Clear voice speaking to a blurry mind

Blurry - To smear or stain; smudge. Something that is hazy and indistinct to the sight or mind. There are times when we encounter situations where we need the clearest perspective that we can possibly get in order to get the best results. There have been times when I was driving and the weather conditions were messy. I found myself with no windshield wiper fluid, which meant that my vision became impaired in that situation. When God speaks clearly to us about our situation(s) , are His words hindered because of the messy weather condition in our mind? Just as driving a vehicle in messy weather conditions without anything to clean the windshield can lead to an accident, is the same reason we must seek to clear our minds of mess. The word(s) of God can be like the fluid which clears our mind in blurry situations; just as the windshield wiper fluid clears the windshield. A dirty toothbrush should not be used to clean our teeth, and impure thoughts (words) are not going to clear a blurry mind. Until we use a clean substance to cleanse the messy situation of our mind than the scenery will remain blurry. The Bible is God's inspired (pure) word, so what is the inspiration behind the substance that is keeping your mind blurry? A pure/undefiled substance is what clears a blurry mind. A dirty/defiled substance is what keeps the mind blurry (stained, muddy, hazy, murky). God is also able to speak through situations/circumstances. I just want to encourage you today to let the pure substance of God's word clear your mind so that you can hear His clear voice when He speaks to you through your mind and/or situation.

The Emptiness of Loneliness: positioned for the outpouring

Loneliness: a feeling where people experience a powerful surge of emptiness and solitude. Dejected by the awareness of being alone. Without companions. There are times in our lives when we reach certain points of realization. My mother raising me by herself was normal to me because I was used to a single-parent household. There have been times in my adulthood that I have reflected back and wondered how having two parents would have changed the dynamic of my childhood. I was in a position in my childhood to feel lonely but refused to focus on the predicament at the time. There may be times when we have positioned ourselves to be victimized by the inspiration of loneliness, but making the choice of what to consume our thoughts with can be the ultimate turning point. There are things that you can consume your mind with and eventually get tired of. There are also things that can lead your mind to wanting to know more and a certain curiosity can begin to develop. If I was to use God as an example; I would have to say that it is impossible for me to get my mind around Him and everything that He entails, which is why I seek to know more of Him. Many times we position ourselves to be lonely through our perspective on life. A simple paradigm shift can place us in a position to be filled by the essence of who and what God is. If I place a cup under a water fountain and turn the water on then I expect the cup to be filled. If the cup is not under the fountain then the water will just run and the cup will remain empty. God's love is waiting to fill the emptiness but we have to position ourselves to be filled under the fountain of His inspiration.

Fading Romance: rejuvenate your atmosphere

Romance: Ardent emotional attachment or involvement between people; love. a romantic spirit, sentiment, emotion, or desire. Many marriages have failed because of fading romance. Many people have also forsaken God because of fading romance. Romance is not only natural but also spiritual. Romance is the gateway that leads to a greater dimension of love. There is an atmosphere that is attached to romance that attracts certain things. When there is true romance then time is usually not an issue. When you begin to place time "limits" on romance this is a definite sign that your romance may be fading. When musicians sing romantic songs or book writers write romantic novels, there is an atmosphere from within them that allows their desire to emanate on the outside. When I seek after God I have to realize that the less "limits" that I place on Him will allow me to have the best possible experience. No limits equals no restraints and this is the kind of romance from God that I desire. Whether you are seeking greater romance in your marriage or in your relationship with God there must be a change in your atmosphere (mindset, surroundings, environment, desires). The first flame which ignited your romance must be the same flame that is rekindled. There is a pure inspiration of creativity from God that can guide and revitalize your romance. When you have a rejuvenated atmosphere then you have a rejuvenated (invigorated, recharged, revitalized, renewed) romance. It takes energy and patience to rejuvenate a fading romance. I just want to encourage you today to ask yourself "how passionate are you about rejuvenating your atmosphere and experiencing a refreshed romance?."

Rules of Engagement: the passionate embrace

Embrace: An act of holding close with the arms, usually as an expression of affection; a hug. To receive, to welcome. There are certain environments that when I enter into there is a certain atmosphere (surrounding influence). Usually when I go to the library the atmosphere is conducive for me to study. When I step into a gym to play basketball it is usually a high energy, fast pace atmosphere. The atmosphere in certain work environments is more stressful than others. There are certain environments that you can not enter into if you are not dressed appropriately, because the atmosphere is not conducive for that type of apparel. When we look at these examples it becomes evident that when we seek to enter into God's atmosphere there is a certain standard that must be met in order to engage Him and His presence. One of the aspects of God is holiness. When I seek to engage God and His atmosphere I have to make sure that my lips are not tainted and that my heart is not tainted. There is a benefit to repentance that repositions us in order to engage God without disrespecting the standard of who He is. When a husband and wife engage each other in a romantic setting there are certain aromas that can be pleasant for that setting. When we seek to engage God we must recognize the spiritual aroma that we are releasing into the atmosphere. Is it a pleasant aroma or an unpleasant aroma? I just want to encourage you today to let God prepare the atmosphere of your heart and your mind, so that you can engage His presence with no restraints and be engulfed into His passionate embrace.

Losing your fire through the fire: invisible flame

Fire - burning intensity of feeling i.e. passion; ardor. A severe test; a trial or torment. Before my lifestyle was transformed through the power of God there were certain things that I had a passion (fire) for. Whenever I would get ready to go out to a night club or concert I would have a feeling of expectation and excitement. I would even try to arrive early at the night club or concert because of this expectancy. Whenever I was preparing to go out on a date I had a feeling of expectancy because I was pleased with the person I was about to meet up with. Now that my priorities have changed ever since my transformation; I have to continually examine my passion towards the things of God. Even when I used to have a bad week I would still get excited about my date or that night club I was going to. When we begin to live for the things of God and we go through situations that challenge our joy and peace, should we lose our fire? When two fires come together there should be an even larger fire. The larger fire should engulf the smaller fire. What is the substance of your fire (passion) ? When you go through situations are you being engulfed by the situation or is your fire superimposing the situation? When your fire comes in contact with another fire what happens to your fire? The best fire is a consistent fire. Fires produce flames. Is your lifestyle a flame that someone can see (watch) or does your fire continue to fade in and out because of inconsistent passion? I just want to encourage you to stay consistent when it comes to the things of God by maintaining your passion through your persistence of seeking Him.

