Keep It Moving

I slipped up in my walk this week. It was birthday week and I slipped up. I usually study everyday and I allowed the excitement from my Birthday to detour me from who I am really to thank for such an occasion. I feel embarrassed. My week, in which i anticipated would be wonderful turned out to be a reality check. God knows how to get you back on track!

It is way too easy to get side tracked. At least for me it is. I figure after really sitting back I have to make a effort to keep going with my routine. God has really blessed me over the past few months. He's really blessed since I started this blog, the last thing I wanna do is anything that equals "blessing blocking".

Many times we become like David and become comfortable in our position and take for granted the power God has given us.

2 Samuel 11:
^{14 -15} In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab and sent it with Uriah. In the letter he wrote, "Put Uriah in the front lines where the fighting is the fiercest. Then pull back and leave him exposed so that he's sure to be killed."

^{16 -17} So Joab, holding the city under siege, put Uriah in a place where he knew there were fierce enemy fighters. When the city's defenders came out to fight Joab, some of David's soldiers were killed, including Uriah the Hittite.

^{18 -21} Joab sent David a full report on the battle. He instructed the messenger, "After you have given to the king a detailed report on the battle, if he flares in anger, say, 'And by the way, your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead.'"

^{22 -24} Joab's messenger arrived in Jerusalem and gave the king a full report. He said, "The enemy was too much for us. They advanced on us in the open field, and we pushed them back to the city gate. But then arrows came hot and heavy on us from the city wall, and eighteen of the king's soldiers died."

²⁵ When the messenger completed his report of the battle, David got angry at Joab. He vented it on the messenger: "Why did you get so close to the city? Didn't you know you'd be attacked from the wall? Didn't you remember how Abimelech son of Jerub-Besheth got killed? Wasn't it a woman who dropped a millstone on him from the wall and crushed him at Thebez? Why did you go close to the wall!"

It is better to read the whole chapter but to give you a synopsis, David saw a woman name Bathseeba bathing and he called for her and slept with her. She end up pregnate. Her husband was a soldier so he had the soldier killed by sending him to battle on the front lines where the fighting was aggressive. When he found out Bathseeba's husband was dead, he let her morn and called for her. He married her and she had the baby. Of course God frowned on this.

David lost focus and was drunken with power. We cannot forget to still be obeident when God starts blessing. We have to stay focus and continue being a witness for the Lord. Until next time...

NO LOVE IN YOUR CITY

Mark 6

^{1 -2} He left there and returned to his hometown. His disciples came along. On the Sabbath, he gave a lecture in the meeting place. He made a real hit, impressing everyone. "We had no idea he was this good!" they said. "How did he get so wise all of a sudden, get such ability?"

³But in the next breath they were cutting him down: "He's just a carpenter—Mary's boy. We've known him since he was a kid. We know his brothers, James, Justus, Jude, and Simon, and his sisters. Who does he think he is?" They tripped over what little they knew about him and fell, sprawling. And they never got any further.

^{4 -6}Jesus told them, "A prophet has little honor in his hometown, among his relatives, on the streets he played in as a child." Jesus wasn't able to do much of anything there—he laid hands on a few sick people and healed them, that's all. He couldn't get over their stubbornness. He left and made a circuit of the other villages, teaching.

Jesus told us in this passage that in your hometown, you are going to have a harder time impressing and trying to witness to them. These people know you from your youth and will only see you as what they know you for. I especially feel this passage with my career. When it comes to my family (not my immediate family), I do not get much support with what I do. Of course they smile and say good job, but that is as far as it goes.

The locals in my city are closed minded people and do not want others doing better than them. They won't stop to support anything I have going on either. I find that you get the most love where no one knows you. Its crazy how fast people will embrace strangers and turn away someone they really know.

When it comes to witnessing, its going to be harder to tell family and neighbors about doing the right thing. They know you, and they know your past. If they know about your extra marital affairs, they will judge you for it. If they know about your time in jail, they will call you on it. Do not let that stop you from telling them what thus says the Lord. Just remember Jesus encountered the same thing with His family.

Until Next Time...

Pay Up

Its Friday! For some of us its payday! One thing that I find with owning my own company is that people are sometimes slow to pay for their services. Some may not pay at all. Its just the chances you take with people. I have had, however a hard time dealing with the fact that a service was rendered and a payment was not. I constantly ask God for understanding and I believe He gave me my answer the morning. I saw a stack of envelopes that I have been avoiding for a while. All sum up to one thing...student loans. LOL! I have been ignoring them, deferring them, and doing all I can to put them off instead of just start paying straight up. I started thinking about how the lenders feel when they put up money in good faith that I would pay it back. Same way I feel about my customers when I render my services. Jesus told us a story about something similar to my situation:

Matthew 18:23-35

"The kingdom of God is like a king who decided to square accounts with his servants. As he got under way, one servant was brought before him who had run up a debt of a hundred thousand dollars. He couldn't pay up, so the king ordered the man, along with his wife, children, and goods, to be auctioned off at the slave market. 26 -27"The poor wretch threw himself at the king's feet and begged, 'Give me a chance and I'll pay it all back.' Touched by his plea, the king let him off, erasing the debt. 28"The servant was no sooner out of the room when he came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him ten dollars. He seized him by the throat and demanded, 'Pay up. Now!' 29 -31"The poor wretch threw himself down and begged, 'Give me a chance and I'll pay it all back.' But he wouldn't do it. He had him arrested and put in jail until the debt was paid. When the other servants saw this going on, they were outraged and brought a detailed report to the king. 32 -35"The king summoned the man and said, 'You evil servant! I forgave your entire debt when you begged me for mercy. Shouldn't you be compelled to be merciful to your fellow servant who asked for mercy?' The king was furious and put the screws to the man until he paid back his entire debt. And that's exactly what my Father in heaven is going to do to each one of you who doesn't forgive unconditionally anyone who asks for mercy."

God tells us to always help our fellow many. Be of good servant. If you are given services, pay for it. When you go to work, you expect to be paid for your time working for your boss. Remember that when you take out loans, accumulate bills. Pay your debts. Until next time...

The Blame Game

Lately, I have been witness to a many people playing the blame game. As Americans, most of us took a major blow when the economy went down and money stop circulating like it once did. We are at a time where everyone is trying to rebuild and redefine their place in life. We are at a time where most people have to start over and find a different route to take in life. I personally see this as God putting us all on a even playing field and giving us the opportunity to put Him first and allow Him to lead us down the path He has us to go. However, many people do not see that. Many people have not seen our economy shift as an opportunity to begin anew. Some people see it as punishment and have begin blaming not only God for their current situations, but others that surround them as well.

My parents taught me to always take responsibility for my situations. They taught me to always examine my self first before I start pointing the finger. Many of us do not do that. We would rather ask God why? We would rather not face the reflection in the mirror. The time is now to take responsibility for where you are in life. There will be no advancing if you cannot take ownership of what has been happening to you. If you lost your job, do not blame everyone around you for it...what did you do? Were you on time? Did you have a good productivity rate? If you lost your mate, don't blame the person he/she left you for. Where you fulfilling your duties as a spouse? Time is out for the blame game.

Job 5:1 (Whole Chapter)
[ Don't Blame Fate When Things Go Wrong ] "Call for help, Job, if you think anyone will answer! To which of the holy angels will you turn? The hot temper of a fool eventually kills him, the jealous anger of a simpleton does her in. I've seen it myself—seen fools putting down roots, and then, suddenly, their houses are cursed. Their children out in the cold, abused and exploited, with no one to stick up for them. Hungry people off the street plunder their harvests, cleaning them out completely, taking thorns and all, insatiable for everything they have. Don't blame fate when things go wrong— trouble doesn't come from nowhere. It's human! Mortals are born and bred for trouble, as certainly as sparks fly upward.

Get your self together. Examine your own situation. Ask God for forgiveness. Move on. Its really simple. Until next time...

Ride or Die

Sometimes God puts you in situations to see just how ride or die you are for Him. I remember the Columbine incident in Colorado, and one of the victims was asked if she believed in the Lord. Her answer was yes, and she was killed. When I heard about that, I had to ask myself if I was put in the same situation, how would I respond. Of course it is easy right now to say "Sure I would say I believe", but Peter, one of Jesus disciples was put in that situation and he folded. What I do believe is I am experiencing one of those test just to see how ride or die I am for the Lord.
I submitted my material for the Queen Latifah contest. Without a doubt in my mind, I knew I was going to win. Of course I think I am the perfect candidate to open for Queen Latifah and be in a cover girl spread. I prayed and prayed and I asked God, "Lord if its your will let me win this". I went hard, no letting any doubt in my mind. I don't think anyone wanted this as bad as me. Well, call backs were yesterday and needless to say, I did not get called. So I stand here heart broken and wondering what now? My mother asked me like three days ago, "what if you don't get it". I told her, "well, I'll keep going and believe in God for something greater".
And I will. Sometimes what we want for ourselves is not always what God has lined up for our lives. To be able to perform for Queen Latifah is a dream for me, however, this may not be the stage the Lord wants me to perform on. Perhaps it could be the Grammies. Who knows. But I will keep trusting God for something greater. I am still ride or die for the Lord. Even though I am a little disappointed, God has blessed in so many different ways. I will keep going.
You too will go through (if you are not going through it already) time when you have to show that through it all you still love the Lord. No matter what! you still love the Lord. I encourage you to stay encouraged and stay strong in your walk with Jesus. He has not and will not let you down.
Isaiah 50:10-11
10 -11Who out there fears God,
actually listens to the voice of his servant? For anyone out there who doesn't know where you're going,
anyone groping in the dark, Here's what: Trust in God.
Lean on your God! But if all you're after is making trouble,
playing with fire,
Go ahead and see where it gets you.
Set your fires, stir people up, blow on the flames, But don't expect me to just stand there and watch.
I'll hold your feet to those flames.

