and refocus on those around you. Someone needs to hear the love of Christ, and many more than that need to SEE, HEAR, TASTE, SMELL AND FEEL it. Someone needs to SEE you give help to a child struggling with their grades in school; someone needs to HEAR you compliment the teenage girl with a face full of acne; someone needs to TASTE a good meal prepared by your hands because they haven’t eaten in the last 3 days; someone needs to SMELL a hot cup of coffee as they try not to fall asleep after working triple shifts to keep a roof over their families head; and someone needs to FEEL the embrace of someone who is not offended by their body odor because being homeless doesn’t always offer you the opportunity of a nightly shower.

In other words, the world needs to see the God in you, not just YOU! People need to see a self-portrait of Jesus, instead of just a “selfie” of you.

Today, in some small way, find your “Calcutta”. Find someone who needs you even if it’s just a cup of coffee, a smile, carrying someone’s groceries or helping someone’s grandma get safely across the street. Somewhere, Somebody Needs YOU! Capture The Moment By Showing You Care!

“Do not hurt someone who has hurt you. Do not keep on hating the sons of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:18 NLV).

“Do the right thing for the weak and those without a father. Stand up for the rights of those who are suffering and in need” (Psalm 82:3 NLV).

“So then, while we [as individual believers] have the opportunity, let us do good to all people [not only being helpful, but also doing that which promotes their spiritual well-being], and especially [be a blessing] to those of the household of faith (born-again believers).” (Galatians 6:10 AMP)

“He who makes it hard for the poor brings shame to his Maker, but he who shows loving-favor to those in need honors Him” (Proverbs 14:31 NLV).

“He who shows kindness to a poor man gives to the Lord and He will pay him in return for his good act” (Proverbs 19:17 NLV).

“He who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be answered.” (Proverbs 21:13 NLV).

“He who gives much will be honored, for he gives some of his food to the poor” (Proverbs 22:9 NLV)

“If anyone fails to provide for his own, and especially for those of his own family, he has denied the faith [by disregarding its precepts] and is worse than an unbeliever [who fulfills his obligation in these matters].” (1 Timothy 5:8 AMP)

“He who gives to the poor will never want, but many bad things will happen to the man who shuts his eyes to the poor” (Proverbs 28:27 NLV).

“Religion that is pure and good before God the Father is to help children who have no parents and to care for women whose husbands have died who have troubles. Pure religion is also to keep yourself clean from the sinful things of the world” (James 1:27 NLV)

“because I helped the poor man when he cried for help and the child without parents who had no one to help him” (Job 29:12 NLV)

“If you could take a selfie of your soul would you find it attractive enough to post?” Selah…

Much Love, Dr. Shermaine #EnjoyTheRead #BeInspired #BeEncouraged #BeEmpowered #BeChallenged #ShareTheWord

Feel free to also join us at: http://www.selfcarewithdrshermaine.blogspot.com Today’s Lesson: “Annihilate Anxiety”

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“Pass the Plate Please!”

2 Kings 7:9, “Then they said to each other, “What we’re doing is not right. This is a day of good news AND WE ARE KEEPING IT TO OURSELVES…” (NIV)

So, Thanksgiving is almost here and it immediately makes me think about sitting at the family table. You see, somewhere in the ‘Fathers Handbook’, I’m convinced it says that the father automatically gets to carve the turkey, or the ham, or the roast. And most men don’t mind; they actually feel very fatherly when they get to do that, very manly sitting at the head of the table with their super carving knife. But I have observed something rather odd. Now, if you come from a huge family like mine, you’re accustomed to large portions of chicken, turkey, ham, ribs, rice, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, cornbread, yams, and the like. In other words, you’re used to there being a lot of food! Yet, even with all of this food available, often someone ends up with an empty plate! See, sometimes at a large dinner gathering, you’ve got someone who loads up their own plate, starts chowing down and shortstops all the food where they are! Ever notice that it all seems to pile up sometimes in a corner and doesn’t get moved past there? After all, it’s not going to bother the person whose plate is piled high, and they’re satisfied stuffing their face! But while they’re enjoying a full plate of food, some of us end up with nothing in our corner, because they got there’s, but didn’t continue to pass the trays to those who didn’t! However, the way this should work is that you take what you need and you pass it on to others who don’t have any yet. Sad to say but when you’ve got plenty, it’s awfully easy to forget those who haven’t been served anything as yet!

With that in mind, I want you to travel with me to Matthew 10. Jesus is speaking to His disciples, who have in a sense been sitting at the dinner table and being very well fed. They have sat in many meetings with Jesus, they have heard, seen and received a lot, and now He calls them together in Matthew 10:8 and says, “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons…” (NIV) He’s sending them out now. And He does so with these added words, “…Freely you have received; FREELY GIVE.” (NIV) In other words, Jesus is saying, “Look, I passed it to you, not just so you could be full (especially of yourselves), but you’re supposed to pass it on to others!” But the problem comes in because we, as His disciples, get so satisfied with OUR healing; OUR restoration; OUR renewal; and OUR salvation and deliverance, that we forget that we have been commissioned to ensure that others receive all of these same blessings too. It’s wonderful that we’re healed, restored, renewed, saved and delivered, but what about those who don’t have that testimony yet?

The word “selfish” is what immediately comes to mind. The word “selfish” is defined as “to be concerned chiefly with one’s own personal profit or pleasure at the expense and consideration of others.”

Which takes us to Deuteronomy 15:7-9, “When you happen on someone who’s in trouble or needs help among your people with whom you live in this land that God, your God, is giving you, don’t look the other way pretending you don’t see him. Don’t keep a tight grip on your purse. No. Look at him, open your purse, lend whatever and as much as he needs. Don’t count the cost. Don’t listen to that SELFISH voice saying, “It’s almost the seventh year, the year of All-Debts-Are-Canceled,” and turn aside and leave your needy neighbor in the lurch, refusing to help him. He’ll call God’s attention to you and your blatant sin.” (MSG).

For Those Who Don’t Know: Selfishness Is Sin! Which takes me back to the family table. Remember now, this is the FAMILY TABLE. Which makes this behavior all the more worse! How do you sit at a table with more than enough, and yet allow your FAMILY to go without?! Likewise, how do we, as believers who serve a self-sacrificing Savior, have all that we have, and yet we’re Selfish?!

