YOU'RE Still Good...

 YOU'RE Still Good...

There I sat in the dimly lit room in the morgue, holding her hand, angry and bitter.  I was so furious.  I thought I felt warmth coming back into her hand. I wanted that so badly. She died anyway. I prayed as hard as I could, then I cursed. I cursed her so hard.  I cursed God so much.  This was so wrong. How could this happen, without notice.  It was so sudden, and definitely too soon.  This was not how it was supposed to end.  So abruptly. So unprepared I was.  We'd just spoken two days ago.  No one told me it got complicated.  She never told me it got complicated.  I could have come sooner. I could have dropped everything and come sooner.  It hurt so much, even now it still does.  An entourage met me at the airport, but I didn't think anything of it.  I mean, it was thanksgiving right.  No one said anything about it. But once I opened the apartment door I just knew.  The gut wrenching pain I felt in my stomach, like someone was playing tug of war with my insides. The pull, the tear, the pain. I bellowed so hard.  Somehow I just knew.  I sensed that she had died, and I let them take me to the morgue to see her.   

It was a normal checkup, a regular checkup.  They made a mistake, and just like that, she's no more.  A simply wrong dosage. A small error, and she was no more. I literally just spoke to her. Why didn't she tell me to change my flight? We'd talked about things we were going to do, like make her perfect tiramisu for thanksgiving, etc...  This was just too much.  The walls came tumbling down. There I stood in a Jericho moment. Have you ever had one of those?  The moment everything that's supposed to be stable, powerful and perfect comes crashing down uncontrollably. Imagine, maybe your:

• Perfect marriage
• Secure family
• Beautiful children
• Super relationship
• Awesome friendship
• Secure job
• Financial security

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You just can't imagine your life otherwise. Especially if it happens suddenly. Death, no matter how anticipated is always painful for those left in the aftermath.  1 Samuel 31 David's best friend Johnathan dies in battle.  He'd been there for David and saved him from his father's wrath on several occasions.  Yet David couldn't save him and it broke his heart tremendously.  Several years later, David's son dies at the hand of God.  He had coveted a man's wife and got her pregnant.  Then he got the man killed to cover it up, and married the man's wife afterwards.  God killed the innocent child. 2 Samuel 12.  Then God sent a prophet with a judgement proposal for David.

2 Samuel 12: 15 - 20

15 After Nathan had gone home, the Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David, and he became ill. 16 David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and spent the nights lying in sackcloth on the ground. 17 The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them.

18 On the seventh day the child died. David’s attendants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, “While the child was still living, he wouldn’t listen to us when we spoke to him. How can we now tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate.”

19 David noticed that his attendants were whispering among themselves, and he realized the child was dead. “Is the child dead?” he asked. “Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.”

20 Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.

Samuel 24. Again, David sinned by taking a census of his soldiers.  He had forgotten that his victories were not as a result of his army, but God's power.  He was taking the glory for himself.  God is a jealous God.  Exodus 34.  David had done something that God did not authorize.  Be careful not to do those things.  Especially when you come into power, stay humble.  Only God deserves the praise. 

Proverbs 21:1

The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. Every way of a man is right in his own.

John 19 During HIS trial, Jesus told Pilate , "You would have no power over me at all unless it were given you from above". This is a reminder that all earthly power and authority is permitted by God. Jesus voluntarily submitted to his crucifixion as part of a divine plan, not because of the inherent authority held by Pilate.  Power to God is like oxygen to man. It's innate.  It doesn't marvel God and it shouldn't marvel us.  We were made in HIS image and likeness. Infact from the very outset, in Genesis 1 God gave man power to dominate.  HE commanded us to dominate the earth.  What HE expects from us is reverence, honor and humility.  We're supposed to love on each other, not lord things over each other.  That was God's original intent for mankind. There was only supposed to be one Lord, and that would/ should be HIM.  However, we got the wrong memo. We keep trying to outdo each other, not understanding that we have different assignments.  Each life has a unique role, just as each body part serves a different purpose.  Sometimes we re-assign or reconfigure our roles.  (That's why we need the Holy Spirit to teach us).  But God is patient with us.

Despite our errors, God understands that we're HIS children.  As a father, HE gently guides us by the leading of the Holy Spirit.  Especially when we hurt, we need to maintain an attitude of submission.  This is learnt.  When we come to realize God's love and affection towards us, inspite of ourselves.  Sometimes our wounds can lead us into dark spaces.  Even when HE punishes us like David, HIS arms are always open towards us.  HIS arms are always ready to craddle us.  Romans 5.

Romans 8:32 

"He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?"

