We ALL do it. No matter how you may want to spin it or even claim your innocence, we are all guilty. Maybe not all the time or every day, but one time or another we have. Most likely when we were younger, however many still consistently do this today. Confused yet?? Ok….get up from wherever you are. Go on….do it, go look in the mirror. You get it yet? It’s not ONLY looking in the mirror itself that we ALL do….its the checking out, gazing or tempting “second look” you give yourself and think, “I am good lookin!” 😉😂
However the opposite is true as well and possibly more frequented. We look at ourselves and think of the negative. The low self-esteem, the blemishes, the echoes of others voices, guilt or criticism, and ultimately hatred. Two distinct mirror reflections, both of which opposite of the spectrum; yet both the most believed reflections of humans today. How do we get there? The extreme egoism or the magnified disgust? The roots of your self worth is the nourishment to your growth.
We all make a direct choice everyday to accept the reflection we see of ourselves or to let other factors define the reflection we accept. As the above picture states, how we experience the world DOES affect our “world” within us. Beliefs, passions, pursuits and even goals we set reflect our core, our hearts and our spirits. Whether you live a life reflecting the created image of God you were intended to live, or you don’t care, THAT image still reflects within you.
We cannot run from it, we cannot out science it and we cannot out deny its relevance to your life. God has a purpose for YOU. He doesn’t want to see His children see themselves less than His creation was intended for within you! Yet we still allow all the “others” within this world define what we see. Social media, the news, our careers, our schools, our families ALL think they have a deep say in WHO we are….if we let them. Who do YOU say you are though?
As the Bible says in Proverbs 27:19-20, “As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart. Death and Destruction are never satisfied, and neither are human eyes.” Our eyes, away from God are like Death and Destruction….were never satisfied with who we are. We want more, we crave more and humility is Jesus. We need to remember we are the hands and feet of Jesus Christ. Especially if we are professing believers, our reflections need to be His within us.
My friends, each day we step out into the world, if we claim to love and believe in God and His Son Jesus; we need to BE Him to this world. It’s not a matter of what the world or others close to you say who you are, it’s what Jesus died for that makes you beautiful and worthy and full of grace to give. Don’t forget who you are and whose you are! When walking in the world’s shadows, don’t step on His reflection within you to please the world and ripple who you are.
You may be the only Jesus someone may ever see….
“Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.” -James 1:23-24 NIV
Approaching the large decorated wood doors, you can hear the heat of the discussions. It was dusk, the sun’s cap barely showed through the trees. A lift of steam rose beneath the door as I approached contrasting the heat within to the chill outside. Grasping for the handle meant to lead to this safe place, my feet stop suddenly to the words, “We don’t believe that!”
My grasp fell hesitant to enclose the handle and thus enter. I stand there paralyzed with curiosity as my ear began indulging. The crosshairs of apparent dual translations pitted two against one another. Their words of argument grew into daggers of frustration; neither one desiring for empathy with the other.
Finally a deeper voice raised above the collection of dysfunction and ceased the fires within…. “ENOUGH!” Silence fell for a brief moment as I could hear the sniffle of sadness from within the space. Suddenly my grasp tightened, pulling the handle of our separation and I entered the oven. I arrived at the Bible study.
Jostling bodies with anxious waves, the faces turned from anguished smiling to sputtering “Welcome(s)!” “So glad you could make it! We were just about to start our discussion in the book of John!” The parties engaged in the prior disgruntled chatter, sat silently as the leader rustled through the thin pages loudly to God’s fourth gospel.
Unsure where to sit, the space between those and the leader held the only vacancy. The front rows of the room held for the eyes of spotlight. Sitting alone, muttered whispers tickled the back of my neck hairs when the leader began. “Last week we spoke about the disciples preparing the upper room, this week we’ll discuss Jesus at the Last Supper in John 13.”
Vaguely familiar with the story, the subtitles on the pages in John led me to chapter 13. The leader began by asking if someone wanted to read to which one offered to do so. Starting with John 13:1, the volunteer began reading. Abruptly at the end of verse 3, the leader interrupted and painted the scene.
“Here Jesus had the disciples prepare the spot for the Last Supper, He knew who was going to betray Him and that all things were under His power….” He then chose another to read, but directed saying “starting with verse 16.” Puzzled, the chosen reader obeyed and began reading through the rest of the chapter. A few faces in the room sat downcast in their seats no longer following along. I felt their disconnect as I too didn’t understand.
The Holy reading concluded, the leader taught of the impact of the Last Supper: the bread and the cup. A new covenant born out of the sacrifice of a battered and broken body, massive shed blood from insurmountable lashed wounds. Death and resurrection solidifying forgiveness and salvation. Yet the preface of it all within that upper room….ignored.
The leader prior to conclusion asked, “Does anyone have anything to add to the lesson?” Silence, so quiet even a pin drop would be loud. Glancing to the few with their heads down, I turned to the leader sitting upright and puffed; “You left out a vital part of Jesus’ time with His disciples during that evening.” The crackling of neck bones were synchronized as all eyes turned towards me and then symbolically to the leader.
The puffiness of his visible confidence seemed to deflate as he looked at me with surprise and asked, “I don’t understand what you mean? I provided all the valuable details of that historic night that led to Jesus’ death and resurrection for all our sins.” With a sense of disappointment towards his reply, I responded back with conviction, “Yes, however Jesus began that entire evening of intimacy with setting our forever example of love in action by washing the disciples’ feet.”
The synchronized head turns of the group were volleying back and forth like that of an intense tennis match. The leader, with a slight smirk of sarcasm, looks at the faces of the group (not towards me directly) and stated back, “Though Jesus displayed the servant’s act prior to the Last Supper, the only true focus of the passage is the symbolism of the elements representing His body and blood….for all of us.” The group’s faces again slid downcast upon his words.
