Blind Faith

“And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.”

Luke 1:45

Last week, during Sunday school, my teacher referred to the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary. While watching news, she came across a reporter interviewing a student who had made it out of the building safely. When the reporter asked the student what they had seen, he said “nothing.” He explained that the teacher told them to close their eyes and hold her hand while she led them out. My Sunday school teacher referred to the student’s obedience as “blind faith”, and just like the children showed it towards their teacher, God wants us to show that same type of trust towards Him.

Hebrews chapter 11, verse 1 states “now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith is, indeed, believing without seeing. When we think all hope is lost, we put our trust in God knowing that He will bring us through to an unseen, but incredible end result. As discussed in a previous post, for years, I prayed that the Lord would reveal to me my purpose in life, and this summer He told me exactly what it is that He wants me to do. At the time, I believed that I had fully accepted it but then anticipations and nerves started to overwhelm me. I have yet to pursue the path the Lord wants me to travel because I don’t know how I’m going to overcome the obstacles and criticism that I know I’m going to have to face.

            Within the past few months, a couple of people, that I’m close to, have been accomplishing the same exact things that the Lord has called me to achieve. As happy, as I was about their success, I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to measure up because it seemed like support and opportunities came very easily and rather quickly for them, especially because they’re older and are more well-known. Even with my negative anticipations, I had the desire to do the Lord’s work but when I attempted to take a single step towards my purpose something, or someone would jump out in front of me with an issue that I just couldn’t get around, or dissuading words that made me turn the other way. I became discouraged and tried contemplating a substitution for my calling, and even thought about giving up completely.

This brings me to the scripture above. As Christians we seem to think that our uncertainty towards our purpose comes from our lack of faith in believing that we’ll make it to the end. What made it difficult for me is that I, in fact, believed that I would make it to the end. I could see the finish line, clear as day, but I could also see the obstacles that were on the path. I realize that it’s not the resolution that I’m hesitant about; it’s the journey towards it. However, after the discussion we had in Sunday school I realized that comparing myself to others is not something I should be doing, and overcoming trials is not something that I should be stressing over. Philippians 4:13 states “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” God has a purpose for each and every one of us, and no two plans are exactly the same. We don’t have to measure up to anyone because at the end of the day, God doesn’t measure our success against each others, but against our obedience to what He told us to do.  We don’t have to be afraid of conquering obstacles that get in out way, because Jesus is the only equipment we need to get around it. However, it’s going to take more than faith to see us through. Just like those students in Sandy Hook did, we must have “blind faith”, eyes closed, hand out allowing God to guide every move me make and trusting that everything is going to work out for our good. I don’t care if I’m bruised and bloody when I make it to the end, as least I’ll have made it, so I’m ready to dive in to my purpose head first.

#'NuffSaid

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Death in Christ

“And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.”

Revelation 14:13

            One Sunday morning I was sitting in Sunday school when a girl in my class asked a question that seemed to come out of no where. She asked something along the lines off, “why is it that when people are sick, we are always told to pray for their healing? What if it’s just that person’s time to go?” I pondered that question for a while after that class but didn’t understand its significance until now.

As Christians, we believe that prayer changes things, so in the event of something negative we pray for a positive outcome.  Recently, my family had been dealing with the extreme sickness of a relative. When I was told of the situation I did what I knew I had to do, I prayed for his healing and left the problem at the altar. I didn’t worry too much. He had been sick for a long time but God had allowed him to live years past the expectancy the doctors had put on him and because of this I truly believed that he was going to be ok. Even when my father told me that it wasn’t looking good, I still didn’t fret, I just knew that God was going to fix it. I had already started planning to visit him for thanksgiving, and thinking on the things we would talk about and what we would do together when I did. A few days later, my mother called with more news but it wasn’t the good word that I was expecting.

When I found out that he hadn’t made it I was devastated, dejected and at dismay. That night, upset, I wanted to cry-out to God, asking Him why he hadn’t come through for my family and how He could just take my cousin away, but instead I got on my knees and whole-heartedly prayed for peace of mind and understanding. Down there, meditating on the situation, I thought about my classmate’s question and the answer my Sunday school teacher had given her. She said “death in Christ is the ultimate healing.” This brings me to the scripture above. When someone passes there is reason to mourn them because we are going to miss them but when they pass in Christ there is also reason to rejoice because they no longer have to deal with the cares of this wicked world. At the end of the day, they have achieved what we, as saints, are striving for, which is to be in heaven with God.

