settingatthepoolofgrace

They were among the elite of their time, they were respected among men, and most were endowed with riches. When they spoke the people listened, it was hard for them to understand why this new man in town carried so much weight with the people; He was a common man after all, but the people loved Him. Everywhere He went large crowds would gather to hear Him speak, His words like fresh dew falling on their ears.

What was He telling them to cause their hearts to beat with joy, sing a new song, and desire to follow Him? After all He was just a simple man; there was nothing special about His appearance, He had no riches or dwelling place. What did they see in Him was the question on the minds of the Leaders. They needed to know, “who is this man?” As He was eating in the house of one with a low reputation they had to ask the question.

Why does your master eat with sinners? It was just a meal, but; it changed many hearts. How many of us today think about sharing a meal? Mealtime is when we come together with family and friends to enjoy each other as we partake of the blessing bestowed upon us by our Heavenly Father, talk about the days events and sometimes plan for the next day. How often do we think about feeding that homeless man we pass on our way to work?

The elderly lady who lives alone two doors down our street or invite the single mother with all those kids we talk about to share our bounty at Thanksgiving, so often we say ” it must be hard to feed all those mouths”. Many of us have an abundance, yet; we fail to share even a little with the less fortunate. Many of us think what we have is to small to share, then there are those whos hearts are so full they share wither what they have is abundant or meager.

The simplest thing can often make the greatest impression, touch the heart or save a life. We all experience problems that come with life, they may differ, but; they effect us in the same ways. Anxiety, confusion, doubt, loneliness and fear. What would it cost to make a sandwich for that homeless man? Invite the elderly neighbor to our home or go visit her or help the struggling single mom feed her children?

It’s just a meal, but ; it could change a heart, heal a hurt, and give hope to those without or who have lost hope. Though life challenges us, we must learn to share each others burdens, after all we are brothers and sisters having the same Father; The Eternal One who loves us all unconditionally.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace.

I’m borrowing a phrase I heard recently, ” every saint has a past and every sinner has a future”. For many of us the struggle is very real, no matter how hard we try we just can’t seem to get it right; the journey is filled with obstacles, is tedious, and sometimes mind boggling, we fall many times in our life journey.

We find it so do hard to do what is right, but; so easy to do what is deemed wrong. We work hard each day and the pay check still doesn’t pay the bills or maintain our family needs. Trouble seems to be our middle name, one we wish we had the control to change. You may say I do have the control, yet; you are forgetting there are external forces at play which contribute to our struggles.

Over these outside entities we have no control, however; they affect our journey. It is written “through wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established, by knowledge the rooms are filled with precious and pleasant riches,” but; there is a process to the journey. It will take fortitude, faith and sometimes physical strength as we continue to walk.

There will be times we will surely fall, we must get back up; only if we fail to get up will we be defeated. It is written ” a righteous man may fall seven times and rise again, but the wicked shall fall by calamity”. Yes the struggle is real but where there is struggle there is life. If there is no struggle we are complacent with the sin in our lives, the struggle indicates we are fighting to cast off the old man of sin and embrace the new man created by Jesus the Christ.

When we fall, as I’m sure we will; we must not become discouraged. We have an advocate with the Father who pleads for us, is willing to forgive us when we repent of our sins and will restore us. We must remember “every way of man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart”. Although the struggle is real we can trust our Father to have compassion and unfailing love for us.

The struggle indicates we are fighting against the influence of the arch enemy who controls this world. Jesus was sent by the Father that we could be fully prepared in our battle against such a mighty enemy. Only in Jesus will we overcome our struggles and be reunited to the Father and the Son. He who follows righteousness and mercy finds life, honor, and righteousness.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace.

It takes a special type of person to reflect the complexities of life making them entertaining. To have the ability to make you laugh, when you want to cry; forgetting your whole world is crumbling around you. That’s the quality, the magic the entertainer possesses. Most of our lives are a continuous cycle of working, paying bills, taking care of our families and just trying to make it through the day.

This routine becomes monotonous,we search for ways to escape our mondaine lives. A night on the town, a movie or play, or just some much needed quiet time away from the children. The question becomes “what should we do to entertain ourselves”? What is brought to remembrance is “a mind is a terrible thing to waste”, what we feed on will eventually take root in our lives; guarding our thoughts, eyes, and ears is very important.

When the desire to escape our lives arises we must be mindful of the avenues we choose to walk, we have been forewarned; “as a man thinketh in his heart,so he is”, “if a man walk in darkness he stumbles, and “what you feed will grow while what you starve will die”. On a daily bases these things seldom enter our thought patterns, we are so busy trying to survive the day. We must retrain ourselves to be intentional, to allow light to penetrate every facet of our lives; where there is light no darkness can dwell.

