Follow the Leader

BLESSED (HAPPY, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful [and the mockers] gather.

Psalms 1:1 AMP

---

We, as people, are often referred to as the 'human race'.  I know there must a number of different reasons and concepts surrounding that terminology but I personally believe we're called the human race because we are always running after something - striving towards and/or aiming for something.  In and of itself, that is not a bad thing.  It can be seen as ambition.  However, I believe issues arise when we are unable to differentiate what (or who) we should be running after.  

In a race, let's say the 400m, there is always a leader, some people in the middle and someone in last place.  As a participant in the race, the objective is to win the race.  However, if you have fallen behind due to fatigue, pain and/or lack of skill, there is a tendency to only see the person in front of you, who consequently may only be in 4th place.  What am I saying? There is nothing wrong with trying to catch up to the person in front of you to try and get ahead.  It becomes a problem when you become satisfied with being just 'one up' as oppose to striving for first place.

We are surrounded by many, many, many people in this 'human race' who are represented by our family members, friends, colleagues and neighbours.  And if we take a look around, or an inventory, or their individual 'age and stage of development' we'll notice that we may be ahead of some of them and we may be behind some of them.  Either way, it is not for us to judge.  What we should be doing is striving to do our best always, regardless of what those around us are doing.  In a real race, everyone is out to do better than the next therefore we should start adopting that mentality in life.  Not to be selfish or callous, but to reach our full potential regardless of what's going on around us.

So here's the revelation I have reached over the past couple years that has brought me to this 'Inspirational Thought for the Day'...  In life we have desires in our hearts - desires for a mate, desires for wealth, desires for purpose, desires for joy etc.  Whether we share these desires with others or not is irrelevant.  If they seem impossible or not is not the point.  The fact remains that we have desires in our hearts.  But we have a tendency to get frustrated and feel like failures when they are not fulfilled.  Then we get fatigued, hurt and stop striving towards our goal.  We settle and get complacent.  We mingle and rest with those who are at the same point as we are or behind because then we don't have to muster up the energy to "keep up with the Jones'" in fear of disappointment.  

What I am endorsing is not to be envy, jealousy or covetousness.  I'm actually suggesting wisdom.  Wisdom in the company you keep, wisdom in who you take advice from, wisdom in where you hang out and wisdom in how you spend your time and energy.  Let me break it down further... if you are single/dating/engaged and you want to get married, why are you taking advice regarding your relationship from someone who is also single/dating/engaged?  Reach towards your goal.  Talk to someone who is HAPPILY married, someone who has the ability to be objective, unbiased and honest with you.  Here's another example, if you are trying to better yourself (ie. lose weight, further your education, save your money etc.), why are you talking to some who has either tried to do those things and given up or, worse yet, is discouraging you from reaching your goal?

My point is this... anything you want out of life is attainable as long as you are following the RIGHT leader.  Marriage can be great, as long as you are following the right leader.  Being a mother can be great, as long as you're following the right leader.  Being single can be great, as long as you're following the right leader.  LIFE can be great, as long as you're following the right leader.  Use wisdom.  Just because it looks like a sheep and acts like a sheep doesn't mean it's a sheep... it could be a wolf in sheep's clothing.  In other words, if you are seeking advice from someone and what they are saying doesn't seem to line up with the Word of God and EVERYTHING POSITIVE He has waiting for you... RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN TOWARD YOUR GOAL.  Don't let that 'wolf' or person behind you drag you down or back into last place.  STAY FOCUSED. STAND ON HIS WORD. KEEP MOVING FORWARD. You'll get tired, you'll get confused sometimes but rest assured, when you cross the finish line and stand on that podium with a gold metal in your hand, you'll know you've made it... tried, tested and true.

Be Blessed in FINISHING FIRST

God is Love. Love is Life. Life is in The Word.

Prosper, just as your soul prospers

Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.

3 John 1:2 NASB

---

I think I have found one of the main flaws in the church.  I've never been able to out my finger on it until recently it came to me in the middle of the night, in the way God likes to talk to me.  The church in and of itself is not the issue, it's the misguidance of the people within the church.  Dating back to the Pharisees and the Sadducee during Jesus' time with us on the earth.  They hated and crucified Him for living (and dying) for what I'm about to tell you.  

