Faith Can Save Black America

In or Out

Joshua 24:15 (NIV) says, "But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." The greatest thing that God gave us was choice. We have the ability to choose whatever we want to do, but we must remember not only is everything not good for us, but also there are consequences for every choice or decisions we make. Some things we decide to choose will either push us towards God's purpose for our lives or draw us to things that are not of him.

Some religious traditions will force you into conforming and if you don't they may shame you or look at you in disgust as if you have personally done something wrong to them. But I want to let you know if you don't know already. A relationship with God is far more greater than religious traditions. There are religions that scrutinize every detail of an individual, but miss the main point of just simply having a connection with God, which is a personal journey that will happen overtime. Just know if you are serious about having a relationship with God and you are committed to his plan for your life, his desires will become yours. So don't take the criticism by others to heart, every man has to give an account for themselves. As a new believer it may take some time, but the closer you get to God, the more you will evolve into the person he has called you to be.

We just can't call on his name in times of trouble, but we should invite him into our daily lives because that's where we would receive true guidance and protection in the midst of any situation. Anyone that may be on the outside looking in and wants to be a man or woman of God, just know that it is a major decision that would change the course of your life for the better. As believers we will encourage you to do so, but it truly will not and should not be forced by any means. In Revelation 3:16 the bible talks about lukewarm believers and how God is displeased with those who are. I look at society and I see trends of others using verses as a symbolic message to benefit an argument, get a tattoo, post on their social media, and other various cases, but what if we were to just live by the full truth of the bible and not just the few verses that cater to us in a particular moment in life?

I've literally seen people pray for God's protection and favor right before doing things that goes against his will. The thing about doing this is that, your actions are contradicting and you're asking God for his blessings in something he doesn't approve of you to do at all. We have to be wise and be able to differentiate what does and does not align with God's word. But as I've said before, this is a spiritual journey and the goal is to mature in our faith, so as a new believer, this is okay, but your goal is not to stay at this level mentally, you should rather grow in Christ to where you eventually obtain the spirit of discernment.

I'm addressing this because I don't want us to continue to follow a pattern of life that is not right even though we may think it is. Proverbs 14:12 (NIV) says, "There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death." When reading this verse we have to consider society. Society consist of many individuals, whereas everyone has their own beliefs and opinions that may change from time to time. When someone tells you, "I think you should do this" or "I think you should do that", you have to keep in mind that whatever that person is suggesting you to do believes that what they're suggesting is absolutely right, hence their suggestion. On the other hand, as believers, we are to know whether we may think something is right or wrong we say "God, not my will, but yours." 

From the moment we realize we're speaking from our own intuition we should consult God for approval. As I've said before, people opinions will change, but God's word will remain the same. That's why it's important not to rely solely on a word from a leader, but in addition read the bible for yourself and ask God to increase your understanding of his word. We may live our lives comfortably and receive all the validation from mankind, but if God is not pleased, others' approval will be in vain. Don't be satisfied with men and women approval when the only one who could save your soul is displeased. We have to move past the ways of society and meet the standards set by the one who created it.

Are you in or out? That is the question we must ask ourselves. When making this decision their will be sacrifices. There are things in our lives that is not worthy to continue on if we plan to live a Godly life. Some of the things we want to hold onto is not worth our salvation at all. We can't be in and out, we have to be in or out. This is where choice can be perceived as a blessing and a curse because we all desire choices and free-will, but if we pick the wrong ones we don't want to suffer through the consequences of our own selection. No one is asking you to change overnight, but come to God with all the broken pieces of yourself and he will mold you into a masterpiece so you could be and feel whole again.

When I was a child I seen some of the most famous and successful people in the world struggle with issues I thought to be considered minor or easily fixable. I said to myself they have the money, resources, large support groups, and access to anyone and anything. Why are they dealing with drug addictions, long states of depression, suicidal thoughts and all of these various things that caused many of them to take their own lives? Then I realized that most of them are living a life without God ordering their steps. The thing is, it's common for people to face these conditions whether it happens to you or not, but in addition to seeking therapy and the right treatment to get well we cannot fully overcome certain things without God in the midst of our situation.

We don't have and will never have everything figured out on our own, but because God has already overcame the world we should find peace in his presence and in his presence true restoration happens. That's why I would suggest to choose the straight and narrow way because although it may be undesirable to some and filled with a life full of discipline, it will be worth it all. There are things that God wants to protect us from that we may not see ahead. Many of the hurt we may have experienced was created by the choices we made without the approval from God. You don't want to look back years later and ask yourself, "How would my life be different had I not made certain decisions?" 

Be informed and make the right choice for your life. You can either allow God to lead you by having faith and believing in his word or you may choice a lifestyle that is suitable to your own interest and desires. Now, following God's way will not necessarily be easy, but if one is disciplined enough they will not only be blessed abundantly because of their obedience to God. Following God's plan for your life is like driving in one lane until he tells you to switch. If you keep going in and out of lanes uncontrollably, you're either going to get pulled over or crash.

I'm not forcing anyone to make a decision for their own life, but all I'm saying is if you're going to try everything in this world you might as well try Jesus. He is the only one who can heal, set free, and deliver. This is directed to those who are unaware of the Goodness of God and may feel as if there is no other hope in this lifetime. You feel as if you have tried everything man has said to do and you still feel hopeless. Romans 10:9 (NIV) says, "If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." As I've said before, this sole decision could change the course of your life, but ultimately, the choice is yours. Will you allow faith to save your life?