What motivates us?

1 chron 28:9 "As for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands the intention of every thought. If you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever. (HSCB)
What motivates us impacts all we do and determines the outcome. Many times we forget our motivation, when we examine the results of our actions. Yet, the motivation behind every deed, act, and choice colors and shapes the ultimate outcome. What? Ever heard of kill them with kindness? Well this is the thing, we are not being kind, we are being disingenuous, under the cloak of kindness. We are actually being mean. Then we are angry because the person does seem to appreciate what we have done for them. We forget, we were not being ‘kind’ to be kind but to be mean, covertly get a point across, or demonstrate I am better than you attitude. See God knows your heart, and sees. He does not take part in our less than authentic worship or random acts of kindness, or overwhelming urge to be charitable when we are not honest. Then when we are called out, we get a consequence, and definitely do not understand this - Acts 13:9-11 Then Saul—also called Paul—filled with the Holy Spirit, stared straight at the sorcerer and said, "You son of the Devil, full of all deceit and all fraud, enemy of all righteousness! Won't you ever stop perverting the straight paths of the Lord? Now, look! The Lord's hand is against you: you are going to be blind, and will not see the sun for a time." Suddenly a mist and darkness fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand. (HSCB) Now, we do not go blind as this person does literally, but figurative we do. We stop seeing the clear picture of truth, and wear cloudy lens out of our fear, or lack of faith. Then we find ourselves distant, demanding, and defensive all unnecessarily, it has to do with our fear and our lens because our less than genuine motivation has clouded our correction….What motivates us will only be found when we answer this question earnestly with the tear stained heart – Gal. 1:10 - For am I now trying to win the favor of people, or God? Or am I striving to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a slave of Christ. (HSCB)…

God's love

2 Timothy 1:7

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control (AMP)

It is quite amazing to me that we search much of our lives trying to find the one thing that is right in front of us - LOVE. We do not seem to understand true love changes one outlook on life's landscape, tremendously...It is unconditional. It never changes although we do. It reveals itself to us as we grow, open us to the possibility for the illogical and unfathomable, but love changes not while changing us to be more like Christ.
This love never gave up, or let us go, even though we walk away from it; not thinking we are worthy of it, and uncomfortable with the simple complexity of love, the sheer weight of it, the security of it touch, and the all encompassing of its presence...We too many times get caught up in our own made up world of madness devised in our minds, that no one can get us out it, but us; we think. When all we need to do, it submit and let go to let God . Realize where real love resides, and where it does not. The answer 'lies within each of us', as we let go.. too quickly we forget the promises made because we forgot the mercy, the grace, the blessing, and the unexplainable rescues happening in our lives...We are not where we are by accident, nor is it a random occurrence. There are others who have followed your same path with the same attitude, support, perspective, guidance, and never smelled, embraced, lived, realized, or received the level of success in their life or reprieve in situations. You should have been (fill in the blank), but you did anyway, and they did not..but God!!..Yet, we do not want to love with the Christlike affect because it makes us vulnerable; no one want that. There’s no way you can love and not expose yourself in some way or give something up. Love, risk, and need go together. God’s love compelled Him to create and sacrifice in the same breathe because He know what free will would bring. And still, he created, blessed, provided, and kept us, anyhow. By creating us He also created in Himself a place for us, and that need was reflected many times through the life of Christ. Rem- He, Christ, became vulnerable so we could receive grace, what more can we do need to know we are love unconditionally....God's love is our key to brighter future, the compass for a less tumultuous path, and the light to the forgiving heart that gives and receives simultaneously...

