A Matter of The Heart

There are times in our spiritual lives where we are called to fast and consecrate ourselves before God. It is during these times the He reveals Himself and the things He wants us to take with us, and build habits upon them from that point on out. Fasting, of course, is not merely a diet, but we're to make efforts to abstain from things that we may overindulge in (dietary things, material things, or even people), or they could simply be things we want to sacrifice to show God that He alone hold the top spot in our lives.

Guilt is something that we have to be wary of, as it can easily permeate your entire existence during the physical and spiritual vulnerability we experience during fasting! Fast peacefully.

In a nut shell, I found myself in the position of feeling terribly guilty because I consumed a food that was on the "foods to avoid" list without knowledge of it (it's a Daniel's Fast by the way). Mind you, I didn't intentionally do it, but I didn't understand it the way others did. Don't worry, there's no current issue or backlash going on, lol. I just prayed and sincerely repented to God for "breaking" the vow I made. While rules, and prohibited foods are there for a reason, but the important thing to remember is to never allow the enemy to put guilt on you for a mistake, because the purpose of fasting lies more in the sincerity of your heart more than it does what you do and don't eat. I just want to encourage any of you who may be fasting (whatever kind of fast it is), or plan to begin one. Remember to keep your mind of Christ and His will, and the promise that He'll draw near to those who draw near to Him.

Don't place the emphasis on the deeds in attempt to gain more love from God. In actuality, there is NOTHING that we can do to obtain grace and mercy, as has already been obtained forever through Jesus Christ's sacrifice. Please be encouraged, we can do it. Let's walk this road together. I love you with the love of Jesus Christ.

"God's demand for perfection need not discourage you in your attempts to be good, or your failures. When you fall He'll pick you up again."- C.S. Lewis.

Until next time...

The Real Test of Service...

Anyone who really knows me knows that I have a passion for helping the homeless, needy, or the downtrodden in ANY way I can. While downtrodden is a rather extreme description, it best communicates the way I feel most homeless people are being treated on the streets. Come to think of it, even upon first meeting and talking with me, my passion for destitute people is evident. A wide range of people fall under that "destitute umbrella." A person doesn't necessarily have to be homeless to be destitute. More than half of this depraved generation lives life daily without the one true key to abundant life. Where do you think that key lies?

Yes class, if you filled in the "Jesus" bubble, you'd be correct.

Back to the reason for this blog.

Today, we discussed homelessness with our students. This wasn't just a workshop where we defined what it is, we had a former homeless man, and a currently homeless man come in to speak to the kids about bad decisions and the consequences thereafter. The first guy (Mark) really touched me. From the beginning of his college education, down to his spiral into cocaine and prison. Thankfully, he rebounded and he's been "straight" for a while. He's had a steady job, and a nice condo in Cambridge ($). He's also been a member at PT for some time (Pentecostal Tabernacle, my church in Mass), and he loves Jesus Christ. Praise God.

The real appeal (to me) came from the other guy, a Honduran brother named Link.

Not like Linc Hayes from the Mod Squad.

This brother is definitely an enigma wrapped in a riddle. He's been homeless since he was 9 years old, and if he can help it he'll stay that way. Basically, Link doesn't like staying indoors. He said that he prefers sleeping on the street, and he doesn't need help. He's not a drug addict, he just doesn't like being indoors. He's "traveled all over" by stowing away on ships, and he doesn't like being confined by the rules of society. Afterwards, I spoke with him privately about family and love. He dislikes relationships, and the idea of anyone getting close to him. Ultimately, it goes back to his dislike of being indoors. He said he has 3 kids, one in Mexico and the other 2 in Honduras. He's never known them, and probably never will. He doesn't like for anyone to understand him, and once someone shows signs of getting close he moves to a new place.

There's much more that I could blog about Link, but I just wanted to share some of what I was privileged to experience today. This blog post was not meant to poke fun at other's expense. I just wanted to reopen your eyes if they became shut over time. People in this world are hurting, and WE ALL are in desperate need of a savior. If you haven't today, try to speak with someone about Jesus. You never know, your Christian walk may be the only for of Christ that they see in these streets. Take time out of your walk from the car or train station and share a kind word with someone on the street. Your displayed love could be just what they need to turn to Christ.

