Operation: Address the Mess

   I arrived home from work and walked into my apartment building only to be greeted by a bird flying almost square into my face last night. I guess that's what happens when you live in the ghetto burbs ha-ha. After that I was finally able to relax, but admittedly not for long. I have my gorgeous, softhearted friend who I haven't seen since last year coming into town this weekend. My apartment wasn't ready for company and my schedule is pretty much booked for the rest of the week. There was a small trail of clothes starting at the front door that led to my bathroom. There were magazines, mail, and newspapers forming a club on my coffee table. The way my shoes trickled out of my closet, and the way the sleeves on my shirts seemed to be reaching out for my attention would have had you believe that there were surely monsters in there. I was exhausted. Surprisingly, my kitchen sink was empty.

    I couldn't help but look at next month's schedule after that: my brother coming into town, a bridal shower, a bacherolette party, a mixer, two weddings, another wedding the next month, you name it. I dared not complain though because there once was a time where I probably complained about being bored. In fact, I'm actually looking forward to all of these fun filled events and cannot wait to reach each weekend, and hopefully with grace. Here's where I started to get things a little twisted: I was dwelling too much on what I have to do to get ready for these events and not enough on slowing down so that I will be able to enjoy them. As I look back, I am reminded of the Bible story about Mary and Martha. 

    Martha was so consumed in making everything perfect for Jesus while Mary sat at His feet and enjoyed His presence. My problem wasn't that I was not spending enough time with God. My problem was I wasn't spending quality time with God by basking in and enjoying His company throughout the day. Because of this I was worrying and full of anxiety instead of resting and putting my trust in Jesus. I know that the only way I can deal with the problems that I face and the busyness of life is by spending my time in His presence so that He can heal my pain and give me rest so I can recharge. While I spend time in His presence He reveals to me my true state and truthfully, it's not where I want to be. I yearn for so much more. I want to get to know Him deeper. I want to have a divine revelation of His love. I want to understand His power more and more. I want to be a dedicated slave to Jesus. I want to obey. I want to be content in my circumstances, but not in my relationship with Him. I want more.

So today I will relay the word that the Lord gave me this morning for you all:

Rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS, again I say rejoice! No matter what you're struggling with, no matter what temptations grab for your attention, no matter the busyness of your schedule or the lack thereof, no matter your circumstances - good or bad, no matter your home life, no matter your work situation, no matter your social "status" REJOICE. There is a shift that takes place in the atmosphere and in our thoughts when we give Him thanks instead of complaints. You can do this today. I believe in you and most importantly Jesus believes in you.

    You see, beloved, as we put our trust in Him to do the work in us it starts to happen. We come to a place where we learn to fully rely on God and not on our own efforts. We have to address the mess and realize that the only one who can truly free us is Jesus. This is where we arrive at a place where we can successfully advance to what He has for us next because we are willing to deal with the now. For example, you can't arrive at your destination safely without taking your car to a mechanic to get your oil changed, to have someone come and change your flat tire, or to have a mechanic check under the hood for any underlying problems. We don't just stop the car and quit. We don't just trust that the car won't break down or that the problems won't grow bigger when there are already red flags. Therefore, we stop being stagnant and come to the realization that God already has the solution to every single situation. We give it to Him and realize that we CAN face each and every day with exuberance. We see that we can be sassy in the Spirit and that with authority we can tell Satan to stick that in his juice-box and suck it. We see things for what they are, the importance of the state of our hearts above all else and the ability of God to reform, restore, and transform us into strong soldiers in God's army. So again I say, "REJOICE!"

2 Timothy 2:3 - "Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus."

1 Corinthians 1:29 - "......so that no man may boast before God."

Philippians 4:4 - "Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice!"

Religious Versus Jesus

Religious Versus Jesus

By: Elaina Grace Morgan

It's funny how "Christians" call you super religious

 Just because your life is so focused on Jesus.

 You see, I lost everything that I thought was important to me,

Yet I gained so much more walking into that mysterious door.

 It made me realize that this life ain't truly worth living

 If I'm sitting around thinking 

About my selfish reasons for sinning...

And it ain't truly freedom if I'm still not changed,

 Yet I'm allowing myself to be chained..to sin.

 Really seriously now, ponder what I'm saying.

 What's the point of life if I ain't livin?

 You see, I'm actually glad that I lost everything because now there's nothing in between...

Him and me. 

Nothing holding me back. 

Nothing getting me off track. 

So if this is the definitive for religious and legalistic..

Then your superlatives are wrong,

 Cuz homie, your definitions should be strong.

 I promote being logical, lyrical, and original.

 I don't promote being...

 Heretical

 And a foundation ain't conditioned if it's shaky

And honey, if that's your definition then your definitions are definitely gettin quaky.

Throwback

Throwback

By: Elaina Grace Morgan

#Throwback to a time when

Wrinkles and lines belonged in your clothes

 And when the only thing that you would have blown..is your nose..and dandelions,

 When starting over meant beginning with...A-B-C...

When watch out for that weed meant it was in the middle of grass,

 Not something that you'd see in your boyfriend's hands,

 Pressuring you...

When recess meant you got to go and play your little heart away,

Not when it meant a period of time when activity in a court of law...

Stops. 

Slow down.

 There once was a time when we wished to be older,

But now that the world spun...

And it's gotten colder

Do we wish that we could have taken a nap on mother's shoulders...
Instead we take the world upon our own shoulders...

 And this is why our Heavenly Father...

Tells us to receive the kingdom of God like a little child

Full of life discovering new wonders,

 Innocent, and pure.

(The First Grade)

Too Many Fish in the Sea

    This is for all the single people who are always told, "There's plenty of fish in the sea." Truthfully, I'm one of the people who never really cared about romantic relationships in the realm that they weren't something I needed in my life. That's my problem; even though I have been in more relationships than I care to admit, I didn't care to understand them and I guess it took getting hit on this week by a 40 something year old "Christian", a girl, and a co-worker who is a little confused on what he believes for me to actually start caring and realizing that I should seek more of an understanding about relationships. I would have rather done without these awkward moments and somehow my backhanded nos don't seem sufficient enough for those situations. I really try to avoid them like a plague because they're so uncomfortable to me. I should not feel bad though for the beliefs that I hold onto: my belief in God, my belief in Jesus, and my belief in the Bible.