Until Next Time...

Be Prepared for Anything

I woke up this morning feeling the worse. I kinda knew last night that I was going to be feeling a little under the weather. I actually felt it coming while I was in NY, but I kept it moving and saw it as something I knew was not bigger than me and would not hold me back. My obstacle I foresaw in this instance was a cold, what is the obstacle you are foreseeing or you foresaw? How did you handle it? I now many people who see obstacles coming and buckle. They simple just fall apart. Me on the other hand, I first thank God for the heads up (because many times things happen and I didn't expect it), and I prepare accordingly.
For my cold, I have began taking medicine. I have started dressing in layers. I am eating chicken noodle soup. What if you have seen financial trouble coming? What have you done to prepare. When we stay in His Word, God gives us the wisdom to know when an obstacle is on the way and to prepare accordingly. He teaches us how to not only prepare but how to endure and go through it. I cannot stress the importance of reading your Bible and actually studying. God gives us the Word as one of the most powerful tools to conquering evil and obstacles. It is up to us to utilize what he has given us to get through situation. I am sure that there are situations that you see coming whether it be a unfaithful mate, an ill parent, or a layoff at work. Prepare while it is far off. Make sure you are ready. Thank God for opportunity to foresee it all.

Proverbs 27:11
¹¹ Become wise, dear child, and make me happy;
then nothing the world throws my way will upset me.

Until Next time...

Don't Forget The Task At Hand

Well, I'm in New York right now preparing for my performance tonight. All I keep thinking about is my mother's words," To whom much is given, much is required". I have been buggin all day trying to figure out what that meant. I usually right my Jesus Cousin entries early in the morning, however I whole week has been thrown off with work and travel. Honestly I have had a hard time writing my entries, or finding time to do so. But God just spoke to me letting me know that if I can find time to rock out on a stage, I certainly have time to study my Bible and write my entry.

This is the case for many of us. We pray and pray for God to bless us with money, jobs, and opportunities. When he does bless us, we start to not have time anymore to do the same actions that has gotten us this far. We cannot loose focus. When God blesses us with things, they are not personal gifts whether more opportunities and resources to spread the word of God. In my performance tonight, I will give God the glory publically for the blessing me with the opportunity to get here. If you keep up with my blog you would see that three months ago, I was no where near where I am right now. Many people spend years trying to get to where I am and God has literally elevated me in a matter of months.

Dont ever become too busy for God especially since you don't want Him becoming too busy for you. I figure if I been blessed with all this its because God sees I can handle being in the lime light, and witnessing through actions and blogs. Do forget about God....

Luke 12:47-48
47 -48"The servant who knows what his master wants and ignores it, or insolently does whatever he pleases, will be thoroughly thrashed. But if he does a poor job through ignorance, he'll get off with a slap on the hand. Great gifts mean great responsibilities; greater gifts, greater responsibilities!

Until next time...

Crazy Women

So I have a homegirl that I'm cool with and is having a hard time finding a man. She is always saying that there are no good men in the world anymore and that she is preparing her self to be alone for the rest of her life. From the type of person she is, I would be willing to tell her the same thing. Prepare to be alone. Many times, women or just people in general want to blame others for their situation in stead of taking full responsibility. This particular young lady is very loud and obnoxious and will jump at the opportunity to fight and argue. The Bible tells us clearly to stay clear of this kind of woman.

People ask me all the time why to I even bother kicking it with her. I just answer, I learn from Jesus. He didn't kick it with people that were just like him. He went around people who needed better examples of love in their life. I feel that is what I represent. I'm not going to just keep telling her to change, but I will use my daily walk to be a witness to her. The Bible shuns loud and quarrelsome women. In today's society, our media highlights those type of women as if its a great thing. It is indeed entertaining to watch The Real House Wives of Atlanta, or watch Real World, or other reality shows that showcase unrulely women, but at the end of the day it is a bad example of how one should carry themselves.

Proverbs 21:19: It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman.

I found this last scripture rather funny because it is so true. A man would rather live in uncomfortable conditions than to be around a woman who just argue argue argue. I completely refrain from arguing. I lost a boyfriend in my past due to picking arguements and nagging and always accusing him of something. I learned from that situation right away. Since then, I have had happy relationships and none of them ended on bad notes.

If you are a contentious woman, change your ways. If you are with a contentious woman, break free of her or pray for a change. Until next time...