I was at a Christian Concert Friday night. Yes, a Christian Concert, I never thought I would actually say that but I've been born again (Saved) or Christian whichever one you would like to choose for about a 1.5 years and I've seen live bands at conferences and other people minister (showcase craft for the glory of for God) in music. However, I've never been to a Christian concert and it was amazing. The atmosphere was filled with the presence of God. Also the Music artists ministered with such humility it was amazing. The Band's name is Casting Crowns and their name I believe comes from the Bible where you will cast crowns before Jesus' feet: different crowns (salvation, souls, life, victory).
Their songs address the deeper issues of the heart: Jesus Friend of Sinner and Already There. Rather than speaking about the superficial needs and materialistic desires they speak about the true problems in life. Not only do they speak about the problems but they also speak about the solution. The solution can only be one thing: His Name is Jesus. All you have to do is be humble and ask Him to come in and He will enter your heart and change you from the inside out. When you have a real encounter with the Lord you will never be the same. The Lord will transform your heart and mind to be part of you. A verse in the Bible says a physician has only come for the sick (Matthew 9:12). Most standard medications only treat the symptoms rather than the actual disease. Well mankind has a disease and its name is sin. It has infected man down to the very core and although its our nascent state from birth until we get Saved the evil one (Devil) tries to deceive us into thinking its our permanent state. It is definitely not. The only cure for sin is Jesus and its mediated through salvation. Shattered homes, empty souls, broken hearts, sexual abuse, alcohol abuse, drug abuse teen pregnancy, gang violence, incarceration, and suicide have all plagued our generation. There are various societal factors that have contributed to these issues. However, the root and fundamental issue is SIN!
There are multiple signs of sin. Hating your brother, gossiping, and tearing your brother down is not godly! Holding a grudge or avoiding a person you were once friends with, feeling empty, insecure, guilty, or condemned, having an ego, thinking life revolves around you, being obsessively consumed (idolizing) by any one thing be it reading books or sniffing coke are signs. Looking at somebody else's girlfriend or wife, not caring about the needy or marginalized groups in society (poor, homeless, drug addicts, mentally ill, prisoners), enough rage to kill somebody, looking at horoscopes, lying to make yourself look better, burning passion to have sex outside of marriage are also symptoms. All these are very detrimental to your psyche and soul and provoke thoughts of strife, murder, lust greed, pride, adultery, jealousy. Not only are these thoughts and behaviors self destructive but they can hurt others around us they can ruin relationships and damage lives. The Only one that can heal the wounds in our heart and make us whole is Jesus.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Victory on the Outside
What does the word victory mean? A victory is a win! Have you ever seen somebody popular, successful, attractive, driven, sociable, loving, and caring. Does it ever seem like they have it altogether! These are the people that everybody admires. Most people would dream to be in their shoes. These individuals have attained the world's measure of success! However there is more to life! There are people that have all the material goods but are empty inside! The reason why is because all the things they have are temporary and will only lead to instant gratification or a momentary fulfillment. The Bible says in Matthew 16:26 "What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?
The individuals who glory in their worldly possessions will never be fulfilled because there is nothing real or eternal about worldly things and they will all eventually fail or evaporate. Putting our trust in worldly things and devoting our lives to idols that exalt themselves above God will ultimately lead to Ruin! 1 Tim 6:9 " But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. This is the epitome of a wealthy persons' life without Christ. Placing a high value on material possessions while finding your identity in those things will eventually lead to ruin. In addition it will cause somebody to be unstable. Instability can result from this. When the possessions define you the situation can be risky, such as the first car you were interested in but you decided not to buy it.
Where a mans's treasure is his heart is also. Whatever you devote your life to or give your heart to will control you. In Christ the Lord died on the Cross and it seemed like a total debacle. The Bible says: 2 Cor 8:9 "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might be rich." He made himself poor so that we could become rich. Now thats an amazing revelation. While He died on the cross, it seemed like a hopeless effort to help mankind's desperate condition. Jesus' death on the cross appeared far from victorious; how can one of the most tragic events in history be the most triumphant event in history! However he knew He was claiming the victory in the spiritual realm rather than the natural. This is why it seemed like a loss in the natural but a victory in the spiritual realm. What seemed like a loss on the cross was actually a victory because He overcame sin and death and He went to hell where defeated the Devil. Then He ascended and the prophecy came to pass.
Internal joy. peace and love. When you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior you accept Him into your heart where he the Holy Spirit regenerates you and enables you to live without Sin. Three months after I got saved I went to a Christian conference for the youth and I saw God move in a mighty way! As a christian, once you receive Christ you have the victory through Him. Its amazing because we did not die on the Cross but we have the right, honor, and privilege to claim the victory! When you are born again happiness does not come from possessions, career, nor people. The joy we have is in Jesus is remarkable! If we see a homeless person on the street who gave his life to Jesus he is now richer than the billionaire who is sure to have life all figured out. That homeless person has the richness in Christ and is victorious. Meanwhile his economic and social circumstance seemed contrary to victory and it seemed like he lost. He is victorious because he accepted Christ and through Him he was able to claim the victory (over sin and death)and chains were broken. In addition, He was able to have peace joy and a Christ like love! These are all internal victories. Executives in fortune 500 companies experience high stress levels and some have miserable lives with an emptiness in their hearts, meanwhile lawyers and doctors may be depressed because of what they see in their line of work. The custodian may be the most likely to be the one who has it all together
in his soul. When you have gained the victory on the inside the external aspect of victory is not only less evident but less significant.
