Take it up with God!

I’ve decided that obedience is the only course of action at this point in my life. There are just too many variables and possibilities when you choose any other way. I recognize that making this statement means that I will upset family, throw off church folks and disrupt plans but that’s not on me. Why? Because if God said it, He will cover it. I can’t miss God so that someone else will be comfortable or allowed to stay in control. Sorry...not sorry! Folks, you would be best served by following my lead or better yet, just follow the Bible.

When the Lord told Saul to destroy the Amalekites and everything that belonged to them in 1 Samuel 15, He was specific and clear. There was no hidden meaning or secret code.   “This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I have decided to settle accounts with the nation of Amalek for opposing Israel when they came from Egypt. Now go and completely destroy the entire Amalekite nation—men, women, children, babies, cattle, sheep, goats, camels, and donkeys.”” (1 Samuel 15:2-3 NLT) He told Saul why, what and when, which I will admit is more than you or I often get. My point is that the Lord was clear! Saul, however, l did what some of us are guilty of doing. He made the instruction work for him. He adjusted his response so that he profited and then justified that decision by glorifying partial obedience. “He captured Agag, the Amalekite king, but completely destroyed everyone else. Saul and his men spared Agag’s life and kept the best of the sheep and goats, the cattle, the fat calves, and the lambs—everything, in fact, that appealed to them. They destroyed only what was worthless or of poor quality.”(1 Samuel 15:8-9 NLT) Here is the problem. God did not ask Saul to do some of what He said. He said NOW GO...COMPLETELY DESTROY. Saul did not do that and found himself face to face with something no one wants...God’s rejection. Listen, folks, I love y’all but I’m not messing up God’s trust in me so you will be okay with my choices. Not doing it...

Saul missed God, not only in action, but in thought. He assumed that God would be okay with him adjusting His instruction because a sacrifice would be made. But the sacrifice was unnecessary because it was not asked for. It’s just like when you think you are alright with doing some of what God said just because you gave up a lot of time doing what He didn’t tell you to do. Nope! Stop playing mind games with the God whose thoughts are higher than yours! Just do what He says!

Look at what the Lord says and Samuel’s response. ““I am sorry that I ever made Saul king, for he has not been loyal to me and has refused to obey my command.” Samuel was so deeply moved when he heard this that he cried out to the Lord all night.” (1 Samuel 15:11 NLT) God considers your obedience as loyalty to Him. Does that put things in perspective? Does that help you understand why your friend had to leave your church or why your co-worker had to move across the country or better yet why you had to start that business? It is because loyalty and obedience to God is better than comfort and pleasing others. Fam, it’s time to stop talking yourself out of hard stuff and making adjustments to God’s instructions because you don’t know how it will turn out.

I have decided that I will obey even if it means something doesn’t work out the way I want it to. Why? Because the not working out is part of God’s plan and purpose for my life. There is a lesson and a maturing that I need for the next level of my life. When Samuel asked Saul why he didn’t do what God said, he proudly justified his choice. Samuel’s response is exactly why you do not need to make the same mistake. “But Samuel replied, “What is more pleasing to the Lord: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.”” (1 Samuel 15:22-23 NLT)

Your job is to obey and anyone that has a problem with it needs to take it up with God.

Amen.

Get out of your feelings!

If you have lived any length of time, you realize pretty early on that God’s plan and your plan doesn’t always line up. You can have this amazingly detailed vision of what your life will or should look like with a clear timeline, bullet points and highlighting; only to reach your first goal and run into a massive roadblock. It’s frustrating, disappointing and life-changing all at the same time. What do you do? Well, if you’re being honest, most of you would admit, like I did, that you get in your feelings. You start letting your emotions speak for you and your decision-making reflects what your heart and flesh want and not what God is saying. As I was preparing to chat with the ladies that I mentor last night, the Lord told me that it is all about perspective. How you choose to look at your life and what God is doing in and through it can determine how quickly you get to your destiny.