To my family and to families who’s love ones have gone home to be with the Lord, don’t think that your prayers were in vain and don’t believed that healing never came because, although it may not have been in the way we expected, it did. We must understand that His ways are not our ways and His will is more perfect than any ‘flawless’ plan we could have come up with. God is still good. He was our loved ones healer and now He will surely be our comforter. Take heed in this scripture: “…weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning” (Psalms 30:5).

Stay positive and stay prayerful.  God Bless.

#ForManny

#'nuffsaid

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Worldly Weaponry

“No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.”

Isaiah 54: 17

Growing up, my dad periodically told me about his acquaintanceship with his co-workers. He told me of times that they would come in to work talking about their weekend at the club and he replied talking about his weekend at church. He said they began complaining about the Godly things he interjected with and he let them know that he refused to listen to the worldly things they spoke of. Eventually they stopped coming to with their weekend plans and stay clear of him if they don’t want an earful of conviction.

For the past few months I had the opportunity to work with a summer camp. There, I expected to meet people who had a desire to interact with children, who would be professional, and who would enjoy doing their job. However, that wasn’t the case. My peers, or co-workers, hated coming in to work everyday, they were always out of uniform, and they had no experience in working with children whatsoever. Not only that, by like some of my dad’s co-workers, they brought their personal lives in to the work place. They used profanity, talked about inappropriate things, and shared vulgar pictures on their phones. I didn’t want to be apart of the things they were involved in but I didn’t want to be rude either. When a new workweek started and they shared their wild party stories from the weekend before, I told them about the church services I had gone to. They gave me weird looks when they found out that I don’t listen to secular music, I don’t use profane words, I don’t party, I don’t drink, I don’t do drugs and that I’m a virgin. They made offensive comments, assuming it was a strict religious cult rules that made me not do the things that they did. I tried to make them understand that following the Word of God is a choice, and it was a choice that I had made. They didn’t understand and I could tell that the more I talked about Jesus the more uncomfortable they got with the subject, and me.

Eventually, after not having much more to say, they stopped talking to me all together. However, that didn’t stop them from talking about me. They called me foul names under their breath as I walked by them, they tried to turn the campers against me, and when I asked for help they gave me vicious attitude. I didn’t understand the change in their behavior towards me until one of them said, “You should just try to be normal like the rest of us. I mean, I go to church on Sundays too but all that ‘Jesus stuff’ everyday is just too much. ” I started to blame myself, and others, who I thought would have my back, started blaming me too. It hurt being treated so badly for having a different mentality towards things. However, as much as I wanted my co-workers to like me, I knew that I wasn’t going to give up my relationship with God so in response to it all I kept my distance, which was hard being that they approached me with multiple intimidating tactics. I came to work nervous, did my job continually looking over my shoulder, and went home an emotional mess until one night I was flipping through my notebook, in which I keep important spiritual notes, and came across a biblical verse.

This brings me to the scripture above. In this chapter Isaiah is speaking of God’s love for Israel. In summary, Israel has always been the little guy that other great nations chose to pick on. However, Israel is and its people are also God’s chosen. When applied to our spiritual walk with Christ, as saints we are His chosen. Therefore, the same protection He has over Israel, He has over us too so nothing that the world and its minions can draw up to use against us will succeed. Even though my co –workers tried to tare me down I shouldn’t have felt defeated because I had the victory all along. After reading that scripture, as annoying as it still was, their name calling, rude comments, smart remarks and intimidating tactics no longer had the same fearful and discriminating effect on me. As saved people, I’ve come to learn that everyone is not going to like us, and it’s because of who we belong to. People fear what they don’t know or don’t understand, so instead of giving it a chance they shun it or try to change it to suit them better. My co-workers clearly didn’t get my love for God and they tried to terrorize it out of me but at the end of the day its not their acceptance or love that I really need, its God’s.

#nuffsaid

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Remember The Promise

“Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.”

Galatians 4:28

A couple months ago, one of my best friends called me up with some exciting news. She told me that, after years of fasting, praying and reading her Word, God had finally revealed her calling, the ministry He wanted her to be apart of. This conversation got me thinking about my own calling. Almost a year ago, God told me that I would speak to a lost generation. I’ve always been compelled to write, especially for God’s glory, but I still couldn’t see it as a ministry. Not when all of my other friends had been called to things like preaching, singing, and ushering. How could I speak to a lost generation when the world was slowly doing away with paperback books and the art of blogging was being run over by sites like Tumblr. This caused me to feel lost in my writing, like I was too entangled in it to see what God really wanted me to do with my life, so I took a step back from it. I stopped working on ideas for my next book and quit updating my blog.

