Life in the key of Hope

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“For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭29:11‬ ‭AMP‬‬

It is not hard to believe that everyone in life goes through a lot. People, in general, experience many ups and downs in life but the one thing that we can have a confident hope in is the plans of our Lord. It's reassuring to know that He, the founder of the universe has and is thinking about me and my life. God the sovereign power is thinking and planning on my behalf.

The thoughts of God towards us are thought of our benefit. He that controls all set out at the moment of our conception to prosper us and to position us in the path of success. I know, being someone who struggles with control, that it can be hard to always be led by faith. Not knowing what tomorrow brings can stress someone out! But here's the peaceful part of it, if we ascribe ourselves to the plans and the ordered foot steps that have been laid before us, what is there to be stressed about?! If we do our part to line up with the plans for us, to rest in the blessed assurance that Christ has everything planned out, then the rest of life because a beautiful masterpiece depicted through the eyes of God.

The scripture tells us that we are to have hope in our final outcome. Did you know that God has planned, sacrificed, and willed that in the end we would be called back unto Him? He's set it up that after all the hardships, the failures and the successes, after all we go through if life, if we were to just be in Him as He desires to be in us the hope of our final outcome is eternal life in Christ.

God's word as a whole brings hope to the believer, but this passage of scripture specifically allows us to know the mind of God. In all His infinite wisdom and understanding He took out the time to think about us. If you take a moment and think back on some of the hardest times in your life, you cannot help but to be overjoyed in the fact that it wasn't for nothing. You did not go through so much and experience so much for nothing.

Romans 8:28 tells us that all things work together for them that love the Lord and that are called according to His purpose. The life span of the believer that of great triumph. WE may not always see how our current situation is blessing us, or how are current situation could possibly mean anything good. Know believer that God has seen our lives play out before Him and that He has orchestrated that in the beginning, during and end of life His children are favored and blessed for His name sake.

I want to pray and pronounce peace over everyone who is taking the time to read this posting. May you experience the peace of His expected end. May you believer find hope in the plans that our Heavenly Father has set out before us. I pray that these words, as King David said, as written on your heart. May these words comfort you, build you up and give you Holy confidence in the rest of your days. May you experience the everlasting joy that is the position you hold in the Master's mind.

Lesson Learned

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“We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:28‬ ‭AMP‬‬

I've heard it say many times that hindsight is 20/20. Not until this most recent season in life did I grasp my own understanding of this cliche or phrase. Often as we go through life we never take a second thought as to how our decisions in the present will affect us later on in life. What affect will these seemingly meaningless decisions have on the future me? It is this lapse in judgement that usually comes to bite us in the butt so to speak.

"Prior planning prevents poor performance" Thinking ahead or planning has so many benefits but in the rush of our formidable years, who's thinking about planning? Truthfully we'be been apart of a plan from the beginning of time. From the very start God had put plans to our creation, that we would be able to complete. I know that sounds as if our lives have no personal touches but the fact is, while the book on us has already been written, we in the present have the ability to change the chapters. Although the end result never changes, we via our decisions affect the journey. With that type of power comes great responsibility.

Romans 8:28 provides us a little more understanding of this. All things that have happened, that are happening and that will happen will work to our benefit. We go through a lot both positive and negative in life but because God's position on us never changes, His will that we prosper never changes either. God's plan to have mankind personify His intentions has never changed. We are the Windows through which the unbelievers see the benefits of a life of righteousness in Christ.

With this understanding, how then should we view and inevitably handle hardships in life? I've learned from much trial and error that we as His children ought to face adversity, hardships, set backs etc with a confident faith knowing that our Savior has been there this whole time ensuring the journey before us and that the promises of the Father never fail.

Psalm 139, tell us that no matter what the situation, location, circumstance or result that Christ would always be there. This fact is the source of confident hope in He that will never fail. Our relationship with Christ is the one thing that will never fail us.

