Tag: Jesus Christ

God’s Timing

I have been very blessed recently.  Over the last six months I’ve been blessed with a new car and a new job.  I had been a little concerned over the last year or so because of my transportation needs.  My last car was a 2005 with about 140,000 miles on it and it had received a few very expensive repairs recently.  I knew that I would need a new car in the near future but I didn’t know how I could manage the payments while working as a server in a Mexican restaurant.

I received my first college degree in 1997.  I received my second in 2003.  I received a masters degree in 2012.  Despite my academic accomplishments I have held a string of low wage dead end jobs.  I struggled for years to get my foot in the door of a design or marketing career and failed.  But last month I got a job in marketing which utilizes my graphic design and writing skills.

It would take me way too long to explain how these blessings came into my life.  But I believe that God was in both situations and God’s timing put my in the right places at the right time in order to receive God’s favor.  A string of circumstances came together in order to change my life for the better.  There were times that I was afraid to make the step forward but I trusted in God and He provided for me.

As I have gotten older I have gained a great appreciation for time.  It’s very hard to even grasp the concept of time while you are young because you haven’t seen enough of it pass.  But as I live and I have more time behind me I see how God has had His hand on my life.

I am forty one years old and I will celebrate another birthday in February.  I have never married or had children.  I have a great deal of student loan debt and despite my recent career advancement I still don’t make a great deal of money.  Statistically speaking my life is half over and my child bearing years may be over.  But I have never been more excited about my future.  I am very encouraged right now to read my Bible and be in prayer.  I can’t wait to see what God is going to do next.

We Call Them Street Gangs but They are Really Demonic Cults

Another child has been killed in America’s gang wars.  His name is Tyshawn Lee and he was nine years old.  Men lured him into an alley way and murdered him because the little boy was thought to be a snitch of sorts.  His father is said to have gang ties and he is not cooperating with the police.  Three men have been arrested for the crime.

Since my childhood there has been a lot of talk about what to do about street violence.  I’m not sure what can be done.  Tyshawn was not killed because someone needed money, or food, or shelter.  He was killed because he was a threat to a gang.  The men that murdered him placed their love and loyalty of their gang ties above all else.  The gang was more important than the innocence of a child or human decency.  The gang is their idol.  The gang bangers have sold their souls to the devil.

There is no community leadership, social program or jobs program that can help men like these.  Even if jobs were plentiful in their community these men probably wouldn’t take interest.  They are far too consumed with “Thug Life” to pursue anything decent.  I could understand, stealing, drug dealing or prostitution if you are desperate for money.  But I can not comprehend how anyone’s heart can grow so cold that they could kill a child.

Over the last year the evening news in Kansas City has been filled with stories of elementary aged children who have died in drive by shootings.  Most of there murders remain unsolved.  Allegiance to the streets keeps evil secrets and families continue to mourn with no justice.

We need to be honest with what we are dealing with.  Inner city street gangs are not merely troubled youth or jobless young men.  If that was the only problem they would just vandalize property or fight and kill other men.  But these men kill children and go on living for the next kill.  Their hearts and souls are possessed by Satan.  Their hearts need to be set free by Jesus Christ.  There is no other way.  There will be no peace without more men in America’s inner cities repenting of their sins and asking Christ to restore their hearts.  It takes prayer and reading the Word.  I hope more do that before they go to prison, kill or are killed themselves.