Month: April 2023

Friday Devotion and Prayer – April 21, 2023

Friday Devotion and Prayer – April 21, 2023

By: Bishop Dr. Etta Mhoon-Walker, Ph.D., D. Div.                                                    Friday Devotion and Prayer. April 21, 2023           

Thursday Devotion and Prayer – April 20, 2023

Thursday Devotion and Prayer – April 20, 2023

By: Bishop Dr. Etta Mhoon-Walker, Ph.D., D. Div.                                                    Thursday Devotion and Prayer. April 20, 2023             

Wednesday Devotion and Prayer – April 19, 2023

Wednesday Devotion and Prayer – April 19, 2023

By: Bishop Dr. Etta Mhoon-Walker, Ph.D., D. Div.
                     

                               Wednesday Devotion and Prayer. April 19, 2023

                                                                     “Despair”

“To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. ” Isaiah 61:3
 
Despair can be triggered by many things and can happen without warning. A reminder of things past, our current circumstances, or even fear of the future. Whatever brings on these feelings of despair, we can begin by praying against it and seeking help from God. In Isaiah 61:3, the prophet gives us an inspired word from the Lord for times of hopelessness. Not only does God promise a crown of beauty for what we’ve suffered, but our despair will be replaced with festive praise.
 
So, what do we do when despair threatens to overtake us?
 
The Israelites had been through great and many trials due to the sins of their past. But that was about to change. I imagine they felt hopeless as they wondered whether the promise of a better future would ever be fulfilled. These words through Isaiah brought hope and joy to their despair.
 
We often pray for things: peace, provision, healing, and more. But it is perfectly okay to pray against things also, attacks of the enemy, disappointment, and even despair. God is our Source of all things good, and he calls us to “put on the full armor of God,” so we can stand against the enemy’s schemes (Ephesians 6:11).
 
When the effects of despair come upon us, the helmet of salvation is a great place to start. It can protect our minds from intrusive thoughts that lead us away from God’s Word. Then, “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God,” can replace those false thoughts with truth (Ephesians 6:17).
 
Whether or not we’re able to pinpoint what causes our despair, we need to bring it to God through prayer. Isaiah chapter 61 speaks of hope beyond our hardship. God assures us, “…everlasting joy will be yours.” (Isaiah 61:7b) What an amazing promise! And what a powerful verse to help us reclaim our hearts and minds from the persistent enemy of despair. Is despair sneaking its way into your mind and trying to take over? We have good news today. We don’t have to let it in. Let’s pray against despair with all the authority we have in the name of Jesus. The enemy has to flee at the mention of his name. So, let’s begin there, with an act of festive praise!
 
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for giving your son Jesus to die on the cross for my sins. Thank you for the forgiveness that comes through his life, death, and resurrection. Because Jesus lives today, I have eternal hope. Praise the name of Jesus! Lately, I’ve felt discouraged, sad, and in despair. Help me to remember I’m not fighting against flesh and blood but “against mighty powers in this dark world.” (Ephesians 6:12) And because of that, I can pray against any attack of the enemy, including despair. I pray against despair in my life. I have so many reasons to be hopeful. Despair has no place in my mind or heart. You have promised me everlasting joy. I receive that promise today, Father.
 
Thank you for the joy that never ends and hopes for a future in heaven with you. I am victorious over death and despair because of Jesus. I also pray for everyone else experiencing despair right now. Protect them with the helmet of salvation. Lord, I lift my sword of the Spirit in their defense. You give us “festive praise instead of despair.” Help us replace the enemy’s lies with this truth. You are faithful, holy, and good. In Your son Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
Tuesday Devotion and Prayer – April 18, 2023

Tuesday Devotion and Prayer – April 18, 2023

By: Bishop Dr. Etta Mhoon-Walker, Ph.D., D. Div.                                                   Tuesday Devotion and Prayer. April 18, 2023             

Weekly Message 4-17-2023

Weekly Message 4-17-2023

This week’s key word is Forgiveness.

Monday Devotion and Prayer – April 17, 2023

Monday Devotion and Prayer – April 17, 2023

By: Bishop Dr. Etta Mhoon-Walker, Ph.D., D. Div.
                     

                            Monday Devotion and Prayer. April 17, 2023

                                                         “Resilience”

“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) [24] And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: [25] Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” – Hebrews 10:23-25,

When bad news hits, we can feel shaken. We may equate God’s love with peaceful, pleasant lives, but hard times allow us to experience his love in a new way. Trust and hope grow side by side, finding roots in God’s love. As we trust God in the bad times, our hope grows too. We grow resilient when we stand firm in faith in God and his love for us.

Resiliency can be defined as the ability of a person to adjust to or recover readily from an illness, adversity, or a major life change. If a change is unwanted, like the death of a loved one or a surprise diagnosis, we can resist this change. Denial, anger, and grief are normal and healthy responses, but when we get stuck in them, they create problems with resiliency. Resiliency creates two pathways: to adjust or recover. Or as I like to say, to pivot.
Pivoting keeps the ball of one foot connected to the ground while rotating it to face a different direction. At times, God uses our unwanted experiences to get us to pivot. Often, we spend so much time wishing for what was, we miss the new direction He wants us to go or the new insight into His loving nature He wants us to know. Standing stuck means we view God’s love through the lens of our broken hearts, which creates an imperfect view of God’s love. Our new situation creates cracks, like a broken watch face, and we can’t see him clearly because of them.

