Sweet goodbyes...

Today has been a rough day for me. I haven't felt good at all and could barely get enough strength to sit up much less write. But before midnight hits on this Thursday, let me leave you with a brief word from the Lord. Ready? Here it goes! Make your goodbyes sweet!

As you get ready to enter the new year, God is calling on you to do it right. He wants you to leave what is old, hard, and wrong in 2016. Why? Because He wants you to walk into your hellos with peace. He wants you to be on His timing and not your own. He wants you to stop trying to figure out how to do what He has already laid out. Are you willing to release control in 2016 so that you don't miss the freedom that He has for you in 2017? I was led to Ecclesiastes 3 immediately and it spoke loudly to my spirit.

 Teacher: For everything that happens in life—there is a season, a right time for everything under heaven:

A time to be born, a time to die;

a time to plant, a time to collect the harvest;

A time to kill, a time to heal;

a time to tear down, a time to build up;

A time to cry, a time to laugh;

a time to mourn, a time to dance;

A time to scatter stones, a time to pile them up;

a time for a warm embrace, a time for keeping your distance;

A time to search, a time to give up as lost;

a time to keep, a time to throw out;

A time to tear apart, a time to bind together;

a time to be quiet, a time to speak up;

A time to love, a time to hate; 

a time to go to war, a time to make peace. (Ecc. 3:1-8, VOICE)

If you are like me, you have looked at this scripture as a way to feel better at a funeral but today, God told me that it's a blueprint to saying goodbye. You see, as hard as it is to move on, if God said it, He planned it right along with a hello. The birth of one thing often means the death of something else, the healing of one thing means something else had to die. But it's okay. Do you see that? Your responsibility is to walk out your goodbye sweetly because there is a hello waiting on the other side. Nowhere in that scripture does it say figure it out. As a matter of fact, it says the opposite.

“and I know God has made everything beautiful for its time. God has also placed in our minds a sense of eternity; we look back on the past and ponder over the future, yet we cannot understand the doings of God.  I know there is nothing better for us than to be joyful and to do good throughout our lives;  to eat and drink and see the good in all of our hard work is a gift from God. I know everything God does endures for all time. Nothing can be added to it; nothing can be taken away from it. We humans can only stand in awe of all God has done.  What has been and what is to be—already is. And God holds accountable all the pursuits of humanity”. (Ecc. 3:11-15, VOICE)

Do you see? Though you have the capacity to look back and forward, you still won't figure out what God is doing. However, He holds you accountable for what you do with what He puts before you. I encourage you to look at what God has told you to leave in 2016 and do it! Tell anger goodbye and say hello to forgiveness! Tell depression goodbye and say hello to joy! Tell procrastination goodbye and say hello to manifestation! Make that goodbye sweet and filled with purpose and love! I promise you that your hello is waiting for you and it's better than you could ever imagine!

Amen…

You have what it takes!

I want you to think about this today. Everything that Christ was going to be on the cross and beyond was in Him on that dark winter night when He was born to Mary. Don’t miss what I just said. All of the purpose, the destiny and the plan of who He was and what He would do was wrapped up in that little baby in the manger. Ok…let that settle. What are you trying to say, Ebony? Well, it’s pretty simple. You already have what you need to do what God ordained you to do. Whether you have decided to accept it, are ready to move forward in it or have identified the fullness of it, you have what it takes.

When you think about Baby Jesus, don’t you automatically think about who He grows up to be? Don’t you think about the cross or the fact that the manger is just the beginning of the story. It’s a natural progression because you know the whole story. So what about you? Why do you not look at yourself right now and know that God has already written your story and knows the end? Maybe if you started to think that way, you wouldn’t be so easily tripped up by what your current circumstances look like.  Maybe if you started seeing yourself as moving towards your purpose instead of stuck in a place or a season, you wouldn’t be so scared to do what God told you to do. You see, you can’t gloss over what the Lord said through Jeremiah because you’ve memorized it. He said, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jer. 29:11, NLT) That means that A – He has a plan and B - It’s going to work out for your good. You have what it takes!

Before Jesus was even born, there was an expectation that He would save the world. That expectation had travelled down through several generations so that even though Mary was shocked to be the chosen one, she wasn’t shocked at WHO she was birthing. She knew of the Messiah and what He was to do. Sooooooo…guess what? Your birth and purpose was also proclaimed in the heavens long before you were born. You were expected and you have something to do! Psalm 139: 13 – 16 says, “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.  Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!  Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.  You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book.  Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” (NLT) Did you read that? God has every moment laid out. So even though you’ve had some hard days and you’ve made some bad choices, it’s all leading to purpose. Everything that you’ve been through, everything that you have gained and lost is all contributing to who you were shaped and expected to be. The question is always will you be brave enough to use what you have? You have what it takes!

I wish I could just be writing the lyrics to Silent Night and singing fa la la la but God has been dealing with me about moving forward. He doesn’t want you to go one more day stuck in a dead place because you are unsure of who you are or what you have inside of you. You, my dear, are a writer! You are a pastor! You are a mother! You are a coach! You are a leader! You are a business owner! You are who God says and has been saying that you are! Please don’t let what people say or what fear says dictate where you go? You have what it takes to do what God has purposed you to do. Your debut is expected in the heavens! Your book is expected in the heavens! Your church is expected in the heavens! David said it best in Psalms 138:8a when He said, “The Lord will work out His plans for my life…” (NLT) You have what it takes! The question is will you trust God to carry you to the end of your story?

Will you give Him glory?

I’ve had quite a morning and have struggled for over an hour to do Rhema. As I was sitting here frustrated, I was led to look at the post that I did for this date 5 years ago. I was looking for a date in the general time period of December 15th, only to discover that December 15th was a Thursday in 2011. Who knew?! Obviously, God did and clearly He knows what He is doing. I didn’t quite understand what He was up to but when I found it and started reading, I had to laugh. God knows what you need and He will give it to you, if you just open yourself up to receive it. I’m going to share this word again because it was right on time for me and maybe it will be for you.

To God be the glory! To God be the glory! To God be the glory for the things He has done! To God be the glory! To God be the glory! To God be the glory for the things He has done!

This song just started ringing in my spirit as I sat down to write this morning. I sat still for a moment and thought to myself ‘this can’t be what I’m supposed to write about.’ I continued to sit and then I started humming so I said ‘Well, let me just write it so I can get it out of my head.’ And as I began to write, I realized that God was answering my prayers! He was telling me to give Him the praise for what He has already worked out for me!

Does anyone feel like you've been seeking God for a whole lot lately? The devil has been so busy and people have been crying out for help and sometimes I’ve been hard pressed to help them because I’ve been crying out myself!  But God has been so faithful! Even in the valley…. even in the storm, God is doing just what He promised. It’s really just a matter of giving Him glory instead of trying to take control!

We are now in a season of restoration and new beginnings! This is the time that we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and the very beginning of His journey to His purpose. But at this time, many people are also reminded of what they have lost and what they don’t have. But I declare today that in God, you have all that you need. Some of you are looking at the computer screen thinking, “That sounds good, Ebony…but that won’t help me buy presents for my kids or comfort me when I am alone thinking about my mother that I’ve lost.” I encourage you to try giving God glory for the fact that you have life and you can spend time with your family! Or getting a good shout in when you remember that if you are saved, you’ll see your family member again! Go ahead! Give God the glory for the great things He has done!