Galatians 5:16-18, “My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit. Then you won’t feed the compulsions of SELFISHNESS. For there is a root of SINFUL SELF-INTEREST in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with SELFISHNESS. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don’t you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence?” (MSG)

In other words, if we imitate how our Savior lived, we can then live better. He was forgiving, loving, compassionate, gentle, kind, patient, and giving. I wonder would the people around us be able to say that they see those very same attributes in us, His disciples?

John 13:34-35, “Let me give you a new command: Love one another. IN THE SAME WAY I LOVED YOU, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they SEE the love you have for each other.” (MSG).

Do we love as unconditionally as Jesus? Of course not, that’s why so many are sitting at the corner of the family table with no provision while we pig out in our little section of the family table! As believers, we are indeed held to a higher standard in society, no matter how bad the society may get. We as believers, are to be “…recognized…” as forgiving, loving, compassionate, gentle, kind, patient, and giving. And the word “recognize” is defined as, “to clearly identify; to acknowledge or take notice of in some definite way; to perceive without question; to discern.” People should be able to look at our characteristics as Christ-like believers, and clearly see; take notice of; perceive without question and easily discern that we are in fact who we say we are and belong to who we say we belong to! In addition, we are “…commanded…” to love others “…IN THE SAME WAY…” that Jesus loved us. And a “command” is not a suggestion! A “suggestion” is defined as “an idea or plan put forward for consideration.” But we have not received a “suggestion” to be considered as a possible good idea. No, we’ve been given a Command! And a “command” is defined as, “to give an authoritative order with the expectation that it will be followed.” And our Authority is Jesus Christ as Lord, King, Savior, Master, God, Chief, and Commanding Officer! We are Commanded to Love Others “…IN THE SAME WAY…” that Jesus loved us! And that can’t be done by starving family members at the family table!

Even Judas was provided for at the family table, how much more should we then provide for the least, the lost, the lonely, the last, the looked over, and the left out?!

Galatians 6:7-8, “Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants SELFISHNESS, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.” (MSG)

If You Don’t Want to Reap Selfishness, Stop Sowing It!

Let’s travel back to our opening text. There’s a story in the Old Testament in the book of 2 Kings. It tells about four lepers who lived outside a city that was being starved to death by an enemy siege. Finally they decided just to surrender to the enemy thinking, “Well, you know what? We’re probably going to be killed anyway, or we’re going to die of starvation. So, maybe they’ll take us and feed us, or we’ll just die like we’re going to die here.” However, what happened was they found out that God had performed a miracle and driven the enemy out. The camp was empty. And they ended up with all of this food that had been left behind! They’re sitting there eating and chowing down all night long while people are still starving to death in the city that they just came from!

Finally, by the morning light, one of them says, “What we’re doing is not right. This is a day of good news AND WE ARE KEEPING IT TO OURSELVES.” (7:9 NIV) What a picture of us as American Christians! Think about it: We’re the spiritually wealthiest Christians in all of history: We have seminars, and workshops, and radio programs, and TV programs, and conferences, convocations, magazines, books, blogs, ipods; ipads; tablets; laptops; and websites. It’s just so easy to get caught up in a comfortable cycle of listening and just saying, “Well, you know, that was a nice sermon, wasn’t it?” Going to Bible study, and attending a fellowship we enjoy, going to concerts, and feeling real spiritual a lot of the time. And honestly with all of this at our disposal, we ought to be growing. We ought to be filling up with spiritual resources– and loading up on the Lord, loading up on His truth-HOWEVER NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHERS! “…Freely you have received all of this; FREELY GIVE.”

Now some may not like what I’m about to say, but I will say it anyhow, and I stand by it 100%! Everything we do as Christians CANNOT have a price tag attached to it! We say we want unbelievers saved, but they have to pay for the Gospel we received for free! Well, what happens when the book would be a tremendous blessing to them, but they can’t afford the $19.99 price tag? What happens when that conference would’ve changed her life, but she couldn’t afford the registration, hotel rate and air fare to attend? What happens when he would’ve been greatly encouraged, but couldn’t attend your men’s retreat because he’s unemployed? Jesus met people where they were! Why don’t we?

I’ve been asked for the last 12 years why I don’t turn the devotionals into a book? Or why haven’t I published my book yet? Or why do I post all of my bible studies, sermons and devotionals on my website for free? Well, this is the reason in a nutshell: Not everyone can afford a price tag! But what I’ve found personally priceless is the Pastor in Nambia who emailed his thanks for allowing him to use a bible study series that brought souls into his church. Or the missionary in Botswana that used a devotional to teach the children about having dreams. Or the Evangelist in Brooklyn that preached a devotional because it encouraged her heart personally. Or the Sister in Detroit that rediscovered Worship through the ‘Quiet Time With God Series’. Or the Brother in Atlanta that’s newly married and follows faithfully every ‘Manhood Monday’s Devotionals for Men’ to see how he can apply the lessons to his life and become a better father, husband and man.

Those things were possible because what they needed was within reach and free. When I hear that it encouraged, empowered or inspired someone to do and be better, that’s the gift to me! Because when I was unsaved it was a Deaconess who shared a Free Scripture with me from John 1:12, when I told her I wasn’t the type of person Jesus of all people would want to associate with. And yet she quoted, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” At the time I was homeless with 2 toddlers in a shelter. She invited me to her church, and I told her I couldn’t come because I didn’t have any money or the right clothes to wear. She picked me and my girls up, took us to her apartment, introduced us to her family, fed us and clothed us. I had nothing to give her in return, but my thanks and friendship, which remained intact until her passing last year. In fact, she became the matron of honor at my wedding 19 years ago and her husband served as my husband’s best man!

I share all of this because my heart grieves for those who need, but are not being helped! While we’re running, jumping, praising, worshiping, dancing, spinning, speaking in tongues, preaching, teaching and praying…someone is wondering where they’re going to live; what they’re going to eat; where will they get coats for a cold season; when will a job finally come through; what will I say to the kids for Christmas, when I have no gifts for them? How do we celebrate Thanksgiving when we don’t feel as if we have anything to be thankful for? How will I get the lights and gas back on? Then, you have those that are trying to pull themselves out of the bed just one more day. Those who are depressed, discouraged, wounded, desperate, in pain, and just all around frustrated with life!

