The Purpose for the Present Pain

The seasons of brokenheartedness we experience, as worshippers, come to break our will power of the stubbornness that has led us astray from the heart of Yahweh. By disregarding Father's wishes to instead do that which we have deemed to be right in our own eyes, we ultimately set ourselves up to experience the sort of painful spiritual reckoning that is meant to crush the soul as well as the ego. 

As spirit beings having a human experience, we must undergo a maturing process that makes it unmistakably clear to us when even our best intentions conflict with Heaven's agenda. Consequently, the only way Father can most effectively get our attention is by ALLOWING us to presently experience the pain of our humanity contending with the plans He both ordained and set in motion before the foundation of the world. 

Pain creates brokenness. And yes, there are times in our life journeys when it takes us experiencing brokenness to produce our willingness to embrace the culture of righteousness. In other words, sometimes our way has got to hurt more than we ever thought it would in order for us to see why Yahweh never wanted us to go that route. But it is often through brokenness that we are steered back into the right direction.

Revisiting the Idea of Child-Like Faith

With Father's Day approaching, I am reminded of the role fathers play in setting their offspring up for success in life.  For me, this concept stems from the way in which Yahweh fathers us.  The providential care of GOD, our Heavenly Father, includes His wise instruction on how to get heavenly outcomes in our earthly environments.  And because Yahweh ultimately desires to see us fulfill the purposes for which we have been given life, He favors us by providing supernaturally charged directives to ensure our success.

It almost seems too simple that doing things GOD's way guarantees GOD's results.  But it's truly THE best insurance policy EVER!  Yet, as is the case with most children, the spirit of rebellion deceives us into believing that we know a better way than that of our Father's.  So we go our own way, only to experience failure due to the poor choices we made.  Why then--after doing things our way--do we get upset when we fail to get the optimal results?

Faith comes by hearing the Word of GOD, according to Romans 10:17.  So if we're going to walk by faith and not by sight (as noted in 2 Corinthians 5:7), we are to walk (i.e. operate) according to the Word we hear.  Therefore, when we operate according to the Word we have heard, the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of the unseen manifests.  In other words, what we hope for only has substance when we operate according to the Word we heard from GOD; and the unseen things only become evident when we adhere to GOD's instruction.  Therefore, let's commit to becoming better listeners and followers of our Father and His Word, so we can obtain GOD-results instead of human failures.

You Have Something To Offer

My friend Chandra Hill shared a story about an occurrence earlier today that got my attention in a very unavoidable way.  She was getting gas and noticed an older gentleman doing the same across from her. After finishing, he got back in his car to leave but the vehicle failed to start.  So, as expected, he popped the hood to inspect things.  However, it still would not start once he got back inside.

By this time, Chandra had finished pumping her gas and was in her vehicle preparing to drive off. But before she could leave, she heard the Lord say, "Ask him if he's okay..."  Her initial thought was, "If he isn't, what can I do?"  The Lord's response was no different: "Ask him."  So she rolls down her window and does what she was instructed to do.

"I need a boost," he says.

"Well," she replies, "I have cables, but hooking them up is another story."

His response: "I can hook them up, if you have them."

Be Willing and Productive

While in a training session as part of my professional development, there was something said with regard to teamwork that vibrated with Heaven's frequency and caught my spirit's attention: "The people you get to help you must be willing AND productive.  If they can't produce, then don't you depend on them."  I actually shared the below status update on my Facebook timeline with regard to that moment.

Don't Forfeit Your Inheritance

In a recent Bible study at church, Minister David Humphrey shared in the evening's teaching on "Spiritual Warfare" that the believer forfeits his spiritual inheritance when in sin.  This couldn't be more true!  While we all sin and fall short of the glory of GOD, the spirit of conviction will compel believers to confess their sins (i.e. come into agreement with how GOD sees their actions) and repent (i.e. change their actions by turning and going the opposite direction).  However, there are some believers who choose to repeatedly engage in behavior that is not in alignment with the culture of GOD.  These are the individuals who willingly forfeit what Christ Jesus has secured for all who believe in Him.

The word "forfeit" means "to lose or give up (something) as a punishment or because of a rule or law."  It also means "to lose or lose the right to especially by some error, offense, or crime."  This forfeiture is apparent on multiple levels, but it's most plainly seen in scripture when Jesus says to those who claim to have done many wonderful works in His name that He never knew them (Matthew 7:21-23).  It doesn't get more clear than this, folks!  Workers of iniquity (i.e. illegality), those who do not do the will of our Heavenly Father, lose the spiritual inheritance they unfortunately were deceived into believing was secure for them.  But to their utter shame and disappointment, no amount of prophesying in Jesus' name, casting out of devils, and working of miracles will overcompensate for a life of deliberate sin and outright disobedience.

