Small Bite

The Book of You

Sister Arnita Putman

At some point in our walk with God we have to be who we really are-not just with God but with each other. We have to make who we are on the inside the same as the person we present to the world on the outside. Why? Not just because it is good or nice, but because it is necessary. The you you try to hide is the you that someone needs to know exist or existed and the current you is the product of the Lord's work in your life.

We need to present the inside us to the world because when we are dead and gone what will be remembered is our lives and what we did with them. It is the book of your life that can turn someone who didn't want to know about God to one of His biggest cheerleaders. As much as we may feel ashamed of the past sins we have committed or the things that people have done to us, all those things along with all your positive attributes make you who you are. Furthermore, God knew you before you were formed in the womb and saw the future plans he had for you and the trials that you would face and He allowed you to go through those things because they were necessary to your journey in Him. If God can see your muck and dirt and love you anyway, why be ashamed of it or hide it from man who is probably in the same position you were in?

What is it that you fear that tells you to put up a facade and only show the parts of yourself that you deem acceptable when God accepts and loves all of you? The things that were trying to destroy you made you strong and brought you closer to God.

We wear masks so long that we forget what we really look like and when we are reminded we are sometimes frightened, but God loved you before the mask and He will love you when you take it off. We masquerade as one thing and try to destroy anyone and anything that may expose us to the world, but isn't that what God wants? Doesn't He want us exposed to the world for the crap we have done and the things done to us so that we are living testimonies to the power of God to redeem and save?

It is the book of (insert your name here) that men will read even when the flyer that lists your accomplishments is what you are passing out. People who don't know God may not ever pick up a bible, but they will watch you and if they knew you when you weren't so pristine, they will wait for you to say so in front of the people who didn't know you then. They don't do this to hurt you necessarily, but even if they do, they are doing you a service unknowingly. They are opening the gate for you to walk naked and unashamed in the person God created you to be-flaws and all because they are corrected or are being corrected in Him.

How would someone reach the you you try so hard to hide? That is your tool to reach people like yourself and you walk in Christ is the book they read until they get to know the God that the bible talk about and they begin to inquire of Him on their own.

Do the people around you really know who you are-all of you? Do yo trust God enough to be exposed and not fearful of attack or rejection? What will people remember of you, the mask or the book of your life that gave glory to God?

What are you going to use to break the walls down?

Prophet LaSonya Battle

Dynamite is any class of explosives used for mining or blasting. Dynamite is exceptionally exciting and dangerous. Our dynamite is our right relationship with God; our prayer, fellowship with, love and obedience to God. Our dynamite has the power to break down walls and things that are not pleasing to God. We use our dynamite to make a pathway that is easy for those who come after us to follow that leads straight to the Father. It is only in our relationship with God that we discover who we are and how and when to use our dynamite most effectively.

food for thought

Food For Thought

Firm foundation, Adversity and Calamity, Drawing close to God, Humbleness and transparency, Foresight, Wisdom, Understanding and Truth, Joy and Peace.

Brother Cheeks examined the book of Job and spoke on chapters 32-36 with an emphasis on Elihu. Elihu was among the men who spoke to Job concerning his situation and was the only one who put things into real perspective. Elihu was the youngest and the last to speak, but spoke with the wisdom of God. He was able to correct the thinking that perhaps God was in error with Job's testing. The food for thought above are themes in our lives that we should reflect on in reference to God; Is your foundation firm; how do you handle calamity and adversity; how closely do you draw to God; are you humble and transparent before God and man; through your humility are you receiving foresight (discernment); have you gained wisdom, understanding, and truth through you relationship with God; and do you have the joy and peace of God in your heart? Calamity is horrible, but how do you handle it?

Humility

Romans 12

Humility

When we begin to give ourselves over to God completely, we have freedom and success. When we begin to take us out of the equation, the mission becomes clear and the drive is strongest. The scripture says to present your bodies as living sacrifices. Kirk Franklin has a song with Toby Mack that says in the hook, "living sacrifices move". The statement may be true but a willing sacrifice still stay on the alter to be given up for the purpose. Strength is aquired over time and courage is a process as well, however once the decision is made the focus is not on the sacrifice itself, but the purpose of the sacrifice. Get over yourself. Give yourself not for yourself, but for those whom God has sent you to. Sacrifice takes humility and forces you to look at your motives and thoughts. Take time today to examine your motives and thoughts and remove any that contradict the work of God in you.