People of God, you have no idea what the planting of your small seed may one day yield for someone else’s harvest. My friend Samantha Gerald had no idea what I would one day become, but she freely sowed anyhow! And I am fully persuaded that had she not sown, I would never have grown into half the woman I am today! For that, I Give God Thanks!

You see, Jesus said, “To whom much is given, much is required.” (Luke 12:48). Therefore, shouldn’t we (believers; the church; the disciples of Christ; the children of Light; the children of God) then be found giving as much as we’re getting? Honestly, can you imagine for someone like me, with all of that as my testimony, to be selfish? Truth is, I can’t afford to be! Because when I needed God, one of His servants was there and I didn’t need to pay her to be there either! I don’t know what my life would be like had me and Samantha never crossed paths. And I truthfully don’t want to know! But what I learned from her is to always share the unconditional love of God and to do for others as I want done for me. I needed someone, and someone was there. Likewise, I want to be there as God’s mouthpiece for the person who is at the end of their rope. I want to teach them how to hold on even if it’s to the last string. Because that’s what was done for me. There are lost people who need at least a little of what we have a lot of!

So, what did the lepers from 2 Kings ultimately do? “So they went and called out to the city gatekeepers and told them…” (vs. 10 NIV) We need to do the same. Those who are perishing, hurting, depressed, discouraged, need us to call out to them because we remember what it was like on the other side of the wall. We need to tell them what God did. We need to tell them what we’ve found. We need to share our discovery. We need to tell them the Good News. We need to feed those who are so desperately hungry, both naturally and spiritually. Don’t get me wrong, it’s alright to pray for your cup to run over, just make sure you amend your prayer to say and Lord give me a saucer for the overflow so I can pass the blessing on! Don’t sit at the table full, while others are empty, and you have extra!

Pass the Plate Please!

Every believer should be actively involved in reaching the lost; rescuing the dying somehow…including you, in an outreach to people that you are uniquely close to, or by starting or supporting outreach programs through your church, or by giving time or talent to a Christian ministry that is actively rescuing lost people. Maybe even by changing your life plans. But just don’t keep piling it up on your plate, because there are people all around you who are dying of starvation both naturally and spiritually.

Today is a good day to share some of your food, and why not start with some Fruit? Share a pot of love, a plate of joy, a cup of peace, a forkful of longsuffering, a spoonful of gentleness, a glass of goodness, a saucer of faith, a serving of meekness and a good portion of temperance? (Galatians 5:22-23).

Today, Let Us BE the People of God in Both Our Word and Deed!

Today, Let’s Pass the Plate to Those Starving Who Need Sustenance…Naturally AND Spiritually!

“A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal.” (Dr. Steve Maraboli)

“Do all the good you can; by all the means you can; in all the ways you can; in all the places you can; at all the times you can; to all the people you can; as long as ever you can.” (John Wesley)

“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” (Pablo Picasso)

“No one has ever become poor by giving.” (Anne Frank)

“Generosity: The habit of giving freely without expecting anything in return.” (Pinterest)

“Real generosity is doing something nice for someone who will never find out.” (Frank A. Clark)

“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” Mother Teresa)

“Generosity is what keeps the things we own from owning us.” (Pinterest)

“The greatest miracle of life is to give generously and see how what you have given returns to you manifold.” (Roxana Jones)

“What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.” (Albert Pike)

“You do not have to be rich to be generous.” (Pinterest)

“True generosity: You give your all, and yet you always feel as if it cost you nothing!” (Simone de Beauvoir)

“Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly, and most underrated agent of human change.” (Bob Kerrey)

“Generosity is the best investment.” (Diane Von Furstenberg)

“The most truly generous persons are those who give silently without hope of praise or reward.” (Carol Ryrie)

“The heart that gives, gathers.” (Marianne Moore)

“God is always trying to give good things to us, but our hands are too full to receive them.” (Augustine)

Much Love, Dr. Shermaine #EnjoyTheRead #BeInspired #BeEncouraged #BeEmpowered #BeChallenged #ShareTheWord

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“Praying in the Right Heart Posture”

Luke 18:9-14, “He told his next story to some who were complacently pleased with themselves over their moral performance and looked down their noses at the common people: “Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax man. The Pharisee POSED AND PRAYED like this: ‘Oh, God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, crooks, adulterers, or, heaven forbid, like this tax man. I fast twice a week and tithe on all my income.’ “Meanwhile the tax man, SLUMPED IN THE SHADOWS, his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, ‘God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner.’” Jesus commented, “This tax man, not the other, went home made right with God. If you walk around with your nose in the air, you’re going to end up flat on your face, but if you’re content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself.”

This short parable contains a diminutive (‘extremely or unusually small’) prayer that produced a dynamic answer. But before we can fully appreciate the prayer, we need to understand the context.

1…THE AUDIENCE: Jesus, in the presence of His disciples, was specifically addressing: “…some who were complacently pleased with themselves over their moral performance and looked down their noses at the common people…” These were probably the Pharisees, since one of the two characters in the story was a Pharisee. The Pharisees, a Jewish sect, were strict observers of the Mosaic law of the Old Testament. They loved the external, detailed aspects of the law and, when it was not specific enough, they added their own traditions – hundreds of them, in fact. Unfortunately, these overzealous rule-keepers valued the outward keeping of their rules above all else. As a group, because they had become exceedingly self-righteous, they looked down on anyone who was not in their sect.

2…THE SETTING: The two men Jesus told about in the parable had one similarity and many differences. Their similarity was that both: “…went up to the Temple to pray…” For a Jew living during the time of Jesus, the temple was the prime place of prayer. When Solomon dedicated the first temple, his prayer was that God’s eyes would be open to the temple day and night. It was to be the place where God would hear prayers and forgive: (2 Chronicles 6:20-21, “That Your eyes may be open upon this house day and night, toward the place in which You have said You would put Your Name [and the symbol of Your presence], to listen to and heed the prayer which Your servant prays facing this place. So listen to and heed the requests of Your servant and Your people Israel which they shall make facing this place. Hear from Your dwelling place, heaven; and when You hear, forgive.” (AMP). Jews still view the temple in Jerusalem as the supreme location for prayer. Today in modern Jerusalem you can see Jews gathered at the Western Wall of the remains of Solomon’s temple. This sacred place is often called the Wailing Wall and was believed to be the back wall of the Holy of Holies on the temple mount. Three times a day, for thousands of years, Jewish prayers from around the world have been directed toward the Western Wall. Jewish mystical tradition teaches that all prayers from around the world ascend to the Western Wall, and from there, to heaven. The Talmud says, “If someone is praying outside the Land of Israel, he should direct his heart in the direction of Israel. If the person is praying in Israel, he should direct his heart toward Jerusalem. Those in Jerusalem should direct their hearts to the Temple.”

