A Call to Glory

Lesson 4

I started back to seek God a little over a year ago because I wanted His favor back in my life. It seemed as though when I started skipping church and not praying as often that's when my life began to spiral down. I was depressed, sad, angry so much more often than not. So I began to go back to church "religiously" and praying but nothing was too different. I was still doing the same things I was doing of course, I didn't believe what I was doing was wrong even though I had been told it was a sin I justified it by saying well God doesn't expect me to be perfect anyway plus He knows my heart. Well one day I hear God ask " Where are you?" Of course I'm like HUH?!!? I thought you could see all things you can't see me. He didn't say anything else so of course I was left with BLANK. What could He have meant by this doesn't He recognize me or know the sound of my voice. well I didn't stress too hard on it after, I just kept praying and asking God for the usual give me strength, understanding .. etc. This year has been good to me, really it has. I was convinced that my prayers were being heard now and everything was turning around until one day in March I got into a heated argument with someone very close and special to me. It's funny it happened during this time period because it was a significant marker point to another event that was suppose to happen but of course that fell through the end of the year before. But anyway this argument left me torn, sad, angry, broken, .. How could I once again come back from this? Well, a voice more distant now speaks to me and says, "Now" At this point I'm tired of everything even the riddles. What is going on!!!

I was reminded of Genesis 3:6-10
⁶ When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. ⁷ Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

⁸ Then the man and his wife heard the sound of theLord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. ⁹ But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

¹⁰ He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”

We get so caught up in the technical whats right and wrong in our life and even determining what's good for us as if we could fathom this concept that is blocked by our own opinions anyway. That was what got Eve, she determined what was good for her before she even understood wisdom. Then had the nerve to give Adam some of her justified good she knew of. I was guilty I thought by my works of praying, offering, and fellowship I could see God's favor in my life again. The truth was He couldn't even see me anymore. I was doing positive things and working hard and showing love Hey I had myself covered Right? Why did I even need to come to God my efforts was what was going to allow me to succeed anyway Right? It hit me like a brick you guys... That day He said NOW! He was waiting on me to own up to who I was. I was a broken, torn, depressed spirit that was separated from seeing It was by His grace I had favor. I had to now come to Him in prayer without my ego or trying to get something I "technically" had gotten from my own way of thinking. He was saying now stop covering yourself with leaves making things happen for you that I have already said you would have anyway. I was even like Adam once I did want a change or realized I needed a change I tried to hide behind things (prayer and fellowship). 

Well with much prayer I sought after a relationship with Him, notice the difference? No more was I seeking favor I started seeking HIM and He caused me to become whole. I was ordained a week ago as a minister and I am reminded everyday of reaching this point of glory knowing that I am righteous because of His favor and not my own works. I can now go and sin no more not because of anything else but the fact that Jesus Christ gave me this and I honor and respect this gift of GRACE. I pray everyone begin to recognize their call to glory as I have this year.

Stay Blessed

Special Request

A friend of mine made a personal request for topic. He asked a couple of questions and I will try and tackle them in the best way possible. But I welcome others to also give your input on the matter as well.

1.       Do people’s “superficialness” get in the way of finding true love? I say that because I hear a lot of females want a guy that has a house, nice car, and dress a certain way or make a certain amount of money and the blue collar male doesn’t really look all that appealing to them.

Well I guess I’ll just go ahead and tell you my short answer. No, but I do understand how you can come up with the conclusion that it does.

 In my opinion what’s really going on is when certain females look at these things they get a concept of a “man”. It shows his commitment, dedication and drive to get the things that he wants and women will translate that to .. “Well, he would be dedicated to me and committed because I could be something he wants, right?” We have to understand the outward qualities is not always the best way to gain insight of someone’s internal qualities. Which is where you are coming from but hey it does work sometimes. So how can you argue with them? The real problem I see with thinking this way is it translates emptiness, the relationship won’t always turn out to be about what it was intended to become. It will just be about the things.

Let me say, I’m not materialistic but I appreciate material. I had a relationship where I didn’t care how much he made or what he had, the relationship was based on his personality and interests (this is wrong thinking by the way) but he wanted me to be more superficial (funny huh?) There are more details to that but my point is it’s not just one sided. Some men think that if they don’t see things happening for them they are not doing something right. Who knows which one came first the man concept from being so hard on themselves as a provider or women’s concept of what a provider should look like?

