His Will

Ephesians 5:17 "Wherefore be not unwise, but understanding what The Will of The Lord is:"

    There are times where we find ourselves either knowing what God wants us to do and getting side tracked or not knowing at all. During this break up it is so easy for me to get lost in what God wants me to do. Some people say, just stay busy. Others say the best way to get over someone is to get with someone else. I could throw myself in relationship books or church functions, but is that what God wants from me? The answer is no. Getting "busy" is not the wisest choice to make. We must be careful in any state of our lives not to allow situations to detour us from His Will. If I was to do anything concerning The Kingdom it would be for the love and relationship I have with God not to escape a trial or bad occurrence in my life. Getting into another relationship or entering back into that one which was not put together properly is not His Will either. I know what God's Will is for relationships, but we do not have time to talk about that right now. Very often there are people who go to church to escape from troubles instead of searching or wanting to see God and digest His Word. Is that His Will? Was that what He had in mind when He established the church and asked His People to build The Temple so that He can dwell amongst His People? Got startling news last week that only 25 percent of the church goers are saved. So what are we going to church for because His Will is that NONE be lost in 2 Peter 3:9.

    The writer instructs the church to know God's Will. Further down he says it is impossible to know His Will in the wrong state of mind. He said, to not be drunk, but filled with The Spirit. Without direction from The Spirit we are unable to move in the path God has for us. For some who may not know too much alcohol consumption can cause a person to make poor decisions. Alcohol isn't the only interference with sound judgment but we all should know the rest that can go along with an impaired mind frame. Jesus did not shed His Blood on The Cross for us to still try to figure our lives out. He died so that we may live through His Sacrifice. If we are living in Him we should be living for Him and if we are living for Him we should be living out the plans that The Father has for our lives.

     It is simple, but complicated for us because we want what we want when we want it. Seeking God is well said amongst Christians but very few seriously practice this diligently. Not following God's Will can not only cause us harm, but can make us a stumbling block for the ones who are watching our walk with Christ. If we are making our own decisions and being impatient what kind of witness are we? God's Will is perfect and there is no amount of school or money that can top His Plan for our lives. That is why you see educated and rich people unhappy because The Will of God is absent. His Will makes us happy, gives peace, and purpose. Who wouldn't want that? Because with that it does not matter how long it takes because you know His Work in you will be established in His Timing.

Are you Redeemed?

Psalms 107: 2 "Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy" 

Redemption! AAAAHHHHHH what a wonderful thing!! I love the song Let the Redeemed of the Lord Say So by Israel Houghton. It is such an amazing and exciting song; it gets you up on your feet, pumping your fist in the air, and jumping around. But honestly what good is all that if you have no clue what redemption actually is? We sometimes get so wrapped up in the hype of a song that we miss the depth of the song. Remember we have to know the WORD itself and for ourselves, don't rely on what a song says. My mother is the leader of the The Vessels of Praise dance ministry in Ms.  Every song that is ministered must correlate to scripture. They spend time meditating on that scripture and the song before the first rehearsal teaching our youth the importance of the Word and what ministering though dance really is. But that's a totally different post.

SO, what is redemption? Webster to my surprise *insert sarcasm here* has SIX definitions of the word redeem. For the sake of this blog I will go with  the "to get or win back" definition. Redemption is spoken about in Leviticus 25:47-48; explaining that if you are in bondage or enslaved to someone you still have the right to be redeemed by one of your relatives.

If you are not saved (belonging to God) then you are of the devil, simple. Many of us are unaware that if we are not saved (meaning you have not accepted Jesus Christ as Lord) we are in bondage or enslaved. On the other hand, some of us who are saved still have certain circumstances and people that holds us captive which means we're redeemed but not freed. The ransom was paid long before you accepted your freedom. Jesus died on Calvary and defeated death so that you could be freed (won back). To redeem your redemption (ha that's an oxymoron) you must accept Jesus as Lord acknowledging that His death bought you back from the Satan and walk in freedom. You can't operate with a slave mentality if you've been freed. Jesus did His part now it's up to you! You are no longer confined to anything you are free!

Now, let the redeemed of the Lord say so! 

Who kissed you?

Mark 14:42-46 "42 Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrays Me is at hand.

43 And immediately, while he yet spoke, comes Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.

44 And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is He; take Him, and lead Him away safely.

45 And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith, Master, Master; and kissed him.

46 And they laid their hands on Him, and took Him."

       So here we have Jesus in the beginning of this leading incerpt from The Bible telling His disciples(excluding Judas) to tarry on because His time was approaching. The disciples were sleep on the job. Jesus needed them to pray and He found them sleeping in time of need numerous times. Does that not sound familiar? Oftentimes we look to others whoever they may be for help in an important time and they are sleep, busy, or plain do not want to be bothered. The good in that is Jesus still could talk to His Father which we are also privileged to do for God never sleeps nor slumbers! Now as Jesus is getting ready for His appointed time, He tells the unknowing disciples that His traitor is coming. Who is Jesus back stabber? None other than Mister Judas. Let me give you a little back ground on Judas. Judas  was someone I am sure most if not all of us has had, have, or will have in our lives. He is the guy who proclaims to be down with you, but in actuality is all about himself. Good ole Judas found out he could trade the knowledge of Jesus whereabouts for some measly  thirty pieces of silver. Yes, thirty pieces of silver found in Matt. 27:3. Now, that you know some background information I can continue. Judas now tells Jesus accusers that he will kiss Him and then they can take him away safely. What is interesting is how oblivious Judas is acting. How can people who seek to kill Jesus do anything safely or gently regarding Him? Anyhow, the wrong deed is done and Jesus starts His road to The Cross.

       I broke all of that down to ask who has kissed you? Who has been so close yet still managed to cause harm in your life? We must be careful about who we allow in our lives. Everyone has an agenda or motive so to speak. Just because they seem eager to help you does not mean they are not also out to get you. Judas was weak. Being that close to God, seeing miracles, listening to The Wisdom and still allowing his greed to take full control of his actions led him to do the unthinkable. See some people know all the write words to say and all the right things to do all for their own purpose to one day destroy you for personal benefit. That's why The Bible warns us about flattery and charm in Prov. 29:5 & Prov. 31:30. Jesus knew who would soon fall out with Him just like He knows who does not have our best interest at heart. It is vital for us to know these signs and be keen to God's discernment BEFORE a person can have the opportunity to hurt us. 

    Of course this was purposeful and planned by God for the redeeming of man, but it should also be a great reminder of who we allow in our circle of trust. With something as simple as a kiss and as meaningless as thirty pieces of silver, Judas voluntarily allows His Master to be taken away to death. There are plenty of black young men in prison because of little Judas's kissing them on the cheek. Women who have kids by disappearing dads being called beautiful and babe, but vanish after the deed is done. Get my drift? Thankfully we have a Wise God Who sees all and knows all before it happens which is why Jesus was unbothered. Listening to His Wisdom can save us the trouble of dealing with traitors. Every kiss is not sweet and every word is not always filled with love. Just as Kim stated yesterday watch yourself. Excuse my slang, but it is real out here! 

Watch Yourself

Luke 17:1 "Jesus said to his disciples: "Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come."

Our spiritual journey is designed for us to move forward and upward. Does anyone climb a hill looking backwards? Does anyone climb a hill carrying with them everything they've every purchased? The answer to these questions is generally no; therefore, why do we take that approach with our spiritual journey. We try to move forward in Christ carrying all the burdens that He has instructed us to put down. We try to move forward with people who don't want to go; therefore, we try to carry them along with our burdens. These kinds of things will weigh you down keeping you stuck in a place where God cannot bless you and does not recognize you. 

