Check Your Baggage

The idea of moving forward has so many positive overtones to it. But the struggle in moving forward is that there are some people or things that we take with us in this movement. So the dilemma that many of us deal with is not the concept of going forward, but rather the speed in which we are able to move. With so much baggage, be it emotional, physical or psychological, that is carried with us we fail to realize our stifled progression.

"Check your baggage before your embark on your next life's journey." - C. Holmes

Look at the Corner

We always seem to be going somewhere, but who is going with you. Everyone is not happy for you in your success but revel in your mistakes. Evaluate your corner. Like a boxer, you need someone in your corner that will cheer for you when you down and patch your up when your wounded. Instead, some of us help those that walk away when we're down or pull away when we reach out for help.

"Be careful who you keep in your corner because everybody doesn't like being in the shadows and will eventually will try to be in your light." - C. Holmes

Output = Outcome

"The state of your outcome can be accredited to the measure of your output" - C. Holmes

First Step in Treatment

"You can't treat the infection until you disinfect the area around you" - C. Holmes

Move On!

"If you never move beyond the barriers (what's stopping you) you can never internalize the blessing (what's meant for you)" - C. Holmes

What did I say?

If you had a choice for your life, what would it look like? Sometimes the vision that we have for our lives may not match up to the direction or the path in which it is moving. Or possibly, every time you try to fulfill a desire it ends up in ruin. How do you deal with this misalignment? What causes this?

It is possible that you are not taking the time to evaluate what is meant specifically for you and mishearing the direction that God has orchestrated because you are so focused on completing your own agenda. But your agenda does not supersede God's purpose. Take the time to hear from Him and let Him guide your path.

"God's voice is more important than your vision" - C. Holmes

Rain to Riches

Now after the prayer, God will provide an answer. In the Bible, James 5: 18, it says "then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit."

Continue to pray to God and at some point the windows of heaven will open up and pour out a blessing in the sense that it will be as if rain is falling upon you. The great thing about rain is that when it occurs you can't get away from it. You can run, hide or try to take cover, but no matter what you do, the rain is still pouring down on and around you. Receive your rain and let it be the catalyst for growth and fruitfulness in your life.

"The rain is the beginning of your journey to your riches." - C. Holmes

Even Me.

Lord, I hear of show’rs of blessing   Thou art scatt’ring full and free, Show’rs the thirsty land refreshing;   Let some drops now fall on me.
	Even me, even me, Let some drops now fall on me.

- Elizabeth Codner (1860)

My prayer today is this: Lord in the midst of all that You have going on, in spite of the fact that I am not deserving of your mercies, I come to you asking that You allow your blessing to be on me. Not that I may gain anything but so that I can give unto someone else in order to give You glory. So as your drops of blessing fall around me, I'm asking that just a single drop fall on me. One drop from you is all I need and is more than sufficient to fill me. If you see fit to allow some drops to fall on me I will be all the more grateful. But if You don't, You are still worthy of my worship and praise. This is your humble servant with a humble prayer, willing to serve a powerful God. It is to you I pray. Amen.

"With or without a drop, He is still deserving," - C. Holmes

Do they know?

Is everyone that you love aware that you love them?

Take time to share your love with someone. Do it today.

"Love can be temporary, but the void it leaves can last for every." - C. Holmes

Making a Difference.

"What makes today greatly different from yesterday is if you are differently great." - C. Holmes

Make today different and better than yesterday by bringing something different. But not something simply different but something great to today.

Rest to the Weary

"When life gives you resistance, God's love and power gives you rest." - C. Holmes

What is Love?

What are some things that help you identify when someone is acting in, or out of spirit, of love?
Post your thoughts in the comment section.

"Be willing to give the kind of love you expect to  receive. But also realize that people can't birth something in a barren vessel." - C, Holmes

Right Body, Wrong Spirit

I John 3:24Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us.

But what happens when you don't carry yourself as if his Spirit is in. What spirits are you dealing with that often block the spirit of God from entering into your life?

"Spiritual health is more important human wealth. In eternity, it's your spirit that will be its mate." 
- C. Holmes

Your Gifts, His Glory

Since we belong to and should be a reflection of God's love for us, how is it that we withhold the gifts that God placed inside of us which is to be given back to His people, but expect the total manifestation of God's glory in our lives?

Continue to be obedient to Christ. I John 2:21 when we're working within His purpose we should feel empowered and be able to "come to God with bold confidence." For example, if you have been faithful in your career and have been productive for your company, when it comes time for yearly evaluations your should be very comfortable and confident to ask for a raise. Same thing with God. When you are faithful with your assignment, you should come to Christ with boldness and confidence and ask for Him to elevate you, enlarge your territory and to be blessed in an extraordinary manner. I believe that God wish he had more bold Christians, but unfortunately, manner of us would not dare to insult Christ when we have been less than dependable for Him.

"If you give of your gifts, He will give of His glory." - C. Holmes

How are you loving?

1 John 3: 18 Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.

Love is more than an emotion causing you to say so. But love is a verb that causes you to show so. Love has to be more than a declaration, but in its truest form, it is a display of the sacrifice you are willing to make to demonstrate your selflessness on behalf of others.

I encourage you to BE love today and allow someone to experience your essence of love.

"Let you love be like crumbs from a rich man's table. It only takes a little to desire its taste." - C. Holmes

What are You Willing to Give?

[1 John 3:16-17] 16We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister^f in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?

Christ has given us so much, but some of us aren't willing to give much, if anything at all. Some of us are so selfish with blessing that were given to us that we aren't willing to be a blessing to someone else.
But the only reason you were blessed is so that you could be a blessing? Do you not know that God knew that you would, at some point in your life, encounter someone that needed to experience mercy and He thought of you to be that vessel to operate on His behalf? But in order for you to be a useful vessel He had to bless you.

But the awesome thing is that He blessed you because He believed He could trust you. What happens when God can no longer trust you? What happens you stop being thankful but become boastful?

Now here you are thinking that it was you and your own abilities that made you so great.

"Your greatness would be nothing without His grace" - C. Holmes