New Year, New Levels, New Devils: SAME GOD

Have you ever experienced an intensified struggle, as you sought to obtain a particular goal as a child of God? Whether it was reaching a higher level of consecration, praise, worship, love, or sacrifice. There are seeds(inspirations) of destruction from our past which seek to taint(tarnish) the soil of destiny which God has for us. Going into this new year I believe that these seeds will not go away just because it's a new year. Even though our circumstances may change, God does not change. I prayed a prayer today for God to sever(detach) every connection from me that is seeking to hinder(prevent) me from accomplishing my will in the Kingdom.

As we come into a new year some of us will be elevated to new levels which means new devils(spiritual adversaries). Being naive will not defeat these adversaries. God does not have to change in order to be effective. We as children of God have a choice as to whether or not we are going to change our method of operation(modus operandi) in order to align with the will of God. As this new year arrives and we seek to be elevated to new levels while we war with new devils; there remains one constant which is the constant of "The Unchanging God." Malachi 3:6 states "For I am the LORD, I change not." Are you ready for new levels and new devils in this new year?

A Creation of God vs Being A Child of God

In the book of Genesis , Chapter 1:27 states that God created both male and female. This scripture shows that we are a creation of God. There is a difference though between being a creation of God versus being a child of God. The word child can also mean a type of son(Greek,huios) which can be likened to the type of son in which Christ Jesus was. The word son is "positional" and not "gender" specific. Romans 8:14 states "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons(Greek,huios) of God." Galatians 3:26 then goes on to state that "we are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." If we are to call ourselves a child of God then we must ask ourselves if our lifestyle is personifying faith in Christ Jesus.

There are prerequisites to being called/considered a child of God. The mere fact of being created is not the only prerequisite(qualification) to being a genuine(non-counterfeit) child of God. This distinction has to be made because the spirit of confusion and error can cause one that is naive/ignorant(unlearned) to enter into eternal damnation (i.e. hell). True love will always guide you into truth. We must continue to examine ourselves and whether we are being led (guided,directed) by the Spirit of God or the spirit of error. Are you seeking to be more than just a creation?

Maintaining THE STANDARD: The Spotlight of Holiness

Standard: Archetype, barometer, benchmark, or pattern. As I reflect back I can remember a time in my life when I did not struggle with certain things, because I had no standard in regards to those things. The turning point in my life came when I made a conscious decision to begin pursuing after a Godly(righteous) standard of living. If someone does not have a standard for their body, then it becomes acceptable for them to do all sorts of inferior (ungodly) things with/to their body. If someone does not have a standard in regards to commitment, then it becomes acceptable to them when they fail to commit to their wife, education, children, job, church, God etc. I now realize that wherever there is a standard (i.e. godly standard, holiness) there is a struggle (internal battle) to maintain that standard.

Struggling is not a sin but rather a process. Allowing the process to defeat you and to cause you to miss the mark(standard) of God is when sin has entered in. The process is meant to strengthen us and not destroy us. Now that I have standards in regards to my lifestyle I realize that there is an inspiration(force) that continually wars against that standard. Ever since I made a conscious decision to follow after the standards of God it seems as if a spotlight has been shined. It seems as if demons that were once sleeping are now wide awake. Eyes that were not concerned with my lifestyle before are now watching my lifestyle like telescopes watch stars. People that were not concerned with what came out of my mouth before are now listening like never before. Is the standard for your lifestyle inferior (ungodly) or superior (godlike) ???

Refusing to Live for God: DEAD MAN WALKING

Dead: Having lost life; no longer alive. Lacking feeling or sensitivity; numb or unresponsive. Asleep, bloodless, or spiritless. If you took a fish out of water it would eventually die. If you uprooted a tree from the soil it would eventually die. If we as humans went without oxygen for a certain amount of time then we would eventually die. The water is the atmosphere in which fish can live. The soil is the substance by which the tree can grow, and oxgen is the element through which we as humans are able to breathe and remain living. Oxygen helps us as humans to live physically, but what helps us as humans to live spiritually? A person can be alive physically but dead spiritually. A computer can have both hardware(body) and software(soul), but still lack an online(spiritual) connection.

Are you connected to the true source of life? or are you just operating with hardware and software but lacking the true connection. Just as roadrunner is the name of the modem which Time Warner uses for its online connection; Jesus is the name of modem which God uses in order for us to have a connection with him. Jesus stated " no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." Without the right modem you do not have online access and without Christ Jesus we do not have access to the Father. Have you made a decision with your lifestyle not to live for God and therefore become a DEAD MAN WALKING.

When Your Pain Saturates Your Peace: The Mission of Your Affliction

Affliction: A condition of pain, suffering, or distress. Adversity, anguish, calamity, depression, distress, grief, hardship, illness, suffering, or tribulation. Have you ever looked through the eyes of someone and it seemed as if pain overshadowed their atmosphere. Before you could reach(connect with) them you first had to deal with the pain which was saturating their peace. Just as water from the ocean saturates the sand on the shore is how pain seeks to saturate our peace. Less than a month ago I spoke to woman who was fighting with cancer in her body and she said that she refused to go through chemotherapy because two of her family members had previously died from the treatment. She had been living with cancer for three years. As she sat there in front of me I repeated to her what I heard my pastor say. I said "as long as the death does not get into the cancer the cancer can't hurt you."

Tears began to flow from her eyes. She said that she had never heard that perspective before. I have come to realize that there are purposes for our pain. The pain that Jesus experienced on the cross had a purpose. With his stripes (bruises, wounds) we are healed. We must ask ourselves "has our pain(suffering) accomplished the mission for which it was intended." The pain which was sown(planted) at Calvary is the reason we now have access to a harvest of peace and healing. The pain that we go through can be the seed which births a harvest of peace and healing in our atmosphere, which can ultimately benefit those around us.

HIP HOP WORSHIPPER: Which god are you Waving your Hands to?

