LOST

We have lost something that is critical, even life threatening to lose. We’ve lost something so vital that we must reclaim it immediately or suffer dier concequences. Allow me to explain.

By the time you were a teen, you no doubt had already begun your rightful pursuit of happiness; that is, happiness defined as gaining worldly positions and freedom from any adverse circumstance. But in this world, your ability to gain possessions and to provide freedom from conflict is based solely on the access you have to what you desire. If you have access to what you desire then you have the ability to ease the struggle of circumstances and provide happiness. If you do not have what you desire, you do not have freedom, happiness or access to any possessions there of. In this world, there is no peace with out possessing your hearts desire, even if your hearts only desire is peace.

And that’s what we’ve lost. This generation has lost TRUE PEACE. We barely even know it’s missing because we’ve become so accustomed to the only peace this world understands; the only peace we’ve been taught. We learned to be at ease only when we have all of the things we want and are not faced with any type of conflict or struggle.

Money, education, worldly status and opportunity lie at the root of what we know as peace; because these things determine if and how often we face conflict. For example, a person with a large income will not recognize the minor fluctuating gas prices, the rising expense of quality child care or the outstandingly high cost of college tuitions as conflict; however a person without income will see the same dilemmas as tumultuous situations threatening their home, children and their well being. Money has become the key factor in every person’s ability to provide peace for themselves, their family and all those connected to them.

But peace based on the amount of money you have at any given time is merely momentary peace because your present condition and the quality of the solution on the horizon (or lack there of) can change at any time. Circumstances will never permit this type of peace to be anything but temporary. Yet and still, many people have become so desperate to be free of the conflict that they resort to drastic and even unimaginable measures to gain what they've come to know as peace.

This type of peace was designed with the intension of forcing you to utter the most terrible phrase a person can ever say: “I’ll do anything to be free”. Once you have reached this point, nothing is beyond consideration to achieve what would supposedly make your life whole and provide peace. It’s at this point that a mother will sell her body to strande men for money to buy just a moment of what this world has dictated to her as peace. It's at this point that a young black teenager will murder another young black teenager in his own pursuit of possessions and status seeking this world’s version of peace. It’s at this point that a husband will divorce his spouse, walk away from his children and marry his work (or his co-worker) with the diluted intension of making life “better” searching for what this world has defined as peace. It’s at this point that people will drink enough alcohol to kill them or inject chemicals into their bloodstream if for no other reason,, to artificially acquire a momentary taste of this world’s version of peace. In fact, some individuals (especially men) are so proud they’ve vowed to “Get Rich or Dye Tryin’" in their pursuit of peace that they've tattooed that phrase on both arms. In this world Lotto has more devote, consistant, faithful followers than Jesus; many of whom are one-and-the-same willing to pledge their allegence to any God who can provide them with peace. Politicians embezzle public funds and even some so-called Christians “mishandle” church funds willing to do "anything" for this world’s version of peace. We have lost TRUE PEACE so we are left down here literally dying to get our hands on some of what the world has as a substitute.

The world’s version of peace is false. It is a fisade; it's a mirage But TRUE PEACE, is not gone, it’s only misplaced. It can be found. To find it, you just need to know where to look.

Peace is located in John 14:27. The verse says this:

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid”.

Jesus said, “MY peace I give to you”. Notice Jesus made no mention of conflict or circumstances. He makes no mention of possessions. Yet he said I’m leaving Peace with you.

Then Jesus explained that His peace is real; it’s not like the kind that the world gives. It’s not superficial, it’s not temporary and it’s not circumstantial. It’s unconditional. The peace Jesus gives is everlasting. Jesus said that with His kind of peace, your heart will never again need to be troubled or afraid.

So excactly what is the peace that Jesus gave us? It is revealed 2 chapters later endepthly in John 16:33:

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

Jesus said that in this world any sense of peace that you achieve will ultimately turn to tribulation. But in Him you have the source of REAL PEACE that will overcome the tribulation of this world. The world’s method of seeking an absence of conflict is a faulty pacifier for the peace in Jesus that exists even in the midst of conflict.

Abandon the world’s version of peace that you have come to understand. Instead, seek to obtain the peace that Christ gave you which surpasses understanding. Don’t allow circumstances and desires to determine your definition of peace. Regain the peace that was lost. Find the peace that is in Christ and then you’ve found true peace.

"Just Do It" Pt.II

I want to continue to encourage you with this simple message; what ever it is that you have found that you must do, JUST DO IT! With this subsequent piece, I want to emphasize that success is waiting for you to act. What ever you need, the answers you are praying for are all accessed once you proceed to do what you are supposed to do. I want to be clear that this is not just an idea, but also a bible principal.


Look at John 2:1-10. This is the first miracle of Jesus’ ministry, turning water into wine. Mary, mother of Jesus, had been invited to a wedding. Jesus and his brethren were also invited. The situation arose where the wine had run out. This was more than merely embarrassing. At a wedding, this was an all-out disaster. No-doubt the entire party would soon be aware that the wine had run out. Wine is a symbol of fellowship; maybe guest would consider this a sign that the marriage was doomed? Maybe the governor of the feast would declare the couple should not be joined at all? Though not life threatening, the situation couldn’t be more dreadful.

At the site of this terrible situation, Mary did two actions:

First, she petitioned Jesus to help them avoid the awful situation that was developing. She could easily have been the only one who truly knew Jesus as the Messiah at the time knowing in her heart the miracle of his birth and having had the conversation with the angel so many years before. Surprisingly, Jesus declined to help stating that her petition was too early; it was not yet his time.

Mary’s second action, I believe is the reason the Jesus' disciple John recorded this event in his writings. She gave the servants critical information that ultimately caused this miracle. She told them the thing that would please Jesus and motivate him to perform the miracle they needed. Her words according to John were, “Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it”. What powerful words! What ever He says do, just do it! Even at times when a miracle would be untimely, we have the power to motivate God to move. The power is in our obedience. If we would become willing to obey, Jesus is willing to perform.

We know by the results that they submitted themselves to Jesus. But we also know that their obedience was tested. Notice, Jesus didn’t tell them the results they would see, he only instructed them to fill pots with water and serve it to the governor of the feast. Can you imagine what might have gone through their minds as they walked towards the governor with these pots full of water? The embarrassment they might have feared to be serving water at a wedding? But, they had enough respect for Mary to govern themselves by what she told them and obey the words of her son Jesus (who was not yet called the Christ of Nazareth).  And at some point from the time they filled up the pots to the time when the water hit the governors lips, it became wine,... and it was the best wine he had tasted all night. If they had never listened to Mary; if they had never carried the water to the governor; if they had never done what Jesus said there would not have been a miracle that night.

