I don't feel the need to write about much on this post because the video below sums up everything, i would strongly encourage you all to watch this 8 minute clip from Pastor Judah Smiths sermon titled "Jesus is Loving Barabbas"
enjoy...
*Kudos to the person who made the video too!, awesome Job*
"Do not buy into the messages and promises of peace and prosperity in the new year without any reference to holiness, repentance, reconciliation and sanctification. These false messages and messengers fail to address the sin that engulfs your life by making you believe that peace and prosperity is yours even in your backslid-den condition. These are just like the last days of Judah. Don't be fooled by the hype" - Cornelius Lindsey
The number one dilemma in today's church is the practice of exchanging what is primary for what is secondary. I know majority of my readers are like "What does that even mean?" (lol), no worries i'm going to explain. Just know that this exchange started from somewhere.
LOL
For example this was an issue too in the Roman church, when you look at Romans 14 the argument is between two sets of people; "the weak" & "the strong" believers. They're on the war ground fighting for justice (not literally but
spiritually, the picture above is just for better illustration & comedic relief...ofcourse lol). Anywho, the weak set have a sensitive conscience & are shouting "do not eat meat, why are people eating meat, veggies are acceptable but no! not meat!" while the strong set with an insensitive conscious, are like "There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with eating meat, i shall feast as much as i want!" & that was one of the issues of the Romans back in the day & Paul comes in & says in vs 17 "For the kingdom of God is not about what we eat or drink but living a life of goodness, peace & joy in the Holy spirit". Basically Paul is saying, "This shouldn't even be a topic of discussion, this is not what the Kingdom of God is about!, is not about food or vegetables..NO!, the kingdom of God is about goodness, peace & joy in God!" . The only reason why this argument caused division & was such a big issue in the Roman Christian community is because they began to treat secondary matters as if it were primary & primary matters as it if were secondary, what was primary was living in Gods goodness/righteousness, His peace & Joy, what was secondary is what you eat that according to Jesus in Matthew 15 is eventually going to come out of your system and into the sewer . In this case based on the picture below, Asking questions is secondary & what is primary is LOVE.
But the church today has fallen into deception and has believed the enemies lies and we show by our actions & our state of heart that Love is actually the last thing we want to carry out rather Ask Questions or anything of that nature is the first on our list....exchanging primary for secondary
exalting whats supposed to be done 2nd above whats supposed to be done 1st.
This past Sunday the Holy spirit convicted me when it came to the area of Love too. A guest pastor came in to preach about discipleship, according to the bible he stated the signs of a disciple and of course the verses from John 13 that says "So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
and the pastor gave this scenario
"what if a homosexual couple walked into your church?, how would you treat them? would you..try an convert em? save em? judge em? or just simply...love em?"
As he asked the question, i looked normal on the outside but on the inside i was getting convicted
because i knew deep down, that if that actually happened, i would have judged them...
like my judgment upon them would bring about their salvation?
or like anything apart from love for them could even attract them to salvation?
or...like i was Holy Spirit jr. & i could actually save someone?
when in all actually...all i have been called to do...is LOVE
Jesus said that the way people will be able to identify those who follow Him & learn from Him is by the way they love...which is a growing replication of the fathers love towards that disciple him/herself
It says it in the word that there is no fear in love but perfect love expels ALL fear, in the case of the homosexual couple when they approach you (vice versa) they should encounter that growing perfect love which resides in your heart as a believer, that would begin to expel all sorts of fear...like condemnation,hatred..& even get down to the bottom of that homosexuals heart & expel that hurt that triggered everything ....& from there receives his or her repentance and freedom that comes through the love & power of the Gospel
Below is a song by Derek Minor ft. Dee-1 & Lecrae
titled "Dear Mr.Christian"
This song was written in the form of a letter with three different scenarios, one from a Video-vixen written to Derek Minor, the second letter written from a Thug to Dee-1 and the third letter written from a Robber to Lecrae
please listen & play very close attention to the lyrics.
