If you are like me than you enjoy eating I enjoy eating a
variety of foods, but sweets have a special place in my heart. If I were to
only eat sweets not only would my outer appearance change i.e. I would gain
weight. My inner body would change as well I would be malnourished. Not
providing my body with the nutrition it needs to function properly would lead
to a decreased immune system and ultimately decay.
Similarly, our spirit needs to be fed. The Bible states “…Man
shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that procedeeth out of the
mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4 The word of God was given to us in the Bible. It is
imperative for Christians to read the Bible daily to nourish our spirit just as
we would eat food to nourish our bodies. Without the proper nutrition i.e.
reading God’s word our spirit can not function properly and becomes weak.
When reading my Bible on a consistent basis I feel strong.
The Bible always provides me with exactly what I need to make it through every
situation. Unfortunately, when I go through periods when I am not reading the
Bible consistently I sometimes feel as though God is far away or doubt creeps
in.
Reading the Bible always me to build my relationship with
God and strengthens by spirit. This week set goals to read your Bible on a
consistent basis and see how strong you become!
A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.
(Isaiah 42:3)
Have you ever felt broken? Like
incomplete? A little lost? Helpless? Defeated?
If you have just know that you’re never alone. I’m not sure why we (I
say we because I too have often felt this way) get like that but I've come to realize it's because the devil sees what lies ahead for us. It has to be great right,
because why else would the devil attack us so hard?
I thought I felt broken when
my father passed. There are times where I feel a little empty inside or even a
little lost. I felt (maybe I still feel this way) that when he left I felt so
vulnerable to the world. I felt like my protector had just up and left me.I felt exposed, and there was nothing that
could change that because he was no longer here. However, once I realized how many blessings came from my father's life (I am blessed to be a part of something so great) I realized that I am not as "broken" as I once believed I was.
This past week I was watching Mary Mary on their reality television show and one of the singers,
Tina, kept exclaiming how “broken” she was
after her husband had cheated on her countless times. As I watched the show I
sympathized with her in the beginning until she kept hollering “broken.” After
awhile I was just like okay enough is enough!
In my opinion she had too much to live for to become defeated by “brokenness.”
She had an adorable clan of children, she has an amazing fan base, she
has nieces and nephews, and family, and so on.
I was just lost as to how "broken" she could have possibly been especially
since her life seems pretty good. But
then I had to think to myself, “Who am I???” Matter of fact who did I think I
was to even comment or have an opinion on her “brokenness???” I had to internally self-check myself because
I just knew I had some audacity. This
woman sacrificed for this man and her family and he violated the sanctity of
their marriage by committing adultery.
At that moment it made sense to feel “broken" I guess.
The most common form of “brokenness”
is having your heart-“broken.”Have you ever felt that kind of pain?It hurts, it burns, it stings in the
beginning, but it eventually those “broken”
pieces heal with time. I remember I thought I had my heart-“broken.”Someone betrayed my trust and did the exact opposite of what they said they were
not going to do.When the entire
situation happened I was shocked, distraught and that sadness eventually turned
to bitterness.We’ve all been there. Well
after harboring on the situation and as time passed, I had to realize that that
was not heart-break. That was the veil being lifted from over my eyes. I was worried about someone else while I was preparing to go off to build my dreams. The situation makes me chuckle now, but that was not until I realized that I had victory all along. When you think of those characters that have
played a part in your “brokenness” you realize
that their situations/lives/issues/dilemmas are not roles that you really wish
to co-star in.
When you think about someone/something who you claim to have
assisted in your “brokenness” remember: (1) “Brokenness” is a mindset; (2) Anything that is for
you will not “break” you AND leave; and (3) God
doesn’t give you anymore than you can bear
(1 Corinthians 10:13).