We have an enemy, an entertainer of sort; who will use anything to distract, deter, detain, and ultimately destroy our lives. His dwelling place is darkness, his desire is our company there, and once we make the choice to visit; he does all he can to make us feel comfortable. The table is spread with all the delicacies he offers; sexual depravity, alcoholic beverages, drugs of all types, hate, greed, fame and gluttony. He knows for some enough is never enough, they always want more.

We see him on the television, internet, in books, music and even in our conversations with each other; he is there lurking trying to remain undetected. We can see the importance of protecting the mind, eyes and ears from the entertainer. When the urge to escape looms over you like a warm blanket, fortify yourself by asking the Light bearer to Create in you a clean heart and renew in you the right Spirit.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace.

Syfy, a genre of books and movies that deal with the impossible made possible; the what if factor. How many of you would like or consider going back in time? Where would you go? What life event would you want to witness? I know this is all circumstantial, but; humor me. I’m sure some would like to witness the birth of Christ, the Crucifixion, or the Resurrection.

All of these are amazing events in history. There would be some who might want to just go back a few days or months, make right a situation they wish they could change; no more guilt or regret for words spoken in anger. Many of us wish we could do that, but; once said there is no taking it back. We often forget words have the power to hurt or to heal.

This is a experiment in what if’s, would you be a time traveler was the question? After careful thought my answer is yes. There are so many spectacular events in this world to be up front and center to view. The birth of nature, the very first star to grace the heavens, the first sunrise or moon rising, the first blade of grass or flower.

My greatest pleasure would be to see the special child , given by the greatest love to a world gone astray. Time travel is a fantasy, but; the gift of God’s love for man was a real event. The fall of Lucifer from the glory of heaven was a real event with eternal consequence’s. Satan is the proverbial time traveler, from century to century he has created havoc in the world.

In our world he continues to fan the fires of hate, greed, injustice and division. Throughout history satan has left his stain on every generation. We are not living in a imaginary story, our antagonist is a deadly foe; he is real and very present. As in times past his goal is to destroy all he can, he knows the hidden darkness of our hearts, weaknesses, and fears. How do we combat his attacks?

Who is the hero in our story? Where can we find help? Fear not, help took flight on a star and walked upon the same soil on which we tread. As in times past He too speaks hope to the souls of men, invades the dark with the light of truth, and brings freedom to the captive. Generation to generation His story of love spread from heart to heart erasing the hate, greed, and division in the hearts it touches.

The time traveler loses his power where love lives. The story is far from over, it’s ending has been written in the stars; until then we must continually walk in the light of truth, His word is truth. Soon the end will come, the time traveler will travel no more; the victory will belong to all who believes in Loves sacrifice.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace.

If you are a sportsman or know someone who is, this saying is one you may have heard before, sometimes it is said as “in the blind”. However, they both amount to the same thing, disguising yourself from your prey. When hunting for ducks the hunter hides in the bushes and uses a duck call to attract the ducks hoping for a good shot as they fly past him. In some cases it is very important to be as still and quiet as possible when hunting wild game, such as deer; the slightest movement can be detected and your shot for victory is lost.

Sometimes “in the weeds” is used to describe a circumstance, short on finances or caught in a compromising situation. Life is filled with possibilities, not all of them lead to a positive outcome; there will be times you find yourself “in the weeds”. Preparation is the key to success in any venture you embark upon. Being prepared for the unexpected circumstances aide in accomplishing your goal. Recognizing the obstacles that hinder you is very important, you need clarity of mind and vision.

In this game of life, you are the prey; everyday the enemy is hiding in the weeds to capture you. He sits quietly in the back ground waiting to entrap you. He calls to you with the things he hopes will lead you into his world of destruction. Where hate is present; he intensifies it, he will infect you with greed and selfishness, and he will cause confusion in your mind. What is wrong will seem to be right and what is right will appear to be wrong. It’s imperative your defense is in tact. The question is how do you fortify your defenses? Where do you find clarity?

The answer is sitting on the bookshelf most likely gathering dust, it’s basic instruction before leaving earth; the Bible. It’s pages are filled with ways to identify the pitfalls of the enemy, examples of those who over came his temptations and their source of strength and clarity; the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. Through Him you do’t ever have to worry about who’s “in the weeds”, He has conquered this world; the enemy has lost the war. He came, died, and rose again that you could be a conqueror over the enemy. It’s all in the book, READ THE BIBLE.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace.

