5.25.2013

Sin Is Sin.. Why are we hiding from the Truth?

Why do we go around pretending that Sin doesn't exist? Why do we act like Sin has levels? If we feel that other people's Sin is bigger than ours then we find ourselves living in False Humility which equals Pride because we find ourselves comparing Sin. When God knows  and we know that Sin is Sin. We are to Repent and turn away from theses Sin. Yes we are fleshly humans trying to live a holy lifestyle and imitate a perfect God yet we must be accountable to one another in the faith. If we are truly trying to live a life worthy of calling ourselves followers of Christ should we really act like we don't Sin.

 When we don't admit that we are struggling with our issues how do we expect to be free. I believe that's the problem with the world. Christians are too busy like "Martha" trying to do mighty works for God while missing the beauty of how Mary sat at the feet of Christ to wait and listen to what He was saying in her life. We are getting caught up in works instead of just doing the will of God that we are called to do. The Devil has got us wrapped up in so many frivolous details and tasks that we have missed the vision of salvation.

God wants us to come to Him so that we renew our minds, bodies and spirits to serve according to His plans for our lives. It's time for Christians to stop allowing the World to control our habits,dreams and values. It's time we stand up for truth even if its unpopular. It's not about condemning the World but saving it. For all have sinned and have come short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) So we need to continue to Pray and Seek God's wisdom for how we shall live. We seek wisdom from CNN, ABC,CBS, MTV,BET, TvOne, Etc. But do we truly stop and turn the tv off and the music off to turn to the word of God to find a revelation for our lives. We need to return to the heart of Mary and serve our God by experiencing his free relationship with us. God doesn't manipulate his relationship with us, He waits for us to come to Him. We don't have to look a certain way or live up to a certain standard. He just expects us to walk in His principles to show that we love Him in return.May we live a Romans 12 lifestyle. By renewing our minds to live out what He died for us to do.

So lets stop acting like we don't have Sin in our lives and just deal with it the way Christ has shown us. He died for us so that we can live in freedom to deal with ourselves because when no one is with you, He will always be there.

If there is any Sin that you have not confessed to the Lord in your life right now, just pray with me as I pray for you:

Dear Lord,

Please forgive me. Please allow me to see you in all that I do, I admit that I am a sinner and I have put all my strength in figuring out my needs. Please help me to deal with the sins in my life that are not pleasing you. Help me to be free so that I can free others. I want to be an example of your love, grace and mercy. Thank you for our relationship and the things in me that you are showing me. I rejoice in knowing that I am free in Christ and that Sin does not control me but the Holy Spirit guides my every step. Lord thank you for loving me for where I am and where I am going. I repent now and turn away as I control my flesh with the Helper that you sent to support me. I call it done in Jesus's Name. The Devil has no control in my life.
Thank you Jesus, Amen

If you prayed this prayer, continue to seek God's wisdom daily in the word. He is ever presence and will guide you in your walk. Find a church where you can grow continual.

Entertaining The Devil-How Entertainment Rules US!

If you're called to entertain, shouldn't it give life rather than take it? Are we doing stuff like Martha? Or are we being like Mary? Are we making a difference as Christians in the entertainment industry? Or are we just a reflection of Satan hidden behind religious clothing? Is the church content with the state of "impact" that is coming from so called Hollywood Saints? It seems to me like we are desiring accolades instead of being more content with His pressence! If those that define themselves as Christians, who have been given a platform to reach the world through music, film or television my question is where is the standard? Or boldness? If you have enough faith to believe in GOD, why not have that same faith to question the director, producer or stylist that doesn't live up to the standards set by the savior you proclaim to serve?  Why fear man, when we are suppose to fear God?

He said Be Holy, For I am Holy. There is no compromise. The characters you play, the lyrics you sing, the clothes you wear, the people you spend your time with, are a reflection of you but most of all they should reflect Him. So why do I see celebrities who profess Christ confusing me? For God is not the author of confusion. I am not speaking to condemn but to expose and shine my light on the power of an industry that is trying to separate us from Him on a daily basis. Yet no one seems to be standing for truth. We can go to church, we can get involved, we can wear the clothing but until we truly have a boldness to seek Him and stand for righteousness then we are living the life that He died for us to have. Let's get it together people of God. We need to stop consuming the world and pursue His knowledge for our lives. We are peculiar and not of this world, so why are we trying to be accepted by the world.

May we be bold to question and set the standard of holiness in our popular culture. Its not being legalistic or too spiritual. Its about trusting that we acknowledge the fullness of his word and want to walk in his ways.
Romans 12-Let's stay transformed





5.22.2013

Give Ourselves Away!

Matthew 20:28 NIV
"Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Mark 10:45 AMP
"For even the Son of Man came not to have service rendered to Him, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for ([a]instead of) many." 



If we are called followers of Christ we hope to live our lives in the way He did. I was lead to think upon the followings scriptures: Matthew 20:28 NIV and Mark 10:45 which both point out the heart of Christ. He came into this world to serve, to sacrifice and allow others to be transformed. Are we doing that in our daily lives? Do we start our days excited to serve?

Most of the time if we are honest with ourselves we value our lives more than those around us. We are so consumed with our problems then looking to help someone out. What would the world look like if we choose to live more like Christ than the world? If we applied the bible than just read it, wouldn't or Shouldn't are lives reflect it? So what's stopping us from not just being the "change we want to see in the world" but living changed lifestyles to effect change in society?