Fret or Worry: Why

Phil. 4:6-7 – Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. (MSG). If you ask someone about why they worry, they could not tell you. It is a habit, a learned behavior, or ritual handed down as a part of our genealogical legacy. It has becomes strikingly salient to our culture, as well as an inherent part of our personality. We seem to have forgotten everything has a purpose, and experience teaches lessons that pedagogy and professors never could. As we forget, we do not get the labels, whatever it is, before we have had the experience or done the work for it. Yet, we fret and worry, even after we have made our petitions to the Father; as if God will forget or lie. We need to begin to remember if he said it, it will come to pass. We just have to keep believing, not being deceived because the timing does not fit our wants, or address our desired outcome. God does what is best, not what we want, unless it aligned with His will. However, we do have free will; God sent or God used. For time will create what we would have never thought to develop or conceive. As our focused orientation determines our many encounters on our journey to our destination, thus nothing is haphazard or random as we like to think in our life. (We choose what we encounter with acknowledgement, denial, love, fear, faith, security, weakness, submission, etc) Hence, if we acknowledge every effort embodies a wealth of learning, then we would be taught better so we our do better to shape our critical analysis of in life. We are able to create a more positive future, live out our destiny and true passion when we learn to decouple ourselves from certain situations, individuals or problems; we gotta wanna know. But more importantly, we have to learn to let God deal, handle, and address all that he should in our life, as we do our part. The truth is too many times, we do not because it hurts us too much; we are fearful of the pain and would rather just fret and worry.

Worry, fret, or fear colors our life choices and behavior. Yet, we know, no one has ever learned a new thing, changed, or redirected him/herself without a few bumps and bruises as they find their balance. Be free and believe the promises of Christ, it what it is, there is no deviation or lies. All that he brings to you, or allowed to happen to you, He make beautiful in his times. Why? He knows your future; he sees it in the totality of everything and loves you enough to get you there, inspite your best effort to counter it. Let me say this again, He, our Father sees our life in totality, everything, beginning to end, and still gives to us. Now that is some unconditional love…Fret or Worry: Why

What I know for sure

What I know for sure is we do not want to know. I have learned and experienced in my lifetime, we just do not want to know. We say, we desire to get it but we do not. I had to take a long look, and spatter some tears in the process before I realize. Not only can we not change others, we cannot impart a truth that requires self-introspection because fear and hurt. We know there is not gain without pain but when it comes to mental, emotional, and psychological pain, we take a pass. Not realizing we are taking a pass that will create a mountain in time that is seen in a myriad ways from fear, doubt, insecurities, depression, addiction, selfishness, to overachiever, conceit, and domineering.
The truth is hurtful and sends us into a tizzy. It occurs because when have done our best and what we knew to do. We will not allow, we assume is an indictment or reflection of our inadequacy to be spotlighted. Hence, we deny and ignore, and it does not matter how people come to us; in earnest, loving and/or contrive heart, we do not budge. Even though, we have asked others to ‘show me’, ‘tell me’, or ‘I need this’, when the rubber hits the road, we put up defenses and desire the presses to stop. We do not realize it is not a personal attack but helping hand. We no longer desire the help because it brings us face to face with truths we already knew, but it was easier to not deal with them. I can say for myself because I have most definitely been on both sides in my life it has tore at my heart, my mind, and colored the way I live, love, and interacted with others. It was all in fear and a façade; I had to fight for peace and faith, daily. Then I realize, the stress of it all was self-destructive. I had to understand it was not an indictment on my person, character but challenges to create a better me. Every time I denied the truth presented before me, I shirked because it hurt, it pushed me in a place I was not comfortable, and I constantly had to explain. I was questioned – is anything wrong. I wanted to scream – yes, and you know it but you deny it. An epiphany hit, ‘don’t wanna know’ syndrome was in full effect as it colored, shaped, and became the place where love sprung out of. I stopped and took faith over fear, and sought deliverance rather than denial, indwelling of God rather than ignoring, and reflective mirror rather than madness ignited. The escape techniques and denials of our childhood became my madness of adulthood.
What do I mean? When we remove the stinger, the thing, whatever it is – object of our problem. We have not finished, now we must deal with the learned behavior that has been passed down, the communication style, and the coping mechanism to survive. See, we believe, we learn, what we are taught. True as it is, we do not realize what we teaching with our words, but more importantly with our deeds, actions, and behavior. These things become who we are and passed on to others; it is not genetic but just as real. Do not believe me? How many look up and realize I act just like my parents (whether they are both in the home or not), or the person we never wanted to be like both unknowingly and knowingly. Consequently our coping mechanism, which helped get us through, becomes us. We do not do the things he/she did, we have the tendencies he/she had, and we never address the whole problem….After a while, we don’t wanna know. It is easier to just let it go, and we begin a new unproductive coping mechanism to pass on to others in our life….I stopped worrying, and gave it to God. I let go, let God, and he worked me. Tears flowed, anger release, pain subsided, and love sprung with a renew sense of redemptive grace and faith built on nothing less than God faithfulness…see sometime we just do not want to know because it hurts too much. The same reason addicts have difficulty staying somber, is the same reason many of us do not change…it hurts to much to see…we don’t wanna know…this is what I know for sure ….Titus 4:8-9This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men. But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. (NASB)

