Grace and Peace to YOU, yes you. GRACE “ Gods Redemption At Christs Expense and Peace  “People Everywhere Are Created Equally” be to You, yes You and even YOU.

In these recent days and nights, the purveyor of tidbits from the hearts, minds and acts of others, the INTERNET and Television, report growing divides among humanity. Many are Christians like us all, created in the image of God. So how and why does the spiritual duality and the hate disguised as racial pride and Christian elitism find its way to the pulpit? This includes those who fought against taking prayer out of the schools and who now advocate for creating a generation deprived of truth about the world they live in. All the NOWS’ that are the background beat we live and breathe, are caught up, bound to a spirit that is not of God. That means there is a gap, a hole and more than likely, a grave.

Recently, in my time with the Lord, it has been impressed on my heart, in my mind and thoughts that the People of God have got to GO HARD.

  to work hard or to do something with intensity and/or used to describe something that is remotely interesting that involves internet culture, like a hyper-realistic picture of a corn on the cob swinging a golf club.

I admit my understanding of Go Hard was to set the course and be relentless no matter what. When I heard Go Hard with my spiritual ears I also heard, Orinda pick up your Cross and follow me…my heart answered AGAIN. I thought that was what I was doing. Then Go Hard reverberated again. Go Hard. “and whatever I give to you… you give away”. So Go Hard.

Going Hard begins with intentionality. What we say is our intention. Ephesians 4 :29 reminds us  “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” We are positioned with the one who rescues. Matthew 12:36 ” I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak.” There is accountability for every word we speak. The power of words created and are creating. We, being in the image of God have the same power with our words. What do we leave behind with our words? Life abundantly? Hope? Joy? Wisdom? Condemnation? What, does going hard sound like? How about LOVE?

Proverbs 18:21 tells us that Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits. Our ability to speak into a situation and to affect change is pure gift from God. We can give hope and teach love with our own spoken words. We can Go Hard when we as in Psalm 141:3, admonished “ Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!” When we add Matthew 12:37, For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned. Go Hard  as in Psalm 141:3  when we ask God to take control of what we say even to seal our lips. Some things we just don’t need to say. “That was and is a biggie for me. However, that’s Going Hard for me keeping my mouth shut. Joyce Meyer wrote a book Me and My Big Mouth….

Going Hard also means facing fear. Rejection is a big fear for most people. It is for me. Tara Bach says it like this “Unprocessed fear cuts us off from our full aliveness and spirit, and it separates us from others”. 

Our main role in the Kingdom of God is to reflect God. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. FORGIVE, FORGIVE,  FORGIVE. TELL YOUR STORY OF JESUS AND HIS LOVE. OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER…

Go Hard,

Pr. Orinda