Without
faith, it's called religion (something we do to get to God) yet through
faith, it's called relationship (something God did to get to us).
Religion has taught us to act like the church, which has led to the
copy-cat syndrome that births lots of actors, but demonstrates zero
power. All the conference going, program having (church folk have a
program for everything), declaring, shouting, and sowing is a complete
waste of time if there's no time spent studying the Word. In addition to
hearing our PASTOR(even Jesus had a Pastor. Please settle in ONE local
body to get fed) teaching us the Word, we must be committed to studying
so God can speak to us directly! This is where faith exists, through the
fellowship of relationship. God wants to direct us, comfort us, and
reveal to us His perfect way. Let's settle, be intentional about
learning more about this Jesus who loves us. Let's be eager to
demonstrate true power and manifesting God's promises rather than
demonstrating how "churched" we are. #nextlevel #theresmoretothis
#relationship
Pursuing Truth,
D.
God
took our "works" out of the equation because He knew they would not
justify us. He took our intellect out of the equation because He knew it
would not convince us. He removed the guilt from the equation because
He knew it would discourage us. He took the sin out of the equation
because He knew it would separate us. The only component He left up to
us? Our FREE WILL ...to CHOOSE to BELIEVE. Right believing yields rights
living. Romans 10:9
Pursuing Truth,
D.
I
was that person ...until reality slapped me in the face. Funny how you
think you're humble until you ask God to show you your true heart. You
have to be willing to let YOU go! Pride is deadly and will cause you to
think you are more stable than you think, until you fall. It'll cause
you to become bitter, wondering why others are pushing forward and
you're stuck! "This is how I am!" You don't have to stay that way. "My
momma was like this too!" How did that work out for mama? "I wish that
teacher would say something to my child!" Did it ever occur to you she
has to manage 30+ kids at a time? You have trouble with one! 😳Chill.
"I'm broke!" Words can curse you or bless you. Choose wisely. "The white
race is always tryna keep the black race down!" Reverse prejudice eh?
There are more kind "white people" than not. Racism is a matter of the
heart but Jesus overcame the world to give you good success. What other
excuses do you have? "All men are dogs!" Not those who are in love with
Jesus. Check your heart. You may be attracting what you sincerely like
😳. "The Bible is inaccurate. I need don't Jesus." God doesn't stop
loving you nor being who He is just because you don't choose to accept
His as Lord. Jesus is still the only way. "I was born like this." Like
how? In a sinful state? Sure. We all were. But homosexuality is not the
will of God. He loves you, but it's still sin, no way around it. Your
feelings don't dictate the truth about who God intended for you to be.
Male and female. The perversion of the two is not God's intention. Be
willing to change ...the unwillingness keeps you stuck, bitter, and on a
downward spiral to nowhere. #wearenotallthat #chill #letitgo
Pursuing Truth,
D.
"Dwan,
if Jesus defeated those things that hold people captive, why do they
still exist and torment people's lives?" ...Scripture never said those
things would cease to exist, but Jesus overcame those things, that satan
attempts to continue to entrap us with, to give us another option. Much
like a prisoner behind bars ...the warden can bid him/her farewell, but
it's up to him/her to walk out of the prison doors ...doesn't mean the
prison will cease to exist but when Jesus nailed bondage (of any sorts)
to the cross, He paid the penalty ...we are no longer obligated to it.
Problem is, most people don't know freedom has been made available so
sadly they choose to stay locked up, as though there are no other
options. That's why Jesus must be preached, to give the captives hope
and another way!! To show them God's unwavering love for them ...Truth
is, when we truly know it, we don't have to live helplessly and barely
making it. God has an incredible hope-filled life for us to live. It all
settles on a choice. I wanted to be free so I dove into His Word to
find the Truth to the lies satan had been feeding me for years. Be free
today!
Pursuing Truth,
D.
