Where Are You & What Are You Doing?

So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. ⁷ At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.

⁸ When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. ⁹ Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”  Genesis 3:6-8

And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
¹⁴ He replied again, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”
¹⁵ Then the Lord told him, “Go back  1Kings 19:13b-15a

So many of you are enjoying your last day of work off, before the New Year, and some of you are preparing to go to work for the last day of the New Year, but I want to just ask you two questions before the clock strikes, or you plans for the evening are finalized: 

1) "WHERE ARE YOU?"  God asked Adam this, the same Adam that He created in His image, that was made in His likeness with some of His Holy attributes WHERE ARE YOU?  After He had knowingly disobeyed GOD's will.  So what about you?  Where are you?  Have you done something or somethings this year that really brought shame to the Holy name of GOD?  It's amazing that even though Adam had done this......GOD shows His love for us, but instead of killing him dead where he stood........He sought Adam out.  GOD despite what you've done, where you are currently at..........He still wants a relationship with you.  You've had 365 days to date to walk with GOD, work for His Kingdom's Cause, to bless or mess up people's lives......and if you didn't make it 12:01 ?@ 1-1-13 was it a good year, would GOD, your judge be pleased?

2) "WHAT ARE YOU DOING...?" So Elijah had serverd the LORD obediently, but now He's hiding in a cave?  REALLY?   I could ask you currently what are you doing?  As well as complete the sentence with asking what are you doing here.     So let's start with WHAT ARE YOU DOING?  What are you doing tonight?  Who will you be with, what really will you be doing?   There is this superstition that says whatever you are doing when the NEW YEAR HITS, is what you will be doing for much of that year.   If that's true....did you really just watch (the ball drop) the year go by?  You sat on the sidelines of life, not really getting in the game, making plays that brought people to and to know Christ?  Were you getting high, or drunk, and right now you've loaded up the party favors for tonight?  Were you in an unproductive, non-glorifying relationship that you've struggled with and in, and so have the other person to now......you are questioning WHAT ARE YOU ALL DOING?  Or were you on your knees....and have you remained there not just because of our president, but because there are so many people in need of prayer that you remained before GOD for those people?  

Or allow me to complete God's actual question "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"  Elijah was running scared because the people were evil, and had an appetite to kill him too, since they had killed all the other prophets.  SO GOD does say, it's ok.....everything will be ok......no, He says "GO BACK!"  Are you not a member of a church, serving in a ministry, a part of a small group bible study?   Why not?  Are you on the sideline, spiritually stalled for the same reasons Elijah was?  They made fun of you, hurt your feelings, you felt they didn't want you around.....GOD is telling you to GO BACK......maybe He never told you to leave.    Maybe there is ministry for you to do, maybe there are some people that you left behind that GOD still had purpose for you in their lives.   

WHOEVER this blog is for, WHERE ever you are, WHATever you are doing, pause and allow the GOD of ISAAC, JACOB, etc.......to speak to you before you go into this NEW YEAR the old way.  FOLLOW GOD, allow Him to comfort you, and be found loving & serving His people...He's forgiven you so there's no need to be hiding out....as Adam and Elijah both did........GOD loves you, and wants to continue with you in His Will for 2013.  HAPPY NEW YEAR, I'll continue in prayer with each of you......and I'll contiue to LOVE GOD, and LOVE EACH OF YOU!  LGLP

THE UNOPENED GIFT: The Fullness of JOY

You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy, at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.  Psalms 16:11

So are you done?  Did you get everything you wanted?   What did you have to take back and exchange?  Are you happy now?   Or is it possible that you are still not satisfied?    Did Christmas not turn out the way you wanted?  Maybe a certain someone is gone.   Maybe your ungrateful kids are already asking for more.   Maybe you are filled with depression because you wanted to make it bigger and better than years before and for some reason you weren't able to.  Maybe you feel lonely, and Mr or Ms. someone spent their Christmas with the new Mr. or Ms. someone.   