“Christ set the example of humble love to the least of these by servanthood displayed…” As the last word was being said, the leader aggressively and abruptly interrupted my response with an agitated raised voice and proclaimed, “JESUS DYING ON A CROSS FOR OUR SINS IS ALL THE LOVE WE NEED! NOTHING ELSE SPOKEN, NO OTHER ACT SHOWS THE SAME LEVEL OF LOVE!”
What’s wrong with this picture?
Silence fell in the room for what seemed like an eternity, some in shock at the aggressive tone displayed, some seemed unphased by it. Quietly my legs lifted me from my defeated posture and the presence within my soul went in control. Walking towards the leader a sense of fear reflected on his face. As our spirits drew near, His love in me made the embrace. Chest to chest his heart pounded mine with a double speed of anxiety. Gently my arms surrounded him, his eyes welling in weeping.
Crouching to the chair beside him, his body fell limp to emotional exhaustion. My arms then found a lukewarm bottle of water nearby and a styrofoam bowl used for snacking as well. Glancing up towards his flowing eyes, I gently slid off his shiny loafers to his now gasping cries. I took off my hoodie and cradled his bare foot with it as I poured some of the water onto his skin. Using the hoodie I wiped gently all sides of his foot.
Locking our mutual weeping eyes, Jesus’ words in John overlooked were spoken:
“Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me….Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” -John 13:7-8, 10, 12-17 NIV
Unfortunately this type of scenario happens more times than it should with God’s children. Often “we” get hung up on certain points or actions the Bible states and overlook some of the most humanly difficult ones to ACT upon. The humility alone in Jesus, the Son of God, washing the dung and dirt off the sandaled feet of His disciples; is more than our selfish flesh nature wants to attempt. It’s a fascinating story of what Jesus did, but the ACTION itself isn’t worth the fears and risks.
The “YOU should wash one another’s feet…” is where anxiety increases and faith decreases in our obedience. The list of fears in our everyday actions and altered defined “risks” to ourselves make being a Biblical Christ follower a dream only. “I have set you an EXAMPLE that you SHOULD DO as I have done FOR YOU;” (emphasis mine) if there was ever a blueprint of action given to follow, that’s it!
If it makes us uncomfortable, fearful or uncertain even; let’s just alter how we view it and redefine its meaning and SPREAD IT. When enough people hear it, since “the church” is supposed to be credible, then it’ll be believed and followed as such. We take the depth of Jesus’ love and commands He gives us to follow and filter it to fit OUR comfort zone. Basically, we place Jesus in a box that WE control His exposure outwardly.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’” (Mark 12:30 NIV) Instead, I will love God with as much room as my heart has, strength my soul can muster in faith/belief and find a place my mind can store His words after all my other priorities.
“Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:31 NIV) Instead, I will tolerate my neighbor because they are NOT like me and don’t think like I do or like what I like! Don’t even get me started with that foot washing example! I will instead tuck away Jesus’ perfect example of humility, given to us out of His love and hoardit for ourselves because our salvation is all that matters! I care where I am in the scheme of things and if I know I can’t live up to His requests of me, I’m good. I asked Him into my heart years ago and everyone else that doesn’t isn’t my problem!
In other words….that’s enough Jesus! Back to your box, We got this….
Most days….it always sneaks up on the unexpected. If you’re lucky, you may anticipate it’s arrival or know it’s coming. However the majority of us all get hit out of nowhere….BANG! The initial shock takes mere seconds to register before finally your reality becomes grim expression. OOOUUUCCH!! Most often physical the pain surpasses the threshold of normalcy. Attention becomes a tunnel to the moment with a sense of panic trying to find a remedy to its ceasing.
Instead, we all seem to have that famous Homer Simpson moment; when frustration becomes a loud vocal “DOH!!” We then, sometimes like Homer does, feel a sense of “Why me?”; or “I feel so stupid!” One thing we don’t feel is PEACE. The physical pains, the emotional pains, the mental and spiritual pains always distract us from our preferred directions. We never “like” it, we most never “want” to experience them; yet these pains hurt us in ways that re-shape us from our prior selves.
These “refinements” are usually meant to help us grow in our faith and lives. The challenge is IF we see the pain as God attempting to refine us. The saturation of the world’s negativity blurs us from seeing GOD in the pain. Seeing GOD working through the pain WITH us and ultimately for His good. For this reason, many of us are drown into the same negative mindsets and ultimately blame God and distance ourselves from His grace.
Remember Job felt this way many times over and expressed it to his God this way:
“But as a mountain erodes and crumbles and as a rock is moved from its place, as water wears away stones and torrents wash away the soil, so you destroy a person’s hope. You overpower them once for all, and they are gone; you change their countenance and send them away. If their children are honored, they do not know it; if their offspring are brought low, they do not see it. They feel but the pain of their own bodies and mourn only for themselves.” –Job 14:18-22 NIV
We fear we are being punished. We allow ourselves to selfishly see God in the wrong whenever we experience pain. How though, can we ever find growth beyond our weaknesses, without refinement? Have we forgotten through it all that He is the potter of our craftsmanship and we are but His clay to mold? When we wear or crack, He WILL break us back down to remold us back to His creation and purpose.
God explained to Jeremiah that the Potter has the right to shape the marred clay into what He wishes. Later in Romans, the Apostle Paul also re-emphasizes the visual importance of this shaping and control the Lord has over our lives:
“So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said, “Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel.” -Jeremiah 18:3-6 NIV
So the bottom line of this is truly simple. RELAX. Take a deep breath and realize YOU ARE NOT ALONE! This valley is only temporary. The pain is not meant as a punishment. There is HOPE on the horizon and we must TRUST in the Creator of all things. No one likes pain and stress and discomfort; yet it’s how we view it in our souls as to how we will come through it.