Interestingly
enough, when I was set in my ways and dead in sin, this characteristic
of God agitated me. I was agitated because I wanted to still do my thing
and make life work for me ...when it didn't, I'd refuse God's love
because ...well...I thought He was a genie and He was supposed to give
me what I wanted. Until I hit bottom ...it was in that moment that I
embraced His consistency in love and grace. Today, I'm glad God doesn't
change ...I'm glad He doesn't go back on His Word ...I'm glad He doesn't
fix His Word to fit my plans and motives. Instead, He is established,
settled, and has completed alll things. How we choose to embrace this
consistency is up to us. The fact that His Word doesn't change gives me
hope, inspires me, and leads me to an expected end! I'm glad He doesn't
budge when I have pity parties and temper tantrums ...that's His love
towards me ...to challenge towards His best for me ...to stand on His
Word as Truth ...that it will work, always. I'm glad that even when I'm
slack concerning His Word, He allows me to pick up where I left off.
See, His Word will work for us when we choose to commit to it! It's not
our committing that causes God to move on our behalf ...it's our
committing that enables us to get where and what He's ALREADY made
available! Amen!! Happy Monday!!
Pursuing Truth,
D.
Nothing missing, nothing broken ...God's Word covers every experience imaginable ....His solutions always end with LIFE!!!
Pursuing Truth,
D.
Our
musical gifts don't exempt us from studying God's Word, laying out
before Him, and living a life in private that is worthy of what we sing
about publicly. The local body is not a curse ...it is a blessing and I
wish to stay committed to my local body forever. If God never leads me
to sing outside of my church, I will be satisfied. Because my blessing
is not in how many gigs I have, it's in my obedience. If/when God exalts
you, you'll always be tried by fire, first, to ensure you withstand the
trappings of the world ...this is His love towards you. The trap is
called Luciferianism ...the desire for fame, power, and recognition.
This demonic work, PRIDE, seeks to gain popularity at any cost and must
maintain fame to continue to satisfy the flesh. In the end, there's
always a fall. The scripture reminded us of it: 2 Timothy 3:2 ...Men
will become lovers of themselves. We honor God, not ourselves. May we
always aspire to seek His validation and use our gifts to bring Him
glory!!!
Pursuing Truth,
D.
Our
musical gifts don't exempt us from studying God's Word, laying out
before Him, and living a life in private that is worthy of what we sing
about publicly. The local body is not a curse ...it is a blessing and I
wish to stay committed to my local body forever. If God never leads me
to sing outside of my church, I will be satisfied. Because my blessing
is not in how many gigs I have, it's in my obedience. If/when God exalts
you, you'll always be tried by fire, first, to ensure you withstand the
trappings of the world ...this is His love towards you. The trap is
called Luciferianism ...the desire for fame, power, and recognition.
This demonic work, PRIDE, seeks to gain popularity at any cost and must
maintain fame to continue to satisfy the flesh. In the end, there's
always a fall. The scripture reminded us of it: 2 Timothy 3:2 ...Men
will become lovers of themselves. We honor God, not ourselves. May we
always aspire to seek His validation and use our gifts to bring Him
glory!!!
Pursuing Truth,
D.
God
can use you to begin a process (planting) ...speak it, unashamed!! It
took 4000 years for someone (Isaiah) to speak and initiate the
redemptive process: "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is
given" (Isaiah 9:6). It was Mary's words that ignited the manifestation
of Isaiah's prophecy: "Be it unto me, according to thy Word" (Luke
1:38). One of the benefits of being in Christ is being lead by God. If
He said it, believe, speak it, expect it!! Ignite the flame!!
Pursuing Truth,
D.
I
wasn't always settled on this as I've had my moments of "when am I
going to get married?" Marriage should not consist of two halves coming
together ...yet two wholes becoming one. Lonely? Planning a
wedding...without a groom? You're not ready for marriage. Being single
is not a curse ...God has actually anointed single people to do things
married people can't do ...vice versa. When you settle on the fact that
God loves you and get lost in living to Him, the man will find you
...biggest mistake women make is trying to find the man. Loneliness can
cause you to make poor decisions. You DON'T have to put yourself on the
market. You DON'T have to casually date to "put yourself out there". God
doesn't experiment and He doesn't guess. When He made the male, He made
the female. Trust Him. I look forward to my quiet nights at the house!!
When I want company, I make a phone call to friends and family. When
you find yourself committed to honoring God, a joker with a nice smile,
an agenda, and a lie won't fool you!! Stay focused ...
Pursuing Truth,
D.
