Trust the plan!

Have you ever woken up and wondered how you got where you are? Sometimes it's a positive question and you happily meditate on the goodness of God and how everything is lining up in your favor. Sometimes it's a more reflective time when you think back over your journey and how God has brought you through. But there are also those times when you just don't quite know how you ended up in a certain situation or set of circumstances or mindset. You look around and you just cannot believe that your marriage is a hot mess, your finances are completely out of whack, your dream business is not making any money. Or sometimes it's even harder when God is shifting you but tradition says stay, your ministry is waiting but you're scared, or God's plan is in direct conflict with what you imagined for yourself. What do you do then? My flesh, aka Molly, would like to tell you to run! Don't hang around for all of the stress and the struggle that comes from being in a "what's next" moment! But then I hear the Lord say, "Trust Me..." Man! Don't you hate that? Be honest! Don't you sometimes want to hear 'go ahead, you can quit' or 'you don't have to'? I know I do but usually that isn't the case because God always has a plan for where you are.

Think about Elijah. Can't you imagine right after he got Jezebel's message, justifiably having a "how did I get here" moment? I get it! He had been doing what God said and now he was the enemy and the target. "Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. "I have had enough, Lord," he said. "Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors." (1 Kings 19:3,4 NIV) The Lord sent an angel to feed him twice for strength. Then Elijah went to that cave to hide and essentially wait on death to find him. Do you think that was a part of God's plan for him? Think carefully because it may affect how you think about your own journey and why you have gone through certain things in your life. Do you think it's possible that God led him to that cave so he could learn a lesson that he wouldn't have learned had he followed his own plan? Think about this, Elijah didn't sign up to to die, he signed up to serve. What about you? What did you sign up to do?

Back to Elijah in the cave, trying to understand how, after doing all the Lord had directed him to do, he was at this point in his life. "The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by. Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper." (1 Kings 19:11,12 NIV) You didn't hear the answer when the infidelity happened, you didn't hear the answer when the famous preacher spoke into your life. No, the answer comes when you can trust that God has you right where you are supposed to be and when you are quiet enough to hear His still small voice. God then asked Elijah the question that you often ask yourself. "What are you doing here, Elijah?" He answers with a list of all that has gone wrong in his life and God responds with the plan. “Go back the same way you came, and travel to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive there, anoint Hazael to be king of Aram. Then anoint Jehu grandson of Nimshi to be king of Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from the town of Abel-meholah to replace you as my prophet. Anyone who escapes from Hazael will be killed by Jehu, and those who escape Jehu will be killed by Elisha! Yet I will preserve 7,000 others in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal or kissed him!” (1Kings 19:15-18 NLT)

God has reserved just what you need and it or they will show up right when it is time. Your only responsibility is to trust the plan that God has set forth for your life. How did you get here? God has a plan and a purpose for you and it is for such a time as this. Don't get caught up in the cave, instead move out on the mountain and wait for God to pass by and speak. Trust the plan, it's been written by the Master!

Amen

Sent from my iPhone

Don't Give In!

I asked the Lord this morning to give me a word to encourage His people. I asked Him to give me a word to encourage me. I asked Him to give a rescuing, relevant word that would help you to go one more step in spite of what your today looks like. I asked Him to be just who you AND I need Him to be. Do you know what He told me? Don’t give in! I had to pause because initially I thought I heard ‘don’t give up’ but no…He was very specific. DON’T GIVE IN! Wait…is there a difference? Yes! To give up means to surrender, to quit, to abandon, to die. I know what you’re thinking and you’re right! We don’t need to do that either but to give in means to cease opposition, to yield. Giving in tends to happen after a long effort or insistence.  I think that’s why the difference is so important today. You see, some of you have been waiting on change, on manifestation, on breakthrough for a long time. You’ve been fasting, praying, interceding but the results have been slow to come. Today, I want you to get this in your spirit. You are more than a conqueror through Christ. You are an overcomer and a survivor. No matter what the enemy has told you about your situation, your burdens, and your future, the Lord is saying don’t stop fighting. You will not yield to Satan’s plan because what the Lord has planned is so much better. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jer. 29:11 NKJV) Don’t give in!

