6/25/23 "Check Your Behavior "

6/25/23

5 Minutes of Focus 

"Check Your Behavior "

Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 1:19-20 NIV

"He had in mind to divorce her quietly." That part.

Now, If the truth be told...Some of us don't want to be quiet or to do things in a quiet manner.

Instead, We want to shout it from the root top and let everybody know how that person hurt us, how they did this, this, and this to us.

But not Joseph, He wasn't interested in getting back at Mary. He didn't want everybody to know that Mary had cheated on him and gotten pregnant (or at least that's what he believed to be true at the time).

If you have ever been cheated on or suspected a loved one of cheating...THEN you know, Joseph had to be hurting, but yet he was CHOOSING to behave quietly, to behave respectfully.

And Because of the way Joseph was planning to handle the situation: Quietly, Respectfully, NOT WANTING Mary to be disgraced...God came to him in a dream, in the form of an angel and told him what was really going on, and to NOT be afraid to take Mary as his wife. 

God came and eased Joseph's fears, came and put his concerns to rest. 

But why hasn't He came and done the same for some of us?

It's because of how we are planning (in our head) to handle the situation. God knows, if we have our way...

It's not going to be quiet, it's not going to respectful and somebody just might get hurt.

You see, Your behavior is always a choice despite what has been done to you, and UNTIL we learn to behave better,  to make some better choices; some questions will have to remain unanswered.

Until Next Sunday.

LPS~Love, Prophetess Stacy

6/18/23 "Sometimes They Stay"

6/18/23

5 Minutes of Focus 

"Sometimes They Stay"

She will give birth to a son, and you (Joseph) are to give him the name Jesus....

Matthew 1:21 NIV

Thinking about this scripture led to me thinking about all the fathers who have given a child their name, their last name, KNOWING that child wasn't biologically theirs.

But they stayed in the relationship and stuck it out for the sake of the child.

You see, I've come to realize that sometimes mothers aren't the only ones who are willing to sacrifice for the sake of their child.

There are STILL some fathers like Joseph out there who are willing to stay in a relationship they don't fully understand, but to please God, to do what He said, and do what's best for the child...They stay!!

And when I think about Mary & Joseph that's exactly what he did. He didn't fully understand what was going on with Mary; other than she was pregnant and he was not the father. He had thoughts of "quietly" divorcing her.

But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

Matthew 1:20‭-‬21 NIV

So, Today, I just want to give honor where honor is due...

Rom 13:7 NKJV

To: All The Joseph's out there...

Thank you for stepping up and

staying out of obedience to

God. You've help make that child who he and she is today.

YOU SHOULD BE PROUD... 

God is so pleased!!

#HappyFathersDay!!

Until Next Sunday. 

LPS~ Love, Prophetess Stacy

6/11/23 "Because I Care"

6/11/23

5 Minutes of Focus 

"Because I Care"

Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts.

Acts 3:2 NIV

The gate may have been beautiful, but what it took to get that lame man to the gate every day was not beautiful.

But nobody saw just how much of a struggle it really was, nobody but just his caregivers- those who would have to lift him, have to carry him because he could not walk on his own.

His caregivers were there for him, giving up time in their day every day to come and see about him.

The text doesn't say anything about friends (not even his family) coming to help him every day...It just says he got carried to a gate called Beautiful every day and placed in a certain position.

.

That's because caregivers are the real  "unsung" heros. Often they are under appreciated for the work that they do, under appreciated for the help that they provide, under appreciated because a lotta times, the work that they do is an "Act of Love" on their part.

As I'm typing this into my phone, I'm thinking about how the bible says, When we were unable to help ourselves, at the right time, Christ died for us, although we were living against God.

Romans 5:6 NCV

So, In a sense, Jesus has been our caregiver all this time. Think About It: How many times has Jesus done something for you that you couldn't do for yourself? How many times has Jesus made a way for you when there seemed to be no way?

It didn't matter to Him that we were (at that time) living against God...Sin had us in a crippled condition; we couldn't even help ourselves, but still He didn't overlook us.

Therefore, We need to stop overlooking those who care for our loved ones.Caregivers are doing the work of Jesus. 

Care giving is a ministry, not all ministries have a pulpit. 

Remember that!!

And if you are The Caregiver...Just know that I felt led to give you a shout out today because I care, because God cares. He is not overlooking you, you have not been forgotten. 

Until Next Sunday. 

LPS~Love, Prophetess Stacy

6/4/23 "It's Time To Ask"

6/4/23

5 Minutes of Focus 

"It's Time To Ask"

Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts.

Acts 3:2 NIV 

Maybe, It's just me, but looking at this portion of scripture... I wonder, What happened that made this man give up on being healed?...And when did he become content with begging every day?

I wonder, What lie he had to tell himself daily to lessen the blow of him, having to be carried NOT helped, but carried to the temple gate  every day?

You see, Helped would imply that they were only assisting him in doing what he was trying to do.

But carried implies that they had to pick him up, physically lift him because he couldn't do it on his own.

I wonder, if every day he had to fight off the Spirit of Depression or if he just layed there at the temple gate every day, depressed, feeling like a failure, feeling like a burden?

And I wonder, how many of you reading this can relate?

You're depressed, you feel like a failure, you feel like a burden to those around you....But you don't say anything.

And somebody like Peter and John have yet to show up...

Somebody who will challenge you and what it is, you say you need.  

Here this man was lame, unable to walk, but yet he was begging for money, making money the primary need in his life...UNTIL Peter & John showed up with a different perspective.

They knew he needed more than money...They knew he needed to get up and so Peter extended his hand. Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong.

Acts 3:7 NIV

Beloved, 

You can't stay as you are. In order to be made strong again...You must get up, shake off depression as best you can, little by little...And challenge yourself to ask for something other than money. It's time to ask for what you really need unapologetically. 

Ask and it will be given to you...Matt 7:7 NIV

Now is not the time to give up and just be content with things the way they are.

Until Next Sunday. 

LPS~Love, Prophetess Stacy