Blog page 2022 - Messages

Thelma Cheek’s Testimony 8-19-2022

I met Thelma in 1999; we were members of the same church. We have been prayer partners for many years and she has been on the board of directors at Burnett Ministries since its onset in 2005.

Thelma Cheek is the mother of four daughters and a son who is a pastor/bishop. Meet this wonderful woman of God, who is my dear sister in Christ and a friend indeed.

MY TESTIMONY

• Looking back at my life, I was blessed with hard working parents who knew about the blessings of the LORD, it was through them I learned of God’s blessings. My story starts out with my being the third oldest child of a mother and father who were involved in church and made sure we went to church and took part also.

• I attended elementary, junior, and senior high school, but before I could finish senior high school, I got pregnant and could not finish high school. I got married and had my first child when I was sixteen years old so I was not able to finish high school.

• Many years went by and I performed housecleaning duties for some of the families in the city. Not knowing that God had another plan me. I was able to get my GED Certificate by taking night classes. I continued to do housecleaning until the Lord took me to my next step.

• I was hired to work as a teacher’s assistant at a child development center which was my start in God expanding my blessings. It was through this opportunity that I was able to travel all over the country and conduct training even though I did not have a college degree.

• It was during this time of traveling and being away from home that my husband who had been hospitalized took a turn for the worst, my mother and other family members were keeping check on him while I was away. While away, my husband health became critical and I needed to return home and two days after returning home my husband passed away.

• At this time, I did not know what to do or where to start, but the Lord had people in place to help me make final arrangement and then helped me in telling my children that their father would not be coming home anymore.

• I am reminded of hearing that what God has for you it is for you. As the scripture says that the Lord has plans to prosper us and that is for our good, but we must believe it and allow Him to lead us and guide us in the path that He has set forth for us.

• Even as I started out God has shown me that if I trust Him He will provide. I thank God for where He has brought me from and where He has carried me to. So, I say if you put your trust in God and will allow Him to lead you, He’ll carry you places you never even dreamed you would go.

• I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper and give you a future and hope. If you will listen to the Lord and trust Him and not be afraid, there is no limit to what you can do in Him, where you can go or what you can be.

THELMA CHEEK

Got a testimony/story you want to share? Contact me at burnettministries@myyahoo.com

~ Betty A. Burnett ~

Ungodly Words Used in the Bible 8-18-2022

Saints, it is of the utmost importance for us to watch out for all the ungodly words (profane) that some of these translations are using. The Word of God says how ungodly these words are, and some of these people still have the audacity to write these words in God’s holy bible.

It is one thing to change words that give a better understanding but has the same meaning. It is totally different to change the meaning. I am continuing with 1 Samuel 20:30 and how the word rebellious is replaced with ungodly words that have a totally different meaning. Most of the bibles say “rebellious.”

Meaning of rebellious

to resist authority. Does that sound anywhere close to bi..h which means a female dog, wolf, fox, or otter. derogatory a spiteful, unpleasant, or disliked woman.

• This is dangerous! It is one thing to use foul language but it is much worse when someone have foul words printed in the bible. God will deal with whoever does it because they are tampering with the Word of God!

• I am pausing to say this, a person said no one should disqualify the King James Version. That is not what I am doing with any translation that is written correctly. I am not attacking the Word of God, just exposing what is being tampered with.

• My desire is to see the children of God rightly divide what is written. Errors and misprints are in some of these bibles, but I don’t think they were done intentionally. Translating one language to another can be problematic.

• On the other hand, some of these people who have translated the bible with foul language in it, are doing it deliberately. Before sharing about a couple of bibles I am familiar with, let me tell you what the Word of God says:

Filthy Communication [words]

Let no filthy communication [words] come out of your mouth (Colossians 3:8).

• Ephesians 5:4 - Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting [foolish talking or crude joking(offensively coarse or rude), which are not convenient.

• Ephesians 4:29 - Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is for edifying that it may minister grace to the hearers.

• Matthew 12:37 - For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.

• Saul exploded in anger at Jonathan: “You son of a slut! Don’t you think I know that you’re in cahoots with the son of Jesse, disgracing both you and your mother? (Messenger bible) Slut? a promiscuous person: someone who has many sexual partners —usually used of a woman. I threw this bible away. By the way, please do not give someone else something with which you don’t agree.

• Another, more modern edition of 1 Samuel 20:30 is worded like this: Saul boiled with rage at Jonathan. “You stupid son of a whore!” (NLT) Stupid - having or showing a great lack of intelligence or common sense. Whore? Derogatory a prostitute. synonyms: sex worker · call girl · offensive a woman who has many casual sexual encounters or relationships.

