Who's in your ear?

Hello all! I have been trying for a while now to put into words what the Lord just told me. Wait, I take that back. I have been trying to do this deep explanation so that it would make sense to you instead of just saying it. Clearly, He just wants me to spit it out so I will!

 God is speaking to you and you need to make sure you understand what He is saying. It is time out for interpretation by way of gossip, Facebook, and Google. Rather it is time to get in the position to hear HIM and stay there until you know what God is saying to you. So many of you are missing God because your flesh is speaking louder than He is. Well, actually, it’s just that you have the volume set louder on your flesh. Listen, God is speaking to your future. He is calling you out of old patterns and cycles, and calling you into a new thing. Do not miss it because it is uncomfortable. Do not miss it because it doesn’t go along with your carefully constructed plan. Sometimes, you can feel like God took you on this major side journey, when in fact, it has always been His plan to allow you to experience some challenges so that the responsibility He is preparing you for does not break you. I have been there! I had to experience the pain of bondage, rejection, pain and struggle so that I could pull someone else out of it. But here’s the thing. I had to be willing to go through it. I had to LISTEN to what God was saying and not what my flesh or emotions were saying.

Isaiah 50:4-7 slapped me awake today.  

The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue,
    to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning,
    wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.  The Sovereign Lord has opened my ears;
    I have not been rebellious, I have not turned away.  I offered my back to those who beat me,
    my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face
    from mocking and spitting.  Because the Sovereign Lord helps me,
    I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint,
    and I know I will not be put to shame. (NIV)

Okay, you might have to read that again! Pay attention to what Isaiah is saying. The Sovereign Lord – the one who controls everything and knows everything is about the business of equipping His people for what He instructs them to do. If you are not hearing God the way you need to be, go back and ask Him to “waken your ears to listen like one being instructed”. Ask Him to speak to your spirit so that you will obey without rebellion and fear. Ask Him to remind you that He is with you no matter who comes against you. Isaiah said that he obeyed God through suffering and mockery because He knew that because the Lord was with Him, He would not be disgraced or put to shame. Can you say the same? Is your face set like flint because you know that God will do what He said?

Listen, friend, don’t you dare make another move out of fear or emotion! Don’t you go one more day without listening to what God is saying to you about your future. And PLEASE, don’t let someone else’s fear or perceptions make you do something that God did not speak to you! If you have ears to hear and eyes to see what the Lord is saying, you will get through every challenge on your way to destiny.  You will grow through the hard place and advance through your obedience. You have what you need! John 10:27 says, “My sheep respond as they hear My voice; I know them intimately, and they follow Me.” (VOICE) Come on, saints! It’s time to stop being led by your flesh and listen to the right voice.

Amen

More than you thought!

Happy Thanksgiving, family! I pray that this day is a blessed time for you and yours. I wanted to be able to share a whole entry centered around giving thanks and being blessed but it just isn’t what I got. Sigh…why me, Lord? So instead of all that thanksgiving joy, I woke up with the phrase “stranger in the land” floating around in my spirit. What does that mean?! So I went on a search and found quite a few scriptures that mentioned a similar phrase but the Lord highlighted a passage that seemingly had nothing to do with anything. As I kept reading, I began to understand why. Normally, I don’t do this but I am going to put the whole scripture here for you.

“As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water. Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?” The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!”” (Mark‬ ‭4:35-41‬ ‭NLT)‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

You might have to read this again because I want you to get this. Put yourself in the place of the disciples so that you don’t make the same mistake. This scene take place after many parables and much teaching.  Jesus decides that it is time to go to the other side. There is no discussion or questions, He makes the call and they go. On the way, He goes to sleep on the way hoping that what He had taught the disciples was enough to sustain them until they got to the next place. We see that the disciples were unsuccessful because they looked at the storm and forgot what they had with them and they fell apart.

