Going in ready!

I don't think New Year’s Eve has ever been on a Thursday since I've been writing Rhema and you know what? I'm glad! Even though I try to write an encouraging word every week, it can be a pretty tough position to be in, for New Year’s Eve, if people are looking for a word to set the tone for their whole new year. So I preferred to not even put myself in that position and leave that for the pastors and prophets of the world! However, I will say the few things that God gave me to say and encourage you to walk into 2016 with purpose, expectation, and obedience. So here goes…

God is faithful and He is present! There is nothing happening in your life that He is not fully aware of. So as you go into this next year, know that God is in control. Whether you are standing on a word of rebuilding or shifting, growth or blessings, allow God to be God. Allow Him room and freedom to move in your life the way that He wants to. Remember that all of the prophetic words in the world cannot do what you are not open to receive. You can't speak renewal and your mindset is stuck in 2010. You can't shout and dance off of a “shifting” word and be unwilling to move. You can't Facebook post about exponential growth and you refuse to take the one baby step the Lord asked you to take. This is a new year and a new opportunity to move to the next level in your life but it takes obedience and honesty. It takes you doing an honest evaluation of your life and seeing what needs to change. It takes you sitting in the presence of God with your pad and pen and just listening to and writing what He is speaking about your life. It even takes you being willing to repent or be transparent so that those that look to you for leadership aren't following someone trapped in bondage.  I know this sounds harsh but I don't want you to miss what God has for you in 2016!

Paul gave Timothy some advice that I think is worth considering on this last day of 2015. “In a well-furnished kitchen, there are not only crystal goblets and silver platters, but waste cans and compost buckets- some containers used to serve fine meals, others to take out the garbage. Become the kind of container God can use to present any and every kind of gift to His guests for their blessing. Run away from infantile indulgence. Run after mature righteousness – faith, love, peace- joining those who are in honest and serious prayer before God.” (2 Tim. 2:20-22, MSG) You see? There's definitely a next level and a shifting and growth waiting on you but it takes a prepared heart and mind. In order to be all that God wants you to be and have all that God wants you to have, you have to be in position to be used. You have to be seeking after faith, love and peace and ever ready for God to call your name. Isn't that what you want? To have a Kingdom impact, to see someone brought to Christ, to see God’s name glorified? Well, position yourself heart, mind and spirit  to push forward so that you can walk out what God has for you in 2016 with purpose, expectation and obedience! Let's get it!!

God bless and Happy New Year!

On the Eve of Purpose

I've done a Rhema every Thursday for 4.5 years. It's been both challenging and life changing at the same time. I have been discouraged and encouraged, strengthened and broken down all for the sake of fulfilling the assignment that God gave me. I've wondered at times whether it was time to give it up and find something else to do but every time, God reminds me that this is part of my current assignment and has purpose. As I have been sitting here this Christmas Eve morning, I've thought a lot about Mary. She took on a major assignment from God without warning or preparation and she did it with grace. I never expected to be writing a blog or have books but I've known for a long time that writing was one of my gifts. I wrote little things for my church newsletter, I was an English major, my mama was a writer so Rhema was shocking to me; but it wasn't out of nowhere. Such was not the case with Mary. She was minding her own business, preparing for marriage when she got a surprise visitor.

“In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to the Galilean village of Nazareth to a virgin engaged to be married to a man descended from David. His name was Joseph, and the virgin’s name, Mary. Upon entering, Gabriel greeted her: Good morning! You’re beautiful with God’s beauty, Beautiful inside and out! God be with you.” She was thoroughly shaken, wondering what was behind a greeting like that. But the angel assured her, “Mary, you have nothing to fear. God has a surprise for you: You will become pregnant and give birth to a son and call his name Jesus. He will be great, be called ‘Son of the Highest.’ The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David; He will rule Jacob’s house forever— no end, ever, to his kingdom.””‭‭(Luke‬ ‭1:26-33‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

Okay, folks! Do you see what I mean? There is nothing said about Mary being out working in ministry or being of a royal or wealthy family. There is no hint in the background information that she would be chosen for the huge assignment of bringing the Messiah into the world. She was not looking for this to happen! So why her? What could have been so special about Mary? Gabriel gave the answer with one phrase, “God be with you.” God had been with Mary. He knew that He would be received. He knew that she could be trusted with the assignment that He had for her. Could it be that God is watching and waiting on you to be ready to receive what He has for you? Is it possible that you are putting too much pressure on yourself to be “ready or worthy” when He really just wants to make sure that you will receive Him? Woooooo, Mary!! You are showing me something this morning!

Look at her response! “Mary said to the angel, “But how? I’ve never slept with a man.” The angel answered, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, the power of the Highest hover over you; Therefore, the child you bring to birth will be called Holy, Son of God. “And did you know that your cousin Elizabeth conceived a son, old as she is? Everyone called her barren, and here she is six months pregnant! Nothing, you see, is impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Yes, I see it all now: I’m the Lord’s maid, ready to serve. Let it be with me just as you say.” Then the angel left her.” (Luke‬ ‭1:34-38‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

What would happen if you responded to God’s instruction like Mary? What would change in your life if you didn't look at the impossibility of the request but just said yes? I dare say that you would see miracles birthed through you, your purpose come forth and the blessing of God overtake you. Mary said yes when everything in her life would tell her to say no. She got in agreement with God and saw power, authority and victory grow in her. Do you see what I am saying? God has placed a seed of purpose in your belly and all you need to do is say yes. It is up to you to look past the adversity and the challenge and carry your gift to delivery. You have a purpose to bring forth! You have a gift to give the world that you have been specifically chosen to carry! You have a major assignment to complete! Like Mary, it's the eve of your delivery! It's time to stop preparing for labor and start pushing. The world is waiting to announce the arrival of your purpose! Let it be with you just as the Lord has said…amen!

Moving Ahead...

If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl. But whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” Martin Luther King closed his remarks to a group of students at Washington University in 1957 with these words. They spoke to me this morning from a poster in my office as 2015 comes to an end. He was challenging those students to not give up or in until segregation was over and to keep fighting to achieve their goals without bitterness and violence. I thought to myself how relevant those words are to those of you that are in transition right now. How powerful they are to those of you that are tired from a long year. How important they are to those of you that are beginning a new assignment, job, or ministry as January approaches. As I sat staring at these words, I heard the Lord say, don’t stop moving!

The word stagnant then immediately popped in my mind and the definition I saw slapped me in the face. It means “(of a body of water or the atmosphere of a confined space) having no current or flow and often having an unpleasant smell as a consequence; showing no activity; dull and sluggish; characterized by lack of development, advancement, or progressive movement.” (Dictionary.com, Google)That’s rough! Why? Because God has called you to more. He has called you to advance His Kingdom with your songs, your writing, and your words. He has called you to reach the lost and the hurting. If you’re sitting on your gifts, holding onto your past and generally not moving, how long do you think it will be before your lack of movement starts to smell or become unpleasant to be around?

Folks, as you are preparing for this new year, it’s time to move. It’s time to stop being stuck in what used to be and look at what God has said will be. It’s time to stop letting fear keep you from walking fully in your gifts, taking that job, or writing that book. It’s time to take that step out of grief and into healing. It’s time to change your answer from no to yes. It’s time to move forward. MLK made it clear that it doesn’t matter how you get to your destination, you just have to keep going until you get there. The Lord sent me to a familiar passage and the words of Paul to encourage you in this journey and remind you to keep moving forward toward your victory.  

