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The Everyday Word

Keep On Fighting The Good Fight

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There may be some of you have been praying for strength in tough situations because you may have felt or feel like you are defeated. I know this sounds silly when it is being said, but sometimes one of the best things we can do is to keep on fighting through the confidence of faith in God. There is a lot to be said about people that still have the willpower to fight even when they are being knocked down. I like to call these sorts of folks “scrappers”. Scrappers may get beat up or overwhelmed from time to time but never lose the confidence to believe that if they keep fighting that they will win. Some of the most successful athletes in sports today were not the most talented or athletic but possessed the ability to keep fighting. I would take a scrapper any day over anyone who is not used to staying strong in the fight!

Though we may have moments where we feel like we are down for the count, I speak to your weariness and tell you to get back up and keep on ‘scrappin’. The devil can only go so far into your life before (through your faith) you take a stand and declare defeat unto the enemy! Paul, towards the end of his life, acknowledged his perseverance through his life and ministry by stating that he had fought the good faith and reiterated the same analogy to his real thought that he had kept the faith! As we are faithful to God when our human nature attempts to decline in confidence God will move in kind (through the holy spirit) to bless you in that right-now time. The bible identifies this by stating that God is a present help in a time of trouble. So when you are in the middle of the fight you can expect the second wind of the spirit to come! You are not alone in this fight. Do not let the struggle of the fight keep you from still believing that through Christ that you can still win.

Do not be discouraged. Stay confident in God. And as Paul encouraged his people I encourage you today with this same exhortation that God placed within my heart for you: Keep on fighting the good fight.

Take Me To The Place Where God Is Real

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By the almighty grace of God I write to you today with a renewed zeal within my spirit. In fact, I write each post, sing each song, and minister through the word being renewed within myself daily. In fact, the bible instructs in multiple scriptures to be renewed within your mind and for it to be frequently addressed.  Some of you may wonder a couple things like a) what’s the point?  and 2) why daily?  

Throughout all of the bible you read the inspiring stories of triumph, victory and glory. When you hear people teach and minister over these moments do you ever ask yourself what it was within them that caused them to believe in the difficult times? I have often, especially in the most desperate moments of calamity; for when confusing is running rampart all about me I take moments in time and really try to understand where the men and women of God in the bible found their strength.

Take me to the place where God is real. I’m not just referring to counting your everyday blessings, but I am talking about a moment you can recall where you felt the presence of God strongly upon you. What happened in the moment when that transpired? Was there something amazing that happened?

I do not have to go very far back to find places throughout the history of my life where God was real for me. In a time when I needed deliverance from drug and alcohol addiction I found a very real experience through my sovereign savior. As I have testified in the past I literally felt the weights lift from the sin and attacks of my past. I was never the same. It was one of the pivotal points in my life where I went from knowing of God from others to knowing God for myself.

One of the key concepts that is part of the foundation for my life is that I am renewed in my present day from the blessings of my past. These same blessings are the stepping stones for my faith, leading me to know and believe that if God has performed miracles in my past that I can realize them through faith in my future! If I did not take the time to renew myself the faith I carry for a season may fade from my personal weakness.

I would have never thought the day would have come that when I would preach, teach or sing that I would see the crowd begin to get use to my obedience and therein decrease their active support. This day will come for anyone in an environment where you may be a part of a ministry in the long-term. So how do you stay effective for people that come in new? Take me to the place where God is real.

Every time that you will stir your faith by the blessings that were real to you it renews the hope within your heart to be effective and affectionate  in your anointing for others. Put simply, it’s the strength that stirs the joy within you even when people may fail you.

So where is it for you? Do you remember where that moment that stirs your heart? Take me to the place where God is real for you!

So Where Did You Say The End Was At?!?

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Have you ever began something and started to wonder if there was ever an end to what you are going through? I am not sure where you may be, whether that be at the start and finish, but I can certainly understand what it feels like to get lost somewhere in between. Ever had one of those good ol’ “one thing right after another” days? There used to be some times in my life where I would honestly feel like, “Okay, well you know (talking to God in my mind), I guess this is it for me. I cannot keep this up anymore.” So I write this in complete empathy for those of you that are going through some real tough stuff. And unlike some people that tell you in ignorance to just laugh/blow off tough stuff I learned through tribulation that hard trials do not leave simply because you try to dismiss them of your own strength. It takes a divine power to overcome and be strengthened enough to rejoice in the fiery trials. Do not get me wrong about chuckling over stuff to find a smile; for laughter does great things like a medicine but remember that medicine is only part of a possible treatment and may not work depending on a situation or the sickness of their spirit. The will to live and the substance to which drives a person to keep fighting is what gets us from tangled heartstrings to the comfort of the Holy Spirit. The one lesson I have learned after going through things in my personal life: there will be a given end to any beginning. Sometimes the outcome did not turn in my favor but this did not leave the trial looping over and over again. There was a lesson learned at the trials conclusion. There were emotions that had been affected as a result of the consequences. Life as I know it changed with the outcomes of what had happened.

