The New Face of Slavery: Consumerism

There is a new form of slavery!  This time it has no respecterr person(s).  It doesn't care if you are Black, White, Hispanic, Asian etc.  As we approach this season where more people fall victim to what society markets as the times when dreams come true. You can find your dream vacation for supposedly pennies on the dollar.  You can find your dream electronics or dream vehicle at significantly reduced rates all to keep you in the bondage of consumerism.   Consumerism is the anti-contentment it focus is always to get get get.  This new form of slavery breeds discontentment and leads to the financial bondage of debt. For example, you can have all of your bills paid a blessing in within of itself but consumerism will make you discontent because you couldn't buy such and such a gift they won't even open.  So what do you  do become discontent rationalized in your mind that since it is on sale I will go ahead and buy such and such a gift and fall victim to consumerism.  You end finding yourself in financial hardship and your discontentment only worsens as you are unable to feed your desire to get get get.

The question becomes are you a slave or are you free?  Does your value come from things or does your value come from God?  Let's keep in mind the reason why we all exist and that is to GIVE and not to GET. So what do you have to give?  The transformative love of Jesus Christ and then and only then will you be able to be free of this bondage.

Scripture Reference: Philippians 4:12

God bless,
Bondservant Hollis

Gratefulness

Tis the season of thanksgiving.  Not to go all cliché on you but for the believer every day is a day of thanksgiving because every day is a gift from God.  The natural response when one receives a gift is to say thank you.  Now that we have all of the formalities out of the way I come to challenge you to embrace an attitude of gratitude.  You may be wondering why should I do such a thing?  Paul reveals to us and the church of Thessalonica that it is God's will for us to give thanks in everything!  The leper in Luke 17 reveals to us that gratitude moves us from healing to wholeness (in my Dr. Steve Bland voice).   Studies suggest that people who are grateful live longer and have lower cholesterol.  Not only is an attitude of gratitude the key to spiritually vitality but it is beneficial to your physical vitality.

Winston Churchill said, "attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference."  An attitude of gratitude can be the difference between life and death literally!  So what will you choose?  Will you choose gratefulness or will choose ungratefulness?  What you choose to embrace is what you will become:

Grateful people have joy vs. Ungrateful people are bitter.
Grateful people have peace vs. Ungrateful people are always worried about what isn't.
Grateful people exhibit love vs. Ungrateful people exhibit malice.

Can you see the difference?

Scripture Reference: 1 Thess. 5:18

God bless,
Bondservant Hollis

Down Set Hut Hut

Down set hut hut is the infamous cadence before a quarterback receives the ball from the center to start the offensive play.  I am reading another one of those books that makes me disgruntle with myself. Mark Batterson in his book "Wild Goose Chase," suggests that many Christians live in a cage of fear.  That many of us are afraid to following the passions God place in our hearts.  In other words we live life on the defensive by playing it safe and sticking to what we know!  To play offense one must step out on faith!  They must snap the ball and run the play!  Playing offense is hard work and the road will not be easy because there is failure and uncertainty!  What's interesting is that the quarterback often takes the snap and goes backwards a few steps before he either he passes the ball forward, hands the ball off to a running back that then runs forward, or throws a pass forward to a receiver!  Romell McElroy I promised I just said something then.  What are you getting at Trell? Here it is sometimes in life you have to go backwards in order to go forward but you can't go anywhere unless you snap the ball. 

So today get on the offensive step out on faith because you do know that without faith it is impossible to please God!

Scripture Reference:  Hebrews 11:6

God bless,
Bondservant Hollis 

Expect The Great!

One of my favorite preachers Pastor Brian Carter of the Concord Church in Dallas, TX has a devotional out called, "Great Expectations."  One of my favorite artist Donald Lawrence made a song "Expect The Great."  Both are wonderful products that I encourage you to buy.  The Bible even says as a man thinketh so is he.  The Bible even says I know the plans I have for you a plan to prosper you not harm you plans to give hope and a future.

But what happens when you expect the great only to find you are dealt the hand of sorrow and grief.  What do you do then?  Are you supposed to be hopeful trusting that all things will work out for your good?  I will tell what I do.  In every circumstance I give thanks trusting that a GREAT GOD is able to take any circumstance as an opportunity chance to reveal His AWESOME power. 

So you can also expect great pain, great grief, and great sorrow but don't forgive you have a GREAT GOD who will be there to heal your broken heart, and to wipe away every tear.


Scripture Reference: 1 Thess. 5:18

God bless,
Bondservant Hollis

Hand In The Cookie Jar (The Art Of Forgiveness)

If you are like me there has been a time in your life where you have had your hand in the proverbial cookie jar.  In my case I had it in there literally and proverbially.  This adage normally refers to someone who is caught doing something they are not supposed to be doing.  Funny how often we seem to find ourselves in these situations. Here is what interesting about that when we are the ones who are caught with our hands in the proverbial cookie jar we expect forgiveness.  However, when we catch someone else with their hands in the proverbial cookie jar we seek in our mind what we consider justice.  God says the same mercy you would like extended unto you is the same mercy you are to extend to others.

So today who do you need to forgive?  Remember If you don't forgive your brothers and sisters of their trespasses neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive of your trespasses.

Scripture Reference: Matthew 6:15

Hey Remember Me?

Hey remember me I am the woman whose family is all deceased with no one to visit me?

Hey remember me I am the man who lost everything as result of corporate greed and bad economic policy?

Hey remember me I am the single mother with four children who doesn't have a job and struggles to clothed and feed my children?

Hey remember me we are the family who lost everything when our house burn down and we have literally nothing?

Hey remember me I am the homeless man who is on corner while you throw away your left-overs?

Hey remember me I am the guy who made a dumb mistake when I was young and now I have been in prison for twenty years I guess it's what they say out of sight out of mind?

Jesus said that what you do to the least of them you have done it unto me!  Who will you remember today?

Scripture Reference:  Matthew 25:35-40

God bless,
Bondservant Hollis

When The Pain Won't Go Away

Often times we ask God, "Lord Take The Pain Away."   God did promise to take the pain away once we reached glory not here on earth.  I know perhaps you have been told the contrary only to find that the pain continues to resurface!  Here is why because often times people fail to face the reality that scars are real!  Often times because we have the wrong image of the Cross!  You see at the cross where I first saw the light by the way Jesus Christ did the redemptive work that give us all an opportunity to be in right relationship with the Most High God. 

You know the story they put a crown of thorns on his head, pierce him in the side, they nailed his hands and feet to the Cross.  He died and was resurrected on the third day according to the scriptures. Here is what we often tend to overlook the crucifixion was the most excruciating pain that any man has ever endured and in fact science suggest that no man could have possibly endure.  Jesus Christ when he was raised from dead still had the scars from the pain he endured!!

In my Pastor Edwards voice, "Come a little closer to me."  Resurrection Wounds is what Christ had!  A painful reminder of the love sacrifice he made for you and I.  What does that mean?  Here it is!  You have scars and Resurrection Wounds also from your previous life before Christ and the Resurrection Wounds after you came into the knowledge of the truth.  God never promise that there wouldn't be pain but God did promise to be there with you through the pain!  God like he gave Christ gives you the power to endure the pain! I gotta quit now because i gotta praise and I gotta get out.

Scripture Reference: Mark 15:21-41

God bless,
Bondservant Hollis