Throwing salt in the game!

This morning I was on a prayer call and the speaker talked about 2 Kings 2: 19-22. It’s the account of Elisha’s first miracles after he received Elijah’s mantle. It blessed me and I haven’t been able to shake it since. As I was preparing for Rhema, the Lord led me to look over it again. I don’t even normally listen to any other devotions on Thursdays before I write so that I don’t get confused between what God is saying and what someone else is saying. But this scripture grabbed hold of me and wouldn’t let me go. So you’re going to have to go with me.

One day the leaders of the town of Jericho visited Elisha. “We have a problem, my lord,” they told him. “This town is located in pleasant surroundings, as you can see. But the water is bad, and the land is unproductive.” Elisha said, “Bring me a new bowl with salt in it.” So they brought it to him. Then he went out to the spring that supplied the town with water and threw the salt into it. (2 Kings 2:19-21a, NLT)

As I read it again, I heard the Lord say, “It’s time to re-salt the waters!” Ladies and gentleman, God is not playing. He is calling His people to be accountable for what He has assigned and instructed. You are no longer going to be allowed to stay comfortable in tradition and religion. You’re going to have to come out of some familiar places and walk in boldness. He has placed some of you in positions to affect change and He expects you to do it.

Look at the scripture. It hasn’t been long at this point since Elijah was taken up to heaven and Elisha is in Jericho when the leaders come to him with a problem. They tell him that their town is in a nice place but the water is bad and the land is unproductive. What do you do when it looks good but there’s no life in it? Come on! God is trying to pull some of you out of your comfortable place. You’ve been in places and been with people that you know are dead and unfruitful for a long time but you haven’t done anything about it. You’ve stayed there looking at barrenness instead of dealing with the issues. If you are in a situation that looks pretty but is dead, it’s time to re-salt the waters.  He’s trying to show you that while you are in position, He’s calling you to assess the situation and then make moves to fix it. Your friend, your co-worker, your church can look good all day long but if there’s no life in it and there’s no fruit, what are you accomplishing by letting the infertility continue? This is the point where God really started to deal with me. He said it’s time for you to stop allowing folks that you love to live in a barren place. Stop going along with foolishness because they sound good. Stop enabling mess because their family is influential. Stop playing games with the devil because you don’t want to hurt somebody’s feelings. These leaders looked at their town and spoke truth - “It’s a beautiful place but there is no life here!” Do you see that?

What Elisha does is at the heart of what God is saying this morning. He asked them to go get a new bowl with salt in it. He asked THEM to go get a new bowl. They had the problem and they were responsible for being a part of the deliverance. You have been placed in position to change the game! You have the calling and the anointing to break traditions and tear down strongholds but you aren’t doing it. Why not? You can’t keep expecting your pastor, your parents, your best friend to do what God is telling you to do. You can’t expect change if you put all of the responsibility on someone else. You need to ask God what YOU need to do in order for the situation that you see to change. I’m not saying you do God’s work but you ask Him what your role is and watch what He does. Elisha went to the source of the problem and threw the salt into it and God responded. What would happen if you looked that problem dead in the face and said the Lord is here now? What would happen if you looked that Jezebel spirit in the face and said, things will change today? What would happen if you actually handed the issue over to the Lord with an expectation that He can fix it? Here’s what happens…

And he said, “This is what the Lord says: I have purified this water. It will no longer cause death or infertility.”  And the water has remained pure ever since, just as Elisha said. (2 Kings 21b – 22, NLT)

God changed the whole landscape of that town. He changed the water and land from dead and unproductive to fresh and pure. Where there is fresh water, animals will live, plants will grow, people will be healthy. He reversed the curse of that town and made the appearance line up with the reality. Don’t you want what you see on the outside to be consistent with the entire makeup? There are people dependent upon you to take a stand and tell hell no. They are waiting on you to actually be the minister, the evangelist, the woman of God, the man of God, the father, the mother, the auntie that He is calling you to be. It’s time to stop letting death and infertility reign and re-salt the water. When you do, God will bring about a healing that is long lasting and complete. Come on, saints! You have an assignment to complete. Go get that bowl!

Amen

Tomorrow, tomorrow...

I'm so sorry! I really wish I had something encouraging to open up with but I don't. The frustration and the struggle and the weariness of the day has combined to leave me with nothing. Nothing to share, nothing to say, and nothing to give. I'm just tired. Weary. Spent. So…you may be wondering why I'm on here telling you this, especially if I don't have anything to say. Great question! I just looked at God with the “I’m waiting too” look. Here's what He told me…ready?