There will be turmoil, sadness, discouragement but God has promised that He would never leave you or forsake you! So give God the glory! Sickness and disease will attempt to attack you and your family but Jesus bore stripes for your healing! Give God the glory! Poverty and lack, even layoffs will come but God promised that He would supply all of your needs according to His riches in glory. Give God the glory because He is greater, stronger, and bigger than any mountain that tries to plant itself in your path!

Whenever you find yourself complaining during this season, look at the prophet Jeremiah. He was constantly going through persecution and trying to get the people to live right.  He even wondered how he could possibly be chosen to deliver God’s word because he was just a boy. But God assured him that He would stick with him because He had great plans for him. In Jeremiah 29, he wrote to the prophets and elders that were in captivity in Babylon. He wanted to encourage them to not give up. I pray that through these words, you will be encouraged to not give up on God. No matter what may come against you, stand on the Word and give God the glory!

“This is God's Word on the subject: "As soon as Babylon's seventy years are up and not a day before, I'll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. 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. When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen. "When you come looking for me, you'll find me. Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed." God's Decree. "I’ll turn things around for you. I'll bring you back from all the countries into which I drove you"—God's Decree—"bring you home to the place from which I sent you off into exile. You can count on it!” (Jeremiah 29: 10-14 MSG)

I challenge you to look for the sun in the midst of your storm; to see the growth that you have experienced as a result of your tests.  God has a plan for you and His word does not return void! If you feel like you are out there all alone, you’re not! Remember that you are on God’s mind and his thoughts are of peace!  To God be the glory for the great things He has done! He has not forgotten…

Amen…

Goodbye, grief! Hello, Life!

I woke up with this word this morning and have been struggling with it ever since. I heard it in my mind but it seemed to start mid paragraph. No poignant opening question or witty one liner. It was just phrases and sentences that I knew went together but for the life of me, couldn’t figure out how. I’ve started about 3 different posts and erased them all. It was just now as I heard God tell me to just start writing that I understood what was happening. He was showing me in a way that I could understand what grief does to a person. Uncertainty about how to go on without someone that was your guiding force. Feeling like you are re-starting your life even though you really want the life that you knew. Planning a future that doesn’t have the same light because all of the players aren’t present. No easy fixes and no easy laughs. Everything that used to be simple now requires work. Grief.

The thing about grief is that it can be a haunting pain that is just under the surface everyday but intensifies during this time or it can just punch you in the stomach when you look at the calendar on a certain day or participate in something that triggers the pain. So you might be wondering why in the world I would be talking about this now. Come on, it’s the holidays, Ebony! And you would be right! But it means different things to different people. Today, God made me feel those that mourn and He told me to tell you that your freedom is in your release. He told me to remind you that death is not always a verdict of how good or bad someone was. It was pre-determined and your sorrow was covered by Jesus on the cross. He told me to encourage those of you that are struggling to lift your heads and celebrate that He is able and He is present. Sometimes your freedom from grief is in celebrating those that remain. Sometimes your freedom is by choosing to live instead of wearing the grief. Sometimes your freedom is in seeing the death as God’s victory instead of His punishment.

I was reminded of David’s words after the death of his son in 2 Samuel 12. David had prayed and fasted and cried in hopes that God would let his son live to no avail. The child died and instead of doing what people expected him to do, David stopped crying.

Then David stood up, washed, anointed himself with sweet-smelling oils, and changed his clothes. He went into the house of the Eternal and worshiped. Then he returned to his house and asked for food; and when it was brought to him, he ate. Servants (to David):  We don’t understand. When your son was alive, you wept and you refused to eat; now that he is dead, it is as if nothing is wrong—you are up and about and eating. David:  While my son was still alive, I wept and fasted with all my being because I thought to myself, “Who knows? There is still a chance that the Eternal One will have mercy on me and let my child live.”  But now that he is dead, why should I continue without eating? Will that bring my son back to life? Someday when I die I will go where he has gone, but he will never come back to me here. (VOICE)

I was a little taken aback because I wasn’t sure that David’s words were all that comforting. But I realized that God wanted me to speak to your future. He wanted David’s words to remind you that the one that has gone can no longer be who you want them to be or come back and change what is happening in your life. But you have the opportunity to live in such a way that you see them again. You have a chance to embrace what IS rather than being held captive to what WAS. Isaiah 53:4a says that “For sure He took on Himself our troubles and carried our sorrows.” (NLV) What does that mean? It means that He was thinking of you on the cross as you miss your mother. He carried you in His heart, as you grieve your father. He bore your pain when you cry for your child. But He also wants you to understand His desire is for you to walk in freedom in every part of your life.  It is not that He doesn’t know your mourning because Jesus said “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” (Matt. 5:4) The thing is, He wants you to allow yourself to be comforted. He wants you to not mourn like those that have no hope but rather be able to stand and rejoice in a future hope. During this holiday season, may the joy of the Lord be your strength. May the peace of God surround you and hold you up. And may the thought of Jesus bearing your sorrow give you just what you need to press forward with victory. Weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning! (Ps. 30:5)  Goodbye grief, my morning is here!

Amen

Victory Dance

I just need to encourage someone today that you have the victory! I know it sounds cliché and overly churchy but it’s true. Nowadays, people talk about victory so casually that the power behind the meaning and message has dulled. So I looked up the definition of the word victory and I understood even more why you have to really feel it! Merriam Webster says it is “the overcoming of an enemy or antagonist; the achievement of mastery or success in a struggle or endeavor against odds or difficulties.” Nothing about that definition says easy or without pain but the end result, after the struggle and difficulties, is success! And it comes because you have the best weapon on your side. God is fighting for you and He has never lost a battle! I need you to get this in your spirit and keep it close when the enemy tries to distract you.  I need you to understand this when your circumstances say loss. I really need you to KNOW this when you attempt to derail yourself. YOU WIN!

I woke up singing Todd Dulaney’s “Victory belongs to Jesus”. I mean it was on repeat in my brain and in my spirit! I couldn’t get away from it. I love the song and the message but I started asking myself if I really believe it. Do I function and respond to circumstances and trials that come up like I know that He has the victory? Do you? It’s easy to look at facts and circumstances and become fearful or doubt that things will work out in your favor. But God is calling on His people to rise up now more than ever and trust who He is. He is calling on you to look at His track record and trust that what He did before, He will do again. He is challenging you to really believe what you’re quoting instead of allowing doubt to set in as soon as you walk out of the church on Sunday.  James 1:12 says, “blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him.” (ESV) Are you doing your part and walking in the victory that God has promised?

Well, Ebony, how do I obtain victory when there is so much hell and attack coming towards me? It sounds good to say I win but I have some big stuff coming against me! I hear you and I understand. Who hasn’t had this conversation with God at some point? Who hasn’t looked around at their situation and wondered how God could possibly work it out? Well, Moses gives a great battle plan in Deuteronomy 20 that the Lord highlighted for me this morning.

When you go to war against your enemy and see horses and chariots and soldiers far outnumbering you, do not recoil in fear of them; God, your God, who brought you up out of Egypt is with you. When the battle is about to begin, let the priest come forward and speak to the troops. He’ll say, “Attention, Israel. In a few minutes you’re going to do battle with your enemies. Don’t waver in resolve. Don’t fear. Don’t hesitate. Don’t panic. God, your God, is right there with you, fighting with you against your enemies, fighting to win.”