Worship: extreme devotion or intense love or admiration of any kind. Exaltation, praise, celebrate, magnify, or sing. What spirit(s) are you inviting into your atmosphere as you wave your hands in worship to lyrics of lust and violence. Whether the influence is coming through the lyrics or through the beat there is still an influence moving through your atmosphere, just as thoughts ride through your mind and birds fly through the air. In the Old Testament a wave offering was usually done unto the Lord. When someone symbolically waves their hands to an inspiration besides The Lord then which lord are they waving to? Who are they offering(sacrificing) their soul (heart, mind, and will) to?

If the substance(inspiration) of a beat/lyric is from the substance of a tainted heart and tainted mind than can God be glorified in a tainted atmosphere. Whether someone enters into an act of worship with their lips(singing) or with their hands (waving) it is still a form of worship. If tainted water is mixed with pure water then do you still have pure water. Who are you worshipping as you sing, when you dance, and when you wave your hands? I used to listen to Hip Hop and wave my hands to lyrics which did not glorify God but there has been a transformation and now the Lord that I worship is different from the lord that I used to worship. Who are you worshipping and why??

Portrait of a Divine Beauty: Rendezvous in the Garden

Rendevous: A meeting at a prearranged time and place. a place appointed for assembling or meeting. Affair, appointment, engagement, gathering point, purlieu, or blind date. As I was sitting at work last week I began to think of the different ways in which God can speak. I realize that he can speak through words, situations(experiences), and symbols. As I sat there at my desk I also began to think about what must have been going through Adam's mind once God brought Eve unto him. Adam was in the midst of an "Eden Experience," and all he had to do was "open his eyes" and receive what God had placed before him. How was God speaking to Adam through Eve as He placed this divine portrait of beauty into his presence.

God did not speak with words in this scenario but rather with imagery. God placed the perfect portrait of divine beauty into Adam's atmosphere and he admired both the external(physical) and internal(spiritual) qualities of the portrait. Only God knows how many strokes it takes to paint the perfect portrait. I believe that no matter how beautiful the Garden of Eden was, it could not be compared to the portrait of divine beauty which was placed within Adam's atmosphere at that moment in time. Adam's focus was on what God had placed before him and nothing else. Adam's perspective was focused on what God had for him at the appointed time in the appointed place. Could it be possible that God has painted millions of portraits of divine beauties, but men have been blinded to true and divine beauty and have therefore missed out on what God has had for them?

When the Will of Satan is Superimposed by the Will of God

Superimpose: To lay or place (something) on or over something else. Place over, position, overlay, lay over, apply to, cover. As I was cleaning at my church this past tuesday this topic came to me, and moments later I felt an energy of rejoicing come upon me. This energetic force seemed to overshadow me. Have you ever been in a situation in your life when it just seemed as if your circumstance(issue) overshadowed your peace of mind. There was a time in my life when I co-signed for my cousin to get a television, living room set, and bedroom set from value city. The total came to over $5000. He failed to make the payments to me for the items, and the stress of the situation superimposed itself upon me, unto the point where I acted out of character. I found myself in the back of a police car. The grace and mercy of God superimposed the situation and eventually the issue was resolved. This was a situation where the will of Satan was superimposed by the will of God.

There are times when Satan will seek to gain influence in your life. Just as rain drops fall upon the ground, he seeks to saturate the soil of our heart and mind with thoughts of error. I heard a quote from a gentleman a little over 3 months ago. He stated that "tests can either refine you or define you." Are you allowing the will of Satan to define who you are? The choices we make can be likened to tools(instruments) which have the capability of shaping who and what we will become. We all have the volitional ability to choose. Will you allow(choose) the will of God to be the tool which shapes(molds,carves) you into who and what you will become?

Dying Before Your Eyes: No Passion to Intercede

Dying: Ceasing to live; approaching death. Failing, expiring, decaying, declining, fading, perishing, vanishing, withering, or sinking. Have you ever been at a point in your life where you knew what the outcome of something was going to be and you were satisfied; Kind of like your child playing a sport and the clock winding down as their team was winning the game. There have been times in my life though when I knew what the outcome of something was going to be, and I wanted it to be different. I know that when I work, the outcome should be me receving a pay check at the end of the pay period. When someone has their heart broken, the outcome is usually emotional pain which can at times lead to result in various outcomes. When we look at the outcome of sin (missing the mark of God for your life) the outcome(payoff, result) is death.


I have family members, friends, and co-workers who are in a state of death(sin). When you look at those around you who are in this state, do you have the passion to intercede for them with your prayers, action, time, energy, or resources? Are you content with their outcome being physical and eternal death. How many family members, friends, and co-workers do you know who are not in alignment (agreement) with God's will for their life. To not have the passion to intercede for someone is to not have the passion to want to see someone else live. As I sit here and think of the love of Christ, I can only think of how he desires that no one perish. What do you desire?

The Vapors of Your Past: Escaping the Aroma

Vapor - Barely visible or cloudy diffused matter, such as mist, fumes, or smoke, suspended in the air. Aroma, breath, condensation, miasma, dew, moisture, or steam. Have you ever passed by someone and smelled an aroma (fragrance) on them which was pleasant. There are times also when we may pass by someone and smell an aroma on them which not so pleasant. If your lifestyle was an aroma how would it smell in the nostrils of God? I made the decision to give my life to Christ over 6 years ago. Before I made that decision there was a certain atmospheric aroma which engulfed me. The scent of this aroma was called "sin." Sin is an aroma which seeks to put you in a state of anesthesia (loss of consciousness) in regards to your destiny and purpose. This aroma encapsulated(superimposed) my heart and my mind which influenced the path that I took up until that point in my life.

I realize though that even after Jesus enters into the picture (portrait) of our lives that there is still an aroma which seeks to capture our attention. Some aromas seek to seduce us out of the will of God. These vapors of past memories seek to linger in our mind, and the aroma of past emotions seek to linger on the soil of our heart like morning dew lingers on the grass. There is an aroma though that can cause the vapors of your past to evaporate(vanish). This aroma is linked to God's atmosphere. If God's atmosphere were an aroma what would the fragrance be called? If there was a name for the aroma(fragrance) of God, I imagine that it would be called HOLY. Are you seeking to be saturated with this aroma?

