Soraya Mathias Blog

Promises…What is the true meaning behind them? Are they verbal agreements that we make amongst ourselves that we must follow through with?

“I promise I’ll pay you your money back”

Or are they things that we say only because they sound good coming from our mouths?

“I promise I will change my ways”.

As the true definition of a promise may vary from person to person, there is one thing for sure that we all know about them. And that is that just like a glass plate hitting the floor, they can be broken, sometimes by those that we least expect. Relatives that share the same family tree with you on down to childhood friends that you have known practically all your life can be the very ones that are in the business of breaking promises. Sadly, a lot of times, it is the closest ones to us that can let us down the most. It starts to make you feel like everyone is like that. Makes you feel like no one is to be believed when that “promise” word begins to surface. That may go for the people that you deal with down here on Earth but it surely doesn’t apply to God.

God is one who doesn’t take promises lightly. If He makes one to you, then you can believe that He will follow through with it. Now He may not show up as soon as you get up off your knees from praying or as soon as you call out His name but He will show up. And when He does show, the answer to your questions and the blessings that He has in store for you will be revealed.

People in your life, or even those that you barely even know, are not perfect beings despite what they or you might think. Flaws they do possess, mistakes they will make, and promises just might be things that they can’t seem to hold on it to save their lives. Although this is true, we must not confuse that with the promises of God.

Our Father is very serious about these things called promises. They are not things that He takes lightly at all. He does not make them to break them. He makes them to keep them. To God, promises hold truth and value. His are true and will be brought to the light to those who keep the faith in His doings and listen to His voice.

“Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

Hebrews 13:5

This promise He will always keep.

2011 has come and gone with the quickness and a brand new year is now upon us. Way before it even arrived, many of us created these long, drawn out lists of resolutions, pinpointing things that we are going to do differently for the next 365. Our personal pledges to self-improvement include all sorts of things from losing massive amounts of weight to making drastic career changes.

We know hard work and dedication is much needed in order to meet any of these goals for success isn’t found overnight. Although these things are vital, the key to success doesn’t depend on those things alone. The key to you reaching your goals is God.

When we think of New Year’s Eve celebrations, a mixture of wild partying and large consumptions of alcohol comes to mind for many people. That is their way of ringing in the New Year. While the party goers are jam packed in a sweat box or on the streets of New York City, there are those who choose to bring in the New Year in a more spiritual way by attending watch night service at a local church. And what better way to bring in a year than in the house of the Lord.

Sound like a bash to those who don’t go to church on NYE?

It’s not because the very same people who went to a watch night service could not step foot in a church for the rest of the year. And a person who partied until the sun came up could be front and center for all of the remaining Sundays. Aside from the activities that people partake in on the eve of the New Year, some people eat certain things as a way to gain prosperity in the upcoming year.

A bowl of Mama’s black eyed peas and collards is all you need to make your pockets a little thicker or come up on some amazing string of good luck. The only thing that is doing is making your stomach thicker, not your wallet.

Whether we are the party crashers, the church-goers or the black eyed peas and collard greens eaters, the point is that in order to truly be fulfilled and prosperous in a new year, your life and all that you do has to be filled with God.

He is the one responsible for the “luck” that you have financially. He is the one that should be credited for the advancements that you make in your career. He is the one who provides you with the strength and willpower to reach your goals.

If you don’t start your year off with God, you should find a way to incorporate Him in the days that remain.

Your TRUE success and livelihood is counting on it.

As believers in God and His word, many of us make it a point to attend church services on a regular basis. And like most church services, there is a lot praising going amongst members of the congregation. And it is done in many different ways. Some people praise God silently, praying quietly to themselves and speaking to Him privately. Others clap, shout and scream His praises to the top of their lungs for everyone around them to hear. The one thing that is always present in a church for the most part no matter how you give God the glory is music.

This music, just like the praising that goes on, is shown to us in many forms. Organs and drums being played in the background as the preacher reaches the peak of his sermon. And music from the choir, with them bellowing out moving gospel songs that touch the hearts of congregation’s members.

But what if that wasn’t the case though?

What if no song was ever sung by a single solitary person? Or no key was ever touched on a piano?

Would you still be able to praise God just the same, give Him the glory A capella?

