Words with Meaning, or Meaning with Words?

 

The Fixx performed a song called, "One Thing Leads to Another," and in their song they pose the question: "Why don't they do what they say, say what they mean?" Then explain that, "one thing leads to another."

The imperfect Christian hears the term, "I'm sorry, and asks himself what is this besides uniformity? Does it truly ameliorate the issue at hand? Is it comforting or true? In most cases, no, it is not. It's a cop out that says, "Ok, you got me!" It is not a sincere, "How may I amend this, what may I do to right the wrong?"  

"I'd do ANYTHING to make it right again!" 

Would you really? If you would should the offended party be willing to forgive you, and if so, how many times?

How many times should I forgive my brother Lord? (Reference St. Matthew 18:21) Peter was gracious enough to ask the Lord if 7 times would be a sufficient amount of times to forgive someone, and Jesus said (paraphrasing in a modern voice); Homeboy if you can double the California penal code ruling and baseballs 3 strikes you're out rules, then you should be able to forgive 70 times 70!

Therefore, if you can forgive 490 times, then what's 491?!

Perhaps someone has promised you something? Perhaps they promised that they would be somewhere, or provide some sort of service, but failed to deliver? Perhaps they promised to love you? Have you completely forgiven that person? Are things like they were before the incident? If you answered, "no" then you haven't forgiven that person or yourself.

Sivart Pooknyw said, "I want my life to have meaning, not wording. When I say I love you, I love you, I not only speak it, I live it!"

How many times has someone told you that they loved you, but wouldn't take 30 seconds out of their day to pick up the phone just to check on you. How many times has someone told you that they'd do anything for you, but when you're down on your luck they will not pay your power bill, in fact they are likely not to give you a dollar toward your utility bills, or any other bills, let alone pay a total payment for you?

When a lover tells his/her partner that they love them, they don't just use words of uniformity. They live that, and make that word a work, and it's supposed to be an ongoing work.

There is one that paid it forward, once, and for ALL. Yes, er'body, even the imperfect Christian.

Peace, Blessings, and Joy... That real PB&J

#Even_If

Even if you feel imperfect and don't feel worthy, remember that being a child of the King, means you, through Christ, are redeemed. Even if you have made mistakes and lived in constant sin, our God is still right there, and is still able to save us all. (John 3:17)

Even if you feel like Judas Iscariot, you can refuse the 30 pieces of silver, and even if you have already accepted them, you can still turn to the cross, rather than the rope. God can and will use you to His glory!

Even if you run like Jonah, or lie (as in lie down for those unaware of the Jez lifestyle) like Jezebel, God can and will use you. Hopefully we choose to be used for the kingdoms advancement through our advancement, rather than our being made an example.

Even if you feel rehab is beyond you, think of Rahab. She was a sporting woman that entertained many men, and God through Joshua used her, and saved her! Amazing how the entire city was destroyed and every wall downed, but Rahab and her house were saved! Yes, even if everyone else looks at you as filthy and worthless, God is able to change and save you, and rehab a Rahab! (Joshua 5&6)

Even if you struggle with sin, don't struggle with the knowledge of the love of God. Know His love, and you won't struggle with no love.

"For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world though Him might be saved!"(John 3:17 KJV)

Even if all hope appears to be gone, don't give in, don't give up, give everything, and give it to HIM, not man! Cross or rope, the choice is yours. The imperfect one prays that we all choose life!

Peace, Blessings, and Joy... that real PB&J!

Church Mother Jab!

Have you ever been to a church or out in public, and have a woman stick and move on you? The exception being that she did the sticking, and your head and neck did the moving? 

While in Jamaica, The imperfect Christian developed a stomach disorder. Mama T (the deaconess) chalked it up as running stomach. Her husband, Deacon Thomas, with her diagnosis, anointed the imperfect Christian with oil. He slathered it on the imperfect ones'  head, neck, and body. The deacon smacked the imperfect Christians skin like a good corner man does a fighter. The deacon prayed over the imperfect one, that day and gave the instructuon that everyone was to rise each morning at sunrise for Son rise at 5:30am to have devotion. After much prayer, The imperfect one examined Mama T's ingredients, and discovered that Mama T was putting milk (a lot of milk), in his breakfast drink. From then on out, it was only fruits and veg-Jah-tables  (veg-Jah-tables="vegetables" in the imperfect ones best Jamaican accent), an "I could've had a sweeter V-8," smack to the forehead, and healed! This was the cause of his running stomach, because the imperfect Christian is lactose intolerant... No more milk, no more running stomach, Go, and be blessed! 

One of the imperfect Christians favorite church leaders "Ms. Alice Swepson Ray," once prayed over him after noticing that he was hurting spiritually. Then with a Holy Ghost, pungent swat to the forehead, and a mild case of temporal whiplash, that lasted all of approximately two seconds, he was healed. In fact the imperfect Christian laughed after he realized that she had just knocked some sense into him. 

Then there was Mrs. Freeman. Mrs. Freeman used to do the same thing, and tell you that she loved you, but she would tag you with that flat open hand, to the forehead, quicker than a young Ali, and sharper than a seasoned, and oh so, crafty Larry Holmes could have. 

The imperfect one loves the late Ms. Marilee, and Ms. Alice, and he loves the Thomas'! Above all the imperfect Cristian loves The Lord, for introducing and allowing him to meet and know such great people.The imperfect one thanks Him, and praises Him for allowing him to go, and be blessed!

Deuteronomy 28:6 

Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. 