3…THE MAIN CHARACTERS: In Jesus’ story, one man was a Pharisee and the other, a tax collector. Jesus, no doubt, used these two types of men because they represented the extremes of the culture. The Pharisees represented the superficially upright, externally moral, legalistic, self-righteous, ultra-right wing of Judaism. The tax collectors signified the bad boys. Because Israel was under Roman occupation, the Jews were saddled with a heavy tax burden. Tax collectors were Jews who collected taxes from their Jewish brothers and sisters for the Romans. This made them traitors in the eyes of their people. To make matters worse, often they were found to be guilty of extortion as well as associating with prostitutes and other “dregs (‘most worthless parts’) of society.”

4…THE INEFFECTIVE PRAYER OF THE PHARISEE: Luke 18:11-12, “The proud religious law-keeper stood and prayed to himself like this, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men. I am not like those who steal. I am not like those who do things that are wrong. I am not like those who do sex sins. I am not even like this tax-gatherer. I go without food two times a week so I can pray better. I give one-tenth part of the money I earn.’” (NLV).

Skillfully, Jesus shows us five reasons why God refused to respond to the Pharisee’s prayer.

1…HE PRAYED FROM A POSITION OF SELF-PROMOTION: When he prayed, he “…STOOD UP…” It was customary for men to stand when they prayed at the temple. But this Pharisee was standing with an attitude. An amplified study of the language reveals that he took his stand ostentatiously. “The Pharisee took his stand ostentatiously and began to pray…” (Luke 18:11 AMP). The word “ostentation” is defined as “a flamboyant display which is intended to impress.” It’s Latin Origin “ostendere” literally means “to stretch out to view.” The posture of the prayer may say much about the nature of the prayer and the one praying. Proud men stand in order to be noticed, especially when they pray. The Pharisee’s prayer was pretentious and showy – and God was not impressed! I love the definition of the word “pretentious”, it means “attempting to impress by affecting greater importance or merit than is actually possessed.” In other words, acting in “character” while possessing no character! 2 Timothy 3:1-5, “But understand this, that in the last days will come (set in) perilous times of great stress and trouble [hard to deal with and hard to bear]. FOR PEOPLE WILL BE LOVERS OF SELF AND [UTTERLY] SELF-CENTERED, lovers of money and aroused by an inordinate [greedy] desire for wealth, PROUD AND ARROGANT and CONTEMPTUOUS BOASTERS. They will be abusive (blasphemous, scoffing), disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy and profane. [They will be] without natural [human] affection (callous and inhuman), relentless (admitting of no truce or appeasement); [they will be] slanderers (false accusers, troublemakers), intemperate and loose in morals and conduct, uncontrolled and fierce, haters of good. [They will be] treacherous [betrayers], rash, [and] INFLATED WITH SELF-CONCEIT. [They will be] lovers of sensual pleasures and vain amusements more than and rather than lovers of God. For [although] they hold a FORM OF PIETY (true religion), they deny and reject and are STRANGERS to the power of it [their CONDUCT belies the genuineness of their profession]. Avoid [all] such people [turn away from them].” (AMPC). And if that weren’t enough, listen to Matthew 6:5-15, “And when you come before God, don’t turn that into a THEATRICAL PRODUCTION either. All these people making a regular SHOW out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat?“Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to ROLE-PLAY before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. THE FOCUS WILL SHIFT FROM YOU TO GOD, and you will begin to sense his grace. “The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are PRAYER-IGNORANT. They’re full of formulas and programs and advice, PEDDLING TECHNIQUES FOR GETTING WHAT YOU WANT FROM GOD. Don’t fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. With a God like this loving you, YOU CAN PRAY VERY SIMPLY. Like this: Our Father in heaven, Reveal who you are. Set the world right; Do what’s best—as above, so below. Keep us alive with three square meals. Keep us forgiven with you and forgiving others. Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil. You’re in charge! You can do anything you want! You’re ablaze in beauty! Yes. Yes. Yes. “In prayer there is a connection between what God does and what you do. You can’t get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do your part, you cut yourself off from God’s part.” (MSG)

2…THE PHARISEE WAS SELF-CENTERED: He “…PRAYED ABOUT HIMSELF…”. The King James Version says that he “…PRAYED WITH HIMSELF…” The New American Standard Version states he “…PRAYED TO HIMSELF…”. His prayer was self-absorbed. It was to himself, with himself, and about himself. Self-centered people focus their conversations and prayers on themselves. However, God’s heart is all about selflessness. Philippians 2:1-4, “If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.” (MSG)

3…THE PHARISEE WAS SELF-RIGHTEOUS: He prayed, “…God, I thank you that I AM NOT LIKE OTHER MEN – robbers, evil-doers, adulterers – or even like this tax collector.” He is telling God all the bad things he is too ‘good’ to do. This Pharisee views himself as too righteous to rob, do evil, or commit adultery. He saw himself as above such lowly behavior. Self-righteous persons love to point out and criticize the shortcomings of others. However, God does not need our help in seeing others’ shortcomings. In fact, the Bible puts it like this, “…If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, SAVING YOUR CRITICAL COMMENTS FOR YOURSELF. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. STOOP DOWN and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. IF YOU THINK YOU ARE TOO GOOD FOR THAT, YOU ARE BADLY DECEIVED.” (Galatians 6:1-3 MSG).

4…THE PHARISEE WAS SELF-ABSORBED: He prayed, “…I FAST TWICE A WEEK AND GIVE A TENTH OF ALL I GET…” He not only told God what he wouldn’t do, but also what he did do that set him apart from ordinary sinful men. This man fit the description of Jesus’ hearers – those “…who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else.” (Luke 18:9). Self-absorbed people like to speak of the good they do. However, our awesome God is not awed by our deeds of righteousness. In fact the Bible states, “For we have all become like one who is unclean [ceremonially, like a leper], and all our righteousness (our best deeds of rightness and justice) is like filthy rags or a polluted garment; we all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away [far from God’s favor, hurrying us toward destruction].” (Isaiah 64:6 AMP). The Common English Bible says it like this: “We have all become like the unclean; all our righteous deeds are like a menstrual rag…” (CEB) Doesn’t sound to me like God cares two cents about our supposed “righteous deeds”, especially when His Word compares them to a used menstrual rag!