Alellullia because the Victory is won in our hearts because we accepted Christ who gave hisself on the Cross so we can be fulfilled for eternity. In addition He gave us Life through His words which also exposes another aspect of the victory. A victory makes you fulfilled. The Victory is not found in your present situation neither the item of clothing you just bought nor the school you went to. We are still more than conquerors through Jesus who loves us even when we are going through some trials. For example when I was unemployed I was still victorious and I still had it inside even though I appeared like a loser on the outside. The internal peace and victory was displaying itself. Jesus is the way to show that you can claim the victory without the external seeming pretty! The heart and the soul is much more important than the outward parts of a human being! Thank God for the internal victory we have in Him!
The Battle is already won which is why I am rich in Christ and victorious through him. The world defines wealth and a win when the whole world can observe your accolades. In Christ the true victory is won in humility and its shouldn't be publicized since the Lord will speak for Himself through our lives. In addition He gets all the glory for everything we do in Christ. We were created for His glory! Praise the Lord for his faithfulness! We got the victory in JESUS!
1 Cor 15:55-57 O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?[a]”
For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.
The individuals who glory in their worldly possessions will never be fulfilled because there is nothing real or eternal about worldly things and they will all eventually fail or evaporate. Putting our trust in worldly things and devoting our lives to idols that exalt themselves above God will ultimately lead to Ruin! 1 Tim 6:9 " But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. This is the epitome of a wealthy persons' life without Christ. Placing a high value on material possessions while finding your identity in those things will eventually lead to ruin. In addition it will cause somebody to be unstable. Instability can result from this. When the possessions define you the situation can be risky, such as the first car you were interested in but you decided not to buy it.
Where a mans's treasure is his heart is also. Whatever you devote your life to or give your heart to will control you. In Christ the Lord died on the Cross and it seemed like a total debacle. The Bible says: 2 Cor 8:9 "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might be rich." He made himself poor so that we could become rich. Now thats an amazing revelation. While He died on the cross, it seemed like a hopeless effort to help mankind's desperate condition. Jesus' death on the cross appeared far from victorious; how can one of the most tragic events in history be the most triumphant event in history! However he knew He was claiming the victory in the spiritual realm rather than the natural. This is why it seemed like a loss in the natural but a victory in the spiritual realm. What seemed like a loss on the cross was actually a victory because He overcame sin and death and He went to hell where defeated the Devil. Then He ascended and the prophecy came to pass.
Internal joy. peace and love. When you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior you accept Him into your heart where he the Holy Spirit regenerates you and enables you to live without Sin. Three months after I got saved I went to a Christian conference for the youth and I saw God move in a mighty way! As a christian, once you receive Christ you have the victory through Him. Its amazing because we did not die on the Cross but we have the right, honor, and privilege to claim the victory! When you are born again happiness does not come from possessions, career, nor people. The joy we have is in Jesus is remarkable! If we see a homeless person on the street who gave his life to Jesus he is now richer than the billionaire who is sure to have life all figured out. That homeless person has the richness in Christ and is victorious. Meanwhile his economic and social circumstance seemed contrary to victory and it seemed like he lost. He is victorious because he accepted Christ and through Him he was able to claim the victory (over sin and death)and chains were broken. In addition, He was able to have peace joy and a Christ like love! These are all internal victories. Executives in fortune 500 companies experience high stress levels and some have miserable lives with an emptiness in their hearts, meanwhile lawyers and doctors may be depressed because of what they see in their line of work. The custodian may be the most likely to be the one who has it all together
in his soul. When you have gained the victory on the inside the external aspect of victory is not only less evident but less significant.
Alellullia because the Victory is won in our hearts because we accepted Christ who gave hisself on the Cross so we can be fulfilled for eternity. In addition He gave us Life through His words which also exposes another aspect of the victory. A victory makes you fulfilled. The Victory is not found in your present situation neither the item of clothing you just bought nor the school you went to. We are still more than conquerors through Jesus who loves us even when we are going through some trials. For example when I was unemployed I was still victorious and I still had it inside even though I appeared like a loser on the outside. The internal peace and victory was displaying itself. Jesus is the way to show that you can claim the victory without the external seeming pretty! The heart and the soul is much more important than the outward parts of a human being! Thank God for the internal victory we have in Him!
The Battle is already won which is why I am rich in Christ and victorious through him. The world defines wealth and a win when the whole world can observe your accolades. In Christ the true victory is won in humility and its shouldn't be publicized since the Lord will speak for Himself through our lives. In addition He gets all the glory for everything we do in Christ. We were created for His glory! Praise the Lord for his faithfulness! We got the victory in JESUS!
1 Cor 15:55-57 O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?[a]”
For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Scared of the Truth
Truth is a term that is commonly used. However do we really know what truth is? I will tell you one thing, the truth is objective and is usually supported by valid evidence. Truth has the unique ability to separate the real from the fake. It offers knowledge to any individual who is ignorant to a certain piece of information. The fundamental basis of truth is characterized by exposing lies.
Most people are thirsty for truth. The whole world is curious about the truth. Many humans will spend their entire lives in diligent pursuit of the truth. Albeit when they find truth they are not prepared to deal with the ramifications of it. The truth brings about change. Naturally speaking humans are resistant towards change. To be completely honest the truth really hurts especially if its pertaining to ourselves; which is why we rather be oblivious to it. The truth is a mirror and shows us who we really are! Once we discover the truth it may expose areas of our lives that we aren't too happy about. Although the truth hurts at first it eventually breeds a positive change.