    However, I don't want to talk about everything that's biblically wrong with those three instances. Instead, I want to talk about when you know the one is "the one". I'm going to be honest in saying that I personally don't know if there is "the one" and would love to find out if there is, but I do know that when it's the right one you will be at peace but it's so much more than that. You can find the picture perfect man or woman who has everything, and I don't mean just in the physical realm; I mean they can take care of your emotional, mental, and maybe even spiritual needs, but if their God given purpose is not somehow parallel with yours then one of you two will end up sacrificing what God called you to do. There is also the big factor of being unequally yoked.

    2 Corinthians 6:14 says, "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?" My thoughts on this verse are that it goes further than being unequally yoked with an unbeliever. I believe you can be unequally yoked with a believer these days as well. We cannot pick and choose from the Bible what we want to believe; and unfortunately we have a lot of lukewarm believers who believe they can do that, but that's the exact thing that they are - simply believers and not doers. They have no substance and are weak in their faith. Revelation 3:16 says, "So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth." That is a bold statement, beloveds. We either obey Him or we perish, simple as that.

    So boldly put, not everyone is on the same path as you and they will end up pulling you away, intentionally or unintentionally from your relationship with God and your individual purpose. They are not on the same page and frankly, are not God's will for your life as a mature Christian. It will be the wreck of you if you try to make it so. Know that there wouldn't be a heaven if there were no hell, honey. Matthew 7:14 says that the road is narrow and there are very few people who find it. I'm sure that this also dwindles down any option of who you might think is "the one". Thank God. I have one last thought that I want to pose: Most of the time we pray asking God about things, but we forget that a lot of times His answer, instruction, and direction was already given. It's called the Bible, and how many of us who say that we're Christians actually read it and use it? So does what your potentials say and live match the Word of God? If the answer is no then honey, know that God's got better for you and that it will definitely be worth the wait.

People of Purpose

    Truthfully there are some days where I barely can get out of bed. I have to coach myself like I'm playing football; and what I really mean is, I have to coach myself like I'm playing football for the Lions. Previously in life I've been guilty for calling off of work for being "sick", but really it was just because I was overwhelmed with feelings of depression and hopelessness. I've had thoughts that life is not worth living. I've had thoughts of leaving. I have had thoughts of sinning. If you haven't felt worthless then let's just call you what you are - a liar. Ha-ha. I am positive that almost everybody has felt worthless at least once.

    I am positive that we've all tried to cover up how we really feel inside with things whether it be weed, alcohol, buying an excessive amount of new products, blotting out our thoughts with music, or whatever else helps us to not deal with the pain that we really feel inside. It can be hard to see your purpose when you're so focused on the pain, or when you're so focused on internalizing the pain. But the day we seek God for healing is the day we can see our purpose through clear glass. We start to look to God for our identity instead of looking to our feelings of illegitimacy. Wake up. Your designer clothes can't define you. Your sports abilities can't define you. Your radical rap skills surely can't define you.

    If you think they do then you must know that eventually your clothes will get holey (not holy) and frankly, the body that your designer clothes are cladding will get wrinkly and you won't think you look as good in them as you did in your youth. Then when your body gets wrinkly, your bones get brittle, and your b-ball skills are going to drastically dwindle. Then when your body gets wrinkly, your bones get brittle, your voice is definitely going to start to diminish and in reality, your hip hop is going to start to sound like Frank Sinatra. These may be gifts and talents that you have now, but what's your reason behind doing them? You can be making a huge difference, but if you're not doing it with the right heart, a heart of love for others, then it means nothing.

    God gave you a purpose and it is up to you to fulfill it. In order for us to fulfill it He must repeatedly refine us so that it is not our purpose that defines us, but His purpose and who we are as children of promise. If our purpose ultimately defines us, instead of God then we are going to be focused on the wrong thing. Hebrews 13:8 says, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." I want to encourage you today to keep hanging onto the words God has spoken to you and hanging onto the words that have been prophesied over you that you're still waiting to see come to pass. In 1 Kings 9 God had made a covenant with Solomon that if Solomon walked in uprightness and kept His statutes then God would establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever. In other words, if Solomon did his part then God would do His. Long story short, and I encourage you to read it for yourselves; Solomon did not obey the Lord.

    The importance of obedience is great. Deuteronomy 28:1 says, "If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all of his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth." In other words, obedience brings blessings and disobedience brings curses. A good example of this is the prodigal son taking his father's inheritance, leaving his father, and wasting it on things of this world. If you're living in blatant sin I also want to encourage you to turn from it and to come back home. He's waiting for you. Don't miss out on the things He has in store for your life. I pray that whatever you're pursuing this day is not the world, but the Prince of Peace who has given you these promises.

When to Speak, and When to Be Silent

    Sometimes silence can be violent or diamonds and sadly, in a culture so consumed with social media, the line is becoming more and more blurred. I came across a tweet the other day from @SwedishCanary that said, "Never has a generation so diligently recorded themselves doing nothing." That hit home. It boggles my mind that so many can sit behind a screen and yell and scream and preach, but their lives are selling the opposite from sitting and staying stagnant. Over the past couple of months God has been stretching me more and more out of my comfort zone. That's a story and topic for another time. But my point is: are we really saying what we should be? So in this post I'm going to be speaking about when it's okay to speak and when it's okay to be silent.

    God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason, but I wonder how much we would contradict ourselves if He gave us two mouths. In a way, He did. Our second mouth is called our actions. They speak the loudest and they are what determines reactions. This day and age many have the habit of speaking without thinking and it often gets them into trouble. We have filters, but only on Instagram, pic apps, and Twitter. We rarely ever use them for our mouth. Speaking our opinions have become more like partitions than help. Knowing what to say can be more important than when to say it.

So what kind of things are okay to say? 

