A year and months had passed
and yet my prayer list is the same. One morning, I woke up and decided I wanted
to please God to gain his attention. God seemed to always reward me for
pleasing him. Longing to see God manifest and intervene once again in my life I
prayed, "How can I please you?”
Then I waited for an answer,
hoping to hear God. But I heard nothing. Dejected I said to myself, I tried.
Before going back to sleep, I decided to read the bible and at least show God I
was serious. I began reading Hebrews casually until, this scripture woke me up.
Hebrews 10:37-39
37 For in just a little while the Coming One will come and not
delay.
38 And my righteous ones will live by faith. But I will take no pleasure in
anyone who turns away.”
This scripture made me repent immediately, because I had lost my faith. The
reason I was seeking to please God that morning was to avoid confronting that
issue which needed faith. I didn't want to keep praying, keep believing over
the same prayer list, nothing seemed to be availing.
But I was refilled in faith
that morning and prayed over my same prayer list. Except, this time I prayed
with a different confidence and different faith. My journey with God hasn’t
been that long; I consider it four years now. In those four years, it has been
a journey and in that journey God has been faithful to me. So there will be
times when I’m wearied in faith, but as long as I stay connected to God he will
restore my faith. God will help you believe. This story is an example of that.
I wanted to know how I could please God. The answer was keep believing in him,
that pleases him.
Many of you may not know me well
enough to know that doing this is a big step for me. Believe it or not behind
that big personality is a girl who has a hard time stepping out and doing
things that are out of my comfort zone, so I’m very appreciative for being
asked to do this because it presents me with a challenge that will lead to
growth.
When the time came for me to begin
writing, I wasn’t sure what it was that I wanted to write about. I prayed about
it, asked God what it was that He wanted me to say, what He wanted me to tell.
It was then that I heard His voice saying, “tell a story”.
There was once a woman who was
married at a young age. After a year and a half of marriage she gave birth to
her first child. Despite any fears that she had, she continuously lifted up her
unborn child in prayer, always praying that he/she would be born healthy, happy
and thriving. When her child was born she was ecstatic, her little girl was
finally here, but shortly afterwards it was then that she learned that there
was a problem. Her child was born with a birth defect, a defect that would
change her life forever. She was born with one leg shorter than the other, the
top of her right big toe touched the top of her left knee, and she was also
missing a bone in her leg. The mother, however, never let her child’s anomaly
surmount the love she had for her. That mother instantly became very protective
over her child. She, as well, became determined to find answers to what was
going on with her child. At weeks old, she, along with her husband took her
child to DuPont Hospital in Delaware. After a series of x-rays, it was time to
meet the doctor. The doctor came in, took one short look at the x-rays and
uttered one word: AMPUTATION. When the parents asked why, the doctor simply
said that that was the only answer, for the child would never be able to run,
walk, ride a bike, let alone crawl unless her leg was amputated. The parents
refused and left. When they returned home, the mother immediately dropped to
her knees and prayed. She prayed for guidance, she prayed for strength. Shortly
after, through the suggestion of a family friend, the mother was referred to a
doctor at Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia. Before the appointment, the
mother began to pray again. Once at the appointment the doctor said he couldn’t
help her child, but he did know of another doctor who resided in Maryland that
dealt with cases such as her daughter’s. Without hesitation, the parents made
an appointment and drove to Maryland, praying the whole way there that they
would finally receive answers. After reviewing the x-rays, the doctor walked
into the room, looked at the parents and says, “God has blessed you with this
child for a reason. God also sent you here for a reason and I will do
everything in my power to help give your daughter as normal of a life as I
possibly can”. It was then the mother realized that her prayers had been
answered. God heard her prayers. Even though she sometimes felt that He wasn’t
listening, even though she sometimes questioned Him, He had always been there,
He had always been listening. It was then that she made a vow that she would
teach her child the love of God, instill the idea that He will always be there,
He will never give you more than you can bear. She from then on taught her
child to trust in God for “The LORD himself goes
before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do
not be afraid; do not be discouraged (Deuteronomy 31:8)”.
The child in the
story was me. I went on to prove those doctors wrong. I crawled, learned to
walk on my own and was even on the rowing team in high school. Like I said
above, my mom instilled in me the beliefs that I carry with me today. She
always reminded me that God will always be and has always been with me. I
always tell people that I wouldn’t be the person that I am and where I am in my
life today without Him. “I can do all things
through Christ which strengtheneth me (Philippians 4:13)”.