Another interesting thing about truth is that it has no boundary, no prejudice nor discrimination. Truth is raw and real, something that is beyond the comprehension of our five senses and cant be perceived with our finite minds. When truth is revealed there is nobody that can escape it. Sooner or later it will find you out! Truth causes great divide in the masses resulting in two populations. The people that are ready to accept the truth and to live and die for it and people who will reject it. Truth also brings about correction. Most people become defensive when corrected and find it psychologically infeasible to take correction. To reinforce the original argument, people rather not encounter the truth because it reveals flaws in one's character that need to fixed. Only masqueraded truth will make people feel satisfied the way they are. Real truth will make your heart unsettled about your present condition.
"And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32)!Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me (John 14:6). Here in these verses we see Jesus either has a strong affiliation with the Truth or is he the truth itself. According to the scripture the truth sets people free from bondage and oppression. Bondage from what, you may ask: bondage from sin. Sin is visualized as a prison because people's lives are governed by sin and they do not have the ability to overcome it. Once you accept the truth for what it is, you are changed and transformed forever. By accepting Jesus as your Lord and Saviour you become a new creature in Christ. After facing the truth you can either change or remain the same, either way the Lord is willing to meet us!
There is freedom in a truth that says one man died for all of humanity in order to save us from sin (greed, hatred, adultery lust, envy jealousy, and fornication etc.). The great amount of liberty that is found in the gospel is amazing. "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under heaven given among men, by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12)! In addition the scripture says there is power in His name which emphasizes the truth even more. "In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor 5:4). This truth has empowered so many people on the earth that they are living and fighting for this truth while others have been killed and persecuted for it!
The truth has exposed many posers who appear to believe in the gospel but actually hold dearly to the temporary pleasures and falsities of this world. the truth also exposes Lies. Who fabricates these lies? Well satan (the devil) does: lies that Christ does not exist. he also creates lies saying that we are worthless and that we will always be failures. Truth is undisputed and will always stand the test of time, trials, and a revolutionizing world and culture. At first it may be difficult to accept the truth because it means change and we are naturally afraid of what we don't know or understand. As for me once I accepted the truth into my heart I was liberated and I can testify about what the truth has done for me. I was depressed, had suicidal thoughts, and fear in my heart now I have faith joy and peace among many other things! I have new desires, a new way of life and I approach situations differently. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" ( 2 Cor 5:17). This is why I will live and die for the truth! I found the truth and His name is Jesus!
Most people are thirsty for truth. The whole world is curious about the truth. Many humans will spend their entire lives in diligent pursuit of the truth. Albeit when they find truth they are not prepared to deal with the ramifications of it. The truth brings about change. Naturally speaking humans are resistant towards change. To be completely honest the truth really hurts especially if its pertaining to ourselves; which is why we rather be oblivious to it. The truth is a mirror and shows us who we really are! Once we discover the truth it may expose areas of our lives that we aren't too happy about. Although the truth hurts at first it eventually breeds a positive change.
Another interesting thing about truth is that it has no boundary, no prejudice nor discrimination. Truth is raw and real, something that is beyond the comprehension of our five senses and cant be perceived with our finite minds. When truth is revealed there is nobody that can escape it. Sooner or later it will find you out! Truth causes great divide in the masses resulting in two populations. The people that are ready to accept the truth and to live and die for it and people who will reject it. Truth also brings about correction. Most people become defensive when corrected and find it psychologically infeasible to take correction. To reinforce the original argument, people rather not encounter the truth because it reveals flaws in one's character that need to fixed. Only masqueraded truth will make people feel satisfied the way they are. Real truth will make your heart unsettled about your present condition.
"And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32)!Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me (John 14:6). Here in these verses we see Jesus either has a strong affiliation with the Truth or is he the truth itself. According to the scripture the truth sets people free from bondage and oppression. Bondage from what, you may ask: bondage from sin. Sin is visualized as a prison because people's lives are governed by sin and they do not have the ability to overcome it. Once you accept the truth for what it is, you are changed and transformed forever. By accepting Jesus as your Lord and Saviour you become a new creature in Christ. After facing the truth you can either change or remain the same, either way the Lord is willing to meet us!
There is freedom in a truth that says one man died for all of humanity in order to save us from sin (greed, hatred, adultery lust, envy jealousy, and fornication etc.). The great amount of liberty that is found in the gospel is amazing. "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other name under heaven given among men, by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12)! In addition the scripture says there is power in His name which emphasizes the truth even more. "In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor 5:4). This truth has empowered so many people on the earth that they are living and fighting for this truth while others have been killed and persecuted for it!
The truth has exposed many posers who appear to believe in the gospel but actually hold dearly to the temporary pleasures and falsities of this world. the truth also exposes Lies. Who fabricates these lies? Well satan (the devil) does: lies that Christ does not exist. he also creates lies saying that we are worthless and that we will always be failures. Truth is undisputed and will always stand the test of time, trials, and a revolutionizing world and culture. At first it may be difficult to accept the truth because it means change and we are naturally afraid of what we don't know or understand. As for me once I accepted the truth into my heart I was liberated and I can testify about what the truth has done for me. I was depressed, had suicidal thoughts, and fear in my heart now I have faith joy and peace among many other things! I have new desires, a new way of life and I approach situations differently. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new" ( 2 Cor 5:17). This is why I will live and die for the truth! I found the truth and His name is Jesus!
Saturday, January 21, 2012
To be Loved
Everybody who is born into this world has a guaranteed desire! Everybody wants to be accepted, validated, and feel significant. Wouldn't this be a valid conclusion. The deeper reason why people want to feel validated and told they matter is because they long to be loved. Is love an emotion an action or just an abstract concept? Many people can describe what it feels like to be loved but most cannot define love itself! This is because love is so amazing that it would difficult to define it in one sentence.