Whatever it is..........it's not JOY-FULL for you!   As a matter of fact you on the verge of a nervous breakdown.   Maybe you are already there, and depression is the blanket that chills your already cold body.    But somewhere you forgot to open this gift from God.   You knew it wasn't an IPAD 5 or 6 whichever one they are on now.   You knew it wasn't a Lexus with a big red bow on it.    It wasn't him or her with a bow waiting to receive you.......it was this box that was damaged, with tape keeping it from totally collapsing on itself.   It's labeled fragile, handle with care, and possible it's come from a long way so it has multiple postages on it...and it's not that attractive either.   But you sit in your room sobbing over what WASN'T or ISN'T totally ignoring that if things were really your way.......that you gave them the best Christmas ever, or that He or She was there to spend it with you, or that you finally got your flat screen, laptop, new tablet or toy....that that would only last until the NEXT BIGGEST THING was released.......so what is it that you really need?  What is it that would really satisfy our constant want for.............................

JESUS.....it's a personal relationship with Him that gives us the fullness of JOY.  It's the very GIFT OF GOD which is eternal life, because in this life, during some days, and holiday there will be ample opportunities to have a slice of depression pie, or you can say I'll pass, and I'll take another serving of the JOY of JESUS in which I have contentment in Him. 

When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. ¹¹ I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!  John 15:10-11  Notice you remain in His love when you obey, not when you seek your will and your way.    That your joy is full and overflows when you are where you are supposed to be doing what He desires you doing.  

So spend today opening that BOX filled with the grace of GOD, and the JOY of JESUS, that you may live today content with those gifts, and spend time in prayer, worship and reflection of what HE has given you!   LGLP

I Have Come...............

"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." 1John 10:10b


There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:

² a time to be born and a time to die,  Eccl. 3:1-2

 

Depending on the translation Jesus stated 10-11x in the Gospels that " I have come...." and it got me to thinking.....why am I here?   Surely you could reduce it to ....cause my parents....I was a mistake....I was the miracle child.....I am the only.....whatever you frame it with....God has a reason for allowing you to be born.   I know..." for such a time as this......" really Ray.  REALLY!!!!! 

Of all of the failed pregnancies,  sudden infant death syndrome, and unfortunate abortions you were born.   You made it.....but why?  You live in..........or work at...................you are married to.........your kids names are..................and why again?  Tonight was Halloween, and some of not many Christians struggle with participating in the Holy Day ( I said Holyday because Satan hasn't been able to create one day, and if God is the creator of each day, we can make it a Holiday or a HolyDay....its all about how we approach it....I finally chose to rejoice and be glad in October 31st) because as an adult....I have cowered into my basement, with the lights out, and took my kids out of the limelight of this celebration of_________________________(what.....demons, darkness, ghosts and goblins, etc) to protect them from what????  They are little cities on a hill...who can hide that......???

 

NO...I'm not giving Satan, not one of God's days!!!   I went out and bought some hot dogs (for the kids) and Rib Tips (for the adults) and pulled my Smoker out and decided to meat the neighborhood, and I believe I met almost the entire neighborhood!!!!  One person said..."Why are you doing this?"  "Another person said...if your goal was to make an impact.....you did!" My point to this is, not what I did, but rather what are you doing...with your life?  If at any moment you can check out of here....will it have mattered?  Will the 9mos of labor, sacrifice, and investment....matter to_________________________?   I'm not Jesus, but rather I am a follower of Jesus with mosaic life that I want to matter.....when my name is remembered I want people to associate my life with Love & Light.   Even once the casket is closed and the hole is covered....I want the rays of both to pierce through the wood & dirt and be carried onto another generation.   In the midst of all that happened tonight, Irreplaceable Impact was established.....and to GOD BE THE GLORY!  ALWAYS LGLP

BIBLICAL CONFRONTATION/DISCIPLINE:....It's As Easy As 1, 2, 3

“If a brother or sister sins, go and point out the fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. ¹⁶ But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ ¹⁷ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.  Matthew 18:15-17

When you here the word: CONFRONTATION or DISCIPLINE what imagery comes to mind.  Is it the pictured handshake of what appears to be two like-minded friends or is it the pictured Simba and Scar face off vision you have?     Whichever imagery you have I felt called to post this EMERGENCY BLOG, on the heels of a Leadership Development staff meeting where this was central.   Central meaning that we as the church must become more skilled at handling this.   Handling one another in Love.   Because the truth is, albeit we operate as a body or as individuals I believe we have been more gossipers than resolvers of conflict.   We leave more damage relationships than an atomic bomb, when we go beyond or backwards when dealing with the offense of another.   The moment we step out of God's way of handling/resolving conflict gossip becomes the driver like a college party drunk with keys to the SUV lives are destined to be wrecked.  This is why I said....it's as easy as 1, 2, and 3.

