T.J.I.F.A.
THANK JESUS IT'S FRIDAY AGAIN!
PASS IT ON &...ON...& ON...&ON
FEBRUARY 28, 2003
TJIFA RECOGNIZES BLACK HISTORY MONTH - SALUTE!
SUBJECT: THE STRUGGLE
THE LIFE OF A CHRISTIAN ISN'T A BED OF ROSES, OR MAYBE IT IS WITH ALL OF THE THORNS IN TACT. ACCORDING TO PAUL IN 11COR.11:20-12:10; THIS LIFE THAT WE HAVE CHOSEN IS ONE THAT IS FULL OF EVERY KIND OF STRUGGLE AND CIRCUMSTANCE, PUT BEFORE US TO CAUSE FAILURE. BUT, WITH THE STRENGTH AND LOVE THAT GOD HAS GIVEN US THROUGH HIS SON, JESUS CHRIST, WE OVER COME AND ULTIMATELY WALK IN VICTORY. THE GLORY MAY NOT BE EVIDENT NOW, BUT IN DUE TIME AND SEASON THE REVELATION OF THE CONTENTS OF THE COCOON WILL BE UNDENIABLE.
NOTEWORTHY: BMCC BRINGS US QUOTES FROM KNOWN AND UNKNOWN VOICES FROM THE PAST.
FRIDAY'S WORD: TRANSMUTE
IN THE MIRROR: SLC BRINGS RELEVANCY TO HISTORY.
TASTE AND SEE: HOME MADE CHILLI FOR THESE COLD MARCH DAYS
PLEASE ENJOY " THE STRUGGLE "
LOOKING FORWARD
SEE YA NEXT TIME
TER
THE STRUGGLE
Ref: 11Cor.11:20 - 11Cor.12:10
There is a story about some children playing on the beach and came across a nest of young Sea Turtles. They were all of different ages and some had begun the laborious struggle to the ocean, across the sands of the beach. The children saw what a terrible time some of the very young Sea Turtles were experiencing and decided to help them by picking them up and placing them into the ocean. When they did, the turtles died, almost immediately, because, unknown to the children, the turtles needed the exercise of walking to the ocean to strengthen their lungs and extremities thus enabling them to have the power to swim.
The caterpillar could live a life of eating leaves and sleeping in the tallest fruit tree; instead one day, he starts spinning a cocoon around himself, so tight that only he can live there. Wouldn't you think that he would stop after he gets half way through? No. He just keeps on spinning that cocoon, and then he gets sleepy and goes to sleep. When he awakens... He is a beautiful butterfly, who has to work just as hard, if not harder, to get out of that same cocoon as he worked to get into it.
Here's the rub. If a good hearted stranger helps, the butterfly, get out of that cocoon... he'll die! He must experience the labor that it takes to free himself, otherwise he'll not be able to fly.
A woman is usually extremely happy when she finds out that she is pregnant with a much wanted child. The cost and the pain are not a primary concern, in the beginning. She only wants the end result, which is a healthy baby.
Then there are the trimesters, and all of their ‘irks' and quirks. It becomes hard to walk and breathe in the last few weeks. The struggle is just beginning. Just as the mother longed for the pregnancy, now she longs to be free of the struggle.
She has one day to hope for, and that is the day when she will hold her baby in her arms. When the day of the arrival finally comes, it is a day of LABOR! Sometimes very hard labor. The struggle can be greater than she ever could have imagined. But...her reward is ultimately in her arms.
Jesus Christ, the Son of GOD, experienced a treacherous struggle on His way to Calvary. After He had been beaten and abused by the Roman guards, He was given His own Cross to bear through the streets of Jerusalem. When His burden caused Him to falter with the struggle. A man from Cyrene was commanded to help Him, by carrying the Cross; But Jesus finished His struggle so that you and I can NOW call on His precious NAME...JESUS!
(Which brings us to a point. No one can become your substitute, but they can help you face your goal.)
Everyone has to go through and be faced with a major struggle in his or her Christian life. What that struggle is, only you and GOD know. But, if you don't experience that struggle in your life, some other joy will not be forth coming.
Christian; Don't allow anyone to take your struggle from you. Don't get hung up in a doctrine that tells you," There is no more struggling for the Christian." When you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you accept the struggle and the persecution that tags it as Christianity. We travel some of the same roads that others travel, the difference is that we move inch by inch on our knees. And as we go, we are strengthened in our stance and stand.
Just as the caterpillar, we weave around us a cocoon that is made of Spirit, Blood and Word. The GLORY isn't experienced until we are free, like the butterfly or Our Risen LORD.
My Testimony:
I observed struggling parents in the fifties and sixties. They were people who owned their own homes, and had many children. The children that they didn't have belonged to the neighbor, friends and relatives. All of them struggled to put food on their tables. There wwere a few things that were learned without books and one was how to survive day to year.