Tainted Experiences: life through a double lens

Tainted - A moral defect considered as a stain or spot. An infecting touch, influence, or tinge. As I look back at the situations I found myself in especially with regards to how I related to women; I would have to say that I truly had a tainted mindset. I would view women in a way that I would not want a man to view my mother or grandmother. This tainted mindset was driven by my atmosphere which was inspired by my music, friends, and unregenerated spirit. Until there is a change in one's atmosphere there can be no real change. The way I viewed beauty was tainted. The lens I was looking at beauty through was full of lusty residue. I John 2:16 states "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world". I found myself in unfavourable situations growing up because of my tainted view of life. If I am driving a car and the windshield is muddy then most likely I am going to go in a path or direction that I did not intend to go. Until the lens (perspective) on how you view life has been adjusted then your experiences will remain tainted and your destiny will remain blurry. When I changed my lifestyle by giving my life over to Jesus through the new birth process is when the "lens" on how I viewed life became clearer. By giving my life to Christ I can now say that I have seen life through a "double" lens. The first lens was tainted through my sinful lifestyle and this new lens (my 2nd lens) has been purified through Christ. I just want to encourage you today to seek the other perspective of life through a purified lens so that you can clearly begin to see your destiny.

New Creation, Old Standards

2 Corinthians 5:17 states "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new". New - Not habituated; not familiar; unaccustomed. Fresh from anything; newly come. Newly; recently. When one becomes a new creation there should also be a new paradigm shift even in regards to our preferences. I have been asked on numerous ocassions what I look for in a mate. I always think back to what I looked for in a mate before I became a new creation and I make a comparison to my present mindset (post-salvation), because there should be a difference in my preferences. Our lifestyle preferences should never supercede our spiritual well-being. I have asked the question before " what is the difference between what I am attracted to now compared to before I became a new creation?". If there is not a distinctive difference then there is still something that is hindering one from becoming holistically a "new creation". Another word for "new" is freshness. Can someone have fresh preferences with the "old" foundation of a previous mindset? What I was previously attracted to in regards to music, career(s), life, television shows, clothing, friends should not be the same as what I am attracted to (prefer) as a new creation. If there is an inconsistency it is not because of the process of salvation but rather the will power (choices) of the individual to be completely transformed versus partially transformed. I just want to encourage you today to believe at a greater level so that you can be transformed from your old mindset/preferences through your faith in Christ Jesus.

The disconnect of expectation(s)

I grew up in a home where my mother displayed a certain level of love. I attend a church where there is a certain level of expectation in regards to lifestyle. I have a certain expectation in regards to the type of woman that I want to marry. When you have a certain expectation about something then your lifestyle should portray it. I believe that I serve an awesome, magnificent, holy, and infinite God. If I have high expectations of my God then I should not have low expectations as it relates to the things that God can do. There is no reason for you to think that you do not deserve the best God has to offer you. The best husband, wife, career, ministry, children, and life. Low expectations = little faith. If God shows you someone as a potential future mate it will be up to you as to whether you believe you are worthy enough for that individual. The individual may be farther than you in their career or even in ministry. The expectation(s) that you have of the God you serve will ultimately affect the quality of what you get in life. There are certain individuals that settle for less because their self-esteem/confidence is not where it needs to be to receive what God is trying to give them. If you serve a God with no limits then you should not be trying to put limits on the type of spouse, career, ministry, lifestyle, job, business, anointing, or friends that God is capable of giving you. If someone is a janitor then why can't they marry an evangelist? If someone is an undergrad student in college then why can't they marry a successful business owner? If someone is just an usher then why can't they marry a pastor? When you say that you serve a God that can do anything but you do not expect the best things, then there is a disconnect in the expectation that you have of your God. I just want to encourage you to position your focus on the best things in life that a magnificent God is capable of giving you.

An Infinite Romance: inferior love just won't do

Infinite: never-ending, everlasting , limitless, no boundaries, immeasurable. I was talking with a couple of friends a few days ago and the two words "infinite romance" came up while we were talking. I began to think about what that entailed. I have experienced a father telling me that he loved me, but have yet to experience the substance of relationship behind his words. I have experienced the love of my immediate family, but there are days that I do not even see or hear from them. I have experienced individuals in the Church tell me that they love me but then struggle to fellowship with me. I have never been seriously "in" love with anyone before; so I ask the question "can any love compare to the love that I am experiencing now with Christ Jesus through His grace?". I have never cared about about a person to the point where I felt incomplete without them, but I need God daily. People have told me that it is better to "have loved" than to "have not" loved at all. Every rendezvous that I have had with Jesus has never been disappointing. I have been on numerous dates where I wish I could have been somewhere else with someone else. I have never heard God tell me that he was too tired or too busy for me. When you have experienced inferior love and the shortcomings that come with inferior love there should be a desire in you that wants more. It is a shame to be at the point where you feel that you only deserve an inferior love. I am living proof that once you submit your lifestyle to God that His love will satisfy you. Until you have experienced this infinite romance you have never experienced a superior love which only comes through Jesus. I dedicate this blog post to my two dear friends; you know who you are.