I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back. So let’s keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you’ll see it yet! Now that we’re on the right track, let’s stay on it. (Phil. 3: 12-16, MSG)

Don’t you want everything that God has for you? Well, God is not stagnant and He certainly isn’t sluggish and dull! I’ve never heard anyone tell me that God told them their potential was capped out in the 1^st grade. Nope, He wants to grow you and mature you. He wants you to move forward in the plan that He has for you! You know…the one with a hope and a future! Moses tells us in Deuteronomy 1:6-8 that God told the children of Israel, “You’ve stayed long enough at this mountain. On your way now. Get moving. Head for the Amorite hills, wherever people are living in the Arabah, the mountains, the foothills, the Negev, the seashore—the Canaanite country and the Lebanon all the way to the big river, the Euphrates. Look, I’ve given you this land. Now go in and take it. It’s the land God promised to give your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and their children after them.” (MSG)

It’s time! “If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If you can’t walk, then crawl. But whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” Your tomorrow is waiting on you to move. Your 2016 is waiting on you to move. Your breakthrough is waiting on you to move. May Jehovah Jireh, the God that sees ahead and then provides, bless you as you move!

Amen…

Let God be God...

Can I just help you out today? I won’t take up much of your time but I want to tell you something and I really want you to apply it to your life starting this very minute. Ready? Let God be God. That’s it! That’s all I got! I know that may be difficult to really take in because your automatic response is “I do.” I know that because it was mine. But the truth of the matter is, you don’t. I mean, you say the right things, and do the expected things but sometimes you get in the way. Sometimes God’s timeline doesn’t line up with yours and so you make “adjustments”. Sometimes God’s decision isn’t quite what you expected and so you rationalize another way. Sometimes God’s instruction is a little too hard and so you decide to do things your way. The result is what matters, right? Wrong. You see, God has a purpose and a plan for your life. It’s intricate and detailed and it was written on a level that is so much higher than yours. It takes into account your free will, your bad attitude, your “no”, and your wrong choices. It’s even prepared for your fear and your disobedience. Does your plan have all of these contingencies? No? Well, let God be God!

I know, I know! This is supposed to be an encouraging holiday word that you can feel good about and that’s truly what I wanted to do but God thought better of you! God wants you to walk into your 2016 better than where you are now. He wants you to know that He can handle any and everything that you face and it won’t be hard for Him. But here’s the thing. He doesn’t need your help! He is God all by Himself and there is no one like Him. He has this plan for your life and it’s well thought out. Look at Jeremiah 29: 10 -14.

“If you want the truth, this is what the Eternal has to say: “You will remain in Babylon for 70 years. When that time is over, I will come to you, and I will keep My promise of bringing you back home. For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Eternal, “plans for peace, not evil, to give you a future and hope—never forget that. At that time, you will call out for Me, and I will hear. You will pray, and I will listen. You will look for Me intently, and you will find Me. Yes, I will be found by you,” says the Eternal, “and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations where you’ve been scattered—all the places where I have driven you. I will bring you back to the land that is your rightful home.” (VOICE)

Notice that I started with verse 10. You see, people don’t like to look at the hard stuff that often comes before the blessing.  But God showed me that in order to trust Him in the “future and hope”, you have to trust Him in Babylon. In the beginning of Jeremiah 29, God told the exiled Israelites how to live and survive in Babylon before He told them about what would happen in the future. If you let God be God in your life, He will show you how to prosper in your wilderness and then bring you back home RESTORED. Read those verses again! He’s telling you how to let Him be in control of your life. He’s telling you how to make it, how to trust Him. He’s showing you that He already knows what you’re going to face and He’s made provisions for it. He has not lost track of you. He has not forgotten what He told you or the hard places that He has sent you to. The issue is whether or not you will relinquish control long enough to reap the fruit.

“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) God is consistent and He is faithful. You can trust Him to handle your life. As a matter of fact, you’ve seen Him do it before. So here’s your chance…get out of the way! Step back, stop trying to carry it, stop trying to plan it, stop trying to figure it out. God is asking you TODAY to let Him do it.  HE is lining things up for you. HE is shifting things in your life. HE is putting things in order. And guess what? He has it all under control so just take my advice and let God be God…

Amen…

Your search is over...

Recently, I have seen a lot of people searching for things in the wrong places. Men searching for affirmation from women other than their wives. Women searching for love from men that aren’t worthy of it. Mothers searching for their worth in their children and losing themselves in the process. Teenagers searching for approval from their friends with sometimes deadly consequences. Church folks are even guilty of searching for satisfaction in their leader and ending up disappointed. In every case, the search is unfulfilling and never-ending. Why? Because you are looking for things in people and places that can only be found in God.  Today, God told me to tell you that your search is over. Hallelujah! I don’t know about you but that’s good news! Imagine not having to look for the answer to your problem anymore. Imagine not needing to search for calm in your storm anymore. Imagine not waking up every day wondering how you will make it. Your search is over!

When God said this to me, my initial thought was that this only applies to a certain type of person. You know…needy people! And certainly not me! But the more I listened, the more I realized that everyone is searching for something or has been at some point. We have all been guilty of looking for answers for an issue in a million places before getting to God. The key, folks, is in knowing where to look! Some of you have been looking so hard for man to give you what you need that you’ve missed God reminding you that He has already given you everything. He wants you to know today that everything that you need can be found in Him. God highlighted 2 Peter 1:3 – 9 in The Voice translation for me this morning and it put a whole new spin on the peace of God for me.

His divine power has given us everything we need to experience life and to reflect God’s true nature through the knowledge of the One who called us by His glory and virtue. Through these things, we have received God’s great and valuable promises, so we might escape the corruption of worldly desires and share in the divine nature. God took the first step to rescue us from this corrupt world. He has granted us His power, revealed to us true knowledge, and spoken to us great promises. He has done all this for a reason: that we might participate in His own nature and reflect His own life. But we are not passive observers of God’s saving actions. We must receive His grace, grow in knowledge, and join Him in this work of redemption. To achieve this, you will need to add virtue to your faith, and then knowledge to your virtue; to knowledge, add discipline; to discipline, add endurance; to endurance, add godliness; to godliness, add affection for others as sisters and brothers; and to affection, at last, add love. For if you possess these traits and multiply them, then you will never be ineffective or unproductive in your relationship with our Lord Jesus the Anointed; but if you don’t have these qualities, then you will be nearsighted and blind, forgetting that your past sins have been washed away. (2 Pet. 1:3-9, VOICE)

Instead of searching, start receiving and adding. You see, God is not missing and He wants you stop acting like He is! When you feel your heart breaking, look for Him, His love is everlasting. When your strength is failing, look to Him, His strength is made perfect in your weakness. When the grief is overwhelming, reach for Him, He is the rock that is higher than you. When you feel like you are losing at life, seek Him for He is your defense and strong tower. When the holidays are your worst enemy because depression and loneliness overtake you; turn to Him for He is your constant help and your peace. It’s over! Stop searching! All that you need is in God and He wants you to remember it!

 May God’s abiding presence surround you and remind you of the indescribable gift of love that He has given you through Jesus Christ. Your search is over…

Amen…   

Be Grateful...

I kind of thought I would have something deep and profound to say to you on this beautiful Thanksgiving Day. But I don't. As a matter of fact, I really only have 2 words and it seems almost cliché to write them but it's what I'm hearing, so I will. Be grateful! Yep, that's what I have. Sounds easy, right? I can hear the chorus of “I am!” echoing all around. So much so that I hate to go further with my question. But it's what I'm hearing, so I will. Are you really? God is calling for His people to put action behind words. It's not a new sentiment but it bears repeating. Today, on this Thanksgiving, God is using  a highlighter on the word “be” and calling on you to not just say you are grateful or text it but really BE grateful.

God sent me to Ephesians 1 in the Message translation to show a great example of how to be grateful. Paul was writing to the Church at Ephesus and doing what He did best – proclaiming the name of Jesus. He is reminding them of who God is and the wonderful gift of Jesus that He gave to the world. As Paul comes to the end of his opening, he tells them how excited he is about their relationship with Christ. It is here that you find this great 4 verse explanation of how Paul shows his gratefulness. It blessed me!

