None of us is perfect. We give in to pride; we hold on to resentment and sometimes we just screw up. But as believers of the Word we must learn to overcome them; to die to ourselves and move forward to what is ahead. Shawn Laser defined martyrdom in this, “Martyrdom is like Faith, everyone has it but only few have the gift. Every day we are to be picking up our Cross and dying to self.” We need to fix our eyes on He who is Jesus Christ. Because only He brings HOPE to the HOPELESS, only He brings life to those who are in darkness, and only He brings death to life and that’s why we are alive. That’s why we need to die to self-every day, because the more we do –the more we recognize that Christ is working through us and in us and nothing we do is done through our own strength. We are so imperfect in a world that is trying to become perfect. Everything the world strives for is perfection, plastic surgery, Victoria Secret models, the next iPhone, the perfect beach ready body, best cloth, cars, house, mansions, and more… but we are called to change the world not become like it. Paul said in Romans 12:2 that we must not conform but transformed.
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So what is “The POWER is Out?” It’s a time for me to rest, mediate on the love of Jesus and just to recalibrate my vision. I don't necessarily preach, I mostly share. My desire is to introduce this generation to The One who brought me life. Facebook has become a ministry in my life, where I encourage people and help spread the gospel to ALL who decide to listen/read. Through Ecclesiastes 11:3 I understand that “I know I'm filled to emptied again and the seed I've received I will sow.” Because I’m always surrounded by an incredible amount of people who are always filling me up with genuine wisdom, I am always translating that love into a facebook post, tweet or blog. The past few weeks I have been entertaining conversations in my head. For some reason a new committee has decided to host their daily meetings there and I have allowed them. At this rate I am going to have to start charging a mortgage if I continue to let them stay there. As I have been walking this Christian walk I have notice day after day in the life unfolding before me that discouragement is everywhere. Please remember that the harder you run after God, the harder the devil is going to try to prevent you from getting where you’re going. And all he really has to do to trip us up is drop one little hint of discouragement in our ears. To me it sounds something like this, “You’re unworthy. You’re a terrible abandon peace of crap. You’ll never be any better than the stupid foster neglected idiot that you have become. And if for one second you think that God loves you think again. You think Shawn really considers you as his brother? –Please don’t make me laugh. You think Jon even cares for you? –how stupid can you really be?” To you his words may sound different; he might even call you worthless, adulteries, porn addict, useless, dirty, unloved, no cares about you, and even something’ I rather not even write. Whatever the case maybe, I have fallen into his traps many times, and even believed many of the things he has spoken to me. Sometimes I really do feel like God does not love me, and I even begin to look at the people around me and I also start to believe that they don’t love me either. You know the devil will always tell you half the truth, but as believers we need to speak into our lives the second part of the truth into our beating hearts. How? Finish the devil’s message… It’s simple. The devils’ only giving you half of the truth—give him the other half. With Christmas just a few days away, I am sure that by now many of you have sent out your Annual Christmas Card to all of your coworkers, family and friends. Your beautiful family looks so complete with everyone in the photo reflecting upon the many blessings that the Lord our God has given you within the past year. I myself have actually received many Christmas cards this year and it makes me so happy. But it’s time to be transparent. While many of you get up to an awesome Christmas morning filled with Joy, Peace and Happiness I will be laying down in my bed watching CNN and reflecting on the family I don’t have. I will once again ask God why this must be the life He has chosen for me to live and for the 13th year in a row He will yet again respond, “My son, I love you, I am proud of you, but where I’m taking you –you must learn not to lean on anyone for help but me. I want you to myself; I want you not to feel completed by anyone else but me. For I have giving you life –for I have kept you, and no one can take you from my PERFECT love. Trust me my son, no one can ever love you the way I do. I am yours and you are mine. No one can snatch you from my hands. I am jealous for you. I am Jehovah Shammah.” And once again I will respond in tears and in joy because the words of affirmation from a Father are better than silver and gold. Jonathan Dampf and Me at "Tuesday Nights" Friendship. Accountability. Love. In the past few months I have heard ONE thing that always strikes me and brings me to tears each time …because of the power and truthfulness in the words. I have heard such comments MANY, MANY times, from MANY, MANY different people and just a few nights ago seating at the Dinner with Jon and Kristi, Soraya said to us, “You and Jon (Jonathan Dampf) have the type of friendship any Christian guy would