True Beauty Comes From Within Part 2

Life itself takes on a form of beauty when you access your heart’s wellspring. You slowly begin to blossom like a rose. Your true beauty is unlocked from within. When you have learned to “Hide the WORD of GOD within your heart” it will automatically spring forth. You will perceive things differently as you embrace the Truth of God’s Word. As you grow spiritually your soul is revived as well.

You now desire to live to daily embrace the truth of God’s Word! You do not just go along with the majority in order to be accepted. You realize the value in self-discipline. You are confident in who you are, realizing that with God ” we are forever becoming…” There is always room for improvement in all of us. You really can be content in the Lord. Your desire now, is also to live each day to please the Lord. Your increasing spiritual growth comes from consistently spending time with God. Knowing His Word and then actually applying it to your own life daily has marvelous benefits.

You realize that your soul is the essence of who you really are. It is the
part of you that will live with the Lord forever; if you are a believer. God can and will give you a strong sound mind. You never have to be harsh, loud and obnoxious. But you can be strong! “When you take care of a rose properly it will bloom longer…” Just know you will quite often be misunderstood and at times persecuted. Therefore, you make it a goal to “Walk in the Light.” For you know the Lord is with you wherever you go. God can keep you on the Narrow Path. This is central at the heart of your desires. Yes, it is here where TRUE BEAUTY lies as you remain focused and connected to the Lord!

Beauty of Prayer

Prayer is a genuine vitally  important part of our life.  Here we intersect and bond with God. Our body as His Temple becomes fortified. It is a place of safety being in an intimate  up close conversation with God the Father our Creator. You can pray out loud. You can pray without even  uttering a word. Or you can simply sit, stand, kneel, lay down prone flat with outstretched arms, or even walk about while praying.

Learn to daily practice   “Praying without Ceasing” which is being in a spiritual God Centered mindset. This does not mean you are not at all oblivious to what is happening around you. It means you can pray all throughout your day as you are working and or going about your daily tasks. God is more concerned with the posture of our hearts than where we are physically whenever we pray. Make an altar upon your heart. Truly the Lord is absolutely aware of everything that is going on in, around and about us.  The Lord has an amazing way of alerting us when something is not right.  Prayer sharpens our discernment.

God knows who we are and who belongs to Him. He always leaves a remnant of His people who live for Him. When you are truly His you can expect much spiritual warfare on this side of heaven from just about everywhere. Yet, we don’t fight like the world does… Because “our weapons are not carnal…”  
Do not compromise your principles and standards to get back at others. Give them to the Lord.  This is why it is so important to get to know Christ Jesus as your personal SAVIOR! He has given us His Holy Spirit to help us 24/7. But is your choice to call upon Him.

There is an inner peace that comes from knowing who you are in Christ Jesus. Yes, you are His Child, but you are not to be childish. Nor do you have to tolerate foolishness from anyone regardless of their title or position in life. You should always seek to respond responsibly. This is actually how you become empowered! You continually seek ways to grow without conforming to the standards of this world. Yet you strive to have an interesting, fulfilling, balanced, realistic spiritual God Centered life.

The importance of having Jesus in your daily life!

Know this about Jesus. “He was born of the Virgin Mary He lived a sinless, life and was crucified, died and was buried, but he AROSE with ALL POWER!” Yes, He is alive and so is HIS WORD! It is our SPIRITUAL SWORD; and it is sharper than any two edge sword. ( not like two edged swords are used by man) GOD’S SWORD is sharper and much more powerful!   When you use it properly it cuts both ways. It always pertains to the yielded vessel as well as to the recipient. So don’t just say anything in the Name of the Lord. It is important to learn how to use His Word wisely!

Whenever a trial comes our way we must learn to stand on the Word of God.  Our Lord is a strong tower  and an AWESOME solid rock foundation!

