 I have to admit, I am feeling somewhat forlorn lately. Injustice, death, mayhem, poverty pervades my thoughts and I feel powerless to combat it. The only way I know to cope with this type of bleakness is to immerse myself further into the Word of God.
This desire to seek God for answers, solace, and rest is universal. Unfortunately, many do not yet know that God is the only one that can fill the void that we all feel. Over the years, I have discovered that the world cannot solve spiritual problems. The world cannot cure loneliness, despondency, spiritual depression. In other words, no matter how hard we try, we cannot manufacture friends or create truth. Money and power may grease the wheels but will never bring peace or modify your countenance. If we know that God is the answer, why don't we seek HIM? The world teaches us that once you discover your fundamental purpose in life, then you will have wealth, happiness, purpose. But in fact, this is not true. God has already told us that there is but one purpose in this life: to build a relationship with God and to strive to learn so much about Him that you begin to act, think and comport yourself like HIM. That is it! To many this simple truth does not hold enough gravitas. So most of us opt to chase after the shiny things of this world: success, wealth, power, status, love, beauty. It is only when we achieve these things that we realize how hollow and inconsequential they are. God's way is so much better because when we seek after HIM, we seek after the one thing that will make us happy. God in return rewards us with gifts to make the quest bearable. God gives us special talents, personal pursuits, travel, family, great heights, - all curated just for our unique personalities to motivate and cheer us as we navigate through this earthly condition. When we live for God, he will give us the tools to navigate this life. He will provide resources, a profession, respites, success - all to help propel us forward. But these gifts, motivations and tools are never the goals of life. God is the goal. It is the truth, darling;
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 I believe that prayer can change me and others for the better. Yet, somedays, I find it difficult to pause long enough to pray. There are even times when I am so agitated and distressed that I forget how to pray.
Here is a simple formula.
We are told when we pray, something supernatural happens. Prayer does not summon God to our side because He is always there, Instead, prayer allows us to see God, recall His acts and release our anxieties. Prayer recharges our Spirit energy and gives us peace that passes all understanding. It is a promise, darling.  As I look back over my life, I am often saddened by the many missed opportunities and missteps. Even when I try my best, I often stray from my God given path.
During these times of reflection, I just want to curl up under my favorite blanket and disappear. But, God has called us to "be in the world" just not "of the world". In other words, we are expected to live in the world - immersed in the good, the bad, and the ugly. In other words, despite it all, we are still required to complete our secular responsibilities while remaining loyal to God. Whew! Thanks be to God, we have friends in High places to help us: Jesus and the Holy Spirit. These days, I find myself relying more and more on the Spirit of God to help me complete my day to day earthly tasks. Every time I encounter an obstacle, I call on the Holy Spirit in real time for wisdom, discernment, capacity, good judgement, and love. God has promised to "give us our daily bread" when we seek Him. Daily bread represents the sustenance (energy, vigor, stamina, joy, peace) we need to thrive here on earth. Learn (by reading God's word) to rely on God's daily bread instead of the world's material illusions. Spirit gifts last forever. It's a promise, darling!  2021 has been a helluva year. Through the highs and lows we are reminded just how fragile humans are. Our bodies are frail: susceptible to invisible microscopic destroyers. Our lands are defenseless from environmental disasters. Our homes, schools, and neighborhoods can easily be engulfed in random violence. Our minds are overrun with evil thoughts that we seem powerless to control.
