It’s A New Day!

I have always heard that our life was a book full of blank pages waiting to be written on. If that is the case, we better get to writing instead of complaining. We all know that God can rewrite our life’s story line, many times he redirects our steps until we are in his will and in his love and grace for us, he allows even our mistakes or missteps to work out for our good. Alas, it’s true that what’s done is done and God won’t change the past. However, He has promised to forgive each of us for our past. What I love about God is not only does he forgive us for our past, but he promises to cast each of our sins into the sea of forgetfulness and then he goes a step further. God then changes our view/ perception of how we see ourselves and our past. It is my prayer that God gives you his eyes as you embark on moving forward. It is my prayer that God reveal how he has woven themes of redemption and blessing throughout the times and season of your lives, when things looked hopeless. God also changes how our past affects us. Once this happens our past no longer has rule over us, the sting is gone, even though the memory survives forever. Through his power and love God can free you from the bondage of wrong habits and past mistakes. If you have not decided to make a new beginning, the time is now. The pages of our lives may have been partially written, but that is the past. Our future has a whole new set of fresh pages waiting to be filled. Thankfully, we do not write on the pages of our lives by ourselves, God is our ever present help. Ready… Set, Begin!

Love! {Prayer, Praise & Proclamation}

The easiest word to say, and often the hardest word to fully understand. Love. The Scriptures tell us that we are to follow after love and desire spiritual gifts. By the time many of us reach adolescence, we have experienced many different types of love, even though our physical understanding of love is very limited. I believe that love is the strongest greatest power on earth, severely underrated and the easiest way to see our creators presence manifested in the world.

Love is stronger than death. Love is stronger than hate. Love is stronger than pride. Love is stronger than anything you or I with our human intellect could fathom, however love, is within our grasp. It is amazing how such a small concept can be so grossly misunderstood, misrepresented and misdirected all in the name of good intentions. Love has been given a bad rap.

When we think of the things we could not survive without, we are quick to list tangibles like food, water, shelter, clothing, but I have rarely heard someone mention that they could live without love.

I find it striking when I observe those in our world who seem to have achieved what many consider to be the pinnacle of success. Today’s celebrities seem to be blessed with money, talents, gifts, creativity, wealth, houses, cars and land but at the end of their lives or sometimes during troubling moments in their lives I often hear many say that they lack love. They feel unloved, they feel unappreciated, and for those who died early or tragically, their counterparts often tell stories of how they felt like love was lacking. I find it amazing that in spite of all those whom we admire seem to gain; they place the highest value on love. The Scriptures tells us in 1 Corinthians 13:13 that all tangible things will fail but faith, hope and love will remain.

I feel that this is a Prophetic message about love, because our campus needs love above all other things value may be placed upon. Quite frankly the cafeteria food does not matter, how many students we have enrolled does not matter, how many improvements the administration may embark upon does not matter, if our campus does not have love, we have nothing! However, we cannot be a conduit for love until we realize that the love of our creator is needed first in our lives. Many feel unworthy of God’s love; many don’t know how to receive his love, many chaff at the idea that it is freely given and freely received, however Jeremiah 31:3 instructs us that God has loved us with an everlasting love.

God gives us the kind of love that promises to cast out all fear, doubt, worry and anxiety. It is God’s hope that when we experience this love, we will share it freely with others. It is not meant to be self-contained. This is made most evident in the words of Jesus, the Christ who say’s “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. “

Do men know that you are disciples of Christ? Is it by your love, or your lusts (desires)? When was the last time you demonstrated the love of God?

What is motivating you to love? Are you loving in hopes of receiving popularity, to be seen by others? Is your love towards others just lip service? People who are need in love are all around us every day. I’m going to end this with a quick testimony.

I didn’t grow up in a house where love was expressed, I learned how to move past self-hatred; I used to hate my body, first it was too small, then it was too big, then my tail wasn’t right or my teeth were funny. I was always finding fault.

Not once did I look in the mirror and love what I saw. Finally one day I said to myself; this is not how God wants’ Ryan to live his life but even though I knew this I had no way of transforming myself at the time.

I was a young man who had no balance; I had no joy, no peace, no hope, and I didn’t feel loved by God or by other people who were significant in my life. I did not feel worthy of love; I could give love to others, tell others I loved them but I couldn’t adequately receive their love in return. I was always trying to prove my self-worth, that I was worthy of being loved.

I had prayed years ago asking God to help me because I was becoming someone I hated. I couldn’t remember the last time I had a real smile, real joy, or real happiness. I was just existing and not really living.

I began to feel trapped in my own circumstances and I didn’t feel powerful enough to change them. It was not long after praying this prayer that I was introduced to the concept of silence and a new way of praying. What I often perceived as silence made me feel rejected, un- worthy, abandoned and all alone.

