What Work for Some - May Not Work for You

Today is a great day. This sort of opening comment automatically begs the question, what is so great about it? I am glad I asked. Today is great because I am very aware of who I am and where I am from. My statement is simple yet powerful. Who a person is and where they are from says all there is to be said about their sociology. I will attempt to make today’s devotion rather short and sweet because today it is about me; describing myself is as simple as saying my name.

When Jesus walked the streets of Galilee was he called Rabi or teacher? If so, this would be Christ being addressed by what He did for an occupation versus who He is. For instance, would you rather be called your name or your occupation? We address Doctors, Ministers of the Gospel, and judges according to their occupation- but this is not who these folks are, this is an occupation.

At times this can be very confusing as it was with David and King Saul. David had a philistine giant cursing and swearing God’s people, while it appeared that no one would shut his mouth. This infuriated David as later you will read in the scripture I attached. When there is an intruder in ones kingdom refusing to obey the laws of the king, something has to be done to stop such disrespect.

King Saul was king but inwardly he was coward underneath the boisterous Goliath. David was a shepherd by occupation. Nonetheless, David came from the line of Jesse who is directly connected to the genealogy of Christ. Therefore, the king in David blood was offended not the shepherd boy. The royal-ness in his blood was provoked by the insults of Goliath, and when it was time for the true king to stand up for the kingdom, the shepherd defended his throne.

As you will read the armor of King Saul did not fit shepherd boy David, in fact King Saul sword was heavier than Daves total body weight (ok I exaggerated). David did not use the weapon of the more noticeable King Saul because it was not meant for him. Instead, David used testimonies of victory over his past enemies which caused him victory over his present. David started reciting where he was from and gave himself confidence to defeat Goliath by identifying with who he (David) is.

Next time you think you may need a lawyer, doctor, man, or woman, reach for retrospect and pull out a testimony. If what you have in your hand is a slingshot, then find some stones and let it rip. Slingshots are fragile and may not be all that tough, but it’s not the weapon anyway, it is about who is carrying the weapon. We do this in fashion all the time, it’s not the outfit it’s who is wearing it!

Go on and use what appears to be nothing to others and take out your giant! God will be praised because you should be dead; instead you are alive holding the head of your enemy in your hands.

1 Samuel 17

David and Goliath
1 Now the Philistines gathered their forces for war and assembled at Socoh in Judah. They pitched camp at Ephes Dammim, between Socoh and Azekah. 2 Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines. 3 The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them.
4 A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. He was over nine feet [a] tall. 5 He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels [b] ; 6 on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. 7 His spear shaft was like a weaver's rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. [c] His shield bearer went ahead of him.

8 Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, "Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us." 10 Then the Philistine said, "This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other." 11 On hearing the Philistine's words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.

12 Now David was the son of an Ephrathite named Jesse, who was from Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons, and in Saul's time he was old and well advanced in years. 13 Jesse's three oldest sons had followed Saul to the war: The firstborn was Eliab; the second, Abinadab; and the third, Shammah. 14 David was the youngest. The three oldest followed Saul, 15 but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father's sheep at Bethlehem.

16 For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand.

17 Now Jesse said to his son David, "Take this ephah [d] of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp. 18 Take along these ten cheeses to the commander of their unit. [e] See how your brothers are and bring back some assurance [f] from them. 19 They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines."

20 Early in the morning David left the flock with a shepherd, loaded up and set out, as Jesse had directed. He reached the camp as the army was going out to its battle positions, shouting the war cry. 21 Israel and the Philistines were drawing up their lines facing each other. 22 David left his things with the keeper of supplies, ran to the battle lines and greeted his brothers. 23 As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it. 24 When the Israelites saw the man, they all ran from him in great fear.

25 Now the Israelites had been saying, "Do you see how this man keeps coming out? He comes out to defy Israel. The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him. He will also give him his daughter in marriage and will exempt his father's family from taxes in Israel."

26 David asked the men standing near him, "What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?"

27 They repeated to him what they had been saying and told him, "This is what will be done for the man who kills him."

28 When Eliab, David's oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, "Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle."

29 "Now what have I done?" said David. "Can't I even speak?" 30 He then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter, and the men answered him as before. 31 What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, and Saul sent for him.

32 David said to Saul, "Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him."

33 Saul replied, "You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth."

34 But David said to Saul, "Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. 36 Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. 37 The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine."
Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you."

38 Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. 39 David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them.
"I cannot go in these," he said to Saul, "because I am not used to them." So he took them off. 40 Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine.

41 Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. 42 He looked David over and saw that he was only a boy, ruddy and handsome, and he despised him. 43 He said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 "Come here," he said, "and I'll give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!"

