You ever find yourself driving and while you're driving, you realize that you are heading in the wrong direction and once that realization occurs, you first yell at yourself, lol, and you find a way to turn around and you turn around and head in the correct direction. You don't waste any time once you realize its the wrong road and you either turn around or you find a way to get back into the correct direction.
It's crazy because sometimes you may be driving somewhere, but because you are so accustomed to go home and take a certain exit, you subconsciously take that exit and realize that you are going home, rather than the place you were supposed to go, lol, come on, everyone has probably done that. We then yell at ourselves again, turn around and go to the place we were supposed to go.
As this thought entered, I began wondering, we are so quick to turn around when we know we are headed in the wrong direction and find a way to get to where we know we should be going when we're driving, but why don't we do the same when we're walking?
Well, you might say, when I walk I turn around, but what I mean is, why don't we turn around and head the right direction when we know we are headed down the wrong road in life. So many of us know how we should be walking in Christ, we realize that we are not headed in the right direction, but we can't seem to derail ourselves, like we do when we are driving, to start heading back in the right direction. It's almost like the taking the exit home, we have become so accustomed to living our lives according to how we live, that we just continue going on the wrong road without realizing it, but when we do, we hesitate to turn around.
Don't you see, in this world, it is easy for us to turn around to please ourselves, but almost impossible to turn around to please the Lord. We will continue to head in the wrong direction, becoming even more lost and more lost and more lost to the point where we end up lonely in a desert somewhere and don't even realize how we got there.
Brothers and sisters, this is why we NEED Jesus Christ, He is the only One who can give us the strength to turn around, He is the only One who can guide us in the right direction, He is the only One who can give us the courage and boldness to stand up and shift ourselves in the right direction, He is the only One who is willing to take the wheel when we are driving so fast on a road that is headed for the cliffs.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
A Letter From Hell
Some of ya'll might've read this already, if you have read it again, if you haven't, READ IT!!
A Letter From Hell
One day a woman named Louise fell asleep in her bed, and dreamed a very fitful dream. She dreamed that someone in Hell wrote a letter to her, and it was to be delivered to her by a messenger. The messenger passed between the lakes of burning fire and brimstone that occupies Hell, and found his way to the door that would lead him to the outside world. Louise dreamed that the messenger walked to her house, came inside, and gently but firmly woke Louise up. He gave her the message, saying only that a friend had written it to her from Hell. Louise, in her dream, with trembling hands took the letter and read:
My Friend,
I stand in Judgment now,
And feel that you're to blame somehow.
On earth, I walked with you day by day,
And never did you point the way.
You knew the Lord in truth and glory,
But never did you tell the story.
My knowledge then was very dim;
You could have led me safe to Him.
Though we lived together on the earth,
you never told me of the second birth,
and now I stand this day condemned,
Because you failed to mention Him.
You taught me many things, that's true,
I called you "friend" and trusted you,
But I learn now that it's too late,
You could have kept me from this fate.
We walked by day and talked by night,
And yet you showed me not the Light.
You let me live, and love, and die,
You knew I'd never live on high.
Yes, I called you a "friend" in life,
And trusted you through joy and strife.
And yet on coming to the end,
I cannot, now, call you "My Friend."
Marsha
After reading the letter, Louise awoke. The dream was still so real in her mind and sweat dropped from her body in pools. She swore she could still smell the acrid smell of brimstone and smoke from her room. As she contemplated the meaning of her dream, she realized that as a Christian, she has failed in her duty to "go out to all the world and preach the gospel."
As she thought of that, she promised herself that the next day, she would call Marsha and invite her to church with her. The next morning she called Marsha and this was the conversation:
Yes, Bill, Is Marsha there?
Louise, you don't know?
No, Bill, know what?
Marsha WAS KILLED LAST NIGHT IN A CAR ACCIDENT.
I thought you had known.
Fellow Christian, is this your testimony? Are you witnessing to your friends that you are with everyday? Or will there be a friend of yours in hell, asking you why you did not tell them about JESUS?