There's still tomorrow.

Yep…that's what He said! And as much as I didn't want to hear it, my spirit straightened up. He showed me that some of you have been trapped in a moment for so long that tomorrow doesn't seem possible. You are stuck at the point of impact – when he cheated, when she betrayed you, when they abandoned you. You have replayed that moment over and over again until it makes sense to stay there…mad, hurt, frustrated. It's so much simpler to stay stuck on what was than it is to examine what is and leave it for what can be. Deep, huh? I know, but in order for you to be who God called you to be, you've got to be jerked out of neutral. It’s time to start moving towards your tomorrow.

You have a choice right now to leave the emotion and the struggle of your yesterday and today and prepare for your tomorrow. This is absolutely not easy but it's necessary for your healing and your growth. It’s completely up to you what you allow to hold you bound and affect how you see what's ahead of you.  You don't have to carry the anger of yesterday anymore. You no longer have to wrestle with the pain of yesterday. You just have to make a decision that your tomorrow is worth it.

As I was closing, The Lord led me to one of my favorite scriptures, Matthew 6:34, and for a minute, I really struggled with the message of this verse.  It sounds like the complete opposite of what I thought God’s point was.“So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” (Matthew‬ ‭6:34‬ ‭NLT‬‬) At first read, all I could see was the part about not worrying about tomorrow.  But then I remembered what God had said to me earlier about tomorrow and things started to make sense. Whether you want to stay stuck or move forward, tomorrow is still there. Sure, according to the verse, tomorrow is waiting with its own troubles. But the key is that it's there. Tomorrow is right there. Your next step is right there. Your destiny is right there. You just have to make the decision that you are ready to tackle the new things that come with taking that step.  Easy isn't promised! Fun isn't promised!  But no matter how challenging the struggle is today,  there is still tomorrow.

Amen…

Bye Bye Routine!

I’ve been struggling for almost 2 hours about what to write today. I thought it was one thing and I’ve been going back and forth with it for a while to no avail.  I finally just realized that God is not allowing me to function like I always have anymore. He’s not letting me stick to my routine anymore and I have to accept it. I believe His word to you is the same thing. It’s time to tear up the list!

Okay! Don’t fall out. I’m not telling you to not plan or even have a process. What I am telling you is that these are not familiar times and what has always worked is not going to work anymore. You have to be willing to step away from your comfort zone and walk in obedience. Your obedience may not have a bulleted list with steps for every level. Your obedience might be one word – YES, GO, STAY, STOP, MOVE. Has anybody been hearing some word answers from God lately? Well, I want to encourage you to do what God says no matter what it looks or feels like. I’m sorry to tell you that your comfort is not the pre-requisite for your breakthrough. Nope, the only requirement is your obedience. Soooo…will you trust Him with your process? Will you stop losing ground and time because your checklist doesn’t allow for a bold move? Will you shake off the fear of what’s next and trust that God is leading you? Read what the Lord is saying to your fear…

I will escort the blind down roads they do not know, guide them down paths they’ve never seen.
    I will smooth their passage and light their way. I will indeed do it—they are abandoned no more. (Is. 42:16, VOICE)

God has showed me time and time again in recent months that freedom comes with obedience. It doesn’t come from crying, or rehashing or therapy. It comes when you make a decision that you are going to do what God says regardless of what people are going to say about it. So come on, let’s get to it! Pray for the strength to stand in the unfamiliar and then do it. You are not in this thing by yourself! Take that routine that has turned into ritual and put it aside. Take that tradition that has turned into a trap and move forward. Take that checklist that has turned into a crutch and do something different. Don’t you get left behind because you’re scared. Why? Because that’s the devil and you’re allowing him to keep you bound. 2 Timothy 1:7 tells me that God did not give you a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind. Ready? Turn off that GPS…God is leading the way!

Amen

MOVE!!!

This morning the Lord just told me to write what He says as He says it. I’m sorry in advance if this feels piecemeal or choppy. I’m way outside of my comfort zone with this one but I’m going to be obedient because He is taking me somewhere and I’ve decided that I’m going with Him. So here goes…

Believe what God has shown you and move. Stop asking yourself how and why and simply obey what He has said. Some of you are so caught up in the opinion of man that you are behind by 10 years. Your business should already be in place. The book should already be written and your family should already be saved. God said stop being afraid of what “they” will say and worry more with what He is saying. It’s time to separate from the old things that have held you back and push forward into your new season. It’s time to take the bull by the horns as the old saying goes and do whatever your “it” is. For some of you, it’s going back to school. God said to stop making excuses about not getting into one program. Find another one! For some of you, it’s starting a business or stepping out on your own. He said stop talking about how much it will cost and ask Him for the provision. You’ve been so focused on what you don’t have that you haven’t asked God to show you the stream of resource.

