God Strives

What up?

Numbers 23:19 states,

"God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?"

Do you really believe this? I know for a looong time I didn't........I gave heed to the lies of satan instead of the truths of GOD.........easily decieved and duped by the craftiness of the enemy who knew my weaknesses better than I..........

I spoke about in my last blog how my view of my pops badly affected my view of GOD....... I never felt good enough for my pops....I was always told by him that I was lazy, worthless and even at one point he told me that he wished my moms would have been on birth control!

Crazy, right? Well I bought that baggage into my relationship with GOD.....It was the blood of CHRIST and my "works"........ I felt that I had to do this or else....and even when I did this then I felt that I had to do something else.......I would get over one mountain then feel as if I have another ten to go....... It was never good enough.........

GOD in HIS goodness, grace and mercy has been pulling me out of this......About a year ago HE tackled this issue with me head on.....

Isaiah 40:25, ""Who will you compare Me to, or who is My equal?" asks the Holy One.

Isaiah 46:5, "Who will you compare Me or make Me equal to? Who will you measure Me with, so that we should be like each other?"

HE said to me I am not your him......I AM GOD your Father......The creator and sustainer of the universe........I sent my SON to die for you and to sanctify you........I knew how filthy you were when I purchased you........Again, ""Who will you compare Me or make Me equal to? Who will you measure Me with, so that we should be like each other?"

HE showered me with grace.......I was continuously in a down pour of GRACE!!!!!

HE then said to me, REST IN ME......... " for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his." Hebrews 4:10

Soooooooooo,  since then I've been fighting the good fight! I've fell multiple times but you know what they say," for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again......... I'm just sooooo thankful to have a sympathetic High Priest who understands my weaknesses..... And I'm also thankful that I know my weaknesses better today than a year ago......... and for the eyes to see the enemies schemes.... 2 Corinthians 2:2

" in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes."

I love JESUS and the mercy HE extends........ I'm growing in HIM...... Hallelujah!!!!!!

So brothers and sisters stand with me as I continue to stand on truth!!!! I leave you with Hebrews 10:23,

"Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful"

God is dope,

Israel=God Strives

Pray for me

What's good peoples?

It's been a minute............Well let's jump into it! 

In august of 2009 GOD began a work in my life....... You see I'm a man who battles insecurities and emotional issues as a result of the relationship with my pops.......which spilt over into my relationship with GOD......I unknowingly viewed GOD as I viewed my earthly pops.... always trying to please but feeling like I never could....... We can call this WORKS!!!!!! GOD by HIS grace pointed this out and comforted me in teaching me HIS grace and the fact that HE is pleased with me already because of JESUS CHRIST sacrifice......

Well, since then I've been on a crazy journey! Traveling to the depths of my being......I've learned how to be real with myself, GOD and others...... And I've seen ALOT this past year that has been hideous!!!!!! I was recently telling my wife what I've seen this past year....... How so much of our issues are integrated with other things........It's like those cords that are all tangled together and to unravel one you have to unravel all of them......That's what this past year has been......Facing condemnation, pride, jealousy, insecurities, selfishness, doubt, hypocrisy, impure motives and much more! Casting them onto the cross of CHRIST......

That is where HE bought me back to the same place where I started....CALVARY..........It has been a painful, yet beautiful journey! And now I see GOD doing the same thing in my life now that HE was doing last year just on a different level....... I'm telling ya'll I'm a screwed up dude! But I'm thankful for JESUS and who HE is and what HE did(and is still doing).

GRACE......GRACE.....GRACE......I'm soooooo excited and amped about this process and what GOD is doing because I know that through it I'll look just like HIM! It's very painful but it's worth it!!! I'm excited about applying HIS truths to my life.....Practically walking out the gospel.......I'm just excited about GOD!!!! Excited about responding to HIM in faith and obedience!!!!!!

So brothers and sisters pray for me as I lean into GOD.....As I will be praying for you.......

Philippians 1:6 (New International Version)

being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

God is dope,

Israel

Spoiled Brat

Welcome,

Today I started school and it was a HORRIBLE first day! Last night I went to bed after 11pm... then got up at 5am....... had classes from 7am-6pm.....and then work from 7pm-11pm. Talk about a full day.

Not only was I tired when I woke up but I had a headache.... and they both seemed to progress with the day....On top of that I was very hungry and I had no money to buy lunch.