45 David said to the Philistine, "You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD's, and he will give all of you into our hands."

48 As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. 49 Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell facedown on the ground.

50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him.

51 David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine's sword and drew it from the scabbard. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword.
When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran. 52 Then the men of Israel and Judah surged forward with a shout and pursued the Philistines to the entrance of Gath [g] and to the gates of Ekron. Their dead were strewn along the Shaaraim road to Gath and Ekron. 53 When the Israelites returned from chasing the Philistines, they plundered their camp. 54 David took the Philistine's head and brought it to Jerusalem, and he put the Philistine's weapons in his own tent.

55 As Saul watched David going out to meet the Philistine, he said to Abner, commander of the army, "Abner, whose son is that young man?"
Abner replied, "As surely as you live, O king, I don't know."

56 The king said, "Find out whose son this young man is."

57 As soon as David returned from killing the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul, with David still holding the Philistine's head.

58 "Whose son are you, young man?" Saul asked him.
David said, "I am the son of your servant Jesse of Bethlehem."

My Boy do Kanye West, Just Give Me Some Celine Dion...

Often times I get frustrated with knowing what is the right thing to do. Taken from the movie "Do the Right Thing" by Spike Lee, I find myself exiting rooms with that movie title. It's as though I can’t feel good except I am at least trying to be correct.

This frustration at times causes me to dislike the fact that I care for others as much as I do. At times I feel plagued by smiling when I want to frown; walk away, when I am so ready to punch someone who is being rude to me, or just acting up; apologizing when I feel I have done nothing wrong- this really burns me at times.

This morning I began to pray about my attitude and how things in this life frankly piss me off! The only thing that can sooth my soul lately when I feel this way is Celine Dion album entitled, All the Way: A Decade of Song.

After all I have been through I still feel bad every so often. Even though I have countless victories; they are not enough. I have had so many wins that if my victories were recorded I would be the World Greatest (a description of Mohammed Ali the once Heavy Weight Champion of the World- written by R Kelly).

Nevertheless, I don’t feel like a winner everyday let alone a champion- sometimes I feel like a hopeless river wandering through valleys never being reunited with the sea. Its times like these that I usually go dancing, or fine something interesting to do like traveling. What I never do is accept this temporary circumstance of weakness, failure, and lost.

I am always thinking about what I can do to stand. I use music and exercise to change my mood at times to effect me positively. For instance, I will jog or lift weights and pray as I exercise. If things are really bad I do the above, plus pull out music that turn my heart on the Lord like Jonathan Butler, Al Green, Celine Dion, Donnie Hathaway, Luciano and Soca music. If I am still down, I will jog and preach to myself the word of God until my change come. By chance if none of the above work, I repeat every step again tomorrow until I am better; if it takes days, then days it take. The point is I never ever get tired enough to give up.

You and I both need to have tested and proven ways to get out of the dumps and make sure we are not living where a visit is not acceptable. I know some will not like the tools I used to get back up again. Yet, I find hope in the Holy Scripture that says the earth and everything in it belongs to God Psalm 24.

I don’t discriminate when my life and joy is on the line. Jehovah gives us what we need when we need it. If it does not hurt my body, take away from my relationship with God, distract me from being a witness, or hurt others -Babe it's on. What I need may not be a sermon, prayer, Tele-evangelist, or fasting. I believe at times, all I need is Crossroads Entertainment Complex, or a reggae band called Storm on Friday nights at Bukum Café in Adams Morgan, Washington, DC. I do what I must do to stay above my drowning.

I submit to you to hold on to the table, water hose, the sofa, kitchen sink, end tables, and whatever else to stop yourself from fainting. Quitters never win, and winners never quit. The shadow of death is not death; it’s only a shadow. If you want to see a change, then change and see.

My scripture today is:

Psalm 23
A Psalm of David.
1THE LORD is my Shepherd [to feed, guide, and shield me], I shall not lack.

2He makes me lie down in [fresh, tender] green pastures; He leads me beside the still and restful waters.

3He refreshes and restores my life (my self); He leads me in the paths of righteousness [uprightness and right standing with Him--not for my earning it, but] for His name's sake.

4Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me.

5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my [brimming] cup runs over.

6Surely or only goodness, mercy, and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, and through the length of my days the house of the Lord [and His presence] shall be my dwelling place.

Footnotes:
Psalm 23:5 It is difficult for those living in a temperate climate to appreciate, but it was customary in hot climates to anoint the body with oil to protect it from excessive perspiration. When mixed with perfume, the oil imparted a delightfully refreshing and invigorating sensation. Athletes anointed their bodies as a matter of course before running a race. As the body, therefore, anointed with oil was refreshed, invigorated, and better fitted for action, so the Lord would anoint His "sheep" with the Holy Spirit, Whom oil symbolizes, to fit them to engage more freely in His service and run in the way He directs--in heavenly fellowship with Him.