This is the year that God wants to bring dreams into reality but He won’t go past your free will. He won’t do what you aren’t believing is possible. All He is waiting for is your yes. You see your yes is just the beginning. Once you say it, He will take it and transform it in to fruit. He will take it and move it into breakthrough and deliverance. He said all He is waiting on is you! So what are you going to do with that? Are you going to move forward? Are you going to stop using your age or station in life to dictate where you are going next? Are you going to continue to limit God to your neighborhood and your church? Are you going to hold the word you got last year close to your heart but not move in it? What are you going to do?

My challenge to you today is to stand up and move. You don’t have time to waste anymore because people are waiting on your action. People are waiting for you to get over yourself and do what He is calling you to do. That daycare that you’ve been envisioning for single mothers is not going to get done if you haven’t been working on your certifications and preparing your house for the first baby.  That building is not going to manifest if you haven’t been walking the grounds and saving the money for the first payment. That job isn’t going to find itself. You have to be open to what God wants to do and also have a resume ready. Come on now! It’s time to move. It’s time to act. It’s time to stop making excuses about what happened the last time you tried. It’s time to stop hanging with those folks that are holding you back. It’s time to TRUST and OBEY.

God, I thank you for whoever is reading this post. I thank you that you have great plans for their life and are just waiting for their yes. I thank You that we can’t even imagine Your best because its beyond anything we have seen. I thank you that because you are the Great I AM, every request can be handled. Clear our hearts, focus our vision, strengthen our spirits to press forward and move in obedience. Thank You in advance. In the matchless name of Jesus, I pray…AMEN.

You HAVE to finish!

If you have ever been around me before a trip, or you know that I'm horrible about packing. No matter how much notice you give me, I will still pack the night before. Y’all pray for me! This trip was no different except for the added responsibility of packing for the girls too. Help, Lord! Needless to say, it was a struggle and I got very little sleep. I barely made it, Saints! But I am happy to report that I made it to the airport and to my destination. There were a couple of times during the night that I wanted to give up on the packing and just lay down but I knew that other people were depending on me to finish what I had to do. So later after I reached my destination, I asked the Lord what He would have me to share with you. He reminded me of my troubles during the night and said, “keep pressing because someone is waiting on you to get to your destination.”

I just want to encourage those of you that have faced a lot of opposition in your life recently. It could be in your family, on your job, even in your church. God has purpose for your life and you need to get to it. Don't let what anyone else is doing stop you from walking out your assignment. Don't let fatigue keep you from finishing your assignments. 2017 is a year that you are going to have put your shoulders back and press or fight through whatever comes your way. You have way too much to do to stop. You will want to cry, scream and ask why but you cannot stop! Why? Because someone is waiting on your pass the test. Someone’s life depends on your yes. Someone needs to hear your testimony in order to move forward.

Can I just be transparent for a minute? I've had plenty of times in the last 8 or 9 years that I wanted to go somewhere and live by myself. A hermit!  I was tired of people and their mess. I was tired of being held accountable while others lived however they wanted. I was tired of losing things and struggling. I was tired of attacks. But one day, God told me that I had people that He had assigned to me. People that I had to mentor and pour into and I was selfish if I gave up on what He told me to do. It hurt my feelings but it woke me up. This journey that I have been on is not all about me. There are people that are waiting for me to get to where I'm going and people that need to watch my process. I say the same to you!

Woman of a God, stop hiding behind tradition and routine, and be who God has called you to be. Man of God, stop letting labels hold you in bondage and walk in your truth. It's time out for letting the opposition cause us to quit or be quiet. It's time to press! It's time to fight! It's time to win. So get up, brush yourself off, and get going! Somebody is waiting on you to finish…

“Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will reveal in us later.” (Rom 8:18 MSG)

Amen.

There's still joy!

