“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”- Ephesians 3:20-21

Do not say that you do not have time for God. The busiest of men will have the most leisure, and the laziest will always be short of time, for the former utilizes time and the latter only wastes it. If you really want God, you will find time for Him. - Hinduism

I’ve said many times that I respect people of all faiths and I admire the passion and faith that resides within people who live spiritual lives no matter what their affiliation. Often on my website I quote members of other religious affiliations but I have always wanted to show here in the pardon me message how similar the teachings of these different religions can be. Today I included words from the Hindu culture, Islamic faith and my own faith of Christianity. The messages are so similar in nature in that they ask us to love God, to make time for God and honor his words.

Upon further study you see that the more spiritual members of these different faiths look to their word to live peaceful, love-filled lives and seek to help one another. At this very moment a friend of mine who shares a different spiritual background is ministering to me about the works of God. She could very well be the brother or sister next you in church who is praying for you but she is not because she follows the Hindu faith. Does that mean she does not have a true connection with God. Earlier today I was reading 2 Timothy and Paul was speaking of false teachings and people who will hold so fast to religion and doctrine and not the holy spirit and how this was not the way. This made me think of a question I asked a mentor of mine. I said “do you believe that Muslims are not God’s children, that people of other faiths are damned. I asked could it be possible that we all are praying to the same God and calling him different names”.

He replied to me that many of God’s people may very well be practicing in a different fashion than we are. He also said something to the effect that many who say they are God’s people are in fact not and will be judged on judgment day accordingly. I sat and I reflected on what he said, and today I am taking a step towards loving God’s people, all of God’s people no matter what race, religion or cultural background. Ask yourself this “are you God’s people because you call yourself a Christian or a Muslim or are you a child of God because you follow his commands and teachings while you spend your time here on earth? Peace and Grace be unto you!

The sun can give heat and light to the whole world, but he cannot do so when the clouds shut out his rays. When egotism veils the heart, God cannot shine upon you.

Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels. Mark 8: 37-38

There is a conversation going on right outside of where you are or you may be engaged in the conversation yourself. There are people who become visibly disgusted when you speak about your faith, or you may not know it but they choose to tune you out for fear that you will judge them. There is a conversation going on amongst men, amongst women and amongst believers and non believers. I know this because my brother Darian and I have this conversation often. We talk about how it has become unpopular and uncool to believe in God. To know his name and to valiantly represent him while we live in the world. Not only do we struggle with our own sinful ways (Mega Margaritas on Thursdays) but we struggle with our peers who judge us or have a fear of us judging them.

Interesting how the same people who make these judgments are the first people to ask you to pray for them when something goes wrong. God has become a back up plan, an “if all else fails” type of plan. Less than plan B, more like plan E; our desperation plan when times get rough and we need a little bit more than what we feel we can offer. So I was looking on biblegateway.com and I found this scripture in Mark. If we are ashamed to be Christians, to believe in a higher being and represent the principles that God has laid for us then we will be denied later. And for what, for fear that other people will judge you, for a lack of understanding the long run and being content with the short term winnings of the world. I bring all this up because I struggle myself. People say “yo i heard you got religious” and by no means have I gotten religious, I am just finding a new side of myself. I ‘m still the same ole Ced, but what if I did get religious and I cut out all of my weekly shenanigans that find me on top of cars and other nonsense. Would I then be uncool, unpopular, if so I am sure those are the people I don’t need. In fact the person I do need has already warned me about being ashamed of him and failing to have a relationship with him. That is the friend I shall listen to. Peace and Grace be unto you!

Don’t worry, God’s got you!

Who is this man Barack and where did he come from? A picture is worth a thousand words!

WHERE DID HE COME FROM?

Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But God does not take away life; instead, he devises ways so that a banished person may not remain estranged from him. 2 Samuel 14: 14

In another bible I read this same verse read “All of us must die eventually. Our lives are like water spilled out on the ground, which can not be gathered up again. That is why God tries to bring us back when we have been separated from him. He does not sweep away the lives of those he cares about - and neither should you!” The first thing that stood out to me was the analogy of life and water. I thought of how when a cup spills onto the ground, the water soaks in whether it is concrete or soil. You know I like metaphors so I started thinking about how in a perfect world life would be more like a counter top and we could run some of the water off the edge back into the cup but this is not the case. Life is like the concrete, jagged at times, smooth at others. It can be like the soil, plentiful for growth or it can bury you alive.