The enemy would like nothing better than to divert you from your purpose. He would love for you to allow people to cause you to turn from your calling and give in to frustration, hurt and flesh. He would love if you let a mistake or a weakness color your entire future. You see, Satan’s whole existence is based on lies. His primary goal is "to kill, steal and destroy". (John 10:10a) That’s why when your marriage is in trouble, your blood pressure goes up. That’s why when your kids have gone astray or acting up, your stomach turns and ulcers form. That’s why when you are stressed at work, the migraines come. He wants to use whatever means he has to take you out. But God knew from the beginning what tricks he would try. He knew that you would get weak at times and fall prey to the attack and so He sent Jesus. Jesus who came that you "may have life and have it more abundantly." (John 10:10b) How much do you want that abundant life? Do you want it enough to keep fighting for it? Don’t give in!

The old saints used to sing a hymn that said “Yield not to temptation, for yielding is sin; Each vict’ry will help you some other to win; Fight manfully onward, dark passions subdue; look ever to Jesus, He’ll carry you through. Ask the Savior to help you, comfort, strengthen, and keep you; He is willing to aid you, He will carry you through.” You can’t give in! You have too much to gain and too much to do. I’m tired of seeing the enemy win because it seems easier to stop opposing what he’s put out there. It’s time to start fighting for the right! It’s time to start standing in your rightful place as a chosen, anointed, powerful child of God! Do you think Satan would be fighting you so hard if you didn’t have anything to offer? Let me help you with that. No, he wouldn’t! You have a word to share that will bring encouragement. You have a testimony that will bring someone to Christ. You have a prayer that will bring someone back to life. If you give in, who will do your assignment? Don’t give in, saints! There is work to do! Amen.

I AM

If you’ve read Rhema for any length of time, you know that God ministers to me through song a lot. This morning as I was walking and praying, one line just kept playing over and over in my head. It’s from Jason Nelson’s song “I Am” and it truly spoke loud and clear this morning. “Just let Me fix it! That’s Who I am. Just let Me be who I am for you.” I almost laid out on the track, y’all! I mean really! This is where a lot of you are. You have tried so hard to fix situations that you just cannot fix in your own power. You have tried to resurrect a marriage that only God can restore. You have tried to dig your way out of a financial mess that only God can turnaround. You have tried to overcome an addiction or a grief that only God can heal. But today…TODAY…God is sending a clear message to you. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Rev. 1:8) Do you understand what that means? He can do it! Whatever your “it” is, He can fix it. But here’s the kicker. He may not do it the way you want it to be done. It may not be like the fairy tale that you have concocted in your mind. But I can promise you this. It will be a complete work.

Sometimes it is rough when the Lord tells me certain things. I struggle because I am waiting on the same word that you are. I need Him to remind me of some things just like you do. But this morning, He left me almost gasping for breath just by re-introducing Himself to me. Do you remember what He said to Moses in Exodus? He said “I am That I am”. (Ex. 3:14 KJV) So when He says, “Just let Me be who I am” that means He will be whatever you or I need Him to be.  I really want you to catch hold of this. If you are sick in your body, He is saying “I am the Lord who heals you.” (Ex. 15:26) If you are searching desperately for Him to show up, God says, “Be still and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Ps. 46:10) If you are struggling in your faith, He says, “Remember the things I have done in the past. For I alone am God! I am God and there is none like Me.” (Is. 46: 9 NLT) If you feel alone, He says, “I will be your God throughout your lifetime- until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.” (Is. 46: 4 NLT) That’s who God is. He is whatever you need Him to be because He is God. “He is the God who made the world and everything in it.” (Acts 17:24a NLT)

