Praying for Peace

Hey ya'll, listen up...I've been praying for some things for the past couple, no the past year and God told me that He was going to manifest His word in my life. He told me that He was going to answer my prayers. Let me get one thing straight before I continue, I'm not praying for a new car or a new house. I'm not praying for a spouse or anything material like that. My prayer is for peace in the midst of the storm. It seems like a whole lot of "stuff" is jumping off all over the place and I'm usually one that will have a negative reaction so over the course of the last few months, I've come to realize that I needed to seek for God's peace.

The past couple weeks have made me come to realize that circumstances are going to continually keep coming my way. Jesus said it best when he said in His word, "in this world you will have tribulations but be of good cheer because I've already overcome the world." (John 16:33)

May the peace of God keep your heart and mind this day!!!

Keepin' It Real

I stand before you today - to help YOU find your way

To live this thang called life and be empowered by its strife

But I don't expect you to feel like I feel; becuz you can't without Keepin' It Real!

It's not just another cute cliché'; but its that authority in the words you say

Knowledge is power! - yet you remain powerless
You go to church by force - but my God ain't pressed

You claim "hmm, I ain't neva scared; but you fear everything
You wait on someone else before you'll dance, shout or sing!

Let me help you out - the Bible states "wisdom is the principle thing"
But how would you know? That's what studying would bring

The very thing eatin' at you, that you don't care to share
Could be my very key to FREEDOM; but why would you care

Playin' dumb is just as bad as not knowin' for real
But you'll talk about somebody else knowin' you have the same deal

So let me holla at you for a sec - and yes, you can holla back
Backbiting is for wussies and being a fake is whack

The "Truth shall make you free" - ain't some booty appeal
It's just a Jesus sayin' , "You know what I'm sayin' -

HOW 'BOUT KEEPIN IT REAL!!!

You never know...you may just help somebody, including yourself!!!

Getting to the Real You

We are destined for greatness, no doubt! However, it’s important to get in right alignment so that we can handle the blessing that is about to manifest. What good is it if the blessing ends up being a curse because we were too immature to handle it? It’s important to understand in this season that we have to deal with the ugly stuff that we’ve been afraid to deal with. When you think about it, it’s not all that bad BUT it is very uncomfortable dealing with “issues” from within. I’m talking about those things that we dare to discuss with one another. Those issues that if your best friend really knew what was on your mind or what it was that was keeping you locked up, would just sit in awe because they never would have imagined the pressure that you were under.

You may not struggle with my issue but you’ve got issues, I know that much! For some, you may deal with the fear of being abandoned, which keeps you going from one bad relationship to another. I don’t know where your issue is, but have you ever EVER taken your issue to the cross? I’m not trying to be deep, but we are spiritual beings 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and if we keep trying to handle our issues in our own strength, I’m here to tell you that we will continue to lose. In order for us to deal with our issues we need to join in agreement with one another and stop being plastic. Quit being fake with one another because although you may act like you’ve got it all together, WE know the real deal which is you’re struggling just like everybody else. Your issue may not be my issue but we all have our issues!

Deal with them and stop trying to perpetrate that everything is okay. For me, personally, I got hit with some issues that I really thought that I had dealt with but for some reason they keep popping up at the most inappropriate time! I don’t know about you but just when I sense that something great is getting ready to take place, here comes something from my childhood that says, “I’m back!!!!!!!” Feel me anyone? This is the kind of stuff that makes some folk give up because after having done all that you did to get to this “place” of utopia, you finally think that it’s over and then you get knocked right back down for another “round.”

BE ENCOURAGED! You may get knocked down but don’t let yourself counted out! You’re not alone because I’m in the same boat as you. This is why it’s important to seek God for His new mercies every morning because in order to survive, we can’t survive in our own strength. That’s what I’ve learned on this journey, I’ve been too strong! I was, subliminally, thinking that I was strong enough and didn’t need God the way I needed him previously! And I’m telling you, I was wrong. I need Him more today than I’ve ever needed Him before. The enemy is too crafty and will continue to try and deceive me into believing that it’s according to my strength. So I have to learn how to lean on God through these trying times and come to the ultimate understanding that there will never come a day or time when I won’t need the Lord! There won’t ever come a season in my life where I’m so strong that I can tell God to take a “chill pill.”

