Loosen Your Grip

Set the story:

Linda had been praying for a financial break through. She was working this job making enough money to cover her expenses and to make her ends meet. She was wanting a raise and felt she deserved a raise that would pick her up from financial poverty. Time after time she was denied for this raise and she was growing impatient with God. She was becoming weary and doubtful.

Her friend came along in one of her down moments and she broke down in his arms. Bearing all her burdons on him, he attempted to offer consolation. He said all will be okay and just hold on just a little while longer. These words had no effect. He then said maybe its time that you begin to let this job go and trust God. This job is not benefitting you any longer and maybe its time that you loosen your grip on it. You've been praying for years and no change. You've been focused on this one job. You've let it blind you to all the blessings that God could of given to you but you settled for below what you were worth.

And the Message:

Sometimes we tend to hold on to things for so long that it seems like it's our only option. We blind ourselves to the blessings that God could be giving to us. Think on this. If you can put down one burdon, that frees your hands to pick up your deliverance. It frees your hand to pick up your next blessing. We tend to hold on to too much and we should put some things down to pick up what God has in store for us.

Soul'd Out Because Of My Might

God has been so great. He's been so wonderful to us. He's done so much for us. God has not only kept us, but gave us His grace and mercy. He keeps on blessing us. Why can't we render him a praise? Why can't we shout with a voice of Triumph? He already said we would triumph so why can't we walk in the promise? Why can't we get happy for everything that He's doing. Not just an ordinary get happy, an extra ordinary get happy! We gotta do more for God.

Think on this for a quick sec. If we praised God with everything we had, how much room would we have for the enemy to move in and take the upper hand? With all our might, we should be freely giving God what is due. If not because of what he's done, because he is God and our all is what he expects and what is required.

When you've given your all to God, you are sold out only to God. God has you. He's got ya back. He's ya protector, comforter, provider, and everything else you can think of. Let the enemy try to come against you. I dare him to try you when God has your back. Its a losing battle every time. The devil can't win. The devil wont win. But have you sold yourself out to God? That's what it will take to gain that status!

I don't know about you but I will give a praise, I will give a dance, I will give a shout, I will share a word, I will do whatever is necessary with all of my might for God's glory. I refuse to allow the enemy to gain the upper hand over my life and It's past time due for you to gain that mentality. We are a chosen people. We are a royal priesthood and we must be unified against opposition. Come on people this is a plea from one of your own. Not some glorified preacher. Not some minister that is out for a purpose and a paycheck, this is ordinary me! This is brotha real attempting to place everybody on the same accord to become effective and strong against all else. When will you sell yourself out for God? When will you start rendering service to God with all of your might?

Continue To Be Blessed...

Granted: The Blanket of Grace

Hebrews 2:1-3
1. Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.
2. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;
3. How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;

I gotta admit that I borrowed this scripture from my Pastor from Sunday's sermon. As he was speaking on his topic, my mind dived into another. I was immersed in a sea of thought and revelation. This is what came to me.

Have you ever been in a situation that could have been worse than it actually was? Have you been involved in a trial that could of gone farther south but didn't? These things occur because of the grace that God has bestowed on us. The cliche goes: "if it had not been for God, where would I be?" It holds true! If it wasn't for God's grace and his mercy most of us would be lost causes.

The topic is"Granted: The Blanket of Grace". Grace has been granted to us. What if we took grace for granted? What if we began to abuse God's grace? What if you knew better and chose not to do better? What if God chose to snatch the blanket of grace and protection right from on top of us? We would be exposed to every danger that the devil could point our way. The truth is, you absolutely have no clue what all God has kept you from. What all was blocked from reaching you. What you have been avoiding since your birth into this world. You have no idea! Or do you?

Some have a clue of what they are being saved from and take God's grace for granted. Yea, you may be saved and acknowledged Jesus as your Savior, but you know good and well you are operating outside of God's will. You may have be sick and it could be much worse than it could be. Yet, you choose to act up at every opportunity and you disregard God's law. You get these warnings along the way, that you should stop your sinful ways, but you keep going. The next thing you know, your sickness gets worse and you're asking why! Now, you're asking God for a miracle and expect a move. You wonder why God let this happen. God was the one that was keeping all along the way. You took advantage of god's grace and now the blanket of grace has been pulled off of you and you're exposed. Whose fault is it? Ours!

