Monthly Meditations with Dr. Michael L. Hargett, Sr.

(KJV) ISAIAH 55:4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people. This is a great time to be an American! This is a great time in American History! We have entered into a new era with the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States . To God be the glory! The glass ceiling has been forever shattered! Many of us believed that we would never see this in our lifetime. This is just another testament that man’s greatest impossibility is God’s simplest possibility. But what now? What does this really mean for our nation? What does this mean for the body of Christ? What does this mean for the black community? I was proud to see all the people gathered here in Chicago in celebration of his victory. In my spirit, I wondered where would these same people be on Sunday? In church perhaps? NOT! I was amazed at how much money President Elect Obama raised in rather short periods of time. In my spirit, I wondered why so many churches are lackin

Psalms 31:10 9Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly. 10For my life is spent with grief, and my years with sighing: my strength faileth because of mine iniquity, and my bones are consumed . Failure can either break us or make us. Have you ever failed at something? Perhaps a test or a class while attending school. Or maybe you have failed at your marriage or your health is failing now? Have you ever failed at something in your life? The definition of failure is to lose strength – or to be unsuccessful. My daughter Peyton’s soccer team just won the local leagues’ championship, in fact they were 10 and 0. All of the parents were excited about their success and so was I. Nevertheless I have also been in prayer that the children grow to understand that life is not all about winning, but how one reacts and responds to failure. Our economy is on rather shaky right now. The Associated Press reports that suicides are on the ri

Galatians 5:16-26 16This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. 22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 24And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 25If we live in the Spirit, le

Acts 3:1-11 1Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. 2And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; 3Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. 4And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. 5And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. 6Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. 7And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. 9And all the people saw him walking and praising God: 10And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of

John 10:10 10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I was listening to one of my favorite Gospel songs. "Faithful is Our God" The song says, “I’m reaching the harvest God promised me – Take back what the Devil stole from me and I rejoice today, for I can recover it all!” I love this song! I can listen to it all day everyday. It simply gets me ready for the spiritual warfare I face everyday. It is saying that as true believers and followers of Christ; We have the power to take back what God has blessed us with and Satin has stolen. We have the power to take back what we have given to Satin. We have the power to take back what he has stolen from us! You can take back your life! We have power over sin and it does not have to consume us! It is time to take it back! We have control over our finances; it is time to take it back! We have control ov

Luke 24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem . A friend of mine back in Virginia recently asked me why Christian folk are such hypocrites? Her co-worker who constantly preaches to her, and then she observes him in a constant state of sin. Lying, cheating, and steeling everyday. They work for a not for profit company and do a great deal of fund raising and phone solicitations. Her follow-up question to me was, “How can this guy preach and speak of God to the people we are calling while in the same breath he is lying to them about the company’s need for money?” My answer to her was that she does not see him in his prayer closest and perhaps he repents. Her next question to me was “Doesn’t God get sick and tired of fake repentance?” This question blew my mind. She put something in my spirit that I just had to take to God in prayer. God how much is enough for you? Where do you draw the line? Her qu

P roverbs 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee. I recently saw an episode of the Dr. Phil show where he interviewed and counseled three mothers who where sick of being mothers. Each of these three women had children that had serious disabilities which required around the care. One of the them stated that her heart was no longer in it, and she just wanted to be free. Each of these women has been caring for their children for years and where becoming overwhelmed by the responsibilities of caring for their children. I began to wonder how many of us do things on a daily basis but our heart is not in it? How many of us come to church on Sunday morning and our heart is not in it? How many of us make an offering and our heart is not in it? How many of us are in a marriage and our heart is not in it? How many of us are caring for a parent, a sick spouse or child and our heart is not in it? If our hear

Isaiah 40:29-31 (NIV) "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." My wife and I were able to get away for the past few days for her 20th High School Reunion this Labor Day Holiday. We had a great time together, with no children, no work issues, and no cell phones! Yes, I even left my cell off (Majority of the time). She reminded me that it was time to rest and take some much needed time off from our busy schedules. We often hate to admit that we are getting older and must rest the natural to stay strong in the spirit. Prayer is essential to resting the spirit. Taking time out to talk and rest with God is just as important to me as eating and sleeping. I have a relationship with Jesus that needs to be nurtured and maintai