Now I have 3 thoughts but just hang in there because they will connect and become one.
A couple of weeks ago I ended with the Snap Lady’s version of a story that many of you knew.
It is found in Matthew 7:24-27
And it reads: “Therefore everyone who hears,
these words of mine and put them into practice, is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.
The rain came down, the stream rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house!
YET it did not fall, BECAUSE it had a foundation on the ROCK!
BUT
everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice, is like a foolish man who built his house on SAND.
The rain came down, the stream rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house and it fell down with a great crash!
SOMEBODY SAY CRASH AND BURNED
Have you ever had a crash and burn moment?
A moment where life just kept tossing sand all around you?
And you keep finding yourself in a place of sadness, confusion, exhaustion.
Like man can I ever just get a break or get it right.
On the inside you want to fight but you just don’t have the strength to carry on.
You start to look at others and they appear to be living fine, their lifestyle is good, and you wonder why they are so happy.
You start to think somewhere in my life I must be missing the mark.
See its easy to do things our way and force things into existence.
The ROCK symbolizes Christ in our lives.
In the early stages it was empty, full of sand and nobody knows the exact size of the ROCK.
We just know that throughout life,
That ROCK becomes our only source of strength.
The larger your ROCK is based on the wisdom and experience you gain while going through.
The bigger your ROCK is, the better is our chances of an eternal life, with Christ.
In other words HOW BIG IS YOUR GOD?
We go through life with SAND all around us and it is up to us to determine what’s important.
Is the ROCK important or the SAND?
I post pictures of the sky almost daily, as a reminder to myself and others, that someone far greater than us created the sky.
Man has created a lot of the things but the sky is not one of them.
If we play around in the sandbox our whole life we will be swept away.
But if we hold on to the ROCK we will find our strength. (my soul has been anchored)
Solomon in Ecclesiates 1
Spoke on everything being meaningless.
He said, he has seen it ALL, everything under the sun (some of the older people know what he meant) (some of you who experienced life a little earlier than you should have knows what he meant)
And it all meant NOTHING!
It’s like chasing the wind.
A wind You will never catch.
Therefore, a life without God has no purpose.
A mans worth only comes from the Lord.
Those of us who don’t have God at the forefront/daily
Are living an unfulfilled life.
It feels happy in the moment
But once that moment is over it is empty.
And we are back to square one.
We are searching for enjoyment in all the wrong places.
In chapter 2
He told us that without God nothing could or would satisfy man.
That real happiness comes from GOD.
Solomon was a great King with everything
Health, wealth and he still called life meaningless (this tells us that its not about stuff)
Worldly things will never make us happy.
It is a temporary fulfillment.
The ROCK is the most important in life
Therefore, stop existing in the sand.
Thought 2
None of us would be in this world if it was not for a woman.
Whether you have a relationship with that woman or not.
Whether she still lives or not.
Whether she was there for you or not.
We came through her.
The process of childbirth is near death and that woman thought enough about you to carry you, to hold on to you, despite the outcome of the relationship.
The bible says YOU did not chose me, but I chose YOU and appointed YOU so that YOU MIGHT go and bear fruit.
One thing about the word is there are a lot of words that are not guaranteed.
It did not say all women will have children, it said might.
I could go in depth but im not.
Those of you who have always wanted children and went your own way of achieving them, sometimes wonder why is it so hard?
The bible said you might go and bear fruit.
God has placed someone in your life
To give some words to
Give some strength to
Love on them
You don’t have to be a parent to do that
All you need is life’s experiences.
So, while we are doing our best to outgrow this meaningless face of life I need us to focus on this scripture.
I Corinthians 13:13
Reads “and now these three remain, Faith, Hope and Love.
But the greatest of all is LOVE.
Love is greater than faith, and hope,
In that both faith and hope depends on love for their existence.
Without love there can be no true faith.
A loveless faith is meaningless.
If my faith can move mountains but I don’t have love I don’t have anything.
Im nothing without love.
There is no hope
We cant hope for something we don’t love.
Think about it
Faith with works is dead.
Because there is no action!
Why is love so important?
Because God is Love.
God is so loving that he gives us the love,
So we can give it back, and remain in it.
Love has no beginning, and it does not end.
Forever is a long time.
Look at a child they operate out of love from the very start, until the sand starts to sweep in.
They don’t see color.
They don’t steal.
They don’t hate.
But love is something that was inscribed in their little hearts from the beginning.
Love always require an “other” as an object.
Love cannot remain in itself, and that is what make it the greatest gift.
Love never fails and will never cease.
You ever have someone say there’s something about you.
And all you did was showed up, or smiled.
That is the love of Christ.
You know if a person has the rock or the sand by looking at them.
The way we show love may look different because of cultures and situations.
And some love hurt.
But the love of God is good.
Faith
Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Lord I trust you!
Hope that is seen is not hope.
Are you hoping for things you can see? Why?
But
If we hope for what we do not see we wait for it with patience.
We learn to appreciate it. We take better care of it.
What is it we are hoping for?
People have bad days.
Wake up not feeling 100%
It’s not easy being happy all the time.
We get tired, frustrated, mad, and whatever word you are thinking insert it.
Our sand tries to take over all the time.
But
Our ROCK on the inside, begins to do a work within us.
So that we are not swept away.
It is no longer us who lives.
But Christ who lives in us.
Having the Rock causes, us to produce these fruits.
I know its Mothers Day but God has no separation.
We won’t get there and he say hello my black child, or my Asian child, or happy easter you made it!