Going foward and upward is a challenge in an of itself and yes some days will be more challenging than others and yes you may stumble and yes you may get weary but you can't stop there. I'm so thankful for God and His word which says "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest". Don't be so caught up on what you've had to leave behind that you forget about what God has for you up ahead. Don't be so caught up on WHO you've had to leave behind that you forget who is on this journey with you; the One who has ALL power, the One who gives strength the weary and increases the power of the weak. Focusing on the past will prevent you from LIVING in the present and journeying to the future. Remember what happened to Lot's wife in Genesis 19.

When hikers prepare for a trip they take only what is necessary (not wanting anything that will weigh them down) and only allow people with the same goal to come along. It is important while hiking that you're not with people who will hinder your journey or cause you to stumble. No one wants to be the person in the group to cause anyone else to stumble so they help one another properly prepare, they encourage one another, and etc. We have to watch ourselves in our spiritual journey. Where we are strong another may be weak so we must be careful not to do anything that will cause them to stumble or hinder their walk with God.

Pack up for your spiritual journey! We have to be ready to leave some things and some people behind; throw away what needs to be thrown away and take with us only what is necessary. Decide who you're taking with you? You can't move forward if you're looking back so watch yourself! 

Beneath His Wings

Psalm 91:4 "He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His Wings shall you trust: His truth shall be your shield and buckler."

         Anybody needs God's protection? Some might ask what do I need protection from? Well, I can definitely say I appreciate and need God's Protection EVERY DAY. See we do not always know what is coming against our Purpose, our families, our friends, but God knows all and can see all! It is important that we acknowledge that our God is a Protector. The secret service are not able to get to problematic matters as quick as The God I serve. Police are unable to track down all my enemies and reward them with justice. The C.I.A. are not equipped enough to deliver a solution for every issue, but my God can correct every wrong. Make right every unjust doing all in a matter of seconds, quicker than we think. Oftentimes we think our enemies are getting away with hurting us, or the ones we love. Seeing how crime and injustice is being increased day to day unbelievers and unlearned will question where God is, but believers should always have an answer that we are hidden in The Shadow of The Almighty. That vengeance is The Lord & not ours. Being hidden under God's Wings is being untouched by the enemy. Does that mean that satan will not attack us, no. It means that no matter what may come our way we are protected. My faith is protected, my love is protected, my peace is protected, my place in Heaven is protected. 

    The only reason a person is not protected is because he or she has chosen to step out of God's Protection. God does not force Himself on anyone. We are under the law of liberty which simply means we are free to do what we want, but as Christians we should want God to protect us. God's protection is also in His Word. What God teaches in His Word can protect us from various unnecessary troubles. Guarding our hearts can protect us from heart breaks. Choosing the right people to hang with can protect us from being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Keeping our mouth closed can protect us from hurting someone's feelings. See that's where His Truth will become our shield. Now His Truth being our buckler is us speaking His Word during circumstances that may seem like there is no way out. Jesus spoke The Word to satan which protected Him from temptation satan was trying to offer. It is a blessing to be hidden in God's Wings!  

     God's Wings are our safe place. It is safer than our homes, parents arms, and lovers comfort. God will ALWAYS protect us. See that is why we are incapable of fear because God is our hiding place. When life hits with chaos and despair we can run to The Cross which should not be that much of a distance to run because we should keep Jesus close to our hearts. I find God reminding me of His Word once in confusion or temptation because His Word is hidden in my heart. Therefore I am hidden in His Wings. That is His Protection covering me from the lies that try to come in. So tell your situation, you will make it! You will survive. Insert whatever you need to insert and rejoice that you are protected by The Most Equipped Security on this earth, your Father in Heaven.  

    

       

     

Are you Ready?

Proverbs 16:3 "Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established"

Are you waiting on God to do something in your life? Do you think you're at the optimal place and time in your life for God to make His move and release a blessing? If you answered yes to any of those questions then I must ask, Are you ready for what God has for you?  Have you prepared yourself in HIM to receive His blessing? Let those questions marinate as you continue reading this post.

"Wait on God" is a saying that is arguably misused and/or overused in the church body. I say that because often times as believers we sometimes want God to do ALL the work. Our answer to every issue/situation is "Wait on God"; which don't get me wrong, we should be doing. HOWEVER, there are things we are to do while waiting that will prepare us for when He shows up. Don't just prop your feet up and recline in your favorite chair watching reality tv and expect to see God when He shows up and be ready to move. In case you didn't know, clearly hearing God's voice is difficult; it is described in 1 Kings 19 as "a small still voice". Newsflash: You can't hear what you don't know. You have to spend time preparing for the His arrival; fellowship with Him, talk with Him, love on Him, and etc. Or else how would you be able to recognize His small still voice? The more time you spend with God the more you get to know him. The word says in John 10:27 "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me". You first have to belong to Him to hear His voice (hence the possessive pronoun "my"), then He must KNOW you (ex: if you purchase a puppy it may belong to you but it takes time for it to get to KNOW you), and they follow me (once you know His voice you'll follow same as with the example prior).

So, here's a thought...perhaps God is actually waiting on YOU to get your stuff together! God is very careful as to where/when He blesses you. You have to be in position to be blessed. You have to be ready to be blessed. You have to be able to handle God's blessings and not necessarily just for yourself either. When God blesses you it changes EVERYTHING and people around you may not like it so you have to be prepared to deal with that. Bishop T.D. Jakes has a book called "Can You Stand to be Blessed? " I suggest reading that if you haven't. Opposition doesn't stop when you receive your blessing; ask Joseph, David, Jesus, or Paul. Bigger blessings come with bigger responsibilities, spiritually. God has to know that when He blesses you you won't stray or lose your way and that you are able to sustain what He has blessed you with. The only way He knows if you're ready is if you prepare yourself in Him (Show thyself approved). You have to be planted and deeply rooted in him so much so that even the stongest wind wouldn't cause you to be uprooted.   

Let's recall the Bridgegroom parable in Matthew 25; where, there were 10 virgins (5 wise, 5 foolish) waiting on the arrival of the bridegroom. Neither of them knew the hour he would arrive, but they were to be prepared and ready to go whenever he showed up. The foolish ones went without preparing themselves with the oil they would need in the night. The wise, however, went prepared with a sufficient amount of oil for the night. When the bridegroom showed up the foolish looked to the wise for their oil only to find out there was not enough oil to share. I want to PAUSE right there because many people think they can be saved through someone else's salvation but the word says in 2 Corinthians 12:9 "My grace is sufficient for YOU"; not you and your foolish friends, not you and your sister/brother, not you and your boyfriend/girlfriend, but YOU and only YOU! Don't expect someone else's commited work to yield a blessing for you. You have to commit to the Lord on your own to receive what He has for you. Back to the parable, the 5 wise women told the 5 foolish ones to go back to buy some oil for themselves. While they were out trying to get prepared at the last minute the Bridgegroom took with him those who had prepared themselves for his coming. Shutting the door on those who were not ready. The foolish 5 returned knocking and begging only to receive the response "Verily I say unto you, I know you not".

I"ll conclude by asking, Are you Ready? Are you in position to receive your blessing? Have you prepared yourself? Are you prepared to deal with being blessed? If your answer to any of those questions is no; in the voice of T.D. Jakes "GET READY, GET READY, GET READY"!

