You've got this!

Wow! What a week! What a month! What a year! Have you had those thoughts recently? Life has been filled with challenges, tests, and struggles. But it’s also been filled with joys, triumphs, and breakthroughs. This morning God challenged me to just encourage you in Him. There was nothing super deep, no visions or catchy phrases. He just wanted me to tell you that you are going to make it! What you have been facing is not the end of your story. It’s a part but it’s not the end. It’s so easy to get into a season of your life and supersize its importance. You feel like it’s never ending and so it overtakes you and everything else in your life. I’m not saying that what you are going through or where you are is not important. But I am saying that it is not all that God has for you. He is using this challenge, this test to perfect and prepare you.

I’m a witness. God has been presenting me with tests that I never expected. I’ve had to cry, self-examine, pray, repent, cry some more. But at the end of every test, there is a lesson that I can add to my spirit to help me move forward in God’s purpose for my life. How about you? Can you look at your life and see God shaping and making you? Can you feel the stretching? The things that used to be simple for you are not anymore because God wants you to use your next level thinking. He wants you to call on Him for His wisdom and understanding. One of my favorite scriptures is “Wisdom is the principal thing therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.” (Prov. 4:7 NKJV) I have had to really accept that word in my life. Sometimes what you’re are going through is a wisdom building exercise. God is teaching you some things so that you do not make the same mistakes again. Aren’t you tired of taking the same test over and over again? I know I am! Ask God to show you what you are missing. Ask Him to give you HIS wisdom and then follow His instructions. It’s pointless to ask and then not listen.

That brings me to the other thing God led me to share. If we are going to get through the challenges of life, we have to deal with our flesh! It’s one of the greatest challenges, obstacles, tests, enemies that you will ever face. Do you know why? It’s a simple answer, actually. Because it’s you, your humanness and it fights every day to remain a part of your life. God cracks me up sometimes with the things He gives me to share but I really bugged out on this one because it’s so true. Ebony can mess Ebony up really bad! You know what I mean? When I am walking according to what I want, I mess things up. God wants your attention to be on Him. The Message translation breaks it down really clearly. “Those who think they can do it on their own end up obsessed with measuring their own moral muscle but never get around to exercising it in real life. Those who trust God’s action in them find that God’s Spirit is in them—living and breathing God! Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life. Focusing on the self is the opposite of focusing on God. Anyone completely absorbed in self ignores God, ends up thinking more about self than God. That person ignores who God is and what he is doing. And God isn’t pleased at being ignored.” (Rom. 8:5-8) If we want life and peace, we have to walk according to the Spirit. We cannot combat the challenges of this life and the world, if we are walking in our flesh. That’s why Paul often talks about dying to Christ. Every day, we have to crucify our flesh so that we aren’t functioning based on ourselves but on what God is saying to us. It's the only way to live with some peace.

Part of what God has called me to do with Rhema is uplift the body of Christ. If I have to tell you every week that you are going to make it, I will because that’s what God is saying. He does not want you to think that the things you go through are for nothing. And He definitely doesn’t want you to think that you have to handle anything on your own. He has a plan and purpose for your life that is going to be fulfilled. You just have to be obedient. You don’t have to worry about what other people are saying or doing if it’s not in line with Kingdom and God’s plan for you. That’s often the hardest lesson to learn, trust me, but it will make all the difference in how you conduct your life. Just know that you are God’s beloved and He has your back. “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor. 15:57 NKJV) Get that wisdom! Kill that flesh! Keep fighting! You will make it! AMEN

Work in Progress

I heard a sermon a couple of weeks ago that really spoke to me. One of the points was, “Truth, Lord!” Essentially, it was about being transparent before God and to yourself. You know how easy it is to start believing your own hype. People tell you how awesome you are, how deep, how talented and sometimes it’s easier to believe that than the other part of you when you aren’t nice, have a bad attitude or just don’t want to be bothered. This morning the Lord reminded me that He is doing a continuous work in you and me! Isn’t that something? You’re a pastor but God is still working on you. You’re saved, sanctified and filled with the Holy Ghost but God is still working on you. You’re newly saved and have a fiery zeal for Christ but it doesn’t stop there, He is still working on you. Today, God wanted to assure you that where you are right now is part of the plan. God is working some things out in you so that you can go on to the next test, the next level, the next stage of your life. And though sometimes it feels like you are in a foreign land, you will make it to the finish line.

