Sonrise Over Darkness

Yet I am writing you a new command; its truth is seen in him and you, because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining....................1John 2:8

Good Evening Lord. This evening as I was reminiscing on times spent with Emmanuel (my son) I became somewhat heavy and dark. Immediately I removed myself from the apartment I was preparing for rental and began to meditate on the promises you have for me. Lord it becomes a challenge when we miss living out your word as fathers. Malachi 4: 6 is very real in my heart and whenever I fall short of your glory concerning it I slip into these shadows of darkness. Father I ask in the name of your Son Jesus to send a mighty wind that will align me with your glory concerning this challenge. Jesus you are Lord over my life therefore I have to surrender in order to see the light which is already shining. Love you King and what you have done for me at the cross. I plead your precious blood over all my challenges this day and those to come. You are my hope and glory forever and ever. Amen

Preparation

"At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. "At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!' "Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.' “‘No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for you.' "But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut……….Matthew 25:1-10

Good morning King Jesus. Awakened by the thought of your coming there was a sense of grieving led by the Holy Spirit in me today. Unhappy with the vision from behind my spiritual glasses I became disillusion, unhappy, disheartened and fearful. My lack of conversation (prayer) with you and the inability to stand on your promise through the present encourages me towards your way and not mine. (James 1:2).Today Lord for the first time in a long time my spirit longs to be separate (Daniel 10:2) from a condemned world destined to an eternity away from you. Encourage me Holy Spirit to continue to fill my lamp with oil (your word, love) that my flame (light) will continue to burn until your coming. Your word in the book of Matthew reminds me that at any time this can occur. (Matthew 24:27)Mindful Lord of the responsibility given to me by your blood from the cross the opportunity to be prepared for your coming (Luke 12:20)
In short Holy Spirit encourage my heart to receive your script that it my be performed in love towards the King for ever and ever. Amen

"But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’………Luke 12:20

In memory of Teena Marie and all those who fell into eternity on 12/27/2010

The Image Resurrection is available at my Imagekind portfolio

Forgiveness

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. "……………………………..Mark 11:25

Good morning Lord. Today it seems that whenever my sincere efforts are taken for granted I become alarmed and defensive. Most of the time as a result I become profane and unforgiving concerning the people that are involved. It is difficult to remove unforgiveness because I take it so personally.

Lord I know the word in my heart tells me that love is kind, you are love, it is not boastful or proud, it is unconditional, it is not self seeking or is it easily angered. (1 Corinthians 13) Why then do I feel so deflated when the opposite of these occurs in me?

Lord I know the answer rest in you. You are the Living water. I pray your spirit that it may encourage me towards your will and not my flesh. It is very difficult without your spirit. Holy Spirit guide me into an atmosphere of love that the image present and available to me will embelish your Kingdom which is near. (Matthew 4:17) For you Jesus is the glory forever and ever. Amen

By The Spirit

But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 "Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house. 30 "He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters. 31 And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come Matthew 12:28-32

Lord please forgive me for my absence over the past several weeks. During this time I began to develop a sense of fear and loneliness that is not associated with your presence. It is wonderful to begin this day and week in conversation with you. Thank you for not leaving me as I separated my spirit from you.
In my mediation on this wonderful and glorious day you began speaking to me the foundation and key associated with the presence of the Kingdom of heaven here on earth. Proclaimed through your disciple Matthew I was encouraged as you spoke. You said that if I cast out devils (demons) by the spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God is come unto me. You finish this thought with this statement. How can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? And then he will spoil his house. Lord for many weeks I have been entering into the strong mans house without binding him. Every time this occurs his house remains unsettled. Everything continues to sit in the place they sat when I entered because he has not been bound. The meditation of my heart this day is to continue to be encouraged, delivered and lifted up by your spirit in order to bind the strong man. This power, which is love, begins with you in order for this to take place. You are the key necessary to unleash the power to bind him. Father God I thank you through your tremendous love and mercies for the Holy Spirit present here to help me bind the strong man. Lord Jesus I thank you for your passion and joy for the cross that opens the door and sets in motion the triune presence linking the heavens unto the earth. Without you this day there is no life in me. Amen

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.