Let down your guard

Let down your guard. This is quite an interesting thought. When we let down our guard, we are open to receive what comes. Yet, when it comes to God we holdfast to our guard, we become impenetrable. We are more willing to let down own guard for people, than for God. But when we let down our guard for God, we can do this…James 5:16 -Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with. (MSG) Yeah, that is right we are able to live whole and healed, and become a formidable power to consider.who would not want to do that.. However, when we are more willing to release our guard to man, than to God, not so much power or whole healed life for us. See, it is really not a mystery why we have so much strife, chaos, or stress in our life. We have become vulnerable to man as we seek their approval, their love, their camaraderie, and meet their expectations. It is nothing wrong with this, other than we have gotten the order wrong, so the outcome is skewed. Our focus is releasing and getting man’s approval, then God. Not quite the blessed way to do it. We are disappointed over and over again, because man is subject to their emotional compass which is temperamental at best. They are covered with the experiential understanding based on a fear-factor perspective resulting from years of unforgiveness and impatience because of the repetitive nature of our behavior. This gives an outcome of disagreements and intolerance. But in the bible it states -Isa. 40:28-Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired, His understanding is inscrutable (unfathomable). (NASB) Which means he endures all, patiently working with us to get through, and reminds loving to us until we get it right. Letting down our guard open doors to riches, to peace, and to sweet release, when it in the will of the Lord we settle in a refreshing faith. That even when we do not see the end, we know we are in good hands and go, we let go...

Living the sufficiency of God's grace!

I received this today in an email and thought wow! What a thought.

I was shocked, confused, bewildered As I entered Heaven's door, Not by the beauty of it all, Nor the lights or its decor. But it was the folks in Heaven Who made me sputter and gasp-- The thieves, the liars, the sinners, The alcoholics and the trash. There stood the kid from seventh grade Who swiped my lunch money! twice. Next to him was my old neighbor Who never said anything nice. Herb, who I always thought Was rotting away in hell, Was sitting pretty on cloud nine, Looking incredibly well. I nudged Jesus, 'What's the deal? I would love to hear Your take. How'd all these sinners get up here? God must've made a mistake. 'And why's everyone so quiet, So somber - give me a clue.' 'Hush, child,' He said, 'they're all in shock. No one thought they'd be seeing you.' JUDGE NOT. Every saint has a PAST... Every sinner has a FUTURE!