“That's why, when I heard of the solid trust you have  in the Master Jesus and your outpouring of love to all the followers of Jesus, I couldn't stop thanking God for you-every time I prayed, I'd think of you and give thanks. But I do more than thank. I ask-ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory-to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing Him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is He is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life He has for His followers, oh the utter extravagance of His work in us who trust Him-endless energy, boundless strength!” (Eph. 1:15-19 MSG)

You see, gratefulness is not just an internal, quiet place, though it certainly can be. But Paul showed us that it is wanting more for someone else. It's praying that they be all that Christ as called them to be. It's celebrating the work that God is doing in them and in doing so, God gets the glory. Today, as you spend time with your friends and family, pray for them to prosper and be in good health! Pray that they walk in their purpose and calling! Pray that their relationship with God grows stronger and they experience wisdom and discernment like never before. Show your gratefulness  to God by representing Him well! I am grateful for each one of you. I thank God that He led you to Rhema today and I pray that He increases you in every area of your life. I pray that the last few weeks of 2015 are filled with favor and blessings for you. May gratefulness live in your heart daily, your energy for God be endless and your strength boundless!

Amen…

Worship your way through...

I have one thing for you today. Are you ready? It’s not super extra deep and spiritual but it’s what I hear God saying this morning. Okay….here goes! WORSHIP YOUR WAY THROUGH! I don’t care what you are facing, what the enemy has put in your way, what you have told yourself that you can’t do, what your circumstances look like, what your finances look like, what has disturbed or distressed you, the answer is in your worship. You see, God is the beginning and the end of everything. He created it all and it all comes back to Him. Sometimes, all that is happening in your world distracts you from that fact and causes you to make a person, an event, a challenge bigger than who He is. Today, I simply want to remind you that getting in the presence of God and focusing on all that He is will take you through whatever pain or struggle you have in front of you.

Colossians 1:15-20 in the Message translation spoke to me today and it is an awesome reminder of why you have to worship to make it.

“We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God’s original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in Him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. And when it comes to the church, He organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body. He was supreme in the beginning and—leading the resurrection parade—He is supreme in the end. From beginning to end He’s there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is He, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in Him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of His death, His blood that poured down from the cross.”

Did you feel it like I did? Did you recognize that Christ in all of His fullness and supremacy trumps every crazy thing in your life? Did you see that because of His death and resurrection, everything that attempts to distract you from Him, has to bow to who He is? Did you understand that if you shift your focus away from the confusion, the struggle, the challenges and towards the Most High, All Powerful, All Sufficient God, you will find yourself on the other side of whatever tried to stop you. You have to worship your way through. You have to take the frustration, the anger, the bitterness, the anxiety, the doubt, the hesitation, whatever it is and lay it at God’s feet. Thank Him because you have your life. Thank Him because you don’t look like what you’ve been through. Thank Him because He trusted you to speak for Him. Thank Him because He loved you even though He knows you and your secrets. Thank Him because He has a plan and a purpose for your life and He will walk you all the way through it.

Worship your way through, woman of God! Know that God sees everything that you have fought for and struggled with and He is preparing you for your next level. Worship your way through, man of God! Know that God sees how hard it has been to lead when you didn’t have the answers and He is positioning you for greatness. Worship your way through, saints! Know that God is in control and that He is big enough to meet you in the beginning, the middle and the end.  Worship! Worship! Worship your way through! Join in with the 24 Elders in Revelation 4 and sing “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.” (Rev. 4:11, NKJV)

 

Amen

Walk into your new!

I was an English major in college and the daughter of a former journalist so I like build up when I'm writing. I like to have an introduction and a thesis statement so you know the point of whatever I'm writing early on. I'm comfortable with that! So when God just comes straight out with something, I get nervous. I struggle to just write that one thing without prefacing it with a story or a metaphor or something. But today, God simply told me to tell you to walk into your new!

He sent me straight to Isaiah 43. "Forget about what's happened; don't keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I'm about to do something brand new. It's bursting out! Don't you see it? There it is! I'm making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands." (vs 18 - 19, MSG) Some of you have been so focused on what was and even what is currently going on that you have missed the joy of what is coming. God has promised to do a new thing in you, in your heart, in your ministry, in your marriage but you keep missing the excitement because you are caught up in the worry and the wondering. Today, God is saying cast those old weights of the past to the side and walk into your new! I love this passage of scripture because the whole chapter is God reminding His people of who He is. He is reminding them of who He has been to them - Redeemer, Deliverer, Creator, and Protector! He is reminding them that He is their present and future help. And you know what? He has not changed because He is all of those to you as well. It's time to stop worrying about the "former things" as the New King James Version says and walk into the new thing that God is doing.

Can I just tell you that what's coming is so much better than what has been? God has great plans for you and as Jeremiah 29:11 says, they are plans "of peace and not evil, to give you a future and a hope." I'd like to think that if God has plans for me, they don't involve me being stuck on the past. No! He said, "Behold, I will do a new thing!" That's a promise, Saints! It's telling you that first, He is with you as you transition and second that He is doing the work! Nowhere in that passage does it ask you to make anything happen. Nope, He just basically tells you to pay attention as He does it! So why would He tell me to tell you walk into your new and not just wait? Simple! Because the key to walking is that you are acknowledging that He is doing something amazing and you trust Him enough to go where He's taking you. You have so much in you that God is getting ready to use. Don't miss your road out of your desert or your river through dry place by worrying about what was! Get up and walk into your new!

Amen...

God is big enough!

A couple of days ago, I was having a horrible day – luggage was lost, late for my work event, and foolishness was everywhere! I was tired and frustrated and not myself. As I was standing at my fair, a student walked up with a bracelet on his arm that stopped me in my tracks. It read GOD IS BIG ENOUGH.  It may sound weird but I felt like God read the message out loud to me. It hit me hard! I kind of stared at it for awhile, mentally trying to pull myself together while not looking completely crazy. I finally got my voice and told him that I liked his bracelet. The student took the bracelet off and gave it to me,and said share the message! I took that literally and shared it on Facebook and then God started giving me specific messages for people surrounding the idea of Him being enough. And so here I am to tell you…He is BIG ENOUGH!

I don't know about you but I need reminders! I often have so much going on in my life that if I don't have a list, I will forget something. I have a great memory but the older I've gotten, the more I rely on “the list”. The same thing is true when it comes to God. Sometimes I get so caught up in what the world is saying or what my circumstances are looking like that I forget the breadth of God. In other words, I forget just how big He is. I get so distracted by how big everything else is that I forget that God is bigger! Well, that's when I have to rely on my list of the names of God and this week, it has been El Shaddai, God Almighty, the All Sufficient One. The One that used a bracelet as a live reminder that He is big enough to show up at a law fair in Texas at my point of need and say “I see you and I am big enough to handle all that you are facing.” Did you know that Shaddai comes from the root word shad that means breast? For a newborn baby, the breast is the source of nourishment and supply. If you have ever seen a breast fed baby you know that they are attached to their mother for that sustenance. They will seek to feed or be close to that source whenever they are near her because they know she has what they need. And so it is with El Shaddai. He wants to sustain you, bless you and supply your need. Even better, His supply never runs dry. As I really thought about that, my spirit was encouraged and yours should be as well! Why? Because you don't have to search for what you need, God will supply! You don't have to search for enough strength to make it, God will nourish! You don't have to search for enough energy to stand, God will sustain you. He is BIG ENOUGH!

I’m not a mind reader and I don't know each of you personally but I know that you have had to fight some battles in your life. I know that stress and people have slowed down your progress at some point and made you question who you are supposed to be. I even know that loss and transition have forced you to make hard decisions. But can I tell you that God is big enough to handle all of those situations? He has enough insight and wisdom in the tip of His finger to take care of every aspect of your life. He is just that big! Revelation 1:8 says, ““I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,” says theLord God. “I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.””(NLT). You know what that means? It means that everything that has happened to you had a purpose, everything that's happening now has a purpose and everything that will happen, has a purpose. And best of all, God is with you in all of it. He is so big that He encompasses the beginning and the end, the past and the future! Everything! He is enough for every situation and circumstance! Cancer, grief, divorce, anger…whatever it is, He is BIG ENOUGH!

