I have great joy, peace and hope because Christ is in my life.
Yet, there is pain that never leaves me. It’s like gravity, a condition of this environment, always there, weighing me down.
I don’t want to,
I don’t feel like,
I don’t have the strength to,
are all ways the pain makes me feel.
But, there is strength to thrive in spite of the pain: His strength.
To enjoy it I have to accept my weakness and His power, allow it to align me, flow through me and make me flourish,
like a flower emerging from the weight of the earth, its roots still in but its bud reaching toward the sun.
Quite often, life requires more than I have. But, His grace is sufficient. (2 Corinthians 12:8-9)
There is power to overcome
I don’t want to,
I don’t feel like,
I don’t have the strength to.
There is power to go on
as a vessel of His Love.
I just have to go,
depending on Him.
Any Love, any Light, any Life that He can channel through me is eternally worth it.
Originally posted on Facebook on Saturday, July 23, 2022.
In week 29 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Freddie Williams.
Remember when I said there are kind, caring, compassionate people in this world? Here's one of them.
A native of Starkville, Mississippi.
Serves our country as a soldier in the U.S. Army.
Starts a successful transport logistics company, Williams Logistics & Tranport LLC.
Volunteers to mentor young men in our community.
Today, he hosts a back to school bash, giving away backpacks and school supplies to our area youth. But what I find more impressive than this gracious act is how he chose to go about it. He elected to get the community engaged in meeting its own need.
He had tshirts made for volunteers that said BElieve in YOUrself. A message I take to mean that we can do better and the first step is to believe.
Thank you, Mr. Williams for that much needed encouragement but moreso for demonstrating that it's possible. I'm grateful. #52WoG
Originally posted on Facebook on Wednesday, June 29, 2022.
In light of recent events, it's hard but stand firm believer.
The Bible can be trusted.
We, as believers, should not reason or orient ourselves based on anything apart from God's Word, no matter how badly Christians around us get it wrong or how compelling worldly arguments may be. (Romans 1:16-17, Ephesians 6:15, Hebrews 10:38)
The Word is the authoritative guide to Life, but without the revelation of the Holy Spirit, its meaning is closed to us. Reading, quoting, teaching and preaching scripture without the illumination of the Holy Spirit is how we, with such confidence that we're right, assert things that are so tragically wrong. (Deuteronomy 29:29, Matthew 11:25, I Corinthians 2:14)
The Word and the Spirit are complete, sufficient for all areas of life and need no extra-biblical supplement. (II Peter 1:3)
They also perfectly agree. The Spirit will never give anything that contradicts the Word. Evaluating statements against scripture is how we test things. (John 16:12-15, 1 Corinthians 14:32, 1 John 4:1-6)
To understand what the Word for any situation or season is, we must be careful not to proudly presume but to humble ourselves and ask God for understanding of the scripture and for wisdom. He gives it generously without risk of rejection. (James 1:5-8, 4:6)
Don't be distracted by the raging waves, those to your left and your right or even the "church". Look to Jesus, the Word in flesh and trust Him, alone.
Originally posted on Facebook on Tuesday, June 28, 2022.
There are areas of my life that are a mess.
Messes can be fixed, if I:
1. Believe better is possible.
2. Take responsibility for the mess.
3. Stop adding to the mess.
4. Do something everyday to make it better.
5. Celebrate improvement, any improvement, every time.
6. Don't allow setbacks to stop me. Acknowledge them, don't ignore them. Confess them. Grieve them. Try to avoid repeating them. Return to step 1.
7. Never give up.
Pictured is my office. Those who know me can look at this and know I'm not ok. Usually, there is not so much as a stray pencil on my desk. But, life happens. What you're looking at is the result of wave after wave of unexpected challenges. I'm not beating myself up about it because this is me just rolling with it.
Now, I believe better is possible and I'm moving towards it. #thriveday
Originally posted on Facebook on Monday, June 27, 2022.
The problem is that men make God out to be like themselves and think that He would regard authority the way a man would, "to lord it over others." (Mark 10:42)
But, what did Jesus do with His bride? "He called His disciples together and gave them power and authority" (Luke 9:1, Mark 6:7, Matthew 10:1) and in the regeneration, "We shall rule with Him" (2 Timothy 2:12)
Everything God gives us, whether resources, revelation or authority is for the reconciliation of creation and the protection and provision for ALL that are in His house. (Matthew 24:45)
Do we even know why man was given authority in the first place? The fall. (Genesis 3:1) In God's lovingkindness, even in cursing as He was administering His righteous judgement, He had redemption in view and provided "covering" –making the family a military unit to effectively fight against an Enemy that our sin gave power to, to cover (preserve) us until the Chief Shepherd appears (Isaiah 11, John 10, Revelations 21).