You got it? Don’t fear what you see, how big your problem is. Instead, look at the God that brought you out many times before! Just as you are going into battle, seek the Lord and what He is saying. Pray, seek wise counsel and be encouraged. When you go against these big situations and challenges, understand that it’s war and you have to be prepared and act accordingly. Go in without fear, hesitation or panic, knowing that God is fighting with you and He is fighting to win! Act like you have the victory, saint! Go into every battle with the mindset that you already know the outcome. When your marriage is attacked, you win! When your health is attacked, you win! When your finances are attacked, you win! “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor. 15:57 NKJV) Do you understand? There is no battle too hard or enemy to big that God can’t handle it. YOU WIN!

Amen

Empty words?

I have been sitting here with a blank screen trying to pull together what I thought God was saying about being thankful with a word that He had me look up last week. I couldn't see a connection and nothing was coming together so I just sat waiting. Just as I was about to put everything aside for awhile, I looked down at my phone to see Hebrews 12:28-29 in the Message translation staring back at me.  “Do you see what we’ve got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. He’s actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won’t quit until it’s all cleansed. God himself is Fire!” (Hebrews‬ ‭12:28-29‬ ‭MSG‬‬) All of a sudden it made sense. Folks, the Lord said to me, “Actions speak louder than words.” So my question for you today is simple. Are you doing or just talking?

Oftentimes, what God tells you to do and your natural thought process don't match. He is instructing you with an advanced knowledge and understanding of the outcome that you aren't privy to. So when He says start a business, you say I don't have the start up money for that. Or when He says write a book, you say I don't have enough time or material. Your mind comes up with all of the limitations and issues that could go wrong with the scenario that God has laid out. Sound familiar? It's that whole faith vs sight thing! God is trying to get you to a place where you just trust Him and act. So many times you miss the easy road because your vision stops at the first roadblock instead of seeing the newly paved road just beyond it. Stop talking about what God said you will be and start acting on what He said.  Hebrews 12:28 says that your “thankfulness should be brimming with worship.” To me, that says that it goes beyond the mere words ‘thank you’ to action. Are you doing or just talking?

I couldn't figure out why God told me to look up the word stagnant last week. It just didn't go with anything that I could see. I mean, He was challenging me and my obedience and faith left and right so stagnant didn't make sense to me. But I looked it up anyway and Merriam Webster said it means, not flowing in a current or stream; stale; not advancing or developing. The Free Dictionary added “often foul smelling, lacking vitality or activity.” God, what in the world does that have to do with being thankful and this Hebrews passage?  It's actually quite simple. Verse 29 is an example of how you move  forward in what God is saying. “For God is not an indifferent bystander. He’s ACTIVELY cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn. And he won't quit until it's all cleansed.” Do you see? This is the exact opposite of being stagnant. If you want to show God that you appreciate Him and what He is doing in your life, I challenge you to be like Him. He has presented this unshakable Kingdom and He can't sit still while His mission is accomplished. No! He is burning what needs to be burned and cleaning out what needs to be removed. He is ACTING! Are you doing or just talking?

You no longer have time to sit still waiting on God to speak again. Notice, I said again! In most cases, what you are waiting on God to confirm, He has already told you multiple times. Your natural mind or fear has just kept you from hearing it. While you are sitting still or not flowing in what God has ordained, you are growing stale and losing your motivation and vitality. It's time to stop just talking about what God is saying and put some action behind it. Stop saying God gave you a record and you aren't perfecting your songs and saving for your studio time. Stop saying you have been called to the nations and you aren't working on your passport and saving your money. Stop saying you are a missionary and you aren't serving in your community or actively looking for places to serve. If you want to show God that you are thankful today, honor His instructions, act on His Word and obey His command. Actions speak louder than words, Saints. Let's start doing!

Uh oh! He answered...

This morning I was thinking about a sermon I saw yesterday by Bishop Noel Jones entitled “What to do until He answers...” It was a great word and I definitely have some things before the Lord that I am waiting on. But God said something interesting and relevant to me. He said, “My people struggle more when I answer.” Stopped me in my tracks! What, Lord? He began to talk to me about the need for confirmation after confirmation, the questions, the fear, the discomfort. Then I heard “Why isn’t My word enough?” JESUS! Waiting on Him is one thing but DOING what He says is something else entirely. You see, regardless of how hard it is to wait, you have been conditioned to do it. There are probably thousands of books about how to wait successfully for God to move, speak or do. Though you may get impatient or struggle while you wait, in most cases you have no other option. If you could solve your problem or change your situation on your own, it would be done. But what will you do when He answers? What will you do when He responds to your prayers and it doesn’t line up with your personal plan? What will be your response?

I found myself in Isaiah 30 this morning and the Lord is speaking to the rebellious people of Judah. He is warning them about being in relationship with Egypt and following them instead of Him.  He uses the first half of the chapter to tell them about what happens when you don’t listen. It’s a warning to you and me as well. Read it for yourself! It will probably read like a biography of your life like it did mine. You know the story – girl does her own thing, follows man/the world, everything falls apart, realizes that the Lord has been waiting on her to see that He is the only way, runs to the Lord, He cleans her up, shows her where she went wrong, calls on her to trust Him, blesses her obedience. Have you lived a version of that story? If not, here’s the point. God is always on the scene and He’s waiting for the right time to shift you to the next gear. Remember, the plan was already established. So while things may come as a surprise to you, they aren’t a surprise to God. That’s why when He tells you to do something, you have to do it. Don’t delay the plan because you don’t understand what’s happening. Don’t miss the easy turn because you couldn’t see around the corner. Is it scary? YES! Will it be worth it? YES and YES!

If you are like me, you’ve asked God about His timing. Perhaps you’ve wondered why He told you to go back to school when you have finally gotten your schedule under control. Maybe you’ve tried to figure out why He told you to give someone you can’t stand money when your bank account is crying. It could be that you’ve questioned why He told you to move halfway across the country when your entire family is somewhere else. These are challenging instructions that people in your life may not understand but you know that God is speaking. These are the moments that God talked to me about this morning. It’s those moments when He is giving you glimpses into your destiny and waiting to see if you will trust Him enough to follow through.  You see, sometimes waiting is easier because it doesn’t necessarily require you to do anything. But when God gives you a command, there is an expectation that you move. Scary, right? I know! But can I tell you that your next level is tied into your obedience? Think back over your life and what has happened when you looked beyond fear and grabbed hold to your faith. Was it scary? YES! Was it worth it? YES and YES!

I hear you, Ebony but what if I’m scared of what comes next after I say yes. Look at what the Lord says to His people after He has reminded them of who He is.   “Oh, people of Zion, citizens of Jerusalem, you will not cry anymore. God hears the sound of your weeping, and He will answer with grace. Even though the Lord has fed you the bitter food of adversity and offered you the water of oppression, your great Teacher will reveal Himself to you; your eyes will see Him. Your ears will hear sweet words behind you: “Go this way. There is your path; this is how you should go” whenever you must decide whether to turn to the right or the left. Then you’ll get rid of all your worthless idols clad in silver and your despicable images plated with gold. You will destroy these idols and discard them as you do filthy rags, saying, “Get out of here.” And then God will see to it that your efforts are fruitful—He’ll give you rain for your seedlings, bread from the earth, grain nourishing and plentiful. On that day your livestock will graze on acre after acre of green pastures.” (Is. 30: 19- 26)

Often times the struggle is hardest right before the answer comes so that you are more open to hear when He begins to speak. But I can tell you this, when you decide that your yes is worth more than your fear, you will see fruit. You will be able to see that God was always present and working.  Don’t miss what God is saying because you think it’s always a big thing. Sometimes it is as simple as making a phone call, dropping off lunch, or saying a quick prayer. The size of the instruction isn’t equivalent to the blessing that can come from your obedience. So…what will you do when God answers? You obey…

Amen

 

God's got it...