I’d like to tell you a story from my imagination, once upon a time; we all know that’s how stories begin, there was a young girl in search of success. Her dream was to be a famous play-writ,this dream lead her to a place called”Tinsel Town” where she met a up and coming actor. A great friendship developed between the two, she trusted him enough to share her dream; something she had never done before with anyone.

Her little notebook was kept close to her heart, but he had won her heart and she gave freely to him her hopes and dreams written in it’s pages. Time can change ones prospective, making a living took her in a different direction; dream deferred. After many years she saw her old friend again, only this time to her surprise he was her employer; now he was the talk of the town. His name was on everyone’s lips. As she was completing a task given her she began to recognize pieces of herself.

Notations of her life, she had found his secret; she had contributed to his success. He was a collector of dreams, only; they were other peoples dreams. There is another collector of dreams on the prowl, his desires are more sinister; he not only wants your dreams but your soul also. He dangles the carrot of success in your face hoping someone, anyone will reach for it. He dangles money hoping your hands will become addicted to the feel. Last but not least he hopes the Adrenalin rush you get from power over another will take control of you.

Most will not realize they’ve fallen for his trap until the door is closed and locked. The longer they linger in his darkness the stronger it’s grasp becomes, the harder to escape. They become so obsessed by fame, money, and power they have no desire to escape. For others the light given by the Dream Giver will resonate brighter and brighter as they draw closer to it’s fulfillment. Their patience and determination will lead to success without bondage. The love that dwells in the light will touch all it comes in contact with drawing them to the Light Giver.

The spark that became the dream was placed in the heart by it’s creator, a precious gift given by the hand of God. The dream collector will do whatever he can to cancel the dream God placed in the hearts of those who choose to love and trust in Him. Remember the Lord your God for it is He who gives you the ability to produce wealth, so guard your dreams, keep walking in the light, and always trust your Father knows whats best for you. Dreams deferred can open the door to the collector of dreams.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace.

Why are you so angry? Is it because you brought into the lie? Or is it because the lie can no longer be denied?  We’ve done it this way for generations, why should we stop now?  These are the words that fall from your lips because authority over others is your power trip.  Don’t talk back or ask why just do what I said, walk that line.  I hold the power, I hold the gun; don’t obey me and you are done. Resting in peace by the setting sun.

This doesn’t apply to all, that’s plain to see; some get the royal treatment even though they have done wrong, just not me. I’m a crime the moment I’m seen, is it because they are White and I’m Black? Stay in the sun long enough it will change that fact.  Is it really all about skin?  Is there something deep within that has caused the blindness that keeps you in the dark?  When all you see is Black or Brown you rage in like a bull, resulting in red flowing in the street; the people crying “no justice, no peace”.

We are all so angry, you for one reason; me for another.  We are all on the road to destruction by hating each other.  A new day is on the horizon where peace can abound when we go back to the Christian principles on which this nation was founded.  The men may have been flawed that put pen to page, but; the words they penned were guided by God’s own hands.  They declared for all to see that God created both you and me.  Equal He made us and equal we should be, you decided you were better.

That was the lie planted by Satan in your mind, he has orchestrated the hate between men far to long, time to send him to hell where he belongs.  Look in the mirror, face the real truth about the face that looks back at you.  Love is colorless, it’s the same for all; as displayed by God as he hung on the cross.  We are all His handy work, only He can restore; turn us from the hate within, so we can fall in love with Him again.  When love is present hate disappears, peace is achieved and all men can be what God created them to be.

No Big I’s no little U’s , just us; walking hand in hand into God’s promised land. Together as one people of God, a rainbow of diversity making the world a better place for all.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace.

Can someone help me understand why I hear so many people say “make this country great again”.  The same voices that cry out find honor in injustice and hate, mistreatment of those not like them.  Where is the greatness on which they stand, history teaches they stole this land.  They came under the disguise of peace, the inhabitants found that was not true; violence against them shortly ensued.

The blood of natives watered the land from the colonizers hands.  From generation to generation those in power fed their greed by the sweat and blood of enslaved men. Please tell me what was great back then, so much pain, suffering and tears.  Christians they said they were, but their actions seem to be so different from those of the Christ they proclaimed to follow.

The world is in pain from the evil that reigns, love is being strangled and hearts grow cold.  Death comes knocking at the door, is there anyplace that is safe anymore.  Not in church, not in school; there appears to be no more golden rule.  Those in power do as they please with no regard for you or me.  I think it’s time for change, let all men be treated the same.

