Will you remember Me?

One of the most used phrases of the Christmas holiday is "Jesus is the reason for the season!" While it is certainly true, often it seems to be used to legitimize some other celebration. You know what I mean? It makes people feel better to add Jesus in somewhere even if He isn't first. But this morning, I heard a soft question...will you remember Me?

The time leading up to Christmas is called Advent. It is a time of expectation, hope and waiting. Now that Christmas has come, we are in celebration and manifestation. What you have waited for has come! Think of the Wise Men. They followed a star in hopes that what had been prophesied had in fact come to pass. "And when they has come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshipped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh." (Matt. 2:11 NKJV) They had come seeking this Child, and when they found Him, they did not forget their purpose. They worshipped Him! They gave gifts to Him! They honored Him! When Christmas came, did you remember Who it was all about? 

As we wind down this year, there is no better gift than Christ. He is the gift that keeps on giving. He wants nothing more than for you to be in relationship and fellowship with Him. When you are feeling lost or down, the star still shines bright to lead you to where He is. Will you look for it? When your heart is broken, the everlasting love and sacrifice that He represents still beats strong.  Will you receive it? When the promises you have been waiting for take longer than you expect or want, His presence still uplifts. Will you remember Him?

God has taken us on a journey this year of restoration, faith and trust. It has not always  been easy and sometimes it's been downright unbearable but we have made it to the cusp of a new year. I invite you to dive into 2014 with all the hope and expectation that you can muster. We serve a God that is faithful and timely and He has not forgotten you. Will you remember Him?

Thanks for traveling this road with me again this year. I am grateful for every read, every word of encouragement, and every prayer. May God continue to bless you...Amen!

This Is Your Day!

I have an announcement to make to all who are reading this blog today. That’s right…it’s for everyone! All you have to do is receive it. Ready? Here goes…THIS IS YOUR DAY! I hear you asking…for what? Well it’s simple, really. This is your day for whatever you need from God. This is your day to ask and receive. Sound crazy? It’s not but you can make it seem like it is. If your first thought was one of doubt, then you are probably right. But God wanted to me tell you today that He can do the impossible. The question is will you believe? 

This is Advent season. The time of year where the world waits for and celebrates the birth of Christ. It’s a season of expectation. Well, that is at the center of what God is saying today. He has the ability and the willingness to do whatever you need Him to do but so often our faith doesn’t rise to the occasion. We give a lot of lip service but in our hearts where it really counts, we have doubt and fear. But today, it’s time to examine our trust level, stir up our faith, and walk in expectation that God will do just what He said. No matter what it is you need, believe that this is your day to receive it. “And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” (1 John 5:14 ESV) Believe Him today, saints! THIS IS YOUR DAY!

Some of you are looking at me sideways because your situation is a mess. Your finances are jacked up, you don’t have a job and your marriage is in shambles. You can’t see how today could be your day for anything. Well, I write this to you in the midst of one of the hardest seasons of my life believing that God is my strength, my provider and my protector. But it took me a long time to get there. I don’t want that for you! I had one of the longest private pity parties on record but one day God sent me a word and said, “Where is your faith? You believe for everyone else but not for yourself.” That was a tough pill to swallow but it was the truth. I always had it together and talked a good game until the test came or the attack or my plan didn’t work out and then I was torn up and my unbelief was way bigger than my faith. I had to stand up and speak to myself. I had to have a coming to Jesus meeting with my own self! I had to say, “Ebony, you are who and what God says you are! You are blessed! You are the head and not the tail, above and not beneath!” I had to speak to my spirit man and tell her to rise up! If I could do it, so can you! You don’t have to accept your current situation. You have the power in your own mouth to change things. “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him.” (James 1:12 ESV) THIS IS YOUR DAY!

We serve a mighty God! One who is faithful beyond measure and He desires that we live our best life. The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy but Christ came that we may have life and have it more abundantly! I challenge you in these last weeks of this year to walk in expectation and faith that God will do exactly what you need Him to do, the way HE wants it to be done! Trust that He has not brought you to a place to leave you. No, He “is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” (Eph. 3:20 NKJV) THIS IS YOUR DAY!

AMEN…

Stand Your Ground

What do you do when you have done all you knew how to do? You’ve prayed, fasted, praised but you still hear silence. What’s your next step when you are seeking change but all you see are the same scenes replaying over and over again in your life? What do you do when you are just plain tired? You stand. Come on, Ebony! Is that all you have for me? I know…doesn’t sound super spiritual and deep enough, right? But that’s the answer. In this season, God is looking for those that will stand on His Word. He is looking for those that will stand firm despite attacks, lack, and struggle. Will all the people that are hanging on by a thread stand up? Will all those counting down to the end of 2013 to be rid of this long year wave your arms? God is speaking to you! He is sending a clear message right now. ‘Stand up, man of God! Rise up, woman of God! I am here to hold you up and fight for you if you will just stand your ground.’

