Don't cut out too quick!

There have been many times in my life that I have asked the Lord, “why me?” Anyone else? Why did I have to fight that battle? Why did “they” have to do that to me, say that about me, treat me that way? Why did my marriage break up? Why did I never have a baby? Why have I struggled to find love? Why did I get sick? All of these questions on one side and yet on the other side, there was promise. You will affect nations. You will bring the Word to people. You will change lives. You will feed the hungry and clothe the naked. You are necessary for this place or that place. You have life in you. All of these things to balance in this life and often no direct answer or response to your questions. Over the last several weeks, the Lord has placed Psalm 105:16-22 in front me and I realized today that it was the answer.

Psalm 105 is a song about the experience of the Israelites. These particular verses are about Joseph and how his life impacted the story of God’s people. Right before Joseph is introduced, the psalm tells how the Lord sent famine to the land. “He ordered famine to grip the land and cut them off from their supply of bread.  But long before, He had sent a man ahead of them: Joseph, who had been sold into slavery.” (v.16 VOICE) Do you see that highlighted phrase – “but long before”? Well that is the intro to your answer. In His infinite wisdom, the Lord knew that famine would be needed and He had a person in mind that He would use to bring the provision in response to the lack. Ok…hold that in your spirit.

‘At first, his masters shackled his feet with chains,  placed his neck into a collar of iron. That was until the Eternal’s promises came to pass; His word tested Joseph and proved him worthy.” (v. 17 -19) So the Lord then allowed Joseph to go through slavery and struggle so that he would be in position both physically and spiritually for that moment when His time would come. He allowed Joseph to go through times when His promise would be questioned.  He allowed him to be in bondage when He had told Him that He was the favorite. The Lord allowed Joseph to feel the heat of hurt so that He would be worthy of the glory. Do you see that? On the way to the promise, the Word tested Joseph but he was proved worthy! Come on, verse 19, speak to the people! Do not forsake the promise because you don’t want the testing. Take joy in the fact that you will be proved worthy for your assignment. You will be prepared for your next level.

Can you just take a moment and think about the fact that you are the answer to someone’s problem. All of the hard places that you have faced and may be currently facing have future impact. Your response to your challenge can prove you worthy of the promise. Come on! I can look back on my life and see that what I have been through has prepared me for today. Those places that hurt like crazy have been broken up for God’s glory. Can I suggest to you that God is aware of your struggles and challenges? Can I remind you that He is the Master Planner and He knew LONG BEFORE what you would go through because He knew where you were going?

“The king sent out the order to release him from prison; the ruler of Egypt liberated him from the chains.  Then he put Joseph in charge of the royal household, made him ruler of all the royal possessions, allowed him to imprison the royal officials whenever he saw fit and impart wisdom to the elders in the land.” (v. 20-22) The Lord’s plan works! He brought Joseph back to the promise…back to the favor. He will do the same for you! Do not give up in the test when God’s plan brings you squarely back to the promise. I know it has been hard and you have wanted to give up and cry but please don’t! Your part in the plan is important. Don’t cancel it before you’ve gotten to the end!

Amen.

Stay on assignment!

Here I am in the last minutes before midnight and no Rhema. Nothing! No deep advice or metaphors…just silence.  Oh wait…there was also me and the assignment to write. I decided that I wouldn’t panic or stress or worry about the time but instead, I would just do the assignment. You see, sometimes we complicate the issue by trying to find the answer to our problems floating off in space, when in fact, the answer is a misplaced assignment. Think about Joseph, despite everything that was done to him, he stayed obedient and open to what the Lord said from the beginning and he was blessed. Brothers and sisters, be found doing your assignment. If He said write, please write. If He said love, my God, show some love to someone. What is saying to you?

Remember Ruth? Yeah, Boaz found her working but the real story is how she stayed on assignment. She knew she was to stay with Naomi and in order to do that, she had to work. “But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. Wherever you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord punish me severely if I allow anything but death to separate us!””(Ruth‬ ‭1:16-17‬ ‭NLT‬‬) She was on assignment! The fact that Boaz found her working was a byproduct of being in position and on her assignment.

