IDENTITY

Identity, is one of the most deep complicated subjects. I recently had a conversation with someone very close to me about their purpose in life. The conversation was anxious, in desire for change! I recently did a post on desire, but this takes desire to an even deeper place. Even though we have many desires, desire does not claim our Identity. We must decide who we are before we can even sift through our desires.

Sometimes we can want things simply because it is popular and it is a direction others are taking. In helping the person I asked a question, what separates you from everyone else? Then I answered the question because I know this person well. I said the thing that separates you from your friends and others is the fact that you think through your choices and usually you make the hard decisions that require sacrifice! This quality is your best quality I said! This quality is a given blessing and is a part of your Identity. I then said but you have to ask yourself are you going to listen to your friends or are you going to continue to be what separates you from the crowd?

Everyone is searching for Identity! The only true place to find it is through Christ! The more we walk with Him, the more shall I say, we become ourselves! Honestly we start out so lost. Through a process we slowly begin to find ourselves through our Identity in Him! Praise you Lord, thank you! This transformation can’t happen without worship and His word, quiet time with Him and meditation.

We have an inner battle taking place between the flesh and the spirit and this is what causes us to want to go the same direction as the world.

Matthew 7:13-14 [Full Chapter]
[ The Narrow and Wide Gates ] “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Moving towards Christ and struggling through the process of following His word is the only way to find your true Identity. Learning sacrifice and conforming to His will, is when you the clay, begin to take shape! Your Identity!

Isaiah 64:8 [Full Chapter]
Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.

God bless you in your search for your true Identity!!!

Blessings to the New Year! It’s your year!!!

FACING GIANTS

When I became a Christian I had no Idea about how to face the giants in my life, at least not from a Godly perspective. I think I looked at it pretty much as challenges come and you just have to tough it out, or party through it. Now as I am a Christian, facing giants has a whole new meaning. The kind of giants I am talking about are things like finding out you have a terminal illness, someone very close to you has just passed away, you lost your job and are now loosing your house, you were abused as a child and you are dealing with the anxiety of facing the internal issue and seeking healing. There are so many more. When I first got saved I truly hated myself and facing that giant was very difficult.  Getting to the heart of the giant takes courage, faith and God. I had so much fear in my heart and I didn’t believe in myself. I grew up bullied by other kids, when I was younger I was very small and skinny. It wasn’t until I turned sixteen yrs old that I sprouted and those problems ended. Even though they ended I still deal with some of those emotional issues from back then. What I can tell you is even though I still have some emotional issues and fears, I will take on the giants that come. I have learned as David did with the lion and bear. God is faithful and full of joy when we put on faith believing in Him and His word. Lets look at Davids heart in facing Goliath.

1 Samuel 17

New International Version (NIV)

David and Goliath

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

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

Notice Saul, doesn’t he sound like the whispers of satin? “You are not able” Isn’t that just like our enemy filling our heads with fear and doubt! If I could count how many times I have heard those thoughts “you are not able”. This is where truth comes in. Listen to David “when a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, ³⁵ I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it. ³⁶ Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God”.

This is how David did it,with His truth in God

Romans 8:37

New International Version (NIV)

³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

If you have conquered a giant before, you can do it again! As David defeated a lion and a bear, he knew if God helped him then, He will do it again! If you haven’t faced your giant yet, then you need to trust God and walk through it trusting Him. Once you have defeated a lion with God you will be ready to take on Goliath! Whatever giants you face you can trust God, you can take hold of His truth, you can put on the faith to be victorious in whatever you face in this life. David didn’t wait for the giant to come to him, he went to the giant, with God at his side.

God bless you and may your faith move mountains by overcoming the giants in your life. God bless you and keep you victorious.

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PRESS ON

Press on! I’m sure you can imagine what I was going through when I wrote this poem. I could actually write a sequel to It this very moment. I want to encourage you and if you haven’t read my post Rainbow Symbolism Of Promise I encourage you to do so. I am going to expand on that post in this post because I believe it was a powerful revelation to our walks with God.

