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overcomingevilwithgood · 5 years ago

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I Sure Hope... You Read This

“Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.”

- Corrie ten Boom

Introduction

You have heard the sentence at some point in your lifetime; “I sure hope...” Whether it is followed by a “I sure hope... That it all works out for you!” or “I sure hope... That’s not the case” or “I sure hope... You get the promotion” or “I sure hope... That you like it.” The most popular one you will hear these days is something more like; “I sure hope... It gets better for you soon!” However, true hope seems like it is in short supply these days. What are we basing our “hope” in when we use the word so frequently? Is it within our careers and the money we make through it? Our government and the ruling authorities set over us? The daily routine and structure we are able to schedule out? Maybe it is in our personal health and strength... After all, we have got this far on our own, right?

The Reality We Are In

It goes without saying that we live in a very unprecedented age at the moment. Businesses are closing down, schools are being pushed to virtual classes, unemployment is sky-high, travel is locked up, churches are gathering on live streams or not at all, populations are being ordered to shelter in their homes, racism is still at work, human trafficking is sky high, citizens are losing their freedoms, calamity is striking in forms of hurricanes and the like, and people are suffering from major health issues and death. Regardless of what your view on the matter is, this is the reality we have fallen under.

A reality that at first glance does not seem “hopeful” in any way, shape, or form. Not only are people losing their lives, but people are losing their livelihood. Which in a way, is just as tragic. People are wasting away while their dreams and vision die right in front of them. Without a single thing they can ultimately do about it; despite their best efforts.

The Strip of Comfort

Now I do not say these things in an attempt to bring “gloom and doom” to your life, but to remind you of a very strong truth. The truth that there is another very real reality to this situation if we accept it. Because one of the most unique situations in history has taken place. A global strip of comfort and stability within everything we thought we confidentially could hold onto.

Why am I attempting to pin this as a positive thing? Because it truly is. And if it is not, it is at the very least, truly remarkable. When we are robbed of everything we put our “hope” in; it forces us to lean into the things that truly matter. To appreciate what we have taken for granted. Getting creative in ways we never thought we could have, to establish relationships with people we never imagined we would have, and reevaluating priorities like we always should have. The absence of much loss in a way we never expected has resulted in an abundance of much gain in a way we never expected.

Likewise, destruction uproots and makes the foundation visible. What we are held together by shows where our hearts are. What we refuel our thoughts and actions with each day determines how we get through times just like these. Shows us, “What we are made of” in a way. And if you do not know the answer to that question, redirect your thinking and ask yourself, “What am I made for?”

“The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”

1 Timothy 1:5

Regardless of what you may believe personally, there is an underlying truth that everyone is called to love. Loving ourselves and loving each other is a call that we each can hear and answer. Some may have deafened their ears to this call over time, but overall, it is a call that is wailing at us upon our first moments of life and now even still.

Unseen Hope

Now this raises a question that if we plant our hope in all these (now damaged) things that made us comfortable, was that truly hope at all?

“For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.”

Romans 8:23-25

True hope is not found in your job title, small business, government stimulus packages, protests and riots, social media awareness posts, fitness and health, socially distancing, or even church gatherings. True hope is found in the unknown. In the confusion and questioning. In the unseen but all powerful movement of a Mighty God who IS at work.

Though you may not see the positives or see the good right now; wait for it with patience. Because you know that you are standing at the precipice of where true hope can be found. The access is here, we just need to switch our focus.

“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

Romans 8:18

Glory will be revealed through this and many other trials and tribulations to come. Let us remember all that we have been through in our life on a personal and global level. And let us never forget that which Jesus went through in order to reign victory over all of those circumstances. God did not design us to be “worriers” of the world but to be “warriors” for the world. To fight the negativity and live in a light that appeals to others and makes them ask, “Why is he so calm during this? Where is all that hopefulness coming from?”

“Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad. One who is righteous is a guide to his neighbor, but the way of the wicked leads them astray.”

Proverbs 12:25-26

Now more than ever as a Christ follower, we cannot conform to the same patterns as everyone else. We are creatively designed to not just be any old warrior, but crafted “Love Warriors” and we are called to serve others, especially in times like these. With true hope and confidence that is not seen; but felt, experienced, and lived out.

“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

2 Timothy 1:7

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

James 1:2-4

The power of God who raised His son from the dead, brought fire down from heaven, and even sent plagues and sicknesses of His own is within YOU. What is there to fear? Why not hope? Why not love? Why not look forward with joy and be a light?

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overcomingevilwithgood · 6 years ago

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Spin, Spin, Spin

You spin your lies and you spin your truths

You spin yourself right out of your youth

You spin and spin and become so dizzy

You spin and spin just to keep yourself busy

You spin your webs just to catch what you can

You spin your legs just to follow some plan

Spinning, spinning

All becomes blurry

Spinning, spinning

But why even hurry?

You spin and spin

You have lost all control

You spin and spin

A stranger to your soul

You spin your words and you spin your actions

You spin your habits as a type of distraction

You spin and spin and become so dumb

You spin and spin just to keep yourself numb

You spin your life into an elaborate story

You spin your knife and get a little gory

Spinning, spinning

All becomes blurry

Spinning, spinning

But why even worry?

You spin and spin

This is only the start

You spin and spin

You have perfected the art

#RCFoems

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overcomingevilwithgood · 6 years ago

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Questions...

I have questions…

Questions that hurt

Questions that mend

No streams in this desert

When will it end?

In what drinks do I partake?

How do I watch my mouth?

What direction do I take?

When I run North, yet end up South.

Do I surround myself with these people?

Do I take this new job?

My mind has become feeble.

And my heart begins to throb.

Is this the girl for me?

Is this the final season?

I got brought down on one knee.

But now for a different reason.

Is anything secure?

Is anything sincere?

If you cannot feel pain

Then you have never known fear

My nights are sleepless

I am lying on a gurney

I am dying in my weakness

Yet, they say, “Embrace the journey”

Did I answer the call?

Did I hear right at all?

Did I fall back to the beginning?

Was it because I kept sinning?

Why do I ask all of this?

What am I thinking?

Does the devil get a kiss?

Am I blind or just blinking?

I question these questions

Is it wrong to seek an answer?

This storm is a depression

And I have become a dancer

Why do these questions tend to resurface?

What is pain, if not for purpose?

What is weakness, if not for strength?

What is a quest, if not for length?

What else is there to do but pray?

Where is the pain of yesterday?

Where is the sorrow found in tomorrow?

Somebody’s strength, I need to borrow

My hardest battles are against myself.

If these trials were books I’d have a full shelf.

They would be in a library full of old stories

To help me overcome any new worries

These questions keep me from sight

Yet, somehow I still write

These questions make me unable to move

Yet, somehow I still improve

Though death chases behind me, I will not die.

Though my wings are clipped, still I will fly.

I turn my head to question the sky.

Surely, from there I will find no lies.