The answer is we are stopping ourselves. Our pride is stopping us from being humble. If humility was more popular than attempting "Star" status this world would be a much better place. It would look and maybe reflect the garden of Eden. We wouldn't be consumed about about how the world viewed us on a daily basis but how God sees us. Yet the "tempter" would eventually come and try to devour us. But if we used more self-control, where would Adam and Eve be if they use just a little more wisdom? If they just had stopped and questioned Satan, what would our world look like?

There is so much unnecessary sin going on in society today. We live for us, we live for pleasure in our lives. Never what we can add to others lives. Even if we claim we are being servants we eventually get caught up in the temptation to get the glory for ourselves. Yet He didn't come to have millions or even trillions of fans. He came to be used by God and return to his Father. So why can we at least attempt to live a lifestyle that will not only point others to Him, but point others to Serve one another as Jesus is our perfect example. We are made perfect by Him. No one can be perfect without his strength.

In Him I pray that we understand that we need to be selfless, humble and willingly to serve by His leading in our lives.

5.15.2013

I want to be somebody for Him!

            I desire to be the best me for Him! I want to walk in His ways, I want my wants and desires to match His desires. So how exactly is that possible? In a world that lives for pleasing "self" and seeking approval based on the latest commercial or what the hottest celebrity believes in. People are striving to be more like their idols then follow Christ. I can admit that I have been there. Loving the latest CD by a popular artist of the time, wanting to relate my style in that manner as well. Was that truly me selecting music, the clothes, the slang of my vernacular or was that the world telling me what to do? We all must come to a point in our lives where we truly seek Him for the way we want to run our lives.

          We may say we are "independent" people that can think for ourselves. But if we are truly independent we should spend more time questioning the thoughts and actions of what the world is feeding us. What do we watch, listen to or even wear and why do we do it? Is it our quest for approval and feeling "apart" of something that we chase the things of this world to feel valuable. With Christ our freedom is being dependent on Him to find our independence from the world.Personally in my life when I think about completing my degree and wanting to be "somebody" in the world.

            I now find myself analyzing my motives for success. Who defined my perception of success? Was it me or my worldly view of success? How do you even define success anyway? Is it being a millionaire or is it raising children towards the values of Christ hoping that they change the world like He did? When you truly look at who Jesus is and His purpose in his life you acknowledge that his life was about service with sacrifice. That was His success in His Father's eyes. So when we want to be "somebody" in this world we must look for ways to serve and make sacrifice to please the Father. For that's are reasonable service. This is the very reason Jesus was sent into this world. If we call ourselves Christians this is what we should desire. Our very being should want to reflect Him daily. We should be Mirrored Images reflecting His service, His sacrifice, His love, His forgiveness, His truth, His wisdom and above all His word.

So I challenge you as I challenge myself, lets be "somebody" for Christ. Let's put away the worldly competition of desiring the American Worldview of success. Let's focus our lives on the Word not the World.

Romans 12:1-2 MSG

"So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

5.11.2013

Confessions of a Lost Christian

     The title states " Confession of a Lost Christian"... How can this be right? God isn't the author of CONFUSION! That's what's in the bible, that's what preachers say, that's what other believers say when they try to comfort you through your "confusion" stage. But as for me at this very stage in my life I feel like Thomas. Mr. Doubt! Yet it pains me and convicts me at the same time. I don't intend to call myself perfect yet I have perfectionistic qualities. I want my plans to go the way I want. Yet sometimes I wonder if I have aligned my plans with the ideas of what the World may envision my "plans" should be. For I understand
Jer. 29:11 which states " For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome". I try to quote it frequently and believe it. Especially in times like this when life just doesn't make sense.

          Maybe its time for me to believe that my testimony is a daily work in progress so that I may reach others which is what I so desired to do when I started this blog. For the concept of Mirrored Images was and maybe still is to Mirror the Image of Christ into the World. That was the goal, the vision when I decided to sit down and write down the thoughts of that were given to me by Christ. But now as I truly confess, my walk with Him has grown Cold. No longer am I dying to go to church. I'm more like dying on the inside because I have felt like God has forsaken me, the "Church" has forsaken me. Yet I try to regenerate the feelings of passion that I once had. Having an unashamed praise and evangelistic focus to tell others about the gospel. But when my plans flipped upside down I felt and still feel like I'm a failure in this walk. A failure in this life. Yet in my soul I know God has to be true, has to be real. For He tells us to think on things that are lovely, pure and stand on his promises. (Phil 4:8-9NIV)

            We are to focus on the living water not just a quick sip to get us through. That's the goal right! Duh! I know this, you may or may not know or understand but that's why He was sent on earth to save us. So I guess I write in repentance, like David in Pslams 51:10-12NIV where he laments in his faults seeking forgiveness, wisdom and restoration :

        Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
         Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.
         Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

                    David is writing about his sin with Bathsheba. He understood his wrong and was pleading to God to be cleansed. He remembered his relationship with the Lord. He acknowledge that he was weak and in Him he was made Strong. I understand that I know nothing apart from Him but in my life I just wish sometimes that His plans for me were all laid out. I know that my whole life I have understood that if I do well in life that I will be rewarded and if I don't do as well then I won't be. But I must learn grace! That even when the World doesn't accept me God will always accept me. Even when I'm literally alone, I am never alone in Him. For the Human Church will get it wrong but the Holy Church in Him always gets it. For nothing will will separate me from the love of Christ. (Romans 8:38-39 NIV) So I encourage you as I encourage my self that we must live a Romans 12 lifestyle.

 In the message bible it puts it this way:
  " So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday,ordinary life-your sleeping,eating, going-to-work, and walking -around life-and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily  recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you,always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. (Romans 12:1-2 MSG)

                         For we live in the WORLD to Transform it. If we don't change how will others!