Abundant Lust: but still hollow inside

Hollow: To be void of truth and substance (empty, echoing). In this year of 2008 there are many people that are struggling with addictions, fetishes, and bad habits. Before I gave my life to Christ I had a bad habit of going to the night clubs and also dating. As I look back I see that I wasted time and money because nothing meaningful came out of those 2 things. I received no true peace, joy, or fulfillment. After all of the music and women I was still hollow inside. Dating and going to nightclubs gave me temporary happiness, but when the music stopped and the date was over I was still hollow inside. There are people that have been in numerous relationships but are still hollow inside. There are women and men that have had multiple sex partners but are still seeking their next partner to fill their emptiness inside. Some people have multiple cars and an abundance of money but still struggle with thoughts of how they were abused, molested, mistreated, and neglected in their youth. The internet has made it possible for people to meet numerous people online, but people are still struggling with loneliness. People have easy access to x-rated content but they still are not fulfilled in their unbridled passions. People lust for money, friends, relationships, status and have an abundance of access to all types of lustful activities. The truth is; there is an emptiness that only God can fill. Jesus will not live with what He died for which was sin. So in life there is a "Jesus Factor", and until the pre-condition of salvation is obtained through Him there will always been an emptiness inside.

Does He recognize your voice? : unfamiliar sound

We live in a world where communication is the key to building relationships. With so many things becoming globalized it is crucial to have an effective means of communication. A lack of communication can result in many failed relationships. That relationship can be a business or personal relationship. There are people that I knew in elementary school, but if they called me today I would not recognize their voice because I have not spoken with them since elementary school. The question that I want to ask you today is "Would you recognize God's voice if He spoke to you?". There are some people that call my phone with a private number and depending on how much we communicate determines whether or not I will recognize their voice when I answer the phone. We have to be careful that when we call on God we have not neglected Him to the point where our voice (sound) becomes unfamiliar to Him in our time of need. Some names do not come up on my caller ID when certain people call, but I still know who it is when I answer my phone because I recognize their voice. When you call on God does He recognize your voice? Has it been a while since you spoke to God? Just as calling someone on the phone is a form of communication; praying is also communication. If your voice was a phone number would God need a caller ID to identify who was calling Him or would He just recognize your voice when you called? Look at the concept; because when people do not recognize voices it takes time to get acquainted (familiar) with someone's voice. I just want to encourage you today; never assume that God does not deserve your time and attention. He deserves to hear the precious sound of your voice.

Do you have the passion to pursue? : satisfied with low standards

Passion: A powerful emotion, such as love, joy, hatred, or anger. We all have destinies, but the question becomes how many people have the passion to pursue after their destiny or even have the passion to want to know their destiny? Many people understand that their destiny requires them being saved and living for Jesus, but they still have not made that committment so they never become what they are meant to be. We all have family members that need Jesus, but many people lack the passion to want to see their family members saved so they remain content seeing them unsaved. For some it only takes a small obstacle to discourage them from seeking after their destiny. For others they have decided that no matter what obstacle comes they are going to continue pressing toward their destiny. There are parents who have lost the passion to want to see their children saved so they lower their parenting standards. Passion is not something that you can take a pill for. Either you possess it or you don't. Prayer does change things, but if you lack the passion to pray then how can prayer help? Passion is what separates one ministry from another ministry. Passion is what makes a Christian pursue after a standard of holiness as stated in Leviticus 11:44. We all have passions for many things. I just want to encourage you today to ask yourself "What do I have a passion for". Jesus had a passion to die for us so I have chosen Jesus as my passion.

Spiritual Suicide: choose life not death

What is suicide? The act of causing ones own death. Jesus states in John 14:6 that "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me". If someone makes a conscience decision not to follow after Jesus than are they choosing life or death? Jesus did not leave any other options except "through" Him. When a building is burning and someone intentionally stays in the building knowing the consequences, this is considered an act of suicide in its natural context. What if someone chooses not to surrender their will, mindset, and emotions to God for His personal use; what is the end result? The end result is spiritual suicide. God is not ignorant enough to create us and then not give us an opportunity to choose Him. Whether we choose Him or not is up to our free will. To question the intelligence of God is to question the essence of God. What a testimony it would be to say that "millions didn't make it, but you were one of the one's who did". People die everyday without even knowing that it was their last day here on earth. I just want to encourage you to ask yourself this question "Is the life that I am living now leading to spiritual life or spiritual death"?. How important is your eternal destiny?

Inferior by Association: who are you connected to?

"Birds of a feather flock together"; this is something that has been quoted by people for years. How true is it? Well there is a law called the law of attraction which is manifested (seen) through the relationships that we entertain (connect ourselves to). When we look at the people we connect ourselves to we must ask the question "how does this person reflect who I am?". If you are a man and you prefer to connect to women with a low self-esteem , lack of education, and a lack of morals then you must ask yourself why. The reason could be because the man feels a sense of insecurity around women that are strong in these areas. This is just one example. When we look at this concept from a spiritual perspective as it relates to God it can be stated that there are certain people that will not get into God's presence simply because of their tainted mindset/intentions (lack of belief). Dogs do not attract rabbits and ducks do not attract pigs. What are you attracting in your atmosphere? God is a superior being which means that whatever does not line up with His standard which is His Word is ultimately inferior. Why wouldn't someone want to be connected to a superior God? An inferior mindset desires inferior things (things not of God). Before I got baptized and started living for Jesus I had an inferior lifestyle because of my inferior spiritual condition, but now through reading His Word and letting Him guide me He has given me desires for things of superiority, i.e.Holiness. I just want to encourage you today to seek after God. Matthew 6:33

Desensitized to the voice of God: too many demons speaking in your ear

We live in a day and time where there are so many ways to communicate. Decades ago there were no cell phones, Internet, or cable television. These are things that Christians in today's time must adapt to while also remaining spiritual. As we go throughout our day we hear many voices whether it's from the radio, television, Internet, or cell phone conversations. Many people have cell phone plans with at least 1,000 anytime minutes (16.6hrs). How many of those 16hrs of talk time were used for the Kingdom of God? When we begin to ask ourselves these critical questions then we can get to the root of whether we are in a position to hear God's voice or whether we have too many demons speaking in our ear. What type of music do we listen to? All a demonic inspiration needs is a vessel to operate through. These demonic inspirations can operate through the music we listen to, the websites we visit, the television shows we watch, and the cell phone conversations we have. If you were to take an inventory of the voices that you allow to entertain you and influence you; would you be able to discern the voice of God. The more we allow voices and situations that are not of God to dominate our time, we in turn become desensitized to the voice of God and cannot discern whether He is speaking to us through His Word, through prayer, or through situations. I just want to encourage you to take a spiritual inventory and ask yourself; whose speaking in your ear?