But when we view God’s love through the lens of the Word of God, we see a perfect love that casts out fear. We see a love that watched his son, Jesus, suffer a violent death so we might know him intimately as Father. It’s a love that gave all so we might know a hope that defies all human explanation.

When we base our understanding of God’s love on what we think he has done or not done for us, we will struggle with resilience. But when we base our understanding of God’s love on his character and his Word, we develop the ability to pivot, adjust, and recover from the difficulties we face. He is faithful, immovable, unwavering, steadfast, and devoted. Let us hold fast to hope by turning down the voice in our heads telling us things are hopeless because of how they look. When we focus on God’s faithfulness, we build resilience. As we do so, we can encourage others.

Everyone faces circumstances they would rather not walk through. We build resiliency in ourselves and others when we remind each other about God’s faithfulness to us. We can speak encouragement about God to one another and resiliency spreads when we embrace a faith-filled life.

We draw near to God through faith in Jesus Christ. Faith sincerely believes in God and entrusts our life to his care for us. He helps us and gives us strength. The resiliency we so desperately need comes through this drawing near to him. God is faithful to meet us in our every need. He is big enough to handle our toughest problems. He is gracious enough to walk with us through the problems we face. An absence of difficulties doesn’t prove God’s love, and the overwhelming number of hardships we face doesn’t disprove His love. In the Gospel of John, Jesus told us that in this world we will have many troubles, but to take heart because he has overcome the world. There are times when my heart shakes. The world’s brokenness weighs heavy, and when I add my troubles to my list of concerns, it becomes heavy enough to make me crumble under the burdens and walk away from God. I know what life is like without God in it. It’s harder, lonelier, and more chaotic. We can choose resilience instead, to trust God and place our hope in who he is and his promise to never leave nor forsake us.

Heavenly Father,
Thank you for who you are. Thank you that you make a way when there seems to be no way. Thank you for holding me close to your heart. Build in me resiliency of faith, joy, and hope. Set my feet on you, my solid rock. Let me not be shaken, but grow in me, faith and hope that sustains me when my world falls apart. I trust you through it all. In Your son Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
Sunday Devotion and Prayer – April 16, 2023

Sunday Devotion and Prayer – April 16, 2023

By: Bishop Dr. Etta Mhoon-Walker, Ph.D., D. Div.                                                   Sunday Devotion and Prayer. April 16, 2023             

Saturday Devotion and Prayer – April 15, 2023

Saturday Devotion and Prayer – April 15, 2023

By: Bishop Dr. Etta Mhoon-Walker, Ph.D., D. Div.                                                  Saturday Devotion and Prayer. April 15, 2023             

Friday Devotion and Prayer – April 14, 2023

Friday Devotion and Prayer – April 14, 2023

By: Bishop Dr. Etta Mhoon-Walker, Ph.D., D. Div.
                     

                                Friday Devotion and Prayer. April 14, 2023

                                         “Turn Your Work into Worship”

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” – Romans 12:1

Like Paul said in 1 Timothy 1:15, “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief”. I often treat my daily tasks as an interruption rather than a holy opportunity to worship God. But what would it feel like to intentionally remind ourselves before we set about our daily tasks that this is our worship? I wonder what we might notice if we looked for how God may be using our work to teach and talk to others about His love.

We get overwhelmed and frustrated with work because we live in a fallen world. But let’s not stay there. Let’s let our frustration serve as a reminder that our daily lives matter in eternity. Our whole life serves as a reminder to the world of all that God has done for us. What if God really does use all things to work together for our good and His purposes even the dirty dishes piled in the sink (Romans 8:28). Let’s not miss out on this, thinking we would be of better use elsewhere. As we look at another day full of tasks, may we view the duties as opportunities to present ourselves as an acceptable living sacrifice to God, who deserves our worship.

Heavenly Father, 
Thank you for not wasting anything. You really are using all things for our good and your glory. You use our everyday acts as opportunities to build up and edify the body of Christ and point others to you (1 Thessalonians 5:11). We so easily fall prey to the lie that the things that take up our days don’t matter to you. But Lord, they do! We are living sacrifices meant to produce a pleasing aroma to those around us of your triumphal procession (2 Corinthians 2:14). And we get to do that by completing our to-do lists as offerings to you.

God, forgive us when we forget. Lord, we will forget. We allow our feelings to lead us to despise these opportunities, which will feel like chores rather than divine opportunities or answers to prayer. Thank you for being patient and forgiving us when we do this, God. Remind us through your Spirit, and through the encouragement and example of others, that what we do matters to you. God, teach us how to live this out in our everyday lives. Let our lives be holy and set apart and acceptable to you. In Your son Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
Paint and Sip Zoom Night

Paint and Sip Zoom Night

Get ready
for a fun night as we assemble for a Paint & Sip event and hear from two youth speakers. Grab your favorite beverage and paint supplies and join me for a night of fun and fellowship.