#FearlessFAITH

How you livin'?

Romans 1:17 "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from Faith to Faith: as it is written, The just shall live by Faith." 

         Please excuse my Ebonics, but how you livin'? What happens when you have an issue occur in your life? Are you the planning type? Meaning if things do not pan out the way you believe, then you doubt God? How you livin'? Do you find yourself finding more faith in dating sites, speed dating, trying to meet people at church, or at weddings than relying on God for your mate? How you livin'? See, it is so easy to proclaim our faith, but to actually live out what we believe is totally different. If we believe in a God that we do not see, we should also believe when we are unable to see when we will get out of the storm, marry, have kids, get healed, so in and so forth. It is the SAME belief system. How can we convince the world that our God is this and that when they see us doubting like they do?

           So the writer states, in order to have the Righteousness of God revealed to us, we must be in The Faith. Without faith we are unable to see God working, moving, believing His Word, and that He cares. For it is written the very hair on our heads are numbered. God does not lie, we do! Why do we find it so hard to keep our faith in Him? There are always options when being put in various trials and difficult moments. Either we can question and ponder what God will do and when will He do it? Or we can keep our word and trust God through our faith in Jesus. Now tell me what will questioning God  accomplish? Will that make us feel better? Is that bringing a smile to God's Face? How do you think He feels when we choose not to trust Him because at this point being Christians we vowed to trust and believe in Him. Point being, you know my "progressed" relationship I thought I had, has now ended since last week. I was hurt, confused, BUT I said I could either wail and doubt or I could choose to live in the faith. The same faith God uses me to tell others about I had to lean on and will have to lean on for the rest of my life. My faith in Jesus is The ONLY thing that is sufficient enough to hold me up in difficult times. I do not know what God is doing. Have no clue if we will get back together, but I do know all things work together for the good of them that love The Lord and them that are The called according to His Purpose. I do know God cares more for me than anyone in this world could and there is no reason to doubt.

            My faith in Christ gives me strength. My faith in Christ shows me Love so with that I CAN Love. My Faith in Christ is really all I have. Everything can be taken away, but no one can take away my Faith! So the just shall live by Faith. Rightfully so, we were bought with a Price. It did not say the just can live by Faith as if we have another option or the just may live by Faith. The just SHALL live by Faith. It is quite impossible to be of God doubting Him all the time. Faith is more than attending church service and Bible study. See people can be fooled with outer appearances. Faith is when no one is around and you are still able to encourage yourself in The Word, pray to God, & listen to Him. God warns us to not be like the people in the synagogues praying long prayers to be seen, but that's a whole other post. Let's practice living in Faith. For what good is it to profess to know God Whom we do not see and doubt The Works He is Doing in our lives that we also are unable to see?

Believe the Dream

Genesis 50:20 "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive" 

This scripture is Joseph speaking to his brothers who had long before wronged him. The story of Joseph is one that will surely draw you in; beginning in Genesis 37 and ending in Genesis 50 you will not be able to put your Bible down. 

Joseph was favored; both by his father and by God. With favor comes hatred and his brothers definitely hated him for the favoritism their father showed him. As a teenage boy Joseph was a dreamer later becoming a dream interpreter. He shared his dreams of becoming a leader/ruler with his brothers to which they responded with anger and ridicule. Joseph's father, who favored him, thought the dream was crazy; however, he didn't dismiss the idea. Joseph's brother's decided to plot against him; selling him to Midianite merchants who were headed to Egypt then telling their father he was killed by an animal. The Midianites then sold Joseph to Potiphar, an official of Pharaoh. 

At this point I can understand how you might not see the favor over Joseph's life, but if you keep reading you'll soon recognize it. Potiphar recognized something in Joseph, that something was God. Potiphar trusted him because of this making him ruler over his household, so much so that Potiphar himself only had to worry about the food he ate. Again, Joseph was plotted against by Potiphar's wife which ultimately caused him to be imprisoned. And AGAIN, because of God's favor,  the warden put Joseph in charge of everyone being held in the prison. Are you seeing the pattern here? While in prison Joseph was able to show himself as a dream interpreter which ultimately gave him control over the entire land with only Pharaoh having more authority. This happened when Joseph interpreted Pharoah's dream of 7 years of abundance followed by 7 years of famine. During the years of famine Joseph's brother had to come to him for the provisions they needed to survive the difficult time.

Relevance: 

Believe the Dream! Believe what God has placed in you! It doesn't matter where you find yourself in this very moment or how many setbacks you THINK you've had God's plan will still come to pass. In the words of Bishop T.D. Jakes "Favor Ain't Fair". It only takes one person to believe in your dream and that person is YOU. Joseph was ridiculed, plotted against TWICE, lied on, and etc yet he was till exalted. Luke 14:11 says "For whosever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted". Even when Joseph was knocked down he did not complain. He humbled himself, continued to work hard, and waited for God to put him in his rightful place. You may be in a place where you feel like you don't belong, but remember God favors you. When people plot against you to move you out it's actually God moving you UP closer to your rightful place where those who plotted against you and mistreated you will need you.

#FearlessFAITH #MotivationalMonday

Greater is He

1 John 4:4 " You are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is within you, than he that is in the world." 

         Before relaying those encouraging words, our brother John warns us of the different spirits that have gone out into the world. Just as Kim discussed in her three part series of The Fruit of The Spirit, some bear fruit and some do not. Same message just different wording. John urges us to test those spirits to see whether they be of God or against Him. Seems like John is a very wise man because he knows while living this life we will encounter some people with opposing spirits living in them contrary to The Spirit of God living in us. We too must be aware that we can't hide in the walls of the church, but must live this life with everything that comes with it! That is why John encourages them, us, even himself to not fear basically. There is seriously nothing we are unable to defeat with God being on our side. It may not seem that way at first glance, but God outnumbers any demon, any enemy, and any army ANY DAY.

   So my dorky self was watching Nat Geo Wild Friday. I was very intrigued at what I was looking at during this particular episode. As I was watching, minding my own business, God plants a Word in my heart that I must share. See, this cobra snake kills at least ten thousand people in India a year. It is roaming through India hungry and seeking its prey for replenishment. The thing is as I was watching the narrator said, the real prey are mice. People are just in the way of what the cobra is actually seeking. Oftentimes, the prey(mice) are living in the homes in India which causes the cobra to come in and while trying to look for and kill the prey they bite the people. Now, the cobra only attacks when something seems larger to it and it feels threaten. You may be wondering where is Marissa going with this? I will get to that. Some of you may already get the gist.

     God shared with me and said, to replace the snake with satan, the mice with what God has planted in us and people remain the same. See, satan is not after us. He is after what God has for us whether  we be saved or not, but especially once we are saved. By offering divers pleasures of this world to keep our minds off wanting to know Jesus is how he paralyzes sinners. As for us that are saved, he bites and attacks us. Why? He does not care about us. He cares about what God wants to do with the sinner and what God is doing with the saints! So don't be alarmed when you are being attacked by the enemy. Satan only attacks when you are a threat to him just like the cobra snake. Satan wants to kill what is in the house. He does not care if we are hurt along the way. Since we are the temple of God, he wants to take away what God has placed within. Not that we are so strong or mighty, but God Who dwells within us for GREATER IS HE that is within us than what?...he that is within the world. There are many spirits that have gone out into the world, but don't panic. For we have The Greatest Spirit of all living in us that overpowers them all, The Spirit of  Righteousness, Holiness, Love,  Peace,  Joy, The Wonderful Spirit of God!