Just think about that…in order to be who God ordained you to be, you’ve got to face the REAL YOU on the inside.

Issues

It’s time to address some stuff that has been going on in my mind that I’ve been ignoring. It’s a part of the inner healing that we need to allow ourselves to go through. So many of us are walking around with un-addressed issues that continually keep us going in circles. Sometimes there is so much junk inside that you didn't know of that it is now time to come to the reality that everything that is going on in my life isn’t as it really appears to be. In so doing, stuff that I thought was gone or dealt with has re-surfaced for me to contend with yet again.

This place that I’m in is what I call a place of “Blind faith.” I cannot see my way through this mess but I know God is here with me because I hear His voice gently, softly speaking to me bidding me to keep coming closer to Him. The closer I get the more repentant I become on how disobedient I have been just to “save face” in front of people. At this point on the journey, I truly can see that I’m being delivered from people by the refiner’s fire that is consuming a lot of “excess” from my life. He’s exposing those around me that do me no good and have been sent to destroy me and keep me from walking into my destiny. I’m discovering that I still have a plethora of issues that I need to deal with in order to be who God has called me to be! I’m going to remain in the “fight” and face each and every issue NO MATTER THE CONSEQUENCES.

This isn’t something that is going to be accomplished in a day or two, this is something that will take consistent and persistent effort. Issues are just that, issues and they come in all different shapes and sizes. Just when you think you’ve gotten one issue taken care of, BAMM, you discover that you’ve 8 or 9 more have pierced through the surface. So, it is going to take patience and focus to endure the conflict that is going on within the soul at this time, but I think it’s well worth the effort. I think that I’m going to be a lot better off facing my fears now than I would be acting like everything is “A-okay!”

Where I am on this journey, it’s not about looking good in front of people. It’s about helping others to reach their destiny. It’s about helping others take a good look at the man in the mirror to discover who they really are! It’s about being content with me when no one else is looking. It’s about discovering the essence of what I was created for.

More to come…

It's Not Over

If you’re anything like me, you have moments when you feel as if you’re at a STAND STILL. A serious state of sordid stolidity that almost has you asking the question, “is it worth it all?” If it’s not you, then STOP, read no further. Check back next week for something a little more “saved by the bellish.” But for those who feel the same thing, we can’t allow ourselves to get caught up in the way things are appearing to manifest. You know why? Because looks are deceiving which mean that you cannot rely on what appears to be happening in your life as FACT. And then for some others, the facts may be just that, the facts. But I differ in that my perception refuses to accept a fact when it is in direct conflict to what my spirit is telling me.

Don’t allow your spirit to give in to the flesh when it tells you that trouble is going to stick around for a long time. Don’t do that to yourself. No matter how bad it looks, and yes, it does LOOK bad. You have to remember that it’s a look. It’s a feeling, and feelings come and go. Change your perspective TODAY! Don’t think about it. Just do it! Get out of your slumber and sleep. Stop complaining about the glass being half full; at least it’s not half empty! You know, we can find any and everything to complain about and when we do that, we allow the spirit of negativity to come in like a mighty flood and it consumes us. It consumes to the point to where we don’t even see that our whole outlook on life has changed.

Stop doing that to yourself. I know, on some occasions I’ve been guilty of having a pity party over something that really is a small thing. What a waste of time! I say that because, my pity party didn’t change the circumstances one bit. After I got finished complaining, I was still in the same condition I was in before, I just felt a lot worse. So, please take it from me. It’s not worth it. Life is too precious to let the day slip away moping about what could have been and what should have been. You still have breath in your body don’t you? Okay then…that means that there is still yet hope. As long as there is breath that tells me that you still have purpose and destiny. It may look like it’s over but it ain’t! It may feel like it’s over but it’s not! You may have been denied but I’m telling you, the last has not been told.

