A Rose Among The Thorns

Good morning and Happy Friday. As we come to the end of this month at times we as a people of God have a tendency to get as it seems the Word of God only resonates inside of us. We get it that God blesses us daily. We know that the Holy Spirit guides us daily. We know that Christ is our Redeemer. But to get others to listen seems as tough as ever with the advent of technology. But please understand that you are seen as you are A Rose Among The Thorns.

We live in a age where everything but the Word of God seems be important. Most times we are looking at are smart phones to get the updates we need. If not that we are in a hurry to get to our jobs

and do not have time for any other things. Lastly we seem to have little interest in the church of today. But there are those who have held steadfast and continue to attempt to spread the gospel of Christ. They are A Rose Among The Thorns.

As we come into the Word of God for this teaching of A Rose Among The Thorns I being in Mark 4:18. In this verse it speaks of being that sown among the thorns meaning that you hear what God is

telling no matter if there are those around you may ridicule you. You know that in doing so that your reward is greater here on earth. A Rose Among The Thorns.

As we continue with this teaching of A Rose Among The Thorns I go to Mark 4:19. In this verse it speaks of how being sown among the thorns we are not going to be part of the deceitful ways of the

world> How the thorns of this world attempts to choke the Word of God and make it and us unfruitful. We know better than that as we are A Rose Among The Thorns,.

As we come to the end of the Biblical portion of this teaching of A Rose Among The Thorns I go to Mark 4:20. In this verse it speaks of how we are the ones who are sown on good ground, who accepts

the Word of God and takes it and spreads the gospel of Christ to as many as the can. This is what you are about when you know Christ as your Savior. A Rose Among The Thorns.

As we conclude this teaching of A Rose Among The Thorns  please understand that you are as the people of God are sown in good ground. You know that in him that your cup will overflow in so many ways. Your actions will bring people to the Body of Christ as your light shines among the crowd. We are the spreaders of the good news. And despite those in the world who want to bend the Word of God for their purposes or who attempts to disregard the gospel we stand out as we are A Rose Among The Thorns. I give God all the Glory and honor. Please read a teaching by the Youth Pastor Sabrina Williams of Valley Kingdom Ministries International called Keeping Your Spirit Hot For God During The Summer. Great job this month everyone, Please attend a Sunday School of your choice and if you can please come VKMI to attend Sunday School in Oak Forest or South Holland.

Fred Wesley is a technology teacher for Rhema Word 2.0 which is the Sunday School program for Valley Kingdom Ministries International.

Keeping Your Spirit Hot For God During the Summer

Keeping Your Spirit Hot For God During the Summer

By Youth Pastor Sabrina Williams of VKMI

If you’re like me you’ve been waiting for the summer season to come around, so you can get out and enjoy life, without being weighed down with coats, hats and scarfs.  But the one thing that I’ve noticed is that worship services get as light as our wardrobe in the summer. Most worship houses have cut out mid-week services just because the attendance is so low.

I do believe everyone should break and enjoy life; but since God doesn’t go on break we still need to keep the fire burning in our spirits for the Son, while we are enjoying the burning sun outside.

So with that in mind I have 5 tips on how to keep your spirit hot for God during the summer:

1.      Meditating On The Lake:  The lakefront is always a nice relaxing place to just take in the beauty of God, it has a tranquil atmosphere that lends itself for a great way to get outside and just spend time with God. Rather you’re in His face at sunrise or sunset the scenic view will allow you to enjoy the summer and the Savior.

2.      Park Praise: A lot of people like to take their daily workout outside in the summer. They have so many great parks with biking/walking/jogging trails, cliff stairs, and workout areas where you can enjoy the weather and your workout. So why not download your favorite praise songs and praise God while you workout. Get strengthen by Him while you’re strengthen your body.

3.      Journaling With Jesus: There are small moments through out the week when you’ll find yourself in silence. I find that’s the time when pondering thoughts or Holy Spirit gives me wisdom. Have a small journal on you and just journal with Jesus.

4.      Crucified Class: Even though you will be taking mini-vacations take time  out to take that class that will keep you crucified. A class you wouldn’t have time to take during hecked times of the year. Rather it’s at your church, another church or even an institution.  Be a little selfish and feed your soul. It will keep you Holy during the heat.