I
often pray for Pastors because their assignment is not easy. When they
are called by God to lead His people, the attack from satan is greater
as his goal is to always take the head out. I pray for their spouses
too, as they too are faced with the weight of the assignment. They are
often ridiculed, overlooked, and the target of criticism. I pray that
God will keep husband/wife as ONE, to never allow the enemy a crack nor
an inch to cause division. I pray that she/he will be secure in their
assignment, humbled and settled in what God has called them to do. And
the children, that they will be secure in their purpose, obedient to
their parents, never comfortable in their parent's salvation but will
allow Jesus to permeate their hearts. Amen.
Pursuing Truth,
D.
Disappointment
is one of those facets of life that we've all experienced. It hurts
when things don't turn out as planned, your gifts go unnoticed, your
choosing to do things the right way are overshadowed by what's popular
but wrong, or when your efforts don't seem "good enough". When you have a
God-led vision, don't lose site of it!! ...someone wants to hear your
message, someone wants to invest in your dream, someone is watching you,
someone kept going because you didn't quit, someone needs to hear your
testimony, someone wants your boldness, someone admires your faith, and
someone has found hope because of you! Remain faithful, focused, and
fervent!! ...and keep.selling.your.peanuts ...
Pursuing Truth,
D.
To
the Christian/Gospel artist that wants to "crossover" to mainstream for
the sake of "reaching the lost", I challenge you to search the true
motives of your heart ...fame is a powerful drug 😳 While I believe
Jesus will strategically/creatively send His people to every corner of
the world to share His truth and love, He will NEVER disguise the
packaging!! Men should know that you belong to Jesus. This "out of the
box" talk is an attempt to re-invent the wheel and make the Gospel more
appealing to this culture. While I believe God is creative, He doesn't
need gimmicks nor does He need our help to remain relevant. John 15:19
...The world loves its own. If the mainstream music industry accepts
you, then Houston we have a problem. Think about it, the Gospel changes
lives and causes people to live/think right. Whyyy would "the industry"
want you changing the minds of their producers/consumers who love
themselves (more than Christ), sex, drugs, and fame?? Even as a
"cross-over" artist, the label has complete control over your content
...where's the liberty to "spread the Gospel" in that? Music is a
conduit for worship, healing, and victory ...scripture doesn't support
the notion that music was used to win someone to Christ.
Scripture does
support the truth that it takes the preaching of the Gospel to save
someone ...I Corinthians 1:21. In Acts 2:37, after Peter preached the
Gospel, the question was asked, "what must we do?" (to be saved)...3000
people were saved that day. There are NO accounts that people were saved
because someone sang. I know it's tempting to believe that we artists
should use our gifts to draw people to Jesus. Our gifts should be a
testimony of how beautiful Jesus is. The thing that will sting the heart
of man into understanding why they need to be saved, is preaching the
Gospel (tell someone about Jesus). Music stirs emotions. Giving your
life to The Lord should not be an emotional experience but a
life-changing experience. Again I ask, is Jesus the pawn for your
fame/popularity? Lots of "I think", "I feel", "I believe" ...tell me
what God said ...
Pursuing Truth,
D.
God
never fails, ever! If we fail in an area (business, friendship, career,
marriage, money, etc.), it's not because God missed it ...we did! While
He will use our failure to teach us, convict us, humble us, and
strengthen our faith, ultimately His way always works. Every successful
man and woman in the Bible were able to say, "and God said". How many
times do we start business ventures without hearing from God? Then when
it fails, we blame God or try something different? Or marry a joker
without consulting God? Or blow through money without asking God how to
invest it? "God will give you the desires of your heart" is the ONLY
part that makes us feel good because it feeds on the innately selfish
tendencies of mankind. Read alone, the scripture can be taken out of the
context. In context, the scripture before and after paints a clearly
picture ...Trust in The Lord and Delight yourself in The Lord precede
and Commit your way to The Lord follows. God doesn't just give us what
we want because we think we deserve it!! He requires us to Trust Him,
Delight in Him, and Commit to Him ...that's His way of getting things to
us. When we do that, He will reveal HIS plans for our lives, and our
trusting, delighting, and committing will manifest the desires HE's
placed inside of us. It's NEVER our way, but His way that remains
perfect.
Pursuing Truth,
D.