Fam, let's preach the gospel to everyone we know. In every opportunity we have, find a way to slip it in, slip it in, so that you may begin to implant a seed in their heart.
I am offering to give you the EP free if you think it may help a lost friend or bring those you know closer to Christ or even yourself. If so, feel free to email me at forgivenmuzic@gmail.com. I hope that this may help you reach out to your friends and/or loved ones.
If you are willing to post this banner on your sites to help spread the word for the ministry, I will include it on the email.
May His name be glorified! Let's unify the body of Christ!
In Christ's Love,
CL
A Letter From Hell
One day a woman named Louise fell asleep in her bed, and dreamed a very fitful dream. She dreamed that someone in Hell wrote a letter to her, and it was to be delivered to her by a messenger. The messenger passed between the lakes of burning fire and brimstone that occupies Hell, and found his way to the door that would lead him to the outside world. Louise dreamed that the messenger walked to her house, came inside, and gently but firmly woke Louise up. He gave her the message, saying only that a friend had written it to her from Hell. Louise, in her dream, with trembling hands took the letter and read:
My Friend,
I stand in Judgment now,
And feel that you're to blame somehow.
On earth, I walked with you day by day,
And never did you point the way.
You knew the Lord in truth and glory,
But never did you tell the story.
My knowledge then was very dim;
You could have led me safe to Him.
Though we lived together on the earth,
you never told me of the second birth,
and now I stand this day condemned,
Because you failed to mention Him.
You taught me many things, that's true,
I called you "friend" and trusted you,
But I learn now that it's too late,
You could have kept me from this fate.
We walked by day and talked by night,
And yet you showed me not the Light.
You let me live, and love, and die,
You knew I'd never live on high.
Yes, I called you a "friend" in life,
And trusted you through joy and strife.
And yet on coming to the end,
I cannot, now, call you "My Friend."
Marsha
After reading the letter, Louise awoke. The dream was still so real in her mind and sweat dropped from her body in pools. She swore she could still smell the acrid smell of brimstone and smoke from her room. As she contemplated the meaning of her dream, she realized that as a Christian, she has failed in her duty to "go out to all the world and preach the gospel."
As she thought of that, she promised herself that the next day, she would call Marsha and invite her to church with her. The next morning she called Marsha and this was the conversation:
Yes, Bill, Is Marsha there?
Louise, you don't know?
No, Bill, know what?
Marsha WAS KILLED LAST NIGHT IN A CAR ACCIDENT.
I thought you had known.
Fellow Christian, is this your testimony? Are you witnessing to your friends that you are with everyday? Or will there be a friend of yours in hell, asking you why you did not tell them about JESUS?
Fam, let's preach the gospel to everyone we know. In every opportunity we have, find a way to slip it in, slip it in, so that you may begin to implant a seed in their heart.
I am offering to give you the EP free if you think it may help a lost friend or bring those you know closer to Christ or even yourself. If so, feel free to email me at forgivenmuzic@gmail.com. I hope that this may help you reach out to your friends and/or loved ones.
If you are willing to post this banner on your sites to help spread the word for the ministry, I will include it on the email.
May His name be glorified! Let's unify the body of Christ!
In Christ's Love,
CL
Thursday, June 4, 2009
From Darkness to Light EP is now available!
Whats good fam!
By God's grace, the 5 track EP to my debut album From Darkness to Light is now avilable for download! Please check it out at: forgivenmuzic.com
You can also preview/download individual tracks!
It has been a long time waiting and I pray that this music may awaken and revive the hearts of those who listen. None of this is done on my own, but it is God who has enabled and allowed me to spread His word through music, so may all glory be to God!
I hope for your support and also, if you are willing to help spread the word, here are some codes that you can post on your sites to help promote the EP:
Flash Banner (This is tight, designed by Will (geoill.com)
EP Graphic (Still image)
Thank you for your support and I pray that the music will bless you!