For the first time in my life I felt empowered. I have tried other means of empowerment but they didn’t work, they weren’t lasting. I have tried sex, it left me feeling empty and wanting, sometimes dirty but only powerful for a moment.

I’ve tried using my gifts, the fact that I can play the piano, write articles, play the alto saxophone and write music, but people weren’t truly interested in my gifts or talents they wanted to see the real me, but at that time I didn’t know the real me to show them!

I tried using my spiritual gifts and offices that I walk in but no one really cares how good of a Prophet I am or how good of a Seer I am if they can tell that I don’t love myself.

Silent prayer and meditation has become a staple of my life. I stopped praying and complaining asking God questions, if I feel like crying I cry, if I feel like shouting I shout. Sometimes I just sing but more often these days I approach prayer with anticipation, with notebook in hand. The things that God has told me about myself in moments of silence have helped me better understand me.

Now I feel Love…

The other day, I was asked by the Associate Dean of the Shaw University Chapel to speak for Wednesday {Prayer, Praise & Proclamation}, Feburary 29, 2012. I was honored and humbled. What you have read above were those remarks.

Blessings,

Rodrigo Zaxembi Cruz

True Healing

Healing comes from total surrender. You cannot heal yourself by a strong will to survive or by working a “program”. You are healed by surrendering everything in your life past, present and future to the will of God, then receiving healing from him. This can be a fearful thing if you have always managed to avoid dealing directly with God, but there must come a time when you finally want to be free. The only way to be truly free is to strip your old nature of everything it derives power from, tearing down the strongholds YOU have erected, then allow God to spiritually realign your life.

The Perfect Holiday Gift is not on Amazon.com

The holiday season is about many common themes shared by all religions of faith around the world. Many emphasize love, giving,   hope, and a renewed relationship with all that is divine and holy, reflecting of the state of humanity. I am a Man of Faith, and I follow the Christian tradition and I could not begin to imagine what the holidays would be like without the undertones of religious faith. I have found in my studies that almost all world faiths have common stories about the creation and their path to enlightenment or transformation. In all of the hustle and bustle of the holidays, it seems as if the true meaning of Christmas is lost in the fray.

I often wonder what it must have felt like for Mary, a young mother and Joseph her betrothed to undertake a journey to Bethlehem in obedience with the Roman Census decree only to find that there is no available lodging. How infuriating that must have been! Mary is pregnant with what truly is a promise, a possibility, a vision but it is a living breathing thing that is unfulfilled potential and passion because it has not been birthed.

How many of us have stepped out on faith on what we thought was our purpose only to encounter a stumbling block?

The Hebrew Bible does not tell us much about the trip to Bethlehem, but we know that Mary and Joseph found no lodging available when they arrived. Most of us like to know what awaits us at the conclusion of a journey. However when it comes to giving birth to what is inside of us, when it come to attempting to carry out our purpose given to us by the divine, when it comes to stepping out and working on our vision, there are so many unknowns. The process between a promise and a possibility is often fraught with problems.

Have you ever gotten so close to seeing a dream realized or a goal fulfilled, only to find yourself still short of your dream, your vision? Did you give up? Often what seems like a denial in our life is just the universe transitioning us behind the scenes, away from the limelight so that we can safely give birth to our destiny. According to the Christian tradition, the stable represents where humanity and divinity meet. It was where the divine had chosen to dwell among men. I wonder how many people walked by that stable, not knowing what was truly inside. I wonder how many people would have been repulsed to have to give birth in what was considered a lowly place. How many people have walked by you, dismissed you, counted you out because you did not have all of the tools they deemed necessary?And how many did not see you or your worth, failing to realize that there is a wealth of treasure hidden in the most unlikely places!

Our religious world faiths and texts often reveal what is overlooked, the personal treasure, the gifts, the talents, and the ideas so many  people have inside. You can rest assured that people will be sent your way to assure you and reaffirm to you that which the divine has placed inside of you.

This Holiday Season I challenge you to take your focus off the outside world and look within. Find the hidden treasure within you, unlock it, cultivate it, protect it, and whatever you do, do not give up on it. You are going to need the help of the divine to give birth to it, but you first have to discover it. The journey may be difficult and you may find yourself weary at times, but I promise you the journey will be worthwhile.

This article was written by me & originally posted on: http://healthyblackmen.org/2011/12/23/holiday/

A Special Thanks To My Dear Friend Demann Crawford, and a special thanks D360 Photography “Bringing Visions To Life”!  D360 Photography has undoubtedly been an enhancement to the character and vision of this post. You can find Demann at the following sites: , http://twitter.com/D360Photography, & http://www.modelmayhem.com/734380

Stepping Stones!

You must choose to allow hurt and pain from people in your life. I walk away from anything or anyone in my life that seems to be against my good… It is a choice and it is yours for the making.

Use each experience as a lesson.

A lesson to learn from, and grow. Use it as a stepping-stone in moving forward. I have found that the people and experiences in my life are a mirror image of my thoughts and consciousness.

