Questions & Thoughts on Bible

It has a been a great semester for me in seminary. My days are filled with filling up on Christ through the Bible, reading sources for the Bible, reading books on having a relationship with Christ and journaling about these experiences. Can I just tell you that it was hard at first. I must have complained everyday while I did the work. Truth be told looking at all the books I had to read was very overwhelming. As I started to dive in, really digest why I have to read these books and allow myself to be encompassed by the gospels it became less and less like work and more and more like having a first hand experience of Christ. It is so amazing how we can miss out on hearing God for ourselves when we only rely on other people interpreting the Word for us. I love preachers because they are divinely called by God to teach but as a student (student meaning a church member) I must study on my own. It is mine duty to know the Word so that when I am confronted with false prophets or when listening to sermons I can be able to identify Bible truth verses opinionated truth. It is heart breaking to know that there are many Christians being taught the wrong thing and don't know because they are not reading their Bible to be able to see and know right from wrong. Why do we put so must trust in a person who is full of sin? Preachers are divinely chosen they too have a struggle between their flesh and their spirit like me (which I feel shows how human they are, that they are not perfect and that their struggle is just as real as mine).

My originally point to this is why don't we read our Bible as we should? Why do Christians feel it's ok to live however and say they are true followers of Christ? Why do we as Christians feel ok to be religious but not spiritual? Not spiritual like I pray everyday, I go to church on Sundays and I tell others about Christ. Spiritual like spending time to get to know Christ by reading His Word, by spending time digging in and understanding His Word.  Also a spirituality of knowing Christ from beginning to end. My spiritual discipline class has really opened my eyes to this and has given some helpful tips on how to do this and in doing this I am remembering scripture, which is a great payoff.

So to end my thought very abruptly, read your Bible, allow God to change your life, really get to know Him for yourself, and not a God that someone else has given you.

Pray & Believe

As I was reading the bible today Mark 11:24 stuck out to me. I have heard this verse tons of times but today it was screaming at me and not to me.  The verse talks about the equality (in my opinion) of praying and believing that you have received what you’ve ask. I need to apply this scripture to my life in the following ways: (1) I need to understand what it is to have faith in Christ, (2) when I pray I need to believe that it will be answered because my doubt hinders my prayer request no matter how much God may want to fulfill them, and (3) just as equally I need to pray more and leave it with God.

Believing is the Battle

August 21, 2013 – Life

           

            As I sit to write in my journal, which I have not done in a long time, I am grateful that it is a requirement for one of my classes because there are some things I need to get off my chest. So let the session begin.

            I struggle with this thing called the single life and my prayer life.  I believe whole-heartedly in prayer, or do I?  I have to set up the background for this. I have come so far and yet haven’t gotten anywhere.  I was abroad for a year and relied solely on God for everything. I left New York with no job, no place to truly live and I was alone and God kept me.  When I got to the foreign land God provided two (2) jobs, a place to live, and friends.  I worried very little because whatever I needed God gave me, all I had to do was ask. I say I believe God could do anything but in my heart do I think it is true. Many people say it is a good thing to be single because (1) no kids to take care, (2) freedom to come and go as I please, (3) no husband to cater to, and (4) I have the time to enjoy my single life. I must admit it all sounds good but I long to have a family, a house full of kids and a husband that loves me as much as he loves the Lord. I desire all these things and I use to pray for them but lately I Have stopped because I don’t believe. In this world we live in Christian men my age are (1) already married, (2) homosexual, or (my favorite) (3) are not in church. So needless to say I have given up hope, but I can’t help but wonder is there still hope. Is there a man out there that God has designed especially for me or is His hope for me to be single. If that is the case why place such a desire in my heart for family? Why not give the desires of Paul? Paul was a man okay with being single because it gave him the time he needed to preach the Gospel. 

August 22, 2013 – Scripture

            As I was reading the bible today Mark 11:24 stuck out to me. I have heard this verse tons of times but today it was screaming at me and not to me.  The verse talks about the equality (in my opinion) of praying and believing that you have received what you’ve ask. I need to apply this scripture to my life in the following ways: (1) I need to understand what it is to have faith in Christ, (2) when I pray I need to believe that it will be answered because my doubt hinders my prayer request no matter how much God may want to fulfill them, and (3) just as equally I need to pray more and leave it with God.   

