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Good morning, Family:

In America, in the month of February, we celebrate Black History Month. Most of black history month is encapsulated through the eyes of African Americans from the time of slavery forward. Not too many African Americans know about their history prior to slavery, due in part to record keeping, property assignments and miseducation. With that being said, African American music is interwoven throughout the United States and beyond.

It has always been my desire to use gospel and Christian  music as a platform to reach the world. Music goes beyond the ears and into the sinews of the heart, mind, spirit and soul. African Americans music, especially gospel music, communicates so many things. It speaks of literal and figurative bondage and freedom. It speaks of bondage to man as well as bondage to sin. At the same time it speaks of freedom from man and freedom through Christ. 

The song Wade in the Water is one of those old negro spirituals that have dual meaning. Because many slaves knew the secret meanings of these songs, they could be used to signal many things. For example, Harriet Tubman used the song “Wade in the Water” to tell escaping slaves to get off the trail and into the water to make sure the dogs slavecatchers used couldn’t sniff out their trail. People walking through water did not leave a scent trail that dogs could follow. Read the words of “Wade in the Water.”

Chorus: Wade in the Water, wade in the water children.
Wade in the Water. God’s gonna trouble the water.

Who are those children all dressed in Red?
God’s gonna trouble the water.
Must be the ones that Moses led.
God’s gonna trouble the water.

Chorus.

Who are those children all dressed in White?
God’s gonna trouble the water.
Must be the ones of the Israelites.
God’s gonna trouble the water.

Chorus.

Who are those children all dressed in Blue?
God’s gonna trouble the water.
Must be the ones that made it through.
God’s gonna trouble the water.
Chorus. (Courtesy of: http://pathways.thinkport.org/secrets/music2.cfm)

Listen to the African American Female a capella group Sweet Honey in the Rock as they sing “Wade in the Water.”  The song sings of spiritual and physical freedom.

As there are Christians in every color, nationality, and race, we all can relate to this song. I’m sure that God has rescued each of us from dual snares and provided a way of escape. Amen

Study and meditate on Romans 8.

Go in peace, while praising and serving the Lord.

Rev. Marcia F. Davis

Good Morning, Beloved Family:

When we say that Jesus is the Rock of our salvation, what does it mean? It means that we stand, in faith, believing that Jesus Christ is the foundation by which we can call ourselves heirs, coheirs and a family of the Redeemed.

Believing and having the same revelation that Peter did, we know that Jesus is the only begotten, not made, Son of God. 

Matthew 16:13-20 

The Message (MSG)

Son of Man, Son of God

¹³ When Jesus arrived in the villages of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “What are people saying about who the Son of Man is?”

¹⁴ They replied, “Some think he is John the Baptizer, some say Elijah, some Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”

¹⁵ He pressed them, “And how about you? Who do you say I am?”

¹⁶ Simon Peter said, “You’re the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

^17-18 Jesus came back, “God bless you, Simon, son of Jonah! You didn’t get that answer out of books or from teachers. My Father in heaven, God himself, let you in on this secret of who I really am. And now I’m going to tell you who you are, really are. You are Peter, a rock. This is the rock on which I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out.

¹⁹ “And that’s not all. You will have complete and free access to God’s kingdom, keys to open any and every door: no more barriers between heaven and earth, earth and heaven. A yes on earth is yes in heaven. A no on earth is no in heaven.”

²⁰ He swore the disciples to secrecy. He made them promise they would tell no one that he was the Messiah.

Go in peace and faith, knowing that you are standing on an unshakable Rock, Jesus Christ, our Lord!!!

Rev. Marcia F. Davis

Good morning, Family:

In the words of the camel from the popular Geico Insurance commercial, “Guess what day is it? Its Hump Day!”

I like to call Wednesdays my “reset” day. If the first part of my week didnt go so well, I perform an internal check and line the rest of my week up with the Word of God.

