Persistence as Christians

 

Persistence

I will be the first to admit that I don’t have all of the virtues of a good Christian. I find myself being impatient. There are times when I find myself fighting doubt especially when I look at my wallet and it is empty, and there is a bill that is due. I know God promised to supply our needs. I know God has come through for me time after time, but there are days when I am find myself having to do battle in my mind. It’s one thing to speak faith, and other to truly live it. So, yes, I fall short sometimes in the patient’s department. And, sometimes, I get weak in the faith department. However, when it comes to persistence, I can be relentless. Psst…my mother calls it stubbornness, but I call it determination.

Luke 18:1-6 is one of my favorite parables. It is the story of the persistent widow. This woman justice, so she went to the judge. She didn’t just stop by and state her case. She came by every day. The widow didn’t stop when people began to talk about her. She didn’t stop going because she was tired. She didn’t pay the stares of people any attention. The judge had something she wanted…justice. And, she was determined to get it. Eventually, the judge got tired of her coming and decided to give her what she wanted.

As Christians, we must be persistent. We can’t give up when times are hard. We must continue to press on. We can’t stop praying for that wayward child or straying husband. We have to press on in prayer and in praise. We have to be like the woman with an issue of blood. We have to know that “if we can just reach the hem of his garment”. We have to know that God will provide justice for us. He hears our prayers. Even when it seems like he isn’t working, he is. God is working it all out for our good.

Habakkuk says “For the vision is yet for an appointed time…though it tarry, wait for it.” God is a just judge. He will provide a just answer.

So, don’t give up on that sinner for whom you are praying. It is our privilege and our duty to stand in the gap for the lost.

Don’t lose hope. That the situation on your job will change. God will change the circumstances or he will change you.

Pray and press on!

Luke 18: 1-6

Habakkuk 2:2-3

Luke 8:43-48

Mommy Is This Real?: Learning to Recognize the Truth

Mommy Is This Real?

There used to be a show called Kids Say the Darnest Things. Well, this is definitely true. Kids do say the darnest things. But, I have to give them credit. Sometimes, they can say some of the most profound things that you have ever heard. Just the other day my youngest son was happened by a show on television. I can’t remember what it was at the time, but I didn’t even think he was watching it. Then, out of the blue, he says, “Momma, it that real”. I looked at him and said, “No, son. It’s just a television show.” And, then I thought about what he said: Is this real? Well, is it?

How often have we gotten ourselves involved in situations that leave use confused and disoriented? We, like children, have gotten our reality mixed up with fiction. We have allowed Satan to play mind games with us.

Satan likes to make us think that certain things are real when they are not. He wants us to think that “good people” never finish first. Satan wants us to believe the lies that the world tells us. Lies about how we should dress…Lies about how we should act. Lies. Lies. Lies.

I have listened to my students talking about the latest music video and what the stars are doing. Sadly, so many of them think that what those stars say in their songs or what they see on those videos is how life really is. But, it’s not. That's why we are warned to guard our eyes.

All women are not tots. All women don’t just want money or are nagging baby mommas. Unfortunately, our children have gotten reality mixed up with fiction. And, we are just as guilty.

We have fallen victim to Satan’s lies about reality. But, we must realize that we are not to be like the world, but different. We have to keep our minds clear, and our reality checked.

Here are some truths:

Today’s woman does not have to wear a dress that could double for a top in order to get and keep a man. Besides, a godly man doesn’t want us show off the goodies anyway. Godly women don’t let any and everybody in the Candy Shop.

Our boys need to know that they don’t have to act like a thug in order to be successful. The dope business isn’t the only business a black man can be successful in.

Our children are not dumb. We can turn our schools around. As prayer warriors, we are the ones called to fight for our youth.

Hello!

The reality is that we must take back our children. We must take back our school. We must take back our community. We must stop sitting idly by and waiting for someone else to save us. The reality is that we must wake up. We must arm ourselves with the word. We must teach our children the truth and help them put on the whole armor of God. We must help to recognize that “No, Satan’s tricks aren’t real.”

 

Ephesians 6: 10-18

Psalms 101: 3

Bow Down and Worship Him

Bow Down

As Christians, I hope we all know the significance of bowing down. It is a symbol of our submission to God and his authority. It is an acknowledgement of our willingness to be led by Him. It is always a sign of honor. We are honoring our God when we bow down.

I like to walk in the evenings, and the other day as I was walking, I saw some birds. They were scurrying around and making noise. Some were singing. And, some were screaming out a warning that danger~little ole me~was approaching. As I watched one bird, I noticed something amazing. Instead of flying away the closer I came, it sat down in the grass and began to bow its head down. I continued to walk. I got a little closer, and the bird bowed down even further. I was dumbfounded. It came to me. Even the bird know to bow down. When danger threatened, the little bird did not just take off. It bowed down and waited. And, as Christians, we must learn to do the same.

When we face hard times or when the enemy comes up against us like a flood, we need to bow down. We need to turn off the world and turn on God. Just as the bird bowed down, we need to bow down in submission. We need to bow down in praise.

It is when we honor God that He honors us. He hears our prayers. He knows our distress. He is waiting for us to simply bow down and worship Him. He is waiting for us to cry out to Him for protection.

When King David was in trouble, he always turned to the Master. When the Amalekites had taken his wives and children and fled in 1 Samuel 30:8, David called unto the Lord for guidance. Whenever he was in despair, David called to God.

 How awesome it is to be able call to our Father and know that he hears and will answer us. So, like the birds, we need to know how important it is for us to honor God by bowing down to Him and his majesty.

 

When you know where your help comes from…when you realize just how powerful God is, it becomes easy to bow down and worship Him.

As Psalms 95: 6-7 says, “Come, let us worship and bow down…”   

Philippians 2: 10

2 Chronicles 2: 12-14

Daniel 6: 10

Acts 20: 36