In Israel times when people called out to God, they frequently wept, fasted, and put on sack cloth and ashes. These were not casual request for God’s blessings, but serious prayers because they did not have modern medicine, a strong army, police force to maintain law and order, or the money to fight someone who had falsely accused them. Their only hope was to depend on God for mercy and protection. They did not hide their feelings of sorrow or disappointment. They believed God could solve their problems. They expressed themselves because they believed their situation would change when God heard their prayers.

 Even though we are modernized, just like the Israelites our only hope is to depend on God for mercy and grace. In our busy world , people do not spend much time describing their problems or telling God how they feel about these difficulties. We just want a quick fix. Everything is instant and unfortunately, that sometimes include instant prayers. I’m not saying we have to pray long drawn out prayers every time we pray, but we as believers need to be open with God, tell Him exactly how we feel. When we call on God, we admit that we are unable to solve all the problems of life on our own strength. By calling on God and by faith, we can rest in his strength. Once we pray we must turn our attention from the problem to God. That is the key to surviving the storm as we wait on God. When we trust God, we are confident that God’s salvation will bring joy; He will turn our ashes into beauty. As we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the struggles of this earth will grow strongly dim in the light of His glory and grace. Even life’s struggles will become beautiful struggles. You know, the man without shoes see’s the man without feet, the person who has to walk to work, see’s the person in the wheelchair or the one who has no job to walk to, the person who has no money and good health, see’s the rich person who has an illness that money can’t cure. You get my point. Your struggles of life become beautiful struggles  when you look around and you thank Jesus for what you do have!

Transportation was difficult in Israel times. People who lived a long way from Jerusalem were able to come to the temple and worship God only a few times each year. Because of Christ Jesus, we can worship and pray to God anytime! I think this is huge! For me it’s the same concept of not voting when people have died so I can have that privilege. Jesus died so we can come to God through Him. Thank you Jesus!  In times of difficulty we can bring all our burdens to God, we can praise and worship Him even if we can’t move from our bed! He always hears and comforts those who come to Him. The prayer for help should not be centered on the problem or what is needed. It should focus on God’s ability to answer prayer and our commitment to trust God, and to glorify Him and His divine grace. Love and Blessings…

 

 

I’m not sure why David took five smooth stones with him to fight Goliath. Some say it may have been because Goliath had four giant brothers (2 Samuel 21:22). Some say he may have doubted God or maybe he was just being prepared in case one stone didn’t do the job. I believe because God had been faithful in the past and protected him, David trusted God. One stone or five, David knew victory was his. David told Goliath that he came with spear and sword, but his weapon was God the Father. (1 Samuel 17:37). David knew the power was not in his sling but in God.

 I, like David have learned that God has the power! The last years I have faced physical, mental, and financial giants. And by the grace of God I am still standing. Not feeling or looking like what I have been through. I have survived! I know that God allowed situations and challenges to stretch me so that I could be ready to fulfill my purpose. Nothing prepares you more than when you have been stretched! There is no way I could be ready without training. Even athletes train, they have to if they want to be at their A game. I thank God for my time in the wilderness. I am stronger and better because of it. It is the reason I can handle life challenges today. I trust El Shaddai, God Almighty. God gave me strength at a time when I had none left. And because of that, there is no problem or circumstance I feel I cannot handle.  So you would think the enemy would go somewhere and sit down! You would think he knows I have a relationship with God and he can’t touch me. He  knows I am striving to be like David, a woman after God’s heart. Trust me, that don’t stop the enemy. That just makes him mad. The Bible teaches that God allows satan a certain amount of freedom (Job 1:12), but that freedom is always limited. We cannot blame God for what satan does. Our weakness to satanic attack started with Adam’s choice to follow satan’s lies in the Garden of Eden. When satan attacked Job through the loss of his family, wealth, and health, Job didn’t blame God. (Job 1:21-22). Neither do I blame God. I put the blame where it belongs, that lying thieving snake of a devil! I am furious with the enemy! He knows he can’t get to me. Every time he tries, I’m like, that’s all you got, my God is greater! So he has decided to come after my love ones. He thinks he can get me where my heart is. Well satan, my heart belongs to God! My loved ones belong to God! I declare war! And like David, I have faith that I will come out victorious! I know he comes to kill, steal and destroy, but he best believe he will not have my loved ones without a fight! I plead the blood of Jesus over my loved ones. I stand with my six smooth stones; the helmet of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth, the shield of faith, the sandals of peace, and the sword of the Spirit. The full armor of God, my six smooth stones. David only had five! I stand on God’s Word. He said I can do all things through Him that strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13) I am a prayer warrior! When prayer warriors go down on their knees, the battle is not over, it is just beginning! There is power in prayer! Prayer is the way we draw strength from God and rely on Him. Prayer activates the armor. Without God, and dependence on Him through prayer, our efforts in spiritual battle would be useless.

