Trying Times - "In The Morning" Series

Trying Times – “IN THE MORNING”

by

Dr. Gale A. Ragan-Reid (5/29/2013, 6/1/2013, 6/15/2013, 6/18/2013, 6/22/2013, 6/29/2013, 7/6/2013, 7/11/2013, 7/15/2013, 7/21/2013, 7/30/2013, 8/07/2013)

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life”(John 3:16, King James Version [Of regeneration and faith; The witness of John]).

Praise God in the Highest,

In the morning. When I arise. In the great getting up morning. When I arise.

My troubling issues almost knocked the wind out of me at the same time the heat of the day slammed me and almost fried my brain. Let's start in the morning. When I arise. In the great getting up morning. When I arise.

In the great getting up morning. When I arise. How about that faith! Many a day, the strength to accomplish the tasks before me become the supreme will of God and I, like a child wrap myself in His love, mustering up all God's love, to cover me, for the daily battlefield and the unexpected strongholds erected to hinder me from running my course.

Truly, the moment you awake - that moment, was your morning and what you do with the rest of it was probably what you did with your first moment. Generally, my morning starts with reflective prayer and I cast an eye into my daily goals, those that I hold constant each and everyday, those that become a necessity, a priority and a must do, dictated by the seasons of life in particular those weighing down on my ability to muster up enough know how to bring in the bacon and eggs and to hold up the blood stained banner for Christ. My morning coffee or morning Joe was never my first impulse or thought. As seasons changed and most of life remained the same, I became aware of my fallibility and I say to myself, last year this time of the year I could not get passed this time with success. I needed help! This year, come what it might-not hell or high water; I wanted to make it through the battle fatigue, pitfalls, strongholds, on my merit without anxiety, frustration and pain.

I do not want to feel like a failure. Have you ever felt like a failure? The feeling made me consider all my options and my sons considered the options, I refused to ponder because considering those options meant sacrifice. Or, did I muster up enough of God's love in the great getting up morning to remain and finish my course, not the little course of that day but my life's course, without worry.

I refused to deny God. I was not giving up on God. I felt His presence. I would not feel His presence if, He was not with me, then, there would be no feeling of His love, at all but His love was all over me even in the darkest hour; I still felt His love, even when I had to do what I had to do, to keep the ball rolling, not living the high life but toiling, preparing for a new day, when the seasons of blessedness changed to show me, a new creature, abundantly living, in God's grace.

I believe Christ Jesus did everything that he said he would do. My faithfully charged heart strongly felt His presence in my life. I could not and would not throw in the towel and say enough was enough. God delivered on my behalf and saw me through the darkest day to his marvelous light.

In the great getting up morning. When I arise. In the great getting up morning. When I arise. I could feel His power, of love.

No, Sirs, Madams and Mademoiselles, I feel the power, of His love, waking me, when I slumber too deep and putting me to sleep when my body will not let go of the day's turbulence and tumultuous happenings, still shaking as I lie awake. My God is a great God! When I arise. In

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the great getting up morning. When I arise.

I am so covered in His love, when the aches and pains come, they do not stay long. When

the doubt and uncertainty try to creep in, I dismiss it before long because I just could not feel

God's love wallowing in my own shame and disgrace, I must do better than I did one moment ago. I must stay alert to my own human failings, the propensity; the proclivity to fall by the wayside, to slide (backslide), to follow the crowd instead of following Christ Jesus, to hypocritically live life. I need God's love, not the love of my flesh.

If, the flesh, equally yoked was right, then, there would be no question, of denying Christ Jesus. I refuse to live, in the flesh, unequally yoked and denying Christ, in doubt and sin. Life, right now, is what it is. I do not abide in my imagination. I abide in God so He will abide in me.