Chosen or Given

My people say that their life is what they chose it to be, but for me I don’t know if my life is what I chose or what was given to me. I look at the spiritual gifts I have some understandable others unbelievable. Were these things given to me because God purposed my life for these things, or because I was man enough to step up when others were too afraid? Some people may say how can you question God, but I’m not questioning God. I am wondering if what I have been given a cross of inheritance like Esau and Jacob or what was meant for my life when I came out my womb. At the ends of the day are these things too abstract to believe or too concrete that I am afraid of the thought. My life in my own eyes has caused me to feel as though I am golden children. But I don’t want to be seen in that light I have flaws like everyone else, struggle with the same thing everyone else does, and have the pains. All I know is that I believe that love and joy will abide in me because God will lead me and guide me in all truths.

Overwhelming

This time last year I was at a different point in my life, per happens a different season. All I know is that I am nothing like the person I used to be. The person I used to be wanted to please people above all, and would sacrifice my known for someone else. At the same time I would never compromise my values or beliefs for anything or anyone; which was the best thing at the time. I put myself through yet another relationship that I do not regret, but I embrace it for it taught me things about myself. Like I will never allow someone to separate me from my parents and family; either you take all of us or none of us. I also learned that if someone goes into a situation for the wrong reasons things will get hurt and “fight like hell” to fix everything. All I can say is that I love God more because of the lows rather than the highs. Although the highs are great the lows are where you can find new life and understanding. God Bless.

The backyard of it all

As the wind and rain plays on my head like the drum majors in a marching band, I realize I am back where my passion for people started the backyard. It’s in the backyard of it all where I find my peace, the season may change, even the forms of precipitation may change but the backyard doesn’t go anyway. No matter how small, how gray, or how big it is there will always be a backyard in my mind. Even if it is a balcony or porch to me it is still a place to be free and be revitalized. If I have to go to the woods, the beach, or maybe the city the backyard will always be there just like God. Everything around him may change and my circumstances my change but He is always there. No matter how small He may seem. Like that day in the rain He will also send things to remind me of my passions. I feel like I finally understand when the bible says, “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: My love for Mount Zion is passionate and strong; I am consumed with passion for Jerusalem!”

You maybe wondering what I am talking about but this is a section from a spiritual geography paper I have to write for my College Writing class. As i said in early post my life has not be bad, it's been great compared to most. All I can say is that I've been test and tried and now I know that God will never forsake the righteous. But most importantly God allows me to love his people and embrace the good in them. I've been reading Rigorously Honest of blog of one of my follow classmates and its almost. You can tell that she has been through alot but has survived it all. Most people, even herself, call her a feminist but I call her a judge before her times. Another blog that I read been reading is Inspired which will inspire you at the worst time of the day.

Time Goes By

In the past months I have experienced multiple moments of over-whelming joy and peace. It feel as though as more time goes by in my life the more I feel like a new person. I feel like I am changing for the better every day I wake up. The key to this is to love life and find things you're passionate about. I can say that loving life has turned out to be the best things I've done in my life. When you love life you get the over-whelming joy and peace you long for, when you love life your world doesn't seem like it's upside down anymore. When you love life you start loving yourself differently not always worrying about what you see or how you feel at a particular moment, you are just in peace knowing life is still moving. Time Going By. The time that it takes for you to get mad at something or someone is time wasted, you're giving life to something that has already happened. I like to use that energy to give life to something in the now and future. It may seem hard to think about but if you take all the time and energy you wasted on worrying and being mad on yourself you may be further along in a lot of what you do. Don't just let time go by.

This is not a long post :-)

Things to think about:

II Corinthians 3:16
II Corinthians 4:3-10

Who do man say that you are?

There is an expected end that God is going to bring us to, where when we look in the mirror we will see God, not the things of this world.

FATHER INTO THY HANDS I COMMEND MY SPIRIT!

LUKE 23:46

And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

PSLAMS 31:5          

Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, O lord God of Truth.

FATHER

2) a) the originator and transmitter of anything 1) the authors of a family or society of persons

animated by the same spirit as himself 2) one who has infused his own spirit into others, who actuates and

governs their minds

COMMEND

2) to place down (from one's self or for one's self) with any one a) to deposit b) to entrust, commit to one's charge

New Living Translation

Luke 23:46

Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” and with those words he breathed his last.

Psalms 31:5

I entrust my spirit into your hand. Rescue me, Lord, for you are a faithful God.

Why does Christ speak Father into thy hands I commend my spirit?

     After the work of God is done through his people in his spirit his spirit has to be given, place down for the glory of God. We can translation this verse into “the originator into your hands do I entrust your spirit” for all that we do is not of our own works but the works that God has given unto us. Christ main purpose was to lay his life down for our sins and that’s what he did. Christ laid his life down and returned the spirit of God which God gave him to do his will, at the finishing of his purpose.