Seeking to be Healed: The Internal WOUNDS OF LIFE

Wound: A mental or emotional hurt or blow. Anguish, bruise, cut, damage, gash, heartbreak, laceration, lesion, pain, slash, torment, or trauma. Have you ever been through a situation where you were able to look back and see how you were spared(preserved) from more damage than you actually experienced/deserved? There could have/should have been more damage done to you but fortunately grace overshadowed you from suffering a greater wound. Wounds are usually caused by something which pierces the skin externally. How do you prevent (protect yourself) from a wound which pierces you internally. Just as a flower rises(pierces) through the soil of the ground, a wound of experience(life) can rise through the soil of your heart and the soil of your mind. There have been many wounds of experience that I have been healed from. I have come to the realization that it is not realistic to go through this life believing that I am immune to all of the wounds(circumstances) of life.

Am I defined by my wounds or am I refined by my wounds. If my wounds defined me then I would have been a manifestation(portrait) of failure a long time ago. Do you use the wounds(circumstances) of life to catapult you into becoming who you are meant(destined) to be, or are your wounds keeping you bound(paralyzed) in your past? How many wounds of deceit, disappointment, heartbreak, loneliness, depression, and failure must one experience in order to be refined into the image(reflection) that God is carving (shaping) them into. Do we have the right to tell God to take us off of the potter's wheel of destiny and purpose. The spiritual clay used by God to shape and form us can be likened to the clay of life which shapes and forms our paradigm(perspective) of life. How many wounds are you willing to endure in order to be refined into the person you are meant to be?

Jesus will take you as you are, so come as you are

There are many people who believe that they have to "get themselves right" before they commit their life to Christ. If we had the power to "get ourselves right" then there would have been no need for Christ to die on the cross for our sins. If an individual is born with a disease then they have to live with that disease until they are cured. Sin is a disease (condition) that we are all born into. Many times we do not realize something is wrong until we first see/experience what is right. As I began to hear the gospel being preached around the age of 22, then I began to realize that I had a condition and the only cure for that condition was to release myself (mind, heart, will) into the will (plan) of Christ. I had to realize that I did not have the power to cure(heal) myself. There are many generational curses that people struggle with. Surgery, medicine, and counseling all have their limits in regards to the effect they can have on a person.

Sin does not get better with time, it just continues to eat away at the fabric (substance) of your life as time goes on. Just as bleach eats away at certain material(s); sin eats away at the soul(mind, heart, and will). There are some vehicles that you have to buy "as is" , and Jesus does not discriminate in regards to who gives their life to him. I am a witness that he will take you "as you are" so come as you are. The blood of Jesus was shed to give us the opportunity to "come as we are." Come as you are refers to your current mindset, your current heart condition, and also the current condition of sin that we were all born into.

Seeking a vaccine for the Swine Flu (H1N1), but EXPOSED to sin

Exposed: To subject or allow to be subjected to an action, influence, or condition. To make visible. Naked, uncovered, vulnerable, accessible, unguarded, unprotected. This season is considered "flu season", so all over the United States people are getting their seasonal flu vaccine (i.e. flu shot) . I went to the Center for Disease Control website and it was stated that "anyone who wants to reduce their chances of getting seasonal flu can get a seasonal influenza vaccine." If it makes sense to seek safety from a virus which has the potential to kill you, then wouldn't it make sense to seek safety from a spiritual condition which also has the potential to kill you?

Just as the flu has the potential to kill someone so does the condition (power) of sin. How are you vaccinating yourself against this condition? Sin can be defined as "missing the mark(standard) of God for your life." Many times we try to "get ourself right" before we come to God. If I was able to educate myself before I went to college, then there would have been no need for me to attend college. If we could "get ourself right" before we came to Christ, then there would have been no need for Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. The blood that Jesus shed on the cross was the vaccine for our sins. How do you access this vaccine? This spiritual vaccine can be activated by "repentance" and "confession", and this can begin the process in regards to someone becoming vaccinated (inoculated) against the condition (power) of sin. How desperate are you to live?

America's Spiritual Recession: The Stimulus Package of Jesus The Christ

Stimulus: something that arouses or incites to activity. Boost, catalyst, impulse, cause, charge, incentive, motivation, incitement, inducement, propellant, or instigation. If your life was a portrait of the U.S. economy, what would you do to stimulate (boost) productivity? Would it take just an extra paycheck? Many stimulus checks have already been sent out to millions of Americans months ago, and there are still many issues that persist (continue) . The stimulus package was meant to boost the American economy, but it is insufficient in regards to dealing with declining morals within our society. What type of stimulus package would it take to cause a woman to value her body instead of allowing multiple men to degrade her worth. What type of stimulus package would it take to cause men to value their children instead of neglecting their seed. What type of stimulus package would it take to cause men to value women as they would want their daughter, mother, or sister to be valued (treated).

There is a way which seems right to men, but that way leads to destruction (i.e. destruction of character, purpose, and potential) . In April of 2003 I was immersed (baptized) into covenant with Jesus The Christ and the recession of my morals, lifestyle, and character became transformed. I made a rational choice to allow Jesus The Christ access into the economy of my soul (mind, heart, will) . What is the condition of your soul (thought life)? Is it in need of a stimulus experience? The spirit of God is able to superimpose (overshadow) himself upon your life and infuse stability into whatever condition is causing the recession of your peace, morals, character, or self-worth. Will you make the choice to allow yourself to be stimulated by Jesus The Christ.

Caught Between Satan's Will and God's Will: Who Will You Serve?

Serve: To work for. To be a servant to. Attend to, be employed by, be of assistance, be of use, minister to, wait on, help. When we begin to look at our lifestyle and the areas in which we prioritize the most time, money, and energy; we must eventually ask the critical questions of "why?" Why do some people spend more time with a boyfriend or girlfriend while neglecting their spiritual/natural family. Why do some of us align (surround) ourselves with people who never challenge our morals and/or lifestyle. Why do some people choose never to live for Jesus even though they believe there is a God. If your life was an occupation who would you be serving (working for)? Some employers demand a certain level of performance from their employees. If Satan was your employer would he be proud of your performance (lifestyle) ? If God was your employer would he be proud of your performance?