Happy Thursday, family! I don’t have much but I wanted to share what God said to me today. I heard Him so clearly and it blessed me and hopefully, it will do the same for you.  It’s simple but worth noting. He said to me, “I am in control. Will you trust Me to keep you? Will you trust Me to lead you? Will you trust Me to get you where you need to go? What I told you about who you were purposed and destined to be doesn’t change according to what the world does. I am the One who holds the heart of kings in My hands and direct them the way I please. I am the One who sees the end from the beginning. I can handle whatever happens because nothing is a surprise to Me.”

As I reflected on what God said to me, I began to think about how big God is. In a few sentences, He addressed the election and my household. He reconciled my past and my future, my purpose and His plan.  He effectively shifted my focus from self to Him. What about you? You see, what He said was basically a reminder of who He is and what He has already told you about who He is and who you are in Him.  When you are looking at your life and don’t know what’s next, God is a planner. When you are looking at your finances and don’t know how to pay your bills, God is a provider. When you are looking at your body and don’t know how to stop the pain you feel, God is a healer. He is everything that you need and more than enough. He is faithful and consistent. He is present and available. He is mindful of you and concerned about what concerns you. Don’t allow what you see in the natural to take you from what God has told you. Don’t change lanes if God didn’t give you a new map. Stay with God, He is in control.

As I was writing, God sent me to one of my favorite passages of scripture. I believe it is His way of telling you that no matter what your life may look like today, His word is still true and so is His plan. He is in control and if He said it, that settles it.

My intentions are not always yours,
        and I do not go about things as you do.
     My thoughts and My ways are above and beyond you,
        just as heaven is far from your reach here on earth.
     For as rain and snow can’t go back once they’ve fallen,
        but soak into the ground and nourish the plants that grow,
        providing seed to the farmer and bread for the hungry, so it is when I declare something.
        My word will go out and not return to Me empty, but it will do what I wanted;
        it will accomplish what I determined.  For you will go out in joy, and be led home in peace.
        And as you go, the land itself will break out in cheers;
    The mountains and the hills will erupt in song,
        and the trees of the field will clap their hands.  Prickly thorns and nasty briers will give way
        to luxurious shade trees, sweet and good.
    And they’ll remind you of the Eternal One
        and how God can be trusted absolutely and forever. (Is. 55: 8 – 13 VOICE)

That passage speaks of greater and higher. It speaks of breakthrough and triumph, promises kept and hard places turning to joy. But mostly it serves as a reminder that God’s got it and He has you!

Amen…

Glory is coming!

Has God ever shown you something and said it would be yours? Have you waited patiently for it, believing that it would be coming soon? Perhaps it has been longer than expected now and you are starting to feel a little pressure. Or maybe it's been a lot longer than expected and you feel A LOT of pressure! People who you thought were supposed to help bring your vision or promise to pass have come and gone and yet you keep waiting. The age that you thought that you would be is now in the past and frustration sometimes creeps in your spirit. What do you do to keep going? What do you to do when your destiny and your reality aren't coming together? It's a hard place to be but this morning God told me to tell you that if it was predestined, it has to be glorified!

I don't know about you but when God shows me something, I want it right away. The idea and reality of waiting tears my nerves up. I am a planner so I want to see the end results line up with what I expected them to be when I put my plan together. God showed me today that He is the ultimate planner.  He said that you can rest assured that in His plan, whether you see it working or not, the results will always line up the way He expected them to when He put the plan together. Let's pause for a praise break and the knowledge that His plan is working! Okay, God then sent me to the definition of predestination. According to Merriam Webster, it is the belief that everything that will happen has already been decided by God and cannot be changed. Can I remind you that the Lord said in Isaiah 55:11, “So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” (ESV). When God set that plan up and spoke it into existence, there was a glorification date stamped on it. Nothing in that definition said that the path would be straight or there wouldn't be delay or challenges. However, it does say that it will happen. Glory is coming!

Ok so you have been reminded that what God showed you has to happen but here's the exciting thing. It will be better than what you saw! Yes! You see, God told me that some of you wouldn't be excited about this word because you have been waiting for so long and you have “heard it all before”. But He told me to go to the definition of glorified to help you feel it. The KJV Dictionary  says it is to make glorious; to exalt to glory or to celestial happiness”. Romans 8:30 says “Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.” (NKJV‬‬) The verse describes a process of getting from the setting of the plan to the fulfillment. It tells me that what God started He has to finish. It tells me that even though there are a lot of things in between the beginning and the end of the wait, you will get to the place you need to be and it will better than you imagined. Imagine arriving at your destiny and you are overwhelmed with happiness and all you want to do is give God glory. You see when it is glorified, the splendor of it all is more than what your mind could conceive. It's better!  You have to understand that He could only show you what you could handle but His results will blow your mind every time. Glory is coming!

Let me sum it up with this word from the Lord, “This vision-message is a witness pointing to what’s coming. It aches for the coming—it can hardly wait! And it doesn’t lie. If it seems slow in coming, wait. It’s on its way. It will come right on time.” (Hab‬ ‭2:3‬ ‭MSG‬‬) If God gave you a vision, a word, a promise, it has to happen. Even if the time has been long, God’s plan is working. Even if the setting has changed, God’s plan is working. Even if it doesn't look like what you thought, God’s plan is working. Believe me when I tell you that I understand the struggle of the wait but if He predestined it, He will glorify it. Glory is coming!

Amen

Don't miss it...

I thought I would have something super powerful and profound to say today but I don't. I just have a simple piece of advice that I'm trying my best to follow myself. So here it is...don't miss God! Simple, right? I wish! You see, there are so many things that compete for your attention – family, friends, work, church, things you want to do, things you need to do. It's so easy to find yourself so wrapped up in the “busyness” of life that you miss God’s business. A play on words, I know, but a problem that many of us face on a daily basis. This morning, I simply want to make sure you have your focus on the right thing.

I had a conversation with a close friend this morning and God had really dealt with her. Sounds churchy but if you’ve ever had God meet you in your closet and show you yourself, you know what I mean. It's serious! When I got off the phone with her, all I could say or pray was, “Lord, please don't let me miss You!” Don't let me get so caught up in expectations that I don't walk in Your purpose. Don't let me forget what You told me to do because I'm trying to please man. Don't let me get overwhelmed with the work of ministry that I'm not actually ministering to Your people. Anybody else had a similar prayer? You see, the enemy’s job is to distract you from your path so that he can destroy your purpose. Remember the whole steal, kill, destroy mission? But I realized that a lot of times, you help him with his mission by taking on too much, doing too much, and not listening enough. Are you missing God?

Do you remember when the disciples of John the Baptist came to him and told him that Jesus was baptizing and everyone was going to Him instead of them? His response spoke to me this morning about how to ensure that I don't miss God. “John answered, “It’s not possible for a person to succeed—I’m talking about eternal success—without heaven’s help. You yourselves were there when I made it public that I was not the Messiah but simply the one sent ahead of him to get things ready. The one who gets the bride is, by definition, the bridegroom. And the bridegroom’s friend, his ‘best man’—that’s me—in place at his side where he can hear every word, is genuinely happy. How could he be jealous when he knows that the wedding is finished and the marriage is off to a good start? That’s why my cup is running over. This is the assigned moment for him to move into the center, while I slip off to the sidelines.”‭‭(John‬ ‭3:27-30‬ ‭MSG‬‬) John the Baptist could have completely missed the purpose of his life in that moment. He could have gotten in his feelings and let what man was saying take him somewhere that he couldn't come back from. But instead, he recognized how everything that God had been telling him came together in Jesus. He realized that the way to fulfill his purpose in the earth was to decrease so that Christ could be seen. When you get so caught up in what the world wants you to do and be, you are essentially minimizing Christ’s place in your life. You're missing your opportunity to let God be seen through you. Are you missing God?