5…PRAYER IS OFTEN A WONDERFUL REVEALER OF THE HEART: The Pharisee had a proud, self-promoting, self-centered, self-righteous, self-absorbed heart. But the main cause of his inefficiency in prayer was his self-sufficiency! He did not feel the need to ask God for anything. He had it all together and under control. The biggest problem with legalistic religion is that it quickly digresses to the point where God is no longer needed. For the Pharisee, prayer had become little more than a chance to brag. 2 Corinthians 12:9, “but He has said to me, “MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU [MY LOVINGKINDNESS AND MY MERCY ARE MORE THAN ENOUGH – always available – regardless of the situation]; for [MY] POWER is being perfected [and is completed and shows itself most effectively] in [your] weakness.” Therefore, I will all the more gladly BOAST IN MY WEAKNESSES, SO THAT THE POWER OF CHRIST [MAY COMPLETELY ENFOLD ME AND] MAY DWELL IN ME.” (AMP). You see, you only get to brag about your weakness; it is God who gets to brag about His strength! Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things [which He has called me to do] THROUGH HIM WHO STRENGTHENS AND EMPOWERS ME [TO FULFILL HIS PURPOSE – I AM SELF-SUFFICIENT IN CHRIST’S SUFFICIENCY; I am ready for anything and equal to anything THROUGH HIM WHO INFUSES ME WITH INNER STRENGTH AND CONFIDENT PEACE].” (AMP) Again, it’s not about YOU, it’s about HIM! Philippians 4:19, “And my GOD WILL LIBERALLY SUPPLY (FILL UNTIL FULL) YOUR EVERY NEED ACCORDING TO HIS RICHES IN GLORY IN CHRIST JESUS.” (AMP) No matter how self-sufficient you think you are, it is GOD ALONE, THROUGH JESUS CHRIST, where your needs are supplied! Don’t get so caught up in your clay that you forget the importance of the potter! 2 Corinthians 4:7-12, “If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the UNADORNED CLAY POTS OF OUR ORDINARY LIVES. That’s to prevent anyone from confusing God’s incomparable power with us. As it is, there’s not much chance of that. You know for yourselves that WE’RE NOT MUCH TO LOOK AT…” (MSG); Jeremiah 18:3-4, “So I went to the potter’s house, and sure enough, the potter was there, working away at his wheel. Whenever the pot the potter was working on turned out badly, as sometimes happens when you are working with clay, the potter would simply start over and use the same clay to make another pot…” (MSG) Never Forget: We are the Ordinary Clay in the Potters Extraordinary Hand, He is Not in Ours!

And NOW to THE EFFECTIVE PRAYER OF THE TAX COLLECTOR: Luke 18:13, “BUT the tax collector, [merely] standing at a distance, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but kept striking his breast, saying, O God, be favorable (be gracious, be merciful) to me, the especially wicked sinner that I am!” (AMP). Jesus began with the word “But,” signifying that in every way the tax collector was a contrast to the Pharisee. As a result, the tax collector’s prayer was highly effective.

There are several reasons why his prayer succeeded:

MOST IMPORTANT HOWEVER, THE TAX COLLECTOR WAS WITHOUT PRETENSE! “He stood at a distance….” He did not consider himself worthy of a front and center place at the temple. Instead of standing where he could be easily seen, he was entirely UNASSUMING (‘not pretentious or arrogant’). The tax collector was also HUMBLE (‘having or showing a modest or low estimate of one’s own importance.’ Latin in origin, ‘humilis’ literally means ‘lowly’, from ‘humus’ meaning ‘ground’). Instead of staring confidently into heaven, he prayed with a bowed head and heart, humble enough to be lowly enough, that the image would be that of prostrating on the ground. Modest people bow their heads in deference (‘humble submission and respect’) to those they consider above them. Proverbs 18:12, “Before disaster the heart of a man is haughty and filled with self-importance, BUT HUMILITY COMES BEFORE HONOR.” (AMP); Psalm 147:6, “THE LORD LIFTS UP THE HUMBLE; He casts the wicked down to the ground.” (AMP); James 4:10, “HUMBLE YOURSELVES [WITH AN ATTITUDE OF REPENTANCE AND INSIGNIFICANCE] IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD, AND HE WILL EXALT YOU [HE WILL LIFT YOU UP, HE WILL GIVE YOU PURPOSE]” (AMP). Furthermore the tax collector, DID NOT JUDGE OR CONDEMN THE PHARISEE, AS THE PHARISEE JUDGED AND CONDEMNED HIM. He did not tell God how much better he was than someone else. Instead of picking at the splinter in the eye of another, his vision was overwhelmed with the beam in HIS OWN EYE. Matthew 7:5, “You hypocrite (play-actor, pretender), FIRST GET THE LOG OUT OF YOUR OWN EYE, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.” (AMP). Rather than tout his own righteousness, he simply called himself a SINNER. The tax collector knew better than to try and bluff God or deny the obvious. He knew what he was – A SINNER. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, “Don’t you realize that this is not the way to live? Unjust people who don’t care about God will not be joining in his kingdom. Those who use and abuse each other, use and abuse sex, use and abuse the earth and everything in it, don’t qualify as citizens in God’s kingdom. A NUMBER OF YOU KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT, FOR NOT SO LONG AGO YOU WERE ON THAT LIST. Since then, you’ve been cleaned up and given a fresh start by Jesus, our Master, our Messiah, and by our God present in us, the Spirit.” (MSG) Unlike the independent Pharisee, the tax collector was DEPENDENT. He did not think he had it all together or could handle it himself. He knew he was INSUFFICIENT. He knew his need and Who could meet it. So he asked GOD to supply! When someone approaches God with the humble, dependent, unpretentious attitude of the tax collector, his heart is attuned to real needs and right directions. 1 Samuel 16:7, “But God told Samuel, “Looks aren’t everything. Don’t be impressed with his looks and stature. I’ve already eliminated him. God JUDGES PERSONS DIFFERENTLY THAN HUMANS DO. Men and women look at the face; God LOOKS INTO THE HEART.” (MSG). The tax collector’s prayer was right on target. He not only asked for something, he asked for the right thing, the right way. James 4:2-3, “You are jealous and covet [what others have] and your lust goes unfulfilled; so you murder. You are envious and cannot obtain [the object of your envy]; so you fight and battle. You do not have because you do not ask [it of God].  You ask [God for something] and do not receive it, BECAUSE YOU ASK WITH WRONG MOTIVES [OUT OF SELFISHNESS OR WITH AN UNRIGHTEOUS AGENDA], so that [when you get what you want] you may spend it on your [hedonistic] desires.” (AMP) Always make sure your motives, intentions and Heart are in right standing with God as you enter prayer!

