The time has come, for far too long I have hesitated to return to this Journal or Journeys. In 2017 my life took a turn for what looked like what would be a financially fortunate side street. Ultimately I had to return from the accidental brokenness (we all know so well) to my only trust worthy friend, confidant and mentor Jesus Christ.
For most of my life I have been trying, ever so diligently, to prosper both spiritually and corporeally, using the Word of God to speak blessings over my life and at the same time pursuing opportunities in the industries I have found myself involved or at least captured by their intrigue. It's a delicate balance something I now know, I alone am incapable of successfully managing.
I use the word *capture because when we devote ourselves to a discipline it involves selling ourselves over to a great degree. We must, if we are to be successful in our fields, give ourselves over to an attitude of "Do whatever it takes." God loves this about us, in fact I could argue that the never give up mentality is directly proportional to the gift that God bestowes upon his children. Phillipians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."
Never give up mentality has some very disastrous consequences in the physical world, especially without Christ Jesus as your navigator or trying to part-time Christian your way through the peaks and valleys. For example; A person who never gives up and is clearly out of their league is also ignorant and incapable in some competitions. Don't be fooled, life is a competition, Apostle Paul calls it "The Race"; Hebrews 12:1 "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us."
Confidently calling my last race a major loss is me just being honest with myself, I was outplayed and out maneuvered by an enemy, I underestimated. Ultimately I lost my business, my ego and lots of time and effort that was devoted to helping people and doing things in a way I considered to be hospitable. I sulked and found myself being tossed to and fro from emotions of deep depression and anger to hopes of a successful lawsuit that ultimately was at best another waste of time and resources and at worst a legal trap set by the enemy.
Hospitality is a major cornerstone of what I base my values, Jesus was a promoter of hospitality and I have a background in 5 star hotels. 1 Peter 4:9 "Be hospitable to one another without complaint." I take hospitality very seriously, I consider it my greatest skill. Many people mistake kindness for weakness and prey on faithful Christians who they think they can get one over on us and not face a violent physical reaction and in most cases they are right. But my God is a God who loves to avenge his faithful! My enemies will either be converted or deserted. Psalm 58:10 "The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked."
It's important to note that throughout this entire debacle I was preaching the gospel to the lost faithfully, enduring persecution and resisting temptations. I had a few failures of newness, some artifacts of the old me would surface occasionally but if I were my judge, I'd have granted myself clemency. Thank God, Y'shua has granted me a full pardon for my failures no matter how great or small. Isaiah 43:25 "I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins."
Despite the enemy and his attacks on our freedom and liberty, we are entering a new season of excess and blessing in the Kingdom. I will once again attempt to foray into the world to work as if unto the LORD and claim my inheritance on earth as in heaven. Isaiah 54:17 "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD."