 Sisters and brothers, y’all better take a stand. Don’t let satan afflict your loved ones with sickness, crime, tragedy or persecution, just because he can’t get to you. The enemy is not attacking you because you are weak, he is attacking you because you have a purpose. And if he can’t get to you, he will go through those you love. Declare war! Tell him as David did, “You come to me with a sword(disease), a spear(poverty), and a javelin(confusion), but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have taunted. “This day the LORD will deliver you up into my hands, and I will strike you down and remove your head from you.” (1 Samuel 17:45-46). God can turn what the enemy meant for bad into good for his ultimate purpose. The battle is the Lord’s, but we are His soldiers. We must prepare and stand. It is God who goes before us, giving us the victory! (Deuteronomy 1:30-33). And He gets the glory! Ha, you lose again devil! Love and blessings…

 

 

Jesus treated women with a level of respect unheard in that era. I believe He had the same level of respect for women as He did men. Women were basically property at the time, but Jesus spoke to women, ate with women, let women sit at his feet and be taught by Him (usually reserved for men). Jesus made it clear that we are not second class. In Jewish culture men did not speak to non family women directly. The woman at the well was shocked that Jesus spoke to her because she was a woman and a Samaritan as well. Yet Jesus did not treat the woman as though she were less important than anyone else. Jesus does not follow the rules of man, but the heart of God. He came to offer new life to all people. Wherever Christ goes, womanhood is lifted. Jesus showed many times how he loved and respected women. He spoke with the widow Nain in a crowd of mourners and called her son back to life. (Luke 7:11-17). He cures a woman who had been crippled for eighteen years, laying hands on her in the Temple and saying, “Woman, you are set free of your infirmity” (Luke 13:12). When the leader of the synagogue becomes indignant that Jesus has healed a woman on the Sabbath, Jesus uses a title of particular dignity for her, “daughter of Abraham” (Luke 13:16). While the expression “son of Abraham” was often used to indicate that a male Jew was recognized as bound by covenant to God, women had never been called “daughters of Abraham.” With this title, Jesus recognizes this woman as having equal worth. Jesus refuses to view women as unclean or especially deserving of punishment. Women who were menstruating or persons who had any flow of blood were considered ritually unclean. In this condition, women were not allowed to participate in most religious rituals. Anything or anyone she touched was deemed unclean. Jesus had compassion for the woman with the issue of blood. He says nothing of her ritual impurity, but instead addresses her as “Daughter,” saying that her faith has saved her and tells her to go in peace (Luke 8:48). Jesus recognizes the dignity of women in situations that seem by ritual law to demand judgment, for example, the sinful woman who anoints Jesus (Luke 7:36-50) and that of the woman caught in adultery (John 8:3-11). In both cases he sees the person as someone deserving compassion. Jesus not only taught women, but some women traveled with him and ministered to him. In Luke 8:1-3, Jesus is described as journeying from village to village, preaching and proclaiming the Kingdom of God. “The Twelve” were with him and several women: “Mary called Magdalene, from whom several demons had gone out, Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources.” And let us not forget about Ruth. Ruth abandoned her lifelong home and her pagan gods. She chose to make Naomi’s God her God. And she was blessed with her Boaz. In an age when childbearing was seen as the highest honor for women, Ruth played a key role in the coming of the promised Messiah.

