Poem - - Love at First Touch: Do you Remember?

Poem: Love at First Touch: Do you Remember?

Love at first touch caused my lips to tremble

Love at first touch caused my language to change

Love at first touch brought a calmness to my mind, body, and heart

Love at first touch caused peace to overshadow my fear

Love at first touch eased my doubt

Love at first touch caused me to believe

Love at first touch caused me to consider

Love at first touch gave me a certain confidence

Love at first touch caused me to thirst for the next touch

Love at first touch transformed my perspective

Love at first touch convicted me in my sin(s) and changed my life

Do you remember where you were when love first touched you?

poem: WILL IT TAKE A DISASTER?

Will it take a disaster to bring you to your knees in prayer?

Will it take a disaster to cause you to confess and repent?

Will it take a disaster to cause you to change your lifestyle?

Will it take a disaster to cause you to face reality?

Will it take a disaster before you realize that Satan is real?

Will it take a disaster to bring you back to the altar?

Will it take a disaster to cause you to intercede for others?

Will it take a disaster to cause you to forgive those that you have not forgiven?

Will it take a disaster to cause you to pray to God about your situation?

Will it take a disaster to cause you to wait on God for your spouse?

Will it take a disaster to cause you to surrender your life to Christ?

WILL IT TAKE A DISASTER?

MY CONFESSION

As the sermon ended my heart was convicted. I was standing at the crossroads of deciding which master to serve. The atmosphere was ripe for another confession. My lifestyle was like a butterfly in the wind, so unpredictable. My desires were like untamed roller coasters. I needed stability in my life. The words which came from over the pulpit pricked the fabric of my heart. I was ready to make my confession. The enemies of my soul were being delayed as I prepared to make my public confession. The time was now.

I went into a room and got changed into my garments of confession. The time was getting close and my soul was ripe(ready) for change. This would be my greatest confession ever. With my arms crossed and my feet in the water, it was time to make my public confession. As my head went back and my body went down into the water, my confession was being made. I was baptized into a symbolic watery grave. The "old me" had died in the water and I was now new in Christ Jesus. I publicly confessed (acknowledged) through my baptism that I was a sinner, and that I needed the transforming(resurrection) power of Jesus to change my life.

What is your confession? The waters are waiting.

Walk Out of Your Graveyard: Cemeteries of Your Past

Cemetery: A place for burying the dead; a graveyard. Tomb, mortuary, or burial ground.

Have you ever struggled with a situation in your life to the point where you asked God to bring the rapture? I remember being at a point in my life when I asked God to bring the rapture. This situation seemed so intense, and the only thing that I thought could alleviate my suffering would be for the rapture to come. I just wanted something to quench (assuage) my affliction. As I look back now, I realize how God brought me through many situations of struggle. Many people have things which they have overcame in their life. I can now reflect back and see those things which are buried(hidden) in the cemeteries of my past. Examples of these cemeteries can be; cemeteries of failure, cemeteries of lost purpose, cemeteries of molestation, cemeteries of abuse, or cemeteries of fear.

I realize though that some people never make it out of their cemetery, and they end up dying right alongside their struggle(s). Some people may never be able to look back at a cemetery(dead situation), because they may never have the faith(confidence) to step out of their grave (i.e. affliction, struggle, or test). In 2003, God opened the door for me to step out of my "graveyard of sin" and into a new life. Acknowledgment of my condition(lifestyle) of sin is what initially brought me to this door (gateway of salvation and transformation). This door is "The Way" out of your "graveyard of sin." One way , One door, One choice, One name.

Footprints of Worship: One Step at a Time

When I walked out my back door last week I left many footprints in the snow as I walked to my car. If someone else walked out my back door and they wanted to know my location (position), then all they would have to do is follow the footprints and see where they led to. If God followed your spiritual (atmospheric/aromatic) footprints, where would he find you? Are your spiritual footprints leading you into a place of peace, love, prosperity, stability, and victory? Or are they leading you into a place of moral decline, stress, confusion, darkness, instability, and broken relationships?

Every time I seek the face (presence) of God through praise and worship there is always an aftermath (denouement) of peace. Whenever the end result is not peace, then this is an indicator that my footprints have gone astray. I have discovered throughout the years that it is never too late to re-align your foot steps. Whenever my lifestyle is synchronized with the will of God, I realize that peace is a by-product of this proper alignment. My daily desire is for my footprints (impressions) in the spirit to consistently worship (express respect) to the God who transmogrified (translated) me into his Kingdom (divine domain/territory). Are your footprints leading you into God's presence?

Crosses & Crutches: Which One Will you Choose?

Cross - an affliction that tries one's virtue, steadfastness, or patience.
Crutch - a support typically fitting under the armpit for use by the disabled in walking

As I reflect back on my life and contemplate I realize that there are a plethora (multitude) of excuses (crutches) that I could have used to justify why I ended up in certain situations. As I look at the definition of a crutch I can see that it is used by those who are disabled(i.e. spiritually, emotionally, or mentally) . I work and interact with people on a weekly basis who have become disabled(crippled) by circumstances in their life. Whether the circumstance started years ago or recently; they have become sedated (tranquilized) by their condition. The crutch(past experience) has become easier for them to lean on rather than walking under their own strength. Some crutches can include molestation, rape, disease, poverty, sexual addiction, alcoholism, or abuse.

As I am sitting here, I came across a scripture in Luke 9:23 where Jesus states " If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." How many of us are leaning on crutches(past circumstances) and how many of us are taking up crosses(instruments of strengthening & perfecting)? It is impossible to become healed while nurturing (nourishing) a disabled mindset which started with an experience from your past. Crutches are made out of past experiences which seek to keep us disabled and paralyzed. Is your destiny larger than your crutch? There comes a point in our lives when we have to stop leaning on the crutch and start carrying our cross, just as Jesus carried his cross. I want to dedicate this blog to a deacon at my church who began speaking to me about this topic and it was the inspiration for this writing.

Destiny on Pause: Seeking to Marry A Fantasy

Fantasy: An unrealistic or improbable supposition (belief). Apparition, fabrication, hallucination, figment, or illusion.

Over the years I have spoken to many single men in regards to marriage. I have consistently heard them refer to “outer beauty” as one of their main priorities in regards to choosing a spouse. I have often wondered “what if God used externals (i.e. subjective beauty) to decide whether or not he would make a covenant with someone?” What if God decided that he would only make a covenant with people who weighed a certain amount, who had a certain length of hair, a certain eye color, or a certain skin complexion? We would consider this to be ungodly and unrighteous.

Hypocrisy is a 2-way street. Should those who are seeking to be married God’s way use externals as a measuring stick (deciding factor), in regards to deciding who they will or will not marry? Many people’s destinies are on pause (delay) because they desire a fantasy. If God does not use externals as a requirement for divine covenant when it comes to us, then should we here on Earth allow externals to be a deciding factor in regards to us being married? How many destinies are on delay, because of those who refuse to relinquish their false paradigm of beauty?