Can You Be Thankful?

The year is almost up and one thing I have noticed is many proclaiming how challenging the year had been. With all the situations and difficulties we have faced, God still deserves our praise. I know I have been repetitive in the gratitude area, but it is for good reason. Happy people are thankful people. Instead of dwelling on unchanging circumstances, rest in knowing God is still God! We can't change much, but God can do anything! He always has and always will. Finish the rest of this year thanking God, praising Him, and worshipping Him when doubt or unbelief creeps in on you. Didn't Jesus feed the multitude with just two fish and five loaves up bread? He can make the impossible a reality in seconds. Be thankful God NEVER changes. Be thankful you're still here breathing, walking, talking, haven't lost your mind, have shelter, fed, that you're even reading this blog. In other countries this would be a luxury to have Internet at your disposal. It's the month of Thanksgiving, but as believers every day people should see how thankful we are to God. We are saved from hell! That alone is shout worthy. So I urge you as myself to finish this year being thankful. Every day get into your Bible and allow God to minister to you. The more we get to know Jesus, the more thankful we are towards Him and life, life isn't at all as bad as we make it seem. #Thankful #IsItInYou #iShallBeThankful #FF14

It Does Not Matter

Matt. 7:22-23 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.


Have you ever been around someone who caught your attention? They spoke so eloquently. Anything they said was persuasive. They seemed to live right, you know look the part. I remember when I would hear people quote scriptures and thought, "Wow this person must really know The Bible." Soon God showed me that it's not about just knowing scripture, but living it out. There are so many just as it states above that are using God's Word in the wrong way. From the natural eye it may seem like they are working for God's kingdom when they really are working for satan.

So I was out once with someone who said Marissa do you know what Romans 8:4 says? I answered, no. Then asked another specific verse, I replied with the same answer, no. This person said we should study The Word so we can be able to call out scriptures. I went home and God showed me that we do not study for show, but for wisdom, correction, and applied to our lifestyle. Then my fascination for people being able to readily call out scriptures vanished. I then started to observe the lifestyle. There are people struggling with sin and have memorized the Word. Why? Because satan does not care about how much we remember, memorize, or study. As long as we do not apply it to our lives, there is no change, no deliverance then he is fine. 

Just like he did not care about Adam and Eve knowing that the forbidden fruit was bad. All he cared about was them not abiding by God's Words. Just like The Bible today with us, satan doesn't care how much scripture we know as long as it is not being exercised. As long as people are not getting saved then go for it, memorize it. Wouldn't it be sad to THINK we are living for God and hear those words? I mean all of our life trying to SEEM holy denying His Power to actually achieve holiness. So we don't read scriptures, go to church, pray, give, and  do ministry because we want to appear like a Christian, but because we simply love God. Love, a word that ties The Bible up in a beautiful bow. A word that holds civilization as we know it together and the only way to be Christ-like. Because God so loved us...we love Him. If we start with love everything else will come. Don't try to preach, usher, give, or teach your way into Heaven because without love, it doesn't matter. 

Guard Up

Hey people! How is your week going? Have you been conquerors or cowards? It's only one way to be in Christ and that's definitely a conqueror. Despite popular belief, being a Christian is not for the weak. I am sure you can attest to that. Seriously, every day our God is questioned and our faith is ridiculed. We get talked about(for Christ sake) and much more on a weekly bases. Well, if we are living right because if not then satan really doesn't care to bother us, but hey we can discuss that on another post. Anywho since being a Christian takes much confidence, we must keep on the lookout for anything that may destroy or hinder our boldness in God.

One sure way to remain a conqueror is keeping our guard up. I don't know too much about boxing, but what I will say is the boxer signals he is ready for a fight when his gloves are up. Standing in perfect position, feet swift, usually had a good training in before the fight, & knowing his opponents weakness guarantees him a victory. On the other hand, if his gloves are down usually he is getting beat up, or tired, wasn't prepared, or all three. Same with us. If we don't get enough Word(excluding Sunday & Bible study), know our enemy, and keep our guard down by constantly feeding our flesh then we are begging satan to tear us to pieces. Look the devil knows The Word, knows God, & already been to Heaven. Also, he never lost his gift from God. Without us tapping into God's Strength we are no match for the devil. So why not use ALL of our advantages over him? We can't win without them.

So if you feel as though you are defeated ask yourself was your guard ever up? Maybe it was up and you got tired and gave up. Did you train well enough for the fight? If we train for the fight, we know that we aren't the ones fighting, but it is He Who fights our battles. It is He Who will break the necks of our enemies(Psalm 18:40). It is He Who hides us from our enemies (Psalm 91:4). God does most of the work, but we must fight our portion with His Word and our faith. That 2pc combo will guarantee a KO every time. Is your guard up?

Conqueror

It's the beginning of the week and I just want to encourage you to be strong in The Might of The Lord no matter what happens. Whether it's a school week, work week, or looking for a job week just remember your hope, your joy, your peace is not fixated on anyone else but Jesus. So no matter what will come your way those things should remain the same. Have it in your mind that through The Help of The Lord, you will conquer this week and not let it conquer you.

We have so much strength in God that we forget to tap into it. He isn't going to force us to because of our free will to do whatever we want, but if we are confident in church we must also be confident outside of church. Yesterday's children church lesson talked about Samson. For the children to understand, I had to let them know by holding my arms in a muscular manner that God is strong. God is so strong that out of Samson's obedience He worked through Him to defeat each enemy that came against Him. I asked them, can you imagine defeating every enemy that comes against you? I ask you the same thing. The same God that did it for Samson can do it for us if we remain obedient.

As people of God our victory has already been won. We just have to weather each storm. How we begin our week is a great indication of how it will go. Constantly remind yourself that God is strong even if you have to hold your arms up in a muscle flexing fashion. The best reminder is in His Word. In His Word our joy, peace, and hope will never cease. So go ahead and conquer this week y'all! How? In God's Strength!

Where do I stand?

So where do I stand? I see how passionate you are about your dreams and goals that you want to accomplish, but where do I stand? Am I not the reason you're even able to accomplish these aspirations? If it wasn't for Me, you wouldn't care to dream. Where do I stand? I admire you being family oriented. I created the first family, but where do I stand? I know your family needs you, but do you not need Me? Did I not say don't put your father or mother before Me?  Where do I stand? You're so dedicated to the church. Every program that you are asked to participate in, you accept. However you're so involved that you forget to minister. You know outside the four walls. When was the last time you ministered to a sinner? You know I didn't save you to stay confined within the four walls, right? Is that the example My Son showed you? Did He not make it His duty to reach lost souls or was He ONLY in The Temple? Where do I stand? I get it. You're busy. You have to make that money because you need money. Forget that I said I will supply your needs. Where do I stand? I mean we barely even talk anymore. Just a quick thank You, Lord every now and then. Then, when you get to church after neglecting Me all week you blame the lack of anointing on the pastor and congregation as to why you can't feel My Presence. Where do I stand? Now, you're dead. You lived all your life putting things before Me. Thinking you're doing right only if you read what I wrote that states, every man has a way that seems right, but the end is destruction. Only if you remembered that I said, I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE. If only...now it doesn't matter where I stand in your life. It's too late. Now you stand in front of Me. And the real question is, where will you stand?

This is just a reminder to not lose focus on why we are here. It's easy to get caught up in doing "stuff." Let's not make being busy an excuse or a priority when it comes to God. Jesus said the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. Don't let your life be in vain. So He asks, "Where do I stand?"

Who Are You, Really?

So in my psychology class Wednesday night, the question arose, "What motivates you?" I look around and puzzled faces took over the room. Then, the teacher asks, "What are you good at?" Again, to my surprise it was like pulling teeth to get answers out of my classmates. The demographics that I failed to mention were young people between the ages of 19-24. Now as I pondered over what I observed, it hit me. Why are we inclined to pursue relationships with others without pursuing a relationship with self? What is the big rush to engage in a committed relationship or friendship without figuring out our own makeup? Moreover when those ill advised relationships fail, why are we so distraught as if we didn't play a huge role in the matter?