God wants to answer our prayers, but so often we ask for the wrong things. We pray about non-essentials and miss the real needs of our hearts. This tax collector nailed the request, just as Solomon did when he asked for wisdom, and the disciples when they wanted to be taught to pray. The tax collector asked God for mercy. He offered one of the most effective prayers found in the Bible. “Have mercy on me a sinner.” Our relationship with God is founded upon God’s Mercy. As Isaiah witnessed, God is absolutely holy, without sin in any way, shape, or form. His level of holiness is so intense that the seraphim literally called out the brilliance of His holiness. Isaiah 6:3, “And one called out to another, saying, “Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole earth is filled with His glory.” (AMP) On the other hand, we are not holy in any way, shape, or form. We are sinners by nature, deed, attitude and act. The wages of sin is death, and we deserve severe punishment for our continued sin. The best our righteousness merits is total and eternal banishment from God’s presence and from blessing of any type.

YET, GOD IS MERCIFUL! Lamentations 3:22-25, “It is because of the Lord’s MERCY and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness. The Lord is my portion or share, says my living being (my inner self); therefore will I hope in Him and wait expectantly for Him. The Lord is good to those who wait hopefully and expectantly for Him, to those who seek Him [inquire of and for Him and require Him by right of necessity and on the authority of God’s Word]” (AMPC)

He can rightfully withhold our punishment because His Mercy drove Jesus to the cross in our place. The Father can spare us because He refused to spare Jesus. Jesus took our penalty. He died in our place. We can be saved. Living in this consumer-centered, commercial-filled world, we are constantly being told that we have a RIGHT for more and better. Such a message may make for an effective advertisement, but it spells poor theology. The tax collector knew what he deserved, and it was not more or better. It was eternal separation from God in outer darkness. So instead of telling God that He must give him the great riches that were his right, he asked God for mercy so he would not receive the judgment he truly did deserve.

The word used here for Mercy is “Hilaskomai”, which is actually the word for an atoning sacrifice. In the fullest sense, the tax collector is saying, “God, be merciful to me through Your atoning sacrifice for sins, because I am a sinner.” The tax collector understood what too many miss. He knew that he could not merit a relationship with God through his own righteousness or good works. Paul even summarized this reality with the following words: “Now God has us where He wants us, with all the time in this world and the next to shower grace and kindness upon us in Christ Jesus. Saving is all His idea, and all His work. All we do is trust Him enough to let Him do it. It’s God’s gift from start to finish! We don’t play the major role. If we did, we’d probably go around bragging that we’d done the whole thing! No, we neither make nor save ourselves. God does both the making and saving. He creates each of us by Christ Jesus to join Him in the work He does, the good work He has gotten ready for us to do, work we had better be doing.” (Ephesians 2:8-9 MSG).

NOW FOR MAKING IT PERSONAL: If you never have before, now is the time to say to God the words uttered by the tax collector, “God be merciful to me, a sinner.” If you mean it, this can be a soul-saving, life-changing prayer. It was for the tax collector and it has been for an untold amount of others. Praying this is our part in being justified or made right with God. “I tell you, this man went down to his home JUSTIFIED (FORGIVEN AND MADE UPRIGHT AND IN RIGHT STANDING WITH GOD), rather than the other man; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:14 AMP).

Learn to pray as the tax collector, NOT the Pharisee. Lose any trace of arrogance, pretense, self-righteousness, self-centeredness, and self-sufficiency as you approach life in general and prayer in particular. Live and pray with humility, honesty, and modesty. Come dependently to God in prayer. Learn to tell Him what you really need. And oftentimes it’s not Materials, but Mercy!

Tax Collectors Didn’t Have the Best of Reputations, But With Humility, At Least This One Knew How to Get the Right Response From God! People of God, Remember This: Arrogant Prayers Go Unanswered! It’s Not About the Asking, But the Attitude That Accompanies It!

Lastly, the word ‘posture’ is defined as, ‘a particular position of the body.’ However, an additional definition reads, ‘an approach or attitude towards something.’ Make sure you approach God in prayer with the right motives and intentions in your heart and attitude. Yes, He still answers prayer, but He also still exams the posture of the heart of that prayer too!

Much Love, Dr. Shermaine #EnjoyTheRead #BeInspired #BeEncouraged #BeEmpowered #BeChallenged #BeHumble
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“Pass the Plate Please!”

2 Kings 7:9, “Then they said to each other, “What we’re doing is not right. This is a day of good news AND WE ARE KEEPING IT TO OURSELVES…” (NIV)

So, Thanksgiving is almost here and it immediately makes me think about sitting at the family table. You see, somewhere in the ‘Fathers Handbook’, I’m convinced it says that the father automatically gets to carve the turkey, or the ham, or the roast. And most men don’t mind; they actually feel very fatherly when they get to do that, very manly sitting at the head of the table with their super carving knife. But I have observed something rather odd. Now, if you come from a huge family like mine, you’re accustomed to large portions of chicken, turkey, ham, ribs, rice, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, cornbread, yams, and the like. In other words, you’re used to there being a lot of food! Yet, even with all of this food available, often someone ends up with an empty plate! See, sometimes at a large dinner gathering, you’ve got someone who loads up their own plate, starts chowing down and shortstops all the food where they are! Ever notice that it all seems to pile up sometimes in a corner and doesn’t get moved past there? After all, it’s not going to bother the person whose plate is piled high, and they’re satisfied stuffing their face! But while they’re enjoying a full plate of food, some of us end up with nothing in our corner, because they got there’s, but didn’t continue to pass the trays to those who didn’t! However, the way this should work is that you take what you need and you pass it on to others who don’t have any yet. Sad to say but when you’ve got plenty it’s awfully easy to forget those who haven’t been served anything as yet!

