Are you prepared for your departure?

Can you recall to mind the preparation that takes place prior to you heading to the airport to catch your flight? Prior to your departure you pack everything, you conduct a thorough walk through in your hotel room to make sure that nothing is left behind....and then it's check out time...now you're focused because the systematic steps taken prior to  your arrival at the airport has aligned your mind with the departure...but there's yet another process: check in baggage, go through security check points and get to the gate that is essentially the doorway to your departure....this is also applicable to school, work and life. Elementary, Middle School, High School and College...each division requires progression or progress which ultimately leads to the students departure....at work there are three positions: you can resign, be layed off or get fired...in any case you should be prepared to leave and move to bigger and better things....or embrace the fact that the company has decided they no longer want to retain you...nothing lasts forever and being prepared keeps you in control....as far as life is concerned, no matter your economic status, neighborhood you live in, or the type of car you drive, you will ultimately cross the bridge called death...folks don't like talking about it perhaps that is why we have so many people not ready or prepared for death....when we're not prepared we leave our family and loved ones to figure out how the burial and services will pan out.  Spirituality speaking each of us has to make a decision in regards to where we want to spend eternity....heaven or hell...thousands of people complain about the smothering summer heat, but if they fail to prepare for eternity by confessing with their mouth the Lord Jesus and believing in their heart that God raised Him from the dead they shall be saved" they will find themselves in far worse conditions (i.e., a firey furnance)...before you exit this life into eternity....I encourage you to choose Christ for your life    #Areyoupreparedforyourdeparture?

Do you have change?

Has anyone ever come to you at the mall, church or work and ask, "Do you have change?" Quite frankly, it's going to be a yes/no answer...you either have it or you don't.  The next time someone asks you, "Do you have change?" check out their response if your answer is no....that person is disappointed,  but not discouraged because he or she is going to find change for that $5, $10 or $20 bill.  I actually did this one day....someone asked me for change at work, but I did not have it....this individual was like, "All man, Tonio, it's cool though" I watched this person go around our department until he was able to locate change....shortly thereafter he passed by my desk with a bottle of water and said,  "I sure was thirsty."  Life is similar to this..people around us are in need of change simply because they are sick and tired of being sick and tired. However if we are not in possession of change we will be incapable of invoking change in others...in layman's terms: you can not give what you do not possess. There may be people in close proximity of you that are thirsty spiritually, need someone to speak life into them, but if you have yet to experience change and/or be impacted by that change you will miss opportunities to help others experience the exhilarating effects of true change that can propel them to their destiny...."if any man be in Christ he is a new creation, old things have passed away, behold all things have become new" 

#makethatchange

Do That, Hear That, Get That

Truth be told, all of us, I mean every single person that has walked this earth had a struggle. When I say struggle I am referring to that thing that brings shame and at times disgust. You know the thing that you promised God you'd never do again, "if you get me out of this Lord...I'll never do it again."  Its crazy, even though you know it's wrong...you secretly pursue it with reckless abandon, why? Because "it feels so good." You've prayed with friends and family, stood in the prayer line at church, convinced yourself that you didn't need him, her or it, but two weeks later you're back at it again....it gets to the point that you get tired of praying....that transitions to inconsistent church attendance...which transitions to spiritual lethargy. How do I get out of this revolving door of sin? I like to compare it to having a mouse or rat in your home.....to go from squeaky clean to having a rat in your house raises some eyebrows...the first thing you would have to do is admit that it's there...if you ignore it you give the rodent the potential  to increase or duplicate itself by having babies....so first....you would have to "Do That"   admit that its there and obtain a trap or instructions that will tell you exactly where to place the trap....next you have to "Hear That" Your sleep pattern needs to be altered in order for you to hear the sound of the trap...the sound of the trap is an indication that you have to confront the thing that caused you to alter your sleeping pattern "Get That" Now go get the rat that's stuck in the trap....don't send anyone else, you go "get that" there may be some hesitancy because the tail is still moving, but you must take it up and throw it out!  So it is with us...we have to "Do That" read God's word...not only should we read it, we need to make the application to our lives...doing so serves notice to the person, place or thing and reminds them who we are and whose we are...We "Hear That" when God's word has been applied to our hearts...His word speaks...It's going to alter your sleep patterns,  but that's ok, you'll hear it in the spirit before you see it in the natural which gives you the advantage....and lastly,  "Get That" doing this shows engagement in the battle...your pastor can't do this for you...you have to want to be made whole...God is ready and wiling to break every chain....we have to be ready and willing to let it go!! "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

#Winning

Progression is often confronted by oppression simply because progression will soon release a multitude into their promise land. The enemy was ok when you were status quo....or "stagnate in Egypt"... Some of the attacks that you have been experiencing lately are coming from your future.  The enemy doesn't know all things, but he knows some things and the one thing that's  making him nervous is you discovering  your purpose. Now that you know why you're here you have become a beacon of light to those that are stuck...you are inspiring more people then you realize and as a result of that, the enemy has assigned one of his imps to distract you from building...but whatever you do, dont come down.  You see it's bigger than you....it's about the message of hope, the good news, the gospel, the assignment given to you in this hour. The enemy desires for you to build a tent in your past....for some its alcohol, for others it's the opposite sex or the wrong relationship, for some its drugs, for some it's the love of money or better yet the thing that God delivered you from...when you progress pass those things,  the enemy will attack your mind to make you second guess your  deliverance and what God told you to do....but remember God's word works....study His word "a workman not ashamed rightly dividing the word of truth"....but our enemy is relentless....once the application of the word has taken place, the enemy will send people to attack you and the word of God that has been sown in your heart ...not physically,  but rather on a spiritual level....they will challenge you and cause you to feel that you have done something wrong. There will be times when you feel like  you're going against the wind...it is during these times that you should rest in Him....because it is God that created the wind! No weapon formed against you shall prosper #Peacebestill #winning