Remember the Promise!

‘I am Thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice, and it told Thy love to me; but I long to rise in the arms of faith and be closer drawn to Thee. Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord, to the cross where Thou hast died; draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord, to Thy precious bleeding side.’ (Frances Crosby, 1875) The words of this old hymn echoed in my spirit this morning as I met with the Lord. I was feeling a little down and tired. There is so much going on in the world and it seems that the world has already tucked away the celebration and the emotion of Resurrection Day. It’s like coming down from this extreme high with nowhere to go. The issues are still there, the foolishness is still there, the frustration is still there. But this morning, I heard the Lord say ‘Remember the promise.’ I heard that and wanted to push back a little bit and tell Him that I’ve been doing that but He repeated, ‘Remember the promise’.  Some of you are in a holding pattern, waiting on change to come or manifestation to take place. You are right on the edge – giving up on one side and pushing forward on the other. But today, God encouraged me to tell you to remember what He told you and hold on.

For forty days after Jesus was crucified, He appeared to the apostles teaching them about the Kingdom. He taught them and ate with them and showed them that He in fact was alive. Right before He ascended to heaven, He told them to expect the gift of the Holy Spirit. He said, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” And then He was gone. This made me think of times when God has given you a word or instruction and told you to expect something and then silence. He has told you that breakthrough is coming but not when. He has told you that your name and ministry will be great but not where. He has told you that you will have a successful business but not how.  God was serious when He said, “My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts. And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and thoughts higher than your thoughts.” (Is. 55: 8-9 NLT) He has a plan and purpose for your life that goes beyond what you see right now. So when He promised the disciples the gift of a Comforter, He knew that His timing would have to be perfect. He knew that they were facing the loss of not only a teacher but hope itself. How do you face tomorrow when it seems there is no hope? Remember the promise.

After Christ’s ascension, they waited another ten days before the gift of the Holy Spirit arrived. I think it’s important to note what they did during this waiting period. They went into prayer and went about fulfilling the word of God. They set out to replace Judas as had been foretold in Psalms by David. Think about this. They had lost their leader and a fellow brother to betrayal and now they had to keep going and conduct business.  Doesn’t that seem like too much to ask at the time? I mean, why couldn’t they just pray and get themselves together before going on with the work. But I believe Luke gave us a glimpse into how to wait on the manifestation of a promise. It made me think.  Could it be that this is included so that you know that Kingdom work doesn’t stop? Could it be that this section was shared so that you would remember that before you were in your mother’s womb, God had laid out an order and purpose to your life that will have to be fulfilled? Could it be that Luke shared this so that you would know that even in the midst of despair, you can get on one accord with your brothers and sisters in Christ pray and something will be accomplished? They stood on the promise in faith. They kept pressing while they waited but they kept the promise at the forefront. Remember the promise.

When the day of Pentecost arrived, 50 days after the Passover and Christ’s crucifixion, the Holy Spirit came and essentially laid all the saints out. They spoke in tongues and heard a word that “pierced their hearts” (Acts 2:37). The church went forward from that moment. Despite the naysayers, the doubt and the distractions that were present, the believers received the promised gift. They received the Holy Spirit, the promise! The Comforter! The One who teaches us all things and reminds us of what the Lord has said!  So take this message and remember! Hold on to what God has told YOU! It does not matter what others say or do, you hold on to God’s promise. Remember that what He says cannot return void.  He said, “The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with My word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” Don’t give up, folks! Remember the cross and the sacrifice but don’t stay there, move forward to the promise and wait for it. It must come to pass! AMEN…

Come on in, Jesus!

I love Passion Week. It is truly a time to reflect on who Christ is in my life and honor His sacrifice for me. Sometimes, it’s easy to get caught up in the tradition and collective celebration of Easter and forget that Christ went to the cross for you as an individual. He bore those stripes for your healing. He was pierced for your rebellion. He was beaten so you could be whole. Sometimes it’s easy to think about the world and not make it personal. But today, let’s get personal. Let’s take a minute to honor the God who sacrificed His only Son so that your dying soul could have life. You see, I’ve come to realize that there are moments when God wants me to see myself and who He is to me. The same goes for you. God wants us to get out of the routine of celebrating Easter for the sake of timing and tradition and recognize that the death and resurrection of Christ means you now have the opportunity to live. Live…not just exist. Overcome…not just make it. Stand…not just lean.