OH boy did I throw a temper tantrum just like my 3 year old! Which all the while I was reminded of Jonahs tantrum( see Jonah 4). I poured all my complaints onto my wife.... I even went as far as saying, "if I have another day like this I'm quitting school!" (Big baby.) I was mad, bothered, in pain( as you can see I have a looooow tolerance for pain.) and didn't want anyone to bother me. 

When I got to work I became more angry to the point that I was ready to quit my job and walk off.......REALLY...... So I called my discipler and filled him in on what I was dealing with and he encouraged me and challenged me to persevere.

Once I got off the phone with him and asked for GOD to forgive me I began to focus on what I was thankful for..... And the main thing was GOD's understanding and wisdom concerning me........ Acts 17:26 states,

"From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live."

GOD determined that I should live in America, for which I'm soooo very thankful! HE knew in HIS infinite understanding that America was the best place for me..... A place where we have freedom to worship JESUS! HE knew I was a wimp and so HE placed me in a place where we have freedom of religion..... As I was thinking about the brothers and sisters overseas who endure the sufferings of decades in prison, years of torture, rape, hunger, disease, families being murdered  and the more I became even more thankful that HE placed me here.(My little headache showed me that I couldn't endure what they suffer)

Secondly, I was thankful for my good thing Latiesha Cook, who was so very patient with me while I was being a cry baby and even though she was feeling bad herself she prayed fervently for me.

Thirdly, I was thankful for my discipler, Damon Fensterman for being there for me and challenging me.

Lastly I was thankful for my two brothers Devin Cook-James and David Munchie Cook who went out of their way to buy and bring me food. 

As I began to ponder on the things I was thankful for my headache began to fade away like a distant memory.........

1 Thessalonians 5:18 is a great verse that explains what GOD desires from us.

"give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

I learned to give thanks in my time of pain.... not for my pain but in my pain.......

So brothers and sisters I implore you to give thanks the next time you find yourself in a horrible place and see the glory of the LORD!

And remember, it's not how you start that counts, it's how you finish......

God is dope,

Israel

Blurred Vision

Grace and peace,

I'm a firm believer that there is so much stuff in us and in our lives that we cannot see. Only God can give us the eyes to see these things. Which brings us to my new blog.........

A few weeks ago as I was bussing tables at a restaurant I noticed how I was becoming VERY frustrated at the servers. I felt that they were taking advantage of the "new guy"(at least that's what it seemed to me!) I was taught in training that they were to pre bus their tables as well as a bunch of other things....Which they were doing none of but asking me to do them. On top of that the greeters would always rush me to do this or that even when they saw me doing something else!!!!

As the humble servant I was(so I thought) I "humbly" obliged...Remembering Mathew 5:41

"If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles."

Thinking to myself I'll submit to them....But then I noticed how I would tell myself ,"I'll do it but on my own time.They have to wait" And I would literally take my time and by the time I would get there they would have done it already........I'm thinking hey, I told them I would do it...They should have waited........

Well, today as I was reading a email I was totally ABASED! As I was taken back to this situation.

"Procrastination is a way to get back at people we don't like. We delay. Kids are great at procrastination. You ask them to clean up their room. They do it but they take so long doing it. One of the reasons may be that they're resisting your control. Procrastination is passive resistance. I don't want to do it because I don't like you telling me to do what I have to do. Anger causes us to put things off"  Rick Warren

I was smitten and asked GOD to forgive me! Here I was commending myself and couldn't even see the resentment and bitterness I harbored toward the servers.....Here I was thinking how I was the "model christian" and didn't see the anger I was indulging in......... 

Man I'm so thankful for GOD giving me the eyes to see.........

I reminded of 2 passages that I'll be meditating on(and I encourage you to do the same.)

1 Corinthians 4:4

"My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me."

My conscience was clear but I wasn't innocent and GOD showed me.......

2 Corinthians 10:18

"For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends."

Here I was commending myself when ONLY GOD's commending matters.........

GOD is good.............

Brothers and sisters, Psalm 51:6 says that GOD desires truth in the inner parts.....So my encouragement to you all is to ask GOD to search you and to show you any offensive way in you......

Psalm 139:23-24

"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

God is dope,

Israel

Selah

Brothers and sisters,

May you all take a few moments to meditate upon GOD's holy and awesome Word with me?

Psalm 104:5-9

 5 He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved.

Close your eyes..... just imagine our GOD setting the earth on it's foundations.......and no matter what scientist, archeologist or whoever else say it can never be shaken or moved.....unless GOD does the shaking or moving.....

