The Secret Chamber: September 2024

THE

CHAMBER

SEPTEMBER 2024

The Secret Chamber | A Digital Devotional September 2024 Edition

The Secret Chamber, the Department of Church Growth and Development’s daily devotional guide, is herein recognized as an aid to worship; it is also made an official periodical of the Church and listed in The Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in the annual report of the pastor on periodicals.

Bishop Wilfred Jacobus Messiah, Senior Bishop Bishop Francine A. Brookins, Esq., Commission Chair The Reverend Dr. Marcellus A. Norris, Executive Director Department of Church Growth and Development The Reverend Dr. Susan Hillary Buckson, Copy Editor The Reverend Jarrett Britton Washington, Graphic Editor

Scripture taken from Holy Bible, New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition, NRSVUE

Sunday|September 1, 2024

Romans 15:14

I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge, and competent to instruct one another.

Passing The Mantle I watched a video of our sister, Pastor Dana Porter Ashton, encouraging and anointing a young preacher as he begins his pastoral ministry. Now, I hear Dana talk and preach all the time, so I know she is full of Holy Ghost power, but this time, as she prayed and anointed this pastor, her words caught me, and I felt tears roll down my cheeks. This is what she said: “God, let a transference take place. And God, if you have to take from me to give to him, do it so that he does not get weary in well doing. For in due season, he will reap if he doesn’t faint.”

Did you understand what she prayed? If not, reread it aloud before you read what I will say next... I’ll wait.

Our sister, this Amazing Woman of God, asked God to take from her to give to him so that he does not get weary. How often have we closed our hands, hearts, or minds and not shared a gift God gave us? How many of us have tried to run the entire relay race instead of passing the mantle to the next waiting runner? And who of us has ever prayed, “God, if you have to take from me to give to him/her, do it?”

My tears fell because I thought of how proud our father is to see the mantle of giving that he passed on. Daddy would spiritually and physically give you the shirt and tie off his back, and Dana’s selflessness reminds us of how we should be doing the same.

This, my friends, is what it’s all about. This gives new meaning to William McDowell’s song, I give myself away.

Know that God’s plan for using you may actually involve you giving away that which is yours so that God can use it to God’s glory!

Pray:God, if you can use anything, use me today for your glory.

Mrs. Darian W. Porter Jones St. John AME Church Raleigh, North Carolina darianwjones@gmail.com

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Monday | September 2, 2024

Colossians 3:1-2 So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the hand of God. 2 Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth…

Shiny Object Syndrome Have you heard of the “Shiny Object Syndrome? It is the tendency for someone to chase something new, be it a new idea, trend, or relationship, rather than to stay focused on what they are doing. Then, drop that for the next “something new.”

This behavior is similar to a child attracted to anything shiny and new. Even those things that are out of reach are intriguing. As the child approaches something he has never seen, he is curious and excited at first but eventually loses interest as the item loses its novelty. He is then attracted to the next shiny thing, only to lose interest again when the newness wears off and proceeds to seek the next shiny object!

Sometimes, Shiny Object Syndrome results from not wanting to see something through to completion because of fear of failure. Sometimes, it is just the inability to focus on what is in front of you because you constantly look back and wonder, “What if…” or always holding out, “Just in case there’s something better, shinier, and more exciting.”

It is important to learn to differentiate between shiny objects and real opportunities. Shiny objects look good and exciting, but ultimately, they are just distractions from what really brings value to your life.

When you are done with the shiny thing and realize it was a shiny object, your real opportunity has moved on.

Pray: God, help me see the value in what I have in my hand today.

Mrs. Darian W. Porter Jones St. John AME Church Raleigh, North Carolina darianwjones@gmail.com

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Tuesday| September 3, 2024

1 Corinthians 2:9-10 9 But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him”—10 God has revealed to us through the Spirit, for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.

Don’t Stop Dreaming What are your dreams and desires for the future? Maybe you had some big dreams when you were younger, but things did not go as planned, so you put them aside and settled for the status quo. We have all had disappointments and dreams that did not turn out how we wanted. But we learned from them and kept moving forward. Today is new, and we serve a God who makes everything new.