In Christ,
CL
By God's grace, the 5 track EP to my debut album From Darkness to Light is now avilable for download! Please check it out at: forgivenmuzic.com
You can also preview/download individual tracks!
It has been a long time waiting and I pray that this music may awaken and revive the hearts of those who listen. None of this is done on my own, but it is God who has enabled and allowed me to spread His word through music, so may all glory be to God!
I hope for your support and also, if you are willing to help spread the word, here are some codes that you can post on your sites to help promote the EP:
Flash Banner (This is tight, designed by Will (geoill.com)
EP Graphic (Still image)
Thank you for your support and I pray that the music will bless you!
In Christ,
CL
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Selfish and Selfless (Hell and Heaven)
Just sharing this with you pas it on!!!
A holy man was having a conversation with the Lord one day and said,
'Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like.'
The Lord led the holy man to two doors.
He opened one of the doors and the holy man looked in.
In the middle of the room was a large round table..
In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew,
which smelled delicious and made the holy man's mouth water.
The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly.
They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles that were strapped to their
arms and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful.
But because the handle was longer than their arms,
they could not get the spoons back into their mouths..
The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering.
The Lord said, 'You have seen Hell. They went to the next room and opened the door.
It was exactly the same as the first one.
There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the holy man's mouth water.
The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and
plump, laughing and talking.
The holy man said, 'I don't understand.
'It is simple,' said the Lord. 'It requires but one skill..
You see, they have learned to feed each other.
The greedy think only of themselves..'
When Jesus died on the cross, he was thinking of you.
A holy man was having a conversation with the Lord one day and said,
'Lord, I would like to know what Heaven and Hell are like.'
The Lord led the holy man to two doors.
He opened one of the doors and the holy man looked in.
In the middle of the room was a large round table..
In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew,
which smelled delicious and made the holy man's mouth water.
The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly.
They appeared to be famished. They were holding spoons with very long handles that were strapped to their
arms and each found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful.
But because the handle was longer than their arms,
they could not get the spoons back into their mouths..
The holy man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering.
The Lord said, 'You have seen Hell. They went to the next room and opened the door.
It was exactly the same as the first one.
There was the large round table with the large pot of stew which made the holy man's mouth water.
The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and
plump, laughing and talking.
The holy man said, 'I don't understand.
'It is simple,' said the Lord. 'It requires but one skill..
You see, they have learned to feed each other.
The greedy think only of themselves..'
When Jesus died on the cross, he was thinking of you.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Christian Persecution
PLEASE READ ALL!!
The Worst of the Worst
The brutality against Orissa Christians spawned by Hindu fundamentalists was unflinchingly complete. Homes were burned. Churches were destroyed. People were killed. The entire Digal family fled their small village in the Kandhalmal district to the slums of the state's capital. All eight members were forced to live in a one-room, wooden shack.
On Sept. 20, 2008, Pastor Digal left his family in the makeshift shelter they had carved out for themselves. Over their objections he went to their home village to check on their house and livestock.
Pastor Digal was traveling on a local bus to his destroyed home when it was stopped by 18 Hindu radicals. What happened next was a horror unimaginable.
The radicals dragged Pastor Digal off the crowded, dusty bus. They ignored the sickening crunch of bone as both his legs broke. They proceeded to torture him, demanding that he return to Hinduism.
"I am a strong believer in Jesus Christ," Pastor Digal said. "You may kill me but I will never become Hindu."
The 18 men began to beat Pastor Digal. They tied his hands and legs. Witnesses watched as they stripped him of his clothes leaving nothing but a shirt. They burned his face and tortured him in unspeakable ways. Then they dumped this limp body in a creek where it floated for days.
"We Never Got Angry"
Fourteen days later, after frantically calling around Orissa trying to find his father, Rajendra saw his mother on a local television broadcast. She held a black and white photo of his father. He was dead, killed by radical Hindus because he was a Christian. Even though she lost her husband Karpul says "we never got angry after hearing about the news about my husband's killing."