More questions will come as I take this expedition

These problems will find their solution

Just one of the many traits of taking a great commission

To find yourself in all persecutions

Even though it hurts now

And these questions bring trauma

I will dig down deep and sow

Because there is sacred in the saga

Questions will always raise up

But not once have they came back empty

The heavens rain down into my cup

I have always had more than plenty

#RCFoems

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overcomingevilwithgood · 6 years ago

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Hello, Devil

It has been a long while

You have had your fun

You have had your smile

Your schemes are wicked

Your laughter is vile

There’s no light in this thicket

And your attacks are hostile

Again I will say, “Hello, Devil”

It has been a long while

What power do you have?

The Lord, Himself sent you in exile!

The influence you have is little to none

The strength I have is found in the Son

The food you devour will only be dust

For The Bread of Life is what I trust

Go ahead, try to be my boss

For victory has already been won at the cross

You can tell your lies and plot your ways

But my Savior rose in just three days

Your villainy sinks so far below

My portion is found from above

As the rain pours down, I will continue to sow

Reaping a harvest that is rooted in love

So goodbye, Devil

Until we cross paths

I will repeat this song

For my God has wrath

Nothing that you bring, will my God not overcome

All the earth will sing, as you reduce to scum

So run, Devil, run!

Jesus said it is done

Run Devil, run

He has only begun

Run Devil, run

There is much more to come

Run devil, run

In the presence of The Son

#RCFoems

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overcomingevilwithgood · 6 years ago

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A Defining Love

~INTRODUCTION~

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

1 Corinthians 13:4-13

The word “love” is said three hundred and ten times (KJV) throughout the bible. It is one of the central concepts of Christianity and following in the ways of Jesus. With it being such an important aspect of the scriptures, also means it is one of the most difficult ones to understand. The purpose of the following writings of mine will be to break down this concept and define what love truly is and what it is made up of biblically. I have been working on this topic off and on for over a year and a half. My hope is to find answers to my own questions just as much as the answers of others. So that the option of finding healing through love can be at our disposal. As a way for us to try and live loving and caring lives as Christ did to everyone no matter the situation. Faithfulness and hopefulness are important. However, as it is written in the verse above, “the greatest of these is love.”

Nothing Without Love

“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.”

1 Corinthians 13:1-3,

According to this verse, you can have all the greatest riches in heaven and earth. Yet, without the possession of love, everything becomes meaningless and worthless and you gain nothing. Love is God, God is love. The creator of the universe made it and therefore He is the only one who can perform it perfectly. For us to love as God loves is strictly impossible to do. But it doesn’t mean we can’t give our all and try to pursue a reflection of His love. Even if it is a warped reflection or a cracked reflection, it is still a refection. Love is an incredible emotion and gift given to us. If we lack love and claim to be Christians, how can that be? We need to try and love as God and His son Christ loves. And show the world how much of a difference it can make in the lives of others, and themselves.

The Definition of Love

The definition of love is an intense feeling of deep affection toward something. Whether it be an idea, a passion, or someone you care about. Love is also made up of many other factors. Devotion, mercy, loyalty, grace, enthusiasm for a person, activity, or cause. Sounds to me like someone familiar. The definition of love is God. God is the only one who can put to practice all of those elements of love at once and to it’s perfectness. Love wouldn’t be anything without the emotions that makes it up. These qualities that make up love is important. It’s like a team, and if one is lacking, then the whole project could come crumbling down. Love is made up of so many other elements that it could easily fall apart if you lose sight of even one. Finding a way to balance all the elements that make up love in a biblical definition and even a worldly definition can be tough. It can be done however. But only through Jesus and the goal to pursue in His ways with all that you have. Letting His love fully wash over you so that you can dispense it to others. Love is a gift and a choice. Not a feeling. My next writing will be on the first element of love, “patience.” Until then, rejoice in God’s love for you and pray for His guidance so that you may grow in a similar way.

~PART I~

Patient:

steadfast despite opposition, difficulty, or adversity

The bible says that “Love is patient.” Which means that our love must be patient through hardships and the times we do not understand. That a strong perseverance must reside within us when we do not know the next step. That a comfortable contentment rests in our souls; knowing that God has it all figured out in His timing for us. We must be patient with ourselves, with others, and with God in all things when we express this love. It may be hard, but in the end, it will build our character to the strongest version we are designed to be.

Being Patient With Yourself

One of the hardest things to do is accept the fact that we need improvement. That God wants us to be the most perfect version of ourselves before bringing us to the most perfect one He has for us. That we may pursue the best interest in ourselves before becoming interested in the pursuing of a companion. The hard truth to these facts is that perfection takes time. And time takes patience.

We live in a very fast paced world with very fast paced results. In a click of a button you can share a moment with all your friends via social media. By simply pressing “Play” you can stream the latest television shows Netflix or Hulu has to offer. In a three minute drive-thru line you can order and pay for your lunch. In the dialing of a number you can contact an emergency service to come to your aid in any crisis. We flip a switch and immediately a light turns on; which has handicapped us to the feeling of the dark. We are unable to slow down. We arrive quickly, we stay shortly, and we move on to the next thing our busy schedule has. After all, “There is no time to spare!”

However, we must adopt the mindset of being patient and hitting the brakes every once and awhile. A garden does not grow overnight and a rose does not bloom in minutes. Beauty takes time. And so does God’s beautiful plan for our life. So let us take the time he gives us for what it is: a gift. A gift to better ourselves and practice patience through the growing process. Whoever we encounter in the future deserves our best version that God wants us to obtain. Our best love that we can share. Love is patient, therefore let patience reside within us everyday until we are who we were designed to be.

Being Patient With Others

Similar to being patient with ourselves, we must also express the same patience to others. For they will be at the place we were at some point. And everyone has their own journey and own timing set apart for them by God. Rushing our own process is one thing, but rushing that of another’s ultimately results in more patience for everyone all around.

Instead of hastening the development of someone we are interested in, it is better to respect them where they stand, rather than where we wish they stood. Just because we are at the place that God has intended for us to be does not entirely mean He has our companion there too. The Lord may just have a different pace for them. Everything grows in different ways and different seasons. Therefore, it is for us to be patient in those seasons and to respect those who grow at a different rate. We must encourage, uplift, and water their growth patiently to support them.

There are numerous components to a working clock. However, the most important aspects of a clock are the cogs in which makes the clock move. Cogs come in many shapes and sizes (moving in a number of different ways) working perfectly. The rhythm must be precise. It must be specific. It must be absolute. It must be designed. God’s design, in fact. Likewise, when God designs two people to come together, it has to be perfect. And when these perfect cogs of God’s design collide, the patience instilled into ourselves and others, will be rewarded fully. In the meantime, may we hope for His perfect timing consistently. Continuing to trust His plans to prosper our lives.

Being Patient With God

God is the perfect being. All that He does, creates, and gives are good and flawless things. So even if it seems as if God takes a little while to deliver that which is good, at least we can have the comfort of knowing, that it is in fact, GOOD! If we rush the process we may end up with something that God never intended us to have. Looking back to realize that we missed out on that which could have been much more. Let us be like the refining of a coal into a diamond. The process will be long, heated, and at times hard pressed. But the result will be rare and uniquely beautiful.