So be encouraged today that God has everything that you need and He is willing and able to supply it. Trust Him as El Shaddai, God Almighty, All Sufficient One. He is everything you need in one! He is your sustainer and your supply! He is your blessing and your nourishment! He is BIG ENOUGH…

Amen

Peace, be still

I sat through the whole morning, a flight, and  a train ride before I heard anything from the Lord. It's understandable because I have been on the move since September and it's been hard to be still long enough to really hear what God has been saying. But He is truly a faithful God because He never leaves me without a Word. He never allows me to feel that I am out there on my own. This is not to say that I don't ever have moments when I wonder where God is in a particular situation, but even then, I KNOW He is there. But today as I finally stopped, I heard the Lord say Peace, Be still. Then, naturally, I heard James Cleveland start singing “Master, the tempest is raging! The billows are tossing high. The sky is o’er shadowed with blackness. No shelter or help is nigh.” With all that is happening, some of you have been stuck right there in that verse. Life is too busy, the grief is overwhelming, the storms are too hard and it seems like there is no help or shelter in sight. But today, God is saying to you, peace be still.

Maybe you don't know the story that this song is based on but it can be found in Mark 4:35 -41. “On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”(Mark‬ ‭4:35-38‬ ‭NKJV‬‬) God immediately took me to that boat with Jesus and His disciples. I could feel the boat rocking and the feeling of nausea and fear rolling in my stomach. I understood then why they felt so out of sorts and concerned about their fate. You see, they were like you and I when things start coming at us and we don't see a clear situation. Deep down, you know that Jesus is there with you and that He has the answer but you just can't see how He can fix it. So what happens? You start asking questions. ‘God, don't you see what's happening in my life? God, why are you allowing people to treat me this way? God, why am I struggling so much? Don't you want me to have what I need?’ You start looking for help that is already present in your situation.

“Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.”(Mark‬ ‭4:39‬ ‭NKJV‬‬) Today, God didn't ask me to break down every part of this scripture. He just wanted me to remind you that no matter what is happening in your life, He is there. He is speaking to the storms and telling them to cease. Kids not acting right? Peace, be still! Finances in disarray? Peace, be still! Sickness raging in your body? Peace, be still! All of the power, strength, and help that you need is in Jesus and He is right there surrounding you. You see, the disciples got caught up in the emotion of their situation instead of recognizing the power that was resting with them. You will overcome the storms in your life because Christ is with you and where He is, peace will reign.

The winds and the waves shall obey my will. Peace, be still.
Whether the wrath of the storm tossed sea or demons or men or whatever it be.
No water can swallow the ship where lies
The Master of ocean and earth and skies.
They all shall sweetly obey my will.
Peace, be still. Peace, be still.

Amen

I trust You, God!

I have hit the backspace about 15 times trying to get the right words to show up on this screen with no success. I know what God said but somehow getting it to appear here has been a monumental task today. Just as I started to give up for a little while, I heard 'write your prayer.' Ummmmmmm? What? No way, I thought! No one else needs to know how crazy I am! Y'all might not know this, but I can be a handful! I know God looks at me and shakes His head sometimes, laughing at what I am saying and wondering why we are having the same conversation AGAIN!  I look at MYSELF and laugh all the time so I get it! But I was reminded that God sees what I can't and so I'm learning not to fight against it. So, here is my prayer this morning. It's not deep but it's real and I pray that it encourages you to trust God right where you are.

Alright God, here I am! I don't really understand what's happening but I'm going to go with it. I'm not really feeling the process part of this journey but I'm trusting You. I know I've said that a lot and haven't always fully meant it but today, I'm voicing it from my heart. I trust You. I finally know that I don't have a choice. It's not an option because every time I go on my own, I end up mad, frustrated and behind. But I can't do that anymore! I'm laying it all the line, laying aside my opinions and trusting what You have said. I trust You to handle what I can't. I trust you to be all that You are! I trust you to be Jehovah Jireh, my provider! I trust that even though my circumstances aren't saying overflow, You are. I trust that even though my reality is not looking like I have enough, you are El Shaddai and You are more than enough. I'm trusting the fact that You are the God that sees me and my family. You are the One that promised that You would supply all of my needs according to Your riches in glory. So I trust You!

I trust You today, God with my day. I trust you with my work. I trust that You are guiding me and nothing is happening by accident. I trust that when You said I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me, You meant it. So, I will just obey. I will step out on faith, believing that I am who You say that I am. I am valuable to you. I am equipped. I am anointed. I'm an overcomer. I have purpose and I have power because You said so. Thank You for not counting me out when I didn't feel this way...when I couldn't say any of this out loud. Thank You for continuing to encourage me and confirm in me what I was. Thank You that my next is here and my latter will be greater. Thank You that you trusted me enough to share Your word with Your people. I pray that someone will recognize that You are enough for them too! I pray that someone will declare that they trust You too and will walk forward in faith toward their next, leaving those doubts, fears, and old behaviors behind. I pray that Your word, Your Spirit, your very presence will surround every reader and meet them at the point of their need. Do a new thing in each person, God! Restore! Rebuild! Remind! Have Your way and Your will be done! I love You, I honor You and I trust You like never before...in Your Son's name, I pray...

Amen

Waiting on the whisper...

The other day my youngest daughter and I were sitting in a drive thru line when we saw an older man walk by. He moved very slowly and looked to be having a difficult time walking with his cane and bag. He looked like all that he had in the world was in that bag. I watched him while I waited for my food and said out loud that we should check on him. At the same time, Kennedi said, "Mommy, we should help that man." So we did. I pulled into the parking lot and approached the man. As I got closer to him, I heard him singing. He said, "Hello, sister!" I said hello and asked if he needed a ride somewhere. He said, "Oh no! I'm headed in Bojangles to get some chicken and read the paper!" He then said to me, " God always shines a light on me for people and they want to help me. The funny thing is I don't need any help. I have everything I need." I was intrigued. I took his bag for him and we walked slowly across the gravel lot he was walking through. I'm sure we made quite a scene...old man, me and a 5 year old going about 2 inches a minute through an empty lot. As we walked, scripture just poured out of this man and I felt the presence of God surrounding us. As we got closer to our destination, the man stopped and looked me in the face and said, "God said, don't worry! I've got it under control." He proceeded to speak such encouragement and life into me that was exactly what I had been praying for. I cried in the parking lot of Bojangles like I was at the altar. It was so bad that Kennedi had to be my usher, y'all! I'm sure it was something to see! I walked him to his table and got his information with a promise to follow up with him.

I'm leaving quite a bit out but you're probably wondering why I shared this story. It's pretty simple actually! A lot of times, you look for God in the big things. You expect Him to move in thunder and fireworks and huge displays of power and He does. But most often, He is in the hug from a child when you are feeling down. He is in the extra week you unexpectedly get to pay your light bill when you just don't have it. He is in the Facebook post that speaks directly to your situation and comes at just the right time. He is in the voice of an old man that God had shone a light on so that I would see him. He is everywhere and He sees everything. He is just what you need and more than enough. God is present and that's what He wanted me to share with you today. You don't have to keep looking for God in your situation because He is already there. He is already working on your behalf.

Elijah was in a cave situation and looking to die. Jezebel wanted him dead and he felt that he had no more reason to live. He asked God to kill him because he just couldn't take life anymore. The Lord provided for Elijah as he went through this process of finding his purpose and his bounce back. Have you ever been in a place like that? Where you didn't know how to get back to you? Everything around you looked bleak and you didn't have a clear answer about the next step so you decided to hide or give up? But God! He strengthened Elijah through the process. Fed him for forty days and nights until he reached Mt. Horeb and the cave. God asked Elijah why he was there and Elijah answered with his struggle. “Go out and stand before Me on the mountain,” the LORD told him. And as Elijah stood there, the LORD passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”(1 Kings‬ ‭19:11-13‬ ‭NLT‬‬) Elijah answered the question the same way but this time God gave him instruction for his situation.