For my Ears ONLY

So today I have been home working on my cover letter and the only thing that could get me in mood of working was some NEO-SOUL.

Is it wrong to listen to secular inspirational music?

I have heard and used to be on that thought almost all secular music was wrong to listen to, but the more and more I stepped away from it the more I missed Norah Jones, Boyz II Men, Lauryn Hill, etc. I think some days gospel music just isn't cutting it. I love me some gospel and every genre of Christian music, but I really just want to know. Is it wrong to listen to anything that isn't inspirational and speaks against what the Bible say?

OUR AMERICA

Hello and it is another day for me to tell you about my thoughts. 

I am a lover of the show on OWN called Our America with Lisa Ling. I try my hardest to stay on top of her various topics, but have failed terribly. I do however watch OWN a lot so I am able to catch up every now and then. I think it was last night that I saw an episode about being gay and Christian. It was a very hard episode for me to watch and it wasn't because I feel gay people are damned to HELL. It was hard because throughout the entire show only six verses were referred too. 

The Bible has a ton of verses and although all of them are not directed toward homosexuality they all speak about sin. Sin is what the Bible tries to give us from and only seeing six verses as the only thing the Bible has to say about homosexuality is totally wrong. Sin is sin no matter the degree. I totally believe stories like Sodom and Gomorrah are an example of how God wants us to live. The parable talks about homosexuality and pre-martial sex and giving that as the reason why God wanted to punish the people of Sodom.

I do agree with the different groups forming to help those that are homosexual feel loved by God. It is sad that they were exiled from their churches the place where God goes to meet the sick, the weak, and the ones in need no matter the need. What breaks my heart is if the sick, the hurt and the weak can not go to church (the place God created for such people) where can they go. The show brought tears to my eyes to hear their stories of feeling less than worthy of God's love. 

One thing I could not accept is these same groups telling the different members it is ok to live your life as a homosexual. God loves all but to say that God will not punish us for our sins I can not agree with that. It is not ok in the site of God to live in sin; would these same leaders tell me it is okay to have pre-martial sex?

My Faith VS. Her Happiness

The hottest topic at hand right now is GBLT, which stands for Gay, Bi-sexual, Lesbian, Transgender. I  am so torn on this topic because on one hand one of my best friends is a lesbian and I love her dearly. Then on the other I am a Christian and it is a sin I shouldn't encourage.

So let me fill you in... I had a conversation with my friend about her past life and why she became a Lesbian. She proceed to tell me that her and her high school sweetheart had been dating for several years, then one night he popped the question..."Will you marry me?". She was happy and ready to start life with the love of her life. A couple of months past, one day she decided to come home early to surprise her fiance. As she walked into their apartment she heard noise coming for a room. So she kept quiet, followed the noise and found her fiance in bed with another man. She ran out crying and her life has never been the same. We met back in college when my life was filled with sin so to me it wasn't a big deal.  Doesn't it strike anyone else as being weird that most GBLT have either been molested or had something tragic happen in their lives.

Fast Forward. When I got back into my faith a lot things surfaced that I had to deal with and let go, but her friendship wasn't one of them. I couldn't let go because I felt that I had to show her and be an explain that her life was wrong and she needed to turn to God. I didn't want to let her go because maybe deep in my heart I didn't want to be like everyone one else and hurt her. There has been many conversations between us, which scrapes the surface of her lifestyle, but never gets deep. I can honestly say that it is a conversation I am afraid to have, because I don't want to lose a good friend and it breaks my heart. She has thanked me for not judging her or treating her different, but it's My Faith vs. her happiness. My faith says that we as believers shouldn't give into sin, she is a believer, we must not listen to the flesh. So this is why I am torn because in my heart she lives in sin and I hate her sin but love her unconditionally.

Final thought I don't agree when people make it seem like being a GBLT is a sin on a higher plain or that it isn't a sin at all. A sin in simple term anything that is against God.

It's Music

Last night I was listening to Tamela Mann perform Take Me to The King. I can't believe how far she has come in such a short time. Who would have known that after working with Tyler Perry and hopping all over the country with his plays she would top the charts. She was a great actress but I am glad that she has decided to continue to sing for the Glory of God.  I could listen to her sing all day. Her God given gift is taken her far and I will pray for her.

