AM I TRULY BEING REAL ?

AM I BEING REAL.......

(EPHESIANS CHAPTER ONE)

R elationship wih God. This is the most vital aspect to living a consistent Christian walk. If my relationship with God is not on a real leve, then all my other relationships are not going to be where they should be. Notice in chapter one of Ephesians how personal the Apostle Paul referst to God and Christ. Verse one, (I am an Apostle of Christ)(by the will of God). Verse two, (peace from OUR God). Verse three, (OUR Lord Jesus Christ). Verse seventeen, (God of OUR Lord). A person cannot talk this way without knowing someone very personally. As Paul corresponds with the Ephesians, he is not challenging them to strive for something he does not have. He is reminding them of what they have in Christ. What he has in Christ. Remember, he is writing this letter during a time of personal persecution and trial. Am I being real in all my relationships or am I still wearing a Mask?

verse 7, "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace."

E valuation of self. Am I being honest with myself? Do I live each day as if I would stand before the Lord today? Do I live a REAL Christian life in front of my peers or is it just a facade? Is my Christian life really Christian? Verse four, (just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. Am I living obediently in Christ? Do I strive daily to live and think Biblically as I deal with the different tests and temptations that come my way?

A ttitude....Attitude...Attitude. IT IS NOT ALL ABOUT ME....IT IS ALL ABOUT HIM!!!! Paul makes it firmly clear in verse one why he is doing what he is doing and why he is saying what he is sharing with the Christians. Ephesians 1:1, "Paul and apostle of Christ Jesus BY THE WILL OF GOD. It requires a submissive attitude to be and live obediently to what God commands. In my effort to be REAL, have I realized that the things that I experience in my life that are not in my control are there to mold me and shape me more into the image of Christ? May I not get lost in focusing in the process, that I lose sight of the fact that God sees the finished product. Therefore, I must trust God that He knows best for my life.

L ove of God and others more than self!!!!! Do I love and long for the eternal things that God has to offer? Verse 18, " I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saings, Verse 19, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe."

Key things to consider as I seek to be REAL and SHARE my faith:

*My ability to influence others is directly related to what they think about me.

*What does it mean to enter someone's world but not take on his or her way of life?

*How can I become friends with non-christians without letting them influence me negatively?

*Think of some qualities of a helathy relationship: Okay, now are these qualities in my relationships with God, parents, friends, etc.......

A TIME FOR?...........................

A TIME FOR?..........

Ecclesiastes 3:1

"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:"

What shall this day hold? I do not know. What circumstance awaits me later in the day? I do not know. What trial shall I face in my path today that will attempt to stretch my faith and make me question where I stand? I do not know. What response shall transmit from me today when someone or something requires from me an answer? I do not know. Will I respond in the flesh or in the spirit today when encountering unexpected circumstances? I do not know. Am I living today expecting to face something I have never been challenged with? I hope so.

Well, if you are like me, you probably forget from time to time that we are promised that we will face all sorts of things in this lifetime. The writer of Ecclesiastes warns those he is writing to that there is a place for all sorts of things under the heaven. In verses 2-8 of chapter three we are told there is a time for laughter, sadness, love, hate, peace, war, loudness, quietness, killing, healing, etc.... These are only a few of the many things that we will face in our lifetime. What about: losing your home, losing a family memeber, losing a friend, losing your job, conflict with friends, loneliness, bitterness, car accident, losing everything that you hold dearest to your heart. Maybe you have experienced some of these things are you know people who have.

We never know what may come knocking on our door of life any given day. These things are real. These things reveal to us if we are being real. If we are being real in our relationship with God. If all the verses we memorized and hymns we sing really do get beyond the cloud of our brain and get to the core of our heart. There are three things I would like to share from Ecclesiastes chapter three:

The first thing I would like to share is God's Promise.(Ecclesiastes 3:1) We are told that we will face all sorts of things while living in this temporary dwelling place. We are going to experience all sorts of emotions and circumstances that will bless us as well as sometime challenge us to our very core. We cannot control what we may encounter, but we do have a part in how we respond to those unexpected encounters.