So where did you say the end was at?!?

There came a day when I realized that I had to stop fighting to reach then end and to actually fight to win the battle. An example? Depression has no end if you try to just wait it out. The only way you find the end to being sad is when you begin to fight the feeling. Addictive behavior only knows how to continue. You can only find the end of addiction when you begin to fight the battle to be free! I encourage all of you today with a very serious and sincere word from the bottom of my heart: fight to win the battle and not to just get through something! The best part about what I am telling you is that when we come into complete surrender of our heart and troubles we are reassured that all the while God is fighting our every battle!

How Deep Is The Sea Out There?

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In the spirit of comparison I would like to share with you a thought about the perspective of “going deeper” in the Lord. This phrase carries multiple meanings across many different people. Some people consider going deeper to be related to your commitment to work in the church, while others see this more in a spiritual context and encourage submitting to the anointing of God. You could also consider the fact that some would be this to be well-versed in the word of God or to even love people in a greater way. What I write today is not to address what I feel like the depth means literally but more about the philosophy of understanding depth in God.

Ezekiel’s vision of the waters opens up the ideal of seeing different depths in the same body of water according to where you are standing. If you had to evaluate for yourself just where you feel like you are standing in the waters, where would that be? The one concept that I want to open up for all of us is that we always need to remember that there is always more to be had of God. How does one know this, you ask? First of all, I do not express enough about how that everyone with the ability to has the capacity to do more when it comes to volunteering and charitable works for your community. I could also say that when it comes to praise and worship that everyone has some room to take that risk in embracing what we feel that stirs our hearts. It would also be easy to say that we could all read the bible and pray more. If I continued this list it would continue on forever!

The point that I want to make to you today is to not be deceived into thinking that there is only so far that you CAN go. If you want more of God in a spiritual way I am happy to say that it is there for the taking! If you have the desire to do a great work in your community then there are projects you can jump in and be a part of. If you are ready to start singing and using your voice for God there is a choir/group waiting for you somewhere! Do not be satisfied with staying on the bank! As it reads in Ezekiel, “that every thing that liveth which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shall live…for they shall be healed; and every thing shall live whither the river cometh” (Ezekiel 47:8).

Anywhere the rivers of the spirit of God are working is where healing can take place! Anyone that is willing to submit to a deeper work and anointing will reach out and heal this land and nation! Do you now see that potential area you can acknowledge you could be deeper in? As for me I say take the plunge!

Are You Gonna Let This One Thing Stop You?

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When I was tossing and turning in bed a while back my mind was brought to peace by a thought God was putting in my heart: “Are you gonna let this one thing stop you? Is your joy not worth more to you than this one thing?”

In that moment in time when I heard that word everything that was trying to keep my mind racing was brought into peace. I realized how small that I was letting God be in the presence of my current distress. Looking back on it now I know that this was one of my burning bush moments with God.

Reading in 1 Peter 4 brought this out even further to me:

12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you:

13 But rejoice, inasmuch as you are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy.

14 If you be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are you; for the spirit of glory and of God rests on you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

So today I ask all of us who have those moments in our lives: Are we going to let one small thing take over our goals and ambitions in the grand scheme of our lives? Are we going to let the enemies around us take away from us the one thing that is essentially? Today I urge and encourage you to refuse to let the trials (though hard at times) overtake you. God’s peace and comfort is far greater than the pain of the trial. Never lose this revelation in your heart!

Where I am today is of far more worth to me than where I was yesterday. I cannot change yesterday and am not going to let the past attempt to rule the present! As a child of God we know that today is the day of salvation, or the day and time to use and redeem. Let your past stay behind you and only be a reminder of how that you have overcome trial after trial! And I say this in a very catchphrase way, but if God did it for you then God will do it for you again!