All of these disturbances can weaken our faith: resulting in insomnia, anxiety, depression, and unease. In addition, many of us are also saddled with sensitive temperaments that make us even more susceptible to depressive thoughts. But, thanks be to God, we have a source of POWER to overcome even our own personalities. 2 Timothy 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. When we are confronted with situations that we cannot control, we must turn inward. We must remind ourselves of the TRUTH passed down to us through the word of God. God has given us access to the Holy Spirit, and HE is the Spirit of POWER. We have access to wisdom, understanding, judgement. We can call on this great POWER in real time to help us confront day to day fears. The Spirit will tell you what you ought to do and if necessary, the Spirit will restrain you! If we fail to call on this POWER we will inevitably turn to other more destructive over indulgences, too much food, too much alcohol, too many random physical relationships. Despite the vicissitudes of life, we are called to LIVE in the present, ever ready for the future. In other words, we are admonished to take reasonable thought about the future and then leave it all, including the fear and anxiety, at the altar. We can live a live without Fear with God's help. It's a promise, darling!  For years, I prayed that God would reveal His calling for me. I wanted to be given a clear task that I could pursue come what may.
And because God is faithful, He gave me two! Two massive pursuits that I could never complete without super natural power. Working a plan for a goal that seems to grow in size every day, can be overwhelming; especially when my conventional job requires so much concentration. My prayer now is for more faith and discipline. I must rely less on my abilities and more on God power. I must stay on the path no matter how I'm tempted to wander. We are called to OBEY, not seeing, just believing. And, so I will use today to fortify myself for the week ahead. Never attempting to do more than the day's allotted task. This is no easy feat for a butterfly.  Everyone Seeks God. But Most Don't Know that HE is who they seek.
This desire to seek God for answers, solace, and rest is universal. Unfortunately, many do not yet know that God is the only one that can fill the void that we all feel. Over the years, I have discovered that the world cannot solve spiritual problems. The world cannot cure loneliness, despondency, spiritual depression. In other words, no matter how hard we try, we cannot manufacture friends or create truth. Money and power may grease the wheels but will never bring peace or modify your countenance. If we know that God is the answer, why don't we seek HIM? The world teaches us that once you discover your fundamental purpose in life, then you will have wealth, happiness, purpose. But in fact, this is not true. God has already told us that there is but one purpose in this life: to build a relationship with God and to strive to learn so much about Him that you begin to act, think and comport yourself like HIM. That is it! To many this simple truth does not hold enough gravitas. So most of us opt to chase after the shiny things of this world: success, wealth, power, status, love, beauty. It is only when we achieve these things that we realize how hollow and inconsequential they are. God's way is so much better because when we seek after HIM, we seek after the one thing that will make us happy. God in return rewards us with gifts to make the quest bearable. God gives us special talents, personal pursuits, travel, family, great heights, - all curated just for our unique personalities to motivate and cheer us as we navigate through this earthly condition. When we live for God, he will give us the tools to navigate this life. He will provide resources, a profession, respites, success - all to help propel us forward. But these gifts, motivations and tools are never the goals of life. God is the goal, darling.  I believe in the power of good and evil. I believe in the existence of a benevolent Christ and a malevolent Anti Christ.
The Anti Christ (AC) is a thief, always seeking to entice us away from a SPIRIT filled life. The AC consistently attempts to shift our focus away from God and into:
Even now, I still battle these moods. It is interesting to note that when I discovered the Christ, my fundamental personality did not change. Rather, I just learned how to manage my feelings in a different way. Now, I try my best to rely on the Spirit to alter any sad feelings in real time. Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance. Psalm 42:5 You may not feel happy today. But whether you feel happy or not, recite and believe the truths of God as chronicled in the Scriptures. 1 Timothy 6:12, NIV: "Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses." Say to yourself: I believe God's word is true and I will stay my soul on it, I will believe in it come what may! Never the LESS, I will believe. I will trust. Then sit with God quietly, asking HIM to fill you with His Spirit. Don't move until you feel your countenance shift. When you do these things, you will be on your way to escaping the mean reds and you will be able to continue Onward and Upward. [PLEASE NOTE THAT It is important to pay attention to both your physical and mental health. It is always a good idea to contact a professional if you are feeling BLUE. But, as you seek out the perfect counselor, be sure to ask God to assist you in discerning the right advisor for you.]  When I began working remotely from home, I thought I would finally be in a position to take care of all of those “honey do” action items memorialized on my refrigerator door. Nope! Even now, I still don’t seem to have enough time to do the things I ought to be doing.
