What should you expect?

Names are very important. Some of the most important names we learn as a child are “mama” and “daddy,” do you agree? I can’t remember a time that I called out “mama,” and if my mother was near, she didn’t respond. And what do we expect when we call out “mama” or “daddy?” Usually we call out to them because we need them in some way, or we need something from them. As children and even as adults if we call out to our parents we fully expect them to answer or supply the need, right? But what do they expect in return? My mama expects a few things from me, if I want her to supply me with anything when I call her. She expects respect, and she expects me to “Do what she says.” As a mother I expect my girls to do what I say as well. I mean why should they always call on me for things and receive but never do the things I ask them to do? Our Lord Jesus Christ is the same way. Luke 6:46 says, “But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?” This lets us know that God expects things from us. He has given us the Bible as a guide to understanding what He expects. Yes, He is a merciful and gracious God, granting favor in times we don’t deserve it. After all how many times has you mother given you a treat you really didn’t deserve. God is much better to us than our mothers could ever be. Luke 11:11-13 “If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” With that being said, when you call on the Lord in expectation, what should HE expect? Have you been doing His will in your life? Or are you just calling on Him expecting His mercy when you have not been doing what His word says? Does that seem right to you? How much would you do for a person when they called on you, yet they NEVER did as you asked…? Isn’t it good that God is not like man? He grants us grace and unmerited favor. But shouldn’t we be more than willing to follow His commands knowing He is ever faithful? Think about it!

The monkey & the coconut!

I recently heard an interesting life lesson tale. As much as I read and as many fables and tales that I know; I have never heard this one until lately! It is called The Monkey & the Coconut. It tells the story of a hungry monkey looking for food and a hunter looking for a monkey to capture. In the story the hunter takes a coconut and cuts a small hole in it then puts a little rice at the bottom. The monkey, smelling the rice sticks his hand inside and grabs it up. But he cannot get his hand out without letting go of the rice and is soon captured by the hunter. How often in life are we hungry for things and searching? How often are we faced with decisions and make them hastily? How many times have we overlooked the simple solution (like dumping out the rice) in our haste to solve our own problems? Like the little monkey we may be searching for things and settle for the first thing we come across instead of taking our time and seeking God for guidance. Have you ever been in need and just accepted the first solution you were presented with only to regret it later, like the monkey? Have you ever gotten yourself into a predicament and all you needed to do was…let go? Yet like the monkey you held on to something that was not meant for your good because you felt desperate and refused to let go. Let go of past hurt and forgive. Let go of hatred and love. Let go of sin and live for Christ. Often times the enemy (the hunter) is after us and uses the simplest things to lure us into a place, we don’t need to be. This world is unpredictable. So many things can come our way and leave us desperate for help. It is in these times we must remember every answer lies within God’s word and every solution can come from His power. Scripture Reference II Peter 1:3 “as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue.” Think about it!

Are you the one?

Do you consider yourself to be grateful? I mean beyond the average, saying grace over your food or saying, thank you when someone opens a door? I don’t know about you, but I know I am guilty of taking God’s grace and mercy for granted and not truly being thankful on a daily basis. Let’s consider Luke 17:12-19. 12 Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. 13 And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” In biblical days when a person was found to have leprosy they were immediately sent away from their home to wonder in the wilderness because their disease was contagious. They were forced to leave their families and jobs, so it’s no wonder these lepers having heard of Jesus rushed over when they saw Him coming, expecting a miracle. 14 So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. When we ask God for something first we must believe He’s going to grant our request. Once he grants our request it is very important that we then turn and walk or act on that faith to receive our expected blessing. So far so good for the lepers, let’s continue. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. Here we see one of the lepers took his faith into the realm of showing true gratitude. Once he noticed he had received his miracle, he stopped to worship and give thanks! How many times have we been spared from unexpected danger or received an answer to a long awaited prayer only to throw God one tiny, “thank you?” You may say, “So what, at least I said thank you.” Well let’s continue reading. 17 So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? 18 Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole. There were ten desperate lepers, who came to Jesus in faith and they were cleansed. There was one who returned to worship and glorify the Lord who made whole! I believe that because the one turned back and show genuine gratitude he was made complete. The others were only cleansed, meaning they could very well become sick again and have to return to the wilderness. Being cleansed does not mean you won’t get dirty again right? But being made whole, means complete and free from disease. So the next time you receive and awaited or unexpected blessing/miracle, don’t forget to glorify God. As a matter of fact let’s glorify Him on a daily and basis in advanced! Are you the one? Think about it!