"I was nine years old when daddy first touched me
At 15 I ran away and never stopped running
I met a man who took me in 'cuz I was pretty though
He said that you could make some money in my video
I get high and drunk just to make it through a show
And act like I'm enjoying it but really this is all a show
I feel degraded, purity obliterated
This is all I know and I really hate it
Mr. Minor are you listening? I know that you're a Christian
And got computer programs to block me from your vision
And every time you watch me you say that I'm the issue
Your pastor preaching about how not to let me catch you slipping
But maybe I'm a victim, maybe I'm just trapped in the system
And next time you pray maybe I might get a mention (please)
Before you talk about me remember that I'm lost
And your secret pleasure coming at a cost
[Hook: Derek Minor]
Dear Mr. Christian, I know you’re on a mission
I know you say the answer to my problem is religion
I know I’m supposed to change the way I live and stop sinning
But I’d appreciate it if you take some time to listen
Dear Mr. Christian
[Verse 2: Dee-1]
Man I'm on that chronic
Higher than a comet
Sippin' gin and tonic
Drinking till I vomit
Tatted on my arms, tatted on my face
Pants hanging low, nina on my waist
I be slanging soft, plus I got that hard
Die for my hood, ride for my boulevard
I got love for my dogs but never for these girls
It's M.O.E. 'cuz money rule the world
But Mr. Dee-1, I grew up crummy
Saw my pops get killed in front of me
Saw my momma do dope in front of me
Felt like ain't nobody love me
Uniform dirty, dressing bummy
Went to school they called me ugly
Caught the bus they used to jump me
God I just prayed to you Sunday
Now it's Monday, I'm starving
Sip sour milk out of the carton
Talk to myself while I'm out walking should I put myself in a coffin?
I don't know! All I grew up with was trouble
Ain't know no role model, I knew the struggle
[Hook]
[Verse 3: Lecrae]
Excuse me, I don't quite understand you
Propaganda and banter and all of this empty chatter
And amidst these amens, hallelujahs, and shuckin' jivin'
I see a lot of hypocrites and hyper-criticizing
Mr. Lecrae my momma sold me up the river for some rocks
And daddy told me I was nothing but a problem
Now here you come telling me I'm a low down dirty sinner
And you got the nerve to wonder why I'm in these streets robbin'?
Well go and get batman, and go get back man
I don't need to be judged by you and all of your wack friends
Ain't gluttony a sin? Why you staring at my gin?
Where I'm from we don't pretend
We know we ain't gettin' in
Now the world don't trust me
And these streets done crushed me
Thought you were known for love but you just love to judge me
Truth is, ironically you need me around though
'Cuz otherwise you got nobody else to look down on "
One cannot deny that those lyrics were DEEP. The devil has majority of the church believing that the primary factor which is LOVE doesn't matter anymore, rather exchange it for secondary things like shoving religion down others throats or gossiping about what he/she wore to church, unrighteously judging etc. When God told us in his very word that the greatest commandment is“‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.' The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.” If only the church turned human again an actually wanted to listen to what other people had to say...maybe that's when the true kingdom of God could be established in our homes, schools & churches.. & no this is not a "grace-go sin some more" post (God forbid), but rather this is an avenue to allow the Holy Spirit to renew your mind..so you can begin to look, walk, talk & think like Jesus , take the adulteress woman's story in John 8 for example...Jesus isn't compromising, neither is He condemning but He is compassionate you too...go & be the same.
I would actually encourage everyone reading to watch these three life changing documentaries
I'm not really sure why, but i really feel led to post about my Ask.Fm, if you have any questions, advice, questions about Jesus, How do you receive salvation?, How to stay strong in your walk?, Struggles or anything of that nature...Please feel free to Ask me at http://ask.fm/Sanaliaa , i don't know the answer to everything (lol) , for we all know in part but i praise God for the people who i'm surrounded by they're so wise..& i also really praise God for the questions I've been getting so far because I've been through depression & delivered , but i'm going to try to the best of my ability & the grace God has given me to answer your question!, & you can also be completely anonymous if you'd like!
A talent is a special aptitude or ability, we are all born with it.It is a marked innate ability for artistic accomplishment. As some of my readers know, i write & minister poetry in the form of spoken word, which in a more official definition "is a performance art that is word-based. It often includes collaboration and experimentation with other art forms such as music, theatre, and dance. However, spoken word usually tends to focus on the words themselves, the dynamics of the tone, gesture, facial expression, and not so much on other art forms" , but what some of my readers don't know is that i always wrote poetry even before my salvation, i discovered i knew how to write poetry in 2009, one night out of boredom i opened the notes section on my iPod and began to write, below is my first ever written poem titled
"Invisible Heart"
As she walked through the hallway
She cited you a mile away
You walked pass her
She walked pass you
Her heart beat raced
As her eye formed your face
But her soul stayed back
To feel what she lacked
She wondered every night
If this boy will ever just might
Give her a reason on her part
That she didn't have an invisible heart
By : Nicole Jobi
*awwwww* lol (i was 15, immaturity is a killer), i wrote plenty of poems after that & in my opinion were great topics but no substance they were based on love, sex, sexually transmitted diseases & death, i believe these topics are very broad & usual for any poet, is the normally thing to talk about (with black power & stuff of that nature as an exception, i was never that kind of person lol ) but any-who, a couple of months ago a question was laid on my heart, & the question being "is everyone that has not received salvation still talented?" & i pondered of course!, Adele sings...Mac Miller raps...Laurieanne Gibson dances and so on (Ps. they are not saved just yet, there's still hope) . Then another question was laid on my heart, seeing as i was not saved when i started writing, i wanted to know if normal stuff like poetry are a gift (like what Paul explains in the book of Corinthians) or just a talent? & the question was "is my spoken word a gift or a talent?" & me being me, i was stuck on stupid for a couple of months until i finally googled the question (lol)
Below is a self explanatory difference of a talents and gifts taken from the middle town church
TALENTS
GIFTS
Talents are natural
Gifts are supernatural
Talents are inherited from one's parents, ultimately from Adam
Gifts are received from God
Talents are received at birth; they are natural endowments.
