Many of you asked...Lets Face it

Micah 6:8 says, “He hath showed thee, O man what is good and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God.”

Yesterday, I received more emails, texts, visits, and calls, with questions about the blog, “Let’s face it”, more than any other blog.  So I asked the LORD, why?  What was it about this blog that stirred hearts so vehemently, and how could I get more people to look deeper into their lives as He as taught me, to see His marvelous works and discover just how much He loves us?

He took me back to a scripture He gave me when I was lost, confused, and scared, but I was right where He wanted me to be.  While I spent much time with the LORD, He began to show me the various parts of my life and how He was right there with me, always.  I also asked Him, as many of us do when we are experiencing earthly battles, “LORD, why is this happening to me?” 

The book of Micah and the sixth chapter tell us of the case the LORD is bringing against Israel for their sins, disobedience and being led astray not because they didn’t know better, but because they were not disciplined to seek out the TRUTH, wanted to be like “everyone” else, a failed to keep His covenants and commandments.  That was me.  It’s not that I didn’t know better, but I wanted to be like “everybody” else, because I thought they had it so good, I disobeyed the LORD, for He has given me commandments, and covenants that I was aware of, but chose to ignore, and I was lazy and not disciplined in seeking out the truth in His Word. 

The questions in Micah 6:6,7 that God’s people posed showed just how far they had strayed from the true faith in the LORD.  This is the “Why is this happening to me?” For that question denotes an attitude as though for all you (that’s just so good) you deserve better than what you are getting.  This is pride and wherever pride entered in, falling was soon to follow. 

In response to God’s lawsuit against them, the people tried to decide what might win God’s favor.  They were so spiritually ignorant that they even proposed offering their children as human sacrifice.  They continued to offer their children to the Canaanite gods throughout the days of Jeremiah and Ezekiel.  What do you “sacrifice” that the LORD does not want?  For He says, “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.”  Hosea 6:6.

In both the Old Testament and the New Testament, God desires men to have a genuine, heartfelt relationship with Him.  The underlying purpose of all the detailed observances required by the Mosaic Law is summed up in these brief statements of Hosea 6:6.  “Mercy” is translated from the Hebrew word, “chesed”, the closest Old Testament equivalent to the New Testament term “grace”.  It incorporates the two commandments which Jesus said were the most important: to love the LORD your God, and to love your neighbor as yourself (Deut 6:4-9, Matt 22:34-40).

What’s this all mean in relationship to the blog yesterday?  I went through my time of being away from the LORD.  I questioned everything in my life.  I ignored the commandments and covenants He had given to me.  But thank the LORD; He loved me enough to show me Himself.  He taught me to love Him, because He first loved me.  He is teaching me to love my neighbor as myself.  Am I perfect? NO WAY!  This is a process.  And if you will please be patient with me, I promise you the LORD will not disappoint you, in me nor in yourself.

Then why was my life on display for everyone to see?  It was because when the LORD wants to do a work and show forth His power, He is not going to do it, “in a corner.”  I share what has happened in me, for I want the entire world to see, who He is, and what He wants to do in each of our lives.  And if He will do it for me, He will do it for you! 

He is awaiting your total surrender; won’t you come to Him, now?  Go to church this weekend, yes, but start to ask Him right now to show you in your heart His true love for YOU!

Let's Face it...With HIM!

When you have really started to face life, and begin to set your face like flint against the onslaught of constant fear of being hurt, making a misstep, letting those you love down, or just to face life in general, it is easy to become discourage, to retreat into a dismal cave filled with alcohol, drugs, and sex, or even to go as far as committing suicide, because we will do anything to escape having to face our fears.

I too have faced and am facing many decisions in my life that could cause me to retreat in various ways for various reasons.  As a matter of fact, I used to retreat into my cave filled with alcohol, (that was my drug) and sex.  Life had a dismal and bleak outlook, and even though I thought I was happy and I even portrayed a “happy me” the reality is I didn’t know what true happiness was.  I had a false sense of security, a hidden denial in myself, and lack the confidence that only could come from one person.

As my life began to change, and I was born (see “It’s my birthday”), I began to spend more time reading my bible.  The time grew and grew until it almost totally consumed my day.  I learned scripture, some for the first time, and others I gained a deeper knowledge, and a development of humbleness for what the LORD was actually doing in my life.  How He had always been there, even though I didn’t acknowledge it, nor see it, and He was truly the only reason I was even still alive.

Well as you know my “birthday” just recently passed, and as tradition has it, you receive gifts on your birthday.  This one was no exception in the fact that I received a gift, but it was immensely different in what the gift was and whom it came from. 