Sisters, Jesus loves us and there is nothing we can do about it. We are the daughters of Abraham. So unshackle those chains, take His Word into your heart and run into your destiny. Set yourself free from limitations, our God is limitless. Let Him who loves you heal you, deliver you, and break the chains that are holding you back.  He can transform you. He can speak life into what you thought was dead. There is no problem or situation he can’t see you through. I feel the chains breaking! The Son has set us free! Love and Blessings…

 

Sometimes when we go through difficult times or trails we feel  no one really cares or understands. It does not matter how close our families are or how many friends we have, we still feel alone. At times you may feel  that God is far away and you don’t feel  His presence. Many people go through this. We have to remember that people may leave us but God does not lie. God is always with us. He said that He will never leave us nor forsake us. God has promised us His constant presence. Because we cannot see Him, does not mean He is not with us. God blesses us with many gifts, but His presence is the best present. I believe we have to practice being conscious of God’s presence. We have to see God in whatever we do and wherever we are. Every morning when we wake,  we have to be conscious of His presence. If you have problems or decisions to make, He is there to listen and if we listen to Him, He will bring clarity and wisdom. I have experienced a peace that gives me joy beyond words no matter the circumstances.  That is because  I am conscious of His presence every single day. I find myself wanting to imitate Him. This is because you cannot be in God’s presence without His beauty, love, peace, power and glory rubbing off on you. The same earthly concept of who you hang with rubbing off on you applies, trust me, you cannot keep better company! When you become conscious of God’s presence in your life, worries and fears will have no grip in your mind. They may appear but just as quickly disappear because worry and fear cannot occupy the same space as God. Negative and destructive things you once said or did without a thought to yourself or anyone else, you will no longer do, not because of your own willpower, but because there is self-control which comes supernaturally when you know that the one who loves you and watches over you is with you. You’re not troubled when the enemy tries to attack your health, finances, or family, because He that is greater is right there with you. If you are conscious of God’s presence, whatever this world throws at you may cause you to bend, but never break.  It is comforting to know our Father will take care of us for the rest of our life. We are never alone and always cared for. Thank you Emmanuel (God with us). One way we can be conscious of God’s presence is to study His Word. Please read today’s scripture in Food for the Soul. Love and Blessings…

In the book, “The Jungle” by Upton Sinclair there is a quote; “There is one kind of prison where a man is behind bars, and everything that he desires is outside; and there is another kind where the things are behind the bars, and the man is outside.” This quote can be interpreted different ways but if you read the book, the context is clear. The main character had been released from jail (should not have been there in the first place I might add), and while there he lost his job, his wife, and for a while ended up homeless and hungry. Even though he was no longer behind bars and he was free, everything he desired, everything he needed to survive might as well have been behind bars, because they were out of his reach. I have never been locked up, thank God! But I have been in a season where it seemed every way I turned, no matter what I did, I was getting no results. I have been in a season when I didn’t know where my next meal was coming from. I have been broke and I have been homeless. So I understand how one can be free physically but everything you need is out of reach or behind bars as the author puts it.

Whatever God inspires me to write, that is what I write. Usually I write and then I use my God-given creativity to find a picture image to go with Emmanuel’s post on Facebook. God has never shown me an image, until now. I saw the image and then I heard God say, open the door, I have set you free. Wow! So I’m thinking, yes Jesus, you died so that we could live. We are free because of your sacrifice. In Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit that brings life made us free. Lord, you could have called ten thousand to destroy this world, but you chose to die so we could live. This has to be the Word you want me to write about! Or so I thought. It is true that Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice. However, His sacrifice was not so we can be physically free, but so we can be spiritually free. Whether we are awake with the living or asleep with the dead, if Christ is in us, we are alive with Him! We are spiritually free! The image God gave me of someone behind bars is not the physical being looking out, but the spiritual person looking in! So what exactly is a spiritual person? Spirituality is persistently seeking to know God and doing God’s will. Our knowledge of who God is, His character, love for us, and His mercy extended to us, should change us, it should cause us to want to live for Him and do things that pleases Him. The more I learn and know about Him, the more I want a genuine relationship with God. This is the image, the spiritual person looking in that God showed me. So why is a child of God looking in at all these things that seem out of reach; the job, the house, the spouse, peace, love, joy and contentment. Why would Jesus free us and keep these things from us? This is the message! These things that seem out of reach, Jesus died so that we can have these things, and have them in abundance. He did not die for us to live a life of sickness, injustice, suffering and pain. These things exist because of this sinful world, but He is greater than all these things! In all our troubles, we have complete victory through God who has shown His love for us. And if He does allow us to suffer as His son suffered, count it joy, remember that Jesus died but He also raised from death and is our advocate at God’s right side. Remember that it is but for a season and God promises us that there will be joy in the morning, trust Him enough to know He is in control and everything will work out for the good for those who love Him! Whatever these dangerous times bring, God is able to handle the situation. Our job is to seek God. His job is to care for His children. He has set us free! Thank you Jesus! Now open the door and receive what God has promised you! He has opened doors that no man can shut! Go get your blessings! Don’t take my word for it, read today’s Word in Food for the Soul. Love and Blessings…