The timing of God’s design is everything. If we have no patience with His Will for our lives then we will never be satisfied. We will store our lives with meaningless fillers that never last, just because we could not wait on the one that has lasted forever. He knows every aspect of your past, present, and future. Planning it detail for detail before we could even begin to comprehend.

“Lord, you have examined me and know all about me. You know when I sit down and when I get up. You know my thoughts before I think them. You know where I go and where I lie down. You know everything I do. Lord, even before I say a word, you already know it. You are all around me—in front and in back— and have put your hand on me. Your knowledge is amazing to me; it is more than I can understand.”

Psalm 139:1-6

God has a perfect timing for all things regarding our life. And what is even more amazing than that; is that the same applies to our future companion The Lord as laid out for us. Two separate individuals traveling by different boats, on different bodies of water, crashing into one another just as they were about to sink, and learning to swim together. It is not coincidence or a process that can be rushed. It is strategically orchestrated and involves an abundance of patience. A magnificent symphonic melody crafted by God exclusively for us to enjoy in His timing.

Love Patiently!

We are unable to fathom the magnitude of God’s love for us. He has the ultimate patience with us everyday that we live. Every moment that we sin and fall short, His patience remains the same. As we struggle to understand His timing for our lives, let us mimic His biblical patience found in love. For love is patient and God is love. So let us love patiently!

~PART II~

Kind:

of a good or benevolent nature or disposition, as a person

What kind of love is, “kind” love? How does kindness need to be shown in our day-to-day life and relationships? And not just in a romantic sense, but in any relationship and any situation? Kindness is so loosely associated with a form of niceness. However it is it’s own entity entirely. And one that many have not grasped the full concept of how to live out.

Being Kind In Times It Is Hard

To be kind in times of adversity is a difficult challenge. It is easy to be loving toward a person that we care for. However, the same cannot always be said for those that we do not care for. But to be kind to our enemies or the ones that have upset us is of great gain in our own character. Practicing a “cool head” and a tender heart begins in the times that it is hardest to do so. When someone treats us wrongly or lashes their anxieties onto those who do not deserve it, it is for us to stay calm. Collectively generating a kind attitude in all situations that life throws our way. Observe the following verse for example;

“But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.”

Luke 6:35

Take that in for a moment. God displays a great example as to how our kindness should reflect in times of tribulation. The Lord is kind to the, “ungrateful and the evil.” Kind to the ones who do not appreciate the gifts received in life. Kind to the wicked ones who snare and set traps. Kind to the trouble makers, outlaws, and spineless thieves. Yet, He gives and gives and gives and gives. And He expects nothing in return as we ought to, also.

“But ‘when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared, he saved us not by works of righteousness that we have done but on the basis of his mercy, through the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit’”

Titus 3:4-5

Let us love abundantly in kindness to all those in our life. How much easier will it be to love someone with a delicate kindness when you first love that which is hardest to? If we begin to show kindness to a stranger, the backstabbing friend, the difficult coworker, the person who cut you off on the highway, the gossiper who lies about you behind your back, the dad who left you, the ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend that hurt you, etc. Then we will be ready to fully express a loving kindness to that of a companion in the future. The way God intended us to; wholeheartedly.

The Kindness Of Jesus

The kindness that Jesus displayed throughout his life on this earth is something incredible. It is unlike any other act. His biggest characteristic of kindness was the willingness of the action.

“While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came to him who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he bowed down with his face to the ground and begged him, ‘Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.’ So he stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, ‘I am willing. Be clean!’ And immediately the leprosy left him.”

Luke 5:12-13

Notice here the tenderness of Jesus’s behavior. A man falls at His feet, nose in the dirt bowing down, begging for the attention of the one who can help him. The one person who may show him love when all others have shunned him away for his disposition. Yet, Jesus reaches out His hand, gently and lightly. He speaks in a calming voice, “I love you and I am willing to help you. Be clean. Leave and live your life to the fullest capacity”

Kindness is the ability to empathize with another individual and act on that empathy. To make it known that you care. And that you care enough to be compassionate no matter the circumstances. The action is the key. It is the action of caring that fulfills kindness to it’s most full standard. Seeking out the accomplishments of those we care for with a benevolent affection is crucial to a Christ-like love. A love that will benefit every aspect of a relationship that is forthcoming. A kindness that is vulnerable to the benefit and advancement of someone that they love.

The Act Of Kindness

Kindness is a selfless action. It is something that expects nothing in return when giving. It boosts up but will never tear down. It motivates but will never discourage. It inspires but will never come to a stop. It conquers but will never surrender. And if something ever does fall apart, kindness does not hold it against the other.

“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus”

Philippians 2:1-6

The act of kindness is to set apart yourself from another. To understand that your own interest matters, but the interest of another matters as well. There is no hidden agenda for self-gain. There is no selfish advancement that helps you become closer to the person you are attracted to. It is sincere and genuine. Looking to achieve for another the finest that they deserve. Kindness is saying, “I want the very best for you, even if I end up not being it.” It is the sincerity of caring for someone without any reason to.

It is pushing the one we care for to aspire to the greatness in which we know that God has planned for them. When the insecurities are ignored and the strengths are recognized. When the troubles are overcame and the future is bright. It is seeing someone caught in a horrific storm; however, instead of offering a life preserver, you help steady the mass and get through the storm together. This is a foundation for a healthy relationship. This is the truth in which we put our hope in. This is the example we must follow. This is the anthem we must beat to. This is the act of love. This is the act of empathetic care. Let us live it, practice it, and breathe it. This is the kind of love that is indeed, “kind.”

“May the Lord now show you kindness and faithfulness, and I too will show you the same favor because you have done this.”

2 Samual 2:6

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overcomingevilwithgood · 6 years ago

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Dear, Me

Dear, Me Yes, you The year ahead If only you knew It will have hard times It will be filled with trials There will be many signs There will be many smiles

Dear, You That’s me We all grew Just us three Dear, Us No, not them Let’s begin to discuss That which we condemned Dear, All The time has come Another year calls Like the beat of a drum Dear, I A song to advance to Do not deny The plans that He gave you Dearest, Me This is you We are us Held by glue I Am takes, Us Makes all whole Two makes three And the grave was rolled Dear, Whole We thank you still A mended soul Which will never be killed The three stay strong All has been set free This is our song Oh, dear me

#RCFoems

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overcomingevilwithgood · 6 years ago

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The Morning Coffee Cup

Introduction: It Is Six O’Clock

It is six o'clock in the morning and the alarm is going off. You roll over, hit “snooze” for just five more minutes of sweet sleep. After the third or fourth time of continually hitting the snooze, you finally get out of bed and on with your day. You get the coffee going, take a shower while it brews, get into some fresh close, make some breakfast and drink your coffee. You leave for work and pour one more cup for the road. Lunch break comes around and you decide to get another “cup of Joe” to finish the shift strong. You get home from work and go to sleep shortly after. And then it is six o’clock in the morning and the alarm is going off...