Take a professional singer for example. Here is a person that can sing well when accompanied by music but sounds even better when the instrumental stops playing; all we hear is their natural melody. When they sing A capella, it is truly coming from the soul. It is coming from them and them alone.

Now relate this to the way you praise.

Uplifting His name with your voice alone is more than enough for God. He can hear your voice loud and clear, giving Him thanks for all that He has done for you and what He is on the verge of doing in your life. And He can recognize that with or without the music playing behind you.

Hearing music can increase the level of showing your love for God. A lot of worshippers will say that their spirits are moved just that much more when they hear a touching song being sung. As that may be true, praising God ultimately can be done with no background noise at all.

Your willingness to shout out your praises to the almighty may be fueled by music.

But when the piano stops playing and the voices of the choir members begin to fade, will your praising of God be just as strong?

Your inner circle, your clique, your homegirls and homeboys…There are so many different titles that we place on those that we consider friends. These are the individuals that we spend a lot of time around, maybe even years at a time, and share countless memories with. The ties that we have to these people can become so strong that we even begin to act exactly like them, mirroring everything that they do. From the way that they dress, talk, and carry themselves, we find ourselves picking up our friends’ habits. Some of these habits can be good ones and can help us move towards self improvement. Then there are those habits that are not ones that anyone should want to pattern.

When the bad habits of your friends start to rub off on you, could their negative influence keep you from reaching your goal? Could they be the stumbling blocks between you and your destiny?

We all know that no man can stop what God has in store for us. Whatever is in His will shall be and no matter how hard we, or anybody else may try there is no changing that will. As true as that is, there can be people who serve as “blessing blockers”. A blessing blocker’s role is to distract you, throw you off track from reaching your goal and receiving the blessings that are waiting for you. Often times, they are mistaken as friends when in actuality, they cause more harm than good; some of them taking on enemy qualities. And most of all, a number of these people don’t even have the same goals that you do; they aren’t looking for the progress that you are.

So if that’s the case, why are these people even in your circle?

If you are one who is serious about your education, then why are you surrounding yourself with people whose transcripts and report cards are flooded with D’s and F’s? Haven’t cracked open a book in God knows when.

If you are a person who is a go-getter, why does your clique consists of those who settle for less? The bare minimum is all they are striving for while you are constantly looking for ways to improve yourself.

If you are about change, then why are you in the midst of individuals who are complacent, no change necessary? They’re clearly not fans of President Obama’s theory.

Sometimes the people that we are associated with are the ones who are keeping us from receiving our blessings. Good people, yeah they may be. But do they hold the same things that you do in high regard? Are your values similar at all?

We don't always notice it right away. It can take months or years for us to realize the truth about our company. The truth is that our company is not always helpful. They don't always encourage us to do the right things. And when we think that these people are positive influences, they really are more of a hindrance to us.

We should be wary of the individuals that we hang around and choose our company with much caution.

They can be the very thing standing between us and the blessings that God has in store for you.

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

Ephesians 2:8-9



Despite the clear message that the above scripture is relaying to us, for some strange reason, there are numerous human beings in this world who have come to the conclusion that they are powerful. The sun rises and sets when they say so and if it weren’t for them, nothing would be possible. Some of us really think we are the ones that run the show. We have really got it twisted.



Do we honestly think that we are the sole ones responsible for these long lists of accomplishments that we have under our belts? Does the outcome of a situation happen the way it does because we think that’s how it should be or does God have the ultimate say so overall?



It seems to me that we forget sometimes who made it possible for us to achieve anything period. It is God and no one but Him. God has ALL power and has control over the situations that we are or aren’t placed in. And because of that, He determines our rises to success and our struggles to get there. But that lack of humility that we develop once we get a little change in our pockets or start raking in degree after degree and promotion after promotion keeps us from remembering that important part.



So is it not okay to be proud of yourself for what you have done?



I have had my own personal struggle with this. Not because I am known to be an overly arrogant person who thought the world revolved around her. It was because I had that fear that if I expressed any ounce of pride in the things that I achieved, I would be deemed as an individual who lacks humility. But after a heartfelt conversation with my mother and over the years, truly learning and knowing the difference between being cocky versus being confident, I realized that being humble yet having a sense of joy about what you have done is not a bad thing at all.