Let me challenge you to have a big dream for your life. I always say when one dream dies, dream another dream. Don’t just settle for mediocrity, for we serve God, who is above and beyond anything, we can ask or think. There is nothing you can dream of that God can’t do. Ask Him to order your steps to the right people, opportunities, and resources, then get up and start walking! Once you allow him to lead you, you will move forward and see every dream and desire come to pass in Jesus’ name!

Pray: God bless me to see and walk in your vision today.

Mrs. Darian W. Porter Jones St. John AME Church Raleigh, North Carolina darianwjones@gmail.com

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Wednesday| September 4, 2024

Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

Share The Good News I saw this message on the back of a truck marked “Soul” Patrol (Bull City Outreach Ministries). I read the message, then reread it, then said it aloud: “if sinners be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies; let them go with our arms around their knees; let no one go there unwarned or unprayed for.”

I think about this statement at the first of every month as I “cry in the wilderness” for people to get off the financial rollercoaster and save. That’s my calling. That’s my mission. I’ve been there in my lifetime, and I don’t want to see anyone drowning in debt. Yet, if they choose to, it will never be because I didn’t do my part.

As you prepare for this day, remember what our Daddy, Rev. Dr. William Robert Porter, said - “You can’t teach what you don’t know, and you can’t lead where you won’t go.” We need to know and understand the Bible to reach out to others with the Good News of Jesus Christ. You never know – sharing your experience and knowledge may just be what is needed to change someone’s life!

Share the Good News as you go about your day so you can be assured that if they go, they go by their choice and not by your negligence as a child of God. Pray: God, allow me to share the Good News of your saving grace with someone who needs to know you today.

Mrs. Darian W. Porter Jones St. John AME Church Raleigh, North Carolina darianwjones@gmail.com

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Thursday | September 5, 2024

Mark 5:35-43

35 While he was still speaking, some people came from the synagogue leader’s house to say, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?” 36 But overhearing[a] what they said, Jesus said to the synagogue leader, “Do not be afraid; only believe.” 37 He allowed no one to follow him except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. 38 When they came to the synagogue leader’s house, he saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. 39 When he had entered, he said to them, “Why do you make a commotion and weep? The child is not dead but sleeping.” 40 And they laughed at him. Then he put them all outside and took the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and went in where the child was. 41 Taking her by the hand, he said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, get up!” 42 And immediately the girl stood up and began to walk about (she was twelve years of age). At this they were overcome with amazement. 43 He strictly ordered them that no one should know this and told them to give her something to eat.

When Laughter Gets You Put Out Imagine this: You are about to do something important, something phenomenal, something miraculous...and someone laughs.

The Scripture tells us that Jesus said Jairus’ daughter was not dead but sleeping....and people laughed. This was Jesus the Christ, and people laughed at him. People laughed at Jesus and scorned him. They obviously did not know Jesus very well and were just “hangers-on,” wanting to be in the right place at the right time so they could tell everyone later, “I was there!” But they made a terrible mistake - they laughed.

in your tracks, and at that very moment, you realized it was time to clean house. You realized that they truly didn’t know you. Still, you knew it was time to rid your life of the “ones who couldn’t or wouldn’t be straight with you,” the “ones who could not be supportive,” the “doubters,” the “haters,” the “hangers-on,” and the “atmosphere inhibitors” - those people who not only brought nothing meaningful to your life but dared to laugh as if the very thought of you being successful was out of the question.

Jesus first put them all out, except for Peter, James, John, and the daughter’s parents, then proceeded to awaken the sleeping young girl. When you are about to do something, The Scripture says, “But when he had put them all out...” See, you may have to clean the house first and surround yourself Jesus didn’t let the laughter cause Him to lose His focus nor with people who believe, have faith, can be trusted, and will abandon what He was about to do. He just took a moment to pray. Then proceed. clean house.