The first scripture God dropped in my spirit this morning was Romans 8:28. It’s truly a word of comfort whenever I am faced with something I don’t understand or am struggling with. The NKJV says, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” God showed me that even when it’s unexplainable, He is working. Paul makes it plain in this verse that it’s not just a few of our tests that will work for our good but ALL of them. You see, God is not just working in you but He’s working on the things that affect you. I love that because it doesn’t say that you won’t go through anything. Clearly, something has to be going on for it to turn out for your good, right? Let me pause here though. Things working out for your good does not necessarily mean working out the way you think it should or that it will be sunshine and birds. Sometimes it means losing some things that aren’t adding any value to your life. Sometimes it means shifting your focus to a different place that you had no clue about. Sometimes it even means leaving a place where you are comfortable. The end result, however, will be good, i.e. God’s will for your life. So then you ask yourself is there a catch? No but there is one condition. You must be called according to His purpose. You must be in relationship with Him and willing to be used for His glory and purpose. The two previous verses tell us that the Holy Spirit knows us and our hearts and makes intercession for us. That means you can be confident in the work that God is doing because He understands how you are thinking, feeling and experiencing it. The Message translation makes it clear. “Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.” (Rom. 8:26-28) He’s still working on you!

Have you ever been in a place of transition? God has spoken to you about a new position or a new ministry but you either aren’t feeling it or you are so shocked that He is calling you in that particular direction that you struggle with it. It’s probably happened to most of you and you may or may not have recognized it. God shared with me that these times of transition are His way of moving you along in His purpose. It made sense but it certainly didn’t make it easier. What I realized though is that it’s just easier to let God do the work than fight against it. It may be that you have to have another truth moment. ‘Lord, I don’t know what you see in me and all my mess that would cause you to take me to this place but okay, I’ll go.’ Paul taught the Philippian church this lesson when he was reaffirming who Christ was for them. He says, “Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear.  For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”  (Phil 2: 12b – 13, NLT) Do you see what He’s doing? He’s working on you so that you will want to do His will. He’s bringing you to willingness and power. He’s still working on you!

I love how God doesn’t ever leave you hanging. He wants you to know that what He is doing is for your good and it will serve a purpose. He gave me this last scripture and my spirit jumped! “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” (Phil. 1:6, NLT) Read that again if you missed it! Whatever God starts in you, He will continue until it is finished when Christ returns. God is not in the business of putting you in places or situations and leaving you there unresolved and confused. He is not about confusion and He is committed to His word. He promised to never leave nor forsake you. That means that no matter what you are facing, He is working. There is a lesson, there is a purpose, and there is a plan. He will continue to work on you until He gets the glory. It took some hard tests and some hurtful events for me to understand the work that God is doing in me. That is not to say that I am doing cartwheels at what He is doing but I am at peace. I can look at the road ahead and know that God is in control. I can know without a doubt that because He began this work in me, He will complete it. He’s still working on you!

I just want to encourage you to be open to the working. Let God do what He needs to do in you to get you to that next place. Some of you have businesses in you but He has to get your money right. Some of you have ministries in you but He has to get your attitude right. Some of you have books in you but He has to get your mind right. Just be open to the process because it’s never a waste of time. I pray that as God works on you, you will feel and know that He will love you through it. AMEN.

Passing the Test

Do you remember when you were in school and you had a test? You generally knew in advance and had time to prepare and study. You figured out how each teacher’s tests were set up. You probably had a system that worked for you, whether it was note cards or group study, or writing out summaries. I have a good memory so generally if I can get the facts or the subject that I am being tested on in my mind, then I can recall what I need. It’s what worked for me. Isn’t it interesting how when God sends a test, it seems like a foreign occurrence? Sometimes you look around and wonder how you got there and why you didn’t see it coming. It seems like what worked for you doesn’t work anymore. Today, God sent me to a scripture that I don’t remember ever having read before. But it spoke to me and so I am sharing with those of you who may be going through a test in your life.

“Oh, bless our God, you peoples! And make the voice of His praise to be heard, who keeps our soul among the living, And does not allow our feet to be moved.  For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined.  You brought us into the net; You laid affliction on our backs. You have caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water;  but You brought us out to rich fulfillment.” (Ps. 66: 8-12 NKJV) This Psalm was a celebration of who God is and how awesome He is but it truly spoke to surviving the tests and trials of life. God sees you and your struggles because He is there. That was so powerful to me. He is Jehovah Shammah, present with you. He is not an absent or invisible God. He is keeping you alive even in the midst of a difficult time and when you have come through the testing, abundance awaits you. When you have come out of the fire and water, you will find, as the New Living Translation says, a “well watered place”. Keep pressing…

