The unspoken answered

Isaiah 65:24 - "Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear. Before they call, I will answer" (NIV) How many times has the Father answered our thoughts, our needs, and our questions before we could formulate a prayer or put forth a request. We did not formulate the prayer or request because we thought it seemed too outlandish or too small. Yet, we say to ourselves and others, in conversation, encouraging messages - there is no limits what God can do. But we do not always believe He can, will, or shall do the impossible, unimaginable or unbelievable.....We asked, God why didn't you help me? He answers -I love you, and will not do anything to hurt you...Why do you doubt me? I love you enough to provide what you need at the appropriate time you needed it, and withhold what will destroy you or allowed what would develop you. We should not ask for what we are not really ready to received, or follow in the footsteps of that guides. See God listens to our heart the aches, and the joys. He sees the unvoiced need, and plants an angel to provide a voice of love that enrich. The words of life to keep us, and the look of truth that grounds us. And I find it is ironic we do not like helping others who doubt our word, or do not listen to our advice only to come back later with, I should have listen to you. Yet, we do the very thing we do not like others to do to us, we do to him...hmmmm...I wish I could give an easy answer to this faith and trust in God thing, but I cannot. Christ explained it best when He told us must come as little children. Why? Most little children have faith and trust, it will be done ...think about it...

The paradigm shift: this is the plan

What if what is happening to you is part of the plan? The plan involves you going through, and enduring all you have endured. Would you accept the plan and fulfill the plan if you knew you, had to get the heartaches, and your sacrifice does not guarantee all will be helped, changed? Would you spend the time teaching, supporting, giving or applying your gifts, talents and skill knowing the outcome? But more importantly, you know the consequence at the end of it all, and it will not be pretty. You know the craziness of those who are going to reap the benefits of your work shall deny, negotiate and ignore, the truth for their own selfish desires. After all you have done by reaching out, giving of yourself unlimitedly, and granting pardons and reprieves, you do not force anyone to change or love you. Everyone is free to bask in all your loveliness, your goodness, and reap the benefits from all you do, yet you will let them come to revelation about you, your love through their own volition.
This is the paradigm shift, the plan. This is the strategic plan, and intentional tactics to expose as many to the enrichment and enlightenment elevation of a better way of living; letting them choose. This is, was the plan for Jesus – John 19:28-30 Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (NIV). The paradigm shift shows or illustrates what is true giving, and unconditional, stretched and redeeming love of His heart toward us. Through subjecting himself to conspiring whispers, contrived lies, character assassination, and hurt (physical and emotional), He chose all of this for the glorified grace moment. The paradigm shift:it is the plan. Now that you know how the plan works, or model, what will you do submit or quit? You know we are so loved! And it is all in the plan.

The Book of Philemon

What would you do if this was you? Would you pull out your faith card and apply it? Would you seek to do what is appropriate, right, and lawfully? Would you do the hard, difficult thing and adhere to a higher power? What happens when you are call to put your money where your mouth is, in a very public way? Do you really believe this verse Romans 12:2 - Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will (NIV) – and seek God’s will and favor? Are do you sit back, unwilling to put faith in action and promises fulfilled live. Wow, talk about renewing of the mind, and pleasing God, Philemon had a challenge on his hand. Onesimus was a runaway slave, met Paul, and was converted; now he is changed. How many times have we been confronted with this very thing. Could you look pass previous, historical behaviors that warrant no grace or mercy reprieve? Now Paul acknowledges Onesimus character, integrity, and worthiness was not the best in the past, but Paul spoke life into Onesimus life. He is changed really? I will use my spiritual imagination, and say Paul exchange was uncompromisingly truthful of the fact he, Onesimus, would have to return to accept whatever consequences for his actions. However, Paul knew his master, and sent a written character reference on his behave. Onesimus could not have known, neither did Paul have a guarantee how Philemon would act. He hoped Philemon would remembered him, his self-sacrificing way of helping, unwavering integrable character, and his word on someone or something is golden; regardless of his current circumstance (being jail for the cause of Christ). I’m not going to be a Pollyanna about the reality of Philemon situation, he was being asked to act in a way that is contradictory to the cultural normal. (God usually shows up in those ways). Paul went further, because of his strong love and belief in Onesimus was a change man, told Philemon to charge me, but he also had him to recalled the time he vouch for his transformation, the sharing of the faith and all good comes from Christ, he would not force him, and he honored his friendship by sending Onesimus back. But still, we cannot think this was an easy task, because it was not. Now, we cannot discount Onesimus because he did not have to go back, he could have taken a detour. The faith and love demonstrated leaves us all with a phenomenal model, an example to pattern our lives after.

