I recently had someone say to me that they couldn't be in a committed relationship because everyone that was ever suppose to love them, let them down, abandoned them, and hurt them in some unimaginable way. It was just too painful to trust people to love them. I tried to argue and defined the fact that they couldn't conclude that every relationship in life would end up the same way. But for that person, they were convinced that love for them will always be the same. Now even though the individual had felt this way about love for sometime, these "rejections of love" never caused them not to pursue love or enter into relationships with other people. I concluded during the conversation that regardless of our wombs, we all have an innate desire to experience love on some level. In fact, this individual would share this perception of love so as to put the other person on notice as to what to expect from them, or in essence to control the expectations of the relationships. Undeniably, this method would ensure some level of affection from the other person for a period of time at least. However, this individual was not only "holding hostage" the people that hurt them in the past, but the people who were trying to love them in the present were held hostage as well. Under those circumstances, a relationship could not last. Love out of sympathy, obligation or guilt deprives everyone in the relationship the benefits of the possibilities that pure love can bring. So, I said goodbye. You can't love someone past their pain, if they refuse to let go of it.
On Sunday, March 1st, Dr. Spencer shared one of the most relevant messages in our 40 Days of Love campaign. He shared how "love validates our faith." When we allow ourselves to truly experience love, it can transform our lives. It can heal all our pains. It can cause things to grow. The experience of love is two-fold. There is the love that comes from God that's demonstrated without merit or conditions. Then there is the love that we give to others as an acknowledgement of that which we ourselves have been given. "You have to be willing to want love, in order to let go, trust and give yourself over to love" so as to experience and receive love beyond your vulnerabilities.
To know love or to love is to have been loved. "I love Him because He first loved me" (1 John 4:19). The things I remember most in life are the times when someone has shown me love. It's those memories that makes being in ministry possible. Unfortunately, too many of us suffer too often and too long from a bad memory. We remember the wrong things and we forget those things that truly matter most. This week, try remembering more the times someone showed you love first. Let that be the medicine that heals your broken heart, or calms the tension in the room. Remember the one who paid the ultimate price for Love, just for you! Hold onto the things, and people that matter. Hold on to love, for it matters the most!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
God Got Me In The Wilderness!
No matter what level your relationship with God is on, you can expect to go through a wilderness experience at some point. The wilderness experience is frequently known to come after a time when you've experienced a period of joy and blessing. A time when things are going your way and favor is seemingly upon you. We also begin to make decisions based on that time of bliss. Decision like, "I can go and get a new car or new house, because God blessed me with this promotion." But know soon after, you may be tested!
Just as God led the Israelites into the wilderness, and the spirit led Jesus into the desert to be tempted by the devil; so will we all at some point be led into a situation that test our faith and trust in the Almighty.
I personally can say, I've been in the wilderness for the past three years. In retrospect, I don't think God intended me to be here this long. I know he led me here. However, I also know there were certain things he told me to do initially. But in all sincerity, I didn't do them (I thought I knew better) and I made stupid mistakes. In my messes, I kept looking for God to bail me out! But as Pastor Spencer shared on Sunday, "God is not obligated to save us from stupid stuff we do!"
The thing about the wilderness experience is "Gods' Got You!" As I shared He initially gave me instructions, if I had listened and done as He asked, I would be in a different place right now. Regardless of what He is trying to achieve in your life as a result of this experience. He is able to provide for you there. Even if it's instructions, that will keep you from being in the experience too long. The question is can you listen, obey, and surrender to Him in the process? Do you trust Him with your life?
Just as God led the Israelites into the wilderness, and the spirit led Jesus into the desert to be tempted by the devil; so will we all at some point be led into a situation that test our faith and trust in the Almighty.
I personally can say, I've been in the wilderness for the past three years. In retrospect, I don't think God intended me to be here this long. I know he led me here. However, I also know there were certain things he told me to do initially. But in all sincerity, I didn't do them (I thought I knew better) and I made stupid mistakes. In my messes, I kept looking for God to bail me out! But as Pastor Spencer shared on Sunday, "God is not obligated to save us from stupid stuff we do!"
The thing about the wilderness experience is "Gods' Got You!" As I shared He initially gave me instructions, if I had listened and done as He asked, I would be in a different place right now. Regardless of what He is trying to achieve in your life as a result of this experience. He is able to provide for you there. Even if it's instructions, that will keep you from being in the experience too long. The question is can you listen, obey, and surrender to Him in the process? Do you trust Him with your life?
Monday, February 9, 2009
You Are What You Eat!
Yesterday I went to the grocery store after church, I needed to pick up a few things. In the line in front of me was a woman, in her late forties very early fifties, who was riding one of the motorized scooters carts. With no disrepect intended, the woman was a very large in size, and apparently was on disability. As she placed her items on the conveyor belt, I noticed she placed several cases of soda pop (the fruity kind), a couple of gallons of ice cream, some fried chicken, and a few other snacks. My mind went immediately to the sermon I heard just hours before, "You Are What You Eat!"