• Things that express encouragement. (Ephesians 4:29)
• Things that give thanks. (Ephesians 5:4)
• Things that answer gently. (Proverbs 15:4)
• Things that reply graciously. (Colossians 4:6)
• Things that declare truth. (Ephesians 4:24)
• Things that show courtesy. (Titus 3:2)
• Things that mouth righteousness. (Proverbs 12:6)

    There is a time and a place for everything, including your words. Seeking the Lord for discernment in when to say something is also important. Have you ever tried to resolve something with somebody who just wouldn't have it? It's a killer! When people are all riled up at least one, if not all of these three things happen:

1. They're not in the right state of mind. (We've all been here. We're so focused on being right that our state of mind becomes wrong. Our words can be right along with our intentions being wrong.)
2. Their filter is on defense mode. (We feel attacked so we're more concerned about sticking up for ourselves than openly hearing others out.)
3. They won't listen. (We heard what we thought we heard so we just want to speak instead of hearing them honestly.)

    Have you ever gone back to those types of conversations that didn't go well at first after your feelings dissipated? Conversations tend to go much better when you're not on fire. (James 1:19 - "Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;") Learning to be silent than what to speak is a tougher feat. It draws me to people so much more when I can tell that they're pondering what was said instead of them piling up what to say. (This is something I definitely can work on.) It is a sign of wisdom to me; and it clearly was in the Bible as well. It even says the foolish man who is silent appears intelligent (Proverbs 17:28). There are so many other good things said in the Bible about those who are silent whose mind remains steadfast on the Lord. I definitely want to develop those characteristics.

These kind of people are:

• Understanding. (Problems 11:12)
• Wise. (Proverbs 29:11)
• Beautiful. (1 Peter 3:3-4)
• Peaceful. (Isaiah 26:3)
• Prudent. (Amos 5:13, Proverbs 10:19, Proverbs 12:23)

    Like I mentioned and demonstrated above, silence is a beautiful thing unless we're being silent about the truth. We are to speak what is true 100% of the time. In that case, let's NOT be silent and NOT back down. Let's NOT be intimidated into silence any longer. What do we have to lose in speaking the truth? I'm not going to say nothing. We will lose our fleshly desires, we will lose our comfort, we will lose our self-dependency, BUT we will NOT lose our souls. So today I encourage you to stand up and speak out now to whoever God lays on your heart!

7 Things God Taught Me About Relationships

    I'm not normally the type of person who would write these type of blog posts and I'm not a fan of mushiness. For example, the only way I'll ever watch a chick flick is if it's comedic. Don't get me wrong. I would love to be married and have a family of my own one day, but right now that isn't my top priority. My top priority would be focusing on my relationship with God. I've been asking Him to bring things to the surface, and He definitely did that by making me more self-aware of what I need healing in and what habits I've learned that I need to unlearn. So when I was thinking about how He loves me by doing that, I connected it with how a man should love a woman and vice versa. 

    Seven things on how God loves the church that should translate to how husbands/boyfriends should love their wives/girlfriends:

1.) God relentlessly pursues me.

• He doesn't give up on you even when you give up on Him. He runs to meet the prodigal son/daughter with arms wide open.
• How does this apply? Sometimes this means that the man reflects on where he is at and what he needs to work on (physically, spiritually, emotionally, and even socially) before he starts the chase,  and for a woman this can mean that she reflects on where she is at and what she needs to work on before she is caught. (You're not God. Get over it.) If you're not ready then it is not wise to get into a relationship. After God gives you the go ahead as a man then ask her out. Though I am not married, I know that this shouldn't stop after you are.

2.) God completely knows me.

• He already knows everything, but we're constantly changing and He keeps up with it. He knows every hair on our head, and knows when we lost one because of stress. He knows our past, present, and future. He knows why we do what we do and knows our intentions.
• How does this apply? From the standpoint of a woman, there is nothing more attractive than a man who expresses interest in everything there is to know about you (and if you're a man then you would know if this applies to how you feel). To take your time to become a student of all of her (his) likes and dislikes, to search out why she (he) does the little things that bug the crap out of you, to express interest in how her (his) day went, what means a lot to her (him), etc. speaks volumes. Our personalities are constantly changing so until the day you die you will be getting to know your partner more. If that doesn't sound appealing to you, stay single.

3.) God actively loves me.

• He doesn't just tell you that He loves you; He impact-fully and unconditionally shows you. When we pursue Him with the same passion in which He pursues us, we start to reflect holiness. He doesn't stop and wants to see you receive it.
• How does this apply? A lot of us know 1 Corinthians 13. We cannot do this without God in the center of any relationship. We must be willing to lay down our lives for the other person and make sacrifices. We are to be persevering, patient, kind, not jealous, boastful, or proud. We are to not behave rudely, seek our own, think evil, be provoked, and we are to rejoice in the truth. It sounds like a chore, doesn't it? Well when you truly know God, you truly know how to love and whether you know how will be a reflection in your actions.

4.) God gently leads me.

• He isn't a dictator. He is a a leader. He isn't a controller. He is an encourager, informing us that we have two options - the path of destruction or the path of life. He drops loving reminders (conviction) instead of pointing fingers (condemnation).
• How does this apply? This applies mostly to the men. This does not mean that you are superior to women. Men and women are to honor each other alike. A leader does not push a rope; he pulls it, leading by example. This is not based on my biases or other's. This is the dynamic God meant from the beginning of time. Ladies, there is a big difference between masculinity and manipulation. Masculinity is protective, not abusive. If he demands you should submit to him, especially before you're married then he does not know God's Word. He should gently and directly point you to the Word of God and then ladies, you should submit. Men, this means you are to lead spiritually. How can you do that at all if you aren't praying and reading God's Word faithfully? Take a stand and be a man. It is so very important for you to know each other's character, especially before you get married. It feels like a chore to love someone wholeheartedly who can't lead you in a marriage and to love someone who questions your every decision.  (Ephesians 5:22-33)

5.) God effectively helps me.