Shaken not Stirred

2 Cor. 4:8 "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair," 
Psa 34:1 " I will bless The Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth." 

          Have you ever had trouble? Have you ever had pain? Have you ever cried? Have you experienced complete devastation? Many of you most likely will answer yes to all three of these and then some. I know I can attest to plenty even though I am young. Being honest some of which came from my own doing and lack of listening to Wise Counsel God so lovingly gives me through His Spirit. In spite of all of my troubles and pain I realize how things are not as bad as I think. Why? Because I acknowledge that my God, The One I talk to, cry to, and learn from is in complete control! The human mind is very interesting. One of the reasons I am desiring to finish school in psychology. Getting back on topic, the way we live is shaped by the way we think. The way we think is shaped by what is imported into our brains. Unknowingly we retrieve bits and pieces of information every day. I always wondered when I was younger, why older people and my family encouraged me to read The Bible each day. Getting older, I definitely appreciate and understand the wisdom they were trying to teach me. What we allow our minds to digest, is distributed through us which shapes our character and is basically working to form who we are as people. It is a process and over time we can sort of tell what a person has been feeding their brain as to why they have certain character traits and behavior patterns. The other portion is probably genetic. I know you all may be wondering why in the world is Marissa talking about the human mind? I will answer that!

          Paul and many others in the text were going through some real problems. Their lives were literally on the line preaching The Gospel of Jesus Christ. Although they went through detrimental situations, they never lost their mind! Why?! Because their mind was stayed on Jesus! No not 24/7, but a good bit of it! If we feed our mind more of God's Word, spend more time talking to Him instead of the street committee then we too can be confident in our own trials and not complaining like the world. Then we have the bro David, who also had a tough time, but still declares The Goodness of Jesus! By stating no matter the state, God DESERVES my praise! That's powerful thinking people. Even going through my current trials, I can honestly say I have been shaken not stirred. Meaning through it all I'm STILL here. I have been hit, but God's Hand never left me. We are unable in our imperfect minds to see any good in trying times in our lives. That is why we drink, smoke, party, shoot up, and whatever else to escape or cope with life. But  through Jesus Christ Blood that was shed on The Cross we are able if we choose to accept to tap into this same mind frame. That's why Paul suggested to let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. Jesus mind stayed on His Purpose and He did not allow minor mishaps to detour Him. Same thing I must do, you must do, we must do to not look at the bad, but stay focused on our purpose. Don't know your purpose? Pray to God about it. Not just one time or for two seconds, but sincerely talk to God because without a purpose we will be unable to overcome life's obstacles. That's how David and Paul made it through. They knew what their purpose was in life. So keep in mind trouble will only effect what we allow it to effect! Yes, we will be devastated at times, confused, hurt, and frustrated, but we have The Power to overcome those emotions by digesting The Goodness of God's Word which will produce thoughts that brings LIFE to a seemingly dead situation! Enjoy your weekend 😄

Know Your God

2 Corinthians 12:9 "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 

To understand this scripture you must first understand the terms used here starting with "grace". Grace is simply the goodness of God, a fruit of the Spirit, God giving to you what you don't deserve. Sufficiency (used here as sufficient) simply means "of a quantity that can fulfill a need or requirement BUT without being abundant). Pardon me for the vocabulary lesson, but it is necessary for FULL understanding of this Word. Infirmity (used here in its plural form, infirmities) is "the state of being weak in health or body". Now we can interpret this scripture as saying God's grace is all you need, nothing less and nothing more. When you are at your weakest that's when His strength is most evident. So no matter how weak, unhealthy (both physically and mentally), or hurt you are STILL, with gladness, give honor to His name. There isn't anything you are going through that God didn't qualify you to deal with. 

I've encountered some strong individuals throughout my lifetime and I often say to myself "I don't know how he/she is holding up so good with all he/she is going through" Then I'm reminded of this scripture along with many others that talks about God's strength in us; Isaiah 40:29, Isaiah 41:10, Exodus 15:2, just to name a few. 

Often times it's not what you have before you go into a situation it's about what God gives you while you're there. You have to be willing to do what you can with what you have.; knowing that what little you have is sufficient. In church, a few weeks ago, one of our associate pastors told a story about having a job at the candy store when he was a boy. Every week he would send his bigger cousin to pick up his pay, which was a hand full of candy. One day the owner asked why he never picked up his own pay and he replied "because my cousin's hands are bigger than mine, they can hold much more candy". He concluded with "God's hands are bigger than our hands". Therefore what is big to us is small to God, what we can't bare God can, what we can't HANDle God can. Stop trying to handle it yourself, stop trying to carry what was never intended for you to carry! Cast your cares on the Lord because He cares for you. 

Know who your God is! He is God Almighty, The MOST High God, The EVERLASTING God, The Creator, a Provider, a Healer, a Comforter, Lord of Peace, Lord of Righteousness, etc. He doesn't have a history of calling out the most qualified people Abraham was old, Moses too was old, David was a Shepard boy, Jacob was abandoned and a imprisoned, Jesus was raised a carpenter, Paul (formerly known as Saul) was a blasphemer, and so on. None of them had easy lives but through prayer God prepared them, through faith God provided for them, and through grace God blessed them. 

I Want What's Mine!

2 Corinthians 5:7 "For we walk by faith, not by sight"

Picture this: Someone wants to surprise their loved one with something big. They grab the person by the hand and cover their eyes leading them to the place where the surpise/gift is located. The closer they get to the gift the more the guider/gifter wants to ensure that the person cannot see before the time is right. At some point along the journey the guider/gifter may say "trust me you're going to love this" or "don't stop we're almost there" or "be patient we're getting close". Once they arrive to the place the surprise/gift is often more than they could've imagined making the journey worthwhile. The journey to the place (the listening, the waiting, the trusting) is what humbles you to rightfully receive what is yours.  

That's a good way to look at our spiritual walk. We are on a journey to something that is much bigger than we could ever imagine. Prior to this, 1 Corinthians 2:9 says " But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him". Therefore, nothing you see or look at indicates what God has for you! He is the creator of ALL things and in Him ALL things are possible. Don't limit your thoughts, desires, and capabilities because guess what...God can exceed even your most far fetched ideas. 

Walking by faith doesn't require you to see where you're going; however, it does require you to TRUST who is guiding you there. Typically we get distracted by what we see often veering off course. I frequently find myself doing this all the time around my home. I start doing one thing then get distracted by another thing and at the end of the day I'm totally off course not having accomplished anything. I'm so glad my spritual walk doesn't HAVE to be this way, (although sometimes I do veer off course), because even through the darkness of my closed/covered eyes God's light STILL has the ability to shine through. Light (Jesus) trumps darkness (Satan who fears the light because he knows it will expose him)! Psalm 119:105 says "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light on my path"; therefore, all I have to do is follow the light! I don't need to see anything else until I get to the place that the path is leading me to.

Why are you afraid? Isaiah 41:10 says "Don't be afraid, for I am with you...". Cover your eyes and FEARLESSLY allow God to guide you to the "surprise" He has prepared for you! I don't know about you, but I WANT WHAT IS MINE!!

