Give me a clean heart

Gonna just write from my heart, from my season... Hope it helps, or blesses.... :)

I don't know if you have noticed, but I have been writing about the heart alot lately.  I didn't notice it myself until I took the time to reflect.  I'm really in a season where God is working on my heart.  We know, out of the heart the abundance of the mouth speaks... and from it flows the issues of life... and all that good stuff... And its true.  Its all very true.

I want my heart to be pure...

This heart has been through! LOL - its broken, got some patches on it - some cracks, dents and all kinds of just DRAMA.  I just want to share that no matter the state of your heart, Jesus can heal it.  This USED to be my heart.  Broken, cracked, patched and just DARK... and I was a Christian.

 I was just "damaged goods".  This is the case with alot of Christians,  stuff happens you know,  life happens.  Sometimes you find yourself being the one trusted with the hard stuff, and it can result in a broken or wounded heart.  Or you make a choice to trust others, and give them a piece of your heart - and they smile, take out their knife - and stab you in it.  Sometimes you are just dealt a tough hand, and God has a plan for it all to work together for the good, but you gotta get there first - LOL - (((or - make up in your mind to enjoy the journey)))

Its true.  Disappointment can be another crack.  Just STUFF.  And God see's it all.  He does, and He's just like... Its okay, just give it to me.  You will learn how to trust again, you will learn how to love again.  Just give me your heart.

Sometimes our hearts are so guarded.  We have been through enough drama with people, that we just DON'T TRUST.  Because when you try... well you know... Do you know that you can come to a place where you can trust again?  and you know what, you may trust again, and something else may happen, but you can trust God to show you how to quickly recover and move forward...  So Jesus says, just give me your heart... I'll fix it...

He takes it, and starts to break down the walls..  this can hurt... Because vulnerability, even with the Lord when you have been hurt is not easy.  But don't worry, you are in good hands...  When those walls are broken down he gets some soap, lathers His hands up really good, and gets to work.

He scrubs, He rinses, scrubs, rinses - and you know, a scrubbing can hurt sometimes.  Your like - DAG! This hurts worse than what was there before! LOL - But its all for your good.  The bible talks about the washing of water with the word....  Who knows how long it takes - but enjoy the journey.  Because if you are in the hands of the master - its the safest place in the world.

Jesus rinses your heart off...  Gets all the soap and the left over impurities out.  So that he can FLOW through it - look at the water coming out of the bottom of the heart.  Its clean.  Clean water - so others can drink it right??? ((read about this in yesterdays blog here))...  The Holy Spirit is so awesome.  Moments like these are so refreshing. Pure water washing it all away.  The scrubbing may be uncomfortable, but the rinsing brings new life!

So I admonish you today.  When the Lord shows you your heart, give it to Him.  Let him scrub it, let Him break down the walls, let him rinse you off so that you can just be free to be who He designed you to be.  Ask God... What is my real personality like?  Things happen that change our personality.  We were mistreated as children, so we aren't as outgoing as we would have been if that never happened.  Some may have been abused as children, so they are more quiet and reserved and passive than they would have been, had they not been touched.  Some come from homes where there is nothing but arguing, fussing, and fighting, those are the ones its hard to be honest with, because their first reaction is to explode.

All of that is a facade.  Its not real.... The real you is down there somewhere.  Ask God to clean your heart, and get all that stuff out so that you can be who you were designed to be... Would you recognize yourself?  What do you really look like?  Ask God what are the situations that have formed your personality and how to completely recover from those.  The goal is to be a vessel fit for the masters use.  Thats my goal anyway.


Be Blessed, and Keep the King First...

Your Killing Yourself

Hmmm....

This is something that we yell out at church all the time before the preacher can even finish.  But is it something that we really live by?  What I like about this picture is that it is not balanced.  Thats what I like about it - but thats also the downfall.  If this picture were your heart would there be more black or white??  Think for a moment.  Which one would it be?  Now, I'm not talking about what you say when others are listening... What do you think most?  Is everything always wrong?  No matter how blessed you really are, you could always have more? Or, this could have happened another way and it would have been better?  Or are you mad at whats NOT happening? What is mostly in your heart?

What we must always remember is that we think more than we speak.  And YES, the power of life and death is in the tongue ~Proverbs 18:21~ --- but where do your words come from?

Matt 12:34b - Out of the abundance of the heart - the mouth speaks...

So if your heart was a fountain, and your words were water, would your water be brown?

now that picture is disgusting, i know what you are saying... but think about it?  Is that what your word - water looks like?