With that in mind, I want you to travel with me to Matthew 10. Jesus is speaking to His disciples, who have in a sense been sitting at the dinner table and being very well fed. They have sat in many meetings with Jesus, they have heard, seen and received a lot, and now He calls them together in Matthew 10:8 and says, “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons…” (NIV) He’s sending them out now. And He does so with these added words, “…Freely you have received; FREELY GIVE.” (NIV) In other words, Jesus is saying, “Look, I passed it to you, not just so you could be full (especially of yourselves), but you’re supposed to pass it on to others!” But the problem comes in because we, as His disciples, get so satisfied with OUR healing; OUR restoration; OUR renewal; and OUR salvation and deliverance, that we forget that we have been commissioned to ensure that others receive all of these same blessings too. It’s wonderful that we’re healed, restored, renewed, saved and delivered, but what about those who don’t have that testimony yet?

The word “selfish” is what immediately comes to mind. The word “selfish” is defined as “to be concerned chiefly with one’s own personal profit or pleasure at the expense and consideration of others.”

Which takes us to Deuteronomy 15:7-9, “When you happen on someone who’s in trouble or needs help among your people with whom you live in this land that God, your God, is giving you, don’t look the other way pretending you don’t see him. Don’t keep a tight grip on your purse. No. Look at him, open your purse, lend whatever and as much as he needs. Don’t count the cost. Don’t listen to that SELFISH voice saying, “It’s almost the seventh year, the year of All-Debts-Are-Canceled,” and turn aside and leave your needy neighbor in the lurch, refusing to help him. He’ll call God’s attention to you and your blatant sin.” (MSG).

For Those Who Don’t Know: Selfishness Is Sin! Which takes me back to the family table. Remember now, this is the FAMILY TABLE. Which makes this behavior all the more worse! How do you sit at a table with more than enough, and yet allow your FAMILY to go without?! Likewise, how do we, as believers who serve a self-sacrificing Savior, have all that we have, and yet we’re Selfish?!

Galatians 5:16-18, “My counsel is this: Live freely, animated and motivated by God’s Spirit. Then you won’t feed the compulsions of SELFISHNESS. For there is a root of SINFUL SELF-INTEREST in us that is at odds with a free spirit, just as the free spirit is incompatible with SELFISHNESS. These two ways of life are antithetical, so that you cannot live at times one way and at times another way according to how you feel on any given day. Why don’t you choose to be led by the Spirit and so escape the erratic compulsions of a law-dominated existence?” (MSG)

In other words, if we imitate how our Savior lived, we can then live better. He was forgiving, loving, compassionate, gentle, kind, patient, and giving. I wonder would the people around us be able to say that they see those very same attributes in us, His disciples?

John 13:34-35, “Let me give you a new command: Love one another. IN THE SAME WAY I LOVED YOU, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they SEE the love you have for each other.” (MSG).

Do we love as unconditionally as Jesus? Of course not, that’s why so many are sitting at the corner of the family table with no provision while we pig out in our little section of the family table! As believers, we are indeed held to a higher standard in society, no matter how bad the society may get. We as believers, are to be “…recognized…” as forgiving, loving, compassionate, gentle, kind, patient, and giving. And the word “recognize” is defined as, “to clearly identify; to acknowledge or take notice of in some definite way; to perceive without question; to discern.” People should be able to look at our characteristics as Christ-like believers, and clearly see; take notice of; perceive without question and easily discern that we are in fact who we say we are and belong to who we say we belong to! In addition, we are “…commanded…” to love others “…IN THE SAME WAY…” that Jesus loved us. And a “command” is not a suggestion! A “suggestion” is defined as “an idea or plan put forward for consideration.” But we have not received a “suggestion” to be considered as a possible good idea. No, we’ve been given a Command! And a “command” is defined as, “to give an authoritative order with the expectation that it will be followed.” And our Authority is Jesus Christ as Lord, King, Savior, Master, God, Chief, and Commanding Officer! We are Commanded to Love Others “…IN THE SAME WAY…” that Jesus loved us! And that can’t be done by starving family members at the family table!

Even Judas was provided for at the family table, how much more should we then provide for the least, the lost, the lonely, the last, and the left out?!

Galatians 6:7-8, “Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants SELFISHNESS, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.” (MSG)

If You Don’t Want to Reap Selfishness, Stop Sowing It!

Let’s travel back to our opening text. There’s a story in the Old Testament in the book of 2 Kings. It tells about four lepers who lived outside a city that was being starved to death by an enemy siege. Finally they decided just to surrender to the enemy thinking, “Well, you know what? We’re probably going to be killed anyway, or we’re going to die of starvation. So, maybe they’ll take us and feed us, or we’ll just die like we’re going to die here.” However, what happened was they found out that God had performed a miracle and driven the enemy out. The camp was empty. And they ended up with all of this food that had been left behind! They’re sitting there eating and chowing down all night long while people are still starving to death in the city that they just came from!

Finally, by the morning light, one of them says, “What we’re doing is not right. This is a day of good news AND WE ARE KEEPING IT TO OURSELVES.” (7:9 NIV) What a picture of us as American Christians! Think about it: We’re the spiritually wealthiest Christians in all of history: We have seminars, and workshops, and radio programs, and TV programs, and conferences, convocations, magazines, books, blogs, ipods; ipads; tablets; laptops; and websites. It’s just so easy to get caught up in a comfortable cycle of listening and just saying, “Well, you know, that was a nice sermon, wasn’t it?” Going to Bible study, and attending a fellowship we enjoy, going to concerts, and feeling real spiritual a lot of the time. And honestly with all of this at our disposal, we ought to be growing. We ought to be filling up with spiritual resources– and loading up on the Lord, loading up on His truth-HOWEVER NOT AT THE EXPENSE OF OTHERS! “…Freely you have received all of this; FREELY GIVE.”

Now some may not like what I’m about to say, but I will say it anyhow, and I stand by it 100%! Everything we do as Christians CANNOT have a price tag attached to it! We say we want unbelievers saved, but they have to pay for the Gospel we received for free! Well, what happens when the book would be a tremendous blessing to them, but they can’t afford the $19.99 price tag? What happens when that conference would’ve changed her life, but she couldn’t afford the registration, hotel rate and air fare to attend? What happens when he would’ve been greatly encouraged, but couldn’t attend your men’s retreat because he’s unemployed? Jesus met people where they were! Why don’t we?