5.      Faith Filled Friends: This is one of my favorites! The summer is when you catch up with your friends and just hang out. Make sure you’re spending time with Faith Filled Friends. Friends that share your faith will unintentionally lead the night into a conversation that will open the opportunity for you all to deposit spiritual nuggets into each other lives. It’s a fun and faith building experience.

I’m sure they are many more ways to stay hot for God in the summer, and please fill free to comment and share them with me, so I can implement them into my life as well.

But whatever you decide to do; Keep you spirit hot for God

This Can't Go On

Good morning and Thankful Thursday. As I was growing up one of the songs that used to be playing on the radio was a song by Santana called Evil Ways. The song came out in 1969 so someone who was older than me, my parents or my uncles. The song had these lyrics at the beginning, "You've got to change your evil ways..baby. And these lyrics were at the end, "This can't go on, Lord knows you have to change. There are some in the Body of Christ who may be saved and sanctified but are still holding on to some evil ways. This Can't Go On ( Lord Knows We Got to Change).

As we come into this teaching there are some things that are holding back the Body of Christ. We hold grudges, we look down on others, we are lazy and full of ourselves are some things that others

outside of the Body of Christ say about us. This should be a wake up call to how we are conducting ourselves. I see three other things that needs to be fixed. This Can't Go On (Lord Knows We Have t Change).

One of the first things that need changing is that we can't love our neighbor and treat our family members like trash. In Jeremiah 7:5 it speaks of amending ways and your doings that deal with man

and neighbor. Our family is just as important if not more important than any one. I am talking about the blood relations and your brothers and sisters in Christ. We have to treat them better. This Can't Go On (Lord Knows We Have Got to Change).

As we continue this teaching another thing that needs to be changed is that we cannot be at peace or about peace at church and then when we get to our jobs or homes we are the biggest hell raisers. In

Jeremiah 7:6 it speaks of not oppressing strangers, widows and not to walk after other gods. When you cause chaos and confusion on your job or in your home that is like serving another god because that is not Christ like. At All. This Can't Go On (Lord Knows We Have Got to Change).

The last point is that we have to try understand our youth and pay attention to our seniors. We tend to shake our heads at the youth and forget what we used to do. We tend to want to put our elders away

and forget there are a precious resource. In Jeremiah 7:7 when we do the things of God we can expect a move from God. But when we have disdain for our youth and neglect our seniors, how can we expect God to move. This Can't Go On ( Lord Knows We Have Got to Change).

In closing we as the people of God have to come together and quit letting squabbles between family members fester, if it is blood or your brothers and sisters in Christ. We must continue to be like Christ in our homes and jobs as well as when we attend church. And we cannot take our youth for granted and nor our seniors if we expect a move from God. These and things like allowing others to control your feelings, have doubt or lack of faith or forget that the blood cures all. This Can't Go On (Lord Knows We Have Got to Change). I give God all the glory and honor for allowing for me to teach his word once again. Please attend a Sunday School program near you or join us at Rhema Word 2.0 at Valley Kingdom Ministries International in South Holland Illinois or Oak Forest Illinois.

Fred Wesley is a technology teacher for Rhema Word 2.0. We ask that all he has poured out that God pours double back into his life.

Sex In The City ( Actually Worldwide)

As I begin this teaching I am amazed at how far things have come in the Arts and Entertainment industries. When I was growing there were shows such as The Dick Van Dyke show that had separate beds for Dick and Laura Petrie even though they were married. You had songs that raised social consciousness such as Inner City Blues by Gil Scott Heron. And you had movies such as Guess Who's Coming to Dinner that dealt with issues such as mixed marriages. Nowadays I cannot watch television, hear a song, or even go to a movie without hearing or seeing something sexual. Everywhere I look it seems as though it is Sex In the City.

Pop culture today has it to where sex is one the best things to promote. You can sell records with explicit sexual lyrics from Drake and/or Nicki Minaj. You can go see movies such as Addicted or

The Loft that has heavy sexual content. And you can even watch television shows such as Love and Hip Hop or the George Lopez Show that has sexual innuendo. Advertisers love it because it makes them money and the enemy loves it as it tears away from the foundation of the church. morals. Sex In The City.

As we go to the Word of God for this teaching of Sex In the City we can begin in Ephesians 5:3-7. Paul is writing to the church of Ephesus, which at one time was the one of sex capitols of the world.