““My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” (Isaiah‬ ‭55:8-9‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

Isaiah 55:8-9 is a common scripture that church folk often use to help them feel better about things they don’t understand. But I realized last night that it is more than that. It’s not just permission to not understand because God is so much smarter than us. No, it’s an invitation to come up. It’s a call to not stay in your feelings but to elevate your thinking to what God is saying. It’s an instruction to look deeper and adjust your perspective accordingly. Think about it! What if the shifts and date changes and people moving was all for a higher purpose? What if you chose to look at all of the tears, the rejections and the time spent as lessons that moved you forward in the spirit? Perspective adjustment!

You see, Jeremiah 29:11 told us that the Lord KNOWS the plans that He has for us and they are plans for good and not disaster to give you a future and a hope. If you believe that, then you have to believe that what you feel like is working against you is actually working for your good. There is a reason for all of this, whatever your ”this” is. Trust me, I would love for my plan to work on my timeline and the way I laid it out. But God’s plan is better and higher and it takes into account all if the things that you don’t see. Perspective adjustment!

Don’t miss God because you are in your feelings! Don’t let your flesh cause you to miss an amazing opportunity to grow or a great lesson that you can use to help others. Instead, ask God to show you what you need to see and how to respond. Remember He sees from a higher vantage point and He knows what’s ahead.

Amen

Ohhhhhh...that's why!

I don’t have all of the answers and I’m not perfect. Many of the posts that I write are born out of how the Lord is dealing with me and my life. But what I have come to realize is that He gave me this platform, this life, and even the challenges that I face for one reason…for His glory. And guess what, the same goes for you. I know, I know! It’s hard to accept the fact that the pain of last year or the financial struggles of last month would be for anything but to tear your nerves up. But it’s true. I’ve really been thinking about the story of Lazarus lately and what Jesus said about His glory has stuck with me.

“But when Jesus heard about it He said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.” (John 11:4, NLT)

I began to look at this story in the context of my life and I invite you to do the same. Jesus received a message from Mary and Martha that Lazarus was very sick. It’s just like when you pray. You tell Jesus what the issue is, right? Then, if you are like me, you wait for the response that works in your favor. Come on, let’s just tell the truth today! You pray, hoping that Jesus is going to move right then and bring forth whatever you asked. Sometimes the answer is immediate and you give Him praise but sometimes there is no answer or it isn’t what you expect. Which brings me back to Jesus’s response to the sisters’ message. He received the message. He acknowledged the message. He responded to the message. The sisters, however were not present to know that He did those things. Their reality was still happening, right? Lazarus was still dying, and the text does not say that Jesus sent a message back to them to say that He was on the way. If I don’t hear from the Lord, then my natural assumption is, He didn’t hear my request so let me pray again. However, this story reminded me of something today. Jesus does not have to respond to my request but I can trust that He hears it. Let’s keep going.

So after Jesus makes the statement that Lazarus’s sickness is for the glory of God, you would hope the next line is Jesus making His way to Lazarus’s side but that’s not it. The Bible says, “So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, he stayed where he was for the next two days. Finally, he said to his disciples, “Let’s go back to Judea.” (John 11:5-6, NLT) Jesus had already stated that the sickness would not end in death and even though He loved the family, He was moving and working on His timeline. The fact that it is taking 2 months, 2 years, 2 decades for your answer to come does not mean that Jesus doesn’t care. It doesn’t mean that He has forgotten you or moved on. What it does mean is that He is going according to the plan. His plan! He knew it would happen, knew the outcome, and didn’t have to adjust His pace because the sisters were nervous. If you can acknowledge God has the creator of the universe, you must recognize Him as a God that has a plan. And not just any plan, but a well written, well scheduled, detailed, and precise one that takes into account your distrust, doubt, and absolute willingness to throw in your own bullet points and ideas when you don’t like His. Today, on this Thursday, can you get on board with His plan? Even if it means you have to wait for Him to do His portion.

I should point out here that Jesus remains keenly aware of what is happening. Why? Because He knows the plan! He tells His disciples that Lazarus is dead before they arrive. When they question Him, He essentially repeats Himself - Lazarus dies so that He can get the glory! He dies so that when He wakes Him up their faith would be stronger. Could it be that Jesus is building your faith for your next? You HAVE to be able to believe Him to go where you are going!