(1) “Brokenness” Is A
Mindset
To be “broken” means to have
“been fractured or damaged and no longer in one piece or in working
order.”It’s an adjective that we as
flawed humans choose to label ourselves as.We use this label titled “broken” because
we have clearly turned away from God’s understanding and leaned on our own when
the Bible explicitly warns us against that (Proverbs 3:5).When we claim to be “broken”
are we damaged? Are we fractured? Are we no longer working?NOPE!!! Most “broken” people have jobs and
families who depend on them.If you’re a
mother who claims to be “broken” then I know
you’re in working order because children depend 100% on their mother’s
especially.If you’re a teacher claiming
to be “broken” then you too have to change your mindset because you are also in
working order. If you’re a professional and/or any type of leader I just wanted
to let you know that you are NOT “broken”
because you’re responsibilities requires you to be in working order. “Broken”
does not fit into that lifestyle – this lifestyle is just about any lifestyle
you can think of.
Now on the contrary, we may be BRUISED but
we’re not broken.I say bruised because bruises are less
extreme and can occur naturally.
Some quick facts on bruises: -Some people bruise easily than others -Bruises occur when soft tissues are injured under the skin -Bruises go through colorful stages as the body heals -Most bruises disappear after a minimum of 2 weeks (most of
the time it’s sooner than that)
Would you rather be a “broken”
toy or a scratched(bruised) toy? With “broken”
toys you take the risk of never being fixed. "Broken” toys essentially serve no purpose and once
their purpose has been fulfilled they are discarded of.However, scratched (bruised) toys are toys that we keep
around.We keep them around because
they’re flawed but they haven’t lost their purpose.As long as the scratched (bruised) toy can still make
noise, flash its lights, and entertain us, there is no need to discard of that
toy because we NEED that toy.
We have to change our mindset from thinking we’re “broken” to acknowledging that we may actually be BRUISED. We’re BRUISED because we face new challenges everyday and
sometimes we get hurt in the process.
We’re BRUISED and not “broken” because we eventually heal with time. When you think about "broken" bones we are often confronted with the fact that there is a high probability that those bones will never heal properly and/or they will not be as functional as they previously were. Bruises on the other hand, do not face those risks because they heal quicker and do not do as much damage and uncertainty. We are BRUISED
because we have a healing mindset…once we accept the notion of “brokenness” we have accepted defeat. I refuse to be labeled “broken” because, “The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my
deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn
of my salvation, and my high tower.” (Psalms 18:2). Change that mindset and speak victory over your life.
(2) Anything That Is For You Will Not “Break” AND Leave You
Think about that person/situation/circumstance that you felt
left you “broken.” Think really hard! Now if that person/situation/circumstance is
no longer in your life, then they have served their purpose. Be grateful.
Maybe it was a lesson. Maybe it
was God revealing to you the power of the strength he equipped you with. Maybe it was God protecting you from
something. Maybe it was God aligning you
with your purpose and that person/situation/circumstance no longer had a front
row seat. Regardless, remember that
whether you are stubborn in believing that you’re “broken”
(even though I just told you that you aren’t!), or you’ve accepted the
possibility that you’re BRUISED, that in both
situations there is a building process.
There are times when God places us in situations that will cause us to
be molded and shaped. Think about a
diamond—diamonds are formed from extreme pressure. We are those diamonds that have to be
susceptible to pressure so that we can shine brightly. Don’t you want to be molded? Shaped into who God wants you to become? Don't you want to shine? Let God mold and shape you. The Bible tells us, “But now, O LORD, thou art our father; we are
the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.” (Isaiah 64:8). Anything that is “broken”
or bruised eventually has to be built back up –
bigger and better! Remember, “God
created [us] in his own image.” (Genesis
1:27).
(3) God Doesn’t Give You More Than You Can Bear
Your situation may seem bleak right now but so did your
situation 2 days ago, 2 weeks ago, 2 months ago, and 2 years ago. It’s always cloudy while you’re going through
it but the situation always changes once you’re on your way to your new
trial. Before you become overwhelmed and
claim “brokenness” claim victory over your next
2 trials because trust me when I say they’re well on their way. While you're waiting for your bruises to heal, forgive those who tried or "break" you. God told the waters to be “peace be still”
(Mark 4:39) and so today I challenge you to tell all of those so-called “broken” piece(s) to be still!!!!!