The second thing I would like to share is God's Precious Handiwork.(Ecclesiastes 3:11, "He hath made every thing beautiful in His time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end. The one question that eats at man each day is the question WHY? God, why did that have to happen to me? God, why did they have to endure that? God, why are you making me wait so long for an answer? God, why can't you just write on the wall your purpose and will for me? God, why am I still single? God, why did you take them so soon to be with you? The question of WHY lurks in my mind and heart each day. I am humbly reminded that God's Ways and Thoughts are much higher and greater than mine. I am humbly reminded that we were not created to know and understand all that God does, but to TRUST! Wow! That is so tough. We must take comfort in the fact that all that God allows, all that we have to endure, all that others around us endure; is part of His plan. Even if that means not having a clue of WHY. Of course, this is the toughest thing to acknowledge when you are the one having to go through whatever circumstance you are facing that crushes you.

The third thing I would like to share is God's Picture.(Ecclesiates 3:14, "I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him." I am still trying to swallow this thought again. The fact that the whole big picture of life is not about me, but it is ALLLLLLLLL ABOUTTTTTTT HIMMMMMMM!!!!!!!! The things that we experience in life are not there to turn us away from Him, but towards Him! God, how can something so tragic and heartbreaking turn me or them toward you? God, don't you think that they would follow you if you didn't put them through something so hurtful? God, I am trying to walk faithfully and serve you, but you keeping allowing these hard things to come into my life. Job, Job, Job Job!!! Job 2:10b, "What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips." What in the world!!! Remember this is a man speaking who has just lost his ten children, his livestock, etc...except for his wife. Wow!!

SUMMARY: So, we are told that we should expect to face all sorts of challenges and blessings in our life. We have no idea when they will arise from day to day. So that requires TRUST. We are told that God has made it that we are not to know His work from beginning to end. Things are going to happen and we are not going to always have an answer for the WHY. We are also told that the things that God doeth, He does them not to turn us from Him but towards Him, so that men would acknowledge Him with a reverant, respectful perspective. So, we know that there is a time that we will face things that are going to challenge us to the deepest part of our being. We cannot control time or what time brings, but we know the God who does.

Today, may you be challenged as I am, to pray(pour yourself out to God), practice,(live out your faith), and pursue(seek God with all your mind, soul, heart). For today could be your day to face something under the heaven that you have never encountered before. GOD IS NEAR! GOD IS ALL POWERFUL! GOD IS OUR STRENGTH! GOD IS CONSTANT! GOD IS IN CONTROL! GOD IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED HIM TO BE AND MORE WHEN FACED WITH WHATEVER COMES YOUR WAY....HE IS NEVER CAUGHT OFF GUARD.

WHAT MASK SHALL I WEAR TODAY?.....OR SHALL I BE REAL?

WHAT MASK SHALL I WEAR TODAY? .........

OR SHALL I BE REAL?

What mask shall I wear as I venture out into my day,

The attitude that matches and the role I shall play?

As I stared into the mirror this morning, O what did I see,

Am I ready to be REAL with a perspective based on eternity?

Was I pleased by the reflection revealed to me by God's Word,

Am I ready to go forth to battle like a soldier with his sword?

Do I tear down the facades that keep me from being real,

Are do I seek to maintain an image that is comfortable to others' appeal?

O this daily fight to be real before my friends and foe,

Will they except me as I am, I don't know.

The past masks in my closet mock me as a pretender,

O the prideful facades I must daily surrender.

Today, I go forth as who I am focused and real,

May God quickly correct me and my other masks reveal.

Today, I shall be real and crush the masks which I wish to wear,

For I must be real, I have a name to bare.

That name is Jesus Christ, my Saviour and Friend,

It is He today upon whom I must depend.

So if you are wearing a mask please remove it from your face,

Walk forth today in victory and bow before the throne of Grace.

IF THIS BREATH WERE MY LAST

IF THIS BREATH ...

WERE MY ..........LAST.

