Rising Up From the Earth Below...Not A Solo Trip

 There is something new and exciting that is currently taking place in my life. Thought-provoking, unknown adventures await me in my walk with Christ. Sounds awesome and I am so ready to go where God is going to lead, there's only one problem; I have no clue what I'm doing! As new Christians, I believe we all feel this way at one point or another. Everything seems to be moving at break-neck speed, and for people like me, this pace does not allow time to completely focus on any one particular area of the journey so I always feel as if I am leaving something out or not completing the task at hand before moving forward.

"This just in; I have received guidance from above!"

I AM NOT TO DO THIS ON MY OWN.

THIS IS NOT A SOLO TRIP!   

 Thank you Dad, teach me how to release control. Read further for instruction, enjoyment, or a good laugh. You never know, this post could be beneficial in your walk too.

"wonder" God

Our God is truly a God of Wonders. It is an awesome feeling to come to the realization that our Father created all that we see, feel, and smell. Everything that is within us; our senses, our physical abilities and disabilities, He is responsible for all. That being said, know that God does not make mistakes. All of our perceived problems come from the natural world in which we currently reside. We have been made in the image of Christ, as the bible tells us in  Genesis 1 …25God made the beasts of the earth after their kind, and the cattle after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind; and God saw that it was good. 26Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.…


Any problem that you might have today, just know this; God cares and will not allow you as His child to fall or bear the burden alone. Rest in the knowledge that if we turn to Him in everything, not just when we need something, He will provide. A.W. Tozer states in his book Pursuit of God ” Let us believe God is in all our simple deeds and learn to find Him there.”  When we wake in the morning, put our feet to the floor, know that this is something to be thankful for. During the commute to work or school, give God thanks, and Believe that He is right there with us. We cannot escape the love of our Father, because He is everywhere. His presence is a constant. Whenever you feel alone, you’re not. Begin to take that in, and receive God’s unending love, mercy, and grace.


Everyday smile, shine that light that Dad gave us. It is in all of us, but just like a flashlight we have to switch it on. Remember, we are heirs to a kingdom where there is no pain, your social status does not matter; we all stand on equal ground and are one in the body of Christ. God bless each and everyone of you.

Take the time each day to thank God for all He has done for you, and then lift someone else up.  Find inspiration by being an inspiration.

Blessings in Disguise...Through a Cat Eyes

Blessings come in many forms. The cat you see in this blog is one of many unexpected gifts from God that I am thankful for. There are those of you out there that are not fans of the furry little felines. I was in your camp, that is, until Patches came into my life. His entrance came just at the right time. I have always considered these creatures to be more of a pest instead of a pet. The impression I had of cats was this; they shed hair easily, they're nosy, those claws can do some damage, and well, a bit on the snobbish side. They only want the attention when it benefits them, and at no other time will they be bothered with the humans. Well, I was in for a lesson and a blessing. This was all thanks to God who knows exactly what we need, when we need it, and I believe He might even get a little enjoyment out of surprising us with the unexpected.

Search...Just Make Sure You Look In the Right Place

   
Do you ever feel overwhelmed? In today's society there is way too much information. In order to find something it is as easy as picking up your phone and using one of the many platforms available to search. The answers are quick to come and they are many. Since the progression of social media, I find myself constantly on my phone scanning through Facebook, tweeting on Twitter, stumbling on Stumbleupon, 1+ on Google, or blogging on Blogger. That was tiresome just typing all of that. Its no wonder that our concentration level is so minute, and it probably attributes to the term everyone is so quick to use when trying to accomplish many things at once; multitasking. All of this is great stuff. We have become so technologically advanced that it is easy to lose sight of what really matters; GOD! So, slow down for a minute, take a deep breath, and try to overlook the fact that you are reading this through one of the SOCMED sights I am referring to in this blog, oops. No, I am not being hypocritical, just using a medium for the Glory of Yahweh.

Consistency or Persistence (Constant, Undeviating Approach vs Relentless Pursuit)

      

      Vs                                                                

All my life I have found that if I want something then I must be persistent in my attempts to gain that something. Persistence has it's value, and often times, as a result I am able to attain that which I have so doggedly pursued. But...I am worn out after that pursuit. During the untiring chase and capture of what I wanted, I find myself winded and wondering if all my hard work ever really mattered at all. Would it have been better to have had a measure of consistency in my approach, and as a result would I have inevitably gained that which I so longed for in the first place? Being persistent vs. being consistent is the question. Everyone has heard the old adage "Nothing is free," or "You get what you pay for;" but what if I were just consistent in doing what I know is right, without harming anyone during that process, would the result be the same?  What if that I so strive for, and in being persistent might have hurt someone along the way, could be obtained just by doing every day what needs to be done the right way.
Instilled in me, throughout childhood, was the thought that if I ever wanted anything from this life I would have to work for it. Now understandably, there are things that can only be obtained through the efforts of hard work and perseverance, but I have learned that certain things require only consistency.




Growing up, if there was a new Transformer that I just had to have; then certain things were required of me in order to receive this toy. It was common knowledge that nothing was free. Later on in life, the same principle applied to going to a movie, getting a new bike, buying a vehicle, or any other  event that required money or effort; it was evident that I would have to give something in order to receive something, and I had to be persistent in my efforts in order to attain that which I was trying for. Persistence has a way of clouding a person's judgement. I find that when I become resolute in achieving something, whether it be first place in stats at work or first place in a backyard football game, I am consumed by that want. Regardless of who I hurt, the method I use to attain that goal, or the toes I step on, the ONLY thing on my mind at that time is achievability.






Salvation, an eternity with God our Father, is not based on our persistence to gain entry. The bible tells us in  Titus 3:5-7 he saved us, not by works of righteousness that we have done but on the basis of his mercy, through the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us in full measure through Jesus Christ our Savior. 7 And so, since we have been justified by his grace, we become heirs with the confident expectation of eternal life. I have found nowhere in the bible that says that our persistence will get us to Heaven.




Be baptized and repent of your sins. Accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. Live life justified through His Grace, and be CONSISTENT in your walk with God. Key ingredients to a life well lived and a light shone bright.




Just the other day, I was involved in building an above ground garden using concrete blocks when I realized that being persistent versus consistent proved to be more of a hindrance than of value. A friend and I had mixed grout to core-fill some of the holes in the block in order to make the structure more sound and reliable. Now, you have to understand, neither of us had worked with concrete, much less grout, in a while. We were both tired, the sun had been beating down on us all day, and our brains were not functioning properly when we read the directions on the bag of grout, so the mistakes we made in this process could be expected (looking for sympathy not embarrassment). All joking aside, when we mixed the grout we did not mix it right. Needless to say, the persistence applied to getting the desired results was very time consuming and tiring. In this case, we kept coming up short. That is, until we realized our mistake. All of our tiring efforts did nothing for the mix, because the desired consistency could only be obtained by mixing water and grout together the right way.




As with the story above, being persistent was not good enough. It only served to make the job harder, longer, and more laborious. If we had only read the directions, and understood them clearly, we could have easily gotten the results we wanted by getting the right consistency in the mix to begin with. I do not believe that God intends for His children to persistently attempt to gain His acknowledgement  or our salvation through actions or deeds. By doing this, we only concentrate on what we can do, not  by what Jesus has already done. My belief is that we are to follow the path that has been laid out for us by our Father, and be consistent in that walk. Our sins have already been paid for. The directions can be found in God's Word, and if we understand them clearly, the desired result can be obtained; Eternity in our Heavenly Home with God through Consistency in our walk on Earth as Christians.