The New Gospel - Humbling of the Body Pt 1

Hey, beautiful people. Before we dive in, I want to say: PLEASE share because somebody needs
to know the truth! This blog is just a tad longer than my other blogs, but it will be worth it.

Part I
(Humility, Prosperity Gospel, The New Gospel/Lukewarm)

You know why people would rather talk about cars, clothes, favor, and increase rather than sin? Well, it's probably because the people of God have forgotten how to approach the discussion, almost entirely.

Oh, but they approach it though. On a large scale, there is a select group of individuals who are creating a name for believers all over the world and they make themselves known by way of the topic of sin. They make THEMSELVES known; Not Jesus, themselves.

Long ago the LORD said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself. (Jeremiah 31:3)

With unfailing love, the LORD drew people to Him. So, why are the people of God trying to use other things to draw the people in to other places? 

THE REAL GOSPEL

The gospel doesn't start with Heaven. The gospel is magnified by, but isn't centered, around Hell. The gospel isn't summed up with where someone is predestined to go or what materials they can receive on Earth. The gospel starts with the BLOOD. The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus is the good news!

The blood, which represents the love, of Jesus is the ONLY reason the people of God don't deserve Hell. While holiness and obedience is how we show that we love Him, it is not our incompetent works that make us saved. Don't get me wrong, you're not scot-free just because you can't earn your way into Heaven. It's true, your life will reflect ongoing change if you have truly received Jesus. But, your attempts at holiness have nothing to do with your chance at eternal life; and when the WHOLE Gospel is in effect in a believer's life, all these factors are at work. Needless to say, many people don't emphasize the part about Jesus, they emphasize the works, exposing a dangerous characteristic in Gods people. Pride.

The body of Christ DESPERATELY needs humility! We should ask ourselves the question we find in Psalm 8:4, truly, what is man that thou art mindful of him? Who are we?! Who are we, but leeches of a God who will never lose strength. He is the Vine and we are mere branches. You don't have to choose between boldness and humility. Jesus was both. Jesus came to expose the needs of the people but to also MEET their need. In all the truth He spoke, He successfully directed all glory to the Father. He TAUGHT the people how to love God. But today, we lost balance in our witness. It's not always conviction, sometimes people can just sense the pride that fuels your speech. You can teach holiness, but you shouldn't teach it as if you have something to boast about. OUR HOLINESS IS NOTHING TO BOAST ABOUT. What I'm trying to say to the believers who think they have it all together is: You THINK it's only one thing you struggle with while God is looking at a plethora of other things that's darkening your heart. But, in Romans 8:1-2, we see that it is through CHRIST, only, that we are free from the law of sin and death. Meaning the natural law of sin leading man to condemnation and eternity in Hell is interrupted and destroyed for as long as we remain IN Christ Jesus.  THEN, do we go from faith to faith (Romans 1:17); always growing in the righteousness of God.  

So then our speech should not be,

Why God Allowed It

I have had such the habit of wanting to know why God allows certain things to happen, like death or extreme discomfort. Like most people, I think about those things that I didn't ask for or don't think I deserve and really have a problem with it when I'm expected to act a certain way in the midst of it. I like to think that I'm a pretty logical person. So, I use my logic like a new age scientist who can look at the facts of a situation, see all, and know all. I had a "Lord, if you could just fix this, I would be able to do right", mentality. Atheists, all over the world, ask the question: why does God allow evil/molestation and rape/world hunger, etc. Many of us consider ourselves to be enough of a good person to decide that God is actually not that good.

Personally, I am aware that evil comes in forms less severe than murder and molestation (not to be insensitive, as I was a victim of molestation); so, I wonder, to what degree of evil are people referring? Is man wondering why God gave people free-will to lie? Are we expecting God to wipe out all evil like He did in the Old Testament? There is no win because many people hate God because of His rage in the Old Testament. So, who's allowed to have vengeance, if not the Lord, only man? Can I say, first and foremost, that everything we see is not as it appears to be. We will never know everything just by studying it with our human eye. I have lost patience, peace, growth, and a spirit of obedience at the cost of trying to make human sense out of some things.