We watched our parents plant gardens, trade food and clothing; go fishing and pass out their catch to everyone; can food; watch homes while others worked; keep children in line while they played out side and mourn when they mourned.
Three and four families used the same phone number. Families lived together until they could afford to buy their own homes.
The ‘Struggle', was a way of life, that would some day be in the past. In this way of life, there was a fine thread that wove the hearts of the people together. It was a golden thread of LOVE, and STRENGTH. Love for the old Polish woman across the street who gave us jars of fresh canned peaches from her yard; and the Italian next door who gave us pizza; the Jewish Baker on the corner who gave us day old bread and pastries that we, in turn, passed out to others.
The strength was in having the desire to give in this struggling situation. The strength was in the ability to, LOOK FORWARD TO A NEW DAY.
Now, we pretend that there is no Struggle. Every home is protected by alarms. Burglar Bars; And dead bolts .
Where is the love? Where is the strength? While pretending there is no struggle, we have dismissed the golden thread that held humble people together in the midst of a turbulent, trying time.
Engage your struggle and you'll find Love and Strength to carry you through.
Looking Forward
See Ya Next Time
TER
NOTEWORTHY:
"Sometimes the only reward is to be able to stay in the struggle." Rosa Parks
"If He takes you to it, He will lead you through it." Author unknown
The Bud:
"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a Bud
was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." Author unknown
THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS NOVEMBER 19th, 1863
"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth upon this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. ......."
"That from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion; that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."
by President Abraham Lincoln
Contributed by BMcC
FRIDAY'S WORD: transmute - trans*mute; change, or cause to change in form nature, or appearance; to make into a radically different form, or composition
Transform and ‘transmute' can be used interchangeably; the connotation of transform more often deals with character, and nature.
You can take Christian perspective and ‘transmute' it into something that will bring glory unto God.
IN THE MIRROR:
February 28th marks the last day of "Black History" month. Being a black man myself I can surely appreciate it's whole meaning and purpose whereby it strengthens, builds and edifies. It causes me to look back at my heritage and see all the people of color who were instrumental in so many of the accomplishments, and the privileges that we experience today.
There is a reason I believe we look back at our heritage because as we look back we can always discover a greater meaning in looking forward. We're encouraged while we ponder our own personal goals. History plays a very integral role in mankind.
Jesus Christ is a "Historical " figure. He's the most talked about figure in all of human history. He never wrote one book, yet every thing is written about Him. If we can understand the importance of "Black History", or any other history, we can truly understand the significance in the revelation of Jesus Christ. God saw a perfect plan in our salvation. He didn't leave us with a historical knowledge of Jesus alone, but HE said HE would indwell us, (John 15:4) and so transform our lives that, we may live forever with Him.
It's difficult to look back in history without having a mental picture, or some type of depiction of Jesus Christ. It's important as Christians to be mindful of the fact that although Jesus walked as a man, [God-man] He was created for the spirit ; our mind (Phil.2:5) our will,(Matt.26:39) and our emotions,(John 16:7-John 15:26).
Prognosticators have used history as a "reliable" way of telling us the future, but with results that are ostensible.
When the Christian brings history into view we see through faith, the cross of Jesus Christ and how He came to earth to show us our total and complete future as we place our trust in Him.
I'm looking ‘Forward' today, all because Jesus allowed me to look back at the cross.
S.L.C.
O TASTE AND SEE
CHILLI
1/4 CUP OF OLIVE OIL
1 LARGE ONION - CHOPPED
2 TO 4 POUNDS OF GROUND TURKEY
1 TBL-SP GARLIC POWDER
1 CAN OF TOMATO SAUCE
1 CAN OF DICED TOMATOES
2 CANS OF CHILLI HOT BEANS
1 CAN OF BUSH CHILLI BEANS
2 PACKS OF FRENCHES CHILL-O SEASONING MIX
1 CAN OF KERNEL CORN
DIRECTIONS:
HEAT OIL IN LARGE SAUCE PAN ADD ONION.
BROWN ALL OF THE GROUND TURKEY ADD GARLIC
ADD TOMATO SAUCE AND DICED TOMATOES
SPRINKLE 2 PKS OF CHILL-O SEASONING MIX.
ADD ALL OF THE BEANS TO THE MIXTURE.
LET THIS COMBINATION SIMMER UNTIL VERY HOT
ADD CAN OF CORN AND SIMMER ON LOW UNTIL READY TO SERVE
NOTE: YOU MAY SPRINKLE GRATED CHEESE OVER THE TOP OF THIS INDIVIDUAL SERVING BOWL.
EAT WITH YOUR FAVORITE CRACKERS OR BUTTERED CORN BREAD
TER