"He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker (God), but whoever is kind to the needy honors God."- Proverbs 14:31

Be encouraged, pursue the heart, mind, and humility of Jesus Christ.

Until next time...

The Most Uplifting Shuffle...

In this walk of life [through Christ], it's quite easy for one to become bored with seemingly mundane spiritual occurrences. We wake up, thank God for the new mercy bestowed on us, read a scripture or two, then we're out the door. Throughout the day we become a bit numb to the things of Christ. While we know it's His will that we meditate on His word day and night, we sometimes forget to do that. If I can be transparent for a moment, I know I do. It's not an act committed intentionally, we just get so wrapped up in what we're doing that we tend to forget that He doesn't need an elaborate, well-versed prayer in a prostrate position. Mind you, God does indeed want us broken before Him, so don't think I'm advocating for a consistent prayer life on the fly. No. Spend quality time with God constantly!

However, some of the most sincere acts of worship can be in the most unconventional forms.

(Yes, that's correct)

We sometimes have a tendency to box God in and we forget that His knowledge is all-encompassing, and that His ability is beyond what our tiny minds can fathom. History has taught us to believe that he only interacts with us through the same mediums.

However, if we just open our spiritual eyes and ears, we'll be surprised to find that He deals with each person in a different way. Don't sell Him short, some of the most effective, touching moments of ministry in my life have been outside of the norm that we experience on Sunday mornings.

Now, the central point of this post may not wow you. As a matter of fact, I'm not expecting you to understand 100% and get all frenzied. My iPod really encouraged me on the way home from work today. Every now and again you get that feeling of abandonment and your flesh starts to chip away at your peace. You start believing that God isn't inclining His ear to your hurts, and issues. That's not at all the case, He hears you.

My iPod was on shuffle and I put the songs into a dialogue in my mind while I walked:

First came Kirk Franklin "The Last Jesus." As much as my flesh tried to ignore it, the song's message is indeed true. I felt as if the Holy Spirit was lecturing me, reminding me that while I waste time sulking and having a downcast countenance someone may need what is inside of me. If Christ is what's inside of me, then I'd me sulking would be the absolute wrong demeanor to possess. I'm to display the joy of the Lord, so when the random woman having a bad day sees me, she sees not a common, angry man, but one full of God's joy. I could be the only example of Jesus Christ that she sees.

The next song was "Be Still" by Storyside B. After I got in my head that I needed to truly be the hands and feet of Christ daily, this song reminds me that I'm not alone in doing it. The idea of embodying the example of Christ is tough, but He reminds us to be still and know that He is ALWAYS there. Even when "I feel like caving in, my heart and soul are wearing thin. I just want to give up, and nothing seems to add up. Can you hear me Lord, my face is down upon the floor. It's then you whisper in my ear, be still and know I'm here."

After the burden was lifted, the flesh wonders, He's here, but what what if I'm by myself in this stand for Christ? What if the crowd is against me? "All I Need Is You" [Hillsong United] begins to play. The title says exactly what God is trying to tell us, even if your very best friend leaves you, all we really need is Him if you want to be honest. All that's going to last in the end is what we do for Christ. So continue on boldly, knowing that He's all you need.

Then, as usual, that enemy of ours [satan] begins to fatigue us and we start to feel unloved. Just then, Starfield's "Love Is Here" begins to play and it reminds me that NOTHING can separate me from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

And finally, after getting all the necessary tools to take on this walk, Starfield hits back again with "I Will Go." The Gospel of Christ isn't something that we selfishly hoard to ourselves. It is meant to share, which is why He commanded the disciples to "be His witnesses in Judea, Samaria and the uttermost parts of the Earth."

This is a charge we are called to keep, and I pray that it encourages you because it sure did that for me. Whenever you're feeling unloved, overlooked, or whatever, just look up. Hide His words in your hearts and you'll know the correct remedy to cure your broken heart.

He loves you, that's why He paid the price for you.

Please, pursue the heart, mind, and humility of Jesus Christ. Be encouraged.

Until next time...