Daily Devotional – 11/9/17 “Look Deeper!”

When I rolled over this morning and saw the sun, I assumed the outside temperature was warmer. Then I checked the weather and it gave me a reality check, “no sis, its 40 degrees.” As I got out of bed, I thought about the times life has tricked us into assuming something other than reality because we based “it” on what we saw. I mean, the enemy makes the ending of the story look happily ever after and we assume it is because we base it on what we’ve been shown, never checking further. We assume him or her is our soul mate because they dressed the part and speak our love language but reality is, we assumed based on what we saw, instead of looking deeper. We see the outside of the car, pop the hood and yes, that’s it but drive it three days and the check engine light comes on and we’re stuck with it because we signed based on what we saw. Are you looking deeper? Had I based my wardrobe on the fact the sun was shining bright, I would have been in for a rude awakening when I got to the car. But get this … I looked deeper than what my natural eyes showed me, I checked the weather. Are you looking beloved?

Before you say yes to the proposal, are you checking with God, knowing He’s the very thing available to check heart and soul references or are you going by what you see? Before you say yes to the promotion, are you checking the resources available in order to make an informed decision or are you looking at the pay and going for it? Before you say yes to that place of worship, have you run the spiritual readiness test to ensure it meets your spiritual needs or did they shout you on Sunday and you feel good? Before you say yes to the dress, did you check the price tag and your checking account? Are you checking the resources available to ensure what you see is actually what you’re getting? When God sent Samuel to anoint a new king, he looked at the appearance of Jesse’s sons but the bible says in 1 Samuel 16:7, “But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.” Don’t assume based on what you see because it could cause your more pain than you’re naturally capable of handling. Instead follow the advice of Jesus when He said in John 7:24, “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.” In other words, look deeper.

Daily Devotional – 11/8/17 “Watch God work!”

I love to watch my Grams cook, especially during the holidays. She will have pots covering every burner on the stove, cutting boards on the table and pie crusts waiting to be filled. And while she is preparing dressing, sweet potato and egg pies for the oven; we will be busy chopping onions and bell peppers and silently watching her work. I knew not to interrupt her because an interruption caused delays and a delay meant I would have to wait longer for my request to taste test. So, I would do my part, only stopping when she interrupted me. Why am I sharing this? Well, many times we make a request of God and instead of waiting and watching Him work, we constantly interrupt. Truthfully, we don’t mean any harm, we just need to hear but I’ve come to realize that interrupting Him can cause a delay. Understand, I am not talking about praying but the, “why me God,” the “when me God,” the “where my blessing at God,” the “where is my husband God,” the “where is my wife God,” or the “how God” questions can delay what we’re waiting on. Do you not trust God to do what you’ve asked? Do you not believe He can do what you’ve been praying for? Then why not watch Him work?

Yes, I know you are eager but causing an interruption and allowing God to interrupt does not have the same kind of outcome. Our interruption can cause confusion, whereas God’s interruption can cause confession. Our interruption can cause depression but God’s interruption can cause deliverance. Our interruption can cause things to halt but God’s interruption can cause things to happen. God can interrupt our formalities to force our faith to kick in. God can interrupt our tranquility to test our talk of trust. God can interrupt our happiness simply to see if we can actually handle the harvest. I don’t know who this is for today but God isn’t intentionally ignoring you, He’s working on your request and He needs you to trust Him in His silence. He’s working, beloved, you just need to watch Him work it out. Can you do that? Yea, it’s hard, “But as for me, I will watch expectantly for the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.” – Micah 7:7

Daily Devotional – 11/7/17 “Facts but no fire!”

Reciting scriptures by memory does not mean a thing if you cannot put them to use. Dancing and shouting is good but it means nothing if you are still depressed and shackled when you are done. What good does it do to slay folk in the spirit and not be able to cast the enemy out of your own home? How is it, you can sing until the atmosphere is saturated with the Holy Spirit but you cannot discern Righteous Richard from Tricky Tyrone? You can whoop but your message is watered down. You can post real good messages on social media but in person your light of God is dim. You know what the bible says, I won’t take that from you but what good does it do if you don’t practice what you preach? You do know the devil knows the bible too, right? Those who say they don’t believe in God or the bible, they know it too. So, having the ability to remember where it said “that” in the bible really isn’t credible until you can put some oil on it. I can tell you what the bible says in John 3:16 but what does it mean? I can recite Genesis 1:1 but what does it mean? Jeremiah 29:11, we all know that but what does it mean? What I am asking is, where is your fire?