Guess how many churches use the NLT bible? Many! I wonder if they even know that verse is worded like that. Check out 1 Samuel 20:30!!!

There is nothing covered (hidden) that won’t be revealed.

Coming next - Thelma's Testimony

~ Betty A. Burnett ~

One of the Worse Translation that I Have Come Across 8-17-2022

• It is time for the children of God to open their eyes so they can discern what is good and what is evil. It was all the way back in 1991 when the Spirit would put me in places to see ungodly things that people were doing and ungodly materials that were blasphemous.

• I get totally bent out of shape when I hear any filthy words coming from a believer’s mouth. However, I am using these words to tell you how some people have perverted the bible. I want to share about a specific bible verse in 1 Samuel 20:30, that was printed and what happened to the person who had this edition published.

From the Internet

• Saul boiled with rage. “You son of a bitch!”* he yelled at him. “Do you think I don’t know that you want this son of a nobody to be king in your place, shaming yourself and your mother? (1 Samuel 20:30 - Living Bible Paraphrased). The same verse in the Children’s Living Bible (1972). I will not use the person’s name, but if you read that particular edition, you will see for yourself.

This paraphrase of this verse is supposed to convey an easier understanding of the verse in question. However, what it tells children is that swearing is appropriate. This swearing phrase in this children’s Bible shows the contempt the author has for the word of God.

First of all, he tries to mollify his reason for using that phrase by claiming that it is the modern equivalent for “son of a perverse, rebellious woman.” Bitch is the word in the English language for a female dog and the term has long been a derogatory street term. In the Hebrew, the word for dog is “kelev.”

That word is not found in 1 Samuel 20:30. This means that he used a method called “dynamic equivalence” in which he tried to interpret the words and then instead of conveying the actual translation of those words into English, he instead conveyed, what he believed to be the idea or concept behind them. This is what the new translations do, they believe it is better to convey the concept or idea rather than the actual words of God from Hebrew and Greek making every new translation subject to the bias of the translators.

The problem with this is that God stated that he would preserve His words, not the ideas behind them. (Psa 12:6-7 KJV) The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. {7} Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.

The interpretation of those words are given to us through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. (1 John 2:27 KJV) But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

A footnote at the bottom of the page:

The person, while writing this paraphrase, had lost his voice which seems to have been the judgment God gives to these people who treat His word with contempt. Would you want to give your child a “bible” with swear words in it? I know I would not but the Publishers do not care about your spiritual growth nor do they care about your final destination, it is all bottom line, AKA profits for them. Once again the King James Bible proves its superiority in another aspect, it is safe for children.

Lyrics to a song:

Don't let the devil ride,

Don't let the devil ride because he'll want to drive,

Don't let him flag you down,

Don't let him flag you down because he'll turn you around

Don't let him talk to you, no, no

Don't let him talk to you; he'll tell you what you do, (don't let him talk to you)

Tomorrow, you are going to be in for another surprise

~ Betty A. Burnett ~

Different Translations that are Contradictory 8-16-2022

• Before getting to the topic of today’s message there was a misprint in yesterday’s message; an important word was left out: Why didn’t the serpent speak to Adam? He knew the man would not (was left out) yield to being tempted by him, but the serpent knew how to get to the man and it was through the woman.

• I want the readers to see what caused all this confusion and why the Bible seems to be contradictory, which causes more confusion.

• The readers need to know how important it is to understand when God is speaking and when man is speaking. There are many translations/versions of the Bible; some words have been deleted while others have been added and the scriptural context is even misunderstood.

• Many of these translations are new; more are being written because some people want to have their own private interpretation. Some scriptures have been twisted for many years, especially from the time the Bible was translated from the original language of Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek.

• Some true meaning got left out and it causes confusion. I have seven translations and all of them are somewhat different. That is man’s doing and not God’s, which causes confusion and God is not the author of confusion but He is the God of peace (1 Corinthians 14:33).

• During Bible study, my sister/friend and I had the same translation and both of them read differently. That was confusing and it certainly indicates that someone wrote what their personal interpretation was.

Two scriptures from the same translations

1) To the woman he said, I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing, in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be contrary [perversely inclined to disagree or to do the opposite of what is expected or desired] to your husband, but he shall rule over you (Genesis 3:16).

2) To the woman he said, I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children. Your desire shall be for your husband, and he shall rule over you (Genesis 3:16).