What has God instructed you to do? If your thinking, “I haven’t heard God say anything” I'm sorry, but you are mistaken. We have 66 books recorded of what God has said to you. The reason you haven’t heard him say anything new may be because you have yet to abide by what he has already said. So what has God said to you? waht are God's instructions. What ever He says do, DO IT! Again, God will help you as you go, not while your stopped. JUST DO IT! GO! DO IT and you will find that every thing you need to accomplish what He said has been right there layed on the road for you to discover and enjoy along your way.

"Just Do It" Pt.I

Gal. 6:8 “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

What have you stopped doing? You began a work for the lord, you began to press toward the mark, you claimed victory in Jesus… why did you stop? Why is it that when we get a word from the Lord we run and tell the world what we’re going to do at first, but when you see us a year later we’ve decided that it wasn’t for us. Did God change his mind? Is that the kind of God we serve, one who is still deciding what his good and perfect will for us is? I thought God predestinated us all for His will before the foundation of this world? (Ephesians 1:4-5)

What is it that you were doing which got you to where you are but you aren’t doing any more? You made a sacrifice and began to see results, but now, the sacrifice is just a distant memory and your back to business as usual. When you made the sacrifice, you had to believe with all your heart that you would reap. You got on your knees and gave it up to GOD, you had no choice, you had no other help, nowhere else to turn. Remember when it seemed like nobody believed your season was coming but you. Why did you stop? If what you did got you to a new level, what would happen if you did it again? And again? And again? What if the sacrifice was no longer a decision, but instead, a part of your life?

What died you give at that you were once making great progress? You called yourself “running for the prize”. But then the run declined to a walk. The walk became a slow crawl, and now its at a dead stop. What now? Will you continue at a stand still and just let that past momentum be the testimony you carry to your grave, “God gave me the strength to run on…back then... I would still be running but…(insert the reason you quit here)”.

Are you afraid to start again; are you too proud to admit you need to start all over? Are you embarrassed? Maybe the second time will lead you to the place you couldn’t reach the first time. Maybe this is God’s design; that you go back to the beginning, back to start, back to “jump”. Maybe God’s will is for you to go back 3 or 4 times until your fear of failure doesn’t get in the way ever again. Could God’s plans be better then your plans of profuse success on the first try? Possibly? Maybe we all should be praying that song “Take me back, to the place where I first believed you…”

What is it that you stopped doing? What ever it is, FIND IT AND JUST DO IT! It may have been months since you even thought on it. 5 years may have passed; 25 years may have passed. But if you ever believed that it is in Gods will for your life, then just do it. God has not changed. The bible says God will never repent of a calling. If He called you last year, then He called you this year and He’ll still be calling you next year. Just do it. God will help you, as you go, not while your stopped. And if you don’t know all of what you should do, just do what you know. When its time to know more you will know more. Maybe you can’t handle knowing what the rest of the plan involves yet; or maybe there is no more. Either way, just do it.

In the case where there is no more to do, just keep doing what you were doing before until your next assignment arrives. And if God never gives you anything new to do, just keep doing what ever He said to do last. Every Christian should be found working diligently on the last word you heard from the lord until you receive a new word or until he comes again; which ever happens first. Jesus said that the harvest is always plentiful, but it’s the laborers that are few. Be a laborer; Just do it..

The Marriage Covenant

Most people see marriage as a contract between two people. And many times it is just that; merely a contract; an agreement on paper. Nowadays, marriages are entered into in the same way as are contracts and just as frequently. Whenever two people feel they love each other enough to stay together for a while, they get married with next-to-no consideration of what that actually means. They think you just buy a ring, book a venue (or hit a drive-thru Chapel in Vegas), glance over the paperwork as if it were a loan agreement, and then walk down the isle hoping they don’t regret this decision as much as they have other contracts they’ve signed in the past 10 years, or so.

Then these same people who were so enthusiastic about becoming “one flesh” before they got married dream about breaking free from each other a year later when they've inevitably experienced their spouses habits, issues, attitudes and personality flaws, (even though they knew what those habits, issues, and personality flaws were when they said “I DO”). This is the reason that over 51% of marriages end in divorce. No one wants to deal with conflict and disagreement. And then there’s that readily available escape clause found in two words which modern America has made so popular, “irreconcilable differences”.  These words free a couple from the dismal obligation of having to work things out. However, is it really that easy to end a marriage? Yes, when your marriage is nothing but a contract. But a real marriage is not a contract, it’s a Covenant! Allow me to explain the difference in the two.

The dictionary describes a Contract as “the document containing an agreement that is written and enforceable by law”. A contract becomes necessary when two parties want to “legalize” their agreement. And the moment both parties agree to void it, they no longer have a union at which time the contract quickly becomes meaningless and both parties may breach the terms at will.

The process of forming a contract is rather simple. Writers take agreed upon terms and build them into a document. Then representatives from each entity come together in a conference room setting and review the language searching for pitfalls. Finally the produced document is signed by both parties and, with a hearty hand shake (for the cameras), a new life is born. Most of the time, this new life is short lived as neither party plans to literally stay together “forever”; just long enough to accomplish their goal and move on to the next phase of their 5-year plan which may or may not include the other party.

Now let’s look at a covenant.

A Covenant is described as “an agreement endorsed by a formal and unique authorizing mark giving approval, i.e., a seal”. The definition of a covenant resembles that of a contract at first glance. However, the Reason a covenant is formed and the intricate Process proves these two are different in every way.

The Reason

The concept of covenent comes from the bible. In the bible days, entire tribes would enter into Covenant Relationships with each other. It was never for formality, or for legality and especially not just for the mere novelty of the occasion or for the gifts and glamour of the ceremony or for health benefits, or… you get the picture. A covenant was a bonding, irreversable agreement and was normally a matter of life or death.

There would be a tribe who was strong in one specific area, for example, let’s say they were strong in agriculture. Then there would be this other tribe whose strength was something different, let’s say, they had a strong army. So these two tribes, one strong in agriculture and the other having the strong army, would each reap the benefits of their individual strengths but would also face daily the dilemmas created by their particular weaknesses. For example, the tribe whose strength was military would conquer other nations and add to their domain, but face undernourishment and even starvation as seasons changed due to lack of agriculture. Meanwhile the tribe whose strength was agriculture would feast at most times of the year and would even become wealthy using their agricultural skills, but would face being conquered, pillaged or even enslaved by a stronger tribe looking to,… I’ll say… acquire them.

If these two tribes were “friends”, so to speak, each would be aware of the others plight. However neither would be obligated to do anything about it. Plus the agricultural tribe would not have planted enough to support the military tribe with food or finances. And the leader of the military tribe couldn’t “legally” interfere with a tribe who had come to attack his friend, as long as there was no threat posed to his tribe. He would literally have to stand by as his ally is taken over and perhaps even murdered due to their lack of protection.