Then we fill up a cup of this dirty water, and hand it to people to drink....


...0.o... ((blank stare))

Thats what we do everytime we open our mouth to others whether its ministry or conversation and our words are just... dirty

... not dirty as in 4 letter words - but words are spiritual forces - that have the ability to CREATE (whether we like it or not, or believe it or not, or walk in it or not) and we live in the world we create.

Its hard to be around people that nothing is ever right.  But it must be even harder to be that person.  ARE YOU THAT GUY??? lol - I'm being funny, but its something that we ALL must ask ourselves.

I bet if we started handing these out, people would change what they say!

Listen, I'm only saying this because, well, because no one else may tell you.  No one wants to sit there and listen to you complain.  No one wants to sit there and listen to you be sad all the time.  No one wants to constantly be bombarded with whats WRONG in your life!  COME ON!  Really??? STOP ASKING ME TO DRINK DIRTY WATER!!

When you are a child of the King!  The RICHEST king on earth!  HE OWNS IT ALL!  HALLELUJAH!  He's the problem solver, He's the way maker, He's the healer - He's the advocate, the banner, our righteousness, our PEACE...  Our joy... Our love... OUR SANITY...


He Is...  I AM.

SOOOOO....

No one wants to hear all of that.  Really.  Time to grow up- and GROW OUT of some of the stuff.  I have a good friend - we talk every day.  We can talk to each other about whats going on in our lives, because its never a grump fest.  Its always - okay, how can I deal with this, how can I move past this, I need wisdom so that at the end of the day, God is still pleased with what I do.  Keep me in line... Keep me in the will of God...  Kick me when you see i'm headed in the wrong direction.  KEEP ME ACCOUNTABLE!  DON'T LET ME KILL MYSELF WITH MY WORDS!!!


**PUSH PAUSE***

I remember one day I was driving, and was having a HARD DAY... lol - just thinking of it makes me laugh... and I went IN... I mean, this is wrong, and this is wrong, and THIS is wrong... and blah blah blah!  Do you know she rose up and REBUKED ME???  LOL - and you know what I did???


I shut up.


Because she was right...  I have waaay to much power, knowledge, favor and grace on my life to sit there and complain!


LOVE MY FRIEND!  Because thats ironing sharpening iron.

Be careful of the people that let you just dump and won't help you progress or say, okay, thats enough - now how can you turn this around?

But also be mindful - everyone won't receive it - because some would rather stay where they are...


If you are that person that always complains, or your heart picture is more black than white - there is a solution for you...

I don't mean, thanks God for today... and then the rest of your day is filled with negativity.  No BE GRATEFUL.  If you have to go as far as make a LIST.  Make a list of all the things you are grateful for.  You will find that as you begin to THINK on those things, you will begin to feel lighter.  TRUST ME.  You have waaaaaaay more to be grateful for thank you think.

WHY?  Because the devil comes to steal kill and destroy,  he doesn't want you to think on the goodness of the Lord.  And you are letting him succeed....

Make a grateful list.  Carry it around with you.  When you feel yourself slipping, start thanking God for everything on that list.  I mean, really, we have SO much to be grateful for.

God is bigger and better every day than we give him credit.  Find out how to honor God today with your thoughts and with your thanksgiving.  TRUST ME, IT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE.  You may have to fight your FLESH - (that would rather complain) but trust me its worth doing.

See... James 1:8 says a double minded man is unstable in all his ways, he shouldn't think he will receive anything of the Lord...  so coming out with scripture every now and then, but the rest of your day, your thoughts and your words are filled with words of death,  you are confusing the flow, God is like - nope - you get nothing...


Cause honestly if you get it - it won't last long because you aren't grateful.  We all have that "one thing" that we think if we had it, or if this was over, then you would be happy, and its not truth... Because no matter what state - abase or abound, we have to be content.  Thats what Paul said.

Pray ur self happy!  (yeah i fudge it! so what??) LOL

Take your list and pray it.  Make it a great day.  Make it a great week.  Make it a great LIFE!  WHY NOT???????

Don't want to stay in the state that your in... God loves you enough, let him shower his love on you.  You want to see His love? Reflect on His goodness to you SO FAR, and stop thinking about whats NOT... You won't see the WHATS NOT, until you learn to be grateful, thankful, and content with WHAT IS.

I'm just sayin...

Be Blessed... and Keep the King First...

HOLLABRATE!

I know what you are saying... Hollabrate???

