Seize the Moment

December 5, 2011 by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Inspirational Articles, The Faith Walk 

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Life is so precious. Every day that we wake up is a gift from God. The air that we breathe signifies God’s promise of life to us. This is the reason that our lives should not be wasted. Every day presents a new opportunity to fulfill God’s purpose and plan for our lives.

How many times have we heard someone say, “I wish I would have done that…” or “If only I had pursued that…” We must live our lives with no regret. And in order to really be successful, we must take risks. Taking risks involve truly listening and taking action on what God tells us to do. We must be attentive to God’s voice.

In order to even begin to live the promises of God and live our lives to the fullest, we must have faith. Faith is the foundation of everything; it is the reason that God created us and the origin of life lessons. I guess we do have to be a little crazy to really follow through on God’s orders. But we must also recognize that the Lord’s ways are certainly not ours, and God does not want us to live with regret. He wants us to have the promises of heaven right here on earth.  To live this life requires diligence and work, as referenced in 1 Corinthians 15:58, “So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about the Lord’s work, for you know nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.”

Our lives are filled with purpose, that’s simply how God created them. So we must live each day with that mentality. Nothing should be taken for granted. Sometimes living our lives to the fullest requires us to completely change and leave behind everything we know and are familiar with. Don’t discourage over God’s orders because He is always looking out for our good. Please know that it is the Lord’s desire for us to enjoy life, why else would He have blessed us with such an awesome gift?

In Mark 10: 28 – 30, Jesus very plainly explains the reward of our faith in seizing the moment, “Then Peter began to mention all that he and the other disciples had left behind. ‘We’ve given up everything to follow you,’ he said. And Jesus replied, ‘I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, will receive now in return, a hundred times over, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and property – with persecutions. And in the world to come they will have eternal life.’”

So there you have it. Any way you look at it, study it, examine the Word, God wants us to live fully, prosperously and joyfully. BUT this can only be done by listening to His voice and studying His Word. So what are you waiting for? Seize the moment!

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The Power Of Gratitude

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7 (NLT)

We are all familiar with this wonderful passage of scripture where the Bible tells us; “Be careful for nothing; but in every-thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (KJV) However the New Living Translation gives this Scripture greater meaning as it is written in a more modern vernacular.

Gods’ Word for us is that we are to “REJOICE” in everything letting the World see that even though they don’t believe as we do, that we are and will be considerate of them as well. We are to rejoice, not worrying about anything but praying for everything. I believe that sometimes Christians forget that God has our back. We forget that when God puts us on a path or gives us an assignment that God will be there with us until its completion. After all doesn’t the Bible say; “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble?” Ps. 46:1 (KJV)

The NLT version of the Bible says therefore; “tell God what you need and thank HIM for all that he has done.” Let me ask you a question? When God has done something for you, do you forget to say: “Thank you?” Not just the big things but the (so-called) small things as well. Do we forget that without HIS “Grace and Mercy,” we might have passed away in our sleep? Without HIS wonderful hedge of protection over us we could have been hit by a car, murdered, robbed or so many other misfortunate events could have happened to us. But HIS grace and HIS mercy protected you from all ‘hurt, harm and danger.’

On October 20, 2011 my oldest son who will be forty two years old November 21st was stabbed twice in his chest in New York City, once in this lung and once in his heart. He expired once in the ambulance and twice on the operating table in the hospital. My son and I haven’t had a relationship for several years; however he contacted me October 19, this is something that I’d been praying for, for many years. When I went to see him in the hospital, he had tubes coming out of him in several places including his chest and a ventilator was helping him breathe. I wasn’t overly worried, that is not to say I don’t love my son because I do, if I could have traded places with him I would have gladly done so. Unless you have children you may not understand that when we see our children, even though they are grown, even though they have beards or children of their own, we still see them as the little babies we used to care for (at least I do).