(A personal interrogation with self)

Tyararr, are you living in your temporal dwelling with an eternal perspective? Did you know that you maybe only have the next few days, hours, minutes or seconds? How much have you thought about God in the past few hours. Are you so full of yourself and priorities that you cannot acknowledge Him who made you and gives you a reason to exist and function? Do you long for heaven, or do you shy away in thought hoping to fulfill all your desires and wishes here first?

Tyararr, are you living in your temporal dwelling with an eternal perspective? Have you paused to count the blessings God has given you, or have you pondered only on what you do not have? Are you truly trusting in an All-Knowing God for an unknowing future? Are you being real with yourself as you reflect on God's Word, or do you hide behind vague answers? Why won't you let go of that which you keep clinging to? It is only temporal.

Tyararr, are you living in your temporal dwelling with an eternal perspective? Did you think about the fact that your last breath could have been seconds ago? Are you living based off of past victories, or are you growing and living for today? Was your last encounter with a brother in Christ a positive one? As you write this, are you truly pondering it and pursuing to apply this mindset daily?

Tyararr, are you living in your temporal dwelling with an eternal perspective? What testimony will you leave behind? What kind of message is your life representing for Christ? Is Christ your all in all? Are you ready to face the situations or unknown trials that await you? Are you allowing yourself to be daily bridled by the Hand of God, or are you bucking against Him for your wants? Have you pondered clearly the thought that: HOW I VIEW GOD AND WHAT I BELIEVE ABOUT GOD WILL DETERMINE HOW I LIVE MY LIFE.

Tyararr, are you living in your temporal dwelling with an eternal perspecitve? If this breath were your.................

WHEN THE MINISTRY CAUSES YOU TO QUESTION YOUR LOVE FOR IT....

WHEN THE MINISTRY CAUSES YOU

TO QUESTION YOUR

LOVE FOR IT...

It all began April 12, 1990. That is the day that I surrendered my life to full time Christian service. I was fifteen years old sitting in a Youth Conference. I had been contemplating for some time what I was going to do with my life when I graduated high school. From the time that I was little, I remember seeing my Dad and Mom totally sold out to ministering at the church and to other people. We always had new converts or new families over to our house. I was given great examples about how to put others first and to give of yourself in showing the love of Christ to others.

Since that April day, I have not cease to pursue to minister in some capacity. Over the years I have become exposed to the many different sides of ministry. At times I have pondered the thought of second guessing my committment of service years ago. I blindly thought that because you are serving with other God loving Christians that everything will go happily and smoothly. Boy was I in for a rude awakening. The words of a mentor of mine from college echoes in my head very often: "MINISTRY IS PEOPLE.....PEOPLE IS MINISTRY" Wow!! I had to let that one sink in a bit. As long as you are serving with and ministering to sinful, selfish, ignorant, prideful, stubborn, saved by God's grace people; Ministry is going to have its ups and downs.

Why does God choose to use us? Why does he choose to use people like us to carry out His will and ministry? Why does God allow His ministry to be affected by the decisions that we make? At times I must say that my love for ministry has been strained due to the lack of professionlism or lack of organization. So many sold out hardworking servants get stepped on due to being reliable or not knowing how to say no. People are expected to do more than they can because it is ministry. Disorganization, lack of help, unexplained decisions, misuse of people and assests are but a few of the things that are often seen in ministry. Things like this cannot be looked at as acceptable just because it is ministry. All things must be done decently and in order.

At times I think that those in leadership become so focused on the Ministry aspect that they forget to minister and look out for the People invovled. Have you questioned recently why you minister? Have you questioned why you are committed to the ministry? Have you recently sat down and evaluated why you do what you do? Have you considered why you continue serving in an organization(Ministry) that seems to lack as much direction as a horse running wildly without a bridle?

I do not want to come across as someone that is bitter who no longer enjoys or likes the ministry. I am far from that. I love the Ministry with all my heart. I just want to be real and share the fact that at times that does happen. Despite all the inadequacies we have, God still chooses to use us for His honor and glory. Are there ups and downs in ministry? Most definitely! Are there bad decisions made by good God fearing people? Yes! Do people get burned out? Yes! Do people walk away from the ministry? Yes!! Do people at times question why they made the committment they made? Yes!

