Have you been trying to figure out lately how you are able to handle all of the trials, furloughs, and struggles of life??? Have you ever said to yourself, “I don’t know how I made it through that?” If any of the aforementioned questions apply to you then the answer is quite clear. It has everything to do with what you are made out of. 1 Peter 2:4 declares that we are similar and identified with the “living stone” who is Jesus the Christ. Therefore, if we are like Christ then that suggest that what Christ was made out of is in us as well. We are all made in the image of God. The very fact that we share some of the same D.N.A. as Jesus explains why we keep getting back up when life knocks us down. Although we like Christ have to experience rejection at some point or another in our lifetime, we have to realize that rejection can and will make us stronger and better. That is why when we bounce back we always come back stonger than we were the first time. I submit rejection is good for our development. Jesus had to deal with it. However, never allow rejection to steal your joy. Use it to drive your thirst and desire to win the battle. Bishop Kenneth Ulmer say’s “A winner learns how to lose, but a loser never learns how to win.” Be Encouraged!!!!

Please don’t forget that on tomorrow(2-17-10) Saint Paul will celebrate the beginning of Lent Season with Ash Wednesday Worship at 6:30p.m. with Pastor David Luke and the Flipper Chapel AME Church of Milledgeville, Ga as our guest.

Also join me tomorrow(2-17-10) as I preach at Unionville Missionary Baptist Church on Houston Ave where the Rev. I.E. Mack is the Senior Pastor at 12 Noon for their Annual Black History Program. Thanks in advance for your support.

As we continue to celebrate Black History Month I am simply amazed at what our ancestors had to endure and overcome. The torture, dehumanization, and down right evilness is to much for anyone to have to bear. However, what amazes me the most is how they were able to not only encourage themselves but others as well. Singing songs such as ” Soon we will be done with the troubles of the world”, and many other songs was a way to strengthen other slaves. I wonder how many of us today are only concerned about how we gone make it through the week, and only concerned about encouraging ourselves to the point we could care less about our neighbor on the job, in the church or the classroom. You know you have matured spiritually when you can encourage someone else although you aint got your stuff together and your life is jacked up. Yet, you can put your stuff on the back burner in order to strengthen someone else that is going through. I challenge you this week to speak life into someone else’s life although your life isn’t what you want it to be and watch God do something special for you. Be Encouraged!!!

Join Saint Paul tomorrow(2-10-10) for our Bible Study at Noon and 7p.m., if you need to “REFRESH” your spirit. At Saint Paul the following can happen when you “REFRESH” your spirit at our Mid-Week Worship. You can be:

R= Revived
E= Energized
F= Forgiven
R= Replenished
E= Enlighten
S= Saved
H= Healed

All of the aforementioned can happen to you on tomorrow night and anytime you come to Saint Paul. See you tomorrow. Peace and Love

The word refresh is defined as, to revive or replinish. It is to difficult to run this race on empty. Therefore, it is imperative that we learn how to rest and refresh ourselves for the journey that is ahead of us. The psalmist David learned first hand the significance of resting and refreshing himself. David declares in Psalm 23 that the Lord “MAKETH HIM” to lie down in grenn pasture and that God “Restoreth his soul”. David is literally confessing that God made him lie down. Basically, God knocked David down so that David might rest and for God to refresh him(restoreth). Beloved, it is impossible to go to the next level or even soar to unknown heights on empty fuel. Please learn how to spend some quiet, quality time with God and watch God revive your spirit and replinish your soul(refresh). However, if you choose not to do so then maybe God will have to do you like David and “Make you Lie Down”. Have a good week and remember it is vitally important that you show up at somebody church this week for Bible Study so that you may REFRESH yourself for the rest of the week journey. Be Encouraged

Sometimes when I am watching athletic events I think it is so unfair how some teams have such a major advantage. For example, The Cleveland Cavaliers have LeBron James. The Lakers have Kobe Bryant. The Colts have Peyton Manning and the Saints have Drew Brees. All of these athletes give their team an advantage that the other team does not have. These players have the ability to make something happen when their teams need it most.

I use to think that was unfair until I realized that a child of God has the same advantages. Romans 8:31-32 says “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all”. The enemy thinks the same way I did about the athletic teams who have an advantage because of the person on their team. We have God and Jesus on our team which puts us at a major advantage whenever we are engaged in battle with the enemy. I challenge you this week to look to the left and right of you when you find yourself in battle and realize who you got on your team. The reason you have not lost or have a loosing record in life is because your teammates keep giving you an advantage that the opponent(enemy) does not have. In the words of Bishop Kenneth Ulmer of Los Angeles, “There is a Champion in You”. Act like a champion this week because that is exactly what you are. Not because you are so great but because who is on your team. Be Encouraged!

Please don’t forget that Bible Study tonight(1-27-10) is at 6:30p.m. instead of 7:30p.m.. Also Saint Paul is scheduled to share with Church of the Living God tonight in their Leadership Conference 2010 at 7:30p.m. This is the first time that Saint Paul has an opportunity to return to its old facility(989 Walter E. Davis Sr. Dr) to worship. The Praise Team and Doorkeepers have been asked to serve. See you tonight.

I challenge each of you this week to fly like an eagle and soar to places you have never been before. You can do it, if you believe it. However, I do have to warn you of this one thing. Eagles don’t fly with everybody. So if you have been flying with buzzards(gossipers, liers, low down people) in the past you will have to leave them where they are. Because eagles don’t do what buzzards do, and buzzards don’t go to the places that eagles go. Be Encouraged!!!

A friendly reminder to all members of Saint Paul. Tonight(1-25-10) is our annual “State of the Church Address”. Please be in attendance at 6:30p.m. to hear about the condition, future, and finances of your church. The best is still yet to come.

The earthquake in Haiti has surely caused many of us to redirect our focus and priorities. Each day I recieve several e-mails. Some are good news, informative and profound. On yesterday a dear friend of mine sent me an e-mail entitled “Blind Girl”. At the end of the e-mail it stated, “And when you are tired and complaining about your job- Think of the un-employed, the disabled, and those who wish they had your job. And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down- Put a smile on your face and think- you are alive and still around.”

That e-mail suggest that our situation could always be worse. Therefore, always declare in your spirit “This is the day the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it.” Be Encouraged!!

To all Saint Paul members and friends. Bible Study is tomorrow(Wednesday 1-20-10) at Noon and 7p.m. Remember, at our 7p.m. Bible Study we now offer classes for children 3-18. Make Bible Study a part of your weekly activities. See you tomorrow.

I am deeply sadden by the earthquake in Haiti that has caused unthinkable destruction to a country that has struggled for decades. My heart and prayers go out to our brothers and sisters in Haiti as well as to the many Haitians that live in our country who have lost their entire family. The time is NOW that we make an earnest effort to assist in helping our brothers and sisters in Haiti.
I am humbly requesting that all members of Saint Paul Church come prepared this Sunday(1-17 and next Sunday 1-24-2010) to make a sizeable and sacrificial contribution to send to Haiti. All week long I have been reading some of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. sermons and books. Dr. King spent his entire preaching ministry preaching about moments like this. It is our God given duty to step up and help our brothers and sisters who are in a desperate state. Psalm 41(KJV) is a great scripture to meditate upon when considering the amount you desire to give. I pray that God warms your heart to give and blesses you for your generosity. See you on Sunday. Peace and Love

Pastor Slaughter