To make a long story short, I wasn’t overly worried because, I KNOW GOD. You see, God would not have put my son back into my life and then take him away. God is not cruel like that. God doesn’t give you something and then snatch it away in cruelty, that’s what the devil does. So I knew deep down inside that my son was going to be alright. That my friends, that is the power of Gratitude in action. When we are grateful and give God thanks, the Bible says; “we will experience God’s peace which exceeds anything that we can understand.” And that; “His Peace will guard our hearts and minds as we live in Christ Jesus.”

Now you might be saying; “This isn’t about you, it’s about your son.” I disagree; God is great enough and powerful enough to take care of me, my son, you, your problems, Israel, Zambia and the problems of the entire world all at the same time. We must remember; to give God thanks in all things, and God will reward us with HIS Peace. By the way, my son was released from the hospital in a record eight days. His life was spared by a loving caring God…

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God’s Love Permeates All

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Have you ever done something or said something and immediately thought, ‘Man, I wish I could take that back’? Maybe you cut someone off on the road while driving. Or maybe you were in the midst of an argument and dug down to the core because you were really trying to hurt the other person. Regardless of our faults, it is important to remember that God still loves us.

God’s love for us is absolutely unconditional. Though it is important that we strive to live as Christ, we are not perfect. And the Lord accepts us and loves us regardless of our situation and circumstance. We are all sinners and our purpose on this earth is to learn the lessons that God’s Word teaches while ameliorating ourselves to live in His image. Still, God loves us in spite of our rights and wrongs, our goods and not-so-goods. John 3:16-17 explains the fullness of God’s love for the world,

“For God so loved the world that he gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.”

Remember the story of Moses? Before Moses became a great leader for the people of Israel, he was just a regular man. And at one point he actually decided to take justice into his own hands. Moses saw an act of injustice and killed an Egyptian. Despite his actions, God loved him just the same; and even raised Moses up to new heights. It is imperative to understand that though we must live to do good, God loves us in spite of our faults.

Let’s look at God’s unconditional love from another angle. No one said life would be easy. As Ecclesiastes 9:11 says, “…The fastest runner doesn’t always win the race, and the strongest warrior doesn’t always win the battle…” but through the journey of life we develop endurance. And endurance is God-given, a product of His Love.

We go through financial hardships. We lose loved ones. We lose relationships. These are all a part of life and through these trials, God is building our endurance. We think that because we are suffering that God has abandoned us and that He no longer loves us. It is quite the opposite; God is working even harder in these situations to show us how much He loves us. As Abraham believed, so should we,

“…because Abraham believed in the God who brings the dead back to life and who brings into existence what didn’t exist before,” Romans 4:17.

When we rise from these tests, we are stronger and much wiser. God still loves us and desires to teach us to be more like Him, the reason for life’s challenges. But He will never give us more than we can bear.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega – the beginning and the end,” says the Lord God. I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come, the Almighty One,” says the Lord in Revelation 1:8. As the Lord is everlasting, so is His love. Always remember that.

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Simply Put, JUST OBEY GOD (Even in seemingly insignificant matters)

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I woke up this morning thinking to myself, “I am so blessed.”  You see, God is so off-the-chain, so awesomely good and I am so deeply in love with Him that words elude me!  It is indeed an honor and privilege to know Him, to serve Him and to know that I will spend all of eternity with Him.  Folks, I am absolutely blessed and highly favored and I want all the earth to know that Christ IS real, alive, true and awesome!  He in me is the hope of glory! 

“In ALL Your Ways Acknowledge Him….”

I didn’t make too many plans for today, except for working at home instead of going to my favorite spot, Barnes and Nobles.  You see, I know that my son and I like to go to Barnes and Nobles after church on Sundays, so I figured today I would work at home.  I also was going to see if I could find a ride to Wal-Mart to get a few groceries; however, God had different plans – and His plans is what I live for.