Many of you are going through seasons of transition and you may be struggling through it.  Trust me! I get it because I’ve been there. It can be scary and unsettling when you know you are going somewhere but are unsure of whether you have what it takes to get there. Here’s the thing though. You are not by yourself on the journey. Not only is Christ with you, everything that He has poured into you is with you too. I believe Jesus got so frustrated with the disciples because not only had they gotten the teaching He gave to the crowds plus additional explanation, they had access to Him. He was constantly teaching them.  But instead of standing on what they knew, they jumped to fear. They reverted to how they used to handle things instead of remembering the power that was with them. They forgot that whatever came against them could be handled with a word.

Listen, everything around you may look different. Your next might feel like your last and your now might feel like never but today I am calling on you to step out of your emotions and trust in the facts. You see, the Lord showed me that the idea of being a stranger in the land wasn’t about being lost or scared but rather of being different from where you started. What you are stepping into has already been prepared for you. The land is the other side. Even if you are unfamiliar with what is waiting for you, the process of getting you there has been intentional and strategic. You have been poured into, taught, and equipped for where you are going. Never let what comes up on the journey take you outside of what you know to be true. Everything must bow to the Christ who is with you. So go forth to the other side. You have the Man who controls the winds & the waves with you!

Amen

Still the same!

Transition is a funny thing. Its ultimate goal is to take you to a new place but it often feels like the hardest journey you have ever taken. Whether you are leaving a home or changing positions, the temptation to stay is always so strong, even when you know you are doing the right thing. There has been a lot of transition and shifting in my life over the last 2-3 years. I have been called out of just about every comfortable and familiar place that you could imagine. It has been challenging and I have cried many tears but I am still here. In fact, I am still here and much stronger. I realized why this morning after hearing Shana Wilson Williams sing this one line in my head over and over again. “You stay the same.” It was on constant repeat. Finally, the Lord asked me if I had gotten it yet. I realized that I had. No matter what is going on in my life, He doesn’t change. The Lord is the same yesterday, today and forever. I know, I know! That’s one of the churchiest phrases there is. But guess what? It is the Word and it is a promise!

Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” It is snuggled in between a verse about remembering your spiritual leaders, and not being taken in by new ideas because your strength comes from God’s grace. I don’t think I have ever paid much attention to what was around that verse before. I just liked the idea that Jesus was consistent so I focused on that. However, today it made sense to me why that verse would be smack dab in the middle of a chapter that gives advice about everything from hospitality and marriage to how to serve and be in relationship. It is because your stability is in Christ. It is the best kind of visual for an English major like me! It’s all about being able to identify the most important theme or lesson in the midst of many important ideas. Listen! No matter what you are being challenged with, facing, or trying to overcome, the Lord does not change. Whether your entire life flips 180 degrees tomorrow, Jesus will still be loving you the exact same way – fully and completely.

It is so important that when you are going through some sort of transition, you dig down deeper into your relationship with Christ. You have to in order to survive. Which explains why the old saints sang “on Christ the Solid Rock I stand, all other ground Is sinking sand” with such conviction. Everything can shift but Christ will be a constant support. People of God, transition is not so scary when you realize that the important things are still the same. My prayer for you today is that you allow the consistency of Christ to carry you through the ups and downs of change. I pray that you seek Him more and more and believe Him when He responds. I am going to leave you with verse 3 of the great hymn by Edward Mote, The Solid Rock.

His oath, His covenant, His blood
Support me in the whelming flood;
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.

He stays the same even when nothing else does.

Amen

Take it back!

There comes a place in your life where you know who you are in God. For some it takes many years and lived experiences to get there. For others, it comes earlier in life, even if it requires several confirmations and reminders. What I have discovered is that who God sees in you doesn’t change, it is your awareness of it or even willingness to accept it that really changes. When I think back over my life, I heard God and people call out the things that I am walking out now but I was unwilling to accept them as possible. People said I would be a writer but I could not see myself writing a book or so I ignored it. People said I would impact women but I could not see myself pouring into women so I downplayed it. Do you see a theme developing? Who God created me to be was always there but I was unprepared or unwilling to accept it. My encouragement to you today is to take back what is yours!