My relationship with
God hasn’t always been a strong one however. There was a time in my life when I
found myself questioning my faith in Him. In high school I suffered from a
serious bought of depression. Things in my life weren’t going well. After
seeking some help I thought things were better. I graduated high school and was
in college. If anyone has dealt with depression, you know that you can
experience a series of ups and downs over time. The spring semester my freshman
year in college I found myself facing my depression once more. I constantly
questioned who I could turn to, when the answer was there all along. Sadly, I
stopped praying, stopped turning to the one I could count on most. How could I
pray when everything in my life seems to be falling apart? How could I pray if
I keep praying for these things to better and they just keep getting worse? How
could I pray if I keep dealing with depression? I prayed for it to never come
back, but it still did. At times God would try to remind me that all I needed
to do was trust and believe. He would try to bring me back to Him but I would
ignore. I always believed that I could handle it on my own. "Trust in
the Lord with all of your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek
his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take (Proverbs
3:5-6)”. I never fully walked away though. I couldn’t find it
within me to do that. Even though I strayed away from Him somewhat, God never
left me and never gave up on me just like He promised. He still had a hold on
my heart and I soon found myself back on my walk with God. Immediately I saw
growth. I started seeking His face a little more. I was eager to read the word.
I strived and longed to be more like Him.
Recently
I have been faced with a few medical scares. I found myself dealing with heart
issues, tumor scares, etc. I knew the only thing I could do in this situation
in pray, it’s been instilled in me since day one. Sadly, it took for these
scares for me to realize that I can’t just pray and not put all of my faith in
God. No, I have to believe that He will do it. Just as my mom had to when I was
born. I gave it all to Him. I put all of my faith in Him and all things worked
in my favor. Every test that I had to go through so far have come back
negative.
With that
being said. Let me be an example to you all. I was born with a birth defect,
faced with possible amputation. My parents could have given up and given in but
they didn’t. They lifted me up in prayer and believed…knew that God would
answer their prayers. Remember, no matter what you are going through don’t
doubt, don’t worry, and turn to God. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4: 6-7).
When you pray, have faith and know He will answer.
God bless
What has God promised you? What dream has God placed in your
heart? Does it seem impossible or far fetched? Do you feel like there is no way
it can happen or that you made too many mistakes and there are just too many
obstacles in the way.Don’t let these
negative thoughts or feelings get in your way of claiming what God has for you.
There are tons of examples of overcoming insurmountable odds and receiving
God’s promises by believing in faith and obeying his word.
God promised Abraham he would be the father of many nations
and he and Sarah would have a child. They were both very old, Abraham almost 100,
so in his mind there is NO WAY they could have a child. But with God all things
are possible and if God made the promise it will come to pass. Abraham and
Sarah had a son named Isaac.
God promised David that his descendants would always be on
the throne and that he would have a lasting dynasty. Talk about seeming
impossible, at the time David was merely a shepherd boy tending his father’s
sheep, no royal bone in his body. He became king.
Joseph was able to interpret dreams and he had a dream he would one
day rule over his family and they would bow down to him. His brothers weren’t
too fond of that dream, so they sold Joseph and told their father he died.
Joseph was sold into slavery to Potiphar, then put in jail for a crime he didn't commit. Circumstances do
not get much more depressing than that. But Joseph believed in the dream the
Lord placed in him. He eventually was released from prison and rose to 2nd
in command to the Pharaoh.
Do not let the enemy discourage you. If God gave
you a promise, no matter how bleak your situation may look, claim it and
believe in faith it will come to pass. Continue to praise him and give him the glory for he is worthy.
Wow! Asked to be a guest
blogger – not only is it a compliment but it is a blessing!!! I love speaking
on my testimonies. Through lifes ups and downs, ins and outs, its always good
to reflect on what God has done for, to me, and continues to grow in me! I was
interested in speaking on something I feel passionate about… increasing my
territory. It reminds me of the song by Israel and New Breed “no
limits.. no boundaries.. I see increase all around me… stretch forth, break
forth… release me… enlarge my territory”. To increase ones knowledge and
spiritual connection with God is a wonderful life experience – it is a journey
– that NEVER
ends.. and once you start it you see life
in a whole new world, in ways brand new.
I have always had a
relationship with God – but I must admit – in the past two to three years the
relationship has gone into a deeper love – something intangible. I have truly felt
what it feels to be in love with someone… deeply in love, drowning in a
spiritual relationship that I do not want to get out of. It is like I yearn
Him. I yearn God – I want Him to have all of me… I want to be soaked in His
spirit. Crazy feeling… that I love.