My sister, Dionne, says, “When people show you who they There are times in our lives when we must put people out. are, believe them!” so know that at that particular moment, Yes, you hung out in college, pledging together, attending the people you surround yourself with may not be the ones every party together, stumbling around drunk or high, doing you expected would be there for you. But fear not! Clean out anything and everything you were big enough and bad your house, have faith, believe, and see the positive shift in enough to do together. You have history and vowed to “ride the atmosphere as you continue towards success! or die” together (I never understood that concept). But one day, when you became a man or a woman, you shared your “...but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are thoughts, observations, questions, dreams, goals, behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are aspirations, and plans....and they laughed. They laughed at before, I press toward the mark for the prize of God’s high what you said. You could never have been more serious, yet calling in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13b and 14 they laughed. They laughed at you in a way that stopped you

Pray: God, help me to grow to a better place of character purpose of promise today.

Mrs. Darian W. Porter Jones St. John AME Church Raleigh, North Carolina darianwjones@gmail.com

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Friday | September 6, 2024

Ecclesiastes 3:5b “…a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.”

What To Embrace And What Not To Embrace “As a teenager, I would hear this passage of Scripture being read and think that it meant I shouldn’t be giggling and daydreaming about Calvin Tobias Edwards during church service. (Insert Aretha Franklin singing “Day Dreaming,” and yeah, it was like that every time he smiled at me.)

Saturday, as my cousin Joyce Berger read these words during Pastor Dana Porter Ashton’s church service, I thought about a different kind of “embracing.”

I started thinking that it is time to embrace the truth, our hopes, dreams, goals, successes, fears, and even failures, as long as we learn from them.

I then thought about what we should refrain from embracing.

It is time to refrain from embracing:

- Those things that would keep us from achieving our goals - Things that are harmful to our body, mind, and spirit - and not just during the Lenten season - People who do not have our best interest at heart, no matter how much we think they mean to us - Gossip, no matter how juicy - Foolishness and foolish people, no matter what title or office they hold - Ignorance and ignorant people, especially if they are running for public office - Evil thoughts, words, and deeds - Hatred - Lies - Negativity

And no, I am not saying you won’t encounter any of these daily. I am saying that the time is never right to embrace those people or things that will cause you to lose focus and take you off your God-given path.

As you begin your day, think about the things you should and should not embrace. Let your conscience be your guide, and let God order your steps.

Pray: God, help me to keep my thoughts on things that are holy, pure, and righteous today.

Mrs. Darian W. Porter Jones St. John AME Church Raleigh, North Carolina darianwjones@gmail.com

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Saturday | September 7, 2024

John 15:12-17 “12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I do not call you servants any longer because the servant does not know what the master is doing, but I have called you friends because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. 17 I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.

My “Mirror Moment” As Judas Ate Too “Can you imagine that in that room, hours before the death of Jesus, Judas ate too?

Yes, Jesus allowed Judas to eat. The same Judas Iscariot who was one of the original Twelve Disciples.

The Judas who betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. The Judas who would identify Jesus with a kiss.

The Judas who set in motion the events that would lead to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.

Jesus enters that room with His disciples, knowing Judas will betray him. And yet, hours before His death, Jesus fed Judas. Not only that, but Jesus also prayed for Judas and washed his feet, too.

I struggled to fathom that kind of love. Who could love a mouth that deceived you? Who could show love by washing the feet of a treacherous traitor? What kind of love could so easily forgive the vilest of betrayals?

I honestly struggled to comprehend it. But then, suddenly, I looked in the mirror and realized that I am Judas.

I realized that my mouth has deceived. I realized that my feet have stomped in anger. I realized that my words have broken and slandered. And I realized that my actions have betrayed as well. I lowered my head in embarrassment, realizing that in that “mirror moment,” I am so thankful that Judas ate, too. And I am even more thankful that we serve a God who loves us so much that God gave God’s only Son Pray: God, thank you for loving me in my sinful state and seeing my actions in the light of your glory today.

Mrs. Darian W. Porter Jones St. John AME Church Raleigh, North Carolina darianwjones@gmail.com

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Sunday

| September 8, 2024

James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

You Can’t Just “Speak It” You cannot just “Speak It” into existence (talk is cheap) You have to “Speak It” as you Walk It (let your walk match your talk) You have to “Speak It” as you Do It (faith without works is dead) You have to “Speak It” as you Learn It (you can’t teach what you don’t know.

