Staying in the Ship

Mathew 5:45 tells us, “For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.” 

  I wish I could have understood that, the day I was pondering to be baptized in Jesus name. I knew that my life up to that point had not worked. I had suffered through a great number of things, but being baptized and/or being filled with God’s spirit does not eliminate suffering. 

  Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 12:9 that, “(God’s) grace is all you need. (God’s) power works best in weakness.” 

  I spent 6 years of my life wrestling with thoughts, feelings, and questions and I put them away telling myself they were not from God. I went through 2 weeks where I entertained suicide daily. All this while I was going to church, baptized in Jesus name, and filled with the Holy Ghost. I say these things not to glorify them, but to reach the soul that might read this and let them know that it is possible to go through things and be filled with God’s spirit and attend church every time the doors are open. 

  This is where I want to take this blog post… We need to stay under leadership, for Hebrews 13:17 says, “Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account.” We need to stay in fellowship as the believers did in Acts 2:42. We (male and female) need to accept sonship. John 1:12-13 says, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” We need to stay in mentorship… Proverbs 24:6 tells us, “So don’t go to war without wise guidance; victory depends on having many advisers.” Each day we face different choices, and we must devise plans to face each one; even if our “war” plans do not involve instruments of violence. Don’t do it without mentorship and many advisors. We need friendship… “As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” (Proverbs 27:17) I believe we need those people that we can be vulnerable to; having personally gone through Celebrate Recovery, there is a power when you can open up to others and be vulnerable and transparent. God has blessed me with close friendships and people that'll sharpen me or sometimes they’ll take the pruning shears out and prune me. We need God’s lordship… “The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives.” (Psalms 37:23) A local Bible study teacher says, “He's either God or He's not...Lord of all or not at all.” And I’m just praying to get there. 

  One of these days if we stay in this “ship” we’re going far beyond the sky.