You are powerful, creative, and God chosen! He has something so amazing that He plans to do in the earth through you. Don't miss it because your eyes are somewhere else. Don't miss it because your feelings are hurt. Don't miss it because you're scared or overcommitted. Find yourself where John the Baptist was, waiting for his assigned moment to be used for God’s glory. He knew what he was supposed to be doing so no one could move him out of position with their emotions, motives or intentions. He didn't miss God and I pray that you don't either.

Amen

I've got this...

Calling all Rhema readers! Can I have your attention for a moment? Can you shut out the voices and the worries so that I can share some breaking news with you? Ready? Here it is, straight from the Lord to you! “I’ve got this.”  Yep, that’s it! That’s what He encouraged me to remind you of today. Stop fighting, worrying and stressing. All you need to do is listen, obey and trust. Believe me, I get that your life is super busy and people are always asking you to do something or solve a problem or find a solution and you’ve gotten weary of the fight. But I have great news for you today, God is fighting for you and the battle has already been won.

If you’ve read Rhema for any amount of time, you know that I love the names of God. Well one in particular I use often and love to call on is Jehovah Sabaoth, the Lord of Hosts! It’s not a name that you hear often in the church when people are listing the names of God but He is integral in living a life of trust and peace. I was led to introduce Him to some of you and present Him to others. You see, He is the God who wages war on your behalf and causes wars to cease. He is the God that commands the angels and the stars to line up and do His command. He is quite simply and yet so magnificently, the Almighty God. He is the One that sees your situation and already has a strategy. He is the One that you can bring your battles to and He will fight them. He is the One that says stand still and see My salvation. You see, so many times you can  get so caught up in the battles that you face and trying to figure out how to survive, that you forget that you are not alone in the fight. But I’m here to remind you that God is fighting for you and He doesn’t give up or give in. He is the ultimate finisher!

This morning God sent me back to 2 Chronicles 20 and a story that I often think about. It’s the story of King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah when the Moabites, Ammonites and Meunites declared war on them. The king was terrified and begged God for help, so much so that he ordered the entire nation to fast. He prayed and prayed, seeking God’s help. As I was re-reading this story, God highlighted the end of Jehoshaphat’s prayer. “O our God, won’t you stop them? We are powerless against this mighty army that is about to attack us. We do not know what to do, but we are looking to you for help.” (2 Chron. 20:12) Have you ever found yourself saying that? I know I have! You know, when the battle is getting long and you’re starting to tire and you just aren’t sure what to do with this big thing that has come against you. You’ve forgotten that God will fight for you and you finally just cry out to God for help.  That’s where Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah were - scared, nervous, and anxious. Well, God responds through Jahaziel and I want to share it with you.

This is what the Lord says: Do not be afraid! Don’t be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God’s. ¹⁶ Tomorrow, march out against them. You will find them coming up through the ascent of Ziz at the end of the valley that opens into the wilderness of Jeruel. ¹⁷ But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the Lord’s victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out against them tomorrow, for the Lord is with you!” (2 Chron. 20: 15b – 17 NLT)

Perhaps you need to read it again! The forces fighting against your marriage? Watch the Lord’s victory! The family members that don’t understand your path? Watch the Lord’s victory! Your own insecurities and struggles with self-esteem? Watch the Lord’s victory! The list could go on and on but all you have to do is show up willing to be in position and watch God do the fighting. I encourage you to read this story for yourself because you are shown exactly how to win. Seek God’s face in prayer and fasting so that you are able to hear what He has to say. Praise Show up to the fight, get into the position He tells you to and then watch Him fight it. You just need to be there to celebrate what He has done. If you continue to read, you will see that the enemies turn against each other and all of the enemies were killed. They left enough spoils that it took them 3 days to collect it all. Could it be that if you take your hands out of the fight and let God handle it that you will see blessings overwhelm you? Could it be that of you just show up to the fight with a heart of expectation that God will confuse the enemy and turn things in your favor? Could it be that if you praise God when the threat comes that He will make it so you don’t even have to fight at all? God is fighting for you and He has all that is needed to get the victory!

Amen…

It's finishing time!

A few minutes ago, I heard the Lord say, “Finish what you start.” I’m pretty sure it was in response to my desire and plan to pass on Rhema today after a day of traveling. The more I listened, I realized that it was also an encouragement not only for me but for you. You see, I understand the struggle that overtakes you when you have been working on something for a long time but still can't see the end in sight. I know the pain of waiting for a promise to manifest when you feel like you've given your all. I even get just being plain tired and not wanting to fight or work anymore. But can I just encourage you today that there is joy and peace in the finishing? It might not feel like it today but the Lord wanted me to tell you to press to the end and finish what you have started.

God is so amazing that He can say something so simple and it apply to a variety of situations. As I started writing, I  heard Him say everything from completing books, to staying the course in marriages, to praying for that person until you see the change. Through it all, He just kept repeating the same phrase – finish what you started. It was almost like the chorus of a song and the list of projects and instructions were the verses. He was adamant that I encourage you to get to the end of that thing. You see, sometimes the enemy will dress himself up as distraction and frustration and attempt to take you away from completing your assignment. You begin to look at what's in front of you instead of the victory that God promised you at the end of the assignment. But can I just remind you that if He told you to do something, He has equipped you to finish it? He has given you exactly what you need to get it done. Even if you had to take a break, even if you veered off path, even if you wanted to give up, you have what it takes. He didn't give you an assignment without seeing you at the end of it! Finish what you started!

As I close out, God sent me to Ecclesiastes 7:8 in the Message and it says, “Endings are better than beginnings. Sticking to it is better than standing out.” You see, sometimes you have to remind yourself that God is a finisher! When He started creating the world, He made a lot of amazing things but He didn't declare it was good until He finished. When Christ walked the earth for those 33 years, He did some powerful and life changing miracles but our salvation was not assured until He completed the assignment. The journey and the process are incredibly valuable but you have to get to the destination to be able to look back on it and see what you endured. It's time to finish what you started. Get up, brush yourself off, straighten your clothes up and get back in the race. No more delays. No more allowing setbacks to throw you off. No more watching others get to goal while you stall. God is with you and as long as you obey His instructions, you will get there. Let's go…its finishing time!

Amen

An Expected End...

The Lord spoke to me this morning about keeping my eyes on the expected end. He challenged me to stop looking at my life situations through my natural eyes and focus on what He has shown me. He challenged me to wait with expectation for the promise to come to pass. He said that I would see what I have been praying for! What about you? Will you take up the challenge to wait on your expected end?

The Lord sent me to Jeremiah 29:11 early this morning but as I began to write Rhema, He told me to back up and look at the previous 10 verses. You see, sometimes you won’t be excited about your expected end until you acknowledge where you’ve been. Jeremiah 29:10 -11 says “This is God’s Word on the subject: “As soon as Babylon’s seventy years are up and not a day before, I’ll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. 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) You see the Israelites had been in exile for a number of years already at this point and though it wasn’t like the Egyptian captivity, it was an unfamiliar land and one not meant for them. There were foreign gods and false prophets and a separation from what they knew. But it was a predetermined time period of 70 years. Would you act differently if you knew how long you had to endure your struggles? But I digress. Jeremiah sent this letter to the Jewish leaders in exile and told them to carry on with their lives as they waited. He instructed them to build houses, plant gardens and marry. He told them to pray for their captors and beware of false prophets attempting to throw them off of their path. But at the end of the 70 years, He was going to show up just as promised and release them back to their homes.