So when your dealing with the “DOH!” in your life’s circumstances, remember that it is only TEMPORARY and God is making you better if you continue to TRUST the potter. “You shall KNOW the truth, and the truth shall set you FREE. (John 8:32) “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” (1 John 4:18 NIV).
Do not fear the pain. You are God’s beloved. Acknowledge His LOVE for you and help others see it too. We will all become stronger through these things in faith. 💛🙏
….No one was EVER promised the roads to be smooth. For even with grace bestowed upon us by the giving of Jesus’s life, darkness still lives on this Earth. The shadow of death lurks around us every day upon every hour. These valleys that we face have evil intent to our hearts and many of us see the valleys and succumb to their intimidation. We rely on our own navigations instead of Christ’s light.
These valleys of darkness will bring about death the further we travel them alone. Though I walk this current valley, where the muck of my past failures still suction my feet tight. Where the stench of the prior deaths I have yet to allow to decompose into the newness of life promised. Where the depth of deception is so vast that any reflection of direction is the same rhetorical depression. But I still have to walk….
I have mileage of experience that if I do not try, any hope within my spirit seems to die. The anguish for every “lesson” shown I feel that I have endured and grown. Yet….though I still walk amongst the valleys. The cool of the darkness will try to soothe me to acceptance. The weight within the air of guilt however suffocates; gasping my inhaling of repentance. Though I still walk….in hopes of Your refreshment.
The promise of protection stimulates my heart to beat forward. The weaponry of my King, though not visible to my blurred vision, motivates my passion to complete His mission. The valley’s layouts trick our realities, our here and now seem forsaken. Uncertainty in the immediate strengthens the flesh’s cries of doubt. Though I still walk….this moment is not what it’s all about.
My records in life are scratched and imperfect; the skipping of repeat offenses are the learned remembrances. My preservation of character is the value most affected. This valley seems so dark since the world views my worth as rejected. Forgiveness is a shiny tool hardly utilized, a lifeline to the valley’s depth, if in disgust our sin wasn’t so categorized. No one is perfect, no not even one; yet we all walk in the valleys forgetting what the Son has done.
My valley is no different than yours, we have all battled our past sores. Scars and infections caused by decisions of self-control’s fate. Leaving the effects of such wallowing at darkness’s gate. Some sadly like the shadows cast over the failures that last. Adjusting to blind recklessness’s domain where life is stale is literally insane. My soul and your soul was made from love’s pure light; though we walk in these valleys we are never out of His sight.
Time and time and time again we question where we end and He begins. Our flesh condition causes the slides into these valleys; quick, consuming, exhausting….we yearn for His encouraging rally. Yet again our own ambitions, temptation’s tensions and free will’s conditions leave myself and others lost of the mission. Love as Christ, not love of myself; this spin cycle keeps placing my purpose on a plateau shelf. Though I walk through this valley once again; this pain has identified in me this unhealthy trend.
My condition, your condition, ALL our conditions are fatal. No matter the direction we take, the actions we partake, we are all in a dying state. Every valley’s pit, every fear’s tear and every doubt’s pout is leading us on this cancerous route. For those tired of the blindness, we must ACCEPT His kindness, His goodness, His gentleness, His guidance and His FORGIVENESS. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death….Jesus STILL gives me breath within His rest.
He’ll always leave the 99 to come and find the ONE. We must come to our senses for we are NOT done! We may be squandering the gift of His blood, but He is longing for our life to bud. Our prodigal nature is dormant in the flesh’s night; but Jesus sees us still a long way off to shine us His light. My worthiness and yours is not defined by our mistakes; Jesus has whitened us by His dying for your and my sake. Though I walk….this road of death, making mistakes right and left; I have peace in knowing this is only faith’s test.❤️🙏
“So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.” -Luke 15:20-24 NIV
No matter where you are, He’s looking for you to welcome you HOME. ❤️
“If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” -John 15:19 NIV
I….am….tired. 😔 It is exhausting to try and show a love, a compassion or even empathy to a world with such defensive mindsets to it. I often try to imagine just how Jesus might have handled the constant rejection to His kind of love to others in 2023. Would He continue to love despite? Would He shrug His shoulders and just walk away? Would He focus His attention on acceptance of the rejection or fight through it? Would He grow exhausted and want to give up like other Christians have….like I am beginning to feel?
This world is dying. Everyday a new revelation of chaos, pain, unexplainable actions and selfish decisions separate us farther from God. Fear and doubts take over and “protection mode” creates a desensitization to any glimmers of love and hope. Simple acts of friendliness and care are interpreted as threats due to severe manipulation of empathy. Loving like Jesus for many is harassment.
Giving attention to others in ways more “personal” than the world is used to is threatening. Many have no fears of expression of their passions when it’s on their terms. However being shown any expressions of “passion” or love outside our boxes of acceptance is uncomfortable. Jesus knew this. Jesus experienced this. I (we) experience this now as His followers and just as He explained would happen, we will be hated for it.
“This is my command: Love each other. “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” -John 15:17-19 NIV
Let’s not be foolish. Those that really know Jesus, knew that this would be our greatest battle. No matter our heart or desire, the world struggles to accept such a gracious and giving love without desiring any return. WE, being children of the Lord, KNOW that the rejection is going to come. OUR problem, MY problem….is the preparation to respond like Jesus would to it. We are still human, we are still going to sin whether in our minds or hearts. How we accept this rejection of kindness determines our faith in Christ’s control of our lives.
