Black Leather and 90's Swag!

Busting Out!

Matthew 9:17 "
Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.”

Before I was married I was given a pair of black leather pants from the lady I was dating at the time. I absolutely loved those pants. Whenever the weather in Houston got a slight bit chilly, I would pull them out and rock them like they were brand new. I also had a motorcycle at this time. I felt very awesome getting off my bike with my black leather pants and riding boots.

After I got married, my wife kept threatening to get rid of my favorite leather pants. I gave every excuse to keep them. Her response was consistent, “You no longer have a bike, they don’t fit, and we are not living in the 90’s!” One wintery afternoon I came home prepared to rock my leather pants - THEY WERE GONE!!! She smiled like a Cheshire cat and claimed innocence.

God has brought you through and promoted you to better days and higher heights. However, there is that piece that wants to reclaim your past for any number of reasons.

When you accepted Jesus into your life He spoke this statement over your life, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

You can’t move forward while looking back!

There may be items in your life that you tried to remove but haven’t had the strength or ability. That is when God will provide the necessary action to remove those things. Don’t be mad they are gone! Give God praise and accept His new blessings that replaced your old sins. 

That life, those issues, those problems don’t look good on you anymore. He has clothed you in new life – so let go and let GOD!

Same Difference!!!!!!

Gone Fishin'

Luke 5:4-7

4 When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”5 But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” 6 And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. 7 So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.

I was told that the definition of insanity is to repeatedly do something while expecting different results.

In this passage of scripture, the men were practicing their profession. They were fisherman by trade. When they got up every morning for work – they went fishing! Unfortunately, on this trip, they were not yielding their intended results.

The passage says that the men fished ALL NIGHT! That is a long time to work at something and receive nothing for it. This same scenario is true for many of us. We have been good at something for a while and achieved nominal success, but now we have hit a roadblock. 

Your career/life/workout/relationship has reached a plateau and as much as you go back to what YOU did to get there – the results are insignificant.

Now it is time to do the same thing – DIFFERENTLY!

Get a NEVERTHELESS in your spirit.

THE LESS this situation looks good – NEVER stop trusting God!

The fishermen couldn’t go back to their normal fishing hole that they called the sweet spot – Jesus Challenged them to Go further and fish deeper!

Despite what you see and what you have experienced – you MUST TRUST God! This situation may be bad but God IS Good and thisWILL work out. The men were rewarded for their attitude and their faith. Trust Him with your WHOLE HEART and Try Again – Your overflow blessing is not right there - you are going to have stretch out a little further into the deep and go for it! Then, you and those near you will be overwhelmingly blessed. 

Get 2 Steppin!!!!

MAKE MOVES!

1 Samuel 30:6

6 Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

He took his first steps and then he started running! There are several experiences that bring a smile to a parent’s heart. One of which is seeing your child’s first steps.

When my son first started walking, he would fall after a few steps then reach for me to help him up. Now that he is getting the hang of walking – he has a bit more confidence.

It’s bitter sweet though! When he gets tripped up and falls, instead of looking for my hand, he gets into a crouched position and slowly rises back to his feet. Before you know it – he is on his way again!

Life has obstacles that trip us up too. Whether the obstacles are physical or internal – right when we get going we find ourselves on the floor.

As Christians it is good to surround ourselves with individuals who will stand by us and help put us back on our feet. The bible says in Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.”

But just the same, you have to study the bible for yourself and develop a real relationship with your God. It is in those moments when you can’t find a friend that you will realize that God sticks closer than brother.

That is the intestinal fortitude or GUTS you need to rise back to your feet, by yourself, and as Martin Lawrence used to say – “Get tuh STEPPIN!”

Every now and then my son still reaches for me when he falls. As you get stronger in your faith stay connected with others – you never know when you will need them. And, just as you were helped, you must in turn help someone else!

They don't fit

1 Samuel 17:38-42
New King James Version (NKJV)
38 So Saul clothed David with his armor, and he put a bronze helmet on his head; he also clothed him with a coat of mail. 39 David fastened his sword to his armor and tried to walk, for he had not tested them. And David said to Saul, “I cannot walk with these, for I have not tested them.” So David took them off.

The other day my brother and I traded shoes. He put on my Nike's and I put on his Lucchese boots. The boots were made from the underbelly of an alligator and dyed a deep jet black.

I felt taller, powerful, stronger, and fancy!