Her son agrees. "I do not carry anger towards them because my Jesus was once also killed on the cross for all mankind, for the entire sinful world," Rajendra said. "My father dedicated his life for my village for people who still did not know Christ. I think for my village, my father also was killed. And by the sacrifice of his own life, they may know Jesus Christ and accept him as their only Lord and personal savior. "
The Digals were one of the hundreds of people helped by VOM ministry partners, thanks to our readers. They received help with relocation, food and other basic necessities. But the aftermath of the horrific violence in Orissa has left tens of thousands of Indian Christians without homes, jobs or stability. In January the government closed the relief camps in Orissa leaving thousands homeless and without protection. Even with the uncertainty, Orissa Christians say they are strengthened by the prayers and love of Christians all over the world. Your love allows them to remain bold for Christ.
"We strongly believe that Christians all over the world are praying for us," says Rajendra. "We are also praying for all of them. (Praying) that everyone should stand firm for witnessing for Jesus throughout their life."
These days every where in India we find such people in villages even carrying weapons. They say that they are fighting for Hindu (India) nation. They say be proud to be Hindu. Few years ago such people collapsed a historical Maszid in Ayodhya. Killed hundreds and destroyed thousands of churches, houses, shops and maszids (Mosques) in Gujarath. In a place called Godra they pierced the wombs of Christian & Muslim pregnant women. Killed thousands of people in India in the recent past in all the states. Now we donthave religious freedom in India. People say its democratic country but people who line here know because we are experiencing. Last year hundreads were killed in Orissa. thousands of houses were destroyed in Orissa.
There are so many more stories that could be shared, not only just in India, but in China, Iran, and many more places.
If you want to read more about what is going on, check out: www.persecution.com
Brothers and sisters, we must pray for those who are dying for the gospel. We have it so easy here, where everyday we wake up and decide what we are going to do, what we are going to wear, what we are going to eat, when there are people who when they wake up are thinking will I die today, where will I hide, will I be tortured, burned or killed??
Remember, we are one body in Christ and there are parts of our bodies that are dying. God ultimately has His will and those who suffer persecution for His name's sake inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, but we should not forget to pray for those who need strength, comfort, courage and so much more.
Please always keep those who are suffering for the gospel in your prayers DAILY!
http://www.persecution.in/christians_orissa_news
Please keep your brothers and sisters who are suffering and dying in your prayers!
In Christ's Love,
CL
The Worst of the Worst
The brutality against Orissa Christians spawned by Hindu fundamentalists was unflinchingly complete. Homes were burned. Churches were destroyed. People were killed. The entire Digal family fled their small village in the Kandhalmal district to the slums of the state's capital. All eight members were forced to live in a one-room, wooden shack.
On Sept. 20, 2008, Pastor Digal left his family in the makeshift shelter they had carved out for themselves. Over their objections he went to their home village to check on their house and livestock.
Pastor Digal was traveling on a local bus to his destroyed home when it was stopped by 18 Hindu radicals. What happened next was a horror unimaginable.
The radicals dragged Pastor Digal off the crowded, dusty bus. They ignored the sickening crunch of bone as both his legs broke. They proceeded to torture him, demanding that he return to Hinduism.
"I am a strong believer in Jesus Christ," Pastor Digal said. "You may kill me but I will never become Hindu."
The 18 men began to beat Pastor Digal. They tied his hands and legs. Witnesses watched as they stripped him of his clothes leaving nothing but a shirt. They burned his face and tortured him in unspeakable ways. Then they dumped this limp body in a creek where it floated for days.
"We Never Got Angry"
Fourteen days later, after frantically calling around Orissa trying to find his father, Rajendra saw his mother on a local television broadcast. She held a black and white photo of his father. He was dead, killed by radical Hindus because he was a Christian. Even though she lost her husband Karpul says "we never got angry after hearing about the news about my husband's killing."
