Blog – Page 144 – Lakisha, the Author

Daily Devotional – 2/10/17 “Make me careful!”

Yesterday, I came across a song on YouTube titled, “Make me careful,” being sung by Tamela Mann. I’d never heard it before but in the lyrics she says, “Much is given, much is required yet I am a servant but sometimes I get tired. I won’t complain, this is my prayer; a job I must do until I am over there. Make me careful of what I’m asking for. Make me careful of what I’m praying for.” See, many times we ask for things, in prayer, without realizing the cost. We get in the midst of darkness and instead of seeking God who is the light, we begin bartering, asking for things we think we need yet never really taking into account what comes with it. What do I mean? With a new house or car comes new responsibility of paying and taking care of it. When you open a business, it requires a lot of your time. When you accept God’s call on your life, it comes with demands that sometimes overshadows your personal life. When you pastor a church, it comes with the personality of every person you shepherd. When you ask God for the blessing, you also get the burden. This is why we have to be careful of what we ask for. We have to be mindful of praying for stuff while in a crisis that we can’t handle when it is over. Because beloved, there’s some blessings that come with chains, hurt and pain. There’s some gifts that come with groans and some elevations with enemies already attached. And if you aren’t careful, you’ll end up cursing your blessing. This is why you have to be careful because you may just get what you ask for.

Dear Lord,
Make us careful of the things we ask for that we may not be able to handle. Lord, even when we think we need that which we are praying for, make us careful to not ask for stuff that takes us out of your will. Lord, block anything that hinders your call on our life. Make us careful so that we only receive what you have for us. Lord, we know that what we receive becomes what is required of us so let us not ask for things that will dampen the light within us. Block anything we ask for that brings more harm than happiness, more worry than wonders, more stress than strength, more pain than praise, more tears than testimonies and more burdens than blessings. Lord God, make us careful that we don’t ask for what we can’t handle. Make us careful that we don’t seek stuff we can’t hold. Make us careful that we don’t move too fast into something we aren’t ready for. Lord, make us careful so that we don’t miss what you have for us trying to get what’s not meant.
Amen

Daily Devotional – 2/9/17 “Stop running and heal!”

Yesterday I told you that you are wounded but not out. And this is true, if you stop running. I know you made excuses but the fact still remains, you are wounded. I don’t care how you cover it up, you’re wounded. It doesn’t matter how fancy you dress it, you’re wounded. You can talk with the big, fancy words, you’re wounded. Work at the prestigious job, still wounded. Own your own business, wounded. Pastoring a church, still wounded. Married or dating, yep you are still wounded. And your wound won’t go away simply because you’ve covered it. If anything, you are making it worse. See, when you have a wound, the doctor sometimes tell you to apply some ointment but leave it uncovered. This is because covering a wound allows a scab to grow quicker and although a scab closes off the wound to protect it from infection, it doesn’t necessarily mean it is healing. Think about it. Have you ever removed a scab only to find the wound isn’t healed? That’s due to the scab slowing the growth of new skin cells needed to heal the wound properly. You don’t have to believe me, look it up. When all you really need to do is clean it, apply some ointment and leave it open. Ok, you don’t want folk to know you have open wounds but aren’t you tired of buying bandages that aren’t helping?

Look, you don’t have to broadcast your wounds but it’s time you stop running from relationship to relationship, from church to church, from apartment to apartment, doctor to doctor and bed to bed. Stop running every time your feelings get hurt, it’s time you get healed. And the first step is acknowledging you have a wound. Next, you clean it by washing away folk and things who can potentially infect it. Next you add the oil of prayer and fasting that prevents harmful particles from getting in. And then you follow that up with connecting to someone who has access to refill your oil when it gets low. This can only happen when you stop running and hiding. And you will but it’ll only happen when you get tired of bandaging the same wound that’s been bleeding for 15 years. It is then you’ll become like Jonah who was tired of being tossed around in the belly of darkness, reaching for protection but not finding it and peeking into the face of death and he knows your name. It is then you’ll stop running and start crying out for the bible says in Jonah 2:1-2, “Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from inside the fish. He said, “I cried out to the LORD in my great trouble, and he answered me. I called to you from the land of the dead, and LORD, you heard me!” You’re wounded and not out but you are also not healed.

Daily Devotional – 2/8/17 “Wounded but not out!”

You want to know why you feel like you do. Want to know why you can’t seem to get through. You really want to know why you wake up refreshed and energized but it doesn’t last. It’s because you’ve been wounded and instead of getting help, you’ve tried to fix it yourself. So now you’re trying to hide but bleeding over everything. You’re trying to push but you’re getting weak because you can’t replace what you’ve lost. You’ve even tried to stitch yourself up only to end up infected and feeling worse. On the verge of dying spiritually because you are too stubborn to admit, you can’t do it by yourself. Depressed and suicidal because you’re hurting and don’t know how to make it stop. Beloved, you’re wounded and you need help. Stop running. Although you were hurt at one church, online ministry won’t fix you. You need to attach yourself to a place of worship with a leader who has the oil to mend your broken pieces. You have to stop running and surround yourself with some folk who have the power to pray over your shattered pieces and they become healed. Stop running because a few somebody hurt you when the right somebody can give you the love and covering you need.