 

#FearlessFAITH

Rest in His Peace

John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

     With all the bad occurrences we receive on the news, the constant persuasion to keep up with The Kardashians, the urgency on young people to marry, all can be very overwhelming. Agreed? Agreed! Every time we may try to get a little peace there is a Facebook message or a mention on Twitter. Our friends or family may call us with devastating news which may also trouble our hearts. Some of you may have very active small children who demand EVERYTHING by throwing thought out temper tantrums. Wouldn't The Peace Of  Jesus be amazing? Ummm YEAH! 

     So, Jesus tells us with all the destruction and distractions not to be too overwhelmed because His Sovereignty supersedes all the chaos that life brings. He knows we will have to go through many struggles within ourselves and also with just living in this life in general. However, being in a relationship with Christ gives us the assurance that we have no need to allow those struggles to overtake our lives. Of course at first depending on the situation we may react in fleshly emotions, but at the end of the day we should practice to rely on The Peace of God.

     Now, one must research The Peace of God before we Rest in His Peace because we are unable to Rest in something we know nothing about. So it REQUIRES us to get deeper into God's Word out of pure love and not for memorization. Yeah, I say that because some people do that. Anyhow, by us desiring more of God we gain more of God which empowers us to triumph over life's obstacles! Furthermore, Jesus has overcome the world, death, and the grave! He is basically saying, Look child! I got you! I been there, done that, and got the t shirt. I made this world and these people you are having a tough time dealing with so let Me handle it and you chill in My awesomeness. So of course I am using today's young folk dialect, but I just want to bring it home. 

    One good thing to do is to implement an encouraging scripture that speaks to you and meditate on it every time your heart is troubled. That annoying co worker insert scripture. Your car breaks down insert scripture. Get the picture? Great! Now do it. If Christians can't live a peaceful life, what Hope do sinners have? We are the candle holders of God's Light are we not? But that's another post...go in P E A C E ✌️. 

       

      

How Many Times?

Matthew 26:33-35 " Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all disciples" 

Trust is the basis of any strong relationship. When you ask someone what they look for in a mate trust, honesty, and faithfulness will rank high on the list. These same components are important in our relationship with God; however, sometimes we get it mixed up. Often we cry out to God trying to  convince Him that we trust Him, but has He given us a reason not to? Shouldn't we be crying out asking and convincing God to trust us? God is faithful (Deuteronomy 7:9), He does not lie (Numbers 23:19), and you can trust Him (Proverbs 30:5). We are born sinners! Enough said...point blank period! Our sinful heritage makes us susceptible to being unfaithful, dishonest, and none trustworthy; to one another and even to God Himself. On any given Sunday when the deacon says "I will bless the Lord at all times" the entire church will join in to finish "and His praise shall continually be in my mouth". Then by Tuesday some (not all) will have cursed out 3 people; therefore, your word can not be trusted and you are deemed unfaithful! But God knew you would do that and He has forgiven you in advance for it; however, He does expect you to be convicted by it exhibiting an effort to do better. 

Take Peter for example. Everyone knows that Peter denied Jesus three times as, Jesus predicted it at the last supper. We often give Peter a hard time for that; however, Peter was one who gave up everything to follow Jesus (which most of would have difficulty doing) and even after the denial he was instrumental in the early days of the church. The character of Jesus shines bright in this scripture in that He didn't treat Peter any differently knowing what was to come. In fact Jesus' character allowed Him to treat Peter according to his character and not his flesh. Peter was convicted by his actions and did what was necessary to find favor in the eyes of Christ again. Jesus knew that it was a part of the plan and He then used that denial to strengthen Peter as a leader during the difficulties in the early days of the church.

What does this have to do with us? Today, denying Jesus isn't merely saying "I don't know Him". Denying Jesus is keeping quiet when you know something is wrong, denying Jesus is behaving in a way you know He would disapprove of, denying Jesus is condoning behavior that is not of Him, and etc. Can God trust you to uphold the ideals He left for us as His people? Can God trust you to keep your word in blessing His name at ALL times? Can God trust you to be faithful to Him even when it means giving up your job in Corporate America to follow Him? Or will you deny Him? 

How many times will you deny Him? How many times HAVE you denied Him? 

As Marissa mentioned the other day; sometimes God will ask you to give up something with no intention of actually taking it away, but just to see if you're willing to sacrifice. Is your lack of trust in God due to your inability to be trusted? It's something to think about. 

#FearlessFAITH

Who do you belong to?

Acts 19:15 " And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?" 


     And so the evil spirit asks, "Who are you?" Such a defining question. We are asked this profound question during school, job interviews, and regular conversation. Some may say a student, doctor, Mrs. Johnson daughter, nice, but in this verse the only real answer that matters is are you apart of Christ?  Do you belong to Him?  Yes, we all have been bought with a price in Jesus Blood, but not all of us realize it,  meaning all of us are not saved. Here is the kicker, these are priests that satan asked this question to. Y'all know how in scary movies you see the priest coming to do an exorcist on someone with an evil spirit or spirits living in them, right? This is about the same. There were some evil spirits and the priests were called to do an exorcism and satan asked who are you? Ha! These men told him to come out in The Name of Jesus, the Jesus Paul preaches about and guess what happened? The evil spirits that they were trying to call out ended up leaping on them! These were looked upon high priest Jews in Ephesus, but they had no power! Just like today. It doesn't matter what a person title may be, if  that person is not born again then their life is of no effect for God and definitely not a threat to satan as we can see. That is why it is important to know who we are and make sure we belong to God because we are unable to fight satan on our own. He will ALWAYS prevail against us without The Help of God. 

What is really interesting is when you read down it says, And this was known to all the Jews and Greeks also dwelling in Ephesus and fear fell upon them all, and The Name of The Lord Jesus was magnified. And many that believed came, and confessed, and showed their deeds(Acts 19:17-18). See how God turned that situation around? Because of the lack of TRUE belief and the priest being overtaken by the enemy, it caused the surrounding religious leaders to fear The Lord. They gained WISDOM which is in Psalm that says the fear of The Lord is the beginning of wisdom. I am sure they had wordly intelligence, but this was their first time receiving the Wisdom that there is ONE True and Living God. That The Jesus Paul preached about is REAL. That leads me to my next point. The priests tried to call out a demon by what Paul knew about Jesus and not their own personal relationship with Jesus. That is where many of us mess up at in life. We are not capable to coattail someone else belief in Christ. We have to know Him for ourselves! They knew about Jesus, but didn't personally know Jesus. Just like today, we have people coming to church every Sunday out of tradition not really having a relationship with Christ, but when a situation comes up when we feel like we need Him we want to throw His Name around like we have the privilege to do so and satan will look at us like who are you? You have no authority. You are not saved. I don't see Jesus in you, which is dangerous because you see what happened to these high priests. So I ask this question not in regards of a reply, but it is a self evaluating question. Who are you? 
          

We Need Each Other

Romans 1:11-12 "For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me" 

Paul's humble spirit is so encouraging and contagious! The call God placed on his life was remarkable and further proves God's power; reassuring the work that only He can do in our lives. It amazes me how the Word was effectively spread through him without the use of social media, email, u-stream, and etc. He was able to speak to masses of people countless miles away. The introduction of this letter to the Romans is epic, please read it! Not once does he seek credit for anything God has done through him because he knows he didn't and couldn't do it on is own; instead he gives God all the glory. 