I have watched some folks that KNOW God struggle to find peace in their day to day lives. I have watched people that are young in their faith struggle to keep going on this journey. Many days, I have wanted to throw in the towel myself. But for every struggle, there is an answer and it is the Lord. Just let Him be who He is for you. Let Him be your healer. Let Him be your counselor. Let Him be your parent. Let Him meet every need, whether it be physical, spiritual, or financial. Let Him be Him! Stop trying to do His job! What He did for Elijah in the cave, He can do for you. What He did for Hannah in her turmoil, He can do for you. What He did for the woman with the issue of blood, He can do for you. There is nothing impossible for Him. Just let Him be who He is for you! I will close with this word from the Lord. I encourage you to take it in to your situation and heed His words to you. “But I’ll take the hand of those who don’t know the way, who can’t see where they’re going. I’ll be a personal guide to them, directing them through unknown country. I’ll be right there to show them what roads to take, make sure they don’t fall into the ditch. These are the things I’ll be doing for them – sticking with them, not leaving them for a minute.” (Is. 42:16 MSG) He’s right there, folks…let Him be who He is for you!

Amen

Don't Panic!

This morning was a bit of a mess in the Bryant household! We all woke up late, my oldest missed the bus and when I went to start my car to take her, it wouldn't start. My immediate thought was WHY? This is not a good time for all of this to be happening...I have way too much to do today and in general to have to deal with car issues. So, I focused on what I could do and that was walk my child to school. As I walked back home, I began to pray. Well, I take that back. I began to tell The Lord all the reasons that this was not a good time for this. It was a flesh moment, y'all! When I got home, I literally got on my knees and asked The Lord to speak. I didn't have anything for myself and especially not for you. But then I heard a quiet but firm voice say "Don't panic..." I heard it multiple times and I started to receive it. My flesh wanted to say "Okay, God...but..." However, my spirit man was reassured.

Then the Lord led me straight to the Word, "Don’t panic. I’m with you. There’s no need to fear for I’m your God. I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you. I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you." (‭Isaiah‬ ‭41‬:‭10‬ MSG) Don't you love that kind of moment? You know, when you feel it in your soul that God is speaking and He is right there offering you peace? This was my moment and I had to embrace it. But you know what? It's for you too!

I don't know what you are facing today, this week, this month, this year. But what I do know is that God is in control of your right now. He is with you and He will not leave. Sometimes, you are seeking an immediate conclusion to a problem or situation that requires a process and when it begins to take a long time, you panic. A marriage that took 5 years to get off track may not be restored in 2 weeks. A child that has been lost in the world for 2 years may need longer than a weekend church service to be delivered. God is definitely capable of doing things suddenly and immediately. However, do not panic when it takes longer. Because you know what? He promised that it would get done. Philippians 1:6 says "being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;" (‭NKJV) That, folks, is reassurance!

So, here I sit, waiting in peace for a solution to my current situation. You see, nothing will be accomplished by worrying. It took me a long time to learn that. If this was 2 years ago, I would be in the corner bawling my eyes out and screaming why me! But if God told me not to panic, that means He has a plan and it will work way better than anything I can come up with. How about you? Are you willing to let God do the work while you wait? Remember that "ALL things work together for the good of them that love God and are called according to His purpose." (Rom. 8:28 NKJV)

May the God of peace rest with you today and remind you to not let panic overtake the plan...Amen

Shut up and LISTEN!

Have you ever tried to talk to a child and tell them to do something but they keep talking? Perhaps you were disciplining them or just trying to give them instruction. My youngest child is terrible with that! She always feels like she needs to get one last word in and I will have to say something to her along the lines of “Shut it! If I’m talking all you need to be doing is listening.” At that point, once I know she is listening, I can either tell her the lesson that she needs to understand or I can tell her what I need her to do. She then does it because she was able to hear what I was saying. This morning as I was in prayer, the Lord gave me that example and said "Sound familiar" Huh? Nope! Then I heard, ‘how can YOU hear what I’m saying if YOU won’t shut up?” (The Lord has talk to me in Ebony terms!) Ummmmmm…Lord? Isn’t that a little harsh? But He went on to clarify and it was pretty simple. ‘You aren’t in charge so be quiet and just listen to what I’m saying.’ Well…alrighty then! Some of you have gotten off track simply because when God has told you to do something, you kept right on giving your opinion or explaining or interrupting when He was trying to finish. For some of you, shutting up means to stop meddling. Stop doing your own thing when God has told you to do something else. Saints, it’s pretty raw but… shut up and listen!