Happy Thursday, family! I just wanted to quickly encourage those of you that have been battling in 2017. I want to speak to those of you that have faced challenges from 12:01 a.m. on January 1^st until today. You know, those of you that have faced struggle from your flesh and conflict in your relationships. God told me to tell you that there is still joy. I don’t know what you are trying to get to the other side of – grief, financial struggle, divorce, marital strife, suffering in your body. I don’t have the answers or the specifics but I can assure you that your struggle is not your ending. There is joy in your press and in your progress.

I found myself in Romans 5 this morning as God encouraged me to encourage you. I love the book of Romans because the Apostle Paul spoke so much life and strength into the people of God in this letter.  I hope these words minister to you as you continue to walk forward in spite of what you see in your path.

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. (Romans 5: 3- 5, NLT)

What you are facing does not define you. It’s how you respond to it. It doesn’t matter what the enemy tries to bring against you, God isn’t surprised or affected. If you stand in front of that challenge with joy and rejoicing, God can take it and transform it into endurance and ultimately hope. Even better than that, we are assured that the hope will live up to its purpose because of God’s love and the Holy Spirit.

I need you to prepare yourself for the other side.  I need you to walk into every situation knowing that the joy of the Lord is your strength and your victory is assured. Why? Because through Christ, you always win! So I’m looking at you, woman of God! I’m challenging you, man of God! Tell grief, there’s still joy! Tell your bank account, there’s still joy! Tell that diagnosis, there’s still joy! Why? Because you serve a God that makes all things work together for your good. So “don’t run from tests and hardships, brothers and sisters. As difficult as they are, you will ultimately find joy in them; if you embrace them, your faith will blossom under pressure and teach you true patience as you endure. And true patience brought on by endurance will equip you to complete the long journey and cross the finish line—mature, complete, and wanting nothing.” (James 1: 2-4, NLT)

Amen…

It's time for action. It's time to move.

I have something really simple to share with you today from the Lord. Ready? Here it is. Less talk and more action! That’s it…that’s what He told me. Too many people are talking about what God has told them to do but not taking any steps toward bringing anything to pass. God didn’t give you that assignment to hold and babysit. Nope! He gave it to you so that you could be His feet and hands. He gave it to you so that you could bring Him glory through your obedience. The world is steadily dying and some could be saved, if you would answer the call. Someone on the verge of committing suicide would put the gun down, if you ministered to the veterans like God told you to. Someone would make a better choice for their children, if you would tell your testimony to single parents as God instructed. Someone would know that they can make it, if you would write your book. Do you see what I’m saying? Singing “You Deserve It” and shouting doesn’t accomplish anything outside of a good praise, if you aren’t willing to use your life to give Him the glory and praise that you are singing about. It’s time for action. It’s time to move.

Psalm 144:1 says, “Blessed be the Eternal, my rock. He trains my hands for war, gives me the skills I need for battle.” (VOICE) Hmmmmm…that’s a pretty powerful statement that David made. It’s a call to action and a battle cry. It’s giving you a clue about what you need to be doing. You see, if God intended for you to just float through life without action, would He equip you with battle skills? Would He give you the full armor to protect you in spiritual warfare? My guess would be no. And I don’t believe this is about personality. While David was certainly a man of war, I believe this word is just as relevant to the person that prays in their closet or is introverted. You have been equipped to war whether it is out in the world or tucked safely in your room.  You see, there is a real burden on my heart for action in 2017. I believe that God is challenging His people, me included, to stop saying what could be done and actually do something. He is calling for obedience and trust, even in the face of uncertainty. It’s time for action. It’s time to move.

Let me say this one last thing before I close. As I was writing this entry, God showed me a vision. In the vision, He gave me the plans for a house. It was a beautiful house, with multiple floors and space for gardens and a pool and just about anything else that you could think of. He said, “Everything you need to build this house is available – money, crew, materials and land. All you have to do is take the plans and build it.” I couldn’t believe it and stood looking at the plans. I put them away on the shelf and promised to come back to them once I was really ready to build. I had a lot going on and didn’t think I could commit the time or energy to it at the moment. It seemed like years passed in the vision and I came back to get the plans. As I was reaching for them, I saw God pass the plans to someone else and they were eager to get started. I watched the person run off with the plans to my house. I heard the Lord say that His plan will come to pass, whether we get on board or not.

Don’t let your house be built by someone else because you have been finding excuses. Don’t let your dream sit in your journal one more day without making a move. Don’t let fear or circumstance stop your progress anymore. God's will and purpose will be done whether we want to participate or not. Don't miss your window. Today is your starting day!  It’s time for action. It’s time to move.

Amen