The Word of God tells us in Zechariah 4:10- "Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin." God also tells us in Luke 16:10- "He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much."
For the past few days, I've been pondering: (1) the FACT of "how many times have I missed God in the "small things." (2) How I've been so focused on the "outcome" that I've failed to grab hold of the "process." Thus causing the "process" to take much longer that necessary! (3) How many times have God been right there, but b/c I was busy; I missed Him!
So on this day, I repent because during those times I behaved as if: I have God "figured out." How's that? I believe that when we only look for God in certain areas, ways and etc. we in our sub consciousness think we know how God is going to do it! Thus forgetting: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD." (Isaiah 55:8).
An apple seed develops into an Apple Tree; instead of being focused on when the apples are coming; appreciate God giving the seed, be thankful for the dirt that covers and nurtures the seed, look forward to the 1st bloom; have fun weeding (knowing you're protecting an investment for the future) and don't forget to take time to see God through it ALL (the beginning, the process and the manifestation of the Apple Tree)! God Bless!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
In Spite of; You're STILL Blessed!
. . . Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during those forty years. (DEUTERONOMY 8:4, NKJV)
It's normally easy for us to take God's Protection and Blessings for granted . . ., especially when we find ourselves in an uncomfortable position and/or unwelcoming circumstances. Our focus seems to only concentrate on what we don't have, who won't help and etc. However, we often times miss NOTICING and THANKING God for the things that are STILL going well IN OUR FAVOR! For example: when our car DOESN'T BREAK DOWN, when we HAVE MONEY for that unexpected bill, when WE'RE ABLE to go to the Doctor and etc.
The Children of Israel also failed to take notice, it seems; for they didn't even notice that in 40 years of wandering in the desert, their clothes didn't wear out and their feet didn't swell. Thus, they did not remember to give thanks to God for these Blessings.
Yes, you may be going through some things right now. You may have gotten a “no” and need a “yes.” You may feel like giving up. Your back may be up against the wall. You ARE tired and feel like you can’t go on. You may have just fallen down and/or out. But, have you considered the good things in your favor? Are you thanking God for this opportunity to see Him as your Savior, Healer, Deliverer, Restorer and Provider? Are you thanking God that because of His Son’s Blood you will Overcome; you will come out Victorious? Look forward to Testifying about His Goodness, Faithfulness, Love, Forgiveness and Mercy! Praise and Focus your way out through His Word!
What’s STILL working well for you? What’s STILL giving you good service? What’s STILL lasting for a long time without breaking down or apart? Remember to thank God in the midst of the desert and/or storm for His quiet Blessings!
It's normally easy for us to take God's Protection and Blessings for granted . . ., especially when we find ourselves in an uncomfortable position and/or unwelcoming circumstances. Our focus seems to only concentrate on what we don't have, who won't help and etc. However, we often times miss NOTICING and THANKING God for the things that are STILL going well IN OUR FAVOR! For example: when our car DOESN'T BREAK DOWN, when we HAVE MONEY for that unexpected bill, when WE'RE ABLE to go to the Doctor and etc.
The Children of Israel also failed to take notice, it seems; for they didn't even notice that in 40 years of wandering in the desert, their clothes didn't wear out and their feet didn't swell. Thus, they did not remember to give thanks to God for these Blessings.
Yes, you may be going through some things right now. You may have gotten a “no” and need a “yes.” You may feel like giving up. Your back may be up against the wall. You ARE tired and feel like you can’t go on. You may have just fallen down and/or out. But, have you considered the good things in your favor? Are you thanking God for this opportunity to see Him as your Savior, Healer, Deliverer, Restorer and Provider? Are you thanking God that because of His Son’s Blood you will Overcome; you will come out Victorious? Look forward to Testifying about His Goodness, Faithfulness, Love, Forgiveness and Mercy! Praise and Focus your way out through His Word!
What’s STILL working well for you? What’s STILL giving you good service? What’s STILL lasting for a long time without breaking down or apart? Remember to thank God in the midst of the desert and/or storm for His quiet Blessings!
Sunday, July 19, 2009
A CHALLENGE FOR ALL!