God Will Fight Your Battles

Whenever necessary “GOD WILL FIGHT YOUR BATTLES.” Remember; “His weapons are not carnal.” You must practice praying wherever you may be. This keeps you prepared for the unexpected. Staying connected to God has its benefits. As a believer you are to daily adorn yourself within the spiritual armor of the Lord. We on the other hand also must KNOW HIM and the POWER of CHRIST JESUS through HIS WORD! For they are one and the same. We never become the power we just merely gain access as we walk in obedience.

During a battle you want to make sure your inner beauty is not suppressed. By keeping your faith and trust in the Lord it is still possible for it to shine through… This is why we meditate, pray and ask to be filled daily. As learned disciples of Christ we are to become increasingly disciplined. God has given us the precious gift of His Holy Spirit as our Comforter. He keeps us and comforts us. His Holy Spirit also is what helps us to discern what is of Him. God is true to His Word. Remember, He is also the God of comfort. We can always and forever trust Him to be God He has promised to “never leave nor forsake us!”

See Part 3

I am Thankful for my Pastor Husband; the Father of our Children!

I am truly thankful for my Husband. He has been quite wonderful. We have shared many marvelous memories. The Lord has knitted our hearts together in His Love. I daily thank & praise God’s Holy Name for HIS Everlasting Love is priceless.

A Great Father &  Wonderful Man of God!

My husband has been a marvelous father. He respectfully nurtured and engaged our children as they were growing up. We worked harmoniously together.  He has been a great role model. I am thankful that by the grace of God we raised our children in a great home environment.

Our mountaintop  experiences  far outweigh  the moments in the valley.

I can truly say; GOD has been GOOD to me all of my life! I thank Him for HE has BLESSED me/us in ways that I cannot express in words.

“GOD WILL FIGHT YOUR BATTLES”

The Lord has also brought us through much spiritual warfare. He has taught us invaluable Life Wisdom Lessons. Hold your peace because; “GOD WILL FIGHT YOUR BATTLES.” Daily He continues to grow us in HIS Grace Wisdom & Knowledge as we walk in the TRUTH of HIS WORD! We can always think of something to be thankful for. Regardless of what happens the Lord has taught us when you LOVE HIM; “ALL things work together for the GOOD!” “Where the SPIRIT of the LORD is there is LIBERTY.” II Corinthians 3

“GOD WILL take care of you!” I praise and thank the Lord for the liberty that we have found in HIM. I know that it is only by His grace that HE has instilled within us to know without doubt that HE always has our best interest at heart. “I once was young but now I am old, yet, I have never seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread.” Psalm 37

GOD has thankfully allowed us to: “GO ye therefore into the world…”

I am grateful to know that the Lord is omnipresent & I have “BLESSED ASSURANCE” knowing that everywhere I/we are HE is there. We take seriously  GOD’S “CALL” upon our lives as His Elders/ Ministers & Ambassadors. The Lord has allowed us together to see and visit much of this amazing world that was spoken into existence through JESUS CHRIST. There is still so much more to learn & see. One should be ever mindful that everywhere you are GOD is there. “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof. The world and them that dwell therein.” Psalm 24 I am thankful for the Lord allowing us to feel and experience His presence wherever we go.

We can always TRUST the LORD. HIS WORD teaches us; “BLESSED be the GOD & FATHER of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, who has BLESSED us with every SPIRITUAL BLESSING in the Heavenly places in CHRIST.” Ephesians 1 In the Lord you can discover everything that you will ever need for Life & Living & Eternal life. For this I am eternally thankful. We have learned that “true beauty comes from within.

~ Personal Tribute ~

Give honor where honor is due. I thank the Lord for the many gifts & talents that He has given to my husband/Pastor the father of our children. (As well as the many gifts that are inclusive of our family at large.) He has been and outstanding husband & father as well as a compassionate friend. Loving, strong, patient, firm, protective, at times unyielding and yet kind with our children. We together share a  loving symbiotic union.

He as an Elder can preach, proclaim, teach  and diligently stand upon the Word of God. He is unique in his delivery. Yet, he also embraces what he speaks and teaches. He is cognizant of the responsibility to reach those he is speaking to as he spiritually feeds and ministers to them the Word of God. He patiently, emotionally  and aggressively  is mindful to leave them with a desire to want to know more about the Lord as  the Holy Spirit  ministers to their souls.

