Serendipitous Thoughts by Sugar Bear as I come to my daily River I thirst for the Lord "Why"?

"The Lord your God is in your midst,

A victorious warrior.

He will exult over you with joy,

He will be quiet in His love,

He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy." Zechariah 3:17

 

"As I stand here by my daily river, I am reminded of the Serendipitous Thoughts I have, "there was Jesus". His words speak to me of coming to the river everyday with a thirst for the Lord. But why do we come to the river? Why do we seek the Lord?

 

For many of us, we come to the river to find peace and tranquility. We come to escape the chaos and noise of the world around us. We come to find a quiet place where we can hear the voice of God.

 

But there is another reason why we come to the river. We come to quench our thirst for the Lord. We come to drink deeply of the living water that only He can provide. We come to be refreshed and renewed in our faith.

 

So, as we gather here today by the river, let us remember why we come. Let us come with a thirst for the Lord, ready to drink deeply of the living water that only He can provide. And 

let us be refreshed and renewed in our faith, ready to face the challenges that lie ahead.

 

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

 

Today, I "Sugar Bear "want to share with you about thinking like a warrior for Jesus Christ with the strength of God in our daily lives. Our lives as Christians are filled with challenges and battles. We face spiritual warfare every day, and we must be prepared to fight the good fight. But we are not alone in this fight, for we have the strength of God with us.

 

In 1 Corinthians 16:13, the Apostle Paul exhorts us to, "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong." This is a call to think like warriors for Jesus Christ. We are called to be courageous and strong in our faith, and we must be prepared to face the challenges that come our way.

 

To help us think like warriors for Jesus Christ, I want to share with you three antidote stories based on daily reminders that we must always keep in mind.

 

First, we must focus on only the things we have total control over: our effort and attitude. In Philippians 4:13, Paul says, "I can do all things through him who gives me strength." We must remember that God is with us in everything we do, and we must put our trust in Him.

 

One example of this is the story of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel 17. David faced a giant that no one else was willing 

to face. He had no control over the size or strength of his opponent, but he knew that he had total control over his effort and attitude. David put his trust in God and defeated Goliath with a single stone.

 

We must also have the same attitude in our daily lives. We may face challenges that seem insurmountable, but we must trust in God and focus on our effort and attitude. When we do this, we will be able to overcome any obstacle that comes our way.

 

Second, we must love what we do "volunteering" services and attack each day with joy and enthusiasm. In Colossians 3:23-24, Paul says, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward."

 

One example of this is the story of Mother Teresa. She devoted her life to serving the poorest of the poor in India. She loved what she did, and she attacked each day with joy and enthusiasm. She saw her work as a calling from God and approached it with a deep sense of purpose.

 

We must have the same attitude in our daily lives. We must love what we do and approach it with joy and enthusiasm. Whether we are serving in our church, volunteering in our community, or working in our jobs, we must see our work as a calling from God and approach it with a deep sense of purpose.

Third, we must dream big and ignore the naysayers. In Matthew 19:26, Jesus says, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." We must remember that nothing is impossible with God, and we must dream big and have faith in Him.

 

One example of this is the story of Wilma Rudolph. She was born prematurely and suffered from polio as a child. Doctors told her that she would never walk again, but she refused to accept their diagnosis. She dreamed big and worked hard, and eventually became a world-class sprinter, winning three gold medals in the 1960 Olympics.

 

We must have the same attitude in our daily lives. We must dream big and have faith in God. We must ignore the naysayers and the voices that tell us we cannot achieve our dreams. With God, all things are possible, and we must trust!

 

In conclusion, a Desire for spiritual fulfillment and guidance! Is my "Why"

"God bless you and this ministry" is a powerful and meaningful expression of support for those doing God's work. It recognizes their dedication and efforts, and acknowledges the importance of God's presence and provision in their work. May we always remember to bless and encourage those who are committed to serving others in His name So brothers and sisters 

 

God Bless You and This Ministry!

Serendipitous Thoughts by "Sugar Bear " What is it that gives,” The strength of God in us”?

