New Year

Ah the New Year where people make goals that they usually do not to keep.  I refuse to make resolutions, because they usually only last for but a few months. I think instead of resolutions we just need to strive to make realistic changes in our lives that will help us progress. I sat outside watching the fireworks after midnight by myself on the tailgate of my dad’s truck. God really begin to speak to me about what is expected, and what is to come for this year.  He told me that this year was going to be the end of a transition, and develop into a year of harvest, that there is going to be a major increase in my life not only financially, but spiritually as well, and that He needs to me to narrow my path with Him a bit more in order to do what He has called me to do.

Matthew 7:14

14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

I studied out this scripture with formal definitions, and in the Greek in Hebrew meanings and what God showed me out of this is this; I need to take me place of a narrow minded walk with Him that lacks tolerance or flexibility with things that are not of Him, that I need to focus more on Him with painstaking care and detailed examination. I do not have this focus my gradual improvement, my growth and development, and my movement forward with Him will be ever more difficult. He wants my focus so that I am not distracted by other things the appeal to my senses.  When I attain these things I am putting my flesh to death to achieve a total connection of soul, mind, and body with Him. All three aspects of my human and spiritual self will be in perfect unity with what He has for me. This is my season to come into possession of this narrow path that I am to walk.

                I am not one to sit here and ramble off a bunch of promises that I will do in the future, but I will say that I will strive for this narrow path using God as my only strength. I am working on making my will and flesh as feeble as I can in order to allow Him to take over, so that His will may be done. I am sick of people making all of these declarations of what they are going to do in the Christian walk only to see them drudge through the same stagnant routine. It is great to make these declarations, but if you refuse to change your ways and allow Christ to change you there will be no progress or fruition to the boast you claim. This very reason is why many people view Christians as hypocritical. Many want to do a lot of talking, and less listening to wise council or God’s voice. This is an hour to shut up, get in a secret place with God and do His will. I am not saying that you shouldn’t declare things or prophesy, but make sure you are willing to undergo a change with your declaration. I have made declarations that I have not kept myself, but God has opened my eyes to these things and I am always looking for growth for myself. It is great to go to a conference or to hear a message and get inspired, but it is what you do long after that is what matters. It is easy to have a fire for a night, but collecting the wood (Reading the Word, praying, and spending time with God) is a laboring constant job to keep that fire burning. I do not remember the address to the scripture but He says let your yes be yes, and your no be no. We need to stop making excuses for why we do or do not do things, and start taking some responsibility for ourselves. He loves us so much, and wants to take us to this narrow path with Him so that we can declare truths about Him.

                I ran five miles earlier tonight and God began speaking to me yet again. He asked me, “When you look in the mirror do you see your self-image or and image of your self?” It took a moment to really grasp what He was asking me, and I gained an understanding a little further in the run. Whether I can articulate the meaning is one thing, but I will do my best to try. What He meant by self-image is do you see what I see? Do you see a royal King, a Heir of promises, a Bride of Christ, a Love Warrior, a Mighty Man of Valor, a Voice in the wilderness, a pure heart, and a young man that is going to change this world? Or do you see who you are through your imperfect, judgmental, and skewed eyes? When we look at ourselves we need to see what He sees, and that is a perfect reflection of who He made us to be. I used to view, and at times honestly still do, myself as a failure, somebody that will never accomplish anything, and unimportant. All of these things are lies directly from the pit of hell. We need to start viewing ourselves as the finished product, the spotless Bride that we are. We are mighty, powerful, successful people. The only reason we view ourselves so incomplete is because we allow the lies of the enemy to protrude our thoughts. Remember that in 1 Corinthians 2:16 it states that we have the mind of Christ, and in having the mind of Christ we need to view ourselves as He does.

                The last thing He spoke to me while I was running was the following scripture.

1 Corinthians 9:25-27

25 Now every athlete who goes into training conducts himself temperately and restricts himself in all things. They do it to win a wreath that will soon wither, but we [do it to receive a crown of eternal blessedness] that cannot wither.

26 Therefore I do not run uncertainly (without definite aim). I do not box like one beating the air and striking without an adversary.

27 But [like a boxer] I buffet my body [handle it roughly, discipline it by hardships] and subdue it, for fear that after proclaiming to others the Gospel and things pertaining to it, I myself should become unfit [not stand the test, be unapproved and rejected as a counterfeit].

                Here’s a little secret about me I love to workout and stay healthy.  I think that is why God uses sports and fitness to portray visualizations for me. Anyway through the run God brought this scripture back to my remembrance.  He wants me to train myself in Him with restrictions as of when I train with weights, and running. I would not allow myself to eat or drink certain things in order to keep my body as well fed as I could for optimal training. He wants this same determination and focus while I am training with Him daily. I need to make sure that I feed myself properly by staying in His word, and drinking of things of Him and not of this world.  He wants me to train with a purpose, so that when He has me speak the Word I am no unfit to do so as a hypocrite would. I am used to buffeting my body, and beating it into submission in the flesh and now I am doing it in the Spirit. I have a very strong mental ability to keep fighting when things get harder, a bull dog mentality so to speak. When I am running if I begin to get tired I usually run 1 or 2 more miles to fight myself. When temptation arises I need to fight it with the same mentality, and push myself closer to God. I do not want to be a person that preaches the Word to many, but when trials come in my life I do not live what I preach. I do not want to be a counterfeit to what I portray myself as. I want to be as transparent as I possibly can be in a society that is full of portrayers. Most people want others to see them as they want to be seen, but not as whom they are. In an age of sensationalism, media hype, and pride people want others to think that they are important. Listen we are all in this together and no person carries more importance than the other. We may all have different walks in life, but they are all out of love for God and others. Get real people, be yourself I beg you. You are worth it to Him. He made you the way you are, so be yourself and not somebody else. Your personality is unique and belongs solely to you.  Individuality is what makes life so amazing. He took the time to make all of us different and we all want to be the same. 

                I love each and everyone one of y’all from the depths of my heart. Take the beginning of this year to hear from God, and what He has in store for you. Allow Him to create His perfect work in you, so that you can have a positive change of progression. 2012 is going to be an excellent year of harvest, and I look forward to seeing many men and women in God grow in God expediently.