The scripture instructs us to:

1) Go approach the person that the issue is with.  In other words 1 on 1.   NOT SHARE IT WITH YOUR SPOUSE, YOUR "Accountability Partner" to make sure you are seeing this right, etc.......but ONE on ONE.  At least 90% of all cases are amicably resolved and this way and a loving relationship can continue.   The minute you share with someone else before attempting to resolve it FIRST, it becomes gossip! 

2) If you and the individual can't work it out then you are instructed to take 1 to 2 others with you in attempt to again restore the relationship.  This is not about YOU winning, but rather GOD winning and a relationship remains intact.

3) If they don't or won't hear of it after you, and one/two others have attempted then you are to include the church. (Rarely does it get to this level.)  By which time if a resolution can't be met then remember the church is a body, and the body has a backdoor.

It's important to note before approaching the individual you need to wrestle with ONE QUESTION:  Do you REALLY love this person?  This is question that you need to field and allow the Spirit of God to really minister to your heart, because the reality is if people know that you genuinely love them, and care about them....they will be much more likely to receive correction in love (and because you love them you too will be able to generally deliver it in love).  It is when the person knows you don't care about them, their situation, etc....that these conflict resolution sessions go south, because you didn't invest and sow love to begin with.   So again....it all goes back to loving God, and loving people, and when you do that.......confrontations can be more of a loving conflict resolutions that are received in love.  Now back to work....LGLP

STRUGGLING?

I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:10b

Today I got the honor of being apart of a homegoing celebration of one, Sandra Holloway.  There were friends and families gathered from as far as Virginia and Louisiana, and all to celebrate the life of Aunt Sandy.

As I sat there looking around the room and listening to the condolences, psalmists, and eulogy I wondered how many people in the room were really struggling.   Struggling with life.  Struggling with loving others as themselves.   Struggling with past hurts, and forgiveness.  Struggling with the passing of Sandy.   Struggling with knowing there own purpose in life, hearing, seeing, sharing and swapping stories of the impact Sandy had on them.  

Jesus didn't struggle with His purpose, but rather people struggle with theirs. Jesus knew that beyond all the scriptural statements of him being our redeemer, our deliverer, our healer, ...........etc the quality of life with Him, is greatly improved for those who accept him as their LORD and SAVIOR!   

The speaker today said " there is no way to die and be blessed if you aren't a believer in Jesus Christ. Rather if you die without having accepted Jesus Christ, you are cursed."  Powerful words....three people appeared to answer the altar call given.  But what about you?  Are you?  Are you struggling with your purpose?  Allow me to simplify it for you based on the above scripture.....Jesus came that we might have life more abundantly.......GOD knew and desired the world to have a YOU, to improve the quality of life of all the people you would meet.

YES.....you are suppose to make an impact, and impression on the lives your life will intersect.   Those at the grocery store, those in the waiting room, those in your church, those in your family, those in your neighborhood, those on your facebook page.....you name it.   See when you are exposed to the love of Jesus, really exposed....you can't help but share that love with others, so when your days are done here......there will be a church full of people your life blessed.  I pray you are living your life in such a way you are a servant to all, reflecting the attitude of Christ.  GOD BLESS.  LGLP

Moving Forward......SERIOUSLY?

The righteous keep moving forward, and those with clean hands become stronger and stronger. Job 17:9 NLT

in context

^6-8 “God, you’ve made me the talk of the town—
    people spit in my face;
I can hardly see from crying so much;
    I’m nothing but skin and bones.
Decent people can’t believe what they’re seeing;
    the good-hearted wake up and insist I’ve given up on God.

⁹ “But principled people hold tight, keep a firm grip on life,
    sure that their clean, pure hands will get stronger and stronger! Job. 17:6-9 MSG

There's much to be said about having to move, and those of you who have done it before already know how exhausting it can be.  Exhausting in more ways than just physical when you think about it.   Mentally, emotionally, financially, even spiritually and after feeling or actually being depleted one can only ask themselves.......WHY did I, or (for those that do it every so many years) do put myself, my family through this?  Job had been stripped of everything but his physical life and wife.  Sure Satan had been allowed to toy with him, but the so-called friends didn't make things any better for ol' Job, and we find him lamenting and at the sametime attempting to encourage himself in Christ.  He says, " The righteous move forward...principled people hold tight. "

Some of you have wondered where have I been, why haven't I been blogging...well for multiple reasons:  moving, tired, no internet, and the list goes on and on.

