Nov. 30, 2008

There are times in your life that require action. Words only said but not acted on fall to the ground. There is a time when what you do speaks volumes over what you say. There are those who use speech to bind you and restrict your action while their actions are not a reflection of what they are directing. Jesus summed the up his ministry in two words...follow me. The problem is that today people who tell you to follow them aren't doing what Jesus did. Jesus said He did not do what He didn't see the Father do. Most people want you to follow a doctrine or legislation that is not Christ (but conveniently packaged as such). It stifles the God given giftings and callings of your life and reduces it to the perspective of what they believe God will do with the mantle on your life. God gives us glimpses and people with their own perception try to fill in the blanks and play Holy Spirit. I refuse to be captive to any idea and mandate based in pride again. We say what God is doing in the earth, elections, lives, countries and churches filled with pride because we were a vessel God spoke through before to give His truth. We are trying to advance our lives, country, finances, etc. while God is only advancing His kingdom. We need to all step back and stare into the mirror of the Word of God and check our own hearts and see what we are excusing while we try to reach for a speck while blinded by our own log.

Are We Missing It All?

When did the life of a Christian stop being about Christ in you the hope of glory and tied around events and happenings. We have seemed to put dying to ourselves daily and letting Christ live in us on the back burner. Don't get me wrong we pray it all the time but we don't do it. We forget and revert and not do what God wants.

James 1:22-27(NLT)
"22 And remember, it is a message to obey, not just to listen to. If you don't obey, you are only fooling yourself. 23 For if you just listen and don't obey, it is like looking at your face in a mirror but doing nothing to improve your appearance. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you keep looking steadily into God's perfect law – the law that sets you free – and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. 26 If you claim to be religious but don't control your tongue, you are just fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. 27 Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us."

We've forgotten that if action is not applied and discipline (empowered by the Holy Spirit of course) we only have a form of godliness and we forget what it was God wanted to fix in our lives. When we get away from God's Word and start getting into traditions (things we do ritually and the way we've always done something) and church as usual we end up dry and stale. Growth comes from doing the things God says. I know a lot of people who can say the right things but the actions of their character and heart show another. In Acts Jesus told us to be witnesses . One church was so much like Jesus they started ridiculing them by calling them Christians and Paul said don't be ashamed to wear that name.
When was the last time anybody teased us for being like Christ? My point exactly. When have our personal actions stirred up the Pharisees in our modern church? My point exactly. We have put the emphasis on events and not people. We have forgotten John 3:16 and we are trying to orchestrate a move of God without his primary objective which is souls. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. The lost definitely don't come to us no more because statistically with divorce, children out of wed lock and many other issues we kind of look the same overall. What they need is the uncompromising church that will live what it preaches and is their brother's keeper. The gospel is designed to be lived not only preached. We are so into building a church organization when the church is the people. God is building His church with living stones. Get out of your pew and live it for those around you. You will be the only Jesus some people will ever see. What do they think of Him because of you?

-Shamik

The Day After...

I'm going to be blunt and honest. The gospel of Christ is not hatred of people. Whether you agree or disagree with who won is not the issue. When people start saying things that are just evil and ungodly to one another that's where i personally draw the line.

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; 19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak." Eph 6:12-20

Our business as Christians is to spread the gospel. God has the ability to change people's hearts. My Pastor in NY used to go out 5 days a week to preach the gospel to masses. I see now by not even wanting to go that even I had lost touch with what the church was here to do. We gather to ourselves and don't go out and wonder why things are different in real life instead of what's in the world we created in our minds. We can't effect change for Christ if the world doesn't see a difference. I always believe God is always in control and has everything in His hand. I voted. I'm done. I am first and foremost a citizen of heaven reaching people for eternity one heart at a time. If God rules hearts even what the law dictates won't matter. The righteous will be righteous and all will not follow God. Is my life and actions bringing glory to God or show Him to be something He really is not? People are watching you today to see how God reacts. Jesus never lost His cool even headed for the cross. He knew who was in control no matter what anything looked like. Things must happen for the end to come and to not be prepared is a mistake. Pick up a Bible and find out for yourself what he says. Pray not because we need to but do it because that's what God wanted us doing all along. Don't be moved by so-called circumstances but overcome by the Word of God. Don't be moved by the temporal but be inspired by the eternal.

