Understanding Your Abundant Life

God's gifts are often taken for granted. 

The beauty of his nature is normally robbed by our lofty agendas. Pressing meetings and our much to do about nothing behaviors.
God is a supernatural giver, yet we fail to see his currency. He gave His only begotten son first that we might be saved. Identifying WHO His son is will give us a good clue of the currency that we have with Him.

Jesus Christ said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. The only way to the Father is through me. (John 14:6 NCV)

So when He gave us Jesus He gave us "The Way" a point of contact, a way of living. He also gave us "The Truth" Jesus is the truth, He is the word of God! Ask me how I know!

He is also "The Life" this is the amazing part this is where we can die to our old soulish ways and live through him.

Identifying  "In the beginning there was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were made by him, and nothing was made without him. In him there was life, and that life was the light of all people. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overpowered it. (John 1:1-5 NCV)

True beauty is in the fact that my life, your life is his light shining through us. Gods currency is everlasting.  So Jesus should be our first currency. God I'm thankful for your gift of Christ! 

Currency can be spent wisely or wasted foolishly. (Money) Time currency is afforded to most of us and it is one of the most valuable of currencies. It's given freely but could cost you dearly. Spend quality time with Christ and for him working the mission he called you too.

This is spending time wisely. Spend time in Christ, reading his word. This is how we experience the abundant life that flow through him. Knowing his word is knowing him and speaking his word commands the alignment of all things to which it is applied.

Enjoy your time in Christ be present "in the here and now" This is were we can enjoy him as our true gift. Moving backwards thinking about your past won't help or worrying about your future or what could happen. Being in the here and now is what God desires from us! God bless!

Photos used for educational purposes only.

Open Criticism Is Better Than Secret Love...Are you a Frenemy?

This post is a examination of self and how we move and treat others in our lives.

Let's define this word Frenemy

It is defined as a person with whom one is friendly despite a fundamental dislike or rivalry. (Google.com)

Seems pretty clear, here is another 

Definition : is an oxymoron and a portmanteau of "friend" and "enemy" that can refer to either an enemy pretending to be a friend or someone who really is a friend but also a rival.^[1] The term is used to describe personal, geopolitical, and commercial relationships both among individuals and groups or institutions. The word has appeared in print as early as 1953.^{[2] (Wikipedia.org)}

Let's just face it!

Not everyone means well by you. Nor have you meant well by everyone either. We have all been there. Until we have learned to look at ourselves and make adjustments we may have been or still may be a Frenemy.

Scarcity feelings are felt

•Jealousy 

•Envy

•Resentfullness

To put it in a biblical term "Covetousness"!

Wanting what another person has or desiring status or power over another person.

These feelings lead to behaviors that are not worthy of Gods presence.

•Backstabbing 

•Gossiping 

•Lying

•Stealing

Now we may not have done all these things knowingly.

If we've been on this earth long enough we have.

We have done all these things. Even though our intentions may be good (for self) we still may be considered a Frenemy. 

This is an old problem

This is a problem that even Jesus Christ had to endure. Christ had to endure knowing that one of his diciples was going to betray him. Being here on earth and in the flesh I believed Jesus had feelings about this whole thing.

How he dealt with those feelings 

He dealt with knowing and still walking in love with the person that was destined to betray him.

The betrayal is recorded in Matthew 26:14-16

This is when he agreed to turn Jesus in to the Jewish high priest for thirty silver coins. Then Judas looked for and waited for an opportunity to turn Jesus over to them.

WHAT WOULD JESUS DO?

I know we are all familiar with the acronym WWJD

Well WDJD? 

What did Jesus do? 

Well Jesus being in obedience to God knew that the plan was for him to die for mankind's sins. 

Even before the betrayal he spoke of this to the diciples in John 6:70-71

“Then Jesus answered, “I chose all twelve of you, but one of you is a devil.” Jesus was talking about Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. Judas was one of the twelve, but later he was going to turn against Jesus.”

John 6:70-71 NCV

http://bible.com/105/jhn.6.70-71.ncv

Jesus let them know that he knew

 Lowering himself by washing his diciples feet. 

Becoming a servant of all.

He responded in kindness and graciousness towards Judas.

The bible states in John 13:21-27

“After Jesus said this, he was very troubled. He said openly, “I tell you the truth, one of you will turn against me.” The followers all looked at each other, because they did not know whom Jesus was talking about. One of the followers sitting next to Jesus was the follower Jesus loved. Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus whom he was talking about. That follower leaned closer to Jesus and asked, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “I will dip this bread into the dish. The man I give it to is the man who will turn against me.” So Jesus took a piece of bread, dipped it, and gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered him. Jesus said to him, “The thing that you will do—do it quickly.””

John 13:21-27 NCV

http://bible.com/105/jhn.13.21-27.ncv

Jesus chose his diciples.