Every….single….closed door….is Christ’s redirection. No matter the circumstances behind them. No matter the level of pain endured. We can either accept His refinement or we can wallow in destruction. Destruction of our trust. Destruction of our faith. Destruction of His will for our lives. Sound harsh? It’s real, honest and life altering. This is why I think Paul, in describing the fruits of the Spirit, has SELF-CONTROL mentioned last. Our self-control is the most difficult fruit to bear that is within the Spirit of God.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus havecrucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” -Galatians 5:22-25 NIV
The underlined portion of the scripture, “those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh….” signifies the relinquishing of their own control. When you or I display a behavior, statement or action of LOVE and it’s defined as “Christ-like” LOVE….has the flesh been crucified in the intent? I mean, where is the core of your heart in the action, statement or behavior? If you have any control of the origin of the LOVE over Christ’s intent, then YOU are acting out of your own love and NOT Christ’s! You are wanting a return for the act and not leaving Christ’s imprint only.
You have allowed the flesh to drive your intent and called it Jesus instead of accepting that your heart was corrupted in that moment. You did NOT crucify the flesh out of it. We cannot taint Christ’s purity of action shown to us by placing our own stamp of approval on it. This has been a catalyst for why “the church” is being so negatively impacted in the world. WE act in the flesh and try to call it Jesus’ hands and feet to cover up our own selfish desires for gratification! Own your flesh condition! Don’t disrespect Jesus’ dying on the cross for actions YOU have not freely denied for Him!
An almost 7 year journey of employment came to an end recently for me because of my own lack of flesh control. Simple identified “kindness” to another whom I just met. Taking the core of a business interaction and implementing a personal question left the receiver, one of God’s children, uneasy with my intent. Learning within the question another line of interest about the co-worker left me curious to inquire more. This was the apparent boundary I violated.
A mere call from HR a few days later left me scrambling with unknown answers to the boundary I violated of my co-worker. In less than 5 minutes of interaction, my career was over. What could have been so uneasy? What possibly did I say or do, out of “kindness” that would have made someone feel so threatened by me? I had never met nor seen this person until this conversation; yet they now view me as a person, a Child of God, as someone they are uncomfortable with.
“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” -Luke 6:43-45 NIV
My brothers and sisters, my problem was in my heart. Even though my lips stated words that did not mean harm, nor did my actions displayed ring of ill-intent; my HEART was flesh controlled. 😞 What drew my question was an attractive photo of the person. What led to my looking at her social media page (line of interest) was not so much the interest of the activity she partook in outside of work as the other attractive photographs of her I might see. My intent of the ❤️ was not pure and of Jesus’ love. I allowed my flesh to control my intent.
God knew….even if I struggled to admit the weakness I had endured. God knows my heart and desire to serve Him fervently and passionately cannot be done as He wills with this thorn in my flesh. My beautiful wife and I had been praying off and on the past few months about God may need to change our path if I would be able to serve Him better. I loved my job very much, but I love Him most and want to be of best service to Jesus. This was His hard refinement I needed to endure to see where I needed to be. 😔
We cannot take advantage of Jesus and His sacrifice. If we truly want to BE His hands and feet to the world, we cannot do it led by our weakened flesh. Our TRUST, our FAITH and our OBEDIENCE to His word is the only way. His ways are higher than our ways….His will is more secure than our own. We need to be honest with ourselves and Him about our weaknesses if He will lead us in FULL control. Loving Him with ALL our hearts, ALL our souls, ALL our minds and ALL our strength is the only way we can truly LOVE our neighbors (all others) as ourselves. (Mark 12:29-31)
I am working still on truly and deeply loving myself as He loves and sees me. It’s not easy as I have made so many mistakes. Yet I feel at peace and trust that God has got control in my life even now after this heartache. The more I continue to fall in love with God, the more belief of His love for me will be real so I may love myself as He loves me. I will then be able to have a more Christ-like intent when loving my neighbors as myself….knowing my audience and following His lead. ❤️
“If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us.” -1 John 4:15-19 NIV
If you’re still battling heavily the flesh and wanting to serve Him with ALL your heart….it’s time to let it go. He’s got us! 🙏 Thank you Jesus!! 🙌
Most of us in this race of life run with purpose to win this race, not to lose it. To be first is to be a winner! To be last is to be a loser! If you don’t feel that’s right, watch the reactions to most any high school or college athletic games. Not the players per say, but the crowd reactions to them. The pressure to perform creates a persona within the person running the race expecting beyond their desires. What does this mean? They become conditioned to a character of what someone else wants them to meet in expectations. They do what’s “good enough” to get by.
If this behavior continues in a person’s life, the pursuit of setting goals for achievement will become “good enough” desires with lack-luster ambitions and disappointing results. We set goals to help us get close to our dreams. Setting goals help us to stay motivated and move forward in life. Goals help us to hold one another accountable as a roadmap to where we need to go, how we need to get there and most of the time; who will be walking beside us on the journey.
For believers in Christ, the “Omega Goal” or end goal is eternal life in Heaven with God the Father and Jesus Christ. What an amazing goal to have! To be in a place of joy, peace, praise and no more pain or sorrow! “Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” -Revelation 21:1-4 NIV
A picture worth the price of admission….but what IS the price for admission? For many people, when asked how to get to Heaven it’s pretty simple; Accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the gift of eternal life. Prefaced by John 3:16quoted more times than not. Yet….is JUST acceptance alone what Jesus wants us to do? Think about that question more. If you were to be hired for the job of a lifetime you’ve always wanted, would you just accept the job and then do NOTHING? 🤷♂️
“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?” -Matthew 16:24-26 NIV
This puts into a deeper perspective the thought of if you are a person who feels you’re a “good person” and or are “good enough” to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. So sometime in your life, whether as a child, teenager or adult you accepted Jesus or maybe not even “formally” accepted His gift of grace, you just simply claim to know who He is. Because of this you “feel” you’re alright and will make it to Heaven. Tell me….is THAT how you interpreted the above scripture in Matthew 16?
Just because we have accepted Jesus, doesn’t mean we are not supposed to daily, hourly, moment-by-momentVALUE the grace we’ve been given. Valuing grace means we share it with others like Jesus desires us to. You might have been raised by good parents, learned good behaviors; but those sporadically won’t fulfill our commitment to Christ. Denying ourselves means we mustELIMINATE the excuses we make to DO MORE for Jesus!