Creature of Habit

As humans we are creatures of habits. Developing a daily ritual to our lives that become imbedded into the shaping and direction of our growth. Some things change throughout the day, but for the most part, it is easy to fall into the same patterns frequently. When is it that we became so reliant on day-to-day rituals that it has blinded us from what we truly need to start our morning with? Yes, some things cannot be helped like work schedules or taking our children to school or even going to school ourselves. But what about the small habits we have developed in between?

We may drink a cup of coffee every morning before work, workout at the gym every night, watch Netflix and relax, read our favorite book, or even develop a habit of hitting the “snooze” button for thirty minutes every morning. Regardless of what it is we repeat, everyone has a pattern they conform to daily. Likewise, they have a habit to look for and examine.

To say that these habits are “wrong” would be wrong in itself to say. Nothing is at fault with wanting a little energy before a long day or building our body to a more healthy lifestyle. In fact, it is a good thing to want that productivity. However, what if we took that same ambition and applied it to just some short minutes in the day? If we have enough time to brew a cup of coffee, why do we find ourselves not having time to spend with God?

Coffee Date

Now as humans, we have a different relationship with everyone that we interact with. And as Christ followers, the same can be said with our relationship with Jesus. It is different for everyone. Some people are shy and do not open up quickly, some are super outgoing and could talk all day, some would spend every second they could with someone they care for, while the other needs to take them in intervals. Whichever way we pursue a relationship is up to the personality we possess. But there has to be a pursuit.

Our relationship with God is like coffee in a way. We all have a different way we take it or enjoy it. But at the end of the day, it all came from the same bean. It is all produced from the same harvest. It is all made from the same love. And benefits those who take it.

Now, we can have our coffee and our time with Jesus. The argument being made is not to depart from simplistic habits, but to enforce some new ones. The effort is what matters. The process to set a healthy routine daily! A “coffee date” of sorts. Where we sit down daily and we really get to know our God more passionately, intimately, and intentionally. The important thing to realize is that we need to make that time available no matter how busy we are. For it is truly rewarding.

Pick a Place

Everyone has their favorite place to go and get a coffee. A relaxing and quiet environment to focus and enjoy whatever we are working on at the moment. The same applies when we choose to work on ourselves. We must find a quiet and comfortable space.

Once that spot is found, remove the distractions. Put the phone away and strip the space bare if it means focusing on Him more intently. It needs to be you and it needs to be God. If you do not have that favorite place; make one. Whether it be in your room with the door shut, a meadow in a forest, your car parked somewhere, the top of a mountain, or something as simple as your closet with only a seat and your bible. Pick a place to enjoy the company of our Lord.

“But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

Matthew 6:6

God wants to spend time with us!

Open Your Heart

We need to open our hearts to soak in His everlasting cup of fulfillment and drink from His living water, rather than a temporary coffee. Coffee costs money and the effects do not last long in comparison to what God wants to bring to us freely.

“And he said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.’”

Revelations 21:6

The effort needs to be made. The habit and routine needs to be established. If we have time to make coffee, we have time to spend with God. If we have time to enjoy our hobbies on the weekend, we have time to go to church. If we have time to listen to our favorite artist, we have time to sing praise to Him.

Let us not settle for a surface level relationship with our creator. Let us not take for granted who blessed us with pleasures such as coffee in the first place. Let us not grow weary of seeking God daily. If we do not hear Him well, it could be that we do not know Him well. Make the effort, pick a place, take a pace, seek His face.

“Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you...”

James 4:8a

Final Encouragement

This month I would encourage everyone who reads this to put in the training to pursue a daily renewal with Jesus. For me personally it has done amazing wonders and has made me feel closer to God than ever. Start with just fifteen minutes if you have to. Follow the guide on how to pray from Matthew if it helps you get started. I promise you will find yourself wanting to spend more and more time with God daily.

30 Day 15 minute Challenge:

- Before your busy day gets started, go to your spot

- Open your heart and invite God to be with you

- Thank God for at least one thing in your life that you are grateful for

- Praise Him for all He is doing in your life

- Ask for His Will to be accomplished within you today

- Seek for your heart to be made known to blame or wrongdoing and ask for forgiveness on what is shown

- Allow His supply in your life and ask for ways to give back to Him

- Ask for the protection and deliverance from The Enemy and anything else that may cause you to fall

- Ask for an opportunity to be brought to you in order to share Jesus through your actions and bring glory to Him

- Make your requests known and ask for with a believing heart that which you would like to receive

- End with His Will to be done regardless. Because He knows the best plans for your life

- Spend time reading in His Word as you reflect on all you just prayed about

- At the end of the day pray, journal, and meditate on what He has taught you

- Follow the same steps the next day

This is just a helpful step into all you could unlock pursuing a genuine relationship with God. There is still so much more you could do to draw closer to His love. Sing praise to Him on your way to work, listen to a sermon instead of music, join a bible study rather than hanging with the “homies,” and spend time with God before making that cup of coffee.

E.N. Courageen

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overcomingevilwithgood · 7 years ago

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Guide Us To Thy Perfect Light: The Restoration and Hope of Jesus

“O star of wonder, star of night, Star of royal beauty bright, Westward leading, still proceeding, Guide us to thy perfect light.”

“We Three Kings” - Various

Introduction

The sun is a massive star. It takes approximately eight minutes and twenty seconds for the light of the sun to reach us on planet earth. There are many more stars across our galaxy and, much like the sun, their light also takes a long time to travel back to us. However, what many do not know is that some stars we look at are not even there anymore. They have died or gone, “supernova” as it’s official term would be. Though this occurrence is rare, (averaged to just be one supernova per galaxy per century) it still has happened. Which means for the time that it takes the light to travel from space to our eyes on earth, the star has already vanished and we are looking at something that is no longer there. Although it has perished, it’s light remains.

Star of Royal Beauty Bright

The life of Jesus begins with a star. A star set in the night by His Heavenly Father to guide those near and far to the new born “King of Kings”. A star so bright in fact, it could be seen from multiple locations throughout the entire world. This was a star set in work since before the beginning of time. Perfectly planned to be seen the night of Jesus’s arrival to earth. Sent to bear our shame and our guilt and our sin and wash it pure for a second chance at living whole again. Though the star of Bethlehem shone bright for Jesus, Jesus shone bright for others also. In a way, Jesus is much like a star. More specifically, the supernova star.

A star which is a rare occurrence perfectly placed in its right timing. A star in which, once destroyed, shines even brighter still for us to witness. Though the star is dead, it’s light lives on. The contrast between the star and Jesus are strikingly similar for a reason. God is the light of the world leading us from darkness unto a new path. It is no coincidence that God chose a star to lead those from all areas of the world to visit Jesus’s arrival. The perfect light for those who follow His Will to see.

Still Proceeding

The light still advanced those who searched for it years after Jesus was a baby. It stayed on earth until it completed its will. But in a way the light still proceeds for us today. If the similarities of the star and Jesus are true, then we know that Jesus is leading us to great things. And will continue to lead us as long as we have our eyes fixed upon His radiance. For through Jesus, all eternal life is accessible if we believe that He was sent here, born to a virgin, died on the cross, and rose again for our salvation.