Listen, God doesn’t make mistakes nor is He taken unaware by the enemy’s schemes. Don’t miss the blessing because you are doing something other than your assignment. Don’t waste time worrying about someone else’s assignment while yours lies dormant. Don’t throw your assignment to the side because of your circumstances or the opinion of man. It’s time to walk out the assignment that He gave, whether great or small.  It’s time to get in position NOW! Please don’t disrespect the faith that God had in you when He gave you that assignment by ignoring Him. He knew what He was doing and trust me, His plan always works.

Amen

Stay the course!

I had a whole lot that I wanted to say today. A whole lot of observations and opinions that I, Ebony, wanted to share. But every time I started writing, the Lord would only let me get so far before shutting me down. You see, the great thing about God is that when you allow Him to be in control, He won’t let your flesh win. He will ever so sweetly or abruptly, set you straight, depending on how hard headed you are! Today, He asked me to step aside so that He could share a simple thought with you. Ready? Stay the course. Do what He has told you to do and don’t get distracted or tricked into going a different way. Please don’t do it! You see, the enemy works in the familiar. I mean, look at how many people in the Bible were thrown off by people that were close to them. But here’s the thing! What God says about you supersedes any trick or trap that the enemy tries. But you have to remember what He said! If He called you leader…LEAD! If He called you teacher…TEACH! And if He called you to be still…my God, BE STILL! It is OK! Our instructions aren’t always these huge, intricate plans. Sometimes, they are “go” or “sow” or “love”. Whatever your instruction, stay the course. Don’t let the opinion of man or their interpretation make you stop. Stay the course!

“You’re blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by GOD. You’re blessed when you follow his directions, doing your best to find him. That’s right—you don’t go off on your own; you walk straight along the road he set. You, GOD, prescribed the right way to live; now you expect us to live it. Oh, that my steps might be steady, keeping to the course you set; Then I’d never have any regrets in comparing my life with your counsel. I thank you for speaking straight from your heart; I learn the pattern of your righteous ways. I’m going to do what you tell me to do; don’t ever walk off and leave me.” (Psalm‬ ‭119:1-8‬ ‭MSG‬‬)

My prayer for you today is that you will stay true to God’s Word concerning your life. I pray that you will be so confident and secure in what or who He calls you that no one can throw you off. I pray that your relationship with Him is so deep that a hiccup in the road or even a big boulder won’t change what you know to be true. Stay the course, man of God! You have breakthrough in your mouth and provision in your hands. Stay the course, woman of God! You have power in your prayers and victory in your vision. Don’t lose it and don’t fall off. If He said it, showed it, input it, He will surely finish it. Don’t miss your destination because you got off on the wrong exit. Stay the course!

Amen.

Go!

The last couple of weeks, Rhema has flowed pretty easily. They haven’t been easy words but I heard them clearly. This morning…not so much! I did what I normally do and waited but nothing. Then I sat down at the computer and just started tapping my fingers on the computer keyboard as though I was typing. The screen remained empty but I put a demand on my fingers to do what God called me to do. Eventually, words began to appear on the screen as the Lord began to speak. I realized that I was waiting when I should be acting. He met me when I started doing what He told me to do. Now…don’t get me wrong! There are many times that the Lord says not to move until He says so but sometimes He has done the instructing and He is waiting for you put into action what you know He said. I wonder how many of you have been stuck on the instruction but haven’t moved to the action? Today, I want to challenge you to GO!

This morning, the Lord took me back to just after the Resurrection. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to the tomb to visit when there was a great earthquake. The angel of the Lord appeared and rolled the stone away. The guards that were on duty fainted in fear. “Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.  He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.” (Matt. 28:5-7 NLT) Okay. Did you see the instructions?

Ok…here’s the good part. “The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message. And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him.” (Matt. 28:8-9 NLT) This is the meat of what God told me to tell you today. Even though the women were afraid, they went. Even though they were completely overwhelmed, they had joy because they knew Jesus was in the instruction. AND AS THEY WENT, Jesus met them! He met them in the midst of their obedience. They had not even completed the assignment yet but because they went on His instruction, He met them. He allowed them to see Him and worship Him on their way.