“You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek You; I
thirst You, my whole being longs for You, in a dry and parched land where there
is no water. I have seen You in the
sanctuary and beheld Your power and Your glory. Because Your love is better
than life, my lips will glorify You. I will praise You as long as I live, and
in Your name I will lift up my hands.
I will be fully satisfied as with the richest
of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise You.” (Psalm 63:1-5 NIV)
In my generation of young adults it has become
harder. It is so challenging in the world we live in. Between everyday life, it
has become a challenge in relating to others – unless they can relate to me on
a spiritual level. The closer I got/am getting to God, I find it difficult to
keep on to old relationships, and even at times to find new ones. There were
relationships in my life I knew were toxic to my spiritual health – but I tried
to hold on. For the sake of MY happiness (my flesh satisfaction) – and not for
the sake of what spiritual influence it had. But as I prayed on it – I prayed for no
boundaries for my relationship with God–
for increasing. As I prayed on it I watched as changes took place around me.
Things no longer entertained me – I no longer received satisfaction of living
life in ways that are satisfying the flesh. At first it was scary. I had to ask
myself, why aren’t these things entertaining me anymore? Why are these
conversations that were so great so lifeless and dull?
It
is because God wants to increase me. He wants me to be His worker on a fulltime
basis. I cannot direct where my life is going or what is next – I have to focus
on my relationship with God. And then I wondered how do I do that? How do I
increase a relationship with the God that I already know?
READ THE WORD– I
have to acknowledge my weaknesses. One being not fully indulging myself into
the bible. I knew that it was the one way to hear Gods word – to read it. But I
feared it. I did not UNDERSTAND it. So what did I do? Started going to bible study.
While also enrolling in a at home bible study where I receive one on one study
sessions on His word. I realized I couldn’t do it alone. Sometimes we think
increasing our relationship with God is something we can do by ourselves. But
it is not always like that. The support system – the spiritual team around you
– is in your life for a reason. To encourage you – feed your spiritual growth
together. I couldn’t do this alone. I tried and I failed. Now I have friends
who send me text messages randomly – of scriptures – or emails – or inviting me
to their churches or bible studies. It helps. It keeps me FOCUSED. I
needed help from Gods workers here on earth. And what a blessing it has been.
PRAY PRAY PRAY – TALK TO HIM–
Yes, I pray at night. A long and lengthy prayer. But guess what? Prayer has no
time. So many times I am at work, in a situation where I just have to close my
eyes and pray – even for 30 seconds.
Sometimes it’s the little things – a phone call, a text, “viewing
something” on a social network – that can turn your emotions upside down. I
have learned to pray and talk to Him – no matter the time location or
situation. Trust me – a 10 second prayer can refresh you in ways no advice from
a friend or family member can.
And lastly – I SURRENDER ALL – I have to give it all to Him.
I cannot question Gods actions in my life. In order to expand – to grow – to
fulfill my relationship with Christ I must allow Him to take complete control.
When it comes to doubting myself, when it comes to insecurities, stagnant
friendships, the hardships in dating and finding a lifelong partner, the doubts
in my career, the influence of society, the lack in confidence, the answers
that are not right in my face, the challenge of walking by faith and not sight
– all that I have to give to HIM. I can’t do it alone. I am WEAK, I have
understood and accepted it. I am weak I need saving and I need strength.
That’s where my soul comes in – my soul brings me to God. And as I get closer
to Him I must say this has been the greatest times of my life. He is mine and I
am His!
“For
none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone.
If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So
whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord” (Romans 14:7-8 NIV)
Everyday I pray that I
continue to grow closer and closer to my King. Because without Him, I am
NOTHING. “I see increase all around me” J
“As
a prisoner for the Lord then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling
you have received” (Ephesians 4:1 NIV)
Webster's, definition of worry is, "to think about problems or fears : to feel or show fear and concern because you think that something bad has happened or could happen." Worry causes stress, panic attacks, and can lead to depression. The adverse effects of worrying can take years off of one's life. With such harsh effects why do so many people take part in worrying? God has given us the promise that he will take care of ALL OF OUR NEEDS. As a result, of this promise we can live a life free from worry.