Today during my first devotion time with the Lord (started around 12:30ish since my daughter and I slept in this morning), I asked the Lord to just speak to me.  And the first word that He said was “Go!”  I began to question where: to Boston to see my mom?  To New York for an assignment?  To Virginia for something?  Or somewhere else I hadn’t been?  In my spirit, I knew these weren’t right.  So I asked, “Go where?  Is it in my region?”  “Yes” He says.  “Within ATL?”  “Yes”.  “So where do You want me to go,  Lord?  Wherever You want me to go, I will go.”

Barnes and Noble then came up in my spirit.

I immediately began rebuking myself because my initial thought was that I was tripping.  But then I had to remind myself, “Naima, you know the voice of the Lord.  On top of that, you don’t really want to go there today.  Listen!” 

Barnes and Nobles again came in my spirit.

So I then said, “Lord, You want me to go to Barnes and Nobles???”  He confirmed in my spirit that I was to go there today.  I asked Him, “I will go Lord.  When do You want me to leave?”  “2:30”.  I instantly looked over at the clock and seen it was 1:47.   “This doesn’t give me too much time to get ready” I thought to myself as I immediately got up to start getting ready.  And as I was getting ready, the Lord let me know that I would meet a man today.  Didn’t know when or why but I knew I would connect with a man today.  So I immediately called a taxi and asked them to pick me up at exactly 2:30.  They did.

The taxi service I called is the one I use quite frequently, and when the taxi arrived, the driver was a man, and in the passenger seat sat his wife.  I had never seen either of them before; however, we seem to hit it off almost immediately. 

“Where are we going?”  the driver asked.

“Barnes and Noble.”

He then began to express his likes about Barnes and Noble and the conversation started from there.  It shortly shifted to ministering by my inviting his wife to next week’s FIRE Group in Stockbridge.  I began to describe who we are and what we do without my knowing even IF she was a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ or not.  She responded by saying that unfortunately she had a previous engagement that day, so I informed her we meet monthly and gave her the next date which is June 25th.  She wrote it down.

Her husband then asked me what I was doing for the youth.  I smiled because I had just told my daughter earlier that morning that I was going to begin FIRE Groups for teens – I was just trying to figure out logistics.  I began to tell him that a group for teens is in the works and from there I began to notice that he has a burden for reaching out to our lost teens.  The avenue that he was going to use to reach them was music.  He began sharing with me how we cannot reach our teens with the same kind of Gospel music our grandparents listened to but instead by music that today’s youth would want to hear.  I totally agree!  You see, I was deeply into hip hop since it first began, and when I finally decided to fully submit and commit (be sold out) to Christ, the Lord then introduced me to Gospel hip hop and Gospel R&B.  I shared this with the driver and his wife.  He then asked me to listen to a song he had written and produced.  He put on the song but unfortunately we had arrived at my destination shortly after the song began, so I asked him if he had a demo.   He did and gave me a copy of the song.  He asked me to be very honest with him about the song and asked me to ask my children what they thought of it as well.  I said I would.  We then exchanged contact information and then went our separate ways.

Simply Put: Just Obey God!

So, right now I am sitting in Barnes and Nobles typing this entry to you.  I cannot say that I fully know the reason why me and this gentlemen and his wife had to meet today; however, I know it was divine and that God will reveal the rest in His timing.  Once He does, I will update this entry with a part two.  In the interim, let me point out the fact that obedience is key to your walk with God!  You see, had I not called the cab at the time I did and ask them to have the taxi at my door at exactly 2:30pm, then I would’ve missed it – having a different driver.  If I didn’t move on what God told me to do AND when He told me to do it, I would not have met this couple and would’ve missed the blessing that is coming my way as a result of my obedience. 

Folks, we never truly know how far the ripples go and how heavy the impact when we move on what God tells us to do.  And do understand that truth is also essential; for you will not really obey a person if you don’t trust they have your best interest at heart.  Thus, when God tells you to do something, don’t try to batter Him with a series of questions and demand that He answers them BEFORE you move.  No!  You have to exact Proverbs 3:5, which says, Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

I CHALLENGE YOU!!!