Just made me think about how when a moment is gone, it is what it is! That moment is gone, we can not live life by the water that is spilled but more by the moments we still have left to live. Making the best out of those opportunities. I like how it speaks of God bringing us back when he feels we have been separated, it shows the compassion the Lord has for us. That he will continue to protect us if we allow him to, he will not just discard us as if we never existed. All in all from today’s verse I recognize that life is short and we must make the most of every moment that we have, fill our days with love and glory. Set out to accomplish what will make you feel whole, what will make you feel warm in heart. And while doing so if we make mistakes, let’s be thankful that we have a God who will continue to hold us down. How will we hold him down? Peace and Grace be unto you!

Proverbs are the daughters of experience.

Remember your Creator in the days of your youth before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them” Ecclesiastes 12:1

This scripture stood out to me as I was thumbing through the book of Ecclesiastes. I can already tell that there will be many more messages set from this book alone because it is so rich with knowledge. Today’s scripture reminds me of my thoughts as a young man and some of my thoughts right now. I grew up watching my Grandmother be holy and sanctified. She was a true woman of God, she kept his word near and deep to her heart. So my concept of being saved was seen through the lens of her salvation. There was a lot of things that she did not do and would not indulge in because it was against the way of God. My own tattoo that I bear on my left arm celebrating her life would be an abomination of the body. So I grew up knowing that I wanted to go to heaven but figured I would make the transition when I am older . I’m still having fun; it didn’t seem like you could have to much fun and truly be committed to God.

Slowly in my mind however, fun is changing, what was fun at 14 is not fun at 24. I am also starting to see that one does not wake up and be as devout a Christian as my grandmother was. Like with everything else, spirituality it is a process. Today’s word once again pointed out that fact to me. I often hear people preach fear into our hearts when they talk about getting to know the Lord. “You don’t want to end up like those who will be judged and thrown into the pit of fire”. No one wants to be judged in that way but I find more happiness in not just thinking that the Lord will save me from a life of eternal damnation but what can I do for him while I am here to put forth the principles that he has has blessed us with. Humility, nobility, and being kind towards others. All of this to say we don’t have to be old, driving a Buick to get to know God. It is important that we get to know him now so that we can give glory to him through our works and appreciate his blessings all the same. Peace and Grace be unto you.

The ruin of a nation begins in the homes of its people.

This morning a fraternity brother of mine gave me some bad news about his church burning down. News reports state that the Prince of Peace Baptist Church which is located on 32nd and Berks Street in the Strawberry Mansion section of North Philadelphia has burned down and caused other neighboring houses to catch fire as well.
However let the Glory be to God because in this time of trials and tribulations, its members are not losing hope. A woman was quoted saying “”It’s bad seeing this happen,” she said, “but I firmly believe that in this God will get the glory. We have a crusade coming up in May. We’re not going to let this stop us. We’ll find a way.” My prayers go out to the community in which this church resides, the church itself and all of its members. They will get through this tough time and they will be blessed even more as they remain faithful to the word of God.

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: Romans 5: 2-4

The word said we glory in tribulation; you read words like that when you’re at your deepest bottom and you think to yourself, God is bugging. Alright maybe you’ve never had those thoughts but I have. Yet it was me who was bugging because the word also says that tribulation builds our patience. Through tribulations that we are patient enough to endure we are blessed with experience and through experience our Lord has blessed us with the ability to hope. Hope, you see the experience whether it was good or bad gives rise to a different way. That’s our hope, when we stop hoping for a better way, for a better tomorrow, it is then that our spirit is dying.

I can only speak for myself but when I allow an experience to strip me of my hope I become void inside and that to me feels like a spiritual death. So I don’t quite know if I glory in tribulation, glory might not be the first term that comes to mind. However, I see the good in hardship because it is my hardships that have made me a better man. It will be my continued endurance through this game called life, these experiences, that will allow me to hope for a better day. And when that better day comes hold it up as a testament to the Lord’s work. Moreover to even get to that hope, to get through life’s experiences we must be patient. I am one of the most impatient brothers you have ever met. My mother says I want everything on my time; she’s probably right, I mean I got things to do, lol. However I am slowly but surely learning, often the hard way that my time does not matter. God has a plan and I am more of a servant to his time. So all we can do is live, and through living we will acquire experience whether it be good or bad, it is these experiences that will build an unyielding faith in our spirits and allow us to hope for our greatest good. Peace and Grace be unto you.