Spiritual Collision: have you been rehabilitated?

Car collisions occur everyday. Once a collision happens it is recommended that you see a physician immediately. The consequences of not seeing a physician can lead to long term damage/consequences in your body. Many times after a car collision people may not feel any pain or discomfort right away. When we begin to look at this same concept from a spiritual perspective, it is very imperative that we understand the ramifications of spiritual warfare. Many people have been in spiritual collisions with "sin" in which their faith, anointing, praise, worship, or testimony were destroyed in the collision. There are many things in the spirit realm that we must seek to avoid, just like when driving a vehicle there are certain things that we must avoid in order to prevent an accident/collision from occurring. Many individuals have encountered "sin" in the spirit realm whether it was knowingly or unknowingly, and have not been rehabilitated from that spiritual collision with sin. An encounter with sin can have a devastating effect on one's spiritual walk. They may feel that they are okay after the encounter, but the truth of the matter is that the Bible states in Romans 6:23 that "the wages of sin is death". Just because you feel that you survived an encounter with sin does not mean that you have been cleared by the physician whose name is Jesus. Have you seen this physician called Jesus ever since your spiritual collision occurred? There is a Biblical prescription on how to deal with the effects of sin and "repentance" is one of the ingredients in the prescription. I just want to encourage you to examine yourself so that you can walk in the fullness of your destiny.

Detach yourself: The prize is too precious

Throughout my life I have met many people and also been in many unfavorable situations. As I look back I can recall that there has been a very important constant in my life. This constant is the fact that who ever has meant me harm did not remain in my atmosphere. Since I have been living for Christ I realize that even before I committed myself to living for Jesus , He always removed people out of my life that meant to do me harm in any way. Even if I had a bad experience with an individual, eventually the individual would be removed from my atmosphere/surroundings. Now that I am saved I have came into the knowledge of praying certain prayers that can remove certain individuals out of my atmosphere that may not have my interests or the kingdom of God's interests in mind which are also my interests. The sooner that an individual realizes that in life the only prize that matters is the ultimate prize of living in eternity with God, the sooner they should begin to separate themselves from anything that hinders them from reaching this ultimate prize. Family members, friends, and ideas should not be the things that hinder us from reaching the ultimate goal of reigning with Jesus. When an individual has no hope/relationship with Jesus they in turn remain attached to the things that keep them from abiding with Him forever. I just want to encourage you to begin to detach yourself from anything that may cause you to miss this ultimate prize, because the prize is too precious.

Sensitized through His embracing love

As I walk through this life I have experienced many stages in life that have helped catapult me into greater levels. I realize that sometimes the places you want to get to in life take a little more sacrifice and suffering to get to than other places do. Every level that you want to get to involves a process and an element of the process can sometimes be this element called "pain". There are many perspectives that can be used in regards to how one deals with pain. Athletes might feel that pain equals progress. Some others may feel that pain is the limit for them and in turn is a sign that they should "stop". When a mother is pregnant with a child they may feel that the pain is necessary in order to bring forth precious life. Before I gave my life to Christ there were certain things that I was immune/de-sensitized to around me. Now that I am saved though I have became sensitive to many more things in my life and how they effect me, i.e. spiritual condition of unsaved family members, my lifestyle, my destiny, well being of strangers that I don't know, my future spouse and children. Once someone experiences a greater love through Christ Jesus, they in turn should begin to shift their perspective in order to become sensitized to what Jesus is sensitized to. This is a sign that one is truly ready to grow in relationship and in turn experience a greater level of His embracing love

Never second guess your destiny: The spirit of Uncertainty

Many times in life we become so familiar/comfortable with people or situations. This familiarity can sometimes become a hindrance when it comes to displaying a sense of urgency. We as Christians should be careful not to take the treasures of God for granted just assuming that they will always be available. There are people in our lives that if we do not connect with in the right season, it can ultimately alter our destiny. As I was studying the true meaning of the word "virtuous" in the Bible as it pertained to the virtuous woman I came across the same word for "wealth." If someone does not know the holistic meaning of "true wealth" they may not see a virtuous woman as a symbolism of wealth. This is why our perspectives must be shaped in such a way as to not miss these treasures that God has placed within His house. God positions us within the right season to eventually make the right choices. We must be careful not to let our familiarity with people or situations prevent us from hearing how God is speaking to us, in regards to the next step in our destiny which is "time-sensitive." There is a spirit of Uncertainty which seeks to make us second guess our destiny which Christ Jesus has for us. I once heard my Bishop say that "familiarity breeds content." In times like this it is easy to take the safe road; but making the right decision in the right season can keep you on the right path toward your ultimate destiny in Christ Jesus.

Positioned to be connected to His presence?