The Process

If these two tribes decided to come together and join in covenant, the first thing that would happen is every member of each nation would have to be notified. The leader of each tribe would make sure every member was informed; biggest to smallest, youngest to oldest. A ceremony would be planned and the invitations would come in the form of a mandate; every member of each tribe must attend to witness the union.

The ceremony would be a very serious affair; covenant was never taken lightly. It would be held in a place large enough to hold every member of both tribes, for example, at the foot of a mountain or along the banks of a river. They would gather all members of one tribe on one side and all members of the second tribe on the other separating the two crowds by a long path or “lane” just wide enough for two people to walk between them (this is the origin of the wedding ceremony that we practice today. We place members of the bride’s family on one side of the church and members of the groom’s family on the other. We separate the two by an isle just wide enough for the bride and groom to pass between the two families).

Then the ceremony would begin. Officials chosen to govern the proceedings would take two sacrificial lambs, one supplied by each tribe, and they would slaughter them there in-between the two tribes. Next they would take the mutilated bodies of the lambs and drag them back and forth between the two tribes until the lane was completely covered with blood. Then the leaders of the two tribes would present themselves by standing at opposite ends of the blood-drenched lane facing each other.

Finally, they would begin the process of entering into covenant. The two leaders, at opposite ends of the lane would walk down the bloody path towards each other, pass each other (presumably on the right) and then turn around and do it again. And again. And again. They would keep trenching through the blood up and down the lane until it drenched their cloths. Each time they passed each other, they would recite vows. The leader of the agricultural tribe, for example, would vow to build and share every harvest with his new family. He would promise to teach his companion’s tribe to plant and cultivate, and promise to support them financially so that they would never experience famine again. And in turn, the leader of the military tribe, covered in lamb’s blood, would vow that the agricultural tribe will never again face a challenger alone. From that moment forward, if any adversary ever approached their land, there would be no victory for that rival, but instead a fight; to the death if necessary, the military leader would vow.

To close the ceremony, one leader would take off his garment, stained with blood, and give it to the other. The other leader would reciprocate. The exchanging was very important. This gift represented the strength of that particular tribe now belongs to his partner. These gifts signified their new relationship. The vulnerable tribe is now armed and strong. The tribe lacking food will never be without harvest again.

Lastly, every member of one tribe would look at the faces of every member in the second tribe and commit it to memory. They were now tribesmen; what we would consider “extended family”. If they were to encounter any member of the former tribe, they were obligated to provide for that member; they were bound to protect and supply what ever that member may need. And one of the tribes would give up their name to take on the name of the other. The name kept by the two tribes would be the one which was known throughout the land; the one that resonated with tribes everywhere. Any tribe looking to acquire the goods of the agricultural tribe would know, by the presence of the new name, that a breach would be met by war. And like wise, never again would the military tribe starve through a winter because they were now wealthy in addition to strong. From that day forward they were no longer two nations; they were one. The covenant born in that place would stand for generations to come.

Marriage is not a contract; it’s a covenant. It’s the highest order of covenant because it is ordained and recognized by God himself. He binds individuals who have chosen to submit themselves one to another. And it is a blood covenant because blood is shed on the night of consummation (on the wedding night; the blood shed by the woman consummates the marriage; however, both the bride and groom would have to be virgins so for most marriages, there was no consummation, but you can be devoted just the same)

Marriage is the creation of family, the beginning of kinship. There is no “irreconcilable differences” in marriage. There is no “undoing”, no “do over”, no “oops”, and no regret. The joining of two people in marriage is as permanent as the joining of Oxygen to Hydrogen which creates this substance we call water. Oxygen can not walk away from hydrogen on a whim deciding it no longer wants to be united. Hydrogen can not leave Oxygen and occasionally bind itself with a few other elements instead. The existence of these unions is critical for this creation called Mankind; as it is with the union of marriage. What God binds together, let no man put asunder.

ATTRACTION

(Married People Only)


I recently spent the day with my dad, something I dearly enjoy but don't do often enough. We ran our normal gambit; talked about everything from politics to religion. Then our dialogue turned to a discussion about 80/20. You’re familiar with 80/20 right? Tyler Perry’s character mentioned it in the movie “Why did I get married”. 80/20 is the old adage that says all married couples will only receive 80% of what they need from their spouse. The saying suggests that marriage relationships will always lack 20% of the needs of each person. In the scene, the men discussed how people will walk away from a marriage chasing that 20% not realizing the value of the 80% they’re leaving behind. My dad's point seemed to be him warning me not to fall victim of this scenario in my marriage.

“Do what ever you have to do to make your wife happy…” he told me. That sounded like good advice, except that, without voicing it, we both knew how this same advice had worked out for him. Next year my parents will have been divorced for more years than they were married which is an accomplishment within itself.

“Why do people do that…? Why walk away from a marriage to find something that you’re never gonna find?” I asked my dad. And that sounded like a fair question, except that, without voicing it, we both already knew the answer.

One word; pure and simple: ATTRACTION. People become attracted to all types of things; lifestyles, opportunities, positions, jewelry, money, cloths… basically anything outside of the marriage that they are unable to get inside the marriage at the time is attractive.  But the thing people become attracted to which causes them to walk away from marriage is OTHER PEOPLE.  It’s not necessarily their fault. No one can really decide who or what generates attraction and who or what doesn’t generate attraction or for how long; especially in a case where a spouse used to generate attraction from their mate but suddenly doesn’t generate attraction anymore.

What is attraction? Is it a vibe? Is it sparked by something simple like physical appearance or compatibility; maybe ease of communication? Or is it something deep and spiritual like openness, one-ness or emotional accessibility?

Maybe attraction will never be figured out. But what we do know is that the person who attracts and the person who is attracted can not influence each other. They are in the isolated worlds of their minds and one can not make the other “join the party”, so to speak. If every married person could simply keep their spouse's attraction, or control who they are attracted to, then no marriages would end. But it doesn’t work like that. More often than not, when a married person dresses up attractively, it is not for the benefit of their spouse; it’s because he or she has become attracted to someone else. Only, they will not get the attention of the person whom they are trying to attract but instead will attract another person who isn’t necessarily attractive to them. And that person whom they’ve attracted will try in vain to return the attraction while being completely oblivious of this other person who is attracted to them. And on, and on, and on.

Attraction makes no since. But it’s attraction that causes people to walk away from a relationship where 80% of their needs are met just to get their hands on that small thing that they are desperately attracted to. People become so badly infatuated with that 20% until nothing else matters anymore.

It’s human nature. I mean, who wants to be separated from what you are attracted to? Who wants to sacrifice that 20% and instead spend the rest of their life trying to make that 80% suffice? Who wants to give up forever the pleasure of satisfying that desperate feeling of desire? Who wants to endure the pain of longing for something that you can never have?