Fear is the enemy of faith. It belongs to Satan, not Jesus. So, in everything I do now in my life is based on, “I am a Child of God” with a mindset of Christ This mindset has not always been within my insights. When we are in a position of need, it allows us to see how much we need God (2 Corinthians 1:9; 3:5; 13:4.). The more aware we are of our weakness, the more God can reveal His power through us: “We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves” (2 Corinthians 4:7.

 

"Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his Law Day and night". Psalm 1:1-3

 

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

 

I want to share with you today a testimony about the strength of God in us. As an athlete, I have experienced firsthand the power of God's strength in my life, even during the most challenging and difficult seasons. I want to share with you three stories from my personal journey, where I have witnessed the transformative power of God's strength in my life.

 

The first story is about a particularly difficult season of my career as a freshman Black athlete in an all-white community in Ames, Iowa. I was struggling to keep up with my studies, and I found myself falling behind in my classes. I blamed it on my skin color, feeling like a victim of discrimination. I wasn't going to class, and my grades suffered as a result. 

 

But God had a plan for me. As I re-read a quote by James Baldwin’s,” the skin and blood don’t think,” it highlighted the idea to me that a person’s race or physical appearance does not determine their worth or capabilities. That quote influences my mindset to not be a victim by reminding me that discrimination or prejudice thoughts based on my skin color is unjustified and irrational. Then God demonstrated His love in the most generous act the world will ever know. He sent His own Son, Jesus, to earth to take the punishment our sins deserve (John 3:16-18; Colossians 2:14; 2 Corinthians 5:21) and

 sent me a mentor who didn’t look like me but who saw something in me that I couldn't see in myself. He encouraged me to take responsibility for my actions, to work harder, and to believe in myself. Through his guidance and support, I was able to turn my grades around and succeed in my studies.

 

Through this experience, I learned that God's strength is not limited by our circumstances or our background. He is with us always, offering us the strength we need to face our challenges head-on and to succeed in all that we do. If we lean on Him and trust in His plan, He will guide us through even the toughest of times.

 

The second story is about dealing with a career-ending ACL knee injury as an athlete. It was a devastating blow that left me feeling lost and uncertain about my future. I had always identified myself as an athlete, and now that part of my life was over.

 

But even during my pain and uncertainty, I felt God's presence with me, offering me His strength and His peace. He reminded me that my worth and my identity were not tied to my athletic abilities or my success on the field. Instead, my worth came from being a child of God, loved and cherished by Him.

 

Through this experience, I learned that God's strength is not just for the good times. It is also for the hard times, the painful times, and the times when we feel lost and uncertain. He is with us always, offering us His comfort, His guidance, and his unwavering love. If we trust in Him and lean on His strength, He will carry us through even the toughest of times.

 

The third story is about being fired as a football coach. It was a humbling experience that left me feeling lost and uncertain about my future. But even amid my pain and uncertainty, I felt God's presence with me, offering me His strength and His peace. He reminded me that my worth and my identity were not tied to my job title or my success on the football field. Instead, my worth came from being a child of God, loved and cherished by Him. Funny thing five years later God worked in my life through an unexpected twist and turn. Despite facing rejection and setback, my journey eventually led me back to where I was meant to be, in a position of leadership and success at my former school as head football coach again.

 

Through this experience, I learned to lean on God's strength and trust in His plan for my life. I discovered that even during our trials and struggles, God is with us, offering us His comfort, His guidance, and his unwavering love. If we trust in Him and lean on His strength, He will guide us through even the toughest of times. It also reminded me that even when we can’t see the bigger picture, God is always working behind the scenes to guide us towards our purpose.

 

In conclusion, the strength of God in us is a powerful force that can transform our lives and carry us through even the most challenging of times. God’s strength is made perfect in weakness when we put our faith and trust in Him. The Lord’s presence is all we need in times of weakness. His great power and sufficiency rest on us as we find our strength in Him, and He is glorified. We can say with the psalmist, “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever”. Psalm 73:26

 

Whether we are facing discrimination, career-ending injuries, or job loss, God is with us, offering us His strength, His peace, and his unwavering love. If we trust in Him and lean on His strength, He will guide us through even the toughest of times. As it says in Isaiah 41:10, "Fear not.