Where is your fire to run on even when you don’t know what the end is going to be? Where is your fire to not give up even when it looks like everything is against you? Where is your fire to withstand even when the world is against you? Where is your fire to press on when you don’t have a dollar to your name? Where is your fire, beloved, to believe even when your circumstances is trying to tell you not too? Where is your fire to trust God even with the grim prognosis from the doctor? Where is your fire to stand in the gap for your sister/brother and pray the hell out of them? Where is your fire to stand out in a conforming world? Where is your fire to tell all of God and not just the good? Where is your fire? Yes, you know God (facts) but will not share Him (fire). Yes, you can look your Sunday best (facts) but it doesn’t carry over to the other six days (fire). You can speak in tongue (facts) but not pray for your enemy (fire). Yes, you have biblical facts but when will you ignite your fire? Because Jesus says in Luke 12:49, “I have come to set the world on fire, and I wish it were already burning!”

Daily Devotional – 11/6/17 “Mirror, mirror!”

“Mirror, mirror I see; what would my reflection show if you were to know the dark parts of me?”

If you could no longer hide the scars, the tear stains and the secrets of your heart; what would your reflection show? If you could no longer hide the molestation and abuse, what would your reflection show? If you had to own up to the truth of your addictions, what would your reflection show? If covering up the many one night stands or empty relationships were no longer an option, what would your reflection show? If for one day, all of your skeletons were on display, what would your reflection show? Hard questions, I know but if we can be honest for a moment; a lot of us toil with these thoughts every day. What if they knew this about me? What if they find out about my past? What if they knew my daily sin? Well, what if they did? What if they knew? So what if “they” happen to have an opinion. To hell with those overly religious, shade throwing, filthy mouth judgers; they don’t have a heaven or hell to put you in. Oh, they can make your life hellish on earth but why let them.

You do realize that those “they” folk have a past too, right? Oh, they are still sinning too and the only reason they are bold enough to call you out on yours is because nobody has been bold enough to call them out on theirs. But they aren’t even worth that because the truth of the matter is, God could, at any moment, expose any of us. However, here is where you shout, God says to us just as He did to Israel in Isaiah 43:25, “I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.” Beloved, God doesn’t forgive and forget because of us, we ain’t all that, but He does because of Him. Neither does God wipe our slate clean simply because He doesn’t have anything else to do but He does it for what He will have us to do. This is why He’ll pick us up each time we fall. This is why He will forgive us even when we do what we promised Him we would not do again. It isn’t for you but it’s because of what God has already placed in you. So the question now is, when will you return to God and give Him all of you? Baby, He already knows your secrets and He still counts you savable. He already knows your transgressions and still calls you His treasure. God knows what you did last night and He still counted in the number to wake up this morning.

Daily Devotional – October 30 – November 3, 2017

To each of you who are faithful to Kisha’s Daily Devotional,

I am taking this week for prayer, fasting and consecration. During this week I will not be sharing any devotionals nor will I be on social media. I know, in order for me to properly share with you the word of God, I have to spend time fasting and praying. As we all should. I cannot be effective in my calling, without taking times of pure devotion with Him.

This week, spend some time with God. Whether it’s in secret prayer, fasting or reading your bible 30 more minutes than normal.

It is my hope, in the meantime, you will find all that I have shared in the last years to keep you encouraged until I return on Monday, November 6, 2017. If you need to reach me for prayer request, speaking engagements, etc. you can do so via email at authorlakisha@gmail.com or via Facebook messenger.

Be blessed and encouraged to step out on faith.
Kisha

“The LORD utters his voice before his army, for his camp is exceedingly great; he who executes his word is powerful. For the day of the LORD is great and very awesome; who can endure it? “Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.” — Joel 2:11-13