I don’t know about you, but sometimes I learn things
and take things without contemplating about them. Concerning God, I often heard
the verse and said within sermons “Live by faith” or “Go by faith”.
Recently, I had to breakdown my life and see, was I
living by faith.
According to Hebrews 11,
11 Now
faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
To
put it plainly, it says in Mark:
He
that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them
that diligently seek him.
When
we begin to pray, it takes faith. Praying to a God that you cannot see, takes
faith. Praying to a God you cannot touch takes faith.
When
we read the bible and apply it to our lives, it takes faith. When we thank God and acknowledge God
it takes faith.
When we
believe that God sent Jesus to die for our sins, thereby allowing us to be
forgiven every time we ask, regardless of what we’ve done it TAKES FAITH!!!
The bible
says that God is pleased by faith and that without it God can’t be pleased.
When you decide to do something for God it pleases him. But, sometimes we may
ask ourselves, well how do I know it is pleasing???
As
you continue in faith God will RESPOND TO YOU!!! God will RESPOND TO YOU!!!
Being
a Christian and having a relationship with God, is a two way relationship.
Problem with us sometimes is we expect God to do it our way. God can reach us
in so many ways. Even when we decide to close off our ears, due to pride, self-pity
or any excuse.
Last
year, I was in a trial and my faith was being shaken. I wavered in faith week
after week. My pastor preached a series on Jesus Strong that whole month. After,
each Sunday I was encouraged but the week would tax my faith and I always arrive
next Sunday needing more encouragement. One week I was invited to a Thursday
service and the sermon was “Jesus Strong”. After, hearing the same content
again that night it was clear to me what God needed from me.
That night
is an example of a response. The thing about God’s response is that, the
objective is to reach you. How God reaches me, may not be how God reaches you.
One thing I do know is that when we seek God by faith, he will RESPOND!!
The question
is will we respond to God? Respond how, when we arise, by faith thank him for a
new day.
Facing
a strenuous situation, or in a fiery trial, thank God for a new hope. Bible
says to glorify God, meaning thank God for his mercy, call him great for his
handiwork the earth but more importantly you.
Someone
may say how I can respond when I can’t feel him near and he hasn’t responded in
a while.
Today your
response will cause God to respond!!!
Hosea
2: 20-21
I will betroth you in[g]
faithfulness,
and you will acknowledge the Lord.
21 “In that day I will respond,”
declares the Lord—
At some point in our lives we will all go through some trial
or tribulation. No it isn’t fun and a lot of times you may feel as if it isn’t
even fair. It may last 5 minutes, 5 days, 5 years who knows. When these tough
times arise, how do you react? Do you cower down and give in accepting defeat
or do you stand firm knowing God is with you? As the saying goes “Tough times
don’t last, tough people do”. There is no tougher man than he who trust in the
Lord wholeheartedly.
Many times when problems arise we feel overwhelmed. When
things seem out of control and we cant seem to get a grasp of it we must
understand that God has a hold of it. It is never out of his control. Our first
reaction when a storm brews shouldn’t be to worry or be afraid but to PRAY. We cannot get to caught up in the situation that we forget to allow God to lead. Pray to be emotionally stable so you don’t allow emotion to get the best of
you. Pray to be courageous so fear doesn’t over come you. Pray to fully TRUST
in the Lord knowing he will make a way, he will guide you through. Stand firm.
“47 As for everyone who comes to me and
hears my words and puts them into practice, I will show you what they are like.48 They are like a man building a house, who
dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent
struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built.49 But the one who hears my words and does not put
them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a
foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its
destruction was complete.”Luke 6:47-49
Today, I watched an amazing video of fathers in prison participating in a father daughter dance. These men had made wrong decisions which unfortunately kept them from their loved ones. Despite the mistakes their father's had made the girls were extremely happy to be able to spend time with their dads. The video reminded me that in life we all make mistakes and are in need of forgiveness and a second chance.
Thankfully, God is always willing to forgive and give us a second chance no matter what we have done. Psalms 103 states:
8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
God is merciful to us and willing to forgive us for our sins. As willing as he is to forgive us we should be willing to forgive others. T.D. Jakes preached an awesome messaging saying that as Jesus hung on the cross he was impaled to the point where his organs were coming out of his body and he still forgave the people who had wronged him. If Christ forgave those who had nailed him to a cross, beat him, and had his guts coming out of his body we should be able to forgive those who wrong us.