Soul Protectant

In the summer we wear sun screen. In the winter we wear extra clothing. These are just a few measures we take in order to protect ourselves from the elements of our environment. Thinking about how we make sure we protect the outside of our bodies, makes me think about how we MUST protect our spirit man as well. So many times we see people working out or exercising in order to better their outer body, yet they will eat fatty foods or indulge in too many sweet treats and remain unhealthy in inwardly. That being said what are you doing to insure that your soul is protected from eternal dangers? Some would say, “Hey I go to church every Sunday.” I present to you the question, “Is that enough?” Is it enough just to be a “church-goer,” but never exercise your faith outside church? Better yet, is it enough to just say you are a Christian but no one can see the evidence in your lifestyle? Why should someone believe we are a Christian, which means “Christ-Like” if we quote scriptures and curse in the same breath…or POST? What is the evidence of your relationship with Christ if you look like a healthy upstanding Christian on the outside but fill your inside is filled with vile items such; as drugs, alcohol, or evil thoughts and pleasures? You may say, “It doesn’t matter to me what people think I am…I know what I am!” Great, then let me add this…so does GOD! He knows the inner workings of your heart, mind and soul. He knows if we are keeping Him first or just calling on him like sunscreen in the summer…applying only when we feel we need to! So the next time you see rain and grab an umbrella, the next time you feel a chilly wind and grab a jacket to protect your outer body, take a pause and make sure that your soul is also protected. Think about it Scripture References Romans 10:13NKJV- For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. 2 Tim 2:22 KJV- Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Mark 12:30 NKJV- And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. If someone told you they were a professional football player but looked like this Would you believe them?

Fear Vs. Faith

Have you ever been caught up in the midst of some trouble you were not expecting and didn’t know how to get yourself out? Have you ever been toiling with a particular situation or circumstance and just needed peace? If you have experienced anything like either question above my final question for you is, did you walk in faith or in fear? In Matthew 8:5-10, Jesus was visiting Capernaum when a Centurion officer approached. The officer told Jesus that one of his faithful servants was lying at his home dying, paralyzed and tormented. Can you imagine this well respected wealthy man, caring so much for his servant that he sets out seeking the help of someone he had never met? That sounds like faith to me. I believe he could have hired the best doctors in the land, and paid endless amounts of money to have them work on his servant, but he was not walking in his own knowledge or power, he was walking in faith. He sought out Jesus. When he told Jesus of his plight, Jesus quickly offered to go to his house and heal his servant. In verses 8 the Centurion said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.” Not only did he have the faith to seek out a stranger, but he had the faith to take that stranger at His word and believe for a miracle. Let us keep this story in mind when unexpected things come our way. When sickness grips your body out of nowhere and even the doctors scratch their heads. When your car decides to go “ka-put” and your money in the bank is “funny.” Stop a moment and ask yourself… “Am I going to react/walk in fear or in faith?” What are the benefits of walking in faith you might ask? Let’s look at the end of the Centurion’s story. Verses 10 & 13 say, 10When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! 13 Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour. I don’t know about you but I could use a same hour blessing! So the next time calamity comes our way, let’s walk in faith and not fear believing God for a same hour blessing in the mist of it all! Think about it!

This should go viral!