In Pursuit of Happiness - Part Five | 08.02.12

In choosing to rebel and pursue our own happiness, we face the resistance of GOD as we attempt to satisfy by our own means the cravings of our flesh.  Please understand that this resistance isn't so much GOD going out of His way to thwart our efforts Himself.  It's actually more sophisticated than that.  We essentially come head-to-head with the unseen systems established in eternity before the foundations of the world that govern the environment with which we interact through our five senses.  

Everything GOD created is subject to its respective systems of operation.  These systems govern the cause and effect relationships of all our interactions with the created world.  Therefore, prideful people find themselves perpetually stuck between a rock and a hard place because they're fighting a never-ending battle against a grace-less opponent.  And one can't help but be unhappy living that kind of life.

When we are deceived into believing that which GOD has forbidden makes us happy and determine to pursue it anyway, then arises a spirit of arrogance that blinds us to the impending consequences of our actions.  The high we experience in our perceived happiness is so euphoric that it blinds us to the harsh reality that ultimately lies ahead.  We become so arrogant that we feel invincible; and the grip of pride is so firm that we even dismiss the smaller, less catostrophic consequences of our choices because they aren't painful enough.  Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before the fall.  When you're blinded by pride, you can't see the destruction to come; and when a haughty spirit has you high, falling is the last thing on your mind.

Read the next installment (In Pursuit of Happiness - Part Six).

In Pursuit of Happiness - Part Four | 07.31.12

We all have desires--both bad and good.  GOD understands that; and no matter how "out there" our desires may be, He's in no way shocked by them either.  It should be good news to someone that GOD sees into our innermost desires and is not shocked by what is found therein.  This serves to help us understand why GOD has given us the ever present Holy Spirit to dwell within us: that He might lead and guide us into all truth.  And the truth of the matter is that many things we desire in our attempts to be happy are neither good nor beneficial for us, irregardless of how badly we may want them.

But there's something terribly wrong with pursuing what GOD does not desire us to have anyway, as if us wanting something bad enough will somehow sanctify it in His eyes.  Furthermore, it's most assuredly in poor taste to blame GOD for the resulting consequences of our efforts to obtain that which He has forbidden us to have.  GOD is neither responsible for our poor decision making nor the rebellious nature from which it emanates.  And He's surely not responsible for the calamity that befalls us, like He's just sitting there waiting to punish us as He stalks our every move.

So why then do we feel entitled to diametrically oppose GOD's directives to instead pursue our own perceived happiness?  I'm led to believe that it's pride.  And with pride comes GOD's resistance.  Scripture says in 1 Peter 5:5 that GOD gives grace to the humble.  GOD releases His favor in the lives of humble people.  When we operate in humility, we obey GOD even when it hurts or we feel that GOD's requirements are unfair; and He rewards our obedience accordingly in ways money can't even buy.

Read the next installment (In Pursuit of Happiness - Part Five).

In Pursuit of Happiness - Part Three | 07.29.12

Bible says that Jesus learned obedience by the things He suffered (Hebrews 5:8).  Therefore, this tells me that Jesus became proficient in obeying GOD because of the suffering He experienced.  When most of us are suffering, our selfish preoccupation with how unhappy we feel at the moment trumps our commitment to trust and obey GOD.  Trust is born out of belief; and quite frankly, it's hard to obey GOD when we don't trust Him.  

I can't even begin to imagine how GOD feels when our actions indicate our lack of trust in Him.  He wants so much for us to be happy, and He's spared no expense in providing us everything required to live happily ever after; and yet we still choose to lean to our own understanding, fumbling and bumbling our way through life being victimized by the effects of consequences we brought upon ourselves.  No loving Father wants to see His child suffer in that way.  He'd rather us suffer for His name's sake, not for the sake of our fleshly lusts.

Hebrews 5:9 states that following Christ's suffering came perfection.  The suffering GOD allows us to endure plays a vital part in us becoming complete in Him.  And there's no greater happiness than that found in being complete, whole and entire.  To know the satisfaction that only GOD can provide epitomizes happiness.  Life simply doesn't get much happier than being free of cares and totally reliant on the Father, who is the ultimate satisfier.

Read the next installment (In Pursuit of Happiness - Part Four).