That’s a word! How many of you can pray for your enemies that they prosper even while they mess with you? How many of you can continue to build your business, sow into people and create relationships while you are waiting for your own breakthrough? Do you see that no matter what is happening in your life, you are to keep living and trusting God as you wait for your expected end? Do you understand that even in the hardest of circumstances, you are to keep your eye on the promise, believing that God has planned a future for you that you can’t even imagine? Whew! I’m getting excited!  I feel God pushing me and you toward our destinies. Because that’s what it’s all about, right? The enemy desires to cut you off from fulfilling your purpose but God has declared that He has plans for you that include a future and a hope! You may have been struggling for a long time but God sees you at the end of it and you are better and stronger. You may have had to survive some deep hurts and disappointments but you have made it and you will get to your promise. Why? Because He planned it that way! He planned for you to get all that He promised! It’s your expected end!

I want to declare to you today that you are right there! I want to agree with you that if you just keep living and obeying, that you get to that future! Don’t grow weary in your well doing! Don’t give up on your praying! Don’t walk away from your sowing! God is going to show up right on time and carry you to your destiny. He’s going to do just what He promised and it will be for your good and for your future. Oh get excited, saints! Your expected end is coming and it’s mighty good!

Amen                                                                               

Go time!

It’s been a crazy day and I'm super late getting Rhema out but I couldn't let this month end without a post! So here goes, straight to the point! God said to me, it's GO time! Time to move from just dreaming about the vision and put some legs to it. It's time to stop saying what should or could happen and start doing. It's time to stop being content with just walking around carrying weight and instead push your purpose out. Are you ready? It's go time!

One of the scariest but most exciting times I have ever experienced was when I went into labor with my first child. Although, I was terrified at the thought of the pain of labor, I knew that my baby was on the other side of the pain. I knew that I would have to go through whatever it took to get to see the precious gift that I had been waiting all of those months for. And so it is with you! God has been building and preparing you for this moment. He's been speaking to your heart and developing a desire to see what you've been praying for so that when it’s time to push, you aren't afraid. He wants you to know today that the pain will all be worth it when you see what He has been doing. It's go time!

So here you are! Feeling the urge to push and not sure what to do? Well, rest assured that God is with you! He is in the delivery room serving in every capacity – coach, father,and doctor. He is the one encouraging you to stay calm and trust the process. He is the one telling you when to push so that you will stay on schedule. He is the one holding your hand and saying it will be alright. You see, though God wants you to be all that He has called you to be, He doesn't want you to be hurt. He doesn't want you to be premature with your delivery and risk death or struggle. He wants you to trust Him and His timing. It's go time!

Before I go, let me say this! Sometimes it can be easy to take yourself off the hook when you don't think something applies to you. If God has been talking to you about doing more in ministry, it's go time! If He has been talking to you about being a light in your family, it's go time! If he has been saying, start your book, visit that church, go back to school, it's go time! Don't miss what God is saying because I didn't name your particular issue or situation. It's time to move! “For if you listen to the word and don't obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard. Then God will bless you for doing it." (James 1:23-25 NLT)

It's go time, Saints! There's purpose, destiny, peace, and breakthrough coming forth aynd you don't want to miss it!

Amen

Get out of the way!

“I like small and intimate!” “I’m not going to tell anyone what I’m doing so maybe it will just be a few people” “I love writing Rhema because it’s just me and God.” Those are some of the things that I said to myself and other people as I attempted to control what “my baby” would look like. I said, hoped for, and even prayed for what I was comfortable with. Notice that I didn’t say that God said that was how it should be. Nope…it was all me! The confessions of a control freak…sigh! Anyone else out there guilty of telling God what you would and wouldn’t do? It’s okay, you can admit it. Well, today the Lord had something for all of the control freaks out there.  Ready? Stop trying to control what He is preparing. You aren’t in charge of the manifestation but you are in charge of the gestation period. What are you doing with it?  Get out of the way!

Gestation is the process of carrying or being carried in the womb between conception and birth. It’s the development of something over a period of time. I guess you would say that it’s the more technical term for pregnancy. As the one carrying that vision, that plan, that idea to delivery, you are responsible for what you feed it, the environment that you allow it to grow in and the protection that you give it. So many of you are like me, in that you want to know every little thing that is happening, in hopes that you can avoid the unknown. But God is using this time not just for your vision but also for you. He’s healing your heart so that you have the ability to love and care for what He’s given you. He’s strengthening your core so that you have the endurance to make it through the pains that will inevitably come. He’s expanding you so that you have the capacity to grow what He’s prepared. Stop trying to control the outcome and instead take advantage of this time that He is given you.

So here’s the thing: delivery is coming! Just because you can’t control it, doesn’t mean that it’s not coming. A lot of you are at a stage in your life where God is asking you to do some things that are uncomfortable. He is stretching you and calling you outside of your comfort zone. He has given some very clear directives but you are having a hard time turning those instructions into action. Well it’s time for that to change. It’s time for you to move out of God’s way and let Him take you into manifestation. All He needs from you is your yes and your obedience. You don’t have to be afraid of the next step, you just need to be open to it.

I know that some of you are tired of this birthing theme but God won’t let me leave it alone. He is so serious about you moving through gestation and into delivery. He keeps showing me how valuable the whole process is to your victory and breakthrough. It’s a whole lesson on releasing control and depending on Him for everything. What would happen if you focused in on what God was doing during this gestation period instead of running away from it or trying to control it? What would happen if you used this time to simplify the other areas in your life so that you have the time and focus to do what He is calling you to do? Come on, saints! Get out of the way and watch God bring everything He has shown you to pass…

Amen

Just do it!

Happy Thursday, family! For those that look for an early Rhema, I apologize! I've been traveling  and getting in a place to actually write has been a challenge. From lots of moving around to not feeling well, to work, my day has been crazy. So I will get right to the point of what God shared with me today. Ready? Here goes... Complete the assignment! Finish whatever it is that God has been talking to you about for the last few years, months, and days. In the words of Nike, “just do it”! God showed me today that no matter what came against me – distractions, confusion, sickness, the assignment didn't change. He told me that if I would just do what He says, He would always get me to the finish line. The key is in the obedience to what He has said. You can't complete anything that you don't start!

I know what's coming next! I can almost hear the chorus of “but the enemy…” Nope! It's time out for using the enemy as an excuse. He’s real but he’s definitely played out! You serve a God that is bigger than any other. He is the King of kings and the Lord of lords, the Great I Am. The enemy cannot hold a candle to the One that sits high and looks low. And if you are really honest, the enemy doesn't have to do all that much to mess you up. If he can throw one small distraction in your path, your whole plan for the day can be shot. It's happened to me more times than I can count. You know,  something minor becomes major within minutes because it happened at a key moment in time. Think about it, how many times have you been working on a project and someone called you and all of a sudden your focus shifts and your project is pushed to the side or forgotten? A lot, right?! But as we talked about last week, this is birth month!  God has set some things before you and given you a due date. You cannot afford to allow the enemy’s tricks to sidetrack you anymore. You have an assignment to complete!

