A Thought For Thursday: Who Ya With?

We’ve all heard the little saying “birds of a feather flock together”. Well, that saying is not just a golden nugget of knowledge that you share with your kids or younger siblings when you catch them hanging with the wrong crowd it is applicable to the life of the believer. The company that you keep determines whether or not you are blessed, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.” Psalm 1:1

When you have a problem and you seek counsel will you receive wise and righteous counsel from those still doing foolish things? If you’re wondering why it seems as though God is holding back from you consider this who ya with? Are you with those who eat the word, heed the word, live the word and encourage you to do the same? Or, are you still among them from whom he called you out of?


“And what accord has Christ has Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said:“I will dwell among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” Therefore “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean and I will receive you.” II Corinthians 6:15-17


Though it may seem like you’re giving up a lot what you’re giving up a lot your friendship with the world cannot be compared with what the Lord is offering you- membership to a family, a holy family, a royal family, an exalted family, a prosperous family whose name shall endure throughout all the land. “I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty.” II Corinthians 6:18 When Jesus was with sinners he was compelling them to repent and be saved. Are you doing the same or are they encouraging you to turn away from Christ? They may not say it boldly with words, but their actions, the activities they ask you to participate in, and the conversations that they have may be contradictory to the life the Lord has commanded you to live.


This Thursday check yourself and then check them? Do you want to live the blessed life of a wise man or the cursed life of a fool?


Blessed is the man who walks in not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf shall also not wither: and whatever he does shall prosper. The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but way of the ungodly shall perish. Psalm 1:1


Here’s a thought for this Thursday it’s time to let go of the way that shall perish and cling to Jesus whose way is full of life everlasting.






Be Blessed Beloved, in the might, power, and strength of the Lord!


-Nigeria

Worship Song of the Week: Lord Your Mighty by JJ Hairston and Youthful Praise

Who is the Lord? He is a great and mighty GOD, the omniscent, omnipotent, omnipresent God. He is the one who was, who is, and who is to come (very soon). Don't just read these words, say them aloud, repeat them to yourself as you go through the day. Nothing will overcome you knowing that this great and powerful God, the Lord Jesus Christ, creator of the heaven and the earth is your God.

"In the begining was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thingmade that was made." John 1:1-3

One of the most important things for a believer to do is to acknowledge God, in our daily life in everyday conversation, and in praise both private and public. Praise is not just the simple act of singing a song, it's a PDA (public display of affection) to God. In our praise he is glorifieth, "Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me.." Psalm 50:23 and God returns that PDA by showing us his salvation "...and to him that ordereth his conversation aright I will shew the salvation of God." Psalm 50:23 Beloved, as you go forth this week recognize and acknowledge, "The mighty God, even the LORD, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof." Psalm 50:1




Read Psalm 50 this week and stop by The Carpenter's House later this week for a close reading of that Psalm.

TESTIMONY TUESDAYS: He Has Given Me, Love, Power, and a Sound Mind

This post is coming in late today due to the demands of an educator's schedule but it's never too late to remind someone of the goodness of the Lord; it's never too late to talk about the ways he proves himself in your life.

This Tuesday I want to praise the Lord for giving me love, power, and a sound mind. I can remember a time that I was nearly out of mind. If it had not been for the Lord who was on my side I wouldn't even be writing this post. I almost walked out on my family.

It was the middle of the night, my eldest daughter wouldn't go to sleep and my husband wasn't too happy about that. The devil just seized that moment to fill my head with nonsense. "Just walk out, see if he can handle it. What's he going to do without you?" I didn't realize then that it was a strange voice, I was already given over to the madness that a sin filled life creates.


I jumped up and stormed out in my pjs and even then God was working things out for me. I'm not sure where I thought I was going but I went to the train station, and praise be to God I had put on the wrong jacket - I had no metrocard. I walked a block away and sat on the corner of my Pastor's block and just cried. I didn't want to go there [to his house] and have to admit that I was wrong and Jesus was right but I'm glad, so glad that Jesus looked past my faults and saw my need.


He saw how broken my spirit was and he rushed in with his love, he gave me power over my feelings and emotions through the Holy Ghost, and put my mind at ease. Now I am content with motherhood and have the natural affections towards my family that I ought to have. This Tuesday I am thankful for what the Lord has done in my life.


-Nigeria






ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS: Would you like to testify to the goodness of God, through his son, Jesus Christ? Submit your testimony to divinetutors@yahoo.com and it may be selected to appear on The Carpenter's House. Please, submit it as an attachment in a Word document. Please keep submissions between 100-300 words max., be sure to include your name and a little bit of information about you. Remember how we overcome, first by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony, "And they overcame him [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony: and they loved not their lives unto death." Revelation 12:11 

Worship Song of the Week: Lord Prepare Me by Bishop Charles E. Blake and The West Angeles COGIC Mass Choir

Praise ye the Lord, beloved. I took the week off from blogging since I was on vacation. But I did not take the week off from serving my Lord. Actually, I used this week to get in touch with my Lord and refocus myself so that I can actively pursue my calling. Which leads me to this week's Worship Song selection "Lord Prepare Me".

No matter what it is that we believe the Lord has called us to do, there is one true calling for us all, and that is to serve the Lord. It is not by works that we serve him, it is not with our tithes and offering; these things a mere demonstrations they don't always prove our love to God. Any man can buy a woman a rose and anyone can serve food to the homeless, that doesn't prove your love to God. But by presenting yourself to Lord shows how much you love him and it is the only reasonable thing to do considering Jesus gave up his life for you.