Her son agrees. "I do not carry anger towards them because my Jesus was once also killed on the cross for all mankind, for the entire sinful world," Rajendra said. "My father dedicated his life for my village for people who still did not know Christ. I think for my village, my father also was killed. And by the sacrifice of his own life, they may know Jesus Christ and accept him as their only Lord and personal savior. "
The Digals were one of the hundreds of people helped by VOM ministry partners, thanks to our readers. They received help with relocation, food and other basic necessities. But the aftermath of the horrific violence in Orissa has left tens of thousands of Indian Christians without homes, jobs or stability. In January the government closed the relief camps in Orissa leaving thousands homeless and without protection. Even with the uncertainty, Orissa Christians say they are strengthened by the prayers and love of Christians all over the world. Your love allows them to remain bold for Christ.
"We strongly believe that Christians all over the world are praying for us," says Rajendra. "We are also praying for all of them. (Praying) that everyone should stand firm for witnessing for Jesus throughout their life."
These days every where in India we find such people in villages even carrying weapons. They say that they are fighting for Hindu (India) nation. They say be proud to be Hindu. Few years ago such people collapsed a historical Maszid in Ayodhya. Killed hundreds and destroyed thousands of churches, houses, shops and maszids (Mosques) in Gujarath. In a place called Godra they pierced the wombs of Christian & Muslim pregnant women. Killed thousands of people in India in the recent past in all the states. Now we donthave religious freedom in India. People say its democratic country but people who line here know because we are experiencing. Last year hundreads were killed in Orissa. thousands of houses were destroyed in Orissa.
There are so many more stories that could be shared, not only just in India, but in China, Iran, and many more places.
If you want to read more about what is going on, check out: www.persecution.com
Brothers and sisters, we must pray for those who are dying for the gospel. We have it so easy here, where everyday we wake up and decide what we are going to do, what we are going to wear, what we are going to eat, when there are people who when they wake up are thinking will I die today, where will I hide, will I be tortured, burned or killed??
Remember, we are one body in Christ and there are parts of our bodies that are dying. God ultimately has His will and those who suffer persecution for His name's sake inherit the Kingdom of Heaven, but we should not forget to pray for those who need strength, comfort, courage and so much more.
Please always keep those who are suffering for the gospel in your prayers DAILY!
http://www.persecution.in/christians_orissa_news
Please keep your brothers and sisters who are suffering and dying in your prayers!
In Christ's Love,
CL
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Knowing or Living?
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Those who listen to the word but do not do what it says are like people who look at their faces in a mirror and, after looking at themselves, go away and immediately forget what they look like.
-James 1:22-24
We all have heard the bible stories and the teachings that Jesus did, but are we truly applying them to our lives?
I hear so much about how people accept Jesus Christ into their lives and coming to church on Sunday and Wednesdays is good enough for their Christian walk with Christ? Is that how He truly wants us to live, to just accept Him and come to church twice a week, giving praise and offering and then going home and living our worldy lives?
WAKE UP!! Church is the house of God, where we come for refreshment, revival, refueling and what we learn in church is what we should be applying to our everyday lives when we are out of church, but it seems that that concept has been forgotten. We think being a part of the church and serving at church is doing good, but its easy to be churchy at church around religious people, but are you the same way at work, school, around your friends, by yourself??
I see many youth jumpin up and down during praise and worship songs, are you jumpin up and down for Christ when you leave church? I see adults being courteous, helping, encouraging to others at church, are you treating others at your work place the same? Think about how you are at church and how you are out of church, are you the same person?
Knowing God's word, we all know God's word. I like what James says in Chapter 2:19 "You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder." We all know God exists, even the demons believe that and what, SHUDDER, but do you even fear God? Its possible the demons even know what God teaches, how else would they know how to attack you and try to draw you in, even the demons might know His words, knowing God's word and living God's word are 2 completely different things!