Psalm 24
A Psalm of David.

1THE EARTH is the Lord's, and the fullness of it, the world and they who dwell in it.

2For He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the currents and the rivers.

3Who shall go up into the mountain of the Lord? Or who shall stand in His Holy Place?

4He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted himself up to falsehood or to what is false, nor sworn deceitfully.

5He shall receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation.

6This is the generation [description] of those who seek Him [who inquire of and for Him and of necessity require Him], who seek Your face, [O God of] Jacob. Selah [pause, and think of that]!

7Lift up your heads, O you gates; and be lifted up, you age-abiding doors, that the King of glory may come in.

8Who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.

9Lift up your heads, O you gates; yes, lift them up, you age-abiding doors, that the King of glory may come in.

10Who is [He then] this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah [pause, and think of that]!

Tired of These Begging Folks? Not Really

Today I was thinking on the subject of how I deal with beggars on the street i.e., in and around the metro train stations, at church entrances after hours sleeping in the District, stopping me at the traffic-light asking for coins or, “you got a dollar boss, I'm would like to buy me something to eat?”

I never really did understand how so many people in America could be without housing and shelter- but that topic is a different Blog. This is how I handle the so-called "Beggar. " First, I give at least 85% of the time I encounter him or her. I am not really concern about who this is in front of me. Actually that is not true, a better quote is “I am not concern with how this person(s) seem to be to me in their approach.” My aim is to give. And almost every time I decide not to give, I ache inside wondering was this my opportunity to meet Jesus and I passed Him by.

There is a scripture found in Matthew 25:31-46 Amplified 40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