This morning the Lord showed me a vision of a door but it was zoomed into the deadbolt. I looked at it and noticed that it was in the unlocked position. Then I heard the Lord say, “You’ve unlocked the door but you haven’t invited me in.” I was shocked! ‘Of course I’ve let You in, God! How could You say that?’ Then He began to show me and it was truly a revelation. Can I be transparent with you all? It’s hard to do but I’ve found that Passion Week and Easter are about renewal, restoration and resurrection and at the heart of all of those things there must be truth. Every week, I set out to hear a word from the Lord to encourage you on this journey. It’s my assignment and my calling but I realized that I had only let Christ in halfway. Let me clarify. I said yes to Him but I didn’t want to carry the weight of it. I told Him that I would do His will but I didn’t want anyone thinking I was anointed. I promised Him I would be committed to sharing His word but I was uncomfortable with people saying it was good even though I knew it was from Him. I wanted the connection with the Lord but I didn’t necessarily want the responsibility. Can you relate to what I’m saying? Has God called you to something but because you are uncomfortable with the assignment, you’ve only partially allowed the Lord in?

Well He said to me, “Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him and he with Me.” (Rev. 3:20 NKJV) And that’s what this week leading up to Easter Sunday is all about…opening up your heart and allowing the Lord to commune with you. It’s time out for allowing fear to dictate how far you can go. It’s time out for allowing other people’s expectations to keep you from stepping out in faith. It’s time out for allowing your discomfort to keep you from walking in the fullness of your gifts. Christ went to the cross so that you could be free. He took on the sins of the world so that you would have victory over sickness. He did it for you! So if He did all these things for you, don’t you think He deserves your whole effort, your whole heart? Don’t you think He deserves to hear you say, “nevertheless not my will but Your will be done”? It’s hard, saints but the release and the freedom of owning your yes is powerful. Being able to say that you welcomed Christ to fully have His way in you makes a difference. He is waiting.

This Passion Week is about watching death turn to life. If you have been bound by anything - unemployment, relationships, health issues, I challenge you to let Christ in to your situation completely. I challenge you to turn Him loose and let Him do a perfect and complete work in you. As He told the leper in Matthew 8, “I am willing, be cleansed.” He is willing, saints to come in and dine with you. You just have to open the door and welcome Him in.

Have a blessed Resurrection Day! AMEN

Resurrect me!!

It’s the week before Easter and Christians around the world are preparing to celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It’s an exciting time to reflect upon the sacrifice and the power shown during the weeks leading up to Christ’s crucifixion. Spring is finally here and signs of new life are popping up everywhere…flowers, trees, and bees. As I was thinking about that, God said to me “it’s resurrection time”. I agreed and tried to move on to the next thing but then He pointed out something to me. With all of the newness of spring, there are many of you that are still feeling the effects of a long winter. You haven’t quite gotten the joy of the new season but God is calling you back to life today! He wants you to stand up and cry out to him, “Resurrect me!”

How many of you are ready to be revived and resurrected? It’s time to go into this new season in a better place. It’s time to shake off the layers, the heaviness, and the cold and receive the warmth of the Son. As I was praying, God immediately gave me Psalm 51. When David wrote this psalm, he had just been confronted by the prophet Nathan about his affair with Bathsheba and he was looking for redemption. I wasn’t quite sure if I had heard correctly at first but then I got it. Everyone goes through challenges and trials in life and the aftereffects are often heavy and long. Think about it. The grief after losing a loved one. The disappointment after a betrayal. The fatigue after a spiritual test. The guilt after a sin. Sometimes, these things weigh on you to the point of hopelessness and you are crying out for renewal and resurrection. But read what David says. “Soak me in your laundry and I’ll come out clean, scrub me and I’ll have a snow-white life. Tune me in to foot-tapping songs, set these once-broken bones to dancing. Don’t look too close for blemishes, give me a clean bill of health. God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life. Don’t throw me out with the trash, or fail to breathe holiness in me. Bring me back from gray exile, put a fresh wind in my sails! Give me a job teaching rebels your ways so the lost can find their way home. Commute my death sentence, God, my salvation God, and I’ll sing anthems to your life-giving ways. Unbutton my lips, dear God; I’ll let loose with your praise.” (Ps. 51: 7-15) I’m a New King James girl to my heart but I love how the Message translates these verses. It captures David’s heartfelt desire to be redeemed and brought back to life. Can you see how you can apply this to your life? Can you see how the desire to be made new applies after a long winter season? Resurrect me, God!

When Christ was resurrected, He gave way to restoration and renewal in your life. The fact that He did not stay in the grave gave you the power to live again. It’s time now to take off the grave clothes of winter and put on your fresh spring attire. It’s time to leave all the pressures of the old season and embrace the release of the new one. “What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have Him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you’ll have it all—life healed and whole.” (1Peter 1:3-5 MSG) This is your resurrection day! This is your time to give all the worries, stresses and disappointments over to God and receive your future. Resurrect me, God!