Peter likewise complained about the lack of time to get things right despite his best efforts. And, he offers some advice on how to be successful anyway. In a nutshell, Peter admonishes us to strive to lead an ordered and disciplined life. 2 Peter 1:5-7 5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control [d]perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. Like all great leaders, our ability to organize ourselves despite the chaos of life enables us to obtain success. Peter advises us to add virtue and diligence to our faith in order to ensure a specific perfect outcome. According to the great theologian D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones virtue is defined as vigor or energy/strength. In order for us to be happy here on earth, we must not only be vigorous in our earthly pursuits, but we must be vigorous in our Christian pursuits. In fact, if we want to be happy, we must actually pursue God with even more energy and fervor than we use to pursue our careers and material gains. We must believe (faith) and we must seek God with energy and power. When we make every effort to exercise self control, to be just and kind, and charitable to all, we will be rewarded. 2 Peter 1:8-11 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither [e]barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. God knows that we are not perfect and that we make mistakes even as we strive to serve Him. God asks that we simply strive to be diligent and disciplined. If we “make every effort” He will reward us. It is our effort plus His grace that ensures victory. -Be encouraged in 2021, Simone Butterfly  When I get angry, I cannot breathe. When I am angry, I lose my connection with the Spirit and simply react without a thought of the consequences. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. acknowledged the power of anger- and he advised that when confronted with hate, “you must be willing to suffer the anger of the opponent, and yet not return anger.”
It is important to note that anger is not evil in and of itself. While anger can beget terrible violence. It can also be a catalyst for positive constructive action that can result in a seismic shift. In 1963, Clarence Jones, an attorney and speechwriter for Dr. King went to see King in a jail in Birmingham. Jones recalls that King was angry because he had seen a full page ad in a local newspaper written by a white clergyman. The Clergy’s letter stated that Dr. King should leave the city without mentioning the injustice that drew him there. King’s response was to write the famous Letter from a Birmingham jail where he discussed the justifiable anger of Blacks. Throughout his life, King demonstrated how to use anger productively. When asked how to avoid lashing out at loved ones when one is angry, he said, “You expel a lower vice by concentrating on a higher virtue. “ In other words, “a destructive passion is harnessed by directing that same passion into constructive channels.” It is constructive to Protest, to Demonstrate, to Write, to March, to Speak, to Set an Example, to VOTE and yes, even to agitate. Recall that when Jesus was confronted with people of power who defiled the temple of God, he reacted by turning over tables and driving them out of the temple. We know that the bodies of the people of God, like the temple of God, are vessels for the Holy Spirit. Therefore, no one has the right to defile our bodies through hundreds of years of unspeakable terror. I stand in solidarity with the protesters on the front lines agitating for change throughout the US. Our anger is justified and it is time to drive out of power all those who will not enforce the laws of this land justly. I am in prayer now to determine how to channel my anger into constructive action. In my experience, it takes Spirit Power to exercise restraint while simultaneously working to enact change for the the better. It's a promise, darlings. Mark 11:15-17 15On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 17And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written: 'My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it 'a den of robbers.'" to drive out those who would defame the temple of God (the bodies of God’s people).  Running too hot or too cold or lukewarm is never a favored position in the Christian Life. Instead, a balanced life directed by an all knowing God is best. Consider a vine: vines need never ask fret over which way to go or how they will be fortified because of their close connection to their life source. The result: they go where they are directed energized by the sap from their maker. Jesus likewise benefited from a perfect relationship with God. Every step He took was guided by the Spirit. He worked when directed. He rested when directed. He preached when directed. He celebrated when directed. His life was perfect because his life was a perfect balance of intellect, physicality, emotion- mind, body, spirit. The effort is ours. But, happiness comes when we trust God with the directions. Any other approach including taking matters into our own hands, will leave us weary and disillusioned. There is no joy apart from God. This is the truth, darlings.
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