NOBODY. Everyone wants what is attractive and is attracted by what they want. Everyone desires to satisfy their desires especially when it envolves things they can not have (and maybe should never have). Everyone wants to know the pleasure of that 20% which they have yet to experience. And, unfortunely, as the desire for what they do not posses grows, the attractiveness of what’s already in their hand slowly dims. Perhaps the best analogy is the one about the dog walking on a dock with a nice sized bone in his mouth. He looks at his reflection in the water and sees what he thinks is a dog with a bigger bone looking back at him. So he drops his bone into the water trying to get that bigger bone. Everyone wants what they want; AND NO ONE IS SATIFIED WITH JUST WHAT THEY HAVE!

Men and women step out on marriages seeking to attract people that they desire. Men and women make themselves look more attractive to become what ever it is they think some other person is attracted to. And both men and women seek possessions and other items that some person they desire wants to have; because then it’s not an element of attraction or desire, but an exchange. You get what you want, they get what they want. Everybody’s happy.

But here’s the news flash: You don’t have what that person you desire wants. You only have what the person you married wants; that's why they married you. You aren’t going to attract that person you are attracted to because you can’t become what attracts them; you can only pretend to be what attracts them. And, while you're attention is going into pretending to be someone you are not, you are completely neglecting the one person who truly desires you; not something that you are suddenly pretending to be.

The morale of this story is that there is no moral. 51% of marriages end in divorce because 51% of men and women give in to attraction and chase that other lifestyle; that other opportunity, that money… and especially, that other person. 51% of married people will not realize that the 20% they are chasing is just a mirage. The attraction feels like a vibe or a spirit or a compatibility thing but it’s really a hoax; it’s fake; it’s wrong and can cost them everything. Perusing that 20% means that at some point you’ll have to face the repercussion of your decision to leave and you'll begin to mourn the loss of that 80% which made you're life work so well. And that part is not attractive, at least not to me.

Attraction will continue to come and go and will continue to be a waist of time unless LOVE is at the root. Hopefully you are smart enough not to waste time chasing someone you do not LOVE only to abandon someone you do. Hopefully you won't sacrifice everything searching for this illusive high of a 100% situation that doesn’t really exist. Hopefully you can rekindle attraction for the person you married. He or she is the only person who deserves your attraction and is no doubt still utterly attracted to you. But if you can't, don't worry.  Go ahead chase that 20% and your spouse will soon be attracted to someone else too.

CHANGE

RAIN, for most people is dreadful

A single day of rain ruins special occasions; wrecks favorite outfits and destroys brand new hair styles all in the blink of an eye. Rain ruin’s a lot of things, not to mention, it can cause great devastation if it ever comes in abundance. Furthermore, rain has the ability to dampen more than just cloths and hair do’s; it dampens spirits. Rain is dark and gloomy. It’s more than just annoying; it’s down right depressing carrying connotations of misery and suffering. It can make people angry, irritated, and frustrated. During a time of rain, you instinctively protect yourself; you shelter in. While it’s raining sidewalks are clear. The playgrounds, parks and many parking lots are empty; everyone that can get inside is inside.

But when the clouds break and the brilliant rays of a glorious Sun peak their warming arms through the gloom, everything suddenly looks and feels better. At the first glimpse of that magnificent Sun, especially after a long rain, you somehow know that the worst is over. And when the Sun burns off the last of those murky clouds and finally shines its dazzling face on a battered earth, a new day is revealed. The ground even smells new. You’re able to walk out into the fresh ambiance of a renewed day beneath a clear bright sky. You can’t help but look towards heaven and just be thankful that the Sun has returned.

Described above is the very essence of CHANGE. Every creation under heaven will experience CHANGE. At first you have a sunny day; which denotes consistency, uniformity and happiness. Then, at some point, clouds begin to form in your life, which represent alteration and transition. Clouds thicken to the point where they cover the Sun which marks the beginning of transformation. Then darkness resides which signifies fear of the unknown. And finally, RAIN. Rain is CHANGE.

Critics agree that CHANGE is good in the same way that rain is good. I mean, things can not remain the same way forever. A human being begins life as a fetus and ends it as a 90+ year old senior citizen; that in and of itself means CHANGE. Attitudes CHANGE. Styles CHANGE. People CHANGE. This country is in the middle of a CHANGE. When your hair becomes monotonous, the first thing you do is make a CHANGE. When you get tired of the way your house looks on the inside or the out, you make a CHANGE. If you want to get more out of life, it’s a guarantee that you will have to take a close look at who you are and what it is that you do, then make a serious CHANGE.

And you will CHANGE whether you like it or not. But, here’s the thing about CHANGE.


It’s hard to CHANGE because change is not just the passing of time. Change is a process. Sometimes it’s a short and pleasant process which happens overnight without even your realizing. But more often than not, it’s a hard, agonizing, stressful, painful process that literally seems to take forever.

It’s hard to CHANGE because most of the things that change are things that have been a certain way for the majority of your life. It’s hard to stop eating fatty food when you‘ve been eating that way since High School. It’s hard to stop cussing when you’ve been cussing since you were five. It’s hard to quite smoking when even watching TV makes you want a cigarette. It’s hard to think positively when everyone you’ve ever known thought negatively and taught you to think negatively and when you did finally think positively it ended up hurting you.

It’s hard to CHANGE because even at times when the change is for the best it’s still a long hard process. Just ask the caterpillar. Ask him while he’s in that cocoon experiencing his own death and simultaneous birth in order to emerge as a butterfly if the thought of fluttering through the air from flower to flower eases the pain of what ever is happening in that dark, isolated enclosure. Maybe for a caterpillar, it does; but for the psyche of a human, the fact that you will benefit at the end of a change is not much consolation during the change.

CHANGE, for most people is dreadful.

But, what you’ve got to remember during your change is that the Sun has not left. The Sun was in the sky before the rain and it will return after the rain. Meaning, the level of happiness and contentment you once enjoyed still exists; it’s just covered by the pain and frustration of that long, tedious changing process. You may find yourself at the point where you can’t see yourself ever being happy again because of the changes you’re experiencing. But remember; the only thing that will really remain consistent is God Himself. God will not change; everything else will. And the changes you experience are merely the tool that God is using to fix your atmosphere. Soon you’ll emerge and enjoy a fresh, new day.

The presence of change in your life is not a warning that you are bad or that you’re doing something wrong. In fact, its’ the opposite. Change is, by definition, your assurance that things will not remain as they have been. Rainy, gloomy, stressful, depressing days will subside. Sunny, bright and consistently happier situations will return.