 

God's Strength in Athletics.

God Bless You and This Ministry!

 

Serendipitous oratory of Thought by Sugar Bear about being a “Spiritual Warrior”

 “Let us have faith that right makes might, and in that faith, let us, to the end, dare to do our duty as we understand it.” 

Today is one of those inner Serendipitous oratory of Thought by Sugar Bear about being a “Spiritual Warrior” 

No man can at once give the impression that he is clever and that Christ is mighty to save. Making an impact or an impression is a heart issue. If God has your heart you aren’t seeking to impress others, but you desire for Jesus to impact the world around you through you as we learn from His Character

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Roman 12:12

Have you ever heard people say “you just know that you know” when something is right? Like knowing when you’re in love. Or when you hear those orations of thought from the clouds of explanation? Who are you listening to? Yourself, Satan or God?

“I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint. Then the Lord replied: ‘Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.” Habakkuk 2:1-2 Ah, I know be still and quiet yourself down!

So what is the key to the emotional and spiritual well-being of every Christian.? IS it spiritual growth when you accept the good news,. Having a commitment to growing more and more like our creator God. Roman 12:12 says, first to Christians is to rejoice in hope. Often, we resist instruction about what we should feel: that we should change our attitudes to be joyful. The idea here, though, is more about declaring ourselves as having reason for joy. It's not a command to be happy, but to have the right perspective on our situation. We should agree with God that our hope is worth rejoicing over. What hope? Paul is referring to the hope of the redemption of our bodies and being united with our Father forever once our adoption is complete


I remember my first football coach in high school, Mr. Elmer Burney. He provided for me many useful words that challenged me in my life. He said, “It all starts with the belief that you can handle whatever challenge you’re facing, it’s a grind. He often said ,”The world doesn’t owe you a thing”, McFarland, It’s a choice each man makes. Set backs are temporary and quitters think that every small problems suddenly becomes a catastrophe. The mentally tough don’t make excuses or blame other people for their problems. There is something to be said for relying on such a strong foundation coming from a coach.

This gave me that spirit of personal mental attitude. Where you have total control over your efforts with a spirit of attitude. He also said do things with a mindset of love and Joy to Dream big and ignore the naysayers. Be relentless and never give up. But life is full of decisions and stages that made me not understand about the absolutes, specific by name or how do we/I know for sure that these ideas are coming from God? Am I hearing God? Or am I only hearing myself? Worse yet, am I hearing the temptations of Satan disguised as the leading of the Holy Spirit? Sometimes distinguishing our own ideas from God’s leading is difficult. Is it coming from the enemy? How do we take every thought captive?

If we are confused about whether or not we are hearing God, let us pray for wisdom, . How many times do we throw prayer out the window or forget about prayer. Alone with that we must study the “word” it is the primary way God speaks to us. I took this as a way to behave and mature with the mindset of a faithful child of God. The amazing truth of our faith is that our God wants to transform us. He wants to liberate us from all that hurts and ails us. At the heart of this transformation towards holiness is spiritual growth with the Holy Spirit’s leading us. He is always with us. No matter what decisions were making day to day we can’t go wrong when we exhibit love, joy, peace to the glory of God.

Spiritual growth is the process of becoming more and more like Jesus Christ. When we place our faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit begins the process of making us more like Him, conforming us to His image.
The first one is be joyful in hope you might be saying I do not have hope, I’ve lost hope. This whole chapter in Romans is about love and action. That you do have the hope , you do have the joy. Why because you have God in you. Which leads to more Christlikeness. Remember, God wants to show us the right path to take. He’s not in the business of hiding His will from those who seek Him. The better we know our Shepherd, the less we have to worry about heeding the wrong voice.

So what inspires you about Jesus? That makes you relentless and will never let you give up on your Dream of serving the poor, the sick, and the distressed.

God Bless You and This Ministry!