Pressing On!

For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business. Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. James 1:11-14 NIV

Running from problems never solves them, but staying put--in the middle of whatever life brings--determined to get through it with your head held high--is what perseverance entails.  A press--with fierce conviction--that victory is indeed at hand will keep you going.

We cannot allow the trials that come upon us to deter us when we know that God only wants what is best for us. His plans--are always designed for us to receive His best and when we don't , we must be able to look at what we do and determine how to change it so we will receive from Him.

Making a mistakes as a child of the Most High is not a problem for God--not learning from the mistakes and to keep repeating them becomes a problem for us. He expects us to make mistakes, but He also expects us to learn from them--and to keep moving forward.

The reason many people never get ahead is because they get stuck in a rut--doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result because they were not interested in doing a little self reflection or to seek God for wisdom in knowing how to live life victoriously. Picture this--going around in circles--encountering the same challenges and enduring the same defeats. A student who never studies for tests in school and keeps failing the tests--should figure out that they are not going to pass a class with failing test grades. And this is the reason many students end up dropping out of school because they did not learn earlier in life that there are certain protocols that must be acknowledged in order to be successful in school or any other venue.

Preparation time is never wasted time. If we don't adequately prepare to do anything, we'll never know greater success in doing anything. It's like the Boys Scout Creed--always being prepared for anything that comes your way.

I'm looking forward to a debate that my students are having and I'll know by how they present themselves who prepared for it and who didn't. It's not enough to have an opinion about things without having sufficient support to document why you think what you think. Even though my class debate could hardly measure up to the political debates that are coming up, if we are attentive--listening to each candidate during each debate--we'll know who spent time preparing for it and who didn't. Again, opinions without support mean nothing when there are no facts to back them up.

No matter who does better in my class, they will be encouraged to press on--thinking about what they did and how they would change it to make it better and then they're going to write an essay about the experience. One would hope--that after the first political debate--a similar exercise will take place--reflection and introspection--about what did or did not work and changes made for the next round. Rather than hear a lot personal attacks, I pray we'll all hear substantive responses regarding the issues with viable solutions rather than nonsensical rhetoric.

After the final curtain has dropped on the political arena with the debates, we must all consider what was said and press on--determined to see victory in our lives--knowing that God has the final word in all things.

Is This America?

But your iniquities have built barriers

between you and your God,

and your sins have made Him hide His face from you

so that He does not listen.

For your hands are defiled with blood

and your fingers, with iniquity;

your lips have spoken lies,

and your tongues mutter injustice.

No one makes claims justly;

no one pleads honestly.

They trust in empty and worthless words;

they conceive trouble and give birth to iniquity.

They hatch viper’s eggs

and weave spider’s webs.

Whoever eats their eggs will die;

crack one open, and a viper is hatched.

Their webs cannot become clothing,

and they cannot cover themselves with their works.

Their works are sinful works,

and violent acts are in their hands.

Their feet run after evil,

and they rush to shed innocent blood.

Their thoughts are sinful thoughts;

ruin and wretchedness are in their paths.

They have not known the path of peace,

and there is no justice in their ways.

They have made their roads crooked;

no one who walks on them will know peace.

Therefore justice is far from us,

and righteousness does not reach us.

We hope for light, but there is darkness;

for brightness, but we live in the night.

We grope along a wall like the blind;

we grope like those without eyes.

We stumble at noon as though it were twilight;

we are like the dead among those who are healthy.

We all growl like bears

and moan like doves.

We hope for justice, but there is none;

for salvation, but it is far from us.

For our transgressions have multiplied before You,

and our sins testify against us.

For our transgressions are with us,

and we know our iniquities:

transgression and deception against the LORD,

turning away from following our God,

speaking oppression and revolt,

conceiving and uttering lying words from the heart.

Justice is turned back,

and righteousness stands far off.

For truth has stumbled in the public square,

and honesty cannot enter.

Truth is missing,

and whoever turns from evil is plundered.

The LORD saw that there was no justice,

and He was offended.

Today's scripture reading is from Isaiah 59:2-15 HCSB

There is nothing left for me to say other than please read the entire chapter and then pause, and think about what it says.

May The Lord have mercy upon us and wash our hearts thoroughly with His Word, creating in us a desire to please Him, more than man!

Every Once In A While!

Every now and then, I stop and think
About my life and where I am, on the brink
Of greatness or mediocrity, full of joy or sadness
Thinking about world events and all the madness
That makes no sense, has no rhyme or reason
And then I reflect, all the more this season,
Getting close to Mother's Day!
Even though mine is gone--over 20 years now,
I can't help but remember, her living and how
She kept us line, taught us morals and work ethics
Provided a basis of faith, though she sometimes wavered,
And deep in my heart, I knew I was not who she favored,
But she loved us--each and everyone--not with words,
So much, but her actions were loud and no one misunderstood,
What she meant, with hugs or with the short end of wood
Of a switch we had to choose for her to use when we foolishly
Disobeyed or created chaos and unrest in her home.
So, every once in a while, I sit and ponder, the life she made
For us--not wealthy in material things, but we learned so much more
And she find excuses not work, two jobs and we were still poor,
Materially, but spiritually we thrived and survived and two of us
Are yet here to remind each other,
About our idiosyncratic mother--may she rest in peace.
Every once in a while, give mothers their due and think about how
You can show them some love; especially if they are still here-wow
Them and if not--send some love to those up above
In the heavenlies, reminding self--nothing like a true mother's love!

Lord Jesus, help us to be mindful of our mothers--here or gone and help us to better at being a mother after Your heart, so our children and grandchildren will think about us--every once in a while!