Jeremiah 17:5 tell us in its essence that we put ourselves in trouble by trusting in something as frail as human beings. There are seasons in which those around us are tremendously helpful in wise counsel but truthfully there's but one source in which we will experience the greatest fulfillment of joy.

The lesson learned here is that God has to be the center of all things in our lives. The will for our lives will come to pass no matter how long we make the process but we cause our own hardships in life by not lining or aligning ourselves with the author of our lives. My grandpa use to say that "a hard head makes a soft behind". Brothers and sister take heed to these words. Know that God wishes to prosper you, that you be in good help even as your soul prospers. But, even God in His sovereignty does not go against our will. We as a generation need to pray, pray that God exposes to us the intention He has had for our lives and how can we better align ourselves in His will.

A Time To Pray

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Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

 

I've heard it said that if you're only praying when you're in trouble, then you're in trouble. Even in my personal walk I catch myself waking up and starting my day and not acknowledging the Father for the gift of life. Earlier in my walk I would notice that it's been a few days before I have spoken to God. The detriment in not staying in a position of prayer is serious for every level of believer. Communication with God aka Prayer is a daily necessity not only to hear His instructions but to also keep the relationship fresh and open between Creator and creation.

 

If we begin to break apart the scripture, for comprehension sake, the first part states that "If my people who are called by my name..." We must keep in mind that we were brought from the powers of sin by a great price. Now in our name creation form we are no longer called by our misdeed or carnality but we are called by the name of our Savior. How much more significant do we then become while under new ownership?

 

The next part says "will humble themselves..." Why is this so important? The humbling of oneself to submit to prayer is key. In the mold that we are created in there is power, much more power than that of god of the world (Satan), we must submit the power that we have (Acts 1:8 power as well as the power of free choice) in order to get in the proper posture of prayer.

 

The next part depicts how we are to pray unto God "pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways..." Simply stated this is how we approach the throne of grace. We have to open the liens of communication seeking His face and turning from our own ways. WE cannot come to God in by our own means of communication. Being all sovereign we must speak to Him in a way that He considers acceptable.

 

Then the sum of the verse shows us the results of taking prayer seriously, from being in the proper position, and then receiving from God what we've been asking for.

 

It's truly perilous times that we have been living in for generations. We have been seeing the downfall of man consistently generation to generation. We've been witnessing a loss of hope and faith, a loss of sight of God. The main staple in the life of a believer is prayer. The only true way to be connected in the fold and to be involved in His works and with the other members of His bride is to be united in prayer. We may not all pray the same thing or on the same subject but we all should pray in a way to get results and not just be talking to ourselves...

 

My Father's children, now is a time to pray, not a time to present a list of wants but to bare down in intercession. Intercession for our nations, our leader both spiritual and natural and for the lives of each and every believer... Will you join me in a commitment of prayer, to be in a position to pray and expect successful results? I believe God for you and the expansion of your prayer lives... God bless you!



Reintroduction

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Seek the Kingdom of God^[a] above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. (Matthew 6:33)

 

The most disheartening thing that I constantly hear from the world is how much they don't like church or organized religion. The reason that this is so disappointing is not because of their dislike but it's the deception that has caused the distain for the church. The believers as well as the society's misconception has turned the kingdom of God into a cliché that has completely missed the King's intentions.

 

We are experiencing the aftermath of a generation that has lost too much and a generation that is next in line to lose everything. We have gotten so far from the original intent of God's blessing us with life that we actually find many people believing that they are the highest power whether in intellect, creation or actuality. We as a people have entered into a dangerous time where we have lost sight of our God and have positioned ourselves to be susceptible to gods of this land.

 

I believe that a reintroduction is needed between God and His kingdom and His people. The generation that is being risen has their work cut out for them. It will solely be our responsibility to recapture the minds and spirit of the King's people and return them back to God. WE as the coming into power leaders must reacquire all the territory (physical, mental, spiritual, natural and supernatural) that has been lost through an unfavorable transfer of power from we the King's men to the lesser powers of satan and his kingdom.

