Put On Your Game Face

Interesting story...

I was in a mall and there was a weight lifting competition going on. Several guys were in the competition and were going head-to-head in this battle. Most of them were very well built... I mean, I know I'm out of shape, but these guys made me look down right puny.

Most of the guys were older men that had been doing this kind of thing for a while. However, there was one participant that was still in high school. I watched this young man while he sat to the side with his head down, paying no attention to the other competitors. Continuing to observe him, I saw his head begin to bob... I realized that he had a pair of headphones in. Apparantly, he was getting himself pumped up for his turn to lift the weight that no one in the competition had lifted... it was to be a record breaker.

The announcer began to introduce the young man, but the headphones were still in and his head bob had turned into an all out head bang. All of a sudden, he jumped up, threw his headphones down and walked to the platform. He took a breath and lifted the weight with what appeared to be ease. He let go of the weight and lifted his hands in victory... he won!

We all have battles to face... because of our walk with God and our spiritual life, the enemy will attack us. But like the man in the competition, we need to put our game face on!

Get ready for the battle. Anytime you take a stand for God or do what's right, prepare to get fought by the devil. The enemy knows his time is short and will stop at nothing to try and defeat us. But be of good cheer, God is on our side. And if God before us, who can be against us? No weapon formed of the enemy shall prosper! (I'm gettin pumped up in here)

We must prepare for the battle that faces us... plug in those headphones (the Word of God) and get pumped. The Bible is our adrenaline music; Athletes listen to their music and get pumped for battle in the game ahead of them... So we can listen to the Word of God and get prepared for the battles that we face.

How awesome it is to know that God is on our side... nothing can stop us when we have God with us! That gets my spiritual adrenaline pumped!

There will be battles... rest assured. We need to put on our game face and get ready. Be prepared; plug in God's Word and get so prepared that NOTHING will stop you, and run full force into the battle and take back what's rightfully yours! Then raise your hands because you have the victory in Jesus name!

J.H.

Oldies, Blues & Nu Jazz

Music... we all love it and have our own preference. Someone once told me that music breathes life into the soul... true in a sense, but let's explore it...

Blues: The phrase "the blues" is a reference to the the Blue Devils, meaning "down" spirits, melancholy, and sadness.
Nu Jazz: Nu Jazz is to traditional Jazz what punk or grunge was to Rock. The songs are the focus, not the individual prowess of the musicians. Nu Jazz instrumentation ranges from the traditional to the experimental, the melodies are fresh, and the rhythms new and alive. It makes Jazz fun again.
Oldies: Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on a period 15 to 55 years before the present day, catering to the parents' generation. In the 1980s and 1990s, "oldies" meant the 15 years from the birth of rock n roll to the beginning of the singer-songwriter era.

Now let's jazz it up a bit... (couldn't resist)

Jesus said, 'I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end' God was with you from the beginning. He was there in the 'oldies' generation with all the people of the old testament and is still with you. Get back to your roots... get back to that place where God first saved you. The same God that brought Noah through the flood, Joshua through the battle of Jericho, and Daniel out of the lions den, can and will bring you through your situation. Hebrews says, 'Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever'.

Whatever you're going through, whatever situation God will see you through. You my be hurt, frustrated, don't know what to do, you may be singin the blues... but look up! Look to the hills from which comes your help! Do not give up! No matter what your problems are, help is on the way!

Do not believe the lie of the enemy that you're too far gone. You're never in a place where God's hand can't reach you and his grace won't keep you. Get into that 'nu jazz'... Jesus makes all things new! He will give you a new start. Psalm 100 says, 'His mercy is everlasting' Lamentations says, 'His mercy is new every morning'. So everyday is your chance... A new day and a new start. Forget about the past, forget about the mistakes of yesterday... God's mercy is fresh and new every morning. Let the past be the past... you can't change it, you can only learn from it. START OVER! With God's grace, forgivness, and mercy you have a brand new start.

Remember Jesus is the same God that was in the old testament and His Word is forever. Stop singin the blues of your life because your help is on the way. Turn up that nu jazz and claim your new start today!

J.H.