This town was home to temple of of Artemis but also known as the temple of the goddess Diana. The new believers had Paul to tell them to stay strong and do not fall for the tricks of Sex In the City.

As we continue with the teaching of Sex In the City I go to 1st Corinthians 6:9-10. In these verses it speaks of the things that they were doing in the city of Corinth as the statue of goddess of love,

Aphrodite, was located. If you were "living like a Corinthian", you were having sexual relations with any and everybody. Paul was writing the church of Corinth to not be persuaded to stay the course and not become part of Sex In the City.

As I come to the end of the Biblical portion of this teaching of Sex In the City I go to 1st Thessalonians 4-8. In these verses Paul writes about sexual immorality and how it is wrong. In the

city of Thessalonia, which was the second largest city in Greece, there was the Greek Pantheon were all the gods were worshiped and sexual immorality was common. Paul encourages the church of Thessalonia to continue to walk in the ways of God not of those who practice Sex In the City.

In conclusion it is hard to stay on the path that God has for us with all other things we have to deal with and still have the sexual content and innuendo thrown in our face everyday by the likes of Lil Wayne. or the Jersey Shore or Beyond the Lights. It is hard when the guys want to become women like Bruce Jenner or there are very little Mom and Dads but instead Baby Daddy and Baby Mama and you see people like Mimi and Nicko make a sex tape. It's everywhere but if we fall for the tricks of the enemy we cannot inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. It was going on back then and it still is now.We must adhere to the teachings of God and not of man. Morals are the backbone of the Body of Christ. Sex In the City or Actually Worldwide. I give God all the honor and glory for this teaching. Please attend a Sunday School program of your choice our come the Valley Kingdom Ministries International in South Holland or Oak Forest.

Fred Wesley is a Technology Teacher for Rhema Word 2.0. We  ask that God instill in him the knowledge and wisdom to continue to teach his Word.

Independence Day

Good afternoon and Happy Fourth of July to everyone. To all Americans the Fourth of July represents the freedom that was received from the rule of Britain. And even though there has been SEVERAL things that this country has done wrong, many Americans embrace this day as a day of independence. I who was once a part of the Kingdom of God and then became the biggest sinner that you could come across, one day broke free of the enemy and regained my freedom. Today I celebrate my Independence Day.

As we come into this teaching I want to begin by defining the word independence and I go to my source of definitions and that is dictionary.com. Independence meas as follows; freedom from

control, influence or support. See when I was out in the world bad I was under the control of drugs, influenced to sleep with any person of opposite sex and would support all of Satan's agenda until I had my Independence Day.

In going to the Word of God for this teaching of Independence Day I go to 2nd Chronicles 14:2-8. In these verses King Asa has gotten rid of the things such as the high places where the foreign gods

were being worshiped. This allowed the people to turn back to God and prosper. The high places in my life that controlled me were things such as weed, cocaine, PCP and even pills at times. But I can celebrate now as from these things I have had my Independence Day.

In continuing this teaching of Independence Day I go to John 4:16-26. In these verses Jesus speaks to the Samaritan women at the well and among other things tells her that the person she lives with isn't

her husband but a person she lives with but she can change that because she is in the presence of the Messiah. I was influenced by my sexual needs and activity so much so that I lost my way and direction. But now I have had my Independence Day.

As I come to the conclusion of the Biblical portion of this teaching of Independence Day I to to Acts 11;12-18. In these verses Peter follows the instructions of Jesus and goes to Joppa and through him

the Holy Spirit is activated to bring others to the Body of Christ. My agenda was to support the enemy as long as I could. But one day the Holy Spirit came upon me to change my ways and come back to the Body of Christ. When I returned I had a Independence Day.

In closing even though I am a member of the Body of Christ there are still things I need to work on to have my Independence Day from them. I still control issues because I lust at times, use foul language, talk about coworkers and at times cause confusion. I still am influenced at times to gamble, having little to no patient to repeat myself and  dealing with those I should not be dealing with. And there are some things that are going on that my being silent on them seems as though I am supporting them. I ask for God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit to provide me and Independence Day for these things. Have a great weekend and please attend a Sunday School program of your choice and if possible come to Rhema Word 2.0 for before services and after services Sunday School. Please join us next week for another teaching. Have the best day ever.