• He is our provider. When we are struggling He helps us by what He has given us in His living Word. When we are in need, He comes to our rescue. (Sometimes it's not in the physical realm, but rest assured that if it isn't then it is provision for you spiritually.)
• How does this apply? I don't want to come off as sexist, but in Ephesians 5 men are told to nourish and cherish their bride. This means spiritually (though as women we are to trust in God for this above man), emotionally, physically (when married), and financially is included in this. Timothy 5:8 is a scary verse for those who think that it's not. I have heard so many men deny this just so that they can have some excuse for being lazy, and in all fairness to the men; women, this does not give you permission to be a gold digger. When you marry a man, if he loses his job, are you willing to persevere for rich or for poor? Both genders are to try their hardest at everything no matter the "cost".

6.) God adamantly encourages me.

• He constantly will bring to remembrance how He sees you if you will take the time to listen. He says that you are fearfully and wonderfully made. You're His beloved. You are the apple of His eye (and no one can take your place to Him) He made you unique and loves you in your own special way, as if you were the only one who ever existed to Him. He doesn't stop until you believe it.
• How does this apply? Ultimately our identity as men and women is to be found in Christ, but regarding relationships we are to encourage in the same manner. When your woman/man is feeling down be quick to build up their self-esteem. We find security in each other and don't go looking anywhere else for it when we feel confident in what our partner thinks. You can never give too much encouragement - ever. It has been said that when someone hurts you with their words, you need to be told the opposite of it ten times for you to actually believe it. P.S. Don't you dare go looking for it anywhere else if you're reading this feeling like you don't get enough encouragement. YOU make decisions based on no one else but YOU.

7.) God thoroughly listens to me.

• He doesn't just hear you. He listens to you. He wants to hear what you have to say and how you're feeling about the day. He is fully focused on you and you alone. If you have a request of Him, He will listen, though He won't always grant it. When He doesn't grant it just to please you, He is protecting you because He sees and knows the bigger picture.
• How does this apply? This is another big one. There is nothing sexier than someone listening to you intently by holding onto every word you say and relaying those words back to you. We all have been where we will hear a person, but not listen. Soak whatever it is they say in. Pray about problems. Receive restoration. Seek to understand and set goals together.

    I love and appreciate your feedback and thoughts, and just want to take the time to say thank you. So those are my two cents, or seven. Ha ha. Comment yours below:

Destructive Vs. Constructive Criticism

    Have you ever had somebody point out your flaws constantly whether it be your parent, sibling, friend, boyfriend/girlfriend, or husband/wife? That relationship got burdensome and you no longer enjoyed hanging around them; did you? You might be on the receiving end, or maybe you're on the giving end; but I bet that if you think you're the one on the receiving end then you've been on the giving end at least once. Have you ever had someone give you advice that you were so glad that you listened to it? Their words were refreshing to your ears and made you want to be around them more because you knew they cared about you and your well-being as a Christian. You see, there are two types of critics: destructive and constructive. I see so much confusion about this, especially in the Christian "world" in which we should be seeing less of it. Therefore, I would like to shed light on what it looks like to give both.

    Destructive criticism comes off as controlling. The receiving end will feel condemned and as if they can't do anything right. I'm not going to point out anyone in particular here except for myself. My first "serious" relationship in my teenage years I would constantly point out things he was or wasn't doing (whether they were sinful or just because I didn't like whatever it was that he did). I would start arguments unintentionally because I was frustrated and didn't know how to express how I was feeling. This was a result of unrighteously judging what he was doing and what other girls around him were doing, even if I was doing the same thing. It was as if spending so many years internalizing things made it all explode at once causing an even bigger mess than it would have if I had dealt with it right away, in the correct manner, no matter how painful it was. (Matthew 7:1-5 - "Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgement you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.")

    Constructive criticism comes off as caring. The receiving end will feel convicted and encouraged to do what's right. This past Christmas I was in a situation where I just wanted to help a certain person. I had asked my daddy if I could invite them over for dinner, but then he asked me some questions about the circumstances and the person. After gaining an understanding, he told me gently that I can't trust everybody and though I just want to help people, some will try to take advantage of that. I knew that he cared for me and that he genuinely didn't want to see me get hurt so I listened. A month later I found out that his words rang true. I had made extremely careless decisions back then and I was grateful for that accountability. (Matthew 18:15-17 - "Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained a brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that 'by mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he refuses to hear them tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be like to you a heathen and a tax collector.")

    Though I didn't sin against my daddy, he still gave me constructive criticism based on my background. He is somebody who knows my heart, know my personality, and somebody who knows me. It's like our relationship with our Heavenly Father. He already knows us from the inside out, and we know as Christians, that God protects us and is for us. We know we truly have a relationship with God and trust Him when is commands look more like love than like rules to us. When we address Him by bringing our problems and flaws to Him we can always count on righteous judgement and on the right advice. It can be another story when it comes to people. We should always discern the intentions behind conversations and questions. Authentication? Bombination? Condemnation? Conviction? Pretension? Reconciliation? We need to keep in mind that the important thing is not that we are more willing to defend "men and women of God", including ourselves, because we're not perfect. The important thing is that we defend God (Jesus) at all costs, even though He doesn't need defending, but who we stick of for first is ultimately a reflection of who we're really trusting in to change us - ourselves, others, or the One true living God?

We Live

We Live

By: Elaina Grace Morgan

We live in a land where consequences for your actions 

Is "persecution",

Telling the truth is 

"Accusation",

And who you are is 

"Speculation" from people who merely read what you write.

We live in a land where "love" is infatuation,

Where a woman's "not" pregnant at conception

Despite its definition,

Where saying sorry is meaningless defiant

"Reparation".

We live in a land where if something's not perfect,

It results in abolition,

Where big boobs, a big butt, and a tiny waist

Is viewed as "perfection",

And where caring about somebody's heart

Is nothing but a preconceived notion.

We live in a land where the world wide web

Is a huge, ugly, steel door for pornographic imaginations,

Where "love" is only a quick and fleeting sensation,

And where relationships have no healthy expectations.

We live in a land where we don't even follow our own constitution,

Where our freedom of speech is conditioned,

Especially if you're a Christian.