I believe that the worst is already over for you. I'm praying that you receive your new day today where the battering rain of change stops and God finally wraps his warming arms around you to dry you completely of all the darkness and gloom. And when the last of your dark clouds burns off and the dazzling light of your new day is revealed, you are able to walk out on new ground into the fresh aroma of your new Spring day with the Sun on glowing on your face beneath a clear bright sky. You'll have no choice but to just rejoice and thank God that you made it through the storm and that your Sun has returned.

Protégé or Parasite

A Protégé will change his schedule for you

A Parasite wants you to change your schedule for him

A Protégé says, “I want a car like yours...”

A Parasite says, “I want your car...”

As a Christian, your job is to give; you are a distribution center. You offer your sustenance, you offer your positive lifestyle, you offer the Word of God. And there is so much to give. As a result, you are faced with people everywhere who require something from you. What’s important to understand is that there are two categories of these people: Protégés and Parasites. The two are so similar on the surface that it’s hard to tell one from the other. Both draw from you, both need you for advancement. Both require you to give something but the motives are very different. One will benefit you in the long run while the other, be it intentionally or unintentionally will destroy you.

A protégé is a leaner. Webster describes a protégé as “a person who receives support and protection from another influential person which furthers the protégé’s career”. He is someone whose welfare or well-being depends on the influence of another. A protégé will withdraw form you but the terms are that of training and influence towards promotion. What you offer a protégé is not a loss but an investment which will be returned to you in due season.

If you have a protégé in your life, be thankful, God is using you. The presence of a protégé means there is a gift that God has given you to become a distribution center for, and He has even sent you the person or people whom He intends you to distribute to. Do your best to grow the relationship. Let nothing stop you from giving, let nothing keep you from allowing God to use you in this way. You can be confident that God will repay your obedience, He will return to you over and over again for sharing the gift that He has invested in you, as you are no-doubt a protégé of Him.

A Parasite withdraws from you in a negative way. They subtract with no intensions to re-deposit. A parasite is a leech; it grows, feeds, and is sheltered but contributes nothing to the survival of its host. A parasite takes advantage of your generosity with no useful return. A parasite will remain living off of you, feeds from you only to abandon you once there is nothing left to withdraw. A parasite isn’t seeking God for a blessing, he’s pursuing you; he wants your blessing.

If there is a parasite in your life, you must get them away from you immediately for two reasons. First, neither you nor they can benefit from this type of relationship. The methods of a parasite are only to extract but one cannot grow spiritually until they give as you have. They may have good intentions spiritually but the relationship is unbalanced so it will be fruitless. Secondly, worse, a parasite does not reach a point where he becomes satisfied and ceases to take. A parasite will drain your resources, consume your abundance and exhaust you. It’s a guarantee that depletion without replenishment will soon leave you empty.

There are several ways to distinguish between a protégé and a parasite. A protégé is looking to build a future with you; a parasite is not interested in the future, only the present and usually the past. A protégé wants to learn what you’ve learned; a parasite wants to have what you have. A protégé wants what’s in your heart; a parasite wants what’s in your hand. A Protégé says, “Make me”; A Parasite says, “Give me”

Be careful not to misjudge an anointed person as a parasite, it could cost you dearly. A man or women of God will often appear as a parasite, but may actually be your opportunity to become a protégé. When Elijah visited the widow at Zarephath in 1 Kings 17, the poor widow could have easily mistaken Elijah for a parasite. She explained to him that she was preparing the last of her supplies for her and her son to eat a final meal and then die. Elijah asked her to bake bread for him instead (1 Kings 17:13) and her meal would not run out nor would her oil fail her. She agreed in obedience to God and as promised they ate well from that day forward. While it may have seemed Elijah had arrived as a parasite requiring her last bit of sustenance, he was actually her last chance to be a protégé or die alone. He was sent by God’s direction to visit exactly when he did and ask of her what he asked. God had arranged her entire encounter with the prophet and she was rewarded greatly for her obedience.

According to the story, some time later the woman’s son became ill and died. But Elijah petitioned God to bring her son back from the dead, which God did. Just imagine if the woman would have sent Elijah away instead of giving away what she had to him. Not only would Elijah have been long gone by the time her son died but her food would have run out so she would have died as well.

Make your new years resolution to examine the people in your life who consistently require something from you; in your family, on your job, at your school, at your church, everyone included. Make a conscious decision about each, label them parasite or protégé. Are people withdrawing from you with the no intent of giving back? Are people using you for their sole benefit? Are they feeding from you and growing but refusing to contribute in the least bit to help you grow?

Then judge yourself. Are you a parasite or a protégé to the people around you: To your family? To your church? To God? Do you want what you did not earn? Do you wish to possess things that belong to others? Do you desire the blessings that your brother or sister has or are you seeking God for your own blessing?

Be a protégé of Jesus Christ and a protégé to the anointed man or woman of God that God has assigned you to and only associate with other protégés. Then when God entrusts you with a protégé, give to him/her freely. When you notice a protégé in your life, you know you’re on the right track and that you’re reward, your blessing, and your miracle will be great.

Your Station

Your station is an allegory for your currant place in life. The place that you are in now is a point you have to travel through to get to where you are ultimately going. You may spend a lot of time at one station. But, good or bad, your station is temporary. Don’t hold onto the place that you’re at because you’ve gotten comfortable. God has to move you through temporary stations on your journey to the permanent. Some one may push you out of a place, but it just might be God pushing you to another place.


Your station is where God will meet you. At your station is where your blessing is. God is everywhere, but He’s not going to help you everywhere. You have to be at your station to meet up with God. Your blessing is at the place where God is. Look at the Samarian woman at the well in John 4:7-29. She came to Jacob’s well for a cool drink of water. Instead she met Jesus Christ and He changed her life. She did not anticipate that place to be her station. She only expected to go there for a moment then return to her life, which was in shambles. Little did she know Jesus was going to recruit her that day and send her yelling through the city “Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?” John 4:29. She did not know how important it was that she arrive at the well that day. The fact is she wasn’t going to meet up with Jesus any place other then sitting on that well waiting for her. You can guarantee Jesus will show up at your station, but will you?

Whenever you first visit a station that you’re unfamiliar with, it presents pressure to you. It’s like when a man goes deep sea diving. There is more pressure to cope with there under water because it is a place different from what he’s used to on land. The same is true in space travel. Every station presents a new level of pressure that is higher then what is experienced normally.

So, what do you do when you find yourself at a station where there is a lot of pressure? What do you do when the pressure keeps building?

You have to determine if you will allow yourself to be crushed at this station. The world will apply pressure. And the higher you go in this world, the greater the pressure. But God is strategically in place at your station to help you fight the pressure. If you can make progress in faith believing Gods promises then you will be met with more power from the inside to counter the opposing forces against you on the outside.