Our God is a God of second chances. He is ready and willing to forgive your of anything you may have done and he asks that you forgive others. Remember to be merciful just as Christ is merciful!
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight " Proverbs 3:5-6.
As children of God we should always trust him in all situations, especially in the difficult times. The bible shows us that when we trust in the Lord we will overcome our obstacles. Take Peter for instance, he began to walk on water when Jesus called him. Later on, he started to fear when he saw the wind and he started to sink. So you see, no matter where life take us we should not fear. Instead, we should put our faith in our Lord and he will always lead us to the right path.
What
is addiction? Did you know that not every person who identifies with an
addiction does not automatically classify himself or herself as
someone/something bad (i.e. drug addiction)? According to medicalnewstoday.com,
"People with an addiction do not have control
over what they are doing, taking or using...addiction may refer to a substance
dependence (e.g. drug addiction) or behavioral addiction (e.g.
gambling addiction)." Those who suffer from addictions cannot cope unless
they satisfy their addiction. Today, I happily am addicted to prayer!!! I guess
I never really thought in depth about the power of prayer until I had to fall
on my face before God because I needed a prayer to be answered; rather a
miracle to be answered! And for me, my addiction to prayer is bigger than the
high I get when my prayers are answered…I thoroughly enjoy the relationship
that I have with Christ that continues to blossom every time I go before him in
prayer. I just love him!
Characteristics of Addiction:
1.The Person
Becomes Obsessed (Constantly Thinks of) the Activity, Object, or Substance.
Although the Bible warns against obsessions, I personally
believe that there is never too much prayer just as there is never too much
communication with God. As my struggles increase, my blessings grow, and my
vision expands, so does my prayer life. Prayer for me is essential to my
relationship with Christ because it is truly bigger than religion. Prayer
is the bridge between my worries and peace. There are so many things that I
have prayed for that God has answered that the thought of it becomes
overwhelming. Even when I am so unfaithful to God, he is ALWAYS faithful to me.
That kind of loyalty is extinct in human flesh. So yes, I am obsessed
with prayer. When I'm happy I pray because I'm thankful. When I'm sad I pray
because I just need to lay my burdens down at the feet of God. In his hopeless
world I have so many midnight hours when I need to feel that comfort from my
Heavenly Father. Only he can ease most fears that I harbor in my heart.
Whenever something comes up my first thought is to "pray about it."
I'm obsessed with prayer because when I do bow my head, that instant peace that
I receive is indescrible.
“Pray without ceasing.” 1Thessalonians 5:17
“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people.” Esphesians 6:18
“Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.” Romans 12:12
“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” Colossians 4:2
2.The Person
Will Compulsively Engage in the Activity (Do it Over and Over Again).
Talk about compulsion! Prayer is a part of my daily life. I hate
to categorize it as routine, but actually pouring my heart out to God becomes
second nature to me (not babbling, but sincere prayers before God). I say this because even when I am too selfish to see God's
mercy in my life, I can see his grace working with others. I can take every
single blogger for example and just highlight minimal portions of their
testimonies just to broadcast the power of prayer!
-Steven:
he has the job of his dream and although he faced rejection and moments where
he felt like it was s setback, God was preparing him for a mighty comeback! I'm
so proud of him! Not only that, but ever since he was young he never was ashamed of his love for Christ which is something that I have always admired.
-Jael:
she graduated and immediately started working at her "dream job"
(although that may have changed now) that pays her loans!! First, not only is
this rare, but she is making a difference in the world. And just as God has
answered other prayers in her life he'll answer new ones. It's amazing to watch
her growth in God's presence.
-Brittney:
she is a married woman!!! Feels weird saying, but it's true. I've known her
forever and I've admired her growth as well. In conversations when I've felt
helpless she has always reminded me of the power of prayer even if she doesn't
realize it. You can literally pray about any and everything. She has constantly
reminded me to pray about my future husband because God does honor that. Now,
she's married to the man that she prayed about and luckily for him...I approve!
It's amazing to watch love and marriage blossom just as Christ intended.
-Ron:
what can I say? This is a man of many talents who never hesitates to give God
the glory (except when we're playing games because he's extremely competitive).
But other than that, I admire his humility that he still exhibits even in the
face of adversity. I have watched him come to Christ and basically allow God to
use all of his talents. He's a leader and he's a married man...both of which I
feel can be attributed to the power of prayer.