Then, I tried to walk. Each step hurt worse than the one before. Assuming there needed to be some time for adjustment, I kept walking.

It never got better!

Although we wear the same size - they didn't fit!

The bible teaches us that God orders our steps! As much as people may try to clothe you in their perception of what your identity may be - it will never work out.

As a parent we can not make our children fit our mold - we must lead them according to the gifts God has given them.

David told king Saul after a few steps in the kings armor, "this isn't for me!"

David was more victorious being who he was than what he was asked to be!

“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.” - Dr Seuss

You Can't Have It!

ALL MINE!

John 10:28-29 (NKJV)

28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.

I was told that the more pacifiers (binkys, passies, nuks, mouth-plugs) I had the easier it would be to find them and keep my child content. Even though the goal was for him to grow up without a dependency on the pacifier – my patience was weaker than the strength of my goal.

My son has several pacifiers in all different shapes, sizes, and colors. He has gotten so used to his multiplicity of pacifiers that he frequently carries two with him. At random he will put one in his mouth then switch to the other without ever putting one down. I tried to remove the pacifiers from him. It would have been easier to wrestle a piece of steak from a starving pit-bull.

I believe that Jesus is just as passionate and protective of you! He loves you so much that he made the ultimate sacrifice of His life so that you can enjoy a limitless future and residence with Him upon death.

He rejoices when more children are added to His hands, but he never plays favorites. Each child gets their turn to not only hear from His lips but to also speak into his ears for as long as they want.

Lastly, His love is personified in the fact that He will fight for you! He refuses to allow anyone or anything to remove you from His presence. God made the declaration in Isaiah 54:17, “No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me”. Then, to coincide with that confirmation, you can stand on Romans 8:31 which states, “…If God is for us, who can be against us?”

I don’t know about you but that is a strong cup of confidence. Out of all the protection in the world, I will take Jesus. This affirmation is proof that you are forever loved, protected, and empowered to be EVERYTHING you were created to be!

You are the property of God! So tell the devil, the haters, the bad addictions, and the negativity - YOU CAN'T HAVE ME!

Tell the Lord Thanx!

Thank ya!

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

A universal theme during this season of turkey and dressing is the aspect of being thankful. Many people will sit around their dinner tables salivating over their meal while waiting for each individual before them to profess the items they are thankful for.

In these three impacting verses of 1 Thessalonians, we learn a powerful lesson.

Our lives require constant communication. We cannot relegate our conversations with Christ to only good or bad days.

As full out followers of Jesus we must communicate consistently!

When we grasp the concept of talking to Him in the midst of EVERY situation we gain better insight and focus. People often stay lost when they aren’t listening to the leader!

I was told a story about a young boy who was born with a severe immune deficiency that forced him to grow up in a bubble isolated from the world. The only thing that could save him from that bubble was a risky bone marrow transplant. Before he received the transplant they asked him what he was looking forward to the most. His reply was simple. “I want to walk barefoot on grass and touch my mother’s hand.”

God will help you lie down in green pastures and hold your hand through the storms.

I challenge you to enjoy life, communicate constantly, and be thankful for EVERYTHING!

Life – you may not always like it but you can always learn from it! 

The Roar of a Whisper!

I Kings 19:11, 12 NKJV
Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord .” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord , but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.

There is a unique story of a teacher that had an unusual way of managing her students. Students at her school were very unruly except in her classroom. Open house was coming soon and the parents were eager to see what she was doing differently. The parents came in and sat in their children's desks. Before the teacher could begin to explain her classroom, a parent on the front row raised their hand and asked, "What do u do to make such a major difference?" The teacher reached in the top drawer of her desk and pulled out a small bell no bigger than two inches tall. She expressed that whenever she needed to get her kids attention she would simply ring the small bell. The kids had to pay attention in order to hear the bell.

As simple as the teacher's solution was for her classroom, the same solution can be applied in our everyday lives.

Elijah was told by God to get to a certain location. And although large earth rattling occurrences took place God was not audible until there was silence.

We must learn to see and hear God in the simplicity of things.

Keep listening!

God is talking - keep listening!

God speaks when u least expect it - keep listening!

A small pebble can cause ripples across a mighty lake and even a little drip can create a hole in concrete.

Are you prepared to Hear what God has to tell you? His directions may be basic but His results will be beyond compare! Go where He has sent you, a place away from the noise, and listen intently for His small but powerful voice! God has ordered your steps and is about to tell you your next major move!