John 3:16-18

Celebration

Lord as I move closer to my eternal meeting with you there deep in my soul is the question of why I accepted your way of life. Looking back over my life (at least my adulthood in Christianity) there are times when choosing your way has been very challenging. There are many occasions where I was under the illusion that I failed you in many ways. The choices I’ve made and continue to make away from you actually confirm why choosing you is about love.
When I began to follow your ways and become disciplined in you there was a religious tone that set the bar as to who I was and what I was suppose to do. I was kind of white knuckling it in order to feel safe regarding your wrath when you return to claim what is yours. The dogmas and rituals that saturated my worship continued to hold me captive to the very thing you died for. How pleasing it may have been for man and others, but it was a lie rooted in death. (1 Corinthians 15:56). I asked myself why I did not choose to follow the teachings of Muhammad, or Buddha, or the rituals of the orthodox Jews. Why I am not compelled towards them. I have a respect and I admire the dedication and affection of those who follow these faiths with a genuine heart. But there was still something about them and there rituals that continued to bind there followers. There in that question continue to remain until one afternoon back in 2009 I was reading in the book or Revelation in the seventh chapter starting in the ninth verse this piece.

It says “After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: "Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength are to our God for ever and ever. Amen!" Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes--who are they, and where did they come from?" I answered, "Sir, you know." And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, "they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, or any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

Today my choice is not to become religious that I miss the opportunity to celebrate you Lord Jesus . You are the risen Christ. For the very spirit that compelled me to a life away from you presented the opportunity for me to witness the love of God the Father inspite of myself. Without you there is no celebration that can exist unto your glory. For you are the celebration. I thank God for putting himself on the cross in the form of His son you Lord on my behalf. We didn’t put you on the cross God the Father did. He knew that the only way we can be redeemed to our eternal destiny with Him was with a pure sacrifice that only you could have provided. Make no mistake I admire those whose follow there religious convictions but there are no celebration without you Jesus because your is Lord... Amen

Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. 1 Corinthians 4:5

Precious

Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him.

Psalm 127:3
One of the most precious gifts given to me was my son Emmanuel. While I created this image I was moved greatly on how valuable he is to me. As I negotiated this statement there has been some challenges that are before me that need to be addressed in order to line up with your will Lord. The two thousand mile separation offers the greatest challenge concerning our relationship. Financially I have failed to meet my responsibility concerning his care.
As men we all have challenges when it comes to will of God concerning our children. We are inclined naturally to take a position as head for it is instinctive of us to do so. Lord encourages me through your word and Spirit to see past myself in order to present your glory to Emmanuel. Help me to imagine your way and not the way of the community, nation and world concerning my son. . Our culture has moved the image of father to the back burner with it’s misconception of the role of the father. Help us Lord to overcome the deadbeat and worthless spirit associated with fatherhood in the African American and American culture. Lord we know that with force concerning the financial and custodial arrangements will encourage failure and eventually great challenges.

Lord I pray your goal concerning the wonderful inheritance and tremendous reward concerning my son. Let not the force of government, ignorance, hatred, indifference or judgment concerning his mother hinder our relationship in any way. Thank you for your increase that I may be a blessing unto the glory of God. Amen.

Afflicted

Then Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath
John 5:8.9

How does our Lord pull this one off? First the man with the affliction had a desire to rid himself of his challenges. Induced by the dream of entering into the water where the supernatural (Angels or power greater than himself) he already imagined the healing result. He witnessed it every day.

As the Lord enters the power that created the heavens and earth was unleashed in the spoken word. ‘Without the words Get up pick up your mat and walk’ the miracle would have never manifested.

One of the most difficult challenges we face begins when we can’t see past our circumstances to claim victory in our challenges. Weather it is with our finances, relationships, politics, emotions, religion and so on it is what we imagine that determines the outcome.