Being a follower of God's Word is NOT based on spirituality and Religion but rather the restoration of our soul - mind, emotions and will - that was stolen and corrupted (in the Garden of Eden) prior to our birth into the world.  Jesus taught grace and mercy and no condemnation because He knew that until one restores their soul IN the Spirit, they are predestined to lies, adultery, pride, fornication etc.  Where the church failed and continues to fail is their consistent need to beat religion, scripture and judgement down the throats of people who are in need of soul-healing.  People will not be able to digest the Word as they should with a diseased soul.  Anyone who comes into the church is consciously or subconsciously looking for healing, like a baby looking for a nurturer.  The mentality of the majority in church, unfortunately, is to read the Word and judge and/or condemn based on scripture or read the Word and expect results and compliance.  However, that method is equivalent to trying to feed a steak to a baby... you can just imagine how potentially fatal that could be.  The same holds true in the church in regards to people seeking soul-healing.

The members of the church are like the Pharisees in the story of the adulterous woman in John 8:2-11 - quick to judge, quick to condemn, quick to compare and quick to criticize.  When, in fact, ALL of us deserve to be stoned for our inner thoughts and outer actions from time to time. What makes matters worse is that only a few leaders will preach restoration PRIOR to or as part of a message/sermon encouraging their church/group to do better, just as Jesus did.  In this story with the adulterous woman, all Jesus left her with were these words... "Go now and leave your life of sin."(v. 11) He didn't ask her why, how come, how could you or tell her to get out of sight.  His mercy and grace was enough.  Funny enough, whether you realize it or not, He gave us (you and me) the same message before he died on the cross... "It is finished" = "Go now and leave your life of sin".  Leave it at the cross and leave your life of sin.   

Please understand that I am not convicting the church but rather hoping that those who are in a position of influence within the church can appreciate the cycle that we have sustained.  I'm also hoping that those who have experienced this type of reproach will understand that anyone who treated them as 'less then worthy' while they were seeking healing needs soul-healing themselves.  We, as Christians can ONLY prosper (in health, peace, joy, wealth etc.) as our soul prospers.  In other words, if our soul is still in need of restoration then we can teach as many purpose, destiny, prosperity and condemnation messages as we want BUT until we get to the root issues - the Garden of Eden, Generational curses, unresolved issues, addictions etc. - we will continue to have lack, fornication, divorce, crime, unforgiveness, merciless, bitterness and backsliding in the church... by the congregation and the Leaders.  We need to understand that our souls have been redeemed therefore the restoration of our souls is what WE are responsible for.  Sometimes we cause the damage, sometimes the damage is done to us.  My point is this... we can not expect ANYTHING we long for in it's complete capacity PLUS overflow if our soul needs restoration - YOU WILL NOT PROSPER.  You'll do alright with some favour and blessings.  But for God to truly bless you, prosper you and poor out abundance into your life... he needs a vessel without holes.  

Don't get me wrong.  We are human and we will continue to have our issues and flaws, it's natural.  The holes that i'm talking about is the disobedience, unforgiveness, bitterness, fornication, lies, greed, pride, selfishness, merciless, abusive, hurt, anger, self-pity, guilt etc. etc. etc that we are carrying around and allowing people to exploit.  WE WILL PROSPER ONLY AS OUR SOUL PROSPERS.  Therefore, whatever junk/baggage is holding you back in the physical GET RID OF IT.  Look at your health, your finances, your relationships, your assets, your character... whatever is operating in dysfunction... really take a look at it and figure out where and WHY your soul is damaged and/or lacking THEN LET IT GO.  Fill the holes with CHRIST so you WILL PROSPER as your soul prospers!

Be Blessed in PROSPERITY!

“Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 

“Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

 ¹¹ “No one, sir,” she said.

 “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” (Excerpt from John 8:2-11)

P.S. Join us TONIGHT (March 9/12) from 7-8pm on FACEBOOK for GRIEF TALK - When Loss is a blessing in disguise... SEE YOU THERE!

God is Love. Love is Life. Life is in The Word.

Confront Yourself

Trying to be someone you are not is exhausting.  Be 'sick and tired' or being 'sick and tired'. Change.

- M. Thompson

---

I believe that God allows us to go through every life situation - good and bad - to get us to the point that we have no other choice but to submit to Him, His plans and Will for our lives.  He created us and He wants us to come back to Him.  Trusting Him for everything.  Leaning on Him for everything.  Loving Him MORE than anything.  But the forbidden fruit from the Garden of Eden is still in us poisoning our soul.