The darkest hour is just before the day! And you’re not dead yet which means that there is life still kicking around in your body. Put your mind to work and make that dream into a reality. Don’t let the present situation overwhelm you to the point to where you allow the enemy to steal your joy. Don’t let the enemy get away with that! He doesn’t have any power unless you give it to him. You may ask, “How do I give the enemy power?” You ignite his mission by speaking negativity into the atmosphere. I challenge you, in the midst of whatever it is that you are encountering to speak life! Say to yourself that it’s not over; it’s only just begun! You owe it to yourself and your children to fight until there is no breath in your body. Fight the fight of faith like never before because I guarantee you today, the victory is on the horizon!

Stay the Course

No matter what happens in life, everything you go through is for a reason. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted to give up. I’ve wanted to throw in the towel just because something that was planned didn’t go my way. This is NOT THE TIME TO GIVE UP! You’ve invested too much time and talent to just walk away. If you’re willing to stick it out, I can guarantee you that you will reap a profit. It may not be what you were expecting, but it’ll be more than what you put into it…that’s a guarantee! Take the time and embrace the struggle that you are going through. The sleepless nights and the long hours throughout the day will be much worth the effort when others begin to take “note!”

Remember, for many of you, that you’re still in hiding. People really don’t know what you are about to walk into! They have no clue that you’re the best-kept secret so STAY FOCUSED and make haste! Get all you can out of this experience. Rest now because it will be hard to rest when the masses finally discover you. Yes, push through this temporary discomfort because it is well worth the wait. You appreciate something much more when you’ve had to work for it. When things are just given to you, sometimes you won’t look with regard to the particular “thing.” So, remember this the next time you want to walk away. Remember that your efforts will pay off soon and very soon but you have to remain in the place of provision in order to reap the harvest!

The scripture says not to give up while doing well because when the time comes you will get what’s coming to you. Remember this because the circumstances may not change overnight and you still may have some trials and tribulations that continue to visit you. But if you can endure and keep standing, trust me when I tell you, YOU WILL REAP A BOUNTIFUL HARVEST! And the real thing about it is, not only you will benefit but the others that you’re connected too will benefit as well.

I keep telling you and I’ll continue so that you can get it in your spirit. The things you do affect the next three to four generations. I say that because we keep forgetting that our “quick” fixes aren’t really quick at all because our great-grandchildren are benefactors of our every action. So, stay the course! Be consistently consistent and with persistence and perseverance you will come through on top!

Don't think that I'm just talking to you. Today's blog is for me as well. Things have been so tight for the past few weeks that I've literally entertained thoughts of walking away from my destiny. Don't be tricked! It gets rough sometime which is why it's important to center yourself around people who understand who you are and know where you're headed. Because they will hold you accountable even when you don't want to be accountable. They will remind you when you want to forget about the promise over your life. I thank God for covenant relationships because I'm sure I would have messed up royally without them.

You owe it to yourself to stay the course so you can reap your reward!

It's Worth the Effort

If you endure the test, push through the trials and tribulations that are sure to come, you'll reap a harvest. I know, that's easier said than done. However, think about the children. Not just the children but YOUR children. Don't you want your children to be better off than you? You don't want them to have to deal with the same exact issues you've been dealing with throughout your lifetime, do you?

I don't want my children to deal with low self-esteem. I don't want them to have to contend with the spirit of intimidation. If your grandparents had your parents illegitimate, and your parents had you illegitimate then maybe you should strive to make sure the generational curse STOPS with you? Just something for you to think about.

This is why it's important to push through! Push through the spirit of poverty, push through the lust, push through the incestuous past, push past the economic hardship, push past your fears of loneliness, push past your feelings of being inadequate, for some of you, you need to push past your fatherless childhood and realize that only YOU can hold you back! No more excuses. Lay it on the table and rise to the occasion. There's a brighter day on the horizon, destiny and purpose is within your grasp. Reach out and grab hold because you've paid the price to walk in this dimension. You might as well enjoy it! Don't you think?

If not you, think of the next generation...