A Marvelously skilled Master Minister of Music

To the glory of God  he has seriously and  patiently directed and ministered to many choirs.  He has taught them the importance of  “harmonic blending”   to the degree you can hear a melodic ring when the harmony is on point.  Whenever they learn a song they know who and what they are singing about.  This is not for show but to put forth an effort to always  magnify our Lord in a grand way.  For God deserves our best. And He always deserves our sincere praise!

It is  his God given  gift to skillfully play any genre of music from Gospel to Classical Jazz and make the plethora of crafted key boards dance their own melodic tune. He is not at all boastful about His God given talent. His goal has always been to “GLORIFY our LORD!”

“THE TRUTH WILL SET YOU FREE!”

“Your Gift will make room for you…” Proverbs 18 ~

He has also excelled in the world of technology.  As an astute business man he has been an overseer and managed and mentored and trained many professional project managers within the corporate world.  No doubt he is indeed a natural born leader.  His innate temperament is extraordinary, flexible and resilient.  This has enabled him to be  able to relate to a plethora of cultures, ages and diverse personalities. This is true if you are saved or unsaved. He can engage one on one or to a multitude on a multiplicity of spiritual and intellectual levels. But most important, he is a humble yet very strong Man of God. He can steadfastly exegete, teach, proclaim, expound, rebuke  and stand upon GOD’S WORD without compromise. He has indeed accomplished much to make this world a better place to live in for many.

He is the Love of My life!

Together we daily welcome the presence of the Lord within our home and our lives. Our children are now adults. They are now establishing their own homes. Our love continues to grow and flourish. We do not take the Lord for granted. Nor do we take one another for granted. We are thankful for the spiritual “ONESSNESS” we have been given in the Lord!  As the WORD says; “PRAISE GOD from whom all BLESSINGS FLOW…” THANK YOU LORD!

Life is so much more precious when you share it with someone you are on one accord with. In a consecrated  covenant marriage you love, respect, admire, enjoy & trust one another without question. Precious endless memories abound. Yet, life is full of mountain top and valley experiences. Henceforth we have together learned to major in its joys and minor in its sorrows. To soar and trust God in sickness and in health and the valley or upon the mountaintops.

TRULY GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME!

So thankful to  the LORD for there has certainly been much less times in the valley…  There has been numerous mountain top experiences that we will forever cherish.  We are thankful for the life we  have in the Lord.  I THANK the LORD for teaching us how to work together to bring up our children in a home of love, patience, understanding & peace.  Marriage should be unity in action.  To also work together in ministry and business. The Lord’s presence is evident for; “Where two or three are gathered together in my name I am in the midst…” Matthew 18

“I always say: ” I LIVE BEFORE AN AUDIENCE OF ONE!”

WHAT GOD KNOWS ABOUT US IS WHAT MATTERS MOST!

WHEN YOU TRULY LIVE FOR THE LORD; YOUR REPUTATION IS ALWAYS SAFE WITH HIM! FOR THERE IS NOTHING EVER HIDDEN TO HIM!

Together we have experienced “PERFECTION in the LORD” which simply means to be COMPLETE in HIM. We are forever growing in HIS grace as long as HE has us on this side of Heaven.  The beauty about GOD is HE KNOWS EXACTLY where you are coming from. For in times likes these we need A SAVIOR! I can not imagine life without our LORD to HIM we give the GLORY!

Life with GOD is precious!  CHRIST JESUS IS OUR BEST WITNESS

I believe that each & every day is a precious GIFT from the Lord. Know HIS WORD for yourself because; ALL HIS WORD IS TRUE! What is so precious about the Lord is “He is not a respecter of persons…” James 2 Take delight in the Lord be patient because in HIS time, “HE will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37 That are in HIS WILL for you…

The Lord is always there to help us. We in turn need to just reach out, submit and trust HIM! For: “I will look to the hills from which comes my HELP. My HELP comes from the LORD. “ Psalm 121 I am thankful of the Lord’s presence in our lives. He is our Rock, Refuge and strong foundation.