In contrast, Psalms 30 is a dedication unto the house of David which Solomon has finished in 1kings 8:63, then it goes forth in Psalms 31:5 “Into thine hand I commit my spirit: thou hast redeemed me, Lord God of truth” After the work that God has instructed David to store up for, which Solomon will complete is finished, the author of this Psalms also entrusting his spirit into the Father’s hands.

Everything that is done in the name of the Father that has originated from the Father has to go back unto the Father. The spirit that God had place in Christ to complete the mission had to be released from Christ so he could receive rest.

We can see the same with Solomon after he finished the building of the temple he received rest; he also received more instruction for him and his people to follow so God’s Glory would stay with them at all times… Christ in this verse also shows his sonship with God.

Through his whole journey he has proclaimed his self to be the Son of God. When we have sonship we look towards our Father for protection and security, which is our place of rest. Christ has turned his spirit back unto his Father so that there can be rest and protection.

The peace knowing that the work is done, and he has fulfilled everything the Father has commanded him to do.

Which has made us all children of God for it says in Galatians 3:26, "Ye are children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.", all truths are parallel just as Solomon had to finish the work of the temple and follow the laws that God has set forth so did his people which made them apart of a sonship, the covenant that God had with David.

In sonship there is also security….. Even though God had turned his face from Christ his son, because of the sins that weighed upon him, Christ was still able to entrust God with his spirit because Christ had a security with in God, knowing that after the work of my Father is done I shall receive rest and be seated in high places.  

We can also be ensured from the passage that when we are saved God places us in his hand which there is safety in. For it says in Ephesians 1:13-14 “ In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”

Father into thy hands I commend my spirit shows Christ sonship, security, protection, and peace which we all have in God.

:-)

Today was a great day the spirit of God truly was in the Building as Bishop-Designate became bishop. The weight of the new position in God is overwhelming. As I left the building to head back to school I was moved to tears. I didn’t want to leave my Father and my Bishop but I had to, being a part of something greater then you is so great. He’s now my Father, Bishop, and Pastor and being a member of the first family is no walk it the park. We have to stay grounded, rooted in God praying daily that we may cover Bishop at all times. This change is going to be one that truly will set the path that I am already on straighter. God Bless.

Expected End

Jeremiah 29

 ¹¹For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

In our Christian walk we at times began to sit and think God what is the purpose you have for me… every time I get a jolt of energy to be more like you and to seek your face… it lasts for a while but as time goes by and that jolt seems to fade away I get stuck in what I thought was you… I go on fasts and I sacrifice but after I’ve done what I thought was your will my live seems worst then before. But have you really given your whole heart to Him. This was the problem with Israel they got these quick words from so called prophets but at the end of the day there was on sustains behind what they were doing… They were fasting for the wrong reasons and sacrificing out of order. But like Israel some of our problems start at the heart. We have been sacrificing but we have not been obedient unto Gods will, and we wonder why things happen the way they happen. God only takes joy in the sacrifices of the obedient. Obedience has always been a key in our walk in Christ… we would always hear that it is greater to be obedient than to sacrifice, but everyone at some point in their life struggles with it. See obedience calls for a Yes to the will of God and to leave what we want. God tells the Children of Israel That He knows the plans, the purpose he has for them, and this is a purpose in peace, and not in evil that we may have an Expected end. God will always give His people hope in a time of distress. The hope is that we all have an expected end filled with peace, love, and joy instead of the mess that causes confusion, pain, and strife. But there is a requirement that God puts on it, He says for us to seek him with all your heart. Not just half or three-fourths but all your hearts. This is why the body of Christ has such a disconnect some of us want to seek God wholly with Mind, body, soul and heart, than the rest of us want to give God half of our heart, never mind our mind and soul.

 We can take a page from out of Zacchaeus book in Luke 19; see Zacchaeus was a tax collect a lowly filthy possession in the time because all they did was cheat people out of their money… This was in the time when Jesus was passing through Jericho… Zacchaeus was short in statue and there was a big crowd so surely Jesus would not have seen him… But instead of him saying God knows my heart, he knows I want to be saved and my family to be saved, he climbs a tree to get Jesus Attention. And when Jesus Addressed Him he said Lord I’ll give everything I took back to your people and more… see Zacchaeus knew something about Christ , it says in 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”

 To walk in the power of one we have to surrender it all unto Gods throne, and be subject to his move, not the move of our flesh, we can’t be doubled minded when it comes down to our expected end in Christ, for He already knows our purpose. But how many people are really willing to give God all of them, but that’s all God wants us to do, be obedient and more like Hm. And then the expected end is ours. It doesn’t matter where we end up at... what should matter is that we will be in his hands in His Kingdom.  The press that Zacchaeus made should cause hope to spring forth for we are already one step ahead, we have been saved but grace, all we will have to do is pray unto God with our whole heart, that we may come out of captivity and be in peace as one body for the expected end that God has promised is near. 