We forget that as we are looking through our own lens of unrighteous and skewed truth because we hold on to our expectations, unfulfilled dreams, and unforgiveness that have nothing to do with God but all ‘us’. We hold on to our hurt-filled heart and mind which clouds our way as it festers and grows. We forget this creates a division between the person and the Father, thus…we cannot worship fully in spirit and truth, because we are not being it…
See we all have a story to tell filled with triumphs, victories, mistakes, bad choices….love taken advantage of, manipulative relationships, twisted mercy, misinterpreted grace, and blunt force trauma justice (some we have been the giver, and some we have been the receiver)…I know, I have….Hezekiah Walker got it right with his song – God Favor…would not fall, would not bend, not compromise…God favor me…I speak life, I speak prosperity, I even speak health…This is what we should do as Christian; walk it out, let God handle it, forgive it, because all things work out for those who love God. His will, not ours…I can speak for me, my life changed, I obtained PEACE of mind, once I stopped trying to ‘fix it’. When I stop trying to get people to see their mistakes, and understand my point. I saw the error of my ways. Then, I had to realize, I cannot make anyone do, change or see by being hostile, angry, rude, or combative, and own my contribution to the problem. However, I could still loved with the same intensity, and not put myself in the hurtful places or be around negative people. I cannot make individuals who live in a negative space because of their doing, to move out of their fear and hurt. Just like no one can make me move out of mind. This was a hard transition, but I can say it is a blessed position and disposition. You know, I finally got this, when Paul stated - 2 Cor. 12:9-10 - My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness. Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become. (MSG). God’s grace is sufficient for me, and I am stronger because I am not loaded down with the excess of baggage of madness and confusion. I free to see God’s picturesque light, whether big or small, shine unconsciously from all…God got me, does not mean I am without the hurt, the blame, or the consequences of my past actions, but what it does mean, I am not imprison by my fear, unforgiveness or insecurity…God’s grace is sufficient and it is has power to take my mess to become my message, my tests to be my testimony, and struggles to become my story…wink

When will we learn

When will we learn we cannot lie, deceive, or manipulate an event or situation and get away it? Many times it is done for no reason, just because we think we should. We make promises, commitments, then decide – I am not going to do this or that. However, instead of saying I have changed my mind, I am not going to do it. We lie. There are two problems, and they both have with being self-focus. The first we promise something trying to follow the crowd and ‘be part of the group’, look good but we just need to be you, and we will be better off. While the second has to do with our decision to just not do, after promising because it was more work or the abundance was more than we expect. We do not get, we receive, when we give from our heart (God’s math, not man’s). God always return to us more than we could ever imagine in this life, but yet we lie and begin our own slow demise and/or immediate deconstruction of our life ,both figuratively and literally. The important lesson is acting from a negative place, sin, will take us further then we expect, and cause more problems than we can handle. Let us look at the story of a husband and wife, who were self destruction because they got lost in the frenzy of doing, and decided to lie to the LORD; yes the Lord. We lie to man, we are also lying to God…rem: thou shall not lie?…Acts 5:1- 8 -But a man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a piece of property. However, he kept back part of the proceeds with his wife's knowledge, and brought a portion of it and laid it at the apostles' feet. Then Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the proceeds from the field? Wasn't it yours while you possessed it? And after it was sold, wasn't it at your disposal? Why is it that you planned this thing in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God!" When he heard these words, Ananias dropped dead, and a great fear came on all who heard. The young men got up, wrapped [his body], carried him out, and buried him. There was an interval of about three hours; then his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. "Tell me," Peter asked her, "did you sell the field for this price?" "Yes," she said, "for that price." Then Peter said to her, "Why did you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out!”(HCSB) We would do well to remember our little lies are still lies, and never make a promise to save face because you will find it difficult to fulfill. See the bible, the instruction guide or manual for Christians, yeah all the answers to our issues really are in there…Ecc 9:10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might, for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave whither thou goest. (21st KJV). So, the question still on the table, when will we learn lying never pays off, only create more problems and become the breeding ground for more lies. When we have the fertile ground for lies, we begin to form insecurities, window open to the breezes of contention, and blossoms sprouts of unforgiveness. Then we wonder why no one is treating ‘me’ right. Most our discomfort we create it and have-nots, through our manipulative motive, conspiratory spirit, and I-know-better attitudes…When will we learn God loves us! We do not have to lie, manipulate or conspire to receive it. Everything He requires is for our good…How many people do you know are like that to ya…smiling