Willingness and Gratitude

Rashida Shah- Willingness and Gratitude

Willingness- inclination to do something; consenting attitude; cheerful readiness.

Willingness originated with Jesus and the father. Jesus' willingness to sacrifice himself for us and the Father's willingness to allow and accept that sacrifice.
From their willingness grace was born. (See Rom 5:12).

Grace-a given favor or good will; mercy; clemency; a delay or temporary immunity.

Grace is God's willingness to forgive us and reconcile us to Him.
Our faith is the access to that grace.

We have trouble accepting God's willingness toward us. We know that he is able but doubt that He will or wants to move on our behalf.

Gratefulness- a deep appreciation of kindness received; thankful; overwhelming joy and gratitude.

One reason we might have problems accepting God's willingness toward us is because we forget to be grateful.
We need to be detailed in our appreciation of God and the things that He does for us-large scale and small.
If we keep that type of memory check list , we could look back at what God has already done and get and idea of the things He is going or willing to do on our behalf in the future.
It would be easier to accept God's willingness toward us and not doubt that He will come through for us in any situation.
2Peter 3:18

Pursue

What are you pursuing? A better question might be, are you after anything at all? If you are after things that are beneath you in terms of your ability or strengths or talents, then are they worthy of being called a goal? What you go after tells what value you place on yourself. If what you pursue is easily attainable and doesn't present a challenge or any real effort, then you could be saying that that is all you can do or all that you are worthy of. What are your abilities? What are the things that you are naturally strong at? These are the things that you strengthen and you use these things as a guide for what to pursue. As your strength increases in these areas, so do your skills and the challenge beomes less and less so... you begin again looking at the things that you can do or the things that you want to do that can bring you to the next level and then the next and the next. Don't sale yourself short.

Fear

Fear is probably the strongest influence in how we build our belief structures. We create a mental atmosphere where we can survive in the midst of what we fear. We don't just fear things that can harm us physically; we also fear the emotional pain that comes from rejection. So we form our reality into something that fits how we can cope, except it is no longer reality. Is a belief structure with an unstable foundation of lies.

r u chosen?

Do you know who you are? Aside from your name and your family history and your education and occupation, do you really know who you are? Can you say with any level of certainty that you are doing what you are supposed to be doing and that God is pleased with you? Knowing who you are goes beyond what you do and who you came from and speaks to who God has made you to be. Have you ever inquired of God what His purpose is for you, not just what should you do to get what you want from Him or out of life? Do you pray for communication with God or do you pray for blessings only? Do you know God aside from the requests that you make to Him? Is God so real that people what to know the God of (your name here) , or is God such a non-entity that credit for what you do and how you do only goes to you and your efforts?

Carnal Mind

When understanding the carnal mind, we can recognize our potential of having perverted belief structures. Having perverted belief structures simply means we believe some things that are lies ad have some unreal expectations. We believe things that do not conform to or agree with realty from God's perspective and His truths. We believe these structures to be the truth and we bind ourselves to them regardless of the consequences. We obligate others to them becasue we believe them to be right and can not see the enemies or the lies in them.

Examine yourself and the beliefs that you hold dear. Do they match up with the truths of God?

Meditate on this small bite for the week.

Don't Parish in the Darkness

To many times we are following our own agenda’s and not what the Lord has for us. Our sight has been blinded by our own desires, deceiving ourselves in trying to obtain something God has not ordained. You are living a lie, trying to present it as truth.

Whose side are you on? Is it the Lord’s or your own?

Choose this day on who you will serve, because you can not serve man and God, and expect to have the fullness of what God has for you.

Jeremiah 29:11-14 (NLT)

(11) For I know the plans I have for you, “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me. I will be found by you,” say the Lord. I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes………

Well if God knows the plans and that plan is to prosper, give a future and hope, why do you leave God out. The problem is we don’t take the time to seek Him, wait for an answer or lay down our lives. We hold on to something that can’t produce life but only produce death.

This keeps us in the dark. See being blind place you in the darkness, where you have no clarity of sight. Your vision has been distorted. Our own lust, clouds our vision and we can’t see what God has in stored for us

You don’t have to parish in the dark. God can restore your sight so that you can see God’s vision (the plans he has for you).