You sure?

Hello friends! As you can obviously tell, it is not Thursday!  I have had a long week of traveling, unexpected delays, and awkward security experiences. (Don’t ask!)  So yesterday was not working with me. However, as I lay on my bed last night, listening for God, I expected something deeply spiritual to revive me from the pit of “do nothing”. Instead, I heard “make your election sure.” Now, I’m a preacher so I have heard that phrase on countless occasions but I wasn’t quite sure what God was trying to tell me in that moment.  I know what I thought it meant but again my mind was not together. So I went to the scriptures, looking for clarity and found myself in the Amplified Version of 2 Peter 1:10 and it says,

“Therefore, believers, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you [be sure that your behavior reflects and confirms your relationship with God]; for by doing these things [actively developing these virtues], you will never stumble [in your spiritual growth and will live a life that leads others away from sin];”

 

It is tempting to make this scripture about your decision to accept the call of God on your life. I mean that is the churchiest way. However, today, I realized that it is more about representing the call well. You see, your flesh would say that God called you and you answered and that is enough. When in reality, your response is the key. God is not only looking for your yes but authenticity along with it.  Your decisions, behavior, and maturity should reflect who God is and what kind of relationship you have with Him. It is not enough to say, “I am chosen” without living a holy life that is pleasing to God. It is not enough to say “I am a minister” without studying to show yourself approved. It is definitely not enough to say “God called me” but you are unteachable and unreachable.

 

Listen! In these last and evil days, you have to make your election sure! You have to be willing to go the extra mile for God in your public AND private life. It is time out for a “church folk” mentality when God needs Christians. People are dying without salvation every day and it is not acceptable. It is time to live the life of love, grace and holiness that Christ exemplified so that the world can be won for the Kingdom. So…are you sure? If not, let’s go ahead and get to work!

Amen

Made it!!

This morning the Lord highlighted a scripture for me about the Israelites that I don’t really remember. I’m sure that I have read it before but today it just seemed brand new. “For the Lord your God has blessed you in everything you have done. He has watched your every step through this great wilderness. During these forty years, the Lord your God has been with you, and you have lacked nothing.”’”‭‭(Deuteronomy‬ ‭2:7‬ ‭NLT‬‬)

Maybe I’m reflecting on this passage because as I write this, it is the last few minutes of my 30s. But it really struck me today what the Lord was saying to these people that had both doubted and celebrated Him, disappointed Him and made Him proud, followed Him and then regretted it. Yet in all of that back and forth, God was still there. In the midst of their most challenging time, wandering in the wilderness, He provided for them and kept them safe. Think about this now. No matter what your wilderness has looked like, you are still alive to read this post. No matter what your family did, you still have a future. No matter where you may have gone wrong, you still have a purpose. God has been there the entire time, loving you and providing for you. It’s an overwhelming thing, if you think about it. A God that literally owes you nothing gave it all for you. Does that blow your mind like it does mine?

Maybe I should say it another way. You made it! Really…you made it here to February 28th, 2019. So many of us shouldn’t have made it out of 1999 but here you are. Through it all, the Lord your God has been with you. Blocking the car from running you off the road, stopping the heart attack, keeping your mind. He has been there the whole time! So you see, when I say that you made it, I want you to really think about that thing because what you do next is affected. If you can celebrate making it, what ails you won’t wear you out. If you can just shout ”I made it”, what overwhelmed you last week will be a distant memory this week.

I just want you to know that the Lord never left you. Never! Not in the middle of the wilderness and not in the middle of your yes.  It may have gotten cloudy and lonely but He was there and and guess what? That won’t change!

Amen

It is well!

