The Stickman's Understanding...

  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. -2 Corinthians 12:10 Good morning and welcome to Fri-Yay! As Paul continues to exclaim the benefits of thorns, he speaks to the understanding of that Father and Creator has of our human fragilities.   In this the Apostle points out the source of true strength and its never ending triumph over physical strength. Our weakness becomes strength when we surrender ourselves to His purpose.  Imagine the pain Christ bore for us so that we could be redeemed and restored before the Father. The carrying of His cross to the point of exhaustion and how He had told the disciples before the crucifixion that anyone who comes after Him should pick up their cross.  It is our responsibility to bear the attention getting weight of    infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses...

  One Lord, one faith, one baptism, -Ephesians 4:5 Good morning and terrific Thursday to you!  ! In this statement Paul advises us to be unified. Far too often strife over worthless things cause church splits.  We are reminded that small things that have no validity in our faith nor that determine if we make it into the Kingdom or not shouldn’t ever be used to separate us from each other.  I’ve heard that the most segregated morning of the week is Sunday. On Sundays people who work together, shop together, eat, cry and fight together too often worship separately due to small things.  Go fellowship this weekend, we all need it.  God bless you and command your day!!! Your comments and questions are welcome. Contact me at drschaefferinterceding@yahoo.com You can give to Interceding Christian Center (ICC) using our cash app $intercedingcc 

  Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.    -2 Corinthians 12:9b Good morning and happy hump day to you! The second part of this scripture always touches me. The Apostle Paul is adding that the value of Christ far exceeds personal goals, aspirations, and most important how you handle your thorn.  Proof of Him as your Lord and Savior is shown in “thorn maintenance”. Do you handle your thorn or does it handle you?  The Apostle here is relishing with the thorn of his life in a manner showing he knows God is using it to keep Him focused.  All Christians will have thorns, especially those who have an affinity and a passion to bring others to Christ. That same grace that was sufficient for Paul is also sufficient for us all.  God bless you and command your day!!! Your comments and questions are welcome. Contact me at drschaefferinterceding@yahoo.com You can give to Interceding Christian Center ...

  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. -2 Corinthians 12:9 Good morning and tremendous Tuesday to you! As I pondered in the scripture above a revelation came, perhaps already realized by some.  The thorn was grace. What??? The thought here is that what could have happened was prevented from happening by the thorn.  Paul could have fallen due to the ministration of his own flesh, but grace…the thorn served him well as it was sufficient to keep him dependent upon the Lord.  Beloved what thorn have you sought God for that may be His sufficiency keeping you grounded? As was Paul the thorn placed a weakness in his flesh but that void was filled by spiritual strength from the Father.  Perhaps this is why Paul said “I glory in my infirmities”. Our prayers have to reflect a thankfulness that our thorn may b...

It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. -2 Corinthians 12:1  Good morning and happy Monday to you! In the scripture above the Apostle begins the teaching of a lesson in humility.  Translating he says up front, it would serve no value for me to glorify in the works of the Lord as if it is my doing. He used the word “expedient” speaking to the impracticality of self glorification. He is speaking of how detrimental it is to misuse gifting. The Lord gives gifts in the hope that we would use said gift to edify the body of Christ.  We’ve all likely encountered someone with a gift from the Lord that they use to manipulate others. And being honest it can be discouraging seeing such shenanigans.  Yet it is not ours to judge or even to get discouraged; it is ours to believe and continue in the faith.  Lastly note the last three words in the scriptural verse says “of the Lord”, meaning that Paul acknowledges that t...

Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy; -Psalms 107:2 Good morning and TGIF!    Some theologians would come to the conclusion that this particular verse is a testimonial one.  The psalmist is advising us to literally tell someone about the goodness of the Lord. The very word redeemed means to not only rescue, but to restore. Redeem points to a price paid by someone who redeemed us.  When you are redeemed do not be stingy with your testimony of the one who redeemed you, giving where, when, why and how of His work in for and through you!  Go fellowship this weekend, we all need it.  God bless you and command your day!!! Your comments and questions are welcome. Contact me at drschaefferinterceding@yahoo.com You can give to Interceding Christian Center (ICC) using our cash app $intercedingcc 

  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!               -Psalms 103:1 Good morning and terrific Thursday to you! The scripture above calls on us to put aside any distraction and come in pure worship of the Lord.  The Psalmist is putting a demand on his very soul to worship. Not to allow his soul alone to bask in the joy of worship David places the demand on his body.  By declaring this dedication    “all that is within me”, the triune being is called into submission.  Beloved imagine, putting aside all things, and spending time totally submerged in His presence.  Finally David spoke of the importance of reverencing the very name of the Lord! Oh how many neglect or even profane His name. The benefits of blessing the Lord are too precious and powerful to not embrace.  God bless you and command your day!!! Your comments and questions are welcome. Contact me at drschaefferinter...

  Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. -Psalms 100:4 Good morning and happy hump day to you! This scripture always elicits a resounding joy in my heart. Its companion scripture found in Psalms 122:1 is David’s proclamation stating his overwhelming joy to enter the Temple of the Lord.  Oh how that joy seems to have faded when    Covid-19 entered the picture. Many Churches around the country now stand near empty as few people consider it a joy to cross the threshold of places of worship.  People still go to malls, games, concerts, and more but not the house of worship. None consider the negative impact of forsaking the fellowship.   Beloved in baseball it is said that there are two games. The one you see on TV and the one you see in person. You can’t draw strength from the TV, the radio, FB, ZOOM, YouTube, etc. You may get some zeal but true passion only comes from personal int...

  But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an  house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great. -Luke 6 Good morning and tremendous Tuesday to you! As a parent I’ve gotten to the stage in life whereas my children come back admitting that my admonishment as well as my advice was solid (keep living, you will arrive there).  As parents we all know that most advice comes from our experiences of bumping our heads (lol). The Lord in His omniscience has seen us bump our heads numerous times and in this particular parable speaks to listening but not adhering.  Adhering allows for the formation of a proper foundation. In construction all foundations have concrete as the footing regardless of whether the slab is concrete or not.   Life assuredly will have bumps, bruises, and storms. A solid foundation can weather those life events. A proper found...

  And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and  the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. -Rev 12:10 Good morning and happy Monday to you! The longing for the day described above is unmatched. This of course comes after the rapture and the world has seen the true nature of the enemy.  Beloved the pressures of this world are fueled by a fallen spiritual being and his desire to destroy the sovereignty of our God.  The enemy as he accused Job does also accuse us, setting into motion the worst in humanity. His accusations occur constantly and knows no restraint, hinging upon whether what he says can be proven in our action.   Our strength is given by Christ and based in our knowing and applying the truth. The strength of the enemy’s accusations are in whether we believe and act upon the lies.  Yet in all these cha...

  What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? -Romans 6:1 Good morning and TGIF!    Contrary to some teachings grace is never void of justice. As the Lord understands our frail human condition and the associated temptations and challenges His grace is sufficient for mistakes that we truly repent over.  This scripture brings to mind the thought of “testing the water”. Many pluck the line of grace almost to the point of it snapping.  Can a Christian who continues to test the grace of God be classified as saved? Living as such keeps you further away from grace than those who have not accepted Christ.  Grace is not freedom from sin but rather grace for mistakes.  Go fellowship this weekend, we all need it.  God bless you and command your day!!! Your comments and questions are welcome. Contact me at drschaefferinterceding@yahoo.com You can give to Interceding Christian Center (ICC) using our cash app $intercedingcc 

  I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: -Deuteronomy 30:19 Good morning and terrific Thursday to you! The statement above comes from the Lord and the things He spoke to Israel.  Israel was on the verge of crossing into the Promiseland so the Lord was preparing them for the temptations and challenges that could come between them and the Lord.  If we consider the challenges that come against our faith and many who have caved to the false narratives of the enemy, we can see both life and death are before us.  Note how life is tied to blessings and death to curses. Blessings are further integrated with obedience and punishment with death. Death and sin are not strangers, consider the warning in Romans 6:23 sin pays, its    wages are death.  Lastly the Lord showed us the connection between iniquity and transgression...

  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. -Galatians 2:20 Good morning and happy hump day to you! The most horrible form of deaths reserved for the worst criminals was crucifixion. Our Lord bore that for us though we surely deserved it.  As He bore that death for us, He rose for us as well. His gesture of extreme grace and our humble acceptance allows us to rise out of death to eternal life.  Yes we rose still in the flesh which is a challenge for us, but we can live for Christ despite this paradoxical state by having faith. As faith is the key that opens the door to growth in a relationship with Christ.  God bless you and command your day!!! Your comments and questions are welcome. Contact me at drschaefferinterceding@yahoo.com You can give to Interceding Christian Center (ICC) using our cash app $inter...