The TRUTH is even this won’t deter finding true love. You can find people who believe in superficial and they will love it and all the things the gain from this “love” and live Happily Ever After. Some people just have a different definition of love. For me.. God is love..He provides.. and it’s a hard but simple concept to grasp by many people. The only true thing that gets in the way of finding “true” love is not having a solid foundation and you will find yourself trying to rely on making one with another person if it’s not strong. Which brings me to your next question….

2.       And what happened to two people building something together?

It doesn’t exist. I know that’s harsh and you maybe like “Geeze,  Grace how cynical of you to say such a thing, Do you even believe in true love?” Yes, of course I do but I don’t believe in a “perfect” love presented by man. Tell me, what are you building that you would need help from a person you met and became familiar with? Your life? A home, family?  Well, you can do that by yourself. Even if a single woman wanted children there’s a bank where they can receive a generous donation towards the cause. I’m being too real now huh? I think what’s difficult for people is getting rid of concepts that the world presents in ads and promotions to sale goods and products without leaving them discouraged with life. This is when all things seem pointless, meaningless, in vain.

 Love just is. It doesn’t build because it would be what you build up to. So you and your significant other should have already been working on this as individuals even before getting to know each other.  So where does this love come about? Remember when I said God is love, he created it, built it, it’s Divine! We accept His love and when you choose the individual to marry you are honoring this LOVE, honoring Him. That’s why it’s is signified by a vow to God to commit to this love and your partner is your personal, first-hand witness of this vow. You both are there as a witness for each other,  to make sure you both keep this vow to HIM. Your partner was the best candidate for you to keep your “foundation” strong. So you are not building because it’s already built! You are keeping . 

So then the next question is what happened to understanding this? Well there are many pitfalls that man has created for themselves from getting this but remember in my lesson notes when I said we fight not against flesh and blood … well it goes back to that. I encourage everyone following this blog to keep studying His word. And seeking after His wisdom, even God’s foolishness is wiser than man’s wisdom. 

Tunnel Vision

Lesson 3

Am I doing this right? Everything looks great but what’s for ME? I know what I want to do but is this what I should do?  Why not I know I’ll like it?

I read a story the other day of a young college graduate who was medical school bound. She did everything to the plan, excelled in all her studies and was moving forward to become a doctor. One day she was approached by the CEO of a record label who saw the way she dressed and asked her to please style one of his new artist he had just signed on. She had never styled anyone before, didn’t even know what a stylist was and it definitely wasn’t in the “plan” but she went for it and what a success it turned out to be. She is now the CEO and fashion stylist of her own consulting firm.

This story doesn’t happen everyday. In certain cases many will go on to actually becoming the doctor. But what was it that she had in her possession that made her make that decision to become something other than what she “knew” her passion to be. The questions above are not wrong questions to ask in fact they are encouraged. The key is knowing when to ask them. Sometimes we want something so bad we can taste it and even to the point where we predict when and how it should be happening for us. So we put our self in a box on focusing on one thing really hard and then we look up and nothing happened for some we stay here until we see results and for others they begin to dip and dabble in many other things just to see a result. The thing is we don’t know what the future holds, what the present will bring some things may feel like they are done in vain. Nothing is new under the sun everything has been tried even down to the good deeds or charity that you do but what makes it different, what makes it fulfilling to go through the mundane and seek after the “riches” of this world? Solomon describes it best in the book of Ecclesiastes when He says “There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens..” (3:1) “So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work, because that is their lot. For who can bring them to see what will happen after them?” (3:22)

So what you’re trying to say is I should just be happy for nothing? No, You should be happy for everything. God shows us this through His wisdom, which is His will for us to use Him as our foundation.

After looking up these two words in the dictionary:

1.       Wisdom=Enlightenment

2.       Foundation- The basis or groundwork of anything, the natural or prepared ground or base on which some structure rests.

Enlightenment is what we experience from using His wisdom it shows us the time and season to use His wisdom. So in essence it all jus goes back into itself to be used even more which leads to the word “foundation” If wisdom of God be your true foundation then it will always return back to you. Your relationships should begin to reflect this trait.

