Proverbs 1:32
32For the waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them.
Most
people like some level of safety and security. It's natural to do so.
The first taste of security we ever experienced was at the hand of our
parents, hopefully. But too many of us get complacent. When God is ready
to move, many of us want to stay put. When God is ready to move, many
of us think, "I got this God. I don't need your direction." But our
loving Father, is a parent. He's our daddy. And when He says it's time
to shake things up, we have to just hold on to His hand while the ground
underneath our feet "looks" like it's disappearing. What most don't
realize is, in that moment, God wants us to fly. What if you're not
ready you say? When the baby birds are in the nest the mother feeds them
for a while. But soon she pushes them out the nest so they can learn.
Sometimes we don't learn until we are pushed. The more we want to be
complacent the more the ground beneath our feet will give way. Not
wanting to fly when God says it's time is not only disobedient to Him,
but He may be pushing us in a different direction because something is
going to happen where we currently stand and He wants to keep us from
crumbling. Check your wing gear, it may be time to fly.
P.S. Remember to check out my man V of the Artist to Artist Show on www.Qliveone.com!
Friday, February 22, 2013
Thursday, February 21, 2013
You Can't Take It With You
Ecclesiastes 5:15
15Naked a man comes from his mother's womb, and as he comes, so he departs. He takes nothing from his labor that he can carry in his hand.
The richest and wisest man known in the Old Testament was King Solomon. King Solomon had wealth beyond measure and wisdom from God that could not compare. As one so wealthy and wise, he said you can't take anything with you when you die. He talks of how more wealth brings more anxiety. Not sure if that anxiety is from fearing loss or those around are not true. But in any case, King Solomon talks of how it is good to find some satisfaction in what one obtains. That one ought to be happy in their work from which their wealth has been obtained. It is a gift from God. But what happens when one no longer finds satisfaction in what they do? No matter what, you can't take it with you. King Solomon's point is that only in God can one be satisfied even with their wealth. Only in God can one take pleasure. What is it to obtain all the wealth in the world yet still be unhappy and sad? You only get one life. No matter what you obtain, you can't take it with you. So better to be happy and love doing what you are doing so that when you do spend what you have obtained and you do take your last breath, you are doing so with a smile.
P.S. A huge thank you to Stubbs and her co-host DJ Wyitt for having me as a guest co-host on the Leap of Faith Show live at www.leapoffaithshow.com this past Monday! We had an awesome time talking, laughing and enjoying the Spirit of the Lord who made himself present!
15Naked a man comes from his mother's womb, and as he comes, so he departs. He takes nothing from his labor that he can carry in his hand.
The richest and wisest man known in the Old Testament was King Solomon. King Solomon had wealth beyond measure and wisdom from God that could not compare. As one so wealthy and wise, he said you can't take anything with you when you die. He talks of how more wealth brings more anxiety. Not sure if that anxiety is from fearing loss or those around are not true. But in any case, King Solomon talks of how it is good to find some satisfaction in what one obtains. That one ought to be happy in their work from which their wealth has been obtained. It is a gift from God. But what happens when one no longer finds satisfaction in what they do? No matter what, you can't take it with you. King Solomon's point is that only in God can one be satisfied even with their wealth. Only in God can one take pleasure. What is it to obtain all the wealth in the world yet still be unhappy and sad? You only get one life. No matter what you obtain, you can't take it with you. So better to be happy and love doing what you are doing so that when you do spend what you have obtained and you do take your last breath, you are doing so with a smile.
P.S. A huge thank you to Stubbs and her co-host DJ Wyitt for having me as a guest co-host on the Leap of Faith Show live at www.leapoffaithshow.com this past Monday! We had an awesome time talking, laughing and enjoying the Spirit of the Lord who made himself present!
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Do Not Be Afraid
Ezekiel 2:6
6And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or terrified by them, thought they are a rebellious house.
In one sentence God tells the prophet Ezekiel three times to not be afraid. God had called Ezekiel to speak on His behalf to the people of Israel. Israel was rebellious. But God said speak anyway. Israel would not listen, but God said speak anyway. The reason God told Ezekiel to speak anyway was because when He was ready to hand down the punishment they were warned about, they cannot say they did not know. The people of Israel could not claim ignorance.