Peace, Blessings, and Joy... That real PB&J

Justification Through Abdication

 

How do you justify hurting someone? How do you justify loving someone that hurts you? Sometimes doing the right thing is like being punched in the stomach. Remember "Harry and the Hendersons?" Remember the scene where George Henderson (John Lithgow) punched Harry (the late Kevin Peter Hall) in the stomach to get him to leave? George didn't want Harry to go, but he felt it was best for Harry, so even in what seemed like a putrid act of sheer evil to Harry, it was an act of love on the behalf of George.

It's like your best friend moving to the beach, you give them a hug because the ask for it, then they come by your house to say good-bye, but you can't muster the strength to go to the door, you just lie in you room on the bed and cry.

It's like the disciples and all of the followers , thinking that Jesus would free them physically, and that the Romans would die, while all along it was Jesus that would die, and go.

Jesus gone? The throne abdicated? Certainly not! But the King did let go. Rather than punch us in the stomach, He took the pain. The He let go of the pain, He released all the sins of man, and cast them into a devil's hell, into a sea of forgetfulness, when we repent. Today perhaps you too, feel like you are living in hell, and don't want to die and go to hell. Call on Jesus (Romans 10:10-13), and He will release your sin as well. Are we sin free from then on? No. So is there a sinner preaching to you? Possibly. Is it a hypocrite preaching at you? Possibly. But what is impossible is saying that God doesn't love you. If He can use a wretch like the imperfect Christian to touch one soul, then imagine what He can do with a loyal soul, that is on fire for Him!

Letting go isn't always easy, not even if it's letting go of something for the right reason. Sometimes we have to let go of things that we love because it's best for the loved one, it may not feel like it's best for you, but it is, and sometimes we have to let go of things that we wish we could, and most likely should do without. At times letting go is necessary. Be blessed and know that He is GOD, and that you are LOVED!

Peace, Blessings, and Joy... that real PB&J

How Many Times, How Many Ways?

Freedom is a road seldom traveled by the multitude. ~ Frederick Douglass 

Most people do not recognize freedom. Even an enslaved soul has certain liberties, however, a self-made slave has none. Free dom, and free dumb. Rid yourself of domination, by freeing yourself from confusion and anxiety. Self inflicted wounds are shackles that confine the mind, the soul, and body. 

How many times will you forget to forgive yourself? How many ways will you discover to cast blame on others rather than self? 

How many times would your best friend bail you out of a gnarly situation. If the answer is not, "every single time they were truly capable," then odds are, you need a new best friend. 

Freedom and friendship are not about how much money someone will lend you, or even give to you. It's not about someone giving you the shirt off of their back. Your best friend give you all of themselves when the money, shirt, and everything else is gone. What greater love has a person, than that a person lay down their life for their friends? (John 15:13) Does this mean that we are to sacrifice to the death? Not necessarily, but the genuine, true best friend, offers (genuinely/truly) to give such (to give all), and make such a sacrifice. If we are a true friend in return, we offer up the same, and we never forget our best friend. 

Peace, Blessings, and Joy... That real PB&J!

You Can Get With This, Or You Can Get With That...

Pastor Laurie did this blog just for me. He's eaten at least eight Krispy Kreme Doughnuts in one sitting, so he definitely qualifies as my kinda preacher! I wanted to share this blog because I wanted to prove that KKD is the official doughnut of heaven, and to say that as in imperfect Christian I can say that the choice between right and wrong is ours as individuals. It is above all of our pay grade to be anything but inspectors. There is but one Righteous Judge. I pray that you enjoy his ministry and blog as much as I do. Peace, Blessings, and Joy... That real PB&J! THE BELOW MESSAGE BELONGS TO GREG LAURIE AND HARVEST MINISTRIES:

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 2013   A Bittersweet Message   To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this? —2 Corinthians 2:16 Have you ever eaten something that was sweet going down but made you sick later? Let me restate the question: Have you ever eaten eight Krispy Kreme doughnuts in one sitting? I have. I got a little carried away. They were great going down. But less than ten minutes later, I was asking, What have I done? In Revelation 10, the apostle John asked an angel for a small scroll. When the angel gave him the scroll, he told John, "Yes, take it and eat it. It will be sweet as honey in your mouth, but it will turn sour in your stomach!" (verse 9). John said, "So I took the small scroll from the hand of the angel, and I ate it! It was sweet in my mouth, but when I swallowed it, it turned sour in my stomach. Then I was told, 'You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings' " (verses 10–11). The message that we believe as Christians is sweet to us, but it is bitter to others. This is God's Word to us. We eat it like food. Job said, "I have not departed from his commands, but have treasured his words more than daily food" (Job 23:12). For Christians to have a Bible study is like a feast. We love it. But for others, it is misery and torment. They don't like it. Some hear the gospel and say, "I love that. I believe it. I want Jesus." Others say, "Not only do I not like it, I hate it. And I hate you for saying it." As believers, we need to take the message of the gospel and give it to as many as we can. Whether they love it or hate it is really up to them.

What Have You Done?

API President Obama - not to be duplicated for profit.

Janet asked the question in song, "What have you done for me lately?"
President John F. Kennedy instructed America, "Ask not what what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country!"

Well here's a new one for you...

Matthew 6:I
[Do Good to Please God] "Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men (people/mankind), to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in Heaven.

I know you've seen that guy/gal that boasts about what they do, or have done for others right? Or those victims that ask the above, (I've done, or haven't done for you), "But What Have You Done For Me Lately?" You don't deserve any other blessing than you've already received. Take your pat on the back, and move along now. The intentions in your giving are what count, not your inventions and investments (for profit/reward)!

Until the blessing of a new dawn, until the return of Christ Jesus, I wish you and all... Heaven