We think we know everything.  We think we have it all figured out.  We think our ways, plans and thoughts exceed those of the One who knew us before the foundation of the earth (Ephesians 1:3–4 ESV, Jeremiah 1:5 NIV).  We have allowed ourselves to be fooled and deceived into thinking 'this is just who I am'  or ' this is just the way life is' or 'this is my cross to bear'.  I've said it once and I'll say it again... to believe that Jesus was beaten, tortured, diseased, mocked, rejected and slain for us to have a mediocre, average and/or complacent life is ridiculous.  Then, we add insult to injury by saying we believe in His ressurection only to settle for what the devil has planned for our lives as if it is better than what God has planned for us.  The peace, joy and gifts in the Garden of Eden has always and will always be God's plan for our life.  He gave us free will and the opportunity to make our own choices in hope that all He has for us would be worth being obedient and submissive to His Word and Will for our life.  He gives us chance after chance after chance and continues to give us chances.

It's time for us to confront ourselves.  Life is about choices.  But human nature has a tendency to pick the 'easy way out' of things - blaming others, settling for less, lying (to ourselves and others), wallowing in self-pity and building 'walls'.  It's time to start tearing those walls down and asking ourselves the hard questions that usually make us defensive:

1. What's wrong with me?
2. Why did I choose to go left instead of right?
3. Why do I say/think/feel/do the things I do?
4. What do I allow him/her to treat me this way?
5. Why do I treat him/her that way?
6. Why is my life the way it is?

Then, once you have answered yourself HONESTLY (in the privacy of your head) with no one to confront you but you, compare your answers to God's Words.  Do they line up?  What lies have you accepted as truth for your life? What poison have you allowed to consume your life?

After that, once you have figured all of that out (as time consuming and intimidating as it may be)... KILL IT.  Kill EVERYTHING about you that doesn't line up with God's Word.  Kill your 'bitchy' attitude.  Kill your negative thoughts.  Kill your stubborness.  Kill your paranoia.  Kill your poor choices.  Kill your need to control everything.  Kill your manipulative spirit.  Kill your accpetance of mediocrity.  Kill you low self-esteem.  Kill your self-pity.  Kill your acceptance of lack.  Kill your addictions.  Kill your bitterness.  Kill your unforgiveness.  Kill your voids.  KILL IT ALL AND LET IT GO.  Dead weight will always hinder your buoyancy - your ability to bounce back. 

Confront yourself and BE FREE.  Live on Purpose!  Live for Purpose!  Be Blessed on Purpose!
 
God is Love. Love is Life. Life is in The Word.

Picture: 'Freedom' by Kvikken

Field of Dreams

"Only God has a way of breaking you to make you whole."

When I was younger, I wanted to be a teacher. I loved being in a position that enabled me to motivate, encourage and inspire people to do better. My dad wanted me to be a lawyer. For a while, he had me sold on the idea. I was enticed by the thought of being entrusted to adovocate on someones behalf. I also loved to write... I think my mom still has some of my short stories. But some where down the line, I lost sight of those dreams and became lost in myself.

There was a period in my life that caused me to doubt my very existence on earth. I never really thought about killing myself but I was definitely committing murder... murder to my body, murder to my mind and murder to my soul. Life itself didn't mean much to me, I had no purpose and I was killing myself softly.

After a series of events - some life changing, some devastating, some enlightening - I came to a place in my life that required me to make a decision that would ultimately affirm whether I wanted to live or die. Thankfully by then I was in the right mind set to chose life but that did not mean that life came easy. I had brought death to the inner most parts of my being and my revival required dedication.

And as I cleaned up, removed junk and let go of alot of destructive remnants, I felt myself begin to rise up. I felt myself coming alive. My world started making sense and I started to see clearly. Then I realized something. Nothing was wrong with me before because I was worth it before, I had purpose before, I was loved before and I had life before. I just didn't know it.

Now, as I plow through my field of dreams and rediscover who I am - before the mess, before the dramas, before the drugs, before the alcohol, before sex, before anger, before shame - I feel exhilirated and amazed. Mostly amazed though because my field of dreams is right where I left it... just like God. And now, I've found something in me that no one can take away... i've found joy, i've found peace, i've found ME.

Be Blessed AS YOU REDISCOVER YOUR FIELD OF DREAMS

The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out. - Proverbs 20:5 NIV