Friday, May 25, 2012

The Best Life Ever

Romans 12:2
2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.

The apostle Paul stated to the church in Rome how important it is that once you become a follower of Christ you are not to follow the pattern of the world. The pattern of the world is what leads you astray and away from God's perfect will for your life. God is the one who created you so He knows what He created you for. The only way to be transformed is to grow. Unless you are willing to grow, you will eventually go backwards. The next level in Christ will not just arrive. You have to do your part, which is to grow in Christ. You have to do the work of reading more, praying more, talking and listening to the Lord more and then doing what He says to do. Many people talk to the Lord but don't stop to listen to see what He's saying. Doing so will lead you to His perfect will for your life, His perfect will is the BEST choice, not the good choice for your life. Good choice versus BEST choice has less consequences for you. The BEST choice allows you to still maintain your joy and sanity in a world where so many lack both. You have to be willing to do the work to get to the optimum place. But you say, "what if I don't want to grow and I'm fine where I am?" Guess what? If you knew anything about your Heavenly Father, you would know He has something better for you on the other side of growth. You would know that He knows you can do more and be more than you ever imagined. Believe it or not, if you're not growing then you're dying. You're dying in your spiritual life when you don't grow and it actually leads to death in other areas of your life. Everything starts in the spirit and manifests in the natural. So if you're dying spiritually because you refuse to grow, what else in your life will die as a result of it? Think twice before you say you don't want to grow and are fine where you are. God always wants you to grow. And why not want for you what He wants for you when He desires to give you the BEST life ever?

P.S. Check out my man V of the Artist to Artist Show on www.Qliveone.com Saturdays at 8am CT/9am ET!

Thursday, May 24, 2012

He Hears Your Cry

Psalm 6:9
9The Lord has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayer.

David like many of us had to endure a rebuke from the Lord and His wrath for sin. But David at least accepted his wrong doing. In the psalm, David asked God to hold back from having him feel the fullness of his sin. It was during David's illness that he found out how many enemies he really had. Nothing like getting kicked while you're down. David continued to praise God even in his bleak circumstances of agony. David cried out to the Lord for mercy, and like a parent who listens for the cry of their child, so God listened for David's cry and accepted his prayer. Do you know God hears every cry from His children? He hears your distinct cry which is different from anyone else's. God sees every tear you shed and those you desire to shed but don't. No matter what mess you've made, if you go to the Lord with a sincere heart of repentance, He'll hear you. If you don't know what to say start with, "I'm sorry God. I've messed up. Tell me what to do. How do I make things right with you?" God hears you and wants to be the problem solver in your life if you let Him. God wants to make it all better for you but He also wants you to get the lesson so you don't have to repeat it. What have you messed up? What agony are you in? God hears your cry. You are not alone.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

The Turning Point

Matthew 26:18
18He replied, "Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, 'The teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.' "

The passover meal Jesus had with the disciples is also referred to as "the last supper" because it was the last passover meal before His crucifixion. The passover is the celebration of the Jews being passed over in Egypt when the death angel took the first born of every living thing as a testimony against Pharaoh for not releasing the Jews from bondage. Jesus would soon fulfill the other half of His purpose. He spent three years ministering and preparing the disciples to carry on His work and He would soon release them to go forward but the climax of His purpose had to be reached. Just as in a movie, all the plots are working up to one big turning point. And once the turning point is reached, nothing will ever be the same. Jesus said, "my appointed time is near." He prepared them as much as He could for what was coming. How do you prepare someone for what is going to be an unpleasant experience when you too have to go through it? Outside of telling them, what you can do is pray. Jesus spent a lot of time in prayer and meditation with God the Father. He himself did not want to go through the experience but knew He had to. Jesus knew every piece of the puzzle but couldn't stop it. All He could do was prepare them. Have you been preparing someone for something? Is it unpleasant? Are they prepared? Have you prayed? Have you recognized that whatever it is, the time is near? Are you having that last supper of sorts? Jesus was calm in the presence of the disciples though he knew how bad things were going to get before He and the disciples could celebrate His resurrection. Are you calm and ready for the turning point?

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Monday, May 21, 2012

He's Just Waiting on You

Psalm 99:8
8O Lord our God, you answered them; you were to Israel a forgiving God, though you punished their misdeeds.

The psalmist provides a hymn recanting the love and righteousness of the Lord. The psalmist also noted those that called on the Lord and He listened to their plea. Just as the psalmist says, though God punished the people of Israel, when they called on Him, He answered. How many times has the Lord punished you for your choice to go against Him? How many times have you attempted to sidestep the growth He desires for you to go through? How many times have you decided you would take to the world's standards instead of the Lord's? When it happens, the Lord will deal with it but His anger doesn't last always. The Lord is a forgiving God. He wants more for you than you want for you. When you call on Him and have a repentant heart, He will answer just like He did many times for the people of Israel. At what point will you call on Him? Will it be when the weight of your choices has you on your knees? Will it be when the echo of your tears is too much for your bear? God is ready to listen. He's just waiting on you.