We all must ask ourselves another critical question which is "what desires are we serving?" Are those desires inspired of God or are they inspired of a source of evil. Everyone in life has the innate ability to make choices. I can not blame Satan or God for the choices that I make, because God has given us the sovereign ability of "choice." God will never force us to serve him. God presents an opportunity for us to serve him and Satan presents an opportunity for us to serve him. Whichever opportunity you desire the most can determine the outcome of your eternal destiny. Who will you serve?

Making the Wrong Decision in the Right Season: Tarnished Destiny

Season: A suitable, natural, or convenient time. A period of time. Interval, opportunity, period, term, time, or occasion. Have you ever made the wrong decision in an opportune time? Many times it can take years to recover from the wrong decision (choice). A credit decision, relationship decision, school decision, ministry decision, or family decision. How can one begin to measure what is lost through just making one wrong decision. If someone has a family and makes a decision not to work then this can affect the family as a whole. Making the wrong decision in the right season not only affects you but also has an indirect affect on those that could have benefited from you making the right decision in the right season.

We must realize that there are innocent bystanders who suffer the consequences of our bad decisions. When we begin to realize that there is an accountability factor which reaches far beyond us, is when we can truly begin to under decision-making from a completely different perspective. What if someone steps away from starting a business because of inconvenience. What if someone steps away from the right career because of their pride. What if someone chooses the wrong spouse because of an insecurity. Not starting a business can lead to a lack of finances in the future. Stepping away from the right career can lead to limited opportunities in the future. Choosing the wrong spouse can alter not only your life but also the lives and destiny of those who should have been the first choice. Will you allow God's perspective to guide you, or are you willing to compromise not only your destiny but also the destiny of others?

Hating your actions but having no power to stop: TRAPPED

Many times the situations that we are placed in show us our true strengths and weaknesses. When I was younger I used to think that I had enough will-power(self-control) to get out of any situation of temptation. When I began to experience encounters (situations) where I did not have the will power to walk away then that is when I began to question my "self-control." Gloves are not made for our feet, hats are not made for our hands, and our bodies were not created by God for just anybody. When I gave my life to Christ that is when I began to realize to a greater level why I was not able to just walk out of certain situations under my own will power. When I try to do something under my power I realize that I am limited; but when God is involved then I realize that I have the power to overcome anything that may be causing my relationship with God to be fractured.

God's power is able to keep anyone from falling short of his will for their life. Many people are struggling with actions, behaviors, and habits that they despise. Even though they despise them they do not have the power to stop doing them. It is the Spirit of God that makes up the difference. Will you allow him to make the difference? There are thoughts that individuals may not want to think, habits that they stuggle with, places they do not want to go, relationships they do not want to be in, but they lack the power to overcome these things. I came to the realization that when you allow God access then you no longer stay bound to inferior thoughts, desires, and behaviors. I just want to encourage you to allow God to have unrestricted access so that he can renovate the dimensions within your heart and mind which are leading you into a state of spiritual death. It all begins with a choice.

Absent Father, Absent Image: Desperate for an Identity

Absent: Not present; missing. Not existent; lacking. Astray, devoid, gone, no-show, removed, blank, unavailable, vacant. There came a point in my life when I asked myself "how would things have been different if I had a father?" Would I have played sports? How can someone measure something that they never had before. How can the absence of a father be measured if you never experienced the presence of a father in your life. Was the image of my mother enough to replace the vacancy left by an absent father. Was the image of my mother sufficient enough to shape my identity as I grew into a man. As I sit here and ponder these words, I can see how all along my life was being shaped by the invisible hand of God.

When I gave my life to Jesus is when I found myself in a position to understand that my identity was not absent because of an absent father. If I was created in the image of God then the essence of who I am is wrapped up in the character of God. If God created us then he knows why he created us and for what purpose he created us. What is your identity wrapped up in? Is it wrapped up in your career, your relationships, your family, your position(s), or your past? Only the one who created you can guide you into the fruition of your full potential. Every inventor has a specific purpose for their invention. I did not event myself so how can I know the purpose for myself? I must first seek the one who invented me. Who are you seeking ?

Struggles of a Saved Man: When Temptation Calls Will You Answer?

Temptation: The act of tempting or the condition of being tempted. Something tempting or enticing. Lure, attraction, seduction, snare, fascination, or trap. We live in a world where people want things fast. People want fast food, fast sex, fast cars, and fast money. When something is done fast it takes less effort than something which takes (quality) time. I have experienced being tempted and not having the power to say no to the "call" of temptation. When I gave my life to Christ I still found myself in situations of temptation; but the only difference now is that I have the power of God within me not to fall victim to the "call" of temptation. The bait of temptation can be as simple as friendship, but the invisible strings of connection can lead you into heartbreak, bitterness, disease, depression, sexual addiction, and even death. When someone calls you answer the call by making a choice to answer the phone. When temptation calls you make a choice to answer this call by aligning your heart and mind with the desires of the temptation.

How many times have you answered the call of temptation? When someone calls the phone doesn't have to ring, sometimes it can just vibrate. How many times has your heart felt the vibrations of temptation that you knew would lead you down a path of destruction by taking you out of the will of God for your life. The call of temptation can be so subtle at times. Before I was saved I was in a state of weakness which is why I answered the call of temptation on multiple occasions. My strength was not sufficient (strong) enough to allow me to escape the presence (atomosphere) of lust and temptation which encapsulated (enslaved) my heart and mind. Are you living in a state of weakness which will eventually lead you down a path of destruction? Temptation leads to sin and the wages (price) of sin is death. Is answering the call of temptation worth you losing your life?

THE SPIRIT OF HIP HOP: TORN BETWEEN CULTURES

Spirit: An inspiration that influences behavior. Animation, motivation, and breath.

Hip Hop: A cultural movement that developed in New York City in the early 1970s primarily among Black Americans and Latino Americans.