In Pursuit of Happiness - Part Two | 07.27.12

When we determine to find happiness on our own outside of GOD's way of doing things, the burden to maintain that happiness squarely falls upon our shoulders.  However, seeking to live according to GOD's precepts insures our happiness because our GOD, the Faithful GOD, guarantees it.  Scripture says, "Happy are the people whose GOD is the LORD" (Psalms 144:15).  Therefore, allowing GOD to be LORD over ALL frees us of any responsibility to find our own happiness.  He assumes the responsibility of creating happiness for us.  However, we must be willing to accept the happiness GOD freely makes available to us as our LORD.

The Word of GOD clearly instructs us how to be happy.  But somewhere along the way, we find ourselves believing that we--in our own limited understanding--know better than GOD's Word what works for us.  If we are really honest with ourselves, we would admit that we get ourselves into more trouble than the enemy can be blamed for bringing.  Choosing to do anything contrary to GOD's way of doing things is the result of our own lack of belief that GOD will provide what will satisfy us.

WE determine what WE feel WE need right now, and WE go get it for OURSELVES instead of accepting as real and true the simple fact that GOD knows best what we require and has already seen to it that provisions are made for us.  Our problem is that we fail to make the connection that doubting both GOD's ability and His desire to provide ALWAYS leads to disobedience.  When we allow unhappiness to overtake us, THEN we choose to sin because human nature translates unhappiness as being suffering.  And when we experience suffering, human nature interprets that as our cue to take matters into our own hands and bring about for ourselves the satisfaction we so desire.

Check out "In Pursuit of Happiness - Part One" as well as "In Pursuit of Happiness - Part Three".

Just Be Balanced (AUDIO) | 05.15.12

This week's inspirational podcast stresses the need for balance in the Body of Christ.  It is through our balanced lifestyles that we are able to let our lights shine and attract mankind to GOD's Kingdom as well as His way of doing things.  There's no need to be radical or start a revolution... We just need to be balanced to effectively reach the masses.



Music By: JewelBeat
Transcript of podcast available at facebook.com/thisisfhw.

Leave It Behind (AUDIO) | 05.07.12

This 5-minute inspirational podcast looks at why it is important for us as people of GOD to leave behind those things that characterized our old nature prior to redemption.  GOD has a ministry assignment for each of us, and it is of utmost importance that we not take any unnecessary thing with us on our journey.  Otherwise, we may set ourselves up for our own demise.



Music By: Longzijun
Transcript of podcast available at facebook.com/thisisfhw.

Experiencing GOD's Greater Glory - Part Two | 04.28.12

Being an obedient citizen is an extremely critical aspect of Kingdom life.  It's directly linked to loving GOD, believing His Word and having faith in His promises, all of which are believed by some to be ABOVE obedience.  Scripture says that if we love GOD, then we'll keep His commandments (John 14:15).  Since the Book of James admonishes us to not only be hearers of the Word but doers also (James 1:22), believing GOD's Word implies we're doing something with the Word we've heard.  Otherwise, it's rather hard for us to validate our beliefs.  That which we believe must motivate us to take corresponding action.  And, of course, we're all familiar with the scripture that faith without works is dead (James 2:20).  Something must be done on our part in order to activate the power of our faith in GOD's promises.  One of our best examples is Abraham, whose faith pleased GOD simply because He obeyed GOD.  Abraham took Isaac, the promised son of his old age, up Mt. Moriah to offer him as a sacrifice, just as GOD instructed.  As we can see, obedience is prominent in every aspect of worship.

So please hear my heart, friends and readers...  It is not my mission to judge or condemn ANYONE should their beliefs and/or choices be different.  In fact, I've been commissioned to help those--including myself--who are open to receiving the help GOD provides and doing better.  I beseech--I beg--of us all to evaluate our own lives.  Let's honestly consider how much of ourselves does GOD really have influence over?  Instead of examining the lives of others, how about we pray concerning those areas in our own lives that we've made off limits to GOD?  We're so fearful of what people would think, if they would ever know about our inner secret places, that even the illuminating power of GOD's Word can't even get past the barriers we've erected to provoke us towards personal improvement.

Father, make clear the instances in which our own rebellion against Your way of doing things have blocked our access to manifestations of Heaven's power here in the Earth.  We're all tired of church as usual, and it's the desire of our hearts to experience miraculous moves of Your power in our midst.  Help us to obey You, O GOD: we understand now that this how the glass ceiling over our worship will get shattered.  Through obedience, we can expect to experience Your greater glory WHENEVER and WHEREVER we worship You.  AMEN!