Gifts are received at the time of the new birth
Talents are possessed both by saved people and by unsaved people. There are many unsaved people who are very talented (musical ability, artistic ability, athletic ability, mathematical ability, etc.).
Gifts are possessed only by saved people, those who are members of the church which is His Body. An unsaved person might mimic a spiritual gift, but it is counterfeit and limited to self-activity (e.g.-a false prophet, a false teacher, etc.).
A man may be very talented as a TEACHER in the public school system or at a prestigious university. He may be recognized as an outstanding teacher by all of his co-workers. He may be very talented when it comes to communication skills and oratory. He may even win the "Teacher of the Year" Award.
This same man, upon believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, may not receive the gift of teaching. Spiritual gifts are determined by God not by any natural talents which a man may possess. If this same man should receive the gift of teaching it is above and beyond and distinct from any natural teaching talent which he had. It is something that he did not have prior to the new birth.
For full effectiveness talents need to be developed. A person who is naturally skilled musically must still learn to play an instrument, often demanding years of practice. Most professional athletes not only have natural talent but they have developed this talent through years of practice and hard work.
Gifts need to be exercised and this can only happen as the believer stays spiritually healthy and grows "in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). The proper exercise of spiritual gifts requires spiritual growth and maturity (Ephesians 4:13-16).
Talents possessed by believers ought to be surrendered and consecrated to the Lord and used for His honor and glory. Example: A skilled organist playing for a worship service "as unto the Lord."
Gifts are given by God for the outworking of God's LIFE as expressed by the Body of Christ. When the Body is healthy the LIFE of God is manifested and God is glorified (compare 1 Corinthians 14:24-25).
"There is a difference between natural talents and supernatural gifts. Talents come through the genes of natural inheritance; gifts directly by the Lord. Talent comes from the first Adam and, however attractive, is still a part of man's fallen nature. The gift is by the Holy Spirit, as it pleases Him" (Carlton Helgerson, The Local Church, pages 34-35).
After reading the table, i realized that we are all talented saved and unsaved ALL because of the first man Adam, but just like my story...your talent only reaches its fullest potential when its surrendered to God & it is used to glorify the one that created you. My talent is spoken word. Below is a picture of me this past weekend ministering my latest spoken word piece titled "Idols In Israel" taken from Isaiah 24:9 , i'm not posting it just for looking sake, but i'm posting it for you who will read it to notice the difference....between my talent when i was in the world (not saved) & now when i'm in Christ (saved)
Idols in Israel
"You wrestle...
With the thoughts of you being in Christ or the world
You prance...back & forth
As if you at the hospital waiting for the doctor to tell you of it's a boy or a girl
You fight...the feeling that's urging you to choose Christ, as your blood pressure begins to rise
You're tempted to say "NO!" because you remember the idols you've created in your life...
With that knife..you carved out the wood slice by slice, you wait..until your perfect hand made idol suits your type & when it's ready you bow down & kiss the ground singing songs of praise that are profound just like the Israelites spellbound , but knowing deep down that..this thing you've exalted higher than God is just the prototype
A mere tainted false reflection of the real God..who to you is the man upstairs that sends down unbearable rules just to beat those who break it with a rod
& I see those nods showing that you concur, not in the physical but in the spiritual, you nod your head up & down because religion has told you that God is the man with the crown ready to smite anyone who let's Him down
& of course this depiction of God sounds so distant, so you make up your mind & tell yourself He's non existent & rather make your own God, self sufficient..ly
& some of y'all are convicted while the others are like "this girl got it twisted"
But I'm not...I'm sane
But I'm not here to get you "lifted"
I'm not here to give you that good watered down word pat you on the back as you leave her with an unchanged heart still devoted to wale "the gifted"
I'm here to tell you about someone that was thrifted, thrown in the 2nd hand bag just so we could be treated like first class
But about these idols though
Back in the day they were images that had a golden & silver glow..to it
But nowadays in comes in the form of doe, sex, thoughts, makeup, food, clothes, people, artist, shows...ourselves, Idols come in the form of us..we exalt ourselves above God like we run the show & everything is about me, myself & I
We run to these things to satisfy
But why even try when the only one who can truly satisfy the human heart is El Shaddai
these movies, these artist, these people, these material things, these addictions that we put before God causes friction that tends to sting...us, they can't heal like He does, they can't love us like He does..they can't speak like He does because there weren't meant to..everything falls in comparison to Him because it's His nature..He outdoes
& if you noticed some of these idols aren't even physical but emotional & spiritual, they can be our feelings for that one guy or girl..