The enemy’s primary goal is to destroy God’s people. One of the best ways to do that is to convince the person that they are unable to achieve their purpose. Think about that sneaky little whisper that Satan uses. It speaks the opposite of what God has said about you. You aren’t worthy. You aren’t smart enough. You can’t do that. You don’t have the resources. You are a failure.  Blah blah blah… The interesting thing about those words is that, in most cases, if a person came up to you and said those things you would get angry, indignant, and go off. However, when the enemy says it, it somehow gains all of this power and traction in your mind. Well today, it is time to tell HELL no! It is time to take back what is yours!

What are you saying, Ebony? Well, I’m reminded of what the Lord said to Jeremiah when He called Him to be a prophet. “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” (Jer. 1:5 NLT) What would happen if you decided to come into agreement with what God set you apart for in the womb? Let that sink in. Okay…Then He said, “And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you.” (Jer. 1: 8 NLT) Do you think God just meant that for Jeremiah? Nope. He is Jehovah Sabaoth, the Lord of Hosts, our Protector. What would happen if you decided to stop letting people define you with titles and opinions and began to walk out who God called you to be?

Sooooo…what do I mean when I say take back what is yours? I mean take back your name from whoever has tried to make it stand for something other than what God intended. I mean take back your identity from whoever or whatever has tried to distort or confuse it from what God ordained. I mean take back your confidence from your past mistakes and circumstances. You do not owe your past anything! I mean take back your peace from whatever or whoever has tried to run away with it. I mean take back your joy from depression and grief. Those spirits do not have a legal right to your mind unless you allow it. Come on, saints of God! What God said about you has not changed so if you have thought or been told differently, shut it down and take back what is yours!

Amen

You can keep that, Judas!

I thought about an emotion this morning that I don’t often think or write about – regret. Well let me clarify! I have regretted things before…missing an opportunity, not attending an event, losing contact with an old friend. But today the Lord talked to me about regret in relation to obedience. Obedience is so serious to God but sometimes you have thought about an instruction for so long that your voice sounds like God. All of a sudden, you are operating under a false obedience and end up in a mess. Today, I want to encourage you to not let the wrong voice leave you with regret.

“When Judas, who had betrayed him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and the elders. “I have sinned,” he declared, “for I have betrayed an innocent man.” “What do we care?” they retorted. “That’s your problem.””(Matthew‬ ‭27:3-4‬ ‭NLT‬‬)‬‬‬‬

Judas, Lord?! Really? The more I thought about it though, the more it made sense. You see, Judas had a real opportunity to grow in Christ and be a leader in the most powerful growing movement in the world. He got the teaching, the presence, and the experience but he missed his next level because he let Satan turn the volume up on his voice. Think about it! The Bible says that he was filled with remorse when he realized that his choices had real consequences. When he did, he tried to correct it but it was too late.

As the Lord really talked to me about Judas, I realized that his story is so important because he died with that regret. He died wishing he could have done something different. I believe what he had missed out on, by choosing the wrong path, spoke loudly in his mind and he couldn’t handle it. The Lord said something powerful to me this morning.  He said regret hurts worse than shift, discomfort or growth. Why? Because regret has no resolution. You can get another opportunity but it won’t ever be that same one. Judas realized that he obeyed the wrong voice and he couldn’t take it back.

Saints, make sure that you are obeying the right voice. Make sure your flesh is not attempting to sabotage your next level. Make sure your emotions are not guiding your decisions. I believe Judas is the wake up call for today. What he could have been is forever replaced by what he decided to do.   You have the opportunity to let obedience lead you to your next. Be sure you have Jesus obedience and not Judas regret.

Amen