Daily Devotional – 8/25/16 “This journey’s soundtrack”

Do you enjoy music? Is there a song that ministers to your spirit when you’re down? Is there one that gets you pumped? Is there one that gives you encouragement when it feels like you’re about to throw it all in? Do you keep these songs in mind on those days you get in the car and you can’t stop the tears? I’m only asking in order for you to think about it. See, I’d never really thought about it until one day, one of my blog followers sent me this as a devotional idea and although it’s been in my notes for a while, the Holy Spirit released it into me, this morning. You have to understand, music is a ministry all by itself and this is why you have to be careful how you utilize the gifts God has given you. I mean, if you’re a singer and it’s one of those days you woke up being petty and messy, it’ll reflect when you grab the microphone. This is why as a choir member, minister of music or worship leader; you have to be prepared to minister every time you stand under the anointing of God because worship creates an atmosphere for God to dwell. Beloved, you can’t just sing any song neither can you play any ole thing. You have to be in tune with the move of the Holy Ghost throughout service and know exactly what needs to be played. You can’t open up worship service with just any song, the same way you cannot play ‘Put a praise on it’ by Tasha Cobbs at altar call but what you can play is ‘Pray for me’ by the Mighty Clouds of Joy. Music is a ministry inside and outside of church.

And you need to make sure you’ve made note of your soundtrack. For me, I love a mixture of songs so don’t be surprised by mine. See, when I wake up in worship, I sing an old Dr. Watts that grandma taught me. ‘I was glad this morning …’ (You real Saints know about that) and then it’s ‘Use me Lord’ by Minister Cedric & the King Sisters. When I take a look back over my life, I play ‘This Place’ by Tamela Mann and it quickly reminds me of where I am versus where I should be. Then I follow it up with ‘I wouldn’t take nothing for my journey now,’ by Shirley Caesar. When I’m down, it’s ‘Motivation’ by TI. When it seems like the enemy is winning, ‘Safe in His Arms,’ by Avery Sunshine pricks my spirit offering a reminder of whose hands I’m in and then ‘Lose to win’ by Fantasia finishes. And when the enemy tries to make me think the storm is against me, I play ‘Necessary,’ by Dennis Reed & Gap. Chile, there are a lot of songs on my soundtrack, it just depends on the mood and where I am on this journey. What about you, what’s your soundtrack for this time in your life? I say this time because as you get further on your journey, the music has to change. This is why you need to keep your soundtrack updated and easily accessible. If you don’t have one, get one. You’ll understand later.

Soundtrack

You’re invited … GWBG’s 2nd Anniversary

I know you’re asking what is GWBG. Well it stands for Girls Will Be Girls. GWBG is a ministry that I am apart of and this year we are celebrating TWO years of exhorting and exalting God for who He is and you do NOT want to miss the celebration.

This year there’s going to be a gathering of women sharing their stories of victory in the midst of tears. Chile, this is going to be mind-blowing, empowering and inspiring; all at the same time! You don’t have to believe me because all you have to do is look at the flyer and you’ll see. This is about to be an outpouring like none other!!! And tickets are NOW available!!

Can I get 5 of you to come with me? Can I get 5 of you to sponsor somebody, if you can’t? If yes, purchase tickets HERE! 

Can I get 5 somebodies to donate items for the gift bags? If yes, email me at authorlakisha@gmail.com.

 

Be blessed!

Lakisha

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Daily Devotional – 8/24/16 “Tested because you can be trusted!

You’re going through something right now that you may not understand. You’re facing something, at this very moment, you can’t make sense of no matter how much you try. It seems like the more you pray the confusing it get. The more you talk to God, the harder your test. And you’re almost to the point of saying forget it. However, beloved I stopped by today to tell you this … God only test those He trust! Yes! So you see, that test isn’t meant to kill, steal nor destroy (you or your life) but it was sent because God knew He could trust you with it. Think about the biblical days. When God allowed the enemy to test Job, it didn’t make sense to Job yet God trusted him enough to know that he’d handle it. When God told Hosea to marry the prostitute Gomer, it didn’t make sense to him but God trusted Hosea enough to know that he’d be obedient. And this is why God is using you. He knew you wouldn’t lose hope when sickness showed up to attack your body and He knew you wouldn’t crumble under the pressure of the passing away of your family member. Why? Well because God trust you enough to know that you’d still trust Him even when you can’t explain it. This is why God tested you with the job change/loss and that repossession/foreclosure, He knew you’d trust Him to provide. This is why God tested you with an assignment that seemed too hard for anyone else, He knew you’d trust Him enough to stay until it’s done.