Worship Is Best Seen By Example

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I was meditating the other day and thought back to a church service that I was in. Some of the more active people were worshipping freely while others were sitting back in more of an observe mode. As I look back to that moment it led me to wonder if the rest of the church that knows how powerful worship can be to others would not just step up and join everyone in unity.

But you see, that’s just it. One of the greatest lacks that can be identified in the church today is a lack of leading by example. The very moment you ever question anyone about their participation the minute they grow defensive against you. It is a very hard issue to tackle and without proper love and understanding can be mishandled very easily.

The very first step to leading by example and is essential to do is to possess love in your worship. Enjoy yourself and be proud of your God. If people can see love in you then it helps them to let their guard down and allow their vulnerabilities to be touched by God’s spirit.

Another important principal is to take moments here and there is to encourage others to worship. Don’t do it when you are frustrated. And certainly don’t so it without love in your heart. You don’t have to ask a million times nor do you have to even wait for a response. Sometimes people just need a little nudge in the right direction. It is in their free will to decide to worship and is important to remember that you are the example and not the rules for it.

And finally, please remember to keep worship continual in your life. It is not just with hands, with dance, and with tears. It is in everything that you do; all that you show your passion for. Worshipping by example will above all things teach the new and upcoming generations to know where their true joy will come from!

Some Days I Feel Like Hiding Like Jesus Did (John 8:59)

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There are some days when I feel like hiding away from persecution as Jesus literally hid and stole away from the confused and angry around Him. More often then not, especially in times of lowliness, I wish I could hide completely. The reality behind why I choose not to is that I will miss the glory of God moments and blessings that is purposed for me to have (that in turn give me strength to go on). When you read this part in the eighth chapter of John it is a direct confrontation between Jesus and the Jews. Throughout this passage you can read as the tension begins to build over their unbelief as they listened to Christs words of believing in the son of God.

John 8:59 “Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.”

Reading this passage should bring out one very strong point: Jesus’s appointed time had not come yet.

If it were meant for Christ to have fulfilled His divine purpose than all of the prophetic word before Him would have been fulfilled. Yet there were still things to come to pass that gave beyond any doubt the reason to know He came to fulfill the word spoken before His existence. There was a moment that had to be greater than this to even come close to how many of our transgressions were to be forgiven by His ultimate sacrifice. Sometimes we have to remind ourselves that the small moments we suffer are not for us to dwell in for always; for through these opportunities to overcome we gain faith over a few things so we can begin to have dominion over the real challenges in life. If you can manage to keep your true hurts and problems in the hands of God you will be able to overcome!

Say It Now, Forget It Later, Yet The Impact Stays Forever

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Anytime I have ever began to think about all of the silly/hurtful/irrational/confusing/deceiving/terrible/negative things that have came from my mouth it causes me to have very silent times. Thinking and considering the magnitude of how much my personal actions can have an effect on others leads me to the thought I have in my heart today. Whether you hear it come from your lips, feel them on the page/device, read them words with your eyes, or hear them by your ears words spoken with ill intent always affect people.

By comparison I would like for you to see the power of negative thinking through the means of someone throwing a rock in water. First of all when I think of a rock in this thought I consider that a rock in its intent is meant to be built upon, set in its purpose to provide support and its composition to provide stability. When I consider the water I see something that submerges everything that comes in its path; in fact it not only submerges it but attempts to break the substance of what it has encountered to be more like waters own qualities. The human element causes a rock to be thrown by our own willingness and physical force to take something from its intended position to direct it somewhere else. We as humans tend to use rocks in their advantage of being a weapon to break something. Whether it be to hurt, provoke or to insult words the negative speech that comes from your mouth can only break things when they come by force. In the casting of a rock by the human element to be forced into water, I want to remind us of the “ripple” effect that happens as the words hurt immediately, fade away, and stay rooted in the depths. A rock once it has been thrown must land somewhere. And unless great strides are made to keep the land or object that holds the water clear from obstructions it prevents the use of water being able to produce life.

To put this more simply, every word you exert by your own force without God’s love will only cause unnecessary issues for others. And while we (as well as the other party) can forgive what we have spoken and heard there is an impact that takes a great deal of love to overcome. As with any disease that our human bodies fight today we know that the best means to overcome a detrimental hindrance is to prevent it. Take caution and exercise it when you speak life and death in today’s world. You may say it now and forget it later, but there is an impact as a consequence of the action as well as the ultimate price (answering for our every idle word in the day of judgement).