What Some do not understand or know is that it takes a great deal of courage to say or write what God says to do so. We talked about this on the radio yesterday but it's been looming on my heart. It is difficult to share what God says to share. It takes a lot of courage because as humans, we do not like rejection. We do not want to be scorned for our words. Yet, when God says to speak, we must speak. When God says to write, we must write. When it is pressing on us til we cannot breathe, it must be said. Have you ever been afraid to tell someone the truth? Have you ever been afraid to say what was on your heart to say? Do you know that if God laid it on your heart, then it needs to be said at the time He has specified? If it is not accepted, God will make a way so that at the proper time it will be. If it is ignored, God will set things in motion so that at some point, it can no longer be ignored.
Do not be afraid. God is greater than what any man can say or do on earth. God ordains your steps, your waking up, your ability to breathe. As the word says, man withers like the grass. No one can outdo God. Do not be afraid.
6And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or terrified by them, thought they are a rebellious house.
In one sentence God tells the prophet Ezekiel three times to not be afraid. God had called Ezekiel to speak on His behalf to the people of Israel. Israel was rebellious. But God said speak anyway. Israel would not listen, but God said speak anyway. The reason God told Ezekiel to speak anyway was because when He was ready to hand down the punishment they were warned about, they cannot say they did not know. The people of Israel could not claim ignorance.
What Some do not understand or know is that it takes a great deal of courage to say or write what God says to do so. We talked about this on the radio yesterday but it's been looming on my heart. It is difficult to share what God says to share. It takes a lot of courage because as humans, we do not like rejection. We do not want to be scorned for our words. Yet, when God says to speak, we must speak. When God says to write, we must write. When it is pressing on us til we cannot breathe, it must be said. Have you ever been afraid to tell someone the truth? Have you ever been afraid to say what was on your heart to say? Do you know that if God laid it on your heart, then it needs to be said at the time He has specified? If it is not accepted, God will make a way so that at the proper time it will be. If it is ignored, God will set things in motion so that at some point, it can no longer be ignored.
Do not be afraid. God is greater than what any man can say or do on earth. God ordains your steps, your waking up, your ability to breathe. As the word says, man withers like the grass. No one can outdo God. Do not be afraid.
Monday, February 18, 2013
Loving Much
Luke 7:47
47"Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven-for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."
Jesus praised the woman who came into the house and kissed his feet, worshiped Him and cried tears of gratefulness. She showed Jesus how much she loved Him. Yet the man whose house Jesus was a guest in did not even give Him a drink of water nor did he offer Jesus any sign of love. It was as if Jesus needed to be grateful that He was invited, yet He is the Savior. When you love someone truly and deeply, it will show. It will show in how you treat them. So Jesus compared the acts of the woman to those of the host. As the NIV Bible states, "the woman's love was evidence of her forgiveness but not the basis for it. She was saved by faith." She believed in Jesus and her belief caused her to love Him deeply. And Jesus did tell her that her sins were forgiven. We make mistakes in life and make wrong choices whether it was because we did not have all the information, refused to see the information or were just out right disobedient. In any case, Jesus still loves us. His love was already proven when He allowed the nails to pierce His body. The bigger the mistake the more we are willing to show Jesus love once we have confessed it because it's only through love that we could ever be forgiven and it is only by faith that we could ever confess our wrong. Knowing that any wrong, no matter how big, has been forgiven ought to cause one to love much like the woman Jesus praised.
P.S. Remember to tune into the Leap of Faith Show today, Monday, February 18th with my girl Stubbs on www.leapoffaithshow.com and I will join her live in the studio at 10:30am! Go to www.leapoffaithshow.com and click Listen Live! Blow up her phone lines as we would love to hear from you!
47"Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven-for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little."