I’ve been asked for the last 10 years why I don’t turn the devotionals into a book? Or why haven’t I published my book yet? Or why do I post all of my bible studies, sermons and devotionals on my website for free? Well, this is the reason in a nutshell: Not everyone can afford a price tag! But what I’ve found personally priceless is the Pastor in Nambia who emailed his thanks for allowing him to use a bible study series that brought souls into his church. Or the missionary in Botswana that used a devotional to teach the children about having dreams. Or the Evangelist in Brooklyn that preached a devotional because it encouraged her heart personally. Or the Sister in Detroit that rediscovered Worship through the ‘Quiet Time With God Series’. Or the Brother in Atlanta that’s newly married and follows faithfully every ‘Manhood Monday’s Devotionals for Men’ to see how he can apply the lessons to his life and become a better father, husband and man.

Those things were possible because what they needed was within reach and free. When I hear that it encouraged, empowered or inspired someone to do and be better, that’s the gift to me! Because when I was unsaved it was a Deaconess who shared a Free Scripture with me from John 1:12, when I told her I wasn’t the type of person Jesus of all people would want to associate with. And yet she quoted, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” At the time I was homeless with 2 toddlers in a shelter. She invited me to her church, and I told her I couldn’t come because I didn’t have any money or the right clothes to wear. She picked me and my girls up, took us to her apartment, introduced us to her family, fed us and clothed us. I had nothing to give her in return, but my thanks and friendship, which still remains intact to this very day. In fact, she became the matron of honor at my wedding 17 years ago and her husband served as my husband’s best man!

I share all of this because my heart grieves for those who need, but are not being helped! While we’re running, jumping, praising, worshiping, dancing, spinning, speaking in tongues, preaching, teaching and praying…someone is wondering where they’re going to live; what they’re going to eat; where will they get coats for a cold season; when will a job finally come through; what will I say to the kids for Christmas, when I have no gifts for them? How do we celebrate Thanksgiving when we don’t feel as if we have anything to be thankful for? How will I get the lights and gas back on? Then, you have those that are trying to pull themselves out of the bed just one more day. Those who are depressed, discouraged, wounded, desperate, in pain, and just all around frustrated with life!

People of God, you have no idea what the planting of your small seed may one day yield for someone else’s harvest. My friend Sam had no idea what I would one day become, but she freely sowed anyhow! And I am fully persuaded that had she not sown, I would never have grown into half the woman I am today! For that, I Give God Thanks!

You see, Jesus said, “To whom much is given, much is required.” (Luke 12:48). Therefore, shouldn’t we (believers; the church; the disciples of Christ; the children of Light; the children of God) then be found giving as much as we’re getting? Honestly, can you imagine for someone like me, with all of that as my testimony, to be selfish? Truth is, I can’t afford to be! Because when I needed God, one of His servants was there and I didn’t need to pay her to be there either! I don’t know what my life would be like had me and Sam never crossed paths. And I truthfully don’t want to know! But what I learned from her is to always share the unconditional love of God and to do for others as I want done for me. I needed someone, and someone was there. Likewise, I want to be there as God’s mouthpiece for the person who is at the end of their rope. I want to teach them how to hold on even if it’s to the last string. Because that’s what was done for me. There are lost people who need at least a little of what we have a lot of!

So, what did the lepers from 2 Kings ultimately do? “So they went and called out to the city gatekeepers and told them…” (vs. 10 NIV) We need to do the same. Those who are perishing, hurting, depressed, discouraged, need us to call out to them because we remember what it was like on the other side of the wall. We need to tell them what God did. We need to tell them what we’ve found. We need to share our discovery. We need to tell them the Good News. We need to feed those who are so desperately hungry, both naturally and spiritually. Don’t get me wrong, it’s alright to pray for your cup to run over, just make sure you amend your prayer to say and Lord give me a saucer for the overflow so I can pass the blessing on! Don’t sit at the table full, while others are empty, and you have extra! Pass the Plate Please!

Every believer should be actively involved in reaching the lost; rescuing the dying somehow…including you, in an outreach to people that you are uniquely close to, or by starting or supporting outreach programs through your church, or by giving time or talent to a Christian ministry that is actively rescuing lost people. Maybe even by changing your life plans. But just don’t keep piling it up on your plate, because there are people all around you who are dying of starvation both naturally and spiritually.

Today is a good day to share some of your food, and why not start with some Fruit? Share a pot of love, a plate of joy, a cup of peace, a forkful of longsuffering, a spoonful of gentleness, a glass of goodness, a saucer of faith, a serving of meekness and a good portion of temperance? (Galatians 5:22-23).

Today, Let Us BE the People of God in Both Our Word and Deed! Today, Let’s Pass the Plate to Those Starving Who Need Sustenance…Naturally AND Spiritually!

“A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal.” (Dr. Steve Maraboli)

“Do all the good you can; by all the means you can; in all the ways you can; in all the places you can; at all the times you can; to all the people you can; as long as ever you can.” (John Wesley)

“The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” (Pablo Picasso)

“No one has ever become poor by giving.” (Anne Frank)

“Generosity: The habit of giving freely without expecting anything in return.” (Pinterest)

“Real generosity is doing something nice for someone who will never find out.” (Frank A. Clark)

“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” Mother Teresa)

“Generosity is what keeps the things we own from owning us.” (Pinterest)

“The greatest miracle of life is to give generously and see how what you have given returns to you manifold.” (Roxana Jones)

“What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.” (Albert Pike)

“You do not have to be rich to be generous.” (Pinterest)

“True generosity: You give your all, and yet you always feel as if it cost you nothing!” (Simone de Beauvoir)

“Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly, and most underrated agent of human change.” (Bob Kerrey)

“Generosity is the best investment.” (Diane Von Furstenberg)

“The most truly generous persons are those who give silently without hope of praise or reward.” (Carol Ryrie)

“The heart that gives, gathers.” (Marianne Moore)

“God is always trying to give good things to us, but our hands are too full to receive them.” (Augustine)

Much Love, Dr. Shermaine #EnjoyTheRead #BeInspired #BeEncouraged #BeEmpowered #BeChallenged 
Feel free to also join us at: http://www.selfcarewithdrshermaine.blogspot.com Today’s Lesson: “Healthy Food Swaps to Try for the Holidays!”