You may have viewed your path a certain way so many times that you began to travel it the same way. Though the scenery and direction has changed, you expect the same experience you have always had. Transform your perspective.
Monthly Archives: November 2013
Determination
In the Deep
These arms of mine have lifted more weight than some.
My legs are strong and have challenged my lungs.
Strength is within me,
Yet when the water comes…I am beyond heavy.
I wonder…What is my strength?
In this water there is no air,
And I realize I am really under here.
Under here, it is a struggle, but I won’t struggle.
My thoughts begin to question my authority:
Will I float?
Will I see bubbles?
I am surrounded,
And the water demands my life.
I hear my voice thinking,
“what can come to destroy me”,
“To steal my joy, my peace,
To destroy what God has invested in me”.
Not these ripples, nor these waves,
I will keep my life, and my soul too!
Immediately, my arms begin to move the water,
And my legs begin to move me.
My thoughts focus on my existence
“bring me out of the deep” “lungs carry me to the surface.
You shall not fail!”
Oh my Rock, my Fortress, my Strength, I am standing on faith.
With my eyes to the sky, I see a clear path before it appears.
With motivation, I speak, “move water MOVE!”
I am light, I see the Son, I breathe, I live.
Though my body had been condition for this event,
I found that my strength was weak without determination.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Unexpected
Meditate
Live Here
Stand-
This land is new, your train is leaving.
Are you afraid, skeptical?
Breathe-
Lift your hand, wave.
A flag caught in the wind.
There is noise.
Your bags have locks,
Release-
There are hangers, there are shelves,
Chairs robust and sofas textured.
Beds and dressers sitting bold.
Relax-
Clouds scatter and the sun shines.
The cold you felt will trickle away.
In the midnight there is a blanket.
You’re tucked in.
No more tickets sold.
Team Up
“I am for my God only; I love Him and His son. I live in this world, but I am not with it. I believe His gospel and live by his words. I am chosen and I have a purpose; I must win the fight for my soul’s life. I am peculiar, set apart, elect, blessed, I am not ashamed and I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I am created in his image; He perfected me inch by inch until he was pleased. I am His child and He is my King. I am to be a pleasant scent just for Him. I have faith, I have power, and I am complete. My heart carries Him where some will not take Him. I am the salt and the light that shines for others to see. The best is what He gives to me and my best is what I return to Him.”
When you have these kinds of feelings about God and Christ and you can define yourself in similar words, you know that a relationship with God and Christ has developed. There are some who have not reached this point of expression. You cannot fully express what is not in your heart. If the belief of God and what He is has not soaked into your mind, changing your lifestyle to fit with His ways will be difficult.
It is not so difficult to change for those that you can see, or for yourself. You may adhere to a dress code at work or for a dinner party, if you work in customer service or with people you may change your behavior accordingly, and to become healthier you may change your diet. To go through the process of transformation to become whole through Christ is not looked at the same.
This is a spiritual change taking place and a different perspective is taken. There are some who need human help for this spiritual change. When there isn’t an understanding of who God is some do not realize that He is all knowing, He hears and sees all. If they are thinking about or faced with doing something that is difficult to overcome or not of God, there may not pause and consider that God knows and can be sought after for intervention. However they will consider an accountability person. They may make a connection with that person and ask for help or advice or will wonder if the person who calls to check up on them can hear their stumble.
An accountability person can be the help that one needs until he or she can get to a level of understanding who God is, how He operates, and all that He can do. It should be a person who communions with God often, follows His ways and is subject to Him, a person who knows that Satan can come through the smallest crack and destroy. An accountability person will let others know that he or she is not a replacement for God or Christ, but one to hold up the weak until they become strong by reaching a goal of true intimacy with the Father and the Son.
If you look closely you will see others in need of God’s help. If you are on one end of the rope looking across at those who cannot envision or understand how to usher God’s presence into their life the way that it should be, you must act. Stand firm and keep hold of the rope. If you are on the receiving end of the rope you are in need of the help and should act. Ask for help, there will be a reply. God will give you each the partner you need to fulfill the task and grow in him.
Scripture Inspiration; Romans 15:1-6, Matthew 5:13-16 KJV
Fear or Doubt
My hands use to not rise above my shoulders. I would just hold them up casually and I would mumble out a word of praise. Kneeling down to pray felt unusual and I would say a few quick words and get up again. There were no signs of intimacy with God coming from me. I was afraid of His touch, His power, His voice, the whole connection. Afraid that if I lifted my hands in worship, and sent out a praise that was clear I would get a reply and have to change or get no reply and leave change to my imagination. I was afraid to release my deepest needs and thanks in prayer, because I could not see God’s ear and did not know if I would be heard. Looking back I wonder was this belief and unbelief warring or was I crippled by fear of the unknown and what could be.