In any case, I've asked "Why would You allow me to get hurt?"
I've said and meant "I don't deserve this and I didn't ask for this". Sin, of any size, God hates. So, humble and sober-mindedness would have us know that there is nothing we deserve, but the wrath of God which is held back by grace. Every good thing is a gift. 

But at the same time; Sometimes we can't blame anybody but ourselves when we are intentionally defiant and deliberately disobedient. However, sometimes we follow the rules. Sometimes, we accept grace that covers our faults. Sometimes we repent for our wrongdoing and are washed clean by the blood. Sometimes, we can trace why things in our lives fall apart, but, sometimes, we can't. God knows all and sees all, so the question is why, sometimes. I even spoke about it in a piece that you can find on this website, because I've really had questions in my life. I've really hit the border of atheism in my life. But after much restoration, one rainy morning, I had an experience that would shape my thinking for the rest of my life.

Love Yourz - Are You Ready? (Exclusive)

No such thing as a life that's better than yourz, but you have some desires, don't you?

Last week, we discussed some things that brother Justin Timberlake had to say in So Then God Created Woman, but this week we have brother J. Cole on the ones and twos with his well-liked song "Love Yourz". Let me tell you, Cole was on to something, here. If you like God, you're gonna like this.

What if I told you that God has been wanting to shift you?

What if I told you that God never intended for you to be STUCK in any situation?

God's people might get stuck, but they don't STAY stuck. 

They don't stay stuck in unfruitful relationships.

They don't stay stuck on jobs.

They don't stay stuck in depression.

They don't stay stuck in poverty.

They don't stay stuck in sin.

You know why?

Because they love theirz.

The see what the Lord has given or promised them and they go to werk with it. They sow into it. They pray for guidance in relation to it. They love people while they do it and good men give unto them. I'm not talking about the people who reject God. I'm not talking about the evil doers. I'm talking about the people of God. The ones who remember Him on Sunday morning .....and Monday-Saturday. I'm talking about the ones who see their sin and are not comfortable with it. I'm talking about the ones who are so grateful for the love and salvation of God that they cry sometimes. This blog is for you.

Brother Cole came at us with a commandment, but spinned it in a way so that people would eat it. So, wise. What he basically said was: Don't covet. You have your own life and your own set of blessings. You have your own starting point. So, what are you doing with it? What are you doing with what God has given you? Look. At. Yourz. You have something you can be building and working toward already. God does, indeed, want to bring you closer, take you higher, and make you stronger.

But I get it, I get it. --It's not that simple. There are issues. There's your past. Heck, there's your present that is preventing you from moving with the shift that God has for you. 

Well, listen. I don't like acknowledging problems with out acknowledging solutions, so let's go.

In Matthew 25:18 there is a guy who was given, what some may call, the short end of the stick. His coworkers, friends, whatever you want to call it, had 5 and 2 bags of goods, but he only got one. The man who got 5 bags invested it and came out with 10 bags to give back to his lender. The man with 2 bags invested it and came out with 4 bags to give back to his lender. But the guy with 1 bag, lost his. WHY? Do you ask? Well he tells us why:

First of all, he comes up with this true, but irrelevant, excuse. 

"Then the one who had received one talent came forward and said, 'Master, I knew that you were a hard man, harvesting where you haven't planted and gathering where you haven't scattered any seed. (Matthew 24:25)

 And THEN he comes right out and says what really happened

Since I was afraid, I went off and hid your talent in the ground. Here, take what's yours! (Matthew 25:25)

Later, we find out that the lender was LIVID about it and took what, at first, belonged to him to give to the man who made ten out of what he had. AND gave the other two promise of more responsibility. Can you say, promotion?!

Are you afraid? Be honest. I mean, the man in the text was probably only being honest because he got caught. But, look: although nobody has approached you to ask for your records of what you've done with what God has placed in your heart, given you to enjoy, put in your mouth to say, you still have a crossroad. You can hide and ignore it out of fear and hesitation (and end up losing a small opportunity that could have grown), or you can move forward in it, develop it, pursue it, trust it, love God through it, and watch God shift and promote you because of your faithfulness in regards to it.