My friend Shon coined that phrase... To me it means to Holla and Celebrate!!  Whoop! Whoop!  I am coming down off of a huge weekend celebration.  It was my birthday weekend - and I decided to celebrate ME!  One thing I realized from celebrating myself - is that if you do that - others will join in with you.

I had about 45 people - here in our home to help me celebrate my birthday.  I cannot explain what a joy it was for so many people to show love.  But to me, it wasn't just a birthday party, it was a kingdom party.  It helped me to see who i dwelled among, and it was life changing.

I had mimers, dancers, singers, poets, stylists and make up artists at this gathering.  I looked around one time and said... "Lord, these are mostly LEVITES!!!!" --- So I did something called "Tia's Choice"... and it was where I called someone's name, and they had to display their gift for about 15 - 20 seconds... WOW how much fun that was... Some were nervous, some took a minute to get started - but the THUNDEROUS applause and shouts and yells that followed each person was so profound that I could nothing but smile. Why?  Because it wasn't about competition... Leave that for Sunday Best and American Idol.  Lets all get in here together, and sing and dance, and play, and rhyme and see what KINGDOM WORK we can come up with!  Instead of trying to hold each other back.  Who ever created that... She can sing better than me?  Or she can dance better than me?  Who started that mess???
.
.
.
wait for it...

SATAN!  It is a plot of the enemy to try to hold you back from sharing what God put in you to be shared!  If the enemy can keep you feeling second best to someone else's GIFT, then he has done his job.  Can you imagine everytime you keep your mouth closed, or are ashamed to share your gift because of who else is around gives the devil glory?
.....

Deep...

Something to think about.  But on the other hand, those that are trying to branch out, and do new things - there is nothing wrong with SUPPORTING THEM... Why do folk feel like if we celebrate each other that means anything?  Well - actually it does mean something - it means you are showing the LOVE OF GOD... Supporting and pushing people to be who they are supposed to be.  Even if it means they go FURTHER than you.  Your hateration can't stop the destiny of God on someone else's life -

all you will do by "hatin'" is make them stronger.   So the next time, HOLLABRATE with someone who is doing WHAT you do.... HOLLABRATE with someone who is doing something you THINK is better than you to shut the enemy up who is lying to you... HOLLABRATE with someone who is walking in something you are on your way too... ((if you are not to scared to get there))

who care's who scored the goal as long as our team wins???

HOLLABRATE with someone is walking in their SEASON!  God is not a respecter of persons - it will happen for you!!  come on now!

Ask God how you can HOLLABRATE someone today... and from now ON!

God Bless... and Keep the King FIRST!

Your Life In a Picture- what does it say?

Today's blog will be quite simple in words, but I pray profound in statement.  I have a picture on my fb profile of what I think I would look like if my life were a shoe... LOL  - *you have to know me to understand my thought process** --- and I began to feel something this morning.  If our life was a picture what would it say?  Because you have to realize that we are to be a reflection of God..

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

When others see us, they should see Him. So you can really say, our life is a picture.  Because you know, especially when you are a Christian, ((or say you are))- people watch you, your body language, what you don't say, your facial expression... What does all of that say to them???  So as you look at these pictures, and listen to the playlist... ((it rocks)) - i pray you ask yourself - what does my life say to others who are watching?  If its not listed, please leave it as a comment, you can leave it anonymous - I would like to continue to update this blog...

Do your actions say joy?

Do your actions say depressed?

See, lets remain focused... Jesus went to Calvary because God said He LOVED us...  Your actions DO SPEAK louder than your words!!!

this is what people see when you say one thing and live another.

Beaten up, bound, sad, eyes have no joy... But the mouth speaks something different.  That also count as being double minded.  James said don't think you will receive anything of the Lord if you are double minded.

Do your actions say you are free to be you?

Or do they say, "I'm trapped inside myself"

Do your actions say, "I'm afraid"?

Do your actions speak, "I dare you to try and mess with me"

You know what I like about this cat?  It had somewhere it was supposed to BE.  Fear of possible attacks didn't stop it.  FORWARD I go.

Do your actions say you spread gossip?  Or speak death?

Does your life say you won't stand up for yourself?  Won't speak life?

Do your actions say selfish??

Or do your actions say giving?

Do your actions say you take abuse?

Or do your actions say you are a victor and refuse to accept it?

Do your actions say you are happy with your people?

Or do your actions say you choose to stay separated and stay stuck when everyone else is standing?

Do your actions say you invite others to your pity party?