Doubt and fear will work together effectively if they each are not recognized for what they are. Serving each individually with cancellation notices is where to begin. This can be done by replacing your normal response to worship and praise or prayer with a new response. That little bit of belief that has you lifting your arm halfway up can cause you to extend it fully. The same belief that is there to get you to mumble can cause you to speak clearly and directly to God in praise and prayer. If you have enough belief to get on your knees you are already expecting some time to pass and a connection to occur or else you would just stand and speak your request to God. Your ounce of belief has you working in small ways that will lead to a greater confidence in God. You just have to follow through and not change your mind during the response.
Concern and hesitation are not unexpected when you are getting to know and trust God, and the Bible lets us know we only need a very little amount of faith to initiate a response. The key is to keep moving in the direction that will hold and increase our faith by switching out our responses that inhabit fear and doubt for responses that trigger confidence and belief.
And Jesus said unto them, because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Matthew 17.20 KJV
And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29.13 KJV
Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. Psalm 29.2 KJV
Divine Direction
These feet feel a line that is not seen
I walk with order
My soul is guided, this is not a tour
This is how to go about my day
Supervision is what I needed
Vision beyond my natural eyes
When darkness cluttered my path
A sacred voice was as a scent
I followed
You took control and placed it in my care
Life seemed encrypted
Hacking, no specialty of mine
I found a shared key
My spiritual eyes now see
And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left. Isaiah 30.21 KJV
Weekly Photo Challenge: Layers
Path on the Water
Faith
So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 1 Corinthians 3.7
Faith
Down on the ground
Lying there
Weak,
Nothing can be gained.
It’s on the ground
Not planted.
Raise it up!
Let its roots grow deep.
Nurture it with all your goodness.
Make it strong with your water.
Put it to work so that I can have it.
Let it bring patience my way.
It will then grow and be lifted up from the ground.
All will be gained and I’ll never be the same.
It is down on the ground only to be nourished.
To grow, because of what you have done.
Let it work and be multiplied.
Joy Through It All
Thou has turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; Psalm 30:11 KJV
To be glad, keep your sanity and your peace through overwhelming circumstances is evidence of having joy. Joy is for us to have, God supplies it, if you are without it you must request it, accept and hold on to it.
What can steal your joy: relationships with others that end badly, being hurt by others, losing a loved one, a home, your entire livelihood, and being lost without meaning to your life? All of these situations can cause you to feel sad, down, grieved, angry, or alone, basically leaving you without hope. Situations like these that occur in your life can bring you tears that you can’t seem to escape. You may feel as though you are drowning, and no amount of swimming will get you to the surface. You may soak your pillow, your bed, your couch, and even the shoulder of a dear friend only to see no change.
Being without joy during times like these can lead to grief. No one wants to hurt, be without joy, or never receive true deliverance. When you let go of joy and take a hold of thoughts that you know make you hurt, your mind can allow you to believe that you need to be miserable. Once this occurs you can become a tenant in the house of destruction and start to lose pieces of yourself as you deteriorate in that house. The longer you are in that state the more displaced you become, and the more comfortable you become in your grief. You do not have to stay there or think on the bad of your situation; instead, you can find the good and move on.
At times pain must visit, but it does not have to make its home in your heart. Each day you can gain and move forward. To move forward, daily deliverance must be sought after. It takes a strong prayer life, fasting, and reading the bible so that you can gain power, knowledge, and inspiration. You can also be a witness to yourself by recalling what God has already done for you. If you are still breathing you have that to be glad about.
God has joy for us, a perfect supply for each one in need. We must recognize when our joy is under attack and call on him for protection. It is so easy to ask and not receive because the enemy can slip through any opening no matter how small. He can cause us not to move and we can be passed over. When you need help God’s ears will hear your voice crying out. He will look on you and have mercy. God will lift you out of trouble and out of waters that you cannot swim in. When you see no way to the top God will send help and peace will follow. When peace comes from above we must grab hold of it and keep it so that we can stand. God will not force you to rise up, you must accept the deliverance that he offers.
God is the most high. He is the highlight of our lives and with him all walls can be cleared. He is a shield, a strong tower, and our glory. The joy God gives puts dancing in our life’s feet, and gives us power to lift our heads and be glad.
Scripture Inspiration; Psalm 30: 1-12 KJV
Spiritual Pulse 