We should take great care in who we choose as friends. Those who will walk with you share your experiences your love joys and pains. He loved Judas despite his actions toward him.

This is where I'm encouraged!

I'm encouraged because even in our wretchedness he chose us. Choosing to love us and forgive us with an irrevocable love despite our flaws.

Self examination is needed.

We must examine ourselves daily and be willing to die to our old ways everyday. Even as Christ forgave us we must forgive and love those who would persecute us too.

“Where jealousy and selfishness are, there will be confusion and every kind of evil.”

James 3:16 NCV

http://bible.com/105/jas.3.16.ncv

(All photos used for educational purposes only)

Pressure...Stress Love motion

This post is about your Work.

The Pressure stress love motion that you go through everyday to take care of yourself and your love ones. 

How many people feel like they are on a treadmill in life?

Daily we wake up to perform a certain function at your place of work. Depending on the way we look at it, we may like it love it or loathe it. It pays the bills and puts food on the table but does it fulfill you and align with your purpose?

God designed us with a certain purpose in mind. We tend to move so far out of alignment and never truly find our purpose. For a long time I was out of alignment in my life. I was chasing money and not focused on my divine purpose. 

Other people can see your purpose 

I learned this lesson the hard way. I was working on my trade as a machinist and the master machinists that I worked under noticed my purpose. I didn't receive what he was trying to tell me at that time. Why because he was telling me that my purpose wasn't in machining it was with people. It wasn't what I wanted to hear at all. He later broke it down to me. He said that he noticed what I did on my lunch breaks like helping people learn how to read and encouraging people to go back to school. Helping others study for their GED exam. 

Young unfocused energy.

God wants us early in our youth so that he can shape and mold us for greatness.

But we tend to get involved in what we call Peer Pressure when we're young.

We can call these distractions and rabbit trails. Moving through life with little idea as to what we are designed to do. We do what we think is right by how it makes us feel. Everything that feels good isn't good. Falling in line with trends that maybe happening in your environment, age range, race or culture.

These pressures can cause the notorious S word to happen.

Stress can sometimes leave you feeling like throwing in the towel and giving up on life. I've learned that stress can build you up to make you stronger or tear you down to nothing. 

Let's talk about those two stress.

The first being the stress we all know and loathe 

•Stress this is the feeling and emotion that can cause damage to your mind soul and body. Anxiety, depression, frustration pain, and sadness. 

One big ball of stress.

The second  being a less commonly known stress called

 • Eustress this is the stress that makes you rise to the occasion when necessary and overcome obstacles and challenges. This stress helps you grow.

Motivation inspiration and enthusiasm and fulfillment.

Learning to find stress relievers are key to your survival. 

Prayer and meditation are good ways to relieve stress. Now I'm not going to tell you how to pray but I can give some advice about meditation.

Meditate

I was taught by a gentleman that I call my fellow brother in Christ. What he told me was nothing esoteric in theory. He shared with me how believers should meditate. 

He gave me an instance where King David stated in the bible that he meditated on God's precepts (commands). Psalm 119:15-16 "I want to reflect on your guiding principles and study your ways.Your laws make me happy. I never forget your word."

My brother in Christ shared that I should read God's word and think about the passage through out the day and focus on Gods ways. This will bring enlightenment and relationship.

When I hear the word Relationship I think of LOVE!

To be in relationship requires a bit of intimacy, a closeness that will give you a sense of knowing.

We know what we love and that is connection and family. We do a lot for the ones we love and this motivates us to move forward.  

LOVE helps us to do when we feel like there is nothing left inside to give.

God is LOVE!

1John 4:8 "But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love."

Love is a sustainable emotion.

Love truly is the only sustainable emotion. If you are angry can you stay angry forever? No you can't sustain that emotion forever. Since God is love all these other emotions really lack sustainability. 

The Feelings Wheel is a wonderful tool 

To use but I'm using it here as a visual at this moment. I will demonstrate how to use this wheel in another post very soon.

Love motivates us to move

Love causes us to get up every day and do what we have to do for ourselves our family and friends. Love is not only an emotion it's an action.

Love causes motion!

We move because Gods love is an action a force that can be felt. When we feel like giving up and stopping his love picks us up and carries us through our tough times. 

There have been plenty of times when I felt like quitting everything my job, this life times get hard. God gives us enough momentum to carry us through.

It might be that one thing that changes it all.

That brings us back from the edge. He knows his plans for us and they are good. 

God is truly amazing!

My nephew when he was a baby sang this little song to me that he made up. It saved my life when I was in a deep depressed moment. He sang "Don't give up you'll see why!" That one little line was enough to bring me back to shore. Out of the mouths of babes right! It caused a ripple effect that moved me to a greater place in God.

Manage the stress through Prayer and meditation. God is love the force that motivates us into motion actions beyond expectations!  

His plans are great for you!

God bless you!

Photos used for educational purposes only.