Does your life say there is only one way and you won't compromise?

Or... are you pretending???

Does your life say you burn your money?

Do your actions tell everyone who you don't like?

Or is the Love of God, and how you love God written all over you?

I would really like to know your thoughts... so please comment here or on the fb page if your on there...

God Bless... And Keep the King First...

Flesh and Lies VS Spirit and Truth {part deux}

I'm really excited and blessed to have Lomax share something so precious to his heart.  For the sake of someone else's growth.  Read today knowing that there is a message for you...  Enjoy!

Check out this video before you read... In the words of Satan... By the Arrows ((scroll all the way down to the bottom to stop the music player))

 

WOW...

                                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Why is the manifestation of David's middle name so important to me?  Because, as a result of my personal experience, I recognize how important it is to the Kingdom of God.  For years I've heard people applaud, and strive to be, those who are called "a man of God."  That sounded good to me until I considered biblical examples of men such as Absalom and Judas.  Absalom was a son of David, yet he attempted to kill his father.  Judas was a disciple of Jesus, yet he betrayed Him.  As I meditated, the Holy Spirit revealed to me that God wouldn't be satisfied with me being a "man of God."  He wants me to be "a man for God."  One of my favorite verses of scripture poses the question, "If God be for us, who can be against us?"

  If we are honest with ourselves, we have not gone through one situation in which God was not for us.  The experience might have been painful to the extent that we even wondered where God was.  Yet, believing in the truth of Romans 8:28, we acknowledge that God was for us - even at our most devastating moment.  Herein lies the important distinction represented by the name "Joseph."

Joseph was a man for God.  Only a man for God would have run from Potiphar's wife under those circumstances.  

Only a man for God would have forgiven and blessed his brothers when he had every natural reason not to.  Jesus made Himself of no reputation.  While He wasn't concerned about His reputation with people, He was absolutely concerned with His reputation with God.  His laser focus on pleasing God enabled him to flow fully in obedience and power.  If we desire to be fully used by God in public ministry, we must fully consecrate our private lives.  Anything less results not in "spirit and truth," but "flesh and lies." 

 You've heard the saying, "Some things are taught and others are caught."  What is being caught as you stand before God's people and sing, play or dance?  What is being caught as you lay hands on those seeking deliverance? 

 What is the "truth (reality)" of your worship? (John 4:23).  Can you, can I, be trusted to be for God in any situation?  In the face of any temptation?

Many of us, if we were challenged to quickly answer the question, "What did David kill Goliath with?" would say he killed him with a smooth stone.  Actually, David simply knocked Goliath down with the stone.  He killed Goliath with a sword - the same sword Goliath was planning to kill him with. 

 I liken Levites' gifts to smooth stones.  Our voices, chords, beats and dance moves can knock giants down in the presence of crowds.  They can inspire standing ovations, sprints, laps and even tears.  However, if we want the giants in the lives of those God entrusts us to minister to be destroyed, rather than just temporarily inconvenienced, 

        it is our private lives that will make the difference.  

My prayer is that God will use my private life, the same private life Satan intended to use to destroy me and damage the reputation of the Kingdom of God, to destroy every giant in my life and the lives of those God allows me to minister to.  God is married to the backslider.  One of the most awful aspects of spousal abuse is that men privately abuse their wives and then show public affection for them.  How awkward must that feel to the abused wife?  And, can't those with discernment sense that there is something amiss behind closed doors?  As Levites, what response should we expect from God when we abuse Him privately and then attempt to hug and kiss Him on stage?

                                        Holy Spirit, help us to be real. 

no going back...

If I depart before the rapture, it would be nice to have words such as "Here lies a man of God" on my tombstone.  However, my heart's desire is that God will receive me with the thoughts, "Here comes a man who was for Me.  Here comes a man who worshipped Me in spirit and truth."

How about you?

Broken and breaking,

Robert

Flesh and Lies VS Spirit and Truth

Hi Readers! for part 1 and 2 of Flesh and Lies, we will have a guest blogger... His name is Robert Lomax, and he is a dynamic worship leader and song writer.  He truly is a man after God's own heart...  ENJOY!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"A time will come, however, indeed it is aleady here, when the true (genuine) worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth (reality); for the Father is seeking just such people as these as His worshippers.  God is a Spirit (a spiritual Being) and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth (reality)."

John 4:23-24, Amplified

At one of the lowest moments of my life, a woman I had wooed, dated and then been unfaithful to multiple times said to me, "You are Satan." Ouch.  As if I didn't know, she proceeded to explain why she said that.  She'd seen me "leading worship" time and time again, fully aware of the double life I was leading - with her.