I was laying here at almost 10:00 waiting on the Lord to speak to me when these words started echoing in my spirit…

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll

Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say

It is well, it is well, with my soul

It is well

With my soul

It is well, it is well with my soul

I don’t know if you have ever had a crazy week or times when your mind wouldn’t stop racing, or you are overwhelmed by what you have left to accomplish. Well, I have and sometimes the only appropriate  response to that situation is “it is well”. Why? Because there is power in understanding that you just don’t have the answer. “It is well” is the white flag that you wave to tell the Lord that you’re handing over the reins to Him. There is no more trying to fix it or control it but rather a willingness to let God do whatever He planned to do anyway.

Today, I just want to let you know that it is well! You will get the work done. You will recover from the loss. You will find the answer and you will grow to your next stage You see? Don’t you feel better?

The Shunamite woman in 2 Kings 4 answered “it is well” when everything was far from well. Her son was dead and she had no easy way to fix it. However, her response shut her doubt and despair up. It pushed her toward change and breakthrough and challenged her to put her faith where her words were! I don’t have anything deep for you today but what I do have is an assurance. You have what it takes to get through whatever you are facing.  It is well!

Amen

Love.

“I am love.” As I was asking the Lord what to say today, I received this response. I sat with it pretty much all day. You know, letting it sink in and trying to think what to add to it. Now, I realize that there is nothing else needed. You see, that is where folks get in trouble with the concept of love. They try to complicate love with conditions and expectations, not to mention memories and failures. By the time, you try to get to the core definition of what love is, it has been so diluted by what man has attached to it that the real depth has been lost. It truly is as simple as the Lord’s statement. He is love and He is enough. I know you wanted something deep but that is as deep as it needs to be. If people would just let God’s love shine through their actions, their speech, their marriage, how they raised their children, how they give, and their responses, the world would be in a much better place. So today is just about reminding you about the precious and effective love of God. It is cleansing, perfecting, and redeeming. It is everlasting, kind, and patient. It overshadows and casts out fear and it covers all offense. It is everything that you need and more than enough. It is God.

We love because he first loved us. - 1 John 4:19

And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. – Colossians 3:14

Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. – 1 John 4:8

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. – 1 Corinthians 13:3

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. – John 15:13

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. – John 3:16

May you always know and receive the special and all-encompassing love of God. It heals, delivers, and saves and will keep you warmer than the gifts or words of man. May you feel that love today and everyday of your life.

Amen

Go find your YES!!

It’s super late and I am just getting to a place where I could put anything on paper. For that reason, I’m not going to belabor the point or stress you out with a long post. I just want to remind you to remember your yes!

Life, circumstances, attacks, etc love to distract you from what you are supposed to be doing. We know that and almost expect those things to happen. But what about the things of God – your ministry, your title/position, your purpose? What happens when those things take your attention and focus away? Today, the Lord wanted me to remind you of why you first said yes. Not your call “yes” or your elevation “yes” but your salvation yes, your repentance yes, your confession yes. You see, if you are tired, frustrated or waiting on an answer, take a moment and reflect on why you said yes in the first place. It wasn’t for the spotlight or the likes on Instagram. It was your very life and it is worth a revisit.

The people that you are looking to follow your ministry and attend your event, will find you at your yes. They will see the passion and the excitement that flowed so freely from you when you first felt God in your heart. It’s time to go back and find your yes. Stop waiting on the Lord to say something deep and begin to worship Him for how He plucked you out of sin’s grasp and set you on a new path!

The Lord reminded me of what was said in 1 Corinthians 1:20 this morning, “For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us.”‭‭(II Corinthians‬ ‭1:20‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

If yes was such a powerful word that all of His promises are answered in it, why have we become so lackadaisical about our yes? How have we moved so far away from it? It’s time to get back to what you said to God in the first place, I promise that your why and your next will become clear!

Amen

But God...

