By His Spirit - Friday Focus

WATCH YOUR CRAVINGS!

nospam@example.com (Rev. Mikie Roberts) — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 12:05:11 -0700

There are numberless stories that have been told over and over again by many women about the kind of CRAVING that they develop during pregnancy. Sometimes even the type of foods that they would not normally eat, they suddenly have a strong desire for. What’s even more interesting is not only what they CRAVE but also the time of the day or night when these CRAVINGS come on so strong. Without doubt, the caring husband will do all in his power to make sure that whatever his pregnant wife is CRAVING is supplied. If not, she may not stop the nagging until the CRAVING has been met. It is not only pregnant women who have CRAVINGS. At some point in time in our lives we all CRAVE something. It’s our must have! With that in mind the FF for today calls us to WATCH YOUR CRAVINGS!

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RECALIBRATE!

nospam@example.com (Rev. Mikie Roberts) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 11:31:55 -0700

Recently while at the gym, I went on one of the stationary bikes to do some cardio. I was about to get started when I realized that the pedals were not moving. For whatever reason, the machine was just not working. The owner came over, unplugged the bike, waited about 10 seconds and then turned the power back on. I was getting ready to start pedaling when all of a sudden this message appeared in the handle section of the bike. It said ‘No pedaling. RECALIBRATING.’ Although I wanted so badly to get going, there was nothing I could do but sit there and wait. Even though the bike was recalibrating for at least a minute or so, it seemed much longer to because there was absolutely nothing I could do but wait. But for this stationary bike to do what it was designed to do it needed just a few seconds to reset itself as it were. It needed to get back on track internally before the external pedaling could begin. If I were not patient I could have potentially further delayed a simple but necessary action so as to ensure that the bike continues to work properly. With that in mind, let’s realize that today may be a time for us to all RECALIBRATE. That's our FF for today – RECALIBRATE!

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THERE'S MORE!

nospam@example.com (Rev. Mikie Roberts) — Fri, 31 May 2013 08:12:27 -0700

Ever notice that there are certain products in the supermarkets that have written on the outside a message that lets you think that you are getting MORE for your money. So although the dish washing liquid may look the same size, it’s in a newly designed bottle which now give 20% MORE for the same price. Instead of 12 rolls of paper towels in a pack they now give you 6 jumbo ones and say to you that even though it’s less in number it’s actually MORE paper towels so you’re getting MORE for your money. In light of today’s financial personal situations, people are always looking to see how they could get MORE without having to spend MORE. No wonder warehouse stores have become so popular. But is there something wrong with wanting MORE? Could wanting MORE be deadly? Well I guess it depends on the answer to the question MORE of what! But today for our FF I want us to consider that we should adopt an attitude in life which says that THERE’S MORE! That’s today’s FF: THERE’S MORE!

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GET RECHARGED!

nospam@example.com (Rev. Mikie Roberts) — Fri, 24 May 2013 08:13:00 -0700

For every person who has a cell phone, there’s one accessory that is a necessity. You can do without head phones or even the Bluetooth ear piece. You don’t always need a case either. But the one thing a cell phone user can’t do without is a phone CHARGER. Even the best cell phones with all of the latest features have a limited battery life. It’s only a matter of time before an unCHARGED phone eventually dies. Some people routinely plug their phones in at night so that by the next morning it’s fully CHARGED at 100%. And of course depending on how much it is used throughout the day it may even be necessary to get it RECHARGED sometime during the day. After all a phone with a dead battery is practically useless! And so for our FF for today I invite us to recognize that every day we all need to GET RECHARGED!. That’s today’s FF – GET RECHARGED!

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DRESS RIGHT!

nospam@example.com (Rev. Mikie Roberts) — Fri, 17 May 2013 11:24:04 -0700

It is prom season here and so there is quite a bit of attention of getting that perfect outfit for the big night. Parents of graduating seniors from High School are spending quite a bit of money to make sure that their daughters or sons are DRESSED appropriately for the occasion. For those graduating from university, they too have to ensure that they too are DRESSED right. And so even though it may not be a prom every effort is being made to get the right cap and gown and all the other regalia that goes along with the ceremony. It is nothing short of embarrassing to turn up either at your prom night or your college graduation, under-DRESSED. With these occasions come certain expectations about what is considered to be acceptable. And so for our FF for today I invite us all to ensure that we DRESS RIGHT!