Push Through

Life has its ups and downs I know this quite well. As a matter of fact, right now I’d say that I’m going through a “down.” For those of you who have been keeping track of my blogs, many of you may notice how short they’ve become. That’s because I’ve been at the brink of giving up. It gets hard to STAND during certain periods of life and at times like this there are few words that one can say. I don’t even want to write this today BUT I received word that there are quite a few people who actually give a care and really rely on some of the things I say. It’s quite humbling and encouraging because some days… For those of you who have emailed me, thanks! You will never know what that has meant to me, especially during this trying time.

Someone might ask, why is it so trying? Well, my response is because although I may look like success, have a good job, have a quality education, be in good health and have a wonderful family, I still deal with feelings of being ineffective. While going through the motions of the day, the question in the back of my mind is “does anything that I’m doing now really matter?” It all goes back to the question that I wrote about a few months ago that I ask myself every morning, “when I die, will it matter that I was even born?” This is the driving force behind the “man,” Richard. This is what goes through my mind on a daily basis and if I don’t feel like I’m doing enough I begin to withdraw to see if there are other ways that I can be more effective in life.

Young people are my passion and yet I’m growing to a point that I don’t allow the passion to consume me to the point where I don’t know enjoy myself. I haven’t been this way always…there used to be times from sun-up to sun-down my only agenda was how I could make life better for others, especially young people. Now, I understand the importance of seeing the bigger picture. As much as I love everybody, the best way to help others is to make sure that I’m getting what I need in order to be the best ME that I can be. To do this, I have to push through the drama and the feelings of ineptitude. I have to push through the extra-curricular and see the way God sees! See that there is greatness on the inside of my being and if I’m patient (and this is exactly what I have to pray for, patience) and I hold my peace, I’ll see exactly what God has promised manifest!

I said all this in order to encourage you to hold your peace in spite of what things may appear to look like. Hold out and trust God to open up a way where there is NO way! He’ll do this and then some…but you have to believe it. It’s according to your belief so push through the drama and know that He that has begun a good work is faithful to complete it!

Bring It On!

No matter what comes your way. Learn to look obstacles in the face and welcome them instead of running from them. Obstacles come to make you stronger. Obstacles show you how strong you are. Invite trials and tribulations into your life. I know it seems weird to say that you need to invite them, but how else will you be able to see how much you've grown? It's amazing when I look back at the challenge and controversy that I've been faced with. I find it strange to remember that one thing that I just knew was going to "take me out!" As I reflect on the situation now, it seems like such a little thing. I can't even believe that I let it bother me as much as I did. So, I close today encouraging you to look adversity in the face and say, "Bring It On!"

DO YOU

It's important that YOU stay focused. There are so many distractions that are causing many to fall away from their purpose and destiny! Ask yourself when someone calls with gossip, if whatever they're talking about has anything, ANYTHING to do with where you're headed. The next time the phone rings for a "late night creep" ask yourself if the risk is worth the possible outcome.

I don't know about you, but I do realize that at times it gets hard to stay focused, but in order to go from "good" to "GREAT" it requires your undivided attention on nobody but yourself!!! Don't worry about the shortcomings of others. Don't get caught up in the gossip network! Do you! And in so doing, do the BEST on "you" that you can do!

Bad Connection

Galatians 6:7 says, “…whatever a man sows, that shall he also reap.”

I received an email yesterday from one of my close friends. In the email, this young man had typed a letter to a close friend informing her that he had to cut her off and couldn’t any longer talk to her anymore. They had started out being friends and then it developed into being lovers. The amazing thing about this is that this is the same young lady that he told me about a few months earlier that he knew he had to cut off. Wow, he had talked himself into believing, as we all do, that if he changed “this” or “that” he could still keep her around and just be “friends.” Whatever that means…

Bad soul ties are deadly and deceptive…because they lead you to believe that you need this person in your life…this person will distort your view of God and drive you further and further away from Him. Although he didn’t want to, my friend realized that God wasn’t going to change His mind regarding this situation. So, needless to say, with much apprehension, he broke the tie yesterday evening and realized that this was something so painful that only God could get him out of. You see, when you continue to sow into the flesh after God has provided the way of escape, the scripture tells us that you reap what you sow. So, only God can ease the pain that we have brought on ourselves through our disobedience. It doesn't break overnight...it can take months.

