Daily Devotional – 8/31/17 “Be mindful of those!”

There is somebody, probably one who is real close to you, underestimating the fire in your belly. They look supportive, they sound loyal, they show up to the celebrations, they comment their congratulations and they even wear the shirt with your logo. But deep down, they do not really believe you’ll do it. They don’t have faith in your ability to accomplish all the things you have planned and they are only standing close by just in case you do. See, if they ‘act’ supportive, they will feel obligated to be blessed by your blessing. Please note, this is not for those true supporter who are there through the wins and the losses but these are those who make the sly remarks thinking you didn’t hear them. These are those who always agree and then says but. These are those who say, “I’m with whatever you want” instead of giving you sound advice. These are those who half smile when you show them the speech you’ve prepared in advance. These are those who do not understand why you’re thanking God for something you haven’t gotten yet. These are those who question your loyalty to worship. Be mindful of those!

This is why you have to be careful the labels you place on folk and those you allow to be placed on you because a friend has a responsibility to love at all times and a brother/sister to be there in difficult times. Don’t take my word but trust God’s because the bible says in Proverbs 17:17, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a difficult time?” This means when I mess up, you don’t leave me but you still love me. This means when you fall short, I still love you. This means you love me even when I am weak. This means I still love you even though you promised not to drink again but did. This means you love me when you catch me buying that stuff I said I’d never use again. This means I still love you even when you take your trifling spouse back. This means you’ll love me despite my choices. This means I will love you even when you are dirty and you will love me, mess and all because we love one another at ALL times. This also means, family, you don’t allow meaningless mess to divide our relationship because a brother (sister) was born for adversity. This means you may be mad at me, sister, but you will still show up in my crisis. I may be angry at you, brother, but I am still coming when you call. You may not like me, sister, but you love me enough to fight for me. I may get sick of you begging, brother, but I’ll still help when I can. You may get tired of me messing up, sister, but you will still clean me up. I may chastise you but I’ll still feed you. And we may not talk every day but when we do and you hear the pain in my voice, you show up. That’s a true sister/brother-friend. Be mindful of those, they are the ones you keep!

Daily Devotional – 8/30/17 “Happy New Year!”

Happy New Year! Yes, I am aware that today is August 30, 2017 but each time you are finally ready to start over, celebrate it as a new year. Why? Because starting over should mean you are leaving everything else that does not belong in the new, in the old. This means those things that no longer work should be thrown away in yesterday’s garbage. Stop dragging that old broken, raggedy stuff with you. That relationship that no longer fits with God’s plan of elevation for your life, roll over and kiss it goodbye. Stop forcing it. That place of worship that can no longer feed your craving for God’s word, tell it bye. Stop trying to make it work. Even if it is as simple as cutting away dead ends, do it because it will give you and your hair a new look. Stop covering it up. And if you know it is time for a New Year celebration and you are fearful of starting over, tell me why. Why are you fearful? You are tired, right? You are fed up with throwing water out of that battered boat, right? You are over the constant bickering and arguing, aren’t you? Then man up, man; woman up, woman! It is time now for your New Year. You don’t have to wait until the 31st of December, you can start right now.

Get help to get out of that abusive relationship, pour out that alcohol and throw away the bottles, flush that cocaine, heroin, pills or marijuana, erase those text messages, change your number, throw out the pictures, unfriend them on social media and stop looking at the remnants of your past beloved because it is time to start over. Yes, it is time you stop hanging with those who are only benefiting off you. I know it is easier said and done and you are probably nodding in agreement but your feet will not move. You are probably crying because you are sick and really tired, this time but you feel stuck. You have tried the church fast and still bloated with BS. You have laid out on the altar Sunday after Sunday and still get up bound. You’ve made the excuses and still getting hurt. You’ve signed the new lease but still will not pack. You have saved the new job opening but have yet to apply. When will you make the move? When will you clean up the mess and rebuild? When will you pack? When will you trust your faith to walk on water? When will you celebrate your New Year?

Daily Devotional – 8/23/17 “Your testimony could be the key to my chains!”

How can you heal someone else when you are broken? That’s like a surgeon preparing to operate on you with one good hand. It is not going to work beloved. You have to heal in order to then be able to heal others. You have to come out of bondage before you can reach back and save somebody else. You have to first become delivered before you can offer advice to someone else on their deliverance. How can you possibly tell me how to get over an addiction when you’re still in yours? How can you tell me how to successfully save my marriage when you aren’t even speaking to your spouse (for the fifth week in a row)? It does not matter that we are bound by different things, we are still bound. Just because you are bound with ropes and me with chains; we are still locked up. Get out of your ropes and then the both of us can try to get me out of my chains. Get delivered from your addiction of smoking and then help me with my addiction of drinking.