Every culture has certain characteristics which causes it to be distinctive from other cultures. Some distinctive elements/customs included in Hip Hop are dancing, graffiti, slang, fashion, beliefs, MCing(rapping), and DJing (mixing beats/lyrics). There are certain customs of some cultures that are in opposition to the customs of other cultures. For example.....The culture of the Ku Klux Klan and the culture of the Black Panthers are in direct opposition to each other because of the nature (substance) of what they both believe. If the Ku Klux Klan were to begin to take upon themselves some of the cultural customs/traits of the Black Panthers then the very nature of who they are would begin to be compromised because of the opposing views of each culture. One dent can diminish the value of a car. One drop of blood can ruin an entire outfit. One terrorist can destroy an entire city. If one aspect of a culture is changed/altered it can pierce (taint,damage) the fabric of that culture for the worse.

Before I gave my life to Christ I used to embrace many of the customs of this culture called Hip Hop (man made culture). I have been on both sides of the fence. I realize now though that I have been engrafted into a Holy culture which was initiated by God and not by man. I realize that what I bring from my previous lifestyle and the cultures associated with that lifestyle can taint the new culture that I have been engrafted into. I don't want to compromise the standard (purity) of this new culture that I have been born into. Many people are struggling (torn) between two cultures. The culture of Holiness is not a culture which needs aspects of other cultures in order to become more effective(relevant). To imply that a culture which God implemented is incomplete/ineffective and needs to be improved is a slap in the face of God. Are you at a crossroads in your life in regards to choosing which culture to be associated with? Seek God and allow him to guide you. I pray that you have the faith to be engrafted into this culture of TRUTH and HOLINESS which was initiated by a perfect and holy God.

A Perfect Gift Received by a Tainted Heart: Unfair Circumstance

Tainted: To become affected with decay or putrefaction; spoil. A moral defect considered as a stain or spot. An infecting touch, influence, or tinge. Contaminated, corrupted, impure, or dirty. Think back to a time when you received something that you felt you didn't deserve. Did you give it back? When the standard of the individual receiving the gift does not measure up to the standard of the gift then should the individual say no to the gift? I have come to the revelation that the perfect gift is never the issue but rather the tainted heart and mind of the individual receiving the perfect gift.

When a perfect gift is placed into a tainted atmosphere this can affect the quality of the gift. The atmosphere of one's heart, mind, and intentions can tarnish a good and perfect gift. Should the perfect gift have to lower its standard in order to align with the tainted atmosphere that it is being received by? The sacrifice of measuring up to the standard of receiving a good and perfect gift comes with a price. The process of preparation that leads to you lining up with the standard to receive the perfect gift is priceless. This process of preparation will determine whether or not you are equipped (able) to maintain/handle the perfect gift that you are given.

The process of preparation can be likened to a "season of seasoning." The right ingredients must be saturated into the soil of your heart and mind so that the end result can be a seasoned recipe that is ready to receive its perfect side dish. A perfect entree deserves a perfect side dish or the meal just isn't complete. In your season of seasoning there is a major ingredient called 'moral excellency' that must be sprinkled throughout the whole recipe. The only atmosphere (oven) that can prepare this perfect dish is the atmosphere (presence) of God. How long will you allow yourself to remain in this atmosphere of purification (molding) that will prepare you to receive your perfect gift? The passion to receive your perfect gift must outweigh the sacrifice of your season of preparation.

When the body becomes the tool of an infested mind

Infest: to live in or overrun to an unwanted degree or in a troublesome manner. to be parasitic in or on (a host) . Ravage, infiltrate, penetrate, invade, flood, occupy, plague, or inhabit. Think back to a time when you had to use a pair of gloves to clean something so that you could protect your hands from bacteria. Imagine if you didn't wash with soap for a period of time, eventually bacteria would begin to build up on your body. How often do you clean the surface of your mind from parasitic thoughts that attach themselves to the fabric of your mind? How can you clean something that you can not see? When I close the top on a washing machine I can not see the cleaning process but I know that the end result is clean clothes. When your thoughts are expressed (produced) are they clean or are they tainted. Dirty water will produce dirty clothes just as unclean thoughts will produce an unclean lifestyle. Imagine your body as a tool which is responsible for expressing the images of your mind. If your mind was symbolic of the water in the washing machine and your lifestyle was symbolic of the clothes coming out of the washing machine. Would your clothes(lifestyle) be clean?

Do you need to change the method in which the surface of your mind is being cleansed? Thoughts come from inspirations and those inspirations can either be tainted or pure. What cleaning solution are you using to sanitize the surface of your mind? Some stains are harder to remove than other stains. The longer a stain remains (saturates) on a surface can make it more difficult to remove that stain. If we were to examine the surface of our minds can we honestly say that the stains have been removed? E.g. Stains (thoughts) of abuse, stains of heartbreak, stains of loneliness, stains of depression, stains of doubt, stains of lust. I personally can say that there is one cleaning solution which is capable of removing all stains. This solution is the word of God. Until the right solution is applied the stain(s) will remain, and your body will continuing being the tool (puppet) of an infested mind.

Casualties of War: Scars and Wounds of Emotional Warfare

Casualty: One injured, killed, captured, or missing in action through engagement with an enemy. Calamity, misfortune, wounded, blow, catastrophe, or fatality. I want you to picture your mind as a battlefield. Imagine every thought that enters your mind is like a soldier which enters the battlefield. Do you have more enemies than allies on the battlefield of your mind? What weapons are you using to defeat the enemies which have entered the battlefield of your mind? How many tears and how much blood has been spilled out on the soil of this battlefield called "your mind?"

Imagine your heart as the bullet-proof vest which absorbs the bullets of war. How many bullets of confusion, bullets of loneliness, bullets of anger, bullets of suicide, bullets of deceit, and bullets of lust has your heart had to endure? Whether you acknowledge the war or not does not limit the fatalities. How can you remove a bullet of deceit from your heart when you can not see the wound? How can you remove an enemy soldier (thought) from your mind which you can not see? How long does it take the heart to heal from a piercing wound?