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Not until you've been backed into a dark space like the prodigal son in the pig's pen.  When you realize that your own efforts caused you to choose wrongly.  When you understand that you are powerless to make it right.  Then you will begin to appreciate God's unconditional fatherly love for you.   As HIS child, you'll allow yourself to experience HIS eyes searching for you; HIS arms waiting for you, and HIS wealth ready to enfold and smother you with HIS honest affection.  God isn't fickle.  Sure HE punishes us. But that's just a very small part of the process.  Our father in heaven, inhabits our praises.  Like David worship HIM.  After David's son died he chose to worship God.  This is the remedy.

When my sister died, I ran so far and hard.  But HE waited.  And everywhere I turned I kept hearing this song in my head: 

I Trust YOU Lord..

 

I had a Jericho moment. It's one of the hardest things I've ever encountered. Over the years, Our Father God has proven HIS faithfulness to me, over and over again. Sometimes I ran off like the Prodigal son Luke 15. And sure enough, there HE was looking out, and waiting with open arms. Sometimes, God chases you.  HE waits patiently in the background for you to wake up.  Love forgives without condemnation.   There are consequences, but it's just a part of the process.  The goal is reconciliation.  Sometimes like Job, my friends have accused me of things they don't understand. Job 4. Another Jericho moment. People are people! And Life is lifing! Jericho moments are the ebb and flow of it all. The only thing constant is the love of Our Heavenly Father towards us. No matter how many times we get it wrong, HE'S still good. HE'S still the most loving encounter we'll ever experience in our lifetime. Today, as I stand in yet another Jericho moment, I'm not running away. Instead, I've learnt to seek HIS embrace. It's safe, it's peaceful and it's rejuvenating. Are you hurting? What have you lost? What do you feel powerless to change or save? If you do, know this, HE forgives! HE heals! HE resurrects! HE'S the G.O.A.T. on restoration. Ask David, ask Paul. Better yet ask Jesus.

Romans 8:1

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

After over 30 years of a relationship.  My testimony is... HE'S STILL GOOD! 

Let HIM show you!

Faith Is A Lifestyle, Try It!

 Faith Is A Lifestyle, Try It!

Faith is a lifestyle, not an event.  It is a result of having had an encounter with the Almighty God which causes you to trust in who HE is, inspite of what HE is doing in your life.  Sometimes you will not know or understand what HE'S allowing to happen to you. However you believe in HIS faithful character/ authenticity that is unchanging.  God has integrity. So you trust that whatever is happening, HE is aware and HE has already prepared a favorable outcome on your behalf.  God is always the Sovereign King.  Nothing happens by surprise. HE is always in control.

Romans 8:28

28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

John 1 speaks about God in the form of Jesus becoming 'The Word' on earth.  The word is the belief system that God has ordained for mankind.  When Adam and Eve sinned by eating the forbidden fruit, it led them down a rabbit-hole of lies and deception. With each successive generation, mankind became more distant from the truth about God's nature and desire for man's relationship with God and the things in the earth.  Jesus came to re-educate us.  Jesus said, repent, change your way of thinking. You've got it all wrong. Let me show you how to do it. Let me show you how to do life the way the almighty God intended. I am the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh to the father but through me. Hebrews 11 It is impossible to please God without believing in HIS precepts about how we should live our lives. 

Romans 10:17

17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Faith in God is about believing in someone that you can't see, who has the ability to create something you can see.  If you can see it, it's not faith. It has nothing to do with your feelings.  It's more about the stance or direction you decide to take inspite of how you feel.  The more you move in that direction, the stronger your faith becomes. It is a testimony based on your experience in/ with what you believe in. It is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.  The patriarchs in the bible chose to trust God, and HE in turn proved HIMSELF faithful to their beliefs. 

It is very important to know God's promises.  Because HE says that HIS Word will not return to HIM void. Isaiah 55 HE commands us to 'taste and see that the Lord is good'.  HE is faithful to HIS Word.  So if you know HIS Word you will know what is HIS Will and laws.  You will learn what to expect and it will improve your confidence in HIS ability to sustain and deliver you like King David. Psalms 138

Psalm 138:2

2 I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy loving kindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

Just as you would sit on a chair without examining it. Or take your medication as prescribed, or even book a flight and fall asleep on the plane until you reach your destination; so it is too that you should rely on God. It's so amazing how we display trust daily in things and persons, even strangers eg. the bus driver, the car, the train conductor, the chef at the restaurant, the traffic light, just to name a few. Yet the God who created us and loves us so much with such an everlasting love, inspite of all that HE continues to do like hold the sky in place, the seas by the shore, the sun to rise and set repeatedly everyday, oxygen for us to breathe in; has such a hard time getting us to entrust our future in HIS hands.  The devil is a liar. Don't believe him like Eve did. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge HIM and HE will direct your path.  

TESTIMONY: My Jewish faith in Jesus couldn't be contained!

WORSHIP: Trust In God (feat. Chris Brown & Isaiah Templeton) | Elevation Worship

Change your way of thinking! Believe!