My inner “no!”

I must confess here and now that I have an inner NO! That voice that says I can not, I am not able, I am not worthy and so on and so on and so on. As I sit at my laptop putting these thoughts down I am realizing I will need to read this probably every day for a very long time. I remember a Star Trek: The Next Generation episode where Data was having some problems and Geordi LaForge needed to reprogram his neuronet. They hooked him up and began the reprogramming process. Well, I need to reprogram my thinking.

In the movie the “Pursuit of Happyness” Will Smith’s character tells his son, “ do not let anyone tell you can not do something, even me.” As a parent I want to step back and see if I have encouraged my children or if I have started to program their neuronets to say NO to them. Do I tell them, “it can’t be done, you can’t do that, it will never happen”? These are the very things I say to myself.

I have been unemployed for over ten months now. I am highly skilled, motivated , hard working and thankful for any work that is given to me. During this time of my life I have told myself on more then one occasion that I must be incapable of finding a job. I am not worthy of a job. I am unable to provide for my family and the list goes on. I am sure you have experienced something similar in your life time.

This applies to other areas like relationships. My internal dialogue says things like, “I can not live up to the expectations my parents had for me, my children must see me as a failure and my boyfriend is too good for me, I am not worthy of him”.

Can you identify? Do you see your internal dialogue in what I have shared with you? Many of us do this and it can cause us to quite before we have even started. So what do we do about it?

I think Will Smith’s character is correct. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can not do anything. This is where the program in your neuronet becomes corrupt. We listen to what others say to us and we believe it.

So we need to reprogram that neuronet. Unlike Data we can not hook up our neuronets and download or upgrade our programming. What we do need to do is something a bit similar but low tech. We need to take in the word of God and listen to His promises about ourselves. We need to write these on our hearts. I encourage you to surround yourself with them. Write them on your bathroom mirror, put them on note cards around your home. Do whatever it takes to feed them into your brain and heart on a regular basis.

Let’s begin this process now.

Mat 10:29 “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And {yet} not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. Mat 10:30 “But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Mat 10:31 “So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.

Psa 63:8 My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.

Jer 29:11 ‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.

Gen 1:27 God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Num 6:22 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, Num 6:23 “Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, ‘Thus you shall bless the sons of Israel. You shall say to them: Num 6:24 The LORD bless you, and keep you; Num 6:25 The LORD make His face shine on you, And be gracious to you; Num 6:26 The LORD lift up His countenance on you, And give you peace.’ Num 6:27 “So they shall invoke My name on the sons of Israel, and I {then} will bless them.”

Phl 4:13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

Deu 11:18 “You shall therefore impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. Deu 11:19 “You shall teach them to your sons, talking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up. Deu 11:20 “You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, Deu 11:21 so that your days and the days of your sons may be multiplied on the land which the LORD swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens {remain} above the earth.

Psa 119:11 Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You.

Together let’s reprogram ourselves and seek to be more like Christ.

A Revolutionary War

There is a scene from the movie “The Patriot” that is quite stirring. The Character of Gabriel Martin, played by Heath Ledger, rides past the bodies of three men hanging in a tree. He rides past them and stops in front of the town church. The service has already begun. He enters the church and asks to make an announcement. The Pastor reminds him the church is a place of prayer and they are praying for the slain men. Gabriel Martin proceeds with his announcement despite the protests. He announces the militia is being called up and he is there to recruit any able bodied man. No one arises, and there are once again reprimands for being there. Then Anne Howard, played by Lisa Brenner, stands to her feet and boldly speaks out. She states that surely these men were just as patriotic as she. She calls them one by one and reminds them of their discussions and discourses against the enemy. She asks who would follow their belief with action. Well many were convicted and stood to join the militia including the Pastor.

This was an example of the American Revolution and the power of one voice. I believe we are on the cusp of a new Revolution. This is a spiritual revolution. A revolution against the sleeping church!!

A diamond is rare and precious, but that diamond originates from a piece of coal. A pearl starts off as a piece of sand. A forest starts from a seed. Yes, a seed, much like a mustard seed. You can move mountains with the faith the size of a mustard seed. Can you imagine what you can do with faith the size of mountain? May I remind you that the Messiah and your redeemer came to this earth as a new born child who was born in a filthy dirty animal manger.