When Jesus states above, “Whoever wants to save their lives will lose it….” You have to see the bigger picture. When we allow OUR wants, OUR feelings, OUR boundaries and OUR levels of grace to supersede the value of Christ’s life given for us; we desire to save ourselves more than dying for Christ. Paul says it best in Ephesians 4:30, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” Speaking plainly….DO NOT DISTRESS CHRIST’S SPIRIT GIVEN TO YOU FOR FLESHLY WANTS!
You think, “Once saved, Always saved…?” If you’re gaining the world’s approval over Christ’s commandments you are not denying yourself; you’ve dropped your cross. Jesus was simple, straight forward and to His point. No grey areas, just black and white. Quit placing Jesus in your pocket and start losing your life’s wants for His! Time to get off the fence….❤️🙏
May we never forget these chilling words of Jesus:
“Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?” He said to them, “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’ “But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’” –Luke 13:23-27 NIV
The 16th century Anglican Bible commentator, John Trapp, wrote: ‘Unity without truth is no better than conspiracy‘. In some ways it can also be pictured as a cluster of open ears drawn to ammunition labeled as “truth” born from gossip and opinions. ‘When two or more are gathered’ has taken on more than one meaning to a group of human beings. Unity amongst others now can stem more passionately from lies than the convictions of truth; where obedience is needed to keep the roots of unity bearing fruit, instead of poison.
But….HOW did we let unity amongst God’s people get this way? Where even a simpleton like myself just writing his observation from experiences defines unity like this? Wasn’t unity once seen as something more….positive? Gathering together was more of a time where bonding would commence, relationships would deepen and God would actually be placed as a primary focus. Sadly unity amongst many of “Christ-followers” are now just times to complain about what God isn’t doing enough of in the world. Negativity laces unity with a flesh mindset and not a spirit mindset as it was intended.
When the Apostle Paul spoke to the people of the church in the early days, he didn’t speak to them separately per race, sex or even denominationalism as we do today. Paul spoke of the church as being what Christ intended it to STAND for: “There is ONE body and ONE Spirit, just as you were called to ONE hope when you were called; ONE Lord, ONE faith, ONE baptism; ONE God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Ephesians 4:4-6 NIV emphasis mine) The sadness surrounding this now is the “oneness” we are to have as Christ’s church that is not representing unity; it is more representing places of hiding. Unity of fear. Unity of hopes, wishes and dreams even; but not unity in ACTION or cross-bearing for Jesus.
Our goal as children of God has been seemingly lost in the midst of all the whirlwind focuses of WANT in the world. Wants for feelings to be heard, personal beliefs to be validated (justifiable or not), wants for justice where God’s won’t suffice. The point of this “unity” with many Christian bodies; WE are the head of these bodies and not God who is the Father of all. To be able to honor God with our whole selves, it takes more than just individual mindsets and individual efforts. It takes His design of unity with His children LOVING one another like His son set the example of.
That example was set with an ATTITUDE of LOVE. This attitude has been slowly changing and/or dying as of late and if you don’t believe me; the facts are in the numbers as well as the perception of Christ from the world which comes THROUGH “Christians”. A recent Gallup study showed the number of American people who admitted they are serving a church of any kind or any denomination is at its LOWEST in 25 years at 35%. When you are not serving the church, Christ’s Bride, then you are denying Him entry into others’ hearts.
“You have abandoned your first love.” (Revelation 2:4)
Ever since the Apostle Paul proclaimed to the early believers in Jesus that we are of ONE body (as quoted above); the divide amongst Christ’s body has now 3 base denominational sections making up the approximate 2.6 billion proclaimed “Christians” today: Catholicism, Protestantism and Eastern Orthodoxy. Of those 3 base denominational sections, some 30,000 branches of denominations have been formed based upon the differing opinions of scripture and interpretations.
This wide spread of man spat out viewpoints tainting little by little God’s original words is what continues today to lead to so many others’ widespread CONFUSION of the church and of who God is and who Jesus is and what the PURPOSE of each is! The simplicity of unity in the body of God’s church, His people, is stained by the opinion of how man thinks God wants His words to be understood. We have imprisoned the Holy Spirit in so many ways keeping it from being the Helper and Leader of Christ’s Bride!
The Apostle Paul spoke about this and knew even in his day division would come within the Body of Christ. This is why he reminded the church of Ephesus the importance of remembering WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST:
“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” -Ephesians 4:3-6, 11-16 NIV
What honestly has happened to us? The Body of Christ. The representation of GRACE, LOVE and FORGIVENESS? It’s as though we have taken whatever our feelings are of scripture, whether full truth, half truth or no truth and redefined the “box God is put in“. Instead of our solid purpose, given to us by Jesus before His ascension in Matthew 28:19: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” We only do what’s comfortable inside our insecure spiritual selves instead of trusting and having faith that He IS with us by the Holy Spirit and change the mission narrative instead.
Separation of the Body continues, much again like Paul described to the church in Corinth where he said: “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” -1 Corinthians 12:12-14, 19-27 NIV
ONE BODY, ACCOUNTABLE TO CHRIST❤️
If we are going to be the hands and feet of Jesus, we are needing to invite Jesus back into the ❤️ of our bodies here. Jesus never called “audibles” to what His Father said was the truth to keep feeling from being hurt or toes stepped on. Jesus loves us all enough to tell us what we needed to know to have eternal life. He alone is the beginning and the end. Only togetherness in His Body of Believers, speaking the truth of God’s word in LOVE will prepare us for our place in eternity with Him. As you, the reader of this ponder these words, meditate and pray on His last words in Revelation to us all….