I challenge you today to step up in your trust and obedience of the Lord.  First, decide that you will trust Him and that you will obey Him – NO MATTER WHAT!  Do know that deciding is the first part, and I mean truly making that decision.  Following this is making this conscious decision each day the Lord allows you to open your eyes.  Decide that you will trust Him in both large and small matters.  To help you with this and to foster growth in this area, I encourage you to find several Scriptures on obedience and its rewards (Deut 28) and trusting God (Pro 3:5-6); but in addition to these Scriptures, I strongly advise you to find Scriptures that focuses on God’s unfailing love for YOU!  This is key!  Not only will this help you in receiving His love but this is also the foundation from which trust and obedience is built.  Speaking from experience, I promise you that if you do this and keep at it (no matter what), you will indeed see the fruit of this manifested in your life.  Fruit like:

  • A stronger, deeper, more intimate relationship with God;
  • Your experiencing God’s peace on a more frequent to more regular basis;
  • Greatly increased faith, trust, and obedience unto God;
  • Your other relationships will also be positively impacted;
  • A renewed mind in these areas;
  • You’ll be a better witness for Christ;
  • And much more!

 

I know that sounds like a sales pitch, but trust me, it’s not.  These are just the natural by-product that comes with studying and meditating on these topics and Scriptures; and it just so happens that ALL of the fruit are awesome and life-bringing and life-changing!  Halleluiah!

Prayer For YOU!

Father, I pray that the person reading this will lean his or her entire being and human personality on You in absolute trust and confidence in Your power, wisdom, and goodness and that he or she will have full revelation of the breadth, height, length and depth of your unfailing love.  I pray that she or he may have a willing and obedient spirit, and that they may be filled with the full knowledge of Your will in all spiritual wisdom, and in understanding and discernment of spiritual things.  This I pray in Jesus’ mighty name.  Amen.

(Colossians 1:4, 9; Ephesians 3:18)

SCRIPTURES ON GOD’S LOVE FOR YOU!!!

Deut. 7:9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; He is the faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commands. 
Eph. 2:4-5 But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved 
Zeph. 3:17 The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing” 
Zechariah 2:8-9 For He said, “Anyone who harms you harms My most precious possession. I will raise My fist to crush them, and their own slaves will plunder them.”  
Rom. 8:35-39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? … For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord 
Psalms 86:15 But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness 
Ps. 48:9 Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love 
Ps. 52:8 But I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love forever and ever 
Ps. 36:7 How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of Your wings 

 

Originally written on Saturday, May 14, 2011 approximately 3:00 PM EST.

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Has My Living Been In Vain?

Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. Psalm 127:1 KJV

As we get older we begin to think about our life and what it all has meant. Was our life worth living, what will it mean to others when we are gone, what if any legacy will we leave behind? We also think about our children, did we do the right things for them? Have we given them the tools that they need to survive? Have we raised good, decent and responsible human beings? The Bible says: “Except the LORD build the house, they that build it, do it in vain.”

I have a good friend who is getting on in years, who has lived a consistent life honoring and loving the Lord. Not all of his children are Christian, however, each of them are familiar with the Scriptures, each of them know what the Bible says about Christian living and each of them know what is expected of them when they walk into their father’s house. There will not be any “smokin, drinkin or cussin” in this house; because in this “house we are going to serve the Lord.” See, even though his children may not be confessing Christians they have Biblical standards. The Bible says; “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he (or she) is old he will not turn from it.