“All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.”

John 6:37

Pay attention to the key words here; those who “come to” Him will never be casted out. Those who draw near, trek out, journey to, strive to see, go through all sorts of terrain, just to have a glimpse of His perfect presence. That is the driving point so many miss in the Christmas story of the Messiah. Yes, it was the ultimate gift given to us by God. And yes, it is a story of faith, redemption, love, and peace on earth with good will toward men. But it is also about the course and expedition set within our hearts to aim everything toward the light of the great I Am. Not being able to see what God says the star is leading toward, but believing that what He has promised regardless. Pressing on with hope and assurance no matter what. For the star was perfectly timed and placed. The only thing left was for the movement of those who believed.

Thy Perfect Light

As I have said, the star was established in its perfect position. Even more than that, however, a perfect timing. For God to have set that star in place, to have been seen at the time Jesus arrived, took craftsmanship and planning. Nothing is set in place by coincidence when it comes to God. It is all a systematically timed rhythmic song. Not random and not by accident.

“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?”

Psalm 8:3-4

This is what should fuel us toward our quest and motivate us to the star. Knowing that nothing is by chance through God. Having affirmation in that helps us to be confident in the steps we are taking. For the Lord is the star on which our eyes are set. And if they are set on Him, it does not matter how hard the trail may be, or if we believe it is in the right direction, or if we are sure about where it will lead us. It is the placement of everything that is so important. The understanding that we are put right where we are for a reason. For if we know where we are, we can see more clearly of where we are headed. The light from it is perfect in every way... So why not be certain in our hearts of what will come from it.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

E.N. Courageen

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overcomingevilwithgood · 7 years ago

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The “F” Word: Direction From The Unseen and The Race Set Before Us.

Introduction: Are You Going to Follow?

You are at a loss and do not know how you got here. You look around and nothing seems familiar. It is dark, and not just a little dark, but the kind of darkness in which you cannot even see your own hand. Your heart begins to race because the unfamiliar territory and fear of the unknown feel frightening. You do not know whether you should stay where you are (wherever that may be) or get up and try and find your way back to a safe place. In your fear, you cry out for help to anyone... Anything, really, to come to your rescue. You scream and yell until you are raw and no longer can anymore. Then it comes. The silence. You can neither see, nor hear anything. You sit there, stranded in your own sorrow. When all of a sudden, out of the darkness, comes a calming voice from behind. At that very moment, the light begins to cut through the darkness and you can hear... And you can see. But are you going to follow?

When Problems Arise

Life is going great! You have a job you enjoy, friends that are reliable, hobbies that you get to have fun with, someone you love to share the memories with, and even a family to come home to every day. As some would say, “Things are looking up” and “Life is treating you well.” But whether you have all of those great things or some of those great things, there is one thing that is guaranteed; change in circumstances.

Often enough, a change in circumstance is inevitable and Life’s “curveballs” come at a racing speed. Things may be going the way we feel is right or the way we feel God is leading us, but we find ourselves doing a one-eighty degree turn and falling on our face. Asking ourselves questions like, “Well I thought this is what God wanted me to do, why would he bring me here just to have me turn around and fall?” or “What if I have not been following the right path all along? Am I lost? What is the next step? How do I get back up? And where do I go next?”

So what does one do when problems such as this arise? When we have been knocked down and do not know how to get back up? Not even knowing what to pray for, what to ask for, or what to move toward. Because what we were following before seemed so right... Right? And even if we do manage to get up, how do we know which direction to turn and walk? There is an answer, however, it is often overlooked by many, and that is to simply become silent and have faith to take a step.

Putting The “ F” Word Into More Than Just Speech

There are several “F” words, as they may say, in our world. Some are nice and some are unpleasant. Some are said rarely, spoken out but hardly ever acted out, and some make others uncomfortable when it is heard. Although that could apply to many other words, I believe it applies to the word “faith” just as much as any other “F” word.

The meaning of, “faith” may be different for everyone. However, faith is a worldwide idea and feeling that most people have whether they like it or not. Some put a religious stamp on the word while others view it more as just a positive outlook. And in the reality of it all, it is indeed an action. An action in which is very hard to exercise correctly and is often misinterpreted in the correct sense. The book of James elaborates on the “works” which come before faith. Faith is an important aspect of trusting the Lord, however, the works set before the faith is often forgotten and is without a doubt the most important.

“So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

James 2:17

Many today feel as if the “works” which James was referring to come after the faith. That first we must believe in the action, before taking it. Yet, when we take the moment to stop and analyze that view on faith, we begin to realize something crucial. The fact that it is completely backward.

Having the faith before the action is almost diluting the true source of what genuine faith really is. The sacrifice, vulnerability, and leap in which we have to trust in AFTER the action is taken. This what true faith is. Believing is one thing while believing in what it is we are doing is another. Having the courage to pursue an unknown outcome.

There is, of course, the opportunity in which must be right. If God is calling someone to do something, He will work it into His own perfect timing. It is up to us, however, to be willing and ready to obey when we feel His timing presents an opportunity. When God tells us to do something and we do the opposite, it is still the equivalent of doing nothing at all. Disobedience occurs when we sense and feel God leading us in a direction and do nothing about it. We must take action. We must make an effort. And we must be obedient in all areas and action when having faith.

This is seen throughout scripture from men and women of God with true faith. Examples such as Abraham willing to sacrifice his own son as an offering, Noah building an ark though it had not rained in years, Ester becoming married to the very King her own people were being condemned by, Hosea marrying a prostitute and buying her back after countless betrayals, and even Jesus Himself when he was crucified and begged for another way. True faith is in the action and trusting the outcome, though it is out of your own hands. The good news, however, is it is in God’s perfect hands.

Speech is a strong tool, but action is a much more effective one. If one were to take the speech out of faith and only apply the action of it, that person would be unstoppable with an immense amount of confidence. Strive to live out faith rather than just speaking it. Learn the act before reading the script. Take the action before the direction and trust in the step before you see it is there.

“The steps of a man are established by the Lord when he delights in his way; though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the Lord upholds his hand.”

Psalm 37:23-24

The Unseen

We now know that faith is a verb. An immediate response to a movement within us. God instills within us the direction and as we take the steps. Scripture says He directs the light toward our feet and shows us a pathway;

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

Psalm 119:105

However, a flashlight only illuminates so far ahead. And much like faith, it can shine brighter depending on how strong your flashlight (faith) is. But no matter if your faith is one-hundred lumens bright or eight-thousand lumens bright, it will still not brighten the whole road. Much is the same in relation to what God does for us. For if we knew every turn before we came to it, we would no longer be relying on God’s perfect guidance.

“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

2 Corinthians 4:17-18

It is easy to have faith when life is going our way. But can we say the same in the times we do not see the full pathway? Or when the course is somewhere different than we wanted or anticipated? Do we have faith in all areas even before realizing what it is we need?

