Daily Devotional – 5/9/17 “Does your faith match the favor?”

There used to be a time my faith didn’t match my favor. I would hear God say He’ll provide (favor) but I’ll look at my empty checking account and handle things my way (check advances, not faith). God never allowed us to go to bed hungry (favor) but I’ll look at the empty refrigerator and do things my way (writing a bad check, not faith). God would say, put in the application (favor) and I’ll look at my resume and refuse. This was because my faith was never in line with the favor over my life. Yeah, I knew God had a purpose for me but the pain of poverty wouldn’t let my faith kick in. I knew I was in a place God didn’t sanctify but the sweat of suffering would not let me go. My faith did not match my favor. Then one day, God told me to move. I mean literally move (I’ve shared this before) and we did. In two days our apartment was packed up even though we didn’t have a place to stay. God said trust Him and for the first time, in a long time, I did. I couldn’t see a way but my faith kicked in. I didn’t understand but faith was driving. It did not make sense but faith was the GPS.

I am sharing this again because somebody needs to know this, needs to read this, needs to digest this and needs to trust again. Yes, I know you jumped last time and ended up hurt but this time jump by faith. Yes, I know you applied and was denied but this time apply with faith. Yes, your marriage is not working but this time consult faith. Doctors said one thing but this time try faith. Ma’am, I do not know your situation but how is your faith? Sir, I don’t know your circumstance but how is your faith? Does it match the favor? When God can allow you to make it home safely even though your alcohol level was three times the legal limit, does your faith match the favor? When you still had $3 left until the next payday and you didn’t have to borrow, does your faith match the favor? When your child escaped twenty years in prison, does your faith match the favor? When the job laid you off only to walk through a door of your own business, does your faith match the favor? When your church is still surviving with the 10 faithful members, does your faith match the favor? When you celebrated five years on a job without a high school diploma, does your faith match the favor? Sometimes, beloved, you have to faith it until it comes.

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” – Hebrews 11:1

Daily Devotional – 5/8/17 “Are your branches bare?”

Where is your fruit? Fruit as in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control? Are you producing these things or is your branch bare? I’m only asking because as I was reading yesterday, a passage stood out to me. A parable Jesus told in Luke 13: 6-9 that says, “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. Finally, he said to his gardener, ‘I’ve waited three years, and there hasn’t been a single fig! Cut it down. It’s just taking up space in the garden.’ “The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.’” This passage made me think of how God must feel every time He looks at us and we aren’t producing anything worthy of Him, who we’ve been planted in. Yet He says, I’ll give her more time, I’ll give him special attention and fertilize their roots again. I’ll make sure they are in the right place to get a little more SON, I’ll ensure they aren’t crowded with other non-growing branches, I’ll prune away the dead stuff and I’ll give them what they need. Year after year, He should cut us off but instead He says, I’ll give them another year. Day after day, He sees our bare branches and He still says, I’ll give them another day.

Even when we bear fruit and it’s rotten, He says, I’ll give him more time. Why? Because Jesus says in John 15:1, “I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener.” When our fruit stinks, God says, I’ll give her a special treatment.” Why? Because Jesus says in John 15:3, “You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you.” Even when our branches need to be pruned, God says, “I’ll nurse it back to health.” Why? Because Jesus says in John 15:4, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.” Even when we deserved to be cut off, God keeps us because Jesus tells us in John 15:5, “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” So I ask you today, what fruit are you bearing, where are you bearing it and is it worthy of being picked?



Dear God,
Thank you for not cutting us off. Thank you for keeping us even when the fruit we bear isn’t worthy of being attached to you. Today, God, I will strive to be a better fruit bearer.
Amen.

Daily Devotional – 5/4/17 “What have you lost?”

Last night I was watching ‘my 600 pound life, where are they now,’ following up on a lady who’d had surgery a year ago. The show was documenting how she’d handled her weight loss and now, her journey to be approved for excess skin removal. She finally gets the surgery but while recovering, she finds herself having to learn how to essentially balance herself and walk again. Why? Well because the doctor removed the weight she had become accustom to carrying around. So, when she stood for the first time, after surgery, she was off balance. She didn’t understand why she couldn’t walk, something she’d done since she was a child but what she had not counted in was how her body would feel not having 60 additional pounds pulling her down. The excess weight had become part of her life and although it was heavy, her body had adjusted to it and with it being removed, she finds herself having to learn to live without it. And somebody reading this, you’re in a similar situation. No, it may not be weight loss surgery but somebody lost something and now you feel off balance because you don’t know how to function without it. Yes, it was heavy but your life had adjusted to it. And you can’t understand why, all of a sudden, your life feels different. You cannot make sense of why you find yourself swaying when you have been walking, perfectly fine.