• The truth is Eve’s desire was to rule over her husband. Satan’s plan was to reverse the role, and it has been happening throughout history.

• We must remember that Satan, the serpent who was once Lucifer wanted to have a more exalted position. He wanted to be like the Most- High God, his Maker (Isaiah 14:12-14).

• So, why wouldn’t he have Eve questioning God and having her think God was holding something back, by making her think she would be as gods, knowing good from evil (Genesis 3:2-5).

• Satan went as far as to tell Eve that she would not die if she ate the fruit, when God had already told Adam, the day you eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he would surely die (Genesis 2:15-17). Just as he (Lucifer) was kicked out heaven, Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3:23-24).

More to come about some of these translations that do not line up with the Word of God.

~ Betty A. Burnett ~

The Adam and Eve Dilemma 8-15-2022

• Finally - What man in his right mind would allow his wife to do something that would cost her life, stand by, and do nothing about it.• I am going back to the belief that Adam was with Eve when Satan deceived (tricked) her. From last Thursday’s (8-11-2022) message, one must be able to discern what does not line up with the Word of God.

• There is never a contradiction of God’s Word. What seems to be a contradiction is because we are not seeing the whole picture, or it is something we are missing, which tells us we need to dig deeper.

• Some of ya’ll remember back in the day, when the door-to-door salesmen would come to various homes selling $500.00 or $1000.00 insurance policies that never got paid in full and by the time someone died, they would have been better off if they had gone to a funeral home and set up a burial payment plan. The Fuller brush man, or even the farmer with his produce on wheels would sell their products on credit.

• Why did these women pay for the goods on credit? Because they did not have cash on hand. These Eves saw that the product (fruit) looked good and that was the lure. Where was the man, who was head of the house? He was probably working, but whatever the case was, he was not around just like Adam could not have been there when Eve took the fruit from the tree (Genesis 3:6)

• Most translations state that: When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it and gave it to her husband with her - KJV. Or it is written her husband was with her (Genesis 3:6).

Okay, let’s reason some things out!

• Why didn’t the serpent speak to Adam? He knew the man would not yield to being tempted by him, but the serpent knew how to get to the man and it was through the woman, who was the weaker vessel (1 Timothy 2:14). Even though the woman is the weaker vessel, her beauty can cause a man to do things they never thought they would do.

Example

• Look what Jezebel did to Ahab - caused him to turn away from God There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife. He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols (1 Kings 21:25-26a). Look what Delilah did to Samson – she was able to seduce him into telling where his strength was (Judges 16:19).

• Who was deceived? Eve was deceived, not Adam (1 Timothy 2:14). Doesn’t the bible say two are better than one? (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10). If one falls, the other is there to help. It is highly unlikely for one to fall into temptation if someone else is with them. Wherever Adam was in the garden and the time Eve gave him the fruit, was not stated.

• God knew Adam needed a wife because he was alone. God said it was not good for man to be alone (Genesis 2:18). Adam must have absolutely adored Eve. It was apparent at that moment of weakness that his love for his wife was stronger than his love was for God.

• At any given moment we can have a love for somebody or something other than God. It happens to every one of us.

• After the fall, what order did God speak in? To the Serpent, to Eve and then to Adam. Who was the initiator of the temptation? Who listened to the serpent and yielded to the temptation? Who was tempted by his beautiful wife? (Genesis 3:14-19)

• Finally - What man in his right mind would allow his wife to do something that would cost her life, stand by, and do nothing about it

Next - Some Bible Translations that can Mess You UP

~ Betty A. Burnett ~

A Good Crop 8-14-2022

• Many times, my messages will come from a recent experience, such as yesterday. My niece and I went to a local farmer’s market to get that sweet Jersey corn, and those ripe big and good smelling tomatoes were so inviting that she could not resist getting a couple of them.

• New Jersey is called the “Garden State” for a reason! People can go to a local South Jersey farm in and get the pick of the crop of fruits and vegetables! From blueberries and peaches to sweet corn and string beans, enjoy the peak of the summer harvest and get Jersey Fresh!

• New Jersey’s Tomatoes have a national reputation as being the best in the country for their flavor, tenderness, and juiciness. Way back in the day, local farmers would transport their infamous tomatoes to Campbell Soups during the tomato season to add to the delectable soups.

• The only thing better and tastier than Jersey tomatoes is Jersey corn that hollers out, “Come and get me.” Yes, that’s how delicious it is! There are several ways to cook the Jersey sweet corn, boil it, microwave it, grill it, chill it; whatever way it is cooked, the flavor is amazingly scrumptious!