love to have, but cannot find.” And just 3 weeks prior to that a friend said, “Bro, you don’t even know; you and Shawn (Shawn Laser) have the type of bromance that other people are jealous for, I can’t even find that type friendship.” People who personally know us can testify to the fact that Jon and Shawn are not only my accountability or brothers, but are also friends who help bring me closer to Jesus Christ. Editor's Note: Today I have the awesome pleasure of having an Incredible, awesome friend and Brother stop by and share much of the wisdom that God has bestowed upon-him. A brother who I have the Honor of serving alongside and seeing firsthand the amazing works that God is doing through him on a weekly bases. I hope that this would bless you the way it has bless me today. -Francisco Nelson Is it not strange that life lines are something that is so misused. Game shows on TV, the lucky ones, even cats seem to all have life lines. If we imagine a life line what does it look like? Is it a string strung between two poles and fifty feet in the air? Is it a time-line? Sit down because this may be a shock wave to your goosebumps. You are WHO I love, the hard black and gray design on the outskirts of your beauty. The fantasy, the make believe things that are actually true. You are WHAT I love, the depths the outside and inside jokes, the best friend. You are WHEN I love. A new history is being started with you; we are the young lovers that our older selves will one day reminisce about. You are WHERE I love because I’ll go anywhere just to be with you. You are WHY I love, because before you, I never truly understood what I was looking for. Now that we found each other you have given my past and my future a new meaning. Don’t get me wrong, someday I’ll place you in a box and pass you down to my daughter or son as a family heirloom, and they will ask WHO you are and I will say “My first Love” because by them I’ll have the iPhone 19s, so I love you Nokia. You have been an awesome friend. There for me day and night. You know ALL my secrets, even the deleted ones. You have heard me cry and you know my friends better than me. It’s been 8 years, but our time is soon coming to an end, God has promised me something greater and I must let you go before you decide to go into a coma and never again awake. I love you forever. But until that moment comes, I just want to say, thank you for never having good service in the church. You know my personal time with me and God is far better than a text or a call. I love you. Isaiah 43:18-19 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” "I'm a simple guy living a BOLD life for Christ" -Francisco Nelson Yesterday at the church we had an event for married couples “Date Night” over 500+ couples arrived for an evening full of fun, love, dance, and incredible testimonies. It was one of the events of the year I must say, very well executed, incredibly well done, and just a lovely atmosphere. The team really did a job well-done. I had so much fun volunteering for this event. Joy Youngman really did a fantastic job, everything looked so beautiful. After all was done, Pastor Reuben and his wife Priya invited Shawn and me to eat with them. It was just a lil’ past midnight when we all arrived to Denny’s {one of my favorite places to eat}. But never did I think that I would be having an encounter with God at Denny’s. I have spent much time with many married couples, but nothing compared to them. FEW OF MY BROTHERS & SISTERS I was only 5 when I was molested for the first time. I was only 11 when I was sexually abused. I was 13 when I was overpowered by another man in a bed and I was seventeen, SEVENTEEN, when it happen for the last time. …so I thought. I am afraid of men and I have more trust issues then the Israelite' as they came to the “end” of the Red Sea with Moses as the Egyptian army was quickly following behind them. Every single night of my life, I sleep with my door locked because I’m afraid of who might enter my room. I don’t sleep over anyone’s house because I am too afraid of what could happen. I hate to travel because I’m afraid of what could happen to me in a place I don’t know. When I’m around man, I quickly become intimidated, and the first thought that comes to mind is to mentally capture a photo of my surroundings. It’s a full-time job. By now, many of you know that I was pretty much raised in the foster care system. I don’t know my father; my mother abandoned me when I was “14 DAYS” old. She doesn't speak to me though she lives 30 miles away from me. My brothers and sisters –I only know them through Facebook, but we only post on each other’s walls for birthdays or stuff like that. I have lived with so many families in my days that I lost count. Some good and others… “God, why me?” People/Friends know me as the guy, who is always happy and smiling, and sometimes I am, but you never know what someone is going through. Many nights I cry myself to sleep because I just don't have the same family support that many get to experience. The story of my life it’s not the script I would have written for myself, but the Author of Salvation knows just what to put in the chapters to give me hope to advance to the next page of my life. |
Francisco Nelson
I don't live a religion, tradition or superstition, but rather a passionate love relationship with Jesus. I'm a simple Guy living a BOLD life for Christ. -Francisco Nelson
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