Taking the Foot Out of Your Mouth

There are many things in your life you regret saying doing or not doing. For me I fought the will of God for my life. You'd figured I'd learn by now. No. There is something about the times in my life when I deeply hurt. I ask God to show me what I did. Of course I forgot. I had been hard on myself for years but now I just know it will help me get to my goal of being honest, especially with myself. One year after a conference I just said forget it and detached. When I detach it's pretty much useless to try to convince me of anything because in my heart "I'm gone." I even told somebody "You won't see me again." I don't make threats and meant every word. I've always been the type of person that hates people in my business and also hate people asking others about somebody instead of the person. This leads to assumption. Basically I acted, then froze because of fear and when I couldn't tell the truth I just said forget it. That's a condensed version. Then I went to North Carolina went off and the moped in Columbus at Mark's house for about a week. Basically got back into gaming, purchased a PSP and 5 games and basically said I'll just handle this my way by walking away, forever. God has been making me be honest and apologize to people lately and when this situation came to mind it was like opening a wound that never healed which this situation was just the tearing open a wound of past issues. Knowing that now I really think I was stupid. There really was no justification for my actions. I remember Mark had sent me the demo of "Revived" and I was in the room and it touched me and the Lord visited me in that hotel room. Told me I wouldn't be able to fix it, to apologize and that the week would get worse (for me) anyway. It did and I had to stand because I had not choice. Basically I used to let people think what they wanted if they weren't close and even lie to cement the facade. (Told you God had a lot to work on in me.) I think it was the most painful week of eating "humble pie" in my life because I had to be quiet like Jesus and take it. Dying to yourself hurts but when you are dead you feel nothing. Oh yeah I didn't learn then and had kept the facade going until a couple of years ago (but that's another blog). I laugh while writing this because that person seems so distant from me now. I really have nothing to prove in Christ but was caught in a religious, judgmental mindset that was given than the fact we believe on Jesus and he is our righteousness. I can't tell you where you're at. I just know the sooner you take the foot out of your mouth the sooner you can speak the Word of God and deliverance will come. I can share this now because the truth of the Word has set me free. What I though was keeping it real, east coast, NY to the fullest was not what God designed for me. Back then maybe only Mark, George, Adrian, Freddy, Leon, Harold and some of my family knew the real Shamik. The rest saw a show. The walls you put up keep everyone out including God. When you allow those walls to fall and let people see you as God created you there is a freedom that nobody can take. Fear cannot stop you because you know who He says you are. The need to perform has ceased. I pray that you don't let circumstance, your past, hardship or anything else keep you from what God's wants. I spent a few years in the pig pen feasting on scraps until I came to my senses. All to end up back where I started to do what God said in the first place. A wise man Ronnie Harrison said the only thing between you and failure is an altar. I know what he means now.

At Some Point...

You realize you may have been as wrong as those who hurt you.

Here' s a slice of "humble pie".

At Some Point...

You have to face reality in the face and embrace the truth.

You have to step away emotionally to see what's really going on.

You must embrace the steps God had ordered for you.

You must realize that letting go is the beginning of healing.

You must let go of the past to be free and embrace His will to fulfill your destiny.

You must believe on Jesus and stop believing for things.

At Some Point...

You have to realize most people will do what they always do whether they complain, preach or campaign for change.

Those who change with action and lifestyle will be belittled, scrutinized, ridiculed and written off…until they are successful and then they will be geniuses and pioneers.

Just saying.™

Stay Focused On God

The thing about when God tells you something is going to happen it never happens the way you envision it. Why? Because Go know the beginning from the end and you are going through the journey. The perspectives are totally different. I really am not one to doubt anything God tells me but now I have gone another step to not question the process and obey at every step. The temptation to explain why something is happening or do something because "I know what God told me" is gone ever since in WV I let God work it out. I knew it was coming but when things happened I had not even considered the ways God did. We must trust and follow him. We need to be in His presence not to just get what we need but to honor and worship Him. To be instructed by Him just for this day. The solution never comes from from an outer source, just the confirmation.