Jesus praised the woman who came into the house and kissed his feet, worshiped Him and cried tears of gratefulness. She showed Jesus how much she loved Him. Yet the man whose house Jesus was a guest in did not even give Him a drink of water nor did he offer Jesus any sign of love. It was as if Jesus needed to be grateful that He was invited, yet He is the Savior. When you love someone truly and deeply, it will show. It will show in how you treat them. So Jesus compared the acts of the woman to those of the host. As the NIV Bible states, "the woman's love was evidence of her forgiveness but not the basis for it. She was saved by faith." She believed in Jesus and her belief caused her to love Him deeply. And Jesus did tell her that her sins were forgiven. We make mistakes in life and make wrong choices whether it was because we did not have all the information, refused to see the information or were just out right disobedient. In any case, Jesus still loves us. His love was already proven when He allowed the nails to pierce His body. The bigger the mistake the more we are willing to show Jesus love once we have confessed it because it's only through love that we could ever be forgiven and it is only by faith that we could ever confess our wrong. Knowing that any wrong, no matter how big, has been forgiven ought to cause one to love much like the woman Jesus praised.
P.S. Remember to tune into the Leap of Faith Show today, Monday, February 18th with my girl Stubbs on www.leapoffaithshow.com and I will join her live in the studio at 10:30am! Go to www.leapoffaithshow.com and click Listen Live! Blow up her phone lines as we would love to hear from you!
Friday, February 15, 2013
The Potter's Hands
Isaiah 64:8
8Yet, O Lord, you are our Father we are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.
The prophet Isaiah talks of how awesome God is but how we often fall because of our sin. We turn away. Yet God is still our Father. Have you ever watched a clay potter spinning the wheel with the clay? Have you ever watched how the clay molds gently to the potter's hands? With one motion the clay can change direction. That is what Our God does with us. When we fail, it only takes one motion and He can change our direction. One motion and our perspective can change. God is the one who does the molding, we bend to Him. When the clay gets rough on the wheel, the potter can add water to soften it up. Our water is the Living Word. His name is Jesus. When God adds Him to the mix we bend to His motion easier.
P.S. We are in the season of Lent. The forty days until the resurrection of Christ. Jesus willingly went to the cross. His mission was love. In what way will you show love to Jesus?
8Yet, O Lord, you are our Father we are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.
The prophet Isaiah talks of how awesome God is but how we often fall because of our sin. We turn away. Yet God is still our Father. Have you ever watched a clay potter spinning the wheel with the clay? Have you ever watched how the clay molds gently to the potter's hands? With one motion the clay can change direction. That is what Our God does with us. When we fail, it only takes one motion and He can change our direction. One motion and our perspective can change. God is the one who does the molding, we bend to Him. When the clay gets rough on the wheel, the potter can add water to soften it up. Our water is the Living Word. His name is Jesus. When God adds Him to the mix we bend to His motion easier.
P.S. We are in the season of Lent. The forty days until the resurrection of Christ. Jesus willingly went to the cross. His mission was love. In what way will you show love to Jesus?
Thursday, February 14, 2013
One Final Act
1John 4:7
7Dear friends, let us love one another for love comes from God.
This is part of the scripture that was preached from on Sunday. I want to tell each and every one of you that I love you because God loves you. I may not know you but that doesn't matter. God's love allows strangers to show care and kindness to one another. I know today is Valentine's Day but every day is about love whether commercialized or not.
Yesterday on my commute like many into DC, was inconvenienced because a man jumped in front a train on Metro during Rush Hour. I prayed that he would survive and would come to know God's love as I had relative who was once on a train on the same line that hit a man who did survive. It wasn't the case. The man who jumped died. I prayed for his troubled soul. Most of the jumpers who jump on Metro do it during Rush Hour. They feel as if no one knows them but the one final act will cause them to be noticed, missed and maybe even loved. I am saying this because there are many people who are not aware that God loves them so much and whatever they are facing God will bring them through. I do know life can be difficult but once I understood that God truly loves me and that I have value to Him, my perspective changed.
Suicide is a very real issue no matter what a person's background. I lost an aunt that way in 2007. She kept saying she was going to do it and no one believed her. On my train ride from Philly I suddenly thought about one of my aunts and placed a phone call to inquire about them. I was then told another family member was thinking of them and a phone call was placed. One aunt was worried about another because she had not heard from her. My cousin was sent to check on her and she found her mother dead with the pictures of family surrounding her. We were all devastated. When someone says such a thing, please be concerned and don't just let them go under the radar. It's their cry for help.