Although God is clearly with Paul I find it extremely humbling that he, in vs 12 says that they (himself and the Romans) need each other for encouragement in their faith. This is coming from Paul a man that personally had an encounter with Jesus! This very scripture proves that even the most anointed vessel of Christ sometimes need encouraging. Often times we put so much pressure on our pastors and ministry leaders forgetting that they too need encouraging. Romans 12:5 says "so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all" which essentially means we are all connected in some way operating as one. We must continue to encourage one another; especially our leaders. You are only as strong as your weakest link, as a whole we must remain strong because many forces come against the Church as a whole regularly. There are constantly stories of churches being burned, churches being robbed, and pastors being killed. The success of a leader depends largely on the faithfulness of their following; support and encouragement. 

It's Sunday, Father's Day, take the time to encourage your father, your pastor, and acknowledge THE FATHER!  

#FearlessFAITH 

Is Love safe?

Genesis 22:1-2, 9-12 "And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.
2 And He said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. 9 And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.
10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
11 And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. 12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

       Is love safe? Now, that is a tricky question. I would answer yes and no. It honestly depends on what your definition of safe may entail. If your version of safe is playing it safe then no. What do I mean by playing it safe? Well, if you choose to live a life that suits you and no one else then no love is not safe. If your life only caters to your needs and your desires then nope love is not safe. If your definition of safe is never allowing anyone in because of past hurt and fear of it happening again then yes, you guessed it love is not safe. Love is daring, open, unconditional, mind blowing, eye opening, life changing and that type of love costs. In this life, we WILL hurt. There is no way around it. People will hurt us whether we open up to them or not. We still will experience heartache, and most would consider that dangerous, but as long as your love is reflected upon Christ then it is safe! 

        In Genesis 22, it talks about one of the most talked about sacrifices other than the ULTIMATE Sacrifice Jesus gave to us. Picture that! We can view this two ways. One being a father sacrificing his son or a man who loves God so much and trusts Him so much that He will literally do anything God asks Him to do. Love. Was that Love safe? Well as I stated before, it depends on what your view of safe may be. We all may not have to sacrifice a child, but we have to sacrifice something(s). I recently and not that this is the only thing, but since it just occurred had to make a decision. Not truly knowing how Abraham felt, I feel like I was put in the similar test. God asked me to do something and I did it with Faith in spite of my own feelings because I love Him that much. What does God do? He stops the knife so to speak. He allows me to keep what He asked me to give up. It was a test. God is AMAZING! I have cried, pondered, smiled, cried, pondered at what God was doing and is doing because His Ways are beyond me. It does us no good to question God, but to practice trusting Him. I mean really trusting Him. This is the most faith driven season in my life so far. I literally do not know what my next move is, but I keep making strides each day. His Love helps me and let's me know to keep going, I got you. School, relationships(friends, family, co workers, bf), money, car, housing are ALL in  His Hands. I think about those things and the hurt and frustration with them all and ask myself will I still love? My answer is yes! A thousand times yes! In this life hurt is inevitable and so is pain. I rather be hurt in God's Arms than outside of His Arms. Because that Love is safe. Choosing to Love in spite of your situation and how someone treats you is safe when God is ushering you to do it. Isn't that what Jesus did? He knew He would conquer death and due to His love for us He willing died so that we may eternally be in Heaven. He proved that risking our lives for God is the safest decision that we will ever make. So is your love safe? 

Praise Report: A new friend I gained this past semester has found a friend in Jesus! She told me this past week and I was over joyed! Like seriously, getting ready for work and fell to my knees in awe of God. He is amazing! 

It's Yours

James 4:8 "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded" 

The closer you become with God the easier it is to hand everything that you have and everything that you are over to Him. However, the process is not as easy as it sounds. God is not one to impose nor does He enter where He has not been invited. That is why the scripture here says draw near to Him and THEN He will draw near to you. Don't misunderstand and think that God is not with you because He will always be with you and protect you; however, some things He will not do if you don't ask. Just as Marissa mentioned yesterday in Wrong Side of a Blessing the man had to ASK God for what he needed, although God already knew. Earlier in this same chapter of James it is written "ye have not because ye ask not" then the scripture above (James 4:8) follows.

When we expect God to move in our lives, changing our way of life, we must relinquish control. Here we can interpret cleansing our hands as letting go of our past life, our sinful ways, and bondage situations. Ridding ourselves of all those things will ultimately purify our hearts where God can really shine through us. A purified heart gives us joy, peace, love, and hope allowing us to be faithful; exercising self-control. Often times I find myself handing something over to God then going back to it trying to fix it as if He is incapable and doesn't know what to do; double-minded.

Being double-minded is an example of doubt. Surrendering to God has to be a solid decision, there is no room for doubt or indecisiveness. He doesn't want part of you He wants all of you. It is written in Revelation 3:16 "So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spur thee out of my mouth". Straddling the fence between the Word and the world is not a good place to be you have to decide which side you're fighting on. You can't serve two masters nor can you can't fight on both side; Matthew 6:24. If you're on the Lord's side one of His requirements is to surrender everything to Him (Matthew 16:24).

Whatever you're holding on to LET IT GO and whomever you're holding on to LET THEM GO!
Free yourself...it's FREEDOM FRIDAY!!!

Worship Song

#FearlessFAITH

Wrong side of a blessing

John 5:10 "The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, “It is the Sabbath; it is not lawful for you to carry your bed.”

In the leading scripture it shows the Jews wrongfully questioning a man that Jesus healed. Well, let me give you some background information on this verse. There was a crippled man at this well known pool called Bethesda. At this pool, sick people waited for an angel to show up to stir the pool and whoever got in the pool first was automatically healed. Now that Jesus is on the scene; He comes to show that it is not about being first, but it is about having FAITH. This man has been sick for thirty-eight years. Jesus asked him a simple question which was "DO YOU WANT TO BE HEALED?" After the man answered, Jesus healed the man of his condition. Mind you in religious crowds, it is not lawful to heal on the a Sabbath. So once some of the Jews saw the healed man they began to question and discourage the newly healed man which is the scripture above.

Okay now you have your background information. We have to be careful about who we tell our blessings to sometimes. Some people will be on the wrong side of your blessing. Meaning, God could bless a homeless person with a new house. Instead of me rejoicing, I say dang now you have to pay a mortgage. Another scenario is God could bless someone with a job and I say dang now you have to pay taxes. There are always people failing to see the Glory of God because they are trying to find fault in Him. We as believers know that in a Him there is no fault, but some will try to find fault just to satisfy themselves. The seriousness in the matter of this thought process is it keeps them from being saved. Also, not only did the Jews try to find fault in the Power of God, but they tried to discourage the newly healed man. How can you see a man crippled day to day and finally he receives his deliverance and because it came on the "wrong day" in your mind you are upset? Know that they TRIED to discourage the man, but it failed. See we have to see people for who they are and not let their negativity effect our minds. God is the only one Who can deal with their hearts and we must give it to Him. The Jews were oblivious to God. They read the scriptures and practiced the rituals. They knew what God did for Moses and Isaiah yet once He performed a miracle for their very eyes to actually see and not just read about they ended up being on the wrong side of a blessing. People, even in the church, will miss the essence of your testimony because of their own darkness. This man's life was a miracle and they made it a mockery. These people were upset with Jesus and wanted to slay Him after the knowledge of the miracle. See, I said they had knowledge of the miracle but did not ACKNOWLEDGE the miracle. Jesus basically told them that as long as my Father works, I work. See, the Jews could not stop the miracle so they thought to kill Jesus. That is what the devil roams through earth doing. He wants to kill our testimony, steal our peace, destroy relationships, BUT GOD. Jesus explains that He Whom you worship and pray to is also in Me. We are a part of each other and whatever He does, I do. God never stops, sleeps, takes a nap. Therefore Jesus never stops, sleeps take a nap. Don't be discouraged or startled that people will try to destroy your testimony and be on the wrong side of your blessing. You continue to proclaim the goodness of Jesus and let Him deal with their hearts.