I challenge you all to look more into what is the prepared ground on which you rest. Simply Study! If you feel u don’t know where to begin, just start from the TOP the beginning Genesis. 

Divinely Defined

LESSON 2

We hear it all the time work on you, strive to be the best you, study to show yourself prove.

It’s my choice to present to you relationships from a spiritual stand because this is where it began on its own and it is where it will ultimately end. We are always confronted with the things and ways of the physical .  And from our contact with these things our experience with them help us to relate to who we are, you know that feeling you get when you do things and it just doesn’t feel all together right or sometimes it does but it feels good not just in one way to you but deeper. The lessons you learn through life help but what is it that defines these lessons? Have you ever been through a situation and found a perfect solution for its resolve then you encountered a similar situation and thought Hey I should be able to use what I did last time right? And then reality shows that was not the best solution for the situation even it if was the exact same coincidence as the first, It just didn’t work this time. Why? There is still more to learn than what the surface showed. These situations and feelings give most of us a sense of spirituality, or where it began without our awareness of it. You should be aware of your divine definition.

What do you know about where you came from? We discussed last lesson that we were made in God’s likeness or image. (cf Genesis 1:26-31) What is this image of God?

The challenge this question presents to our mind is baffling, I mean He is clearly not a person, but He  does posses some human traits like love and forgiveness. We may begin to think of how He appears to the naked eye, does He have a nose, mouth, eyes? How can we possibly understand this “image” the one that we suppose to have as well?

Well let’s go back to lesson 1. We brought up in John chapter 1 this Word that was with Him before we discovered that it was Him. This Word had a purpose in being in a relationship with Him first, meaning God had to attain some sort of knowledge or lesson from His initial experience with this Word. I am now going to start calling this Word “wisdom”. Yes, This Word could be many things but I find it most significant to call it by its end result. Wisdom is a name reflective on what exactly He had to possibly gain from being with it so close to the fact that He became it Himself. Could this possibly be a part of His image? Wisdom, this would mean we also have this and that could explain why most of us choose to learn from life experiences or take it to personal depth the things we encounter daily including some of the relationships we hold. Our spirit desires to know this Wisdom or Word or God or ourselves? Is God a subject of relation for you when it comes to attaining wisdom about yourself?  

How well do you manage this relationship?

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

I would like everyone to read this verse and express to me what it means to them?

 NOTE: Wisdom is described all through the book of Proverbs (as a woman) if you would like to know more about how it is viewed spiritually. (feel free to ask me questions).

Challenge: In each relationship you have and will have, try to seek out more of a divinely defined you.

OMG, Is this Life for real?

For most of us we have had our days where we have thought or said  "Man, I wish I was a kid again" I know when I was a child I had this whole outlook on life and what it was like and supposed to be. Some of us even had make believe friends, King of over an entire land, or even had some absurd things we wanted to be when we grew up. Then we grew up and ideas changed, some new ones introduced, people started teaching us what was good/bad, society formed us to what was an acceptable way to live. We inherited a status based off of credit scores and the things we own. With all of these things we are overwhelmed sometimes on decisions to make, I mean we don't want to make a mistake, and most of us are not so patient so we want it fast and now as well. It all seems just as unrealistic as it did when we were children just making up who we were (a princess, thief, knight, etc) in whatever fantasy location we chose to be in. But it just felt right when we were young, What was the difference between now and then? Is there a difference? Someone once told me that I think  I live in a fantasy world, (LOL) Maybe I do?

Notes from the class 4/13/2012

We are all on this journey with a purpose and a goal. Our goals may be different but our purpose is all the same. When you trust that you are being lead by God you begin to be witness to the things he allows to be known to you and you recognize the teachings being laid out before you. You still have the choice to adhere to them. But even with this you learn to respect those for their choices because God is going to continue to work in any occasion, He knows the end result and it will be that all will know Him and seek Him. In time all is revealed and nothing is kept from them that love the Lord.

We must not be condescending to others for the choices that they make. Continue to show love and allow God to do His will through them. This is way better than you trying to enforce your will on them as God has shown you. The beauty is in the difference.  If we came to the knowledge of Him in all the same way we would not have true possession over our walk. There is a divine order that must be governed. God knew this from Himself and He knows that this order has to take place within us all in order for it to be True and powerful.