The Holy Spirit is challenging you and myself to do EVERYTHING to and for the Glory of God and according to HIS Power- To proclaim HIS truth in power; reflect HIS Glory in content and design; show actions through HIS Holiness and Grace.
Thus this challenge when met- (a)The Lost will be won to Christ-experiencing HIS Salvation; (b)Broken lives are made whole- experiencing HIS Restoration; (c)Spiritual Wholeness is obtained- experiencing HIS Total Healing; and (d)Captives are set free- experiencing HIS Liberty in Deliverance- All for HIS Glory and HIS Name Sake!
"Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, But to Your name give glory, Because of Your mercy, Because of Your truth." Psalms 115:1 (NKJV).
"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen."Ephesians 3: 20-21 (NKJV)
Will you take the Challenge? God Bless!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Persecution
The word “persecution” means: punishment or harassment usually of a severe nature on the basis of race, religion, or political opinion in one's country of origin.
For this particular “blog” I’ll be focusing on punishment/harassment due to one’s religion or better yet “Relationship with Jesus.”
On Sunday night I had an opportunity to study I Peter 2:13-25; paying closely attention to verses 18-21: “Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps.”
As I studied the above, I also thought about John 15: 18-25; especially verses 18-20: “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.”
Now, let’s be real…! Who wants to be punished and/or harassed for anything especially when one is a Christian? I was told by a lady one day that we (Christians) expect too much from the unbeliever! We expect them to do right, say the correct things and etc. forgetting that they’re of the world and also forgetting the struggles that we (Christians) have who aren’t of the world anymore. Though it is our responsibility to remain Christ-Like during any situation (good and bad).
After reading and meditating the above; God chose to give me a dream! I’m choosing to share a portion of it which relates to the above scriptures:
In the dream I was in a building with a large room (entrance) and several rooms. I was standing next to a door which leads to a room talking with two other people. Suddenly a woman yells from the large room that she’s holding the place up and shoots a gun in the area. People began to scream and run. The two people and I decide to go into the room. One guy wanted to close the door and hide. I was against it and told him that we should just go inside the room and sit down. I didn’t want to upset the lady anymore and felt that if we hid, she would shoot us. So we went in the room, sat down and became quiet. The lady began to walk down the hallway and came to our room. She seen me sitting down and I immediately thought to myself that she would be please to see that we were complying; however she looked straight at me and shot me between my shoulder and neck. I was shocked, b/c in my mind I knew I didn’t do or say anything to upset her. I immediately fell to the floor to keep her from shooting me again. She walked away. So, I’m lying here thinking to myself “I just got shot and I have a bullet in me…” The other two people attempted to assist me by keeping me comfortable.
The scene changes… I’m walking inside the hospital b/c I still have the bullet in my shoulder area. I get to the receptionist desk and realize the person behind the desk is the same person who shot me. And this person still has the first floor hostage. The lady (shooter) calls upstairs to surgery; the surgeon tells her that he realizes what she is doing and hopes that she’s not trying to trick them. As I wait to be taken to surgery I start asking God to forgive me and I also tell God that I forgive the woman for shooting me. I then end up in a room having a conversation with the Lady (shooter).
This is what she speaks to me: “Everyday I see you; you always have a smile on your face. You’re always talking about Jesus… So, I decided to shoot you (persecution) today to see if you would change. Yet, you’re still smiling and you’re the same. I guess you are real about Jesus. After she spoke those words to me, I knew then that I had an opportunity to tell her about Jesus Christ!
Dream ends.
As stated above; it’s not fun being persecuted even when you’re in the wrong let alone when you’re doing right. However, I found it to be a Blessing that God would allow me to study His Word concerning submission even during persecution and then give me a dream to back up and confirm His Word.
I chose to share that portion, b/c Jesus says that we will be persecuted! But, even in persecution we’re to still walk in love and humbly submit. Even on yesterday as I continued to think about what God was speaking I realized that as Christians we must learn to pray before responding. As a whole we tend to respond first and then pray. Because of God’s Grace and Mercy He will often show us the enemy at work. When it is shown to us, we’re to pray and wait for an answer before responding. There are times when God will have us do absolutely nothing, but in that we’re still obeying God by remaining still.
