Is it you won’t do or can’t do?

One of the things I have learned and actually got it, is this recently, there is a great difference in can’t do and won’t do. Although, they result in the same thing, not doing whatever task is at-hand. It does not come from the same place. I have found we many time use these two statements interchangeably, but they are not. See can’t speaks of capacity, or an ability that one does not have. While won’t is an intentional choice where one decides, h/she will not do. It has nothing to do with capability or capacity to do; it does come from a place of self and fear. What do I mean? I won’t do is about not willing to do something, not the inability to do something. Although, it is used to teach us, and grow us, some people us it to abuse us or not help one another. But whatever reason, it all comes back to this, one is put place of uncomfortable, it is unfamiliar, or the uncharted waters. We do it so much, we lose out on our blessings because we have gotten so at home with not stretching ourselves, and not doing. We see it all the time. It is most notable in sports when the coach pushes the players to go where they have never been mentally, psychologically, and physically; there is resistance. The players have to trust the coach is right, and go for it. Trainers do the same thing. Some would call it blind faith because they do not see, cannot conceive being there, but they are encouraged into moving beyond what they know, by using what they know to get there….smiling…

We must stop letting the fear of doing, or the never gone there before stop us. Otherwise we only do this - Isaiah 29:13 - Then the Lord said, “Because this people draw near with their words and honor Me with their lip service, but they remove their hearts far from Me, and their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote...NASB...See, we all have the tendency to give priority to man’s order, standards, and direction, and miss out on what is really there. Although, we say the right words, and explain the godly way, when it comes to doing, we back down. When what the Lord is looking for from us as Christian is this - Job 23:12 - I have not departed from the command of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food. NASB…This is necessary to have in your heart because it becomes a living entity that grows as you grow, expand the lens you see through as you relinquish more to God, and become obedient. And when we are lost, confused, or fearful, it pricks our heart to keep us moving. So that we can say this verse with conviction, authentic understanding, and implementable skills that changes not only our lives but all connected to us – 1 Cor. 2:9 -… "THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM."...So, the question you must answer today is this – is it you won’t do, or can’t...you decides because you will abide.

Why do I have to go thru this?!

Why do I have to go thru this?! J. Moss has these statements in his song ‘I’m not Perfect’- ‘When you asked for more, I gave you less, and Lord I am sorry…I am not perfect but I am getting close, the more that I know you…When you needed me, I sometime did not come running’…This would explain why we go through, what we do. It is not an accident or coincident, we go through because we are not obedient. We decide not to do, not because we can’t do, but we do not want to do. It is too difficult, it puts us outside of our comfort zone, it is unfamiliar, or it is unpopular. How soon do we forget, God does not abide in man’s standards. His standard is different, and He measures on a different scale. Yet, the more we know Him, God, the more we should stop running away when He calls, regardless of where it takes us. We should begin to give more, not less when we have nothing left to give because it not we are use to giving, and it is not that we do not have it to give; we do. We just have not been challenged, or asked to give it. We see this all the time with coaches and their players, they push them because they know they can give more, and this is the reason God does the same. This is why we have to go through half the madness, we go through. If we give the more when asked, come when we are called, then half of what we go through would disappear.
The disappearance of half our problems, wouldn’t that be great. This would happen because God just want the best for us, and from us. We choose, we decide, therefore, we abide. It is time to change, it is time to move. When we know better, we really should do better, but we have to be convinced of what we know in order for us to do better. We see this illustrated in this story about the three Hebrew boys in Daniel….Daniel 3:16 -18 - Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”(NIV)…When they were asked for more from God, they gave, and they were blessed. They did not go to the, I can't mode because they did not want to do.
See we go thru, so others will know, God is the Great ‘I AM’. It is never for naught, or without rhyme or reason. We say, we are not given the spirit of fear, yet we run away out of fear, thus, we have to go thru..smiling…We create what we hate…When learn to stop running away. Giving the more that is asked of us, and not the less that is easy for us. Releasing into that fold of grace that attitude of can’t, when it is really, I don’t want to do. We will find less going thru for us…we choose…