"I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living scarifices, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service." Romans 12:1

We were created for this specific reason, we were created in love to abide in love. In other words we wwere created by God, to live a life devoted to God. But we can't do it without Jesus preparing for the process.



This week as you go about worshipping the Lord pray for preparation. Pray for the power of submission, the power to submit yourself to God, pray that the Lord prepares you put down your will and pick up his way, in Jesus name. And after that pray is uttered, say "Yes, I'll obey" and wait patiently to see the glory of God unveiled in his tabernacle, which is you. But don't kid yourself either, my Jesus is holy and he will not use an unclean vessel. If you know that you have been out of the way and living in disobedience, Repent! And do it quckly!

Read Romans 12

May the Lord God Bless You Real Good! I look forward to hearing your testimonies of how the Lord blessed you and caused you to increase in your worship.

-Nigeria

Worship Song of the Week: Nobody Greater by Vashawn Mitchell

Worship Song of the Week is a new post at The Carpenter's House. Worship is an important component to building a healthy, strong, and loving relationship with Christ. Sometimes we aren't always in the frame of mind we ought to be to worship Christ as we should. One way to worship the Lord is through singing. Some of us don't tap into the power that comes from worshipping God through praise with a song. Every week, maybe everyday, if the Lord moves us in that direction, The Carpenter's House will select a song to lead you and guide you in your worship.

The first song in The Carpenter's House worship series is "Nobody Greater" by Vashawn Mitchell. Your worship should coincide with the word; read Psalm 95 this week also.





Jesus is Lord there is nobody greater than him. Please join The Carpenter's House as we worship, the only God, the omnipotent God, king of kings and lord of lords, Jesus Christ.

"O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God, a great King above all gods." Psalms 95

Wisdom Wednesdays: Honour The Lord With Your Firstfruits

"Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine." Proverbs 3:9-10

The Lord requires obedience not sacrifice. If you are looking for your blessing on this earth, check yourself and see if you are being obedient to the word of God. That sounds like a given but that is one of the main reasons that we are unable to receive the blessings that God has in store for us. We block our own blessings. Many of us are feeling squeezed by the current state of the economy and are looking up to the heavens hoping that Jesus opens one of the windows and pours out a blessing just for us but the truth is it's high time you display the wisdom given to you by God by fulfilling your half of the word.

Stop being stingy and stop placing God last. You wouldn't be standing there looking at the collection plate contemplating giving God your last dollar had you done what the word says, give him your firstfruits. He will make sure you have what you need(to obey these words definitely requires you to activate the measure of faith he's given you, so you better check yourself).

Stop thinking about how precious your dollars are- think about the precious work that the Lord is urging you to invest in. Invest in the kingdom where a return is guaranteed, "So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine." and the only thing you lose are the things that you don't need, you don't have to worry about Bernie Maddoff. The Lord wants to give you back everything that the devil stole from you.

When you enter the church don't you want to see bibles? Don't you want oil for the preacher to anoint you, bread for communion? Don't you want the lights on and toilet paper in the bathroom? Well, none of that stuff is free and God was so kind of enough to ask you to participate in the building and maintenance of his church (he doesn't need you and when you refuse he will certainly raise up another to do the word and receive the blessing) you are too wise to join in and too worried about what the preacher is doing with your money.

Be wise and obey the Lord. Let God deal with the man of  God if he is misappropriating funds, but you be wise and obey the word. You, be wise and be blessed so that when God is dealing with you can be blessed both in this earth and in eternity.

TESTIMONY TUESDAY: Practicing What I Preach

Yesterday, I suggested that you use Valentine's Day as an opportunity to get Jesus involved in your personal life by using I Corinthians 13 as a way to gauge whether or not your relationship is functioning the way it ought to.

Of course I couldn't recommend this course of action without trying it myself.

Here are the results:

Last night after watching a little bit of television, I asked my husband if we could sit down and read a chapter from the Bible. His eyes bulged and his neck stiffened a bit. "Which chapter?" and "Why?" he asked. I gently whispered, "I Corinthians 13, you know it is Valentine's Day, isn't?"

I would like to say that old wounds were healed, I would like to say that we are now moving forward and upward but our discussion wasn't as fruitful as I had hoped for. I apologized for sometimes behaving "unseemly" and not always being kind in my longsuffering. But he skirted the issues by repeating that lovely yet awful statement, "You know, that I love you." Which, in translation means "I don't always do what I should and I may never but that doesn't take away from the fact that I love you."

Of course this is not to say that I all good and he's all bad. We both have our shortcomings. While I'm now willing to admit that  I'm not perfect, that I am not the best wife I could be he is not ready to do this yet.

I repeatedly reminded him that I Corinthians says our love should look like this but it look like a mess. He continued to avoid the fact that we don't demonstrate our love the way that we ought to. I think the disparity between our perception of our relationship is because I am actively striving to serve the Lord and he is not.

I was a little disheartened by the fact that he wasn't moved by the word and his lack of interest in investing more into our relationship. Should that move me away from the gospel, should that deter me from striving to loving him the way that the Lord says I should.

No, it should not and I will not let it. Instead, it has inspired me to love him more, to love him harder, until he sees the glory of God in me striving to love him though he fights against the glorious love of God.

Be blessed and please testify about what the outcome was of your discussions.