Yes,
negative people are annoying, yet for every person who isn't in our
corner, there are 10 who are ...they deserve our focus. Even unto death,
Jesus never focused on what people were doing to Him ...He stayed true
to His purpose and kept His eyes on His greatest cheerleader ...His
Father! "IF GOD IS FOR YOU, WHO CAN BE AGAINST YOU?? Romans 8:31
Pursuing Truth,
D.
What
has God promised you? That's the key. Lack of faith will cause you to
keep your eyes on everyone and everything else but the Promise Keeper in
Jesus. Uncertainty can drive you to act out of haste just to MAKE
things work, instead of acting on faith to ensure things work! Ever
wonder why people change career paths 10 times? Or try "new" things to
MAKE life work? Date multiple people to find the "right" one? Oftentimes
we lose faith because (1) we covet what others have, that wasn't
promised to us (2) we aren't sure what God has promised (3) we haven't
spent time hearing the studying His Word to stand on what God has
promised us. If He promised it, we should settle it in our hearts. If He
promised He'd keep your marriage, then settle in your heart that
divorce is not an option. If He promised He'd save you and your house,
don't be moved by the wayward child. If He promised you a car, don't be
comfortable with riding the bus forever. If He promised you total
health, don't be discouraged by the Doctor's report. If He promised
you'd be an entrepreneur, don't covet someone else's company nor grow
weary in doing well. When we believe right, we begin to live right.
Faith in God's promises will move you to pray for your rocky marriage,
speak life into your wayward child, get a job and start the process of
looking for a car, see yourself whole and healed, and begin research on
the company He's birthed in you! Abraham's proof of belief? He never
wavered, He believed God, and then have glory to Him!
Pursuing Truth,
D.
I
used to think that treating people well, going to church, and getting
good grades in school made me a "good" person ...until ...I realized,
"no one is good except God alone" Mark 10:18. You see, what we consider
good deeds, Isaiah 64:6 describes as filthy rags. Our standard of "good"
has been diminished to filthy rags ...wow!! Consider this, what's
"good" for a suicide bomber is "bad" to most people ...true story, they
believe by sacrificing their lives to kill others they are serving their
country and god for "good" ...so how then do we measure good?
Arrogance/confidence in our goodness is self-righteousness and has the
capacity to cause us to condemn a murderer because he/she is a "bad"
person. The reality is, because of sin, ALL of humanity is bad ...rotten
to the core!! The ONLY person who makes us good, is Jesus! He's the
key! Not our service to our community/church, our gentle smile, nor our
good choices ...accepting Jesus as Lord! The notion that I'm "good"
without Jesus is a set-up ...a false safety blanket ...in the end, Jesus
Christ is the only name given to draw man back to God through
salvation. Truth is, I was a MESS without Jesus ...but because of Him,
now I've been drafted into His Kingdom as a daughter ...with all
Heavenly benefits. Share the love of Jesus to ALL men ...don't
discriminate.
Pursuing Truth,
D.
Have
you made Jesus Christ Lord? Your title won't matter, how many friends
you have on Facebook, how many likes you have on Instagram, how much
money you make, how many degrees you have, how much you tithe, how often
you sing in the choir, how many houses/boats/cars you own, how good
your children are in sports, how much liquor you can consume, how good
weed makes you feel, how fly your club outfit looks, how perfect your
marriage looks ...NOTHING else will matter! Your passport to everlasting
life? Jesus Christ. The idea of everlasting life WITHOUT Christ is a
fairy tale to some and life now without Jesus Christ is viewed as
optional ...no big deal. Sadly, many Christians, those who have
experienced new life in Jesus are so consumed with their lives, they
don't have time to share Jesus with someone who is lost and dying.
Friends, what are you investing in? Salvation cost Jesus His life, but
He considered it well worth His life to freely give you an opportunity
to truly live!!! Choose life today!!
Pursuing Truth,
D.
Friend,
your life matters to God ...good news is, it's not over! Social media
is the curtain that hides insecurities and presents the false picture of
reality. It's used to PROVE success, joy, and peace or whatever else we
wish to portray. Sadly, we don't have to pretend. To the football
player that didn't make it to the NFL, the mother with children out of
wedlock, the person whose dream marriage ended in divorce, the person
whose spent time in jail, the parents with wayward children, the
hometown hero whose still back home doing the same thing they were doing
10 years ago, the girl and boy whose confused about their identity
...your life matters now! If God used Moses, an 80 year old man to lead
the children of Israel out of Egypt, He can use you! Time is irrelevant
to God! No more pity parties, pretending, bragging about your children
to prove you're somebody, and/or choosing to stay where you are! New
life begins with Jesus ...the one who gave ALL of us a 2nd chance. This
time, allow Jesus to lead ...while you follow ...love y'all!!
