Can you rel8 to this?

Remember the movie Amistad?  While the movies protagonist Cinque (played by Djimon Hounsou) was on the ship, he pleaded with the slave masters, “Give us free!  Give us free!”

I love it!  “Freedom is not given. It is our right at birth. But there are moments when it must be taken”.

This post is going to be short and sweet today.

I am so full of God’s victory I can’t even stand it.  Isaiah 53:5 says, “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities.  The chastisement of our peace was upon Him and by His stripes, we ARE healed.” I shared this with a friend of mine after evaluating my hearts condition.  It had been sad.  A wound had been reopened and by all appearances, I had relapsed – fallen back into a place of bitterness and resentment that would take another few years to recover from.  He encouraged me that there wasn’t time…there was too much to look forward to – I needed to deal with the sadness once and for all and move the hell on (*chuckle*).  It was a pretty raw conversation, but it resonated with my spirit.  I meditated on it all day and when I awakened in the morning, the Holy Spirit of God spoke to me about the freedom that we all have access to through Christ because of His death.  His wounds on the cross freed us from sins sting.  Yes!  In the past couple of years I have experienced some really heavy stuff, enough to make some people lay down their religion and do a few things that would warrant a long and lonely vacation.  But I realize that I am free.  Christ freed me.  The sin of the past (whether mine of otherwise) can no longer choke the life out of me.  It has no more power.  Now here’s the caveat, just because Christ died, just because I am free – doesn’t mean that I am exempt from the sorrowful fallout that will occasionally seep through the cracks.  God IS merciful and He will only give you what you can handle.  And if that means giving me the strength to pull my strings together that I am woven back to health, then later revealing more – knowing that I am now better equipped to handle it…so-be-it – to God be the glory.  The challenge is in how I handle it.  Do I completely fall apart or do I dust myself off and keep it pushing – understanding that because we live in a sin-sick world, we will have residue from the garbage that we may have faced in the past.  Phew!  What a revelation!!  Thanks Harlem native!!!

So…I ask the question, is there anything that is oppressing you?  If so…GET FREE!  Take it back and be aggressive about it!  You’ll be able to breath, live, dream and love without hindrances if you do.  Get free ya’ll!!  It feels good to be FREE!

P.S. I read Tyler Perry’s letter he wrote to his fans…WHOA!  Talk about removing shackles.

Though The Flood Waters Rise, I am Grateful

It Costs More To Be Broke Than To Be Wealthy

Just Because You’ve Messed Up Doesn’t Mean You Should Give Up

What Is Holding You Back

Forgotten Where You Come From

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The Bondage of Neutrality

Neutrality takes on many forms in life.  Neutrality in one sense can be choosing not to take a side or in other words, choosing the safe position.  Neutrality can be pretending for the sake of self-preservation.  Neutrality can be picking what’s popular over what is poignant.  Neutrality masquerades as being objective or principled and hides in diplomacy.  Neutrality is never taking a side in an attempt to appear wiser or more Christian.  Neutrality revels in being cloaked in shades of gray as if it were some new fashion statement of the elite or intellectual.  Actually neutrality is how pacifists adorn themselves like the mindless trend followers who dress to be in the middle of the crowd rather than dress in bold statements to indicate where the line of freethinking begins. For this reason it annoys me when I feel or hear neutrality in others.

That may sound strange but its interesting how the topic of neutrality does not garner much thought or conversation.  Well, maybe you’re not like me but at times when I’ve been low on gas I drive to get gas on my side of town because it is much cheaper.  When I get off the freeway my favorite low priced gas station is on the bottom of a slight hill. Sometimes I get off the freeway at the exit and my gas gauge is lingering near E.  With this knowledge I know I will barely make it to my gas station of choice.  I know some people faced with my situation just put their vehicle in neutral so that they can coast down the slight hill into the gas station. Those drivers at that point would not be in control of their vehicle. Gravity is the force that is pulling their vehicle forward and the driver is steering and managing the speed. Neutral does two things, on a flat road it keeps a vehicle from moving forward or backward, and on an incline or decline pulls a vehicle down.  In order to be in control of a vehicle’s direction a vehicle has to put in gear.