I have spent so much time with God that I truly looked for something from Him.  You see I am doing well at facing life and I am proud to say the cave has been blocked from entry.  But I still have challenges every day.  That is called LIFE.  Even if everything in your life is perfect, like you eat chocolate and never gain weight, or every day someone gives you a million dollars, life alone will tear at you and break you down to the point you will want to run into a cave. 

This year I asked God for a gift from Him.  And He gave me one.  He directed me right to His Word, and this He embedded into my Spirit: “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. “Behold, all those who were incensed against you Shall be ashamed and disgraced; They shall be as nothing, And those who strive with you shall perish. You shall seek them and not find them—

Those who contended with you.  Those who war against you Shall be as nothing, As a nonexistent thing.  For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.” –Isaiah 41:10-13

When you look at life and it starts to stare you down and proclaim its intimidating words to you such as, “you can’t make it”, “I will beat you”, and “No one is going to like you” or any other words that makes you no longer be more than a conqueror, get back up and speak aloud these words of God in the face of your situation.  The LORD promises He will make it work out for you and that you shall be an overcomer, and all you have to do is STAND! 

Hallelujah!

Show them Your Wounds

Scripture Reference: Luke 24:38-39 “And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts?  
Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.”

Here we find Jesus coming to the disciples after He had risen again and made atonement for our sins.  One interesting thing here to note is they were scared and feared greatly what was going to happen to them, and had locked their selves into a room.  They were hurt by the recent events in their lives, and opted to secluded themselves from “more potential pain” rather than trust in the Jesus whom had told them many times, “Fear not for I am with thee”.  What “room” of seclusion have you locked yourself into, because of past hurts in your life?

But the beauty of the Gospel is that in the problem, there is already the solution.  As the Disciples anchored down in their fear, Jesus came to them, and having compassion for them begins to ask them, “Why are you troubled?  And why do doubts arise in your hearts?” In other words, “Why do you fear your hurts and pains, not realizing that I brought them about so that I could get the glory out of your life?”  What hurts are keeping you from seeing the glorious work He is and wants to do in your life?

And then He displayed the ultimate showing of love and security.  He said, “Behold, My hands and My feet, that it is Myself.”  What Jesus did here is show them “His wounds”.  He opened Himself up to His deepest pain, the agony of the Cross, in which He was separated from God and paid the full price for me on Calvary.  The place of His greatest pain was also the place of His greatest ministry.

Today, I challenge myself, to be more open with my pain and past hurts, trusting that Jesus allowed them so that He can get the ultimate glory out of them.  And my desire is that by revealing myself, openly as Jesus did, that you too, will come to know Him as the True, Living, and Matchless Savior He is, that not only orchestrates our pains, but also has an ultimate plan to draw us infinitely closer to Him, if we will only trust in Him with ALL of our heart; Even through the pain!

I feel like going on

Today I needed a word in my Spirit.  I don’t know about you, but everything is not terrific in my life.  I still have many struggles, bouts, and despairs.  There are times when I feel all alone and that the pain will never end.  Am I the only one?

But thank the LORD that I was afflicted last year, or how else would I know what to do?  You see God does not take us through trial, heartache and pain for nor reason.  He is desperately trying to teach us that HE is our source, HE is our provider, and HE is our comforter. No one else will do.

So in my affliction, I called upon the LORD, I sought Him in my heart.  And like a true Father, He came and reminded me of what He has spent a lifetime teaching me. 

Below is a song I learned in church while I was a youth.  The choir would sing this and I heard it so much that it is still with me today.  Thank you, Moms, for making me attend church and exposing me to teaching that would one day comfort my soul. 

But if that were not good enough, for Him to put a song back into my spirit, He also reminded me of the words He taught me throughout the years and especially last year.  Psalm 34, for anyone facing heartache and pain, exemplifies what we should keep at the forefront of our minds when trials come.

So today, early in the morning, Father I declare to my situation, “I Feel Like Going On” and I will, as you have taught me, I will “Come to You, and listen to You, for You will teach me Your awesomeness and love for me.  I love life, and I desire to see good, many days.  So I obey Your command and I will keep my tongue from evil and my lips from speaking lies.  Today I purpose to turn from evil and do good in ALL that I do, and I seek peace will all, and I pursue it with all my might”  Psalm 34:11-14

I like to talk to you this evening, I like to talk I like to talk about getting on when things not going quite so well Like this morning I woke up I was real depressed But something told me Say you gotta  Ya Gotta  Keep on keeping on  Going on Say I feel like going on  You know  I feel like going on Going on  Say the storm may be raging and the stars may seem too high Lord  I feel like going on Feel like going on I feel like going on Though trials come on every hand I feel like going on Feel like going on I feel like going on http://searchmp3.mobi/download-mississippi-mass-choir-i-feel-like-going-on-118687.xhtml