At the table...

I heard the phrase, “where I want to take you” this morning as I was driving to work. I immediately felt my spirit jump even before He finished the thought. I just kept hearing that phrase over and over. Interestingly enough, before He said anything else, He reminded me that it was Maundy Thursday. It doesn’t get as much play as Good Friday, obviously, but it’s the day Jesus held the Last Supper with His disciples. It’s a very important event but I wasn’t sure how it related to where God wants to take you or me. So I looked at all four accounts of the Last Supper and waited. Here’s what I saw.

In all four accounts, Jesus says something related to not drinking wine again until He drinks it with the disciples in His Father’s Kingdom. However, in the Luke account, He says something a little different. “And just as my Father has granted me a Kingdom, I now grant you the right  to eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom. And you will sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” (Luke 22:29-30, NLT) All of a sudden, it made sense to me. All that you are experiencing, fighting against, overcoming, living is preparing you for the work you will have in the Kingdom. You see, in that word, Jesus gave access to the Kingdom in a way that He hadn’t before. Sure, He had talked about the keys and how to live but in this instance, He said essentially said that ‘I’m not just giving you entrance to the Kingdom, I’m giving you a seat at the table. I’m giving you elevation and authority. I’m giving you responsibility.’

Here’s the thing though! Having a seat at the table isn’t the prize. It’s having the access and the right to be at the table but the heart of the one who is serving. You see, right before that, Christ identified the betrayal that was in the room. He pointed out that there was someone at the table that did not have the correct mindset or character to be there. In saying that, He wasn’t just letting Judas know that He saw him but also that there is a standard for those with access to the table. When God talks about where He wants to take you, He expects you to go with His heart and His mindset. Why else would he say a couple of verses before this, “In this world the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are called ‘friends of the people.’  But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant.  Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves.” (Luke 22:25-27 NLT)

You see, God wants to take you to a place of power but you have to be prepared for that power. He doesn’t want you to be Pastor and all of a sudden you can’t serve. He doesn’t want you to be CEO and all of a sudden you can’t encourage the janitor. He doesn’t want you to be leader and you can’t strengthen your followers. With access, should come humility and with elevation, should come discernment.  Today, God absolutely wants to take you up. He wants to see you living out the purpose that He has for you. That requires acting as if you have access to the greatest Kingdom and the greatest leader. It means telling your circumstances that they can’t hold you back because you have an assignment in Heaven. It means understanding that what’s coming is better so you don’t have time to waste on what’s behind you.

The door is open and the table is set! Enter in…

Amen

He's still working!

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

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

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

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

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

It's okay!

All morning I have heard the Lord singing, “It’s ok” repeatedly. He then began to place people in my spirit to encourage with those words. I was obedient but I keep feeling like there are more that need to hear what He is saying. I feel like there are more of you that have been struggling to find stability in what seems like the longest transition of your life. I feel like some of you have been trying to be positive when your circumstances have been telling you that you should not be. I even feel like some of you just need someone to encourage you because everyone believes you have it all together. Well, let me just repeat what the Lord said to me. It’s okay. It’s okay to let Me comfort you. It’s okay to release that pressure. It’s okay to need a hug and some encouragement. It’s okay to take a break. It’s okay to take a nap! It’s okay to admit you need help. It is okay!

He then sent me to Isaiah 41:10. It’s one of my favorite scriptures because it is a direct response. It’s the answer to your “I need You, Lord. Where are You?” prayers. It is one of the few scriptures that reads pretty much the same across translations. “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.”(NLT) The Lord wants you to know that you are not on this journey, in this process, dealing with this issue alone. He is present with you and He is holding you up! Here is the key thing that He told me to share with you that is often missed. Did you read the part about how He is holding you? The Lord said with with His victorious and righteous right hand. That’s the hand that He put Jesus next to. That is the hand that if you sit under it, He will make your enemies your footstool. That hand has power. That hand spread out the heavens. That hand is high and strong. The Lord has sworn by that hand. You are in the right place! You are protected and safe. You just need to trust Him that He has you firmly in His grip.

People of God, you are going to be alright. Jehovah Shammah is present with you. No matter what you may be facing today, trust that He is aware and in control of it. Stand strong in who He is and what He is doing and you will be okay. It shall be well with you…

Amen

The name of Jesus!

I had one thought this morning when I sat down to write Rhema and it was simple yet so profound and important. It was Jesus. His name resonated in my spirit all morning and I couldn’t get away from it. Why would I? But I began to think about how much the church has seemed to become desensitized to His name. Sometimes you can call His name and a few will get excited but many will barely react. It’s almost like He has just become a part of what you do at church. You know, sing about Him and read a few verses and acknowledge that He saved you but it all feels a bit disconnected. I want to just remind you today that He is the center of it all. If you walked in church on Sunday and somebody called the name of Jesus and that was it, you will have had CHURCH! Let me tell you why and I will be done.

He is the embodiment of God’s love for you and the reason you have life.
He is your savior and your keeper.
He is your healer.
He is the Almighty One. “The one who is and who was and who is to come!” (Rev.1:8)
He is your Deliverer.
He is the Good Shepherd that laid down His life for His sheep. (John 10:11)
His name is above every name!
At His name, demons tremble and flee.
At His name, every knee must bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord.
He is the Light of the World, Lion of the Tribe of Judah, and the Lamb of God.
He is the Messiah and the Resurrected One
He is the One who sets free and Our Redeemer.
He is Life, Light, and Truth.

Too biblical? Ok…He is the one that healed your body when the doctor had no clue. He is the one that brought your marriage back together when you were ready to throw in the towel. He is the one that saw the best in you when people had counted you out. He is the one that gave you that baby when man said it was impossible. He is, quite simply but yet so powerfully, our hope.

You see, just His name should make you shout. Just His name should remind you of where He brought you from. That’s it…all it should take! No person – mama, daddy, grandma, husband, wife, pastor - has done what Jesus has done for you. No team or artist should get more of your excitement than the One who allowed you to be here. So the next time you hear, think or see the name Jesus, give Him praise and thanks. He deserves it!

Amen

Challenge!

Yesterday was my birthday, and it was great! I felt truly loved and celebrated by those I am close to and those that I do not see often. As I reflected on the day, I was reminded of how important it is to live in purpose. I may not have the most money or be everyone’s favorite person, but I am in the right place. I am walking out the assignment and calling that the Lord gave me. I am living my truth, and it is a beautiful thing.  What about you?

You see, it took a long time for me to operate from a place that wasn’t controlled by other people’s choices and opinions. I can honestly say now that the decisions that I have made have been from obedience and submission, even if that meant making other people uncomfortable. I have found that it is just easier that way. I don’t know if I am reflecting on all of this because of my birthday or not but I do know that my truth is important, and so is yours. One of my godbrothers is incarcerated right now, and he has been going through a transformation through his new relationship with Christ. For my birthday, he sent me a scripture, and it speaks to this moment. “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.” (Gal. 2:20 MSG)

I am excited about what God has in store for me. He promised that the “plans are for good and not disaster, to give [me} a future and a hope.” (Jer 29:11 NLT) My responsibility is to stay in His will and obey what He says. If you are living your life based on making someone feel better, stop. If you are dimming your light so that someone else can shine, stop. If you are moving backward because you are scared to go forward, STOP. The Lord is too big and great and mighty for you to stay small, and contained, and weak. This is your time to shine, and that takes obedience and purpose. Therefore, I challenge you today, to take my birthday challenge and make a bold step in your assignment. For some, it might mean a shift or change; for some, it may be a long-awaited YES, but for all of us, it is moving forward in the Lord. Sooooo…let’s go!

Amen