So Lazarus dies and the sisters are in their feelings when Jesus shows up. This reminded me of my breakdowns, temper tantrums, bouts of seclusion. You see, your flesh is not set up for waiting or disappointment. Think about Eve. She got caught up in that fruit situation because the enemy played on her feelings and her need for revelation. The sisters pointed out that if Jesus had been in place, none of their pain would have happened. Does it sound familiar to anyone but me? I prayed and asked for a particular outcome and it has not happened. Where were you, Jesus? It’s too late now. Have you been there? Have you had a Mary moment? Jesus’s response is action but also anger and weeping. At this point,  He’s done 3 years of ministry, healed countless folks, spoken life to people, specifically these people but still doubt and death was the primary reaction to His presence. Have you thought about what Jesus thinks about your response?

This story has so much that I could talk about from the miracle of the 4 days, to the resurrection, to Lazarus coming out with a word. But today, I want you to focus on this. “Jesus responded, “Didn’t I tell you that you would see God’s glory if you believe?” (John 11:40, NLT) People of God, I need you to believe that what you have prayed, Jesus heard, acknowledged and responded. He wants you to believe Him. He wants you to know that you will see God’s glory even in this. I’ve seen people get saved because of someone’s death. I’ve seen people get off of drugs because someone got sick. I’ve seen people get stronger while they were out of work. Your pain will not be unto death. Your financial struggles will not be unto death. Nope! It happened for the glory of God and He will get the glory out of it!

Amen

It's in the wait!

I’ve been sitting quietly waiting for a word for a long time but nothing. I’ve prayed, soaked, and twiddled my thumbs but nothing. I’ve started and stopped, erased, and still nothing. I started to give up and go look in my archives for an oldie but goodie but was stopped. I realized something in that moment that had escaped me in all of my waiting. Sometimes the answer is just in the waiting. Sometimes the answer is sitting and listening, soaking and twiddling your thumbs. You see, sometimes you can be so anxious to make something happen or hear the next instruction that you miss what God is saying and doing. The Lord sent me to Isaiah 40 and a familiar passage for the explanation.    

Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become tired or grow weary; there is no searching of His understanding. He gives strength to the weary, And to him who has no might He increases power. Even youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, but those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] will gain new strength and renew their power; they will lift up their wings [and rise up close to God] like eagles [rising toward the sun]; they will run and not become weary, they will walk and not grow tired. (Isaiah 40:28-31 AMP)

Like me, you’ve probably read this passage a thousand times and been encouraged. I mean you haven’t been to a good service unless you’ve heard someone holler, “They will MOUNT up on wings like eagles!” in a good Martin Luther King voice. Therefore, when the Lord sent me there this morning, I wasn’t expecting what He showed me. So I read the verses a couple of times and on the last time, I saw it. Do you see what happens in the waiting? The new strength shows up and the fresh power! Then comes the perspective to go higher with expectation and destination. Finally the motivation to run without hindrances and move with energy. All of that happens when you wait. All of that happens when you stop worrying about what isn’t happening and let God move in the stillness. You see the funny thing is that while you are waiting, God is working. Look at the verses again! That whole passage is in active tense. They are receiving all of those things as they wait!

Listen, God recognizes that you are looking for clarity and strength to keep going. He knows that you’ve been fighting for your mind and tired in your body. However, please note that this passage first makes sure that you recognize that the Lord is in the position to oppose those obstacles. How? He does not become tired or weary. His understanding is eternal and He has strength and power in reserve. He has exactly what you need; if you will just take advantage of the space He is giving you to receive it. Have you ever considered that God makes you wait so that you have what it takes for the next step? Perhaps you need to shift your perspective away from the frustration and the disappointment and towards the gains. What have you received in the waiting? Divine connections, time to write, space to grow? Or maybe it was the strength to leave or the clarity to start your ministry? My point is that God is using your waiting period for a purpose.  Do not miss it because waiting is not on your timeline.

I realized this morning that I was missing the opportunity that God was giving me. The waiting was giving me time to hear, rest my mind, and receive. My need to keep moving told me that it was wasted time but the Lord was showing me the necessity. Make sure that you aren’t rushing a much needed time of growth, strengthening and education because you’ve gotten caught up in the wrong timeline. Sometimes the answer is in the wait.

Amen