We live in a land where the church has become the epitome

Of selfish devotion,

Where helping the needy has really become "stagnation",

And where the church doesn't even know the meaning of Jesus's resurrection. 

We live in a land where very few things see consummation,

Where there's few that actually know the meaning of consecration,

And where so many people quit this walk 

Because of condemnation.

We live in a land where condemnation is confused with conviction,

Where we don't have to work out our salvation,

And where people don't have the encouragement to change

Because of excommunication.

We live in a land where -

Well you get the point.

What is the point of this life..

That we live if not for a greater purpose..

To rise above the status quo..

And put a stop to this.

What is the point if not to reject what we've learned

And accept more of what our Creator knows?

His promise.

The Idolatry Of Ignorance

    God is a God of order. (1 Corinthians 14:33 - "For God is not a God of disorder but of peace..") Therefore, He is also a God of logic. How many of us can say we have a logical rebuttal for the questions we face everyday? I can confidently tell you this from experience; I have found that when my reply is logical I stay at peace. I have found that when I don't know the answer that humility is better than ignorant malarkey. Taking a moment to search out the answer thoroughly is better than assuming and speaking figuratively. So how many of you can say you have studied God's Word? I know I can and I don't say that in a manner of pride and you know why? Because no matter how much you have studied God's Word in your lifetime there will always be more to learn from Him, and often those things will be from the same things you have studied previously.

    I wonder if you're one of the few who do because I am baffled at people's lack of response to this one question that I see many Christians often receive, including me: "If God was a loving God then why does He send people to hell?" I want to clarify the answers for those who would appreciate a better understanding of this by posing some questions myself. Why would a loving God force you to go to heaven when you have chosen the opposite (the one true living God, not falsified images posing as God or idols that take on the form of television, music, books, friends, family, your boyfriend or girlfriend, husband or wife, your phone, work, food, bacon, etc.)? We all are on this earth right now either learning hell's language or heaven's and whatever language we choose to learn and to live will take us to its destination by the path we individually have chosen to walk on. So would God be a God of love if He forced us on that path of faith when we didn't want to be? Simply put, you choose it and you choose the consequence of it. This isn't just for the unbelievers. It's for the believers alike. I am not exempt from this because I often find me writing to myself in my blog posts. Thanks to God, I am no stranger to the things I need to work on.

    Are we truly on the path of faith or are we cruising the freeway doing what we want whenever we want? Can an active follower of Jesus hold anything higher than the Name above all names? No. What we believe is not what we say; it's what we do and what we do and what we live out is a reflection of our thoughts. Whatever consumes most of our time, whatever we think and dream most about is an idol. So I want to encourage you all today to take captive your thoughts for they exceedingly are the root of what's lost. Hide His Word in your heart because everything you do flows from it, everything you think flows from it, and know that you can win by focusing upon the cross. I know some of you may be struggling with unforgiveness, lust, insecurity, fear, self-hatred, hate, bitterness, you name it; we've all been there. Also, we can all overcome by the blood of the Lamb. I encourage you to declare your freedom today by taking captive your thoughts. Use the authority God has given you as a child of the Most High by not letting the devil have control over you anymore and meditate this week on these verses: 2 Corinthians 10:5 - "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ," and Philippians 4:8 - "Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things." It's going to take training your thoughts, but I promise you that in the end it is so very worth it.

The People Pleaser Reader

    Have you ever went out and fed the homeless and had someone tell you that you're focusing on works to be saved? Have you ever preached about grace and had someone tell you that you're using it as an excuse? Have you ever preached against sin and had someone call you legalistic? Have you ever preached about God's will and had someone say you believe in the law of attraction? Have you ever preached about reaping what you sow and had someone say you're this or that because it's karma? Have you ever preached about humility and had someone say you're prideful because you're preaching about humility? Have you ever preached the law of righteousness and had someone tell you it's not love? Have you ever felt confident and had someone call you conceited only to make you go back to feeling insecure? Have you ever preached about purity and had someone tell you that because of your past you can't? Have you ever used wisdom and had someone demand that you can trust them? Have you ever tried to reconcile God's way only to have someone reject you? Have you ever told the truth to a friend only to have them say you're judgmental? 

    Have you ever? I know I have many times. First off, I want to encourage you to examine your motives. 2 Corinthians 11:28 - "Examine your motives, test your heart, come to this meal in holy awe."  Please take into account that what people say might be true and that we're all going to be put to the test. From experience of impure motives I had to take a look at my actions before I could see others reactions in the right light. Proverbs 16:2 - "All a person's ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the LORD." Secondly, if you put your words to the test of God's and find that you're in right-standing with Him then please don't let people's misinterpretations and assumptions discourage you from your walk. So many times I've let people steal my peace just because I let in what they were pushing on me. No. More. 1 Corinthians 2:11 - "No one can know a person's thoughts except that person's own spirit, and no one can know God's thoughts except God's own spirit." If we are all doing what we're supposed to be doing by testing our hearts and testing spirits then our lives are pleasing to God.

    Life gets dangerous when we take our eyes off of Jesus. Many words, lies, assumptions, and hurts come our way and if we aren't living in the Spirit then those spirits can severely damage us. If we aren't living in the Spirit we are living in the flesh and if we're living in the flesh, we're focused on flesh. I used to let other people's words and actions affect me tremendously. I began to look at those people for my identity, my approval, and my affirmation. Believe me when I say that I'm still not perfect when it comes to that now, but I think we all do that at times and it hurts us even more so when those people were once close. We then start to live to try to please them, but we can't take things personally because people hurt us purposefully. When we accept what they say we reject what God's Word says about us. (Click Link For More) Ephesians 6:12 - "For we are not fighting against flesh and blood enemies, but against principalities, powers, and rulers of darkness of the unseen world." When we focus what's really at stake in the Spirit we see it for what it is - Satan using people to work against us. We start to see that their spirit is not in line with the Spirit. Luke 6:45 says, "A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart, for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." After first examining ourselves we are able to execute righteous judgments about spirits when we test them. When we focus on Jesus we're able to see who we really are. We become a God pleaser like we should be because let's just be real; nobody has the time or the energy to please everybody! So honey, do yourself a favor and live to please your Father.