You have to Speak It” as you Traverse It (you can’t lead where you won’t go) You have to “Speak It” as you Love It (we are commanded to love one another as God loves us) Yes, “Speak It,” and put your words into action!

Pray: God, propel my speech to action so that someone might see my good works and give glory unto God today.

Mrs. Darian W. Porter Jones St. John AME Church Raleigh, North Carolina darianwjones@gmail.com

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Monday | September 9, 2024

Proverbs 4:18 But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day

The Best Is Yet To Come “No matter what is happening in your life today, as a believer in Jesus, you have a reason to be excited about your future! If things seem dark right now, know that dawn will soon appear. The key is you must remember that you are not here by accident. You have a purpose and destiny to fulfill, and God is not finished with you yet. Your best days are not behind you; your best days are in front of you!

One thing I know is that God is a God of increase. He has greater things in store for your future than you have experienced in your past. His dream for your future is so much bigger than your own. He wants to take you places you’ve never dreamed of and open doors you’ve never imagined. He wants to bring talent out of you that you didn’t even know you had. He wants to increase you and cause you to be a greater blessing to the people around you. He will bless you indeed and enlarge your territory!

Today, get your hopes up and get excited about your future! Begin to thank Him for what He has in store.

Keep standing, believing, and moving forward because God has explosive blessings in store for you!

Pray: God, thank you for the path that you have established for me today.

Mrs. Darian W. Porter Jones St. John AME Church Raleigh, North Carolina darianwjones@gmail.com

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Tuesday | September 10, 2024

Proverbs 4:25 Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you.

Look Straight Ahead What are you looking at today? Not in the natural, but with your spiritual eyes. In other words, what is at the forefront of your mind and in your heart?

Are you constantly dwelling on your problems or things that have happened in your past? In the natural, you will move in the direction your eyes are looking. In the spiritual, it works the same way.

Whatever you focus your mind and heart on, you will move toward, which is why today’s verse tells us to look straight ahead. If you are constantly dwelling on your problems or things in your past, wondering “what if,” then you will stay right where you are. But if you choose to forgive and release the past, you can focus on what is ahead of you and begin to move forward.

God does not want you to live in the past. God wants you to keep growing and moving forward. Decide to meditate on God’s goodness and focus on God’s promises.

Look straight ahead to see God’s blessing and move forward into the life of victory He has promised you!

Pray: God, thank you for the grace and mercy of your blessings today.

Mrs. Darian W. Porter Jones St. John AME Church Raleigh, North Carolina darianwjones@gmail.com

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Wednesday | September 11, 2024

Genesis 1:1-3 1 When God began to create[a] the heavens and the earth, 2 the earth was complete chaos, and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God[b] swept over the face of the waters. 3 Then God said, Let there be light,” and there was light.

God’s Creative Power The creative power of God has been at work from the very beginning. Everything that we see and even what we cannot see was and is created by God. At the heart of any scientific theory, we find the creative power of an intelligent being that has designed everything. In our lives as individuals, we can see God’s creative power if we only stop noticing it. We awaken day by day, and our bodies go through wonderous changes right in front of us from birth to growth, to maturity, and even death. They are all a part of the creative process of God; what a wonder we experience day by day.

Another wonder is the fact that God gives us the power to create! We create solutions to problems, answer questions, and even invent! All of this comes from God. As we struggle with the many changes life brings our way, the creative power of God is with us in our struggle, renewing us by God’s spirit that is at work in us and in the people that God sends to strengthen and comfort us as we move from one level of creation to another.

If I begin to struggle in my faith or doubt the creator, I walk out onto my porch and notice nature around me. I listen to the noise of bees in the tree extracting nectar from the flowers; I see the tree branches bowing in the wind. Each living thing, plant, and animal life is a complicated, intricately made thing that comes from a creative mind, God! God our creator, God our sustainer, God our Lord, and God our Savior (Jesus)!