In other words, just like in deep sea diving or space travel, we prepare for the new levels of pressure by getting clothed in a suit that will keep the pressure in our bodies higher then the pressure from outside forces. That suit is the living word of God. In John 17:9-26 Jesus prayed that we would not be crushed at any station. Jesus prayed that God keep the evils of this world from crushing us. We will never be presented with a level of pressure higher then what we can counter. To overcome apposing forces is the definition of a conqueror. The word of God says that we are more than conquerors through him that loves us. This means the most difficult station is really just an opportunity for God to prove his word is true.

When the pressure at your station builds, don’t allow yourself to be crushed. Instead realize that you are full of God's greatness and He that is in you is greater then the pressure that is in the world. Seek pressure relief from the Word of God and you’ll find yourself moving to the next station in no time.

Don't Breakdown, Breakthrough!

“…when it is well with you, remember me and show me kindness; I pray thee, mention me to Pharaoh and bring me out of this prison: Genesis 40:14

When God sets a plan into motion in your life and you begin to press towards a great breakthrough, there are a series of events that will take place to lead you to victory. Certain things will need to happen a certain way to lead you to a certain place so that certain other things can connect with you and, before you know it, you’re living the life that God promised you. The frustrating thing about waiting for a breakthrough is that, at times, we don’t do what God has strategically put in place for us to do. When we fail to do what God has given us to do, we stand in God’s way. Disobedience interrupts the process of reaching our breakthrough. Instead of being in the right place at the right time, we’re in another place looking for the same success. Instead of doing things right the 1st time, we’re out doing a bunch of things wrong following our own rules for the 3rd and 4th time, yet still have the nerve to ask God why we aren’t in the place we desire to be.

When we miss our mark, it doesn’t mean we can’t get our breakthrough, it just means that it’s going to take more time. God has to direct us another way; we’ve sabotaged ourselves. And once we realize this, it can get so frustrating that we want to quit. But, the message I want to give to you today is: Don’t give up! You have a destiny!! You have a divine purpose! There is something that God put you on this Earth to fulfill. God is not going to give up on you, ever. Only you can determine if you have what it takes to make it to your breakthrough, or if you are going to get frustrated and breakdown.

Joseph pressed towards the palace

The next time you find yourself frustrated by set backs, just think of Joseph; the man who dealt with years of obstacles before finally reaching his destiny. First, he was sold into slavery by jealous and spiteful brothers who despised him Gen. 37:4. After being sold, Joseph found himself in prison for a crime he didn’t commit Gen. 39:20. Then, while in prison, Joseph was forgotten by a person who he had helped but failed to return the favor Gen 40:23. Finally after two years, Joseph was called out of prison and advanced to meet his destiny as ruler over Egypt Gen. 41:39-40.

At any time during his journey, Joseph could have given up, especially when the obstacles he faced where no fault of his own. Joseph could have just decided that he was meant to be a slave, or a prisoner. He could have just accepted that he would never be anything more than a servant. But he didn’t breakdown. Years of set backs and adverse situations couldn’t break Joseph. Obstacles dealt at the hand of people around him couldn’t keep him from reaching his destiny.

What made the difference for Joseph?

Through it all, at every stage of his life, Joseph recognized that the hand of God was on him. He never let discouragement or hate settle in his heart over what was done to him. When he was made a slave, he made sure that he was a good slave. Joseph was so valuable that eventually he ran his master’s house. When he found himself in prison, even though he was innocent, he worked hard to be a blessing and he even served his captors. The guards looked forward to seeing him in the morning. Before long Joseph, a prisoner, had control of the whole prison. He served them to the point that it was unusually for him to see them unhappy. When he saw the guards fret, he was faithful to cheer them up.

“When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw that they were dejected... ‘Why are your faces so sad today?” Gen. 40:6-7.

Joseph remained faithful, no matter what. He continued to be obedient to God. And with obedience, Joseph received everything he would need so that when promotion time came, Joseph was ready.

Looking back, Joseph realized that it was all a part of God’s plan.

“God sent me ahead of you… to save your lives by a great deliverance… it was not you who sent me here, but God. He made me father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household and ruler of all Egypt” Gen 45:7-8.

God allowed Joseph to go through situation after situation to position him for the job he would have to do. It was God who made it obvious that Joseph was destined for greatness, which caused his father to decorate him as such. God allowed Joseph’s envious brothers to sell him into slavery so that Joseph would find himself in Egypt; the riches and most advanced civilization on earth at that time. Then God made Joseph’s master recognize his worth and promote him from slave to overseer. Then when Joseph was framed and put into prison, God’s hand was at work again to place him in a cell with Pharaohs Chief Baker and Chief Cupbearer. God is the reason that Joseph was placed in charge of the entire prison and all of the prisoners. Finally God gave Pharaoh a dream that no one but a little Hebrew boy could interpret. God provided Joseph the opportunity to use the gift that he was given to place him into the position to finally achieve his destiny. Joseph did what he was supposed to do and God made certain things happen in a certain way to lead him to a certain place so that certain other things could connect with him and, before he knew it, he was ruler over all of Egypt.

Our job is to consistently work towards a breakthrough. We need to get interested in moving from one level to the next; from one season to the next. The reason that our God is Lord of the breakthrough. If we fail to pursue a breakthrough in our lives, it is the same as us trying to put God out of work. If we are not interested in success, then the obstacles God allows in our life will begin depressing us and cause a breakdown instead of motivating us to keep striving for a breakthrough.

It takes time to qualify for a promotion. Remain faithful. Keep offering your obedience to God who holds your future in His hands. Recognize that the hand of God is with you. Don’t let discouragement or pain from anything that has ever been done to you settle in your heart. Remain faithful to the vision that God has for you, not the perception that the world has of you. The road to your breakthrough may be long, 2 years or 20 years long, but don’t breakdown. Decide each moment of your life that you will keep pressing with everything that is in you until the day that God provides the opportunity to use the gift you have been given to breakthrough!!

4-Day Cruise Pt. II

The story of Alex and his 4-day cruise from the port of Georgia to Key West Florida goes on a little further. It continues the next morning. Alex wakes up early on day 4, the last day of the cruse around 2’oclock in the morning. He’s not sure what awakened him until he realizes that it must be the fact that the ship has stopped. No constant hum of the engine; no study swaying from side to side; just stillness.

“We must have arrived” Alex immediately thinks to himself.

With excitement, Alex rushes to the window of his room and is met with an odd view. The ship is still entirely surrounded by water. It seems they are still in the middle of no where. However, as he continues to look, he can see the lights of what appears to be another ship in the far, far distance. It’s too far to make out exactly what it is without some sort of binoculars, but there is definitely something there. Alex glances at the clock; it says “2:15 AM”. Alex says to himself,

“Well, I’m up now…, I might as well check it out”.

Alex throws on some jeans and heads to the top deck. Once there, he takes a longer stare at the lights which he can now plainly see in the distance. In fact, he sees that there are quite a few lights in the distance; enough that he knows it’s definitely not another ship passing in the distance. It’s got to be land.