During stressful situations and in times when circumstances were out of my control I use to worry. I would become agitated, frustrated, upset, and rude. On some of the worse situations I can remember my heart racing to the point I would have to take deep breaths in order to calm myself down. Now when faced with challenges I give my burdens to God. He has enabled me to cast my cares upon him. He has taken my worries away. When the feeling of worry creeps up I remember that God is in control. God's Got It!
Matthew 6:25-34 is God's promise to take care of our needs. This promise allows us to live a worry free life. If you are someone who worries I encourage you to read the verses below and let God take control of your life.
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
I have found that
living for God is the essence of FAITH. According to Hebrews 11:1, "What is faith? It is the
confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the
evidence of things we cannot yet see." Every night that I go to sleep I
have FAITH that God will wake me up in the morning. Every time I stay up late
and sacrifice countless hours to my studies I have FAITH that all of my hard
work will someday pay off. Whenever I am talking to someone and tell them that
I'll see them later, I have FAITH that God will allow me to do just that! Why
do I have FAITH that all of these things will happen? I can't think of anything
else, besides that I simply have FAITH in God. I have FAITH in his power. I
have FAITH in his love. I have FAITH in his blessings. I have FAITH in his
protection. I have FAITH in his presence. And most of all, I have FAITH in his
existence.
God has been dealing with me regarding the topic of FAITH
and he has used those around me to help unravel this topic for me in my
life. I once read a quote by Lauryn Hill that said that FAITH is
setting your alarm clock every night. Although I remember seeing this
quote years ago as a little girl, I found it so profound that it has stuck with
me years later. This quote reminds me that every single thing we do....we
exhibit some glimpse of FAITH. We set alarm clocks, we plan trips in advance,
we reserve future dates, we essentially plan our entire lives down to even
the most minute details. Why? Because we have FAITH. FAITH is hope! I
recently had a conversation with four of my friends who have become like
sisters to me since we all met in college. We were all reminiscing about
our lives and all of the different paths we are now taking (all
positive!). I told them that I remember planning my life out and at 25
years old I was supposed to be married, have my dream house, and expecting twins.
Even as I voice my former plans I laugh hysterically lol. The thought scares me
because that would mean this would all be occurring next year (YIKES!).
I don't even think I have the patience for twins, I feel like I'm too
young for marriage (unless the man that God created for me finds me
because we all know I'm not chasing any man), I don't even have a job that
will be able to even finance my dream house, I'm still in school drowning in
debt, and I have no prospective husband lol! My dreams back
then were all founded on FAITH -- HOPE. That isn't to say that my
dreams won't come to pass, it just means that if I want them to happen
perfectly, and according to God's plan, I have to keep my FAITH and be patient.
And quite frankly I'm willing to wait.
Since it is apparent that we all exhibit some form of FAITH, my concern is what kind of FAITH we are exhibiting because that reveals where our FAITH actually lies.
COCKY
FAITH
Have
you ever met a "cocky" person? Websters defines "cocky" as
conceited or arrogant especially in a bold or impudent way; egotistical;
boastful. If you're like most people then you canNOT stand a cocky person. They
are a complete turn off (although we still love them as Christ loves us) and they're
probably hard to be around. Cocky people often feel like they're perfect
the way they are and often don't desire any criticism or self-reflection.
Cocky people evaluate themselves.
Is
your FAITH cocky? Do you believe that God will answer your prayers even
though you barely go before him? Do you only go to God for things when you
have a need because you know that God has a perfect track record
and hasn't failed you? Have you gotten so accustomed to God's blessings
that you have stopped seeking him?
I
can admit that I once exhibited cocky FAITH. This was the FAITH that allowed me
to go out clubbing before church or even before exams because I just knew God
was going to bless me and/or give me that A that I clearly didn't earn.
This was the FAITH that allowed me to celebrate a friend's birthday at a strip
club the night before my LSAT exam. This was the same FAITH that told me that I
would go to law school without even applying. My God was just that good in my
mind. I can go on for days about my cocky FAITH and my avoidable problems. When
I was cocky in my FAITH I felt stagnant in my growth. I wasn't happy
because things weren't going as planned. This was the same stubborn FAITH that would prevent me from going to the altar because I just felt like I didn't need to go. I literally kept hitting dead ends
because I stopped seeking the desires of God and made my life about me (as
Jael stated last week). It was everything that "I" wanted and the
only time that God became relevant was when I had a need that I personally couldn't
meet. The truth is, at that stage in my life, if I could've satisfied
or met that need I would have. Why? Because I was so cocky in MY FAITH.