 

The highlighted scripture sets in order exactly what we are supposed to be doing in this life. We are supposed to be seeking the desires and wills of our King before we seek to fulfill our own ambitions. While we seek the will of our Lord the blessing is that we find ourselves walking out our purposes. While in pursuit of what the Father would desire in the Earth we find ourselves separating from temporary endeavors and attaching ourselves to eternal blue prints and plans that have existed far beyond those that are involved.

 

To be a member of a kingdom of this magnitude far surpasses our humanistic understanding, but more so speaks to our spirit man as it finds itself being reattached and realigned with the original source. WE can longer afford to jeopardize our involvement in the Father's plans just to satisfy fleshly desires. How honorable is it to submit under a just and holy King and to be given an opportunity to work for His will?

 

This reintroduction does more than presents an eternal kingdom to a finite mind but it presents a working individual to a purposeful plan... I leave you with this quote from the late Dr. Myles Munroe...

 

" Your work is not your Job. Your job is what they pay you to do. Your work is what you were born to do. Your Job is your skill. Your work is your gift." Dr. Myles Munroe 

 

 





I'm Different

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2 Corinthians 6:17 "¹⁷ So, come out from among [unbelievers], and separate (sever) yourselves from them, says the Lord, and touch not [any] unclean thing; then I will receive you kindly and treat you with favor... (AMP)"

Have you ever wondered why it is so hard to relate to your friends once you've decided to give your life to Christ? Have you experienced the reality check of being in this world and not of this world?

When I decided for myself to give my life to Christ, rather it being the joyous time that people think it is, I experienced one of the loneliest times of my life. I wasn't sad because I had to give up the life I was living. I wasn't sad that I may lose friends and may not be the person I once was. The sadness came from finally seeing that I have been called to be different. Sounds silly doesn't it? When you weigh your options, living life for Christ or staying in the midst of mediocrity it's obvious what most people would choose. But think about how it feels to know that the world around you is separate from the world that you experience on the day to day basis.

As I matured in Christ I began to understand why God required us to be separate or different. Through reading the word and personally taking my relationship serious I found out that in order to positively affect the world of Christ I cannot be as they are... Scripture tells us that He has called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light. The reason being is that darkness cannot shed any light but light can cast out the darkness.

If you look around in our current environment you see what state the world is in. The world has entered into and has been in a state of self destruction via the indulgence of self will, lust, sinful desires but most of all the lost of hope.

People have a tendency to blame the church for so many things, but more often than not they blame the church for not being the example that they understand it should be. We as the "different" or separated of God are supposed to be the shining example of a different life. The unbeliever looks to us to see the opportunity of a more excellent way of living. Do you see the real job we have as believers?!

It's a blessing to be called to be different, it's an honor to exchange our previous course of action for the path that God has intended. To make it that much better we have a body of 3.1 billion people who are in the same transition. Understand that as the world continues in their ignorance of the existence of Christ, we the different or separated are experiencing a world that they have yet to enjoy. We are blessed to be given the revelation as Peter received. By giving us the free gift of the Holy Spirit and separating us from our former life of sin we've been given the opportunity of eternal life with our king... I'm blessed to be different!



Right on time

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^{1 Peter 5:6 "} Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time"


Take a minute to ask yourself this question, what if I lost sight of God while attempting to achieve and chase my ambitions? How often do we as people get so wrapped up in our endeavors and the path of success that we forget that it is God who has positioned and anointed for these paths (Deut 8:18)?

I believe that we are in a time where God is charging our generation to take on the weight of reformation and revival in the Earth. We have had honorable generals and leaders laboring in the vineyard for decades and generations and God is positioning and inspiring them to teach the coming leaders what it truly means to lead. In this changing of the guard one of the biggest things that we face is our own tenacity, our own super powered drive to achieve.