Its like saying, we all say this at times, yea I know how to do that, yea I've done that before, but does that make you good at it? No, just like an NBA All-Star, they practice, practice, practice, applying the basic fundamentals and advanced fundamentals to increase their game which helps open up their talents in the sport which makes them exceed above the rest. Are we practicing, are we applying the basic fundamentals, are we reaching to an area where we can find our talents, the gifts that God gives us, to make us exceed in our spiritual lives?? For a lot of us, NO, because we get so discouraged if our prayers aren't answered, we get so discouraged because things aren't going the right way, we get distracted by the things around us, we get this and that this and that, EXCUSES EXCUSES EXCUSES!!
James 1:4 says, "Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." Don't you know God is building you up during these times??
2 Corinthians 12:9 says, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. But we don't boast in our weakness, we fall away and complain when it specifically says in Philippians 2:14-15, 14 "Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky." But we complain all the time, WHAT ARE WE DOING?? He says "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Are we paying attention to what He is saying??
Everything is in God's hands, why are we complaining, why are we falling away, why aren't we trusting in our Lord with all our hearts and constantly leaning on our own understandings?? That is not applying God's words to your life! I apologize if I'm coming off a little emotional with this, but it strikes my heart because after I lost everything and had nothing, I realized that this passage was true:
Ecclesiastes 7:29 "God created humankind upright, but they have gone in search of many schemes." As we are in constant search of success, career goals, finances, accomplishments, dreams, etc, we are slowly pulling away from God, don't you see. C.S. Lewis in the Screwtape Letters says that if a deck of cards can draw a man away from God, then murder is no better than that deck of cards and we all think murder is so horrible, yes it is, but the point here is that murder didnt draw this man away from God, his gambling problems did, that deck of cards drew his attention away from God and made him fall away. What is your deck of cards? What hand are you playing? Is your work, worries, stresses, frsutrations, challenges, struggles, obstacles, I could go on and on and on, are they pulling you away from God?
This is why it is so important to act upon His word because is provides us with the training we need to get through and endure all of these things. The journey with God is not for quick and swift, it is for the ones who can endure. I like the movie Coach Carter because its the 4th quarter, Richmond are the underdogs and they have come back to try and win the game against their rivalry, the best team in their division, and when given the last chance to win the game, Richmond shoots and misses the shot and they lose the game. They wanted to win the game so bad, but they lost, but at the end of the game Coach Carter shares with them that during this time, they have grown from boys to men, that the loss did not matter and it didnt. At the end, they stood proud because they knew for themselves they have grown away from their fears and what held them back and became men. This is how we need to be, at points in our life we work so hard to get to a certain point, but when we get close, things dont go the way we want them to turn out, but in reality they have gone exacly the way God planned for them to turn out because God's plan is for us to grow and mature through our hardest trying times, we are just too easily discouraged. Also, God is trying to constantly show us what His plan is, He is preparing our tables, but we are so blind to this fact. But, if we practice hard at His word, apply it to our lives, even through the hardest times, we can stand tall and say we have grown into great men and women of faith because we know that God has built us up during these times because He is always faithful and He never breaks His promises to us.
So, brothers and sisters, act upon His word, dont just merely listen and know, but live His word. It will prepare you for any battle in life and ultimately build your relationship with God. It will open your eyes and heart to what His will is for you. If we love God, we must obey His commands and in doing so, applying His words to our lives that is obeying isnt it, it will begin to open so many doors. David says in Psalm 37:4 "Delight yourselves in the Lord and He will give you the deisres of your heart." May God's word be your daily food that brings you spiritual nutrition. I hope that we all will continue to grow in His word by living it our each and everyday, so that we may be true followers of Christ and not be deceiving ourselves by thinking what we do now is good enough because remember, no matter what we do, we are still unworthy of His mercy and grace!
In Christ,
CL
-James 1:22-24
We all have heard the bible stories and the teachings that Jesus did, but are we truly applying them to our lives?
I hear so much about how people accept Jesus Christ into their lives and coming to church on Sunday and Wednesdays is good enough for their Christian walk with Christ? Is that how He truly wants us to live, to just accept Him and come to church twice a week, giving praise and offering and then going home and living our worldy lives?