As you go through this day, don't love because it's commercialized. Love because you really actually love and you know that God is love. God's love is beyond the romantic.
7Dear friends, let us love one another for love comes from God.
This is part of the scripture that was preached from on Sunday. I want to tell each and every one of you that I love you because God loves you. I may not know you but that doesn't matter. God's love allows strangers to show care and kindness to one another. I know today is Valentine's Day but every day is about love whether commercialized or not.
Yesterday on my commute like many into DC, was inconvenienced because a man jumped in front a train on Metro during Rush Hour. I prayed that he would survive and would come to know God's love as I had relative who was once on a train on the same line that hit a man who did survive. It wasn't the case. The man who jumped died. I prayed for his troubled soul. Most of the jumpers who jump on Metro do it during Rush Hour. They feel as if no one knows them but the one final act will cause them to be noticed, missed and maybe even loved. I am saying this because there are many people who are not aware that God loves them so much and whatever they are facing God will bring them through. I do know life can be difficult but once I understood that God truly loves me and that I have value to Him, my perspective changed.
Suicide is a very real issue no matter what a person's background. I lost an aunt that way in 2007. She kept saying she was going to do it and no one believed her. On my train ride from Philly I suddenly thought about one of my aunts and placed a phone call to inquire about them. I was then told another family member was thinking of them and a phone call was placed. One aunt was worried about another because she had not heard from her. My cousin was sent to check on her and she found her mother dead with the pictures of family surrounding her. We were all devastated. When someone says such a thing, please be concerned and don't just let them go under the radar. It's their cry for help.
As you go through this day, don't love because it's commercialized. Love because you really actually love and you know that God is love. God's love is beyond the romantic.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
He Will Answer You Too
Psalm 99:6
6Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel was among those who called on his name; they called on the Lord and he answered him.
Moses, Aaron and Samuel were awesome in the eyes of God but so are you. Many people do not understand that Jesus came to reconcile us back to God our Father. Jesus came so that we could have our own direct relationship with God. Yes, Jesus died for the remission of our sins and rose again so that those who believe Him would not suffer a final death but would have everlasting life. So why then do so many think they can't call out to God on their own? Whether it is privately or publicly in prayer, Jesus came so we could have our own relationship with God. God loves you! He loves you because you are His creation. We were created in His image as it is stated in Genesis. So just as we look like our earthly parents, God looks at us and sees a bunch of "mini me's" so of course He loves us. God wanted so badly to have a relationship with each and every person directly that He gave up His only begotten Son so each of us could talk with Him. That's deep! So you don't have to wait on pastoral staff, the clergy, the deacons, etc to call out on the name of the Lord. Just open your mouth. He hears you and if you stand still enough, He will answer you too.
P.S. Monday, February 18th I will be on the Leap of Faith Show with my girl Stubbs live! Check out this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?
6Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel was among those who called on his name; they called on the Lord and he answered him.
Moses, Aaron and Samuel were awesome in the eyes of God but so are you. Many people do not understand that Jesus came to reconcile us back to God our Father. Jesus came so that we could have our own direct relationship with God. Yes, Jesus died for the remission of our sins and rose again so that those who believe Him would not suffer a final death but would have everlasting life. So why then do so many think they can't call out to God on their own? Whether it is privately or publicly in prayer, Jesus came so we could have our own relationship with God. God loves you! He loves you because you are His creation. We were created in His image as it is stated in Genesis. So just as we look like our earthly parents, God looks at us and sees a bunch of "mini me's" so of course He loves us. God wanted so badly to have a relationship with each and every person directly that He gave up His only begotten Son so each of us could talk with Him. That's deep! So you don't have to wait on pastoral staff, the clergy, the deacons, etc to call out on the name of the Lord. Just open your mouth. He hears you and if you stand still enough, He will answer you too.
P.S. Monday, February 18th I will be on the Leap of Faith Show with my girl Stubbs live! Check out this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?
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