6 You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.

Still with eyes closed..... consider the tallest mountains in the world;  the Himalayans(they say it's where the earth meets the sky) heights up to 26,000 feet....now consider the waters stood above that!!!!

7 But at your rebuke the waters fled, at the sound of your thunder they took to flight;

But at GOD's rebuke the waters fled......they ran away! at the sound of HIS thunder they took off!! If the waters run and tremble at the sound of GOD how much more should we???

 8 they flowed over the mountains, they went down into the valleys, to the place you assigned for them.

GOD in HIS sovereingty takes enough care to assign a place for the waters......O how much HE cares for every detail, not just on earth but in our lives.........

9 You set a boundary they cannot cross; never again will they cover the earth.

Parents think about the boundaries that you set for your children to not cross.....now ponder how great GOD is to be able to set boundaries for the waters(the WATERS!) so that they will never cover the earth again........O how great is our GOD!!!!

We serve an AWESOME and INCREDIBLE GOD!!!!!!!!Hallelujah!!

In light of these glorious trues brothers and sisters I exhort you to do as Colossians 3:2 states:

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Namely, GOD......Let us not focus on useless things but the greatness of our Creator-King.

GOD is dope,

Israel

What kind of clothes are you wearing?

Sooooo, Check this dope GOD story out. Tonight as I was leaving my job this older lady in her 50's stopped me to speak. This would be only the second or third time I spoke to this lady and each time it was small talk and only for like 2 minutes. LITERALLY.

The first thing she said was, "so what church you go to?".  I was taken aback by that and my response was, "how do you figure I go to church?". She replied,"they say you can tell them by their looks." and she kept repeating that statement.

I was totally in an wow moment here.... I'm like wow GOD thanks for the encouragement and affirmation, and at the same time I was like I have on a long blue Tee, some shorts and sneakers I certainly don't look like I'm a "church guy" whatever that looks like.

 So I'm like wow....... It can't be my clothes, no way no how..... So what could it be? The fruit of the spirit? The fear of GOD? What?

I was then reminded of a brother which reminded me of a scripture and as I looked at this scripture I was totally BLOWN to smithereens!!!!!!!!! Check it out for yourself....

Colossians 3:12,14

(The Message)

So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline.......  And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.

(NLT)

Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience...... Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.

So, brothers and sisters in CHRIST my question is, what kind of clothes are you wearing? 

GOD is dope!!!!!!!!

Israel

Welcome to the God is dope blog.................

Welcome everyone,

As some of you may know my name is Israel also known as H.B.(Hope Boy). I just wanted to take the time to welcome you into my life(which is a open book!).

I love to write, in fact I journal every day RELIGIOUSLY! But I struggled on whether or not I should open my life up to the public. Frankly, I'm far from perfect....A man who fights pride and insecurities amongst other things. So me doing this would be me opening myself up for all to see the real deal.....Me naked and bare just as I am before our Creator. Even as I wrote a blog about a GOD story recently I noticed my flesh began to rise up seeking to find significance in the comments of you all. I wonder who read it, what did they say etc etc etc. Well, GOD forbid that I find my significance, confidence or identity in anyone or anything else outside of HIM!!! Also, I saw pride trying to creep in as if I did anything in the story in the first place!!!!! Picture that!!!! Even if I did what is that??? Exactly! Nothing!!!!

Psalm 104 states 1 Praise the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty. 2 He wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent 3 and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters. He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind.

In light of this what can I or any of us for that matter be puffed up over? Seriously, if ten million people read my blogs and loved them how can I possibly be puffed up? Come on, I mean GOD wraps HIMSELF in light as if it was a robe!!! HE stretches out the heavens as if it were a tent!!! HE makes the clouds HIS chariots and rides on the wings of the wind!! Picture that...... I know.... you can't.....Our minds are too little and finite to grasp even a picture of it.. But in light of it really what can one be prideful for as if any of us could do any of these things.

But GOD even as Great and majestic as HE is loves little ol' me(and you) and cares for us. Really though, HE does! It's an amazing thing.....

Psalm 8:4 what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?

So brothers and sisters and everyones else welcome to my life which as 2 Corinthians 3:3 puts it is CHRISTS letter. "Your very lives are a letter that anyone can read by just looking at you. Christ himself wrote it—not with ink, but with God's living Spirit; not chiseled into stone, but carved into human lives—and we publish it."

Here goes....The good, bad and ugly......The highs and lows.........The victories and failures......All in the name of CHRIST.

GOD is dope!

Israel