God is with you. Even if all you are feeling is earthquakes and fire, He is there with a word for your situation. You just need to step back enough to hear Him. God called Elijah to the edge to hear from Him. Imagine how scary it must have been to see all of those huge natural occurrences happening before your eyes and you have to wait until God speaks. Some of you are in that very position...on the edge...waiting on God. Well, He's there! Here's the challenge...stop trying so hard to figure out how to find God in your situation and just listen. There's a gentle whisper calling your name...

Amen

Good News!

God is good. Actually, He’s better than good. He’s great. He’s faithful and He’s consistent. He is present when all you see is empty space. He is love when all you feel is nothing. He is joy when all you experience is sadness. God is God. He’s all that you need and more than enough. I really expected to write something deep today after having a recent mountaintop experience but instead God told me to just write what was on my heart. So I will and pray that it blesses someone.

As I was in prayer this morning, all I kept hearing was “I am thine, O Lord, I have heard thy voice, and it told Thy love to me; but I long to rise in the arms of faith and be closer drawn to thee.” It blessed me because it reminded me that no matter what I face or experience, I am the Lord’s and He is mine. Do you know how amazing and important that it is for you? When you made that decision to give your life to Christ, you became a part of God’s family. You became the apple of His eye and His beloved. He knew you before you were in your mother’s womb and He waited for you. I mean that blessed me to know that even when I was in the world doing the opposite of most scriptures, He still loved me. That’s what Romans 5:8 tells me. The Message version says that “God put His love on the line for us by offering His Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatsoever to Him.” That’s love, y’all!

I mean, just to think about the fact that God sees me and knows everything about me takes the pressure off. I don’t have to spend my time anymore trying to figure out IF I can accomplish A, B, or C. I don’t have to stress myself out wondering IF God can really use me to do what He told me because I got it deep in my spirit that I am His and He is mine. I opened up my heart and heard God when He said that I am who He says that I am. I am redeemed. I am powerful. I am capable. I am valuable. I am enough. If you haven’t done that, I encourage you to do it today. You see, when Christ died on the cross and rose again, it was a finished work. You don’t have to keep fighting a battle that is already won. You don’t have to keep searching for an answer that has already been provided. You don’t have to keep cleaning up what has already been washed clean. I love what Jesus said to His disciples in Luke 12:6 &7 when they were concerned about what religious folks were saying about them.  “What’s the price of two or three pet canaries? Some loose change, right? But God never overlooks a single one. And he pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail—even numbering the hairs on your head! So don’t be intimidated by all this bully talk. You’re worth more than a million canaries.” That’s assurance, y’all!

I know that some of you have been holding on to what used to be for so long that it’s hard to walk into what God is saying now. But I want to leave you with the fact that God loves you so much. He sees you in your final state. He sees the completed work that He did. You are His and so He has big plans for you, plans for you to prosper and have a good future.  I encourage you today to hold on to His promises. Believe what He told you and walk in it. You can trust Him when He says to you, “For even if the mountains walk away and the hills fall to pieces, My love won’t walk away from you, My covenant commitment of peace won’t fall apart.” The God who has compassion on you says so.” (Is. 54:10, MSG) He’s yours and you are His. That’s peace, y’all!

AMEN

It's time...

To God be the glory for the great things He has done! I honor Him today for the marvelous things He  is doing in your life. I praise Him for allowing you to see another day. I celebrate the new opportunity you have to go forward in all of the things that He has for you. You see, today is about a mind shift. It's about shifting from what has held you bound and walking into freedom. It's about changing your focus from what you don't have, can't afford, haven't been able to do to what you do have, been blessed with and have accomplished. Today is about letting go of what is holding you back so that you can do what God is calling you to do.

How many times have you gotten ready to move forward in your life and been sidelined by other people's expectations, old feelings of inadequacy, and hurtful things from your past? It can turn into quite a nasty cycle that is seemingly impossible to get out of. But I believe today is the beginning of change in your mindset. This morning, God woke me up with Hebrews 12:1-3 and encouraged me to share it with you. He didn't give me a lot of filler but told me that today, the Word is enough. Of course, the Word is always enough but sometimes you can  get caught up in what other people's interpretation is. It's easier when someone tells you what a scripture should mean for your life and how you should apply it, right? But today, He wants you to get this Word in your heart and let Him minister the instruction to you directly. The Message translation made me feel it today and so that's what I will share with you. A different version may speak to you and that's fine…as long as you let it speak to you. Read it, hear it, receive it, and act on it. God is ready to shift you and it starts with a change of mindset.

“Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how He did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—He could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now He’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility He plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!”‭‭(Heb.‬ ‭12:1-3‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

Ready, set, GO!

Amen

You are who God says you are!

I’ve encountered quite a few people over the last couple of weeks that God is taking into their next level. It’s interesting because in most of the cases, those same folks are struggling with whether to move or stay, what their next steps should be, and their faith. I know what that feels like. I know what it is to be hearing God say go, while your flesh and your mind are saying ‘don’t move too fast.’ I know what it is to question why God would choose you for a certain task when you have always been in the background. I even know what it is to know that God is shifting you and just be plain scared to take the step. But today, God told me to encourage and remind you that you are who He says that you are!

For those of you that are struggling to move forward because you can’t escape your past, God says, “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus!” (Rom. 8:1) If you have confessed your sins and accepted Him in your heart, you are FORGIVEN! God has cast your sins as far as the east is from the west and remembers them no more. That’s what the cross was all about! Your “old man was crucified with Him so that the body of sin would no longer dominate [you], so that [you] would no longer be enslaved to sin. (Rom. 6:6) Don’t allow anyone else to keep you in bondage to your past. You are a new creature in Christ, old things are passed away. You are who God says you are…REDEEMED!

For those of you that God has been challenging to move forward in ministry or in jobs or in assignments and you struggle to see yourself there, God says “For [you] are His workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works that God prepared beforehand so that [you] may do them.” (Eph. 2:10). Don’t you know that God knows your end from the beginning? He has a plan for your life that will test you, grow you, shape you, strengthen you and bring you to a place of completion. Not only that, but He chose you for this! Only you can do the assignment that He has given you. Only you can run that church, open that business, and get through to that set of people. Don’t allow anyone to talk you out of your promotion. You have too much to do!  “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He may give it to you.” (John 15:16) You are who God says you are…CHOSEN!

For those of you that have been lost, depressed, or bound up for so long that you have made it your home, God is calling you to freedom. He is looking at you like He looked at the children of Israel and saying, come out! “I am the Lord. I will free you from your oppression and will rescue you from your slavery in Egypt. I will redeem you with a powerful arm and great acts of judgment.  I will claim you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God who has freed you from your oppression in Egypt. I will bring you into the land I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I will give it to you as your very own possession. I am the Lord!’” (Ex. 6:6-8) Those are some serious promises! Interestingly enough, the children of Israel couldn’t receive that when Moses told them. They were too wrapped up in their struggle. But God wants you to know that if you will release your struggles, your sadness, your old thoughts to Him, He can release you from bondage. You see, where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty! There is joy and restoration. There is even supply and provision. You just need to be willing to release it and receive what God wants to do. Because whom the Son sets free is free indeed! (John 8:36)  You are who God says you are…FREE!