How is a revolution birthed? It starts with one, one who chooses to rebel. That one then affects another, and another and another and you have the birth of a rebellion. The rebellion grows and it gives birth to a revolution.

In Ezekial 37: 1-14 Ezekial has been given the vision of the valley of dry bones. He is told to prophesy that dry skattered bones would come together and flesh and skin would be restored to them. These dry bones were referring to the nation of Israel who had lost all hope. As Ezekial prophesied the rattling of bones could be heard and just as he said the flesh and skin were restored to them. However, they were still corpses, dead. It was then God told him to prophesy to the wind (breath) to restore life to these corpses. The completion of the miracle occurred when he did as commanded and the corpses arose and came to life.

How many of us are like the bones, skattered. We need to be commanded and asked to hear the word of the Lord. How many of us are lifeless in our faith and need to have the Spirit breath upon us and restore us to life. God was prophesying a revival in the dispirited people of Israel. He can do the same today in the dead lifeless church. Not just a revival but a REVOLUTION!!

Will you join me and take up arms against the enemy and wake up the church and start a REVOLUTION?

Wake Up!!
Lyrics by KJ 52

How long you gonna sleep
How long you gonna act like you gonna act
Be how you wanna be
So when you gonna see
You need to get the facts but you wanna laugh
At what I’m gonna speak
You steady sinking deep
Plus ya sinking fast why you running back
Man why you wanna leave
So whats it gonna be
You need to get with that but your missed the fact
That what I’m gonna speak
This ain’t all a dream
You can try to dash but you gonna have
To face your reality
So this is what I seen
One day it’s gonna crash then you’ll understand
Everything I’m gonna mean

Wake up wake up
Wake up wake why are you falling asleep

So what you wanna do
You turn off the lights then you run and hide
And act like you never knew
Man you aint gotta clue
But you think you’re right every single time you
Do what you wanna do
So when you gonna choose
When you gonna try to find your peace of mind
It’s right there in front of you
It’s time to make a move
You can still deny but the time’s running out
Very very soon
So what I gotta prove
Why you walking blind when the signs
Is so obviously coming thru
Man this is now for you
You can try to lie and just still deny
But can’t change what is true

Confessions of a Drama Queen

These are the true confessions of a drama queen. 

Hi my name is “His girl” and I am a drama queen.  Drama makes life a bit like a roller coaster.  There seems to be times of extreme highs and extreme lows.  Now understand that the traditional drama queen will embark on her latest adventure for the “fame” or “celebrity” stature she will receive. The attention is what she craves.  I to like many a drama queen do not like to be forgotten, taken for granted or invisible.  However motivation for my actions are not the same as traditional drama queens. I used to hide everything and not let anyone know what I was going through or struggling with.  I have sense learned that we are here for each other.  We were not made to be alone.  God created us for community.   I also have to confess that at times I want to slip into the comfort zone and not open up.   

Recently during a heart to heart with God I mentioned I was tired of the all the drama and wanted to live a quiet peaceful life.  He gently reminded me of a commitment I made to Him. I had promised to wild, and barbaric in my faith.  I promised to live a sold out for Jesus life.  He gently reminded me of the others in scripture who had the same commitment.  He challenged me to find one that did not have a life filled of drama.  I couldn’t. 

Let’s look at Paul.  Come on now there is Drama King if I ever saw one.  He came to Christ not because someone shared but by a blinding light and the voice of Jesus on the way to Damascus.  How many of you have experienced that while on the way to Walmart?  Paul was ship wrecked, imprisoned, stranded on an island, beaten and left for dead.  That is just the beginning.

John the Baptist, his whole life was one big drama.  Remember when Mary visited Elizabeth and he jumped in the womb when he heard Mary’s voice?  That was act one of his drama, the middle included eating locusts and wild honey, wearing camels hair clothing and hearing God’s voice when baptizing Christ.  His final act or great drama was his death when he was beheaded and is was presented to Herodias on a platter.  Now did that guy know how to make an exit or what?

It appears that drama is the life of a person who chooses to follow Christ.  Often times drama can be looked at by others as stupid decisions, crazy behavior and irrational choices.  However, just because it appears to be does not make it so.

I have come to the realization as reading about Daniel, Elijah, Esther and others that the life of peace and quiet may not be the wisest and best choice.  So I proudly confess to you today that I am a DRAMA QUEEN. (Applause!!)