Instead of running, stop and speak to your pain saying, I may be wounded but I’m not running. Instead of running, stop and speak to your hurt saying, I may be wounded but I’m not giving up. Instead of running, speak to the dark places and say, I may have been injured in the dark but today I’m looking for the light. Instead of running, speak to your wounds and declare them healed. Instead of running, speak to your dry places and declare them revived. Instead of running, speak over yourself and declare you victorious. Instead of running, decree I’m wounded but I’ll live and I’m wounded but not out! For the bible says in Psalm 147:3, “He heals the brokenhearted and bandages their wounds.” Child of God, I don’t know what wounded you. I am not aware of your situation. I don’t have a clue to your circumstances. But I know a man name Jesus who can do it for you. Do what, you ask? Whatever it is you need. Yea, you may be wounded but you’re not out! All you have to do is stop running.

Daily Devotional – 2/7/17 “Where is your crown?”

Woman, where is your crown? I ask this question because there are too many women, of all ages, acting as if you aren’t royalty. Young lady, where is your crown? I ask this because I am sick of seeing women and young women degrading themselves for the sake of love when in hindsight it’s only lust. Woman, where is your crown? Do you not know that your inheritance is relying on you? Do you know understand that the favor of your household is on your shoulders? Girl, where is your crown? It’s time for you to suck it up, he’s gone now. It’s time for you to shake it off, you made the mistakes. It’s time for you to move on, he wasn’t worthy of you anyway. Come out from hiding, it’s time for you to live and that starts with taking your life back. I don’t care what you did last night, today is a new day with fresh anointing and grace. And now it’s time you fix your crown. I can no longer sit back and watch a generation of women going in the wrong direction. No boo, I have a responsibility to try to save you. Whether you take my direction or not, I have been charged by God to give them to you. And as a woman, I will no longer sit idly by while life continually knocks the hell out of you. As a women with a mother, sisters, aunts, a daughter, nieces, cousins, church family and friends; I can’t just stand by and watch you fall.

So, I’ll tell you, you’re worthy until you start believing. I’ll tell you, you don’t deserve abuse until you get out. I’ll tell you, God made you to be wives and not just girlfriends and baby mommas until you get it. I’ll tell you, you’re an heir to royalty until you walk in it. And I tell you when God is not pleased. Because there are too many of us, women, not wearing the crown we deserve. Therefore; get up, get dressed, pat down your weave, fix your wig or comb your hair and adjust your freaking crown. Stop trying to fill the void left by your daddy, you can’t. Stop patching the holes in your heart with another trifling man, it won’t work. Stop forcing him to stay, let him leave. Stop with the suicidal thoughts of I’m not good enough, you are. Girl, don’t you want your crown that’s waiting on you? Then no more foolish behavior. No more attacking another woman. No more low self-esteem. No more cutting yourself just to feel pain. No more covering your body in tattoos and no more hiding behind the mask. It’s time you get your crown. The bible says in 1 Timothy 2:10, “For women who claim to be devoted to God should make themselves attractive by the good things they do.” Step into your rightful place, woman! It’s been waiting for you but this time when you step in, go for your crown and be the best doggone you ever!

Daily Devotional – 2/6/17 “New territory comes change!”

We recently moved and our son has to start a new school. When I took him to register this morning, he found out some things he was used too, at his old school, are now different at his new school. Most importantly, the dress code and cell phone policy. It’s a big change from what he’s used too but it came with the new territory. And even though it doesn’t feel good to him, I’m ecstatic because it means we’ve officially moved into the newness of what God has for us. See, I look at all things from a new perspective. Changing schools for him means changing neighborhoods for us. Changing neighborhoods means God’s promise manifested. Please understand, there was nothing wrong with the old, it just didn’t belong to us. Yet with the new, it’s our name on the deed. So I am rejoicing for all that God has in store for us because I’ve found that when God changes things, it means He’s working something out on our behalf. Does it all feel good? No because you might lose some folk, some things and you may even have to part ways with some old stuff you’re comfortable with but it is part of the new territory. Is it worth it? Anything God says I’m worthy of, is always worth it.

Why am I sharing this? Because somebody’s life is changing and you can’t explain it. The dynamics of your comfortable place has shifted and it’s thrown you off. Yeah, you’re still smiling but it feels like you’re about to lose your mind. You’re still working but behind closed doors, you want to beat the walls in. You’re still showing up but inwardly, you’re dying. Change is happening and you can’t stop it. It comes with the new territory. You don’t have to believe me but think about what you have asked God for lately. If you asked Him to move you, some things have to change. If you asked Him to bless you, some things have to change. If you asked to be delivered, some things have to change. If you asked for new territory, some things have to change. You can’t move to Arizona with the same mindset you had in Miami, things have to change. You lost your house, it didn’t fit the change. Friends left, they don’t fit the change. Job laid you off? It didn’t fit the change. Church not feeling right? It may not fit the change. Beloved, change comes with new territory. Stop fighting it. New territory comes change. With change comes new mindset. With new mindset comes new blessings.

“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:19