There's A Price To Pay

There's A Price To Pay

By: Elaina Grace Morgan

We all do what we've got to do to survive.

Truthfully it doesn't matter if we live or if we die..

Because if we don't die today

We might die tomorrow

And if we don't pray.. 

Then a bullet could be the price of our persona..

Or selling bad weed

At least it would be in the streets

While the price of a broke father of five is his worrying and anxiety

Being the possibility..

Of an OD.

While the price of an actress not getting naked in front of 

And off of the screen..

Is that all of her bank accounts..freeze.

Well I'm here today to tell you that the wages you make

Can never pay the price of sin.

Murderers, drug dealers, meth addicts

Jesus paid the price for all them.

The jealous, the impatient,

The zealous that don't match the heart of heaven

The haters, the players, the racists..

The complacent He died for all of them.

But the consequences for our sin

Will never add up to what He did.

And if He shed His blood and

Popped veins

So that we would be allowed to remain in the

Very things that caused Him pain

Then wouldn't you say...His death was all in vain?

Sleeping With Sin

    Lust is a big problem in society today and I don't have to tell anybody that. It is obvious that you pass the objects of its affections on billboards, on everything from internet to television to magazine ads, you see it in the mall on store front windows and you see it walking the halls at school or at work.  It is a struggle that I have personally gone through and a battle that I face every day, as most of my faithful readers know. I have talked about this subject a lot in the past, but today I am going to touch on something different (feel free to look back at my previous posts for more). It's not something you should hide and it's not something you should be embarassed about because let's be real - 99.9% of people go through it. That statistic is made up, of course because there is no real way of knowing unless I am God. The point I'm trying to make is that your church may not be talking about it or they may be judging you by it, your parents might be acting as if they have no idea that you're going through it, and at some point in your life as a Christian you probably were or are getting mad at God that sex before marriage is sin.

    I am familiar with that "logic". I am familiar with wanting it. I am familiar with not caring anymore. I'm familiar with thinking my relationships will work despite it being in the mix.  I'm familiar with it, period. I'm also familiar with the mind of Christ, thinking upon things that are holy, admirable, lovely, and pure. I am familiar with the struggle of going back and forth. I'm familiar with wanting the things that God wants for me. I'm familiar with the pain it brings when those relationships don't work out. You hear a lot of people tell you to not focus on the negative, but when it comes to sin looking at the negative can become an advantage because the negative effects always outweighs the seemingly positive effects of it. Most of us have developed this addiction based on not feeling loved or even because of insecurity or greed. Well guess what? God doesn't want to see you mask these problems with more of them. He wants to heal you, completely heal you and He doesn't want to strip away your fun either. 1 Corinthians 6:9 says - "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor those who practice homosexuality..."

    Those are not my words especially because most of my life I would not have been inheriting the kingdom of God for walking in habitual sin concerning this. Not inheriting the kingdom of God is the bigger picture, but there is also a smaller picture. Why does He tell us this if not to protect us? He tells us this for so many other reasons. Take masturbating, my biggest struggle. If we're so used to pleasing ourselves then when we do have a husband/wife it will be harder for them to fulfill our sexual desires. A friend gave me a great quote a couple of weeks ago or so: "If you keep masturbating and stimulating yourself, when your husband (or wife) comes, you will be fighting in the bedroom because you are so used to pleasing yourself" - Dr. Lorneka Rahming Joseph. It is the same with having sex before marriage or looking at pornography. If you really love the person that you have married then you are going to have such a hard time when these images pop into your head. You will constantly have to be rebuking these. Even in something as basic as having an ex who you've never slept with can be dangerous if you do not rebuke the temptation to compare everyone with them and the temptation to dwell on them.

    God doesn't want you to date or entertain just anybody, for your own sake. Think about it. It can be hard even to be in a healthy relationship if you've had an ex, or even if you've had somebody that you've entertained hurt you. You have to go through a long, painful process of God healing you of trust issues, insecurities, wounds from any kind of abuse and more. It is so much easier when your first relationship is your last relationship, but for those (including myself) who have already been in an unhealthy relationship, or even in many unhealthy relationships, there is still hope. I know because I see healing in my own life. It sure does kill, but I know that sand doesn't become a pearl without the clam going through a painful process. I believe that one day, I will see complete healing from those wounds and that I'll see that healing also happen in many of you. So I will end this post with saying that listening to God never fails no matter what He's speaking to you about. Trusting God to heal you never does either. We're all striving towards the finish line. We're all facing some sort of battle. Why not be here to uplift and help each other along?

Dancing With Demons

Dancing With Demons

By: Elaina Grace Morgan

At the club dancin with demons.

Would you be dancin with yo booty up on Jesus?

It's a vivid image.

I know.

It should be makin you cringe.

I know.

You were made for beauty.

Instead you're quenching the thirsty -

Twerking -

It's one of the worst.

Shakin yo booty ain't gonna to get yo booty into heaven,

Inert.

Why you flirtin

With the enemy?

He's a coy little smile watchin,

Sayin cheese.

Well girl, do it like sweet brown and run fo yo life.

There's a fire and you ain't just gonna be burning for the night.

We all fighting in the world for purity.

And you ain't be fightin' right if you're of the world promoting promiscuity.

I can guaran-tee one of you is offended with me.

But I'd rather be real than pretend -

Ya know what I mean?

Honey - You know I'm all for originality.

But you're still - initiating

Every stimulus - you're intimating subliminally

Just happens to be the same

Call-me-lame.

It ain't sexy.

Talkin' Jamie Fox ya-boy

You think you fox-y 

Talkin about shawtys disrespectfully.

There blamin it on the alcohol

Well I'm here with real cannonballs

Knockin down your walls-call it

Truth.

Whatchoo talkin 'bout?

Willis thinkin you the illest

But your girl here keepin it the trillest.

You blamin it on the alcohol when you're the one puttin it in yo mouth.

The truth came in and the truth came out.

Jason Deru- Who?

I'll tell you what you do.

Look to the one and only Author of truth.