 

 

 

 

 

Before I surrendered my life to Christ, I could come up with some good excuses for not doing what God wanted me to do. Now that I know God, I have no excuse and yet, I admit I still sometimes make excuses for not being obedient to the will of God. I don’t want to be disobedient. My desire is that everything I do is pleasing in God’s eyes. It’s just at times I have felt out of my comfort zone or sometimes I have just felt not qualified. You know what I mean, “I need to straighten myself out first,” or “I’m not ready yet”. As Christians we sometimes use the excuses of the lack of skill and qualifications. Now I know I can’t sing and God must know it too cause He has not called me to sing (the people thank you God). However, I do know people who can sing and God has put in their heart to sing, but because they feel they are not as good as someone else or they have not had professional training, they hold back. We all  feel  hints of insecurity and self-doubt ay times. But when God looks at us, he doesn’t focus on what we can’t do; he sees what he can do through us. In fact, sometimes the individual whom God chooses not only surprise us but also surprise the one chosen! All through the scriptures we find that it is God who does the empowering, and qualifying of His people. I could start with Moses who we know had many excuses on why he could not fulfill his calling. And what about David who represents himself as weakness itself in his Psalms which is the text-book for all human weaknesses, sorrow, struggles, and aspirations. But I rather talk about the four women mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus. Tamar, Rahab, Ruth and Bathsheba, all women who had morally questionable backgrounds. Tamar resorted to deception and prostitution to produce children through her father-in-law. Yet, it was from her line, the tribe of Judah, that the Messiah came. Rahab was a Gentile and a prostitute in Jericho. She became a believer in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. She also became the mother of Boaz, who married Ruth. Ruth was morally upright. But as a Moabitess, she was a Gentile and therefore considered unclean. Yet, she became the grandmother of David whom the Jews regard as their greatest king. Bathsheba committed adultery with David. Later, she gave birth to King Solomon from whose royal line Jesus descended. I’m not judging but these women were far from what I would call qualified to be in the genealogy of Jesus. What does this tell us? God is saying that He is greater than our sins. His grace is greater than our sins, so that even when the world disqualifies us, He can qualify us to receive His blessings! God is saying that he is a God of second, third, and many chances. These women’s stories show us that even when our troubles are of our own making, they are neither final nor fatal. Even when all our earthly connections are gone, and we may think it is the end, God can instantly turn things around. Then end becomes the beginning. The pain becomes joy. The lost is restored. I am a witness! Yes, if we look at our natural circumstances we can become discouraged. But if we look at our God and trust in Him, He can make the impossible possible. He qualifies the unqualified. Exercising our faith allows God to do great things in each of us. Faith is the victory that overcomes the world and our weaknesses. Step out in faith, for it is God who qualifies us. Love and Blessings…

 

Our character is the sum of all the qualities that make us who we are: our values, our thoughts, our words, and our actions. Our character is much more than just our reputation.  Our reputation is only what others see and think about us.  Our character is who we really are, even when no one is watching. Growing up, my parents expected us to act sensibly and responsible. My mother was strict and used physical discipline(which now would be considered child abuse). My mother demanded obedience. Neither of my parents drank or smoked. Although my mother could curse like a sailor, she insisted we went to church every Sunday. I was raised to know the difference between right and wrong, and that there were consequence when you chose to do wrong. I believe our childhood and how we are raised has a lot to do with the building of our character. I also believe God puts a moral knowledge within us. The Holy Spirit is our voice of conscience, the voice of reason, wisdom, good sense, and good judgment. When we activate it (by accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior) and we make it a habit of listening to and obeying the Holy Spirit within, it builds our character. We each have to make personal decisions that will decide our character. We have to decide whether we will lie or tell the truth, do the job right or fake it through, take the easy road or the right road, etc. Life is filled with temptations, obstacles, frustrations, inner struggles and dilemmas that we all have to cope with, things which test our character. To be a witness for Christ, we have to sometimes walk a separate road than the popular road. The popular road belongs to the world. God’s way is not the way of the world. We can’t have both, God and the world.

