Why do we often choose to lose? God has given us everything that we need to live a victorious and fruitful life, but instead of walking in victory, we claim and accept defeat. I was recently convicted and reflected on these truths when faced with a temptation that through God’s grace I was victorious over.
Psalms 18:32-36 says: “Is there any god like God? Are we not at bedrock? Is not this the God who armed me, then aimed me in the right direction? Now I run like a deer; I'm king of the mountain. He shows me how to fight; I can bend a bronze bow! You protect me with salvation-armor; you hold me up with a firm hand, caress me with your gentle ways. You cleared the ground under me so my footing was firm.
The very God of the universe has equipped me with the strength and direction that I need in order to conquer what is before me. He protects me. He teaches me. He comforts me. He strengthens me. He has even cleared the way and provided a pathway for success for me. All I have to do is choose not to lose, accept and acknowledge what He has already done and walk it out.
I am my greatest foe. Not Satan, not the world, but me. I’m blessed with free will, but it is the abuse of and misuses of that will that stand in the way of my success. God desires that I choose Him and His ways, but I choose to ignore His call and live for the moment, for the “known” or for the comfortable.
I’m tired of being like the elephant that is terrified of the “mice” in my life. Today I choose to recognize the power that I have through Christ and I choose to win. I choose to live in the reality of who I am. I’m not who the world says I am. I’m not who my friends say that I am. I am not even what I think I am or pretend to be. Rarely do any of these pictures of me match up to the true glory that is within me. I’m more than a survivor, more than an over comer, more than lucky, more than intelligent, more than strong externally, more than a good person. I am a representative, an ambassador, and heir alongside Christ powered and directed by the Most High and commissioned to fulfill His purpose.
I choose to win…because I accept the fact that through God’s grace I’ve already won.
Be Blessed,
B
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Did you hear that?
Isn’t it crazy how your sense of hearing is magnified seemingly by 100X when you are laying in your bed at night? Your vision is not great (because it is dark), but you can hear the baby down the hall, the kids turning over in their beds, the house creaking, the gears of the wall clock moving…etc. Women seem to have the ability to hear the faintest of sounds coming from the forgotten corner of the basement. It just proves that when you are still and when you are through with the busyness of your day you can hear all the minor details and sounds.
This is so true in our spiritual lives as well. We need to seek that quiet time, where we can be still and just listen to God speak. There are so many details that we miss because we refuse to be still and just listen. Just as our mortal hearing is increased when we sit still and focus on our surroundings, our spiritual hearing is intensified when we remove the clutter out of our mind’s closets and allow God to speak to us in our quiet place.
A quiet place is not necessarily a place of seclusion, it is a place that you come to where you block out the cares of the world, your own desires and cares and other distracting thoughts and just focus on God and listen to Him speak. God speaks through His word, through others and through situations. He is speaking…He just needs your attention. Your quiet place is a place of Faith. Just as your vision fails you at night and you have to rely on your ability to hear, quiet times with God are not so much based on what you see, but what you hear. That is the essence of Faith. Some say “seeing is believing”. God says, “believing is not seeing”. How much faith do you have to have to believe in what is right in front of you? That is not faith…that is observing. Faith is believing in something that you don’t see as if you have seen it or experienced it already. Almost like seeing the future like it is in the past.
Faith is the key to spending quality time with God. God will speak to you about where you are now and He will reveal His specific plan for your future. If you don’t approach your Godly encounters with Faith in God, your will tremble at His revelations for you and will not act on them because you will see them as impossible. True faith in God will be the anchor you need to weather the storms that you’ll face as you journey toward fulfilling your purpose. Your faith can only be strengthened and explored through “Godly” encounters. Hearing God speak, trusting Him to do what he says and walking in faithful obedience.
It’s time for some quality time with God.
Be Blessed,
B
This is so true in our spiritual lives as well. We need to seek that quiet time, where we can be still and just listen to God speak. There are so many details that we miss because we refuse to be still and just listen. Just as our mortal hearing is increased when we sit still and focus on our surroundings, our spiritual hearing is intensified when we remove the clutter out of our mind’s closets and allow God to speak to us in our quiet place.