The “unseen” should not be viewed as a horrible destination. It should be all the more exciting to us, as a confirmation, that we are in fact, headed the right way. God works in eternal ways, storing for us an infinite amount of treasures according to our finite deeds. Therefore, if God works in eternals and the “unseens” in our life are eternal, we can have an assurance that it is His direction in action within us. For,

“By faith, we understand that the universe was created by the word of God so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.”

Hebrews 11:3

How much longer will it take us to see that all good and perfect things that are created by the Lord, are made out of that which is not visible to us? This is how God produces everything that is in tune with Him and seeks Him first. That is why we must chase after the unseen, even if it frightens us to our knees. Likewise, our knees are where we begin to pray and rely on God in times of questioning. Let us strive toward the unseen and be empowered by the affirmation that it is eternally rewarding to us.

The Voices In The Silence

Not being able to see ahead is one thing, but being unable to hear, now that is a scary thing. When we cannot hear or see we begin to feel alone. And when we are alone we become more prone to grasp at the first thing that we hear. Whether it be a good thing or a bad thing, just any sound that breaks the silence would be welcome. Or so we think... There are two types of voices we will hear; one wants to restore us and the other wants to tear us apart.

The voice we should steer clear of is the very screech note of destruction himself, Satan. The first thing this voice attacks is how we view ourselves. Giving us a huge misrepresentation of our own self-worth, the voice will begin to make us feel like we are not good enough. That we do not deserve to be happy or have things that make us happy. It will make us think that we used to have friends, that we thought we had a family, and that we were never truly confident in ourselves. This voice will leave us out to dry all alone and make us believe we deserve it, hanging in our own shame. It will take away our joy of something that we believed would last forever and rip it out from underneath us. It will make us doubt all of our previous choices of how we ended up where we are. It will make us have no trust for future choices in ourself or others or (most sadly) God. The worst thing it is capable of doing to us, however, is keeping us complacent in where we are, and hindered from moving on to better things.

For the Devil wants to demolish anything that draws you to God’s perfect Will. Satan is tricky with his words and has always been since the days of Eden. Convincing us against ourselves and what we already believe in is his oldest trick in the book, yet he still uses it, and it still works when we allow it to.

“But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.”

2 Corinthians 11:3

But in the silence comes another voice. We only need to wait long enough to hear it. This is the calming voice of our Heavenly Father. The very voice of our comforter and protector who wants what is best for us.

“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him.”

Psalm 62:5

We view silence as a deterrent of what is truly good for us. When there is silence we sometimes believe that it makes us deaf to any sound. That we have embodied the silence and the only thing we will hear from now on... Is nothing. Yet, we forget that through silence, the sound becomes all the louder. And our hope is in God, whose voice will be heard like thunder among that which is silent. It is up to us to drown out the negative voices controlling our thoughts. To mute the distractions of this world and to actually focus on the silence, in order to hear all the more distinctly. We need to walk the unseen and sit in silence as we listen for the right voice to come in its perfect way.

Direction From The Background

And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.

Isaiah 30:21

We now travel the path of the unknown, rather than what we are sure of (2 Cor. 5:7). As we continue, that voice in the silence comes to us. It is not in front of us leading as we would assume. But it stays behind, conducting rather than directing. For even after all the action, all the unseen, and all the silence. There is still room for more reliance on God. Becoming certain in every “right” or “left” we are brought to turning on His behalf.

God would not let us fall as we are following Him. But if it were to happen, how much easier would it be for Him to catch us if He were behind us? God chooses to be behind us for a reason; to keep His eye on us.

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.”

Psalm 32:8

The Lord knows the terrain, He understands what is ahead, He sees the obstacles in which we will come to, He knows the valleys in which we will sleep and the mountain tops on which we will triumph. He has to stay behind us in case we turn back out of fear.

For it is easier for us to go astray if we are behind God. But if He stays behind us, whispering in our ear comfort and guidance as He motivates us to keep going. To press on. To push forward. To set a race. And to take hold of the prize in which He has been steering us toward. In those moments, the connection with our Lord Jesus is all the more defined and faith all the more depended on. It is a refining and perfected process in which He wants us to experience WITH Him rather than behind him. For a race is won when you are ahead. And God raises champions.

Run The Race Set Before You

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.”

1 Corinthians 9:24

We all have wants in our life. Things that we want to obtain, but do not believe it to be obtainable. Who knows... God may not even want us to obtain it? And who is to say our “wants” are God based or worldly based? How does one find the distinction between the two?

“And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”

Mark 11:22-24

We must set what we want for ourselves and others before the Lord. To test it and ask for it according to His precepts and Will. To actually believe that what we ask for is capable of happening. For prayers are answered when we believe we have already received what we asked for. In some instances, even before knowing what that may be. That we have already seized the promise before it was made.

Following after God is the first step. If we are earnestly seeking Him then we no longer need to fear whether if we are hearing Him correctly or not (Matthew 6:33). If we set Him at the goal in which we are moving toward, how could it be wrong? For if God is with us what could be against us (Romans 8:3)? So our faith begins with God. And we can not allow any doubt to creep as we possess the attitude of belief. The belief and guarantee that there is a treasure at the end of the race, but we just have to get to it. It is there and we can be too.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder, and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Hebrews 12:1-2

If we believe what we want is justified through Jesus, let us strive toward pursuing it. Let us live life to win the prize. For through Jesus is the only way to accomplish it;

“Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?’ Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

John 14:5-6

Faith is the assurance in the things we long for and do not yet see (Hebrews 11:1). So, we must set our groundwork in Jesus and believe in what we ask for, before asking. We must take the speech out of the words and only move forward with works. For the action needs to come before the faith. We must walk the unseen and listen in the silence. And we must run the race set before us with a mighty speed. Believing in an outcome vastly more magnificent than we could have ever devised for ourselves.

Conclusion

Faith is a intricate “F” word. But it is by far one of the most important ones out there. For without it there would be no reason to try and accomplish anything. The leaps we take and the risks we create push us to confide in hope stronger than ever before. To accept a blessing in which we have no way of seeing. To ask boldly for that in which we wish to gain. To wholeheartedly believe that the circumstances in which we are in right now, can be changed, will be changed, and are changed. Let us no longer be held back by living in the limits the wrong voice tricked us into believing. Recognizing what our true potential is and aiming toward that which is beyond our understanding, let us run this unseen race with joy and no amount of doubt! For our “F” word is no longer “fear” but has transformed into “faith.”

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened

Mathew 7-8

- E.N. Courageen

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overcomingevilwithgood · 7 years ago

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The Storm

Let the rain pour down on this steady life

May the winds of it blow with the heaviest of might

Let the ground be consumed and the storm be my wife

May the flash of it’s presence become my only light

Let the rain pour down

May it flood my soul to be

Let it lose all control

May it make me lost at sea

Let the rain pour down upon this weary face

May the thunder roar around me as I stand

Let the boat be broken and the water take space

Accepting the ocean instead of the land

Let the rain pour down as the river starts to rage

May it come down with all of it’s splendor

Let the strength of the water free me from my cage

May it drown me in it’s currents as I boldly surrender

#RCFoems

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overcomingevilwithgood · 7 years ago

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Right By My Side

The moon shines bright A reflection of Your own light A signature on all that You've created.