These things I
have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have
tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. – John 3:16
Prayer:
Dear God,
We thank you for dying on that cross for our sins.We thank you wholeheartedly for the ultimate
sacrifice that you have given us that no man can match.Lord we humbly come before you to ask for
restoration of hearts, minds, attitudes, peace, hope, love, grace, and
mercy.Lord we ask that you continue to
be that glue to mend “brokenness” in our walks
with you, in our homes, in our churches, and in our relationships with
others.We ask that you equip us with
the mindsets to bow before your feet before we think to solve our problems
ourselves.Lord we come against the
spirit of hopelessness, the spirit of despair, the spirit of defeat, the spirit
of loneliness, the spirit of depression.Lord you told us to cast our cares upon you Lord God for the righteous
shall not be moved.Lord we claim
victory in your name because we are no longer “broken.”We may be BRUISED
but we serve a God who is the ultimate healer.Continue to keep us Lord as we go about our days.In your precious name we pray.Amen.
My name is Bryan Haskins and I
bring greeting from The Church of Antioch in Nashville, TN. I would first like
to first say thank you to the Blogging4Jesus2013 Team for allowing me to be a
guest on the daily blog. I believe that this is an opportunity for us to
display our love for Christ and not being ashamed of being Christians. The
topic of this blog is “Joy”.
When I first looked at this topic I
began to think of how I would share this. We all know that in the Nehemiah
8:10, it talks about the …for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” In my own
personal experience, I found Joy in many different ways. Being in the military,
there are many task and objectives that have to be done. One in particular is
the yearly fitness test. It seems that after all the training that I do to
prepare myself for the test; I still get that nervous feeling. I find myself
during the run to give up or think that I don’t have the strength to finish.
Doubt starts to set in and I begin to lose focus the real strength that keeps
me going, the strength that keeps me living for God, the strength that
Philippians 4:13 tells me, “I can do all things”. That strength can only be
given by Joy of the Lord.
You see, that Joy doesn’t just talk
about the strength we need when it comes to taking a physical fitness test or
any physical need, this kind of Joy is needed when our flesh gets weak and our
Faith is under pressure. Let’s take a look at James 1:2, “My bretheren, count
it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3) Knowing this, that the
trying of your faith worketh patience.” In another translation is says, 2-3
Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from
all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the
open and shows its true colors. When we
take on these kinds of temptations and pressures that puts our faith, our walk
with Christ on the line, it is that same strength that keeps us reminded that
we are children of God. Verse 12 tells us that “Anyone who meets a testing
challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such
persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life.”
I’m not the one to say that my walk with
Christ has always been good, I’ve had my shares of disappointments where I let
God down so many time with the decisions that I’ve made. I realize that is
Grace and Mercy is what kept me but His Joy is what sustains me. Psalms 30:5
tells me that “…..weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the
morning.” I don’t know who I may be speaking to, but just know that Gods joy is
new every morning. Instead of thinking of how you are going to get things done
on your own, think about the joy of the Lord. His Joy is the strength that we
need each and every day.
So, it has been very difficult to
write my blog post for today. Usually something just comes to me out of the
blue, when I’m lying in bed, showering, or sitting in front of my computer or
something sparks my interest like a quote on a social network, reading the
Bible or another book or watching TV. I wrote most of my last post at 3am one
night, weeks in advance because I just couldn’t sleep, but this time I got
NOTHING. NOTHING! I’ve been wondering why for the past few days.
Until it just hit me…I’ve been the
problem. I’ve been too busy focusing on what I have wanted to do for the past
few weeks that I haven’t taken the time or energy to really reach for God. I’ve
been so busy with work, hanging out with friends, paying bills, attending church
events, making birthday plans, and watching Scandal that I haven’t opened
myself up to hear him. I’ve been what I think of as “a surface Christian.” I have
felt God’s connection and his warmth, I’ve gone to church, I’ve prayed and I’ve
worshipped him, but I haven’t allowed myself to be fully open and enveloped
with him.