My thoughts then goes to the other cast members of his plays. I know Mr. Mann, which is Tamela's husband, is still acting and doing God's work but what about the others? What are they doing?

Things are different

Well it has been a long time since I have spoken or rather written to you. I have been rethinking everything. The life I have lived thus far has been a journey and a very bumpy one, but I am happy to have lived it.

I went from reading my bible twice a day to not at all. How can that be you asked? I think it has to do with my thought process and not feeling the need to do it. I am finding that this is not good because how can I give Godly advice, if me and God aren't talking. I don't want to be that type of Christian that has a list of to-do's or make God seem unreachable, but I need to have the basics down. For me the basics are to study the Word which is the base of my belief system. I can not pick and choose what I like and dislike in the Bible either, I take it for all its worth or not all. I do believe that you have to question and struggle with it but never erase it. We struggle with things because we can not understand or don't agree with them. I believe believers don't like to admit it because then it makes them feel like they don't have Faith or don't truly BELIEVE... I have so far because I used to be that person feeling the need to agree you every point of the BIBLE my job as a Christian is to be Christ Like and understand that only fools argue.

Smooches

The day starts and I will reject the world
I say No thank you to the people

who try to send me down a detoured road
who try to keep my curiousity at thier back door
OH NO!
im on my way, you say this & you say that
I cant trust you; when your actions are not of those facts
your actions are muCH LOUDER THAN YOUR WORDS
Thats absurd

You can confuse me with your trickery
Try to conform me with stupidity
but the truth rests on my heart
So you go ahead keep trucking
keep confusing because it sounds like
every time I press stop
you try to restart

well you would
but not anymore you see
because ive realized where you stand
I'd be a fool to even go along with that plan
on justifying my actions the way you do
to know your wrong, but. . .you. . .continue?

Even when you keep building on the sand
It looks lovely I might add
as you sink & sink & sink til' you cant stand
you cant tell up from down
when only whirlwinds surround
I guess you & your ways are not pretty now

the solid rock is where I stand
Trusting only in Gods hands
so once again you can give your detours; you can try
they all look good I wont deny
all that glitters I know aint gold

So You can go ahead on your own
refuse the salvation
The Love Christ had for your soul
Its alright & Its ok
Is your life not worth being saved?

No, Thats not your main concern
No, not right now
you'd rather live your life
well you go ahead get down
thats your cup of tea
Live your life, just dont involve me
I know misery loves company
and now your ways make sense to me

I will continue to reject the world
I will definetily pray
But Im not going down that path with you
Not for another day

-

Great & Mighty by Jonathan Nelson & Purpose feat William Murphy III

Only God

When you take time to really sit back and talk to God, you realize that sometimes we take in too much from other people and not enough from God. We as people of faith need to listen to God and go to Him for everything. No one an get you into Heaven or put you in Hell, and no matter how people try to advise you in this walk we should go to God to confirm everything. When I get to Heaven God won't say I knew you through such and such... the only way to know Him is to take time out of our busy lives and get to know Him personally. Push your faith to the limit, when you work for it, it means more to you.
Love ya for listening.

Chess Piece

I’m feeling like a chess piece,

And I can’t quite figure out the strategy

But I’m glad.

I know I’m safe because God’s the that’s moving me.

I know what I want

I know exactly where I wanna be,

It’s the path that puzzles me

It’s failure that’s haunting me.

I’m tryna find the next step

But I thought there’d be an elevator,

I know God’s saying put away the

Fear

Trust Me.

See I got a fear of the unseen

But wait. Matthew 6:33

Matthew 6:33

You’ve always been faithful

I’m usually ungrateful

I’m so used to the things I prayed for

that I forgot about the miracles.

Moving forward I won’t forget your track record

I’ll walk by faith.

Remembering your countless blessings

Tho sometimes I forget you, you always remembered me

And all you ask is

Matthew 6:33

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.

Instead of chasing dreams

Chase God.

And everything you need will chase you.

FML

I hate when I see people say that. Maybe I just take it too literally, I don't know.

No matter how good or how bad you think your life is, no one will get out of this alive.

