Stay Strong in the Faith

Whenever a breakthrough is about to happen, many small distractions will pop up. If you have been given steps to follow, do not stray to the left or right. Do not allows people, even those whom you care about, to force you to the left or right. Just keep moving forward. Most of the time, you are the only person who sees the future the way you do. So don't expect others, not even your family or friends, to understand why you do the work that you do.

You may worry, "What if I am wrong and I become a failure?" Do not let those worries become a part of your mentality. You may fail, but you are not a failure. And, if it is God's will that you will succeed, then who can question your actions?

It is more likely that you will face this decision: Who is truly worthy of your acknowledgement on the day of your success?

If you fail once, people will accept you back. If you fail twice, people may accept you back. If you fail three times, some people will accept you back. If you fail 7 times, only one will accept you back, and that one is God along with anyone who has God's spirit within. So what will you do when you succeed? Who will you extend your hand to in favor of friendship? For you should only accept those whom you have judged to be within a righteous spirit. Not everyone who apologizes, is of a sound spirit. Like I said, even some of your family will attempt to persuade you away from your calling. But if they did so in favor of your safety, then you should bless them and return the favor. For they knew not what you knew, and you cannot hold this against them. However, if some people have forsaken you in favor of personal gain, or if it were in their means to destroy you, then they are much like the enemy. Those people should be cast away from your sight forever.

The most important lesson is this: When God gives you a vision, do not close one eye to it. It is through God alone that we find grace and mercy. If we reject the one one who will not reject us, then we shall ourselves be rejected on the day of Judgement.

Stay strong in the faith!

Leadership: Waiting on God

Number 20: 12 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.

Do you realize that Moses led the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt to a desert. And the Hebrews were upset with Moses' leadership because they were stuck in the desert for an entire generation. But Moses must have been a strong leader because even though he did not reach Canaan, the next generation did, just as God promised.

What does this have to do with leadership? Well, do you think you are a strong enough leader to face the people who followed you into a promise and tell them that you are waiting on God? Essentially, that's what Moses did. But what I find interesting is that the topic of leadership is marketed very strongly in today's society. Universities, corporations, and book stores are all capitalizing on the idea of leadership. Everyone wants to develop strong leaders, but no one wants to do it alone. I have heard someone go as far as to say that if you have no followers than you are not truly a leader. Well, that sounds correct, but it is really a bogus claim. Jesus Christ had no followers at one point in time. Noah had no followers up until the point that he locked the doors on the ark and watched the world drown out around him. So are we to think that Jesus, Noah, and Moses were not leaders?

Okay so following is an important concept when it comes to leadership. I do not think you can be a leader without following. You have to follow something or someone. In my provided examples, these leaders were following God. I believe that following anything else is a hopeless situation. There are even clear biblical examples of what happened to people who chose to follow something besides God. The Tower of Babel is one example. You can read about that later, but I'll tell you that those people became as the scattered sands on a playground after a hurricane.

Another thing that is highly important is vision. You have to know where you are going, but you cannot see without a message from God. So some of us would call this faith. Perhaps this is the reason why the scripture says faith without works is dead. Faith comes from God, and it is impossible to please God without Faith. But what happens when we are acting purely on faith and there seems to be no message from God? Do we make something up and move forward with a lie? Or do we wait on the Lord until we receive a word from God?

I know that self-appointed leaders place a lot of pressure on themselves to keep "congregation" happy. People need constant communication otherwise they leave. So these leaders have a problem when God they stop hearing from God. If you are not hearing from God it can be one of two reasons: 1. You are not listening to Him or 2. God is choosing not to speak for a purpose. In either case you need to continue praying to God and waiting for a Word from Him.

I think the concern that you now have is what should you do about the people who are following you? Well, that is a good question, but if you are asking this question than you may have the whole role of leadership wrong. Those people should not actually be following you; you are not God. Of course, God may have appointed you as a leader of many people and he may have asked those people to follow you as if you were God, but you are not actually God. So when God is still you should be still and so should the people who follow you.

Exodus 4:12 (KJV) Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say

Mark 13:11 (KJV) But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.
Leadership is about being a consistent follower of God. Will you wait on God and depend on the Holy Ghost to speak for you? If you are interested in learning more about leadership you should read more from the Bible about Moses, Noah, and Jesus. Specifically, read more about Jesus hanging on the cross while the people who crucified Him were demanding that He save himself as He had saved and performed many miracles for others. Why did Jesus not save Himself? Because He was waiting on God.

Read a brief article by Matt Slick, President and Founder of the Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry, about why Moses did not enter the promised land. 

http://carm.org/questions/about-people/why-couldn%E2%80%99t-moses-enter-promised-land

Where is your talent invested?

