Living Like It's Golden

2Kings 20:6

6"I will add fifteen years to your life. And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my sake and for the sake of my servant David."

There's nothing like being made aware of your own mortality. It's a very sobering experience actually. Having the experience like king Hezekiah is usually God's way of getting your attention enough to get you to change course. I know I am not alone in having a near death experience or being brought "to the point of death" as the Word references in verse 1. Here's what I do understand. Like Hezekiah, many of us would make a plea with the Lord. But Hezekiah's plea was reminding God of his faithfulness to Him and how he served Him. For those of us who have had the encounter, the conversation was more like, "I am so sorry Lord. If you bring me through this I will do your will." When God honors that request, that's when your real work will begin. There are some people who do not understand the road I am on and why I am on it as opposed to another route. The route I am on is my purpose and God's will for my life. If you've read the introduction of my first book, Get Your JOY In The Morning, then you understand my path a little better. What I can say is that I have gone from "partying like it's 1999" to "Living my life like it's golden." There really is a difference. Living like it's golden is understanding how precious the moments you have really are and wanting to take the time you have to not only enjoy taking in fresh air but add value. How are you adding value? Adding value can come in many different ways but breathing life means you have to exhale it or give it also not just take. I thank God for the experience I had because it has broken my attitude of "invincibility" and arrogance of "nothing can happen to me" as many of us young people seem to experience. I am fully aware that any moment could be my last. No, I don't dwell on it in a negative way but have decided to live it out like it's golden and help spread God's joy across the earth.

I don't wish the experience on anyone. I just pray that if you ever have to have it that your conversation is more like Hezekiah's in that you are reminding God of your faithfulness to Him. And that you are not like many of us who pleaded that we would finally walk out the will God has for our lives.


P.S. Remember to check out my man V of the Artist to Artist Show Mondays and Saturdays on www.Qliveone.com and listen for the Get Your JOY In The Morning segment!

The Blame Game

1Kings 18:18

18"I have not made trouble for Israel," Elijah replied. "But you and your father's family have. You have abandoned the Lord's commands and have followed the Baals

Elijah came out of hiding to meet Ahab. When Ahab saw him, he immediately accused Elijah as being the troublemaker for Israel and causing the drought. But Ahab's anger was misplaced. He needed to be angry with himself for allowing his wife Jezebel to take over and terrorize the men of God and for his own inability to stay true to God. The three year drought over Israel was the judgement pronounced for Ahab's unfaithfulness to God. Elijah carried it out. God placed Ahab on the thrown and yet he decided he wanted to serve the pagan gods of his wife. The root of the problem was Ahab was unequally yoked with an unbeliever who not only had no regard for his God, but for him either. And his lack of taking the household back as the rightful leader and turning his back on God led to everyone's suffering.

What can you learn from this scenario? Be careful about misplacing blame. What role did you play in where you are? What choices/decisions did you make or what did you not do? Be willing to confess to how you contributed to the problem. Second, when you know God is the source of your blessings, turning your back on Him is turning your back on your own blessings. Third, none of us exist in this world alone. You are connected to others. Your disobedience will have a ripple effect somewhere. Fourth, when the Lord gives you an opportunity to get back on the right path, take it. Fifth, as the apostle Paul mentioned in the New Testament to believers who were planning to marry, do not be unequally yoked with an unbeliever. The reason, there will always be discord. Ahab and Jezebel are proof. She did not care to worship the one who put Ahab where he was which was also an indication of her level of respect for Ahab. There was none.

Don't Forfeit Safety and Peace

Proverbs 3:21

21My son, preserve sound judgement and discernment, do not let them out of your sight;

King Solomon talked about the benefits of God's wisdom. Most know Solomon as the wealthiest king of God's people in the Old Testament and that his wisdom from God brought him wealth. But Solomon talks about the other, more important benefits of God's wisdom. God's wisdom outweighs man's wisdom because the word says that the Lord's ways are higher than man's in Isaiah 55. Solomon talked of two common benefits that many overlook. First God's wisdom, discernment and judgement in your life keep you safe. When you listen to the Lord, He keeps you from stumbling and will move you into safety. How so? For example, the Lord tells you not to go somewhere and take a detour. You taking that detour may very well mean your own life has been preserved and keeps you from harm. Many take for granted when God says to not do something or to do an alternative. But it is better to heed the voice of the Lord's wisdom for your own protection. Secondly, King Solomon talks about following God's wisdom will allow you to sleep better at night further in chapter 3. Have you ever been worried? Jesus said worry does not add to your life but it takes it away. Worry keeps one from sleeping at night. But Solomon speaks of one who follows God's wisdom. Following God will allow you to be at peace and sleep. Decisions may be difficult but once you follow God's guidance, there will be a peace.

My pastor mentioned the song "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" a couple of weeks ago in reference to Jesus being a friend and the following line has echoed in my spirit, "oh what peace we often forfeit, oh what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.".  It's not just carrying it to God but it's to follow the answer to the prayer if you wait for it. His wisdom will give you peace once you carry out what He says and you will have safety. Even if it doesn't look like it to man, the Lord has your back.

Run With the Vision

Philippians 4:13

13I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

It is a very popular and well spoken scripture which is now used as a cliche. The apostle Paul was telling the church in Philippi how he was able to get through both good circumstances and not so good circumstances. He said Christ provides the strength. God has been speaking to me on this scripture with yet another revelation. Though the scripture is quoted often, many do not fully believe that Christ gives them the strength to do anything.

For example, having an idea. Many do not believe they have the strength in Jesus to carry out an idea. So instead of carrying it out, they let it die or fall by the waste side of life and settle for whatever is handed to them. Did you know that by doing so you are not displaying that you are operating in the strength Christ has given you? Here's another way to view it.

When you have an idea it is a vision from God. When God gives you a vision He expects you to use it. So if God the Father provides the vision and God the Son provides the strength, then God the Holy Spirit provides the guidance on how to move forward with it. Each member of the Holy Trinity has a stake in you. So glorifying each member of the Holy Trinity by running with a vision shows others who God is and that if you can do it with them backing you, so can someone else with what the Trinity has provided them. Sure you may have bumps in the road, people may even erroneously think that you are moving in the wrong direction because you're not doing what everyone else is doing. God knows what He gave you and why He gave it to you. Don't worry about anyone else when the Holy Trinity has your back.

Run with the vision because Christ gives you strength.

P.S. Remember to check out my girl Stubbs on the Leap of Faith Show Mon-Fri from 10am-12pm on www.leapoffaithshow.com and listen for the Get Your JOY In The Morning segment!