I want to close with the words of Paul as he was writing to the Corinthian church. It took me completely by surprise because he is talking about giving and it wasn't what I was looking for.  But his words both blessed and challenged me to push forward towards completion. I wanted to share it with you in the Message translation because it spoke to me.  “So here’s what I think: The best thing you can do right now is to finish what you started last year and not let those good intentions grow stale. Your heart’s been in the right place all along. You’ve got what it takes to finish it up, so go to it. Once the commitment is clear, you do what you can, not what you can’t. The heart regulates the hands.”(2 Cor.‬ ‭8:10-12 ‭MSG) This is a clear lesson about giving but what greater gift can you give the Lord than honoring His purpose and plan for your life? So let's get to it! It's time to let your heart push your hands to move. It's time to stop letting the enemy talk you out of expansion. It's time to tell fear and worry to exit so that faith and trust can enter. Its’ time to acknowledge the contractions and head to the delivery room! It's time, Saints, to complete your assignment!

Amen

Turn, baby, turn!

Happy September, Rhema readers! It’s a new month and it’s time to move! I was on Prophetess Nakia Davis’ conference call on Saturday and she reminded me that it is the 9^th month… birthing month. Time to push out those things that God has been preparing in you! After the call, the idea of birthing out stayed with me. It spurred me to action because I started to think about what God has been saying to me for years that I just plain refused to pursue. So I made up in my mind that day and declared that I am ready for labor. How about you? What have you been sitting on? What have you been avoiding? What have you allowed to become overdue? Whew! It’s birth month! So it was interesting to me when God spoke to me on the track yesterday and said, “Be careful of the breech”. Sounded deep to me and I struggled with it all day about what I was supposed to do with that. Then I realized that He was talking to me about positioning. So here’s the question! Do you need to turn your baby?

Most babies will move into delivery position (head down) a few weeks before birth. They are preparing for their big entrance into the world. However, in 3-5% of deliveries, the babies are breech. When a baby is breech, its body is positioned in way that its bottom or feet will be delivered first. This is not the most ideal position for labor and can make a traditional birth difficult or even impossible, resulting in a C-section. So y’all know that I was on the track looking around, wondering what in the world I was supposed to do with all of this information. I looked up some of the reasons how a baby could end up in breech and the majority were about the environment in which the baby developed in. Size and shape of the uterus, location of the placenta, even how much amniotic fluid can all contribute to what position the baby presents in. Then the Lord began to talk to me about the importance of conditions and positioning. Do you need to turn your baby?

He said there are some things that a mother cannot control about their pregnancy. However, there are some things that can and that’s what He said was important. Look at what God has been growing in you. Have you prepared the right environment for that baby to develop well? Have you been feeding your spirit with healthy foods? Have you been drinking of the living water? Have you been exercising your spirit with worship and praise? Have you been creating an environment that is conducive to good positioning? You see, you can also create an environment that is not. Smoking and excess weight gain can both increase the likelihood of a breech baby. What are you allowing to clog up your thinking and limit your vision? What extra baggage are you carrying that is slowing your progress? God wants the conditions right so that your labor can be smooth. Do you need to turn your baby?

You see, some babies will turn themselves but others need help. A doctor can perform a procedure where he/she pushes the baby into the head down position using firm but gentle pressure. There are even things that the mother can do. What is your point, Ebony? God wants your purpose, your ministry, your victory to be positioned for success. He wants the environment prepared for good positioning. He wants your spirit ready to birth out what He has been growing in you. Some of you will need the help of a spiritual midwife and some of you are prepared to do the necessary turning. Remember, labor is not easy! It’s called labor for a reason because it’s work. It’s going to require some sweat and tears, some stretching and some pain but in the end, you will have results. If your baby is in the right position, it certainly makes the labor easier. Come on, you’re getting close now! If your baby is out of position, start turning it. Start changing the environment that your baby is developing in. Make sure you are preparing so that when it’s time for the birth, it’s starting from the right position.

AMEN

 

It's a new day!

This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it! Today, I don’t have a formal topic or word, I just have what God put in my spirit. It ministered to me before it ever hit this blog. I pray that you are encouraged but mostly that you are spurred into action!

Welcome to your new day! This is the day of victory in your mind and in your spirit! This is the day that you step out on faith and walk on water. This is the day that you find your voice and speak your truth. This is the day that you look at what was and declare that it doesn’t compare to what will be. This is the day of reckoning! This is the day that the enemy must be called to account for his actions. He must make retribution for what he has done. No longer can he keep your peace, your joy, or your freedom. No longer can he control your mind or your forward progress. This is the day that you take back what he has stolen. It’s a new day! Do you understand? This is a new day!

It is time to make some decisions about who you will be and your decision is not contingent on people or opinions. God has some mighty things for you to do and it’s time out for inaction based on other people. It’s time out for not walking in your truth because it will make someone else uncomfortable. It’s time out for missing God because you’re keeping up with people. It’s time out for frustration with your assignments because people won’t get in order. It’s a new day!

How much longer will you live like one who has no hope? How much longer will you be satisfied with the status quo? How much longer will almost be good enough? Today is the day of decision. Today is when you say that you will live. Today is when you say you will be victorious. Today is when you start your book, record your song, do your business plan. Today is the day you call your sister, forgive your father, renew your covenant with your husband. Today is the day of action! It’s a new day!

I leave you with the words of Zacharias when his voice was restored after John the Baptist’s birth.

“All this will flow from the kind and compassionate mercy of our God.

A new day is dawning:
        the Sunrise from the heavens will break through in our darkness,
⁷⁹     And those who huddle in night,
        those who sit in the shadow of death,
    Will be able to rise and walk in the light,^[g]
        guided in the pathway of peace. (Luke 1:78-79, VOICE)

This is a new day! I pray that you walk in it…AMEN

Remember who I am...

This morning as I was praying about what to share with you, I simply heard God say, “Remind them…” Okay, God, what do you want me to remind them of? And He said, “Remind them who I am…” So today is about encouraging you to remember who God is and what He has said concerning you.

You see, a reminder is a message or communication designed to ensure that someone remembers something. Sometimes when your circumstances get really hard, you need someone to remind you that you will make it. When your symptoms are flaring up and you find it hard to remember your faith, you need someone to remind you that you are healed. When your bank account is empty and you have no check on the way, you need someone to remind you that you are provided for. Well, today, God wants you to remember who He is. He wants you to remember that He’s the God that met the Israelites at the Red Sea. He wants you to remember that He’s the God whose eyes go to and fro in the earth looking for those that He can show Himself strong for. He wants you to remember that He’s the God that saw you before you were in your mother’s womb and knew that you would be great. Today, He wants to remind you of who He is.

It’s interesting that God is asking me to remind you about who He is because a majority of Rhema readers are already strong Christians. You know how to pray and how to seek His face. But God said to me that you are the ones that need it most. You are the one that pours out the encouragement to everyone else. You are the one that fasts and intercedes on the behalf of others. You are the one that people ask for advice and wisdom. But you are also the one that struggles to believe for yourself. You are the one that the enemy constantly attacks in your mind and in your body. You are the one that has had to endure hurt and betrayal because of your calling. So today, God is reminding YOU that He is with you.  He is reminding YOU that He is for you. He is reminding YOU that He has your concerns before Him and your name written in His palm.

“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; His understanding is unsearchable.” (Is. 40:28, ESV) Sometimes when issues and situations go on for a long time, you can get concerned that God has forgotten your plight. But the word says that He doesn’t grow weary or faint. He is the great God that stays with you until the end. “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” (Deut. 31:8). God is reminding you that you don’t have to be afraid or concerned. He is with you and for you!