Recently, one friend of mine in
particular has been frustrating me with what I perceive to be selfishness and
indifference, while when I look at it I have been doing the same exact thing
just to a different person— A more important person! I haven’t been vigilant
and focused. Instead I’ve been indifferent in seeking after God. But, I think that now God is questioning my
allegiance to him. He’s watching to see whether I am going to call him only when
I’m in church or in need of something from him, or if I am going to initiate
regular conversation as I should.
Hebrews 13:15 says, “Therefore, let us
offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our
allegiance to his name.” This verse is key! How often do we closely examine our
allegiances? Allegiance is shown not only by profession, but by action. Professing
that you love God means nothing if you’re just going through the motions, missing
out on the action that love truly requires in order to be real.
You may have said the pledge of
allegiance every day in elementary school, but at that point it was repetition.
It was something you were taught that you became accustomed to quoting. You
didn’t fully understand the power behind the words or what it meant to pledge
to a flag that your forefathers fought and many died for through economic, racial,
and social oppression. Continual sacrifice
is the action that acknowledges the fight. It is easy to praise someone when it
is convenient for you, but it’s very difficult to praise them continually, when
you feel like it AND when you don’t. Continual
sacrifice is our offering to Jesus Christ who gave everything for us to
have an opportunity to live lives free from sin and one day meet Him in heaven.
God is pushing us towards a continual
attitude.
Lastly, God reminded me that my
allegiance to him will prove to be beneficial. Psalm 16: 8 says, “I have set the Lord always before me.
Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” When you make God your
right hand man, continually setting
him before everything else, then he will have your back to the point where
nothing can shake you, not even that annoying, selfish friend!
Our purpose on Earth is to bring people to Christ. Jesus said, "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:" (Matthew 28:19) Sometimes, we lose sight of helping others out in the daily rush of life. I know for myself I am running from place to place doing this, that and the third. And then I miss out on helping someone or really looking to see what's happening.
As wanting to be a teacher, I have always said I will be the one who is there for the students and always helping out. I am there for the students but sad to say there was a short time where I did not think about what is going on behind the closed doors. I just looked at some students as "problem" kids. But God caught me one day and convicted me. Someone even said to me, which was a reminder, about that they might be going through something. And it really got me. Sometimes we go through life and say one thing but don't follow through with it.
We look at things as how they appear not by what they actually are. Our vision is through the outward appearance. That's why we are told to walk by FAITH and NOT BY SIGHT!! Our sight is not the best to go by. We think we see someone or we think we know something because of what we see. But, a lot of times we have NO IDEA what people are going through. Yea, someone may be annoying or someone might do something that erks your nerve. But, you don't know what they're going through. This one video blessed me because a lot of times we are so busy and we get frustrated. What would happen if we took it slow and prayed for people that got on our nerves? Or what if instead of going off on someone think about that they might have had a rough day or their situation is terrible compared to yours? Don't get me wrong, it's not easy!! To put away your flesh is not an easy thing. But this can be done through daily prayer and the continual relationship with God.
What if we had God's eyes? There may be someone that you might be in contact with and they need Jesus. Or people may seem to be okay and on point with their life. But what if this person needs someone to show them love or that someone cares? If we had God's eyes or we were in tuned with God, we would be able to show the love of God. It's time to see things through God's eyes so we can be a blessing to others.
I can encourage you to pray for anyone who gets on your nerves. Or if someone comes to mind, pray for them. You may not know what they're going through and they may need your prayers to help them through their struggles.
Be blessed y'all and let's look through God's eyes!!!
Steven Gable
"Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." (1 Timothy 4:12)
5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Psalm 37:25
King James Version (KJV)
25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. CHECK OUT THIS VIDEO!!!^_^ - >>>> http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6-djMd9ShfA