Romans 5

Expanded Bible (EXB)

Right with God

5 [^LTherefore,] Since we have been ·made right with God [declared righteous; justified] by our faith, we have^[a] peace with God. This happened through our Lord Jesus Christ, ² ·who through our faith^[b] has brought us into that blessing of [^Lthrough whom we have access by faith to] God’s grace ·that we now enjoy [^Lin which we stand/live]. And we ·are happy [rejoice; boast] because of the hope we have ·of sharing [or of experiencing; ^Lof] God’s glory. ³ [^LNot only this, but] We also ·have joy [rejoice; boast] ·with our troubles [through suffering/trials/persecution], because we know that ·these troubles [suffering; trials; persecution] produce ·patience [endurance]. ⁴ And ·patience [endurance] produces [tested and proven] character, and [tested and proven] character produces hope. ⁵ And this hope will never ·disappoint us [let us down; or put us to shame; dishonor us; ^Chonor and shame were among the most important values in first century culture], because God has ·poured out his love to fill our hearts [or flooded our hearts with his love]. He gave us his love through the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to us.

⁶ [^LFor] When we were ·unable to help ourselves [^Lstill helpless/weak], at the ·right [or appointed] time, Christ died for ·us sinners [^Lthe ungodly/wicked]. ⁷ ·Very few people will [or Rarely/Scarcely will anyone] die for a ·righteous [just; pious] person. Although perhaps for a ·good [truly good; noble] person someone might possibly die [^Cthe “righteous” person may be someone who is outwardly religious, while the “good” person is genuinely generous and loving]. ⁸ But God ·shows [demonstrates; proves] his ·great [^Lown] love for us in this way: Christ died for us while we were still sinners.

⁹ And since we have now been ·made right with God [declared righteous; justified] by ·the blood of Christ’s death [^Lhis blood], ·we will surely also [^Lhow much more shall we…!] be saved through Christ from ·God’s anger [final punishment; ^Lthe wrath]. ¹⁰ [^LFor if] While we were God’s enemies, ·he made us his friends [^Lwe were reconciled to God] through the death of his Son. ·Surely [^LHow much more…?], ·now that we are his friends [^Lhaving been reconciled], he will save us through his Son’s life. ¹¹ And not only that, but now we ·are also very happy [also rejoice/boast] in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we ·are now God’s friends again [have now received reconciliation].

As we go through many trials in our walks especially the testing of our faith which is the trials I am addressing. We must understand we have been set apart for Gods purpose. As I described In my last post Gods presence is upon us like a cloud. In our hearts He is like a consuming fire, glowing metal, a rainbow in the clouds. His spirit is constantly working to burn out our sinful nature making room for His spirit which is the rainbow in the clouds. We are ashes presented to God daily, which He receives and replaces with His beauty. Beauty for ashes! We should have a heart of conviction and if you do, that is His inner work that takes place from reading His word and encountering His truth. His truth becomes the consuming fire within us, casting out self-righteousness and living in conviction. We no longer judge others or try to remove the speck out of the eyes of others instead we remove the plank from our own eyes. If we are not having this experience we should be seeking God deeply for His spirit of truth. When we live in self-righteousness we will think more highly of ourselves and hold strict judgement towards others which places judgement from God on our sin and pushes out the grace God has poured out on us.

So the trails are producing change through pressure that is strengthening us for what is ahead. The longer we resist the change God is calling us to, the longer we will struggle in the current trial if the trial is for the testing of our faith. Sometimes we run from the trial which is only to find us face to face with a similar trial aimed to produce the heart surgery God scheduled. We are called to press on in our trials because they have a purpose producing perseverance. Tested proven character which produces hope and this hope will never disappoint us. Through Christ we are now friends with God. So don’t seem it strange that you are going through theses trials, your brothers and sisters are experiencing the same kind of trials.

The question has come up do I believe God is causing these trials? Trials come by many reasons, some we bring on ourselves. Some are attacks from the enemy satin, some by God for the testing of our faith and some by tragedy,  regardless where they come from we have the promise that God will take our weakness and turn it to strength so don’t lose hope or live in hopelessness Christ is with us. God knows your deepest need and He is with you. I am addressing mostly in this post the testing of our faith.

brothers and sisters I am so blessed we can join hands in our trials. Inspire and encourage one another. As Iron sharpens Iron, and one man sharpens another. Bless you In the name of Christ, I pray you are strengthened and moved to press on in hope. May Christ bless your heart!

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SALT GOOD OR BAD INGREDIENT FOR CHRISTIANS?

I am realizing more and more the lack of understanding I have had on the subject, is salt a good or bad ingredient. As Christians we have been told we are the salt of the world. How many Christians really understand what this means? First of all why does the bible use salt as a description or ingredient? Well that answer is  salt added to anything preserves it from going bad. What happens when we add too much salt? What is our part to play when it comes to using the Bible described salt. What is our part and what is Gods part when using salt?