Pray: God, thank you for being a creative force in my life and standing with me through every change and challenge of this life today.

The Reverend Virgil Hammett Greater Saint Peter AME Church Cameron, South Carolina virgham@msn.com

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Thursday | September 12, 2024

Psalm 34:1 I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth

The Power of Praise in Your Prayers How can we “bless God at all times” and “praise him continually,” particularly during the difficult and trying seasons? Seasons of sickness, pain, death of a loved one, and the list goes on.

In the midst of an incredibly challenging time in my life when I had prayed and cried before God, I shared my story with a friend who encouraged me to keep on praying but to begin my prayers by praising and thanking God. I began to recite Psalm 34:1 in my prayers every time I would go before the Lord. This new prayer routine changed my prayer life and my relationship with God. As I prayed, I began thanking God for all that God has blessed me with, for God’s goodness and mercy, for every need God had already supplied, and for the ones to come. I prayed Psalm 34:1 in my car, at home, and even in the quiet moments at work. I was steadfast in my prayers of thanksgiving, and one day, my prayers were answered. My breakthrough came! I was humbled and beyond grateful that God would scatter drops of blessings on even me.

Pray: God, help me always to be mindful of blessing you with my whole heart today.

Terry Samuel Bethel AME Church Freeport, New York tjtsam1996@gmail.com

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Friday | September 13, 2024

Amos 8:11 The time is surely coming, says the Lord God, when I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread or a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord.

Spiritual Poverty Are you experiencing a season of spiritual poverty? Spiritual poverty is the deprivation of truth. It is a state of spiritual impoverishment—a want that is currently a deprivation. As the body of Christ, are we living in a season of lack, want, or need regarding spiritual truth? Are we currently living in a season of famine of the Word of God? God spoke to the prophet Amos, informing him that God would send a famine throughout Israel.

However, this hunger would not be a physical hunger for bread and water. This hunger would be a spiritual hunger for the Word of God. Let us be alert to the spirit of apathy The body of Christ must address this issue. We are currently facing a generation of believers who are entering a season of having no hope in God’s promises. They are considering living in a world without God (Eph. 2:1). Let us apply immediate action to this issue as a future generation is waiting for our intervention.

Pray: God, keep me focused on filling my spirit with the fullness of your word today.

The Reverend Sandra Hall Emanuel AME Church New York, New York sandrahall15@aol.com

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Saturday | September 14, 2024

2 Corinthians 11:3 But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by its cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure[a] devotion to Christ.

Don’t Get Distracted The present climate requires that we remain focused and vigilant. Yet, it is so easy to become distracted by the bells and whistles of life that offer a false sense of ease. The Apostle Paul addressed his fears as he wrote to the church, stating, “But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by its cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” (2 Cor. 11:3) Troubled times require patience and clarity of mind.

Let us pray for God’s power in our lives: God of our hearts, You are our greatest love. We are overcome by your faithfulness toward us even when we stray away from You. While other things in this life compete for our attention, please open our eyes to find You in every decision we make. Keep us from wasting time on lesser loves that do not profit us spiritually. Our hearts will not be divided, for we acknowledge Your endless goodness. Let the enemy’s distractions fade as we reset our hearts and minds on You. It is in Jesus Christ’s name that we pray.

Amen.

The Revrend Dr. Kenneth Love Tennessee Mountain District East Tennessee Conference tennessee.mountain.district@gmail.com

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Sunday | September 15, 2024

Isaiah 22:11b But you did not look to him who did it or have regard for him who planned it long ago.

Refocused Isaiah speaks of Israel’s future calamity at the hands of Babylon. He chastises them for their desperate attempts to deliver themselves by their ingenuity. The greater tragedy was their inability to recognize that their troubles came from their God. It was his way of exposing their greatest need- to turn to him and trust in his power and wisdom.

Do you sufficiently consider that trouble is meant to drive you into the arms of God for safety? Thank God for trouble. May we embrace it and its God-ordained purpose by looking “to him who did it....”

Pray: God, thank you for every situation that refocuses my attention on you today.

