Prepare For Spiritual Warfare!

Have you ever awaken in the middle of the night with something on your mind?  Not the interrupting kind of awakening. I mean you went to sleep peacefully, going over a great day and nothing-really-on-your-mind kind of sleep.  You might have had a slight irritation from someone but you dismissed it like a gnat.  But in the middle of the night, you awake because you heard something/someone say “Prepare for Spiritual Warfare.”  So, I wrote it down.  Yes, I keep a pen and paper on the nightstand to write down thoughts or whatever I might think of throughout the night to pursue those thoughts later.  I know that the enemy will do what ever can be done to keep our focus off of God.  The Devil knows that to control you he needs to control areas of the mind.  If you continue to build a relationship with the Lord and attach yourself around like-minded people, prepare for battle.  We all crack and get distracted, so we will have to build some strong roots to get our selves together.  We have the armor and the tools to do battle.  Here are some verses from Ephesians 6:10-18, New International Version (NIV).  “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.”  After all, we are conquerors.  Mark 11:24 “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” We must have faith in God and strengthen ourselves within that faith.  We believe in it, act on it, and never doubt it!  Look around you, we need all the help we can get.  We've been fighting and arguing against the wrong people.  We are fighting against an unseen enemy who uses friends and family to fight against us.  And we end up hurting the ones we care about the most as they do us.  It's a continuous battle and struggle, no one said it would be easy.  We must be tolerant and loving of each other even when they do offend us whether they are aware of it or not.

Don’t Push Me Into Heaven!

I’m not much of a funeral-attendee and ever since my mother’s transition, I’ve rarely gone to any other.  I can only remember 3, my uncle, Lila’s, and my god-sister’s son-in-law.  I tend to look at funerals like visiting the hospital, I’d rather keep the memory of the person being well.  Roger’s homecoming was not a sad one at all.  It had its moments of sadness but overall it was a time for joy and laughter.  I won’t bore you with all the details but I do agree with one of the pastors who said “we’re not going to talk this man into heaven.”  We shouldn’t have to talk anyone into heaven, their actions should speak for themselves.  We aren’t perfect, we were all born with original sin, but it is what we do later in life and the choices we make that will get us either closer to God or away from Him.  The question is how do we want to be remembered not just by the people we loved and loved us but the people we pass along the way on this road of life.  Ultimately, the only person that can get us into heaven is through Jesus Christ, Who is the way to the Father.

Rest In Peace, Roger!

Funeral service for Mr. Willie Roger Corley will be held Wednesday 1:00 p.m. (viewing 12:00 noon) at Zion Chapel Baptist Church #1 with burial to follow in the church's cemetery. Viewing will be held today beginning 2:00 p.m. at the Leevy's Funeral Home, Taylor Street Chapel.

Surviving are: his wife, Laura Hall Corley; daughter, Ebony Ellison; son, Rogerick Miller; step-son, Javares Hall; step-daughter, Sharvetta Hall; mother, Willie Mae Javis Corley; sisters, Elaine Robinson and Libby Corley; brother, Kevin Corley; grandchildren, Ranizja, Danielle and Rogerick Jr. Miller and Amari Livingston; a host of other loving relatives and friends.

Happy Birthday, Mom!

I love you, mom!  Missing you always.  Lolita loss her husband, William Roger Corley, on your birthday to cancer.  He was still young in his late 30s.  God rest his soul.

I Am - Ninika Davis

I AM

I am sound

Blessed to have heard your angelic voice

I am grace

Worn so beautifully and never forced

I am family

We are filled with priceless memories

I am love

You gave me unselfishly

I am strength

You carried me into every circumstance

I am faith

Hoping for some kind of evidence

I am a smile

Always worn on your previous face

I AM that I AM

The provider of your new resting place

Thank you, Ninika!

Rest In Peace, Mr. Marion E. Wicker, 91!

You Are - Charlie Wilson