A quiet place is not necessarily a place of seclusion, it is a place that you come to where you block out the cares of the world, your own desires and cares and other distracting thoughts and just focus on God and listen to Him speak. God speaks through His word, through others and through situations. He is speaking…He just needs your attention. Your quiet place is a place of Faith. Just as your vision fails you at night and you have to rely on your ability to hear, quiet times with God are not so much based on what you see, but what you hear. That is the essence of Faith. Some say “seeing is believing”. God says, “believing is not seeing”. How much faith do you have to have to believe in what is right in front of you? That is not faith…that is observing. Faith is believing in something that you don’t see as if you have seen it or experienced it already. Almost like seeing the future like it is in the past.
Faith is the key to spending quality time with God. God will speak to you about where you are now and He will reveal His specific plan for your future. If you don’t approach your Godly encounters with Faith in God, your will tremble at His revelations for you and will not act on them because you will see them as impossible. True faith in God will be the anchor you need to weather the storms that you’ll face as you journey toward fulfilling your purpose. Your faith can only be strengthened and explored through “Godly” encounters. Hearing God speak, trusting Him to do what he says and walking in faithful obedience.
It’s time for some quality time with God.
Be Blessed,
B
Sunday, July 13, 2008
I AM
I’m more than just a man. I am a collection of moments, memories and movements
Like Midas, everything that I touch in impacted. Whether it is for the better or for the worst… it is impacted. So I carefully choose what I devote my time and energy to, because I want my life to be more than just another hyphen between two dates (the day I was born and the day I died).
I want to create. For I am made in the image of My Father who is the greatest creator of all, who spoke and made something from nothing, His nature is my nature. He has custom made me to be sensitive to certain imperfections, flaws and voids that I will encounter throughout my lifetime and His purpose for me is to recognize these challenges and make them opportunities. Like a superhero, I’m commissioned to respond to these “opportunities”. Opportunities not for me to display my “superpowers”, but for me to realize that I’m powerless and through God’s power I can rise to the occasion and be victorious, God has called me to greatness.
I have a high calling. I am a representative of God and because I have identified myself as a child of God, everything I say and do is associated with God by other believers and non-believers who bear witness to my life. My prayer is that I don’t shame His name.
I often feel as though I’m not worthy of all that God has given me. I don’t fully understand why He loves me, but I’m sure of the fact the He does and because He loves me and because I choose to live for Him. I am more than a Man. I’m a child of God.
Like Midas, everything that I touch in impacted. Whether it is for the better or for the worst… it is impacted. So I carefully choose what I devote my time and energy to, because I want my life to be more than just another hyphen between two dates (the day I was born and the day I died).
I want to create. For I am made in the image of My Father who is the greatest creator of all, who spoke and made something from nothing, His nature is my nature. He has custom made me to be sensitive to certain imperfections, flaws and voids that I will encounter throughout my lifetime and His purpose for me is to recognize these challenges and make them opportunities. Like a superhero, I’m commissioned to respond to these “opportunities”. Opportunities not for me to display my “superpowers”, but for me to realize that I’m powerless and through God’s power I can rise to the occasion and be victorious, God has called me to greatness.
I have a high calling. I am a representative of God and because I have identified myself as a child of God, everything I say and do is associated with God by other believers and non-believers who bear witness to my life. My prayer is that I don’t shame His name.
I often feel as though I’m not worthy of all that God has given me. I don’t fully understand why He loves me, but I’m sure of the fact the He does and because He loves me and because I choose to live for Him. I am more than a Man. I’m a child of God.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
What If??? (#2)
What if you only had 100 breaths to breathe?
Would you inhale deeper and exhale slower...barely allowing the air to leave?
What if you only had $100 dollars in which to live?
Would you selfishly keep it or would you somehow find a way to still give?
