The Lord Is My Shepherd

While stressing over life woes for several months, the following bible verse continually came to me. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Many of you will recognize Psalm 23:1 (KJV). Listen to others biblical interpretations:

  • The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want (NIV).
  • The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need (NLT).
  • God, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing (the Message).

 I get it. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. Yes, I finally get it. Nothing else matters; not material possessions or even human relationships; what matter is my relationship with God. This is my purpose in life—to love my God with all my heart, mind and soul.

I need to believe this. Can I live this?  God, this frightens me, but I understand now that even if I lose all that I have, like Job, you will still be there and you will provide. So God, help me to believe this, to be content with my current reality and not worry about my future. Help me to live and truly believe that I have everything I need in you. Amen.

When God Calls Your Name

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us? And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” (Isaiah 6:8).

Last week I published an essay on Upward Edge (www.upwardedge.com) entitled “Factors to Consider When Deciding to Lead.” After publishing the essay and receiving a comment from one of my loyal followers, I began to meditate. Although my words are in the first person, I strongly believe that my words are genuine to all hopeful and called leaders.

God it is evident that it is time to grow. God help me to see the cues and to use every opportunity to seek you out, to serve you and to demonstrate your love to others.

God help me to be always faithful; even during dark times. Give me the faith of Paul; the courage of David and the resiliency of Job.

God I pray that I can, through your divine spirit, truly motivate with my words, model through my deeds and heal with my touch. I pray that I will live the truth and be a good steward of your trust in me. Amen

Has God called your name? What has God impressed upon your heart to do? If all the factors are in place (see www.upwardedge.com); then you are able to repeat Isaiah’s words: “Here am I. Send me!”

Just In The Nick Of Time

“When I call, give me answers… I’m in trouble again: grace me! Hear me…Look at this: look who got picked by God! He listens the split second I call to him” (Psalm 4:1, 3 The Message).

How often does this happen to you? God answers you in the nick of time. Of course the nick of time is relative. The nick of time for me is now or least at the end of the day. However, it seems that God takes His good old time. Isn’t that right Job? The bottom line though; is that God does answer prayers.

The scripture made me think about all the things I want now or hope to have in the future. If I just had a little more money, a better car or if work wasn’t so stressful or if I could win the lottery, life would be better for me and all my family and friends. When we do this (dwell on worries and wants) we forget about our present blessings and the blessings that God has bestowed upon us in the past.

Richard H. Schmidt writes that “the present moment usually contains many blessings, but if we think only of what is unpleasant in the present or about what we want done in the future, we can’t enjoy anything” (Praises Prayers & Curses, 2005). So be thankful for today and you will be surprised to realize the miracles of just in the nick of time.

 Let’s pray:

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God help us learn the lesson of just in time. God sometimes we need to have a just in time episode so that we recognize the miracles of life. God help us to see and realize the miracles of our everyday lives. Help us, each and every day to be tuned into all that you do for us. We thank you now for our recognized and unrecognized blessings. Amen

Are Our Dreams Realized In Heaven

Some may think this is corny; others may think this is so unrealistic; a pipe dream. But I say it is a hopeful optimism—are our dreams realized in heaven? Can what is not accomplished here on earth, for whatever reason, be realized in heaven?

Can what we started here on earth continue in heaven? Can evil at every stop block what God has ordained? I am wishful, but more hopeful that the God’s spirit in us is bigger than the evil in this world.

Some may say, take your head out of the sand and you can make heaven here on earth. Isn’t that’s what the Lord’s Prayer is about-“thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” What are you doing now to make God’s kingdom here on earth.

Oh, I don’t know. I am just a dreamer. I see so many dreams here on earth perish because of ignorance, poverty, hatred and prejudice. I am just hoping—just hoping that our dreams lost here on earth are realized in heaven; that the good in our hearts that would have helped millions on earth will be realized in heaven.

Here’s hoping that our dreams; our unfinished or incomplete projects are realized in heaven. Amen.

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 This short essay was inspired by the writings of Cornel West in his book, “Brother West Living and Loving Out Loud” and is dedicated to my brother Calvin. Calvin, I hope you are inspired and I pray that you are now living your dreams.

Thoughts On Transforming Lives

To make a difference in people lives; to transform lives, you must not be fearful to lend a hand, to take risks. Remember that “The Lord is [your] shepherd; [you] shall not be in want” Psalm 23:1.

To make a difference in people lives; to transform lives, you must have patience. You must have patience in God’s timing. Patience gives time for preparation, learning in all forms and through all means, books, people and circumstances.

To make a difference in people lives; to transform lives, you must be assured of victory. “This is the victory that conquers the world—our faith.” 1 John 5:4.

Faith is the key to transforming lives because God’s faith takes away our fear, it gives us patience, but above all it motivates us because God’s faith assures us the victory.

The Single Most Important Thing Leaders Should Do Is Pray

Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, for the life of your soul is at stake. I am ready to make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the mercies and unfailing love that I promised to David. Isaiah 55:3-4 NLT

God, I have forgotten how to pray. Oh yes, I bow my head and say a few words; but God the intensity of the prayer is not there; the connection to you is not there; my yearning to wait and listen is missing. I have not the time to meditate; to wait and listen; to hear that inner voice.