You got divorce and now you don’t know how to function coming home and not having to argue with somebody. You don’t know what to do with the time you used to spend taking care of momma/daddy who recently died. You don’t know how to live after spending years in an abusive relationship. You find yourself still cooking like you got $5 instead of $500. You feel guilty when you wake up in a good mood instead of being your usual depressed self. You still buy clothes to fit your old size instead of the new. You don’t know how to accept a compliment. You don’t know how to enjoy the fact your ministry is growing. You don’t know how to walk without the weight and now you’re stumbling and swaying, crying and refusing to get up. Afraid to look in the mirror because she said you were ugly. Fearful of taking an assignment because he told you nobody would accept somebody like you. Scared of walking without the weight because you spent too many years walking with it. And now, you find yourself sitting on the side of shame, propped against a wall of weeping, holding on to a walker of weakness, carrying a cane of confusion or depending on the crutches of captivity. Beloved, it’s okay because I have your prescription for physical therapy and you shall walk without the weight.


Dear God,

Thank you for removing the weight. Now, give me strength to walk without it in order to get to the place, in destiny, you have designed for me.

Amen.

Daily Devotional – 4/28/17 “To follow or not..”

One of the coolest features I like about Facebook is the unfollow feature. It is one that allows you to stop seeing people’s post without unfriending them. Alright, you may not say it but let us be honest for a moment. There are some folk who post A LOT, some who post foolishness and some whose beliefs I may not agree with so I unfollow them. It doesn’t mean our friendship or familyship (not a real word but you get it) is severed, it is just my way of “unfollowing” their stuff. Because whether you want to believe it or not, following some stuff and/or some people can get you caught up, put you in your feelings, make you want to express ‘your’ thoughts and even, sometimes, have you doubting what you believe. This is especially true when you blindly follow or when you like someone, so much, you believe everything he/she says, does and post. And with so many false teachers and the easy access of the internet, a lot of our thoughts can be jacked up by the stuff and/or people we choose to follow.

For example … say you’re following someone. You don’t question them when they tell you, they know the way because you’ve friended them and you trust them. You’ve been following them for some time and then you look up and realize, you’ve been going the wrong way the entire time. Now, you have to turn around and go back the wrong way just to start over going the right way. How much time have you wasted? To take it even further, let us say you’ve been following someone, blindly, spiritually. How much time have you lost? This is what I mean when I say, there is some stuff and/or people you need to unfollow. It does not mean you un-love or unlike the person but their thoughts are not your thoughts and their ways are not your ways. Stop blindly following. Even when it comes to this devotional, I expect you to study God’s word for yourself because although God has anointed me, I don’t know it all and I would be fooling you and myself if I said I did. Beloved, if you take nothing else from this post, get this, be mindful of who and/or what you follow. That’s all.


Daily Devotional – 4/27/17 “Squad Goals”

You cannot do it alone! I’ve said this many times before but listening to #theholdfast prayer call with Rev. Kia Moore, this morning, solidified this thought. Beloved, look, it is time you quit searching for folk who will ride or die and instead get some folk who can rebuke and decree. See, there are going to be some situations in your life that will shake you, some darkness that will depress you, some sickness that will suffer you and some circumstances that will confuse you and you need some folk who can lay out on their face for you! Yes, girl’s night is good but can they pray for you? Yes, the group texting is cool but can they cover you? Yea, the barber shop talk is alright but can they go to God on your behalf? Like Kia shared this morning, you need somebody who can work God and not just watch God! Why? Because when they work God, things happen ON YOUR BEHALF and you never opened your mouth! This is why it is beneficial to have some folk around you who isn’t selfish. Yes, I know your ‘squad goals’ is to be surrounded by folk who match your fly but chile, I need some folk who match my faith.

I get it, when you were younger, you had a squad who was willing to ride with you to bust somebody’s windows but now, I need some folk who can bust open the windows of heaven. I don’t need you to fight for me on social media but go to war for me in your prayer times. Don’t speak for me in the natural but call my name when you’re speaking in tongue. Please understand, I war for my friends and family. And they don’t have to ask. When there is a need, I pray. When I see their marriage in trouble, I pray. When they are sick, I pray. Financial trouble, I pray. Suffering, I pray. Because this is my responsibility! This is why the friendships I have had over the last fifteen plus years have lasted. It is not about the material things but it is those times of need and you were there. It is not about whether you showed up to my house party but did you come and shut down the pity party. It is not about whether you can afford to get me a birthday gift because I’d rather have you praying for me to see a hundred more birthdays. Squad goals for me, is the linking of our faith. What are they to you?

“Your squad will usher you into the place where you can get your slate cleared before you enter into your next season” – Kia Moore