Author: Chocolate Vent

Chocolate Vent’s Quote of the Week: “WHAT GOD CAN’T TEACH THRU INSTRUCTION, HE TEACHES THRU EXPERIENCE.”

“Sending a message by the hands of a fool is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison.
Like the useless legs of one who is lame is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
Like tying a stone in a sling is the giving of honor to a fool. Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand
    is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. Like an archer who wounds at random
    is one who hires a fool or any passer-by. As a dog returns to its vomit,
    so fools repeat their folly.”  {Proverbs 26:6-11}

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Saving Faith

“And he said unto the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.” (Luke 7:50)

When you look at and consider what the woman (who was identified by Luke as being a sinner) endured, it makes her situation that more remarkable.  Risking objection and ridicule by those who were at Simon, the Pharisee’s house, she opened an expensive box of ointment and began to wash Jesus’ feet with her tears, dried them with her hair, and applied the ointment to them.

This selfless act of love, devotion, and worship, prompted Jesus to declare her sins forgiven, sending her off in peace.  This is what Jesus is looking for in each of us.  He’s not looking for someone to draw attention to themselves or boast about their many accomplishments.  He is looking for those who acknowledge their sins, seek after him in faith, and who, in humility, worship him with all that they have.  This is the type of faith that saves.  This is what God is looking for in each of us.  What type of faith are you expressing?

Prayer:  Father, we thank you and give you glory, honor, and praise for what you have accomplished in us through Christ our Lord.  Teach us to rely solely upon his finished work on the cross for our sins that we may enjoy life with you.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

~Joel Osteen

#SaturdayStamps: Howlin’ Wolf

During his hard-driving performances, Chester Arthur Burnett sang out with such intensity that legendary musician Jimmie Rodgers nicknamed him “Howlin’ Wolf.” He was born in West Point, Mississippi on June 20, 1910, and brought up on a cotton plantation. There he was exposed to the traditional music of the Mississippi Delta. Howlin’ Wolf was taught and heavily influenced by Charley Patton, who was considered the model Delta blues performer. And although he did master the guitar and harmonica, his main instrument was always his powerful voice.
Howlin’ Wolf began his professional career when he was quite young, and performed all over Mississippi in the 1920s and 1930s. In the 1940s he moved to the flourishing blues scene in Arkansas. His band there included James Cotton and Little Junior Parker, both of whom gained recognition on their own.
In 1951 he recorded his first record, “Moanin’ After Midnight,” which became a big hit and led him to Chicago. Howlin’ Wolf, along with Muddy Waters, turned Chicago into the blues capital of the world. Fame with white audiences came to Howlin’ Wolf in the 1960s and ’70s, when rock bands like the Rolling Stones acknowledged his influence on their music.

Completely Satisfied

Today’s Scripture

“Blessed, fortunate, happy and spiritually prosperous…are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, uprightness and right standing with God, for they shall be completely satisfied” (Matthew 5:6 AMP).

Today’s Word

God longs to pour out his abundant blessing on every area of your life. He wants you to live completely satisfied. When you hunger and thirst for righteousness–God’s way of doing things–then you will live in complete satisfaction. You direct your hunger by choosing what you focus on. For example, if you focus on your favorite food, if you start thinking about it early in the morning, and all throughout the day, chances are, by the end of the day you’ll be eating it! What you give your attention to, you will desire.

In the same way, the more you give your attention to God and His Word, the more you will hunger for Him. Just like the scripture promises, when you hunger for righteousness, you will be completely satisfied. The world offers so many things for you to give your attention to, but they aren’t things that will satisfy. You might think you want a particular car, or certain clothes, or live in a particular neighborhood. There’s nothing wrong with those things, but understand that “things” won’t ever satisfy you. Recognize that only God will satisfy you. As you hunger for Him, you’ll live in peace and blessing and live completely satisfied all the days of your life!

A Prayer for Today

Father in Heaven, I come to You today, I ask for forgiveness for allowing anything to capture my heart and attention more than You. I choose today to give You top priority, and choose to hunger for Your righteousness. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

– Joel & Victoria Osteen

#SaturdayStamps: Dr. Allison Davis

A noted psychologist, educator, and author, Dr. Allison Davis (1902-83) helped raise national awareness of the civil rights issue through his books, lectures, and conferences. Graduating as valedictorian from Williams College in 1924, he went on to earn two master’s degrees from Harvard, where he directed various research projects.
In 1942, Davis received his doctorate from the University of Chicago, where he served as a faculty member for the next 40 years. A sharp critic of intelligence testing, he challenged the cultural bias of the testing system and fought for the understanding of human potential without regard to race or class.
Widely acclaimed, he received numerous awards. The University of Chicago’s John Dewey Distinguished Service Professor of Education, he was also named Educator of the Year in 1971. During the 60s, Dr. Davis served on the President’s Commission on Civil Rights and later as vice chairman of the Department of Labor’s Commission on Manpower Retraining. Dr. Davis wrote ten respected books, was one of the first African American professors to be granted tenure at a major predominantly white northern university, and served on the President’s Commission on Civil Rights—and so much more.