Okay, so clearly I was a bit taken aback by this word! I like it much better when I can be comforting and encouraging but sometimes God gives me a cautionary word. I say this often but it bears repeating today. God wants you to be whole. He isn’t giving you instruction to hurt or hinder you.  He wants you to be moving steadily towards your purpose. But too often, folks get sidetracked simply by not listening to what He is saying. It’s part of the reason why you may be retaking the same tests over and over again. Sometimes, the instruction seems too hard. Sometimes, it sounds too crazy or too big for you. But I can witness and assure you that it is always better to just listen and obey…the FIRST time!

Let’s look at the parables in Mark 4.This was an odd place to go, in my opinion but here we go! (See? Listening ears!)  Jesus uses these stories to teach Kingdom principles in a way that everyone can understand. The parables in this chapter are building blocks starting with the parable of the sower and the importance of hearing and accepting God’s word. Then the next one is the parable of the lamp which God highlighted for me today.  “Then Jesus asked them, “Would anyone light a lamp and then put it under a basket or under a bed? Of course not! A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light will shine.  For everything that is hidden will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will be brought to light.  Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand.” (Mk. 4: 21 – 23 NLT) Ok…so I didn’t really get how the first section applied but then I sat for a minute and was a bit stunned by what popped in my mind. Could Jesus possibly be talking about purpose? Could He be saying that what you have, your God given purpose is meant to be shared? Could He be saying that everything that has been hidden in you will come forth if you have the ears to hear and understand what He is saying? Could it really all be coming down to paying attention and letting Him reveal all you need to know? I had never thought about that as even a possibility. Then I went on to the second part of the parable.

“Then he added, “Pay close attention to what you hear. The closer you listen, the more understanding you will be given—and you will receive even more.  To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.” (Mk. 4: 24-25 NLT) Hmmmmmm…pretty clear there! The more you listen, the more you will understand. When you don’t listen, understanding gets taken away. How many times have you not listened to God and found yourself confused about the whys and whats of your situation? How many times have you questioned what He said and decided to choose your own answer and found yourself in a mess?  It’s time to just shut up and listen, folks! God is speaking to you and what He is saying is filled with clarity, wisdom and honesty for your situation. Stop messing yourself with your explanations, analysis and opinions. It is literally a waste of your time and energy. You cannot get to the obedience stage until you have listened long enough to know what He is saying and THEN obey.

Folks, God wants the very best for you! He wants you to be whole and to prosper in every area of your life. You know what else? He wants to tell you how to get there and live your best life. The question is are you listening? Are you AVAILABLE to listen? It has to be a part of your every day. You can’t allow yourself to get distracted by the voices of man or the enemy. Your job is to listen out for God’s voice and pay attention. “My child, listen to what I say, and treasure my commands.  Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight, and ask for understanding.  Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasures.  Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God.” (Prov. 2: 1-5 NLT)

AMEN…

Growth in the Struggle

What a faithful and loving God we serve! Sometimes, it’s easy to forget the loving and faithful part when you are in the midst of struggle or hardship, especially when it’s lasted for a long time. But yesterday, God reminded me about the growth that almost always comes with struggle. How can you recognize how good God truly is if you have never been through anything? Today, He just wanted me to remind you just how much He loves you and that even in the midst of difficulties and challenges, He is molding and shaping you for His purpose and His glory. He sent me to a great passage in Romans 5 that I think will encourage you without me saying much more. I’m using the New Living Translation because it just spoke to me this morning.

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.  And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

 When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. (Rom. 5: 3-8)

Folks, I don’t know where you are in your journey today but I can tell you without a shadow of a doubt that God knows. The whole key is in trusting Him through the struggle. Man will disappoint you and even fail you but God sent His Son to die for you when you had nothing to offer Him. Doesn’t that make you think that you can make it through this valley, this storm, this rough patch? Doesn’t that make you realize how valuable you are to God?

