C4 Connextion Corner

Infliction   The Dictionary says Infliction Is the act of inflicting something unpleasant or painful on someone or something.   Ephesians 4:31-32 says: Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.   There are two ways of infliction.  One, we inflict ourselves with Guilt and Jealousy, but Two we inflict others.    When infliction occurs in the church it causes people to second guess Leadership, people leave the church, or it causes people to be pew warmers, not active members.    Ephesians chapter 4 is about the Unity in the church and that we are one body in Christ.   Paul is saying to the church of Ephesus, that our sin causes the Holy Spirit sorrow for the way we live.   Paul warns us against bad language, meanness of any kind, improper use of anger, harsh words, and bad attitude towa...

  “ 16 for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see…Everything was created through him and for him. 17 He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. 21 This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. 22 Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you in to his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault. 23 But you must continue to believe this truth and stand firmly in it. Don’t drift away from the reassurance you received when you heard the Good News…” Colossians 1:16 & 17, 21-23 NLT My father used to always say to me and my siblings, “You are my namesake, my blood…nothing can come in between that but God.” There was something about the phrase that was reassuring...

Inspection Like the once beloved cartoon character Inspector Gadget, we believers have every tool inside of us to succeed in our earthly mission (Ephesians 1:3). The Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Christ granted us power (Acts 1:8) to be more than conquerors. Yet, the effectiveness of these tools depends on Spirit led actions. Golden Text: 1 Corinthians 11:28 Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. News Flash! Christ is seeking to change us from the inside out. Yes, this is an old well, but the water still gives life. Therefore, to be more than conquerors (as Christ is) we must go through constant inspection and, if needed, pruning to remove all impurities. God has assured us that through the Holy Spirit, conviction will accompany the inspection at times. It’s a developmental process, which results in us being complete members of the Kingdom (James1:1-2). In addition, God charges us to lend him a hand with this inspection; ever...

  Information: And We Know! Romans 8:28 KJV: And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. In this day and age, information is at our fingertips. We can have access to anything in a matter of seconds. Thus, it is essential to be authentic and accurate with every word said. This access to information allows us to fact-check people while engaging in conversation. Alexa, Google, and Siri have ended more arguments and possibly relationships than anything else we can imagine. Because we are in the information age. It is a time when we amass information to use it to better our lives. When we set out on our aspirations, the goal is not simply to be the best in the field but also the most informed. There is a belief that more information will guarantee us an opportunity. While it is essential to know the information, it is also crucial to know more people. Because as the say goes, " It's not just wh...

The Master’s Instructions In Matthew 28 , we see women followers of Jesus come to realize he has risen!   After Jesus shows himself to these women who love him dearly, he instructs them to “go and tell the brethren to meet him in Galilee.”   Even though some were filled with joy and some doubted, the disciples meet Jesus and they break out in worship. Jesus gives his disciples instruction on how they are to proceed together on the earth after he ascends back to the Father, God. Being connected won’t always mean we can physically gather, during this pandemic, we have seen this to be true, but our connection with God has not been broken.   When we unite and stay connected one to another, there is strength.   Where 2 or 3 gather, remember Jesus said he “would be in the midst of us”. Virtually we have been able to “see” each other, worship together and break open God’s word.   I am convinced that Jesus had met us each time!   This Lenten season, let u...

  LOVE BROUGHT US BACK FROM THE BRINK TRANSITION 4 TRANSFORMATION Transition— movement passage or change from one position, state, stage, subject, or concept Transformation —Change in form, appearance, character, and nature We would all concur that 2021 has been another transitional year! There have been gains, losses, misses, and lessons! We've been up, down, right, wrong, crooked, straight, bent, broken, delighted, surprised, elevated, promoted, sharpened, setback, setup, empowered, encouraged, and equipped! As the waning hours draw to a close and we use tools of inflection as well as reflection, if we're completely honest, we will truly admit and acknowledge that LOVE (Agape) rescued us even if we did not recognize we needed it! Love as God displays it through the entrance of His one and ONLY beloved begotten Son full of grace and truth! Real love indeed is an action, a behavior. It's identifiable! It's visible, palpable, not just an emotional moment! W...

Transition for Transformation: The Prerequisite by Taji Brown Focus Scripture: Philippians 4:4-7- "Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." A prerequisite must happen first or something required as a prior condition. For example, having money is a prerequisite to purchasing something. I can remember when I met with my academic advisor when it was time to register for classes at my university. Before taking any courses specific to my major, I had to take prerequisite courses. These classes were the first steps I needed to take before becoming who I intended to be based on my desired major. In a nutshell, "you have to crawl before you walk." I find...