Don’t you love that God wants you to keep His promises at the forefront of your mind? Don’t you love that you serve a God that wants you to remember who He is so the enemy can’t stop you. Don’t you love that you serve Elohim, the almighty God? So as I’m closing, the Lord gave me this last passage to give you. I pray that it reminds and encourages you of where you stand in Him. I don’t care what you are facing. Grief, unemployment, stress, betrayal, loneliness, divorce, financial struggle…God is a present help in your situation and He wants you to always remember who He is. He’s big enough for every challenge or test.  “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 hold 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. 41:10-14, NLT)

Remember who He is…AMEN

Clean sweep...

When God gave me Rhema, He talked to me about wholeness and freedom for people. Every message was basically a charge or encouragement to live your best life. In most cases, that required some form of self examination or honesty. Sometimes, they would be sweet, soothing posts of gentle pushing; while other times, I would be shocked at what God was giving me to say. At the heart of it, He was calling you (and ME!) to deliverance from what has held you bound. Well, today I heard the phrase “clean sweep”. I immediately got nervous because that phrase just sounds deep, doesn't it? Well, that's because it is! God isn't playing anymore. He's not playing with you and He's not playing with me! He has put some pretty clear instructions and assignments on the table and He is ready for them to be picked up and completed. It's time to get in position and that old stuff that you keep going back to? Well, it's got to GO! Time for a clean sweep…

 
So as I sat down to write, I wondered what scripture He was going to follow that up with. But before I could finish forming the question, He reminded me of a couple key verses and I sat up straight! He's not playing FOR REAL!  But before I get to the scripture I need to say this. As I mentioned last week, a lot of times, people generally don't like to admit to needing to be delivered from anything. Church folk are especially guilty of this! It's easier to say that it's for other people than to admit that you struggle with something. I believe that God wouldn't let me move away from this topic because some folk still dismissed what He said last week as “being for somebody else.” Well let me make this really plain! You ready? We all need deliverance from something! I'm so sorry if that hurt your feelings! But if you are still walking around mad at your fellow church member for something they “did” to you 10 years ago or holding onto what your ex-husband did and it's keeping you from moving on? You need deliverance! If you have to be in charge of what's happening in everyone else's life so that it lines up with your plans or no one can tell you anything because you know everything, you need deliverance! If you look in the mirror and can’t celebrate who is looking back at you or you have to downgrade someone else so that you can feel better, you need deliverance. You see, God wants to get into all of the cracks and crevices and get all those things that we won't name or acknowledge.  He wants to get the anger, the feelings of rejection, the heartbreak that have held you in place. He wants to free you of the memories of your past, the loss and the grief that kept you from being all that He called you to be. He wants to release you from the jealousy, the fear of failure and the expectations of people that have affected how you live your life. Time for a clean sweep…

 Everyone likes to quote Peter when he says in 1 Peter 2:9, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;” Remember that? Well earlier in the chapter in verses 1-3, Peter challenged his Christian audience to come out of all that wasn't like God and be whole. The Message version says, “So clean house! Make a clean sweep of malice and pretense, envy and hurtful talk. You’ve had a taste of God. Now, like infants at the breast, drink deep of God’s pure kindness. Then you’ll grow up mature and whole in God.” (1 Peter 2:1-3 MSG) Don't you want to be mature and whole and really live up to your position in the royal priesthood? God is willing and able to create in you a clean heart and renew a right spirit within you. He is prepared to transform your heart and renew your mind but it is up to you. You must take action towards your own deliverance and freedom. That verse required the people to drink deep of God’s goodness!They had to act, they had to take a step, they had to touch God! Ladies and gentlemen, it's time for a clean sweep…

As I close, I want to encourage you to walk in truth this week. Ask God to get out His flashlight and go through your heart. Ask Him to reveal to you the areas that have kept you stagnant and unmoving. Ask Him to show you the root of issues instead of just the symptoms. I hear you asking, why would I want to drag all of that old stuff up? The answer is actually quite simple. If those things still have the power to stop, hurt, or control you, they aren't really gone anyway. I will warn you though! As God begins to deal with your heart and sweep those old things up and out, you must replace them with the Word! You must fill your spirit with what God says about you. God is calling you to great things and He doesn't want old things to stop you from experiencing the new things He has in store for you! Time for a clean sweep!

 

Amen…

 

Will you be made whole?

This has been a week of self-examination for me. God has been taking me back to different situations and showing me how I responded to them. He’s been making me go beyond the emotion and look at the root. I started to see places where I rested and places where I got stuck. I saw places where I stood for the right and places where I fell for a trick. I saw places of maturity and places where it was blatantly missing. I saw ME. I know that God has been taking me through this process because things are changing in me, around me, and with me. What God has for me to do, requires me to be in a place of truth. And so it is with you! I don’t know where you are right now and I don’t know what God has been saying to you but I know that He is calling His people to wholeness and truth so that the world can be taken for the Kingdom. This might sound deep but it’s true. God is speaking and moving and if you don’t get on board with what He’s saying, you are going to miss it! This isn’t even what I thought I was supposed to be saying but this is what God is giving me. It’s time out for stale worship and bound up spirits. Freedom and deliverance are available and God wants you to take advantage of it! He wants you whole so that you can do what He has placed inside of you!

I know that this is making some of you nervous. When you say the word deliverance, people tend to get uncomfortable. There is a perception that it is all throwing up and exorcisms and that you have to have a demon to need deliverance. Wrong! There are times when that is very much what happens with deliverance but at the heart of it, it is a rescue from bondage or danger. It is to be set free from what has held you captive or bound up.  Some of you are walking around bound up because you are under the misconception that deliverance isn’t for you. If you are still dealing with memories and the effects of something that was done to you in your childhood, you need deliverance. If you are always angry and don’t understand why, you need deliverance. If you lie all the time, you need deliverance. It’s not just addiction and depression, those just tend to be visible. But God wants you free of those hidden things, those things that come up in the night, and those things that you secretly relive. You were meant to live a SOZO life which is saved, delivered and set free!

When David was on the run from Saul, there was a point when He was a captive of the Philistines and he had to act crazy to get away from them. He was at one of the lowest points of his life and God delivered him. He wrote Psalm 34 during this period and his words are speaking to me this morning. “When I needed the Lord, I looked for Him; I called out to Him, and He heard me and responded. He came and rescued me from everything that made me so afraid.  Look to Him and shine, so shame will never contort your faces.  This poor soul cried, and the Eternal heard me. He rescued me from my troubles. The messenger of the Eternal God surrounds everyone who walks with Him and is always there to protect and rescue us.” (Ps. 34: 4-7, VOICE) God is listening for your voice! He’s waiting to hear you and respond, if you just trust Him enough to cry out for deliverance, for rescue.

Folks, God is speaking truth and wholeness! Do you hear Him? Is He challenging you to deal with some hard issues in your life? Is He pressing you to look internally and evaluate what you see? You cannot fully walk into wholeness if you can’t be honest with yourself and God. There has to be acknowledgement in order to move to deliverance to then move to wholeness. My prayer for each of you today, is that God will give you clarity to see yourself, a willingness to be delivered from anything that has held you bound, and the lasting joy of freedom and wholeness. I pray that every hard place would be softened and every old hurt erased. I pray that peace would replace chaos in your spirit and joy would reign in your life. And no matter what you face, remember that “many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” (Ps 34:19, NKJV)

Amen