Connecting with others is about sharing common grounds. Then after finding common ground we can enjoy each other's company. Since there are many that do not know who they are in full detail and in fact are in relationships or friendship, is the common ground being lost? I mean what is tying them together if they do not know who they are on the inside? The answer is, nothing. That is why marriages fail, the unmarried date countless people(mostly), and friendships do not last because there are people who haven't grown into themselves. Any relationship takes two whole people to thrive. Broken people attract broken people and the longevity is shorter than your next breath. 

The point of this all is to understand that we can't truly connect with others if we have missing pieces to who we are wholly. You ever connected the wrong piece to a puzzle? It never fits and it looks weird. Thus the imagery of today's dating scene. Ever dated someone or befriend someone and go, "What was I thinking?" You weren't. Well, not properly anyways. So I ask you, what's your purpose? Why are you here? What legacy do you want to leave? Why do you get up in the morning? Is it just for money? Perhaps, you want to make a difference. Are you merely existing and waiting on your death? Do you seek companionship as completion? Who are you? Who are you trying to be? Who do you want to be? With whom have you shared yourself with? The real you. Do you even know who the real you is? Who. Are. You? 

Are you alive?

Matthew 22:32 "I am The God of Abraham, and The God of Issac, and The God of Jacob. He is not The God of the dead, but of the living."

It's the middle of the week and I would like to check your vital signs. Are you living? Most if not all may answer, of course I am living. If I was dead I would not be able to read this post. In that perspective you would be right. However, I am talking about being alive  spiritually and mentally. Where is your focus? Is it on dead works, people, and things? How can that be possible some may ask? Well, some are stuck on people who refuse to change. Others are stuck on situations that are stagnant, and others on things that stop producing life a long time ago or maybe never did.


My pastor has us reading a book titled, Autopsy of a Deceased Church by Thom Rainer. In the book it gives a diagnosis of how different churches slowly died throughout the years. Some didn't want to change. Others magnified the past. Then you had the ones that paid more attention to their needs than the needs of others which will effect the growth of the church. If something isn't growing then we usually consider it dead. How can we grow? Are you getting enough Son? Just like the sun rays, His Light brings forth happiness, energy, and light to our dark paths. Without Jesus we are doomed to death. Even in our salvation, the lack of His Ways in our lives can be detrimental to our witness. God also encourages us to not allow our faith to be dead, but to proclaim it boldly. Because if we claim we serve an awesome and living God then our works should correlate with our faith. We can't say God is this and that then give up every time we face a trial because He is not dead and proves it through our trials. That's why we are glad when we are tempted and tried because we know that God WILL come to our rescue on His Time. I urge you to continue to live in Christ. Don't allow anyone or anything to prevent your growth. Live! Live until you die to live everlasting because our God is The God of The Living!

Good To All

Psalm 145:9 The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His Works.

It is the end of the work week for most of you. Go ahead and say it, TGIF! Okay now, we have that out of the way, I would like to propose a question. Are you good to all? Do you try to help everyone or just the people who like you? Maybe you'll get a gold star from the world because you feed the hungry at local soup kitchens or you clothe the unfortunate. What if they didn't appreciate what you were doing? Would you still do it? Perhaps, there is a person at work that purposely tries to get on your nerves, have you showed kindness to them? I ask because that is the love God wants us to share not the convienent love the world displays daily.

Apart of this walk is stretching ourselves so that our ways vanish and God's Ways take control. The scripture states The Lord is good to ALL. Yes, His People have better privileges, but He still loves and exercises His Love for everyone. Remember when you weren't saved? How He kept waking you up, stopped terrible harm from coming to you, maybe stopped you from killing yourself? Remember how He cared for you while you weren't thinking about Him, showed mercy towards you while you were sinning up a storm, and only allowed satan so much time with you before He changed your life? Remember? Well, keep that in mind when dealing with that person that seems difficult to love. It's not that we are extending ourselves rather we are exercising God's Love. The less they see of us the more they see of God.

People are use to someone reacting out of anger because of how they mistreat them. That mean person doesn't expect you to buy their lunch, ask them how they are doing, or wish them a happy birthday. I know because I have been there and will forever be there until God calls me home. We are here to glorify God in ALL that we do not just for show. Nothing against feeding the hungry or clothing people, but we can't forget those who hunger and thirst for love in other ways. Someone who needs God's Love to clothe them through your acts of kindness when it is easier to react in anger. So, who have you showed God's Love to this week? Pray and ask God to continue to build you as who He would have you to be, just like Him. A love which shows no bounds to all who walk Earth's grounds. Enjoy your weekend!

Attitude of gratitude

1 Thessalonians 5:18 - In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.


One thing I definitely need God's Help on as of late is my attitude. The very minute I fix my mind to be grateful in no matter what state I am in, somehow a sudden occurrence will quickly make it difficult to be thankful. Have you ever found yourself in that situation? You make up in your mind to not allow people, lacking things, or a trial, to hinder your gratitude and then boom. You start complaining. "Stupid car pulled out in front of me." "Ugh! My job working me too hard." "These folks got me messed up." Any of these quotes ring a bell? On the outside, people may think we are peachy king, but remember God knows our heart. He knows if we truly are grateful and how much we complain within ourselves.

So, in order to practice a lifestyle of gratitude we must learn how to be content. A writer said in every state he has faced, he gained knowledge on how to embrace each one. Kinda like turning a negative into a positive which produces a grateful spirit and a merry heart. Point being using one of the previous quotes of complaints. Instead of yelling or thinking that stupid car pulled out in front of me be thankful that no one was harmed. Get it? Okay, I know we won't as imperfect beings totally be thankful but mostly is the point I am trying to make. There are countless blessings God gives us to dwell on that we overlook because we rather magnify the bad occurrences of life. 

Take a poll if you will. As a matter of fact, you can just ask yourself. Who would you rather spend most of your time with? A person who complains most of the time or someone who always strive to see the bright side? What about if you are constantly giving someone something and they rarely acknowledge your giving and spend more time focusing on the negative? Would that not drive you bananas? Well, replace you with God. God has done and is doing so much for us. He has even prepared our seat at the heavenly table of life and a mansion plus much more if we just hold on to our faith and endure just a little while longer. Not to mention His Protection from satan and other blessings He so graciously bestows upon us. So, what are you complaining about? Check your attitude. We all have much to be thankful for no matter what is going on. Make it a practice to jot down throughout the day what you are thankful for and watch God become even more gracious in your life. 

Family Ties

Nehemiah 9:16 "But our ancestors acted arrogantly; they became stiff-necked and did not listen to Your Commands." 

You ever been told, "You act just like your father or mother?" Some if not most tend to view it as a compliment. Seeing how our parents are usually our go to role models since children, it is natural to poke our chest out when compared to them. However, in this case being compared to a relative is not a good look. I'm sure all of us exhibit some sort of bad habit from time to time. It could be a bad attitude, big mouth, lazy, so on and so forth. Ever thought about whether you inherited or learned such behavior?

I ask because many of us carry certain aspects of our family without even realizing it. We thought once a sinner that we were just drinking to have a good time. Not realizing the fact we have had several drunks in the family and perhaps maybe not genetically but spiritually was passed down to us. Not a delivered alcoholic? Okay, maybe your family has a known problem of mouthy women. A woman with a big mouth or bad attitude is certainly not the best combination. How many actually look at their families on both sides to see what is a known pattern and how to break the cycle in your life? Some families have patterns of womanizing, getting pregnant out of wed lock, stealing, killing, and lying. Why?  Because no one thought or made an effort to recognize the spiritual disrupt in their family.

That does not have to be so with you. We have the power through Christ to control how we live which doesn't have to reflect what grandmother did or Uncle Joe. Most people do not like change because they enjoy what they do. These people were high and mighty not recognizing their wrongs because to recognize their wrongs means to acknowledge you need to change. Acknowledgement requires action usually. That is why people in support groups in rehabs say admitting is the first step because it is. You do not have to be like your relatives. Be free from family ties that may have you tangled. Our main resemblance should be of God's family. It's #FreedomFriday

Let's be free from learned behavior our families effortlessly taught us and practice the characteristics of being in Christ. For all things have become new says The Word. You don't have to be like mom or dad. Just be like Christ. Enjoy your weekend!

What is Life?

You ever found yourself inquiring what life is all about? Is it about the money, the things we can buy with such money, the people we can impress with the things we choose to buy with said money? Maybe it is about accomplishments, you know such as: graduating, getting recognized for outstanding work in our careers, or that self satisfying moment parents receive when looking at their child growing into a responsible adult. What is life? Is it finally reaching that dream you have had since a toddler? What is life? Because if life being defined was all of these things, why are we still not fulfilled once those are scratched off of our "to do list?"