The bible says in Psalm 107:10-14 (AMP), “Some dwelt in darkness and in the deep (deathly) darkness, Prisoners [bound] in misery and chains, because they had rebelled against the precepts of God and spurned the counsel of the Most High. Therefore He humbled their heart with hard labor; they stumbled and there was no one to help. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them from their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the deep (deathly) darkness and broke their bonds apart.” It is time you came out and it is time you healed. God has need of your voice that was once shaky. God has need of your heart that was once broken. God has need of your hands that were once bound. God, simply has need of you because of all you have been through. Why? Well because the things that broke you, bound you, and hurt you are the very things God used to heal you and it will be that testimony which saves someone else.

Daily Devotional – 8/22/17 “Spiritual side chick!”

I have a confession to make, I am sometimes a “spiritual side chick.” Yes, you read that right, I am a certified spiritual side chick being just like Aaron and Hur, standing on the side lines being that chick who will willing hold up the arms of the leader. This doesn’t diminish my anointing, it does not take away the purpose of my position neither does it strip me of my blessings; it simply means I am capable of being where I am needed. See, somebody is getting weary because you are trying to find your place. Somebody is about to give up because you’ve been waiting on elevation and it has yet to show up. Somebody is at their wit’s end trying to figure out why you will not be promoted or why you haven’t been invited to sit at the table. Well beloved, sometimes your place isn’t to stand on the hill, sometimes your job isn’t to lead the people and sometimes your responsibility isn’t to be the one in charge. Just maybe this is your season to be on the side of the leader. Sometimes you may have to, “Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you (Isaiah 35:3-4).“

In Exodus 17, when the Israelites find themselves fighting the Amalekites who struck Israel in a blind attack, Moses says to Joshua to take some men and fight because “Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand (Exodus 17:9).” However, Moses finds that standing with his arms outstretched, for a period of time can becoming tiring. Yet Moses knew as long as his arms were lifted, Israel would prevail but if he dropped them, Israel would lose. Oh but then, something happened. The bible says in Exodus 17:12, “When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up–one on one side, one on the other–so that his hands remained steady till sunset.” Aaron and Hur willing took their place beside Moses. They did not try to take Moses’ place, they stood beside him holding up his arms. And because they did, the bible says in Exodus 17:13, “As a result, Joshua overwhelmed the army of Amalek in battle.” Sometimes, my place is on the side and if that means praying for my sister as she prepares to open her school, I will do it. If that means carrying my uncle’s bible while he pastors, I will do it. If that means fasting for you, I will do it. If it means getting up early to war on your behalf, I will gladly do it. This is why I can confess that I am sometimes a spiritual side chick and proud of it.

Daily Devotional – 8/21/17 “Clean up your mess!”

Why should I have to tell your grown butt to clean up your mess? I am not just talking about throwing away the garbage from your lunch, cleaning your room, your car or etc., I am talking about everything. Baby, if you caused the mess, clean it up. It doesn’t matter if the mess is in your home and nobody sees it, clean it up. I don’t care if nobody else rides in your car, clean up the mess. If you have to make a call and apologize, clean it up. If it means confessing your part in the confusion, clean it up. If you have to delete that status and that group message you got going, clean it up. And, if you need to purchase some large garbage bags and get to work, do it. See, a lot of times, beloved, the mess is what’s keeping you from prospering. And the sad part about it is, you have been doing it so long that you no longer recognize it as mess. Oh but it is and you are just as filthy and dirty as the garbage can (physical and hypothetically). Are you not tired of being stanky, dirty and covered in mess? Are you not tired of having your hands in stuff? Are you not tired of leaving dirty footprints/fingerprints everywhere you go?

Well then, it’s time you clean it up, beloved. Why do you think no one wants to be around you? Why do you think the invitations have stopped or the calls being ignored. No one wants to sit in a room with mess. Think about it … would you want to sit next to a garbage pile that stinks while you’re enjoying your glass of wine? Would you want to eat dinner next to the garbage bag filled with remnants of last night’s dinner? Would you serve, in worship, next to a can filled with the leftovers of last week’s fellowship? Would you allow a filthy garbage can to sit next to the couch while you watch the latest TV show? I’m only asking. Please understand, I am in no way calling you garbage but when your insides are filled with mess, you start to stink like some. When your mouth is filled with jealousy, malice and hatred; your breath begins to stink like it. And it can be smelled from miles away. This is why I am telling you to clean it up. And if I am honest, I shouldn’t have to tell you because you should want to be clean. However, I am so clean it up. It says in my bible (what about yours?), in James 4:7-8, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” If that is not enough, read Psalm 24:3-4 which says, “Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.”