We are living in a day and time where people want to be connected. Whether it is being connected via (cell phone, email, Internet, radio, television, text messaging, etc...) . In this world of technology though there is a price to pay for being connected, whether it is a cell phone bill, cable bill, or Internet provider bill. There are also consequences when we do not pay these bills which can result in us becoming disconnected. When we look at being connected in regards to "spiritually connected", then we must know that there is a price (bill) that must be paid so that we remain connected to God's presence. We must pay the price of sacrifice in regards to our time to prayer, fasting, meditating, reading the Word, etc. There are also times in the natural when we may not have a "signal" i.e. Internet,cell phone, or satellite television/radio signal) . The reason there is no signal in the natural is because one may be in a bad position which is causing the "signal" to be weak or non-existent. When we look at this from a spiritual perspective we must in turn remain positioned so that our signal and/or line of communication with God is not distorted, weak, or failing. Remaining in the right position with God entails us remaining in His will which is in the context of the Holy Bible. I just want to encourage you today to begin to look at the parallels of what it takes to remain connected in the natural world, and then apply those same concepts spiritually in order to remain correctly positioned and connected to His presence.

Pleading the blood of Jesus: the triple effect

I was reading an article this week on pleading the blood of Jesus. It sparked an interest that I already had which pertained to the art of prayer. Many times we as Christians pray when things have already happened and we are on the defensive. Pleading the blood of Jesus can be used as an offensive weapon in prayer. It can be used as a preventative and proactive measure in order to set things in order in our atmospheric (spiritual, soulish) surroundings. We as men and women of God should not be on the defensive when it comes to warring with our common enemy which is Satan. We serve an all powerful God which means that we can be proactive in our approach in prayer. Depending on your level of faith will depend on how proactive you are when it comes spiritual warfare. I have realized that when one pleads the blood of Jesus there are three things that the blood of Jesus is symbolic of. These 3 things are deliverance, protection, and forgiveness. As we go throughout our day as children of God we should pray to have a hedge of protection around us and our families. A hedge of protection can be used to protect our mind, heart, family, home, etc....
There may also be things that we need to be delivered from in our minds or even forgiven of. Pleading the blood of Jesus can cause you to be positioned in victory rather than on the defensive and struggling from test to test. I pray that these words encourage you to change your mindset when it comes to your approach in prayer.

Building a foundation of faith to sustain your destiny

Many times we experience victories and downfalls in our lives. Some people are satisfied with small victories and some people thrive on huge victories. Our expectations are a direct correlation to our level of faith. A large vision should equate to a large foundation. This foundation should include faith, patience, planning, consistency, and energy. A small vision equates to a small foundation which correlates to "little faith". The nature of true faith is to grow. Anything hindering our faith from growing needs to be removed out of our atmosphere's (soulish and spiritual) . The opposite of faith is fear which in turn can cause a breach in the foundation of our vision and ulitimately our destiny. When one feels inadequate this retards the process of building a strong foundation. Any breach in our foundation of faith can hinder us from coming into the full fruition of our destiny in Christ Jesus. The Bible states "without faith it is impossible to please him". Feeling inadequate in an area compared to feeling confident in an area are 2 different extremes which lead to two different outcomes. I pose this question to you today "what are you willng to sacrifice to build your foundation?"

Walking through the valley of patience with a proactive mind

Day by day I see people, places, and things in a variety of perspectives. When you want the best for your family and your future, than there is a certain level of urgency that comes with those desires. This level of urgency can be displayed in many ways. Whether it is the way you plan, pray, speak, or pursue. I realize that patience is the breeding ground that God uses to prepare us to receive these desires that are aligned in His will. I've seen marriages, ministries, businesses, anointings, and various accomplishments that God is allowing to happen all around me. There is power in patience. Patience should bring about preparation which in turn will be the foundation to build upon what God will bestow upon you. We as children of God must have a mind to be proactive and not reactive when it comes to our lives. Satan seeks to put us on the defensive by being reactive. There is power in being proactive when it comes to spiritual warfare. In order to be proactive (i.e. prayer), there must be a certain level of faith to sustain us when we can not see certain things. This faith allows us to set things in motion instead of reacting to what the enemy has already set in motion to hinder our destiny. I just want to encourage you to live your life with a proactive mindset that will in turn position you to receive what God has in store for you.

Positioned to be released through His grace

In this day and time we have to realize how delicate our destinies can be. There are individuals that should have been married but they were not positioned correctly. There are people that should have been elevated in their careers, but they were not correctly positioned either. There is power in being positioned correctly. Being positioned correctly means being where God desires you to be. This requires having a relationship with God. When you are positioned correctly and God releases you then his favor is with you. The struggle at times for me is remaining focused long enough to experience the fullness of the next phase of my destiny. God wants to release people into the next phase of their destiny, but He will not release us if we are mispositioned out of his His will. When we are positioned correctly in God's will we speed up the process of our development and maturity. There is a certain level of faith that is required to remain positioned and not become impatient. Impatience, distractions, and lack of faith are 3 things that the enemy uses to get us out of position. We must be careful to know what spirit we are being influenced by so that we can come into the full fruition of our destiny in Christ Jesus.

Looking past the obvious to focus on the potential

When I think back to the place that I was in when I was invited out to the church that I attend now and was also baptized at; I can't help but to see God's favor in my life. I was in a nightclub and the individual could have easily felt ashamed about being in the nightclub also, and could have just not said anything to me about their place of worship because of "guilt". I know people that from looking on the outside it may look like there is no need to invite them out to a church service or even witness to them because of their outward appearance; but I know differently. Sometimes we as humans can not get past what the outside looks like. Some individuals struggle to witness to feminine men and/or masculine women. I thank God for giving me eyes to look past the exterior and to look at the potential. I find myself when I am witnessing thinking about the potential outcome instead of one's current predicament. The kindgom of God can grow so much more if others in God's kingdom would just "look past the obvious and focus on the potential". This is critical because many people may not have gotten saved if it was not for someone "looking past the obvious and focusing on their potential". I just would like to encourage you to begin looking at those around you, not with "eyes of doubt" but rather with "eyes of potential" so that the kingdom of God can have a chance to grow even more.

