Tag Archives: hope

Take God Off the Clock

Confessions, , , , , , ,

God
This is a very familiar passage of scriptures here! We have two things happening here that I want to talk about, cause and effect. Jesus was hungry, he saw a fig tree and expected to receive fruit and there was none, being disappointed he cursed the tree and the tree died. Now before we go further we need to first understand who Jesus is and where he came from. Jesus is the son of God and he came to the world to preach the kingdom, and concepts in the kingdom are different than they are in the world. He also knew he was where he came and where he was going, he also had seen it all before and had his father to model it. When we look at Jesus we have to understand that Jesus did not come from here, but from the kingdom which knew no time. The kingdom of God is an everlasting kingdom according to Psalms 145:13 so we see that the kingdom of God does not deal with time and it exist before, during, and after time. People understand and operate according to how they were taught and or raised, so understand his attitude towards the tree. He stepped out of the kingdom where there was no time into a world that is very limited by time, and having understood what his restrictions were in the world, he still operated with a kingdom mindset. When you understand the kingdom of God is uninfluenced by time it makes sense for him to see a fig tree from afar off and seeing leaves for him to expect to receive fruit as well even though it was not the season for figs. We being from earth we understand time and seasons for what they are and we know that fruit comes in seasons so we don’t expect fruit if it is not the season for it, but Jesus cursed the tree for not having fruit because in the kingdom there is always fruit all the time. Now we understand the process of time as it relates to us and that by him cursing to tree then over time the tree would die, but because Jesus is not affected by or deals with time , the very next day when Peter saw the tree he noticed that it had withered and died in a day’s time. So what would have taken hundreds and thousands of years to happen happened the very next day, because in Psalms 1 it tells us that your leaves shall not wither and whatever you do shall prosper, so in the kingdom there is no such thing as a bad day. Now Jesus turned and told Peter to have faith in God, he told him that because whatever God says will come to pass, we know that faith comes by hearing and by hearing the word of God, so when he spoke to the tree which did not appear to have ears it had to obey the word of God. Your faith has to be in what God has said and not the time you feel should be allowed or the way you think it should happen or how it should happen. As Christians the greatest challenge to our faith is time, because the longer you wait on the promises of God the more opportunity the enemy has to speak to your mind, and began talking you against the promises. Time will cause your faith to waiver if your faith is wrapped up in your emotions, and locked into a timeframe you will have a hard time accepting the things of God and believing what he says all because you have put God on the clock. You already won’t serve God with or give God the time that he has given you, God Lords over time, so he has the power to suspend time and then the power to fast forward time. We have to learn how to be transformed by the renewing of our minds so that we are not conformed to time but operating with a kingdom mindset. When you pray for things God hears you and he drops it in your tomorrow instantly with no time restrictions, but because we put a time line on it, it always seems to take too long to receive it, so we get arrogant and accuse God and other people of lying just because it didn’t happen in a timeframe and we stop believing in blessing so we stop asking God to move on our behalf. Consider this if 1,000 years is as of a day to God then our 3,6,10 years of you so called waiting on God is a fragment of a sec to God, God has not forgotten about you, you just have to take God off the clock and operate with a kingdom mindset and walk in what you ask God for and receive it in your spirit so that it can manifest in the natural. In closing! Your praise monitors your faith, faith comes by hearing so when God speaks to you and you hear a word from him just respond in praise and see it manifest in your life. When you don’t see God’s promises through the eyes of the kingdom and you look at it through the eyes of time you get frustrated, disconnected, and your faith waivers, just take God off the clock!

Amen!
Daniel Evans

Graffiti Alley Radio

Growth, , , , ,

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This has been a long day coming but it is here. Tune in tonight, where you will hear Our leader of the GC movement talk about the positive sides of our culture with the Drill Team on Graffiti Alley Radio. We are so proud of him and the things that he is doing in the community. Let’s continue to support Mr. GC or GC Smooth as he continue to grow. Tune in tonight at 830 PM EST! You will not want to miss this.

HUMP DAY HOPE WITH WEDNESDAY’S WORD: INTEGRITY

Wednesday Word, , , , , , , ,

integrity
Integrity is so important when you are working to achieve your goals. In hindsight, do you accept the decisions that you have made? Are you content with your path toward greatness and are you getting there through hard work or climbing and stomping on the backs of others? I love seeing people succeed, but I have a problem when they do it underhandedly, especially my students.