We are to be “As wise as a serpent, yet as harmless as a dove.” Matthew 10

Always keep in mind GOD knows our thoughts motives and intentions. So don’t allow bitterness or regrets to take root.  Time is too precious and you do not want to waste a lot of it in regrets.  Learn to be content knowing that GOD is omniscient. Take some time daily to draw closer to the LORD for HE WILL teach you how to “guard your heart” with diligence. Psalm 3

In closing I suggest;

Women respect your husbands. Husbands respect your wives. Love one another fervently. Single men & women seek the Lord’s direction if you desire a spouse. Hide the Word of God daily within your hearts. You must learn to give up “Me”ness for “We”ness! A great marriage is possible but it takes, love,  dedication, discipline, faithfulness, longsuffering, prayer, sacrifice, unselfishness, work & responsibility. Furthermore marriage is about mutual team work apart or together. Therefore, be willing to give and give in love. Don’t take one another for granted. Learn to be thankful for the time you share with one another.  Embrace Love!

Your marriage should be a reflection of Your LOVE for GOD!

Truly the LORD is my/our  Forever Good Shepherd. We are living in an ever changing world that continues to move further and further away from God’s principles. Know this; Marriage God’s Way Works! Keep God as the Center of your marriage.  Marriage in the eyes of GOd is; “HOLY MATRIMONY!” There are those who will do and say just about anything…  Yes, some will try to undermine your integrity. Do not fear or be discouraged, instead TRUST GOD, for HE WILL; “lead you in the Path of Righteousness for HIS Namesake…” Psalm 23 Honor God in your marriage, in your daily life and within your home. PRAY for DISCERNMENT! Stay connected to GOD & “PRAY without ceasing” all throughout your day.

TRULY GOD IS FAITHFUL! THANK YOU LORD for my Pastor husband the father of our Children. I Love You through ETERNITY. ~ Today & everyday; HAPPY FATHER’S DAY! ~

Spiritual Strength & Conditioning

Spiritual Strength & Conditioning

Did you know that many universities and colleges employ a strength and conditioning coach to train their athletes? Their responsibilities include program design, teaching exercises, performance testing, teaching proper weight lifting techniques among various other duties. They rigorously train and strive to abet an environment that is conducive to helping them reach their optimum functioning capacity. There is much thought time and preparation exerted in order to prepare their athletes. They support and recognize the need for effective training. A proper nutritious diet is encouraged as well. When properly grasped the acquired skills are useful to strengthen and enhance one’s day to day life when implemented, as well as their overall playing ability.

Did you know that the Bible refers to life as a race? But this race is not about speed, it is about endurance! Conditioning is an integral aspect of training for a professional athlete. Stretching and toning exercises are employed to strengthen the body in addition to physical exercises and weight lifting. Flexibility, strength and endurance are all apparent components when one subscribes to a disciplined exercise program. In addition a partner is used for resistance in order to further enhance one’s ability to become agile.

 

The importance of implementing a daily proper nutrition program is essential. Balance is the key. Knowing when, how much, how little and where to apply the acquired skills are crucial. But the main concept and principles should never be abandoned in order to reach your desired goal.

One must always keep in mind that the main purpose is first and foremost. The purpose is to develop a healthy strong body constitution. This will ultimately factor greatly in one’s overall success and endurance ability. The long term goal is that it all eventually in due course becomes a natural process incorporated into one’s daily life. In this respect their goal is not at all different from what God wants for us. Developing a strong body constitution is just what He wants. Perhaps if we kept uppermost in mind who the Body really belongs to we would handle things quite differently? Perhaps the long term goal would be embraced rather than the temporary “quick fix” method? We must remember that endurance and embracing Truth is the key!