“That’s it! That’s Key West! I knew it. We’re there...” and then he stops and thinks to himself, “So why in the world have we stopped?”

Once again, Alex begins to search for a cruise attendant. He knew an attendant would be a little tougher to find at 2AM, but before long he locates a worker mopping along the top deck.

”I know I see land” he says to the attendant. “Is that Key West out there?”

“Actually, that is Ft. Myers.” the attendant tells him. “But, Key West is not far past that. We’ll be running parallel to Ft. Myers Beach and Marco Island for about a half-hour till we reach the port to dock at Key West”

Alex then asks with a puzzled look,

“So if we’re only a half-hour away from Key West, why in the world have we stopped? Doesn’t the ships computer know how close we are? Why are we just sitting out here in the ocean?”

“Well, Sir,” the attendant begins, “we are not scheduled to pull into Key West until 9:00 AM. So the ship is not going any further till about 8, maybe 8:30…”

“But why not?” Alex interrupts, “…if we’re already this close why don’t we just dock early?”

The attendant puts down his mop.

“Because” the attendant begins, “Nobody is going to be at the port at 2’oclock in the morning. The Key West port is deserted right now. There’s nobody to guide us in, nobody to dock us, nobody to unload the luggage, nobody to off board the passengers...”

“But” the attendant continues, “If we wait and pull in at our scheduled time, the dock will be filled with people to greet all of you passengers. There’ll be a band playing; the shops will be open and family members will be there all to welcome in this voyage. Plus, every one of you will get a free gift as you off board. So that’s why we’ve stopped. As I said, the ship isn’t going any further till about 8; 8:30, then they’ll kick the engine back on and we’ll be on our way to the dock”

And here lies the point of this second story. One of the things which may happen while you’re on the way towards your goal in life is you’ll begin to see your destination approaching in the distance. You’ll see your dream beginning to materialize. You’ll see your plan beginning to fall into place. You’ll start to realize that your goal will soon be within arms reach. Once you finally begin to see your destination with your own eyes, you will want it even more than earlier in your journey when your goal was only a vision. And because of this you may get frustrated if you can’t end the journey and just grab your dream right then.

But that is the most important time to be patient. You have to understand that once you can finally see “land”, it does not mean you are suddenly ready to dock. The thing is, sometimes you will be near land but, like the ship in our story, you’re early. And it may not be due to the work that you are doing in preparation of your destination; but instead it may be that your destination simply isn’t ready for you. Things outside of your control are not in place yet for your arrival. Quite often it is people who are not in position yet which keeps you stalled at a distance away from the place you are headed. In other words, sometimes it’s not you, it’s them; they aren’t ready.

That’s why timing is everything. And only God has control of the timing so you’ll have to trust God with the last leg of your journey the same way you trusted him in the beginning and the middle. There may come an occasion where you find yourself within a short distance of your destiny and unable to move any closer. But if you can be patient and wait, God will eventually reignite that engine which has gotten you thus far and send you blasting full speed ahead towards your destination. And there, at your destiny you will find a docking station filled with people whose sole purpose is to welcome you into your new plateau. There’ll be a band playing (figuratively for most; literally for some); the shops will be open, family members will be there. And you can even expect something extra that you didn’t even anticipate at the conception of your journey.

So, if you feel stalled in your mission, jut trust that soon God will wave you into the docking station of your destiny once it is prepared to welcome you with open arms so that you pull into your position right on time.

4-Day Cruise Pt. I

The story begins with a man named Alex, a former sailor, on a 4-day voyage traveling from Georgia to Key West, Florida. Gazing across a clear blue ocean from the top deck of a Carnival Cruise Ship, Alex was getting board. He had been very excited to be on this cruise when it originally launched from its port in Georgia, but by this, the 3rd day, he’d gotten fatigued with the journey. He’d already seen the entertainment on board and done all of what he’d wished to do. So, standing on the top deck, he simply glanced across the miles and miles of crystal clear, turquoise Blue Ocean which surrounded the ship on all sides. The calm, lucid sheet of ocean water barely moved as the huge vessel burrowed its way through the sea on this very warm summer afternoon. And that’s when Alex noticed that the ship was moving rather slowly.

“Why would a ship this size move so slowly through an ocean which is relatively still?” He wondered to himself.

He began to feel that maybe there was a problem. So he immediately searched for a cruise employee to see if there was any reason to be alarmed. Before long he found one.

“Why is this ship going so slow?” he asked. “We’re barely crawling out her. I swear we would be there by now... Is there a problem?”

The cruise attendant was glad to respond,

“Well, Sir, we’ve got a long itinerary full of things that must take place during the course of this cruise. There’s much more entertainment on board; 4 more shows within the next day. Then there are vendors who’ve paid to come aboard and sell their products and paraphernalia; T-shirts, souvenirs, maps; all types of fun items to buy. Plus there are meals prepared; dinners arranged just waiting for your enjoyment including tonight’s big feast celebrating the last night of our journey”

The attendant continued,

“The truth is, Georgia is only 4 hours away from the Florida Keys. If we traveled at regular speed there wouldn’t be time to accomplish all that’s on the itinerary and people on all sides would be disappointed. That’s why we go so slowly. The ship is preprogrammed to turn a 4-hour journey into a 4-day cruise and that gives us time to completely execute our itinerary”

The point of this story is this: many of us set goals years ago which we’ve been traveling towards. Goals such as a college degree, a substantial weight lose, freedom from debt, a home business, raising successful kids…the list goes on and on. Well, most of us have been on this course for a very, very, very long time; in fact, most of us have pursued the same goals for our entire adult life. We’ve seen progress but most of us have not arrived at that place where we can finally rest. Needless to say, many of us are pretty fatigued with the journey and sometimes feel depressed and desperate for something new. So we reach this point in life where we look up towards heaven and say, “Why is this taking so long? Why does progress come so slowly? If I could go just a little faster I’d be there by now!”

The answer to this question is the same as the answer Alex received on his 4-day cruise. Your goals are actually right around the corner from where you are right now. But there are a lot of things that must to take place in your life before you arrive at that destination. There are adjustments you must make to your lifestyle. There are changes that must take hold. There are new behaviors that must be learned; old behaviors that must pass away. There are people who don’t support you who will leave your life and others how will support you that must enter. There are new lessons that you must learn, old memories you must forget and past hurts you must resolve. If you traveled at what ever speed you imagined years ago reaching your goal, there wouldn’t be time to accomplish any of those things which are necessary for you to make the objective you seek permanent. With out accomplishing your itinerary, you won’t be able to sustain the progress you’ve obtained and might eventually move backwards. You could end up back where you started only more disappointed, more depressed, and perhaps even suicidal.