Until then, we war. And, I don't know about you, but I want my wife, the woman who's in the foxhole with me, to be empowered, equipped and fully capable of fighting alongside me.
Originally posted on Facebook on Sunday, June 5, 2022.
You don't have to be prominent to be important.
There are impurities in my thinking that disrupt my peace and destroy my productivity.
Jesus referred to these as leaven.
Among which is the idea that I have to be prominent to be important.
Jesus warned us about this. “Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts"
-Luke 20:46
This sort of thinking breeds self-seeking, making me a slave to what is momentary and does not satisfy (disturbing my peace). It also places undue emphasis on me as an individual rather than as a member of a larger whole, dividing me from those to whom and from whom edification should flow (destroying my productivity).
But this is the mind of Christ,
"And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another."
-I Corinthians 12:23-25
So, my prayer today is:
"Father, give me a heart like Christ's, that thinks of prominence as nothing to be sought or held on to, not being preoccupied with oneself (even how they or their work is perceived), but is humble, simply living in service to the Whole, trusting You with their obedience. (Philippians 2:3-11)
Therefore, give me a heart
that does not need to be seen,
that does not need to be applauded,
that does not need likes on social media,
that does not need to signal my importance through titles such as president of this, founder of that or through possessions such as houses, cars or clothes,
that does not need "important" work but a heart that is content peeling potatoes in Your name.
Give me a heart that is glad, yes rejoices, just to be at Your table, regardless of where I sit.
Give me a heart that is satisfied with You alone.
I confess that I do not have this heart. I still desire worldly acceptance and approval. I repent and ask for Your heart believing this is Your will, therefore having full confidence that You can and You will grant my petition, believing that I will receive it without doubting, I ask these things for Your Son Jesus' sake and in His name I pray.
The Christ, the God-Man, the highest form of existence did not want to do what was before Him to do.
“O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” -Matthew 26:39
Yet, His love for the Father and for you and I prevailed. By it, He steeled Himself in the face of unparalleled and incomprehensible suffering and chose to trust and obey the Father, to fulfill His ministry and finish His redemptive work.
I am tired. I am frustrated. I am discouraged and this remembrance is an encouragement to me.
Surely, with there being even more grace towards us now than there was before (John 4:12), I can endure these comparatively light and momentary afflictions: I can endure fatigue, feelings of failure, discouragement, difficult and devious people. Not seeing the end from the beginning, I can trust the Father, I can hope, I can love, I can work His fields, I can keep my hands to the plow of His redemptive work no matter how small or fruitless my efforts may seem.
I can go on.
Jesus is my example, my model and my guide. He is the person I want to become –to attain to His resurrection, to be like Him: righteous, just, loving, faithful –altogether fit to rule. He is my prize.So, even though I don’t want to right now, I press.
Originally posted on Facebook on Monday, May 23, 2022.
Some days, like today, I find myself feeling bad about where I am in worldly terms: what I look like, what I want and don't have, etc..
The temptation is to do something to make myself feel better in that worldly context (to eat something I enjoy, buy something I want, to do something for recognition, etc.) when the key is to completely change contexts –from worldly to godly.
To change these contexts is to abandon earthly considerations; don't worry about it and to shift focus from myself to God, to what He's doing, to how I can be a part of it, to confidence in its beauty and its goodness –to trust God.
Discontent and worry are the opposite of trust.
Very often, the remedy for a sad countenance, discouragement and a downcast heart is a new heart –one secure in God.
So, my prayer in this hour is Psalms 51:10-13,
"Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit."
In Week 18 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for a fond memory of my mother and her Stopping Game.
My Mom made everything fun.
When I was learning to drive she made up this game to see who could stop the car most smoothly.
A successful stop was one that was gentle on the passengers and did not cause them to jerk forward in their seats. An excellent stop was one that your passengers barely felt.
On our way to choir rehearsal or Bible class (as church was our most common destination), we’d take turns driving to see who could stop the car better.
My younger brother, though too young to drive at the time, would get in on the game too. We’d all have so much fun exaggerating like we were going to get thrown out of the car when the driver was making a stop.
At the time, I was completely unaware that my mother was teaching me to be calm behind the wheel, gentleness with the pedals, speed management and to better gauge distances in traffic. But even more than that, my mother turned what would have been a loathsome task (going to church) into absolute joy.
My Mom constantly did stuff like this. This is what motherhood looks like to me, she was simultaneously my best teacher and my first friend.
Originally posted on Facebook on Sunday, May 15, 2022.
If you are saved, you are part of Christ's body and your function in the body is not just going to church and listening to the mouth. Nor is it recruiting others to come and just listen to the mouth.
God, through Christ, has given you a ministry: "good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." Eph 2:10
What has God given you a heart or burden for? How is the Holy Spirit leading you? How are you providing for Christ our Lord's House? How are you seeking His interests in the world?