Let the bell of opportunity ring that every man may be free, the statue of Liberty stands tall representing the freedom from bondage for all.  Rich or poor, Black or White, short or tall; God created them all.  In His likeness Created He them, it’s time for man to walk in the light; find his way back to doing whats right.  Stop the injustice, oppression of the poor, self gratification, and greed; open their hands to those in need.

Seek God’s face to erase the hate, receive a new heart and make a new start.  The Christ came to seek and save the lost, to release them from the evil by which they are chained; to help the least of them and touch the untouchable. Find your way back to Him and learn how to love again.  Love will replace the hate and every man will find his place in a world made new, love will reign between me and you.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace.

How many of you have ever played the game, follow the leader?  Whatever the designated leader said or did;  it was your obligation to repeat.  Sometimes the leader would tell you to do something that was distasteful, when I was growing up it would be; kiss that boy.  That would always cause me to be out of the game, kissing a boy was the last thing I wanted to do at that time in my life.

Now I would like you to think about all the ways we play that game in our everyday lives as adults.  Each one of us thinks he or she has control of their own lives, never considering all the external forces that impact what we do or say; we follow the leader.  The leader could be our employer, we know decisions we make when given a directive from the boss impacts or lives in many ways if we don’t follow orders. The same applies to  those who are students, under the doctors care and those who are in government.

There comes a time when we must decide if following the leader is beneficial or detrimental to our well being.  Is what we are asked to do the right thing?  How will it affect our lives?  Are we willing to do anything to stay in the good graces of those who ask?  Let’s examine ourselves, how often do we really think about these questions before we follow the leader?  What are we willing to lose if we do what is right?

How can we know the type of spirit we are following, whether it is for good or bad.  The answer is found in the gift of discernment, Our Heavenly Father has given us a tool to see through the mist of confusion.  When we can see clearly, making the right choice is plain.  When we choose to do what is right no matter the consequences, we glorify our God with our actions.  These decisions won’t be easy for some to make, they are chained by greed and power.

Their selfishness keeps them following the wrong leader.  Power and greed are hard task masters, they require us to forsake good moral character for the enrichment of self.  We adopt the essence of the destroyer, I should be worshiped; even as God is worshiped. We become our own gods.  I’m sure you can recognize as I have, how important following the leader can be; especially if you are following the wrong one.  In today’s climate we are all facing the decision,”who will I follow”?

The blinders are off, nothing is hiding in the dark; the face of darkness has stepped into the light.  Evil is openly raging, it is no longer throwing the rock and hiding it’s hands. It has put before us the most important question we may ever have to answer, “will you follow me”?  “If you choose not to follow me, what are you willing to lose”?  For those who choose not to follow evil, remember the greatest force in the universe is LOVE. There will be a battle, evil will not go silently into eternal night.

Our hope and strength is in the light of the Father and the Son, choose wisely who you will follow, then be prepared for the consequences.

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace.

I heard it said “right now is intimidating, but; it is not debilitating”,  what we are experiencing in our world today shakes us to our core; the headlines feed our fears with each new day.  The evil that lives in the hearts of some people causes hurt and even death to others.  How do we take the liberty to destroy what belongs to the Creator? Only he who created life has THE AUTHORITY to reclaim it.

Our world is so saturated with hate it seems LOVE has lost it’s power, however; love can cast out fear and light can illuminate the darkness of hate.  It’s time for prayer, prayer is the weapon when used properly changes hearts and circumstances; the pray of a righteous man availeth much for there is power in prayer.  I’ve heard it said”little prayer, little power and much prayer, much power”.

There must be a love relationship between those who pray and their Creator, we who call on his help through prayer must believe that he is, that he will answer in accordance with his will and we must be accepting of that will.  He has promised never to leave or forsake those who put their trust in him.  As our world continues to grow cold we must draw closer to our Creator, his Holy Spirit and his love.

Allowing his love  to ignite our hearts to plead in prayer for a dying world.  Prayer is the key that unlocks Heavens storehouse that blessings can fall.  We who believe must stand in the gap for our world; it’s time for pray, to lift up our voices collectively to the Only One who can restore, transform, and change hearts of stone to hearts of flesh. Evil will continue to thrive if we who know the power of prayer remain silent as our world collapses around us.

This is a call to arms for every child of the Most High God; in every city, every town, every hamlet and metropolis; sister and brothers everywhere, IT’S TIME FOR PRAYER

My revelation as I sit by the pool of grace