Serve with a smile

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

Those who labor under the umbrella of hospitality, are required to always work with a smile, because good customer service is a valued element that can make a major difference in a guest’s time away from home. Whether the work day is easy breezy, or hectic beyond belief, hotels and other hospitality businesses aim to give high quality service to all who enter their doors. Many who leave their homes to travel, or simply get away for a moment, expect to be treated better than where they left, so it’s imperative that all who render services to guests, maintain a healthy level of humility, to avoid causing travelers to regret leaving their homes in the first place.

Two things I admire most concerning the apostle Paul are, his boldness in proclaiming the Gospel, and his humility in his service to others. From being transformed from the head persecutor of the church, to the hardest working apostle of God, Paul never allowed his position, nor the pressure of men to cause him to forget his humbled beginnings. There are many who convert from sinner to Saint, then forget that humility is priority in godliness. These persons usually allow pride to take over their minds, and end up hurting themselves, and others. But, Paul was indeed grateful for the sacrifice of Christ, that allowed him the opportunity to change from a life of service to the enemy, to standing on the front line for God.

Being eternally linked to his past (in memory), Paul considered himself “the least of the apostles”, because he knew the seriousness of his past crimes. Nevertheless, he chose not to wallow in his mistakes, but to use his past as fuel to work diligently, and in humility, as he represented the God of Heaven and earth.

As you work day-to-day on your job, seeking to please those who are in authority over you, do you put forth the same effort in service to God, toward others? In the same way good customer service is expected of literally every hotel or resort employee, God expects all who call Him Lord, to walk in humility consistently. It’s in our humility, where soul-winning begins. As the old saying goes, “you’ll catch more flies with honey, than with vinegar”. In the same sense, you’ll win more people to God by being nice, than being rude. So, put a smile on, and let the peace of God rule in your heart today.

Walk in love,

Ell

Forgive each other generously

Colossians 3:8-13

📢 WILL THE REAL CHILDREN OF GOD, PLEASE STAND UP!!! It’s hard these days to discern what a true Christian is, because many who claim the title aren’t fully convinced of what it truly represents. In my opinion, it would be better for the world to label a person a Christian, based on the lifestyle they represent, rather than proclaiming oneself to be a Christian, while living contrary to godly standards. To be a Christian is simply, to be like Christ. That’s it! It’s not too hard to comprehend, is it? Well, let’s examine what Paul describes a follower of Christ to be. In our text, it’s mentioned that before a man comes into the knowledge, and acceptance of godliness, he is living as the “old man”, and this man operates in ungodly deeds. But, when conversion is made, the “old man” is put off, and the “new man” is put on. With the “new man” comes new, and holy deeds, that are based on the knowledge of God Himself.

The best way to tell whether a person is serious about their Christianity is, to examine their attitude and behavior. Just as a tree is known by the fruit it bears, a man is defined by the character he portrays. The “old man” produces fruit of anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication, lying, and many other vices. Have you met anyone who claims to be a Christian, yet produces such vile fruit? There are millions who walk the earth, proclaiming to be followers of Christ, yet their behavior is nothing close to what He represented on the earth.

The church was commanded to be holy, and live in such a way, that those who are lost can see the light of God’s glory, shining in their lives. When a man truly loves God, the Holy Ghost makes it easier for him to do those things that seem hard. For example, forgiving those who wronged you, isn’t always an easy thing to do on human strength alone, but when your motivations are aimed on pleasing God, He’ll give you strength to make those hard decisions easier to handle.

“If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil. Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you (Eph. 4:21-32 KJV).

Walk in love,

Ell

Forgiveness of sins against another

1 Kings 8:31-32, 41-44

One of the worst things an injured person can do is, leave an open wound unattended to. When we get cut, or wounded, it’s important to care for the injury immediately, before matters turn for the worse. According to advancedtissue.com, when it comes to wound care, there are a variety of mistakes people make that worsen their injury. Whether it’s using the wrong dressing, forgetting to check for debris or ignoring a cut, omissions of at-home wound care steps are bound to happen. One of the more serious side effects of failing to efficiently treat an injury is wound infection, which can eventually lead to grave ailments such as skin disease, cell mutation, or even disability.