Feel free to check out Part 1 of Experiencing GOD's Greater Glory...

Experiencing GOD's Greater Glory - Part One | 04.27.12

Something very interesting recently occurred to me.  Well, first of all, I'm always listening, especially when people may be thinking that I'm not; and as I mentally replay dialogue that I've heard, certain statements and phrases usually stand out and catch my attention.  In this particular instance, I was thinking about how we have a tendency to say we want "more of GOD," or that we want "a greater experience with GOD."  While I do believe there are realms of glory we've yet to tap as worshippers, I don't believe that it's necessarily due to any "withholding" of glory on GOD's part.  Although this may be a tough pill to swallow, the GOD-presence we desire to experience, in most cases, far exceeds the depth in which we actually worship the Almighty.  We are the ones who limit GOD's ability to manifest Himself in greater ways because our worship, which we believe to be so deep, is in fact quite shallow.  The worship we offer fails to bring us into the place of intimacy with the Father that we desire because our disobedience nonverbally communicates a lack of trust in GOD.  And despite our best attempts at experiencing intimacy with GOD, who in their right mind feels comfortable letting their guard down around anyone they really don't trust?

I know this may offend some readers, but it's a truth of which we need to be made aware.  We can love GOD, believe His Word, have faith in His promises AND STILL find ourselves desiring more from our worship experiences.  Yes, I know that this sounds puzzling; however, what we neglect to consider a vital part of our worship is the powerful role obedience plays in the releasing of GOD's glory.  Isaiah 64:6 has been quoted by many to affirm that "our righteousness is as filthy rags" to GOD; and unfortunately, when taken out of context, this verse of scripture can mislead many well-intended believers to minimize the vital importance of obedience by downplaying its effect on our ability to experience GOD like never before.  The "righteousness" spoken of in Isaiah 64:6 refers to man not being able to achieve right standing with GOD on his own.  However, once we've been declared righteous by GOD, then we are to live righteously in obedience to GOD.  So let's be honest with ourselves, okay?  We can only sing so many songs, say so many prayers and shed so many tears before we hit a plateau in the realm of the Spirit.  Herein is the reason why our worship runs "smack dab" into spiritual glass ceilings: the places in GOD we desire to be require a greater degree of access than we've allowed ourselves to be granted... Reaching those untapped places in GOD we so desperately desire does not require better material to sing, more skilled musicians and vocalists, or higher quality instruments and audio equipment... The powerful moves of GOD we hunger for require lives of obedience, which in turn receive clearance from the heavenly government to function as portals (or conduits) for GOD's glory to enter the Earth realm.

Be sure to check out Part 2 of Experiencing GOD's Greater Glory

The Flipside of Being Justified (Part 2 of 2) | 02.13.12

(Continued from Part 1)  I was recently contemplating how ungrateful we can be as Christians.  One need not look too hard to see the numerous ways in which our ingratitude is displayed.  We disobey GOD more times than we care to recall, yet we're always standing in the need of a blessing.  We constantly complain about how things are not going as we wish, but we fail to obey GOD in the simplest of matters.  We drag our moody selves to church on Sunday like we're doing GOD and the minister a favor, and we have the nerve to sit in the sanctuary as if we're part of some live studio audience waiting to be entertained.  Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 that it's the will of GOD in Christ Jesus concerning us that we give thanks IN EVERY-THING.  But the aforementioned hardly paints a picture of us being a thankful people.

The Flipside of Being Justified (Part 1 of 2) | 02.12.12

I was recently inspired by a Facebook status update from Jonathan Booth, in which he made mention of justification.  What struck me was what I saw in the scripture he cited because I have never before noticed this.  (Sidenote: That happens to me from time to time because--honestly--I don't know it all.  Even though I've been in church all my life, I NEVER profess to know it all.)  Jonathan's status update focused on faith in challenging situations, but what caught my attention was the following passage of scripture:

"But someone will say, You have faith, and I have works. Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. And he was called the friend of God. You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only." (James 2:18, 21-24 NKJV)

Becoming the Being | 01.30.2012

There is something to be said about being consistent.  The predictability that is characteristic of consistency IS NOT a bad thing.  As a matter of fact, it's crucial to the effectual availing of ourselves for the King's use.  Yes, the gifts and calling of GOD come without repentance (Romans 11:29); but that's certainly no excuse for being inconsistent.  Our problem is that we've become more comfortable with having the gifts and calling than we are with having the power required to effectively operate in them.  And since inconsistency is an indicator of disobedience, GOD is not interested in authorizing (or granting authority to) those who aren't willing to "become".

