Daily Devotional – 4/10/17 “Differences of the anointing!”

Have you ever gotten to a place where things that used to affect you, don’t bother you anymore? Have you ever woke up and looked at invitations to places, you used to go, but no longer had the desire to accept? Have you ever stopped responding to some stuff that used to ruffle your feathers? Given up fighting because you no longer felt the need to? Well beloved, that is the anointing making a difference. See, the anointing will change the direction you were heading, suddenly. The anointing will shut your mouth, immediately. The anointing will have you blocking some folk you once thought you couldn’t live without. The anointing will have you changing worship places because the old one no longer quenches your thirst. The anointing will quiet your fears. The anointing will have you knocking on doors you once ignored. The anointing will have you filling out applications your resume says you don’t qualify for. The anointing will have your name in the mouths of folks, states away, you have never met. The anointing will cause the dynamic of your household to shift, for the good. The anointing will let you get some stuff your credit can’t. You anointing will make you get up and pray when you used to sleep late. The anointing will have you changing your number. The anointing will have you smiling when she says she’s leaving. The anointing will have you helping him pack when he says, it is no longer working out. The anointing will make some differences in your life.

This is why you can no longer church hop. This is why you have started to delete those Facebook live preachers, pop up ministries and unsound internet theologians that once filled your news feed. This is why you can bounce back from what used to break you. This is why you can shake off what once shattered you. This is why you can look those who talk about you in the face and not be bothered. Don’t fight it, it is long overdue. Stop trying to get away from it, you’ll only look like a child running from its shadow. And beloved, you ought to be ready for the differences of the anointing and if you aren’t, let me tell you that I have seen the difference the anointing makes and it is worth it. I’ve felt the difference and it feels better than good. I’ve even tasted the difference and it is sweeter than sweet. You don’t have to wonder if you have it, you do because 1 John 2:27 says, “But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true–it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.” – This doesn’t mean you don’t need teaching, it simply means the Holy Spirit will lead you to the truth of the matter!

Daily Devotional – 4/7/17 “False Alarm!”

One morning, early like 2:30, the smoke alarms starting going off in the house. We jump up to look for fire and there wasn’t one. It was a false alarm. Some of you are having false alarms that are causing you to jump up out of your sleep. They have you looking at things and people differently because you can’t shake this feeling you get. You have a peculiar sense of something yet you can’t explain it. It is a false alarm and it is going off around you yet you’re not in any danger. Could it be a warning before destruction? Could it be God stopping you in your tracks before you step into enemy territory? Could it be the false alarm to wake you up before you sleep with lust? Could it? I mean, God tried to tell you but you wouldn’t listen. So He allowed the ‘almost’ accident to shake you. He let the bullets pierce your neighbor’s house and it missed yours. Death came knocking but he left empty handed. It was a false alarm. You almost got sentenced to some real jail time. Your ministry looked like it was about to fail. Your marriage was almost over. It was a false alarm. You almost lost everything. You almost gave up. You almost jumped. You almost swallowed those pills. It was a false alarm.

Are you woke now? Are you listening now? Sometimes we miss the warnings and the signs. Sometimes we feel imminent danger but we press on, thinking we can handle it. We see the signs saying, ‘detour,’ ‘turn here,’ yet we keep going only to get to a sign that says, “Road closed.” Now, we have to turn around. But this time, you have to go back through everything you went through (going the wrong way) just to get back to the right road (the right way). Is it worth it, knowing you can’t get back the time you’ve lost? And do you know the times we ignore the signs the most? It’s when things are going good. Crazy, right? We ignore the signs, the false alarms because we are in a good space and don’t think anything bad can happen. Well beloved, here is your warning… Listen to the warnings and pay attention to the false alarms. God doesn’t warn us to punish us but He warns us to protect us.

Daily Devotional – 4/6/17 “Steps to reaping!”

Some of us have yet to reap because we have not learned how too effectively sow. Beloved, there is a process to spiritual harvesting.

First, you have to know what season you’re in. You learn this by actively praying. For it is through prayer that you’ll learn if this season is yours to gain or grow. And planting well during your gaining season, will sustain you through your growing season. This is important for pastors/preachers too because we have to know the season of our churches. Preaching prosperity in a season of spiritual warfare hurts the people. Know your season. “For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.—Ecclesiastes 3:1”

Second, sow according to what you want to reap. I can’t plant mustard green seeds and then expect turnips. I have to plant what I expect to get. This is important for those of who you give to everybody’s ministry. You have to sow into places and people who are yielding at harvest time. Stop sowing into dead places! Check their harvest and if it isn’t yielding for them, what makes you think they can tell you how to grow yours? “Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop–some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.- Mark 4:20″

Third, you need to sow multiple things. The bible says in Ecclesiastes 11:6, “Sow your seed in the morning and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good.” What do I mean? Don’t just go to worship service. Plant seeds in bible study, Sunday school, personal prayer, devotion, time, tithe and etc. because what you don’t get from one harvest, you may just find in another.