Have you ever read the parable of the ten coins? If not, you can read it in Luke 19:11-27. This parable has always reminded me of the importance of working diligently in every task that we are given, whether at home, work, or in the community. In our lives it is inevitable that we do not report to someone who holds us accountable to our actions or whom we must commit to in performance. Sometimes those people seem to be just like the nobleman from the parable. For example, maybe a boss who does none of the work, but takes all of the credit. Well, we know that this life is temporary at best. As Christians we ought to devote ourselves to sharing the Gospel, or The Great Commission as it is mainly recognized. All other things that happen to us on earth are vanity. However, we are still human and we will still be given opportunities of earthly value, such as a promotion or a great opportunity for recognition. So the question that you must ask yourself is, "Where are you investing your talents?" Are you investing your talents in a place that will reap dividends? Or are you simply burying your talents in the ground because you don't want someone else to receive the rewards that you think you deserve.

I believe that there are two concepts that are important to a successful life: contentment and complacency. We must be content with what we are given, and we must not stay complacent with our ability to do better. Additionally, we must constantly remind ourselves of Colossians 3:22 and Ephesians 6:5-9. We must obey our earthly masters (a.k.a. your boss at work/parents/leaders) and if we are the earthly master than we must show our servants respect (a.k.a. your employees/children/patrons). I will add this one reminder that we are referring to earthly matters and not spiritual matters in these two scriptures because spiritually we only have one master who we can serve.

To conclude this post, I invite you to consider your own performance and personnel. Are there any areas of your life that you need to re-invest your talents in? Do your best to think about this with a renewed mind and be sure to pray to God. It may take some time for you to identify and correct any bad investments or talents that are just sitting on the shelf collecting dust. You may have to re-adjust your time commitments so that you can allocate your resources properly.

For more information about maintaining balance you should read more scriptures. Perhaps the book of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes would be a good starting place.

God honors faith; hope is for the mind of men

Defining Faith

What is faith, and why is it so important to the survival of the supernatural being? Merriam-Webster.com defines faith as "strong belief or trust in someone or something." God honors faith. This statement made me question where faith comes from. Many people argue their faith as if it belongs to them, but according to the definition of faith, it belongs to someone else. That someone else can be anyone, so it does not have to be God, or a deity of any kind; however, according to the Bible God never falls short of his glory, and his glory is to keep his promise. His promise is the faith that he bestows upon us. So for the sake of this post I am choosing to focus on Faith in God.

Have you ever heard or used this the word faith to describe your trust in someone else? I reference faith all the time, especially when I say, "I trust God." There can be no faith without evidence of trust. Before one can trust, there must be a promise to accept. Now, if we consider that salvation is the promise that God gave us, then we should realize that faith is a matter of eternal relevance. For this reason, faith cannot be honored until we experience death. This is why faith is highly important to the survival of our supernatural being. Here's a question, "What proof exist that faith will be honored?" Well, we could turn to the bible for this answer. Hebrews 12:2 says that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. Why? Because He showed the world that there is life after death. Jesus Christ is the only security that a believer needs that God will honor faith.

Faith versus Hope

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1, English Standard Version). What does it mean to hope? Have you ever hoped for something? Merriam-Webster.com defines hope as "to want something to happen or be true and think that it could happen or be true." So hope is purely personal. Hope belongs to the individual, regardless of who are what is in control of the end result. You can hope for warmer weather and lower taxes, but you'd be a half-baked cake if you did not pursue assurance for your hopes.

I think that is important to note that both faith and hope are action words, also known as verbs. Do you realize that faith without works is meaningless (James 2:17). Also, "without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6, King James Version). What does this mean? It means that God will not honor the faithless. It means that hope is not enough to please God. God does not care about what you want to be true because He is truth.

Obtaining Faith

What must you do to obtain faith? The answer is simple. You must seek God. Then your faith will be the evidence of the things you hope for. What should you hope for? Perhaps you should hope to experience the reward of God's honor, also known as faith. Hope for the strength to endure. Hope for things that bring peace to your mind, but have faith in God; He is the author and finisher of your faith.

References:

Faith. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved January 30, 2014, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/faith

Hope. (n.d.). Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved January 30, 2014, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hope

A little inverse motivation

Sometimes all you need is for someone to tell you no. I call it inverse motivation because the word "no" backwards spells "on." Basically, under the correct circumstances, the word no can stimulate one's mind to turn on the power of freewill and become devoted to excellence and success in the task at hand.

Granted, no means no unless the person telling you "no" has no power or authority over the project. The lesson to be learned is this: consider the weight of one's opinion before adding it into your suitcase. You do not want to lug around a suitcase filled with someone else's stuff. Only carry what you need and leave the rest behind. Find the motivation, from the good or the bad to accomplish whatever you have set your mind to. Most importantly, take it all to God in prayer. Allow him to have the final word.

Isn't it strange that the first person to speak always seems correct until another person speaks up and puts him or her to shame. Maybe you recognize this one: the last shall be first and the first shall be last. Of course, that was in reference to the end times. Perhaps it is time put the foolishness to end. Flip the script on em'!