“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” -Revelation 22:12-16 NIV
Are you on the outside marking your own territory like a dog? Or is your robe truly washed by the blood of the Lamb giving you the REAL Tree of Life? Relinquish your narrative and re-embrace His truth. ❤️ There are too many lives at stake.🙏
Everyone that has a pulse can say that they’ve had one before. The most common ones are those randomly that come at night while sleeping that would make great plots to sci-fi movies. Others can be more personal in which derive from a day’s occurrence or even an emotional interaction. Dreams….a mind and heart’s combined creation of thoughts, images and sensations. A cherished aspiration, ambition or ideal we hold dear to become reality. All of these definitions and understandings of dreams per the human perception.
Is there a purpose to them though? Do any of these “sensations” created within us, stirring ambitions or ideals (per the definition), actually bring alterations to our lives? Why are dreams even seen as important or valuable? Many struggle to even figure out any sense or meaning to them. Others hold them in high regard to their futures, or interpretation for hope in a situation. Dreams can be one’s motion picture creations of how they’d imagine life to be if certain changes could be made.
God started creation with a dream. Even an omnipresent being like Jehovah God had a masterpiece of perfection in His mind when all was brought together. It was His vision, His creation and His….dream of LOVE defined. Then with the injection of Satan’s manipulative poison into our less than discerning minds; we thought of ourselves as omnipotent like God. Free will, selfishness, self-reliance and even complete denial of our Creator has become the nightmare. Sometimes I can envision His tears creating the streaks on His masterpiece to run off the canvas. 😔💔
Scripture has testified through witnessed accounts that God has used dreams to speak to us. The first direct mention of a dream in the Bible is found in Genesis 20:3 where God came to Abimelek in a dream to prevent him from adultery, “But God came to Abimelek in a dream one night and said to him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken; she is a married woman.” Before the Bible identified these as “dreams”, in Genesis 15:1& 4, scripture identifies the Lord coming to Abram in a vision to announce he will have a blood heir to his estate: “After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” Then the word of the Lord came to him: “This man will not be your heir, but a son who is your own flesh and blood will be your heir.”
Even though we have been given free will due to our choice in the garden; even with our choices leading us farther from God’s will for our lives….He still seeks our return HOME. The worse this decaying world seems to get; the more advanced in distractions, diverse in opinions of truth, and stubborn in our willingness to forgive; the more recognizable our VOID of Him becomes. The problem though….we’re SO LOST, it’s hard to find our way back through all the mazed brokenness. 😢
Seeds have been planted over the past generations again by God, seeds of visions and dreams of how He desires and seeks His children’s love. God the Father is willing to do whatever it takes to bring His children back home to the new Heaven and the new earth….the new “garden”. The day when He tells His Son it’s time to return and bring those who believe and are saved….HOME. Jesus shared on earth to His disciples, then the Apostle Paul shared with us in 1 Timothy 2:3-4 as well as later in 2 Peter 3:9; the Lord does not want to leave ANYONE behind! He wants to have ALL saved and back home with Him!
“This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:3-4 NIV)
“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9 NIV)
With all this in mind….what is our part!? We go to church, we sing worship songs and listen to messages once to twice weekly. Some of the perceived “best” of Christ followers volunteer places and do small groups and studies. However, why isn’t this enough? Why is the world continually suffering and God still is losing His children? You remember the comment I made on Satan’s poison earlier, right? His poison also included a virus that affects LOVE. Even as believers we struggle to not be affected because we still “wear” the coat of the flesh over our born again spirit if we have one.
Even when we serve, our love, empathy, compassion, patience, kindness, giving, service all has one thing that God’s love for us does NOT…. conditions. We have a limit for all that we can do, all that we can give and all that we can invest our time in. However God our Father is INFINITE. Never ceasing, undaunted, unlimited resources and does not see our SIN anymore (THANK YOU JESUS). However, if His love did have a defined “condition” He does pay attention to it is until YOU see and believe in Jesus His Son and what His death did FOR YOU. When that happens, the LOVE of God is truly UNCONDITIONAL. ❤️
The dream that He has placed on my heart lately has been so distracting to my normal everyday life that those around me seem “uncomfortable”. I can understand that. All I have been desiring to do for Him is LOVE OTHERS as Jesus does. Now I am imperfect and my expressions of love to others as I feel Jesus would want is imperfect too. However, I long to serve in love the best my sin affected flesh will let me. I’ll smile more, listen more, engage more, empathize more, cry more, sacrifice more, encourage more, cheer more, defend more….PRAY more….vulnerably.
God’s children could work crises out instead of arguing about them. His children could know the heart of one another more instead of deflecting their pain into masks of fear and isolation. Families would be the strongest backbones again, color or nationality wouldn’t be an issue as we’d all be brothers and sisters. What an unconditional dream! If just one person could infect others with the same mindset and love similar to Jesus….IF….
We just LOVE God above ALL else. Nothing or no one came before Him in our lives: “Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:37-39 NIV)
We could LOVE one another as Christ Jesus LOVES us STILL today. Not an ordinary love, but a SACRIFICIAL LOVE as there is none more greater than this: “If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.” (John 15:10-13, 16-17 NIV)
Love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8), so you cannot say you’re not good enough or worthy enough to love like Jesus! Jesus didn’t pick and choose who He loved, He just LOVES! Doesn’t matter what they believe, who they support, what identity or class they are, what political party they belong to, what racial class, what nationality, what sexual identity they are. Even if you know by the word they are not following Jesus or are living in sin, WE ARE STILL CALLED TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER! YOU are not anyone’s judge as you and I were once lost too and had to be found! Love the sinner, hate the sin; pray for them, show them JESUS of scripture; not Jesus of the world’s take where all the hard stuff asked of us in obedience is filtered out!