Love can change your direction in life, restore a relationship, give hope, or transform somebody. This is because love reaches the depths of our soul and penetrates our inner parts. The interesting thing about love is that different people seek it in different places. Every individual has a different background and set of circumstances in their life! These circumstances shape one's character and determine where and how someone will look for love. A prime example is of a young woman who didn't grow up with her father. This girl will grow up feeling unwanted, broken, hurting and desperate for that male attention she never received as a child. It is logical that she will seek love in males. Some fatherless females may view sex as a way of men expressing their love for them. Other women may look for men to buy them things and tell them that they are beautiful which will make them feel significant! The sad truth is that these females will carry this brokenness their whole life, until God steps in and heals their wounds. Another example is a teenager who just immigrated to the United States from Guatemala and is teased at school for his accent. He is constantly mocked and feels marginalized. There is a gang in school that says they want him to join. He becomes part of the gang where he finds validation, a sense of family, and loyalty. He gravitates towards the gang because of this. Others may have low self esteem and failed many tasks, tests, and have fallen short of their goals! These people seek love and acceptance through other people's recognition, awards, and prizes. Certain individuals felt lonely growing up because they were an only child and their parents worked all the time which cultivated a desire in their heart to form deep bonds. These individuals may know that you love them when you call them and spend time with them! Other people had both parents in their home but they weren't the kindest nor compassionate people. For these individuals love is manifested through a hug and a warm embrace!
This is where humans seek love! Can love be found in these places? Sure it can! But unfortunately humans are limited in the love they can give! In addition when we love, it is often accompanied by conditions and barriers. Let me introduce you to somebody who will love you no matter what! He doesn't care about what you've done nor your past failures. His love will cure all the pain, regret, anxieties, and fears. He can change the way you view life and incite hope through His love! His love will penetrate a hardened heart and an emotionless person! He can even change the people that haven't expressed love their whole lives. His name is Jesus. Sometimes the Lord will put people in our lives who are difficult to love! He does this so He can fill us with his supernatural love that can only come from Him and for His name to be glorified! He loved us so much that He went to the cross and died for us! There is no greater love. He felt so strongly about it that he ranked His commandments and the the top 2 were spoken by Jesus (God incarnate). "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." This verse is from Matthew 22 in the Bible (Word of God)! The Lord took it a step further and said in the Letter of 1 John 4:16 "And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him." God said that He is love in this scripture. So whoever has a personal connection with God is supposed to be filled with love for others, yes, even our enemies and others that are difficult to love! God loves us so much that it is overwhelming, unimaginable, inconceivable, and amazingly beautiful. Once we come to this realization in our minds and more importantly in our hearts everything changes! There will be times when you will want to break down and cry just thinking about it for a brief moment! The other really cool part about God's love is that nothing can separate us from the love of God! Rom 8:38-39 "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." The deeper meaning and revelation in this scripture is that God's love will never leave us, it will always be available, and it is relentless! No matter what we do or when we do it God will still love us!
God is sovereign and His majesty is represented here! His perfect love is the reason why young orphan kids in Iran will know that somebody cares about them. His love will transform teenagers from urban communities all over the United States who have lost hope! God's love will be the only love that young women and men who were were raised without fathers need! It will fill the gaping whole that lies in their hearts! His love has the capacity to restore young people who have been sexually, physically, mentally, and emotionally abused. His love will be the only force on this planet to deliver young women and teenagers from Red Light districts all over the world who are subject to the bondage of prostitution and sex trafficking! God's love is transforming, sovereign, groundbreaking and pure! God loved me so much that in His mercy He sent His only Son to die so that we can live! He saw all the pain and destruction that mankind would inherit and God sent his only Son to die for us! If you ever want to accept His Love, just cry out to Him and if its sincere He will respect you and fill you up with his life saving power! This is true love and the only love, God's love!
Love can change your direction in life, restore a relationship, give hope, or transform somebody. This is because love reaches the depths of our soul and penetrates our inner parts. The interesting thing about love is that different people seek it in different places. Every individual has a different background and set of circumstances in their life! These circumstances shape one's character and determine where and how someone will look for love. A prime example is of a young woman who didn't grow up with her father. This girl will grow up feeling unwanted, broken, hurting and desperate for that male attention she never received as a child. It is logical that she will seek love in males. Some fatherless females may view sex as a way of men expressing their love for them. Other women may look for men to buy them things and tell them that they are beautiful which will make them feel significant! The sad truth is that these females will carry this brokenness their whole life, until God steps in and heals their wounds. Another example is a teenager who just immigrated to the United States from Guatemala and is teased at school for his accent. He is constantly mocked and feels marginalized. There is a gang in school that says they want him to join. He becomes part of the gang where he finds validation, a sense of family, and loyalty. He gravitates towards the gang because of this. Others may have low self esteem and failed many tasks, tests, and have fallen short of their goals! These people seek love and acceptance through other people's recognition, awards, and prizes. Certain individuals felt lonely growing up because they were an only child and their parents worked all the time which cultivated a desire in their heart to form deep bonds. These individuals may know that you love them when you call them and spend time with them! Other people had both parents in their home but they weren't the kindest nor compassionate people. For these individuals love is manifested through a hug and a warm embrace!