God wants you whole and well. Will you receive it? You see, that’s the issue. If you do not allow the space and time for God to work in and through you, you allow winter to keep hold of your life. For those of you that have seen Frozen, there’s a scene when Olaf the snowman begins to melt because it’s too warm and he is given his own personal snow cloud. Some of you have unconsciously requested your own personal snow cloud that has kept you from feeling the full effects of spring. I challenge you today to step out from under that cloud and receive the gift and power of resurrection. You deserve it! May the God that raised Christ from the dead, renew and restore you today and cause you to feel a quickening in your spirit to go forward into your new season! AMEN.

Keep Pressing!

There was an old church song that we used to sing when I was growing up called Keep Pressing On. I can still hear Mr. Blue Mayo singing it today. He would lead the Gospel Choir in... "Keep pressing on! Keep pressing on! Trials of the world seem to get you down. Keep pressing on round by round don't let Satan block your way. Keep pressing on!" Even as a child, I loved the message of motivation and faith to keep going no matter what the enemy tries to do. Today is about giving you the encouragement to keep going in your life, in your calling, in your job...whatever it is that is frustrating you. God is saying don't give up! Keep pressing on!

"I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.” (Philippians 3:12-14 MSG) Paul was talking to the Philippians about giving it all to Christ when he makes this statement. We think of Paul as this great apostle that had massive amounts of wisdom and faith, which he did but he was also always real about who he was and his shortcomings. So tell me this, if this great man of God can "press on" as he says in the New King James Version, despite persecution and frustration, why can't you? God does not play favoritism. He has given you access to the same power and authority that he gave Paul. The difference is often how the access is used. Paul went hard when he was working for the world so when he got access to Kingdom knowledge, he went into overdrive and never gave up even in the face of danger, man, and death. What have you given into?  Have you let the stresses of the world weigh you down to the point of stagnation? Have you let man's opinion tear your nerves up to the point of frustration? I'm here today to tell you to get up and keep pressing on. God has a purpose for your life and it must be fulfilled and it can't be done in your closet. Keep pressing on!

Let's be real. There are very few smooth roads in life. You will encounter bumps and potholes and accidents. But how you handle those encounters is how you reach your goal. You have to remember that if you persevere through the testing, there is reward at the end. Hey! I'm not saying that the fire isn't hot and uncomfortable and often painful but Christ is there tending the fire. He is burning away everything that you don't need. What would happen if you gave up right before He pulled you out of the fire? What gift would you miss out on? What promotion would you forfeit? What refreshing would you discard? You HAVE to keep going! You are the only one that can complete the assignment that He has given you. The pain has a purpose and the process has an end. Keep pressing on!

Child of God, you are called to great things! What you are experiencing is all designed to get you to the expected end. I challenge you today to look in the mirror and encourage yourself. That's what David did! Tell yourself that the calling is worth it! The job is worth it!  The child or baby is worth it! The marriage is worth it! Remind yourself of the goal and press towards it. Matthew 5:16 reminds us to "let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." Can God get the glory if you throw in the towel? Nope! Be encouraged, my friend! God is up to something awesome...AMEN

You've got this!

Wow! What a week! What a month! What a year! Have you had those thoughts recently? Life has been filled with challenges, tests, and struggles. But it’s also been filled with joys, triumphs, and breakthroughs. This morning God challenged me to just encourage you in Him. There was nothing super deep, no visions or catchy phrases. He just wanted me to tell you that you are going to make it! What you have been facing is not the end of your story. It’s a part but it’s not the end. It’s so easy to get into a season of your life and supersize its importance. You feel like it’s never ending and so it overtakes you and everything else in your life. I’m not saying that what you are going through or where you are is not important. But I am saying that it is not all that God has for you. He is using this challenge, this test to perfect and prepare you.

I’m a witness. God has been presenting me with tests that I never expected. I’ve had to cry, self-examine, pray, repent, cry some more. But at the end of every test, there is a lesson that I can add to my spirit to help me move forward in God’s purpose for my life. How about you? Can you look at your life and see God shaping and making you? Can you feel the stretching? The things that used to be simple for you are not anymore because God wants you to use your next level thinking. He wants you to call on Him for His wisdom and understanding. One of my favorite scriptures is “Wisdom is the principal thing therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding.” (Prov. 4:7 NKJV) I have had to really accept that word in my life. Sometimes what you’re are going through is a wisdom building exercise. God is teaching you some things so that you do not make the same mistakes again. Aren’t you tired of taking the same test over and over again? I know I am! Ask God to show you what you are missing. Ask Him to give you HIS wisdom and then follow His instructions. It’s pointless to ask and then not listen.