Whenever you go through a test, it is so easy to get caught in the place where you feel like you are the only one to go through. It can be lonely and frustrating because you don’t want to be seen as a whiner or a “victim”. You know how it is. Everyone else in your world looks like they have it good! They are holding hands with their husband while you want to stab yours. They just got a promotion and you are dealing with the worst boss ever. They got pregnant without even trying and you’ve been trying for years. Frustrating. But Paul says something to the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that you can hold on through a difficult test. “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure.” (NLT) Don’t you love that? Even in the midst of a test, God is covering you. He will not put something before you that is unescapable. There is always a way out. Keep pressing…

I guess it all comes down to the definition of the word test. Google defines it as ‘a procedure intended to establish the quality, performance, or reliability of something, especially before it is taken into widespread use.’ God has a plan and purpose for your life and there are things that He will allow you to experience that are meant to prepare you for His use. Your responsibility is to prepare by studying your word and getting to know your Teacher. Understand that He has promised to never leave nor forsake you and that includes during the tests and trials of life. “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Rom. 12:2 ESV) Just keep pressing, there is pure gold on the other side! AMEN.

Spring is Knocking...

I am tired of winter! I’m over the snow, the ice, the delays, and the closings. I’m ready to see the flowers blooming, wear short sleeves and walk barefooted in the grass. It seems that this year, winter has dragged on for what seems like forever. It’s been colder for longer than I can remember and I’m ready for the new season. Aren’t you? I mean, winter started like usual but progressively got colder. Then every now and then, it would be a warm, sunny day and then back to the cold. It occurred to me that life can be like that. You arrive in a season and it appears to be normal but then it starts to get hard and unfamiliar. You certainly didn’t expect it and are not really prepared for it. You keep pushing through it but you see yourself growing cold and tired of the season. When those high moments happen, you think ‘Yes!! It’s over’ but then something else comes up and you’re right back in the midst of an attack. This morning, the Lord told me ‘Spring is on the way.’

Last night, I heard this encouraging sermon that reminded me that I was too close to quit. It was a faith charging word and I had it in my spirit when I woke up this morning. The question is though how do you take that charge and push forward when you are faced with the same realities. Do you know what I mean? How do you take that declaration and keep going when your situation hasn’t changed. The answer is relatively simple - you let the old season prepare you for the new one! Look at Isaiah 55. I almost couldn’t believe it when God sent me to this passage of scripture but I got it! God was telling the people of Israel through Isaiah about a coming Savior and the joy and freedom of salvation. I have read this passage tons of times. It’s one of my favorite! But God used it today to show you that this season you are experiencing is not without purpose. You see, God is doing a work in you that you most likely do not understand or it’s taken you a long time to understand. It’s been hard and painful but guess what, when it’s over you will be better for it. I know, it’s so hard to even imagine that when you are in the midst of your winter but read what God said. “I don’t think the way you think. The way you work isn’t the way I work.” God’s Decree. “For as the sky soars high above earth, so the way I work surpasses the way you work, and the way I think is beyond the way you think. Just as rain and snow descend from the skies and don’t go back until they’ve watered the earth, Doing their work of making things grow and blossom, producing seed for farmers and food for the hungry, So will the words that come out of my mouth not come back empty-handed. They’ll do the work I sent them to do, they’ll complete the assignment I gave them.” (Vs. 8 – 11, MSG) Do you see that? This cold, rainy season is producing some things in you, things that will last and feed others. It won’t end until the work is done but the exciting thing is that God’s word is the same way! The promises that He has made you during this time have got to come to pass. They have got to accomplish what God intended them to. Spring is on the way!

I love how God works. I love that He doesn’t leave you wondering if He will do it. He assures you and gives you a word to hold on to. God goes on to seal that promise of a new season in the last 2 verses of Isaiah 55. “So you’ll go out in joy, you’ll be led into a whole and complete life. The mountains and hills will lead the parade, bursting with song. All the trees of the forest will join the procession, exuberant with applause.  No more thistles, but giant sequoias, no more thornbushes, but stately pines— Monuments to me, to God, living and lasting evidence of God.” (V. 12-13 MSG) Sounds like a shift to me! When God does the work, you will always come out better. You will know that what you have endured has prepared you for a season of restoration and renewal. You see, that’s what spring is all about. It’s a recovery period from the winter. It’s peace after your mind has been attacked. It’s healing when your body has been tormented by cancer. It’s joy when everyday has been sad. Just wait, your new season will be planned and shaped by God into something that will show off His power. Are you ready? Your spring is on the way!

AMEN