Life is beyond us. Yeah, it is great to give back. In fact, The Bible urges us to do so, but that is not what I am getting at. When I say life is beyond us, I mean life is beyond what our human minds can comprehend. To find the true definition of life, we must find The Life Giver, God. Jesus said, I am The Way, The Truth, and The Life" in John 14:6. Jesus sacrificed His Life in Heaven temporarily to then sacrifice His life as the son of man, for the lives of mankind, and His Life was resurrected through the power of The Holy Spirit to show us that we too can live. Live in the sense of being dead in our sins and being renewed in Christ. People always wish for a second chance at life. Well, what better opportunity than the one that was publicly displayed on The Cross to live again. Not only can we live again, but forever. Christians don't die but once because like Jesus that same Spirit is with us to guide us to Heaven- The Place of Life Everlasting.

So, what is life? Life is Jesus. Life is fulfilling when our steps are directed by The Director. The script has already been written. We just have to play our role. Life is enjoyable. It is meant to be enjoyed. God made us to be happy. Don't think so? Why do you think getting overly sad or angry can cause health or mental problems like depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, insomnia, stroke, and heart attacks? I have an answer because our bodies are not wired to handle but just a smidge of anger and sadness while the rest bathe in happiness. Examine your life. What is life for you? Are you fulfilled? Are you happy? Are you in Christ? Need a second chance? Go get your life. The life He created specifically for you and find out YOUR own definition of life. Our common definition is Jesus, but individually there is a life waiting just for us.

But The Lord....

Psalm 94:22 "But The Lord is my Defense; and my God is The Rock of my refuge."

Such confidence in this scripture. "But The Lord IS..." Ha! We can honestly stop right there because those few words are enough to end any doubt that may occur in our feeble minds. The word "but" is usually after a statement indicating that there is a change in circumstances. In this particular passage, the writer is indicating that even though there are people who plot against you or seek your misfortune that it doesn't matter because God IS. God is El Shaddai. God is Jehovah Jireh. God is a PRESENT Help. God is my Supply. God is my Love. God is my Defense. Anyone need God to fight for them in certain situations or a current situation? Frankly I need Him to fight for me in every situation in life because His Defense is better than mines any day.

Everyone experiences trouble at some time or another. It seems like now trouble is increasing at rapid speed. Every day throughout the day there are numerous stories of gruesome deaths. Even in our own lives I'm sure most can attest that each week may bring about a new trouble because we are getting closer to Jesus return. Although trouble is increasing, it doesn't mean God is slacking. In all that we go through, it is imperative that we remember that God still is, God! A few verses up, it captures how God quickly comes to the rescue of David. The psalmist knew Who to call on and trusted God to deliver Him and God did just that. Anyone that feels they are in danger does not call upon someone they think that can rescue them, but boldly KNOWS the person they call is equipped to deliver. That's the same way we should be as people of God. David was experiencing trouble, hurt, and deep in countless thoughts. God delivered Him from people and from his own thoughts. Has God stood at your defense against your own thoughts? How many times did you want to give up? On a task, a person, ministry, school, a job, or life in general? We wrestle with so much on a daily basis that satan can make giving up look pretty good, BUT God IS! It doesn't matter how many  shots are being fired because God protects us each time even from ourselves.

It only gets greater at the end because it says, "The Rock of my refuge." A refuge is nothing more than a place to take shelter from danger. By the scripture stating that God is The Rock of my refuge, simply means He is my escape. He is my safe haven. I wouldn't have a refuge if it was not for The Lord. A rock is known for its firmness, stability, and ability to prop weaker items up. So as you go into your safe place which is in God, He is in turn holding you up after satan has beaten you, mistreated you, abused you, and used you. What a God! My mind can't fathom Him doing all of that at one time, but He does it every day! Just like Him being a Wheel in the middle of a wheel. He is our Defense, our Rock, and our Safe Haven. It is #FreedomFriday feel free to run to God in your times of trouble and despair & tell the devil, "but The Lord IS..." Enjoy your weekend! 

Wake Up!!!

John 11:44 "And he who had died came out bound hand and foot in grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them "loose him and let him go"

One of the many things we (Marissa and I) say in regards to our spiritual walk is that we "Die to self, daily". This statement, like many others, is easier said than done in that I still struggle with my own fleshly desires. Desires that aren't of God, which I've learned to realize is normal. To die to self is to live in Christ. We have two choices, we either die in sin or live in Christ. Of course, the latter seems like the obvious choice; however, it's not highly chosen.

Looking at this text we see a man, whom is a close friend of Jesus, that has been dead for days. Martha, Lazarus' sister had been calling for Jesus to come save her brother long before his death; however, Jesus wasn't in a rush to get there. It's obvious that Jesus knew there was purpose in the death of Lazarus. Fast forward to present day, some of us choose to be dead [in sin] because we don't know what else to be. We feel that because of our sin we are not worthy of coming into the presence of Christ. We don't think Christ will forgive us because we can't forgive ourselves. We believe that Christ can't love us because we don't love ourselves. Now, I'm not saying Lazarus died because of sin because I don't know the details of his death this is just a parallel to the scripture.

So, stop feeling sorry for yourself and start believing in God which will in turn cause you to believe in yourself. WAKE UP, COME FORTH and recognize that you have purpose. I'm a firm believer that what we consider as flaws are actually vehicles that God has given us to deliver His Word. The same concept can be applied to sin. Jesus didn't show up when Lazarus was dying because He knew that He had to die in order to live (just as Jesus did when He died on Calvary). But when the time was right God showed up revealing that the purpose of Lazarus' death was so that Christ could be glorified.

Lazarus was surrounded by those who believed and they didn't give up on Him when He couldn't help himself. Even after he was deep in the grave they held on to their faith and belief that Jesus had the power to do all things. Make sure you have those kind of people around you. People that are there even when you are deep in sin they still believe that God is God and He can do all things. Don't miss your wake up call. Be ready to come forth when your name is called. All the bondages will be broken God will be glorified.

Who do I trust?

Psalm 71:1 "In You, O Lord, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion." 

We are living in a time where it is so easy to get an unwanted opinion. Dr. Phil has something to say. Oprah wants us to ask Iyanla to fix our lives. Chris Brown wants us to believe that women are no longer loyal. The media portrays a police officer doing his job in Ferguson when he obviously committed murder. All of this can be very overwhelming. When I was growing up, which wasn't that long ago, did not have as many influences. There are so many occurrences in this era of life that makes people question who to trust or what to trust. So the scriptures states, "In You Oh Lord do I put my trust..."

If we are trusting God, our wisdom will increase. How? Well, in order to trust someone we must know enough about them to relinquish such respect and high regard. Naturally we can't trust someone we know nothing about or that we feel is not deserving of such honor. Would you trust a mechanic with your life savings? Or perhaps an accountant with changing your oil? No, you will trust the person who is suited and well knowledgeable about the job at hand. So, why are we so untrusting when it comes to God? Has He not shown Himself worthy of ALL of our trust? Not only has He created our lives, but sacrificed His Seat in Heaven to not just live among us, but like us. He felt what we feel now, the hurt, pain, joy, and sorrow that life comes with day to day. How can we not trust The ONLY Person Who has our back TOTALLY. How much does God have to do to gain our trust? He saved us from hell, HELL, yet we doubt how our bills will get paid, when will we get a promotion, just insert your doubts that you have. God IS taking care of you, me, us. It may not seem like He is because of what was said at the latter end of the verse, confusion.

