The Gift: The of Salvation of Jesus Christ
I’m excited to be on @DeVonFranklin ‘s book launch team for #TheHollywoodCommandments – Check it out at http://devonfranklin.com/the-hollywood-commandments/
Read it and Pre-order. He’s extremely insightful.
Increase your self awareness. Where your path is filled with darkness, pray for God to Light your way.
I can’t wait to read ” #TheHollywoodCommandments : A Spiritual Guide to Secular Success ” by @DeVonFranklin –
It’s not that you acted out of character. A time presented itself, and you just fell off the wagon. You committed the effort to improve, progress, and become stronger. But during one precise moment, your defenses were down.
Being challenged in a group forum versus one-on-one will trigger different emotions. Confronted and surprised with reactions unfamiliar will trigger emotions.
We always say we have Faith and Belief. Actually, what are Faith and Belief? When it happens, trust me, you’ll know it. And the experience will be unlike any other etched into your memory and soul forever. You’ll never forget the moment or the event that triggered things into motion.
This piece of writing is probably one of the most influential blogs that I’ve written or will ever write. The experience will lead you down a road of events and experiences yet to come. Once you know, you can’t unknow.
We always hear when a family member, acquaintance, or friends of friends are sick, have been in a serious accident, etc., “Will you pray for us?” “Will you pray for me?” Our response, “Prayers going up, Blessings coming down.” “Done.” “My prayers are with you.” We see this over and over on social media. However, at that moment, deep within our soul and being, are we sure we have faith and belief or are we just on auto-pilot? Are we responding blindly?
That’s okay. In your lifetime, you’ll have a chance to test that theory. For example, you’ve experienced a trauma of some kind, indirectly from another source. You are vulnerable to a degree so extensive that the only way out is to pray to God to handle the situation. The moment you pray, the exact second, God hears. And you leave the heaviness there with Him, knowing he will take care of it because He’s the only one who can.
Several hours later, you notice small subtleties occurring, which are opposite of what happened previously. The observation is like a whisper or a glance. You turn your attention to the happenstance, but quickly turn your attention away.
Your prayer results will be more obvious the next day. They will be on your face. You’re stunned; how can this be? You’re in awe. The unimaginable is what happens when God doesn’t need your help. Your impossible is what happens when you’re selfless, and you give of yourself. God responds with swiftness.
“If you can?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Mark 9:23
Having faith and belief seem like an easy thing to do, and it’s obtainable. If those acts were so easy, then why aren’t most of us doing it? Challenge your thoughts. We say we have faith and belief, but do we? Practice understanding, and repeat until it isn’t anymore.
Keep calm and focus on your future, because it’s waiting for you.
Did you feel you’re always in a constant battle? According to Romans 7:14 – 22, we are. The state of human beings is often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit. This power is why mastering your emotions, just one day at a time or better yet, one moment at a time, is key. Think about it. When you’re triggered to act negatively, do you consider the right way first? Or do you decide on the unsettling action simply because you have decided the negative reaction is the better approach? Maybe you’re trying to prove a point, which is pride. It’s hard because we are moved and shaped by what others think of us and by rumors circling. Pride keeps us in the downward spiral of the abyss. Although your prideful reaction is warranted, how cool is it to master it and rise above it? Now, that’s powerful. Any habit takes the time to cultivate. Try distracting yourself with something you love to do. I used to plant trees. Unfortunately, I’ve run out of space.
I’ve been reflecting on a sermon I heard last week relating to the verse below. Some teachers are very gifted in articulating a message. Different time and places also change your susceptibility to the message.
“The human spirit can endure in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear?” Book of Proverbs.
I reflected on this verse over and over. Then, the words began resonating within me. “Resonated how?” you might ask. I equated the crushed the spirit to the following character traits: worrier, passive-aggressive, self-conscious, anxious, stressed out, etc.
On the other hand, I saw endurance as blind faith. No matter what happens, you will keep moving forward. Also, your belief is so strong that even during turmoil you start every day aware of the possibilities that await you.
Before last week, I would pray to God that He remove me from my problems. That’s what I thought faith was. However, that’s not always the solution or God’s intention. There are times when His intention is not to move the mountain. Still, I prayed for what I wanted expecting that God would do as I pleased. When this happens, what will you do? Most of us would fold; if you do, that’s perfectly fine. Retreat and hide away. The negative self-talk has been triggered. You think nothing good could come of this situation. This is the end. What did I do wrong? Surely, this has to be my fault. Why do I have to suffer? We usually over-dramatize our own problems.
Let’s think about it for a moment. What if, instead, His intention were to climb, go around, or move the mountain with you? God joins you and meets you exactly where you are, providing the support and power you need to overcome your problems. When that happens, the spirit can endure the situation. The situation is no longer a strife. You walk firmly through the storm until it blows over. I believe God is always interceding on our behalf regardless of our being unaware of it.
Whatever is meant for you, you will go through. The train has left the station, and all you have to do is ride it until the doors open to something for you. There’s no need to worry along the ride when you have the most powerful passenger traveling with you. There are always small opportunities among the larger perceived opportunities. Just keep walking and do your best to ignore the distractions along the way.
Reflecting on a scuba diving trip in Thailand several years ago, I remember it like it was yesterday. The vivid memories are probably due to the profound experiences and what my eyes were able to capture, which was nothing but spectacular. When you reach that moment, you immediately remember that God is here.
For many reasons, the events of this trip, from the most significant to the scariest, have lessons.
I will cover the most frightening event first. I traveled to Thailand the second week of May, and the monsoon moved in a little early. If you’re a scuba diver in Thailand, one of the most beautiful places to dive, you’re scuba diving regardless of the weather. If possible. And it was possible.
The first lesson, become aware of surroundings. You notice, wow, it’s noon, and a ton of boats are all over. Well, it’s noon. There should be a ton of boats. Maybe our boat is just late. At every stop, there were boats before us, and upon arising from the dive, we were the sole boats left.
All is fine as 4 p.m. approaches. You look at the sky and notice dark clouds moving in. You’ve observed the clouds for the past two days around this time. Then you look at the ocean water. The beautiful glass of green and blue is now dark gray. The calm water has turned to fury. You’re on your last diving trip for the vacation, and your spouse asks you, “Are we jumping in that? We’re in the middle of the ocean, and the waves are insane.” You look at him with a blank stare, confused and, you must admit, a little nervous. The dive master throws out the line, and he says, “As soon as you and your buddy enter the water, grab the line and immediately ‘Go Under.’ It’s calm the lower you descend. I’ll meet you at the bottom.” Again your spouse asks you, “Are we doing this?” You say, “Yes! Let’s Go Under. Thailand is an unbelievable place to dive; it took us 20 hours to travel.”
We jump and go under. The waves are crashing and pounding against and over us. We prepare and immediately descend together.
Once we’re underneath, close to the bottom, the water is calm, and my eyes are in awe of all the beauty that resides below the surface. The current is a little strong even at the bottom, but it’s manageable. Then, I observed a small school of twenty fish swaying along the current, left and right. They were not moving; they were just effortlessly floating. I perceived the lesson in this was that instead of fighting the current, you must use it for your benefit. The clown fish, large clams, and schools of fish all seem to understand this concept.
The lessons are:
This is one of my favorite verses of all time:
“Call to me, and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”
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