Possessing self pride and self confidence are things that everyone should have. God doesn’t want us to hang our heads when we are doing positive things in His sight. He wants us to rejoice in our blessings. But often times our rejoicing turns into boasting and bragging. God frowns upon this type of behavior because in His eyes, we are all equal. We are all His children. Having multiple letters in front of or behind your name or having a fleet of luxury cars lined up in your driveway makes you no better than the next person. And it surely won’t save you from the burning flames of Hell if you are not being obedient to His word. Not because I said so but because God said so.



Having that shear excitement and thrill of knowing that your hard work has finally paid off is okay. Those things are only frowned upon when they are taken too far, when a person’s humility has gone completely out of the window.



Be subtle in your celebration of the things that you have accomplished. And let others speak of your greatest.

Looking for true love can be quite a tiring job to say the least. And it’s something that some of us are blessed to find quickly. On the other hand, there are those of us who have to search far and wide for Mr. or Mrs. Right, running into a few unpleasant characters along the way. Yes, the dating world is not an easy one to be apart of. And after a countless number of disappointments, it can lead to bouts of loneliness but most of all, desperation.

Memberships to online dating services start to look more and more appealing to you when before using them was not even a thought in your mind. You have even found yourself taking your friends up on blind date offers that you would have normally shut down with the quickness at the mere suggestion of them. Never thought you would resort to these routes a day in your life right?

Not to mention the fact that during our droughts, we start to seek advance from the worst possible sources ever. Since when did players and "the single yet salty" crew become the know-it-alls when it comes to finding the perfect soul mate? That rarely turns out well for most of us. We can become so desperate to find love that we look for guidance from any and everybody that is willing to share their “wealth of knowledge”. But the one that truly can solve our dating troubles is God.

So often, we ask God to bless us with material things like fancy cars, beautiful homes, money and any other things that we desire to have. But why is it that some of us never ask God to bless us with a good partner? Why don’t we ever send up that prayer for companionship?

If God is the one that has all the power, the one who controls everything that goes on in this world from the rising of the sun to the rain that falls down here on Earth, why would He be incapable of delivering a soul mate to you?

Some may say praying for companionship is silly, that God wouldn’t take a prayer like that seriously.

The response that: All prayers hold importance, not only to you but to God as well. He listens to us when we talk Him about our troubles and the things that we want to happen in our lives, including finding a good person to spend the rest of our lives with.

So when online dating has failed you and blind dates always seem to turn out horrible, it’s time to call on God for that soul mate you are looking for. Pray to Him that He shall send you a person who will honor and keep you, respect you as a human being and treat you as their equal, be your backbone when you are weak and take care of you when you are sick. Be sincere in your prayer for companionship to God for if it is truly in your heart to find love and you believe in His power, your dating troubles will be solved.

In the Christian culture, we've been taught that in Jesus' death, we who believe in Him, now have life. More specifically, we have eternal life, and we now have access to serving in God's kingdom once our time here on earth ends. It is that symbol of God's grace and our understanding of faith that makes our obstacles bearable, but as Christians, should we really use God's grace and Jesus' death on the cross as a license to sin? Most importantly, is there any truth that Jesus' crucifiction did away with the commandments?


Now in our churches, we hear less and less about the importance of obedience. Mostly today, we hear the good news, which is the salvation we have at the expense of Jesus Christ's death. Our pastors have become more like motivational speakers, and while it's understanding that we can use motivation in such a depressing economic condition, they aren't preaching the bad news, which is the very news that will save your soul.

Obedience may be an afterthought in the church, but since the beginning of days, it's been one of the most requested things God has asked from his people.

The History of Sin

God created the Earth in six days, and on the sixth day, he asked the first two people on the planet to obey Him, or face death.

Eve decided to pick the apple from the tree against God's command, and she and Adam were kicked out into a world of pain and suffering.

As the Bible shows us, sin started with Adam and Eve, and the generations after were also sinful people. When God saw his own creations murdering, fornicating, committing adultery worshipping false gods, and commiting other acts of sexual immorality; He decided to wipe out the human race. He only saved Noah and his family (and certain animals), and the only reason Noah was saved was because he was obedient.

Because Noah was the only one that walked with God, he and his family were the only human beings that received God's mercy.