WAKE UP!! Church is the house of God, where we come for refreshment, revival, refueling and what we learn in church is what we should be applying to our everyday lives when we are out of church, but it seems that that concept has been forgotten. We think being a part of the church and serving at church is doing good, but its easy to be churchy at church around religious people, but are you the same way at work, school, around your friends, by yourself??
I see many youth jumpin up and down during praise and worship songs, are you jumpin up and down for Christ when you leave church? I see adults being courteous, helping, encouraging to others at church, are you treating others at your work place the same? Think about how you are at church and how you are out of church, are you the same person?
Knowing God's word, we all know God's word. I like what James says in Chapter 2:19 "You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder." We all know God exists, even the demons believe that and what, SHUDDER, but do you even fear God? Its possible the demons even know what God teaches, how else would they know how to attack you and try to draw you in, even the demons might know His words, knowing God's word and living God's word are 2 completely different things!
Its like saying, we all say this at times, yea I know how to do that, yea I've done that before, but does that make you good at it? No, just like an NBA All-Star, they practice, practice, practice, applying the basic fundamentals and advanced fundamentals to increase their game which helps open up their talents in the sport which makes them exceed above the rest. Are we practicing, are we applying the basic fundamentals, are we reaching to an area where we can find our talents, the gifts that God gives us, to make us exceed in our spiritual lives?? For a lot of us, NO, because we get so discouraged if our prayers aren't answered, we get so discouraged because things aren't going the right way, we get distracted by the things around us, we get this and that this and that, EXCUSES EXCUSES EXCUSES!!
James 1:4 says, "Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." Don't you know God is building you up during these times??
2 Corinthians 12:9 says, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. But we don't boast in our weakness, we fall away and complain when it specifically says in Philippians 2:14-15, 14 "Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky." But we complain all the time, WHAT ARE WE DOING?? He says "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Are we paying attention to what He is saying??
Everything is in God's hands, why are we complaining, why are we falling away, why aren't we trusting in our Lord with all our hearts and constantly leaning on our own understandings?? That is not applying God's words to your life! I apologize if I'm coming off a little emotional with this, but it strikes my heart because after I lost everything and had nothing, I realized that this passage was true:
Ecclesiastes 7:29 "God created humankind upright, but they have gone in search of many schemes." As we are in constant search of success, career goals, finances, accomplishments, dreams, etc, we are slowly pulling away from God, don't you see. C.S. Lewis in the Screwtape Letters says that if a deck of cards can draw a man away from God, then murder is no better than that deck of cards and we all think murder is so horrible, yes it is, but the point here is that murder didnt draw this man away from God, his gambling problems did, that deck of cards drew his attention away from God and made him fall away. What is your deck of cards? What hand are you playing? Is your work, worries, stresses, frsutrations, challenges, struggles, obstacles, I could go on and on and on, are they pulling you away from God?
This is why it is so important to act upon His word because is provides us with the training we need to get through and endure all of these things. The journey with God is not for quick and swift, it is for the ones who can endure. I like the movie Coach Carter because its the 4th quarter, Richmond are the underdogs and they have come back to try and win the game against their rivalry, the best team in their division, and when given the last chance to win the game, Richmond shoots and misses the shot and they lose the game. They wanted to win the game so bad, but they lost, but at the end of the game Coach Carter shares with them that during this time, they have grown from boys to men, that the loss did not matter and it didnt. At the end, they stood proud because they knew for themselves they have grown away from their fears and what held them back and became men. This is how we need to be, at points in our life we work so hard to get to a certain point, but when we get close, things dont go the way we want them to turn out, but in reality they have gone exacly the way God planned for them to turn out because God's plan is for us to grow and mature through our hardest trying times, we are just too easily discouraged. Also, God is trying to constantly show us what His plan is, He is preparing our tables, but we are so blind to this fact. But, if we practice hard at His word, apply it to our lives, even through the hardest times, we can stand tall and say we have grown into great men and women of faith because we know that God has built us up during these times because He is always faithful and He never breaks His promises to us.