Are you taking advantage of God? God's grace is sufficient, but don't expect the grace to be there when you treat God any old way. God has a sense of humor, that may not be funny to us. he has a way of getting us to open our eyes to see the err of our ways. He places this unrest in us once we foul up. we must take heed to the warnings God is giving us. We don't want to be caught up in our foolishness while taking advantage of God's grace. That blanket is very warm and comfortable and just like laying in bed, I don't wanna get out from under that cover. As my Pastor always says, "and yet there is room" and there is so much room for us to grow. There's room for us to be better. Now we just need to do it!

Keep on Being Blessed...

A Sunday Change!

Call me traditional, but there is power and strength in a song like this. Sunday marks the beginning of the actual week, before even the work week starts. Someone once told me that if you start on a high note then you can end on a high note. She was a soprano! lol Lil dry humor, yea I know. Lil fun here and there never hurt too much! Here is Tramaine Harkins with "Changed".

Are you leaving your all with God?

Okay, it seems like Imeem.com is undergoing unpleasant changes. Its all good though. The song I wanted to play is on track 13 when you open this link. The song is entitled "Is your all on the Altar". Lashun Pace Rhodes is the lead singer. I tried to find video but to my luck no success.

Bishop Carlton Pearson Presents The Best Of Azusa... Yet Holdin' On album by Carlton Pearson

I just want to ask you this very simple question, are you really giving God all of your problems? Are you giving Him your body and soul? I call you today and challenge you to give God your all! All you have to do is put it in his hands and the peace you need, that rest you need, that calmness you need is right there for your taking! You gotta leave it all on the altar with God tho...

Popularization of the Christian Church

I was speaking to one of the church mothers one day and she was explaining to me that church isn't what it used to be when she got saved. Being an advocate of both the new and old school church, brought there by my age and experiences, I said I understand but it is a newer time. She quickly stopped me saying, "but son, we're having the issues we're having today because we're not doing things the way we used to." She went on to tell me how they don't teach the bible like they used to. Churches don't take the time to explain the scriptures in great detail to give the people understanding. Church has become convenient as opposed to a way of life. She finished in saying I feel bad for these people that are coming up now because they just might not make it in thinking they can get over on God!

I was struck and stabbed. Stricken even, with rigidy. I sat there while Motha, as our parishioners affectionately called her, spoke to me. I was getting where she was coming from. I thought about how we dance around so many issues because we don't want to step on anybody's feet. Even in my Mornin Manna texts, there are issues that I have preferred not to talk about. The fear of persecution stepped in. I thought of where the boldness of the church has gone. It definitely was very weak in today's state and definitely stronger in yesteryear.

The commercialism and accepted mockery of the church has even crept in. Now, I'm a fan of laughter, don't get me wrong. I do believe that some things should not be joked about. Yes, they do bring light to situations that need to be addressed, but they don't get addressed because people are too busy busting a gut to do anything about it. When you laugh at things, they become more acceptable because there is a smile associated with it. Do you see people laughing when someone gets killed? Raped? Assaulted? When someone comes up missing? People take that seriously and do something about it!

Then there are the tv shows that allow the "gospel artists" to perform saying whatever they will say, doing whatever they will do and giving false prophesies to whoever. This makes a mockery of the Christian faith! People view this and question how real it is. Scripture tells us to not let your good be evil spoken of. Being holy is both inward and outward actions. Its not just a belief, its a way of life! You can't be one thing and do another; it's not what God called us to be. Even on down to the televised services. You see different ones that throw their money at the pastor's feet while he's giving a word. Whether the offering is legit or not, it is viewed that they are rendering their money to the pastor and not to God. People have to be conscious of this. The preachers speak on prosperity instead of the whole bible. There's more to the bible than good health, blessings and miracles! Then the pastor's wonder why people keep falling short and victims to the world. You're not giving them the full Jesus! I'm about to feel my help coming! lol

There's a song that says "the bible is right, somebody's wrong". There is no other correct way but the bible way no matter what people say. The bible represents holiness. Holiness is right. The bible tells us what holiness is. The holy spirit lets us know when we step outside of holiness and helps us to come back and get it right. This may sound traditional, because it is! We gotta come back to the old time way. The word was true then, and it's true now. The church has got to stick to the bible, the whole bible and nothing but the bible so help us God! The word of God is going to be the only thing that will stand!

Being popular gets you followers. Being honest and true for God gets you black listed. The silver lining is that as long as the church can stick to the original standard of holy living and bible teachings, it has nothing to worry about. Those that chose not to follow what God has instructed will have to face the consequence. Let us all go back to the old time way...

Continue to be blessed...