I personally hate confusion. It is a toxic spirit that can cause havoc in families, churches, friendships, and relationships. There have been deadly misunderstandings because of the spirit of confusion. What has confusion done in your life? Has it helped any? I'm pretty sure the answer is a big fat, NO. Confusion creeps in when trouble begins. It is satan's go to tactic. If Eve was trusting God like she was suppose to, satan couldn't have confused her like he did and Eve would not have confused Adam which led to life as we know it now until Jesus returns. See how deadly confusion can be and what not trusting God can do? Satan confused them right out of perfection. What is he talking you out of? Is he talking you out of your faith? You were bought with a Price. Your faith is not built on "happy days" but The Blood of Jesus. If The Son of God suffered, how do you expect to live life squeaky clean? He already saved us from hell. What more can we ask for or doubt God for? He said He will never forsake us. David said, He has never seen God's people forsaken. I know I haven't seen God turn His back on His people in my short years on this earth. Even when I wasn't living for Him, He was loving me which I'm sure He did for you. If He loved you when you were a sinner, how much more as His child? So be free from confusion. I don't care what bad news you received this week or in general, God is still the same. Since He is still the same, our trust should not waver but increase. How does it increase? By getting in The Word and communing with Him. Don't just depend on the pastor, mid week Bible study, or this blog. Search the scriptures for yourself because I can very well make a mistake, but His Word is Perfect and Sure each time. It's #FreedomFriday  Enjoy your weekend and keep trusting in God. It'll pay off after while.

But, is it you?

James 3:5 "Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth"

The tongue in and of itself cannot destroy you; however, when used as a vehicle to deliver a message it can be powerfully destructive. Depending on past or current situations one could get so many different messages from this scripture, which is one of the things I love about the Word. When first reading this, many may recount an instance or moment in life where something was said to them that cut deeply. So deep that it possibly ruined or drastically altered the dynamic of a relationship, friendship, or kinship. On the contrary, reading this may spark a moment of remembrance where you yourself have said something that cut someone else deeply, altering the way they view you and your character. Either way we can somehow relate to what is being said here; however, I want to view it a little differently today.

Have you ever said something to or about yourself that cut deeply? Have you ever been found talking yourself out of your blessings? Have you ever felt like you don't deserve God's best? What about all of the damaging things we think and say about ourselves that affect our daily life. I'll be the first to say not a day goes by that I don't discredit myself in some way. From feeling like I am damaged goods to thinking I'm not smart enough to succeed academically/professionally to even thinking I'm not anointed enough to continue writing this blog. I don't think any of us realize how our own tongue could be the one that is destroying us. We are sometimes our own worst enemy making the devil's fight a little less challenging.

Power is defined as the possession of controlling influence; therefore, being powerful could be both negative or positive. Similarly, how you view this scripture could be optimistically or pessimistically. For example, I can use my tongue as a vehicle to deliver a powerful uplifting message OR I can use my tongue as a vehicle to deliver a powerful character assassinating message. No matter what way it is used the tongue is still powerful; therefore, we must decide the type of power that rolls off of it. Just as the tongue is small and powerful we too are small and powerful. It is easy to trick ourselves into thinking the we are too small of a person to be a powerful tool in the lives of others. As long as we have a tongue we have power. The power to speak life into a dead situation, the power to encourage ourselves and others, the power to speak up about the God we serve, the power to speak calm to the storms in our lives, and etc.

How are you using the power of your tongue? To destroy yourself and others or to encourage yourself and others? It's #MotivationalMonday try to motivate someone today or even yourself if that's what is necessary. #FearlessFAITH

Mirror, Mirror On The Wall

Acts 10:34 "Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:"

Ever compared yourself to anyone? Unfortunately, this happens all the time. In order for some to feel better about themselves, they feel the need to compare their lives with others. What about relationships? It was never God's intentions for us to be serial daters. By us having numerous relationships, some if not all may start to compare the present one with the previous one. Does not take a scientist to figure out that is a disastrous idea. Why, you ask? God never compares Sally to Sue. Sally is no better than Sue because He made them with the same intentions, to live for Him. If anything His only perception of us is to model His Son, not Wille Mae's son.

So, you see your ex out and about with a new person. What do you say to yourself? "He ain't me." "She isn't cuter than me." "Oh, look it's Bill; He looks happy." You can probably guess which phrase is the more appropriate one out the selection. The first two went straight into comparison mode. Something we all tend to do without even thinking about it. For what? We must ask ourselves why is it so necessary in our minds to compare looks, money, jobs, houses, hair, skin, etc...to others? It makes no sense. Then we have some stunningly misinformed Christians who think comparing sins is righteous. Point being, "Sally curses; she ain't saved." Meanwhile, you partake in over eating. You are over weight and not trying to take care of yourself which is also a sin. Our bodies are temples of The Lord not only smoking, excessive drinking, and drugs can cause harm, what we feed our bodies can work against us too. But that's another post. Just a quick scenario to get us to understand that it is useless to compare lives because we ALL have something God deeply needs to change in our lives.

So why do we compare ourselves to people? Maybe because it is easier and an ego stroker. The truth of the matter is, as Christians our goal is to be like Christ, not Sally or Jim. Putting ourselves up against another filthy rag does nothing for our walk with Him. When we realize who we are in Christ, He will reveal how unnecessary it is to compare because of how much He cares for us! We get the understanding to model perfection and not His other creations, perfection being Jesus. Don't compare sins. Allow God in(your heart) so He can free you from your bad habits. Don't envy another's life. Be happy for them. When God blesses someone that's a rejoicing moment. We all are blessed. If you're waiting on a specific blessing, hating on someone else is not going to speed it up. So, mirror mirror on the wall, God doesn't compare and neither should y'all. Wait, not excluding myself just wanted to rhyme:) Enjoy your weekend.

Change Happens

Change is inevitable. Some may look at it as negative where some may look at it as positive either way change happens. Perhaps it may be better to look at change as a glass half full versus a glass half empty because although situations seem bad they'll work out for your good (and that's the Word). Why is change necessary? The world constantly changes; therefore, you must constantly change. Worldly changes affects how the devil attacks you, but it doesn't change why he attacks nor does it change the outcome of God's plan for you. One thing that is comforting is the One person that will never change, God; however, he does sometimes cause change.

Everyone that is instrumental in the Bible went through some type of change once God stepped on the scene; whether it has been within themselves or just a change in environment. Moses was called out of his comfortable environment on a journey to a new place; he constantly experienced change within himself and the scenery. Job experience change in that he had once been a rich, healthy man but was changed into a poor ill man. David was changed from nobody into somebody. And here we have Paul, on his journey to shut down the chatter of Jesus Christ and Jesus appeared before Him and completely changed him; name included.

Let's not cringe at the idea of change, but instead welcome it because change is good no matter what it looks like. We're all on a life journey, as Saul was, be ready for a change when God steps on the scene. Change is growth so when God changes your situation don't hesitate, just go with it. Trust Him, that's one aspect of our faith that we have to constantly remind ourselves to do. If you're in a bad situation today just know that change happens and you could very well be in a better situation tomorrow. Contrary to that, if you're in a good situation today change happens and you could very well be in a worse situation tomorrow. Neither of us is exempt to change nor can we change change, but we can change how we experience it. Change doesn't change the fact that God is God and He is in control. Change just happens!

None Else!

1 Kings 8:60 "That all the people of the earth may know that The Lord is God, and that there is none else." 

The Lord is God, and there is none else. That is a powerful ending to that verse. It is so simple yet, so profound. I believe sometimes we lose track of Who God is and what He is capable of doing for each and everyone of us. God is able to supply all of our needs Phillipians 4:19. Our God does not put us on a waiting list because He is too busy, He does it to increase our faith in Him and our growth in Him. He is not some genie that gives us three wishes that suddenly are granted at our beckon call. How is that Faith being applied that we so joyously sing about every Sunday if it were that easy? Genies are mythical, my God is REAL. So we have to be REAListic when it comes to our walk with Christ. Everything will not go our way, but all things are working in our favor( Romans 8:28).

I started with the ending of that verse and want to revert back to the beginning, "That all the people of the earth may know." How is your witness? Do you live for all to know you are saved or just the people on social media? Is your lifestyle catered to The Word of God outside the House of God? In the prior scriptures, Solomon sets up a blueprint on how someone will be able to identify that we are of Christ. In verse 58 he reminds us that God must first have our hearts before we begin to keep His commands. If God does not have our hearts then our so called work for Him is in vain. You have to love what you do in order to be good at it. People can tell when we are faking and putting on a show. Many try to do the work of God without realizing we are unable to work for Him in our own strength. Ending that same verse Solomon states that it was a command to follow His instructions for us.