And then do you know what He did? He confirmed the instruction. Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.” (Matt. 28:10 NLT) Listen, saints! Go, where He sends you. Just go. Just obey. If He is in the instruction, He will give you what you need to get to the end of it. Before their fear stopped them from getting to the end, He met them and cancelled it. He rewarded their obedience with His presence and assurance. He let them know that they didn’t hear wrong. He let them know that He would follow through with what He had instructed.  AS THEY WENT!

Man of God, if He told you to do it, He will keep you through it. Woman of God, if He showed it to you, He will encourage you through it. Fear has no power when Jesus is in it unless you allow it to. Jesus trusted those women to obey. He didn’t give anyone else the instruction. He could have easily had the angel appear to the disciples but He was building the women’s faith. He was reminding them that He was still there. Don’t forsake the trust He put in you. Don’t let fear keep you from fulfilling the assignment that is uniquely yours. I promise you that as you go, He will always show up!

Amen.

Double for your trouble...

The Lord spoke to me this morning about shame. As I prayed, He said that there are some of you that are trying to identify the cause of your delay. You have been wondering why you can’t seem to get over the hump and feel completely well, whole and equipped. This won’t be for everyone but it will be for some. I have never written about shame but the Lord put it heavy in my spirit today. So I want to declare a freedom from shame in the atmosphere. I want the power of that freedom to jump out of this blog and into your spirit as you read. So let’s go to work.

According to the dictionary, shame is a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior. It is an emotion brought on by guilt, shortcoming or impropriety. It is something that brings censure or reproach. It is a condition of humiliating disgrace or disrepute. In other words, it is a powerful tool of the enemy to hold you still, quiet, and sick because of your past, your experiences, or your mind. It’s the spirit that reminds you of who you used to be and what you used to do whenever the Lord gives you an instruction. It’s that feeling in the pit of your stomach that won’t let you worship freely without crying because you aren’t sure that you are worthy to be where you are. It’s the highlight reel that plays in your mind whenever you try to move forward. It is quite simply a trick of the enemy. He uses it on pastors, leaders, parents, children, whoever has something inside of them that will help someone else to get free. He uses it on you.

Today, the Lord told me to tell you that He loves you. He loves you because He created you and planned for you. He loves you because He knows you, the real you. He knows what you did, who you did it with and when you did it. And guess what? He still loves you. He told me to tell you that every experience can be used for His glory. If you have acknowledged, forgiven, and/or repented, you don’t have to carry the burden of shame any longer. Think about Christ! When He went to the cross, He was made to be a public spectacle. He was beaten, talked about, and humiliated by those who were supposed to love and welcome Him.  The Bible says in Hebrews 12:2 that “for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” When Jesus died, He rose above the power of your shame. He literally defeated it with His blood. Your responsibility is to stop carrying something that was already destroyed.

It’s a powerful thing to stand up to your past. Whether things were done to you or you did things to other people, your freedom is worth more than the weight of your shame. Your past does not get to hold you hostage anymore. The Lord has a word for you today and it is this. “Instead of shame and dishonor, you will enjoy a double share of honor. You will possess a double portion of prosperity in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours.” (Isaiah 61:7 NLT) It’s time to break through the barrier of your shame into the joy that awaits you. You deserve this joy…it’s your inheritance!

Amen.

Man up!

You heard the still small voice, didn’t you? You heard God speaking the uncomfortable thing, right? You heard Him say “go” the first time but you didn’t want to. You heard Him say, “move” right after you asked for confirmation but you weren’t ready. You heard Him say, “be quiet” at that moment but you had to get the last word. You have gone back to Him countless times asking for confirmation and asking Him to show you a sign but deep in your spirit, you know what He said. Forget that…it wasn’t that deep…it was immediate. Let’s start telling the truth. Today, God wants you to stop acting like you don’t know what to do. Stop making decisions so that others will be comfortable with the outcome. Stop sticking around so that Mama will be alright or church folk don’t have to do any work. Stop living a lie when you have heard God speak the truth. Listen, when I got up off the floor, this wasn’t what I was expecting to sit down and type. Y’all know I want sunshine and rainbows but today is not that day.