What if you knew the most recent moment with your loved one was your last?
Would you beg God for a time machine so that you could change the past?
Living life with regrets is not life at all.
It's a self-made prison with unbreakable walls.
Today I choose to live my life.
To manufacture moments that matter.
To make a difference.
To love in more meaningful and purposeful ways.
I choose to breathe a little deeper,
Exhale a lot slower.
So that I can recognize and appreciate
God's voice and His plan for my life
Would you inhale deeper and exhale slower...barely allowing the air to leave?
What if you only had $100 dollars in which to live?
Would you selfishly keep it or would you somehow find a way to still give?
What if you knew the most recent moment with your loved one was your last?
Would you beg God for a time machine so that you could change the past?
Living life with regrets is not life at all.
It's a self-made prison with unbreakable walls.
Today I choose to live my life.
To manufacture moments that matter.
To make a difference.
To love in more meaningful and purposeful ways.
I choose to breathe a little deeper,
Exhale a lot slower.
So that I can recognize and appreciate
God's voice and His plan for my life
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
R U CRAZY???
Who is the one person that causes your skin to bubble and your pressure to rise when the thought of them crosses your mind? Who is the person, when you are having a gathering, you intentionally leave their name off of the list because you can’t even bear the sight of them or the sound of their voice? Who is the person that if you knew that you would not get caught you’d push them into rush hour traffic (maybe not rush hour traffic because the cars would be going to slow). J (Don’t forget someone probably feels this way about you)
Sounds harsh right, but we all know people that fit ever so nicely in this category. Some time they are people that annoy us, intimidate us, always try to show us up, make it a point to point out our flaws or just plain HATE on us. Sometimes these people do this on purpose, sometimes it is unintentional (just part of their character) and sometimes it is just the way in which we perceive them. They could remind us of a painful situation from our past. They could have hurt us in the past. They could have ignored us when we needed them in the past. Sometimes it may be a result of our own prejudice or unwillingness to be vulnerable so we “imagine” how difficult getting to know a person would be without reaching out to them and we justify this by labeling it as some form of self-preservation.
Why not make today the day that you commit to do something crazy? Something totally irrational and daring… How exciting and challenging would it be to make this the day that you chose to make a “FOE” a friend. Sounds crazy right, but isn’t that what God called us to do.
Romans 20-21 “Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he's thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.”
How can we change the world if we are only staying in our comfort zones and not reaching out to our enemies and to those who are downtrodden and ignored by others. It is easy to love when you’ll get that love back, but can you love the person who will think that you are CRAZY for loving them. Think of the impact that kind of action would make on their lives.
So why not…
· Buy them lunch
· Give them a gift card
· Treat them to an ice cream sundae on a hot day (the new twisted Frostys from Wendy’s are nice too…don’t forget about Rita’s too)
· Cut their lawn (or pay to have it cut)
· Get them a card, flowers or a balloon
· Invite them over
Why not make today the day that you do something CRAZY FOR CHRIST!!!!
Be Blessed,
B
Sounds harsh right, but we all know people that fit ever so nicely in this category. Some time they are people that annoy us, intimidate us, always try to show us up, make it a point to point out our flaws or just plain HATE on us. Sometimes these people do this on purpose, sometimes it is unintentional (just part of their character) and sometimes it is just the way in which we perceive them. They could remind us of a painful situation from our past. They could have hurt us in the past. They could have ignored us when we needed them in the past. Sometimes it may be a result of our own prejudice or unwillingness to be vulnerable so we “imagine” how difficult getting to know a person would be without reaching out to them and we justify this by labeling it as some form of self-preservation.
Why not make today the day that you commit to do something crazy? Something totally irrational and daring… How exciting and challenging would it be to make this the day that you chose to make a “FOE” a friend. Sounds crazy right, but isn’t that what God called us to do.
Romans 20-21 “Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he's thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.”