 

The Bible is adamant on its position that the “Church” is the “Body of Christ”. It is crystal clear telling us how important it is to be mindful of the things we say or do. How we live day to day, regardless of where we work, live, play or attend worship service. Daily personal Bible study and its application are important for spiritual conditioning. When Bible study at church is used to further strengthen one’s spiritual life it is most effective. However, all too often it is used to condition one to think the way of the one teaching. The Holy Spirit is our ultimate Teacher. The Word of God vociferously tells us the importance of embracing and implementing God’s principles to our daily life. Life is a race to be lived that has already been won by Jesus Christ! Did you know it actually tells us to do whatever it is that we do as we “do it unto the Lord?”

 

The wonderful thing about God is that He is Omnipotent; meaning He only is all power! It is through Jesus Christ who is the Word of God that He spoke every thing into existence. There is no power, authority nor principalities on earth or in heaven that are greater. Now that is heavy! Yet, God still gives us the freedom to choose. He has given us countless examples and statistics of possible choices inclusive of results and consequences. The Bible is concise and the Holy Spirit illuminates brilliantly the pitfalls and possible detours when one chooses to operate in their own strength. Proper spiritual conditioning is key for endurance.

 

How you choose to embrace, daily adopt or overlook God’s principles will determine your overall spiritual strength and endurance. The employments of the Fruit of His Spirit are the nutrients necessary to digest the “Spiritual Food” that is necessary for this life journey. Discipline is key! Proverbs 25:18 tell us that “like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.” If you want a conditioning coach that is readily available 24/7 I highly recommend Jesus!

I recommend that you really get to know Him through His Word and begin implementing the principles therein. Galatians tell us that the Fruit of the Spirit are; “Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control.” It goes on to say if you belong to Jesus Christ you have “crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.” If you read further it tells us not to give up! You have as much time as you need to do the things that God has prepared for you to do. It really is not about how things appear. Endurance is the key! Knowing God intimately is the key! Knowing that there is freedom in Christ is key. Jesus died to set us free. Sin brings bondage. He does not want you burdened by a yoke of slavery. “His yoke is easy and His burdens are light.” Not obeying the Truth will side track your ability to run gracefully? It will impede your progress.

 

God has given gifts to the Body of Christ to facilitate and augment its growth. It is His desire for us to grow and mature. Spiritual conditioning is key! He does not want you “tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.” Scheme they will. Just know that this in no way impresses God. Know that in His time He will right every wrong. So I say, “Hallelujah anyhow!”

 

You can rest in knowing that God knows what is really going on, and also knows the Truth! Nothing gets by Him! “So, we can say with confidence, The Lord is my Helper; I will not be afraid!” Hebrews 13: 6. Know the Word of God for yourself! God is a God of Light! When you speak the Truth in love there is power! But first you must really know what Love is? Are you patient? Are you kind? Do you not envy? Do you not boast? Are you proud? Are you rude? Do you want your own way? Of course you do not get angry easily? Nor do you keep records of wrongs? Did you know that love rejoices in Truth? 

 

 “Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control.”  It goes on to say if you belong to Jesus Christ you have “crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.” If you read further it tells us not to give up! You have as much time as you need to do the things that God has prepared for you to do. It really is not about how things appear. Endurance is the key! Knowing God intimately is the key! Knowing that there is freedom in Christ is key. Jesus died to set us free. Sin brings bondage. He does not want you burdened by a yoke of slavery. “His yoke is easy and His burdens are light.” Not obeying the Truth will side track your ability to run gracefully? It will impede your progress.

 

God has given gifts to the Body of Christ to facilitate and augment its growth. It is His desire for us to grow and mature. Spiritual conditioning is key!