We don't have the authority to pick and choose when we will read God's Word or live by His standards. During salvation we gave up all rights to God, acknowledging that He can lead us better than any other. So we go back to He is God alone! There is no one like Him. I know there are some Buddhist, Muslims, etc..,but ask them will they die for you? Buddha can't die because it is man made. It is not a living organism. Muhammad is dust just like me. So, I know he can't save me. What I do know is The God I choose to serve is THE ONLY GOD. You think all this "just happened?" Trees, matter, electrons, air, just appeared from a Big Bang? No, it was God Who created ALL. We can't understand it because man had nothing to do with it. Everyone likes an original. You know something rare, precious, that you are unable to find anywhere else. My relationship with God is precious to me because I can't find that Love anywhere. It can't be bought or traded. He is truly like no other I have or will ever come in contact with. It's #ThankfulThursday.  How many are thankful that there is none else like God? Take time out not just today, but every day to appreciate the rare privilege to know Jesus. 

Thru the Fire

Isaiah 64:8 "But now, O LORD, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our Potter; And all we are the word of Your hand."

What are the thoughts you have of yourself? Are there any features/imperfections that you would like to change? I'm certain I can rattle off a long list of things I wish I could change about myself. However, I have learned to accept myself for who God has made me to be and embrace it. As I've said before our imperfections are what make us unique and could very well be what sets us apart to be used for the good of the Kingdom. Also, we must be careful how we criticize ourselves and our flaws because in a sense we are criticizing the work of God's mighty hand. God took the time to individually mold each and everyone of us.

Ceramic pottery is one of the most beautiful work of arts you'll ever see, but it doesn't start out that way (there is a process). In fact, the beautiful pottery starts out as clay (mud) yet through the kneading process, molding, flaming, painting, then flaming again a beautiful piece of pottery is produced. The kneading process is crucial to the molding process in that the kneading toughens the clay up preparing it for the molding process. After being worked and molded the clay is fixed at a high temperature of about 850 degrees. It is after this first flame that the finishing touches are painted only for this true beauty to be revealed after more high heat.

So, clay (like us) starts out weak and easily transforms. Once it goes through the heat (troubles, tough times, etc.) it comes out solid and strong (like us). Still after that there is more to the process that includes more heat (troubles, rough conditions), but in the end a beautiful piece is made (you and I) and everything the clay went through was worth it. Just like each piece of custom made pottery we all have to go through the fire to solidify who/what God has molded us into to. Don't complain about the process, trust the process.

None of their business

Judges 14:6 "The Spirit of The Lord took control of him, and he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as he might have torn a young goat. But he did not tell his father or mother what he had done."

Here we have young Samson anointed by God, slaying this ferocious lion like it was nothing. I found it very odd that he did not seek to broadcast his actions to anyone especially his parents. This is a young man who easily took down a known vicious beast and said, nothing? Samson was not looking for accolades. He was just doing what God anointed him to do. That really stood out to me because when we do something that we perceive is great, we want nothing less of recognition and praise which kind of questions why are we really doing it? Anyhow, I'm not going to touch on that as much, but will explain how that was the launching pad of him keeping his business to himself as we all should practice.

Have you ever been burned by telling someone something that did not need to be shared? Many of us can probably agree that in some cases our mouths got us in some unnecessary trouble. It is great to share a testimony when God does something for you, but we must know when and when not to share or who to share it with. Yes, even with your family as it was shown in the scripture may not need to know everything God has anointed you to do. Why? Well some may see what God is doing and some may not understand and cause you to doubt, be discouraged, or deny His Power in your life simply because they weren't blessed with what you are blessed with. Totally missing the fact that we all have hidden treasures, some people can get envious of your hidden treasure. I had to and still am learning who I share things with concerning my walk with Christ. Not trying to hide anything, but protect. It is so easy to be persuaded by people who are close to us than strangers. So when it comes to spiritual gifts, we must not take that lightly as far as wanting to tell everyone.

People are people. Meaning we are imperfect, mess up, and sin daily. Just because someone is close to you, does not mean they will understand everything God is using you to do. It is perfectly normal to get excited about what God is doing and want to urgently tell everyone, but it may not be any of their business. The "Kermit face" is rapidly being used on social media illustrating in different captions that certain things are not meant to be known by saying, "that's none of my business." Samson killing the beast foreshadowed him killing numerous men later on in the book of Judges. In turn him keeping his business to himself  at that time was inadvertently helping him continue to do so later when his haters wanted to know how he was so strong. Delilah, the lady he was in love with, did not know why he was so strong because it was none of her business until one day he gave in and you can read what happened in your own quiet time with God in Judges 16. It was a tragic ending, but does not have to be with us. We now have the knowledge and understanding that everyone does not need to know every single thing that goes on in our lives. Sharing unnecessary information can cause more harm than good. Be careful who you share things with and what you share. It might not be any of their business.

Main Line

Isaiah 30:21 "And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left."

Remember the church song "Jesus is on the main line, tell Him; what you want, tell Him; what you want"? I'm fully aware that times have changed, but God hasn't. If Jesus was in fact on the main LINE waiting for us to tell Him what we want many of us would ignore the phone call. Some of us will miss out on what God is asking of us because instead of talking to God we're trying to TEXT Him. How many times has someone misinterpreted your text message? Similarly, our "text message" request to God has a chance of being misinterpreted because verbal communication is still the gold standard.

Last week, one of my friends posted a meme on Facebook showcasing the expression they give when they text someone then that person decides to call versus responding via text. Newsflash young people: EVERYTHING CAN NOT BE DISCUSSED and/or UNDERSTOOD THROUGH TEXT. Are you so busy that you can't take a moment to talk? It's actually more efficient to verbally communicate what you want and mean; it also saves time. How we communicate with each other effects how we communicate with God. Are you too busy to talk to Him too? I mean, is He not your friend as well? Jesus intercedes on our behalf; therefore, we have to make sure we clearly communicate with Him. Broken communication is often the main cause of broken hearts in broken relationships so let's keep this line of communication in tact.

Social media has indeed made us less social. Social media is arguably more convenient while simultaneously being detrimental to real life social interactions. People often use Facebook to confirm real life situations to be true versus taking a person's word for it. I've heard the phrase "Put it on Facebook, so I know it's real" far too many times to count. Also, it has become increasingly common for people to post their daily prayers on social media. In doing so more time goes into choosing the perfect words to increase "likes" and "shares" on Facebook/Instagram/Twitter than the actual sincerity of going before God in prayer. Prayer should come from the heart and flow freely without much thought. On the contrary, social media prayers are well thought out and often times tailored for the person posting it to get more glory than God thus being ineffective.

By no means am I saying not to mention God or your beliefs on social media; in fact, I encourage you to let it be known who your God is and what He can/will do. What I am saying is don't let social media be your main means of communication with God. Prayer should be intimate and nothing about social media is as such. Your ability to make your requests known to God is a direct correlation of the strength of your personal relationship with Him. Communication is Key.

So if you're wondering why God isn't texting you back, liking your Instagram post, or commenting on your Facebook status it's because He's calling you. Jesus is on the main line (the secure line), I encourage you to pick up and talk to Him. Everyone can't know what your next move is and surely you know everyone that is your Facebook "friend", Instagram/Twitter follower is NOT your friend. There is no need for God to showcase His plans for you amongst such an audience.

#FearlessFAITH #MotivationalMonday 

I Believe, YOU

Psalm 146:3 "Don't put your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help."

These days and times it is hard to believe anything someone has to say. Lies are quick to be told and telling the truth seems to be a thing of the past. Even with so much going on in the world around us, we still choose to believe in people. Is it because we are crazy? Why would we decide to still open our hearts, minds, and ears to people even after we have been wronged by others? Currently, my generation has been hurt so much that we take pride in cutting people off. I mean we boast about trust issues and not catching feelings as if it is a good thing. Only if we read more of The Word, we would then find healing and answers to these questions.

It is not crazy to trust again after being hurt because it is not man that we are solely trusting, but God. Now, I definitely agree not to trust everyone. However, we also should not let trusting the wrong people detour us from trusting the right people. Man, as in mankind will hurt, upset, and get on our nerves from time to time. That is inevitable because none of us are perfect. What we must do is ask God to discern which people are worth being upset with because we will be upset with someone one way or another. So, the scripture urges us not to put our trust in man. With the Ferguson issue and many other crisis, America tends to rely on the President more than Jesus. President Obama can't fix everything and he definitely is far from perfection. In good sense, it would be obvious to trust and depend on The ONLY Perfect Being we know, God. Everything God says is true whether we understand His Will or not. His Ways are not for us to understand, that's where Faith comes in because if we understood it, Faith would be no longer needed.