Keep Plowing | The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

During my private prayer time early Sunday morning, I received the following Word while in GOD's presence:

"Keep your hand to the plow--that is, remain faithful to and focused upon the ministry work to which you've been called.  No matter what you've done, how you've failed or even how inadequate you may feel, do the works of Him who has sent you.  For it is the work of ministry that breaks up the fallow ground of your heart because it requires sensitivity to both GOD and people."

There is so much about each of us that could very well discourage us from doing any ministry work.  However, GOD's concern is that we remain focused on what's important: continuing to follow His instructions in good faith that He will do what He promised.  Like the lepers who were healed as they went, many of us will experience manifested healing as we go on doing what GOD has called us to do.  We all have problems, faults and issues; so what else is new?  Furthermore, we all suffer from heart conditions that impair our ability to be sensitive to GOD and people; but GOD has given us ministry to help ourselves as well as others.

Consider how the soil of our hearts has become hardened and compacted by the weight of this world.  When it comes to doing the work of ministry, we need to experience the power of GOD AS WE MINISTER just as desperately as the people we minister to.  The proof that we simply can't get the job done in our own strength and know-how lies in the fact that we often times don't even feel like ministering when called upon.  However, submitting ourselves to the call of ministry releases GOD's anointing to get the job done.  And since getting the job done requires sensitivity to GOD and people, the power released for each ministry opportunity manifests a little more healing in the hearts of those who minister.

Success Is Yours | The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

As I was reading through my journal this week, I ran across a couple of notes taken a while back from a message delivered by Dr. Myles Munroe on "Maximizing Change and Crisis": 

"Most barriers to success are man made, and we are the ones creating our barriers. Your response is more important than what's happening."

It's so much easier to look beyond ourselves for someone or something to blame for the lack of success we experience.  Being successful has nothing to do with our luck of the draw but everything to do with how we pursue success.  It's our everyday decisionmaking that determines how much success we experience.  What do you do with what you've been given?  How do you respond to the circumstances that you've been presented?  Successful individuals make it their business to maximize the resources they have instead of comparing their own to those of someone else. People who regularly experience success don't waste time complaining about what's happening to them because they're too busy trying to make things happen.

Becoming the Answer | The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

While getting some reading in on Monday, I ran across a statement that really caught my attention:

"Prayer is about connecting with God and getting His word on whatever we are facing, and then acting accordingly. My observation of the life of Jesus has caused me to conclude that often Jesus became the answer after He had prayed. There seems to always have been a corresponding action." --Dr. Cindy Trimm, "The Art of War for Spiritual Battle" (p. 78)

I became quite intrigued with the idea of Jesus becoming the answer after He prayed.  While the underlying meaning was not new to me, Dr. Trimm's choice of words were because they caused me to see what I already knew in a whole new light.  We're taught to pray (or petition) for GOD's help, but I believe the disconnect we tend to experience happens when we expect GOD to work everything out on our behalf without any further action from us.  When there is no corresponding action other than us idly waiting for GOD to move, it should not surprise us then that the results we desire go unmanifested.  After all, we simply prayed and left it at that.

Four Imaginary Imprisonments (Part 9) | The Worshipper's Thought of the Day

Imaginary Imprisonment #4 | REBELLION

We really think we're such big Christians; but, in all honesty, we fall short in complying with the small, simple things.  We DON'T DO what the Bible says to DO, and we DO what the Bible says NOT to do.  So you see, none of us are perfect; but it looks TERRIBLE when we single out certain sins to be more egregious than others.  Sin is sin: there are no big ones or little ones.  All sin, regardless of its nature, is rebellion.  And until we really understand this, we're going to continue to create division within the Body of Christ as well as run off unbelievers who don't want to be hurt anymore than they've already been.

It's time we grow up and stop rebelling against our Father like insecure teenagers and follow in His footsteps like mature, adult children.  A major part of this process involves us understanding the difference between agreement and submission.  Simply put, we don't have to submit when we're in agreement.  Being in agreement says, "Hey, I'm onboard; let's do this!"  Submission comes into play when we're not totally in agreement or just may be unsure of what's being required of us; but we choose to comply anyway.  But if we're neither in agreement nor submission, then that means we're in rebellion.  This hits all of us!  Even though everyone may not be struggling with rebellion, as I always remind myself, the struggle isn't necessarily with good and bad--it's often between good and BETTER.  Some of us are settling for submission in areas of our lives where we should be operating in total agreement.  It's like choosing to "make do" in the wilderness when we should be relaxing in an oasis.