Excess Baggage

Excess baggage we all have some, and far too many of us carry it because it is familiar. It weighs us down, it impedes our path as we move from one place to another, but we are comfortable in our madness, and changing requires acknowledgment that 'i was wrong' or 'how could i got it wrong for so long' and that hurts because you have convince yourself it was the right thing to do, or i was right; we need to acknowledge we got it right, now...No one wants to hurt but when we see wrong in others, if you look closely we see our excess baggage there on our back, too. It is lost on us that we cannot reach our full potential, or get on the 'bus of prosperity' with the excess baggages; we have exceed the baggage limit. We shall see our friends, love one, strangers, and those with less skill, experience, move on, and prosper as we wonder 'what happen'. The ghosts of our past that we have gotten around and not dealt with, shall become the companion baggage of our tomorrow, when we fail to release, let go and let God, forgive. We are being self destructive not understanding it is okay to be angry,but it is not okay, to let it to fester and grow into bitterness; it is a slow death, figuratively and literally. Yet we believe we are doing the right thing and have gotten others to follow our madness because they trust 'you'. However, we do not see and have forgotten - Isaiah 55:8 (KJV) - For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,saith the Lord. Excess baggage in our possession means we have put God in a box of our imagination and presumed too much. Excess baggage does not allow you to be seen in the fullness that God has made you to be. The release allows us to say vengence is God, and mean it. But more importantly, we are free to be all that God's promise said - Gal. 5:1(KJV) - Standfast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and not entangle with the yoke of bondage (baggage). We do not get it, our end, the Son shining was foretold, we win...why the excess baggage? We are afraid, we will not be accepted for our truth self, and we are guarded; we no one but everyone does. We fail to see the masked self is not doing too great either. Excess baggage was never meant to be carried; we are to do the same we have done all other excess; get rid of it...so we can worship God in spirit and truth; you really cannot the excess baggage because you are true.

Experience is not what happens to you; it is what you do with what happens to you.- Aldous Huxley

Every generation have revelations

Psalms 100:5 - For the LORD is good, HIS mercy is everlasting; and HIS truth endureth to all generations. Truth endures, never changing; only we evolve and mature to understand it. It is ‘me and you’ that change. It is not always an easy process or without a struggle because of the transition. For every generation, there are revelations. It was not that the generation before us was not smart enough to see; capable to construct, and comprehend or embrace, it was not time to be reveal. They had their task; as each generations does. Most importantly, there is no story to tell if, there is no test for your testimony to be given; if there is no fall, for your faithfulness to be validated, and no situation to enlighten your spiritually. For heaven is listening, watching, and understanding because God is good, His mercy is everlasting, and His truth changes not; we evolve as our heart opens to way shown by Christ. However, like Christ we have to endure life lessons to encourage and empower the faithful today, and leave a legacy for the future revelations. Too many times it is done but it is tempered with arrogance, stubbornness, or selfishness, extreme intolerance. What we need is humility, patience, forgiveness, and willingness to ‘see’ through Jesus corrective lenses. Know with every generation come new revelations, it does not lessen generations before because those are the very foundations that allows the current generation to stand where they are; it enriches each of us all. Next questions is - How do we know what is of God, and what is of man. God does not always give you a ‘yes’ or give you what you want to hear, He gives the truth and it allows peace, not turmoil or confusion. His answer always touch virtue in you, even when he corrects...every generation have revelations are we listening...it matters