Every day and every hour of our lives there is a constant war occurring on the battlefield of our mind. There is no peace treaty which will prevent this war. When you are engaged in a battle with an invisible enemy this calls for an invisible ally. Your eyes may have never seen God but the enemies on the battlefield of your mind fear him. He is able to remove the bullets that have pierced the soil of your heart. He is able to heal the scars that have tarnished the soil of your mind. Many times we allow the (destructive) thoughts of the enemy to enter into our mind, but now is the time when we must allow the (repairing/healing) word of God to enter our mind(s). The more soldiers (thoughts) of victory that you allow into your mind will put you in a position of victory. There is no question (doubt) that we are in a devastating war. The critical question that we should all be asking ourselves is "Are we fighting with the word of God?" A visible weapon can not win an invisible war.

Single but Attached: The Invisible Strings of Connection

Attached: Being joined in close association. Fond and affectionate. To bind, fasten, tie, or connect. Link, secure, become associated with, and committed. When you hear an individual say they are single what comes to mind? When I hear that statement, I picture a person with no connection. Many people are dating but still consider themselves single because there is no commitment. Many people are in intimate relationships but still consider themselves single because there is no commitment. Do your words make you single or do your actions make you single? The answer is both.

A person can abstain from sexual relations for months at a time, but if their heart and mind are still attached to the sensations and/or urges associated with sex, then they are only physically detached but not mentally or emotionally detached from sex. There are multiple ways to remain attached to something: invisible strings called "urges" can link the heart to situations; and invisible strings called "memories" can connect our minds to past events. Can someone be single and still crave the intimacy of the opposite sex? The invisible strings called "cravings" disqualify you from being considered totally single. Your mind is not single from thoughts that have attached themselves to your cerebral membrane (mind), like parasites (leeches) attach to a host. Your heart is not single from the emotions that cause you to seek to fulfill your next urge in a never-ending cycle of lust.

Ask yourself, "Am I totally single or just living a lie?" Invisible strings of connection may cause you to call a particular person just to hear their voice. Invisible strings of connection can cause you to miss being with a particular person. Invisible strings of connection can cause you to desire being intimate with a particular person. I have come to the realization that these invisible strings can hinder our relationship with Jesus if they are not addressed. Do you have any invisible strings of attachment in your life? Who are you seeking to be connected to?

Eyes Saturated with Lust: Unable to Distinguish True beauty

Saturate: To imbue or impregnate thoroughly. To soak, fill, or load to capacity. Bathe, infuse, douse, penetrate, quench, submerge, drown, drench, flood, or immerse. So many times we can look back and remember how we were deceived by what our eyes seen. Natural eyes are capable of seeing what is on the surface but how about beneath the surface? I remember a time when I had 'pink eye' and it just irritated me until the point where I just wanted a cure for it so that it would go away. How many times have we got to the point where we became dissatisfied with "eyes of lust?" We seek to get medicine for pink eye but how do we seek to deal with the issue of eyes that are drenched (dripping) in lust? We live in a culture where it can be easy to become sedated. We must ask ourselves "does a culture control me to the point where they dictate to me what true beauty is by the images that are celebrated?" As I sit here I think to myself "if I was blind how would I determine what true beauty was?" If I could not see than how would I measure what true beauty was? There is surface level beauty which can be subjective, but then true beauty is determined when we begin to look holistically at the true concept of beauty. Lust is to the eyes like a virus is to the body. A virus weakens your immune system just as lust can weaken your paradigm of beauty. Lust can be likened to a fungus(bacteria) which spreads and does not just affect you in one area of your life but it spreads throughout. Lust is not something that can be cured with medicine. As I look at myself I just marvel at how God still loves me despite my imperfections. The cure begins when you allow God to transform your perspective to align with his perspective. He has a perspective (paradigm) of purity. When will you seek him?

Trying to play the role without the commitment: easy/free access

Naivete: the quality or state of being naive. The state or quality of being inexperienced or unsophisticated. Gullibility, childishness, simplicity, unawareness, unconsciousness, and ignorance. I have seen many people that are playing a role but lack the character to commit to that role. A great example of this is the concept of dating. Dating is a way for men or women to "test the waters" without committing to the waters(relationship). You can test drive a car for 10 days in a row, but at the end of the day that car still does not belong to you. There is no documentation proving that the car belongs to you. All you have at the end of the day are memories that you experienced from temporary moments with the vehicle. Ask yourself "are you worth more than a temporary experience?" If the car continues to be test driven then the miles on the car can eventually begin to add up even though no one has even committed to purchasing the vehicle. The value of the car can eventually begin to decline/diminish in value. Are you allowing someone in your life to test drive your emotions, life force, time, and/or finances without any commitment? When there is no commitment it becomes easy to give someone the excuse of being naive in regards to the effect that a particular situation has had on you. Where there is no commitment is there any accountability? When an individual fails to see the value in his/her time, emotions, life force, and/or finances then this can be a state of naivete that the individual is in. Should naivete be a valid excuse for the damage that someone can cause not only to their life but also to someone else's life? I realize that when God was first engaging (drawing) me into his presence that it was ultimately up to me to make the commitment to allow him total access. The door was opened and I just had to use the "key" called commitment to walk through. Will you allow him total access?

Becoming Desensitized: one pleasureful experience after another

Desensitized: To render insensitive or less sensitive. To make emotionally insensitive or unresponsive. Numb, weakened, anesthetize, watered down, or dull. Have you ever experienced something to the point where it became boring to you? I myself gain satisfaction from learning new information and concepts. I have come to the realization that the more you are exposed to something then the more desensitized you can become. When someone views sex as a recreational activity how does this impact their level of sensitivity towards the true concept of intimacy? When someone has been exposed sexually to multiple partners then their level of sensitivity becomes mutated (impacted). The climax that someone experiences when they try their first drug is a climax that they continue to seek after. They fail to realize that the 10th experience will never be the same as the 1st experience. The 12th sexual experience will never be the same as your 1st sexual experience. The 7th kiss will never be the same as the 1st kiss. The 3rd person that you fall in love with will never be the same as the 1st love that you experience. The first experience is always the original experience and everything that comes after that experience will never be considered the original. Many people are seeking to re-live an original experience. Multiple sexual experiences will never equate to the original experience. You can only lose your virginity once. How many pleasureful experiences do you have to experience before you realize that lust is like a black hole that can never be filled and just continues to grow exponentially? Lust is like a parasite that is fueled by your curiosity. This parasite eats away at your youth, your morality, your character, and your life force. Over my life there have been many things that I have been desensitized to. Have you ever experienced an original experience that transformed your life? In 2003 I experienced the original presence of God as I arose out of the water from being baptized in his name. When will you allow yourself to experience this original experience?