Questioning God??

Job 38:1-3 "Then the Lord speaks to Job out of the storm He said: "Who is this that obscures my plans with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me." 

The book of Job is often our "go to" book when we fall on hard times. We say "If God did it for Job He can do it for me"  which is correct; however, we often forget that Job was a righteous man and did no wrong in the sight of God. Even still, God had a plan for Job to prove to the devil that Job would remain faithful even when things were going badly in his life. Prior to the chapter mentioned here Job had began to question God's motives in which God follows with the ULTIMATE READ. Basically telling Job who are you to question me and my plans without the knowledge AND power that I posess, I ask the questions and you provide the answers! This was right on time for me because I had begun quesitoning God about some things in my life and why He was not doing certain things that I would expect at this point in time. What we don't realize is that when we ask questions like this doubt is usually the underlying cause. We're doubting God's power, so God reminds us that He is in control of ALL things. 1 Peter 5:6-7 says "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you". Instead of thinking you're big enough to question God think of yourself as small enough to hand everything over to Him showing your need for Him and your trust in the power of His mighty hand. Notice the scripture says "hand" which is singular, God is so powerful that the work of one of His hands is sufficient for things that we don't have the power to take care of. Stop questioning God and trust His plan we will never know all the things that He has planned for us, but rest assured that He knows (Jeremiah 29:11) and that He cares enough to handle it in due time. 

 

Dead to self

Galatians 5:24 "And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts."

When accepting Jesus in our hearts, it did not mean temptation was over. Salvation is confessing and believing. Sanctification is living out what you profess and believe. Our salvation means nothing if like Kim said, there is no visible fruit from God. The writer encourages us, the church, to basically be more like God. He talks about the fruit of The Spirit so that we know what characteristics we should have being born again in which Kim has previously discussed. Now after the writer stated what The Fruit were, he then concluded that if we are apart of Christ we WILL crucify our flesh. What is crucifying our flesh? Well, it is to me not feeding it. If I am feeding my spiritual man by planting God's Word on good soil(Luke 8:5-15) His Word will then take root and His Fruit will produce in my life. However, if I choose not to allow God to plant His Word and feed my flesh I will reap my harvest( Galatians 6:8). Crucifying our flesh is hard for us, but easy for our God. God will never tell us to do something without equipping us to do so. The verse says that if we belong to Jesus we WILL crucify our flesh WITH the affections and lusts. Now, we are home. So, for clarity let me just go ahead and say no one is perfect because people use that time and time again in the wrong context. Yes, no one is perfect, BUT God is and HE is able to perfect our imperfections not us. So saying we are unable to seriously live holy as God commanded is false. There are plenty couples abstaining until they marry, plenty of young people choosing not to get drunk, smoke, go to wild parties, lie, cheat, and the list goes on. This is an important scripture because not only will someone know us by our love that we are God's, but by us having self control. Which is what? One of the Fruit we should bear. I believe it is temperance in The Bible. So it states our flesh with its lusts and affections, something we ALL have. I do not care how sanctified you are we all share this struggle. Your struggle may not be my struggle as far as certain lusts or affections, but we all have to crucify some things. I have to crucify sexual lusts, you may have to crucify lusts for things. Sally may have to crucify lusts for food. Yeah, gluttony is a sin. Some may have ungodly affections that needs to be crucified. Whatever the case may be we all have that to deal with daily. So, how do we crucify our flesh with the lusts and affections it carries? We starve it! Just as The Bible states to give no place to the devil we should not feed our fleshly desires. If mom said do not eat the cookie because it will spoil our appetite, we listened and if we disobeyed we got our punishment. Same for God, He warns us about sin and when we do not listen it will spoil our spiritual appetite and our fellowship with God and we will receive our punishment. Even naturally, we rather our parents to be proud than disappointed and always punishing us and that is the same outlook we should have towards our Heavenly Father. We should strive to please Him and with doing so our flesh will die more and more each day. No, it does not stop temptation, but God will ALWAYS provide an escape(1 Cor. 10:13) so there is absolutely no excuse for us. We make things hard when it really isn't and if we have the mindset and heart to do right than we will, but if we go in thinking it is impossible to live right then we will not. Again, people will know that we are saved by us living like we are saved and not according to our flesh. I'm going to end with this scripture. It is essential to crucifying our flesh. Romans 12:2 "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

100 Days of Favor

I'm in search of a deeper more intimate relationship with God. Please join me in this challenge of "100 Days of Favor" by Joseph Prince.

God's Judgment

Amos 2:4 This is what the LORD says: "The people of Judah have sinned again and again, and I will not let them go unpunished! They have rejected the instruction of the LORD, refusing to obey his decrees. They have been led astray by the same lies that deceived their ancestors."

We all have this awesome view of God. In knowing God we should not forget His Holiness, Righteousness, and His Judgment. It is very serious because God commanded us to be Holy for He is Holy. How can we represent God without living a life God is pleased with? How can we witness when we choose to say and do the wrong things? The simplest thing to us can make a big difference to someone else. It could be the deciding factor if they believe in Christ or not by how we choose to act. We can not act on every impulse. I know because as a woman I tend to react irrationally not realizing the harm it can do and God does not like that. Yes, we are more emotional than men but God wants us to use that emotion for good not evil. Put it towards caring and loving and not hostility and anger. In the leading verse God is angry with Isarel. Here is a people who God has provided for, delivered from enemies, love continuously and what do they do? They choose to disobey God. It says they went back to the lies that their ancestors believed and worshipped other gods. Now, we read that and think man they were stupid. How could they be so ungrateful? Well, look at us. Many of us have lies our grandmothers and grandfathers believed and don't know it. By us not knowing we may be living in some areas of our lives the way our ancestors lived. Grandmother thought nothing was wrong with numerous dating before marriage. So, fast forward you date numerous people. Grandfather thought nothing was wrong with being a workaholic. So now you are a workaholic. It talks about believing lies and going back to their fathers gods. Just because we are not worshipping a statue does not mean we are not worshipping idol gods. Anything we put before God is idol worship. It's useless. We may worship relationships, work, ourselves, food, money, clothes, cars, and the list continues. We MUST be careful because God will only be merciful for so long until He gets fed up with us. Rightfully so, He created us, breathes into us and sent His Son as a sacrifice for us! And what do we do? Put MORE energy and time into people and things that can do NONE OF THE ABOVE and we continue to ask God for stuff and to listen to me and my problems yet don't listen and obey Him. God was frustrated and disappointed. Wouldn't we be? Have we not been with others who have wronged us and we gave them our all? So, the damage control is to simply love God. If we love Him we will strive to do more in our relationship. Do more not meaning doing good deeds, because we are NOT saved by works. Do more meaning the things any relationship needs to be healthy and productive. You know, the things that are not always seen. Talk to God more, get to know Him each day, and the more we get to know Him the more we will love Him and the deeper the love gets the stronger our witness and the less likely we are to revert back to a path of destruction. Not trying to scare anyone, but causing awareness to a serious issue. Just as Kim posted yesterday we must stay spiritually alert. Being spiritually alert is nurturing your relationship with Christ. Nurturing your relationship with Christ, will keep you from going back to old ways and worshipping things and people instead of The Creator of those things and people.