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. John 8:32

While watching an old episode of the Arsenio Hall show, Louis Farrakhan quoted Jesus saying “know the truth and the truth will set you free”. Powerful words, which have been spoken so many times from our different leaders that we forget the originator of such wisdom. Truth can be a vague term however, there are no absolute truths, except for the Glory of God. But I always try to look deeper into the God within me, and I ask myself for my own truth. When we live in the truth’s of other people we are essentially living our own lie because we are not being true to ourselves.

We must define ourselves prayerfully through the noble principles that have been set forth by our Creator. We have to really find the truth within this path the Lord has set for us, so that way we are truly giving it our all. Think about when people live for their parents; solely what their parents want of them, or their friends. They live empty lives because they are not chasing their own true passions. I don’t think it’s any different with our belief in God, we must seek out what God means to us and how he resonates within us. I can’t just rely on the fact that my grandmother was a devout Christian and let that guide me. What happens when I am faced against a wall and I am working on borrowed faith; I may abandon it because it was not genuinely within me? So today I am looking to follow the words of Gangstarr and “step back and observe with couth for we all must meet our moment of truth”. I want to be able to look within myself and define my reality for me, define my relationship with God, friends, and family for me. So that I am not chasing a false dream but walking towards the truth that Jesus told us will set us free. Peace and Grace be unto you!

One falsehood spoils a thousand truths

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.  1 Peter 5: 10-11

After you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. I pray that this little while of suffering is not life and then I will be happy in the after life. I have heard scriptures be interpreted that way, I pray that is not the case. I think the Lord is saying I have given my all for you, I have been caused pain too by the sins of this world. Yet I have given my only son so that you can be strong, so that you may find a way to eternal happiness through the principles of love and peace that he taught. This temporary suffering is just that; temporary, and after you have suffered I will not only restore your original happiness, but I will make you strong, steadfast and firm.

We need opposition, we need tough times, we need them like we need those great moments in our life. We need tears, just like we need a beautiful smile. Common said “I guess knowing I’m weak is when I’m really being strong, some how through the dusk I could see the dawn”. It is at our moments when we feel our weakest, when we feel that the world is crashing down on us that we are exemplifying our beautiful strength that God has bestowed upon us. Why? Because we are still pushing, we are still hoping, despite whatever circumstances may be weighing us down we still have the ability to fight and push past these obstacles. Don’t be a slave to your vocabulary; suffering comes in many forms. It is not just physical pain or extreme heart break, no suffering is feeling inadequate about something, suffering is the mental anguish we deal with when things aren’t going the way we planned. But through faith in God and belief in oneself we can see the dawn. STILL WE RISE. Peace and Grace be unto you!

Many spiritual teachers - in Buddhism, in Islam - have talked about first-hand experience of the world as an important part of the path to wisdom, to enlightenment.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  Jeremiah 29: 11-12

While riding to school today I was bumping (playing loudly) Tupac’s “Only God can Judge me”! Deep words, that’s a deep statement, it means we are only letting God be in control of our lives and not allowing anyone else such power over us. Then I looked to the scripture and the Lord says “for I know the plans I have for you”. I may have no idea where I will be, what type of situation I will be in within the next 3 days but the Lord does. He knows the plan he has for me, he knows the path that he has set forth for me. So I can not be bothered with the judgments and thoughts of other people because they do not have my best interest at heart. What I need to be worried about is building a closer relationship with God so that i can understand the plans that he has for me. Understanding that there will be highs and lows but ultimately he is just trying to prepare me for my greatest good.

The Lord says in this scripture that his plans are for us to prosper not harm us, that he has plans to give us hope and a future. That’s the type of company I would like to keep, a superior being who is watching out for me, watching my back at all times. So we have to give glory to God, we can all think about situations that clearly could have went a completely different way for us. We are not that great that we change our destiny through the universe, instead we have been blessed by a God who protects and cares for us unconditionally. Then you will call upon me and I will listen to you. I have learned that prayer is not just when you lay down and go to sleep. Throughout our day we must communicate with God, I mean we communicate with everyone else. Today I look forward to surrendering my issues to the Lord and knowing that it is only he that can judge me. I don’t mind his judgment because I know that he has my best interest in mind. Peace and Grace be unto you.

That which does not kill me can only make me stronger