The word on the street now is she’s pregnant…go figure. Is it really that serious? A possible lifetime commitment? I ask you to ponder this thought, what example is being set for the next generation?

Let It Go

Over and over again God has been urging you to let go! Let go of what? Let go of whom? Only you can say what your hold up is in walking in the destiny that God has ordained for you to walk in. I urge you; if it’s a person…can that person provide for you the same type of security that the Lord can provide? Can that someone or something do for you what the Lord can do? Most definitely not! After the thrill is gone…you are still coming down from the mountaintop…but with the Lord, you never come down. I struggled for years with breaking ties…soul ties that is…and I finally got the strength and courage to cut off. It’s strange that we have to really contemplate cutting off something or someone who is keeping us from walking in the blessings of God. The reason for that is that we don’t see them as a hindrance but they are. They are a hindrance if there ever was one.

Remember in the book of Genesis, Abram didn’t see Lot as a hindrance to him walking in the land that God had ordained for him…he really didn’t. However, a little disobedience will cost you everything if you don’t wake up and ask yourself…what am I doing that God told me not to do? I can’t answer the question for you, but it would seem to me, if you’re still dealing with what you were dealing with a few months ago, that you would make a stand and say…NO MORE! The destiny that God has for you is too great for you to pass up! The destiny that God has for you is exceedingly and abundantly above all that you can ask or think…but…there is something blocking your ability to be obedient this is keeping you from walking in what God promised. There is something over your head that is keeping the blessings of God from being released over your life.

Take an inventory…find out what is hindering the blessings from coming. Your children are worth it, aren’t they? I don’t know about you, but I want everything that God has ordained for me, not for me…but because of the lives that are attached to my obedience. It’s not a selfish thing…it’s not about me…but about the corporate body of Christ! Have you ever thought that your disobedience is keeping real revival from breaking out in your church…at your place of business/work…at your school? Hmmm take a moment and think about it. Why not DO WHAT GOD’S BEEN CALLING YOU TO DO? How many more people will have to suffer because you’re worried about who finds out your business? How many lives won’t make it to their destiny because of your pride, jealousy, laziness…I could go on and on and on. Just something to think about!

Make the Process

To grow, you have to allow yourself to go through the pains of life properly. You can't get to the next level in comfort. It takes pain. It takes affliction. It takes criticism. It takes controversy. It takes persecution. It takes envy. It takes jealousy. It takes all of this and a whole lot more.

If some of the above is going on in your life, REJOICE! Understand what's taking place. Don't rebuke what's happening. Learn to embrace it as the vehicle to transport you to the next dimension. I know it's uncomfortable and for many you feel like you're being squeezed beyond measure but if you can just hold on and ride the wave, you'll see the "breaking of a new day" in just a little while.

For me, personally, I've had to realign myself with a new set of people. I've had to reset my priorities. I wanted to kick and scream through this process but last week I changed my posture and decided to MAKE THE PROCESS instead of letting the process make me! I didn't say I didn't get hurt, because I have. I didn't say that it was easy because it isn't. But what I had to do was remember what God spoke over my life years ago because He hasn't changed His mind. The things He promised me are still going to come to pass no matter how bad things may look.

If you don't know what God spoke over your life, I urge you to spend some time with Him. Get into His word and let the word of God awaken the spirit within you. The word of God will remind you that you are blessed and highly favored. The word of God will remind you that you don't have to take NO for an answer. The word of God will remind you that if God be for you WHO can be against you? Take some time today to remember who you are in the Lord.

This is a season where you have to MAKE IT HAPPEN. The promises over your life aren't going to just come...you're going to have to PUSH (Pray Until Something Happens). I just finished reading Juanita Bynum's book, The Threshing Floor, and I must say that it encouraged me to pray with more conviction and more authority knowing that my heavenly father hears my requests.

Wake Up and stop sitting on the sidelines as a wayward soul. Realize that you have a bright future no matter what others may think or say about you. Make the process don't let the process that you're going through make you!