It’s been 10 years since the sudden death of pastor Rev. Dr. Jerome McNeil Jr of Christian Chapel Temple of Faith CME church in Dallas. During those 10 years, it’s become even more obvious how powerful and prophetic his biblical teachings were. In honor of his memory and to honor his spiritual legacy, in this week’s column I’d like to share more of the transformative words he spoke in his many sermons over the years.
Who Are You Walking With?
If God calls you, he will enable you and equip you. We have to learn to be risk takers and strategically yield to the will of God. Don’t let what is happening around you distract you from what is happening in you. The miracle isn’t walking on water but who you are walking with.
Friends and Associations
Pleasing everybody but God is dangerous. We should watch who we hang with and who we listen to. Since our associations can be a destructive force in our lives, we must be mindful of our influences. Some people bring out the best in us. We should strive to be with people who give us accountability. We should also be careful that we don’t let our circumstances dictate our testimony.
Remember what He Told You.
In books, after every blank page, comes a new chapter. In our lives, God will allow circumstances to change so that we have a renewed hope in his promises. When you discover Jesus’ promises are true, you have to tell somebody. It’s not about your membership in a church, it’s about your relationship with God.
Just When
We all have been in “just when” situations. These are the situations where it appears that no options are available, and you feel almost ready to give up. It is during these times that God gives us the opportunity to experience His power, majesty and command over the “just when” situation. He wants us to know that even when we have reached our human limit, He has extraordinary plans that can turn “just when” into “right now.”
Making the Best of Your Situation
God puts us in dark situations so we can learn how to be desperate enough to talk to him in prayer. Prayers only change when we get desperate enough. Even when things don’t work out as we want, God still has a plan.
What’s the Hold Up?
God allows certain situations to occur so we can become more dependent on him. Even when God seems silent, we have to trust that he is still working on our behalf. He’s working on us and not just for us. When God delays answering our prayers, he is not only helping us develop patience, he is also helping us to learn how to trust Him.
You Just Didn’t See It
What you see isn’t always what you get. If you can use faith to go beyond what you can see, God has the answer for you. Just because you are against the wall doesn’t mean the wall can’t move.
Shewanda Riley, PhD, is a Fort Worth-based author of “Love Hangover: Moving from Pain to Purpose After a Relationship Ends” and “Writing to the Beat of God’s Heart: A Book of Prayers for Writers.” Email her at preservedbypurpose@gmail.com or follow her on Twitter @shewanda.