Pursuing Truth,
D.
Jesus
is the answer ...always. What consumes your time? What has your
attention? The answer is the product of where you are today! We are all a
product of our decision making. More focused on finding a boo, making
money, pleasing people,living vicariously through your children,
complaining, blaming the white man, hating the black man, fearful of the
economy, trying to come up with a master plan, just stuck, etc.? The
answer is in Jesus ...a life filled with joy unheard of! He wants to
consume your life so that you intentionally produce good fruit!!
Pursuing Truth,
D.
Sadly
"To God be the glory" has become a mere buzz-phrase for the
confirmation of Jesus being glorified in what we do ...the true
confirmation is when we are committed to the assignment regardless of
how many people are present or willing to promote us. Let's remain
humble and content in the process so that God may prove us, as we are
tried by fire!!
Pursuing Truth,
D.
Draw
a line in the sand, whose side are you on? "But if serving The Lord is
undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves who you will
serve"....Choose life!! Deuteronomy 30:19 ...
Pursuing Truth,
D.
"My
GRACE is sufficient (all you need); my strength (power) works best (is
most effective) in weakness. So now I am glad to boast in my weakness so
that the power of Christ can work through me. Therefore I take pleasure
in my weakness, hardships, persecutions, and troubles...for when I am
WEAK then am I STRONG" ...II Corinthians 12:9-10. The ultimate exchange
...THIS is why we always win!! Grace gives us power over sin. Not that
we'll never be tempted, become weak or perhaps fall, but His grace
enables us to depend on his strength as a way of escape!! Not our
self-efforts, discipline, strong mind, but His strength!! Thank God for
Jesus, that we don't have to be enslaved to sin! Freedom!! #Godbenefits
#TheWord #Study #Takethetime #Jesusistheanswer
Pursuing Truth,
D.
This
is one of the most difficult messages to teach believers because when
their music collection is challenged then there's resistance ..."my
music isn't bad" is usually the sentiment. I've been called weird, deep,
and non-relevant because of my stance. Yet as confirmed in the
scripture, satan is subtle. He knows most believers wouldn't dare listen
to music about violence, drugs, sexing, or drinking. But if he inspired
a funky beat, used a pretty girl, and used metaphors as lyrics then the
song would bypass normal "Christian radar" undetected. Truth is, music
is always created through the supernatural ...what we hear from mortal
beings (humans) is the duplicated form. I'm a musician and I own a
studio. What most musicians won't tell you (because they want the
spotlight) is there is a supernatural encounter that takes place before
music is produced. In other words, whether it's the spirit of satan or
the Spirit of God, the human is merely the host for reproduction.
So
what you hear as a consumer is much deeper than what the ear detects!!
The message is in the music!! Whether your conscious picks up on it or
not, you're being fed something and what that something is depends on
the spirit of the artist. Here's how it works and this is why believers
fight it ..."but it's just music, I just listen to the beat, it's a fun
song, etc." ...sadly, satan has worked his craft to perfection. This
goes for Christian/Gospel music as well ...artists hiding behind Jesus
only to promote their agendas for fame....just like satan ...they want
the spotlight. When churches begin playing music from artists who don't
honor Jesus as Lord, that's the cue that's satan has worked his plan.
What's in your music collection?
Do
your research, the music industry is dark ...that's not to assume that
those who God has placed in it to be a light have been compromised
...that is to say, many are being deceived ...don't let anyone convince
you otherwise. Many of these artists aren't who you think they are ...I
pray you'll simply ask God to reveal the truth behind your music, to be
open to this revelation, and be willing to let it go for the sake of
honoring Jesus in allll things.
Pursuing Truth,
D.
Friend,
don't lose heart ...God always wins!! While these are critical times,
there's no need to panic and lose hope. Nothing surprises God ...Jesus
was sent as the solution to ALL things!! Our faith in Him gives us peace
...Ebola? "No evil will conquer you, neither shall any plague come near
your home" ...Psalm 91:10. Disobedient children and fatherless homes?