That brings me to the other thing God led me to share. If we are going to get through the challenges of life, we have to deal with our flesh! It’s one of the greatest challenges, obstacles, tests, enemies that you will ever face. Do you know why? It’s a simple answer, actually. Because it’s you, your humanness and it fights every day to remain a part of your life. God cracks me up sometimes with the things He gives me to share but I really bugged out on this one because it’s so true. Ebony can mess Ebony up really bad! You know what I mean? When I am walking according to what I want, I mess things up. God wants your attention to be on Him. The Message translation breaks it down really clearly. “Those who think they can do it on their own end up obsessed with measuring their own moral muscle but never get around to exercising it in real life. Those who trust God’s action in them find that God’s Spirit is in them—living and breathing God! Obsession with self in these matters is a dead end; attention to God leads us out into the open, into a spacious, free life. Focusing on the self is the opposite of focusing on God. Anyone completely absorbed in self ignores God, ends up thinking more about self than God. That person ignores who God is and what he is doing. And God isn’t pleased at being ignored.” (Rom. 8:5-8) If we want life and peace, we have to walk according to the Spirit. We cannot combat the challenges of this life and the world, if we are walking in our flesh. That’s why Paul often talks about dying to Christ. Every day, we have to crucify our flesh so that we aren’t functioning based on ourselves but on what God is saying to us. It's the only way to live with some peace.

Part of what God has called me to do with Rhema is uplift the body of Christ. If I have to tell you every week that you are going to make it, I will because that’s what God is saying. He does not want you to think that the things you go through are for nothing. And He definitely doesn’t want you to think that you have to handle anything on your own. He has a plan and purpose for your life that is going to be fulfilled. You just have to be obedient. You don’t have to worry about what other people are saying or doing if it’s not in line with Kingdom and God’s plan for you. That’s often the hardest lesson to learn, trust me, but it will make all the difference in how you conduct your life. Just know that you are God’s beloved and He has your back. “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor. 15:57 NKJV) Get that wisdom! Kill that flesh! Keep fighting! You will make it! AMEN

Work in Progress

I heard a sermon a couple of weeks ago that really spoke to me. One of the points was, “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.

Passing the Test

Do you remember when you were in school and you had a test? You generally knew in advance and had time to prepare and study. You figured out how each teacher’s tests were set up. You probably had a system that worked for you, whether it was note cards or group study, or writing out summaries. I have a good memory so generally if I can get the facts or the subject that I am being tested on in my mind, then I can recall what I need. It’s what worked for me. Isn’t it interesting how when God sends a test, it seems like a foreign occurrence? Sometimes you look around and wonder how you got there and why you didn’t see it coming. It seems like what worked for you doesn’t work anymore. Today, God sent me to a scripture that I don’t remember ever having read before. But it spoke to me and so I am sharing with those of you who may be going through a test in your life.

“Oh, bless our God, you peoples! And make the voice of His praise to be heard, who keeps our soul among the living, And does not allow our feet to be moved.  For You, O God, have tested us; You have refined us as silver is refined.  You brought us into the net; You laid affliction on our backs. You have caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water;  but You brought us out to rich fulfillment.” (Ps. 66: 8-12 NKJV) This Psalm was a celebration of who God is and how awesome He is but it truly spoke to surviving the tests and trials of life. God sees you and your struggles because He is there. That was so powerful to me. He is Jehovah Shammah, present with you. He is not an absent or invisible God. He is keeping you alive even in the midst of a difficult time and when you have come through the testing, abundance awaits you. When you have come out of the fire and water, you will find, as the New Living Translation says, a “well watered place”. Keep pressing…

Whenever you go through a test, it is so easy to get caught in the place where you feel like you are the only one to go through. It can be lonely and frustrating because you don’t want to be seen as a whiner or a “victim”. You know how it is. Everyone else in your world looks like they have it good! They are holding hands with their husband while you want to stab yours. They just got a promotion and you are dealing with the worst boss ever. They got pregnant without even trying and you’ve been trying for years. Frustrating. But Paul says something to the Corinthian church in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that you can hold on through a difficult test. “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure.” (NLT) Don’t you love that? Even in the midst of a test, God is covering you. He will not put something before you that is unescapable. There is always a way out. Keep pressing…

I guess it all comes down to the definition of the word test. Google defines it as ‘a procedure intended to establish the quality, performance, or reliability of something, especially before it is taken into widespread use.’ God has a plan and purpose for your life and there are things that He will allow you to experience that are meant to prepare you for His use. Your responsibility is to prepare by studying your word and getting to know your Teacher. Understand that He has promised to never leave nor forsake you and that includes during the tests and trials of life. “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Rom. 12:2 ESV) Just keep pressing, there is pure gold on the other side! AMEN.