So, brothers and sisters, act upon His word, dont just merely listen and know, but live His word. It will prepare you for any battle in life and ultimately build your relationship with God. It will open your eyes and heart to what His will is for you. If we love God, we must obey His commands and in doing so, applying His words to our lives that is obeying isnt it, it will begin to open so many doors. David says in Psalm 37:4 "Delight yourselves in the Lord and He will give you the deisres of your heart." May God's word be your daily food that brings you spiritual nutrition. I hope that we all will continue to grow in His word by living it our each and everyday, so that we may be true followers of Christ and not be deceiving ourselves by thinking what we do now is good enough because remember, no matter what we do, we are still unworthy of His mercy and grace!
In Christ,
CL
Saturday, February 14, 2009
HELP, I'm Lost!
I speak to a lot of youth who just don't seem to know where they are going, am I on the right path, am I headed in the right direction, help, I'm just so lost!
DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED!!
Think about what we do when we are lost, we ask people around us, "excuse do you know where this and that is?" As we ask, people point us in a certain direction, which we have no idea where we are going, but since they know where they are going, they have been there before, we trust their guidance. Eventually, we end up at the place we were looking for, McDonalds, sike, I'm just playing, see it's not so bad.
But we find the place we were looking for, we followed blindly and went and ended up at our destination. In our spiritual walks, at times we feel lost or we feel like we don't know where to go, however, we have people to guide us, we have pastors, youth pastors, leaders, worship leaders, singers, older brothers, older sisters, people who have been there, people who live in Christ to guide us. If you feel lost, ask, just like Jesus taught in the book of Matthew, "seek and you will find." Seek that path and you will find what you are looking for, you might ask yourself, what path? The path that others will direct you to as you ask them for direction. If you are lost, you have so many people around you that can give you direction, but you must trust them. A lot of times we let what other people say go in one ear and out the other, but these people who live in Christ are there and have been through their own lost times, so pay attention to them.
As you ask, you will find direction and as you follow that direction you will find what you are looking for. You will find that relationship that you are looking for in God and as you develop your relationship with God, you will find answers to your questions, you will find everything that you are searching for! See, just as we follow the directions from those when we are lost, we follow blindly just as we should follow Him, faith is blind, as we follow blindly, He begins to open our eyes and HE will reveal Himself to us.
So, if you are lost in your walk, do not be discouraged, but be encouraged because at least you know that:
Because you are lost, you will be found!
In Christ,
CL
DO NOT BE DISCOURAGED!!
Think about what we do when we are lost, we ask people around us, "excuse do you know where this and that is?" As we ask, people point us in a certain direction, which we have no idea where we are going, but since they know where they are going, they have been there before, we trust their guidance. Eventually, we end up at the place we were looking for, McDonalds, sike, I'm just playing, see it's not so bad.
But we find the place we were looking for, we followed blindly and went and ended up at our destination. In our spiritual walks, at times we feel lost or we feel like we don't know where to go, however, we have people to guide us, we have pastors, youth pastors, leaders, worship leaders, singers, older brothers, older sisters, people who have been there, people who live in Christ to guide us. If you feel lost, ask, just like Jesus taught in the book of Matthew, "seek and you will find." Seek that path and you will find what you are looking for, you might ask yourself, what path? The path that others will direct you to as you ask them for direction. If you are lost, you have so many people around you that can give you direction, but you must trust them. A lot of times we let what other people say go in one ear and out the other, but these people who live in Christ are there and have been through their own lost times, so pay attention to them.
As you ask, you will find direction and as you follow that direction you will find what you are looking for. You will find that relationship that you are looking for in God and as you develop your relationship with God, you will find answers to your questions, you will find everything that you are searching for! See, just as we follow the directions from those when we are lost, we follow blindly just as we should follow Him, faith is blind, as we follow blindly, He begins to open our eyes and HE will reveal Himself to us.
So, if you are lost in your walk, do not be discouraged, but be encouraged because at least you know that:
Because you are lost, you will be found!
In Christ,
CL
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
.jpg)
Posts