Here are the questions I ask myself:

1. How was my thinking, when I lined it up with Philippians 4:8? Philippians 4:8
English Standard Version (ESV)
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

2. If I experienced a lot of spiritual warfare, did I remember to equip myself with Ephesians 6:10-18?  The Armor of God
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

3. If I find myself listening or watching certain things in the media, did I place those things through the filter of God by making sure 2 Corinthians 10:5 was activated?            2 Corinthians 10:5 New International Version (NIV) 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

I invite you to take a spiritual inventory today. Ask yourself the three key questions above. When you are finished, get ready to move to higher ground. 

Heavenly Father: May each day of our lives be a worship song back to you. Teach and help us all to understand that worshipping you is a lifestyle and a daily choice. Today, Lord, and everyday, we chose you. Help us to walk this intimate relationship with you. In the name of your Redeeming Son, Jesus Christ, Amen. 

Go in peace, Family, while praising and serving the Lord. 

Rev. Marcia F. Davis

Good morning, Family:

I pray all is well and you woke up this morning knowing that if you give your cares, worries, fear and trouble to God, He will take care of things. Sometimes, God walks with us through the valley and sometimes God takes us on a higher road. Either way, we will never walk alone. 

Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Isaiah 41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

Go in peace, while serving the Lord. In Jesus name. Amen. 

Family, my prayer for us today is to remember that God is in our midst. Trust His voice. 

I love you and I am so very thankful for each of you. 

In Christ, Alone,

Rev. Marcia F. Davis

Good morning, Family:

I remember, one of my former pastors, in Georgia, used to make the entire church stand up before he would preach his sermon. He would say, “Grab your bibles and repeat after me. This is my Bible. I can do what it says I can do. I can be who it says I can. I am who God says I am. Amen.” We would feel so empowered each time we would say those words, because we were coming into agreement with the Word and authority of God. 

In the same way 2 Corinthians 5 says this:

2 Corinthians 5:16-19 

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁶ Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. ¹⁸ Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, ¹⁹ that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

Do you believe what the Word says?

Do you what God says about you?

If so, walk in the that Truth. You are who God says you are and so am I.

Shhhh…. A little secret. The enemy’s biggest fear is that you accept and walk in the authority of who you really are.

Go in peace and joy, while faithfully serving the Lord.

Rev. Marcia F. Davis

 

Good morning, Family:

I greet you with an abundance of love, that pours out from heaven. As Christians, our main goal is to walk with Christ and to lead others, through love, to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

As a redeemed child of God, I love to worship, pray and spend time with God, as many of you do as well. God is continually maturing us in our faith walk. One thing I learned is that our walk isn’t just for us. God works through us to bring others closer to him.

We may do many amazing exploits for the the Lord. Our gifts and talents may take us around the world. He has given each of us amazing gifts and talents, but they are all for leading people closer to Him. 

As God beings to elevate us among the nations, one thing we must remember. All the glory and honor should point back to God and not us. One of the easiest traps the enemy sets for us is falling into the trap of pride. We are not sharing the spotlight with God, we are, instead, pointing the spotlight on God.

Will we be ok if no one remembers our name, but they will remember the day we helped lead them to Christ?

Matthew 16:24-25 

New King James Version (NKJV)

Take Up the Cross and Follow Him

²⁴ Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, andfollow Me. ²⁵ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

Go in peace, joy and love, while faithfully serving the Lord. 

In Christ, 

Rev. Marcia F. Davis

Good morning, Family:

I pray that this Monday is greeting you with love, peace and joy. I know many folks may be tired and sleepy, from staying up a little bit too long last night from watching the SuperBowl. Our household had about 4.25 hours of sleep, but I still woke up feeling refreshed, knowing that I was on my Lord’s heart.

This weekend had its share of ups and downs. My heart hurt, because my dear friend Angela lost her six year battle with cancer, but through it all, and even before, she displayed how much she truly, truly loved God. Whether she had good days or bad days, Angela loved and lived out her devotion to God. Every aspect of her life demonstrated that love. 

