Press on...

For the last 2 days, my voice has been almost non-existent. I literally sound a hot mess!  But even through that, I’ve had to do at least 4 Skype interviews both days. Imagine that! The interesting thing is that though it was an absolute struggle to get through, I made it. The conditions weren’t what I wanted them to be and the people didn’t miraculously cancel like I prayed that they would, but I made it. I had to take to my bed afterwards, but I MADE IT! God gave me just enough voice to carry out my assignment. So I wanted to encourage you to keep pressing through the hard spaces. Keep plugging away at the challenging relationships that you have to deal with. Keep standing in the difficult seasons of your life no matter how long they seem to be. Why? Because God will always give you what you need to complete the assignment. So I’m here to encourage you today to trust in the consistent and faithful God! Trust that what He promised you will come to pass…

Hebrews 10:32 – 39 blessed my soul today! I mean it really blessed me because I needed a reminder that God was in this with me. Not in the sense that I thought He had gone missing but like that hug you get from your mama or your best friend that tells you that you aren’t by yourself.  You know what I mean? That back rub or cheek touch that says they are there. That’s what the Lord gave me through this word today. If you have been going through challenges or wondering what to make of the circumstances you’re in, perhaps you can relate. You see, Paul was reminding the Jews of who Christ was and what He did for them. He didn’t want them focus on what was but look to who Christ IS.

Instead, think back to the days after you were first enlightened and understood who Jesus was: when you endured all sorts of suffering in the name of the Lord, when people held you up for public scorn and ridicule, or when they abused your partners and companions in the faith.  Remember how you had compassion for those in prison and how you cheerfully accepted the seizure of your possessions, knowing that you have a far greater and more enduring possession.  Remember this, and do not abandon your confidence, which will lead to rich rewards.  Simply endure, for when you have done as God requires of you, you will receive the promise.  As the prophet Habakkuk said,

In a little while, only a little longer,
    the One who is coming will come without delay.
 But My righteous one must live by faith,
    for if he gives up his commitment,
My soul will have no pleasure in him.

My friends, we are not those who give up hope and so are lost; but we are of the company who live by faith and so are saved. (Heb. 10:32-39 The Voice)

You see this scripture takes you back to the beginning of your faith! You know, when you completely trusted that God was with you and you stood on that. It reminds you that there is greater coming. It reminds you that in a little while, Christ will return and you won’t have to endure the struggles of this life anymore. It reminds you that those big giants can’t defeat you because you understand who Jesus is in your life. Saints, be encouraged! Know that if you simply endure and do what God has asked of you, you will receive the promise. You are not one to give up hope! No, you live by faith and so you are saved! And what does saved mean? You are whole, complete, healed, delivered and set free! I challenge you to walk in that and press on!

Amen

It's time to come up...

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that I just want God. I want to be where He is and feel His presence. I want my decisions and my destinations to line up with His will and purpose for my life. I want my reactions and responses to be in sync with His Word. I don’t want to be distracted by man or the world. Money will come and go and so will people. Jobs will change and even where you live will not always be the same but God…He is a constant. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. He doesn’t change and He doesn’t leave. I think I can say all of this definitively now because there was a time when the presence of God was not a priority in my life. I just wanted a good time. Even at church, I just wanted it to be fun. I wanted to sing the “right” songs and hear an upbeat happy sermon without anyone telling me what I needed to get right. I just wanted the end result without the process. Unfortunately, there are quite a few folks that are still in that same place but today God is calling us higher. He’s saying it’s time to come up! It’s time to stop settling for what the world says is your best and seek after His Kingdom and righteousness because there’s a whole lot of “all” to be added to you (Matt. 6:33). It’s time to stop expecting the church to come down to your level when God desires you to leave the elementary principles of Christ and go on to perfection (Heb. 6:1). It’s time to come up.

I’m definitely not comfortable writing this type of message but God has put a burden on my heart to pray for His people to grow up. I’ve heard of too many churches fighting about things that have nothing to do with God’s business. I’ve seen too many Christians focused on judging the world instead of praying for redemption and salvation. It’s time to come up, saints. It’s time to take your focus off of what man and the world wants you to be doing and concentrate on what God wants you to do. It’s time to live your life like you know who you belong to. Paul always kept it real with the churches that he visited and prayed for. He wanted them to be better and live the life that God intended them to have. His words still speak loudly to you and me thousands of years later. Look at what He says about how to live a life dependent on God and not the world or the law in Galatians 2: 19 – 20. “… I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn’t work. So I quit being a “law man” so that I could be God’s man. Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that.” (MSG) There has to come a point where you recognize that your life is not your own and you start living it with Christ in control. It’s not about you but rather the God that lives inside of you. It’s time to come up.

You see, every day God is waiting to pour into you, talk to you and fellowship with you. He’s ever ready to meet with you. The question is are you waiting to meet Him? Are you giving your day, your appointments, your everything over to God’s leading?  Or are you letting the distractions of people, technology, and life keep you from seeing God? It’s hard to admit that you might fall into the last category, but the truth of the matter is that most of us do at times! The key is being aware of where you might be falling short and making changes. Make sure your priorities line up with God’s word and will. You don’t have time to miss what He’s doing by focusing on the wrong things. So no more seeking after things that will fade away. No more chasing after people that can’t heal you. No more losing sleep about what you don’t have. It’s time to listen. It’s time to obey.  It’s time to come up.

Amen…

FOCUS!