We must remember this key thought. "MINISTRY IS PEOPLE.....PEOPLE IS MINISTRY." It is not about you, IT IS ALL ABOUT THE GOD IN HEAVEN THAT WE SERVE! Despite all the things that go on and the questions that go unanswered; God's work will carry on. Any ministry that we are a part of or serve in is not ours. It is God's Ministry. Therefore, we should do our best to live and serve in a way that glorifies Him and draws people to Him and not away from Him. Whether we are the ones serving or the ones being served.

I close with this thought from Charles Swindoll:

IF GOD'S WAYS ARE HIGHER THAN OURS........THEN SUBMIT

IF GOD IS IN CONTROL..............THEN OBEY

IF GOD HAS THE ANSWERS I LACK.....................THEN TRUST

THEME OF MY SONG!!

THEME OF MY SONG.....

O God, You are the melody that vibrates from the strings of my heart.

You keep in tune my mind and heart as they coincide in chorus together.

When I lose the joy of my song, You remind me where its note can be found.

When I lose my desire to sing, You refresh me with who you are and I can no longer remain quiet.

You are my song.

You give me reason to sing.

You keep me singing when I find no reason.

You are the song.

You are the music.

You are the words by which the song consist.

May I never quit singing, for in doing so I will conceal that which is music, which is joy.

May what You require of me and who You are, remain as the music that indwells me and drives me to stay in tune with thee.

PEACE IN THE RAIN

PEACE IN THE

RAIN

Walking through this life being showered with pain,

Encouraged by God's Word, there is peace in the rain.

Lost in the flow, burdened by the strain,

Focus on Christ, there is peace in the rain.

Emotions are overwhelming, but then you refrain,

Standing on God's promises, there is peace in the rain.

Actions speak loud and hard to maintain,

Live to please God, there is peace in the rain.

Eyes full of tears, plans have crumbled down the drain,

Prayers lifted up to God, there is peace in the rain.

The race is hard to run, time is like a ball and chain,

Sweet thoughts of heaven, there is peace in the rain.

Knowing God is a precious treasure, having Him is a priceless gain,

When plundered by the storms of life, remember there is peace in the rain.

Can you see me in the sunshine

Can you see me in the rain

I am the God who bares your pain

I am the God who makes the rain

WHAT MUST I DO?

WHAT MUST I

DO?

No sense of direction, am I not moving but standing still,

Holding on to God's promises as I daily seek His will.

What must I do as I linger for his call?

Remembering in my heart that He is my all in all.

O the struggle within my soul to do what is wrong when I know the right,

At times I sadly stumble and give in to the fight.

Softly and tenderly God's voice touches my ears,

Giving me faith for the unknown and putting aside my fears.

What must I do when the answer is not clear,

Shall I turn my back on my God, who is always faithfully near?

Growing closer to my God by His grace I shall stand,

Following after His word, striving to obey His command.

What must I do as I face a brand new day,

Pursuing after peace, leaning on Christ as my stay.

There are many questions that I ponder and answers I do not know,

May I lose not sight of my Jesus who truly loves me so.

THE FIELD OF EXPRESSION

THE FIELD OF

EXPRESSION

The world is like an open field in which emotions can run to and fro,

Each expressed in an unique way producing and uneven flow.

The tentacles of each is attached to a fragile beating heart,

When kept in and unexpressed, it is likely to blow apart.

The world is like a universal stage, a platform for the dispesning of emotions,

Funneled quickly at the same time can cause a blunder of camotion.

Is is wrong to express one's self in a world so vast and free,

Tamed and smoothly delivered is the vehicle they must be.

The world is like a fountain springing abundantly with emotion and life,

When uncontrolled and vented, it leads to confusion and strife.

The venting comes in waves raging ferociously hard and strong,

Sometimes it comes like a calm sea, the peace does not last so long.

The world is like a book, unclear unless read and studied beyond its cover,

Emotions are like a precious treasure waiting to be discovered.

Do not be so safe and conceal all of your expressions,

But enjoy and experience the life which Christ has placed in your possession.