Rise Above

When I first became a dedicated Christian, I was always a bit confused when I would hear other believers talk about the fact that my life would not become any easier.  It would actually become harder than before.  I didn’t really think that was possible, because before I started believing deeper; my life was pretty difficult.  They would say that the enemy would attack me with even greater fervor than he had before. That my new faith would be tested beyond my imagination, and that the sheer act of believing in Christ and living according to his purpose would be the only mechanism I would be able to use to combat these attacks.  Well, I can now report that I am no longer confused.  I have a crystal clear understanding of how the enemy works, and this message today is another heartfelt attempt to take out my shield and my sword and fight back.  This note is a battle cry.  A battle cry for me and for anyone else out there who may be currently experiencing pain and getting assaulted by the sneaky serpent down south.  The one who lingers around this world with such great effect, that the battles that he wins are so widespread they go unnoticed by most.  Just watch the world news each night. 

But I’m not standing for it, he will not win this time!!  How about you? I’m here to profess that I will not give into him.  I will no longer succumb to his evil ways, even though I’ve spent many years under his tutelage.  I have been hit so hard lately and he has, yet again, infiltrated my mind and my life in a way only he knows how.  He knows me well, he knows how things affect me, and he knows that I have historically given in to his evil ways.  And though I will still fall, over and over again, I will NEVER give up the fight.  I am living my life for Christ.  I now live with a new and extremely reliable safety net, the Word of God, which clearly tells me that through my faith I will live forever.  That I have a Savoir that never leaves me and will never forsake me.  My thought and prayer for today when I awoke: “Lord, please help me see myself the way you see me and not the way I see me.  Help me Father live in the light of your presence, and give me the strength (just today) to defeat the enemy.”

The title of my piece to is Rise Above.  One of the ways the enemy gets to me is a long-standing default mechanism that has me believing that my circumstance are just too large to bear and that I can’t possibly rise above them.  That not only can I not rise above them, that I can’t “live” above them and that my actions will be consistent with a man who lacks this ability.  Well, this is what has happened to me lately and it has, again, cost me a great deal.  For many people (especially men), the circumstance the stands taller than others is typically wrapped in some sort of financial dilemma.  As I look back at my life to date; my inability to handle money, to deal with money, and to respect money has been the fulcrum of almost all my misbehaviors, bad habits, and horrible things that have happened.  Of course, the enemy knows this.  Not because he reads my mind, he can’t.  Only God knows our thoughts.  But because I have fallen prey to sin and the enemy knows exactly how to tempt me.  Both with sinful desires as well as a bevy of lies that are associated with the TRUTH about who I am.  That I am bad and will never be good.  That everything I touch will eventually turn bad because that is my history.  That I do not deserve good things, great relationships, a wonderful and Godly woman, and that I will NEVER be able to climb out of my financial hole.  Lies, lies, and more lies.  Does any of this sound familiar?  Does anyone out there have the same experiences? 

As I write this today, I have come up with a new TRUTH about rising above my circumstances.  Thanks to some very special people in my life, just today I realized that I need a new strategy.  I need to ACT and do things different.  Yes, my new faith is wonderful and my belief system is the most amazing transformation I have experienced.  But I also tend to be a dreamer, emotional in decision making, and this has bled into my financial life.  I always want the best of everything and I want my kids to have the best of everything.  But I need some practical changes that will be designed the help me overcome my circumstances and most importantly, RISE ABOVE my circumstances.  And it all starts with my constant theme of living God’s purpose for my life.  In a conversation this morning with a dear friend I was describing to him where my happiness comes from these days and where it came from in the past.  In the past, I seemed to derive happiness from obtaining things, entertaining clients, speaking in front of a group of people, and gather things that I felt made me more important.  Like many folks that fall prey to the evils of this world, I was a poster child for LOOK AT ME.  But these days I am at my absolute best and my absolute happiest when I am living God’s purpose for my life.  I write about this all of the time; it is the ETHOS of my life.  When I am sharing the word of God with another believer, and especially when I’m sharing the word of God with non-believers.  When I’m reading scriptures with my girlfriend, and when I can feel the presence of God during a church service.  I feel happy when I’m listening to a Christian song that flat out inspires me to tears.  It happens often, as most of you know; I’m not afraid to doll out some tears.  Crying with joy is an amazing feeling, and music quite often does that for me.  How about you?  I’ll give you a glimpse of what I’m talking about at the end of this note with a YOU TUBE video of an amazing song that I can guarantee you will LOVE!!  These are the things that make me happy these days.  Writing this note, right now, makes me happy. This is one of the ways I am utilizing my God given abilities to spread the word of God to others.  I also must be transparent and admit that the hundreds of birthday messages a few days ago made me happy.  Just knowing that I've touch so many people along my way is the most humbling feeling I could have.  A true blessing in my life; thank you Lord!!

My plan is to continue utilize these mechanisms and to ADD some practical financial strategies (that I have not tried before) to keep working towards rising above my circumstances.  One of my absolute favorite books in the Bible is James.  There was no surprise to me that this was most prevalent during my recovery, because the practicality and fact-based messages in the book of James seemed like a dichotomy pursuant to the way I was accustomed to living.  Unemotional, practical advice; and I have grown to love this entire book, every word.  The verse that is flat out prevalent for my message today is:
James 2:14-26 - Faith and Deeds

¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? ¹⁵ Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶ If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? ¹⁷ In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”

Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. ¹⁹ You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.

²⁰ You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? ²¹ Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? ²² You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. ²³ And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteous and he was called God’s friend. ²⁴ You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.

²⁵ In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? ²⁶ As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

While I was reading this scripture today, verse 20 was staring me right in the face.  I know I need to change some things, and I am committed to doing it.  I have been foolish, thinking that things would just work themselves out.  The fact is that they will certainly work out with the proper combination of faith and deeds.  Another verse in the Bible states: draw near to God and He will draw near to you.  He wants us to come to Him, this is the very reason He offers us free will.  He wants to see what we will do, and He is ALWAYS there. He will NEVER leave us, but we must do our part.  Call it a division of labor.  He will help us achieve our desires if we follow the path He has set out for our lives.  Like me, writing this message today.  I have no doubt that this is what He wanted me to do today; so I’m listening. 

In closing I wanted to share a beautiful song (link below) about how Christ will help us overcome and rise above our circumstances.  The song is entitled Always; which is how often the Lord will be there for us.  I hope this message has touched you in some way, and I hope this song will move you to tears; my prayer for each and every one who reads this.

Peace and Love, Tony

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzJH4YeqfuQ