As I was in prayer for what to write today, all I could hear was the chorus of “Jesus, Beautiful One” by Bethel Worship, “We love Your name, Jesus! You’re the beautiful One!” I heard it over and over again. I kept trying to shake it so that I could focus on what God was trying to tell me to write and all of a sudden my eyes popped open. I heard it clear as day! Put your focus back where it belongs! It hit me in the gut but I got excited, y’all! It’s a new year and it’s a great time to do a focus check! Who or what are you using as a guide as you start this new year? Well…God told me this morning that there’s only one right answer and that’s JESUS!

Let me just start by telling you that there is nothing happening in your life that Jesus is not aware of. You know what’s even better than that? He is continually interceding for you. Hebrews 7:24 -25 reminds us that, “because Jesus lives forever, His priesthood lasts forever. Therefore He is able, once and forever to save those who come to God through Him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.” (NLT) If you are saved, that’s you! You see, sometimes the enemy wants you to think that you are going through this life on your own. Nobody cares that your finances are mess. Nobody sees your sadness about the loss of a loved one. Nobody is praying for you like you pray for everyone else. Nobody understands why you aren’t married yet. The enemy’s job is to magnify those thoughts and feelings to the point that everything you do is through the filter of what you don’t have. But Jesus, oh Jesus! He is the beautiful one and He is before the Father advocating on your behalf. He is celebrating that His blood covered all of your mess. He is relishing in the fact that the enemy’s future is already decided and He is victorious.  Put your focus back where it belongs!

Sometimes you just need to think about who Jesus is! When everything seems dark in your life, He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12 ESV) When you are struggling and trying to figure out which way to go, He said, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” (Rev. 22:13) Come on here! That’s your Lord! “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him.” (Matt. 28:18) The story starts and stops with Him! You don’t have to worry about what’s next if you keep your eyes on Jesus. Hebrews 12: 1-2 in the Message translation puts it like this. “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.”  Put your focus back where it belongs!

Hear what I’m saying! If you keep your focus on Christ, you can’t go in the wrong direction or be blinded by what the world presents as happiness. Stop letting man dictate how far you can go, when Jesus said that He would be with you always (Matt. 28:20). Stop worrying about how you will make ends meet when Jesus said, “For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matt. 6:32b -33) Put your focus back on Jesus! He will guide you through sickness, marital issues, a job search, and struggle to victory! That’s what 2 Corinthians 2:14 told me! Read it! God always leads us to triumph in Christ! Put your focus back on Jesus!  So many things will try to claim your attention from the time you wake up until the time you go to sleep but if you do everything through the lens of Jesus Christ, you will find that everything lines up and works for your good. Put your focus back where it belongs and watch God…

 

Amen.

Trust God!

What I have to say to you today is very simple and is something that I’ve said many times on this blog but it bears repeating. Ready? Trust God! Trust Him with everything you have. Trust Him when the circumstances look impossible and you have no answers. Trust Him when the wrong way looks right and the right way looks wrong. Trust Him in sickness. Trust Him in financial distress. Trust Him in your relationships. Trust Him at work, at school and at church. Trust Him! It’s easy to say but hard to do at times, but the end result is a kind of peace that surpasses all understanding.

You see, God isn’t looking for you to do anything that He is not willing and able to support you in. Scary diagnosis? God is Jehovah Raphe, Your Healer. He is there to walk you through doctor’s appointments and scary tests but most of all, He is there to heal you in the best way He sees fit. Financial struggle? God is Jehovah Jireh, Your Provider. He is there when the money doesn’t add up and when your payday is too far away. But most of all, He is there to provide for the need that He has already seen and accounted for. Not sure what to do next? God is Jehovah Rohi, Your Shepherd. He is there to lead you to pasture. You know, to the place where supply is waiting, where protection and comfort are. But most of all, He is there to be your friend, watching you as you go about your daily life and come for you when you wander off on your own path.

Some of you may be wondering why I keep coming back to the names of God. The easy answer is because I love them but I think God brings it back to me for Rhema so often because He is wants you AND me to get it. He wants you to know how to talk to Him. He wants you to know how to tap into the part of Him that you need.  But most of all, He wants you to trust Him. He wants your automatic response to be calling on His name and not panicking. He wants your first words in times of struggle to be “God, I trust You.” He wants the same thing for me!

Over the last several weeks, I have seen sickness, job loss, financial struggles and more but there’s one thing that has been consistent and that’s God’s presence. He is a planner, a present help and best of all, a FINISHER! No matter what the world has thrown your way, He is unchanging and so is His plan. He still wants you to “prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” (3 John 2, NKJV) He still wants you to have a hope and a future. He still wants you to trust Him!  I want you to remember that what God said is true. He “is not a man - He doesn’t lie. God isn’t the son of a man to want to take back what He’s said, or say something and not follow through, or speak and not act on it.” (Numb. 23:19 VOICE)  If He told you that He would provide, He will. If He told you that He would heal, He will. If He told you that He would shift you, He will. God is faithful.

“Against the odds, Abraham’s hope grew into full-fledged faith that he would turn out to be the father of many nations, just as God had promised when He said, “That’s how many your descendants will be.” His faith did not fail, although he was well aware that his impotent body, after nearly 100 years, was as good as dead and that Sarah’s womb, too, was dead. In spite of all this, his faith in God’s promise did not falter. In fact, his faith grew as he gave glory to God because he was supremely confident that God could deliver on His promise. This is why, you see, God saw his faith and counted him as righteous; this is how he became right with God. The story of how faith was credited to Abraham was not recorded for him and him alone, but was written for all of us who would one day be credited for having faith in God, the One who raised Jesus our Lord from the realm of the dead.  He was delivered over to death for our trespasses and raised so that we might be made right with God.” (Romans 4:20, VOICE)

Trust Him!

Amen