Now ya can't blame me for staying silent

Cuz I'm spreadin the truth kinda like a virus.

"V" is for Victorious, not Victoria's Secret

    Today while singles are complaining about not having a Valentine and couples are complaining about trying to make last minute reservations, while the majority of men who are of this world actually view this day as Happy "V" Day and while the majority of women in this world view this day as the only day where love means they get shiny gifts of jewelry and sweet gifts of chocolate, while Hallmark is making big bucks off of last minute purchasers buying cards with cheesy Valentine's Day poems in them and flower companies are running out of red roses to sell, let's just stop and remember what love really is. Love isn't just a word; it's an action, it's a person whose name is Jesus. I could take this post in a number of different directions. In fact, I already wrote this post and deleted every paragraph that was already written except what I have written above. Isn't God funny? I had written all about what love is and what love isn't, but then God showed me the ideal act of love.

    Well today I fully believe that God wants me to write about forgiveness. He has already spoken that clearly to me and I feel such peace about it. How many of us have been hurt by an ex? I know I have! Well what I'm about to write is something that God wants you to apply to every relationship that you've had and every relationship that you will have. I went through two major heartbreaks this past year by breaking off an engagement and another relationship after that. I can't say that I was completely devastated because I was thankful God had revealed what He had to me, but I can say that I was severely damaged and upset, and rightfully so. I had asked God to help me to forgive and after that I really thought I had done so. Wrong. Every single time someone would bring up something related to the situation I could feel my face heating up. You could say that my blood was boiling out of bitterness, but Ephesians 4:31-32 says, "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."

    It wasn't long ago that I started reading the book Bait of Satan by John Bevere. I'm actually still in the middle of it and I am being utterly wrecked by that book so far. I feel like an advocate for this book because I would recommend it to anyone and everyone. It helped me understand so many things that I was in need of understanding and it helped me realize the importance of forgiving from the heart. I was severely wronged and you might be reading this and relating to that admittance. You might have been cheated on over and over again, you might have been raped or molested, you might have been lied about, abused and misused, you might have been thrown in jail for something you did or didn't do, you might have had your purity stolen from you or you might have given your purity to someone who told you that they loved you but didn't mean a thing they said. Guess what? I've been there and I understand the pain that you're feeling deep inside. I understand the tears that well up in your eyes at night. I've been there. I know what pain is. But beloved one, He says in Luke 6:37 - "Forgive, and you will be forgiven." If we negate the premise, it negates the conclusion. "Don't forgive, and you will not be forgiven."  Do not put limits on forgiveness. Someone could have been utterly wicked to you, but we still sinned against God while He was blameless. The same goes for you and forgiving yourself. What a slap in the face it is that God forgave you and you cannot forgive yourself. His grace allows you to be FREE from your past iniquity. It changes us, wrecks us, reforms us, restores, and transforms us!

    He forgave a debt we could NEVER repay so how dare we not forgive a small debt in comparison to that. (See The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant in Matthew 18:21) They might never change their ways, but you do not want to live the rest of your life being stagnant because you've held onto those offenses. There was one quote from Bait of Satan that struck me (along with several others I might add): "We are to be so far removed from avenging ourselves that we willingly risk being taken advantage of again." Now please don't take that and put yourself in a position where you could risk getting abused again. We are also told to use wisdom, but what a revelation that is. Luke 17:3-4 - "So watch yourselves. "If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times he comes back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him." Romans 12:20 - "On the contrary: 'If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." What a blessing it is to love those who do not love you back!

    One of my favorite Bible stories lately has been the one of Saul and David. David loved Saul, he looked up to Saul as his leader! They were super close, best bud status. But Saul grew jealous of David and sought to end his life. David was devastated. David ran for his life! (Oh, Sweet Brown ha ha! That YouTube video is absolutely hilarious.) Anyways, David had the chance to have revenge two times. The first time Saul was pursuing him vehemently. Saul had gotten close enough to kill him, but he didn't even know because David had hid in a cave. David could have taken Saul's life at the swing of a sword, but instead cut Saul's jacket and made an appeal to him of his innocence and integrity. Saul left, but even after knowing David's heart Saul went after him again intentionally. The second time David could have gotten revenge was when him and his military leader, Abishai, went into Saul's camp while they were sleeping. Despite Abishai's encouragement to kill Saul, David would not relent his stand. He refused to avenge himself and ultimately proved the purity of his heart. Romans 12:19 - "Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord." Only God's justice is righteous! Later on in the story we find out that Saul dies at the edge of his own sword. What was David's reaction? He mourned. Not only did he mourn; he composed a song in his honor. That is truly the definition of a man after God's own heart.

    This past week I also realized that I had an offense toward a place that I needed to forgive (yes, a place). I was angry about all of the things that happened there. I want you to realize from this that it is possible to have bitterness in your heart that doesn't even concern people. You might have bitterness in your heart towards, say, Valentines Day. You might not have gotten chocolate or flowers or even somebody simply telling you that they love you. Well first, I want to say that I love you dearly and Jesus loves you perfectly. I encourage you to look at this day as one out of many days to celebrate the definition of love. Jesus is SO worthy of your glory, honor, and praise! You can do what I do and use this day as an excuse to buy yourself a box of chocolates or (as long as you can afford it) use it as an excuse to buy a shiny piece of jewelry from Jesus. (It works!) Also, radiate the love of Christ to those around you. If He lives inside of you then you should be that light of love. SO many people need to be aware of how much they are really loved especially on Valentines Day, but also on every other day. I'll leave you with this: love your brother, love your enemies, love strangers! God knows each and EVERY single one of them personally and remember this Valentines Day that "V" is for victorious, not Victoria's Secret. This means living a life of forgiveness.

Synthetic Love

Synthetic Love

By: Elaina Grace Morgan

It was the summer of 2000 whatever when I was wrapped in a blanket of synthetic love.

I had known that real love was wrapped in swaddling clothes..lying in a manger.

But this kind of blanket birthed a stranger to it.

I didn't see that this blanket was fabricated

By lies and manipulation,

Dedicated constantly to seeing me come to the end of my rope,

Dedicated to pushing and shoving me so that I'd lose all of my hope..