First of all I must tell you I am guilty of confusing what part of the salt ingredient I am responsible for and what part is God responsible for?

I am responsible for preserving the light, salt=light for I am the light of the world as you are. God Is responsible for truth=salt  You see If I try to become the salt of God I will add way too much salt and then I am nothing more than a salt spring. Meaning trying to push Gods word on people or trying to convict them. It is Gods job not mine. My job is to present Gods truth (His salt) as an offering. Like giving a warm piece of bread to a homeless man. As I give the bread I do it in love trusting God will become the salt in His word and I remain His lamp.

Matthew 5:13

Salt and Light

¹³ “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

My light or salt is my actions. Salt is my lamp of the truth I have come to know In Christ and how it shines forth through me in love.

Starting In James 3:12 the bible says

^{James 3:12} My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

God is the only one that can produce fresh water. He is the only one that can water His word through the power of the Holy Spirit. I can not water it but I can shine a light on it in love.

Two Kinds of Wisdom

¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. ¹⁵ Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, nonspiritual, demonic. ¹⁶ For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

¹⁷ But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. ¹⁸ Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

I hope this helps you as It has helped me. Be His light, give His truth in love and grace like bread to someone starving. Don’t force them to eat it, offer it in love and keep shinning your light. May the Lord bless you and fill your heart with joy peace and love. Bless you today.

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CONFIRMING

Boy don’t we all know this one. Falling short of Gods glory. Failing Jesus or the ones we love. At times it can seem as If we never knew Him or know Him. When we deny Him or His words. When flesh takes over and you leave a trail behind you that leaves others to question If you are really His. How do you think all of those who asked peter if He was with Christ, felt later seeing him preach knowing he denied Christ three times? I’m sure they didn’t have much faith in him at all. So did peter stop doing the will of the Lord? At first he did. He went and hid himself away from everyone. He was broken most likely beating himself up.

Some of us harden our hearts and turn away from God until he calls us back to Him. The important thing is to see where we have gone wrong and repent. Our repentance may not be seen at first, it will take time to allow others to see that we are a work in progress.  God restores and God forgives never quit or buy into the lie that you should quit. It is when you walk close and serve the Lord that change comes. If you quit you might as well lie down and die because your purpose and heart will die inside if you accept defeat.

God wants you to serve but he also wants you to become like Him. This is a challenging process. Trust God and submit to His will. God bless, this blog is for me 🙂 Confirming can be purchased from our store.
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TO THE NEW AND UNBELIEVER

I am writing this post to you because we embark on the journey of finding the truth together! My challenge to you Is to give my blog a chance. Give Jesus a chance to invade your life for the small amount of time it takes to read and discover what is true and what isn’t. As a man of spirit and flesh I can tell you I am far from perfect, though I have the living truth. The truth the bible says will set you free! The truth is the promise in Gods Word that we can trust and believe in Him and His Promises rather than in our truth, flesh and sin. See His Blood is enough to cover you every morning, for His mercy and truth are new every morning. It is about you discovering the truth and finding that He is the answer!

I can tell you that If you grab a hold of this truth you are blessed! This is where faith and believing come into action. As Apostle Paul wrote he is the Chief among sinners. I would like to argue that lol. What made Him successful in his faith was that though he was imperfect Christ perfection was made perfect in him. He went on to become one of the best leaders of all time. When you come into the truth simply believing in Christ and His plan for your imperfection, your life will enter into a place you could never imagine. It starts by seeking, discovering, growing in the truth. I offer my testimony of this truth as I move into His promise. God bless you and may He reveal the truth of His grace in your life.

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A SPREADING FIRE

I did not expect this post. This will be my first post without an inspirational poem and picture. With this many already following this post I want to make a promise. We are about to take a wonderful journey together. The Lord has put it on my heart to write this post. You are the light of His purpose and world. We all have a purpose in Him. What my prayer is on our journey together and what the Lord has put on my heart is this, We are going to catch ablaze! Some of you are already anointed and full of His spirit. Some of you are still seeking and yet some are waiting to catch blaze. With the anointing God  has given me  to inspire and provoke His spirit in you and the prayer that Is involved in the ministry and It’s future has you in mind.