We have the power to control what manifests in our lives and we control that by the power of our thoughts. You can choose whether to bless, curse or affirm joy and wisdom in the lives you touch and impact.

Our friends, relationships, and the environments we foster are all attributes (extensions) of our thoughts and values of self; “For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 27:19)

Mirror Mirror On The Wall

It is of the up-most importance that one not seek their identity from anyone but our heavenly father. We are made in his image & we are his child. We cannot & should not seek our identity from descriptors; such as our clothes, cars, physical appearance, the compliments of others, fighting our enemies and our friends, our spiritual gifts/calling’s/offices or our physical abilities; whatever they may be. They are physical descriptors and shall pass away; when used as a crux for our identity they represent an inaccurate image because they distort the true image God wants to reflect of himself through us.

I learned this lesson the hard way. I used to define myself by what others thought of me, how they felt about me, whether they thought I was cute, fun to be around, etc. In the end it didn’t matter what they thought if my own reflection of myself was flawed.

I was becoming too dependent on the opinions of others and forgetting not only about my own feelings but those of my heavenly father also.  I started exploring why I seemed so addicted on the approval of others, why the voice of “others” in my life, had more weight than my own voice. What I discovered truly disturbed me.

We allow the voice’s of others in our lives to weigh more than our own when we lose sight of who we really are.

How does one find that inner voice? Well this is where the journey truly starts, and it’s the journey I’ve been on all semester as I’ve embarked toward the closing of my undergraduate academic career.

A Blessing In Pain?

When I think of pain, I am reminded of a woman who is in labor, there water has broken and they are experiencing severe pains but confident that in just a short while a blessing will be entering the world. I don’t know anyone who willingly volunteers to go through pain, heartache or disappointment. God through his written word assures us that everything has it’s time, season and purpose and this includes pain.

There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven… – Ecclesiastes 3:1

Yet we are often told that there is a blessing in everything we walk through in this life. Arguably, the birthing process for a woman in labor must be one of the most painful experiences in her life, yet this extremely painful experience has the potential to produce so much joy.

When I experience an event in my life that causes me pain or discomfort I immediately listen to my friends recording of him speaking in tounges. Why? His recording ushers me into the presence of God. We as human’s run into a lot of issues trying to understand pain and it’s purpose. I have asked God to help me find the blessing in each painful and uncomfortable experience. I stopped trying to understand everything, I stopped fighting, I stopped crying because I am standing on God’s promise that everything shall work for my good. I am determined to fight like I already have the victory. Do I like pain? No. I am never going to stick my hand up in the air and ask God to give me a headache, but I am determined that daily I shall worship him. As attitude or praise and worship certainly makes pain more bearable. 

Everything in our world, except for fitness experts tell us to avoid pain at all costs.  The older I get the more I am starting to believe that maybe the fitness experts were on to something with their expression “No Pain, No Gain”.  I am the first to admit I hate pain, I hate everything pain represents, but I respect how God uses pain for his purpose in my life. Yet no matter how much you run from pain, before your life is over you will have experienced your fair share of pain. People will let you down, you’ll be disappointed, that opportunity you were depending on will fall through… many things will cause pain.

A few biblical characters had some interesting things to say about pain.

1. …she was greatly distressed and prayed to the Lord. . .-1 Samuel 1:10 – Hannah

2. ….. I had heard of Him, but now my eyes have seen Him . . .-Job 42:5 – Job

3. ….I would have despaired unless I believed . . .-Psalm 27:13 – King David

4. ….there is a balm in Gilead . . .-Jeremiah 8:22 – Prophet Jeremiah

5. …I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing. . .-Acts 7:55 – Stephen The Martyr

6. …. about midnight [they] were praying and singing hymns of praise …-Acts 16:25 – Paul & Silas

7. .  . .just go and sin no more . . .John 8:11 – Woman Caught In Adultery

8. …But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing….-Luke 23:34 – Jesus The Christ

After doing a little digging I ran across two interesting  verses in Psalm 119, 67 & 71.

67: Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word….

71: It is good for me that I was afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes…

We must get to the point where we can see the blessing in pain.

I believe that there truly is a blessing in pain. Pain, though uncomfortable causes us to check ourselves, our actions and our responses to life circumstances. Pain opens our eye’s and forces us to see what sometimes we would avoid. Yes pain is painful, but if heeded correctly pain can prevent us from experiencing more pain!

Pain can be the best teacher; and I believe God allows us to experience pain just so that we can remember our own humanity , lest we become too prideful and forget about how much we need him. Through pain God humbles us, comforts us, teaches us and restores us and therein lies the blessing.

I love him, because he first loved me, and he purchased my salvation, out of Calvary!

Knowing how to approach the throne of grace and receive love from the one who loves us unconditionally and one who has the power to rescue us. God hears our cry, God see’s our tears, and he understands our pain!