How can we change the world if we are only staying in our comfort zones and not reaching out to our enemies and to those who are downtrodden and ignored by others. It is easy to love when you’ll get that love back, but can you love the person who will think that you are CRAZY for loving them. Think of the impact that kind of action would make on their lives.
So why not…
· Buy them lunch
· Give them a gift card
· Treat them to an ice cream sundae on a hot day (the new twisted Frostys from Wendy’s are nice too…don’t forget about Rita’s too)
· Cut their lawn (or pay to have it cut)
· Get them a card, flowers or a balloon
· Invite them over
Why not make today the day that you do something CRAZY FOR CHRIST!!!!
Be Blessed,
B
Monday, July 7, 2008
An Island Called Love
We are two hearts stranded on an island called Love,
Castaways who drifted to this place of destiny.
Yet we don’t call for help, no pleas for rescue.
We’re in paradise…together…just me and you
Did we end up here by chance or was this journey charted?
I marvel at the detours the heart’s navigation system discovers
Our final destination as received from the satellites above
Is this uninhabited island that we call Love.
Let’s start a new life here and never leave,
This place of wonder we never thought we’d see.
We belong here. It fits us like a custom-made glove
Together forever stranded on this island called Love
Castaways who drifted to this place of destiny.
Yet we don’t call for help, no pleas for rescue.
We’re in paradise…together…just me and you
Did we end up here by chance or was this journey charted?
I marvel at the detours the heart’s navigation system discovers
Our final destination as received from the satellites above
Is this uninhabited island that we call Love.
Let’s start a new life here and never leave,
This place of wonder we never thought we’d see.
We belong here. It fits us like a custom-made glove
Together forever stranded on this island called Love
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Left Behind
I had the eye opening experiencing of watching, “Hard Times at Douglass High: A No Child Left Behind Report Card” on HBO this weekend. The film documented the overall failures of our schools, the educational system, our families and our society as a whole. It showed how low the standards of education have fallen in this country and how the educational system is failing our youth and ultimately the entire society because without at least a basic education, failure is imminent (this is even before talking about the spiritual element). The destruction of the spiritual, economical, psychological and emotional make-up of the youth and the obliteration of a healthy family structure has fueled a perpetual cycle of hopelessness and apathy.
No child left behind has left many children behind.
In watching the documentary, I thought about the plight of Christians and the Church. Many of our Churches have implemented a policy of “No Child of God Left Behind”. Let me explain…
*In the documentary, many students who were failing, behind or had previously failed a grade (or grades), were told that all they needed to do to get back on track was to attend. Not try….not work…not sacrifice…not learn…Just Attend. Many of our churches want the same thing. They are not interested in the “Spiritual Promotion” or the Spiritual Growth of the members. They just want the seats full every week and for those who come, all that is asked is that they come every week and drop a couple $ in the bucket. Attendance is the barometer that measures your spirituality in their eyes. Don’t get me wrong attendance is important, but personal spiritual growth is the goal.
*In the documentary, many of the students in high school were educationally functioning on an elementary or middle school level. They were just being pushed through the system. How many Christians have been in the church 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 or more years and are as spiritually mature as a newly born again-fresh from the altar-Christian? It is a disgrace to God, you and to the body of Christ for so many “long-term” Christians to be spiritually illiterate, with feeble faith and so unprepared for the world. It is time to start learning about the Father so that we can live as He intends and so that we can show the present and the next generations how to live Holy Lives.
*In the documentary, many of the students showed little enthusiasm when it came to learning and were not active participants in the educational process, but when it came to Prom time, there was an overwhelming level of enthusiasm, preparation and participation. So it is in our Churches…We can sing, put on plays, have chicken dinners, fashion shows and do all kinds of “showy” external things, but where are the people when it is time to study God’s word. Is the same effort put into preparing our hearts for service? God is concerned with the heart.
Hebrews 5:11-14 says: “I have a lot more to say about this, but it is hard to get it across to you since you've picked up this bad habit of not listening. By this time you ought to be teachers yourselves, yet here I find you need someone to sit down with you and go over the basics on God again, starting from square one—baby's milk, when you should have been on solid food long ago! Milk is for beginners, inexperienced in God's ways; solid food is for the mature, who have some practice in telling right from wrong.”