For a couple weeks, I fasted, prayed and read my Word, hoping to hear something from the Lord. As the weeks went on, I didn’t hear anything but stayed faithfully involved in the ministries at the church, just in case I received some type of revelation one day. I continued to sing in the choir, I helped out in the media room, and I even thought about rejoining the ushering committee. However, as good as it felt to be apart of those things, they weren’t fulfilling, and I kept thinking that there was more I could do. Weeks turned in to months, and last weekend, on the way up to my church’s teen and youth retreat, I had finally become completely discouraged. My friends were going around the bus and guessing what ministry everyone would be involved in when they got older. Some, they thought would be preachers or head ushers, while others, they thought would be psalmist or choir directors. When they got around to me, they had nothing. They were stumped and couldn’t think of anything. I was really upset about the situation. I was involved in so many things at church and yet, it looked like I showed no promise in either.

When we arrived at the teen and youth retreat location, I pushed away my hurt and anxiety, telling myself that I wouldn’t worry about it. This weekend was going to be about breaking chains and saving souls so I vowed not to let my own problems in the way of what God wanted to do for others on that mountain. While talking with some of the other counselors we came to the conclusion that as long we gave God the glory, His promise “All Saved, None Lost”, the theme for the retreat would come to pass indefinitely. Whole-heartedly I can say, this retreat was unlike any of the others I had ever attended. When I say that God showed up and showed out, I truly mean it. I hope and pray that everyone experiences God’s works the way my peers and I experienced them at that retreat. While standing in the front of the campground sanctuary, I was praying for those tarrying around me. I remember meditating on the phrase “All Saved, None Lost” and, even though I told myself not to, I kept asking myself how I was going to bring the lost to God if I didn’t have a way to so.  Through the dimness of light in the room and the tears that blurred my vision, I saw a familiar figure and heard an identifiable voice in my ear. God used one of my good friends, spoke through them and answered my silent prayer.  He said:  “You’re going to lead a lost generation to Me!” Never having experienced this before, I was stunned and unable to say anything but in my head I thought “how?”, remembering the conversation that had taken place on the bus. I began weighing my options: ushering, singing, preaching, etc. He said, “the reason you can’t figure it out is because I’ve given you a talent no one else has!” and before I could even think “what?” He said, “I’ve called you to write! Why are you procrastinating? I called you to make My Word plain!”

After that, I backed away, trying to figure out what had just happened. I couldn’t believe and didn’t want to believe that God had a) used someone to prophesy to me and b) had answered my prayer so clearly. Frankly, I was scared, but before fear could consume me. God used another person to speak to me. Laying their hand on my shoulder He said, “I know, I know this is the first time you’re hearing My voice like this. I know you’re scared, but I’m not trying to scare you. I love you…Remember the promise!” When I heard that, I would do nothing but fall to my knees in worship and thank God for everything that had just taken place.

Now, this brings me to the scripture above. It speaks about God’s promise to us. Isaac was promised a great nation, and so were we. To begin, God knew us before our parents even conceived us. He spoke us in to existence, knowing that one day we would answer His call to salvation and have a desire to serve Him. God has a promise on our lives and our promise affects others. As a child of God, our first calling is to help find the lost, and to do that we must use the talents God gave us. He has blessed us all with talents that He wants us to use in order to bring the unsaved to Him. However, in order to do that we can no longer hide our talents away, now is the time we must hone them and multiply them in order to do a great work for the Lord (Reference to Matthew 25: 14-30).

If God has called you to sing, don’t sell out. If He called you to preach, preach The Word. If He called you to usher, welcome in the lost souls. If He called you to write, make it plain. Whatever God called you to do, do it right and do it now. If you don’t know what God has called you to do yet, you need to be seeking after Him. He’s called you to do something and when you show you’re desire to do it, He will reveal it to you. God’s promise to our generation is “All Saved, None Lost”. I know that God can do everything but fail so I know His Word is true. We have to do what He is calling us to do, stand strong in our talents, use them and remember the promise He has put on our lives in so that we can affect another’s.

#nuffsaid