Compassion

“Life is full of ups and downs and I am left to deal with them on my own. Others say that they understand but until they’ve walked in my shoes they can’t fully understand what I am going through.”

These are words that have echoed from peoples lips throughout time. The truth is that you are NOT alone. Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has guaranteed that through his teachings and personal sacrifice. Having struggled personally with some of these ups and downs, I know that God is there to help me. Literally, every time I have asked for His help I have received an answer. And most of that help has been exactly what I have asked for, for example, I would ask God to tell me what action I should take regarding a personal issue and within a few hours I am presented with the thoughts of what I should do…..now keep in mind, these are thoughts that I would never have come up with on my own.

I can see how people can let their circumstances get the best of them…..in fact; it has happened to me a lot in the recent past, but having said that, since I have turned to God and accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior, I have never felt abandoned. I have also been blessed with friends and family members who have been there, when I’ve needed them.

In regards to more Earthly help, us mortals should not under-appreciate the value of having another person who is there to support you. A sounding board, if you will, to help you process and provide feedback to help you through the darkest time. What you should know is that, that other mortal person I am talking about has been sent your way by God to be the right person at the right time you need to get you through your situation.

As Christians I think one of the most important things we can do is to offer ourselves as that sounding board to others. Become your brother’s keeper, you would be surprised how much you are appreciated and how much better you will feel as well. You never know you may have saved that person’s life. There are those who make one last ditch effort before taking that final step leading to suicide. Although suicide is a sin and is NEVER the answer to your problems……you hear in the nightly news the number of suicide’s continues to rise each year…..I have to think that some of those taking this horrible action are Christian’s who have somehow lost their way.

Dear brothers and sisters my message is clear……..seek out those in need, make a difference in someone’s life. And in doing so share your relationship with God and help those who are struggling to create a relationship with God of their own. You will never regret it. Compassion is one of our Lords greatest gifts to us, don’t waste it or push it to the back burner. Everything that Jesus did while on this Earth can be tied back to His compassion for mankind. Please take this opportunity to exhibit your ability to show compassion.

God Bless you all......

Pride and Your Relationship with God

For those of you that don’t know me or is looking at this blog for the first time, my writing style is that of the lay person. I don’t know scripture to quote, but I tell you in my own words how I feel and the thoughts that I experience through this unbelievable journey.

I’ve met a few people since this all started and I’ve noticed a few things. One is that there are those who are saved but really don’t know God on a daily basis. Their pride or the way that they were raised keeps them from turning more of their lives over to God. The ones that I’ve met are mostly men and for men there is a tendency to think that if you give too much of your life to your religion than you lose something of yourself, in that, you no longer seem in control or that you have become a zealot. As a man I can tell you that most of us have been raised to be the leaders of our family, to be the rock that everyone stands or falls back on…..we must ALWAYS show our strength and not faultier from that course.

These men are missing a big part of what God can bring into their life. I can tell you from my own experience that each stage of my relationship with God has empowered me, not taken anything away. I forget which Psalm it is, but in that message there is a statement that says “God is the Strength of my Heart”, if anything, allowing God into your life makes you stronger. There are those that I’ve known both before they’ve been saved and afterwards who enjoy a close relationship with God…..These people radiate strength from within, you can feel that they are more in control of their lives than they have ever been.

My message today is that there is a happy medium between just being saved versus becoming a zealot. And that place is different for everyone…..but we must not fail in our attempt to become closer to God. He wants us to be happy, He wants us to succeed, He wants us to maintain our individuality, so please look for that which brings you closer to your Lord. He knows us so well, He knows what we need and He is our biggest supporter. We all suffer trials and tribulations but that does not mean that we have to deal with them on our own. We are NOT WEAK if we turn our problems over to our Lord. In business, as in life, we our taught to use all of our resources for maximum effectiveness and to achieve the best results. God is a HUGH resource…..He is there waiting for you to use His energy and tap His promise to deliver us in all that we do….don’t let that slip away because you think that people will see you as someone who has gone overboard with their religion.

Let Him in….you will never regret that decision. In looking back I can’t believe how dumb I’ve been about trying to carry all of what life has dumped on me on my own shoulders. The times that I have turned to God for help, I have never been disappointed. And I can tell you that I am not worthy of His Love, but I know that Jesus died so that I could receive what God has to offer.

Dear friends please listen to this message and know that God has a miraculous life in store for you…..all we have to do is ask……..Remember….”Ask and you will receive”…….God Bless you all.

God and a New Friend

I’m back……My apologies for my hiatus to those who have visited my site over the past few months. A lot has transpired in my life during this time. I have undergone and recovered from total hip replacement surgery. I have been through periods of extreme depression and have had to fight off the demons that have plagued me for most of my life.

God has been doing some miraculous work on me, he is and has always been there for me in my times of need. He has directed me to a new friend who is anointed with the Holy Spirit who, along with my wife, sister-in-law and niece prayed over my broken body and spirit to drive away the devil and his lies. For some time now I have been dealing with bouts of doubt about my worthiness. This doubt was placed in my mind by the enemy, the devil. He has been working on me for awhile and thanks to the session with those who love me I think that his hold on me has been broken. It is ironic that on this Easter Sunday the day that we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…….that I too was resurrected from the pit of despair. I feel like a new warrior of God. His power surges through my veins and I know that he has good things in store for me. I now pray every morning for the Lord to watch over and protect me and to direct me in what he wants me to do for him each day.

My new friend Linda has opened my eyes. She is one of the truly blessed people that you could sit and talk to all day and wonder where the time went after you were through. I call her a renaissance women, she is my sister-in-laws friend who along with being anointed by God has the ability to excel in many different disciplines. Thank you Linda for praying over me, and caring enough to help enlighten me so that I might continue on my journey. I truly believe that God directed me to you and that he has given me access to yet another resource to complete my mission.

I want to end today with a devotional message the Linda shared with me that is quite inspiring. Enjoy

“MY BELOVED WARRIOR

Hopelessness is just an illusion, my beloved warrior. I am your hope, and your future is in My hands. Just as I parted the Red Sea of hopelessness for Moses and My chosen people, I will part your sea and you will walk in the promises I have for your life. Don't allow the illusion of the enemy to become reality. Fires will never burn you out; raging waters will not drown your dreams. I am bigger than any challenge you are facing. Now, My Warrior, fight the temptation to give up, and allow Me to walk you into a life filled with indescribable hope for your future!

Love,

Your King, your hope

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

Isn't that the way God does things. First, confession, then blessing.”