 What characteristics should describe a true Christian? How is the true follower of Christ to live? We can find the answer to these questions in our instruction book on life, the Bible. We know that we are Christian because we profess Christ to be God and hold Him in the highest esteem. We know that we are Christians because we walk in the light. Our style of life is gradually conformed to what God has revealed to us about His nature and will. (John 1: 4-7). We know that we are Christian because we keep Gods commandments. (1 John 2:3-4). We know that we are Christian because we love other Christians and we love those who do not know the Lord. To be a Christian means to follow Christ, to strive to be like Christ. We fall short most times, but we have the desire to know God’s will, strive to obey it, and we repent when we are disobedience. As Christians there should be a change that happens in our character. One of the changes in me is that my focus has changed. I recognize the importance of the eternal. I value the character of Christ that makes all things new. Instead of comparing ourselves with other people and judging ourselves better, we should keep our comparisons between ourselves and Christ and have the desire to change into someone more like Jesus. The struggle is real. It takes practice. It takes prayer, but it takes more than prayer. It takes God’s Spirit living inside of us, and it takes knowledge and the study of God’s Word. It takes practice! As the saying goes practice makes perfect. It is a process! Because of the Holy Spirit and God’s grace we have the power to make that change. It is a process. Our Character should match our witness for Christ. Love and Blessings…

 

When I was a child, I thought if I had perfect grades, did everything my parents told me to do, and was a good little girl I would be loved by everybody. When that didn’t happen, I think I became obsessed with everything I did having to be perfect. Not for other people but for myself. Throughout most of my adult life I strived to be this perfect person.Not physically, but in everything I set out to do.  It worked well for my career and my  job performance. I excelled. And I decided not to worry so much about what other people thought about me as long as I felt like I was perfect. I was half right; we should not worry about what others think of us. We will never be able to please everybody all the time. The best we can do is accept people for who they are, and hope they do the same.  However, how wrong was I when I decided not to accept less than perfect from myself. I set myself up for stress and heartbreak. Someone said, “Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good. Striving for perfect performance can prevent the risk necessary for growth.” How right they were. I use to say if I can’t do it right (which meant perfect to me then) I rather not do it at all. I can see now how that could prevent growth and stop you from trying new things. Not to mention the stress and pressure you put on yourself. Example; Emmanuel was inspired by God. What I write comes from what the Holy Spirit puts in my heart. Sometimes I think it’s meant for me and sometimes it may be for someone else. Initially I was concerned about if anyone would read or share it, but God said who needed to see it, would see it. So I let him handle that. But here is the thing, I was writing every day, no matter how I felt. The pressure was on! And I let God know I was feeling a bit pressured, And God said to me, “I told you to write, I didn’t tell you to write every day.” I made that call because I felt it would be “perfect” to write every day since God is always putting something in my spirit. Ok God, I get it. Sometimes we put pressure on our own self even when we think we are doing what God wants us to do. We need to really listen when God speaks. So for now I will be blogging on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays unless God tells me different!

In this life we will always be works in progress. Apostle Paul explained how when we try to perfect ourselves, it can blind us in our need for Christ. I should know better, because I learned this during my time in the wilderness. When I let go of my efforts to be strong and my need to be self-sufficient, that is when I experienced Jesus living within me. Only in our imperfection can we experience God’s perfect power. If we were perfect then why did Jesus die for us? It’s not about us being perfect or strong. If we humbly accept our constant need for the only perfect One, we will be strong and perfect in Him. Because if we are rooted in Him, then we can do all things through Him.