This is where humans seek love! Can love be found in these places? Sure it can! But unfortunately humans are limited in the love they can give! In addition when we love, it is often accompanied by conditions and barriers. Let me introduce you to somebody who will love you no matter what! He doesn't care about what you've done nor your past failures. His love will cure all the pain, regret, anxieties, and fears. He can change the way you view life and incite hope through His love! His love will penetrate a hardened heart and an emotionless person! He can even change the people that haven't expressed love their whole lives. His name is Jesus. Sometimes the Lord will put people in our lives who are difficult to love! He does this so He can fill us with his supernatural love that can only come from Him and for His name to be glorified! He loved us so much that He went to the cross and died for us! There is no greater love. He felt so strongly about it that he ranked His commandments and the the top 2 were spoken by Jesus (God incarnate). "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." This verse is from Matthew 22 in the Bible (Word of God)! The Lord took it a step further and said in the Letter of 1 John 4:16 "And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him." God said that He is love in this scripture. So whoever has a personal connection with God is supposed to be filled with love for others, yes, even our enemies and others that are difficult to love! God loves us so much that it is overwhelming, unimaginable, inconceivable, and amazingly beautiful. Once we come to this realization in our minds and more importantly in our hearts everything changes! There will be times when you will want to break down and cry just thinking about it for a brief moment! The other really cool part about God's love is that nothing can separate us from the love of God! Rom 8:38-39 "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." The deeper meaning and revelation in this scripture is that God's love will never leave us, it will always be available, and it is relentless! No matter what we do or when we do it God will still love us!
God is sovereign and His majesty is represented here! His perfect love is the reason why young orphan kids in Iran will know that somebody cares about them. His love will transform teenagers from urban communities all over the United States who have lost hope! God's love will be the only love that young women and men who were were raised without fathers need! It will fill the gaping whole that lies in their hearts! His love has the capacity to restore young people who have been sexually, physically, mentally, and emotionally abused. His love will be the only force on this planet to deliver young women and teenagers from Red Light districts all over the world who are subject to the bondage of prostitution and sex trafficking! God's love is transforming, sovereign, groundbreaking and pure! God loved me so much that in His mercy He sent His only Son to die so that we can live! He saw all the pain and destruction that mankind would inherit and God sent his only Son to die for us! If you ever want to accept His Love, just cry out to Him and if its sincere He will respect you and fill you up with his life saving power! This is true love and the only love, God's love!
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Normal to Extraordinary
Everybody has weaknesses. This is because the Lord has crafted us in imperfection so we can depend on Him to be made whole! Moses was a murderer and he led the Israelites out of captivity. He also delivered the Holy Law (The Ten Commandments) of God. As Christians this is our standard of Holiness! He had a speech impediment and the Lord chose to speak through him. God's word says (1 Sam 16:7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”) David was the youngest and smallest of Jesses's sons. However he was chosen to slay Goliath and to recapture the Ark of the Covenant from the Philistines. He lusted, fornicated with Bathsheba, and then murdered his mistress' husband. He was then eventually anointed King over Israel and Judah! Paul was a chief Persecutor of the early Christian Church. He killed many Christians and the Lord revealed Himself to Paul and he turned out to be the greatest evangelist of all time!
All these strong men of God sinned and fell short of God's glory. Nevertheless God still used them for His Kingdom. He used their weaknesses to His advantage. Moses slew an Egyptian in defense of his people, here he showed how loyal he was to the Israelites. David was small in size but he was a man after God's own heart! The Lord used his child like spirit so that He can do amazing things through him and build him up into a warrior for his Kingdom. Paul was an extremely bold Pharisee and enemy of the Gospel. By God's grace he was saved and God used his boldness to preach the gospel. The Lord entrusted him with the task of setting up Churches and writing letters in order to edify them as well as addressing problems in each Church! One of the greatest prophets (Moses) stammered when he spoke. The Lord chose Moses' weakness so that He can be glorified and that His sovereign strength could be manifested through him! Moses was the leader of his generation and worked with the Lord to deliver the Israelites out of bondage. He spoke to Pharaoh numerous times and had to speak to the Israelites on behalf of God and command them to move, set up camp, or remain. He had a difficult task before him but he listened and followed what God called him to do! Although they all had weaknesses they were obedient in doing what the Lord called them to do!
Sometimes in our lives we tend to think we must be the most righteous and Holy of God's servants to be used by God. The Bible tells us the exact opposite. According to the scriptures, some of the men and women of God were just as stubborn, doubtful, and imperfect as we are! However, God saw something special in each one of them! He took their weakness and turned it into a strength. He made a way where it would be infeasible for the natural man! This way everybody will know that only God was capable of doing it and His name would be exalted! Through God anything is possible, (Matt 19:26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. As long as we have the right intention at heart (uplift people, edify, minister the love of Christ, and make disciples), remain humble and serve others God will continue to trust us with more gifts, anointing, mission trips, ministries, and souls! We may not be perfect but as we continue to be obedient to His Voice He will give us more responsibility. Jesus said (Matt 25:21 His lord said to him, Well done, you good and faithful servant: you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things: enter you into the joy of your lord.) The Lord wants us to use our weaknesses to speak to the brokenhearted and to grow His kingdom! Paul says (2 cor 12:9-10 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.) The Lord will strengthen us so that we can do the work He has set before us and He also uses our weaknesses to keep us humble so that we may only boast in Him! The Lord will use us as vessels so that His Mighty Power and Strength can be manifested through us! All wisdom, power, glory, praise, and honour belongs to the King and may He continue to use our flaws to bring glory to his name!
