"Almost" by Ezekiel Azonwu

I heard this really incredible spoken word a while ago and thought it was post worthy. Often times spoken word is delivered so quickly that we miss a significant amount of it’s goodness, so take a quick second and be challenged by the power of in “Almost.” Included at the bottom of the post is the link to the YouTube video. If you can’t click on it, you can copy and paste it to your web browser.

“Almost” by Ezekiel Azonwu

One of the most dangerous terms in English diction…

If it could be translated into audio it would sound like,

“pbb-bb-bb-bb,” from the saxophone of Lisa Simpson.

Two words designed and strategically combined

To form the biggest oxymoron in the history of mankind:

ALL-MOST.

But see, as far as the world's concerned, you could live your life vile

And could almost get away with murder if you had a nice smile.

You could almost meet folks just to almost sleep around

And stop at your local clinic where you almost had a child.

See, 'almost' is no stranger to Satan. Here's proof:

He only tells lies when they're almost the truth,

And it's amazing. In our incompleteness we find complacence.

But if “almost” is one of Lucifer's many traits

Then we are inadvertently good Satan impersonations.

But on the contrary, Christ did his job fully.

And He proved He was God when He died on the cross like it was His duty.

And to pardon my iniquities that I committed rudely,

He resurrected from the grave just to tell death to excuse me.

But excuse me, this is your life and that's something I can't impose on.

But your body is God's home, which was a loan about to get foreclosed on.

See, an almost Christian looks right but lives wrong,

Can't stand the conviction in Romans so they sit down to be comforted in Psalms,

Never understood worship but loved to sing songs like, “I surrender all… MOST.”

Cuz it's far too expensive to spend your life on something that doesn't appeal to your five senses.

See, nowadays, Christianity is like a Louis rag--

No function or use, but we just rock it cuz it's stylish.

Not righteous, but right-ish.

So now all God sees is a pile of ISHmael's when He intended for Isaac's.

And we're moved by how we feel so we're saved when we feel like it,

So technically we've never really been saved we merely tried it.

So no wonder why we're never sold out when we return it after we buy it.

Let me break it down because you need to beware

That your life could lack the very standards that need to be there.

Cuz on that final day of judgment while God's receiving His heir

Will He say, “Son, well done or [spits] medium rare!”

Cuz even by earthly standards it would be highly insane

To start spending all of your money days before you almost get paid.

Like parents, you wouldn't send your kids to a school that's almost safe.

And ladies, would you really date a man who claims he's almost straight?

And this is the very thing about God that we all try to get around.

But His standards are like between two mountains--no middle ground.

So a halfway life is unprofitable to you

Cuz after all the Sunday service, Bible studies, and prayer meetings,

And everything that goes between, God will say I never knew you.

But that's not even the worst part of living your life as neutral.

It's that you were once arctic but it is your luke warmness that is causing Him to spew you.

And this is the very thing that had me.

I was bound and held down by the unforgiving gravity of my spiritual reality.

I was a Christian, or at least I portrayed the fantasy,

With a filthy personal life but a "God bless you brother, how you doin' sister?" personality.

I was a mail enveloped by guilt because I was stamped a sinner.

I said I was a mail enveloped by guilt because I was stamped a sinner.

My message couldn't be received because I didn't represent the sender. Yet I was almost delivered,

Till that one day when I totally, absolutely and completely surrendered.

I took heed to a modern prophet who proclaimed it was time for change.

Now I'm no longer bound to sin--point-blank off the chain.

You can ask Umar Abdul Mutallab. He'll tell you the same--

You don't almost go to jail when you almost blow up a plane,

Like you don't almost go to hell when you almost get saved.

Despised the cross that He was slain and thus the cause in which He came.

But don't worry I'm almost done. But before I leave this stage,

We have all worked in sin and death was minimum wage.

I said we’ve all worked in sin and death was minimum wage,

But if it wasn't for Christ we would have almost got paid.

http://youtu.be/ZqfU3OFNZA0

Focus: It determines your direction

I want to take some time and talk about focus. My home church in Toledo does a winter retreat every February for our youth group. It’s called Avalanche. And it’s the coolest place on earth to be for that weekend every year.

Over the years the Sunday morning activity has become a tradition and the most anticipated time of the entire weekend. It is dedicated entirely to the students’ testimonies. They are given an opportunity to share what has happened in their lives throughout the weekend and I’ve found it serves not only as an encouragement for others in the room but also as a major solidifying moment for the individual sharing. And let me tell you there are few moments in my life that have been as amazing as watching a room full of 7-12^th graders along with all the adult leaders listening to a scrawny little 7^th grader talking about the way God rocked their world that weekend. I digress…

It was a number of years ago that I shared this, but it is a concept that has stuck with me. Many of students were sharing places they’d come from and about removing themselves from situations that would cause them to stumble. Then this concept of focus came to my mind.

There’s an old hymn entitled, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.” The lyrics of the chorus read, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face, and the things of this world will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.” Growing up I didn’t always understand what this meant. Yes I can focus on Christ, but I can’t very well ignore everything else around me, you know? I mean the struggle is real, regardless of where we’re looking.

But I began to realize that focus doesn’t mean ignorance. On the contrary focus is entirely aware of obstacles, for without obstacles or distractions focus is not necessary.

Satan has this really tricky habit of shifting our focus, making us believe we’re focused on the right thing when in fact it’s just enough to lead us in the wrong direction. How often have we told ourselves over and over again that we were not going to do something? For example: people who are dieting focus on not eating sweets. I’m not implying that cookies are the root of all evil here, but I am saying the concept is applicable. We believe it’s beneficial because we’re focused, and what we’re focused on is a just cause! But it is actually the very thing that leads us astray.

This is extremely evident when people are driving. It’s with good reason that we are taught to focus on the road, for your focus will dictate your direction. If you’re looking straight ahead, you’ll more than likely get there. But lets say you were trying to drive straight while focusing on something to your left. You may not begin to turn directly to the left but the odds are that you are no longer driving completely straight down the road either. This same concept can be directly applied to our lives. If you are focused on what not to do, you probably won’t find yourself where you wanted to be. But if you can fix your gaze on what you are to do, your odds will increase dramatically.

If you focus on not pushing the physical boundaries in your relationship, or not getting drunk with your friends, or not eating sweets, your mind is constantly focused on something negative. And you’ll find yourself walking there before you know it. You walk where you’re looking. But if you focus on living a God-honoring life, a life that exhibits worship to Him in all that you do, and healthy eating habits, you will walk exactly there. If you focus on your fears, you’ll find yourself in the thick of them every time. If you focus on the promises and the truths of your Heavenly Father, you’ll find yourself walking in the strength He provides. You walk where you’re looking.

This is not to say you become completely ignorant of any distraction or obstacle. This does not mean you will never again face fears or great challenges. But this does mean you know where to look to overcome them. You will be far more successful to look toward the light than to focus on avoiding the darkness. Your focus determines your direction.