Life is like a test. In school, have you ever had a cheat sheet given to you not really knowing if the answers were correct? You just trusted that the person gave you correct information to pass. Now, I do not condone cheating, but if we can trust the person with a cheat sheet, why is it difficult to believe God? Here it is God gives us all the answers to life questions and we disregard His Word as if there is no truth in It. When we need help, where is man? It takes God to show us how to help one another because we are naturally selfish. Just as Kim stated, your fave celeb is not God. They do not care about you like you want to believe they do. Actually no one can care for you like God can. The more we get that in our spirit, the easier it is to believe in Him no matter what life may throw at us. Man is limited, but God is LIMITLESS. Who would you rather believe?

Let It Be Known

1 Kings 18:36 "And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word."

In case you haven't noticed the church and everything/everyone associated with it is under attack. Daily we experience tragedy in many areas of the world that leave people wondering. I've been asked, "Why does God let bad things happen?" "Are you sure God is real?" "Why do you believe?". I'll admit that I have had days where I've had questions on whether or not God cares, hears, and/or still works miracles. When you are saved and doubt begins to creep in that is a sign to immerse yourself in the Word because that is where you'll find ALL of your answers. Remember the Bible consists of historical religious encounters; however, it also foreshadows things to come. Everything that is happening HAS to happen to fulfill the prophecy so trust the process.

Many states have taken prayer out of the school. I recently read an article where a high school student got suspended for telling her classmate, who had sneezed, "bless you". In my place of employment we are not allowed to talk about religion nor can we say "Christmas" during the holiday season. The world is slowly trying to eliminate Christ and all He has done for us. The music industry wants to worship Jay-Z who has been nicknamed "Hova" as an abbreviation for Jehovah. Along with him we have Kanye West who now likes to be referred to as "Yeezus" believing himself to be synonymous to Jesus Christ. The artist that arguably has the largest following in this generation, Beyonce, has been referred to as god by her many fans and her daughter as Jesus. How crazy is all of that?

So, what is my point? Just as Elijah, we must let it be known who our God is, how real He is, and that He is still in the miracle working business. Challenge these people to call on the name of Jay-Z, Kanye, and Beyonce to see what miracles they can work for them. Social media seems to be engulfed with challenges lately so I challenge the fans of each of the artists mentioned here to cry out to their idols while we call out to our GOD. I can assure you neither of them is concerned about a personal relationship with you, providing for you, protecting you, comforting you, and whatever else you need God for.  Let it be known who you worship.

Your Past is Over

Psalm 103:12  "As far as the east is from the west so far has He removed our transgressions from us."

Are you living in your past? Are you allowing others to keep you in your past? Why? If God is willing to forgive you, why won't you forgive yourself? Why listen to the criticism of others when they need forgiveness themselves? On the flip side, are you holding people hostage by their past mistakes? These are questions that need to be asked because as Christians, some of us get too comfortable holding people back because of what we know they use to do. As Christians, we should get in the habit of encouraging people to be better as oppose to heckling people about their past or current situations. God always offers us a way out, a fresh start, a new beginning and that's exactly what we must exemplify to others.

Living in our past hinders us from blossoming into our future. Not accepting God's forgiveness demonstrates to Him that we are not appreciative of His forgiveness. It's like us telling God His Forgiveness isn't good enough which is untrue. When God forgives us, that's it! He has wiped our slates clean and is willing to give us a fresh start to do better. Why do we dwell on our past? One reason may be because others try to keep us there. Just because you may have been the wild child back in the day does not mean you have to be constantly reminded of that. It's good to look back on where God has brought you or laugh at foolish times but don't let people guilt you on what you USED to do when you are currently trying to do better. This is your relationship with Christ, it is not a group effort. Surround yourself with people who will encourage you to do better and people who are trying to go forward with you.

Satan is the king of accusations. He will do everything in his little power to keep us where we were and not where God is trying to take us. Hopefully you are not one of those people who holds on to someone's past because it actually speaks more about you than the other person. We all have a past, sin every day, & desperately need God's forgiveness. It is best to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling than act self righteous towards others. So the scripture states that as far as the east is from the west...meaning our sins are disconnected from us. No, it does not okay our sin, it means we are not condemned because of it. There are still consequences for our actions, but there is NO condemnation to them who are a part of Christ( Romans 8:1). Now the verse ends, He has removed our transgressions. They are gone, vanished, "now you see it, now you don't!" It's not magic; it's Love! His Love is powerful. So powerful that it can erase years worth of filth, shame, and guilt in a matter of seconds. It is #FreedomFriday. Remember that you are no longer a product of your past. God forgives you, forgive yourself, and walk in your newness! Also, don't hold others to their past or faults rather encourage them to be better, pray for them, and watch God move! Enjoy your weekend! 

Branch Out

John 15:5 "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing"

Have you ever planted a tree? I can remember as a child we had a beautiful tree outside of our house that we all loved. My grandfather randomly cut it down and I was so upset. A few days or weeks later my elementary school gave us trees to take home; of course, I planted that tree in the same exact spot and watched it grow. The tree that I planted was a piece of a bigger tree. With the strength and nutrients of the bigger tree my small piece was able to be planted and branch out on it's own; however, that big tree will always be the foundation of the small tree. Without the support and strength of the bigger tree my small piece would not have been able to grow and bear fruit.

This is a metaphor of our spiritual lives. Without the foundation that is Holy Spirit we would be nothing. We would lack the ability to grow spiritually and bear good fruit (the fruits of the Spirit). While walking in the Spirit we should change daily (for better). Just as a tree grows daily, beyond the sight of the naked eye, so should we. Trees grow up and out. They reach higher heights every day so why shouldn't we?

Growth comes from being nurtured, fed. Just as babies start out having to be fed by their parents we start out having to be fed spiritually. Eventually, babies mature enough to be able to feed themselves. Although the parents provide and prepare the food it is up to the child to consume it. The demand for food increases as the child matures. Were we not all once babes in Christ? Remember in the beginning when the food, that is the Word, came to you with little or no effort on your part? There will come a time when you have fend for yourself. Does that seem frightening? Are you afraid to branch out in fear of not being able to feed yourself. At some point you will have to branch out ( if you haven't already) to reach higher heights spiritually. You will have to read the Bible and allow the Holy Spirit to interpret it for you, you'll be your own prayer warrior, you'll lead your own Bible Study, and etc.

How will I know the right time to branch out? Ask yourself these two questions: Has God been increasingly "slow" to answer? Is He already completely silent? If God has been increasingly "slow" to answer perhaps He's pushing you out of the nest; teaching you to feed yourself. If God has gone completely silent He definitely wants you to do it on your own. These are good signs. It shows that God now trusts you to make decisions based off the foundation that He has laid within you. If it is our ultimate goal to be more Christ-like in our thinking and our being then we should be able to make trivial decisions without going to Him in prayer or fasting. We reserve those things for the bigger, more difficult things to come. So, branch out and learn to see yourself as God sees you. Strengthen your branch so that one day you can be the strength and support of another fruit bearing branch.      

Enjoy the ride

Today I would like to talk about patience. As I evaluate my life and observe the lives of others around me I see how the spirit of anxiety lives inside of us. We want everything now. It could possibly be because Sarah has her life together at 25, Sue feels like she should too. Then again, we could just solely be anxious. Most that I know rarely take account of the present as a gift from God. Mostly because we are too busy planning a better tomorrow that we forget to enjoy the now. Think about it. Growing up we wanted to rush our youth to be grown. Once entering the first stage of adulthood we want to retire. Once retired, I see many elders complain and want to go to Heaven not acknowledging the gift of life God has given them. At work is where I hear the most complaints from elders and God helps me remind them that it is a blessing to see that age because I have classmates that are dead. 

So why do we rush? There is nothing wrong with planning, but while doing so we must understand everything does not go exactly as planned. God is teaching me to enjoy what He has given me meaning not just resources, but life! Focus on the day God gives you and you would be amazed at how at ease you are during your day. Planning our future is wise, but we only can live for the day. So live! Never get so caught up thinking about your future that you are neglecting to be thankful for your present. We have to trust that God has our lives already planned out no matter how bleak the present may look. Talk to God, write your future out, pray, and enjoy the ride. Anytime you feel anxious, pray. Being anxious is a toxic spirit. It can permanently damage our ability to be thankful which is not good. Honestly, being anxious and complaining works hand and hand and God does not delight in complainers(1 Corinthians 10:10). 