It is time for us as believers to take a serious look at our lives and to check our spiritual diets. Too many of us are walking around with bottles in our hands. We are feasting off of “Spiritual Simalac” when we should be getting down with a much more mature and balanced spiritual meal. It is time to stop living by the philosophy of the old Toys R Us jingle…”I don’t want to grow up…I’m a Toys R Us Kid” and for us to stop being “Peter Pan” Christians (Living in Never Neverland). Basically and frankly speaking…It is just time to GROW UP.
God wants to take you to another level in your spiritual life. He has some things He wants to share with you and to tell you, but he is speaking the King’s English and you are still babbling along saying “Goo…Goo…Ga…Ga”.
It’s time to take the pacifiers out of our mouths and it is time for us to start acting our Spiritual Ages. Don’t let your walk be the reason that someone in this world is “LEFT BEHIND”
Be Blessed,
B
No child left behind has left many children behind.
In watching the documentary, I thought about the plight of Christians and the Church. Many of our Churches have implemented a policy of “No Child of God Left Behind”. Let me explain…
*In the documentary, many students who were failing, behind or had previously failed a grade (or grades), were told that all they needed to do to get back on track was to attend. Not try….not work…not sacrifice…not learn…Just Attend. Many of our churches want the same thing. They are not interested in the “Spiritual Promotion” or the Spiritual Growth of the members. They just want the seats full every week and for those who come, all that is asked is that they come every week and drop a couple $ in the bucket. Attendance is the barometer that measures your spirituality in their eyes. Don’t get me wrong attendance is important, but personal spiritual growth is the goal.
*In the documentary, many of the students in high school were educationally functioning on an elementary or middle school level. They were just being pushed through the system. How many Christians have been in the church 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 or more years and are as spiritually mature as a newly born again-fresh from the altar-Christian? It is a disgrace to God, you and to the body of Christ for so many “long-term” Christians to be spiritually illiterate, with feeble faith and so unprepared for the world. It is time to start learning about the Father so that we can live as He intends and so that we can show the present and the next generations how to live Holy Lives.
*In the documentary, many of the students showed little enthusiasm when it came to learning and were not active participants in the educational process, but when it came to Prom time, there was an overwhelming level of enthusiasm, preparation and participation. So it is in our Churches…We can sing, put on plays, have chicken dinners, fashion shows and do all kinds of “showy” external things, but where are the people when it is time to study God’s word. Is the same effort put into preparing our hearts for service? God is concerned with the heart.
Hebrews 5:11-14 says: “I have a lot more to say about this, but it is hard to get it across to you since you've picked up this bad habit of not listening. By this time you ought to be teachers yourselves, yet here I find you need someone to sit down with you and go over the basics on God again, starting from square one—baby's milk, when you should have been on solid food long ago! Milk is for beginners, inexperienced in God's ways; solid food is for the mature, who have some practice in telling right from wrong.”
It is time for us as believers to take a serious look at our lives and to check our spiritual diets. Too many of us are walking around with bottles in our hands. We are feasting off of “Spiritual Simalac” when we should be getting down with a much more mature and balanced spiritual meal. It is time to stop living by the philosophy of the old Toys R Us jingle…”I don’t want to grow up…I’m a Toys R Us Kid” and for us to stop being “Peter Pan” Christians (Living in Never Neverland). Basically and frankly speaking…It is just time to GROW UP.
God wants to take you to another level in your spiritual life. He has some things He wants to share with you and to tell you, but he is speaking the King’s English and you are still babbling along saying “Goo…Goo…Ga…Ga”.
It’s time to take the pacifiers out of our mouths and it is time for us to start acting our Spiritual Ages. Don’t let your walk be the reason that someone in this world is “LEFT BEHIND”
Be Blessed,
B
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