God Your love never ends By Your grace I am cleansed Something that You have thankfully reiterated.

So I sing in praise For we all are amazed At the never ending faithfulness You give us

And although I don't always return the favor God you direct my path and carry my labors

You saved me so Your love could save others through me So take control and clear my trail and help me show multiples the key

For by Your love we are saved And by Your faith we can stand By Your grace we can pray God help us preach to the land

All the evil will flee and permanently reside With You alone right by my side

#RCFoems

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overcomingevilwithgood · 7 years ago

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The Dream

I had a dream A dream people met with no dispute. Where hunger could be cured without food or fruit. Where thirst was quenched with not even a drop. And love abounded at the very top. Where people no longer had to endure pain and sorrow. Reunited with their loved ones, looking forward to tomorrow. Where wars and death had no sting. And the people praised only one true King. I opened my eyes from the dream I wished was true. But realize now it’s real, as I stare up at You.

#RCFoems

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overcomingevilwithgood · 7 years ago

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New Year’s Day

A old home A new place The old me A new face

A new year A new day A new job A new pay

Some old friends Some old feuds Some new friends Some real moods

Feeling invited But not expected Feeling delivered But not accepted

Dark places that I went Saying words that I truly meant Oh wow, “Aren’t you cool?” Trading your life for fake fuel

Little did I know Much that I did Little did I show What you forbid

Some mistakes, that I have taken Some new ones, that I will be making Some goals that I have set A pretty girl that I have met

New path is great New path is grand New path is straight Keep hold of my hand

Nothing to scare me Everything to fear Taking a knee While everything is steered

This is the way Cut straight as a knife I give up my pay I choose this as life

#RCFoems

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overcomingevilwithgood · 7 years ago

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In These Moments Give Thanks

When worries are little and hopes are high When dreams cannot be measured by the height of the sky In seasons of life when all is great Likewise, in those that you wholeheartedly hate

In these moments give thanks

When treasures are found When trust is lost When love abounds And you find what it costs

In these moments give thanks

In the times that dry out your soul In the times that are no longer in your control When you have lost things that can never be given back When YOU pick the songs on life’s soundtrack

In these moments give thanks

The journey is long and at times very tough But one day the diamonds will be found in the rough Until that day, press on strong in your ranks And in all these moments, let us still, give thanks.

#RCFoems

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overcomingevilwithgood · 7 years ago

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May We

Time is an elusive concept in which often gets away from us very quickly. Seconds become minutes, minutes become hours, hours become days, days become weeks, weeks become months, and (next thing you know) the year is over with, while another begins...

With another year gone, may we now run fully into the Will of God this year and never doubt the hardships which are promised. Likewise, may we never doubt the joy that comes within the new morning sun. May we make this year a good one with actions and not just say that we will with words. And may we never stop there in our tracks or ever become comfortable. May we make the most out of each year by making each day the best one we can. May we choose more than just ourselves this year. May we choose life the way it is meant to be and not how we want it to be.

Which “F” word will be the ruler of our destiny? Faith or fear? May we never forget that if “yes” is an option, “no” is worth the risk. And we may never know unless we truly have faith and try. May we decide what we want to accomplish and why we want to accomplish it. For the reasoning and intensions behind a decision far outweighs the building and structure of one. However, may we always keep on trying even when it seems that we have failed. And may we never let our trust and faith be snuffed out. Even if the wheel takes a turn, may we always trust the journey.

May we all learn something new each and every day that we live. Something to help us grow, strive towards, change, improve on, and uphold with a new outlook. May we never live a day without becoming stronger and wiser than we were before. May we never fall asleep satisfied with where we are, but always push ourselves to finish the race and keep climbing upward. May we dream bigger, live simpler, and be content with what is given to us. Rather than what we feel that we need. May we be smart with our riches, yet let them go generously if a timing calls for it. May we empathize more and forgive often. May we guard ourselves and embrace our mistakes. Rebuilding with the broken pieces into something new and better. May we cherish every moment. And may we always remember that life is short, so we must aim high.

With every risk that we take and every step we make towards a good calling, let it be accompanied by a resounding faith and trust within our Lord Jesus. May all fear of “no” be replaced by a “yes” and may we live as each second may be our last. Striving toward the Lord’s Will and not our own. Let our ears be in tune with the voice and guidance of the Lord. And may we follow His direction wherever it may tell us to turn. May we live with the mindset of what COULD be, instead of what COULD NOT be.

New Year’s Day

A old home

A new place

The old me

A new face

A new year

A new day

A new job

A new pay

Some old friends

Some old feuds

Some new friends

Some real moods

Feeling invited

But not expected

Feeling delivered

But not accepted

Dark places that I went

Saying words that I truly meant

Oh wow, “Aren’t you cool?”

Trading your life for fake fuel

Little did I know

Much that I did

Little did I show

What you forbid

Some mistakes, that I have taken

Some new ones, that I will be making

Some goals that I have set

A pretty girl that I have met

New path is great

New path is grand

New path is straight

Keep hold of my hand

Nothing to scare me

Everything to fear

Taking a knee

While everything is steered

This is the way

Cut straight as a knife

I give up my pay

I choose this as life

E.N. Courageen

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overcomingevilwithgood · 9 years ago

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Hidden Chains: The Freedom In Forgivness

Introduction

What does it mean to forgive? Whether it be God’s forgiveness toward us, forgiving another, or even forgiving ourselves in times we are downcast. Forgiveness is a fundamental characteristic of love and how to treat others in the way God intends for us to. When forgiveness is not handled properly, we often are held captive in chains that we do not see (or in some cases) do not choose to see. However, there is freedom in forgiveness and it is time we recognize that, allowing for these chains to be set free.

God’s Forgiveness Toward Us

Adam stood silent and perplexed as his wife’s arm reached out to him, offering him a half-eaten fruit to which he knew was forbidden. He explained to his wife, Eve, that it was told by God that they would surely die if they ate off the tree from which she picked the fruit. But Eve explained to Adam that it was fine, using the same words that tickled her ear by the serpent earlier. So Adam, seeing that Eve was healthy and okay after eating the fruit herself, took the fruit from his wife’s hand and ate it. And at that moment, the world would never be the same for Adam and Eve, or anyone. For sin entered and entangled the world forever. (Genesis 3)

There would be no mistakes in life without sin. And with no mistakes, there would be no presence or need of forgiveness. Forgiveness comes after a wrongdoing and a wrongdoing comes after sin. So it is important to establish the roots of sin and where it originated. It originated with a choice. Adam and Eve chose to eat that fruit from the tree in Eden and had to face the consequences of their actions. Every choice we make alters our future in some way. The good choices and the bad choices, they all have an impact of some kind. So when we are faced with the outcome of our decisions it is comforting to know, that God Himself, made a choice of His own. And that choice was to send His one and only son to die for the sins of everyone, despite the constant wrong choices we make everyday.