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BEFORE AND AFTER!

nospam@example.com (Rev. Mikie Roberts) — Fri, 10 May 2013 02:51:14 -0700

Advertising is big business these days. Everybody it seems has something to sell. What’s more they are doing all in their power to convince us that what they have is just what we need. From the revolutionary skin cream that will remove all unwanted spots to the latest state of the art exercise devise that will give you that toned fit body practically overnight. Some of the offers seem too good to be true. But just so as to convince us that what they’re offering is just the right solution that we’ve been searching for, they usually get regular people – not paid actors – who vouch for reliability of the product. And what do they use as evidence? The BEFORE AND AFTER pictures! Who can argue against that? After all isn’t a picture worth a thousand words – or in this case dollars? So for our FF for today I invite us to reflect on the BEFORE AND AFTER!

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PLEASE GOD!

nospam@example.com (Rev. Mikie Roberts) — Fri, 03 May 2013 12:22:18 -0700

There something to be said in life about trying to PLEASE others. To one degree or another we are all guilty of being on either side of the fence; either we want others to constantly PLEASE us or we belong to the group that lives always to PLEASE others. There’s nothing wrong with being on either side every now and again. But there are some who live only on one side. Incessantly, they must be PLEASED. And when they are not they have perfected how to make everyone else around them very miserable. And then of course there are those who have made it their goal in life to live only to PLEASE others. Such persons don’t know how to live for themselves, so to speak. They are forever shifting their position depending on who it is now that they are trying to PLEASE. It is safe to say that besides these two realities, that there is a third option – those who have perfected the art of living to PLEASE themselves only. But today I invite us to consider a fourth alternative. It is those who in their living aim to PLEASE GOD. That’s our FF for today – PLEASE GOD!

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YOU BENEFIT!

nospam@example.com (Rev. Mikie Roberts) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 17:16:00 -0700

If there is one movie that you need to see for sure is 42. It is an inspiring story of the life of Jackie Robinson as he broke through the racial barrier in major league baseball in the USA in the 1940’s. The movie is not just about the game of baseball. It highlights the strength and heroic character of one man who by his actions and ‘guts’ in the face of racism made a way for other black baseball players to be accepted as equals in the major league. But who really BENEFITTED because of Jackie Robinson? Black baseball players of course! But in a sense the BENEFITS from what Robinson accomplished went well beyond opening up the doors for black baseball players. As I watched the movie 42 I couldn’t help but think that the same way one man’s action can BENEFIT so many who came after him, we cannot afford to forget all the BENEFITS that are ours because of what God has done through Christ. With that in mind our FF for today is YOU BENEFIT!

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OUGHT TO!

nospam@example.com (Rev. Mikie Roberts) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 17:18:00 -0700

We’ve heard it said many times that “the road to hell is paved with good intentions.” At the start of each day there are so many things that we intend to do. And yet each of us come to the end of a day only to realize that sometimes much of what we intended to do somehow did not get done. Whether we have a thorough to-do list at the start of a day, a mental note of what they intend to get done or we simply roll along through the day, it can be very frustrating when we realize that what we OUGHT TO get done, for some reason doesn’t. And when that happens, who’s to blame? Maybe the traffic; or that unexpected telephone call that went longer than expected; or having to sit in the waiting room of the doctor’s longer than usual. What if the real blame is just us? What if we are lacking in the drive that is needed to make our OUGHT TO become a will do or better yet, done. With that in mind our FF for today is OUGHT TO!

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BAD, WORSE & BETTER!

nospam@example.com (Rev. Mikie Roberts) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 17:20:00 -0700

The young leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un, has for the past few weeks been keeping the world on its edge with the threat of war in that region. He even went as far as requesting that the few foreign diplomats in the country should have been out of the country by April 10. Well today is April 12 and we still are not too sure what if anything will happen. Many believe that he has pinned himself into a corner and in order to save face at home he may move ahead and make good on his threats. Can things get any WORSE than they are already? And although we have heard the threats, we don’t know just how BAD things really are. Not only those who live in that region, but the rest of the world is praying that tensions with North Korea will get BETTER; for their sakes as well as for all of us on this planet. So for our FF for today we reflect on three words: BAD, WORSE & BETTER.