GIVING YOURSELF AWAY HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH CHANGE

My prayer today is that we sit down and ask God to reveal ourselves to us. That we may ask him for the guidance to live right and not conform to the worlds image, but work out our own soul salvation; giving  ourselves to God wholly, with a holly heart. That we may want to line up with the word of God.

STANDING UP FOR CHRIST

It's Time

It's time to put the past behind us,

It's time to forgive the ones, who hurt us,

It's time to give our all to Jesus not just half of it,

It's time to grow up and realize what we are actually doing,

It's time to want to be with Jesus,

For it may not be long until the day he comes back,

It's time to go back to our first true love and claim what’s ours

It's time to let get rid of our childish ways and become serious about our purpose,

It's time to become true warriors of God,

It's just time to be made over completely,

It's time.

If you truly believe in this, then its true there's no reason why you shouldn't start becoming what God wants you to be today?

It may be hard and seem like everything is falling apart,

And the tide is get higher and higher,

To live again we have to be broken first,

Turn from those who hinder us,

Through all the tears and heart ache,

It will be worth it,

For the day will come when you are high and lifted up,

And everyone who hated you will want to be your friend or now envy you,

All you can say is now look at me through everything I’ve been through,

I am still here and I have joy everlasting,

In the meanwhile remember Greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world,

It’s time to live and stand on the solid rock of truth,

It’s time to be the best you can be.

It’s Time

God's Power

What can this picture show you? It shows you the marvelous moments God gives us, a glance of Glory. God can use this image to change our life, grant inspiration, and give us Hope. The image captures a moment, a moment in time where the sun is shining through the clouds. This could be a metaphor, depicting the way God shows up in our lives. God can show up in the darkest places and shin through the cracks and blemishes the devil tries to make as we walk with Christ. Change can come through this by looking through time and space, if the people of  God where to take an inventory of their lives they can see how God has shown up and shinned His Glory in their lives; which will  cause them to praise and worship Him even more. Through my life I can say images like this one granted me inspiration by portraying a moment of harmony. Harmony is shown through this image with the sky, sun, and birds. Harmony should be the focus in our lives that as we mature in Christ there can be harmony between all aspects of life. The Eagle in the picture gives us Hope. Hope that we can all sore into the sky not worrying about limits or hindrances. The Eagle represents power, authority, foresight, and peace. Isaiah was known as the eagle eyed prophet because God granted him power to rule, authority to cast down, foresight to see ahead, and peace to withstand all tests and trails. And because God did it for Isaiah He can do it for us, because God is truth and truth is God.

Just Imagine Heaven

When I look at this picture at imagine a little piece of Heaven. God has giving each of us a charge and if we do what He purposed us to do we can make it into Heaven. The word purpose may seem scary or far distanced but we all have purpose. Most of us take a half a life-time to figure out our purpose, but God has not made it that hard. Purpose has a lot to do with your natural passion in church and your natural love of God. If you follow your heart you will find a piece of Heaven on Earth. As we look at the light in the clouds we can just imagine God trying to illuminate our world through the blockers the clouds. God is all around us and He gives us signs and wonders to let us know. Like the light in the clouds, Just Imagine Heaven.

Introduction to Change

Change has come over me, a change that I can’t explain. A change that is expending the expectation I have for the God in me. This change is not of the physical matter, but of the spiritual. How can this be, why now? When growing up in the church we experience a lot of different changes. Some that easily come and some that are mind blowing. For the longest time I couldn’t even imagine my-self living on my own, doing things by my-self. But by the grace of God I am. My life has not been hard (trying maybe). Dealing with flesh, trying to be whole, and living in a world that is not to open to young people standing for Christ. Yes I am a preacher’s kid, a P.K. for short, but I am not the stereotypical one. I’ve been serving God my whole life giving my-self away, knowing that my purpose is in Christ and that God has given me a special gift to draw people to Him. When serving God there is a time of change where people have to sow, reap, cry, laugh, love, and hate (Ecclesiastes 3). My change has come. God gives us all a token of faith and faith is a part of the change that comes through Christ. From a boy looking for a voice, too a teenager trying to love too young, to a young man trying to be whole in holiness in a crazy world. In our life spiritual change gives way to new possibilities in life. Leaving past relationships, hurt, and temptations behind…. And coming out of the comfort zone that our minds set up for us. “Change has come over me” is not just about struggles, it’s about victories and the impacts that God has made on my life. Greatness is all in the process of the change, when God is revealing himself to us. In the revealing of God we find that greatness is just around the corner, that if we work the works that God has put inside of us we will be able to reach the masses with ease. The bible say he called the young because they are strong and the old because they are wise. To be able to lead other in their change in Christ we have to start now by being strong in Christ, unmovable. Change is exciting and causes us to worship and praise God even more, giving Him all that He deserves.