it's personal ...

Good Morning Friends

Happy Sunday!

Week two of no gathered services for church –

However, how many of you know we are the church;

                And church is wherever we are

I fully appreciate these intimate personal times with the LORD

It’s personal … it is a personal preference for each individual

Even so – I still miss gathering together as a corporate body of believers

But this too shall pass …

I heard an interesting news notification yesterday –

The actual instance occurred a couple of days ago;

In light of the numerous restrictions imposed by COVID-19, the Pope issued this statement:

‘If you don’t find a priest to go to confession, speak to God. He’s your Father. Tell Him the truth. ‘Lord. I did this and this and this. Pardon me.’ Ask His forgiveness with all your hear, with an act of contrition, and promise Him, ‘Afterward I will go to confession.’ You will return to God’s grace immediately.’

Now – for the record, let me state that I am not Catholic

Therefore – I do not have a personal understanding of some of the traditions and practices

The best that I can ascertain is that the practice of going to a priest would be an attempt to replicate Old Testament practices [where a priest had to represent the people] or an action to honor the New Testament directive to, ‘confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed’ (James 5:16)

HOWEVER – Let us make no mistake

It is essential for us to understand that Jesus is our High Priest

CHRIST is our priest forever – without beginning or end [Hebrews 5:5-6]

We may approach our LORD and GOD, our FATHER and FRIEND directly

Because of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus,

We are able to go directly to God – at any time

                It’s personal ….

It is about a personal relationship – something He desires to have with each of us

At the death of Jesus, the veil was torn –

It was torn, indicating the introduction of personal relationship with the LORD

When that veil was torn it removed the separation which existed between God and man

The tearing of that veil from top to bottom –

It was indicative of a work which could only be performed … by the LORD Himself

TO BE CLEAR –

These are unprecedented times …

In our nation and around the world, this health crisis is removing standard protocols

Churches are having to resort to online services

Individuals are coming face-to-face with the realities of their faith

A  few days ago, I wrote about my grandmother, my Nana

                And I acknowledged the tremendous impact that she had on my faith

She had an impact on my faith – but she was not and is not the source of my faith

You see, relationship with the LORD … it’s personal

It must be received – and then cultivated and developed through personal interaction

                Through personal times of prayer, study, reflections, worship and transparency

In these challenging times, go to the LORD

At all times, go the LORD God Almighty – seek His heart

It’s personal … it’s personal to Him

                He desires a personal relationship at all times

And I believe, just as the verse notes above, many who have died [in our case spiritually],

They are being raised to life.

Have a Blessed Day & Stay Safe

Keep Marching Forward ...

Good Morning Friends!

It has been quite some time since I have written

Hard to believe that it is the last day of March 2019

And just like that – one-fourth of this year is gone …

It is a good time to reflect on goals that have been set for the year

It is a great time to check our progress in moving toward the things God has for us

Personally, I am in the middle of self-development project

It is one aimed at forcing myself out of my comfort zone

As an introvert, it is very difficult for me to socialize with people

Therefore, I have been taking deliberate and intentional steps to overcome this area

In daily interactions and on social media, I am pushing myself ...

To engage more with others and be more interactive

But I faced a significant setback this week –

Even as I have taken steps to be more social and engaging

Someone came up behind me at work and struck my chair really hard

Now, this might not be a big deal to most people

However, given the climate and my history – it had a significant impact on me

I had a full-fledged anxiety attack – hands trembling and an endless flow of tears

I was so disappointed – in my reaction

Understand, I did nothing wrong.

The wrong was on the part of the individual who struck my chair.

Yet – I was disappointed because it felt like I took three steps backwards

Immediately, I could feel the walls going back up

But then I had to remind myself of my goals and of all the progress I have made

Therefore I have decided – I will not let Friday’s incident veer me off course

I will continue to march forward – unmoved by the enemy’s attempt to derail me

There is more of this year out ahead of me than what has passed

Perhaps you have faced some challenges with goals you have set for yourself this year

There is more of this year out ahead of you than what has passed

And so I offer this reminder –

No matter what may happen, no matter what ‘they say’, no matter what you tell yourself

Remember, at all points, and despite any challenges this year

You are –

Perfectly Purposed

‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I set you apart’

Jeremiah 1:5

Timelessly Treasured

‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness’

Jeremiah 31:3

Sovereignly Selected

‘You are my servant; I have chosen you and have not rejected you.’

Isaiah 41:9

Divinely Defended

'Do not fear for I am with you. Do not be dismayed for I am your God; I will defend you.’

Isaiah 41:10

‘No weapon formed against you shall prosper’

Isaiah 54:17

There is more of this year out ahead of us than what has fallen in the rear-view window

Keep marching forward!

Praying You Have a Blessed Day

Wishing You Much Love …

greater than pain ...

Good Morning!

I pray your day is off to a great start. Once I post this message, I will be off and running.
Interesting thing is ... this post has been in DRAFT for SIX YEARS!

So what is this message that took six years to publish?

There is a love which is greater than pain ...

As I sat in my living room yesterday, suddenly I was overwhelmed with this thought. There is a love which recognizes that offenses are a part of life. After all, Jesus Himself said, 'it is impossible but that offenses will come' (Lk. 17:1). The God of 'all things possible' said it is impossible to be in this earth without circumstances of offense coming our way: husbands and wives, children and parents, brothers and sisters, friends and neighbors.

Inevitably, there will come a moment in every relationship where someone will do something, or you will do something that will cause a 'rift' in the relationship. I have experienced deep hurts at the hands of a child, a love, a spouse (-ex), a sibling, a church member, a co-worker and a stranger.

YET -
I have finally reached a place where I realize that my love is greater than the pain. My desire for continued fellowship is greater than my need to be right, my need to receive vindication, my need for an apology and greater than the pain that was inflicted. It is not to say that the hurt was not real - but the love ushers in a greater reality. The LORD is teaching me to love others and to love Him beyond what my flesh might desire.

THAT BEING SAID - 
I am fully committed to living a  life that please God
Even if it means living a life that is not pleasing to me

NOW - 
Some will take that statement at face value (and entirely out of context) and leap to the conclusion that it is the declaration of someone who has much maturing to do in Christ.
And they might be correct on some level.

HOWEVER - 
I am honest enough to recognize that not everything that is pleasing in the Father's sight is pleasing [enjoyable, comfortable and pleasurable] to me ... at least not immediately.

While it is pleasing to me to please God, it is not always pleasing to me the situations and circumstances that He will allow in order to accommodate my living that life.

LOVE THAT IS GREATER THAN PAIN
LOVING BEYOND WHAT THE FLESH DESIRES
I am so thankful the LORD is teaching me to love Him, love others and love life in this way

SIX YEARS IN DRAFT ... 
Sometimes it takes that long to grow and mature into the word the LORD gives you

Have a Blessed Day!