Unforgiveness

The first thing unforgiveness changes is fellowship. Sin changes your fellowship with God until there is repentance. The same is when we don't forgive that fellowship with one another is cut off. Some of it is selfish we are angry that the person did it to us while at the same time we don't think about what we have done to others. We all throw each other under the bus and that will continue to happen as you live life. What God is concerned about is out reaction. He forgiven us for the unspeakable and He wants us to extend that unconditional forgiveness to others to show Him on the earth. Selfishness blinds you from the fact that it's not about you but it's about us reflecting Him so people can ultimately see Christ. Forgiveness isn't saying that the actions against you were right, it's about doing what God wants. When you hold something against someone you saying that offense is more important than what God's commandment is. God wants to see fellowship restored. That's why He sent Jesus to die for our sins isn't it?

Let's Just Be Honest (YPT)

I grew up in church in the late 80s and early 90s and sex was treated in Youth like the mystical I need to stay away from it until marriage thing. I really don't remember hearing about anything except for a few rare personal sessions. Basically we never learned how to relate to the opposite sex in church and without my dad around at that time it was like fill in the blanks for yourself. Needless to say i never developed the social skills for that until much later past the point I should of. As a youth Pastor i help out as much as I can not only Biblically but practically. Most things people figure out through various sources and each other. Not good at all. Boys who are clueless collecting data and coming up with our own conclusions? "Danger Will Robinson!" Those tactics with this generation are laughable. I had a youth come up to me talking about he "smashed" a girl he brought to church as a visitor (Won't go there today.). I couldn't even get to first base when I was his age. It quickly reminded me of the necessary issue we need to address with the absence of a parent. Let's be honest our parents train and have those talks with you. Never happened with me. Was I going to ask my mom? She's like the Terminator when a female gets within 10 feet of me now. I don't think so. (No offense if you're reading this mom.) The last things a teenage boy wants to do is ask his mom about relating to the opposite sex. Really until you learn to just be yourself and not be paralyzed by fear it gets better. Really I've had an ideal about relationships that was wrong but it took years. Years I wish i could have back. The point is we have a generation who needs to be taught and given examples of how to do it right. Once you lose your virginity it's gone. I hate hearing i wish i knew and still was a virgin like you. But it's something we as the Body of Christ have dropped the ball on. Women here in the North East use sex and pregnancy to try to trap a man. "If you love me." I heard that and said, " If you respected who i am and what I stand for why can't you wait until we're married and committed to each other?" Was it easy to do that? HECK NO. Did I always want to say it? HECK NO! It's easier to just put on the R&B and go for it. Why didn't I? I committed to God first, my wife second, kids third, ministry fourth and so on even before I walk down the aisle to give myself in covenant. We need to show what God has in mind and why they don't want to spread themselves around and regret it later. Not because they won't be forgiven, but we don't want the devil to have a stronghold to try to bring guilt, shame and hurt later. Their destiny is at stake and a child or wrong relationship can alter the path. They will reach what God has for them but we want them not to have to go through things that thay can be protected from. Let's make an effort to not write off our youth and to reach this generation. Thanks for reading.

-Shamik H. Jones

Thank You

I want to thank my friends and family who have helped me through this tough season in my life that I've gone through the last few years. Your love is appreciated and never will be forgotten.

-Shamik H. Jones

Should I?

A news story got me thinking about my childhood. Some people have never wanted to kill themselves. Some people never will in their life. Between the ages of 10-14 (I vaguely remember) I kept a suicide concoction in the fridge. It was made of household cleaners and other stuff. my mom would dump it. And I'd make a newer more lethal (in my mind) one. I used to stare at it for hours and think about the negatives in life and what I didn't have. Finally one day my mom threw it out and I never made one again. During that time many things happened including my mom busting into a bathroom I locked myself in to attempt an overdose. The cause was hopelessness. Growing up I was typically picked last. My siblings didn't want to take me anywhere because my mouth would start trouble which ended up in fights. I just felt rejected and unwanted. These things are thoughts we never take captive and they rule our lives true or not. They feel real to us. Then circumstance just seems to confirm what we think. We usually hide the real person and try to be what everybody wants and lose our identity. The frustration of being fake and accepted compounds this hurt. Soon I would develop talents and that became the focal point of many of my relationships. I would ask would I have these friends or relationships without these talents? People would laugh it off and avoid it but I had my answer. I believe Adrian was the first friend that I was close to as an adult who has nothing in common when it comes to my skills. That's part of what made Ohio huge in my life. My first real friends as an adult. These false insecurities have to be dealt with by what we confess over our lives and renewing our minds with the Word of God. Despair is no joke when you're trapped in it. It feels real. We need to be spirit led and sensitive to those around us. Good words can make a difference. Being there can make a difference. Small things add up and can change the path of somebody's life. Thanks for reading.

Psych

"Psych." reminds me of getting played during childhood because you feel for the trick. You got burnt and now was the brunt of the joke. I recently tweeted this thought and posted on my facebook "Do not let procrastination rob you of the blessings of obedience. Obey the voice of God quickly and see results." Do we psych ourselves out when try to things another way than instructed by God? I think so. Jonah psyched himself out and tried to go another way. It didn't work. He went through a whole bunch of hardship and still had to do what god said in the first place. Why do we get psyched out by let the thoughts and opinions of other people, the enemy or even ourselves "interpret" the clear instruction God has given us. Here's a few thoughts.

1. We want an easier way out.
I don't know about you but when life has been really hard sometimes I like to alleviate the pressure of the process. Who likes going through tough things in life? We like the up time not the times that develop our character or challenge us. We are psyching ourselves out because God will let the circumstances of our lives get us through that process anyway when all we had to do was lay it at His feet in the first place.

2. Pride
We want to save face and appear to be "spiritual" when are full of "dead mens bones" and God wants us not to only have presentation like the Pharisees but he also wants us "to have content" (as Dr. Grillo says). What's developed inside of us is far more important than how we look. This one will cause you not only to be psyched out but to fall hard.

3. We let offense dictate our decisions
Well God "they" are not listing to you. You told me this but "they" or "the circumstances" are not cooperating. Welcome to the real world. We psych ourselves out here but speaking death into the situation and not using the authority God gave us to posses the promise. Sometimes we do nothing and just let things go.

4. We want OUR way.
You reject what God wants because you know you going to have to "man up"and be responsible if you go down this path. We had our own path chosen and we think we're right. No we want what we want and not what we need. Psych! Are you smarter than the creator of the universe and you? That is self deception people. (I have fallen to this one the most.)

When we can't even honor and respect the instruction of the people God placed over us that we can see what make you think you're going to listen to God who you can't see. You need to start practicing obedience in the small things and renew the spirit of your mind until obedience becomes automatic. Obedience is vital to releasing the blessing of God in your life. One act of obedience can open a door that changes your life and connects you to what has been eluding you because of disobedience. Thanks for reading.

-Shamik