Game On

Go ahead with all you got! Try to break me down til you think you can hurt me... All the pain you inflict will make me stronger!!!

Some of us need to shout that at the devil as loud as we possibly can. In our christian walk, we must realize that there will be struggles, battles, disappointments, etc. But have faith child of the most high! We have to realize that Jesus is coming soon and we cannot let ANYTHING stand in our way of making heaven our home.

We all have and will go through things in our lives. I've found out that whenever you take a stand for God or anything that pertains to Him, you get fought tooth and nail by the enemy. Satan doesn't like it when we stand for Jesus and live right. He knows his time is short and is doing everything in his power to stop us from getting to heaven. But trials and tests come to make us stronger. Remember that God allows things to happen... maybe to see what we're made of. To see if we're gonna plant our feet and stand for Him, or jump ship.

The enemy is out for our souls... So what are we doing about him? To that low-down dirty devil, I say, BRING IT! We must realize we have power with the Holy Ghost and through Jesus name! Deuteronomy 20:4 says, For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory'. The enemy knows he's gonna lose... he's just trying to make you lose too.

God is on our side. He will fight our battles and carry our burdens if we'll only let Him. James 1:2 says, 'My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations'. In other words, consider it a gift when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.

Paul said in II Timothy 4:7 'I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith'. That's what we must do... KEEP THE FAITH! It's not the end! God has you in the palm of His hand. This is not your time to give up. Even though it may be dark, the sun will shine again. It will pass in time... you're not forgotten. God has you in His hand!

Fight the good fight, keep the enemy in your sights, and NEVER give up!

J.H.

Behind Closed Doors

"You are who you are, when you're by yourself"

A person's life isn't always what you may think it is... What you see, is not always what you get. People act one way in public but are totally different when they're alone. When you are this way, it's called being a hypocrite!

Let's take a look... You may be 'in church' and seem like a good christian person. You may even have a position in your local church... The family, the friends, the reputation... it's all good.
But when you're not in front of your church, friends, etc. you're a different way... and sad to say, but that is who you really are. The person that comes out when no one else is around... the person who is a God-fearing christian in public, but puts God and church on the back burner the rest of the time.

We should exam ourselves here... What is hypocrisy: much of the nature of a thing is many times discovered in its name; the name is a brief description. The word hypocrite properly signifies "an actor or stage-player, a personator of other men in their speech, habit, and action." The Hebrew word signifies both "a wicked man" and "a deceiver." And it is observed that those whom David, the devoutest man, called "wicked," Solomon, the wisest man, calls "fools," and Job, the most upright man, calls "hypocrites."

FAKE! That pretty much sums it up... hypocrisy is being a fake. One way in front of people, and another way when you're alone.

Now that we've looked at a hypocrite, let's go in a different direction...
You may be able to fool people. You might even be able to fool your closest friends and family... but you cannot pull the wool over God's eyes!

The Bible in Genesis tells about the serpent deceiving Eve to eat the forbidden fruit... God called out to Adam... Adam could not hide from God.
Jonah ran from God and in the belly of a whale, God found him. He couldn't hide from God.
You see the pattern here???

You can't hide from God Almighty! You can try to fool people, but you can't fool God. He knows your heart... he knows your ways. Whether you're genuine or just a fake. God knows how you truly are...

Behind your closed door where no one else is around, you're by yourself and no one knows what you're doing and how you are... except God! You're not gonna get back to that place in God by living the good life in front of people. Appearance is not what counts here... If you're trying to regain your position or trying to prove yourself, it's not gonna work by showing the pastor or church how you are... it's not gonna happen if you're not truly living the life you profess. YOU CANNOT HIDE FROM GOD!

We shouldn't live our lives for God just to be seen... Jesus deserves more than that! When you are truly genuine in your walk, that's when you'll be used again. When the secret door of your life can be opened to find a person that has a daily prayer life, that's close to God, and is living right... that's when you're truly genuine and that's when things will fall into place.

God will not bless unrighteousness! But when He can push the closed door open and see a man/woman of prayer and righteous living is when the blessings will come.

You are who you are, when your by yourself... but just remember, you're never really alone. God is always watching and you can't hide from Him.

J.H.