 I want you think about this. When you look at yourself through all of the marital issues, the financial problems, the pregnancy challenges, church folk, sickness, whatever it was; what do you see? Do you see a mess? Do you see bitterness, anger, regret? Now look again, and take stock of where you are versus where you started. Do you see any differences? I would be willing to bet that you will find that your prayer life is stronger, your faith has grown and your endurance has developed. That’s called growth in the struggle! And the fact that God sees all that you ought to be and all that you will be! And that’s what makes this journey worth travelling. Even when you want to give up, that still small voice will say keep going, keep pushing, keep pressing. You have purpose to get to! You have ministry to bring forth! You have life to live! So don’t continue to look at the struggles and challenges that you face as things that are out to kill you, instead look at them as stepping stones and growth towards your best you in God!

I love you but God loves you best even at your worst! AMEN…

What are you expecting?

One of my favorite scriptures is Proverbs 18:21. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it will eat the fruit thereof.” Yep, King James Version! I have to use this verse whenever I find myself speaking negatively about my situation or circumstances. It calls me back to order. But this morning, the Lord used it to speak to me about expectancy. The meaning of the verse is pretty simple. I think the Message translates it in a way that everyone can understand. “Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit – you choose.” So as I was sitting outside this morning, the Lord encouraged me to look at it again. He asked a simple question – What are you expecting? I started to answer quickly and then I paused. Oh. You see, I’ll just be honest with you. Recently I’ve been asking the Lord about a lot of situations and circumstances in my life. Asking Him why they are lasting so long and when they will be over. I have had moments of disappointment, frustration, and even a little anger. But when He asked that question and reminded me of that scripture, I realized that I needed to get my expectancy back. You see that scripture is all about expectation being fulfilled. If I speak death, I can expect the fruit to be death. If I speak life, I can expect the fruit to be life. I need to expect God to move. I need to expect Him to answer. I need to expect Him to do what He promised. Are you still expecting?

God still amazes me in how He works. This morning, I couldn’t hear a thing but He led me outside and instructed me to just sit and wait. Did you get that? Not just wait but wait with the expectation that He was going to give me a word. So I did and as I was sitting there, He gave me Romans 8:18 – 25 and Paul took me right on in!  “That’s why I don’t think there’s any comparison between the present hard times and the coming good times. The created world itself can hardly wait for what’s coming next. Everything in creation is being more or less held back. God reins it in until both creation and all the creatures are ready and can be released at the same moment into the glorious times ahead. Meanwhile, the joyful anticipation deepens.  All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it’s not only around us; it’s within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We’re also feeling the birth pangs. These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance. That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don’t see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy.” (MSG) Does it get any better than that? We are not diminished in the waiting! Wooooo… What you are going through right now is not your end because there is greater coming. There is a future day that you are being prepared for but you must wait with the expectation that the better is coming.

 So let me say this. If you are stuck in depression and discomfort because your situation seems impossible or your life has not turned out the way you wanted it to, ask yourself what you are expecting. Have you allowed your circumstances to rob you of your expectancy in a God that does what He promises? Have you allowed your anger to steal your hope that change is coming? Because that’s what expectation is…HOPE! Psalm 62: 5 -8 says it this way. “Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. O my people, trust in Him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge.” (NLT) It’s time to remember where your hope lies. It’s time to turn your attention away from what people have said or done to you and put it back where it belongs…on your Rock and Refuge. You see, the enemy wins when you have no hope or expectation in God. Because when you are in that place you aren’t anchored to anything. You are just existing and not living. But when you are expecting, you are holding on to the promise. You are hooked up to God, waiting on Him to move.

So there it is, what are you expecting God to do? What are you waiting quietly for Him to do in you, for you, with you? Be honest with yourself and God because He already knows. If you are struggling with an answer to those questions, I encourage you to set aside some quiet time to get in God’s presence and ask Him to renew, restore and revive your connection and your spirit. He will do it, you just have to be open to receive it! Here’s to the revival of your expectation!  “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” (Rom 15:13 ESV) AMEN