All these strong men of God sinned and fell short of God's glory. Nevertheless God still used them for His Kingdom. He used their weaknesses to His advantage. Moses slew an Egyptian in defense of his people, here he showed how loyal he was to the Israelites. David was small in size but he was a man after God's own heart! The Lord used his child like spirit so that He can do amazing things through him and build him up into a warrior for his Kingdom. Paul was an extremely bold Pharisee and enemy of the Gospel. By God's grace he was saved and God used his boldness to preach the gospel. The Lord entrusted him with the task of setting up Churches and writing letters in order to edify them as well as addressing problems in each Church! One of the greatest prophets (Moses) stammered when he spoke. The Lord chose Moses' weakness so that He can be glorified and that His sovereign strength could be manifested through him! Moses was the leader of his generation and worked with the Lord to deliver the Israelites out of bondage. He spoke to Pharaoh numerous times and had to speak to the Israelites on behalf of God and command them to move, set up camp, or remain. He had a difficult task before him but he listened and followed what God called him to do! Although they all had weaknesses they were obedient in doing what the Lord called them to do!
Sometimes in our lives we tend to think we must be the most righteous and Holy of God's servants to be used by God. The Bible tells us the exact opposite. According to the scriptures, some of the men and women of God were just as stubborn, doubtful, and imperfect as we are! However, God saw something special in each one of them! He took their weakness and turned it into a strength. He made a way where it would be infeasible for the natural man! This way everybody will know that only God was capable of doing it and His name would be exalted! Through God anything is possible, (Matt 19:26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible. As long as we have the right intention at heart (uplift people, edify, minister the love of Christ, and make disciples), remain humble and serve others God will continue to trust us with more gifts, anointing, mission trips, ministries, and souls! We may not be perfect but as we continue to be obedient to His Voice He will give us more responsibility. Jesus said (Matt 25:21 His lord said to him, Well done, you good and faithful servant: you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things: enter you into the joy of your lord.) The Lord wants us to use our weaknesses to speak to the brokenhearted and to grow His kingdom! Paul says (2 cor 12:9-10 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.) The Lord will strengthen us so that we can do the work He has set before us and He also uses our weaknesses to keep us humble so that we may only boast in Him! The Lord will use us as vessels so that His Mighty Power and Strength can be manifested through us! All wisdom, power, glory, praise, and honour belongs to the King and may He continue to use our flaws to bring glory to his name!
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Dont wanna Waste my Life
People may see me as the good Christian boy or some of my friends call me Pastor Alex! I find it funny but honestly I think people view me as somebody who may be doing this in my own strength! On the contrary every piece of my flesh would love to act a fool but the Lord has opened my eyes to his love grace and mercy! How could I turn back to the things that seem like they were giving me instant gratification but were actually killing me slowly! I find the lifetstyle challenging I really do but I know that there is a greater reward not only on earth but in HEAVEN! I know the truth and I know I have eternal life, I also have the opportunity to reach millions of lives through the gospel and to make a profound impact on people’s lives! I would not want to live my life any other way! No longer am I a slave to depression, no longer am I a slave to suicidal thoughts, materialism, and no longer am I a slave to other people’s thoughts and opinions of me!
Im not gonna lie though I miss being with friends and my loved ones! Im usually the only one going to Church on Fridays and Sundays. It’s a bit frustrating but its also comforting because I want to be the light amidst the darkness even though people don’t view the activities they engage in as darkness but its because the Lord hasn’t revealed Himself to them yet! I have no right to judge anybody, just 1 year ago I used to engage in the same activities and not see anything wrong with it! But the Lord allowed certain things to happen so that I could come running to HIM and HE could have total ownership of my LIFE! But now my Mom and I are the only Christians in my immediate family and Im the only young Christian in my extended family who we interact with. The rest of my family say they believe in God but they aren’t necessarily saved, I don’t think they understand what it means to be saved! Although they are wonderful people they aren’t Christian so it creates a certain rift in our connection! A Lot of my life revolves around Christ and its unfortunate that my Non Christian friends and I hardly hang out as much because I don’t do the things I used to do although some of us are still close! I feel like that intimate aspect is lacking! Yeah I know it kind of sucks that Im not able to share a deeper bond with some people but in obeying the Lord we have to let some things go, but I guess its part of life!
Everybody has a calling in Life! The Lord has given me the privilege of being an evangelist and a prophet for his Kingdom! I am not boasting in myself but only Boasting in the Lord because without Him I am nothing and there is no egotism in my Blood! But I do know HE has equipped me with certain skills to transform the world, encourage others and to bring CHANGE to this generation! Our generation is so focused on theirselves, their own image, goals, and desires; its nothing short of ridiculous! Nobody wants to stop and speak to the homeless man or visit a family member who's in the hospital because it may be inconvenient! People are walking around in chains of abuse, hopelessness, perverseness, drug addiction, lack of love and fear just to mention a few things; they are looking to get delivered without anybody asking! Sometimes they want a way out but are either to afraid to say it and take a leap of faith or just aren't aware of the bondage they are in! This is where Christians come in!
I personally want to build Community Centers for kids in the Bronx and travel doing motivational speaking! I believe the youth is lost but we can regain them by loving them, interacting with them, while being sincere and accepting! As for right now, lately people have been speaking about me being a Pastor! I don't doubt I have a pastoral calling, since many people have spoken that over my life! However the Lord has yet to give me confirmation for it! I love ministering to people and encouraging them! The Lord created me for a purpose! Even if I have to get persecuted I still have Christ in my heart and GOD as my GPS! I mus die to the flesh and all my earthly desires. I will proclaim His name Boldly in this generation until people understand that we are fighting for our souls! Its not religion its a relationship and as we read the promises of God to ourselves not only are we mighty in the Lord but that without the Lord we are limited! I was bought at a price and I live to please him and nobody else (1 Cor 6:20For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's)!