that feeling of unforgiveness that you hold so tightly & can't let go for God becomes your God unconsciously
Or those thoughts of insecurity & finding your identity in what people say about you can be idolatry..because you've exchanged what God says about you for the enemies lies & exalt it
Anything in general exalted above the most High is being idolized, there's nothing about that to deny
It's time to let go & say bye
To idolatry
Not from the motives of "Oh it's bad" but because it causes Gods spirit to grieve...He cries for you.. He wants you to love & exalt him for him above all else , not because of rules but because of what He did on the tree
& That's the key...
To set you free
But there's just this beautiful thing about God..despite all the idols we build in our lives to replace his reality, He will never pass us by, for God is rich in mercy & compassion, full of unfailing love ready to forgive those who ask him
In this state of idolatry
It's hard to see God for who really is instead of what religion has told is He is to be
He longs for you to see that he released his spirit on that cross
Just so he can not only come across to you as God but as God with us...
He's with you...He's in you...He loves you
What I'm saying is the truth & even in this sin of idolatry ,
He has declared new things over thee
New things of hope
New things of a future
Behold judgment has passed
& new life has been given to you abundantly
Through Jesus Christ who died & resurrected to be your everything
So.. Trust & believe these new things because
Even before it happens, God has spoken it to be "
Forgive me, i should have recorded a video so you could get the fullness of it & hear the words i was exaggerating but it is well. In my opinion compared to the poems i wrote before salvation, these poems i write now carry substance, purpose & power all because i gave my talent to God & said "do what you want with it".
Gifts
As for my spiritual gifts, its only until i encountered God and allowed Him to fill me with His spirit, that's when i began to develop them! & they're really awesome! Every time i begin to stir them up & use them i feel like the Characters in the movie "now you see me" (lol) , My spiritual gifts are prophecy, interpreting my own tongues, special knowledge, encouraging, helping others etc. The term "spiritual gifts" comes from the Greek words charismata (gifts) and pneumatika (spirits). They are the plural forms of charisma, meaning "expression of grace," and pneumatikon meaning "expression of Spirit." While there are different kinds of gifts (1 Corinthians 12:4), generally speaking, spiritual gifts are God-given graces (special abilities, offices, or manifestations) meant for works of service, to benefit and build up the body of Christ as a whole. but in order to find out more on your gifts that you possess or the gifts you can possess check out 1 Corinthians 12
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
It says in Jeremiah 29:11 "For i know the plans that i have for you, declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope & a future". The funny thing is...i know the first part of the people reading this are saying "but i have no talent, talk less of a gift". You were born with a talent the problem is that you haven't spent time to search it out, ask yourself "what is it that i do best, what is my intangible?" for example is it painting?, playing soccer?, telling jokes?, writing?, playing basketball? You have one that to you it might be "basic" but to God its a big deal...check out this parable in Matthew 25 "The parable tells of a master who was leaving his home to travel, and before going entrusted his property to his servants (property worth 8 talents, where a talent was a large unit of money. One servant receives five talents, the second two talents, and the third one talent, according to their respective abilities. Returning after a long absence, the master asks his servants for an accounting. The first two servants explain that they have each put their money to work and doubled the value of the property they were entrusted with, and so they are each rewarded, The third servant, however, has merely hidden his talent in a hole in the ground, and is punished." Talents and gifts both come from God, in this context the same way the master gives out the talents in the form of money, is in the same way through Adam when we were born God gave us talents in the form of...talents (lol) & expects us to use them for his glory.
The second part of the people reading this are saying "I have a talent, but no gift" , my advice to you would be to encounter God & develop a relationship with Him. God shows no favoritism, its all about surrendering your life to Him. Ask Him to empty you of you & fill you with His spirit, then ask Him to reveal to you, your own spiritual gift at which he expects you to use it for his kingdom then begin to cultivate it, build people up if you have encouragement as a gift, allow God to use you to heal others...physically & emotionally if you have the gift of healing etc.
The third part of the people reading this are saying "I have both & i'm using them for His glory!" Praise God for your life!, just like what Paul told timothy "stir up the Gift of God which is in you" , keep pressing forward. It says in James 1:17 that every good & perfect gift is from above, coming from the father. Your beautiful talents & gifts are from God & for God, the cohesive collaboration between you &God, causes the purpose for your life to come forth ...never forget that