I reflected back to what seems to be my message for this year. It is more rewarding to live in expectancy for the life to come rather than becoming too comfortable in this life, which is only for but a moment.

[James 4:14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. -ESV]

God's word tells us more than once that we should be servants.

[Philippians 2:5-7 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. -KJV]

Many times I feel like we attempt to "give" because 1. its commanded 2. sometimes if makes us feel and sadly 3. we think/hope we will reap the benefits.
The true attitude of giving should be one that could careless of receiving reciprocation, or even recognition.
We get so caught up of the superficial and materialistic benefits of giving that we lose perspective.

You may not be a millionaire but your needs are taken care of. You have dinner every night ( even if its something you don't 'feel' for.)
You may not have a mansion but you have a dwelling place.
You may not have 2 Bentley and Lamborghini but you get around from place to place somehow.

Our *wants* should always be secondary!

Our reward is NOT in this life it is in the life to come.

[Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.]

Seek ye first the kingdom of God, that is; seeking His face, a relationship, seeking to be like Him, and to please Him. Letting go of our arrogance, letting go of our *wants* and focusing on our needs. When we are thankful for the things that we so easily take for granted we begin to take a step forward into living with an 'Eternal Mindset'.

==Eternity means an existence that will never cease==
"The one who lives for this life only will have eternity to regret it."

Go tell

I'm new to this blogging thing so this may sound like a bunch of random short thoughts.

This time of year always reminds me that we serve a risen Savior and that bc of what He did upon that cross, our sins are forgiven. My soul rejoices every time I think about the love that God has for us that he gave his only son for our sake. Christ did rise on the third day and he left us the great commission telling us to go and make disciples of Him.

This is something I struggle with and I dont know why bc God has done so many great things for me and I would be selfish if I did not tell of His love to others. So I urge myself and others, as we remember why He died for us, let us remember what he had commanded us to do and Go tell.

Ok I'm done sounding all preachy. I'm just trying to bask in God's love and mercy upon my life bc there have been many a times where I did not deserve His grace. But at this point in my life, I'm not going back, I'm moving ahead I'm to declare to yall my past is over in HIM all things are made new in my life and I thank and praise God for the wonderful work he has begun in me.

Shout outs to Israel Houghton for that wonderful song lol. Stay Blessed yall!

Oh and another thing, I love me some Jesus!

full time job

being christian is the best full time job. you really get to be yourself and see how god works everything out in many ways. God's fulltime job is so what's-up. it takes you to new levels and you always get a raise thanks god for this full time job>>>>>.....

Joseph's Destiny

Question of the night?

If you could meet anyone from the PAST, PRESENT and FUTURE who would it be? And why? 

Don't Add-ON

This is a powerful piece. Listen to her explanation at the end, its very touching. GOD IS SO AWESOME!!!!

You Can't Beat God's Giving

So I was getting ready to shower & go to sleep when I started singing praise songs and then I said to myself, "I have to post this... now." So here I am lol A week ago during my devotion I was doing the same thing, singing and I started singing a song that we sing in my church during the time people give their tithes. When I was singing it, I wasn't really connecting with it spiritually because I stopped and thought to myself, this song makes no sense. So I stopped, googled the lyrics I knew for sure and up pops, "You Can't Beat God's Giving." At that moment, just that one line spoke volumes to me and seemed so powerful because I know that my life, as well as many others' stands as a testament to those very words. The part that always baffles me about God is how freely He gives to us, blesses us and covers us, no matter how we're living, what we're doing or even if we haven't done anything at all. We, as people take a lot for granted but fail to realize that even the air we breathe is a precious gift of God that we often times might not be worthy of. I don't know what I've done to deserve all that God's done for me. The fact that God has covered me and kept me for almost 23 years without me having hit rock bottom I feel is a testimony within itself and a lot of people don't see it that way. Reverting back to the song, "You Can't Beat God's Giving" it spoke even greater to me when I pieced those lyrics with the rest of the song: "You can't beat God's giving no matter how you try." No matter how much you give God, He's always going to give you something greater which should be a comfort to everyone. Despite the fact that God knows we're going to fail in some form or fashion ("For all sin & fall short of the glory of God..." Romans 3:23) He showers us with blessings, no matter how big or small you might think it is. What greater love is there than that?

christ lives