-Shamik

Happiness

We often attribute our happiness to things around us. We like the way someone makes me feel. If somebody doesn't notice something we changed we get bent out of shape. We look to external things to bring us happiness and joy. A major place people try to fulfill their personal happiness is in romantic relationships. When I lived in Columbus I though I knew what was up. I find as I mature that I was so clueless to the dynamics of a relationship and had a bunch of false expectations. One was that the other person would make me happy. Then after that God didn't let me have relationships because I had to deal with my own heart and issues i swept under the rug. One of the lessons I learned (the hard way) is that no body else is responsible for my happiness. A real relationship will be tested and you can't depend on anyone else to keep you happy or motivated during the "hard" times. You have to find the strength from God and choose no matter what I will be happy. I will love despite. (We act like we don't do things that irritate and annoy. We all have things that need work). The problem (especially mine in the past) was that we focused on ourselves instead of letting the way God says we should approach thing take precedence. Love is patient, kind, does not envy and so on (Check 1 Cor. 13). We need to love Him and be so close to Him that we learn to love others. Our relationship will also teach us how to express our love properly. (This lesson I am personally learning now.) Intimacy removes the fear of the unknown. Fear is due to us focusing on our own shortcomings, insecurity and possibility of rejection. I learned that the seed of rejection doesn't like to go away easy and tries to hinder and destroy what God wants. We must let God deal with those things (surgery gets messy) and be free to have healthy and happy relationships.

-Shamik

Proving Grounds

We often go through life seeking for things on the exterior to prove what we have accomplished, learned and or experienced. The more you study human just in general most of your peers hardly ever accept anything you say or do. It's a fact. Usually when God changes and something in my life or moves me to something new the majority of people I lose in my life are friends and peers. This may birth an attitude steaming from that becoming an offense. I'll do this, get this, learn this and it will prove either I'm right or my point. This is a trap of the enemy we all may fallen into. First and foremost our approval should come from God and what he says about us. People's opinions about us change like the weather. Someone who sings your praise the next day will be gossiping about your ignorance the next. Our true proving grounds should be the mirror of the word not knowledge, accomplishments, accolades or reputation. Christ being formed in us is God's plan. His character and nature being live through us as an example to man kind manifested so that men could see the Lord in us and be drawn to Him is His purpose. Children have taught me how to spot a fake because they know. Jesse Duplantis said something years ago that I live by> He said you don't have to agree with what I preach but I do. I have to live what I preach. Children look to see if you're as good as your word. If your word is no good then you're no good. Listen to what people say then see if it matches what they do. If they are not genuine you will see an inconsistency because they are trying to get the upper hand by telling you anything. Sometime it's good just to practice to be silent. I love to read the Word of God and sit a meditate on it. I've learned to only share what He wants me to share and that it doesn't matter what people think i know or don't know. Maturity is having the ability to do something but having the wisdom to know when or not to use that ability. Mature musician could play circles around people but instead they are tasteful. Unless the music calls for it they won't release like gangbusters. When our approval come from God we won't play Holy Spirit Jr. (got that from Mike Murdock). We will be confident to let Holy Spirit complete the work He is doing in someone else. Listen, watch and pray and God will show you who is in your life and why. God will give opportunities for things to manifest and in the end since your confidence is in God you will be mature enough to love and accept and not condemn.

God bless,
Shamik

The Art of Christianease

Here are some of the following clues to see if you are suffering from Christianease.
It easy to fall into. It's just habit forming. Lol.


Instead of saying hello you say...
"Praise the Lord."

When you don't want to do something instead of saying no you say...
"I'll pray about it."

You use the excuse of the need of knowing about something to intercede to gossip

You're offended by anything non "churchy"

Your church lingo has caused problems with communicating with the average person

You condemn people for sins Jesus already payed for

Your co-workers have no clue who "the enemy" is but smile and act like they do

You want the whole Christian world to run on your perspective

You never follow through with anything you say you're gonna do.

You think technology is of the devil

Instead of developing integrity and character you just rather be "rapture ready"

You follow your, your church's or your denomination's doctrine over the Bible

These are a few symptoms but these can be cured by having a real relationship with Jesus and reading the bible for yourself.

-Shamik

Deep Calls To Deep

A problem I experienced in church is the need for people to impose their individual experience with God on someone else or feel that people are dealt with by God as a collective. But the true essence of maturity is being able to let God be first in someone else's life without trying to dictate or interpret what it means. God deals with issues we don't share even with our close friends. Calls and things we are running from nobody even has a clue about. It's a disservice to limit God's sovereign move to out limited mindsets as men. We judge based on what we feel and our experience yet the Bible is the standard. Two men on earth don't even have the same experience yet in the "vanity of our mind" we want to play "Holy Spirit" with others lives. Without humility true and powerful ministry will never surface. You can move in the miraculous and prophesy but your heart will determine if it will last or if you will be one of the ones Jesus says I never knew you to. I used to get frustrated with people "polishing armor" (trying to correct doctrine in another believer when they should be disciplining a new believer) instead of growing the kingdom and training those new to the faith. The debates proved useless, caused strife and division and showed a lack of maturity by all parties. Today I can care less what anybody else does I want to do what God purposed for me before the foundation of the earth. I was touched in Lakeland and changed and returning to business as usual is impossible. If people can't receive me a God says I am in ministry and life I guess we will be parting ways like Paul and Silas. Enough talk and self kingdom building within God's kingdom. You're either for God (Yahweh) or not. I can't decide or determine that for anyone but myself.

-Shamik