"The preaching will return the hearts of the children to the fathers and
the hearts of the fathers to their children" Malachi 4:6. Failing
economy? "My God shall supply all my need according to His riches in
glory by Christ Jesus" ...Philippians 4:19. Our children are NOT
hopeless because God has the power to restore and capture their hearts!!
Our fathers are NOT helpless ...because God can and will restore their
authority. IS THERE ANYTHING TOO HARD FOR GOD????
Pursuing Truth,
D.
Pursuing Truth,
D.
OMG!!
This used to be me!!! ...I was complacent and comfortable until I
realized this life isn't about ME but about investing in others. I
realized God had greater on the inside of me with potential to change
the world!! Interestingly enough, we don't mind being challenged in
sports, marriage, friendships, and on our jobs. But when it comes to
Christian development, we believers become fearful when challenging our
brothers and sisters. This week, I challenge YOU to be more and please
do the same for me! As a trainer, I challenge my athletes and clients
physically and mentally ...pushing them to always give their BEST and to
FINISH! God expects more of us!! Our Mondays shouldn't be dreaded
...but seen as another opportunity to grow and get better! Does someone
know Jesus because of the life you live? Are you living towards being
ALL that God created you to be? Don't leave this earth filled with
"stuff" inside of you! That's the problem with graveyards ...the richest
places on earth!!...filled with people full of gifts they never
fulfilled! Today, is a new day!!...
Pursuing Truth,
D.
Jesus
Christ has made me new ...I have a new nature so my identity is not one
of a sinner (one who is not redeemed) ...but by accepting Jesus Christ
as Lord, I have taken on the identity of my Savior. Furthermore, now,
there needs to be a demonstration of this new life: Joy is times of
sorrow, peace in times of lack, a sincere smile, and a heart to serve
...versus cussing, complaining, living in fear, and/or making excuses.
Time out for the OLD THINGS and making excuses for sin ...as a believer
it should be uncomfortable to sin. Do we miss it at times? sure! But we
don't practice sin ...we learn to overcome sin as we grow in the Word of
God. Christians should be demonstrating power!! ...changing the
negative culture of this generation on our jobs, in the schools, etc.
Clubbing, being/speaking reckless doesn't demonstrate the power of God
in your life ...yet the evidence of CHANGE draws people to your God.
There must be a difference between the profane and the holy. Believers
should never apologize for their past nor use it as an excuse not to
share the truth. We are ambassadors of Christ, mandated to share the
love of Jesus and His redemptive work on the cross. There is a standard
to this ...and it's the perfected holiness of Jesus!! If we present
Jesus and allow the Word of God to teach us how to be like Him, the
proof will be in our family, neighbor, co-worker, etc. wanting to know
more about this incredible life!! Christianity is set-apart ...what are
you demonstrating?
Pursuing Truth,
D.
When
God sees me, He sees His son Jesus!!! I am no longer a sinner ...I am
The Righteousness of God!! II Corinthians 5:17 ....Godbenefits
Pursuing Truth,
D.
Dad
taught me early ...the old saying, "what people think about you is none
of your business" is true. If you think rocking pink boots with orange
sweats and a button down is fly, wear it!! That doesn't match and you
may not get hired but that's your decision ...It's your style, so rock
it!! lol!! 😄There's a difference between desiring to make people, who
matter, proud of you and wanting/needing their affirmations ...as well,
sometimes being the peace maker and talking things through with someone
who incorrectly perceived what you did or said is necessary. I believe
those relationships and conflicts are vital for human development
...and even in that, ultimately our validation has to come from God! But
when God has called you to do something and be who He created you to
be, worrying about how you look or sound to someone who didn't die for
you is bondage ...don't go broke trying to impress and maintain a
reputation and certainly don't lose who you are to gain someone's
validation. We can't stop people from talking so we might as well live
life FREE of other's opinions. I'm actually surprised when I hear
someone has an issue with me or doesn't like me, because that's never my
focus ...I'm not aware of what others think of me ...I have an idea
perhaps, but I don't care. Haters??? I want to meet them!! ...and
demonstrate the love of Jesus, not PROVE THEM WRONG or show them how "I
made it". I live to honor God. #truestory #befree
Pursuing Truth,
D.