 

Think hard and long before you say or use the word LOVE so loosely? God knows because He is TRUTH and He is LOVE! It is what He knows and thinks that is most important. It should be a daily prayer that God fill you with ” The knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way; bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, be strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of Light.. For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

 

Remember that conditioning I talked about earlier? God’s Word is so powerful! Remember God’s Word says that “everything was spoken into existence through Jesus Christ”! God has a predestined plan for each of His children. The race is given to who? Do you really know what LOVE means? Do you know the difference between tolerance and patience? Be honest with yourself! Or just ask someone who really knows you, not someone you are trying to impress or you just see at the Church meeting? Or how about asking that partner that helps to test your resistance? Do you “Yield not to Temptation?” Did you know that God is the ultimate burden bearer?

 

Did you know that it is through Christ’s birth,  SINLESS Life, death and resurrection we can be reconciled and presented Holy in His sight? It cancelled the code that was against us. God is awesome! Jesus really does have a better way. The Body of Christ really does belong to Him. The Church is His Bride! Colossians says “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the LORD CHRIST you are serving. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.”

 

“We walk by faith not by sight” To successfully run this spiritual race you must keep the faith! When your hope and trust are in the Lord you are on solid ground. He will level your path and make sure you are on the right path. He will prune away all that is necessary to make your path straight! Watch out for the wide road! Remember, “Small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it!” Matthew 7:14.

 

When your spiritual diet consists of the fruit of His Spirit and you daily digest His Word you are on your way. It will keep you balanced. Learn to be patient. When you allow Jesus to be your strength and conditioning coach you can definitely endure! You won’t sweat the small stuff! The Holy Spirit will illuminate your path. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles us, and let us run with perseverance the race marked before us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfector of our faith who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

 

God is GOOD! Daily mediate upon His Word! James says “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest in righteousness.” Consider it pure joy brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance……………… Is Jesus your strength and conditioning coach? Then you can definitely endure! In this spiritual race our prize is guaranteed . To God be the Glory!

PAINT ON THE CANVAS

PAINT ON THE CANVAS 

God not only knows the very hairs that are on our heads. He determines how long we inhabit the earth. He is the ultimate Master Creator and Designer who weaves everything together in His magnificent canvas of life. When we grow in His grace, truth and knowledge He gives us the ability to spiritually discern. Spiritual discernment lights the foreground of our canvas as we venture out in life.

Quite often many adapt to the world and employ its principles for traveling   through this valley of the shadow of death. However, it is GOD’S wisdom that ultimately grooms our being. As children of Light our life’s canvas commences to reflect the light of His presence whenever we embrace HIS principles within our daily lives. Personality traits that are in general socially acceptable tend to make us conform in order to be accepted. God has created each of us as individuals with varying temperaments & personality traits. Personality is used in typical dictionary definition to distinguish behavioral, emotional and attitudinal tendencies, character traits and habits. It is by these traits that one is uniquely recognized. We as people are fundamentally a complex integration of physical and non-physical dimensions and attributes.

The spiritual facet of us should reflect the God like qualities within our nature. Interpersonal dynamics and environmental influences are primary, but not exclusive to developmental determinants of our personalities. As human beings we are living, learning and growing organisms. When parents have properly nourished us by providing sufficient freedom and are generous in positive reinforcement, children will achieve a sense of personal autonomy. On the other hand if parents have modeled much faulty behavior themselves, were too overprotective, demanding, too permissive or critical, children will learn to have doubts about themselves. They will become harnessed with feelings of shame. In God’s eyes we are all ageless children. His Holy Spirit’s presence in one’s life is able to override any inappropriate learning experiences which we all have to a certain degree. God who is the ultimate Sovereign Creator can paint new life onto our life’s canvas. There is miraculous cleansing & healing POWER in the BLOOD of JESUS CHRIST! HIS Holy Spirit HIS Comforter works within believers to give us a new nature.

When I studied “Art Appreciation” in school I acquired a respect for the various art forms. When I saw an original Picasso Abstract, my first reaction was “I don’t like it. After studying Picasso’s work I learned he was able to paint with a childlike simplicity. He was able to go inside, vicariously share and interpret on canvas the depth of his feelings. From an exterior posture for one to understand his work, a surface summation would not properly render what he was trying to relay. Despite the possibility of no one understanding he did not allow that to hinder His work. Whether he was aware of it or not He was given a God-given talent. It was largely after his death that the world really began to appreciate and understand his unique gift.