It sang, “I Can Only Imagine,” by MercyMe, at her funeral yesterday. That was the one song she requested to be sung. The service was absolutely beautiful and loving. It completely captured who Angela was in so many ways. 

I kept thinking about how good Jesus is to us and how much He loves us. We always have a friend, and comfort, knowing that He will never never leave us or forsake us. 

John 15:9-17 

New King James Version (NKJV)

Love and Joy Perfected

⁹ “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. ¹⁰ If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.

¹¹ “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. ¹² This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.¹⁴ You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. ¹⁵ No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. ¹⁶ You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you. ¹⁷ These things I command you, that you love one another.

Today’s worship video is homage to what an amazing Friend we all have in Jesus. Lay your burdens down at His feet and pick up peace, love, and an unspeakable joy. 

Go in peace, Family, while joyfully and faithfully serving the Lord, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Rev. Marcia F. Davis

Good morning, Beloved Family:

I give thanks, praise, and honor to the Triune God-head. God, the Father, God, the Son and God, the Holy Sweet Spirit.

Family, yesterday, I had the honor of visiting a dear friend of mine, who is in the transitioning season of her life, at a beautiful hospice facility here in Georgia.  She and I have worked together for over ten years. One of the things that I recognized about her, when we first met, so many years ago, is the love she showed.

There was a sweetness in her spirit. Even before I knew her spiritual affiliation, I knew that she loved God. The reason I knew is because I recognized the presence of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is like a fragrance. No matter who is wearing the fragrance, you recognize the scent right away.

When I walked into her hospice room, the same sweet fragrance was there. I stayed and talked with the family for a short while. Upon going back to my vehicle, I started singing the song, “Sweet, Sweet Spirit.” It has been on my heart all last night and all this morning.

The world of God says in John 13, that if we are Jesus’s disciples, the world will know we are His by our Love. My dear friend displayed and lived out who she belonged to every day. I know for sure that God will say to you, “Well done, my good and faithful servant. The banquet table is ready for you.”

John 13:33-35

New International Version (NIV)

³³ “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.

³⁴ “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

Go in peace and in Love, while faithfully serving the Lord. 

Rev. Marcia F. Davis

Praise God from Whom ALL blessings flow!!!

Good morning, Family:

Happy Monday. This is the day the Lord has made. I WILL REJOICE and be glad, excited and overflowing with joy about it!!

Can I get a witness?!

Can I get a witness, is phrase that asks those that are agreement with what you are saying to “sound-off,” because they know what you are saying to be true for themselves. 

Psalm 107:1-2

English Standard Version (ESV)

Book Five

Let the Redeemed of the Lord Say So

Good morning, Family:

I greet you this morning, along with a great unseen cloud of witnesses, and shout HALLELUJAH to the All knowing and everlasting God.

Revelation 19:6-9

New International Version (NIV)

⁶ Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:

“Hallelujah!
    For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
⁷ Let us rejoice and be glad
    and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
    and his bride has made herself ready.
⁸ Fine linen, bright and clean,
    was given her to wear.”

(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)

⁹ Then the angel said to me, “Write this:Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”

I’m not sure if you, or someone you know, has been affected by the partial government shutdown. The shutdown has affected the country. The only good thing that has come out of this is seeing the goodness of people coming together to help one another.

Each time I turn on the TV, I see where furloughed workers are being assisted with food, money and other basic needs. God is putting on people’s hearts to help their brothers and sisters. Your color doesn’t matter and your political affliction doesn’t matter. Every nation represented in this country is being helped. Praise God

God promised to never leave us or forsake us. May we continue to stand and pray for our great country and its leaders.

Never forget. It is God who reigns!!!! Amen. Go in peace, while faithfully and joyfully serving Lord.

Rev. Marcia F. Davis