Sorry for the late post today, folks! It’s been a crazy week and a pretty crazy day but God. Wow! My mind just stopped right there and wouldn’t let me go further. Have you ever had a “But God” moment? Have you ever thought about where you would be if it had not been for the Lord? Sounds like the beginning of a churchy moment but it is really just fact. So many times life and circumstance takes your focus and puts it squarely on them. You look at how hard your day was. How hard it was to make your rent or survive the diagnosis. How crazy people are on your job or how wild your family is. But if you really just stop and think…BUT GOD. Why? Because you’re still here! Why? Because you have a testimony to share! Why? Because you didn’t die in it! God was faithful to you even in the midst of all that life and circumstance tried to do.

You can actually find several scriptures in the Bible that include “but God” and they all tell the story about God showing up and working for the good of His child. I want to just leave you with 3 and hope that you can find yourself somewhere in them.

Genesis 50:20 - You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. (NLT) Joseph was talking to his brothers about how God worked on his behalf despite their intentions. Has God covered you and trusted you with a struggle so that someone else could be free?

1 Kings 5:4 - But now the Lord my God has given me peace on every side; I have no enemies, and all is well. (NLT) Solomon had just become king and he was acknowledging that what his father hadn’t accomplished, he was able to. Has God ever taken you farther than anyone in your family has gone and delivered you from generational strongholds?

Psalm 73:26 - My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever. (NLT) This is from a Psalm of Asaph, which means one who gathers together. He was a leader of David’s choir. However, the key here is that he reminds us that no matter what happens to our natural or even spiritual self, God is stronger. He is a present God and one that loves like no other.  Has God ever shown Himself strong in your life and reminded you that in your weakness, He is strong?

Listen, saints! Take a “But God” moment! Remind yourself that things in your life could have easily gone another way but God was right there fighting for you, loving you, protecting you, and showing up on your behalf. If you feel tired, weak or frustrated, remember that there is always a “but God” response coming.  Go in peace!

Amen

Know your place!

This weekend I will be elevated in ministry. It is a move that did not come without a lot of prayer, questions, sacrifice and attack. But this week as I have been preparing, The Lord told me that my only responsibility in this, other than obedience, was to know my place. I sat on that for a while. Know my place? What does that even mean?! The Lord’s response is what I want to share with you today.

The definition of to know is to be aware of through observation, inquiry or information.The definition of place is a particular position or point in space, a portion of space available to or designated for or being used by someone. So if you put it together, it is a call to be aware of the position that has been designated for you based on information that you have received. Hmmmmm…Then the Lord showed me a scenario.

Imagine you are asked to give remarks at a big gala. You received an invitation and were told that you had a reserved seat with your name on it. You are dressed for the occasion, have your notes prepared, and are ready to go. However, when you arrive, you see some people that you know and they convince you to sit with them instead of going to your reserved seat. The event is moving along and you step out to use the restroom. While you are out, they call for you to give your remarks. They shine the spotlight on your reserved seat but it's empty so they assume you are not there and move on with the program. You come back inside only to realize that because you didn't take your reserved seat, you missed your opportunity to do what you had been invited there to do. You knew where your seat was but you did not take it.

“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah‬ ‭1:5‬ ‭NLT) ‬‬God called Jeremiah and He has called you for a purpose with some very specific assignments and callings that were planned before you were born. It's time to know what God has called you to and get to it. In this season of your life, you cannot afford to be distracted by people, circumstances, fear, or attention. You cannot continue to ignore, avoid or deny a position that has been designated for you. You must take the place that has been set aside for you so that you can carry out what has been assigned to you. There is purpose in that place and you do not want to miss the benefits or the souls that are associated with it. Come on! God doesn't do things for kicks and giggles! If He has said it, He is going to do it and use it for His glory. Are you ready to take your place?‬‬

Rise up! I knew you before you were in your mother’s womb. Come forth! The earth is waiting for what I put in you. Stand up! Your voice is needed in the Kingdom. Answer! Your name has been called. Don’t you dare miss your assignment because you are scared. Don’t you dare leave your place unclaimed because someone is uncomfortable with it. And PLEASE, don’t you dare downplay or doubt what the Lord has said about you. It’s time. Know your place!

Amen