My friend has the right idea, our legacy starts with the way we build our life, our family and the way we interact with others. How many times have we gone to funerals and no one really had anything good to say about the decease or what they say isn’t really the true or you knew the decease to be a despicable human being? This is why it is important to live for Christ today.
The Bible says: “Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”

So many of us worry about having money and being rich but the Bible tells us that this is not the answer either. “The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.” James 1:9-1

The Bible tells us: “…God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock (and others). And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. 1 Peter 5:2-4.  I am sure that there are so many who haven’t left the legacy that they have wanted to or intended to leave, however if in the end someone can look at you and say; “Well done.” That is good enough for me.

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Real Talk Part II

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There will be moments in your walk with God when it seems like He’s called you to hardship and keeps putting you in places where you feel alone, forgotten and forsaken.  But the words “seem like” and “feels” doesn’t necessarily reflect the reality.  Your reality becomes that which you give the greatest attention to, and in this case, it can be your feelings OR His Word.  Your feelings change upon situations and circumstances, but His Word never changes regardless of situations or circumstances.

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My child, I will never leave you neither will I ever forsake you!

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Sometimes it feels as though there’s no bit of truth in that statement when you’re looking at increasingly dismal surroundings, and the people you had to leave behind in order to go where God is leading you seem to be doing GREAT!  I mean Tony the Tiger Grrrrreat!  They’re advancing in ministry or discovering new relationships or their businesses flourished; meanwhile, you’re on the other side of nowhere experiencing pain after pain, heartache after heartache, longing for something that seems close to normal, and wondering how you’re going to make it. 

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“God, where are You and what are You doing?  When will this be over?”  Or better yet…

“God, I thought this part was over!” 

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Then the next thing you know, your spirit is compelled to read and meditate on II Timothy 2:3-4:

You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.

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Talk about words of encouragement.

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“Is that all you have for me, Lord?  Is that Your encouraging me?”

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No.  Remember what I have told you.  Remember what I have shown you.  Remember what I’ve said to you less than a week ago.  Don’t be dismayed nor distracted on the things that are before you.  You, my dear, just follow Me.

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Tears fill my eyes.

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But God, I feel so discouraged.  I feel completely displaced.  I cannot return to Virginia because that’s no longer my home.  I can’t return to New York because that’s no longer my home.  And here in ATL, this is not my home.  God I feel displaced.  And though You have given me great words for what’s to come, it is getting increasingly difficult to get past what is now.  I’m hurt.  I’m bruised.  I’m tired.

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Yet, follow Me.

 

God, all I see is brokenness and loneliness.  All that I had is now gone.  What I used to have was taken away and what I have now is not good enough.

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Where are you looking at, My child?

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All around – my surroundings.  God, I hurt.  I’m not strong enough for the task You’ve given me.  I’m not the soldier that You’ve called me.  I can’t do this!

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You’re right.  You can’t.  Not without My grace and My Spirit, but because both are within you, you can and will do this.  Even if you decided today that you didn’t want to do this anymore, there is something on the inside of you that is more powerful than your feelings, much more substantial and concrete than that which you see, and it is that which drives you, My dear.  And that is My Spirit.

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With tears streaming from my eyes….

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I want to give up.  But I can’t.  Because my love for you is what’s truly real.  The ache in my soul for You will only grow more intense than what it already is.  But God, sometimes things seem so unfair.  Sometimes, I just want what is normal.

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Which is?

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I don’t even know anymore!  I know what I used to think, that is, before you corrected my focus from the seen to the unseen.  And while yes, I need a HOME and I so need a CAR to live in a county where even public transportation isn’t available, what supersedes these things is You God.  A part of me is angry about it, at least at this moment, and I don’t even understand why.  All I know is that I love You and I can’t stop.  Where can I go?  There is nowhere to go.  My destiny has been sealed and I am who You say I am, not man and surely not me.  God, all I know is the pain I feel right now, God, and I don’t want to feel it no more.  I don’t want it no more.

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So cast it upon Me, because My beloved daughter, I deeply care for you. 

