As I connect with a few of my colleagues at Morehouse College, I notice that many of them are embedded to their so called "purpose" in life. I believe that many of these Morehouse men have found their place, value, and purpose on the universe. I applaud all of these men because they have currently found their "niche." Some would say, especially those from Groove Phi Groove, "I have found my groove" or "I found the groove." I do not seek to become a member of this social organization, but I am amazed with commitment and faithfulness to want to "stand for something." One of my favorite comments that I toss around every now and then is, "If you do not stand for something then you can possibly fall for anything."
Well, earlier this morning I perused some pictures of a gentlemen that seems to be sold out for Ethiopia, Bob Marley, and the black movement. This guy had his hair in "locks" and he wears African garb. This young gentlemen proudly wears the "ankh" symbol around his neck, and when a picture is snapped, he is shown holding the "ankh" necklace so everyone can see that he believes in the "ankh." Now I could be wrong to say that he believes in the "ankh," but I will say that he believes in the symbolism of the "ankh."
Another Morehouse man that I know is touring around the world singing, dancing, hyping crowds, acting, rapping, writing poetry, and simply expressing himself in a very artistic manner. He seems to be indwelled to what he does. He walks down streets rapping and filming himself; however, I do not know what he is saying half of the time or what he is talking about in these raps. I do know that from the looks of things he is successful at what he is doing and he enjoys what he is doing. He is connected with individuals whom have received Grammy awards and other types of musical awards. I can appreciate, not what he is doing, but I appreciate his enthusiasm that he has for what he is doing.
From a Christian perspective I have intentions and purposes for writing this blog. My first intention for writing this blog is to encourage you to search for what you want to accomplish on this earth. In doing so, you must ask yourself questions and find answers to questions such as: "Why am I here?" "What do I like to do?" "What am I good at doing?" "What are my gifts?" "How do I find security in the gifts that I have been given?" and "What am I supposed to do with what I have been gifted?" I would suppose that there are more questions in which you could pose to yourself, but many young people search their entire lives attempting to figure out what it is that they actually want to accomplish. Some people do not figure out what they are suppose to accomplish until it is maybe too late to attempt to work on the accomplishment. Some of the people that do find out, early, what it is they are too accomplish on this universe do not take advantage of what they have to make an accomplishment; most times because they do not believe in themselves or the idea of themselves.
I am not going to get into the issues that go along with the above observations that I have made, but I am going to get into what do you do once you figure out what your gifts are, purpose in life, and purpose for living. Do you exist or are you living? What is the difference? Is there a difference? I believe there is a major difference, but now that you have life and are no longer existing, who are you existing for? Is what you are accomplishing for you or is it for other souls. Who is the captain of your soul?
We had to recite a poem as I was becoming a NUPE by William Ernest Henley entitled, Invictus. The last stanza of that poem states, "I am the captain of my soul." Preceding the last line states, "I am the master of my fate." I never understood this poem until after I renounced my membership of Kappa Alpha Psi and currently denounce all secret societies for the primary reason that it violates the first commandment that teaches Jews and Christians that they should not have any other gods before Jehovah; El'Shaddai; Yeshua HaMaschiach; Jesus Christ the Creator of heaven and earth and all that is within and throughout the earth; the Infinite True and Living God! I can have the fraternity discussion later, but for the sake of these ideas that I present to you, I beg the question: Who is the captain of your soul? Who is the master of your fate? If you claim that you are the captain of your soul or the master of your fate then I ask then how are you the captain of your soul if you belong to Jesus Christ? I can only pose this question to Christians, and not any other believer of any other religion. Salvation is supposed, designed, and was given to change the human's entire reason, purpose, and meaning for living.
The issue is that once you belong to Christ, through the grace of salvation, you no longer belong to yourself. Before I get into Christ I need to explain to you that when you seek to accomplish anything on this universe and you are committed to doing such a thing, I become worried because souls become involved. Everyone has a soul and when souls are involved in any given situation it effects everyone. Therefore, if you decide to become a rapper, doctor, teacher, trash man, cab driver, president, plumber, wife, husband, basketball star, or any other desire, who is it going to effect and what are you attempting to do to the souls that will follow your lead. What is your motive? Not only what is your motive, but is whatever you are participating in truth? Is what you are doing TRUTH? TRUTH will last forever, but everything else will eventually fade away and die.