The line was blurred for me.
When we have exhibit cocky FAITH we're not necessarily having FAITH in God, I
think it's more like we have FAITH in our abilities in the world. The cockier
your FAITH, the further away from God you become because your goal is
self-control and self-satisfaction. Cocky FAITH will have you resorting back to your old ways believing that you will be able to come back to God once you have enjoyed the "perks" of the world. The truth is, not everyone returns back to the will of God after they've been entertained by the world. Cocky FAITH will also have you walking around saying that "Only
God can judge me" only to forget that one day God will actually judge you.
The Bible states, "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a
fall." (Proverbs 16:18). Don't be so prideful and boastful in your
FAITH that you blur the line between your abilities and God's abilities. God
honors the believer that works, not the one who sits back and expects
everything. You want something? Seek God. You can't expect to be on time
for your blessings if you don't set that alarm clock. Remember, FAITH without works is dead (James 2:17).
CONFIDENT FAITH
Have you ever met
a confident person? What about that one person who just exudes
confidence in everything that they do? I find it that I'm easily attracted
to confident people. They're convincing. They're captivating. They
know their limits. It seems as if they are always learning and growing.
They are always humble. They know exactly who they are and because of
that they're easily respected. That's exactly what my FAITH mirrors! I have
confident FAITH! My FAITH understands where I
fall short and where God surpasses. My FAITH understands that all of the glory
is the Lord's. My FAITH understands that when this world is over, God's word
will remain. My FAITH understands that I am nothing without God and I am
perfectly okay with that. My FAITH constantly seeks him because I know that
I don't have the answers. The Bible states, "Those who know your name
trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you."
(Psalms 9:10). Lord, I seek you because of who you are and who I am not. My FAITH
tells me that as long as my heart remains fixed on you, that everything
will fall into place.
As I grow closer to God I
begin to understand the strength of my FAITH. My FAITH tells me that seeing is
NOT believing. Instead, My FAITH believing is seeing, because when I apply my confident FAITH to
my situations, my FAITH in GOD can turn any situation around. I don't care
what my situation looks like, because according to my confident
FAITH, "we walk by FAITH not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7). My FAITH
speaks over my situations according to how I want
them to turn out. My FAITH is also submissive to the will of God. I have
learned that you cannot run from the will of God. What God says goes so the
fight is useless.
I recently met someone
that I have been dying to meet. I remember researching somewhat everyday
people that I wanted to meet because I was intrigued by their success stories and also found through their interviews that they
have always given thanks to God for their blessings. Well I met this
one lady who is extremely successful. I told myself I was going
to meet her and it happened (My confident FAITH did that)! As we
were talking our conversation immediately shifted from her worldly success to focusing solely on God. I was shocked and happy at the same time because my heart felt at home. Out of
all of her success (and trust me her resume is extremely long and
amazing), she told me that she was most proud when she, "kneels by her
beside, and bows her head before God in prayer." From that moment I once
again realized how amazing OUR GOD is!!! Confident FAITH tells us that no
matter how important we become in the eyes of the world, that God still
has to be the most important person in our lives. And as the world moves farther
away from him, that's when we have to move even closer to him. Confident
FAITH reminds us that there is spiritual warfare even in the midst of our
blessings, but that as long as we remain fixed on God that there is no way
we can lose. Confident FAITH reassures us that as long as we continue to seek God wholeheartedly, he won't EVER give us on us. Don't get caught up in the hype...make sure your FAITH lies
in God and not in the world.
As of right now I don't know what the future holds for me, but I'm confident that:
God will see me through
I'll keep my FAITH in God
I'll give God the thanks and the glory regardless
My greatest success will be doing his will
Dear God,
We
come before you with heavy hearts. We ask that you restore HOPE in mankind. We ask that
you heal the hearts of the broken. We ask that you bring your children back
where they belong--kneeling before your feet Lord God. For that person who has strayed we ask that you bring them back in your grace. Give everyone a desire to serve you and only you. Give us the strength to turn away from the enticement of the world because we know that it only leads to a life of destruction. Lord it's time for us to make
that shift from cocky FAITH to that confident FAITH. Lord remind us of your
power. Teach us to lean on
you. Teach us to move mountains with our FAITH. Teach us to put our hope solely
in the hands of you. Lord without you we are nothing and with you Lord God
we are everything. Continue to keep us, guide us, protect us, and love us. All the glory belongs to you. We love you Jesus.
