Tag: God

Ensuring This Thing is Real…..

1 Corinthians 9:27 (KJV):

“But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”

While living as Christians on life’s journey, we may experience moments of praise and admiration from others, especially if our gifts and callings bring us constantly before others and we are good at what we do. There is nothing really wrong with praise and admiration – except that once we get a steady dose of praise we tend to believe our own press. Now we begin feeling entitled to preferential treatment and deference from those in “lower ranks” than ourselves.

We may preach, sing, dance (liturgically), prophesy, speak in tongues (and interpret tongues), dance in the spirit or even lay hands on others and they become delivered. Let us make sure that in all what we do or take part in, we are constantly communicating with God. Constant communication with the King of kings keeps us humble. Studying His Word will cause us to remember that we are flesh and blood who are as vessels being used by the Master. We have no entitlement. Respect is due to those who are in positions of authority and on whom a clear call from God is evident in their lives, but let us remember that what we have, He allowed. What we can do, He endowed. What we see, He permitted.

Let us keep ourselves prostrate before the King of kings. Let us make sure that what we have is real, tried and true. May we allow God to keep us focused, lest we preach Christ to others and we turn out as hypocrites in the end.

 

 

Can You Forgive?

Can you forgive?

I had the pleasure of listening to a prominent speaker recently discuss forgiveness as she shared examples from her own life. As she spoke, thoughts of past and present situations that seemed unfair to me started parading across my mind. Things I had forgotten about knocked on the door of my heart and caused me to reflect.

I had been the type to look at others over the top rims of my glasses – until my life situations changed and now I am the one that others are looking at in very strange ways. Having to forgive others who caused grief and pain and then realizing that I was also a source and grief and pain to others is not easy to handle from either perspective. I tend to store up my feelings and eventually hide them – which I know is not very good. As I practice sharing my heart with others via writing, I find it is now easier to express my deepest thoughts and reflections even while speaking. Vocalizing (or reading) what you have always thought is definitely a healing balm.

Prayer:

Jesus, I surrender my pain, my disappointments, any misunderstandings and my resentment of situations from my past (and my present) into your hands. You knew me before I was formed in my mother’s womb. You have purged my heart with your precious blood before; wash it clean once more. As I open my life before you and others, may souls be refreshed and may those who were once bound in spirit be loosed and set free to go forth and live out their purpose that You have preordained from the beginning of time.

Forgive me of the hurts I have caused. Allow me to let go of those who hurt me, intentionally or not. Help me to have the heart to say like Jesus did: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34, NIV)

 

Live, Listen, Learn, Move On

Early last year I was occupied for a few months; I was
assisting someone in establishing their life’s dream then suddenly
the scene changed and now I am no longer a part of that
situation.
Continue reading “Live, Listen, Learn, Move On”

Nothing to Fear – But Fear Itself

“There is nothing to fear but fear itself.”

How many of us have heard this quote before?

As I reviewed some recent events in my life I’ve learned first-hand that this statement is certainly true.

I began to realize that my hesitation in many aspects of life stem from deeply rooted fear:

Continue reading “Nothing to Fear – But Fear Itself”

I Worship You…..

I’ve been reflective for the past year or so on many things. Some pertain to me, others to my son and yet others are definitely related to my beloved grandmother. What I have discovered, though, is that I need to spend more quality time basking in the presence of the One Who understands what bothers me and knows exactly how to comfort me. His comfort brings hope, a spring in my step and a gleam in my eye.

Continue reading “I Worship You…..”

The Covenant (July 2009)

It is impossible to create something legitimate from something that is illegitimate. (Only GOD can do that.)

Today as I prepared to take my son out for an afternoon of fun and relaxation (unheard of in my vocabulary), I took up the Bible and Genesis 15 was already marked. I read where God told Abram (before the name change) not to fear; he was promised a “reward (that would) be very great(verse 1).”

What I noticed was Abram’s quick response to God’s promise. I am guessing it was a foregone conclusion in Abram’s mind that his great reward would include heirs (who knows, maybe the entire conversation was not recorded), as he said in verse 2: “O Lord God, what will You give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” Eliezer was a slave who was born within Abram’s household. The practice in those days was that sons of slaves would become surrogate sons to their barren owners; an inheritance would be willed to them as adoptive sons. God responded immediately: “This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir (verse 3).”

Because I know this story so well, I stopped reading to reflect on Abram’s life journey from that moment forward. God decreed blessings, a “very great” reward. Abram looked at his life based on what he was accustomed to seeing – the inheritance is usually passed down to a slave of a barren family. God blew his mind with His response since his wife Sarai was very old and past her childbearing years. He was also quite old himself.

Continue reading “The Covenant (July 2009)”

Goodbye 2010, HELLO 2011!

As 2010 comes to a close, I cannot help but reflect on all that has transpired. New house, new (to me) car, new opportunities on the job (praying for a promotion in 2011) and strange challenges – like the routine annual checkup I had a few weeks ago.

I left the place after the checkup, thinking nothing of it. Less than one week later I received a call from my primary physician to stop by to pick up a prescription to GO BACK and redo the test! (Huh?) I tried to calm myself down by saying “Maybe they’re just checking on the issue you had a few years earlier that was resolved. Maybe they just want to confirm.” When I went to pick up the paperwork and noticed it was NOT what I thought, I indeed started to panic. Just a little. So I procrastinated in setting up the follow-up visit because they could end up telling me something I didn’t want to hear. Well, two days before Christmas, I bravely walked into the place, redid the test, sat through another test and the radiologist walked into the room with a warm smile and his extended hand (for a handshake) and said “Everything is fine! See you next year.” I could have hugged AND kissed him! (He was old enough to be my grandfather, I think….)

So this year has been interesting. But what I think has kept me intact is my inner circle: My grandmother, who calls me at least once per day; my dad who lives 2 minutes away from me but checks in by phone constantly; other friends who respond with inbox messages to my facebook status updates when they sound “weird” and phone calls from other close friends when they KNOW I need to hear their voices. And I can’t leave out my biggest supporter: GOD. Yes, God. He has been with me from the moment I was conceived until now. My life’s journey has been kinda rough, but I’m still standing.

So, here’s to 2010 – because it’s been a blessed year – but definitely HOORAY for 2011! I can’t wait to see what lies just ahead!