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God, sometimes it just doesn’t feel that way.  I feel so afraid and so alone; as though I am way over my head.  But I know that isn’t true because it’s not me who brought me here, but You, so I look to you to sustain me.  However, I do know that I am in way too deep to turn around.  And even if I wanted to give it a serious thought, to where would I go to? 

YOU’VE   CHANGED   MY   LIFE………   FOREVER! 

I don’t want to go back even though I don’t like what I see right now nor how I feel.  I know too much!  I’ve tasted and seen that the Lord is good and that His mercy endures forever.  I know who my Messiah is.  I have the witness of the precious Holy Spirit residing within me.  Your Word …… IS ……My….. Life!  I am far from perfect, but my heart is indeed pure, and when You said, “Seek My face,” My heart said to You, “Your face, LORD, I will seek.”  I CAN’T turn back, Lord.  My life belongs to You.

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You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.

Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.

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 With a tear-stained face and a broken yet determined heart, I say…

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Yes Lord!

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Real Talk Part II  -  2011

To read Real Talk Part I written in 2009, go to http://www.naimawilliams.com/blog/2009/12/23/real-talk/ 

(Last 2 Scriptures – II Timothy 2:3-4, Joshua 1:7-9)

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Lost and Found

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Are you counted among the living or the lost?

Sometimes the choices we make send us to the land of the lost, a desolate place where God is not invited. When we refuse to welcome God into our thoughts and experiences, it is nearly impossible for us to feel His Presence in our hearts. We cannot be led by Him when we close the gates on His loving guidance.

Consider the story of the Prodigal Son. He had everything a young man could possibly want—a loving father, a rich land to inherit, and a bright future. But was that enough for him? No. He wanted his freedom from the efforts that a strong life requires. He wanted his inheritance immediately, before His father passed to heaven and left his lands and wealth to him. This was unheard of at the time, a great insult to his family. Oh, how his father must have grieved! But he did not deny his son his request. He gave him all that would be his, sooner rather than later, and the son left his family to go to a foreign land, where he lived a sinful life and squandered every last cent. It’s a fair assumption that he did not seek God in the choices that he made, and this separation from God was his undoing. Even the pigs had more to eat than he did! But this is not the end of the story for the Prodigal Son. And it’s not the end of the story for you or me, either.

I know because I am a Prodigal Daughter. In adolescence, I left my family and my God, believing the lie that without rules and boudaries, I would be happier by knowing a wider freedom. I made poor choices that hurt my family and grieved my God, but God never left me. He sent helper after helper to cross my path; He whispered His love for me so that I never forgot, even in my disobedience. The trail was long and arduous at times, but I followed. When I finally felt to my knees and re-surrendered my life to Christ, He held me tightly as fast, and made my paths straight again. It was then that I truly learned the Voice of my Shepherd.

Luke 19:10 says that Jesus Christ came to save those who are weak and lost. In the weakest moments of our lives, we often feel lost. We may wonder about our purposes, our directions, our situations, our futures. Our feelings are human and understood by our Lord. He always has an eye on us, no matter where we are in this life. We can never be so far gone that He will not seek us and find us.

Jesus, known as the Good Shepherd, will seek you out, and lead you back to Him. “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if you lose one of them, does not leave the ninety nine in the wilderness, and go after that one lost one, until you find it?” (Luke 15:4). The outstretched hand may come in the form of a trusted friend or a relative stranger, a pastor or a grocery store clerk, a family member or a colleague. If you feel lost in any aspect of your life—your spiritual life, relationships, finances, career—surrender these concerns to God and then watch for Him to seek you out of the crowd where you stand.

God has the power and the desire to draw us back from the land of the lost to the land of the living. If you walk even a few feeble steps toward him, He will welcome you back to Him with open arms. Just like the father in the parable of the Prodigal Son, God will rejoice at your return! “For this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found. And they began to celebrate” (Luke 15:24-32).

Be counted among the living, not the lost. Make time to listen for the Voice of the Shepherd, and celebrate a faithful God and a blessed life!

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