Of course we should strive to do the best in everything we do, while at the same time realizing that our best may not and does not have to be perfect. We should strive to do what is good and what is right in God’s eyes. And everything we do should be for His glory. Relying on the Father gives us the opportunity to live in a relationship with Him. Every moment we draw breath is a gift from God! We can thank him by glorifying him and doing what is pleasing in His sight. I still struggle a little with trying to do things perfect and I believe it comes from my childhood. We all come from families that are broken in one way or another. I thank God for loving us in that brokenness and for showing us what real unconditional love looks like. It is good to know God; the “Perfect” Father will never let us down, leave us, or stop loving us. I am not perfect but I am loved by the Perfect One. The more I rely on Jesus, the more peaceful and less stressful my life is.  Love and Blessings…

 

 

Cell phones give us almost unlimited contact with others. Some people never leave home without them because they feel disconnected somehow. I’m not one of those people. I’m like leave a message or wait until I get home. I’m learning to live in the moment and enjoy what I’m doing while I’m doing it. Anyway, I’m still stuck in the days of the answering machine! Don’t judge me. I think cell phones are great but there are restrictions. Some people talk on the phone or text even while driving, which is not cool and illegal in some places. If it’s that important, please pull off the road, then talk and text to your heart’s delight!

 There is another kind of communication that has no restrictions: prayer. We can pray whether we are coming, going, or sitting still. We can even pray while driving. My best prayer and worship time is while I walk in the early mornings. I love talking to God while driving. God invites us to call on him anytime, all the time. There is never a busy signal. It does not matter how early or how late. He is available for our quick cry or for a lengthy conversation. If you feel the need to pray quickly and in a less than ideal situation, go right ahead. You do not need to be anywhere special for God to hear you. He will understand your distress and cares only that you love him in your heart and try to follow him. He welcomes us into a relationship with Him, a constant and endless sharing of our joys, gratitude, needs, questions, and concerns. Access to God is always open, no restrictions. In the New Testament, Paul’s words advice each person who want to communicate with God to “pray continual” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Prayer is not just about asking God for something. Thank God for all of his blessings. Thank him for the things that make you happy, that make your life better, or that make the world a better place. Understand that these blessings are God showing his love for his people and should be celebrated and appreciated. Ask God’s forgiveness for the mistakes that you make. Keep your heart open and remember that we all make mistakes: nobody is perfect. Though you may have trouble admitting it or thinking of a mistake you have made, you will find some way that you can be better. Be sincere and you will know in your heart that God forgives you. Ask God’s guidance. He isn’t a genie or some magical grantor of wishes…He is merely there to guide you on the path you are meant to follow. Ask him to lead you and show you the right decisions and the ways to better yourself as a person, as well as the world and people around you. Pray for those who you feel need prayers. You can pray for your family, for your friends, or for strangers. Ask God to show them His love and to also help them find their way when they are lost. Do not cast judgment on them or their problems: God is the only Judge and He will do what is right. You do not have to use big words or long repetitive prayers. God is our friend. Talk to Him as if he is your best friend, because He is. Unlike my cell phone, I never have to worry about leaving home without the Holy Spirit, He lives in me. He lives in you. He is our direct communication to God. Love and Blessings…

 

 

 

Some readers may have heard of Matthew Henry. He is one of the most respected biblical scholars of the past three hundred years; his work is extensive. I started last year using his commentaries in my Bible studies after hearing Kellie Lane, spiritual leader of Warrior Nation Ministries read some of his commentaries. Today while studying and reading one of his commentaries my Spirit led me in a totally different direction. I had a strong desire to know about this man who was a preacher, scholar and was well-known for his “Commentary” on the Bible. His work has gained a reputation as the best and most widely used work of its kind. I had no idea why God was leading me to pull up this man’s biography. The following is what I found out:

Matthew Henry was brought up with all the advantages of a Christian home and family and he showed such an aptitude for learning that he was able to read the Bible by the age of three. Each day his parents gathered the children for morning and evening devotions, and after prayers and scripture readings, it was customary for his father to give a brief exposition of a passage from the Bible on which the children were encouraged to write their own accounts. After surviving a serious attack of fever at the age of ten, his thoughts were drawn to his own spiritual condition and he was deeply moved by a sermon on the subject of judgment. He wrote, “I was under great fear of hell, till the Lord comforted me. I, having engaged in serious examination, what hopes I have that when I die and leave this earthly tabernacle I shall be received into heaven ,I have found several marks that I am a Child of God.” As a young man, he went to study law in London. However, he found no satisfaction in this pursuit and soon he wrote a letter to his father stating, “The more I see of the world and the various affairs of the children of men in it, the more I see of the vanity of it, and the more I would fain have my heart taken off from it, and fixed upon the invisible realities of the other world.” After barely a year he abandoned his legal studies and began preaching at local meetings. His zeal for the work of the Gospel was so evident that he quickly began to receive invitations to preach. Henry knew without a doubt that this was the work God had been preparing him for and he become the pastor of a congregation. For twenty-five years He devoted himself to proclaiming the gospel at every possible opportunity. In addition to two services on Sunday and two meetings during the week, he frequently preached in the neighboring villages and in the prisons. When Henry was forty-two years old, he began to collect together the vast amount of notes and writings which he had made on the Bible during his ministry. He had learned Latin, Greek and Hebrew as a child, and he also had a good knowledge of French, so that his reading had covered a wide field over many years. To this was added a keen spirit of inquiry, a profound knowledge and an ability to convey doctrinal matters in a simple yet clear form. From this emerged his “Commentary” as he gradually completed the books of the Old and New Testament over the following ten years. After twenty-five years in the ministry at Chester, Henry accepted a call to a dissenting Chapel at Hackney in London. His preaching was blessed with much fruit and he made preparations to complete his “Commentary,” having reached Acts by 1714. This same year while returning to Chester to conduct services amongst his former congregation and while honoring a promise to preach at Chester and Nantwich, he was taken ill. As he rode back to London the next day, he fell from his horse and was taken to the house of a neighboring minister where he died the following day. He died at age 52. The importance and value of Henry’s “Commentary” was so evident to his fellow ministers that steps were soon taken to collect the notes he had prepared on the remaining books from Romans to Revelation, so that the whole of the Bible might be included in the final work. Henry’s “Commentary” quickly became an indispensable work of reference for Christians. It is as relevant for us today as it was in his own day. Someone said his work is perhaps the only commentator, so large, that deserves to be entirely an attentively read through. (www.truthfulwords.org).

 Most people do not know the trials and sufferings of Mr. Henry’s personal life. He was born 1662 in England and his infancy was marred with sickness and frailty.  His brother had died of similar circumstances, as an infant.  In those days, as would become evident to Matthew himself later on, many newborns and young children did not make it. In some ways, that was a part of life for so many parents in those days before penicillin and other basic treatments. Over the course of his adult life, Mr. Henry would experience six different premature deaths that undoubtedly haunted him as he struggled to believe and trust in the Almighty God, and His ultimate plan.  These unfortunate deaths included: His first wife, A young daughter, A second young daughter (just 1 year after the first had passed), His two middle-aged sisters (during the same year) A third daughter, and, his own life was not spared certain physical suffering.  Matthew Henry died at the relatively young age of 52 (not so uncommon in those days though) after a terrible disease and sickness took him during the last two to three years of his life. (Taber’s Truths by our Church History Contributing Author Ken Lambert.)

 Once I finished reading, just as clearly as I am typing this, the Holy Spirit said to me, “If you don’t know what to do, follow someone who does”. It was at this point that I realized why God lead me to this man’s life; he was an example of faith and hope through suffering. I have read how this man was obedient to God and to his purpose in this life. How he maintained this intensive preaching and pastoral ministry, while his personal life was afflicted by tragedy. The storms were raging in his life! In spite of life’s tragedies and storms, he persevered on and continued to do the Lord’s work. I cannot image losing one child. He lost three. The pain must have been unbearable. But did he leave the ministry? Did he become spiteful? Did he accuse the Lord? From what I read, Matthew Henry did none of those things. It is human nature to become angry when tragedies such as he experienced hit us, and he may have been at times angry at God.  I don’t know. But anger is an emotion that passes. It is not a way of life or a way of thinking.  He did not give up or lose faith in God. The enemy tried to take him out at an early age. But God turned it around and he choose to become a child of God. Mr. Henry marched on with his ministry and his Bible study.  He was obedient and faithful until his death. It is easy to be a Christian when everything is going well, and when your life here on Earth is truly blessed. It is a different story to be a true and faithful Christian servant when this life has brought major setbacks and sorrows. I understand now why God led me to Matthew Henry’s biography. He is an example of a Christian. In spite of life’s storms, I will stay faithful to the One who loves me, the One who lived to give me an example and the One who died to save me. And when life tries to get the best of me, and I don’t know what to do, I will follow the  example of Jesus. And yes God, I will follow the examples of those who follow you, like Matthew Henry. The same strength you gave them, you will also give to me. I thank God for this gift today, it blessed me. Maybe this was not just meant for me. If it blessed you, say so. Love and Blessings…