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RECEIVE OR REJECT!

nospam@example.com (Rev. Mikie Roberts) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 17:21:00 -0700

Yesterday I was listening to a program on Christian radio in which Janet Parshalls was interviewing Mike Judge of the Christian Institute in the United Kingdom. He shared that recently a survey was done in the UK in which 2000 parents asked their children about the meaning of Easter. Here’s what they found out – 80% of the children didn’t know why Christians celebrate Easter and among that number, 25% of those thought it had to do with the birth of the Easter bunny. Wow! It makes you wonder what is happening with the fundamentals of the Christian Gospel in the UK and elsewhere in Europe where few centuries ago they were on the front line in proclaiming the Good News. But we must also wonder what the results would be if a similar survey were to be done in other countries that could be labeled as ‘Christian.’ Now more than ever the Gospel of Christ must move beyond the confines of the church’s walls and into the market place. When we do one of two things will happen. People will either RECEIVE OR REJECT the truth of the Gospel. That’s our FF for today – RECEIVE OR REJECT!

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SILENTLY REFLECT!

nospam@example.com (Rev. Mikie Roberts) — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 15:31:01 -0700

Today our Good Friday ended as it usually does – in silence. There was not the usual benediction. After the closing hymn, we all left the sanctuary in silence. It was a solemn moment and one that allowed us all to reflect on Christ’s death on Calvary for us. What a price!

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BE AN ENCOURAGER!

nospam@example.com (Rev. Mikie Roberts) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 04:40:05 -0700

If you follow the game of basketball then you know that March Madness is now if full swing. Whether it is College basketball, American type football or the NBA, there’s a group whose presence at the game is really important. They are usually the most excited whether the team is losing or winning. They make noise, dance and wave their pompoms. They never seem to be discouraged even if the game is not going their way. I’m speaking about the cheerleaders. Their job is to ENCOURAGE the players. The coach strategizes the moves in the game while the players execute the plays. But it is the cheerleaders who keep ENCOURAGING the players even when the play didn’t go as planned. What’s more, cheerleaders not only ENCOURAGE the players but also try to ENCOURAGE the supporters to keep their enthusiasm especially when their team is not performing as expected. Imagine a game without cheerleaders! Our FF for today invites us to be like the cheerleaders and BE AN ENCOURAGER!

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CAUSE SOME DISTURBANCE!

nospam@example.com (Rev. Mikie Roberts) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 04:10:46 -0700

While living in Barbados there was this particular gentleman who was on a personal crusade to reduce the noise level in the Barbadian society. Almost daily he would be on the call in radio programs lamenting the level of noise in the community. He would write newspaper articles bemoaning how people were being DISTURBED by the noise coming from cars’ stereos, public address systems etc. Guided by his convictions he eventually formed the Society for a Quieter Barbados. I kid you not! One of their chief aims was to get legislation passed that would force citizens to lower the noise level in the country. I do not mean to counter the efforts of wanting to have a quieter community, but for our FF for today I invite us to CAUSE SOME DISTURBANCE!

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CHECK YOURSELF FIRST!

nospam@example.com (Rev. Mikie Roberts) — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 03:53:02 -0700

Some weeks ago I was rushing to get to church on time and in my haste I didn’t realize that the pants leg was had gotten caught up in my socks. But as soon as I reached into the church yard and got out of the car, one of the mothers of the congregation came up to me and said, “Pastor, like your wife didn’t CHECK you over this morning.” I was wondering what she was talking about. Then she pointed out to me that I needed to fix my pants. I’m sure we’ve all had similar experiences when things were brought to our attention by others who took a look at us and in CHECKING realized that something was not where it was supposed to be. Sometimes it could be quite embarrassing depending on what it is that is out of place. Yet it’s always good to have people do a CHECK over. But some things could be avoided if at first we took just that time to CHECK YOURSELF FIRST. That’s our FF for today: CHECK YOURSELF FIRST!

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