Unfortunately for some people, an image of diabetes and heart disease riding around on a cart isn't enough for them to say, "hey, what am I doing to myself?" Well, I will be transparent. I know I've been killing myself slowly. I can't blame my actions on anyone but me, because in all things there is a choice. For the past two years, I have been eating out everyday. Partially because it was convenient, some reasons were financial, others were living circumstances. But when I assess the situation and look at myself in the mirror, my complexion has paid a price. I'm winded every time a do something extra. I am no longer my fighting weight of 145 lbs, and there's no child to blame. I'm always tired, and my thinking isn't as sharp as I'd like it to be. Yet I keep praying that God will restore my youthfulness. What a joke!
Understand this, God is not mocked, you will reap what you sow. Crap in Crap Out!
It's my prayer that after these 10 day's, my focus will be better, my relationship with God will be better. The break through I'm praying for will be that much closer.
Listen folks, give this opportunity to cleanse yourself your best effort. It won't be easy I know. But know that some things only come through fasting and praying. You must pray in these next 10 days!
For more information on the 10 day church-wide fast, visit www.n2newdirection.org to download the Daniel's Diet and Fast.
Unfortunately for some people, an image of diabetes and heart disease riding around on a cart isn't enough for them to say, "hey, what am I doing to myself?" Well, I will be transparent. I know I've been killing myself slowly. I can't blame my actions on anyone but me, because in all things there is a choice. For the past two years, I have been eating out everyday. Partially because it was convenient, some reasons were financial, others were living circumstances. But when I assess the situation and look at myself in the mirror, my complexion has paid a price. I'm winded every time a do something extra. I am no longer my fighting weight of 145 lbs, and there's no child to blame. I'm always tired, and my thinking isn't as sharp as I'd like it to be. Yet I keep praying that God will restore my youthfulness. What a joke!
Understand this, God is not mocked, you will reap what you sow. Crap in Crap Out!
It's my prayer that after these 10 day's, my focus will be better, my relationship with God will be better. The break through I'm praying for will be that much closer.
Listen folks, give this opportunity to cleanse yourself your best effort. It won't be easy I know. But know that some things only come through fasting and praying. You must pray in these next 10 days!
For more information on the 10 day church-wide fast, visit www.n2newdirection.org to download the Daniel's Diet and Fast.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
God Is My Stair Master
Going Up, Only to Come Back Down! Just to Go Back Up Again! (Exodus 19: 17-25)
Last Sunday, February 1st, Pastor Spencer message "God is My Stair Master" triggered many thoughts about how our life is not our own. Just when things look like they're are going in a direction we thought we wanted it to go, God changes the settings. Is it true with greater annointing comes greater pain? Are the challenges of life as a Christian worth the struggles we face? Is my Father in Heaven, just a puppet master, or my stair master?
As I work through the message, I try to comprehend what the Father is wanting me to get from what Pastor is saying. The control panel on the stair master has many settings, ones in which I select based on what I"say" I want my results to be. "I'm gonna get fine in 09," is what my lips say. However, when you look at the settings I've chosen, my favorite is manual. I choose it because I don't want to control the pace. Yet, I want to be fine in time to get in the right swim suit by summer. It never happens and another year goes by I'm still the same size.
Prehaps it's time to let God take the control, and He choose the settings so that the RESULTS I say I really want in my life, can actual be accomplished in O9.
What are the results you seeking from your climb? Getting out of Debt? Buying a home? Change my circle of associations? Getting over addictions? Maintain my sexual integrity? Go back to school? What?
What have you been putting off or maybe you can't seem to get right? That thing you are trying to do in your own strength, only thing is you haven't let God challenged your muscles (spiritual muscles) enough and so your strength is limited. Therefore, you keep repeating the course. Be honest?
It may be just me, but I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired of the results I've been getting? I need to go to another level. God, you change my settings!
What about you?
Last Sunday, February 1st, Pastor Spencer message "God is My Stair Master" triggered many thoughts about how our life is not our own. Just when things look like they're are going in a direction we thought we wanted it to go, God changes the settings. Is it true with greater annointing comes greater pain? Are the challenges of life as a Christian worth the struggles we face? Is my Father in Heaven, just a puppet master, or my stair master?
As I work through the message, I try to comprehend what the Father is wanting me to get from what Pastor is saying. The control panel on the stair master has many settings, ones in which I select based on what I"say" I want my results to be. "I'm gonna get fine in 09," is what my lips say. However, when you look at the settings I've chosen, my favorite is manual. I choose it because I don't want to control the pace. Yet, I want to be fine in time to get in the right swim suit by summer. It never happens and another year goes by I'm still the same size.
Prehaps it's time to let God take the control, and He choose the settings so that the RESULTS I say I really want in my life, can actual be accomplished in O9.
What are the results you seeking from your climb? Getting out of Debt? Buying a home? Change my circle of associations? Getting over addictions? Maintain my sexual integrity? Go back to school? What?
What have you been putting off or maybe you can't seem to get right? That thing you are trying to do in your own strength, only thing is you haven't let God challenged your muscles (spiritual muscles) enough and so your strength is limited. Therefore, you keep repeating the course. Be honest?
It may be just me, but I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired of the results I've been getting? I need to go to another level. God, you change my settings!
What about you?
Friday, January 23, 2009
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