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

Moving Forward

Just received the final track of a mastering project today. In fact it a track I produced and J did a great job on the mix. While in my project studio I also started making church music tracks in my singing keys. I got so spoiled singing with my sister Bridget all these years. (Her music memory and talent are ridiculous.) Really my desire to do music returned in WV when i actually got some time to pay attention to it and forgot what I love to do and God called me to do in my teen years. Being a workaholic I have been working on my focus and setting and meeting deadlines in a reasonable time. As I listen to this track I think of my friend Juan and what we started in the early 90s musically. I'm now working with his cousin and another friend closely with a bright future ahead of us doing what I planned to do with my life in the first place. It's called full circle you get off of track trying to please others and live an image who is not who you are at all. I know I need to reintroduce myself to many people who have been in my life at one time or another. Even with the struggles and complications life is starting to feel right again. Like I always say it rains on the just and the unjust and we all get wet but what will you do? I choose to do what I always wanted to with my life music, ministry, a family and preparing the next generation to pick up the baton. Funny even when my dad returned I wasn't thinking about none of that just sat in the valley of decision about my life. Did I even want it. Serious. You know your weaknesses and you don't need reminders. Now it doesn't matter. I needed to find my initial connection again. The ten year old mesmerized by that puppeteer who talked about the light. The teenager who heard God's voice and refused to go down that path. The man who was at his ropes end and found friends and a life changing experience at Bible College in Columbus, Ohio. I had lost that. My drive aggressiveness and determination I had. My care and zest for life itself. As I open my mastering software and see myself now here I know it's a new beginning for me and a changed attitude toward things I took for granted and dishonored with my stubbornness. I learned when you harden your heart it is not selective. It becomes hard toward everything. I remember sitting in the second row front left at The International House of Prayer in the midst of prayer and worship asking God to soften my heart again. I had hardened it in a attempt to protect myself from the hurt, rejection and anger I felt for a lifetime. He did. Now I'm here finding again who I once was.

Ouch.

For those who know me this year began with a commitment to work on myself. I was asking God some serious questions about what I'm going through and why things haven't moved along in some areas. "Remember when I told you to do ______ and you did _______ instead." Those words hit me like a cosmic slap but it was the truth from the one who love me the most. God. Yeah I remembered like crystal clear. My stubbornness. Yeah I'm admitting it to the world. I WAS STUBBORN!!!! Of course I tried to move and do something that wasn't the will of God hurting people and creating false expectations all because I wanted to disobey. Really I was like one of those spoiled kids you see in the mall when their parents say no to a toy they feel they NEED. Yeah I'm telling the all knowing God that's not what I need in my life. (Yeah I do feel a little dumb in retrospect but that's only a feeling not fact.) My mouth and confessions drove the promise away from me as well. (Remember the blog about eating humble pie.) I had my life planned out just for God to say no when I said I'm moving on to something else. Yeah right. So I'm crying, repenting, etc. but i realize now I have to obey. I have been obeying until it hurts. Why? Because it needs to be developed in me and since I waited. Welcome to the crash course spiritual summer school edition. God has got me at a place where I can't do anything at all if I wanted to. It' like I went hardcore in the gym and feel so sore but I know it's a good soreness. I tried to avoid the process but that process is what makes you ready for the promise. God wants us totally dependent on Him. A song God gave me years ago rings true and has been the soundtrack of my life. (I guess God was trying to tell me something back then.) "Thy Will Be Done". Why? You can't have your cake and eat it too. You can't keep running away like the Pharcyde. You can't give in to foolish pride and lose the things God has told you are necessary to be in your life. Learn this lesson from me that obedience is better than sacrifice. Shalom.