The Reverend Reddit Andrews, III St Mary AME Church Salters, South Carolina reddit.andrews@icloud.com

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Monday | September 16, 2024

Psalm 18:30 This God—his way is perfect; the promise of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all who take refuge in him.

The Perfect Way God’s way is perfect, and I am nothing without him. At the end of each day, I reflect on what I have accomplished. I think about things that did not get accomplished. Sometimes, it is easy to get discouraged, but then I am reminded that all of the Lord’s promises are true. If I stay on the path he directs, everything will work out for my good.

God is a shield for all who look to God for protection. I ask the Lord to protect my mind and keep me focused on the tasks before me. I ask Jesus to breathe on me, for I am nothing without him. I am like a ship without a sail moving aimlessly, tossed to and fro. The enemy wants us to be vulnerable and afraid, but we are protected if we look to the hills from where our help comes. Let us strive to keep focused on the perfect way.

Pray: Thank you, God, for leading and guiding us in your perfect way today.

The Reverend Joy W. Yancy St. John AME Church Memphis, Tennessee joylynn0895@gmail.com www.stjohnamememphis.org

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Tuesday | September 17, 2024

Hosea 2:14 Therefore, I will now allure her, bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly.

When God Chooses the Desert for Us If you have an important message to convey to someone, what is the best way of getting the message through? Have you ever tried to talk with someone so busy you could not even get them to hear you?

Distractions keep us from giving our undivided attention to the messenger. God also has a way of taking us aside to get our undivided attention. For Paul, it was Arabia for three years; for Moses, it was 40 years in the desert; for Joseph, it was 13 years in Egypt; for David, it was many years of running from King Saul.

God knows our stubborn human heart. God knows that if God is to accomplish God’s deepest and best work, God must take us into the desert to give us the privilege to be used in God’s Kingdom. In the desert, God changes us and removes things that hinder us. God forces us to draw deep upon God’s grace. But the desert is only a season in our life. No season lasts forever.

When God has accomplished what God wants in our lives in the desert, God will bring us out. God has given us a mission that can only be fulfilled after we have spent adequate time in preparation in the desert. Do not fear your desert, for it is here we will hear God’s voice like never before. It is here we will have the idols of our life removed. Here, we begin to experience the reality of a living God like never before. God uses problems and trials to develop and prepare us so He can put us in enlarged places!”

“He brought me out into a spacious place; He rescued me because He delighted in me (2 Samuel 22:20).”

Pray: God, thank you for selecting the perfect trials to get my attention today.

The Reverend Dr. Michael K. Bouie Pembroke Pines, Florida pastorbouie@me.com

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Wednesday| September 18, 2024

1 John 3:1 See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God, and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

God’s Child You are God’s Child. From head to toe, always represent God. You are God’s Masterpiece.

You are fearfully and very wonderfully made.

You were created in the very image of God. God knows you inside and outside and has numbered the hairs on your head.

First, John 3:1 states that we are called children of God. Believe that God cares for you.

Pray: God, thank you for being a loving God today and always.

Mrs. Helen Harmon Rowley The New Allen Memorial AME WMS Franktown, Virginia honeybea39@msn.com www.newallen.org

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Thursday| September 19, 2024

John 8:12 Again, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”

Light of the Lord With the light of the Lord comes great hope. We may not have everything we desire, but let us thank and praise God for what we have.

Most of us have everything we need plus some extra that we want. We should sometimes sit down and make lists of what we need, what we want, and what we have. Take a close look as you compare the three lists, then count your blessings and thank God today that God illuminates paths to everything that we need.

Pray: God, thank you for lighting a path to all I need today.

Mrs. Helen Harmon Rowley The New Allen Memorial AME WMS Franktown, Virginia honeybea39@msn.com www.newallen.org

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Friday | September 20, 2024

Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

God’s Word Take time to read some Bible Scriptures each day. Allow the task to be a transformational experience.

Allow time to meditate and listen to God with the deepest core of your being. Take time to hear God’s voice as you study God’s special word.