The reality is moving is difficult, even if GOD has ordained it.  It's difficult because of after years of investing in the institution called community (your physical home & neighborhood) you have to wrestle with somethings are junk and need to be discarded, and somethings must go with you, and other things....well you have to decide how much are they worth to you and fight to maintain them.  (TRANSITIONING THOUGHTS) I love my neighbors from my old neighborhood and packing them in a box and moving them with me.......well legally I can't do (that's called kidnapping) but if I am serious about continuing those relationships I have to, make a concerted effort to stay connected.  But I have learned that THIS is a two sided relationship, all my effort when not matched or reciprocated will eventually become a strain, and if I'm not careful a stressor.  "The righteous move forward" and I have had to wrestle with this past year somethings, some people as deeply as I love them don't desire to move foward, or desire to do so in a different direction. 

So as I revist the old home picking up a few things that didn't make trip 1, 2, or 3....I visit with my neighbors, my friends that have vowed to keep in touch, and so far so good they've held up their end and I pray they continue.  I'm thankful for these people GOD has blessed me with, cause I'm sure my hands will get (it's important to remember THEY WILL GET (in the future...yet to come) stronger........because moving foward is difficult, but not impossible. Continuing to LGLP (Love God, Love People).

Can I Cry? Is It Alright to Weep? JESUS DID

³⁴ “Where have you put him?” he asked them.
They told him, “Lord, come and see.” ³⁵ Then Jesus wept. ³⁶ The people who were standing nearby said, “See how much he loved him!”  John 11:34-36

By far this is one of the most quoted or known scriptures by Christians and non-Christians and while it is even used as the punch line in jokes regarding knowing scriptures.....there is little to laugh at when you peel back the emotions packaged in these three words.....that our LORD wept.  

By definition weep is : to express grief, sorrow, or any overpowering emotion by shedding tears; shed tears; cry

And we can over spiritualize this, talk about well did he really cry, was He really stricken with grief and overpowering emotions to the point of shedding tears...or was this a figure of speech, but I submit to you this.....they followed that comment by a testimony of those standing nearby that said : "See how much he loved him!"  

Last week I came to the gripping reality that a team, a group, a family of people that I spent 9+ years of my life over 40k hours of laughing, frustrations, working, playing, maturing and growing with and that would be changing to which I wouldn't see there faces daily anymore.   I wouldn't get to hear about the lives of....inappropriate conversations about, etc.   So I had my moments especially during the party they threw for me, that I needed to get away to privately weep.  Then when we took a picture where I was positioned and took my knee....that it hit me GOD was constantly calling me to serve these people, and at that moment my former years flashed before my eyes...to which my weeping increased. 

Today, as I drove past my normal exit to go to SSM, and my brain switch actually flipped to the new normal and I proceeded to 70 to head towards Calvary Church MR, again GOD THEN revealed to me the sum total of all of my life's events, and that they led me to this new normal!   To which I found myself weeping while, driving at times having to remember THAT I AM DRIVING, so I couldn't lose myself in my tears....but WHY was I crying?

Folks.....I give you the answer the witnesses of Jesus tears gave:  " See how much he loved (them)!"  I didn't just love my job, what I did.......I LOVED THEM (and still do).  I can honestly tell you all, that not only did I have my circle of FRIENDS, I never forgot those that weren't those that I couldn't share the depths of my soul with, but I could share enough that they would know me, and in turn they'd allow me an opportunity to know them, understand them, and give me a pathway to love them.   But not only these people at SSM did I love, I too loved the people at my church.....NOT JUST CONNECTIONS where I pastor now, but ANYONE that GOD has given me a moment to meet......and I am willing to spend the rest of my life now....loving all of them into HIS KINGDOM, not just in word, but in deed as much as possible.

WHY AM I TELLING YOU THIS.....because GOD wasn't kidding when HE GAVE THE COMMANDMENT to US to LOVE HIM, and LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS.

For now my tears are on pause, and I realize the goodness of GOD upon my life, and the opportunities he continues to bestow upon me to continue to love His people.  I pray you too....discover his will for your life regarding the greatest two commandments.   LGLP