Christ Jesus wants disciples that consistently stand for truth; anything outside of truth is a lie. Anything that is a lie is truly irrelevant. Although I am excited to see Morehouse men committed to some sort of lifestyle, how many Morehouse men, or how many people stand for truth? There are some people that stand for or represent truth, but not everyone lives for truth. Because not everyone represents or stands for truth is how it is supposed to be and do not be misunderstood, I am not trying to persuade everyone to stand for truth. However, if you are Christian, your mandate is to live a life of truth and represent truth at all times. The truth is Jesus Christ. The truth is that Jesus says, "IF you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free"(John 8.31,32). Abiding in the word means to dwell, remain, stand, continue, endure the truth of Jesus Christ. The Bible is God's spoken and breathed word into the minds and lives of authors that have recorded what God purposed. Our post-modern society teaches us that God's word is truth, but there are other truths that Christians and society should consider. I claim that all truth makes people free from bondage, and anything that replaces one's life into bondage is not truth; especially while believing in and living in absolute objective truth of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the One and Only Truth, Way, and Life! Therefore, when Christians seek after making accomplishments and living a "purpose driven life" we must seek God's Kingdom first; and that means we seek the King of the Kingdom. Paul states,"do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own (1 Cor. 6.20)? You cannot be the captain of your soul if your soul is anchored in the Lord!
Christians cannot represent a lie! Christians are not the master of their fate and are not the captain of their souls, because humans do not have the power to create a soul. Not only do humans not have the power to create a soul, but made up legends and myths of gods do not have power to create a soul. The only power a god has to a soul is to take that soul away from a human. Therefore gods do not give life, gods can take life. The church is so ignorant that they tell teenage girls and women that when they have a baby out of wedlock that they are not blessed; but they have to be blessed because only God can create a life. The sexual sin was fornicating; not having a baby. When Satan confronted Jesus in the wilderness and told Jesus to commit suicide by jumping off of a mountain, Satan lied and said, "I will give you...." Satan can give a blessing, but Satan cannot create or give a life. Satan can make people rich; he makes people wealthy; but most of the wealthy and rich people I know are miserable and sorrowful. The Bible says the God gives wealth and He adds no sorrow with that wealth. There have been numerous reports where superstars admonish people to end their quest for stardom because it is not what we see on television. Many superstars say that they had to sign their life away to the devil. There are many superstars that have gone into hiding because they broke the covenant with Satan. Satan wanted Jesus to go into covenant with Satan. What makes you think and what makes you consider yourself so untouchable for you to believe that Satan does not want you to be in covenant with him? You do not have to go into covenant with Satan on a level of stardom, but you can be in covenant with Satan at your current position.
My overall purpose is to encourage you that during your search for purpose, Christians must first ask God! There is no other way around this one, and if you do find another way around asking God first, then you are in for torment. While you are in your success you will find yourself making unnecessary sacrifices that Christ did not tell you to make. Christ likes sacrifices, but Christ prefers obedience (1 Sam. 15.22)! I am not telling you that if you do what God wants the journey is going to be easy because that is not true. Performing the work of Christ can get you murdered, beheaded, shot, hated, disliked, friendless, shunned, made fun of, and many other unpopular phenomenon. However, the reward for accomplishing the will for Christ is eternally rewarding, and those rewards will not fade away; the rewards will not be destroyed. Trust me, all that Kanye West has worked for will eventually be destroyed. Beyonce's diamond will be destroyed. There are no diamonds in the New Jerusalem; that is the new heaven and the new earth. The Kingdom of God is not a "bling bling" or "iced out" Kingdom! Anything that says otherwise is not the truth.
I am going to add to my original quote by suggesting that: If you do not stand for the Truth of Jesus Christ, then you stand for nothing, and will fall for everything under the sun!
I pray that you will search for Christ and let Christ tell you what you should accomplish. Then be committed to what Christ tells you to accomplish. Everything else that you do will follow whatever it is Christ commissions you to do. Most of the time when Christ tells you what to do, it will be something that you do not want to do! Obedience is better than sacrifice (1 Sam. 15.22b).
This blog is not for everyone, but it is for you that abides by what the Holy Spirit is churning in your spirit.
God bless you!
In the blood of Jesus Christ,
DWWII