Making a commitment to His house and the treasures within it

As I look at the condition of the Church today; I see a landscape that portrays a lack of men that have been unwilling to make a commitment not only to God's house but also to the women of God within it. This is a two-fold crisis facing the Church. Churches throughout this nation are filled with women and there remains a lack of men in comparison to our women counterparts. This in turn creates an imbalance within the the Church. God created man to be the image of Himself in the earth. When there are a lack of these images in the churches than the Church struggles to come into the fruition of its real potential. God speaks to men as well as women, so why especially in the black community is there such a discrepancy when it comes to men in the house of God? I read a study that showed 61% adult women vs %39 adult men is the average attendance in U.S. church congregations. God desires a commitment from us. There are many men that struggle when it comes to making a commitment especially in relationships and to their families. I have to realize that as men we are struggling to provide what is necessary to build the kingdom of God. I realize as a man that as long as I can stay committed to God and his house which is the Church this in turn will lead to me being committed not only to my family but also to the treasures within His house.

Finding true beauty through the eyes of purity

As a man living in a world in which true beauty is distorted, I have to fight to maintain a perspective of what true beauty really is. Before I gave my life to Jesus I had a tainted perspective of what true beauty really was. This perspective that I had was based on natural traits and had nothing to do with spiritual characteristics such as "virtuousness" and being "Christ-like". True beauty has to be based on a wholistic perspective. True beauty is lasting and not temporary. As a man I have to realize that if I seek after beauty that is only temporary that I will never truly get what God has for me. I realize now that if I was not saved that I would not be able to identify what true beauty really was. I heard an artist say that "our true beauty stems from being rooted in Him"(Jesus). Before I gave my life to Christ, no matter how attractive I thought someone was there was always someone else that could catch my attention. When we experience true beauty through the eyes of Christ this beauty should be enough to retain our attention. When God presents a spouse to you there should be enough beauty in them that your attention is focused on them and not on multiple objects of distorted beauty. Ask yourself these 2 question "If you have found true beauty than why is there a need to seek for more? Have you found Christ Jesus?

Committed to maintaining a growing and vibrant relationship

As someone that is single and trying to live for Jesus the challenge for me is knowing what things to do to continue to build a growing/vibrant relationship with Christ. I am realizing that it takes a certain amount of creativity and effort in order to grow a relationship. It can be so easy to get stuck in doing the same mundane things that are familiar to me. Before I got saved I was creative and spontaneous when it came to me expressing my feelings for the opposite sex. The challenge for me is making sure that I remain creative and spontaneous in my relationship with Christ. The same way that I strived to remain innovative in regards to how I displayed my affection before I got saved, has to be displayed on an even greater level now that I am saved. If I am able to build a strong and vibrant relationship with someone that I cannot physically see, than how much more prosperous shall my relationship with my wife be in whom I will be able to see once I step into that arena of my life? With so many distractions and temptations pulling and tugging at my time and energy how do I maintain a relationship with the one whom first loved me? What boundaries do I draw in my life to make sure that no other relationship(s) is stealing time away from me and Jesus? I just want to encourage those of you who are in this dilemma to take your creativity, intimacy, spontaneity, and energy to another level when it comes to entreating Jesus who is the only mate that should currently matter.

At a crossroads in my life: with nothing to lose

Many times I reminisce on what led to me getting saved. I was tired of wasting my time, money, and energy on things that did not add to my character or the quality of my life. A year before I got saved I had suffered through an abortion process. Before the abortion I had survived a car collision that could have been more devastating then it ended up being. I walked away from that car collision with no injuries. God was speaking to me through these situations, but I still had not finished satisfying my fleshly desires. I had gone through some things where Satan could have tried to spiritually blackmail me. None of my family members knew about the abortion, but my soul was crying out for more. I didn't know for "more of what." The emptiness that I felt was a "lack of God" in my life. I was determined not to let what I had gone through stop me from taking a different direction in life. The most important decision that I ever made in my life was to seek after God. . He came and met me where I was at in my life, and the decision was up to me as to whether to seek more of Him. I was at a crossroads in my life and I had nothing to lose. I am thankful and grateful that God extended his grace to allow me to have a relationship with Him.

A priceless perspective

As I get older I am beginning to see one constant thing wherever I go. I have worked at the statehouse in the presence of state representatives and senators and I currently work with low income families. From the senators all the way down to the low income families I see that “morality” is on the decline. No matter what level I find myself at or what level of education the people have, moral decline seems to be a constant. I used to think before I got saved that I could clean my own self up. This is one of the biggest weapons of Satan, which is to get us to think that we can clean our own selves up. We did not create ourselves so why would we think that we can fix what we did not create? This spoke volumes to my ignorance before I got saved. I understand now looking back how foolish I was. I was prideful and in denial. I would have to say that one of the best benefits of being saved is having a “new perspective” on life. This perspective is priceless. I am realizing that no matter how much money or power someone has, they can not buy morality or integrity. I have seen people from the top to the bottom struggle with these issues and there is only one God that can change their spiritual condition.

Hope: in the midst of a broken situation

In 1981 I was born out of wedlock and grew up in a single parent home with no father. Some would classify this as a broken family, but in April of 2003 I entered into a new family when I was baptized and saved from my old lifestyle. The Bible states "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God". We all have natural families, but the new birth process allows us to enter into a spiritual family. God is the father of this family and his children are those who have also entered into His kingdom. Are you just a creation of God or also a child of God? There are prerequisites (pre-conditions) that come with being considered a child of God. I just can't go to someone's house and tell another family that I want to be part of their family. There is a process that one must go through to enter into a family whether it is through the process of adoption or through the birth process. My question for you today is "Whose kingdom are you living in?" We have all experienced the shortcomings of our natural families, but it is not God's intention for us to remain ignorant of the kingdom of God. Satan has blinded many people's minds so that they do not know what to expect out of a family. The father of this family does not lack joy, peace, righteousness, integrity, or wisdom. If you are already a part of this kingdom I congratulate you. If you are not a part of this kingdom than I just want to encourage you to consider this question "What am I looking for in a family?"