Spiritually Educated

We have read 1 Corinthians 13, and/or heard reference to it while attending church more times we can count. However, have you ever thought of what those scriptures are really saying? The general rule of thumb application for them, ever cross anyone’s mind as we seek to learn more about God. Well, I have because the more I find myself learning and engaging in spirited conversation about the God or the trinity, I am being confronted more and more with analytical response. It is not a bad thing because we need to understand the bible from an intellectual and analytical basis. But the emotional bias lace response, I can do without because the spiritual connection is absent or missing in action. Do not get upset, hear me out. I went back and search to the scriptures of Jesus response, or teachings, when was seeking to enlighten. He, Jesus, use parables for explanation, corrections, so that people would not feel attacked or an affronted. He met the person or group where they were, brought them around to where they needed to be. The group or individuals, those who were seeking, saw the truth in the statement and their on indiscretions. This is the similar technique used in counseling. (I too used it, and it is amazing the difference it makes). The people then choose to act upon it, ignore it, or close their eyes to the truth they saw because it was too much. Also, he, Jesus, came from a place of caring and love, something many of us fail to do. We become like the Pharisee and/or Sadducees. Spouting off the rules, the laws, or the traditions, void of any love or grace. Then we wonder why the person cannot see us pointing them to the light and life. It is difficult to see because the delivery is wrong; the touch that resonates in you when the word of truth is spoken is missing. We cannot give, what is not in us to give.
I guess that what Paul was trying to impart on the Corinthians to as he explained what love is and its strength lies in the sharing not in the persecuting, whether by words, deeds or actions - 1 Cor. 13:1-4 - If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant…(NASB). You can use these formidable ability but framed in manipulated love lens, and then it means nothing, if you do not have charity of heart. I guess this why God tells us, we must worship him in spirit and truth, and the truth shall make you free; it does. Can you imagine being able to explain, teach, enlighten, and impart knowledge but there is no love, just ‘you are wrong’ or ‘the bible says this, and you are not doing it’? Who wants that? What if God decided to be that way with us? Yes, he gives out some severe consequences, but he tempers his consequences with grace and mercy, and when we repent, seeks forgiveness with an honest heart he gives some reprieves. What is needed is an education that sends us deeper in the spiritual awareness along with our intellectual enhancement. Granting us the skills to formulate responses that invite dialogue, and self-awareness without negotiating God unchangeable righteousness. Spiritual Education that blesses all is what we all should seek with a loving heart, submissive mind to God, and trusting soul. It is hard work, if it was not then more people would be doing…

Too much celebration

2 Sam 6:5-7 Meanwhile, David and all the house of Israel were celebrating before the LORD with all kinds of instruments made of fir wood, and with lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets and cymbals. But when they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out toward the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen nearly upset it. And the anger of the LORD burned against Uzzah, and God struck him down there for his irreverence; and he died there by the ark of God. (NASB)
When I first read these verses, it struck me immediately what happened. Under ordinary circumstances, conditions, and focus Uzzah would have never reach out to steady the ark of the God with his hand; became irreverent. It also made me think, how many times we too, have been irreverent to God. He may not have struck us down, literally unto death as he did for Uzzah. Rather we were stopped from doing something, or prevented an expected outcome. All to get our attention, reminding us the celebrations, the free flowing festivities were a bit much. Letting us know, all things still have to be done decent and in order. Its like having a party at home, and things get a little out of hand and there are consequences all because someone or individuals became too loose, or forgot respectful boundaries in their behavior, words or actions. All because the fun activities made them forget, what should never have been forgotten. However, it also shows our choice in festivities might not have been appropriate or representative of whose we are. See God never negotiate his guiding principles for our fun, or our celebratory events. His way, is His way. Now, he forgives but also grants discipline for accountability and remembrance.

We should never let what is secondary or a derivative put us in a position to become clowns of men under the guise of God-focus event. Then we become friendly to faults and partner to permissiveness. Do not get it twisted, I am not speaking against celebration, I am speaking of the our relaxation of what never meant to be relax in order to please man…everything decent and in order. For the small, barely noticeable tears or rips in the fabric of our faith and obedience brings an unwanted outcome. Resulting in discomfort in God’s course of his way, and we become distract by the ‘son of the morning’. So as life continue and episodes for celebrations come (for they will), remember Prov. 17: 24 - A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth (NIV)..