"Shifting requires faith and surrender" 

Yaaaasss, honey, some things are going to HAVE to fall off, but especially that fear you've been carrying around. Maybe it's not fear though, maybe its procrastination. Maybe it's not procrastination though, maybe its just your strong and stubborn will that you have yet to let go of. Maybe it's not all your will though, maybe its just that you've gotten too comfortable in sin. God has given you grace; now, what are you doing with it?

I'll tell you this, if you use what God has given you, it will be given away.

IF YOU DON'T USE WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN YOU, IT WILL BE GIVEN AWAY.

IF YOU DON'T USE WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN YOU, IT WILL BE GIVEN AWAY.

I know Satan is all in your ear like "It's not gonna work out if you try to branch out"

Don't forget that he's a liar. ;)

Last night I had to straight up tell him: I KNOOWWWW things look bleak and I KNOWWWW how terrible things look. But, I have the victory. I bless God. God is faithful. 

Sometimes, you have to just "So, boom" the enemy. Like "I bless God, anyway, so, boom." 

"God is faithful to me, so, boom". 

"I know I'm probably part of the reason that my life has taken the turn that it has, but God will make all things work together for my good............................................................. so, boom"

There's no such thing as a life that's better than yourz.

But there is such thing as not taking advantage of what God has put in your life. You won't be shifting anywhere, if you don't, first, learn that.

#NowPlaying

Ready x Myesha Chaney

too much love,

youdontknowmebro

P.S. If you loved this blog, you may also be interested in I Think God Talks To Me But I'm Not Sure

The Man I'm In Love With Married His Girlfriend Today

And when I told my friend about it she was like "girl, who?!"

What she was really asking me was:

"Girl, who was it that was so special and irreplaceable that he deserved to become a topic of conversation?!"

"Girl, who told you to fall in love with him anyway?!"

"Girl, who do you think you are?!"

She knew better than me that the woman who I thought I was, at that moment, wasn't the woman that I am. The woman that I am is much better. She knew that what I needed to realize is that the man I'm in love with wasn't marrying his girlfriend, today. The man I'm in love with married his fiance, now wife. She knew that I needed to understand that so much time has passed that he was able to establish a fondness for another woman, save up his money to buy a quality ring (according to Facebook), fight the nerves that any humble man would have to propose to a woman, and MARRY HER. 

She knew that I was being ridiculous, but, she's my friend. So she just stopped at "Girl, who?!"

So Then God Created Woman

Dear Readers,

I'm from Louisiana. Therefore, this particular blog contains a lil' bit of southern ..twang, and I don't want to change it. *cues Mirrors x Justin Timberlake*

IT'S LIKE YOU'RE MY MIRROR!

MY MIRROR'S STARING BACK AT ME!

I COULDN'T GET ANY BIGGER!

WITH ANYONE ELSE BESIDE ME!

And now it's clear as this promise
That we're making two reflections into one
'Cause it's like you're my mirror
My mirror staring back at me, staring back at me

Man!!!! Is Justin Timberlake saved? In any case, the chorus of his song "Mirrors" was preaching to the ladies on behalf of the men, but most of us missed it!!!! You know I gotta make food out of this. Try not to be distracted by the fact that this song is not about Jesus for just a second. 

Message:

Sometimes you have to remind the man of God that he is a man of GOD.

LET ME EXPLAIN.

First of all, let me put a disclaimer out there and say that Justin Timberlake probably didn't quite mean it that way. I don't know what that man believes and, frankly, it does not change where we're about to go with this.

It's always easy to think we're talking about romantic relationships when we bring men and women together as a topic of conversation. But, truth be told, this blog is relevant to men and women as couples and brothers and sisters in the faith. Biblically, there are no references to men and women who were dating. So, if we go bible, technically, the man or woman that you're not married to is still your brother or sister until you put a ring on it. Does that mean that premarital sex for Christians is something like committing some form of spiritual incest? HAHAAHAAAHAHA!!!- a lil bit. BUT THAT'S NOT THE POINT. The point is that women are so very important to the development of men and vice versa. Particularly, women were created to be of HELP to men; to be a support, help him focus, help expand visions and help him build his environment. 

Genesis 2:18 And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.