Lakisha, the Author

Daily Devotional – 1/27/17 “Everybody shouldn’t like you!”

I opened the bible app to look for another scripture but Luke 6:26 opened and it wouldn’t leave me alone. It says, “Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets.” If I break this thang down, it’s literally saying, “Miserable are you when the good and bad speaks well of you.” Why? Because somebody lying. But get this, it’s not about you personally but it’s about you spiritually. See, if you are carrying yourself right, everybody won’t like you. If you are preaching sound doctrine, everybody ain’t supposed to like you. If you are walking according to the word of God, you are expected to have folk who just don’t like you. Don’t take it personal, that’s the way the anointing does. It cuts, it stings and it makes folk feel uncomfortable around you. Leaving them saying, “It’s just something about him/her I don’t like.” So if everybody speaks well about you, there is a great possibility you aren’t doing something right. Because the word of God isn’t supposed to make you feel all warm and fuzzy, every time but it should give you a strong dose of act right.

You don’t have to believe me but read Proverbs 29:27 that says, “The righteous despise the unjust; the wicked despise the godly.” The wicked shouldn’t like Godly people. Think about it like this. When pest control shows up to spray for bugs, you don’t normally see bugs out in the open. I would think they have a keen awareness to sense danger and wouldn’t risk being sprayed by something that can potentially kill it. So, bugs don’t like them. Now take a wicked person. I would surmise, again, that the wicked has a keen awareness of being in the presence of the anointing and they know if they get close enough, there’s a possibility they may get hit by the Holy Spirit, killing the wickedness on the inside of them. This means, to me, they shouldn’t like the Godly. Oh but if every time you turn around, the wicked is standing toe to toe with you, reaching in to give you a hug, smiling and waving when they see you coming; there’s a huge chance you need to check yourself boo! Everybody shouldn’t like you. And if you seek to gain the approval of every man and woman, you’re seeking attention and reward from the wrong people.

Daily Devotional – 1/26/17 “Change some stuff!”

In order to not look like what you’ve been through, you’ve got to change some stuff about you. I know I’ve probably shared this before but beloved, you’ve got to come out of what you were once in. Stop going back to the place where you were victimized. Stop riding by the house that was foreclosed on. Stop looking at pictures of the person who dumped up. Stop showing up at parties being given by the person who hurt you. Stop looking for the same car that was repossessed. It’s time you came out of the smoke of self-doubt. It’s time for you to take off the sack cloth of separation, the stench of scorn and the garment of grief. Beloved, it’s time you came out because if you don’t, you’ll find yourself dressed up but still stanky! Yea, you’ll find yourself looking cute but uncomfortable and covered but still bleeding.

Please hear me, I am not trying to discount your struggle but how long will you still be captive in your mind although you’re physically free? I’m not taking away from what you’ve been through but how many times are you going to tell the same story without changing the ending? How many times will your testimony end without a shout of victory? At what point will your testimony be, “I was once lost but thank God I’m not found, I was blind but now I see or I was once a victim but now I’m victorious?” I’m all for your story but how can you testify to me, who’s going through the same thing, about you coming out if you still talk like you’re still in? Chile, tell me how it feels to be free so I can seek to be free too. Tell me how amazing it is to be healed instead of still talking like you’re sick. Tell me how you felt when you walked out of bondage instead of inviting me into your prison. Share with me your blessing so that I can shout for you until mine comes. Invite me to the praise party so I can rejoice for you until it’s time for me to have mine. All I’m saying is, you have to really change some stuff in order to not look like what you’ve been through!

Daily Devotional – 1/25/17 “Don’t look like what you’re going through!”

Somebody enjoys seeing you struggle. Somebody is ecstatic over the fact that you’ve lost everything. Somebody finds joy in seeing the stress on your face. Somebody is hoping that when they get up in the morning, you don’t. Sitting around scrolling through your social media accounts just to see if today will be the day you fall and won’t get up. They text with “I’ve been thinking about you,” and they have just not for the good. They show up when they hear something has happened to you simply to see if you’re really hurt, this time. Somebody, right now, is clicking like on your status when in fact, they can’t stand you and anybody connected to you. If I can be honest with you, it’s some folk who show up to your celebration just to see if they’ll catch a frown on your face. Because if they do, it’ll make them feel better by saying, “I told you they weren’t happy.” Beloved, there is folk who are waiting for you to miss a Sunday from worship so they can tell folks there’s trouble in paradise. Miss a day posting a selfie and they’ll swear you’re depressed and suicidal. Go out and have a drink with your girls and they’ll start saying your marriage is in trouble. Cry at the altar and they can’t wait to text and tell somebody.