Are you SPIRITUALLY Alert?

Deuteromony 31:8 "And the LORD, he is it that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed" 

I can remember when I first gave my life to Christ, I was on a spiritual high and nobody could tell me anything about MY God and what He could and would do for me. I prayed constantly, I listened to gospel (not crossover..."lead me to the cross" GOSPEL) constantly, I studied the Word constantly, and all that comes with new salvation. Then I eventually came down from my high and things got real! My faith was tested which made it a little more difficult to be in the Word as I had been before, without doubt and worry, I was tempted to listen to secular music (which there's nothing wrong with if you can handle it). Ultimately God had brought me to the point where it was time for me to grow spiritually...I had gotten the goodnes of God down to the T but there's more to Him than that and to know God you must know the fullness of Him. 

That's when I learned that there would be several stages in my spiritual journey and the beginning was the "honeymoon" stage, for lack of a better term. I was SO So so in love with my newly restored relationship. I was showing Him all kinds of affection, I was attentive to the things He required of me, and I just wanted to be with Him all the time. I like to think of my tempting and testing stage as the "commitment stage" because that is what I think was being tested. How commited to Christ are you? If you don't have any money, are you still committed? If you're sick, are you still committed? If you lose your job, are you still committed? If your bf/gf/spouse leaves you, are you still committed? If everything that could go wrong DOES go wrong, are you still committed? As I'm writing this I'm beginning to think there aren't stages there is a cycle because I'm been at this "commitment" stage several times.

It is important that we do not zone out spiritually during times when we don't clearly see God moving in our lives. Our darkest moments are when we should be most spiritually alert. Meaning we should be on the look out for God in EVERY situation. I love the quote "There is a blessing in every lesson" I can confidently say that this is true especially when my spirtual alertness is on 10. The Word says that the Lord goes before us and will be with us so if something happens to me or in my life I know that God allowed it and because He does nothing without reason I look for that which is GOoD in the situation (even small situations). I'm so glad Marissa wrote about progression versus perfection yesterday because it is a perfect way to describe how our spiritual journey is. Perfection is achieved in Heaven progression is achieved on earth. Stay spritually alert! 

#FearlessFAITH

Progression versus perfection

2 Cor. 13:9 For we are glad, when we are weak, and ye are strong: and this also we wish, even your perfection.

In the concluding of the chapter the writer leaves the church of Corinth with some wise words. The perfection in that sentence just as well with other perfection verses in The Bible is not talking about our worldly view of perfection, but progressing. He warns them to not be reprobate earlier in the chapter and to make sure the church and us are basically moving towards good and not bad. So, is perfection better than progression? As humans we tend to inadvertently seek perfection with almost everything we do neglecting that there will be hiccups along the way. Brides want the perfect wedding. We want the perfect family, job, house, friends, spouse, kids which leads to added frustration when that "perfect" picture has a flaw. Just as off guard pics usually make better film than perfected ones life is the same way. Having a "perfect" life is fanciful and works against the life God has for us. In this life there will be imperfections in everything we do because of what we have done from the beginning which was sin against God. True perfection is in Heaven. So, having the perspective of progression is the more realistic approach when evaluating your life. I feel that life is ALL about progression than perfection. Just last night my boyfriend and I were talking about how we have progressed as a couple during our relationship. We have our disagreements, but we now compromise quicker than when we first started dating. I witnessed progression yesterday in celebration of Kim's mother received a special recognition for a great accomplishment. On the way home Kim and I talked about her progression in pursuing further education. That is what life is all about. We must look at certain aspects of our life to see if we are taking strong strides in the right or wrong direction versus expecting things to be 100 percent perfect. People will fail you. The real question is are they helping you towards your progression in life? Are they making you regress? Are they keeping you tepid? Ask these same questions for every aspect of your life. It relates to Kim's post on your talent. Perfecting your talent is the progression of it. How far have you come with what God has given you? Being saved is not about us trying to be perfect because like it states in The Bible God WILL finish the work He has begun in us. He knows ALL about being perfect and we know nothing. So, it is best to let Him clean us up daily so He can perfect His Will, His Likeness, His Fruit and once that happens we should and shall see progression. A Christian is not perfect. We are not superior to anyone. Christians should be and are humble people who love Jesus and realize we need His Help in order to survive and be better. Get it? Better not perfect. Perfected in progression. Lastly, looking at our progression enables us to be thankful versus complaining. The door of complaining is usually unlocked with a key of wanting perfection. If things don't go our way we complain and most times we are the reason things do not pan through. However if we REALLY listen and obey God that "perfection" mindset will go out the window and we can REALLY live our life HAPPILY. You will hear me say this time and time again, but life is meant to be enjoyed with everything we experience because it all shapes who we are suppose to be. So if there be any perfecting going on let God do it and watch the progression in your life. Count your wins and be thankful. Acknowledge your losses and work towards making those victories. Remember life is a process of progress. Whether it is good or bad progression is totally up to us. Enjoy your weekend!

Got Talent?

Matthew 25: 21 "His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord"

What are you doing with your God-given talents? This is another one of my favorite parables in the Gospels (I guess I love them all) and it holds true to the "Faith without Works" scripture as well. Don't be afraid to showcase your talent -- whatever it may be! Many of us have talents that we either aren't aware of or that we don't believe in. For others to believe and invest in you you must first believe and invest in yourself. God is not wasteful; therefore, He does not give you anything without an expectation for you to use it. We sing the lyrics "I give myself away so you can use me" with tears rolling down our face; yet, we often don't use the tools He gives us that allows Him to use us! Then; on the otherhand, we pray to God for INCREASE when we haven't even used the one, two, or three things that He has already given us.

You have a purpose and if you haven't figured it out yet look at your talents; surprisingly enough that's where you'll find your purpose. Now, just because you can sing doesn't mean you'll be the next big thing....God has equipped you with what He knows you can handle plus any small thing to us is BIG in and for the kingdom. You have to maximize the talents you have in the place that God has rooted you no matter how small you may think it to be. That's what the servants did in this parable! One was given 5 talents in which he maximized into 10, one was given 2 talents in which he maximized into 4, the other was given 1 talent and did nothing with it. The master was so pleased with the two that had maximized what he had given that he called them "good and faithful servants" making them ruler over MANY things.

Faithfulness! Did you see what faithfulness did for these servants? They were given an increase without having to ask for it. When you're faithful to God in doing what He has called you to do with what little you have He will most certainly reward you with an increase. We fall short in that we ask God for more before we even start, not realizing that what we have is enough. Ultimately this is a test to see if we can handle more and even deserve more. Generally, the more THINGS you have the less you desire God and He doesn't want that that's why He's very careful in what He gives us and how much He gives us. He's a jealous God (and rightfully so) He doesn't want anything to distract us from Him. Also, don't be like the servant that hid his talent! Don't sit on your talent thinking so little of it that you don't see how showcasing/using it would make a difference. Don't be afraid to be creative and think outside the box. It's okay to have reservations, but don't fear! Pray and ask God for guidance then LISTEN. Don't forget to listen for God's response! My pastor said "We cover up God's voice with our plans" and I couldn't agree with him more on this. Let go and let God!

#FearlessFAITH