Let God help you with the understanding of the written/printed word. It is essential for your daily peaceful survival on this day-by-day earthly journey as you hold onto God’s unchanging hand one day at a time. Stick with the task seriously and religiously!”

Pray: God, give me a thirst for reading and studying your word.

Mrs. Helen Harmon Rowley The New Allen Memorial AME WMS Franktown, Virginia honeybea39@msn.com www.newallen.org

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Saturday | September 21, 2024

Matthew 4:19 And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of people.”

Follow Jesus Follow Jesus to avoid getting lost in the maze of life. Connect to and closely follow the Holy GPS (God’s Power System). Look to God for guidance and sure direction. We hurry here and there, looking for the right path to travel. As we face obstacles along the way, we need to change paths. It becomes crucial to allow God to guide us through twisting and turning passageways of life so that we can find one that will lead us to the fullness of joy that only God can supply.

Pray: God, thank you for lighting paths before me today.

Mrs. Helen Harmon Rowley The New Allen Memorial AME WMS Franktown, Virginia honeybea39@msn.com www.newallen.org

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Sunday | September 22, 2024

1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you but that you be knit together in the same mind and the same purpose.

Teamwork We need a team. A single twig easily breaks, but a bunch of twigs proves strong. When we join with other like-minded brothers and sisters, we form a strong chain of real dedication and great determination.

When we join others in the fight for justice and equal rights, we achieve what seems impossible if we try to fight alone. Linking together helps this world be a much better place.

Pray: God, help me connect with others who have hearts for others today.

Mrs. Helen Harmon Rowley The New Allen Memorial AME WMS Franktown, Virginia honeybea39@msn.com www.newallen.org

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Monday | September 23, 2024

Psalm 66:1-2 1 Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth; 2 sing the glory of his name; give him glorious praise.

Praise the Lord We serve a marvelous, wonder-working God who loves to hear from us. God rejoices whenever we connect with and praise God. Let us do that over and over again today.

Praise God in the morning. Praise God at Noon. Praise God at midnight. Praise God with the fruit of your lips, your hands’ work, and your heart’s desires between those times. Do not let the rocks cry out for you today.

Pray: God, help me focus on praising you today.

Mrs. Helen Harmon Rowley The New Allen Memorial AME WMS Franktown, Virginia honeybea39@msn.com www.newallen.org

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Tuesday | September 24, 2024

Psalm 37:23 Our steps are made firm by the Lord when he delights in our way…

Steps The Lord directs the steps of the godly, delighting in every detail of our lives.

S=Stay under God’s safe wings of protection.

T=Take one step on your own, and God will help you take two.

E=Ease on down the God-directed path with hope.

P=Put one foot in front of the other with pride and great determination.

S=Step out with forward strides of confidence and Faith.

Throughout your day, know God is leading you and protecting each step.

Pray: God, help me to yield to your will for my life today.

Mrs. Helen Harmon Rowley The New Allen Memorial AME WMS Franktown, Virginia honeybea39@msn.com www.newallen.org

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Wednesday | September 25, 2024

Matthew 5:41 …and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile.

Extra-Mile Blessings God often asks us to go the extra mile to help others and show godly love. If we are going to see extramile blessings, we must have extra-mile obedience.

When we do the hard thing God asks us to do, it is not because God is trying to make our lives miserable.

It is because God has something awesome coming our way. God’s setting us up for brand-new favors that we have never seen before. As believers, we must exercise sincere faith by being obedient and ready for that extra-mile blessing on the way.

Pray: God, increase my obedience to your will today.

Mrs. Helen Harmon Rowley The New Allen Memorial AME WMS Franktown, Virginia honeybea39@msn.com www.newallen.org

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Thursday | September 26, 2024

2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work.

God Celebrates You You are celebrated joyfully on earth and in heaven because God loves you. On the God-given and Godplanned earthly journey of life, God’s love will go with us wherever God takes us. Therefore, each day along the way, your life is filled with God’s sweet love, covered by God’s grace, and sprinkled with God’s blessings.

As God’s child who is saved and striving to become more and more like God, you make a life for yourself and others sweet in so many wonderful ways. Therefore, you are a blessing to be celebrated by God today and forever.