I’d be hypocritical to say that I have always been ‘by the book’ while I was a student in school. I found my shortcuts to getting things done and my grade reflected it and not in a good way either. The outcome reflected my half-steppin’. But one thing I desire not to do is put someone in a situation in which I have chosen to be in, meaning, I am do bad by myself. I can think of one time I put my friends in a compromising situation and I still hear about it… 15 years later! To know that I affected them in a way that was lasting didn’t make me feel very good.

Integrity is such a big part of growth. It is learned. It is shown. It is witnessed. I desire all three, exercising integrity in all situations, especially as an adult and, even more so, as a parent. So what is my point? Don’t expect me to exercise a lack of integrity, especially as a professor. I have told my students SO many times that I do not ‘give’ grades! They EARN them. I remember one I received an email and the student was asking about a ‘C’ grade earned. I explained the grade and how the student received it. The student stated that this grade could prevent them from going to nursing school and that they wanted it changed to a ‘B’. I told the student to call me. When the student called, I said that I couldn’t change a grade that was earned. This student pushed and asked and almost begged for this grade change and I told the student, very calmly,

“Sorry, but I can’t live with such dishonesty. Can you?” The student said, “Huh?” I replied, “If you really want the ‘B’, please contact my director and let her know what you desire.” *silence* I continued to state, “You have plenty of time to do better in your other classes to help your GPA.” *silence* Then the students said, “Okay, thank you” and we said our ‘goodbyes’.

I thought that the situation would infuriate me. It definitely surprised me, but what made me mad is what situation occurred previously that gave this student the nerve to ask for a better grade? Has this been done before and if so, what professor would do that? So, they have tainted their own integrity and the student witnessed it and, apparently, thought this was okay. Again, this is speculation. Maybe this was the first time and they thought they would take a shot at it. Well, the student got SHOT DOWN! You will appreciate your journey to success when you travel the road of integrity.

REMEMBER: WHEN YOU WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL, AIN’T NO HALF STEPPIN’! INTEGRITY IS LEARNED; GRADES ARE EARNED!

Check out BDK ‘Ain’t No Half-Steppin” here

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Dr. Janice (‘Jai’) Armstrong
CEO, LiHK Consulting, LLC
Collegiate Success Coaching, Training and Development
“Discover what you LiHK (like); Become who you Love”

HUMP DAY HOPE WITH WEDNESDAY’S WORD: DETERMINED

Wednesday Word, ,

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Charles Darwin, the father of ‘Evolutionary Theory’ suggested that humans have thrived on this Earth because their digits, mental capacity and upright statures have allowed them navigate the environment and figure out how to live.  His mantra, “Survival of the Fittest” is used in psychology and sociology as the basis for continued  research on human development and extinction of species.

Well, now that all sounds great and ‘scholarly’, but for real, we just have to do what we gotta do to survive in this crazy thing called life.  Mobb Deep said, “we livin’ this ’til the day that we die; survival of the fit, only the strong survive!” (Mobb Deep, “Survival of the Fittest” Song) Strength, which fuels determination, has helped us survive.  Those survival instincts that kick in when we are faced with danger include adrenaline so high that we are shocked by the strength we truly possess.

As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, we are reminded of the strength of people who fought for their civil rights.  The determination of African-Americans and people of other cultures and ethnicities who support the fight and wanted their voices heard.  The strength of a man, who died at the age of a VERY young 39 years old, that provided a voice for millions!!  But we can’t help to think even further back to the determination of a woman, tired from a hard days work, who refused to move to the rear of the bus.

We have to continue to think about the strength of those teens in NC who sat right at the Woolworth’s counter because it was their right.  The African-Americans who gladly took their 40 acres and their mule to create a life for their newly freed families.  The selfless woman who made tracks on a very long path, many times, to free others!  And, need I say it, the man who shed his blood and gave his life, setting an example of what “Survival of the Fittest” truly means, helping his followers understand eternal life and love.

It is amazing how strong and determined we are when faced with situations of adversity!! So does this explain why some people aren’t as determined in the midst of their own dreams?  We talk about it, but you have to BE about it!!  You don’t have to rush toward your goals!  All of these pioneers had visions and strategically thought through how it should be implemented.  You have the power to do the same and it doesn’t have to be in the midst of turmoil, chaos, adversity, or challenge!

Confidence builds strength!  Strength fuels determination!!  Determination is standing firm in your purpose!!!  Go for what you desire!!  Even trying takes effort!!  So, be DETERMINED!!



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Dr. Janice (‘Jai’) Armstrong