During my Labor Day weekend, it was brought to my attention that I was speeding. I was told to "slow down and enjoy the ride," "you are going to get there," and "I'm right here with you." Funny because I heard that and now use that with my life. Not only do I have a problem speeding through traffic, but I also try to speed through life. Reason being for both is because I just want to get there not realizing how fast I go doesn't effect me getting "there." So when I was told that and while writing this post it hit me. God constantly tells me those same words every time I think about pressing the gas pedal of life in over drive. He says, "you are going to get there," "relax," and "I'm here." If you are like me, try to take a breather, put it in cruise control, and simply enjoy the ride. No need to rush what He has already destined to be so. #JustWaitOnIt  

What Would You Do?

Genesis 3:1 "Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?"

What if you had been in the Garden of Eden in place of Eve? Would you have fallen into the temptation of the serpent? OR Would you have been obedient to God? A few months ago this question was asked to me which triggered some critical thinking. Ultimately, I see this as foreshadowing for years to come in the lives of each and every one of us. Eve was tempted with something she knew she shouldn't have yet she takes it anyway thus having to suffer the consequences of her disobedience and sin.

This is an example of desiring more than what we need. Although God had given Adam and Eve everything they needed the serpent tricked her into wanting more. Today we live in a world of excess where "more is merrier" and "bigger is better" which has contorted what God wants us to know and believe. Let's not forget that God will supply all of our needs according to Philippians 4:19; therefore, we do not have to take things into our own hands as we often try to. You see what happens when we do that.

So, my response to that question in that moment was "I can't say what I would or would not have done during that day and age. However, I can say that there are many things that God has forbid me from doing that I have done. With that I can say that essentially I am my own version of Eve." For us, the forbidden fruit could be pre-marital sex, lies, drunkenness, and etc. Whatever you have done that you know is not of God is in fact forbidden fruit. Take a moment to think about all the forbidden fruit you have enjoyed. And yes, I say enjoyed because most of the time the devil will make the forbidden fruits seem like it was worth going against God. Furthermore, he needs it to be good so that you'll continue to seek after it. Be careful.

It seems to be second nature for us to wonder "What if" or "If it had not been for this that wouldn't have happened". Eve faced the consequences of her own sin. True we have inherited some of those consequences, but it's nothing that we have not adapted to in this new age. So, let's stop blaming Adam and Eve's mistake for our reckless behavior. It is not what they did that has us continually eaten the forbidden fruit that we have grown to love in the face of a forgiving God. We have become so lax with sin that we no longer fear nor acknowledge the consequences that come along with it.

So the question now turns into "What WILL you do when the enemy tempts you in your garden?" Will you continue to pick and eat forbidden fruit? OR Will you look the enemy in his eyes and say "My God's word mean more to me than yours, I trust and believe Him thus I will be obedient to Him".

Not in Vain

Galatians 6:9 "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap if we faint not." 

"Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country."  I found this incerpt online while trying to gain a clear distinction of why this is a holiday. America has taken note of how much work it took to uphold this country we so effortlessly depend on every day. We without a care in the world, drive to grocery stores and various other places with good faith in knowing our products of choice will be there or service will be there. Do we think about the ones who stock the shelves? Sometimes we barely leave tips when we are suppose to let alone thanking people at the grocery store for doing what they do. Yet, they still work for little or nothing making sure America is happy. 

Funny thing is that God keeps count of all that we do. I so happen to work in retail, currently. What is my job title? Well, I am a cashier at Big Lots and it is a thankless job. All types of people come in that store rushing, bad attitudes, superior demeanor as if what we do does not matter. Even with those type of customers there are always the nice, thankful, and sweet people that come in who shows appreciation. Now, what keeps me grounded at work is one scripture that states that we work unto The Lord which is in Colossians 3:23-24. In whatever I do whether I get a thank you or not, I do it to the best of my ability irregardless. Sometimes I fall short, but the intentions were there and that's what God has to judge me on. We have to understand that if America takes timeout to thank countrywide workers for all that they do, that God does too. Please, do not ever think that your good works are not being accounted for in Heaven. As a matter of fact it is when we are not being reciprocated is when we find out why we are truly working. God may just hold back your supervisor giving you a bonus to see would you still put your all into your job or would you stop caring? God wants our best not just when it is beneficiary to us, but out of a pure spirit for Him.

So it states, do not get weary. We should not get tiresome to the point that we just flat out give up on diligently working because God promised us a reward. A rapper can state that he does not get tired, but Christians should be the real definition of not getting tired because we go through the most stuff. Christians go through being misused, abused, and accused yet we keep pressing onward. Why? Because our "Labor Day" is coming! Our rest will soon come if we faint not. What rest is that? The eternal rest that only God can provide if we are His, resting in Paradise. Jesus has prepared a place for us in Heaven which is in John 14:23. A place of rest, joy, peace, fun, fellowship, and worship. A place for recognizing all that we went through and relieving us of the world and it's troubles. Heaven is THE ULTIMATE VACAY. It is permanent and you will enjoy every bit of it if you faint not! 

                                                                Happy Labor Day!!!

You are a blessing

1 Samuel 16:23 "And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him." 

Do you know what God has given you? There are treasures within each of us that we may look over and others look greatly upon. God uses those treasures not for us to show boat, but to bring glory to His Kingdom and help others along the way. If it has not already been clear, we need each other for one thing or another. I definitely am guilty of not using all of my gifts God has blessed me with out of my own flesh. This past week a church member told me how she was blessed by a song I led a month ago. I was shocked because I really do not think I can sing. Every now and then I will around the house or randomly on camera, but not seriously thinking God could use me to bless anyone. What she said and others stayed with me. Honestly, I felt bad, because I kept His gift hidden out of my own insecurities when it is not about me at all.

What if David kept his gift to himself? Saul was depending on David's playing of the harp to gain peace in his spirit. Saul was dealing with an evil spirit and it may not have been paranormal activity, but it was definitely bothersome. Have you ever dealt with a spirit inside of you that you needed freedom from? Maybe the spirit of anger, bitterness, pride, jezebel, lust, and God sent someone with a Word that broke the yoke? Maybe, it was a gospel song that brought freedom in your life? Possibly your own gift that God has given you made the enemy go away? Knowing our gifts and actively practicing our gifts can change our lives and lives around us. David was highly respected at a young age because he chose to do the will of The Lord and was blessed exceedingly. He is another example of a young person living for Christ; it is not impossible.

He like us could have been doing other things, yet he decided to stay in The Will of The Lord. They had plenty of distractions back then just as we do now. However, David decided to not allow those distractions to keep him from being used by God. We must be careful on how we spend our time and who we spend our time with on a daily basis. Satan lures us with distractions to get us away from what we are purposed on earth to do for God. He may send a girl in a tight dress or a trip to a wild party. How can we publicly serve God with our gifts if we are also publicly serving Satan? But that's another post. David was in position for God to pull out of Him what He put in him. So David played his harp and God blessed his hands so that it would in turn bless Saul. Saul was refreshed because David's hands were clean. His hands were clean because his heart was pure and that is the only way God can use us, is with a pure heart. If our hearts are not pure our work is in vain and people will not feel the anointing of God. You ever heard a songstress sing and thought she has a beautiful voice, but there is no anointing behind it? Don't let that be you! Life is too short and too great to not live to your best potential in Christ. So what are your gifts? Are you actively using them to glorify God?

All Tied Up

Matthew 21:2 "Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; loose them, and bring them unto me."

Have you every been tied up? When I say tied up I mean caught up in a situation that you couldn't get out of. Have you ever been tied to a person that you just couldn't let go of? That's a soul tie, but that's a topic for another day. Have you ever just been stuck? Stuck in life. Stuck in a job you don't like. Stuck in a city you can't prosper in. Stuck in a ministry you can't grow in. Life's challenges and circumstances can sometimes get us tied up so much so that we have no clue how to get loosed.