Positioned for God's purpose and desire

As I reflect back just one year ago I realize now that I was at a crossroads in my life. I was no longer employed at the place where I was so passionate about working at. I did not understand at the time why things did not work out with the position even though it was the position that I had desired so badly. Today, I realize that God has strategically placed me here in my current position to reach souls that have been lost or are seeking to believe again. I find myself encouraging people week in and week out. I find myself witnessing to people that are about twice my age. It's as if I have been put into a place where people appreciate my presence more so than the place I was at previously. God does not just place us in positions to abound financially but the Bible states "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" Are you losing your soul? Money can't heal a broken family or a broken heart. I deal with people on a daily basis that are in a struggle in their lives and I understand that through the power of Christ Jesus that I can help ease their hearts and minds as they come in contact with me. I encourage you today to let God use you to ease someone's soul that may be struggling or may just need Christ in their life.

Success in relationships through the guidance of His love

We are living in a day and time where people like options. People in and out of the Church want to choose who they want to marry and when they want to marry them. They want to choose who they want to date and when they want to date them. People want to choose when they want to acknowledge God and when they do not want to acknowledge God. As we see by the scripture it clearly states in Joshua24:15 "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose this day who you will serve". Who are you serving? It is evident by the lack of stability in marriages and relationships throughout the world that all people need the guidance of God in regards to these critical decisions. I personally have never been in a long committed relationship, and through my experiences I realize that I am inadequately equipped to make a decision of this magnitude without the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Now that I am saved I realize that an individual's success in relationships (business, family, marriage) will depend solely upon their obedience to the will of God through the inspiration of Christ Jesus which comes through submitting our heart's, our minds and our wills(choices).

Reflecting on His never-ending love

As I look back and reflect over where God has brought me from; I have began to become more encouraged in my relationship with Him. This encouragement helps me to encourage others. I have began to see that even before I had a relationship with Christ Jesus; he was still there for me in so many ways that I had not known. When we forget our testimonies we in turn forget how God has extended his never-ending love to us. I just want to provide these words to encourage you to reflect on what God has done for you, and you will begin to see that He wants to do so much more for you.

Balancing your life to achieve a greater level of intimacy

Lately, I have begun to look at my life and honestly contemplate how much true balance I actually have. When I say balance I speak in regards to spiritually, financially, physically, emotionally, and family. The goal for me is to abound in all of these areas, but I realize that it takes a certain type of Godly wisdom to abound in all of these areas and in turn have them all work together in true harmony. The truth is, we all are still growing which means there will be adjustments that we have to make in order to remain in God's will. Rom 8:28 speaks clearly about all things working together for our good just as long as we "love" him and also remain in his "purpose" for which we are called. As I end I would just like to encourage you to seek God for your true purpose in him through Christ Jesus, and also to examine your relationship and the amount (level) of love that you are offering unto God. Your level of intimacy with God can ultimately shape your destiny, and we must remember that all things are possible through Christ Jesus.

Seeking a greater manifestation

As I continue to grow in Christ Jesus; I realize that I am only going to get out of this walk with Christ what I put into this walk. I am realizing that I must reach a certain level of sacrifice before I can even begin to see what Christ truly has in store for me. With great sacrifices come great rewards. When I say rewards I am referring to spiritual rewards such as peace, joy, love, and longsuffering. We should all seek to see the greatest manifestation of Christ Jesus in our lives that we possibly can. Our sacrifice and God's manifestation are inevitably linked. The outcome of our destiny greatly depends on how deeply we want to see his manifestation, which can be shown through our commitment and dedication to the Kingdom of God . In our seeking the Kingdom of God as stated in Matthew 6:33 we will obtain all that we need for this journey as we continue to follow after Christ Jesus.

Positioning yourself to be elevated

As I reflect back just one year ago I can remember being in a very difficult situation in my life. My joy was being tested. The situation had caught me by surprise and whatever faith I had was going to be needed to deal with that current situation that I found myself in. All I knew was to keep my atmosphere clean so that God could have his way in my life. I did not have time to second guess the set of circumstances that I was in because I was the one that had made the decision. Decisions that we make in our lives put us in a position to either accept or not accept the positives and negatives that come with that decision. How we deal with these positives and negatives are critical in determining how we mature. As Christian's we must realize that when we successfully pass a test in our lives, we in turn put ourselves in a position to be elevated by God. Psalm 75:6-7 states that promotion comes from God. I just want to encourage you to go through your test successfully so that in the end you can be elevated and Jesus can be glorified through your testimony.

Planting the seed of life

In the passing of my grandmother this week, it just reminds me of how delicate life can be. It reminds me to never take moments with loved ones for granted, because you never know when that moment with them will be your last moment. Thoughts try to run through my mind about rather I did all I could do to draw my grandmother unto Christ Jesus. I understand though through my relationship with Jesus that it was his love that drew me unto him and no one else. I realize that as a Christian I must plant the seed and from there let God have his way. God is the one who gives the increase as stated in ICORINTHIANSchap3:7. No matter how much we want someone to give their life to Jesus they have to make the ultimate choice. God’s inspired word which is the Holy Bible contains the seeds of life which we must plant in others in our Christian walk. When we realize that God is the ultimate judge and that he is a righteous judge; there will in turn be a peace in our lives that surpasses all understanding.

