Wax On, Wax Off

I know it seems like I am really into movies involving martial arts but generally some good metaphors come out of these movies. I wonder do you remember a movie called "The Karate Kid". (the orginial one with Ralph Macchio and Pat Morito) The main chacter was "Daniel" or "Daniel-son" who was the pupil of an immigrant from Okinawa named Mr. Miyagi. Daniel so desperatly wanted to learn martial arts in order to defend himself and prove he was tough (self) but Mr.Miyagi wanted to enrinch his mind and heart so he had a different plan. In the first movie Mr.Miyagi would have Daniel perform tasks like painting his fence, waxing his car, washing the windows. Mr.Miyagi's most classic when teaching him the way he wanted to perform these tasks was "Wax on, Wax off". As one would expect Daniel grew impatient because it seemed like every day it was the same thing, there was no actual "moves" being taught. Daniel began to grow angry and think Mr.Miyagi was a joke and finally Mr. Miyagi reminded of when he taught him to paint the fence, he kicked at Daniel and by reflex daniel blocked the kick. The motion of painting the fence was teaching him to have correct technique, when he threw a punch the motion of cleaning the windows taught Daniel to deflect the punch. The lesson happened repeatdly to ensure that Daniel was learning from it what Mr.Miyagi wanted him to learn.
         When God has made up in his mind that he wants you to learn a lesson, he will like Mr. Miyagi give you a series of lessons designed to teach you the skill NEEDED(pay attention to that word) to learn. You come to him and you say " I want to be better" so he makes you better he just uses his own tactics because he knows they are sure to work. Like Daniel you began to feel like a servant boy, as if your doing things that serve no purpose or perhaps why do I constantly have to go through this. Until you see the lesson being taught you will never learn and move on. It's so hard for you because you won't sit down and learn, God isnt putting too much on you its just your flesh not wanting to move out of the way. My biggest problem is getting too frustrated too easily. I'll get so frustrated I am unreasonable and even harder to reason with, so my first thing is to blame the thing that is frustrating me not asking myself "why is this frustrating me?" James 1:14 clears this all the way up "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed."So it's not the situation its really ME! I found that my anger comes from my own selfish desire in other words what I wanted, or because I didnt like how something turned out. Refusal to learn to the lesson of how to control my anger keeps me in a perpetual learning cycle of dealing with situations where I am forced to control or Im forever taking the same text. We often forget that the lesson is to get you where God wants you to be, in order to do that somethings have to go. So yes you will find yourself like Daniel in this movie doing the same thing over and over until you get the lesson. Picture it like this learning this lesson could be the pathway to a better job, better marriage/relationship, better life. 90 % of the time its yourself that makes it so much harder for you. When you won't yield to God's plan your plan conflicts with his drastically so the friction you feel is his plan working against yours. Refusal to yield makes him repeat the lesson over and over and over. 2 step process, Teaches the lesson ( his statues found in his word), applies the lesson (the test or experiences that try you.) This part is personal because it is just you and God, family, friends merely can pray but you and God have to work this out together. When you finally grab ahold of the lesson and past the test like Daniel-son you are ready to move to the next thing. Ask yourself this question if you need "What am I not seeing that you want me to see Lord?" I promise you wont have to look hard it will be clear. God Bless Beloved...and thanks for reading.

Who's The Master?

Remember that movie The Last Dragon that to me was an instant classic, in that movie it featured a character played by Julius Carry by the name of "Sho'nuff". His classic line in the movie was "Who's The Master"? His crew would respond by saying "Sho'nuff!!". Though it was just a movie I began to wonder  to myself who is really your master? Fact is most of us don't even know the answer to the question because we are not paying attention. Read a great entry in Our Daily Bread the author of the article Anne Cetas made mention of the scripture Romans 6:16 " Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey..." Whomever your master is essentially is the one whom answer when they call. If it's God ultimately you follow his lead, you go where he tells you to go, and will generally live the life he tells you to live no matter the cost. If it's self (believe it or not) you generally do what feels good for you and comfortable for you, God is a master to you but not the master over you, meaning you will hear what he is saying and IF you want to submitt than you will which is a haphazard approach in it of itself. If it's another person, they generally can do whatever they would like whenever they would like and you will submitt generally in this case out of fear of losing them, being hurt by them, or lack of concern for yourself due to being so heavily invested in them, once more God is a secondary choice so that when he serves notice that you in too deep you will MAKE A CHOICE (very important) on weather or not to heed his advice. As we all know money, the need of to fulfill physical desires etc.. all will control you as they have power that you have given to them when you submitt to them. Here is the thing, everyone of these alternatives are imperfect in every way so they are bound to let you down, thing is because they are your master and you their slave (in essence) they have no desire to be concerned with your feelings about the issue. After all YOU CHOSE TO SUBMITT!!!! When you choose God, he won't let you down and when I/You/We feel as though he has he will understand how you feel (though he know he hasen't let you down at all). It makes sense why God would inspire Paul to right that verse in Romans, because in his infinite knowledge he knows the danger in that. He knows that no matter how loyal those other things lay claim to be they will let you down. He in essence is protecting you from that, but when your lured away from him by enticing pleasures its your own fault and unfortuantely you will reap the consequences. I was most convicted by this because I realize how often I would be reluctant to follow God's orders that were so specific because he was my alternative. I would let my drums, money, and people steer me, and the minute I was let down I was upset or mad when I had no right to be. Let us be clear on this God will not fight for our attention ever, if I would rather push him to the side than he wouldnt fight to be first because than my free will would be taken away from me, it has to be my choice to put him first. The bible is so well put together because not only is it the written inspired word of God, its also God's way of saying "Hey!!! I'm just trying to look out for you" Love my family to death, my music, my church, my girl, my life but guess what they cant be master over me, it's not their place. I have to call into account that God is faithful, just, and righteous and if I submitt to him he will elevate me to my rightful place. The bible says in James 4:10 "Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you" Why this can be challenging because of the comfot in those things and search for validation, and catch this (just fell on my heart) If you know that your having that much power over someone and/or taking advantage of them STOP!!!! As a believer I cannot allow you to submitt to me before God, now don't get it in twisted in marriage the bible is clear that a woman is to submitt unto her husband but the idea is not before God ever!! That example is the divine order in which God addresses the house but if that man is clearly not following God you are still loyal to him and submitting  but never denying or not living for Christ rather be the light in the dark place. (my pastor broke that one down..thats the marraige guru) . I am no one's master and no one master's me but God. I have to be conscious daily of this and now even more pray that my focus be turned back to God. God bless you beloved...thanks for reading.