Did it ever occur to you that you may be tied up in waiting so that God can use you in His appointed time. Perhaps we are like this donkey in the aforementioned scripture; seen as worthless, overlooked, and disregarded yet in all that God has purpose for you. Fortunately, being tied up is not always a bad thing. Sometimes God has to detain us for our own sake. It could be to keep you focused on Him and protecting you from your fleshly desires.

So, we have this donkey in which Jesus sends His disciples to loose in order to fulfill His purpose which holds true to the prophesy in Zechariah 9:9. No one knew who the donkey belonged to, but Jesus dared anyone to stop them from untying it because it indeed belonged to Him. We can apply this to our lives by knowing that we belong to God; therefore, He can and will break every chain and loose you from things that have held you bound and dare anyone to say something about it. Jesus saw in this donkey what no one else could see and the same goes for you. It's all about being in the right place at the right time. All of the notable prophets in the Bible were held captive at some point whether it be physically or mentally, everyone had a moment where God had to loose them to use them. For example; Paul spent time in prison, the Hebrew boys were held captive and thrown in the fire, Joseph was falsely accused and thrown into prison, Jonah was held captive in the belly of a whale, and etc. It was in those moments that God was able to maximize the use of these vessels for the good of the church as a whole.

You may be stuck right now looking at the same ole thing the same ole way when God has you looking at the same old thing to see it in a new way, His way. Perhaps you're looking in the mirror, accepting all of the false characteristics given to you by the people around you. You're stuck in that place because God wants you to look in the mirror and see yourself as He sees you; a purposeful, beautiful/handsome, intelligent being perfectly imperfect. In some cases you determine the sentence of your imprisonment. Don't allow yourself to be held captive longer than intended by your inability to focus on God. It's FREEDOM FRIDAY so get loosed!

I Can't Give Up

Isaiah 62:12 "And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of The Lord: and thou shall be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken."

Did you not know you were sought out? Yeah, because not one soul sought after God, but it was indeed Him Who picked us in Psalm 14:2. So while we were off galavanting into sin, God patiently waited for us to realize His Love, His Purpose, His Proposal to spend the rest of our lives with Him. Now, what does this have to do with not giving up? It has EVERYTHING to do with us not giving up you guys. God did not give up on us. Not today, not yesterday, not last week because we are still here. Being able to breathe, mess up, then get better is God not giving up on us. Realizing that wonderful news, we mustn't give up on ourselves or others.

When in a marriage, you agree til death do you part, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer. Okay, so we most likely did not repeat these vows once accepting Christ, but that was apart of the cost we had to count once allowing God total Lordship over our lives. Jesus committed to us by stating He will never leave us nor forsake us throughout The Bible. Even in the verse above it states that we will never be forsaken. So don't give up! I don't care what the enemy is telling you, don't give in!  The post yesterday imposed a question on why do we praise God? If we are indeed praising and worshiping for the right reasons we are then empowered to keep going! God provides a supernatural strength once faced with adversity. You can't give up because it is not just about you, but what God has placed in you which is dependent for others around you.

There are people depending on you to keep going. Have you ever thought about that? We are living in a time where it is so easy to just say, "forget it." Think about the impact giving up can cause to people who look up to you? If you give up, it can trigger a domino effect. The scripture states that God is our Redeemer! Another reason as to why we are unable to forfeit in life because He has already foretold the outcome! We do not need a super hero or Kevin Gates telling us "I don't get tired." News flash, we ALL get tired, but God never slumbers nor sleeps. Christians don't give up. We give it to God. Whatever "it" may be just relinquish all control to Him. I can't give up, you can't give up, we can't give up. So don't! We are in this together, fam! Keep going and keep in mind that our Redeemer lives and will forever be there for us. Aren't you thankful? It is #ThankfulThursday so rejoice that God has not and will not give up on us which should empower us not to as well! 

What is the Reason?

Psalms 96:4 "For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods."

Why do you praise the Lord? Do you praise Him because you're afflicted and you need deliverance OR are you afflicted because you praised God so now the devil is trying to shake your faith? Do you worship Him because of what He's done or can do for you OR do you worship Him because of who He is and you know there is something you can do for Him? When did you find God? Was it after you lost everything/everyone OR did He find you when you had everything challenging you to give it up in order to be fit for the kingdom? These are very valid questions in that many people may not know why they praise, worship, and fear God.

I'll be the first to say that my reasoning (initially) was not because of His greatness; instead, it was for His abilities. It's time to do a self check to see why YOU praise God. We all have different circumstances and situations that led up to us dedicating our lives to Christ; however, our reason for worshiping Him should be the same. That reason should be none other than the fact that He is great! Greatness encompasses a lot of different characteristics; therefore, the greatness you see in God may be completely different from the greatness I see. Nonetheless He is still great. So great that He couldn't even put it into words for our understanding when Moses asked who He was His reply was, "I am that I am". For you (where ever you are), He may be a counselor and in that same moment for me (all the way in Houston, TX), He can be a comforter; GREATNESS. No one else can do that, no one else can be that, and no one else can even understand that.

One thing we fail to realize is that salvation involves some sort of sacrifice. Similar to what I mentioned above, the level of my sacrifice is different from the level of your sacrifice. Well Kim, why is that? It's because my purpose is different from your purpose and as much as we would like it to be life isn't fair and neither is favor. Perhaps God had to take away some things for you to see Him while in Suzie's life He has to add some things for her to see Him. Sometimes God's blessings isn't in what He gives, but in what He takes away. What works for one person may not work for everyone hence the reason I'm not a millionaire. No matter what approach was taken the end result was the same which is to see and glorify God.

You'll never be able to directly correlate your life and blessings along side someone else's life to measure who is more blessed; remember, Worry About Yourself! Make sure your reason for praising, worshiping, and fearing God is none other than because of His greatness. He is who He is and that, in and of itself, is enough.

How long?

Habakkuk 1:2 "O Lord, how long shall I cry, and You not hear! Even cry out to You of violence and You not save!"

You ever cried to The Lord? Are you currently crying out to God? We all will have to ask "when" at some point in our life's journey. When will better days come? When will the struggle end? When will I feel appreciated? When will I finish school? I have been dealing with a "when" season for quite some time now. One thing God is teaching me is that His Timing is so perfect that my mind is unable to fathom His "when." See, I question because I am imperfect. When I submit to God, I realize I should not be concerned about "when" because I have already won in Christ in Hebrews 13:6. That scripture declares that The Lord IS my Helper! So there is no need to constantly ask when. He has already provided an answer before the question.

The answer is in His Word. The answer was in us realizing the ultimate sacrifice He gave the world, His Son, Jesus The Christ. I just want to say to all who reads to hold on. This past weekend, I went to the movies to see "Get on Up." One of the things that stuck out to me was how much James Brown went through in his life. Of course, the movie could not catch every aspect of his life, but what was shown captured my attention. He had a life I am sure I would not have been able to handle, yet he kept going. I am sure he questioned some things, there were moments of break down, but he never let that stop what he believed to be true. That's the same perspective we should carry because we have a sure confidence in the fact that we will make it somehow! Somehow, meaning not really knowing the exact exit route, but all we have to do is follow The Guide. Remember the puzzle that we used to do as little children? You know the one we had to use a pencil to do? There was a starting point and we had to strategically get to the finish line through all the curves and dead ends that mislead us. Life is that way. Holding on to God while traveling this life journey with all the curves and hiccups along the way, one day making it to the finish line(Heaven).

So when will better days come? Who says we are not already experiencing good days? Someone is looking at your life wishing they were you all the while you are taking it for granted. Count your blessings and stay rooted in God's Word. Just because things are not panning out the way your mind planned it does not mean God has stopped caring or working on your behalf. It is so important to hold on because suicide is more rapid now than ever. People are literally giving up on life because they believe God does not care which is the furthest thing from the truth. In reality, we stop caring and that is what makes it so easy to give up. We can commit spiritual suicide by just giving up on church, people, and His Word. Don't! An obstacle doesn't dictate our outcome. An obstacle's function is to make things harder, not to make us give up. That's a decision we make and shouldn't because we can overcome EVERYTHING in Christ! So stay encouraged! Think about the last trial you went through. You're still here aren't you? Did God not bring you out of that one? Well, He can bring you out of them ALL. It's #TESTIMONYTUESDAY Feel free to reflect on what God has done and share on FB or Twitter @fearlessfaith14.