Even if it meant tattooing a name on me - hypocrite.

Yet the next day supposedly God's grace was sufficient,

And it really only applied to it..

In every relationship.

I became weak.

I heard of intoxicating love,

But I was intoxicated by drugs at the end of the week.

So much pressure on every side of me that somehow freedom was too far off,

Because I had forgotten my worth

With every single abusive word.

It was not too long after being freed from that

That synthetic love decided to come back in a new form.

It wrapped me up again,

Reminiscing wanting to play pretend.

It really took God uncovering all that He needed to mend

For me not to think and feel obligated..

To bend over backwards to please synthetic love,

That real love

Hanging up on that cross,

Rich in mercy

Made me fearfully..

Intricately.

Sticks and Stones, Honey

    Most of you who know me on a personal level know that I'm a very sensitive person. When I'm not thinking deeply I'm feeling deeply. Well this past year I have probably felt more emotions than every year of my life combined, but let's throw it back a few years. In 2011 I felt the Holy Spirit come into my life and lead me for the very first time. I was freed from addictions. In 2012 after coming back from backsliding I gained a little more wisdom. In 2013 I thought I was entering into ministry that came in the form of what I desired to do for the Lord. If you can call it ministry then it would have been best described as masked ministry. It ultimately put me right back into the very thing it preached against. In this time of my life I am gaining more wisdom than ever before mainly in the subject of the spiritual realm. I blindly stepped into the season I'm gladly exiting out of. I did not have much knowledge of the Word as a whole at the time.

    Besides being sensitive I'm also someone who believes the best in people, gives people second chance after second chance, and someone who trusts in man too easily. Man, has that gotten me into a lot of trouble and my heart broken time and time again. That's how I got to the place where I am now. Psalm 118:8 - "It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humans." I sure am in the process of learning this now and if I would have learned it a year and a half ago I would have saved myself a lot of pain which is why I am sharing this with you all. I was talking to a wise pastor a week ago who asked me, "Would you leave a child molester alone with your children?" I thought the question was absurd! "Of course not," I exclaimed enthusiastically! I immediately had to take responsibility for letting people into my life that were not only sinning against me, but tempting me back into sin. (Note - We are all responsible for our own actions.)

    You might be saying, "Well I already failed that and now I'm broken as ever." Well there's good news. God heals! I'm going to quote my tweet from earlier today: "Let's be real. Emotions can suck. But God heals and that healing INCLUDES your emotions, not just the physical! Rest in His presence" (Psalm 107:19-21, Psalm 30:2, and my favorite Psalm 147:3). This past year I was called everything from a whore from the same lips who did the same thing to delusional and crazy for listening to what the Holy Spirit was telling me. I suffered many accusations that weren't true because of my sin and for letting there be cracks in my life for demons to enter into. I texted my spiritual mommy in tears while I was at work about how hurt I was to keep myself from going off the deep end and into real insanity from all that I've had to endure this past year. She simply told me to look at it from a spiritual perspective and that God will heal my broken heart. Yesterday I realized that God is doing two more amazing things in me by going through this: 1.) He is purging me of my pride and getting rid of all my self-sufficiency and will. 2.) He is teaching me the fear of the Lord.

    This little girl who was once made fun of for being so sensitive is also learning to not care what people say about me or scheme against me because God knows, and if I take into consideration what He thinks about what's going on all around me then I don't have to worry or defend myself. Words, words, words? They're sticks and stones, honey. I've spent the last three months trying to defend myself and fight for worth and it didn't work, but thing is, none of us have to! God avenges (Psalm 94, Nahum 1:2, Deuteronomy 32:35). God says you're worthy (Psalm 139:13-15, Jeremiah 29:11, Luke 12:6-7). Take rest in that, weary soul.

(Credit to Anthony Young for the photo. Go like "The Reading Group" on Facebook)

The Power of Prayer

    I'm just getting back into praying because if I were honest with you all then I would let you know that I am exiting a season of disobeying and into a season of communicating. I've been in and out of this habit of prayer a few times in my spiritual walk with God and I cannot say that when I was out of this habit that I had a relationship with Him. I am now doing better with this, but only because I have been spending time getting to know Him all over again. I've said it several times: you cannot have a relationship with someone who you're not communicating with. It's easier said than done however. It's easier to get out of the habit than back into the habit. I want to bring to your attention Jude 1:20 - "But you, dear friends, by building you up in your most holy faith, and praying in the Holy Spirit.." So how important is prayer? Let's find out.

What does prayer do?

•  It brings you the promises of God.

1. Take note - We are not to ask with the wrong motives (James 4:3).
2. (James 5:13-15, John 14:13-14, Ephesians 1:13, Acts 2:38, Matthew 13:11)

•      It brings us into the presence of God.

1. When we call someone up on the phone we enter into their presence through conversing with them.
2. (Psalm 145:18, Luke 6:12, Exodus 3:14)

•   It brings us the wisdom of God.

1. (James 1:5, 1 Corinthians 2:13, 1 John 4:1, Proverbs 17:27, Acts 16:25)

Does God answer all of our prayers?

    God answers every single one of our prayers, but not always in the way we want him to. Sometimes the things we ask are not beneficial to us, beneficial to others, or line up with the will of God.

What are God's answers?

• Yes. (Prayer moves the heart of God; prayer with the right motive that is.)
• No. (Like I stated above not everything that we pray is in the will of God. He knows best.)
• Wait. (Sometimes our timing is off. Scratch that. A lot of the time our timing is off. When it is God's timing things will go smoothly. You won't have to push to make things happen and you won't have to pull anyone or anything on your own bandwagon.)

    I hope that this will help you get back on your knees and talk to our Heavenly Father. He yearns to have intimacy with you and me. I don't want to see believers rise up, but lower themselves in humility to the Father's teachings; because it is only then when we can rise up with the right heart and focus. If you would like to tell me all about how you're doing with this or if you simply need prayer for anything you are welcome to e-mail me at: confessionsofachurchkid@gmail.com