The Urban Dictionary defines to “go viral” as - used in reference to Internet content which can be passed through electronic mail and social networking sites. An article on Jeff Bullas.com states: “Viral used to mean a catching a bad disease that spread quickly and brought sickness or death. Now it means “fame and fortune” via a social media. Here’s how things have changed. The art of going viral has moved far beyond one time flukes to a formula and a process.” I must say I completely agree. Just think about how many 15 second videos you watch per day just for a laugh. It is so easy these days to receive entertainment, as well as, information, whether valid or not, from social media with the flick of your thumb or the click of your finger. Millions or even billions of people around the world participate in, view and post videos, pictures and comments in hopes of them “going viral.” I’m sure you have heard of “Sweet Brown,” “Antoine Dodson” and others that have become famous, even if just for a moment, due to something they did or said “going viral.” If you have been living under a rock and not heard anyone say, “ain’t nobody got time for that,” or “hide yo kids, hide yo wife,” then I know you have heard of the fire, wall and even ice challenges that spread like wildfire through the cyber-sphere! All of this awakens a thought in me. That thought is, what if we spend half the time sharing the gospel of Christ as we do “liking” silly videos and posting comments on the latest injustices of the world. Stop for a moment and think about that. Compare the number of comments you have posted on social media, the number of texts you have forwarded, and the number of pictures you have uploaded…to the number of times you have shared the good news of Christ…WOW that hurts don’t it, (don’t worry I’m guilty as well.) But we can all do better. As Christian it behooves us not only to aimlessly surf the social media world, but to be a light and example in that world. Consider how you may be friends with someone on Facebook or Instagram that you have never met face to face, and most likely never will, yet you communicate with them practically every day even if it’s just to “like” their latest picture, now ask yourself how many times you have said anything to them about Christ. I think I have made my point. Now, guess what: JESUS LOVES YOU! CHRIST SAVES! PRAYER WORKS! Now that should go viral! Think about it! Matthew 5:16 - Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

FOLLOW CLOSE

Personal space is very important to most people. Don’t you hate when you’re driving along, minding your own business and someone tailgates you? Does it bother you when you are in a crowded room and no one makes the effort to space out, or when a co-worker gets right in your face talking with coffee breath? How about when you’re walking on a dark street and hear footsteps behind you…do you like being followed by the unknown? Even though many hate to be followed closely literally, FOLLOWING has become very popular with this generation. You can follow your friends every move from sun up until sun down on social media. Mega stars want to be known by the number of followers they have. Not only are we following famous people some of us even follow foolishness such as VINE video featuring things like sneezing babies and screaming cats. Whether we like it or not we are all followers of someone/something in one way or another. We follow the laws of the land, follow rules at school or work, some even follow personal rules. Many of us spend hours each day following something that has no significance at all for example, how many hours a day do you spend scrolling on FACEBOOK not to mention Instagram and TWITTER. Before you ask, yes, I am a follower and I have people following me. Now I don’t know the statistics on how many people hate to be followed weather on social media or literally followed, however, I do know someone who loves to be followed and closely at that….Jesus Christ. My question then is this how are you “following” Christ? Mark 15:54 NKJV says, “But Peter followed Him at a distance…” Jesus walked the Earth preaching and performing miracles, Peter was there to witness much of that yet when the going got tough, PETER GOT GOING! Can the same be said of you? Are you so busy following friends, trends and social media that you don’t have time to closely follow Jesus? Do you spend so much time worrying about your life you’re yourself that you neglect becoming a follower of the only person who is really deserving? When I speak of following Christ I’m talking about more than just posting a daily scripture on your timeline or saying you’re a Christian out of your mouth. I’m talking daily self-denial, truly trusting Him and living for Jesus ON PURPOSE…no matter who’s watching. Don’t be like Peter. If you are following Christ follow closely so that others can see and know who you really live for and who you really FOLLOW. Think about it.