Chemicals of Seduction: the embracing of atmospheres

Seduction: The act of seducing. Something that seduces or has the qualities to seduce; an enticement. The act of influencing by exciting hope or desire. We live in a world where images are used to influence behavior. Many times we may experience what we see and then feel disappointed, because we do not feel that what we experienced measured up to our expectation(s) of what was seen. How can something which is pleasing to your eyes still leave you with a feeling of emptiness? Just because something is pleasing to the eye does not mean that it is pleasing to the heart and the mind. It is so easy to become seduced when you are unaware of the chemicals of seduction. In order for seduction to be activated there must be certain factors (chemicals) in motion. Time, attraction, and familiarity are three of the chemicals which once they are infused (mixed) together can create an atmosphere which is conducive to the outcome of seduction. Ignorance and naivete are two ingredients which can not prevent this outcome of seduction; it only intensifies the results. Many men are capable of seducing women in order to fulfill their animalistic(inferior) urges, which gives them but a moment of gratification. Serial killers have been known to seduce their victims. Pornography is known for seducing millions of people per year which in turn desensitizes them to what true romance really is. Seduction can lead to death, both physically and spiritually. In order for someone to be seduced there must first be a seducer. There is a force which seeks to seduce your heart and your mind in order to paralyze your destiny. God is the only force that I personally know of that can suppress and eradicate any spirit of seduction. Will you allow yourself to be paralyzed by the venom and vapors of seduction or will you allow God total access into your atmosphere?

Navigating a Slave Ship: enslaved by the cargo of your mind

Enslaved: To put into slavery; make a slave of. To dominate; subjugate. Bind, capture, chain, reduce, restrain, restrict, incarcerate, suppress, yoke, or deprive. If your mind was an example of a ship who would you say is the captain of that ship? Who or what navigates your mind through the unstable waters of life? A ship can be labeled (identified) by the type of cargo (load) that it is carrying. If a ship is carrying slaves then it can be called a slave ship. Every ship has a captain so that the ship can be directed (navigated) . Some cargo can be either dead or alive. No matter whether the cargo is dead or alive the captain is still responsible for the cargo. Sometimes we allow the thoughts (cargo) of our mind to navigate us through life. These thoughts can be an example of dead (no life) cargo. How can dead cargo navigate a ship? What influence(s) can cause our thoughts to become dead? We should always remain cognizant of how our thoughts are being influenced. Thoughts of lust, unforgiveness, and confusion do not bring (add to) life but rather extract (take away) from true life. These are thoughts of bondage. A slave is submissive (inferior, subservient) to a specified person or influence. What influence(s) is your mind submissive to? A captain can cause a ship to go off course and to be trapped. So many minds are trapped and off course because they were navigated by the wrong captain. I tried to navigate my way through this life before and I came to many dead ends. It is hard to navigate a ship when darkness is always in the midst. My thoughts of darkness were hindering my progress in life. The captain of the ship of my mind was the wind (atmosphere, influence) of darkness. I eventually came to the realization that only God could guide the ship of my mind through these murky waters called life. Is the captain of your mind causing your ship(mind) to be a ship of slavery(bondage) or a ship of freedom?

Pouring Precious Fluid Into A Broken Vessel

Precious: Of high cost or worth; valuable. Highly esteemed; cherished. Expensive, costly, exquisite, fine, adored, and priceless. Have you ever poured your time , energy, and creativity into something, only for the results to be less than desirable? Parents try to pour morals into their children, teachers seek to pour knowledge into their students, artists seek to pour creativity into their art work, and spouses seek to pour love into one another. What do you do when the vessel that you are pouring into has been broken (damaged) by the circumstances of life? Does an investor continue to invest in stock that has lost its value and there are no signs of recovery? Should the teacher stop teaching? should the artist stop painting? should the investor stop investing? How much precious fluid (i.e. time, energy, love) should be wasted before someone stops pouring into the fractured vessel? As I sit here I wonder to myself if the precious fluid is ever able to repair the broken vessel. Can the wine in a wine bottle repair a damaged bottle? I personally do not have the power to repair the broken vessel of someones heart or mind. I do understand though that when the vessel of my mind was fractured through the experiences of life there was a substance that repaired the ruptured areas. I allowed the fluid (substance) of God's atmosphere to begin the repairing process. The substance of God's atmosphere superimposed (encapsulated) the vessel of my mind and began to restore the areas that had been damaged through the circumstances of life. I just want to encourage you to realize that the quality of the substance of your vessel (i.e. heart, mind) is only as strong as the atmosphere that your vessel is linked to. Allow the vessel of your heart and mind to be positioned correctly in the right atmosphere (surrounding influence(s)), so that God's precious fluid can flow through the walls of your vessel unrestrained.

Trying to build a relationship on a fractured foundation

Build: To make something by combining materials or parts. To increase or strengthen by adding gradually to. Assemble, compose, form, frame, make, or construct. As I came up with this topic I was thinking about the relationship between me and my father. From the beginning of my childhood, life's circumstances has caused the foundation of relationship with me and my father to be fractured (damaged). As I sit here I find myself thinking how can someone repair a foundation once something has already been established on that foundation? When a skyscraper has been built can you just repair (reconstruct) the foundation without affecting the building? There are relationships in our life that if we could start over again we would change the foundation. There are critical ingredients that go into building a solid foundation in order to sustain what is built on top of that foundation. Quality time is one of these critical ingredients. A recipe (i.e. relationship) can have all of the right ingredients but if the timing is off then this can change the quality of that recipe. The recipe of relationship must be mixed with the ingredient of quality time in order to remain stable. I understand that once certain recipes have been made you can not go back and take out what has already been mixed. Can you extract sugar out of a glass of tea once it has already been mixed (intermingled) into the tea? Can you extract tea out of a glass of water once the tea from the bag has already mixed (infused, saturated) into the water? There are certain things that once they are mixed become part of the molecular structure of the substance that it was mixed with. As I end , I would admonish(urge) you to concentrate your mind and your heart on God because he can uproot any foundation and repair that which has been damaged. I am a witness of how the hands of God repaired the foundation of my life that was damaged by a polluted heart and mind. If God can repair a broken life and destiny than he can repair a broken relationship.