Gods fruits are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.
Those of you who care about anyone is learning to bear these fruit and it is not always easy.
And now we arrive to the scripture every church is using in America
Proverbs 31 “The Virtuous Women”
31 is like me talking to my boys suggesting to them all of these characteristics that should come with a wife.
The thing about this woman is,
she was already a wife
before her husband chose her.
Some may think these things are unattainable others strive to be this women (a wife)
But the most important thing about her is she fears the Lord.
She lives her entire life out of the desire to honor and serve the Lord
And this is what makes her virtuous.
Virtuous women are in constant communication with the Rock.
It is not about what she does.
Her heart is right and stayed on Jesus
She is natural. She is not forced.
Her love flows freely.
Virtue can only come out of you,
if it was already within you.
A woman pursuing God is naturally virtuous.
31 is not a checklist for a woman. Man is not perfect.
We will never be able to check every box.
So, then I say heads up boys. If she is doing things naturally you may just have you a woman of virtue.
Her outward actions are an indication of the virtue inside of her heart.
This is where most relationships go wrong.
They base them off of what is seen on the outside instead of the inside.
We are looking in all the wrong places for God’s love.
Every time I come before you im speaking on the inside out.
We need to trust God.
Now Proverbs 31-25:28 reads
Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.
She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
This proverb is not talking about a lazy woman (no partner wants someone who is lazy)
We were not designed to be lazy. We were created for a partnership.
To be the backbone of our household.
Whether you are a mother or not.
The bible said you might produce fruit.
Women are capable, physically created, business minded and prosperous.
But
In the same breath must learn to be idle as they move around this fleshly, sinful world.
We cant be out here, being ladies of the night, home wreckers, spreading rumors, not being productive.
As you grow with the rock you learn to be reverent,
TEACHING what is good.
So that you my encourage and build up other woman, to love God, love their husbands, love their children, to be sensible, pure, a stable figure in their home, kind, patient so that God’s word will not be taken for granted.
God is sending people to you to build them for the kingdom. Give them me is what he is saying. Stop rejecting the people God send you. Figure out the why. What is it God needs you to do in their life. Maybe you are a forever friend. Maybe you’re are a seasonal friend to get them to where they need to be. (I got off track im sorry)
A woman builds
Push yourself through the tough times.
Evaluate yourself.
Learn as much as you can.
The bible says by wisdom a house is built,
and by understanding it is established,
and by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches (proverbs 24-3:4)
In 31 Solomon was speaking with his son. Having conversations. Preparing him.
How are you speaking with your children?
Stop leaving these kids to guess their way through life.
Be available. Be approachable.
Stop giving them to the world.
You were blessed if you were able to carry a child.
We have lost sight of the mission.
God wants us to be happy.
Stop loving the world more than God
Stop filling our lives with sand.
God wants our hearts and mind stayed on him.
Women should not be selfish.
She should be selfless.
She prioritize her family.
She spends time with God.
She is not out here naked.
Bouncing around flirting, trying to be seen
She is not with men who are married.
She Is pouring into herself.
Transforming daily and not conforming to the things she sees the women of the world doing today.
She is growing and maturing in God.
She is a pleasure to be around.
People find comfort and pleasure and can speak with her for hours.
She is viewed as one of a kind.
Why do some women like to deal in chaos?
Always keeping up mess.
Go pray for your family, your home, yourself.
A covering is needed
People should be able to trust you and when you tell them something in private it stays there.
You should be valuable.
Are you valuable?
Or are you bringing sand/mess into a relationship?
Any relationship, work, home, school
Women are strong.
Nobody wants a used car but some of us end up with them.
How do they treat you?
How much work do you put into it?
This life takes work and it starts with the ROCK.
Everything else is meaningless.
Its sinking sand.
Everything I just said was mere words
But if you have the ROCK
Something was said to touch you on today.
Men don’t take your partners for granted.
Appreciate them.
Sometimes you need more patience for her to reach the level of maturity you are seeking.
If she is in your life its because you chose her.
You saw something there.
Women stop being stingy in tough times
Communicate.
It causes your mate to wonder when you’re stingy.
And it was you that added the fuel by holding out.
Treat your children with respect.
They didn’t ask to be here.
It makes a difference even as adults.
When someone is talking at you versus speaking into yo.u
We have not been overlooked.
We are worthy.
We are not trash.
We are valuable.
And even more valuable to the most high.
We have a work to do people.
On the good stuff from the inside out
Who is your Rock?
And what things are keeping you in the sand?
What is important in your life?
Is it family, work, life partner, money, partying?
Or do you feel a different calling.
Is the Rock calling you?
Proverbs 31 is not a checklist but her heart was like David’s
After God’s heart are we living like we are after God’s heart.
It’s a reminder of how we should be striving to be in our daily interactions.
And I leave you with this.
What I hear I may forget
What I see I may remember
But
What I do I will Know
Get to know the Rock
Allow God to carry you out of the sand. Don’t be stuck in there. You drown in quicksand. Imagine yourself stuck close your eyes. No one around, no branches to grab and hold on to, no one to call.
Looking up at the sky (do life feel like that) looking up at the sky slowly sinking. Darkness moving in. It gets to your chin, your lips, your nose, your eyes and then the top of your head, then you arms, then your fingers and the light is gone. Don’t fall victim of the sand.
Our final day is coming up!
Will you form a life with the Rock or will you be filled with Sand?
Happy Mother’s Day
Chatting with Countree 