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 5:8

So with this blessing is sin no more? Absolutely not! But we do have the opportunity to be cleansed of our sin through Jesus and His great sacrifice. We are then prone to make less mistakes because the grip of sin has been loosened in order for us to make better choices. However, when we do make mistakes (and we will make them) it is assuring to know that God is quick to forgive us when we repent and ask for it. (1 John 1:9) For the biggest chain we entangle ourselves happens when we forget that God loves us and wants us to be forgiven; despite the wrong choices we make everyday. Because He truly only cares about one crucial “right” choice that we make. The choice to believe and follow Him with all of our heart. And if we do that, the right choices will become all the more clearer when we face them.

Forgiving Ourselves

So we have established that God forgives us and wants us to seek Him first and foremost. But do we ever forget to forgive ourselves sometimes? I think we have all been in a situation where we struggle with a particular choice. And we know if we make it we will go down a road we never wanted to travel. Yet, that choice resurfaces over and over again no matter how many times we push it away. Then one day, what we fought so hard against to keep from happening, has happened. Through this struggle with sin we make mistakes that effect others. Hiding our face from what we know is right, we run in the other direction and play it off as if everything is fine. Trying to convince others, ourself, and even God, that everything is fine. But deep down we are ashamed at what we have done and it is eating us alive. We cannot run away forever and our actions, as always, produce an outcome that we must face.

How do we come face-to-face with such a horrible thing that we have done? Surely God can never forgive this big of a mistake. And if we cannot see God forgiving us, how can we expect the people we have hurt to? As these thoughts go across our mind we need to remember what we have learned about God. And we remember that He is quick to forgive those who seek repentance. So the problem is not so much that God will not forgive us or even that the people that we have hurt will not forgive us. But can we forgive ourselves? Can we come to terms with what we have done and decide to build ourselves up from it? Or will we let it knock us down?

“For the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity.”

Proverbs 24:16

Even the best of mankind stumble and fall again and again. The important thing to do however is to always, always get back up. That is what sets us apart. The constant strive toward repentance. It is good when we realize what we have done wrong and to feel sorry for the choices we made. It shows that, though we messed up, our heart is still in the right place for recognizing and trying to restore that which has been broken. God thinks we are worth forgiving, so why don’t we? There is a considerable difference between feeling sorry and seeking repentance. Sorrow is a feeling, while repentance is a feeling accompanied by an action. Repentance produces joy, whereas sorrow produces more sadness. Repentance let’s us start again, whereas sorrow fills us with hatred for ourselves. With this hatred we begin to sink deeper and deeper until we do not even have hope for restoration anymore. And at that moment some of the heaviest chains that hold us back have been created. The saddest part is, the key to freedom is within our grasp, we have just lost sight of it.

If the enemy can make us lose sight of one of the most, if not the most, important fundementals of Christianity, he has a thumb over us. In fact, the key to setting those chains free is not within our grasp, it is in our hand. The enemy has just tricked us into believing that we do not deserve to be set free. Thus, we do not see the freedom, that God Himself, has given us. So let us now allow ourselves to be bound by those chains any longer. Remembering that God offers freedom through repentance, that the struggle shows we are still moving in the right direction, that even though the people we hurt may never forgive us; God does and thinks you are worthy of His forgiveness. And if God loves us and thinks we are worth forgiving after all the times we mess up, then we should thrive on seeing ourselves the same way.

Forgiving Others

It is extremely heavy. It is massive and takes up more space than we know what to do with. Each day it gets heavier and heavier until it takes everything out of us just to take one step. We say that we are free from it. That it does not bother us anymore. That we have moved on and we could care less about it. But as we feel the tug slowing our pace and hear the rattle behind us, we know that it still bothers us. And we need to free it in order for ourselves to be free, also. Out of the three chains, this is the one that holds us back most of all. The chain of forgiving others.

How can we forgive what they have done to us? After all the brokenness and hurt that we were victim to. So much so, that we are emotionally scarred by the damage they forced upon us, cringing whenever that which they have done resurfaces in our mind. The hurt of a relationship that fell apart due to lies, cheating, abuse, and divorce. The loss of a loved one, victim to a violent abduction or murder. The discriminating mindset as well as mental and physical trauma caused by a rape. When we lose everything because it was stolen from us, never to see it again. Whether it be something as ghastly as one of these scenarios, or something more minor, we still wrestle with the thought of forgiving those who have hurt us in some way.

There are two different moments that occur when we are faced with forgiving someone. The first one is when the person who has hurt us realizes what they have done and says that they are sorry. Most of the time we are quick to forgive them because of the courage it took them to confess their wrongs. However, in some instances we are so bitter toward what they have done to us, that we build up a wall and never give them the forgiveness they ask for. This wall usually appears if someone takes “too long” or does not seem sincere enough to us. Resulting in us not seeing the point anymore. They will just hurt us again, why give them a free pass to do it again?

The second moment that occurs when faced with forgiving others is when the person that has hurt us does not recognize any fault, not wanting forgiveness at all. In their eyes they have done no wrong or have convinced themselves as much. In some cases, even pinning the blame to you. And it is infuriating to even think about. Our blood boils and we say, “If they would only admit what they have done, we could move past this and I could forgive them.” But the thing that these two moments have in common are their outcomes. There is no true forgiveness given to the wrongdoer in the end.

Why not forgive someone when their apology is not “sincere enough?” Or when it is not fast enough. Or when it is not good enough. Or even when there is no apology at all. Why not forgive them? We have established that God forgives and loves us when we are undeserving of it. How can we not at least try and do the same to others? Because truth be told, if the tables were turned, we would want the same.

“Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”

Luke 17:3-4

We must first pay attention to our own heart. Is it truly in the right place for us to bestow our forgiveness to others? And if we are hurt, we cannot expect the person that has hurt us to read our minds. If it is not known to them that they have hurt us, it is up to us to make them aware of it. Forgiving others is not a matter of setting someone else free from their misbehavior. It is about setting ourselves free from living bitterly. So what if they do not see their wrong or ask for forgiveness. Most of the time, we do the exact same. Forgive others and let go of what they have done to you, regardless if they apologize. Because when we do this (and I mean truly give forgiveness) we are free. The hurt fades away, the bitterness turns to joy and our hope is restored. For we are no longer held back by the choices they have made but are carefree because of the choices we have made.

Conclusion

I want you to think of someone that has wronged you. It could be in a big or small way. It could have happened a long time ago or just yesterday. But I know a name has popped into your head along with some hurt. Suppressed memories have resurfaced that you did not even want to return to again. Ask yourself if you have truly forgiven him or her. God forgives you, you forgive yourself, now it is time to forgive others. And I mean sincerely and wholeheartedly. Letting go of what they have done to us and moving forward with no chains to drag us down. For the only way for us to enjoy today fully is to let go of yesterday. You have the key in your hand and it is called forgiveness. Whichever chain is constraining you most, unlock it and be free!

“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;”

Luke 6:37

~E.N. Courageen

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