There is so much going on that can take your focus off of God’s plan for your life. Life continues to happen, people continue to be people, and the enemy continues to work. I know your walk. I know you are a prayer warrior, a faster, a believer but I’ve seen you struggle with how to reconcile your faith with what you see happening in your circumstance. I’ve seen the lost look on your face as you try to figure out where to go from here, just waiting for a word that would get you back on track. Paul says it best in Ephesians 6:13. “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” (NKJV) Listen, if you can’t get the strength up to fight, ask God to cover you with His armor and stand as He holds you up! When you are at a point where the attacks come more than the peace, it’s time to battle! But you are not fighting alone. You have the Head Strategist on your team and He’s told you that if you will just stand, He will protect you. The Message Bible really made me feel this thing today and I wanted to share it with you.  

“And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and He wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You’ll need them throughout your life. God’s Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.” (Eph. 6:10-18 MSG)

Folks, if you have done all you know how to do, give it to God. It’s time to stop trying to handle things on your own. You are not strong enough but God is and He says “Be still and know that I am God.” (Ps. 46:10a NKJV) Paul was in jail, saints! If anyone understood attack and desperation, it was Paul. But he is encouraging you to use the equipment that God has supplied you, stand your ground and let God carry you through. I believe that if you will take your eyes off of what you see and put them on the Lord, you will begin to feel the strength come back in your legs. You will feel the firmness stir up in your back. You will feel the power of the God who has a plan for your life and a Word that won’t come up short. “God is not a man, so He does not lie. He is not human, so He does not change his mind. Has He ever spoken and failed to act? Has He ever promised and not carried it through? (Num. 23:19 NLT) Stand up, man of God! Rise up, woman of God! The battle just shifted in your favor…AMEN

Are You There?

Would it surprise you to know that there are Christians suffering with depression? Would you be shocked to know that approximately 10% of this country are diagnosed? Imagine the number that are unaware of what it is or are too ashamed to seek help and receive a diagnosis. We have a hard time with acknowledging depression in the church but it’s a reality.   It’s the holiday season and a lot of people are excited and upbeat at the thought of family, gifts and celebration. But there are many others who can’t quite get a smile to stay, much less laugh. There are some that can’t stop crying or thinking about what has been lost. It may not be you and it may not be depression but I have seen so many people recently that are involved in a quiet struggle. The heaviness emanates off of you and there is no clear understanding or answer as to why. But today, God is speaking to those of you that are weighed down. His message is simple and clear. “I am here.”

My life changed when I learned the names of God and how to call Him what I needed Him to be. You commonly hear people say Jehovah Jireh (Provider), Jehovah Shalom (Peace), or Jehovah Rapha (Healer). But sometimes you need to call His presence forth. You need to acknowledge that He is with you. In those moments, call Him Jehovah Shammah. We only find this name used once at the very end of Ezekiel 48 where they describe the gates of Jerusalem. “The distance around the entire city will be 6 miles. And from that day the name of the city will be ‘The Lord Is There.’”  (Ez. 48:35 NLT) Isn’t it awesome to think of being in a place where God’s presence is there? God wants that place to be you. When everything around you seems overwhelming and discouraging, His presence is able to calm you and center you. The key is to call for Him and allow yourself to be covered. You see, when you don’t open yourself up to His presence, you cannot feel the recovery. You get caught up in the circumstances and the memories and the hurt and then the takeover happens. But when you say, “You are my Jehovah Shammah! Your presence reigns in this place. I welcome you!” Watch God replace that anxiety and pain with His loving presence.

You may remember when the Lord commanded Moses and the Israelites to leave Sinai and head to the Promised Land. After the Word came forth, Moses went to meet with the Lord in the tabernacle for guidance and understanding. God answered his request with a promise.   ^“And He said, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (Ex. 33:14 NKJV) God’s presence is where you can find rest and refuge from the enemy’s tricks. You see, Satan is determined to take advantage of any opening he sees. He desires to steal your peace, your joy and your mind and replace it with fear. He wants to remind you of all that is not right in your world. He wants to get you to a place where God is the last place you look for relief. That’s often what happens with people that commit suicide. They feel alone and rejected and unloved. They can no longer feel the joy or peace of God. It’s not to say they don’t know God or love Him but the enemy has gotten them to a place in their minds where the circumstances are bigger than God. It happens quicker than a lot of people want to acknowledge. I believe that’s why God gave this message today. He doesn’t want to lose any more of His people to a struggle that doesn’t have to be yours. He wants you to call upon His presence and find rest.

It’s time to stop quietly struggling. It’s time to let go of the guilt and shame that is holding you back. It’s time to stand up to the power of those memories that are holding you captive. It’s time to look forward to the manifested promises and stop dwelling on the length of the wait. Your responsibility is not to fix what is broken but rather to be available to be fixed. God is the ultimate healer and restorer and He is saying to you, “I am here.”

May the God that gives joy, fill you with His strength and may His perfect peace rest in your mind and spirit.  Amen.