My dream seen is out of our comfort zones….the world doesn’t accept the kind of LOVE shown in the word Jesus displayed; but that UNCONDITIONAL LOVE is the only love we need! No more bitterness, no more judgements, no more hatred, no more tears, no more unjust anger. We cannot bring Heaven to earth, but we can TRY to bring as many of God’s children back home with the LOVE displayed by His son!! We’ll never get it perfect, we’ll always make mistakes while we live in the flesh; but the more we keep His commandments to LOVE HIS WAY and not ours, the better chance others will see the real Jesus in us! ❤️
For everyone who will read this….I love you, genuinely as a Brother in Christ. I do not want to see anyone miss out on this level of life-changing LOVE. Yet, as our world continues to decay, the time draws closer to Christ’s return when He sees fit. No more wasted time. No more “we’ll deal with it later,” tomorrow is never promised. LOVEwithout conditions, lay down yourself for another and see how just doing that alone will change your spirit, change your life. Loving like Jesus until my last breath is my unconditional dream, I pray I bring it to fruition to my Savior when He calls me….HOME. ❤️
I remember getting to help my dad take two BLACK trash bags filled with wrapped gifts out to the car to put in our trunk. I’d wear one of my best “Christmasy” sweaters with a usual white button up shirt underneath with the collar sticking out above. Hair would be combed all nice, parted to the side (much like now), hair sprayed or moussed. Depending on the day, either a nice pair of jeans or dress khakis to compliment the look. We were heading to Grandma and Grandpa’s. 😊
Christmas was the best holiday then. We’d arrive to the whole house decorated, sometimes music playing Christmas songs, the smell of turkey or ham in the oven, mashed potatoes, stuffing, the works! Everyone from aunts, uncles, cousins (1st, 2nd and 3rds) all conversating and enjoying one another; playing games, watching football or Christmas movies, or just reconnecting. All anticipating the time we would join as one and celebrate the occasion for the gathering. We were one family, one kindred.
It wasn’t always at Christmas. It was also Thanksgiving, some Easters and even birthdays. Family was meant to come together to celebrate with one another. Renewing connections, bonds and growing in legacy; for the roots we plant are within the lives we live. It was really cool each time we got together as we hardly saw one another outside of these moments. Then….as with most families, the patriarchs and matriarchs begin to fall. Grandma and Grandpa pass away and the center piece of where the gatherings took place, was left empty and lifeless.
As the youngest in my family, this wasn’t realized in magnitude except by small visual clues. The next year, get togethers were at volunteer locations and the trash bags of gifts went from two BLACK trash bags to two smaller white trash bags….to one white trash bag the following year, to a couple Walmart sacks each year after. The gatherings went from extended family to immediate only. No aunts nor uncles nor cousins; just dads, moms and siblings. Kindred depth begins to fade and legacy’s roots begin to dry up producing no fruit.
How does the heartbeat remain?
All “families” are defined differently by each group of people within them. Some are by blood, some are adopted. Some are extensions from branches breaking off or divorce and the mending of new ones. The dynamics of families are ever changing and that’s what makes them so fascinating. Yet, the core of each person differs within a mixed “family” still holds a root from its kindred origin. My question and pondering has remained the same….do we still care about the nourishment of that sacred root? Who apart of the legacy left behind by the memories shared with our grandparents will preserve the kindred?
Every moment spent in the presence of another plants a seed. Whether the seed is nourished to grow into something or not depends on each of the “planters”. When our time spending the holidays together at Christmas and Thanksgiving specifically began to fade and then ended after our grandparents’ death; no one chose to cultivate the roots. For me, I saw my aunts and uncles less and my cousins even less. If it wasn’t for social media today, I wouldn’t know anything about their lives. Social media however isn’t a replacement for soul-to-soul, face-to-face bonding.
Each person, as they age, deepens their own roots and begin their own kindred trees. Yet, the source of nourishment for their roots STILL comes from the soil (legacy, blood, lineage) of the kindred they came from. We cannot uproot ourselves from these roots ultimately as they are a part of our DNA makeup. If someone in the family has bad memories within, that person ALONE has the power to prune and heal their damaged roots. We are all still family, we are all still ONE kindred.
Now, gatherings are fewer and fewer. Coming together seems to be a lesser focus on connecting and bonding; more on temporary disengagement from somewhere else physically. However, still distracted by social egoism than connected by eye to eye connection. You’re left in a waiting room filled with people who now seem like strangers, awaiting for “this to be over.” If the connection isn’t digital, it’s uncomfortable; if it’s verbal then it’s encroaching. Personal isn’t personal anymore.
Laughter ceases to exist, stories no longer are told. Caring for the souls of each others’ hearts have now seemed to be an after thought. The immediate core still holds tight in their own way, yet a seedling cannot deepen roots in dry soil. If the cancer of conflict infects the kindred in any form, then the health of the legacy is at risk to survive. Why is this? The struggling seedlings of family that is left are not supported now by any other kindred due to the alienation caused.
The original, the designed, the blueprint of how God desired kindreds to develop His lands is dying. Just as this world has slowly declined with the weight of sin, the family trees have also withered to debris for Satan’s kindling. When the reality of need is realized, if it is at all, within the kindred roots; it comes when it is too late for renewal to come. Is there then regret? Does it spur a change in the hearts of those who notice? Will anything at this point be able to bring back to LIFE the heartbeat of a kindred’s spirit?
I wrote this personally, as my heart has been grieving over the loss of real family connection. There are so many loved ones of my childhood past I never get to connect with anymore because of these described ailments. To my beloved kindred who may read this, or to the stranger who reads and shares this with their own; I plead with you to see this revelation for what it is….FAMILY…. NEEDS…. FAMILY. Beyond immediate, beyond extended, involving our Heavenly Father again.