" For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."  Ephesians 6:12

This scripture was brought up in class. Such a powerful realization when you truly understand what is really going on in your life. We may rely on individuals and trust our close friends, lovers and family and for some of us they may do things that lose our trust. And we began to ask “What is it that I did wrong?” or even “Why don’t they understand I am here for them and how much I love them?” These questions are answered when you understand this verse.  We are spiritual beings living a natural experience. But keep in mind that there is a way to live spiritually in the flesh for all things were created with the same intent, for it was all created from the Word. This truth is what will lead us to our next lesson …

Keep in mind the questions to answer. I want to encourage all those who are following to participate in the blog as well. Remember there is no wrong way in this walk to Knowledge and understanding of who you are. The more you comment and ask questions the more others will be inspired. This is the relationship this blog is created to serve. Our fellowship is important to your growth.

Questions I would like for you to think on until the next lesson:

What do you know about where you came from? Is God a subject of relation for you in this regard? How well do you manage this relationship?

For once, It's about You!

LESSON 1

Relationships come in all different forms: parent/child, sister, brother, friendship, fellowship, companionship, acquaintance, co-worker, etc. There are a number of them, each one managed however seen fit by the ones participating in that particular relationship. So seeing that each is vastly different and holds its own unique value to each individual, is it possible that any of them have a direct correlation to the other. I mean really what is presented as a commonality for each relationship you hold in your life? You are. So let’s start with you.

In the beginning it was you and the relationship that wasn’t by your choice but given, you and the Word that gave you purpose and meaning. Now just to be clear I will explain what this Word is. It is best described in John chapter 1:

¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was with God in the beginning. ³ Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. ⁴ In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

If you notice with me this scripture states The Word as being God, so when I say the Word I’m actually saying God.  But also notice that in the beginning even for Him was the Word. He too had this same relationship upon His existence without it there would not even be God in His own being. This concept brings on a whole new meaning of made in His likeness. (We will discuss in a future lesson in detail) This Word said that you will have life and it was so. I know most of us will separate our relationship with God from others because of who He is. I mean He is all knowing, powerful, forgiving, renders unconditional love. He’s just different from everyone else but are you not involved within this relationship. You are the common place in all your relationships so you hold the key to their success from the first one you have ever had to the last one you will ever have and why not set a precedent with the very first, the one relationship that deemed you worthy of Life. So I think it is safe to say that You are important and acknowledging where you came from, how, and why will set you on the path to defining you, the one who holds the key to your relationships.

Questions I would like for you to think on until the next lesson:

What do you know about where you came from? Is God a subject of relation for you in this regard? How well do you manage this relationship?

Feel free to comment and ask questions. I encourage this.

Tell Me

I Just want to open the floor before I begin for all those who care to share:
What do you think is important to have in any relationship of any kind?

Don't forget to read Lesson 1: For once, It's about You!

Just Me and Him

Growing into adulthood I could never quite figure out why I was always so different, why I didn’t care for the same things the majority did, or even why I felt when those were in need. I been told “Grace, you’re just a good person” Not that I don’t believe them but it had to be something more. I have been to a point where I just don’t trust men any more (Human kind) but I never stop having faith in human nature. (sounds twisted huh?) Why can’t I just say forget this world and all things in it!!! That’s when I was reminded (Let’s just say by something divine) that when I was younger I used to always say, “I wana be just like my father.” Yeah, every girl looks up to her dad and mine, well I thought he was perfect. Yeah he has been through a lot and made his share of mistakes but out of all his faults I saw his passion more. I admired his relationship with God and His will. He studied and made it his life to do for Him. I wanted to be just like my “father”.  I wanted to be blessed (Happy) beyond measure and posses insurmountable peace.  I was 4years old by the way. I remember saying these things as if I knew that it would be needed in the future. It was pointed out to me that I have two fathers: an earthy and a heavenly. Now I didn’t specify but how many of you know that I didn’t need to (insert Amen here). Well I didn’t because I believe as a child you know exactly what you want and nothing seems impossible because you posses everything (We lose this quality when we get older).  All this is my testimony and now I don’t ask why because I am my Father and He is me. I speak for us. I speak to make His Word flesh. My one True relationship is the one I have with my Father and It is my example for all the ones after.  I share with you my Truths on Relationships.