The seriousness of caring for an open wound, is equivalent to the severity of forgiving those who have sinned. Just as injuries left unchecked can develop into more severe conditions later, refusing to forgive others, can cause all types of mental and spiritual problems, which could be difficult to remedy later on.

An injured body part affects the entire body, yet all members must continue to commit to maintaining their duties, despite apparent setbacks. In the same sense, when a fellow believer falls short of God’s glory, it’s imperative that we continue to do our part in God’s kingdom, and not allow minor setbacks to cause us to falter as well. In those dreadful moments when my shoulder would dislocate, I still had to walk, see, hear, and function, despite dealing with that painful circumstance.

The body of Christ must remain strong, even in times when our brothers and sisters fall. For this reason, forgiveness is key to keeping unity amongst the Saints, because no man or woman is better than the other, and we are all precious in the sight of the Lord. Knowing this, we should never hesitate to forgive those who sincerely seek it, or we could be responsible for causing more damage in the long run, than good.

Walk in love,

Ell

Pray for all secular leaders

1 Timothy 2:1-6

When was the last time you sincerely prayed for an enemy? Better yet, have you ever prayed for someone you strongly dislike? To those who become Saints, it’s natural to care for those who fight “the good fight” alongside them, but it’s even more important to “…love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew 5:44 KJV). Not all men live in obedience to God, and their lifestyles are usually contrary to holiness, but that doesn’t give the children of God the right to judge, nor treat them any different than they would a fellow believer. The reason Paul instructed Timothy to pray for all men, including sinners, was because God desires for “all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (vs. 4). Every man and woman, at some point in life, had to make the decision to give up the world, for God’s salvation, so how can we willingly treat sinners as if they weren’t deserving of the same opportunity God provided to us? After sin tainted the earth, all of mankind was unfit and unworthy to be in the presence of God, but because of Christ, who gave Himself a ransom for everyone, we now have a mediator between God and ourselves. The next time you get the urge to judge someone in sin, look back on your life, and remember, you were once the same person you’re attempting to judge. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 KJV).

Walk in love,

Ell

Solomon reviews temple developments

1 Kings 8:14-21

🎵🎶 When I think of the goodness of Jesus, and all He’s done for me, my soul cries out Hallelujah, I thank God for saving me 🎶🎵. Sometimes in life, the perfect antidote for stress, worry, doubt, unbelief, or anything that tends to weigh us down is, taking thought of all the good things God has done for us. Seriously consider how blessed you truly are, and you’ll gain a greater appreciation for simply being in existence. Life may get tough, at times, but as the saying goes, “tough times don’t last, but tough people do”.

God made everyone unique, and with a purpose to fulfill. The more we grow in the knowledge of God, the more clear our purpose becomes. The more we understand our purpose in God’s plan, the more we can contribute to kingdom business. The more contributions we make in God’s kingdom, the stronger our witness becomes, which in turn, builds faith and hope in others. Can you think of a few contributions you’ve made recently in the kingdom of God? As a child, I desired to someday, build shelters to house the homeless and destitute. It’s always sad to see people on the streets, with no food, clean clothes, or shelter, so I would often close my eyes, and wish I could zap every homeless person I saw with my magic finger, and make them wealthy and healthy in an instant. Although I was never in a position to fulfill that desire, I’m certain God honored the very thought of my little heart.

Even when king David desired to build God a temple, and was denied permission, God said to him, “Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart” (vs. 18b). All our thoughts and desires should be set on doing things that please God, and bring glory to His name alone. Oftentimes we find ourselves in unfavorable situations, because we make attempts to build up our own names, instead of God’s. But, when we seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness, He’ll make certain to supply all our needs, according to His riches in glory. Continue to trust God in all things, and keep your thoughts pure, holy, and invested in doing good things for others.