I do not want us all to find ourselves seeing one another again ONLY when we have to say goodbye to one another staring at one we’ve lost in a wooden box. Then it’s too late, we lost touch with one another and that ISN’T the new acceptable family gathering. 😞😢 Our legacies, our memories together and our LOVE for one another is more valuable than a funeral procession reconnection!
Kindred….let’s find one another again in LOVE. ❤️
Let’s HONOR those before us that held the heartbeat of our roots HEALTHY and STRONG. 🥰🙏
Please let’s not make the next time we see one another saying our final goodbyes. 💔✝️
Have you ever wondered why you can inhale and exhale without having to think about it? Why your heart beats on its own without needing any rest? We can close our eyes to sleep at night anywhere on average of 6-8 hours without any concern of our lungs not bringing air in or letting it out as well as our heart pumping blood throughout our body. All of this while the other parts of our body our mind controls the movements of….sleeps/rests.
The wonder and the amazement of the life given within us. Science may understand a lot of how we “tick”, but it is the omnipresence of God’s LOVE breathed into our “shells” where LIFE pervaded beyond our understanding. We exist because He desired us to for His purpose. Just imagine that….you and I, are created by the same author of the universe, the ocean and all microorganisms! 🥰
Now imagine you living your life freely, as you want, with the understanding that your life is truly NOT your own. Would that change how you live it daily? Would you act and live the same way you are currently? Too hard to imagine? Think of it this way, you are given your parent’s car to drive. Would you drive carefully and responsibly or selfishly and recklessly with it? If you loved and respected your parents, you would take special care and show respect for the car….right? Isn’t that the same way we should view our lives daily since God created us and GAVE us life?
The weight of this life causes so much distraction, pain and self-centeredness where the VALUE of the breath within our lives becomes ignored. We get up, work our days, do our “routines” and go back to sleep. Each day passing is just “another day” and the purposes passed, are ones we can never get back. The effects of this disease within the world’s free will away from our Creator is a darkness that also begins to shadow within our souls. We forget that the Breath of Life also carries with it God’s light within us….from the beginning and then with Jesus, His one and only Son! ❤️
“The Lord is my light and my salvation— so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?” -Psalms 27:1 NLT
“Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”” -John 8:12 NLT
Lately, my heart has been so hurt seeing the loss of life, the expressions of hopelessness and lack of faith in the light that lives within us. The Son of God, who came into this world over 2,000 years ago to remind us how loved we are, still struggles to break through the dark walls we’ve put up. Why is this? Because of our own substitutes we’ve put in place for THE Light within us, our everlasting HOPE. We place worldly, expiring, non-fulfilling substitutes inside our consciousness affecting our noticing of the light’s brightness (Jesus in our lives). So you might read this and ponder, why does this matter?
“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.” -John 3:18-21 NLT
When the darkness begins to overtake the light, we lose sight of the real value of the Breath of Life we hold. The connection between Father, Creator and His children is next to lost because we cannot see Him, hear Him or believe in Him due to the darkness drowning us in despair and fear. This is when addictions begin. This is when crises begin, and depression is at its deepest and darkest. Yet still, with all of this happening all over the world, the light from the Breath of Life is STILL within us as He, the Light of the world, Jesus Christ, has not ever left us.
Life….with every step, leaves an impression only YOU can leave. No one else has what you have as God only made one unique YOU! Your purpose extends beyond your own vision and dreams. God has EVERY reactive step planned for when you’re off course….IF you allow Him to light your path again. The darkness never has to reign longer than you allow it. The world will make you feel there is no hope because of the substitutes you have placed; yet all you need to REMEMBER is Jesus IS HOPE.
When you look into the mirror each day, if you struggle to see a source of light inside of you; I pray you seek the source of the Light of the World. Your life was given PURPOSE. Your life is worth reviving and getting out of the darkness you may be in right now! Darkness is a poison full of lies from a world ruled by negativity and hopelessness that doesn’t want God in it. The same GOD who breathed His Breath of Life in each person. There is NOT ONE PERSON who isn’t worth SAVING. Jesus died for everyone’s sins no matter what they are.
Value the breath you breathe. Value the lives you’ve crossed, the impacts you made and the family and friends who hold VALUE in YOU! If all this seems to not sink in enough and you still struggle to see the light within your soul shining due to the darkness you’re battling….SEEK HELP. Your life impacts more than just you. Your life’s purpose is meant to alter and build upon that of another story, another chapter and another of God’s plans. If you change that outside of God, you SELFISHLY change someone else’s destiny and purpose.
Your life is not your own, it was bought with a price with Jesus’ blood. Made by God, given life with His own breath, we must remember SIN causes the darkness, Jesus cleanses the darkness with light. We just need reminded with LOVE ❤️. Faking our emotions or hiding the pain won’t fix it. We need to EXPOSE the darkness to Jesus, He’ll carry the burden for you and with His love renewing your life, heal your pain. We don’t need anymore of God’s precious children taking their own lives because they forgot their VALUE, forgot their inner LIGHT and lost their PURPOSE of living. God weeps with His children too. 😞😢
The Breath of Life, granted to us all by the hands of our Creator out of love. Though we’ve all been born through the curse of sin from Adam and Eve’s choice for sight on their own; God still has purpose for our lives. Our choices don’t always align with God’s desires for our lives and darkness comes. However, the LIGHT is always there; some accept His shine to show and others don’t see it YET. Everyone has the chance to accept and acknowledge His light, making the darkness easier or gone forever.
My friends, wherever you are in life as you may be reading this, I beg you to know how VALUED you are. You are LOVED. You are SPECIAL. You are GOD’s beloved CHILD. NOTHING is too dark to overcome with God’s help and LOVE ❤️. If you don’t know Him, find someone to help you FIND HIM. SEEK HELP. SEEK JESUS. SEEKTHELIGHT. 💛 I love you all. ❤️🙏
Planting Seeds of ❤️ for Jesus 