Neutral people ascribe to the fallacy that there can be two sides to an issue and the truth can be somewhere in the middle.  If I am in my van and don’t choose a gear I will be in bondage to either stay still or go where gravity takes me.  If I live in neutral or in other words live a life of neutrality I am bound to a stagnant life or to be pulled toward a position I didn’t choose.  That’s not freedom.  Paul said in Ephesians 6:15-16 “…Having done all to stand. Stand…” Paul then goes into the armor we must wear as Christians. God deals in light and dark, hot and cold, good and evil, true and false.  There are only 2 sides to every issue, true and false.  I have found that if I look for God I can find the truth of any situation. God doesn’t live in neutrality.

Some think neutrality is safe.  I read about the church of Laodicea in the book of Revelations.  I have come to learn that God does not like neutrality or pacifism.  In the 3^rd chapter of Revelations in the 15^th and 16^th verses, God spells out his dislike of lukewarm to the point of spiting.  God said “you are neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth”.  I also read in 2 Corinthians 3:17 “…wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”  Now this changed everything for me.  This means that if God is not where you are you are in bondage.  If I put that together, I can only come to one conclusion.  If I am lukewarm then God will spit me out.  If I am spit out then I have no freedom.  Wait a minute; neutrality is a form of bondage. Taking a position is displaying freedom.

So the question is, why do so many people live in the bondage of neutrality?

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Regardless of how you feel about the war in Iraq, the war on terror, the President who sent our troops abroad, or the President who holds office now, we all can agree that our soldiers need prayer.  In the stateside political fray over the war on terror, it is easy to forget that the people who deserve the most attention are just that – people.  They are fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts – and above all – they are each someone’s child.

To Our Soldiers Serving Abroad:

We here at Elev8 simply extend our thanks.  We recognize that peace and freedom are not free.  We acknowledge the sacrifice that you make not only by leaving your families behind, but by offering your very lives in service everyday. Saying “thank you” is truly insufficient, but Thank You, Thank You, Thank You.  You are loved and appreciated for your loyal service to this country.

In an era where many people lie for a living, fail to live up to their obligations, and refuse to keep their keep their word, you are to be honored, if for no other reason than for upholding your commitment to your country.

For the danger that you face on behalf of our nation everyday – Thank You.

For your willingness to put your lives before ours here at home – Thank You.

For the families and loved ones you left behind – Thank You.

For the determination that you have shown and continue to show in serving these United States of America – Thank You.

For your obedience – Thank You.

For honoring your commitment to your nation and her people – Thank You.

For standing as examples of courage to us all – Thank You.

Please accept our blessing over you:

May God keep you, bless you, and return you home safely to your families and to America.  May he cause his face to shine upon you, be gracious to you, and reward you beyond what you can imagine for your military service.  May he protect and sustain your families in your absence and after you come home.  We praise him for your sacrifice.  We ask him to honor you for it. May you prosper as your soul prospers and above all, give you peace.

In Jesus Name – Amen.

We salute you this July 4th!

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Have you ever faced a challenging situation, wholeheartedly seeking God’s direction and received what you were certain was a clear directive right from the Holy Spirit?

Have you ever had an encounter where you knew the right thing to do according to God’s word, and despite your fear, forged ahead?

Lastly, have you ever received from the Holy Spirit a clear vision for a new project or ministry, a different direction for your life, or a long awaited answer to a nagging problem and moved on it right away?

If you answered “yes” to any of the questions above, and everything worked out just as you thought it would, then praise God! This article is not for you.

This article is for those of us who have done everything we know to carry out our mission, work through our challenge, or work out our problem God’s way, only to have it blow up in our faces.

What on earth do you do when following God not only results in more trouble, but leads you headlong right into it? When I find myself in situations like this, I look to my favorite personality in the Bible, Joseph.

The more often I read through the biblical account of Joseph’s life, the more respect I gain for this man, who remained innocent of wrong doing despite how poorly he was treated. When I grow up, I want to embrace suffering, stand for righteousness, forgive others, and honor God with my sincere, loving attitude, just as Joseph did.

Genesis 39 opens with Joseph working in the home of the Captain of the Guard’s home. Potiphar and his family were upper class Egyptians. Logic would lead us to believe that their position in Egyptian society afforded them the best their pagan culture had to offer – including everything that could potentially ensnare a sheltered, favored Hebrew boy, such as Joseph.