God is going to do an amazing work in this generation but he needs Leaders to carry His Promises and his VISION and to remind people of them! WE should love people unconditionally! Either way the LORD is amazing! I no longer live for myself but I live for the Lord! God has spoken to me in many different ways! WE must keep our eyes on Jesus and renounce any selfish thoughts or actions of the flesh while trusting in the Lord and the anointing that abides in us! In order to be part of the Christ movement that will shape this generation for the years to come, we must stand and Dare to be different and sanctified, anybody down?
Blessings,
ALEX
Im not gonna lie though I miss being with friends and my loved ones! Im usually the only one going to Church on Fridays and Sundays. It’s a bit frustrating but its also comforting because I want to be the light amidst the darkness even though people don’t view the activities they engage in as darkness but its because the Lord hasn’t revealed Himself to them yet! I have no right to judge anybody, just 1 year ago I used to engage in the same activities and not see anything wrong with it! But the Lord allowed certain things to happen so that I could come running to HIM and HE could have total ownership of my LIFE! But now my Mom and I are the only Christians in my immediate family and Im the only young Christian in my extended family who we interact with. The rest of my family say they believe in God but they aren’t necessarily saved, I don’t think they understand what it means to be saved! Although they are wonderful people they aren’t Christian so it creates a certain rift in our connection! A Lot of my life revolves around Christ and its unfortunate that my Non Christian friends and I hardly hang out as much because I don’t do the things I used to do although some of us are still close! I feel like that intimate aspect is lacking! Yeah I know it kind of sucks that Im not able to share a deeper bond with some people but in obeying the Lord we have to let some things go, but I guess its part of life!
Everybody has a calling in Life! The Lord has given me the privilege of being an evangelist and a prophet for his Kingdom! I am not boasting in myself but only Boasting in the Lord because without Him I am nothing and there is no egotism in my Blood! But I do know HE has equipped me with certain skills to transform the world, encourage others and to bring CHANGE to this generation! Our generation is so focused on theirselves, their own image, goals, and desires; its nothing short of ridiculous! Nobody wants to stop and speak to the homeless man or visit a family member who's in the hospital because it may be inconvenient! People are walking around in chains of abuse, hopelessness, perverseness, drug addiction, lack of love and fear just to mention a few things; they are looking to get delivered without anybody asking! Sometimes they want a way out but are either to afraid to say it and take a leap of faith or just aren't aware of the bondage they are in! This is where Christians come in!
I personally want to build Community Centers for kids in the Bronx and travel doing motivational speaking! I believe the youth is lost but we can regain them by loving them, interacting with them, while being sincere and accepting! As for right now, lately people have been speaking about me being a Pastor! I don't doubt I have a pastoral calling, since many people have spoken that over my life! However the Lord has yet to give me confirmation for it! I love ministering to people and encouraging them! The Lord created me for a purpose! Even if I have to get persecuted I still have Christ in my heart and GOD as my GPS! I mus die to the flesh and all my earthly desires. I will proclaim His name Boldly in this generation until people understand that we are fighting for our souls! Its not religion its a relationship and as we read the promises of God to ourselves not only are we mighty in the Lord but that without the Lord we are limited! I was bought at a price and I live to please him and nobody else (1 Cor 6:20For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's)!
God is going to do an amazing work in this generation but he needs Leaders to carry His Promises and his VISION and to remind people of them! WE should love people unconditionally! Either way the LORD is amazing! I no longer live for myself but I live for the Lord! God has spoken to me in many different ways! WE must keep our eyes on Jesus and renounce any selfish thoughts or actions of the flesh while trusting in the Lord and the anointing that abides in us! In order to be part of the Christ movement that will shape this generation for the years to come, we must stand and Dare to be different and sanctified, anybody down?
Blessings,
ALEX
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Broken
Broken, Alone, Empty, and Hungry!
These are the ways that the Lord wants to see us in order to reach the depths of our soul! Sometimes I wonder why I feel empty inside and alone but I have everything! I have a family who loves me, two degrees, wonderful friends, and best of all CHRIST!
I finally had a revelation about why, after having a conversation with one of my Aunts. She had an encounter with the Lord after her son was diagnosed with Leukemia and she joined prayer groups in desperate need of emotional, social, and spiritual support! Sge gave her life to the Lord in the process and he got healed! If you don't believe in the supernatural power of God and have any questions please post any comments. She told me something personal about myself without me informing her, I was shocked; she was using the gift that God gave her through the Holy Spirit (Word of Knowledge)! Then she mentioned that we have to continue to fill ourselves up with God! While she was sharing, the verse about the cup overflowing came to my mind! The cup overflowing is getting filled u with the Lord , His promises, and His presence. As soon as she mentioned that, I thought about what I was experiencing the night before. I was feeling empty because I saw all these Christians in relationships and I felt like I should have been in one! But then I thought about the relationships I had in the past where the girls were great but the Lord had not ordained it and they became idols! If God is not the center of your life something else will become!
My vessel was half empty but it was not getting filled to the brim with the treasures of the LORD! If a cup is half empty it must be filled with something and that something has to be things of this world that made me feel empty anyway! The drinking, the women, and the clubs would fulfill me for a while but then it would evaporate!