Yes, I get it, it doesn’t make sense to you but I’ve lived long enough and walked a many miles on this journey to know that God will give us some strange orders. However, when they don’t make sense to us, it’s even more reason for us to trust God. See, I’ve shared this with you, a few times and it’s worth sharing again … The things we go through isn’t about us! God uses us in order for His glory to be manifested. See, somebody, somewhere once said you weren’t capable of handling that church that has a turnover in preachers year after year yet God trust you with the assignment because He trust in you! Folks are talking behind your back now, saying you can’t handle that position but God trust you or He wouldn’t have allowed it. Somebody, in your circle, said you shouldn’t be preaching because you have female body parts yet God trust you enough to send you into the midst of wolves knowing you can handle it. Chile, there are folks who sit in the midst of your celebration praying this day will be the day you fold under pressure yet God trust you enough to know you’d never throw in the towel. Baby, God isn’t testing you because He has nothing else to do but He’s testing you because He trust you! That ought to be enough to make you shout!

“But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD, I say, “You are my God.”” – Psalm 31:14

Trust and test

One of the reasons I write …

I received the following message from a new reader of my series Ms. Nice Nasty and I LOVE IT! This is what writing is about for me! See, I’ve said before … Writing is my God given gift and I use it, not for sales (because it still pays as a hobby), but because it’s my passion. I write to build relationships, to help and to encourage.

You have to understand, I’ve had many of prayer sessions with God asking if this is what I should continue and each time He shows me that I have no choice but to do it! Yes, I am a preacher of God’s word and yes I write about sex however it doesn’t change my assignment! God equipped me for this and this is the reason I DON’T listen to naysayers.

I write because God planted the seed inside of me at my creation!

Anyway, here’s the message I received …

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Chile!!! This is why you need to get your hands on Ms. Nice Nasty. You can download your copy HERE!

 

 
Happy Reading!
— Lakisha

Daily Devotional – 8/23/16 “Breaking traditions!”

We are living in perilous times and this means, there is no more time to waste pacifying and babysitting traditions especially when there’s more serious work to be done. Haven’t you seen the news, read the reports and tallied the number of children dying? Have you noticed the number of ministries where the glory of the Lord no longer prevails? Have you seen the many pastors and preachers who are depressed and stressed out? Did you notice the death toll rising of police killings, black on black crime and murder suicides? Can’t you see there are more pressing issues than whether or not the pastor is married, why you can’t keep the leadership position you’ve had for 15 years with no leadership or if it’s feasible for a woman to preach and prophecy? Baby, you ought to be trying to get into the realm of an anointed person (male or female) so that some of God’s glory can flow into your cup. This is not the time for you to hold on to traditions that aren’t even scriptural. No baby, you can’t keep the same 37-year-old program that’s not reaching the masses. Yes, I get they are your traditions but where does God fit? When will we get back to teaching the real deal from the real bible? I don’t know if you realize this but we’ve got to break these ‘traditional’ strongholds.

There are too many homes, of Saints, in disarray because we don’t teach how to cast out demons, we don’t teach men and women how to effectively love nor do we offer confidential help to those in need. Yea, I know you say ‘resist the enemy’ but it’s hard and I need help. You say, ‘speak and it shall be’ but what do I say? Can I come to you for help or do I have to wait until the next deacon board meeting? Can I talk to the pastor or do I need an appointment? Understand, some things have to be done properly and in order but sometimes the traditional service won’t go as planned. I may be in the worst storm of my life and don’t have time to wait until “tradition” says I can petition the church for help. There are marriages on the brink of divorce, children on the edge of give up, sisters on suicide watch, brothers who are broken physically and spiritually, grandparents at their wit’s end, bishops who drink their sorrows away, teachers abusing our children, pastors on the verge of a mental breakdown and ministers still in the closet so they destroy a woman’s self-esteem and tradition can’t fix it. Beloved, when the traditions are suffocating the Holy Spirit out the church and the people, they need to be broken. This is why the bible says in Colossians 2:8, “See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.”

Breaking traditions