The Last Mile

We are soon to approach the last quarter of the year and some of us are yet to accomplish what we've set out to do.  There are various reasons for such failure which requires of us an evaluation of where we went wrong, where we've compromised and what we've failed to execute.  

Too often we have plans for ourselves, our children, our ministries, our families etc which were never in God's divine will for us.  We are soon to embrace the last three months of 2013 not knowing whether or not we will see the final day.  This is the last mile of the year and the question to you today is "How are you going to close this year if life is extended to you?"  Some of you will continue to compromise, others will remain complacent with their failures, a few will remain in the valley of the decision and others will probably be depressed because once again their plans have failed.  

I encourage you  to seek the face of God for directions on how He wants you to run this last mile of 2013. You don't need to increase your speed  i.e. become extremely busy, you need not slow down either, i.e. become depressed, mentally or emotionally overwhelmed, neither should you come up with a quick plan. Run this last mile fulfilling the will of God for your life.  In those areas where you have failed, compromised, quit, or got lost along the way, give those areas to God.  Let Him guide you, let God empower you and permit God to fill you in those areas where you thought was going to make your life more meaningful, more significant and more fulfilled.  Run this last mile of 2013  which is only three months, with your life being in the hands of the Lover of your soul.  Have a blessed day and be encouraged. 

NOW YOU REALIZE

As Christians many of us were excited to quote Deuteronomy 28:13 - And the Lord shall make thee the head and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if  thou hearken unto the commandments of the Lord thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them. This quotation and declaration was made as a motivation to uplift our spirits especially when overwhelmed by various challenges.  We strove for the best vehicles, the best homes, the best education and the finer material things in life.  As Christians we persuaded ourselves that God wanted the BEST for us and we went for it.  

I found nothing wrong with the persuasion, however something was wrong with the way the BEST was obtained.  We pursued the best vehicle, home, clothing, job, education, etc. by ignorance. There is an extreme difference between  knowledge and wisdom.  Knowledge is possessing information that you are able to comprehend.   Wisdom is the ability to appropriately use that which you comprehend to accomplish or obtain the best results.  

Being the head and not the tail or  the lender and not the borrower was to be accomplished through  wisdom rather than by a foolish pursuit.  God is all knowing, His wisdom is profound, His methods we are unable to comprehend, but His word gives us a guideline as to how we can have the best, live the most abundant, fulfilled life on the earth.  We discovered the scripture, we believed the scripture, we declared the scripture but we operated foolishly. The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender - Proverbs 22:7.  Once we borrow (obtain financial loans) we become servants not leaders.   

It is only now that many of us as Christians are realizing the consequences of our wrongful use of the information disclosed in Deuteronomy 28:13.   Being the head and not the tail means that you hold the position of a leader in a particular area of your life.  It does not mean that you must be the spiritual leader of the church, the boss on the job or the owner of the business.  Being the head means you possess the ability to obtain followers, to discipline, teach or instruct, and this can be accomplished while employed, while being a faithful follower of a local assembly, as a youth, etc. This means that your attitude towards receiving instruction must change. You don't get angry at your boss, spiritual leader, or any authoritative person in your life; learn to take instructions. 

In reference to being the lender and not the borrower you must wait on the Lord to provide the opportunity for you to acquire the best.  It is now that many believers are coming to the realization of the bondage which accompanies the mortgage for the property, the home, the vehicle, the extravagant wedding, the luxurious cruise, etc.  So many Christians are now praying for God to deliver them from having to pay the car or house mortgage, the property  loan, personal bank loans, the church mortgage,  credit card debts, etc.  What happened, and why are so many Christians in debt, homes repossessed, vehicles repossessed and  have horrible credit?  They borrowed because of their persuasion that they deserved the best and they wanted it NOW. It is now that you are realizing  that you should have never borrowed, it is now you are realizing  that you should have had a better attitude towards the authoritative persons in your life, it is now that  you are realizing what  Deuteronomy 28:13 and Proverbs 22:7 really mean. Now you realize!

IDENTITY CRISIS

Everyone is talking about the increase in crime, the increase in single parented homes, the increase in divorces, abortions and teenage pregnancies, the increase in immorality.  There appears to be much talk about negative issues worldwide.  Few persons whether politicians or clergy offer sound solutions to these problems that we read daily in our news papers, magazines, hear on the radio, watch on the news or discuss at work or with our neighbors.  

These problems cannot be solved until we all acknowledge  the origin or root of the matter.  There is a National Identity Crisis worldwide.  The Americans want to be like the Chinese, The Cubans want to be like the Americans, The Africans want to be like the British, The Bahamians want to be like the Americans, this nation wants to live like the other and so forth.  

Nations want to imitate the other and experience their level of lifestyle, manufacture their type of products or even  better ones.  Nations are copying each other or competing with each other but none are taking into consideration the consequences of their actions.  When The Bahamas decided to connect with America and enforce some of their lifestyles, The Bahamians likewise experienced their down falls, increase in crime, immorality, etc.  When the Americans wanted to compete in weaponry and science with Russia, China and other nations, they became an indebted nation.  When the Cubans and Haitians wanted to live their lives at a higher or equivalent standard of other Caribbean Nations, they likewise suffered loss by death at sea, imprisonment, increase in  fraud and a high level of deportation.  

Many are looking at other Nations and not taking into  consideration the consequences of the decisions and lifestyles of these Nations who attracted them.  Truly America is the land of the free, but my conviction is that America is too free whereby it has little to no moral standards.  Products are assembled and manufactured in Mexico, India, Indonesia etc. yet their crime rate and poverty is extremely high.  Nations are saying , lets make our own products, lets manufacture our own goods, not considering that most places that have factories also have high pollution in the air, and an extreme increase in diseases especially cancer.   Too much infiltration and influence by other Nations has contributed to the many problems we are all experiencing and also witnessing. 

There are consequences for following other Nations and sadly these consequences are experienced by the residents and citizens of that Nation.  Every Nation is experiencing an identity crisis whereby they want to live like the other Nation.  This is what happened to  Israel when  they wanted to be like the other Nations, they wanted a king.   They got their king like the other Nations and they likewise suffered like the  other Nations - 1 Samuel 8 (key verse 19).  Be careful of who you elect  to represent you because whether or not you want to acknowledge it,  there is a national consequence for your decision.  Take responsibility for your actions; which was the decision you made on election day and stop complaining about the increase in crime and all of the immorality that surrounds you.  Many are experiencing the financial challenges, sufferings and pressures in life simply because of who they chose to represent them. The consequences of identity crisis occurred for many through  the Leader they chose. Sadly many failed to acknowledge that that particular person whom they elected wanted to be like another Nation and therefore robbed them and likewise you, denied  themselves and also you the opportunity to experience life in accordance to your culture and citizenship. There is indeed a consequence for wanting to be like another nation. There is most definitely a price to be paid for identity crisis. Do you know who your Nation is imitating?  There is a consequence for failing to set your own standard of living and definition of your Nation and likewise yourself.