Jesus
loves you ...He's passionate and concerned about you ...regardless of
your past and/or current condition ...if.you.only.knew ..."where do I
start?" ...start with accepting His love for you ..."I'm too far gone"
...He wants to restore you
...Is.there.anything.too.hard.for.God??...He's willing to meet you right
where you are ...for He cares for you. I love that God is patient,
kind, and gentle towards the matters of our hearts ...always willing to
prove His love for us ...
Pursuing Truth,
D.
Ladies
and Gentlemen, you'll recognize a snake when the two don't add up
...you must have both ...production and speaking from their heart.
He/she may be able to show you what you want to see but that "thing"
isn't truly in their heart. Example...He/she goes to church but Jesus
isn't the core of their conversation. Or he/she shows you money but
doesn't speak about a legit job. Or he/she can talk a good game but ain
producing a thang!!!! What's in their heart will come out ...hang around
then long enough, and they won't stop talking about it. Their character
will always produce the corresponding fruit!! God has given us His Word
to help us with relationships (of any kind) ..."Just as you can
identify a tree by it's fruit, so you can identify people by their
actions" ...Matthew 7:20..."A good person produces good things from the
treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from
the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your
heart"...Luke 6:45.
Pursuing Truth,
D.
...or
the millionaire that doesn't know you nor your child??? There's nothing
wrong with children wanting to aspire to be like great leaders but
their first model of leadership should begin in the home. When parents
fail to provide sound structure, leadership, and support, children will
naturally divert their attention to what's popular. Political, sports,
and Hollywood superstars don't feed your children, take them to school,
help them with homework, travel to tournaments, dry runny noses, nor
wipe tears away ...you do!! They should aspire to follow you as you
follow Christ! So instead of investing in those superstars' children's
college tuition, invest in your children so they model after what's
right. Don't be so quick to send them to their grandparents or sleepover
to a neighbor's house just because you're tired of them. And please
stop beating yourself up because of your past and inadequacies ...be
encouraged to start today fresh, choose fellowship with Christ, and
allow Him to show you how to be who He created them to be!! Love
y'all...
Pursuing Truth,
D.
The
name above ALL names ...Jesus!!! has moved from being "a part" of my
life to being my life!! I use to make Him "a part" of my day or schedule
as if I was doing Him a favor ...however, my Pastor often says, "In
these days, you're going to need Jesus"...a day will come when our
"investments" will reveal their true worth!! If Jesus isn't the center
of it, in the end, it won't matter. All the money, accolades, turn-ups,
people pleasing, palm reading, star gazing, and vain worship to false
gods won't have the power to withstand the demise of this world. But
because I'm in Christ, I'm SURE to win, always ...living void of fear
because I know who holds my future!!
Pursuing Truth,
D.
Thesssseeee
were the words of warning from ANY adult to me when I stepped out of my
lane as a child!! The next offense was a "rod"!! Since when do children
run things???!!! Videos of children cursing adults, fighting their
parents, and adults getting their cues from this generation is not
funny. What ever happened to parents leading their children to doing
what's right? or teaching young kids how to respect adults? Today, it's
admirable for a parent to curse their child's teacher out or encourage
bad behavior. Time out for the non-sense! Listennnnnn, I've had children
bow up at me but at 5'4, they learn QUICKLY, that "this ain what they
want!" ...it doesn't take them long to return to a child's place ...I
tell them to "go in peace" LOL!! God has given we adults the authority
to lead the way, not follow their lead. I work at a school ...and
children don't tell me what to do, ever!! They don't intimidate me, they
don't manipulate me, and they don't instruct me. I have the
responsibility as the adult to lead the way, establish rules, and
enforce fair discipline ...allll while loving on EACH one with unique
care. I establish order, because I LOVE THEM!!
Parents and anyone who
works with children and teens ...I'm praying for you today!! That God
will give parents the supernatural strength to ...SPANK your children in
love (not frustration) when they need correction and to love on and
encourage them to righteousness. Youth workers, I pray that God will
give you wisdom on how to conduct your leadership. Take your rightful
place back!! If your children are causing you stress in your home and in
the classroom, it's time to re-establish order!! Don't ever allow
children to disturb your peace, ever. When we train them up God's way,
we teach them authority, order, and proper conduct! ...Happy Monday!!
Pursuing Truth,
D.