God, teach me how to pray; help me to understand the importance of prayer. God, teach me to hear with discernment and how to be genuine with my requests.

I pray that my requests to you will not be in vain. I pray that my asking will be worthy of your ears, your blessings and my realities.

God, teach me to hear you and to be faithful to what you are calling me to do and to be.

God, I pray today for….

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 How often have you prayed to God and you hear nothing, feel nothing? Well, you are not alone. You have company throughout history. Mother Teresa confessed this in her journal, but she continued to do God’s work. Read the Psalms and see how often King David mourned for God’s presence. Yet, David was a man after God’s own heart.

So I say to you today don’t be discouraged. God loves you and I believe even during the silence, God hears you. So be faithful, don’t forget God’s promises and continue to do the things that God has called you to do. Amen

A Personal Testimony: A Test of Faith

With the recent tragic earthquakes in Haiti and Chile, I thought I would re-publish my post from Upward Edge entitled: “A Personal Testimony: A Test of Faith.” You can view more posts like this by going to www.upwardedge.com. I would love to hear from you. 

 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. … 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live….John 11:21, 25. NRSV
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“If you have been here, my brother would not have died.” Have you said that to God? How many times, over and over again? “God, where are you?”
Where’s God when tragedies hit our household, our friend’s household or when we witness the catastrophic events that happen around our globe. God, if you had been here, my brother, my sister, father and my mother would not have died.

Well, let me tell you a secret. God was there and God is always present with our loved ones and with all of humankind when tragedy hits.

God was with my brother “Kenny” when he died at the young age of 28. I saw God throughout Kenneth’s dying. God was there when my father passed. The night before, my father expressed his gratefulness and delight in hearing my voice yet again. God was there when my mother took her last shallow breath. I saw her and my father’s new image; new youthful bodies with my angel eyes in a dream the day she died. God was there when my brother, Calvin left this earth, void of human companionship, but not without the comfort and love of God.

God gave new life to them and God promises to give new life to each of us. God has promised to be “God in the face of Death” (Max Lucado, 2006). God promised that he would be my protector and I repeat often: “the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1) as a reminder of my protection and of my protector. God promised that he would be my deliverer: I will be with you to the end of your time (Matthew 28:20).

Yes, God is always there. He is our resurrection, he is our life; all we need to do is believe even at the point of our own death.

Doubts and Uncertainties, Part II

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent…Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you even at my mother’s breast. From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother’s womb you have been my God. Psalm 22:1-2; 9-10.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9

As confusing as the Christian scriptures can be; is it any wonder that we have doubts and uncertainties? Is it any wonder that these scriptures give us the fortitude to gone on; to praise and trust our God?

God, I am glad that you are bigger than my doubts and uncertainties. I am glad that you are the great mystery that keeps me coming back for more. God, I am so glad that your ways are far beyond our comprehension. God I come to trust, that your way is “out of our league [and it is] best to trust [your] benevolence” (Chris Glaser, 1994).

I have come to believe that my doubts and uncertainties will assure me that I will have a lifetime; pardon me, an eternity to experience your love and to become one with you; even as I continually question the uncertainties of this world and the role I play in it. Let’s pray.

God, I am so glad that you are not in a box. Even the Israelites could not contain you. You are far greater than our imagination. You are far greater than the vocabulary we assign to you: infinite, omnipresent, omnipotent. You are the great mystery who understands all and I pray because of that, you will continue to shower us with your grace and mercy as we struggle through this period in our eternity called life. Amen.

Doubts and Uncertainities

Everything is possible for him who believes. Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief! Mark 9:23b-24 NIV

Doubts and uncertainties; do you have them? I have them all the time. Listen to a few:

God help me keep the faith. Help me not to doubt you. Forgive me for my doubts. Give me the wisdom and the boldness to speak what I believe.

God give people a reason to praise you, to believe in you and to trust you. Yes God, we want those daily miracles. How else are we to believe, to not have doubts?

God, this is one of those days that I don’t know how to pray or feel worthy enough to pray. Forgive me Lord for my doubts and uncertainties; my doubts in you, but above all the doubts that I have in myself.

They say I am created in your image. They say that I am unique and one of a kind. They say that I am valued by you and that I can come to you in spite of my faults; that I am redeemed and accepted by you. They say that I am your ambassador here on earth. But I wonder; how can this be?

God help me to believe in myself. Help me to see what others see in me. Help me not to forget that I am your child, your ambassador. Help me to truly believe that I can do all things if I first truly believe in you and then believe in myself.  Amen.

God’s Vessel

Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Isaiah 55:6 NIV

 God, as I bare my soul to others, may my doubts give others confidence; may my cry allow others to laugh, and my discomfort allows others to be comforted?

 As I search for you and wait to hear your voice, may others hear your voice through me.

 I thank you God for allowing me to be the instrument, the vessel for others to find their way. I pray that in the process I too will find my way.  Amen