The Lady (shooter) in my dream is an example of a lot of hurting people. They see Christians, they hear Christians but they still believe that when the heat is turned up that Christians will react as the world. It’s our responsibility to act as Christ in any situation. That action, reaction, response and etc. is the same: Love! Also, during persecution if we remain in tune with the Holy Spirit there’s always an opportunity to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ and allow the persecutor to see Jesus in you; allowing God to receive ALL Glory! God Bless!
For this particular “blog” I’ll be focusing on punishment/harassment due to one’s religion or better yet “Relationship with Jesus.”
On Sunday night I had an opportunity to study I Peter 2:13-25; paying closely attention to verses 18-21: “Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps.”
As I studied the above, I also thought about John 15: 18-25; especially verses 18-20: “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.”
Now, let’s be real…! Who wants to be punished and/or harassed for anything especially when one is a Christian? I was told by a lady one day that we (Christians) expect too much from the unbeliever! We expect them to do right, say the correct things and etc. forgetting that they’re of the world and also forgetting the struggles that we (Christians) have who aren’t of the world anymore. Though it is our responsibility to remain Christ-Like during any situation (good and bad).
After reading and meditating the above; God chose to give me a dream! I’m choosing to share a portion of it which relates to the above scriptures:
In the dream I was in a building with a large room (entrance) and several rooms. I was standing next to a door which leads to a room talking with two other people. Suddenly a woman yells from the large room that she’s holding the place up and shoots a gun in the area. People began to scream and run. The two people and I decide to go into the room. One guy wanted to close the door and hide. I was against it and told him that we should just go inside the room and sit down. I didn’t want to upset the lady anymore and felt that if we hid, she would shoot us. So we went in the room, sat down and became quiet. The lady began to walk down the hallway and came to our room. She seen me sitting down and I immediately thought to myself that she would be please to see that we were complying; however she looked straight at me and shot me between my shoulder and neck. I was shocked, b/c in my mind I knew I didn’t do or say anything to upset her. I immediately fell to the floor to keep her from shooting me again. She walked away. So, I’m lying here thinking to myself “I just got shot and I have a bullet in me…” The other two people attempted to assist me by keeping me comfortable.
The scene changes… I’m walking inside the hospital b/c I still have the bullet in my shoulder area. I get to the receptionist desk and realize the person behind the desk is the same person who shot me. And this person still has the first floor hostage. The lady (shooter) calls upstairs to surgery; the surgeon tells her that he realizes what she is doing and hopes that she’s not trying to trick them. As I wait to be taken to surgery I start asking God to forgive me and I also tell God that I forgive the woman for shooting me. I then end up in a room having a conversation with the Lady (shooter).
This is what she speaks to me: “Everyday I see you; you always have a smile on your face. You’re always talking about Jesus… So, I decided to shoot you (persecution) today to see if you would change. Yet, you’re still smiling and you’re the same. I guess you are real about Jesus. After she spoke those words to me, I knew then that I had an opportunity to tell her about Jesus Christ!
Dream ends.
As stated above; it’s not fun being persecuted even when you’re in the wrong let alone when you’re doing right. However, I found it to be a Blessing that God would allow me to study His Word concerning submission even during persecution and then give me a dream to back up and confirm His Word.
I chose to share that portion, b/c Jesus says that we will be persecuted! But, even in persecution we’re to still walk in love and humbly submit. Even on yesterday as I continued to think about what God was speaking I realized that as Christians we must learn to pray before responding. As a whole we tend to respond first and then pray. Because of God’s Grace and Mercy He will often show us the enemy at work. When it is shown to us, we’re to pray and wait for an answer before responding. There are times when God will have us do absolutely nothing, but in that we’re still obeying God by remaining still.
The Lady (shooter) in my dream is an example of a lot of hurting people. They see Christians, they hear Christians but they still believe that when the heat is turned up that Christians will react as the world. It’s our responsibility to act as Christ in any situation. That action, reaction, response and etc. is the same: Love! Also, during persecution if we remain in tune with the Holy Spirit there’s always an opportunity to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ and allow the persecutor to see Jesus in you; allowing God to receive ALL Glory! God Bless!
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