Hebrews 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors at many different times and in many different ways through the prophets.
2 In these last days he has spoken to us through his Son. God made his Son responsible for everything. His Son is the one through whom God made the universe.(GWT)

Christianease has made a falsehood that we must guide others a certain way. The truth is when dealing outside ourselves (Especially in leadership) we must be sensitive to God's spirit on how to correct and handle people. We are not guiding them but Holy Spirit is the one leading them to the place He created them to be. Christianease has made it acceptable to impose what Go has placed in our hearts for us on others. This does not anger me anymore. It grieves me now. Assumption is a tool of the devil. You cannot go by what you know in the things of God. You must be led by His spirit and guided by His Word. Not who said it and that this person endorses it. The selfish approach to Christianity is for many years has sustained many things God didn't instruct us to do. It's not always what is said and done, it is in the spirit of what things are said and done. God had to show me myself in the mirror of the Word. The perspective and motive you pick up the Word in will be reflected spiritually. We can deceive ourselves believing we are just helping others. After the Lord showed me this I'm so careful in my day to day even what I say to friends as far as advice. Most times if God tells me to not say anything I just pray God's will for them and the Word for their situation. Subtlety is a weapon the adversary uses and we can get off on a tangent so easy. We need to stay focused on what the Lord told us to do.

Regaining Focus

I'm really starting to realize that my frustration my whole life has been that the Christianity that I read and studied about in the Bible I have not seen with my eyes on a consistent basis (including myself). What I'm really upset about is that it seems the majority of Christians are not even trying to reach for the Biblical standard of Christianity. The Holy Spirit empowers us to walk this walk but it takes yielding to Him and spending time in the Word and in prayer to become sensitive to His voice and learn what God's standards for living are. Ministry wise what I've run into my whole life is pride and unteachable spirits. Point blank everybody has to prove what they know and not be outdone by you. It's copied from people instead of seeking God and finding out what his Word means from the source. To some people it's a hustle to make a living. What I've learned and began to exercise is an investment into people to see them transformed into God's image. The core of Christianity is the giving of Christ to bridge a relationship to man when sin was separating us from Him. For us it's the giving of ourselves to the Word and to others so they can see Christ in our lives and be transformed seeing his love and compassion and way of doing things. They should see our relationship with God because it is so effecting our lives making such a difference that we stand out to them. It is causing us to love and forgive those who they would cut off. Our reactions and love are not conditional but like God's because we are letting His agape love flow through us. Not the power struggle and the accusing of the brethren we have. Not the disrespect of authority and thinking we will be blessed and justified we have today. Our preachers are not our standard but the Word of God is. We stand for God. God hates sin not people. He sent His Son to separate sin from the people through the free gift of Eternal Life. Instead of seeing a person as an obstacle you need to see them as a person Jesus died for. What have you shown Jesus to be today in their lives? Christianity is not supposed to be caught up in itself but concerned for others even those growing in the faith. People care about services and entity but forget that the church is not an institution. It may be legally , but Biblically it is a people. The selfish nature of sin in our society has been influencing us to make a self centered gospel that is not found in the Bible. Our distorted perceptions has helped twist the Word of God to something He never meant it to be. May we start to take up our crosses daily again and see the big picture. I know what God expects and wants in His church "but I still haven't found what I'm looking for." All creation groans for it.

The Day It Becomes A Part of You

When learning an instrument the beginning is a struggle. You are not sure what is what. You have to learn the language and your body has to learn the mechanics. You work and work. Many people settle for lower levels of skill or if the ability serves what they need to do but there is more. If you continue to press and challenge yourself there comes the day when it clicks. What you have practiced and labored through finally becomes natural. The place where others around you take notice. You have honored the God given gift placed on your life and not just dabbled with it. When I play an instrument today there is natural flow like it's always been apart of me but that's something I never take for granted. I still challenge and refine what I have and teach others to do the same. It's the same with your Christian walk. You stumble and learn. You go through and grow then comes "when the Word becomes flesh and dwells among you." When Christ has been formed in a area and you can walk it out naturally. The scripture comes alive and it's no longer cliche or words uttered toward you. Logos has become Rhema. That is where others who are happy to settle for lower levels say that's too much. No it's just the beginning. The Word has shaped and formed you into the image of Christ. Others let the world around them frame them or religious rhetoric, even Christianese but you let the Word of God be your foundation and standard and have waited for the day it becomes a part of you not only something you do."Walk it out" my brother and sisters. God bless.