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

Daily Devotional – 4/3/17 “Suffering now for the blessing later!”

For the first time, in my ministry journey, I’ll stand on Resurrection Sunday morning and deliver God’s message. This may not seem like a big deal to most but it’s huge to me. And get this, God had already given me my message on the way to service but it didn’t resonate until Pastor announced, I’d be speaking. So, I began to look at what God has given me to jot down, an hour before. And it blew my mind because God had given me, “David’s suffering, Jesus’ sacrifice.” You’ll have to tune in that Sunday morning for the full message but as I looked it over, it donned on me that David’s suffering in the Old Testament was the prophecy of Jesus’ sacrifice in the New Testament. And somebody, reading this, is in the midst of suffering. You can’t understand why things are happening to you. You can’t make sense of why folk, who used to love you, are now plotting your death. You can’t reason with why your name stays on the tip of folk’s tongue. Why it’s always you. Why it’s always your business being told. Why it’s your home being attacked. And it’s leaving you to cry out, like David from a dark place because you can’t seem to wrap your head around it. I mean, you didn’t ask for the anointing. You didn’t ask for this gift. You were simply being obedient to God’s called assignment on your life yet now you’re catching hell.

Well beloved, this might just be your Old Testament suffering making room for your New Testament blessing. Yea, you may be suffering now in order to enjoy the fruits of your labor later. You might be suffering now but it’s just laying the foundation for your faithfulness later. Don’t discount your suffering, it has its purpose. Don’t count out your suffering, it has its place. All you have to do is stay in it, move when God says move and trust Him. Yes, you’re going to make some mistakes, ask David. You’re going to lose some people and stuff, ask David. You’re going to have to hide out in enemy territory, ask David. You may even have to fight for your life a few times but it’ll all be worth it, when you’re standing in front of the biggest blessing of your life saying, “It is finished!” You are suffering now in order get the blessing later. 



“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” – 1 Peter 5:10





Taking a pause!


Hey, to all of my faithful devotional readers…

This week I am taking a pause (for a week or a few days) from posting and from social media. Nothing is wrong, I simply need a moment of uninterrupted time with God.

If you need something to read, during this time, I pray you will reflect back on some of the older devotionals.

Prayer requests will be still answered so if you need me, message me on Facebook or email me at authorlakisha@gmail.com.

Until then,
I’ll be praying for you.

Lakisha

Daily Devotional – 3/24/17 “It may not be your season!”

Have you ever walked past a plant and it looks as if it is on its last leg but then spring shows up and it sprouts again? I have and I used to wonder why Grandma would hold on to all this dead stuff but one day she told me, “This isn’t its season.” I didn’t realize it then but she was teaching me a lesson, I’d later need. See, I would get frustrated when it seemed like nothing I’d do would work. I was doing all I knew to do but it still seemed like I was in a dormant state. I prayed but nothing would manifest. But then, something started happening. I began to blossom and my life changed. I didn’t realize it then but what Grandma told me was coming to pass. For it was then it clicked, “it wasn’t my season.” What I didn’t grasp was, just like plants, we have seasons where we don’t blossom/sprout. We look, just like a dead flower, and if we fall into the wrong hands; we may get tossed out. For just like plants called “annuals,” although they ‘die’ in the off-season, the seed remains ready to sprout again in spring. Beloved, you aren’t dead, it’s just not your season. That is why nothing is working in your favor and no matter what you do, you can’t get anything to grow and prosper. You can try the miracle grow but it won’t work. You can move closer to the SON but it will still feel as if, your work is in vain. It is not your season.

But get this … although it isn’t our season to bloom, it is our season to grow because it is during the off-season that we rest up and live off what has been stored during the spring. (Come on God.) This is why you have to know what season you’re in because you will be in your off-season, believing folk who tell you’re dying. You will be in the resting state and have folk trying to pluck from your branches. You will be in your nesting season and trusting folk who say they can make you grow. Baby, stop! Don’t you know by now that as long as you are planted in God’s soil, you will blossom in YOUR season? Stop rushing it. Stop being concerned when it seems like it’s taking forever. You have to wait, stay rooted and close to the SON and it’ll happen! But in your season. Then you shall reap everything that your off-season prepared you for. Don’t give up, it may not be your season.