I kept hearing the Lord say, “I have the final say” all morning so I immediately thought one thing but He was on a whole other wavelength. I wanted to be real churchy and tell you that it doesn’t matter what people say because He has the final say. However, He told me to tell you that He has already given the answer and it’s FINAL. Stop trying to change it to fit what you are comfortable with. Stop trying to make your list of friends fit the mold of His plan when He’s told you to separate. According to Dictionary.com, the word final means pertaining to or coming at the end; last in place, order, or time; ultimate; conclusive or decisive; constituting the end or purpose; that which forms an end or termination. The Lord might shift His methods but He hasn’t changed His plan. He is the same God yesterday, today, and forever. So it’s a curious thing that you think it’s best to adjust what He says to fit your purpose. Perhaps you should go back over that definition again. Many of you are going through the same tests because you refuse to accept His word as final. You won’t move when He says move and you wonder why you aren’t growing. You won’t shut your mouth when He says be quiet and you wonder why you can’t progress.  You won’t examine your circle of friends and you wonder why you keep dealing the same demons. You cannot get to the end of the plan if you will not obey.

The Lord has been reminding me of some of the challenging instructions that I have had to obey in the last 10 years of my life. I’ve lost friends, position, and comfort but I’ve gained revelation, peace, and progress. Was it easy? NO! Was it worth it? YES! If I could do it and survive, so can you. However, will you do me a favor and stop ignoring the voice of God so you don’t have to be uncomfortable? Oh and will you stop manipulating situations so that it will work with the future that you’ve envisioned for yourself? Sometimes you are going to have to travel through some dark valleys so that you can get to the high place. Sometimes you will have to leave some folks at the station so that you can get to the people that you are called to.  So…He has the final say, so can you just go with it?  Proverbs 16:1 says, “We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer.” (NLT) Final say…

AMEN

Walls, come down!

This morning I was in my devotional time and the Lord told me to do something for my retreat that I have been praying about using someone else to do. He simply said, “YOU can do it.” I wrestled with that thing, y’all! I shook myself and asked if I was ready for it and started praying again but the response didn’t change. I know that I am called and anointed for what I am doing but I still have moments that I question if I have what it takes. Maybe you do too. What have you not done, not tried or not completed because of fear, doubt or opinions? Today, the Lord told me to tell you to stop. Stop with the “I’m not sure!” Stop with the “they did it like this.” Stop with the “I don’t have the money.” Stop with the “I’m too _____!” Stop with the “I can’t!” Today, it’s time to kick down the wall that was built by the thoughts and opinions of you and other people. Today, you take the city!

Do you remember the story of Jericho? Its inhabitants locked the city down because they were afraid of the Israelites. A wall surrounded the city and no one came in or went out. The Lord gave Joshua detailed instructions and a promise that if they obeyed, the wall would come down and they could take the city. He told them,

“See! I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor. ³ You shall march around the city, all you men of war; you shall go all around the city once. This you shall do six days.  And seven priests shall bear seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. But the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, and the priests shall blow the trumpets.  It shall come to pass, when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, that all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the wall of the city will fall down flat. And the people shall go up every man straight before him.” (Josh. 6:2-5 NKJV)

Joshua called the priests, gave them instructions and then told the people what they were to do. “You shall not shout or make any noise with your voice, nor shall a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I say to you, ‘Shout!’ Then you shall shout.” (Josh. 6:10 NKJV)

This is where I want to stop.  Folks, two really important things happened here. God gave the instructions for the process and then told the people to shut their mouths until they had carried out those instructions. Let that marinate. I’ll wait…

Listen. The Lord has given you everything that you need to accomplish whatever He told you to do. Your only responsibility is to obey the instructions and keep your mouth shut until you finish. Your wall will come down if you don’t stop it with your mouth. When the Lord told me that I could do what He told me, that should have been the end of my mouth running. The Bible says that if He has said it, He will do it and if He has spoken it, He will make it good (Numbers 23:19). So why are you slowing down your progress with what you don’t think you have? Why are you holding someone else up with your excuses and your self-doubt? That wall was obliterated by obedience! The only thing that remained of the wall and city was silver, gold, bronze and iron, which went into the Lord’s treasury. Did you peep that? If you trust Him, he will take what held you up and bless the Kingdom with it. Goodbye, wall! Time to take the city!

Amen…