I need you to understand that God doesn’t see you like man. He isn’t looking at you and seeing your failures and your struggles. He’s looking at someone that He made fearfully and wonderfully! He’s looking at His child! He’s looking at His image and the temple of the Holy Spirit! He’s looking at His best work and He’s completely and totally in love with you. In fact, He loved you so much that “He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believed in Him would not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) How dare anyone tell you that you are crazy, not worthy, not smart? How dare the enemy attack your mind and try to convince you that you won’t make it? God says you are His righteousness through Christ Jesus! You are His ambassador! You are who God says you are and that’s amazing! Feel His love today and move forward into the great things that He has for you! “And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ!” (Phil. 1:6)

AMEN

Courage to shift

God has been talking to me lately about following His instructions, no matter how it may look to me. You see, I have the type of mind that immediately starts thinking of the consequences and effects of any instruction or decision. So you can just imagine how much God has to work with me on a daily basis! It can be difficult to see yourself the way God sees you. I mean, He sees you in completion, where you see a work in progress. He sees you in purpose, while you see a journey to finding yourself. He sees you leading and you are comfortable following. It's amazing to me when God gives me an assignment that I cannot possibly imagine myself completing but I accept, He gives me what I need to complete it. Today, God is challenging you to trust Him at His word. He is challenging you to accept what He is calling you to do without doubt. He is challenging you to stop putting yourself and Him in a box and go forward. It's time to be courageous and change your direction.

God took me to Deuteronomy 2:1-3 today and it completely blew my mind. You see, I studied this book pretty extensively last year but just missed this entirely. But when God talked to me about changing my focus from my limitations to His power, He took me straight back to it. It reads, “Then we turned around and headed back across the wilderness toward the Red Sea, just as the LORD had instructed me, and we wandered around in the region of Mount Seir for a long time. “Then at last the LORD said to me, ‘You have been wandering around in this hill country long enough; turn to the north.” (NLT) God had me to read it in 3 or 4 different translations and then He said to me, ‘Do you see what can happen between my instruction and your obedience?’ Ummmmm…what? Imagine my face! So let me give you a little background. Moses is recapping Israel’s journey and reminding them of why they ended up in the wilderness and why the older generation would not see the Promised Land. He basically sums it up to the people’s rebellion and disobedience. So as I re-read these three verses, the Lord showed me 3 things that He wanted me to share with you.

First, the people were going in the wrong direction and had to turn around. You see, at the end of Deuteronomy 1, Moses reminds the people of how God told them to go through the wilderness towards the Red Sea but they thought it better to go through the hill country and fight the Amorites instead on their own and they lost badly. So after crying before the Lord, they decided to go God’s way instead. Sometimes, the other way looks better, right? It looks quicker and it looks manageable, whereas God’s way looks filled with challenges and time. But can I tell you that when you go the other way, you never win. You always have to double back and do what God has said so you might as well start there. So, the first thing is, if God gave you an instruction and you chose your way, turn around now.

God then pointed out to me that when they shifted gears and headed in the direction that God wanted them to go, they encountered the wilderness along the way. Could it be that even when God tells you to do something, there will still be challenges to face? The old saints used to sing, “Nobody told me  the road would be easy but I don't believe He brought me this far to leave me.” It’s true! The wilderness is no fun! Sometimes, God will separate you and have you in a place where it's just you and the “stuff” that He is working out of you. Notice, that they wandered around in that place for a long time and God was silent...but they stayed there until He spoke. I know that this place is difficult but God is getting ready to take you somewhere. So the second thing is to stay where He sends you until He tells you to move.

This is hard stuff, y’all! It's so much easier to do feel good posts but God is growing you and me to our next place. He wants you to know that He is with you and that you have the courage to change your focus and direction. So the last thing He pointed out to me made me shout! “Then at last the LORD said to me, ‘You have been wandering around in this hill country long enough; turn to the north.” (Deut. 2:3) Another version says, you have gone around this mountain long enough! There comes a point where God pulls you out of the wilderness, out of the pruning, out of the struggle and says, it’s time to go the next level. He made a point of letting them know that He was there the whole time. He saw them in the wilderness and timed the experience. Once they had seen and gone through what He needed them to, He directed them north! Up! So the last thing is, stop wandering around that mountain and move forward.

Obeying God is not going to be easy all of the time. There will be challenges and times of pruning and refining but God is right there. When the Israelites tried to do it their way, they failed. But when they let God lead them, they ended up going north. They ended up on His track and His plan. Do you have the courage today to shift your focus and change your direction? Do you have the strength to trust the plan that God has for your life? I promise that if you do, you will begin to see yourself the way He sees you and you will find yourself on the way to your promised land!

Open the Door...

I’m uncomfortable when God gives me a word like this and tells me to not pretty it up and just give it. But I’m going to be obedient and pray that whoever it’s for will receive it! Today, I’m talking to those of you that have been on the verge of breakthrough for a long time but just can’t seem to cross over. I’m talking to the folks that the enemy has figured out and uses the same methods and tricks to keep you in bondage. I’m talking to those of you that that have been given an assignment or calling but doubt has kept you from walking fully into it. Today, God told me to tell you to stop walking in circles and open the door!

Too many times, I hear people talking about what can’t be done - how the circumstance is too much to overcome or the assignment is too great. Your natural eyes take over and you find yourself trapped in an endless cycle of praying, thinking you have overcome, saying yes, enemy distracts you, you start seeing the problems and issues again and you’re back to praying for deliverance.  I have been around that mountain myself so many times, it’s ridiculous.  But recently, God really allowed me to see that cycle and how beatable it is if you just allow Him to free you. The problem is that you like to be in control, or at least think you are. It’s much easier when you can say, “I tried this or I did this and it just didn’t work” instead of putting the problem, assignment, issue in God’s hands and letting Him handle it. Well, it’s time to stop trying so hard to solve your own issue and let Him do it. Can I just tell you that it feels so much better to be free? I mean really free where your heart is light and your spirit is in tune! Where what others say or do doesn’t affect what God is saying to you.  Where you trust what He sees in you and go with it instead of coming up with excuses. Seriously, you can have that freedom. God WANTS you to have that freedom and He’s ready for you to have it. How do you get it? Open the door.

He took me to Revelations 3 and I got scared! He sent me to the last section of the chapter, where He is talking to the Church at Laodicea. This is the lukewarm church, y’all! Christ is not pleased with them and says that He will vomit them out of His mouth. Not good!! He began to show me how displeased He is when He says something and His people go the other way. He showed me how many of you have been speaking one thing but living another. You can’t proclaim victory but live out defeat. You can’t speak life but believe death. You can’t testify freedom and walk in bondage. It’s just as bad as being lukewarm. God wants you to be what He says you are. He wants you to be victorious, healthy, and prospering. So He told me to share Revelations 3: 18 – 21 in the Message translation with you and invite you to walk into your true freedom.

“Here’s what I want you to do: Buy your gold from me, gold that’s been through the refiner’s fire. Then you’ll be rich. Buy your clothes from me, clothes designed in Heaven. You’ve gone around half-naked long enough. And buy medicine for your eyes from Me so you can see, really see. “The people I love, I call to account—prod and correct and guide so that they’ll live at their best. Up on your feet, then! About face! Run after God! “Look at Me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear Me call and open the door, I’ll come right in and sit down to supper with you. Conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That’s my gift to the conquerors!”

He’s talking to you, conqueror!  It’s time to open the door and invite God to handle it ALL. It’s time to stop living that same cycle over and over again and come out in victory! It’s time to have the freedom that He wants for you. No more getting up every morning and putting chains on like clothes. No more going back to that old thing because you’re scared of the new. No more letting the enemy trick you with the same weapons. Christ is knocking at the door and all you have to do is open it!

Amen

Freedom!

I have been trying to put into words what I’m feeling today for almost an hour. I tried just about everything to pretty it up so that it would read right and wasn’t overly personal but God just reminded me that He called me to transparency in this blog. He told me to just write. So I am and I pray that what is on my heart will minister to you in some way.