My heart has always been to help others hear from God. Planting His seeds and having confidence He will water. The years I was an Evangelist preacher I combined the insight of the spirit guided poetry into the preaching. Great things took place during those seven years and as I share my testimony with you it is for one reason and one reason only and that is Gods reason! The poetry is deep and will challenge you to go deep, for God is deep, a deep ocean of love and mercy.

We are going to see a move of God together In your ministry and mine and the ministries about to begin.  A fire has been started, visions have been given and His spirit is on the move. I am encouraged of the move of God I see. The boldness of spirit, the heart for the lost and the courage’s people who are going to rise up in the name of the Lord to serve His truth and purposes.

There are way to many messages for me to reply to, so forgive me If I do not respond. I am smiling and praying for you all. I imagine your gifting and the gifting to come as we join together for one purpose to worship our savior. To grow together and to share our gifts. We walk in faith, I don’t have all the reasons for the direction God is leading me. I am stepping out in faith and am trusting you are doing the same or  are about to. Listen to your heart and be open to his spirit and voice because we are entering an incredible time together. Please pray for me as I will continue to pray for you.  May the Lord bless you!

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ROYALTY

This poem has probably the most fascinating story of them all. When I first came up with the idea to put pictures to my poetry, I searched the internet for pictures with no prevail due to copy-writes. I started looking for photographers and realized they were going to cost more than It would be worth. I spoke to a friend of mine who had a similar camera to mine. He said he had some pictures from Hawaii he could send me and he did. The pictures were beautiful! That Is when I decided to take some pictures of my own. My first effort was of a cloud with the sun. I took about 75 shots and then sat down and went through them. What I saw was amazing! All of the pictures had a beam from the sun shining down to the cloud like a sword. As I looked deeper and closer I noticed In one picture a dove spreading It’s wings over the cloud. So I wrote a poem about It called heaven’s dove. I will share it in another post.

A few weeks later I was taking a picture of a white rose. I took about ten pictures and did the same thing. I went and looked through the pictures and to my amazement a second time, something showed up in one picture only, this time a Bee or so I thought. Knowing this just doesn’t happen I took attention. I started listening and looking to God for what He was saying to me by this.

I looked up Bee mythology and this is what I found.

Bee symbolism:

As the workers of the hive, bees are symbol of an industrious and prosperous community governed by the queen Bee. They have therefore symbolized all that is royal and imperial , in France and in ancient Egypt (associated with Râ, the Sun God). Three hundred gold bees were discovered in the tomb of Childeric I (on the year 481), which showed that the hive was the model of an absolute menarchy. Napoleon I used bees as a motif on all his carpets, as well as on his coronation robes.
As organizers of the universe between earth and sky, bees symbolize all vital principles, and embody the soul . In the Greek religion, the bee was sometimes identified with Demeter, the goddess of the earth and crops, who represented the soul sent to hell. The bee also symbolizes the soul that flies away from the body in the Siberian, Central Asian, and South American Indian traditions.
Bees also symbolize eloquence , speech, and intelligence . In Hebrew, the word for bee, Dbure, has its origins in the word Dbr, speech. They settled on the mouth of the child, Plato, ” announcing the sweetness of his enchanting soul ” (Pliny) and also settled also on the lips of Saint Ambrose, the patron-saint of beekeepers. According to Virgil, they have a grain of divine intelligence and the famous Pythia, the priestess of Apollo, was called “the bee of Delphi”. In some texts from India, the bee represents the spirit becoming intoxicated with the pollen of knowledge.

Because of its honey and its sting, the Bee is considered to be an emblem of Christ : it represents his mildness and mercy on one side and his justice on the other.

They symbolize all that is royal and imperial,and embody the soul,the spirit becoming intoxicated with the pollen of knowledge and Because of its honey and its sting, the Bee is considered to be an emblem of Christ : It represents his mildness and mercy on one side and his justice on the other.

I was In awe of what God was saying to me. Now when I looked at the Bee I saw Christ. Roses have also been a big part of my life because of the second poem Full Of Roses and its meaning. Notice the rose in this picture has already been planted, the old and wilted have already been removed. What is the Bee-Christ doing? The Bee is about to pollinate the rose which symbolizes something taking place in the spirit. Once the Bee is finished then comes the honey. Milk and honey flow like a stream through the promised land.

I began to look even closer at the Bee and I realized I had never seen a Bee quite like this one. I began searching the internet for this Bee. I could not find it anywhere, it was driving me crazy. I spoke to a friend of mine and he began to help me find it. I finally found it and to my disappointment it wasn’t a Bee at all, It was a Mimic Bee, an insect that disguises itself for survival.