Take this word of wisdom and find a little inverse motivation in the destructive comments of your naysayers.

Turn on the power of freewill and live free in God's will.

Additional Words of Wisdom

Remember that one door closes so another may open. Rejection from one person opens you an opportunity to be accepted by another person. Sometimes you may be the person saying no. It can be spiritually healthy to practice discernment on a regular basis. "No" does not equal bad. You just don't want to be accepted by someone who doesn't strongly believe in you or what you do.

Interesting Read About Free Will - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy

The Power of No -  Self Growth

Dealing with Rejection -  Professional Counseling

Ready for a miracle.

Have you ever been in a position where you were praying for a miracle? Maybe you were actively communicating your wishes to God in prayer, or maybe you were passively suggesting the idea in your thoughts. Either way, it may have been one of the many moments in your life when you believed that it would be impossible for you to accomplish a certain task. Maybe you are in the process of praying for a miracle right now.

I hope not to disappoint the reader, but I do not have any tips or secrets to help you stumble upon a miracle. The reason I am writing this post is because I have personally experienced a couple of miracles recently and it inspired me to write out about it. Not specifically the miracle itself, but the lessons that I learned from the experience.

It is important that we define what a miracle is so that we can understand the need for one. Dictionary.com defines a miracle as "such an effect or event manifesting or considered as a work of God." Quite simply, I define a miracle as something that was exactly what one needed, but totally unexpected and without reason. For example, I had a 1700 page paper to write for one of my classes, but I was sick in bed for two days. With less than 24 hours to write the paper I was in need of a miracle. I was prepared to stay up all night writing this paper; however, my professor unexpectedly had to go out of town and decided to delay the due date by four days. I considered this a miracle because it was exactly what I needed.

Second, we must understand that God is greater than any problem we may face, and God will not put more on us than we can bear. This means that we must always understand the conditions under which we work. If God is for us than who or what can be against us? If you ever feel like you are facing an impossible task, than it is most likely that you are dealing with an undisclosed miracle, but you must have faith to see it come to manifestation. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Faith is the evidence of things not seen. (Do you know where to find those sentences in the Bible?)

Third, you cannot complain. What good is it to ask for a miracle if you are going to mumble despicable things under your breath. God is only interested in messengers who will deliver his words as they are. He does not want us to change his word or alter their meanings. For example, I experienced a miracle one week where God gave me more time to do what I had to do. The next week I experienced a second miracle where God gave me unexpected strength to work through the night on another essay and wake up early for work without any feelings of exhaustion. Miracles can come any way that God pleases so we must be ready and willing to take it as it comes.

The final thing that we must ask ourselves before committing to a prayer for a miracle is, "Am I ready for a miracle?" Am I prepared to face an impossible task? If the answer is yes, than you should keep on keeping on my friend. Remember, if the task is impossible but necessary you are most likely being set-up by God for a miracle. Open your heart and mind, and be ready to receive it.

The Burden of Greatness

People say that they want to be the best. I guess there's nothing wrong with that but I wonder if it's emotionally healthy to desire to always be in a position where you are the benchmark for success. Furthermore, I truly believe that people who actually are the best did not gain that position from mere desire to be labeled as the best at what they do. I'm pretty sure that some people were born into tough situations that required them to be the best at what they do or else they face the consequence of not being the best.

Isn't this the definition of the term best: better than everything else in comparison? This means that to be the best you have to be better than everyone you are comparable to. It's a title of great accomplishment. I can only imagine what thoughts the man who is the best sniper in the world has in his mind. He might say something like, "I am the best because otherwise I would be dead and so would many other friends of mine. This is not something that I desire to be the best at but it is a requirment in order to sustain life in my community."

I'm sure that most people are a little more realistic and want to be the best singer or the best cook or even the best driver. I wonder what motivates a person to be the best at anything and on what scope would you consider a person to be the best. Are they the best in their town or the best in the world? No matter the details I'm sure it requires a high level of dedication, passion and focus. To be the best at anything must require something extra besides just the wont of a title.

Once again, I would argue that the best are born and raised into the title as a mode of survival. Maybe the best singer in the world is the best singer because as a child she sang songs to hide all of the pain and hurt of a broken household of lies, drugs and sex. And so now she continues to sing on a global level because people need something as beautiful as her voice to console them in the midst of crisis and poverty. Maybe she would prefer to be just an everyday joe with a normal voice who sings songs to pass the time of day; but she was not born into mediocrity.

The best are by no means mediocre. They are not allowed to be mediocre. The best are bound to terms of greatness and any less would cause them to be suffocated in pity. To them, greatness is a responsibility, a burden that not all may carry. I am sure that God has called all of us to be great in some aspect of our lives. My greatness shines through my smile and demeanor. Where does your greatness exist?