I am free today. It’s not because every bill is paid or I am headed on a 2 week vacation. It’s because God sees me. It’s because He loves me enough that He wanted my heart to be whole and my spirit lifted. You see for the last 2 years, I’ve been carrying weights. I’ve been carrying the heartache of church hurt. I’ve been carrying the sadness of lost friendships. I’ve been carrying the worry of family separation. I’ve been carrying the strain of lack. I’ve been carrying the pain of other people’s choices. Some weights I picked up gradually and some were piled on. Some I picked up willingly and some were placed on me. But I carried them. Sometimes I did it well and with a smile on my face and sometimes it showed and it wasn’t always pretty. I kept hearing God say to relinquish control and let Him do it but I just couldn’t. I can’t tell you how many times He showed me Matthew 11:28 – 30. “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (NLT) I have read it in every translation and shared it with many but it was always temporary.

Don’t get me wrong, I was still praying and serving but there was a weight in my heart that I had made my constant companion. My praise wasn’t as free as it used to be. I didn’t have a run in my spirit. I had moments of release but it wasn’t true freedom. And then God had enough and so did I. I was tired and the weights were too heavy. God had given me an assignment to do and I was so distracted that I couldn’t hear anything He was saying. All I could hear were the chains clanking together. All of this might sound dramatic but God has me sharing it for a reason. Some of you need to be free. Some of you have been carrying some things that are not yours and it’s time for release. God told me on a Saturday morning that I didn’t have to carry all of those things anymore. He told me that I just needed to focus on Him and He would take each one. And do you know, I felt each one come off? He set me free…really free! I felt John 8:36 in my soul! The Message translation says, “So if the Son sets you free, you are free through and through.” Isn’t that good?!

What about you? What have you allowed to weigh you down? Is it family situations? Is it anger or bitterness? Is it unforgiveness? What is it? Because it’s time to move forward from that thing. It’s time to get unstuck and get back to living your life in freedom. It’s time to stop pretending that you haven’t been affected by some hard things in your life and be honest enough to ask God to free you. It’s time for wholeness. It’s time for freedom. It’s time for restoration. God can do what no other can. But here’s the thing, you have to let Him. I pray that you know what it is to jump with joy, run with freedom, and sleep in peace. I pray that you know what it is to have God fill every crack in your heart, take every weight and uplift your very spirit. I pray that you know what it is to walk in your calling without fear, move into your next level without doubt and be your best you without comparison to others. I’m a witness that God is willing and able to do all of those things. To God be the glory for the great things He has done, is doing and will do!

Amen…

Have Your Way, Lord!

Have Your way, Lord! Every Sunday someone says some version of this powerful statement at some point in the service in just about every church. In fact, many of you say it in your prayers daily. But here is the question that God put before me today. Do you really mean it? I almost got indignant!  God, what do You mean?! I want You to move and do what You do! His response? 'Well, then trust Me!' I began to think about what He was asking me. Am I speaking and talking like I truly want God to have His way in my life or does it just sound good to say? What about you? Could it be that you have made it a churchy thing to say but you aren't really putting the faith behind it? For a lot of folks, me included, it's time to get out of the way and let God REALLY have His way.

I immediately thought about Isaiah 55:8-11 where God speaks to Isaiah about how He thinks. It's truly one of my favorite passages and a promise that I stand on. He says in the Message translation, ““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.” Do you see what the Lord is saying here? Do you understand that He is telling you that though you may not understand how He's working in your situation and circumstance, if He said it, He will finish it?! It's a reminder that you can't do what God can do! You can't bring that child home but God can and He can orchestrate a series of events to make it happen that you never could have put together. You can't get that spouse on one accord with you but God can and He can make it so that the years that you lost battling are redeemed back. You can't make that pain go away but God can and He can make it so that you don't look like what you've been through. Have Your way, God!

God reminded me this morning that He is a present help! I can rely on Him! I can release control of people and situations that are distracting me. I can stop trying to figure it all out and simply let Him have His way. Jeremiah 29:11 spoke to me as I was meditating and praying on this word. “This is GOD ’s Word on the subject: “I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.” (MSG) It's an assurance that you can trust God to handle it all. When you say, "God, have Your way!” you can trust Him to take care of you through the process and that you will come out with the good future He has planned for you. I don't know about you but I feel a praise break! Have Your way, God! Have Your way in my home, in my finances, in my marriage! Have Your way in my workplace, in my church, in my relationships! Have Your way in my life! And when you release that control and ignite that trust and faith, you will see deliverance, joy, peace and restoration! Have Your way, God!

Amen

I BELIEVE!

Over the last few weeks, I have been celebrating who God is! It's just been on me to share with some and remind others of how great God is. It hasn't been a difficult task because He shows me daily how faithful and good He is. But today, as I sit home with a sick child, I heard the words 'what about now?'. Isn't that something? When all is right in your world, God is amazing and awesome and you can't stop giving Him the praise. But what about when you can't see a way out? What about when your child is sick and you can't help them? What about when your check says one thing but your bills say another? What is your response then? You see, it can be challenging when everything hits at once. But as I laid across my bed and prayed, I heard the simple chorus of one of Damion Murrill and Siloam's songs echo through my mind. It says, "I believe." And that's what it comes down to today. No matter what the enemy says, your response must be, "I believe!"

I was led to the story of Thomas in John 20. He was not around when Christ appeared to the disciples after His resurrection so he was doubtful when his brothers told him the story. “They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.””(John 20:25 NLT) Does that sound familiar? Isn't that what happens in your mind when you face a new and different test? Even though you have seen God work in so many other situations, this new one seems too big, so you struggle to trust God until you see the end result. Your flesh will always tell you to look at circumstances with your natural eye. But aren't you grateful for a Savior that will meet you where you are? “Eight days later, his disciples were again in the room. This time Thomas was with them. Jesus came through the locked doors, stood among them, and said, “Peace to you.” Then he focused his attention on Thomas. “Take your finger and examine my hands. Take your hand and stick it in my side. Don’t be unbelieving. Believe.”” (John 20:26-27 MSG) You see, that's the kind of God I serve! He knew Thomas, just like He knows you, and He didn't lash out. He didn't put Him down or berate him. No, He met Thomas right where He was and brought Him out with a lesson! Jesus told him to stop doubting and believe. What more is He saying to you and me? I believe...

“And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.””(John 20:28-29 NKJV) There is a blessing in trusting and believing what you can't see. There is power in knowing that what God has done before, He can surely do again. Do you believe that God can take what you can't see and bring about miracles? The last two verses in that chapter remind us of that.  "And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.” (John 20:28-31 NKJV)

Isn't God faithful? He gives you what you need and more. Do you see that just by believing, you have gained life? Do you see that by believing, you will see miracles? Do you see that by believing, He will meet you where you are and give you divine lessons that will carry you forward in life? I declare to you today that I believe! I believe that you have what you need! I believe that you are healed! I believe that peace is yours. I believe that your joy is restored! I believe that the word God spoke to you will come to pass! I BELIEVE! May your faith be stirred up and your belief strengthened as you watch God work miracles in your life...

Amen

There's NOBODY like The Lord!

You may have noticed from my last few posts that I am delighting in who God is! In all that I have going on in my life with family, work, church, ministry, God continues to show me who He is. He continues to remind me that if I keep my eyes on Him, I can’t go wrong. Yesterday, I was listening to Maranda Willis singing “There’s nobody like you, Lord!” and it blessed my soul! I thought about how easy it is to get caught up in what man is doing. You can’t wait to hear a word from a famous preacher. You don’t have time to study your bible or go to church because your boyfriend or girlfriend want you to do something. You can’t make a move without so and so’s approval. But I’m just here to testify today that there is NOBODY like the Lord! The old folks used to sing, “can’t nobody do me like Jesus” and it’s true! He is a provider! He is a deliverer! He is a healer! He is faithful when you can’t see your way. He is a friend when you are alone! There is NOBODY like the Lord! I want to encourage you today to keep God at the forefront in everything you do and those problems and circumstances that seem so big will begin to shrink. There’s NOBODY like the Lord!

Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise His holy name.
 Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me.
 He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.  He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies.  He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s! The Lord gives righteousness and justice to all who are treated unfairly.
 He revealed His character to Moses and His deeds to the people of Israel.
The Lord is compassionate and merciful, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.
He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever.  He does not punish us for all our sins; He does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve. For His unfailing love toward those who fear Him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.  He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. The Lord is like a father to His children, tender and compassionate to those who fear Him. For He knows how weak we are; He remembers we are only dust. Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die.
The wind blows, and we are gone—as though we had never been here. But the love of the Lord remains forever with those who fear him. His salvation extends to the children’s children of those who are faithful to His covenant, of those who obey His commandments!  The Lord has made the heavens His throne; from there He rules over everything. (Ps. 103: 1-19 NLT)

I love how David celebrates God and this is what my heart led me to share with you this morning.  I pray that you put yourself in David’s shoes and declare these things in your life. I pray that those of you that have been so caught up in people pleasing, and chasing position will remember that the God you serve is the ultimate promoter and position creator. He is God all by Himself and above Him there is no other! I pray that those of you who have been struggling in relationships because of selfishness or low self esteem will turn your focus away from what isn’t happening in your life and towards a God that is compassionate and unfailing in His love!  I pray that those of you that are having a hard time living the way God has called you to because others keep reminding you of who you used to be, will rejoice in a God that doesn’t deal with us like we deserve! I pray that those of you that just need a reminder, will praise the Lord with your whole heart and never forget all that He does for you! Saints, there is NOBODY like the Lord!

“So—who is like Me? Who holds a candle to Me?” says The Holy One. Look at the night skies:
    Who do you think made all this? Who marches this army of stars out each night, counts them off, and calls each by name— so magnificent, so powerful— and never overlooks a single one? Why would you ever complain, O Jacob, or, whine, Israel, saying, “God has lost track of me. He doesn’t care what happens to me”? Don’t you know anything? Haven’t you been listening?
God doesn’t come and go. God lasts.  He’s Creator of all you can see or imagine. He doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch his breath. And He knows everything, inside and out.
He energizes those who get tired, gives fresh strength to dropouts. For even young people tire and drop out, young folk in their prime stumble and fall. But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, they run and don’t get tired, they walk and don’t lag behind. (Is. 40: 25-31, MSG)

There’s NOBODY like HIM!

AMEN

He is a GREAT GOD!

Last night, the bible study focus at my church was Hebrews 7, where you find a wonderful description of Jesus Christ as our High Priest. Can I tell you that it blessed me?! I mean, it really blessed me to think about Jesus as my intercessor and the perfect solution to the problems of the world! As I reflected on that this morning, I just kept thinking about who Jesus is in my life and I got excited! Saints, it gave me joy to just think about God, the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost! It got so good to me that I wanted to invite you to share with me. You see, it’s so easy to get bogged down by what is happening in your daily life and in the world. People are dying, hunger is rampant, and sin abounds but I want to remind you that you serve a God that is truly amazing! If you don’t mind, can I just remind you of who God is?

He is Jehovah Shalom, your peace in the midst of struggle and circumstance! His peace surpasses all understanding and will guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus.

He is the God of all comfort, when you have been battling grief and depression and struggling to find your way out. “He comforts us in all of our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” (1 Cor. 1: 3-4)  You see, it’s working for your good and giving a purpose to your pain.

God is Jehovah Shammah! He is present and available when you are fighting against loneliness and wondering how you are going to make it to the next minute, hour or day! Even in your darkest place, He is there! “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (Ps. 23:4)

It’s getting good now! Some of you have been crying out for wisdom and understanding as you transition to your next level but God is El Shaddai! He is the all sufficient God who gives exactly what you need. The One who perfects and corrects and makes all things possible! “When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai – God Almighty”. Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.” You just have to trust that what He brings you to, He has planned for! He is more than enough!

Do y’all understand why I got excited? You see, I know God to be Jehovah Jireh, my provider! When I look at what I have in the natural and then see how God has kept me, I know that He is providing for me! I know that when I am wondering how I will make it, He has set a ram in the bush for me! He knows what you need before you ask for it! “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:19)

When you have been going through so many battles, and it’s hard to lift your head up and keep going, God is Jehovah Ma’Ozi, your strength! Don’t you know that He will carry you, when you can’t pick yourself up? “The Lord is my strength and my song; He has given me victory. This is my God and I will praise Him- my father’s God, and I will exalt Him!” Even when your strength is gone, you win because God is fighting the battle for you! He has given you the victory!

I could literally go on and on! He is Jehovah Rapha, your healer! He is El Emunah, the faithful God! He is Jehovah Roi, the God who sees! He is El Ashiyb, the Lord your restorer! He is Your Rock, Your strong tower, your redeemer, and your salvation! He is quite simply the Great I AM! Sometimes, you can get caught up calling out the names of what is wrong in your life: sick, poor, angry, bitter, lonely, etc. But today, I challenge you to call out all of the things that God is in your life and I guarantee you that you will end up in a praise! He is truly worthy of every bit of it! Woooooo!! He’s a great God! May your soul be stirred, your heart be uplifted, your joy restored, and your spirit renewed as you think about the goodness of the Lord!

Be blessed…AMEN

 

Hold on to it!

This is the day that the Lord has made! I will rejoice and be glad in it! Are you feeling joyful? Are you excited for what God is doing in your life? If you’re a little slow to answer, let me encourage you this morning! God is with you and He wants you to remember that what He has given you is not temporary. God said hold on to it and don’t let the enemy snatch it back. What do you mean, Ebony? God showed me that some of you are fighting to hold on to the breakthrough that He gave you. Some are battling not to turn back to the old relationship that brought you down. Some are even struggling to keep the faith in the midst of rough circumstances. Today, God is saying hold on… I’m in the fight with you!

I ended up in Isaiah 41 this morning where God is reminding Israel of His promises and who He is to them. It’s really a powerful chapter if you just need to hear God describe Himself. Today He sent me to strengthen your faith and charge up your resilience. He says, “I have called you back from the ends of the earth, saying, ‘You are my servant.’ For I have chosen you and will not throw you away. Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will old you up with my victorious right hand.  “See, all your angry enemies lie there, confused and humiliated. Anyone who opposes you will die and come to nothing.  You will look in vain for those who tried to conquer you. Those who attack you will come to nothing.  For I hold you by your right hand—I, the Lord your God. And I say to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.”  (Is. 41: 9-10 NLT) Do you see what God is saying to you? If God has called you to an assignment, to a purpose, to a breakthrough, then He is going to stay the course with you. He is going to be present the entire time. It doesn’t matter what the enemy desires to do to you, you will be victorious because God is victory.

I need you to remember who you are in Christ! I need you to know that no weapon formed against you shall prosper. That’s not just a cute phrase that people throw around in church! No, the Lord says through the prophet Isaiah, “But in that coming day   no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice  raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord;  their vindication will come from me.  I, the Lord, have spoken!” (Is. 54:17 NLT)That means when you hear those weapons forming, you silence them! Doubt speaking loud in your ear? Hush, doubt...you LOSE! Low self-esteem whispering into your spirit? Hush…I’m fearfully and wonderfully made! Your past ways trying to remind you of who you used to be? Hush, I’ve been redeemed! See? God is with you fighting the battle and upholding you with His right hand!

God doesn’t do halfway and He doesn’t do temporary. If He gives you something, He’s going to do it fully. It’s your responsibility to hold on to it. Don’t give your breakthrough up to the enemy because he asks for it. Don’t give your peace of mind up because circumstances look harder than you expected. Don’t relinquish your joy because man says you shouldn’t have it. No, you hold on to what God has given you and keep going! He’s right there with you!

Amen