Pray much, love much, and love others (and talk to them) as you would have them do unto you!

I Feel Like A Stranger Sometimes

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As of late I have continued to reiterate an important lesson about entering into fellowship with other Christians in church, and that is: the way you worship God and obey him in your callings will leave you feeling like a stranger in a foreign land (and that’s okay!).

Our ministry has called us to go into a variety of venues, denominations and people. The varieties and traditions of worship that churches and other facilities have range in a great spectrum that starts from being completely reserved with inward expression to outward showings that are very vocal and visual. In short, we have just about seen every possible worship that you can around people that love God. And no matter the venue or place it is truly evident (and discernible)  that when you are within a place or people that truly love God you can feel it. I am going to share something that is rarely shared or talked about openly. You see, there can be moments arise throughout your walk with God where you will find yourself in a conflict of disagreement when either hearing of or observing a style of worship that may vary from yours. This happens so much, especially in the current passive generation, that praise and worship has now been reduced to only being valid in certain windows of opportunity and seldom accepted if beyond the depths of a person’s comfort level. People that are not very adopting of others actions in church typically exert the behavior of talking about what they see in a negative context, putting down and not attending churches where they do not agree, and of course never operating in that type of expression. Trust me, as a minister I have more complaints about what people did not like versus what they actually enjoyed. The results may surprise you more than you know!

Here is one nugget from the word that I must share: While I live will I praise the Lord: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being. (Psalm 146:2). A comparison often unused in the bible is that David, being a strong man of war, was humbled not only by the love in his heart but by his open expression of worship to those around him. There are some of you “tough guys” out there that would be interested to know that this same David danced in the streets in public with the cause of magnifying God!

For me personally I love to express my love for God in a very radical way. I also want to note that this was not always the case either! In fact, I was very backward and sort of an introvert when it came to any expression of my love for God. You may have caught me to be barely willing enough to admit that I even go to church somewhere. You may have also caught me being in question of other people. The sad part of all of this is not that there are people that are missing out on worship, but that there is so much objection to the joy of worship. When did the day ever come where people stopped enjoying their ability to be thankful?

All that I know today is that I will continue in what I enjoy. I will not hold anything against anyone about their worship, whether it be quiet or radical or not at all. I will continue in serving God and fulfilling my every happiness in the joy of serving him. As it was written in the bible, I will let the praises be continually in my lips. But most importantly, I will always continue to outwardly (and radically) express to the God I serve how thankful I am for all the amazing things that have been done for me. It may make me feel like a stranger in a foreign land, but I am still God’s no matter where I may roam.

Always encourage worship, and encourage others by yours! Please do not be a stumbling block to someone on their way to their breakthrough; be a stepping stone by showing them the depth of your thankfulness to God outwardly!

Somebody Pinch Me, This Has To Be A Dream…

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One thing after another, right after another. Somebody says this, or you overhear somebody saying that. You stubbed your toe immediately followed by hitting your head on the way up. You just overdrew your checking account only to realize 3 other checks haven’t even cleared yet. You just bought a car and two days later see it totaled. Your pet totally destroyed a family heirloom that you told all of your family about that you were going to display for Christmas. You are 45 minutes late to something you were supposed to not only be there for but lead. In all reality I am thinking on some of these scenarios and yet the truth is that sometimes life can get so bad that we surely think that it has to be a dream.

Can you relate to some of these? Is it bringing thoughts to your own mind where the worst case scenarios decided to show up uninvited? Does this connect with you at work, at home or at church? For all of us it is safe to say in a very down to earth way that we have all been through some things! I am sure you could add some stories here that are some real ‘doozies’!

When I think about some ‘doozies’ in the bible it brings me to mind the life of Jonah and the humor that you find in Gods wisdom.

The bigger part of Jonahs testimony seems almost like a dream (to think that one minute he is riding on a boat trying to get away from something he felt was too hard to do, followed by being tossed out to sea and being in the depths of that sea in a whale!). I am sure somewhere through that whimsical journey in the inner parts of this mammal that he must have thought to himself “this can’t be happening!”…well at least I think that is what I would have said!

Looking back now I can see at least 8-10 different moments in my life where I can remember saying to myself “this cannot be happening” or “when is there an end to this?!?” If I knew back then some of the things I have learned now I would not be able to write this today. Through the experience of a testimony I can say to everybody I know that though at times life seems grim that there still is hope for all through Jesus Christ!