Despite his low position, Joseph worked diligently in Potiphar’s house – enough to get noticed and promoted. I say this because it fits his pattern. Jacob, who had a great deal of wealth in his own right, had seen fit to place his youngest son over all of his older sons. Yes, that could have been due to the fact that Joseph was his favorite – but Jacob/Israel was a hustler at heart (Genesis 25-28, 30:27-43). So it’s doubtful that he would put his wealth in the hands of an untrustworthy son – no matter how much he favored him.

With God’s favor resting upon him, Joseph quickly became second-in-command of Potiphar’s household (Genesis 39:4), then later, second-in-command of the prison (Genesis 39:21-23), and finally second-in-command of the entire nation (Genesis 41:39-43). His hard work got him noticed, but so did his good looks.

The narrative states that as Potiphar’s wife began to lust after Joseph, she propositioned him. When he turned her down, she launched a sexual harassment campaign that would put the Clarence Thomas/Anita Hill debacle to shame by comparison. Finally, once she ambushed Joseph, causing him to flee so quickly that he left his cloak behind, and realized his rejection was firm, she had him thrown into prison under the false accusation of attempted rape.

Okay – Potiphar’s wife was a loser. There is no question about it. But Joseph was beyond reproach. He was noble in his rejection of her. He reasoned with her, explaining that Potiphar had been gracious to him. He reaffirmed his faith in God, stating that he could never disappoint God by sleeping with his boss’ wife. By all appearances, Joseph did everything right. And how was he repaid? He was sent to rot in jail where he would spend years of his life for a crime of which he was totally innocent.

He was thrown into what was arguably one of the worst prison systems in the ancient world, because he refused to dishonor God. And God did nothing to stop it. What do you do with that kind of reality? What do you do when you end up feeling like a complete fool for doing things God’s way?

You do what Joseph did. You determine to do your very best, wherever you find yourself, trusting that the God you follow is true to his word and will never leave you nor forsake you. When you can’t bring yourself to trust God’s actions toward you, place your trust in his character. If you truly know him, it is because you have a history with him. In other words, you have a shared past. Rely on it.

Unlike a stock fund, with God past performance does guarantee future results. That’s why he has given us the bible. If you have no personal history with God yet, or you have forgotten his faithfulness to you in the past, then pour through his word to see how he has dealt with the faithful, and to review his promises with your own eyes. Pray them back to him. Where the bible is concerned, reading is believing. He does not change. What he has done for others, he can do for you. Offer up to him the very thing, results, situation you hope for. If it is for you, he will return it. If he’s going to take it anyway, you might as well offer it up to him. Pull on his coat tails for wisdom.  He tells us to ask. Stay in his face. He tells us to seek and persist. Worship him through tears if you must. Come to church mad – but come anyway. But do not leave his side. Do not let go of his hand. Do not turn away. Do not give up on him.

At one point in my life, when the bottom fell out, I remember grabbing my bible, pouring through the Psalms, circling in red ink every promise that pertained to my situation and begging God to show me how any of it could be true, given what he was allowing to happen. I felt betrayed by God and stupid for trying to live a moral life. I remember wishing I could go back to my old life B.C.. The problem was that I knew my life before Christ was a sham with a dead end. I had come too far. I could not quit. There was nowhere to go but forward.

So I plodded ahead, but my attitude was bad. But as I began to preoccupy myself with God’s word, and serving those I could help, he began to change my perspective. My situation did not change for years – many years in fact. But my attitude toward it changed so drastically that the oppression lost its hold on me. In the midst of my struggle, I experienced true freedom. A freedom that allowed me not only to wait patiently for God’s timing, to do so with a good attitude, but to thank him for the original affliction!

I am fully aware of how crazy that sounds. But I believe that is why I enjoy Joseph so much. After all he endured at the hands of his brothers, Potiphar, Potiphar’s wife, and even the negligent, lying cupbearer, he showed no traces of bitterness – only wisdom and grace. What a beautiful spirit he became in the hands of a loving God, who allowed him to suffer for the right reasons. Oh yes, when I grow up, I definitely want to be like Joseph. What a beautiful spirit.