-Christian:
there's so much to say about Bishop Spriggs! I have watched him develop in his
gift. There was a time where Christian NEVER spoke, he sat in the back of
church, never really got involved in anything, and today he is the complete
opposite. Not only has he embraced his gift with spiritual maturity, but he has
allowed himself to be used wholly by God. Not only that, but he is a prayer
warrior! There was a time where he was out of school and without a car and now
he is an "A" student with a brand new car. And lastly, he is the
young adult leader at our church who talks to everyone now and sits on the
front row. None of this would have occurred without prayer in the midst.
-Hannah:
she is the ultimate go-getter! She always has words of encouragement and makes
herself readily available to pray for others. She went to school and is working
somewhere she absolutely loves! One thing I truly admire is that prior to
landing her dream job, she wouldn't settle for anything less than what she
wanted. So although the road that lied ahead seemed cloudy, her faith didn't
waiver in my eyes. And even after some hiccups with her current job, she
continues to remain at "peace not in pieces" about any situation that
comes her way.
So
even when I'm too self-absorbed and negative to see how instrumental prayer has
been in my life, I am forever encouraged because I can see the power of prayer
performing miracles in the lives of those I surround myself with. And as with any addiction, I consider these aforementioned individuals a part of my prayer circle/team, kind of like my support group. I know that I can go to them to pray for my behalf and vice versa. There's something so comforting in knowing that I can talk about my problems, answered prayers, and unanswered prayers with individuals who understand my walk with Christ.
“Now when Daniel learned that the
decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows
opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed,
giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.” Daniel 6:10
“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers
and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all
the Lord's people.” Ephesians 6:18
“For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord
Jesus and your love for all God's people, I have not stopped giving thanks for
you, remembering you in my prayers.” Ephesians 1:15-16
"For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them." Matthew 18:20
3.Upon
Cessation of the Activity, Withdrawal Symptoms Often Occur.
I didn’t realize how important prayer was in my life until I
tried to go without praying. Have you ever tried to take life into your own hands?
I really don’t know how people live life without knowing Christ. Like what kind
of life is that? But then again, I can’t really have an opinion as to that kind
of lifestyle because their (those who go without knowing Christ) life is the
same as mine when I go without praying. Life is so rough when we don’t pray. We
subject ourselves to worry, stress, and other destructive characteristics.If you know me then you know I’m almost
always stressing over school and my future. It’s pretty annoying because how
many times does God have to prove himself to me before I trust him
wholeheartedly? I remember specifically I was having a hard time in school
after my father passed and it was really getting to me. My cousin texted me saying
that she missed me and hadn’t seen me in awhile and blatantly asked me what was
wrong. I didn’t know how she even knew, but because I felt so defeated my pride
escaped me and I told her about my difficulties. She replied and told me that
God has it covered like always. I’m not sure why but when she told me all of
this I was beginning to feel whole again. It was in that moment that I realized
that I was too busy worry that I had forgot to pray. That happens to all of us.
How many times do we stress over the dumbest (and yes they’re dumb because they’re
minimal problems) things and forget to pray to God? That’s like stressing over
taking an exam yet we forget to bring a utensil. It defeats the purpose of
taking the exam if you cannot even write down the answers. Not doing so is an
automatic failure. Life without prayer is an automatic failure as well.
Additionally, I remember I was at a conference and I was so overwhelmed
with worry that I couldn’t even understand why I was crying so much! That night
my aunt texted me asking about the conference and after our conversation she
reminded me that we find rest in God. So many times we focus on our problems so
hard that we miss the simple answers. Have you ever gotten an easy question on
an exam wrong? Like when you go over it you’ll a little upset because the
answer was basically given to you? Once again that’s how life is without
prayer. It’s not rocket science! God is the answer! You need answers? Talk to
him. Do you need to connect to him? Kneel before him in prayer! When we refuse
to pay attention to the signs before us, life becomes far more difficult than
it has to be and before you know it you’re sitting back living a life full of
regret. Life is far too short to live with regrets and God is far too
accessible to skip over prayer and try to live a life without him. To further understand
what happens when we do not pray or “inquire of God,” I suggest that you read
Joshua 9:1-15.
”Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.” Psalm
62:5
“Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the
LORD.” Psalm 27:14
“But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted
will never perish.” Psalm 9:18
“I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in his word I put
my hope.” Psalm 130:5
4.The Person
Does Not Appear To Have Control As To When, How Long, Or How Much He Or She
Will Continue The Behavior (Loss of Control).