The word of God (Jesus Christ) fuels our imagination (images) by painting an illustration of how God performs in our darkest hour. Notice the image he paints when this miracle is accomplished on the Sabbath making notice to the religious aspect of the law that hinders and holds us captive (1 Corinthians 15:56). Born in the spirit of the risen Christ our challenges will become our witness to the power of God in every area of our lives (Proverbs 3:5, 6)

Naked

Death is naked before God; Destruction lies uncovered. Job 26:6

Looking at the cross of Christ it can only minister to us when we come uncovered. All of the preconceived notions, gestures, religion, lies and deception produce a separation spiritually from God that results in eternal death. When I address the cross in truth then and only then will it present the saving grace and power necessary to remove me from the burden of sin.

Lord as I move closer to eternity help me to understand the truth of my salvation. At times it can present a challenge when I approach the cross clothed in all of my lies, hatred, lust, fear, religion and death concerning this fallen world which I am confronted with on a daily and hourly basis. How do I remove the plank from my eye that I may see clearly enough to see the truth about my brother? Unless I take it all off and trust in you I will continue to perish into an eternity away from you instead of one with you.

Lord bless me today with an opportunity to be clothed in your righteousness. Help me to understand your will as I dwell in the presence of my brother. Encourage me to move faithfully and truthfully concerning your presence in me. For the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ rest in my ability to undress and become naked before you in every way. Holy Spirit dress me with the love that was presented at the cross of Calvary through the cleansing blood of Jesus Christ. Amen.

"Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." Job 1:21

The Peace of God

You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal. Isaiah 26:3,4

Lord Jesus as I awoke this morning I continue to feel the hope which is provided in you. This day I believe the opportunity to bless you and your kingdom will most definately present itself. As I continue to look around my circumstances dictate to me that death is present. In my finances, relationships, and fellowship there is a resistance to the good. I've been challenged on every level. I know without the presence of your spirit I will not see the light of day. The extreme profanity presented in the atmosphere here in Newark paints a very bleak picture concerning its future. There are no opportunities for employment. Souls continue to move toward the flesh away from your Spirit concerning there needs. Dishonor towards you and our fellow man continue to mount in record numbers. There is no honor amongst brothers let alone a stranger. As I continue to look toward eternity i can clearly see that without you there is no chance in my present state to dwell with you for eternity. I plead your spirit not to leave , but to continue to set free the hearts and minds that recieve the power of your redeemption. Thank you Lord for putting it on your Son the evil present in me in this fallen state. For it is in your begotten that my eternity rest. Cover me with your precious blood that I may witness the power of your saving grace amongst my fellow man and your chosen ones who create your body. Help us to understand that it is not by our power and might but by your spirit. For you are Lord of all. Jesus I thank you for advocating on my behalf before the Father. Holy Spirit please continue to provide me with the dewelling place and the refuge necessary to claim victory here in this hour, day and year. Forgive all of us Lord for we know not what we do. Cover us Lord Jesus when we fall short of your glory. Amen

Seek

As I woke up this morning I found myself in the swallows of all of my present circumstances. Although a large portion of the issues I have this day were manifested by the choices I've made I still have to confont them in order to move freely in to my future. The only way I know how to move is predicated upon what I see, hear, reject , accept or believe. Most of the time this can become challenging. As I sought the Lord in conversation this morning it was interesting what His Son the Lord Jesus Christ pointed out from Himself and the Prophets. The first instruction he revealed to me today was written by one of his disiciple's Matthew in the sixth chapter of his book It says;"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."(Matthew 6:33) Although I read, spoke, ministered and meditated on this today it sheds new light on my prediciment. As I continued on in this conversation His prophet Jeremiah enlightened me on a very powerful piece he shares with us which is spoken by God. It says; "I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me? In closing the conversation it was impressed upon me that through my Lord whatever my challenges are going forward seeking his kingdom and His righteousness is needed in order to manage and move forward from these things. He will provide for me whatever is necessary to overcome them. Amen