The power of believing cannot be overstated. Believing is our ability to go beyond limits. It is how we un-trap ourselves. You may imprison a body but you cannot imprison a mind that desires to believe in what is not imprisoned. It is here our dilemma lies. What should we believe? The Bible gives us the answer when it states “the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).

My feeling of entrapment, frustration and powerlessness is self imposed. If I have the key to unlock the door, I cannot blame anyone but myself for my imprisonment. If truth is the key and my believing it is the key turning in the lock, my mission is clear; I will turn the key. I will seek truth, find it, embrace it. By doing this, I am refusing to wait on someone else to do for me what I can do for myself.

Our failure has been in not recognizing truth. Truth requires you to search for it. The search must be more than a scholastic endeavor. It must be a search primarily of your heart. If you seek truth, it can be found.

It is an eternal law that is not limited to time or matter. Truth is spiritual. It is by your spirit that you recognize it and by your mind that you confirm it. Truth cannot lie: it can always be confirmed. Don’t disregard confirmation. Since a lie is about deception, it will wrap itself in enough truth to disguise itself and make you think it is true, but a lie does not have the qualities of truth. You can recognize lies, especially if you shine light on them.

Truth produces life. A lie produces death. Truth unlocks progress while lies imprison. Truth is verifiable while a lie is not. Truth lives forever while a lie lives only as long as a memory can remember it. Truth shines light on darkness while a lie uses darkness as a cover.

The Bible is the number one best-selling book in the universe and for good reason. It is a book that contains truth. Read it for yourself. Search for truth yourself. Open up your heart, which is your spiritual center, and begin a discovery that can change your existence. Do not be afraid to put truth to the test. Get a diary and as you discover truth, list it and test it. However, remember truth is of no value if it is not believed. When it is believed, it has taken up residence within you and has become part of your moral compass – to set you free and keep you free. It will be the most exciting journey of your life and a good place to start the journey is with this truth, “the truth will set you free”

Escape today!

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So live a changed life  visit Transformednow.com.

From Transformednow.com

As I write this, I am in Africa. I have just concluded a conference in Zimbabwe with religious leaders from a number of this continent’s nations. My interaction with them stirred up emotions that took me back to inauguration day.

While standing with two million other people listening to our new president Barak Obama give his speech, a flood of emotions swept over me. I felt joy for the accomplishment. I felt overwhelmed by the task he now faced; I felt fear for his safety, and I felt sorrow for all those who could not experience this moment.

In the midst of all these emotions there was also a feeling of anger. Its source was the age-old feeling of being a victim. Even witnessing the first African American president being installed did not allow me to escape the pain and abuse of the past. It was then, in the cold of one of the greatest days in American history that I determined to forgive my country. I realized I would always be and act like a victim until I forgave.

I forgave my country for slavery, for lynching, for segregation, for inadequate schools, for an inferior education, for substandard housing, for low paying jobs, for no health care, and for no respect. Tears came to my eyes and at the same time, I felt flooded with a new peace and joy; a peace and joy that comes when you release yourself from bitterness and unforgiveness. It was then that I embraced America with a burst of enthusiasm that even shook me up. That enthusiasm was the impetus that made me feel great; it is here that I belong.

Forgiveness is a simple act that demands a determined will. Forgiveness means that no longer can anyone be held responsible for my future. Unforgiveness and revenge fuel a victim-like attitude that will immobilize the best of intentions. It will keep those who hold onto it in a prison of excuses and unfulfilled destinies. That day, I decided to set myself free from the small, evil and selfish acts of others and to be free to live a life full of purpose.

At the conference in Zimbabwe, I had been asked how Africa could approach their brothers in America for assistance. As I searched for answers, I encountered a sense of anger and unforgiveness on my part toward Africa. I was surprised. I had been traveling to Africa on a regular basis for more than a decade; I love the motherland. However, I now realize that there was a pain in my life that had been birthed with the realization that I was sold by my forefathers into slavery. Yes, the one who bought me was white, but the one who sold me was black. I determined that before I would leave Zimbabwe, I would forgive Africa.

Neither America nor Africa asked for my forgiveness, but I decided my freedom from others could no longer wait on them or their actions. Freedom is mine because I forgave. How badly do you want your freedom? Who are you willing to forgive? Your freedom and your destiny are waiting on you.

For more from Transformednow.com click here.