42For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

44Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

45Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

46And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. My study tip today is to always read verse 1 as I did in this instance (Thanks to one of my mentors John Doonan- I can still him saying, “Darrin did you read the entire chapter or just that one verse?)

~~~~~~~

The kingdom of heaven is likened unto virgins, then those who received talents, and lastly sheep in comparison to goats. Each instance talked about being ready and having the nature of Christ. I placed emphasis on the latter portion of this text above.

The goats did not help strangers, while the sheep did. The goats never visited or gave alms of support, but the sheep acted opposite of the self-preserving goats. We read later that the sheep are very helpful. But did you notice that both the goats and the sheep are ignorant of who the strangers are. Obviously to the goats the identity of the strangers mattered; socioeconomic stratification.

I do my best to do for the Lord more when I think He’s not watching. Yeah I know this sounds silly but it’s my truth. In actuality, this is how I believe the sheep behaved in that they helped many strangers never knowing that Jesus would count their compassions as gifts to Him. Jesus replied, when you did it to the least of these you have also given drink unto me. Matthew 25:45

Lord I pray that I can share my substance even more; help me with the 15% and other times that I fail opportunities to help the poor- let me not mock you with my lack of compassion. Proverbs 14:31

Family at times I feel like some of these folks are tricking me. I think I don't give because I feel some of these folks could do better for themselves. Another reason I don't give is because I might be sponsoring a bad habit- such as alcoholism or drug addictions. So instead of doing the best thing 100% of the time I simply pass by. Now when I don’t have money I can’t give; I am talking about when I have it and don’t.

I hope all of you who read this Blog are interested in this topic to some degree. I will right about my detailed reasons why I don’t give and how I am improving at a later time. I hope you have been blessed by looking at my life as I look towards Christ.

What is for you will see your face.

WWJD- "What Would Jesus Do?" NOT!!

My chief reason for using the Internet in this fashion is to allow my study habits to be reviewed as I encounter the Lord.

One thing for sure, I am not naïve about the power of influence. I recall when I read the wristband "what would Jesus do?” I was so excited about this fresh phrase until years later when I discovered something so easily overlooked. I am not sure about you, but I don’t and did not follow Jesus all the time, instead I naturally follow others. People that I respect, successful, friends, peers and colleagues.

As I look back in retrospect many times I would ask the question, what would my mother do if she were in this situation? Or how would my papa handle this business matter? Never did I ask the question about Jesus, because for me, it was/is often difficult to see Christ as a businessman, an individual faced with difficulties of relocation costs, or someone struggling with promiscuity issues.

Today I have a question for you. When you are in tough times or need to figure out which way your life should go, do you think about Jesus or your role models? The real question is can you know for certain that your mentor has a compass that is set to Christ pulse?

As a follower of Christ I discover many diverse differences amongfellow believers. Some actions I observe in the name of faith make sense to me, while other actions just appear to be farfetched and crazy. (I am still learning so be patient with me guy’s)

However, I realize that as a mentor, role model, and moral citizen that I have people observing me all the time, and possibly patterning their life after mind- I feel this can be a tragedy in some cases simply because I am not there just yet.

Family never do I want to distract or take away from those we depend on for advice and council. Yet I do want you to know that at the end of the day I remember…

Psalm 1: 1-6 Amplified

1BLESSED (HAPPY, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful [and the mockers] gather.

2But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night.

3And he shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper [and come to maturity].

4Not so the wicked [those disobedient and living without God are not so]. But they are like the chaff [worthless, dead, without substance] which the wind drives away.

5Therefore the wicked [those disobedient and living without God] shall not stand [justified] in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous [those who are upright and in right standing with God].

6For the Lord knows and is fully acquainted with the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly [those living outside God's will] shall perish (end in ruin and come to nought).

The Internet has become very important in that some sermons we hear week after week are directly from the web. I also use the Internet, as it is a great worldwide library for me when I study. Messages from the Lord via Internet or from other sources are worth repeating; thus, the impact of the lesson is not diminished based on where it is retrieved. Nevertheless, I must be grounded enough in God’s word that I can determine Christ nature when I am reading and relying on study helps.

My short answer is, I always pray before studying. I ask the Lord for His lamp to shine on the passage, book, or other tool. Secondly, I always ask the Holy Spirit to teach me as promised in the scripture (John 14:26).

Finally, I don not read any aid, help, or commentary, nor do I use any tool electronic or web based more than I read my Holy bible. I find relying on the Lord first and placing my unwavering confidence in Him allows me to strengthen our solid relationship. Jesus and I are tight and closely knitted because I draw unto Him and He reciprocates (James 4:8 ).

James 4:8 Amplified

Come close to God and He will come close to you. [Recognize that you are] sinners, get your soiled hands clean; [realize that you have been disloyal] wavering individuals with divided interests, and purify your hearts [of your spiritual adultery].

John 14:26 Amplified

But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you.

Loss of Memory- "You Better Ask Somebody"

Dear Believer,

I personally enjoy the readings of “My Utmost for His Highest” by Oswald Chambers. Who is Oswald? “Oswald Chambers (1874-1917) was born July 24, 1874, in Aberdeen, Scotland. Converted in his teen years under the ministry of Charles Haddon Spurgeon, he studied art and archaeology at the University of Edinburgh before answering a call from God to the Christian ministry. He then studied theology at Dunoon College. From 1906-1910 he conducted an itinerant Bible-teaching ministry in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan.

In 1910, Chambers married Gertrude Hobbs. They had one daughter, Kathleen.
In 1911 he founded and became principal of the Bible Training College in Clapham, London, where he lectured until the school was closed in 1915 because of World War I. In October 1915 he sailed for Zeitoun, Egypt (near Cairo), where he ministered to troops from Australia and New Zealand as a YMCA chaplain. He died there November 15, 1917, following surgery for a ruptured appendix.

Although Oswald Chambers wrote only one book, Baffled to Fight Better, more than thirty titles bear his name. With this one exception, published works were compiled by Mrs. Chambers, a court stenographer, from her verbatim shorthand notes of his messages taken during their seven years of marriage. For half a century following her husband's death she labored to give his words to the world.”
http://www.rbc.org/devotionals/my_utmost_for_his_highest/oswald_chambers_1.page

I believe in devotionals and any tool that will help one increase in the knowledge of their faith in Christ Jesus. Today during my study time I happened upon this scripture in Matthew 5:23-24 with commentary from “My Utmost for His Highest” Oswald C.

The scripture reads: If you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift—Matthew 5:23-24

Although Oswald has an entirely different spend on this text, when I applied meditation to what I was reading this is what I discovered.

Have you ever wondered why God believes in forgiveness with such intensity? I often consider this- almost each day. I wonder how could He forgive me? How could He love me? How could I continually allow myself to let such love down? I think to myself that if Jehovah would ask me to mend differences with my family, rather than offer worship and make offering unto His holiness, I think forgiveness must be really important.

I am not going to provide you a list of what should happen next. My aim is to add volume to the Lord’s voice on the topic found in the writing above. I actually like this scripture and it makes me glad to anticipate the day that I recall those whom I offend. Is it not amazing that the text states, “and there remember that your brother has something against you”, at this moment leave your gift and reconcile. The point here is that in His presence all things will be revealed, it’s a matter of you and I choosing not to ignore.

When I worship the Lord I desire to be free, without weights of un-forgiveness and broken relationships. How about you?