My unfaithfulness to God was one thing.  However, being unfaithful to her was taking it a bit too far.  Few words have ever pierced me more deeply.  She had been good to me, and hadn't done anything to deserve the treatment I gave her.  In fact, many years passed before I could forgive myself for the pain I'd caused her.  Looking back, what hurt me even more was the thought of how I had disrespected and misrepresented God - time after time.  Through my example, how many men had I taught - directly or indirectly - to be double-minded? 

James 1:8- a double minded man is unstable in all his ways

How many women had I taught - directly or indirectly - to not trust the anointing they see in the pulpit?

Fast forward years later...I'm married, and my wife was expecting our second son.  I named my first son after me because... well...that's just what fathers do.  LOL.  But this time, I asked God what I should name our second son and He said, "David Joseph."  Why?  Because He knew that I wanted him, and in fact, both of my sons to have the passion of David, balanced with the integrity of Joseph (Jacob's son).  My mom, who has gone home to be with the Lord, was a preacher.  One of her sermons I enjoyed most was "What's in a Name?" I can only imagine how she would feel seeing David, who is only 6 years old, singing, dancing and writing songs - with all his might.  I'm already seeing the manifestation of his first name, and am already praying for the lifelong manifestation of his middle name, "Joseph."

----THATS ALL FOR TODAY!!!!  The rest of this post will be available tomorrow!---- **don't you like how we left you hangin' RIGHT when it was gettin' good?? LOL


Be Blessed... And Keep the King First...

Its Not the Devil... Its You

I'm going to just write from my heart... On wednesday, my Bishop talked about the favor of God - and how it works... and people say, "Favor ain't fair!" -- and you know, from the outside thats what it looks like... But on the other side, people don't see the price that was paid, or sometimes will have to be paid for that favor!  He talked about Joseph - and Joseph had RIDICULOUS favor on his life!  OMG!  But look what he had to endure because of it....

I said all of that to say, sometimes God has gifted you beyond people's understanding.  Sometimes it can be beyond your OWN understanding, because you are sitting there with all of this... this...  GIFT - and your like... "where do I start?"  Well it could just be me... I don't know... Its funny, people have no clue all that you can do, because its not time for them to know it yet - and the best thing you can do is NOT prove it to them - in time it all will be revealed..

Which leads to the point of todays blog.  Sometimes when you are the one that is the leader, or the shot caller at the time you can sometimes "hold back" - as to not intimidate or make anyone mad... and God is like,  **in scooby doo's voice**  "Urgh????" --- Why did I give it to you if you are ashamed to use it?

When God blesses you tremendously and graces you to walk in your calling, even if its just a small amount - its not up to you how people will receive you.  It isn't up to you how people will react to you.  It is not up to you to protect THEM from being jealous and envious of you.  **THAT IS A WORD RIGHT THERE!!!!**

[[[[[ PUSH PAUSE]]]]]]

You mean we can actually try to protect people from being jealous of us???  Yeah, we can, and God is like, nuh- uh---- I gave it to you to display my goodness on the earth for MY glory, NOT yours...  Then when stuff is pinned up in heaven, and prayers aren't answered, and we are constantly dealing with CRAP - we blame the devil.  It's not the devil... IT'S YOU!!!

You  ((wait a second - when I say you, I mean the listening audience- because CLEARLY I am talking to myself)) Cannot... I repeat - CANNOT blame God or anyone else when you are holding yourself back.  Do you know how particular God was when He made you?  Do you know the specific designs He used when you were created?  Do you know how much GLORY He receives when you break loose and walk in the fullness of what you are supposed to do?

                (When you hold yourself back, you imprison yourself)
                                              
So why hold back because of ... people?  Those same people that need your ministry even though they may or may not ever let you know it.  If they do or if they don't, it doesn't matter because your ministry is towards HEAVEN! What are you supposed to be doing?  What are you supposed to be working on for the kingdom?  Are you called to live a boring life every day? Not utilizing what God put in you - on a daily basis???

Lets stop damming ourselves up, wondering why we can't receive breakthrough, when we are the one's building the wall - holding back the waters.  BE FREE TO BE YOU - and if folk get mad, then they just get mad.  If they really love God - then HE will correct them and help them to be who they are called to be!!!  THATS NOT YOUR JOB!!!

Be free to follow your blue print today...

Be Blessed... And keep the KING first...