Going through the struggle to obtain victory

This April 20th will make five years since I have been saved. If I said that it has not been a struggle I would be lying. Maturity has made me to realize though that many of our blessings as Christians is on the other side of the struggle. The struggle that I speak about concerning myself stems from knowing what decisions to make that will best benefit the Kingdom of God , compared to making decisions which may just be in my best interest and in turn have no benefit to the Kingdom. I realize that there is a correlation between having a strong relationship with Jesus and also making the best decisions for the Kingdom. We must realize as Christians that if we go through our struggles in life successfully, we can come through with more wisdom and direction as it relates to our destiny. We are faced with temptations everyday but the Bible states clearly in 1COR10:13 that there is always a way of escape. We must remain in Christ so that whatever attack comes against us we are able to remain victorious.

Finding companionship in the arms of your first love

Throughout my life I have noticed many people struggling to find companionship; both Christians and non-Christians. As I reflect back before I became a Christian I realize that the emptiness that I felt before I was saved was a result of me not having a relationship with Jesus Christ. As Christians we should be cognizant of the fact that we have the ultimate companionship through our relationship with Jesus. Satan may try to put thoughts in our mind that are in opposition to the word of God, but we have to maintain the focus that no other relationship can replace this ultimate relationship. The reason we love Jesus is because he first loved us as stated in 1John4:19. I realize that although I am not married does not mean that I am any less important to the kingdom of God . As a matter of fact I can focus more time solely on Christ and the Kingdom of God being unmarried. I just want to encourage those who may be struggling or if you know someone that may be struggling with the need to have companionship; tell them to continue to serve in the Kingdom of God and in turn he will make manifest his strength in their weakness. If the person is not saved this may be an excellent time and opportunity to witness to them about the love of Jesus that you have experienced.

Experiencing a greater level of intimacy through your praise and worship

As I was getting ready for work this morning I began to reminisce on how instrumental praise and worship has been in regards to my growth as a Christian. It has contributed tremendously to the level of joy and peace that I have in my life. I have grown to realize that praise and worship are necessary factors in building an intimate, lasting, and vibrant relationship with Jesus. I have also learned that Satan has the power of suggestion. Never let anyone discourage you when it comes to how you praise and worship Christ Jesus. John4:24 states “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship Him in spirit and in truth. In order for any relationship to flourish there needs to be a sacrifice of quality-time and committment. I just want to encourage you to take your praise and worship to a greater level so that you can experience a greater embrace of pure, dynamic, and intimate fellowship with Christ Jesus.

Relinquishing fear to enter into your destiny

On Monday evening as I was praying for God to give me more insight concerning my destiny; I realized something. It is not that people do not know want to know what their destiny entails; it is the responsibility that comes with knowing your destiny that people struggle with. Just because someone knows their destiny does not mean that they are willing to accept what their responsibility is to God concerning their destiny. 2Timothy1:7 states “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. The sooner that we are able realize that fear is what negates our faith in God; the sooner we will be able to step into the plans and purposes that God has predestined for our lives. I just want to encourage you today to continue to seek after your destiny in Christ Jesus, because there are so many people that are affected by whether or not we as Christian’s ultimately reach our destinies through Christ Jesus.

Positioning my perspective to please God

Before I gave my life to Christ on April 20th, 2003 I used to have a self-righteousness/arrogance about myself as it related to my character. I used to think that since I did not do some of the other things that some of my friends were doing that I was living a higher standard then they were. From my perspective I believed that I was better-off than many people that were in my surroundings. I realize now though that there is one ultimate standard of living and that is God's standard. If someone has never experienced life through the perspective of living a Christian lifestyle; they can never truly know whether or not their standard of living is inferior or not. I realize now that my standard of living before I gave my life to Christ was inferior as it related to my morals, mindset, and choices. God put a desire in me that had me seeking more in life. I just want to encourage you to remember how much more your standard of living has improved as a Christian, and if you have not given your life to Christ I just want to encourage you to consider a purer standard of living.

Sufficient grace in a time of need

I had something prepared to write for today, but on my way to work this morning God moved!! As I was on my way to work I began to pray as I was on the freeway, because many things had been occurring to people's vehicles the past couple of days that attend my church. As I got off at the exit I came to a red light. As the light turned green I began to drive and I felt some vibration, so I pulled off the road into a parking lot. As I was changing my tire I seen that the front passenger tire had been slashed in at least 5 different places. I still have the tire in my trunk. It's as if I had been driving on the freeway with a slashed tire. When a tire is slashed it's supposed to go flat. As I pulled out of my driveway this morning nothing was wrong. I was able to drive on the freeway all the way from my house to the west side which is at least 20 minutes away. My tire could have easily blown out on the freeway. Satan meant to take me out! The Bible never said that the weapon (knife, gun, nuclear bomb, word) won't be formed; but He did say that it won't prosper (Isaiah54:17). I just want to encourage you today to continue praying for others and to seek after Jesus, because Satan's ultimate goal is to kill, steal, and destroy. HIS DEMONIC HELL HOUNDS FAILED TODAY.

Knowing the inspiration behind your destiny

As I look ahead to my future it has become apparent to me that I can never underestimate any moment at anytime in my life. Moments in our life can either determine our success or our failure. The obstacle that you try to sidestep in life can be the same obstacle that hinders you from fulfilling your destiny; whether that obstacle is a bad habit or whatever the case may be. That one obstacle can overshadow every other accomplishment if it is not dealt with. As a Christian I would have to say that if we allow certain things to linger in our atmospheres than we will never reach our full potential in Christ Jesus. We are all a creation of God and only the creator knows the purpose of their creation. If I never seek to know the mind of the Creator who created me than all I can do is guess. Isn't your life and destiny worth more than a guess? Proverbs 3:6 states "In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths". The question that I have for you today is "who is directing your path and why?" Once we know the answer to this question than we can begin to focus on God and his purpose for our lives. I just want to encourage you to stay focused in this day and time because your destiny is so delicate, but the reward for staying focused on God's will is well worth the sacrifice.