Walk in love,

Ell

Plea for God’s steadfast love

2 Chronicles 6:40-42

“Choo Choo trains” (as I called them during my childhood) are wonderful means of transportation, that have provided services since the early 1800s. Trains come in a variety of types, and serve a number of beneficial purposes, but before trains can be of any use, tracks must first be laid, so that the various trains can reach their intended destinations, and serve their desired purposes. Without tracks set in place, a train could not properly travel anywhere, and would more than likely cause more damage and destruction, than good. On the contrary, when trains are set in motion, and following the right path, nothing can stop them from reaching their destination, especially once they have picked up momentum.

I mentioned the example of trains, to draw similarities with the importance of prayer, and how it can affect the life of believers. In the same way trains require tracks to serve any purpose, the believer cannot be effective, except their lives be aligned with the will of God. God’s will is the track all believers must follow, in order to be effective in their calling. Just as a train traveling off its tracks would be a definite disaster, a child of God living outside the realm of godliness, would no doubt set themselves up for a world of shame and misery.

While God’s will is the believer’s train track, His steadfast love sets the destination. All members of the body of Christ, are precious cargo, carrying the message of salvation around the world, and effective prayer is mandatory to ensure their witness will be effective. In prayer, requests are made known to God, in hopes that He’ll respond in our favor, but what we pray for must also be aligned with what He desires for us.

Solomon did a great thing in building God’s temple, but he recognized the importance of keeping His presence of love there as well. Are your prayers to God motivated by love? Do you make requests only to satisfy selfish desires? If you’ve veered off track in your walk with God, pray that His steadfast love directs you safely back to your proper place in Him, so that you can continue choo choo’n, and spreading the message of His saving Gospel.

Walk in love,

Ell

Forgive and restore the captive

2 Chronicles 6:34-39

Grace, is when God grants favor to those who don’t deserve it, and mercy, is when God withholds punishment reserved for those who do deserve it. Without God’s grace and mercy, mankind would be in an extremely unfavorable position, but because of the sacrifice Jesus made for everyone, we can glean from God’s favor freely. God is love, and He loves to love His people, but sometimes we have a tendency of focusing on things that draw us away from Him, rather than push us toward Him.

As we walk in the footsteps of Christ, exercising our gifts, we must be mindful of the importance of remaining humble in all situations. Humility is the perfect remedy for pride, and countering all things that cause men to puff themselves up. The body of Christ has access to the treasures of Heaven, and are entitled to the same inheritance as our Savior, Jesus Christ, but in those moments when we are influenced to sin, God can remove His hedge of protection from around us, thus allowing the enemy the opportunity to whip us back into shape. Make no mistake about it, satan still desires to sift the children of God as wheat, and hopes that our temporary separation from God, will become permanent, but our Father will never allow the enemy to destroy us, so long as we maintain a heart of repentance, and intentions to turn away from our former lusts and evil desires.

As king Solomon continued his prayer of dedication, he made mention of the fact that God’s people may fall short of His glory, even while attempting to carry out His will, but if they turn and repent from their state of misery, God will hear their prayer, maintain their cause, and forgive them of their sins.

Not once did I read in this text, where God struggled to forgive His people. When they prayed to Him, and confessed their faults, He forgave them immediately. Do you struggle to forgive those who have wronged you? Have you been hurt or disrespected to the point that all you desired for your offender was vengeance? If the God of all creation can easily forgive multitudes of men with countless sins on their record, then why can’t we do the same? Whenever you struggle to forgive someone, consider that God never struggled to forgive you.

Walk in love,

Ell

Welcome the stranger

2 Chronicles 6:32-33

The modern-day church has become something God never intended it to be. In Scripture, the church (an established people, with ideals and government based solely on godliness) was set in place, so that the name of the Lord could be magnified through His people. While it’s true, God can make Himself known to the entire world without the help of man, it’s so cool that He allows His awesome glory to shine through us as well! In any case, the church was established to accomplish only those things that please the Lord, and to give the body of Christ a place to gather, for moments of edification, sharing of testimonies, and glorification of the name of the almighty God.