Note: Some history from the internet and some from personal knowledge; worked at Campbell Soup Company back in the day.

• Now that you know the history about the Jersey tomatoes and corn, let’s talk about the farmers who produce these crops. They work hard to make sure they have a good harvest. It takes time between the sowing and the reaping, just as it takes time for us to grow.

• How well is you ground being cultivated once the seed is planted? Are you doing whatever possible to bring forth good fruit? You will be known by your fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit (Mark 7:18). Although this scripture is talking about false prophets, the principle is the same. What kind of fruit are you producing?

• What fruit? FYI, corn is a vegetable, but tomato is a fruit: According to science, tomatoes are fruits. Will your fruit have an aroma like the tomato that can be detected before one gets close to you?

• Will you look so good like the red delicious tomato, that people cannot resist being drawn to you? And even still, whether you are a fruit or a vegetable, what kind of harvest are you reaping? Will you glorify God, with your crop of fruit and vegetables?

Remember this, if you sow good, you will reap good (Galatians 6:7).

Reaping my harvest ~ Betty A. Burnett

Are You Geared Up? 8-13-2022

Comparing the three Covid-19 W”s with the three ways to safety measures for your walk with Christ.

1) Going somewhere today? Walk up-right and

Distance yourself from whatever is ungodly or whoever will cause you to act in an ungodly manner. Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord (2 Corinthians 6:17). Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners (1 Corinthians 15:33).

2) Doing something today? Keep your hands clean

Wash your hands; keep them clean from anything that is dirty, filthy, and contaminated. Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies. They will receive the LORD ’s blessing and have a right relationship with God their Savior (Palm 24:4-5).

3) Saying something today? Mask-up

Keep your mouth covered so filthy words will not come out of your mouth. But now you also put off all these, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth (Colossians 3:8). Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone (Galatians 4:6).

As you go about your various activities today, remember the two sets of Three W’s!

Blessings ~ Betty A. Burnett

Maica the Achiever 8-12-2022

Maica has been close to my heart from day one. I was privileged to dedicate her back to the Lord. I am so honored to have a niece that God has blessed with numerous abilities. I call her Maica the “Achiever” because she has accomplished so much at such a young age.

Maica’s Story.

I was born on September 1, 2007, and I am almost 15 years old. I was born into a loving, kind, talented family with a tight bond. I have 11 year old twin sisters. Since as long as I can remember I’ve been involved in a lot. Not much has changed, but I’ve matured and am starting to appreciate my experiences.

I have always been a hard worker and committed to being the best I could be. In school, I was accepted into the gifted and talented program in third grade. I was in accelerated courses throughout middle school, and am now taking Honors, AP, and dual credit courses.

I’ve been in a variety of sports including soccer, cheer, and lacrosse. I played soccer in middle school. I have been a cheerleader since 6th grade and made the varsity team as a freshman. I started lacrosse in my freshman year of high school. Despite a later start to lacrosse, I worked hard and played on varsity.

I began dancing when I was 5 years old and have trained in a variety of styles. This includes tap, jazz, ballet, hip hop, contemporary, and pointe. In 2019 I received the dancer of the year award for my studio. I am currently a member of the senior company and served as a teacher and teacher’s assistant to young students ages 2-9 years old.

In 2019 I performed in my first Nutcracker production. In my freshman year at high school, I was in two theater productions: Shakespeare and Chicago. In the Chicago production I had the chance to be a student choreographer and choreographed three numbers along with two of my colleagues. I have written and released two songs so far, No Matter What and The Impossible Exists. My dad produced the songs while my sister provided background vocals.

I am a youth film critic with KIDS FIRST! I review movies and TV shows made with kids in mind and conduct interviews with the cast and crew.

I am the co-founder of Smart Cookies Tutoring Company.

I am an active member of my school’s African American Culture Club.

I am going into my fourth year of Maica’s Sole Purpose where I organize a shoe drive and donate new shoes to school age children in transitional housing. I participate in MLK Day of Service events annually and my family and I have adopted children/families during the holidays to make sure they felt special. I have also volunteered for other events at school when the opportunity was available.

My takeaway for the readers

Sometimes doing a lot of things is tough, but if you really put your mind to it and have a love and passion for it, you can do it all.