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is the hallowed holidays for me, more than Christmas or Easter. Why? Because it is the time we all take a pause in the continuum of time and pause to be thankful. Not get overwhelmed by negativity or get all consumed with what we lack. It represents the turning point in the time of each year, where we open the doors of our heart, and extend our expressions of gratitude to those that are close, and to strangers. We begin to give life and breathe into being the concept of my brother’s keeper. The consciousness of self is mitigated and the formulation of it is not about me appears. We move to the embodiment of the ‘grace factor’. The unmerited favor of God, where we were chosen, and we submit to be use as a vehicle to demonstrate the importance of Thanksgiving. The time where we express our thankfulness, gratitude, and appreciation to God, family and friends for all, we have been blessed with whether it is material possessions, relationships, struggles, or trials for they all teach and bless. Our shared experiences allow us to look at the same landscapes, but new lens are formed to produce a different perspective that guides our steps spiritually and physically.

I am thankful for…
The trials for they refined me
The unconditional love because it cushioned my fall
The friends because they are the family that chose me
The present of mind to forgive and live
The willingness to live in my authenticity
The heart that sees hurts unspoken
The challenges put in my path today because they prepare me for tomorrow
The faith to believe God’s promise when man’s says, you don't or it could not be true
The power to choose
The family I was given because it made me into the me I am
The gift of grace that covers our lives
The unmitigated presence of favor upon all our lives in various measures
The consciousness of mind to see what absolutes are, and what relative statements are, and the willingness to accept the difference
The openness to learning from all people, and all situations as it becomes a seamless unconsciousness
A God who does not ever stop believing in me, even when I and others do!
The men and women who taught me, and are teaching me, more about me all in their unique way
The under-shepherd that says, I am fallible and we are learning together
The men and women of God who say – I don’t want to, but by God I must do

Be encourage...

In the first Chicken soup for the Soul book, it talks about the story of a junior high class was required to write something encouraging to each other. At one of their funeral, it was discovered every one of them have kept the note close. Some had it in their wedding album, in their top drawer, desk drawer, wallet, etc. This one note of encouragement spoke through the years to encourage the students from adolescent to adulthood. It is amazing to me how one word or a short note has such a powerful impact on an individual life. We just do not know. So, know today when nothing else is working for you, and you want to stop, give up, runaway from life, the money train does not seem to come your way, haters seem to be the only people reporting out on you, etc. love and reassurance is there. There is someone praying for you, loving you, looking up to you, believing in you, and seeing you are the best at what you do. You have a well of infinite unconditional love pouring out upon your life. God sends tangible touchable to you, each and every day. When you think no one will hear you, know he does. He is never too busy, it never too late, or inopportune time for you to reach Him, and He sees the best in you when you and everyone else only sees the worst. Cause God never formed anything that does not have something good about. He is not like man, He does want to know, and is genuinely concern for your well being, always. There is always a ram in the bush for you, if you look. He has a person smiling, reaching out to you in places you would expect as well as not expect. He does not participate in the ‘blame/game’, no matter what you do, no matter how many times you do it. He patiently waits, and loving smiles saying –my child, it is true, I am always here. And when you need an human touch, one is provided with a god-presence reassuring hug metaphorically and literally, who will be there as the angel s/she were ordained to be, as long as you need; no more, no less.

Be encouraged, knowing things happen how they happened so you could become the best you, not so that you can be destroyed but built up to withstand the winds of the future you are facing, and accomplish the task at hand for you. So, the next time you are wondering - How do I know he is there? How you know the wind is there? You feel it, and you feel Him! You see the results of His hand in your life! How do you know there is thunder, you hear it! You hear Him in the quiet whispers, slips of the tongue that changes your day, and the unexpected I love you spoken to you.

Be encouraged because you are beautiful just as you are. There is no one like you, you are an original model not to be duplicated or replicated. Your time and life is too precious to waste it!...Choose wisely, you are worth it….smiling