So just remember that your goals are within reach, but the path to your destiny is sometimes gonna be slow. Loosing 70 pounds is just as attainable as loosing 7 or 107 pounds but, unfortunately, the road is going to be slow. Debt freedom is attainable, but it’s just a matter of time and that time will be slow. A successful business plan can be achieved, but most of the execution will be slow. Raising successful children will take a lot of attention and the results will be slow. That Bachelor’s or that Masters degree is going to happen slowly. That new job is sometimes gonna come slow. The path to home ownership is slow. The path to better relationships, especially a better marriage sometimes is just gonna be slow.

Don’t get fatigued and start gazing at the sea in hopelessness waiting to get off the boat. Instead, have confidence that your journey will eventually take you to somewhere that you really want to be. Have faith that what you endure on this extended voyage will be well worth it in the end. And all you really need to do is go back and enjoy the ride!

BRUISED

Picture a polished, gleaming, juicy red apple sitting high up on top of a fruit stand amongst dozens of other apples in a grocery store. It’s luscious, ripe, ruby tone assures any onlooker that behind the thin, glossy skin of this delectable fruit contains the flesh of a delicious desert fit for the consumption of a King.

Now imagine the display case is brutally bumped. The jolt jars the apple from its position atop of all the other apples sending it tumbling aimlessly towards the edge of the stand, then over the edge where this precious fruit hits the floor with a loud “thud”. Now imagine the produce manager instinctively looks around to make sure no one saw, quickly positions the apple back on top of the fruit stand and then walks away to continue his day.

The apple has completely absorbed the blow. No harm, no foul. Everybody’s happy, life goes on; right?

Wrong. Because, while things appear as perfect as they once were on the surface, beneath the thin outer shell of this apple is a record of an incident that went unreported. An unlucky patron will purchase this apple based solely on its outer appearance and soon find that this apple has a deep, dark secret; this apple was hit by a cold, hard floor and is terribly flawed. It carries the worst of all types of wounds; it bares an internal scar which will mark the spot of the injury forever. The person who blindly buys this apple will discover it is damaged; blemished; defective; bruised and this person will no doubt be disappointed.

So you ask, “Gerard, why in the world are we talking about a bruised apple?” Well, any one familiar with human psychology recognized the analogy by the 3rd sentence.

Whenever you experience a traumatic incident which inflicts emotional pain, whether it happens while you are a young child, a teen, an adult or even in old age, your psychological mind has a record of the event. On the surface you appear to be unaffected by whatever happened. But underneath your psychological “skin” is a bruise that swells and throbs begging for your attention.

Now with fruit, the bruise will never go away. In the case of your psychological mind, however, your psyche has the ability to place a sort of “false skin” over the incident to shield you from the emotional pain of the impact at the site of the wound. You are blocked from the pain and shielded from further injury in that place. This “false skin” is the process of removing the incident from your recollection. You’re able to carry-on for years, even decades as if the event never took place because you are protected from the memory of the pain by this “covering”. Think of it as an emotional “scab”, if you will.

The trouble comes when your consciousness begins to detect the imminent pain of the concealed emotional bruise. This is when your “covering” fails allowing you to “remember” (not as in a full recollection, just a conscious realization of hidden pain). When this happens, it’s just like ripping off a scab too early; the wound begins to bleed all over again. Then you must deal with a larger portion of the painful occurrence than you are ready to realize.

The moment an emotional injury finds its way into your consciousness, you might do innocent little things to occupy your mind. Things such as read a book, do a word puzzle, do house work, play video games, watch soaps, watch sports, or perhaps write a 500 word narrative on the human psyche (this one is over 1,000). But, when those things don’t suffice, people have been known to do things that are drastic and much more harmful in an attempt to dispose of pain that has been inadvertently unearthed. Damaging things include stuffing your face with saturated fats, drinking alcohol, smoking weed, snorting cocaine, or having unprotected sex with strangers.

If you recognize any combination of the behaviors above to be your life, here’s what I want to say to you. You may not know this, but… Jesus was bruised. That’s right. Jesus was bruised. He was bruised in every place that we are bruised today as part of his fellowship with us. The bible says he was, “wounded for our transgressions” and “bruised for our iniquities” Isaiah 53:5. This passage goes on to say the “chastisement” or our punishment “of our peace was upon him”; meaning, in order to “know” us and give us peace, he had to go through the hell that awaited us.

Jesus, who was without sin, endured wounds and bruises for our sake. The bible says Jesus was despised and rejected. He experienced sorrow and became acquainted with grief. He he was whipped and carried stripes of open wounds on his back for the load of troubles that bruise our backs. He was made to wear a crown of thorns on his head which no doubt streamed blood into his face for the crown of emotional torment that we wear. They drove iron nails the size of railroad spikes through both of his feet for the punishment of the sinful places that our feet take us. And they pounded these iron stacks through both of his hands inbetween the ulna and radius bones, just below the wrests (the palm of the hands would never have supported the weight),  for the iniquity that our hands are drenched in today.

But this passage in Isaiah goes on to say that “WITH HIS STRIPES WE ARE HEALED!" meaning with the abuise that Jesus endured; by the blood that Jesus shed, He removed the requirement for us to suffer any longer due to our iniquity. This means you CAN find healing for your situation. You CAN find peace from physical and emotional bruise!

The truth is, none of us are perfect, we are all terribly flawed. We’re busied, disfigured, blemished, defective, we are all damaged goods. But because Jesus endured the pain of our bruises and even endured death; we have a new hope. We are broken vessels but God now has a new treasure invested in us. 2 Corinthians 4:7-9 says, “we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.” We can face tomorrow because God has placed within us his power, his excellency. Our worth is not of ourselves, but it is “of” Him. We are broken vessels, but in Him we can be made strong. We are troubled on every side, but we do not have to have to be distressed. We are perplexed by our condition, but we do not have to find ourselves in despair. We’re persecuted everyday but God promised we will never be forsaken. We’re cast down, but the treasure that God placed with in us will never allow us to be destroyed.

So trust God. And by “trust God” I mean trust God’s plan for your life. God knows what your bruises are and He is the only one who can resolve the bruises. He knows what happened and even when it happened because He was there. Yes, He did allow it; however, what differentiates our God from the neglectful produce manger in my story is that God cares. He’s never once turned a blind eye to the cries of his children. You’ve got to trust that God has a process in place to rescue you from the corrupting, consuming, internal bruises that are rotting your life from the inside out. You’ve got to trust that you are in the hands of a master; in fact, you’re in the hand of THE master which means things WILL NOT remain the way they have been.

You can’t fix yourself. And you can’t keep covering the pain with some temporary emotional fix or vice. You can only trust God to orchestrate your repair and bring to your attention the help that you will need to finally resolve the hurt and bring you peace once and for all.