In this awesome time in God how do we position ourselves to be of the most use in the kingdom? The best, most secure effort we can do produce is humbling ourselves before God. We must remember to take our time in prayer, studying and living the life of a disciple. Yes we are powerful, yes we are charged, yes we have been called out but we cannot afford to allow the pride of life to ruin our opportunity to take a part in what God is doing in the Earth.

The Apostle Paul wrote a letter to his son in the gospel Timothy in this letter the apostle warns Timothy that the times that we are living has turned completely humanistic (2 Timothy Chapter 3:1-9.) Truthfully there's but a gigantic handful of our generation that is still holding onto faith but with the population we have, we are still outnumbered by unbelievers. No disrespect to anyone who doesn't believe or practices another religion, but understand that we are supposed to be the light and salt of the Earth. We as the new generation of believers are solely responsible for restoring the faith, hope and love back into the world... What is our driving force?

We must position ourselves under the plans and unction of God. Promotion is inevitable, elevation is the plan but we cannot miss this moment in God's plans by following our own paths. (²³ The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.²⁴ Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand. Psalm 37:23-24)

The most successful people in ministry have all learned one great thing... Real disciples, those who really love God and have given their life to Him, they all move in surrender... Let's stay in our lane, remain in power, remain in the wave or path of God but let it all be in surrender to His will and His way.

Empty Me

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¹⁹ For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. ²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:19-20) 

Can you take a moment and try to remember who or how you were when the truth of Christ Jesus first met you? Now can you feel or embrace the desire you have now for the new person that Christ is making you into? 

Most often than not the truth of Christ met us after we have lived in this world and had become a certain person. Truthfully speaking even those including myself who were raised in the church have also been shaped and molded by our surroundings. With this understanding we must see the difference between who we have become over time and who Christ desires us to be and then consequently who He desires to use. 

Is what we have gained through the world useful to the mission of Christ for our lives? Do we have to lose who we are in order to complete what has been inscribed for our lives?

Matthew 4:18-22 depicts Christ meeting the first disciples, and where did He meet them? Christ met some of the most important people in this faith doing exactly what they would normally. Never did He ask for them to immediately convert and change their ways, all Christ said was stop what you're currently doing and follow me. This applies to modern day disciples as well, Christ isn't asking for immediate change (not to say that it isn't possible). God being the creator, He knows everything there is to know about us. He knows every proclivity that we have, every issues, every gift. 

As believers, those who desire righteousness and salvation through our faith in Jesus Christ we must get to a point that not only are we honest with ourselves and with God in regards to who we were, are and will be but we also must be willing to have God remove what is in us that is not fruitful or useful to Him.

In retrospect Isaiah 55:11 tells us that every thing that has been spoken into our lives including our lives must finish the assignment that it has been given. We cannot return to God full! It's so imperative that we allow the Holy Spirit to empty us out. We should pray that the Holy Spirit empty us of every issues as well as gift. At that moment that we are called to rest we should be emptied of everything, everything poured out to God whether in use or waste.

As someone who is going through a season of stripping I can profess that there's nothing like the freedom we find in Christ. There is nothing like finally being able to see the cup as half full rather than half empty. Truth of the matter is, all that we entertain in life at some point begins to jade our perspective and understanding. One thing that I have learned during this time is when God is prepared to empty you out or take away from you its purposely so that He can give you what He desires us to have. How much greater is His ability to give than what we hold on to day to day?

Pray this with me... Father in Jesus name I pray that you empty me so that there is more than enough room for you to fill me up with all of you. I pray in Jesus name that you download into me my portion of the Holy Spirit. Give unto me precious Lord that which you desire me to have and I will be blessed. I give you access to my life and endeavors and I pray that you remove and add what you see fit... IJN Amen

As always I pray that you have received something from this blog posting and I also pray that the peace of God would be our portion as we continue to grow in God... Blessings to you, don't forget to share, comment and look forward to the next posting