I was upset and talking to my friend and his wife asked, “why is he upset?” and he explained as they laughed,” he is upset because it isn’t a real Bee.” I was down for a few days, I did not understand why God had me believe it was a Bee. Then one morning I was out front and unexpected the holly spirit came from behind me saying “Mimic Me, Mimic Me” I then understood Why He wanted me to see the Bee as Him originally.

In the parable of the talents Matthew 25:14 It talks about using your talents and if you don’t, what you have will be taken away and given to someone who already has. I believe God gave me a new talent that wasn’t being used in photography.

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Masks

This poem came at a time in My life where I had to step away from seven years of evangelical preaching at a very large rehabilitation center. The best seven years of my life so far. I had stepped into a new career in which I had worked very hard towards. Little did I know major tests in my life would follow. I was newly married with a child on the way, a new house and job. The job I soon found out was more like a brotherhood. I was tested to fit in like most any job. I think the changes In me began by small compromises at a time. slowly I began putting on masks that I spent years taking off. The masks I am talking about are the masks we put on to show we are not afraid or masks that protect our hearts. Masks that hide our true selves. If you put on a mask often enough it becomes very hard to stay in touch with our true selves. I began to lose my identity In Christ and found myself very lost once again in my life. I can’t even tell you how many masks I was wearing. Trying to hold my life together wanting to be accepted by my co-workers, I had slowly lost my identity over a five-year period.

When the Lord led me to write the poem masks it changed my life. I knew it was the Lord speaking directly to my heart. I thought about the poem and spent time talking to God about it. I decided to take off my masks and reveal my true self to those I worked with. I will have to say it was one of the most courage’s things I have done in my life. I started sharing my faith and my poetry. It was at that time God started to reveal the direction to go with my ministry. It came after a five-year dry period with God. The poem masks is the reason I am here sharing this ministry with you. Here is the poem I hope you are blessed by it like I was.

MASKS

Are you a friend or foe?
How then do I know?
You’re there when I need you to protect me
You show off my tough image
You build my confidence when I have none
You make me seem very smart
You have changed me from the start
Do I even know who I am anymore?
I’m consumed by the power you give me
Or shall I say your power has consumed me
You claim to protect my heart
Yet, you have hid it from me
You stole my courage and identity
My truth, my vulnerability
You claim to save me from pain
Yet, you create more day by day
Off I say, off I say
To this lie you betray
You have multiplied in numbers
The truth in me slumbers, to be known again
I’m taking off these masks
To you I ask, is it ok to be me?

2 CORINTHIANS 3:18

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I WOULD HAVE TOO

This poem has a very special meaning to me. I was at work inside a room by myself one morning when the
Lord asked me,” Ken how would you feel If I took your son ?” I was taken back by the question. The first thing I thought about was Abraham and Isaac in Genesis chapter 22 when God tested Abraham. My son was sick the night before and I was worried about him. So I was concerned at first but then I realized how the spirit moves me to write. I picked up a pad of paper and began to write a letter to my son as if I had lost him. Just the thought broke me down into tears. I began crying very heavy and had to stop writing. I gathered myself and began writing again when the Lord put on my heart so many people who had lost someone whom they loved so deeply. I couldn’t contain myself I broke down again. what I was experiencing was definitely from God because I felt His heart towards those who have lost someone they loved. I cried for a good ten minutes before I could finish writing.

I realized the reason God had me write this. I realized why he made it personal. many people lose loved ones everyday and I believe those who don’t know Christ don’t know the promise of the reunion we will have with those we love and get separated from in this life. Even believers forget or don’t really connect with the fact that it is a temporary separation. Those we lose that have been saved are in Glory. In the short time we are in this world those who leave will be waiting at the gate of glory when we leave this world. This is such a wonderful truth. Here is the poem.

I WOULD HAVE TOO

Are you there? Can you hear me?
I miss you so much, can’t you see?
I never imagined life without you
the need, to see you again
I am daily reminded of the precious gift you are
Every night I look for your star, I’m sure you’re
the brightest one. I know your standing in His glory
I’m sure it will be quite the story
when I come to join you. Is it true
are the streets golden and the skies marble blue?
He must be magnificent, His love intense
I can’t wait to reminisce, of all your days with Him
Hug Him for me, and tell Him I understand why He
called for you. I would have too!

Psalm 116:15

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