The glory churches once held in the past, has faded away, because men seek to become leaders, or attend church for the wrong reasons. Some are interested in gaining positions in churches, solely to get wealthy, whereas others only attended services out of habit. Promoting God has been replaced with selfish men, seeking only to promote their own agendas, and convince the people to believe in their opinions, more than the Word of the Lord.

In my younger days (not too many moons ago) church use to be a place, where service would oftentimes become so intense, until strangers would hear God being glorified from outside, and peek inside our church out of curiosity, too see what was going on. My pastor, during those days, would invite all who came in, to join our services. No one was a stranger after entering the house of the Lord. Some who came out of curiosity, would even leave healed, delivered, or set free from issues they could have carried the rest of their lives, had they continued to walk pass the church, and not come in. Our church wasn’t the only place God performed miracles, but we gave Him the glory due to His name, and He in turn, showered us with His wondrous works.

King Solomon acknowledged that even those who weren’t of the people of Israel, deserved to have their prayers answered by God, so that they would gain a greater appreciation for the Father, in the same way His people did as well. God loves everyone, and has no respect for one nation over another. His will is that all come to repentance, so that they can enjoy the opportunity to fulfill their calling on this earth, and reap the rewards eternally in the next life.

Be mindful of how you treat strangers, because God loves them, the same as He loves you. Never feel as if you are more deserving of the things of God, because you may be well-versed in Scripture, or have an amazing gift. God can use anyone for His glory, so “be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32 KJV).

Walk in love,

Ell

Send the rain

2 Chronicles 6:26-31

Conditions are a proven way to ensure that parties locked into certain agreements receive just due for their actions. For example, parents often say things to their children like, “if you don’t clean your room, then you’ll get a spanking”. Notice, the parent and child are bound together by blood, and it’s expected of the child to obey the commands of their parent, so “if” the child obeys, “then” no harm will come to their backside (or in this day, lose their cell phone). But, “if” the child refuses to obey what they were commanded, “then” they’ll be punished for their inaction. If conditions weren’t set in place, people would take advantage of other’s kindness, and generosity.

In our text, king Solomon continued his prayer of dedication amongst the children of Israel. The wise king loved God with all his heart, and wanted the best for God’s people, so in his prayer, he placed certain conditions, so that the people would always have a way to return to good standing with the Father. Humans are susceptible to making mistakes, no matter how “holy” they appear to be, so in those moments when the people mess up, their sincere cry to God for repentance, would win them God’s favor again. Even today, we can come to God in humble submission, to repent of our sins, but it’s unwise to grieve the Spirit, by continuing to do things that separate us from the Father. God desires to rain blessings on His people continuously, but we must meet the conditions set in place, in order to receive all that God has in store for us. “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV).

Walk in love,

Ell

Forgive and restore broken relationships

2 Chronicles 6:22-25

When worldly men sin, there’s little for the church to get overexcited about, because this is expected behavior of anyone who lives outside of God’s will, but when members of the body of Christ sin against each other, different measures are to be taken. In the same way parents handle sibling rivalry much different than siblings fighting against the neighbors kids, church members (first of all, shouldn’t fight against each other) are to handle such matters by taking them before God. God is righteous, and judges all men accordingly, but when sin is left unchecked, or unforgiven, all guilty parties will face punishment. Imagine for a second, if your arms were jealous of your legs, then tried to injure them, so that they could receive more attention on the body. Or, if the hands were jealous of the eyes, and attempted to poke them out. That would be a dysfunctional body altogether, so imagine how God feels when the members of the church body fight and bicker amongst each other. For one thing, this sets an extremely bad example to the children, as well as embarrasses the church as a whole, to the world. God wants unity among the Saints, because we can accomplish more together, than we can divided. If we treat all men as if they were Christ, then our approach would always to be to edify, and not tear down. “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:34-35).

Walk in love,

Ell