So even when we have Christ there is still a sense of brokenness because we will always be incomplete without Christ or because we fail to fully inherit all the blessings in the kingdom! When we feel empty its because a huge part of our vessel longs for God! Maybe we need to hear a Worship song, preaching, Seek HIS FACE through prayer or read the WORD! Either way we can get filled up with more things of GOD! Thank you Lord for everything! You are ALPHA and Omega Wonderful Counselor, the Almighty God! The Deliverer, Provider, Prince Of Peace! Jesus is all we need: Col 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
Now lets get one thing straight the Broken are the Lost. People think the most Broken are homeless people! It is true for the most part but not always! Someone who has every material possession, high status, and educational degrees is also broken! Their soul is filled up with all these temporary things that will fade away! It may be difficult to acknowledge it but even the most powerful people who look like they have it all together are walking around with a gaping Hole that says JESUS and they dont even know it! The guy who walks around like he's too cool for school and is Mr. Popular may be the one who needs Christ the most but his superficial image prevents him from getting to know the Lord! This kid may be dying to meet Christ but have had a rough life and these barriers and insecurities prevented him from fully engaging in a relationship with GOD! Others have lost all of their family and have no where to go or turn to, but CHRIST! Although I pray that everyone comes to Christ, I enjoy seeing when the Real Broken come to Christ because they offer their whole bodies as sacrifices for the LORD to operate and USE THEM!
The homeless guy,the overweight kid who is ridiculed, and abuse victim is looking for the profound healing that only Christ can offer! It is not only the really downtrodden that need Christ, we do too! The Pariahs in society are the most thirsty because they have no back up plans and nobody to support them so they are looking for someone who will accept them just as they are (JESUS)! Many other people do as well and although we may not show it explicitly, the Longing for the Lord is still in our souls which is why we worship status, people, possessions (cars), idols, etc. Last weekend I went to a Bible study and found out that everybody there had a sense of brokenness! WE all needed to be mended and healed by the Lord! The next day we prayed for someones household and led a family member to CHRist in the household who was a recovering alcoholic and who the family gave up on and has isolated. In his face there was a little bit of everybody who is Lost and is in dyre need of Christ! His soul just crossed into eternity and so will many others if we continue to look for the opportunities to preach the gospel and love people! I spoke about the woman at the well in one of my previous Blogs! Jesus told the woman "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst". Everybody may be Thirsty, but HOW THIRSTY ARE YOU ????????????????
These are the ways that the Lord wants to see us in order to reach the depths of our soul! Sometimes I wonder why I feel empty inside and alone but I have everything! I have a family who loves me, two degrees, wonderful friends, and best of all CHRIST!
I finally had a revelation about why, after having a conversation with one of my Aunts. She had an encounter with the Lord after her son was diagnosed with Leukemia and she joined prayer groups in desperate need of emotional, social, and spiritual support! Sge gave her life to the Lord in the process and he got healed! If you don't believe in the supernatural power of God and have any questions please post any comments. She told me something personal about myself without me informing her, I was shocked; she was using the gift that God gave her through the Holy Spirit (Word of Knowledge)! Then she mentioned that we have to continue to fill ourselves up with God! While she was sharing, the verse about the cup overflowing came to my mind! The cup overflowing is getting filled u with the Lord , His promises, and His presence. As soon as she mentioned that, I thought about what I was experiencing the night before. I was feeling empty because I saw all these Christians in relationships and I felt like I should have been in one! But then I thought about the relationships I had in the past where the girls were great but the Lord had not ordained it and they became idols! If God is not the center of your life something else will become!
My vessel was half empty but it was not getting filled to the brim with the treasures of the LORD! If a cup is half empty it must be filled with something and that something has to be things of this world that made me feel empty anyway! The drinking, the women, and the clubs would fulfill me for a while but then it would evaporate!
So even when we have Christ there is still a sense of brokenness because we will always be incomplete without Christ or because we fail to fully inherit all the blessings in the kingdom! When we feel empty its because a huge part of our vessel longs for God! Maybe we need to hear a Worship song, preaching, Seek HIS FACE through prayer or read the WORD! Either way we can get filled up with more things of GOD! Thank you Lord for everything! You are ALPHA and Omega Wonderful Counselor, the Almighty God! The Deliverer, Provider, Prince Of Peace! Jesus is all we need: Col 2:10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
Now lets get one thing straight the Broken are the Lost. People think the most Broken are homeless people! It is true for the most part but not always! Someone who has every material possession, high status, and educational degrees is also broken! Their soul is filled up with all these temporary things that will fade away! It may be difficult to acknowledge it but even the most powerful people who look like they have it all together are walking around with a gaping Hole that says JESUS and they dont even know it! The guy who walks around like he's too cool for school and is Mr. Popular may be the one who needs Christ the most but his superficial image prevents him from getting to know the Lord! This kid may be dying to meet Christ but have had a rough life and these barriers and insecurities prevented him from fully engaging in a relationship with GOD! Others have lost all of their family and have no where to go or turn to, but CHRIST! Although I pray that everyone comes to Christ, I enjoy seeing when the Real Broken come to Christ because they offer their whole bodies as sacrifices for the LORD to operate and USE THEM!
The homeless guy,the overweight kid who is ridiculed, and abuse victim is looking for the profound healing that only Christ can offer! It is not only the really downtrodden that need Christ, we do too! The Pariahs in society are the most thirsty because they have no back up plans and nobody to support them so they are looking for someone who will accept them just as they are (JESUS)! Many other people do as well and although we may not show it explicitly, the Longing for the Lord is still in our souls which is why we worship status, people, possessions (cars), idols, etc. Last weekend I went to a Bible study and found out that everybody there had a sense of brokenness! WE all needed to be mended and healed by the Lord! The next day we prayed for someones household and led a family member to CHRist in the household who was a recovering alcoholic and who the family gave up on and has isolated. In his face there was a little bit of everybody who is Lost and is in dyre need of Christ! His soul just crossed into eternity and so will many others if we continue to look for the opportunities to preach the gospel and love people! I spoke about the woman at the well in one of my previous Blogs! Jesus told the woman "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst". Everybody may be Thirsty, but HOW THIRSTY ARE YOU ????????????????
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