Fourth, protect what you plant. The same way a good gardener will protect his plants from insects, animals and etc. is the same way we have to protect our seeds from doubt, anger, negativity, people who pimp your gifts and etc. You can’t just plant the seed of then leave because you might just find a patch of dirt when you get back. “Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble. – Proverbs 13:20”

Finally, don’t miss harvest time! It doesn’t stop at sowing. You have to water and tend to your harvest to ensure it isn’t being eaten by bitter backbiters, the insects of ignorance or being burned by the fire of fear, stepped on by the feet of feebleminded folk and being pulled up by perverted persecutors who’d rather see you perish. You have to stay woke for the bible says in Proverbs 10:5, “A wise youth harvests in the summer, but one who sleeps during harvest is a disgrace.”

Daily Devotional – 4/5/17 “Give facts to faith to work out!”

I jotted a note down in my phone a few weeks ago that didn’t speak to me then but it is rumbling now. The note said, “You need something for faith to work on.” I didn’t understand what it meant then, but after taking a pause on last week and facing some attacks this week, I see now. Many times we go through things that we keep secret. We deal with stuff, in the confines of our homes that is driving us crazy. We put up a front when deep down, we are about to lose the last piece of mind we got. Preachers can’t tell about the hell they’re going through out of fear of who they can trust. Wives can’t open up to friends because they think they’ll be judged. Men won’t say anything because then they may be thought of as less than a man. We say, God knows my heart and this is true but where is your truth? When will you acknowledge your issues and then, truly, allow your faith in God to work it out? The bible says in John 14:13-14, “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” I am not telling you to tell folk but try God and this time, be specific.

I’m sick with migraines, high blood pressure, cancer, etc. – fact. I know God can heal me – faith. (“Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise.” – Jeremiah 17:14)

My car was repossessed – fact. I know God will provide – faith. (“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:19)

I can’t afford tuition – fact. But my Father says ask and He’ll give – faith. (“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. – Matthew 7:7)

My marriage isn’t working – fact. God can restore what it meant – faith. (“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” – James 5:16)

Ministry is suffering – fact. I know God maintains what He ordains – faith. (“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.” – John 15:16)

My children are acting out – fact. I trust God to open their eyes. (“Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.” – Romans 10:1)

Too many of God’s people are being lost thinking God isn’t listening or that He has forsaken us but what have you specifically asked Him for lately? God says if I speak (work) to the mountain (that’s specific), and do not doubt in my heart but believe (faith) it shall be moved (God’s provision). What is your truth and are you willing to acknowledge it so that faith can work it out?

Daily Devotional – 4/4/17 “Victory after this!”

When I tell you the enemy has been working double time, you wouldn’t believe. However, I am standing strong on the belief, there will be victory after this. I am convinced of it. See, I knew the stronger I became in God, the stronger the attacks so I cannot and I will not waver in my wisdom of God, stumble over my sanctity, give up when there is grace nor fumble when I have favor. For God said to me by way of John 16:33, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” Yes, the world can try to do me harm but it can’t hinder me. I may face trouble but it won’t take me out. So even in my trying times, I will encourage you because if I don’t, the enemy wins. Even when I struggle, I’ll strengthen you because if I don’t, the enemy wins. In my tests, I’ll help you pass yours because if I don’t, the enemy wins. And because I stand, I will get victory after this. What is THIS? It’s anything you’re going through. This is why we can’t shut our mouth in the midst of being victimized. Even my cup gets too heavy to carry, I will still press on.

For somebody who is going through their “this,” hold your head up. For you sister, who looked at another negative pregnancy tests, don’t give up. For the brother who received another no from the interview, don’t give in. For you, who is looking at defeat, there will be victory after this. For you, who left trouble at home knowing it will be there when you get back, there will be victory after this. For you, who cried all last night, there will be victory after this. For you, who is portraying strength when you know you’re broken, victory is coming; after this. Man of God, come out of hiding because even after the accusations, the lies and eventually your truth; there will be victory. Woman of God, put down the pills because even after the hurt and pain, there will be victory. Ma’am, back away from the edge, victory is coming. Sir, take your hands off the crack pipe or alcohol bottle, victory is coming. Beloved, open your eyes, victory is coming. Dry your tears, victory is coming. After the hell, the pain, the abuse, the divorce, the grief, the foreclosure, the repossession, the cancer, the migraines, the miscarriages, the embarrassment, the sickness, the diseases, the layoff, the denials, the hurt, the lies … there shall be victory! “Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.” – Romans 8:35-37 NLT