Pray: God, thank you for loving me to be my best self today.

Mrs. Helen Harmon Rowley The New Allen Memorial AME WMS Franktown, Virginia honeybea39@msn.com

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Friday | September 27, 2024

James 4:2b You want something and do not have it, so you commit murder. And you covet[a] something and cannot obtain it, so you engage in disputes and conflicts. You do not have because you do not ask.

Free Medicine Go to God for a cure. Go to God for healing. There is no charge for God’s medicine. It is yours—free if you ask for it. Take one dose every day with faith and patience. Never take it with worry or doubt. Remember to keep God’s medicine cabinet (the Bible) near so you can find your prescription easily.

Call Doctor Jesus if you need more real medical care. Keep faith and believe while waiting for an appointment. The Holy Spirit is also standing in the gap, ready to assist. Lean and depend on this awesome trio for all of your healthcare needs. Rejoice and feel great as you improve without medical bills.

Pray: God, thank you for being my Balm in Gilead today.

Mrs. Helen Harmon Rowley The New Allen Memorial AME WMS Franktown, Virginia honeybea39@msn.com www.newallen.org

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Saturday | September 28, 2024

Mark 1:43-45 43 After sternly warning him he sent him away at once, 44 saying to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded as a testimony to them.” 45 But he went out and began to proclaim it freely and to spread the word, so that Jesus[r] could no longer go into a town openly but stayed out in the country, and people came to him from every quarter.

Make Some Noise for Jesus The young man who Jesus healed in our scripture lesson from Mark shows us the exciting effect Jesus can have on us when we put our trust in Him and see the results of our trust. In this case, the man was healed of leprosy. The scripture does not say how long the man suffered, but just one day of suffering can seem like an eternity. When this man experienced the healing power of Jesus, he became so excited that he disregarded the command Jesus gave him to be silent about the miracle. But can we, as believers, be silent when we experience the power of God’s ability to perform miracles on our behalf?

Although Jesus admonished him to tell no one about his miracle, the man could not keep it to himself.

He gladly noised abroad the blessing he received. This tells us although we may be shy, fearful, hesitant, or plain scared, we should not keep our testimony to ourselves. We must boldly make some noise about how God has blessed us. We should be compelled to make good noise about Jesus!”

Pray: God, give me the courage to be a bold advocate for you today.

The Reverend Dr. Terri L. Strong Mt. Sinai AME Church Arlington, Tennessee terristrong3082@gmail.com mountsianiamec.com

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Sunday | September 29, 2024

Leviticus 19:18 You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

Interacting With Difficult People Does Not Need to Be Difficult God responds to us with love and kindness because God genuinely loves us. We know we do not always deserve it. Therefore, when we interact with difficult people, we are to be loving and kind. Also, we can listen to them without defending our actions. It will let them know you value what they are saying, whether you agree with it or not. Then, we are to be prayerful and listen to the guidance of the Holy Spirit of God. All this hinges on our relationship with God. We are responsible for loving, returning anger with a kind word, and responding to others the way we want others to respond. Knowing where we are in our relationship with God and standing on this confidence empowers us with the assurance that no weapon formed against us shall prosper, and God is the greatest defender and protector of those who dare to believe.

We are to be like Jesus, meeting the needs of hurt and angry people. We are kind not just because God commands us to be kind but because we are living examples of the nature of God. God is Love.

Therefore, We are Love.

Pray: God, help me to see you in everyone I encournter today.

The Reverend Nettie Jean Ranel Mary Springhill AME Church Shreveport, Louisiana ranelnettie@gmail.com

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Monday | September 30, 2024

Micah 6:8 He has told you, O mortal, what is good, and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God?

Seeking Justice Justice is a central theme in God’s heart, calling us to stand for fairness, equity, and righteousness. It means advocating for the voiceless, addressing inequalities, and embodying integrity in our actions. As we seek justice, we align with God’s will, reflecting His love and truth in our world.

Pray: God, thank you for empowering me to be an agent of fairness and mercy in my community today.

ChayGPT Experience

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