Why is that? Well, from Scripture, it's clear that God hates sin. We as Christians think of evil as anything pertaining to satan or disbelief in God, but honestly, God views evil as disobedience to his commandments. And that is what Christians must understand...you're either Godly or ungodly. In essence, either your lifestyle is Godly or it is ungodly. And anything that is not of God or in alignment with his commandments, is evil and subject to destruction.

Scripture:

Psalm 45:6-7
⁶ Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. ⁷ You love righteousness and hate wickedness;

Hebrews 1:8-9 
⁸ But to the Son He says:       
“ Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.        
⁹ You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.”

A careful look at Hebrews 1:8-9 reveals the term lawlessness. Lawlessness means to not uphold the law, which is the commandments, better known as God's law. 



Jesus' Death and Our Salvation

Before Jesus, those who sinned had to offer animal sacrifices as a form of repentance. Even when Moses helped lead the Jews out of Egypt, the Passover required the Jews to sacrifice a lamb.


Jesus' death put an end to animal sacrifices, and that is why He is referred to as the Lamb:

John 1:35-36
³⁵ Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples. ³⁶ And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!” 

Now, we can all agree that Jesus was the Lamb of God, as it is clear in the Scripture above. The problem is what we also take his sacrifice to mean, and that is the do away of obedience. Many Christians believe Jesus' death means sins no longer exist.


In fact, many Christians say he washed away our sins. Well, yes, he washed away our sins, but he didn't abolish the commandments or God's instruction to follow them. In fact, even Jesus stated He did not come to do away with the commandments, and we are still required to obey them:

Matthew 5:17-19
¹⁷ “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. ¹⁸ For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. ¹⁹ Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them,he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

James 1:12¹² Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. ¹³ Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. ¹⁴ But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. ¹⁵ Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. 

God's Grace and Sin


God's grace has been used as an excuse to sin in our present day society. But let's be clear of what God's grace entails. 


God's grace was sending his only begotten son to die on the cross and be the final sacrifice. Through Jesus, we are forgiven for our sins, and now we are able to repent and turn away from our sins...not commit them anyway. No where in the Bible does it say we no longer have to be obedient:

Romans 6:15-16
¹⁵ What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! ¹⁶ Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 

Sin Leads to Death, Even After Jesus' Death and Resurrection


In the world today, we can see that breaking the commandments comes with some pretty horrible consequences. Fornication leads to STD's and even death due to AIDS and HIV; as well as heart break and shaky relationships...as well as a long list of regrets.

Adultery leads to unblessed second and third marriages.

Murder leads to prison, so does theft. While many others lead to more attacks on our health and our spitirual relationship with God.

But the Bible also says sin leads to death. The death it refers to is a spiritual death. This spiritual death means we who are sinful will be destroyed with the rest of those that are evil and disobedient.

Again, even after Jesus' death, it is made clear that those who are still sinning will not inherit the kingdom of God:

Galatians 5:19-21
¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, ²¹ envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Jesus also said:

Matthew 18:9
⁹ And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast itfrom you. It is better for you to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire.

Do not be deceived by the modern day church or lost believers, God is clear that sin will lead to permanent separation by those who disobey. Yes, even Christians can go to hell:

1 Corithians 6:9-10
⁹ Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, ¹⁰nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.

How God Determines Who Really Loves Him

Love is truly a word we take so lightly with other people, so can any of us be surprised that we also take it lightly with God? Many Christians will tell you with a straight face that they love God, yet their hearts and actions say otherwise. Simply put, God has his own way of determining who really loves Him, and it doesn't have to do with what we say...but all about what we do:

John 14:15
¹⁵ “If you love Me, keep My commandments."

So if we love God, just who should we obey? The Creator or the creation (world)? Besides, our bodies are not our own, so we must use our bodies to bring glory to God or face destruction:

1 Corinthians 3:16-17
¹⁶ Do you not know that you are the temple of God and thatthe Spirit of God dwells in you? ¹⁷ If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

Romans 10:3
 ³ For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. 

James 2:24
⁴ You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. 

So if you are a believer and you follow Christ...you ought to walk the way He walked. No one said it would be easy, but to love God, requires action...not just our faith.


God bless.

"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. 2But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers." Psalm 1:1