~ Maica Nesmith ~

Got a testimony/story you want to share? Contact me at burnettministries@myyahoo.com

~ Betty A. Burnett ~

Does the Word of God Contradict Itself? 8-11-2022

• In yesterday’s message, you saw at the beginning of the book, Job did not blame God for his circumstance. Yet near the end of the book, because of his various afflictions he charged God foolishly for his circumstances. Some saw this as a contraction, but it wasn’t, Job had his moment of weakness but he was not the only one.

Now to some peoples’ reaction at those given moments of weakness

Abraham’s moment – He was weak when a famine came, doubt crept in and he went in another direction, yet God called Abraham His friend and a man of faith (James 2:23).

David’s moment – He was weak when he put his eyes on another man’s wife, yet God called him a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam 13:14; Acts 13:22).

Elijah’s moment – Elijah was a strong prophet who was in contest with the 450 prophets of Baal and Jezebel’s 400 prophets and with His God given confidence, he prevailed (1 Kings, chapter 18). Yet, when Jezebel sent a messenger to him, at that given moment Elijah got weak and ran for his life (1 Kings 19:1-4).

Peter was weak at that given moment – He denied Jesus three times (Matthew 26:69-75), but Jesus told Peter how Satan desired to sift him as wheat, and He prayed that Peter’s faith would not fail, and when he was restored to strengthen his brothers (Luke 22:31-32). The church was founded on Peter, (the little rock) and the gates of hell would not prevail against it. Peter was the disciple and apostle who stood out among the others and he was a great leader. Confirmed in Ephesians 2:20- the church was built on the apostles with Jesus Christ being the Chief Cornerstone.

• This will help the readers to understand that people get weak and because we are human we allow circumstances to overwhelm us and we can react at any given moment. Although this is inexcusable, we ask God to forgive us, and we get back up with His help (Psalm 37:23).

• Jesus will pick us up if He has to reach way down; keep pressing toward the mark of the high call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14). God is not using perfect people. He uses people who will allow Him to use them.

• But the people who know their God shall be strong and do exploits (Daniel 11:32b). God wants to do do great and mighty things in and through His people.

Next week you will see how Adam, the father of the human race was weak at that given moment.

Tomorrow ~ Maica’s Story

~ Betty A. Burnett ~

How to Know the Truth from an Error - No Contradiction 8-10-2022

I am going back to Job and what looked like a contradiction has to do with a time span.

• The Word said, In all this Job did not charge God foolishly. Yet when one reads near the end of the book, they will see a dialogue between Job and God. The same Job who did not charge God foolishly, changed his story and he began to find fault in God (Job, chapters 38-40). As a matter of fact, one of the questions God asked Job was, “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth (Job 38:1).

At first Job was strong, but over a period of time, came his moment of weakness.

Timeline of events

1) First he was strong - In all this Job did not charge God foolishly.

2) Wife – When she saw all that Job was suffering through with the afflictions that had invaded his body, then Job’s wife said to him, “Do you still retain your integrity? Curse God and die!” He replied, "You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" In all this, Job did not sin in what he said (Job 2:9-10).

3) Friend’s accusation – Zophar questioned Job’s integrity and accused him of sin. If only he would tell you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom is not a simple matter. Listen! God is doubtless punishing you far less than you deserve! (Job 11:6)

Okay, enough is enough! How much can one person take? The man lost all his possessions and all his children, and Zophar had the nerve to say Job sinned rather than trying to encourage and comfort him.

In 1989 I had a work related back injury that took me out of the work force permanently, an elder from a church said it happened because I had sinned. My spiritual mother stood up to the man and told him that was not true.

Times bring about a change - After all Job had gone through, and the negative words that were spoken to him, in that given moment he got weak. It was all those negative vibes that caused him to question God. God responded to Job with two speeches (38:2-40:2 and 40:7-41:6). In other words, God put him in his place.

Then God dealt with Job’s friends - After the LORD had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has" (Job 42:7).

This is my advice, please do not judge others, especially if you have not walked in their shoes. Even with that being so, every situation is different.

It is understandable that Job’s wife had that kind of reaction. After all, what woman would want to see her husband with no skin on his bones. To her, it would have been better for him to be out of his misery.

On the other hand, I do not understand those so-called self-righteous friends of Job who were arrogant and acted as if they were perfect. They had not experienced what Job went through, so they needed to keep their fat lips closed.

Restoration

The LORD blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. And he also had seven sons and three daughters (Job 42:12-13).

My takeaway is that there is never a contradiction of God’s Word. What seems to be a contradiction is because we are not seeing the whole picture, or it is something we are missing, which tells us we need to dig deeper.

~ Betty A. Burnett ~