When Lustful Thoughts Encapsulate Your Mind: how do you escape?

Encapsulate: Surround completely. To enclose, capture, compress, encase, condense, cover, or wrap. As a teenager I found myself exposed to very graphic material. My mind and eyes had never been exposed to these images (pornographic) . I never realized how powerful the images were until I tried to keep them out of my mind. It seemed as though it was easier for me to think about the images than it was to ignore/forget about them. It seemed easier to be comfortable with the images than to disregard the images. These images were changing my perspective toward women and also my image of the role of a man. I never told anyone about the habits that I was forming from viewing these images but I began to play out these images in my lifestyle. I found myself seeking to fulfill the images of pleasure that engulfed my mind. I minimized(devalued) relationships because of these images which tainted my mind. In April of 2003 when I gave my life to God I still had struggles and I had to come to the realization that I can not escape this bondage under my own power, and that I needed a greater force to deliver me. I had to make a decision to transform the atmosphere of my mind which made it easy for me to entertain these thoughts of inferiority (destruction) . When a prisoner is in bondage they need someone with a key to loose their chains/shackles. I realized that only God had the key that I needed. Only when I became uncomfortable with my tainted mindset is when I began to seek a way out. Are you uncomfortable in your thought life? I had been struggling under my own power for a while and just continued to fail. I just want to encourage you to seek God because his source of power never fails no matter what situation you find yourself encapsulated in.

Detaching Yourself, in order to gain a clearer perspective

Detach: To separate or unfasten; disconnect. To remove from association or union with something. Uninvolved, isolated, uncaring, loose, unaffectionate. If you had a habit that was killing you would you detach yourself from that habit? Sometimes our mind and our heart are detached and not on one accord. We can think one thing with our mind but our heart is focused on doing something else. Sometimes we must detach ourselves from certain relationships which bring certain atmospheres. How do you detach a heart that yearns for a connection? How do you detach an ear that yearns to hear a special voice? I have come to the realization that we must allow the presence of God to be what our heart yearns for. We must also allow the voice of God to be the voice that our ears desire to hear. It is hard to attach to God when you do not set aside time for him. Sometimes people may feel that detaching can do more harm than good, which is why we may choose to stay attached to something even though we are not at peace. If a doctor were to surgically remove someones toe or leg this would cause their mobility to be affected. There is a doctor though that can detach (separate) you from whatever is causing you to be out of God's will, without allowing you to be harmed in the process. God has a spiritual prescription which can offset the side affects of being detached. As a patient in the hospital lies on the bed waiting to be operated on; will you allow yourself to be positioned so that God can operate on your situation? If we could operate on ourselves then there would be no need for physicians; so allow this surgeon to detach (remove) the issue so that you can gain a clearer perspective on life.

Seeking to be married but struggling to live single

Single: Not divided; unbroken. Exclusive, separated, unblended, unshared, or unmixed. As I reflect back on the years when I was in high school and college I can clearly remember my intentions for seeking after women. It was because of their company. I wasn't content unless I was being entertained by a pleasant face and a pleasant smile that was also accompanied with a pleasant voice. I didn't necessarily need the physical interaction but just being in the presence seemed to be enough for me. Now that there has been a transformation in my life I can look back and compare those past experiences to my current relationship with God. I realize that in order to be effective in relationship you must first understand that you are not incomplete just because you are not in a relationship. Until you come to the realization that you are not incomplete just because you are not married, dating, courting, etc. then you are not mentally prepared to handle the dimensions that come with being married. One must first be content with being in relationship with God before seeking a mate. As long as there is a struggle in your relationship with God then this is a type and shadow (example) of things that are to come when you seek to join to someone who can never add up to the superior characteristics (qualities) of God. If I am struggling to be satisfied by a God that lacks nothing then how can I expect to be satisfied by a human that has weaknesses? If an infinite God can not fill the hollow areas in your life then how can a finite person fill those areas? There must be a mirror that allows us to see an example of what being married truly entails and this mirror is our relationship with God. Ask yourself "is your mirror blurry or clear?"

Lowering Your Standards to Line Up With Your Low Self-Esteem

Self-Esteem: a person's overall evaluation or appraisal of his or her own worth. An enduring personality characteristic. a realistic respect for or favorable impression of oneself; self-respect. We live in a world where the media defines beauty through subliminal (unconscious, hidden) messages. The media's standard of beauty is always changing whether it's skin complexion or body shape/size. How is your self-worth measured? If you were to loose all of your possessions than how would your self-worth be measured? would you be worthless? Some men would feel worthless if they went without a sexual encounter for a certain period of time, because their self-identity/self-esteem is linked to the number of sexual encounters that they have. They are bound by their sexual desires kind of like a slave/prisoner is bound by a chain. He/she has become so used to this chain (chain of lust) to the point where it feels normal(comfortable) to them to be bound instead of uncomfortable. This chain (lower standard) gives them a sense of self-esteem/security that is only temporary. How long will you continue to lower your standard(s) in order to appease an inferior self-esteem. There is a higher standard which is God's standard. When you begin to line up (align) with his standard your self-esteem will rise also. A self-esteem that is linked to chains of bondage (lust) will only lead to destruction. A slave/prisoner can only get so far with chains on his/her feet. I just want to encourage you to seek after the right standard so that you can rise to a level of superiority which superimposes all other inferior levels of bondage.