Well chile, if you want to know how to beat them at their game, here’s the answer … Don’t look like what you’re going through! See, when you smile instead of showing signs of stress, it’ll confuse them. When you show up instead of wallowing in your pit of sorrow, they don’t know how to respond. When you hug them instead of slapping the hell out of them, it catches them off guard. When you show up to preach and you do so with power, they don’t have time to react. When you still teach bible study with 4 folk, the enemy leaves scratching his head. Baby, when you don’t look like what you’re going through, those same folk will sit somewhere trying to figure out how you’re still alive. When you don’t look like what you’re going through, those same folk won’t have any choice but to serve who you do. When you don’t look like what you’re going through, the same ones fighting you, will now fight for you. When you don’t look like what you’re going through, the same folk speaking on you, will speak up for you. You don’t have to fight them, love them instead. Instead of getting even, get elevated. For the bible says in Proverbs 16:7, “When people’s lives please the LORD, even their enemies are at peace with them.”

Daily Devotional – 1/24/17 “Promise not punishment!”

Sam was a young man who stayed in trouble. He was disrespectful to his mother and stayed in and out of jail. Every night she’d pray that this wasn’t the night she’d get the phone call to come and identify his body. She knew he was in a downward spiral and no matter what she did, it didn’t seem to work. Then one day Sam got arrested for shoplifting. When he went before the judge, he received a harsh sentence of five years that didn’t seem to fit the crime. He cried, his momma cried and even the district attorney shook his head. But Sam had done the crime. However, when he went into prison he realized it wasn’t punishment but that he was placed there for a purpose. See, while Sam was in prison, all of those boys he hung with either died or ended up in jail for life. Yet while he was there, he got his high school diploma and Associate’s Degree. Upon being released, after 3 ½ years, he walked out a new man. Two years later, as he stood to give the Student’s Address at his college graduation for his Bachelor’s Degree, the tears flowed as he recited his story. He closed by saying, “Sometimes what looks like a punishment is actually the process needed to get to the next level.”

And somebody reading this, you’re upset because you can’t seem to understand why it feels you’re being punished. You applied for a promotion, got turned down. Put in an application for a new apartment, they said no. Ask for a leadership position at church, they said not this time. Tried to start a business, it didn’t work out. Been trying to lose weight, nothing is working. House is in disarray, prayers aren’t manifesting. Marriage is failing, fasting isn’t helping. Constantly going to church, leaving worse than when you showed up. Then death had the audacity to show up, leaving you mourning and depressed. Well beloved, although it looks like punishment, it is part of your process to purpose. Yes, it hurts like you wouldn’t believe but how can your strength be measured or your faith verified if it’s not put to the test? You’ve have what it takes, do the time. You have the strength and faith, don’t buckle under pressure. God doesn’t work by punishment, He works by promise. “Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.” Romans 4:20-21

Daily Devotional – 1/23/17 “Unsubscribe!”

When I got to work this morning, I was going through my emails and just like any other day, there were numerous ones from companies I’d one time or another associated with. You know how you sign up to get discounts or to stay in the know and now all you get is daily reminders from a place you probably don’t even shop at anymore. You delete them only for more to show up the next day with a new offer you don’t read or need. Well today was one of the days I am tired of going through them so I began unsubscribing. Yea, I unsubscribed from their junk. They’ll still send it but I’ll no longer get it. This made me think of life, naturally and spiritually. See, so many times we associate with people and things not realizing we’re signing up to receive their junk. We get attached and before you know it, you’ll start receiving more and more of their junk and less of the stuff you need. And by the time you recognize it, you’ll be just like me, tired! Well beloved, I have the remedy and it’s called un-subscribing. Yes ma’am and yes sir! It’s time you cut off some stuff that’s no longer beneficial to your way of living.

If you’re trying to save money, unsubscribe from all those stores you once shopped in. If you’re trying to get your spiritual mind together, cut off those friends who only need you when they want company to a party or bar. If you know it’s a temptation for you, cut it off. If you’re trying to stop smoking or drinking, it’s time to unsubscribe from the nicotine companies and liquor stores. If you’re trying to overcome sexual addiction then come out of the chat rooms and porn sites. If you want to stop cheating, cut off the relationships in your inbox. And if you want to get closer to God, remove yourself from the mess that’s blocking your way. Your marriage/relationship won’t work if you stay subscribed to the person who has never been in one. If you want your spiritual relationship to work, stop listening to the person who continually church/pastor hop. Look, I am not telling you to cut off everybody and everything but what I am sharing is this … reevaluate whether the subscription still meets your needs because you may just find that who or what worked last year no longer fits this year.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2