You ever enjoy something so much that you fail to realize how
much time has passed? I’m always like that with Law & Order: SVU marathons
or the ID channel (Investigation Discovery). I get so into it and before I know
it half of my day has been wasted. I am also like that with prayer sometimes.
There was literally times when I don’t even realize how long I am praying
because I am so connected to God. It becomes a daily conversation for me. And
although I don’t really like talking on the phone, that doesn’t stop me for
being on the phone for hours. On the train in the mornings I’m usually praying
the entire way. When I wake I’m praying to myself until I’m on my way out the
door. Days when I fast while at work I’ll pray the entire day just to get the
strength to continue to fast because my flesh can be so weak.
Other than praying during the day, there was times when I’m in
desperate need and I’ll pray over the course of months if not years. We never
even realize how much we’ve prayed until someone brings it to our attention. I
remember in my junior year in high school I was preparing for college and I was
so overwhelmed. I had everything that made me a competitive prospect for
college: I had the grades, I had the extracurricular activities, I had the
letters of recommendation, and so forth. I just didn’t have the financial means
to attend, but I knew that from the time I was a child. And anyone who knew
Jamera knew how much she wanted to go to Princeton! That was my dream school! I
even got an interview for Princeton and when I received my rejection letter I
was so heartbroken because my interviewer eventually reached out to me and told
me how much he loved me as a student, but recognized that Princeton would not
be a good fit for me because I would have to compromise my extracurricular activities
for my studies. To him I seemed so passionate about other things that I did
outside of school and basically a lot of that would have to be put on the
backburner in order to excel. Either way, I thought he was insane and I just didn’t
understand because I worked so hard for those grades so that I could attend Princeton
only to get rejected. Not long after my rejection letter from Princeton, I remember
I received a letter in the mail from the State of New Jersey stating that I
would be eligible to attend a community college for 2 years and then transfer
to a New Jersey university free of charge. My mom was soooo excited that she
was like yes you’ll do that! No offense to anyone who attends community college
but I told her I wasn’t doingthat
because the whole purpose of me working so hard was so that I didn’t have to
attend community college. I was slightly annoyed by everyone who suggested that
I should do that. Well not long after I received that letter I received multiple
acceptance letters from universities that I had applied to. I cried even harder
after I got those letters because it reminded me of Princeton. All of them were
offering me scholarships to attend, but Rutgers was offering the most money
(basically a free-ride). My family was so excited and once again I grew more
annoyed because that wasn’t my plan that was my backup.
About a week later I went to church and because I was so “depressed”
because I didn’t get into Princeton, I went to the altar and cried my heart out
to God. I was literally on the floor sobbing to God because I felt like my
prayers went unanswered. I remember Sis. Cindy (this amazing soul in our church
who now resides with the Lord) came and got me off of the floor and started to
pray with me. She rocked me, she prayed over me, she consoled me, and she mended
my broken-heart with a message from God. She told me: “God already took care of
it, it’s done.” I never once told her what I was praying about but she allowed
God to use her. That week I remember coming home and checking the mail and
there was this big envelope addressed to me from this scholarship that I had
applied to about 8 or 9 months prior. I had completely forgotten about it! When
I opened it, it basically said that I was going to go to my school of choice
(schools that had accepted me) for free!!! All covered by Bill Gates! I
remember falling to my knees and thanking God and crying of course! In that
instant everything came back to me and everything made sense. From the time I
was a junior, to now, being a senior in high school standing in my driveway,
God had answered my prayer! My prayer was never for me to get accepted into
Princeton like I thought it was. For about a year and some months, I had been
praying that God would make a way for me to go to school for free and he did
just that! Sis. Cindy was right—he had it covered! Talk about being elated! I
was just so overwhelmed because I didn’t even realize that God was listening,
but more importantly, I didn’t even realize how long I had been praying. I
doubt there was ever a day I skipped a prayer because I was so desperate and
God was just guiding me along the way the entire time.
"Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye
should go and bring forth fruit, and [that] your fruit should remain: that
whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” Joshua
15:16
"Again
I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing
that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.”
Matthew 18:19
“And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name,
that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask
any thing in my name, I will do it." John 14:13-14
"Let us therefore come boldly unto
the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time
of need." Hebrews 4:16
"And this is the confidence that we
have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:
And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the
petitions that we desired of him." 1 John 5:14-15
Continue to pray...God is ALWAYS listening. If you need prayer, please write it in the "Prayer Request" tab.