Our life can be quite like an abstract painting. Especially by those who really don’t know us. People usually fear what they don’t understand, or tend to label it negatively. Webster defines Abstract as; difficult to understand. Insufficiently factual. Expressing a quality considered apart from an object. Impersonal having only a generalized form with little or no attempt at precise representation. Quite often as Christians we too must risk being misunderstood. We must learn to tenaciously pursue our God given talent(s) with a steadfast devotion.

Each day that passes what we say and do and how we respond paints an array of events on our personal canvas of life. Much of our life’s paint is applied erroneously when we wander aimlessly about. When we stray from the narrow path that God has designed. God’s world is awesomely vast. A marvelous abstract spiritual venture awaits those who are obedient. Faith and Trust in Him are required companions that confidently paint the unseen path before us! It is easy to deter from our course because God allows us so much freedom. He has given us the power to choose. Other wise each individual canvas would yield a duplicate reproduction!

But once we really discover that life has purpose the strokes on our life’s canvas should be guided by our Creator. There is nothing in our life that has transpired that we can unpaint. When we find ourselves somewhere we don’t want to be or saying or doing something we don’t want to do what do we do? Do we continue to allow pride to lead us anyway? No, it will only lead us somewhere we don’t really want to go.

The hues of pride darken the spiritual path. It keeps the light of our direction deep in the background. So do we just waste precious time and continue to stumble around? Do we employ passages of scriptures to justify our sometimes wrong position? Do we erroneously mislead and gather others to support us in our wrong position? Ask yourself, do you hear a faint unspoken voice beckoning you to change your direction? Although painful, it is far better to move towards the Light. God knows your true motives. Do you know it is more important what God knows rather than what people think!

God our Creator knows all of our faults, shortcomings, misunderstandings and insecurities. His arms are wide open. But too often, pride, guilt and shame keeps us at His arm distance. It keeps us in the dark away from His marvelous Light! Too often we just don’t want to admit that we are possibly wrong or were wrong to ourselves especially not someone else! We are so reluctant to tint our canvas with the magnificent brilliance of humility! We would rather allow pride to paint our canvas and take us to a place that we will eventually dread!

If you are at a point in your life you don’t want to be, or if your life seems to be headed in a direction of uncertainty; If you have done something or said something you should not have (and we do from time to time) seek God’s direction. Really dedicate some time to being still and sincerely do some deep soul searching. Have your self a Gethsemane experience. Get quiet enough so you can actually hear what God is saying. Now that you have gotten His attention. Sincerely render to Him what is on your mind and in your heart. Remember He knows anyway. Once you have lightened your load. Ask Him for direction. Admit and repent (not repeat) of anything that is hindering your spiritual path.

Allow God’s yoke to be spiritually connected to lighten your burdens. I assure you He will direct you! Just know it may not be in a direction you want to go. You may just have to apply some humility to your life’s canvas. Humility can harness anger and impulsive rage will have to flee! Instead each painful step in His direction will be accompanied by His unexplainable peace! Did you know that when we are at our weakest point it gives God the opportunity to create a great work in us? Proceed cautiously knowing that anger and pride wants to darken disobedience. They only want to suppress and cover up the Light that wants to shine on your life’s canvas!

Once we humbly admit to God we are wrong, a flood of Light appears. It opens the door for the cleansing power of His Word to wash us thoroughly. God in His infinite wisdom is totally aware of the minutest speck of sin on each of our individual canvases. “All of us have sinned and fallen short of His glory”. But this does not give us the right to continue in sin. Christ did not die for us to be slaves to any sin in our lives. He even told us except we become as children we will not enter into His kingdom! He is the only Sovereign Master Designer! He can make each stroke of circumstances whatever they may be; mold and shape us into a vessel of beauty and honor in His sight. Commence to allow His Holy Spirit to guide you as you paint your personal canvas. Our life truly is “A work of art in progress.”