Daily Devotional – 2/4/16 “For if we suffer!”

Sometimes the suffering God allows us to go through isn’t about us. Now, please understand, I am not talking about the self-made suffering we put ourselves through but I’m only referring to God ordained suffering. The way Job suffered, the way you have to suffer through a storm or test, the way you have to suffer through sickness or even being persecuted for what and who you believe in. You know suffering on God’s behalf. And how do I know our suffering isn’t about us? Well, the bible says in Romans 5:3-5, “More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” See, suffering on God’s behalf is about Him pulling out the best in us. Didn’t you read what suffering produces? How else can God get the best out of us lest we suffer? Oh, I know you thought it was about you but no boo, it’s about the God that’s within you.

No, it doesn’t feel good but when has suffering ever made you jump up in the morning saying, “I want to suffer today?” but get this … 1 Peter 5:10, tells me “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.” This means it only pays off AFTER the suffering. After your sickness your health shall be restored. After your weakness, your strength shall be restored. After folks have made a mockery of your name, it shall be established. And after you’ve lost, it all shall be restored. I don’t know about you but this makes the journey that much more worth walking. I don’t know if you get it but it has made me realize that even when I have to go by myself, it’ll pay off. Even when I’m being lied on, prosecuted on false charges, beaten down for being blessed, walked over for being worthy, doubted for being delivered and singled out for being saved; my suffering will pay off. For if I suffer, for if you suffer, for if we suffer; WE shall gain eternal life! That’s everlasting, never-ending, forever, having neither beginning nor end; no start or stop time, no cancellation or expiration date but having undying life! Yea, you can shout now! For Romans 8:18 sums it with, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.”

Daily Devotional – 2/3/16 “Get right church …”

It’s the 3rd day of the 2nd month of 2016, how’s it looking for you? Done any of those resolutions? Made an attempt to make any of those changes? Have you gotten up to do anything differently, yet? Are you still causing hell at home, the job and church? Are you still constantly giving the pastor hell? I’m only asking because sometimes it takes someone else to ask you a question before you realize the error of your ways. Yea, I know I can criticize you but what good is that? If you aren’t willing to accept and your heart isn’t true enough to accept the criticism, you’ll be quick to say, “They just hating on me.” No boo, if everyone else can see you as the problem, it’s not hate but it’s called, “they sick of your tail!” I’ve never understood how the loudest criticizer in church is the one who is living the most hellish life in the world. It has always piqued my curiosity how the few who are causing the most discord in the church meetings are the ones who aren’t doing nothing neither are they paying anything in the church. Maybe it’s just me. I mean, folk are always chastising the pastor for having a drink when the truth of the matter is, dealing with a whole heap of ‘saved folk,’ y’all should buy a bottle for him/her to keep in their desk. Yet you stay at happy hour every day.

Don’t you know that if the flock of the church would do their part, the pastor wouldn’t have so much stress on him or her? If we didn’t spend so much time watching and waiting for them to make a mistake, maybe we could be better. Please understand, I am in no way condoning the bad behavior of a man or woman in ministry but what I am saying is they are human too. Yes, we as ministers of God are held at a higher standard but we ALL have the same commandments to follow. There isn’t a different set. Yes, those who aren’t doing their job need to be removed as leader of a flock but don’t penalize the new pastor for the old pastor’s ways. It time to get right children. Time isn’t waiting on anyone. We, as ministers; no, we as Saints of God have to do better. It’s no longer the people leaving church worse than they came, some ministers are too. It’s no longer the congregation that needs prayer but the ministry team does as well. It isn’t the church that’s dead but it’s the members who are spiritually dying which then causes the church to be on life support. When a person is dying their body is still warm until their organs stop working. We are the organs of the church and we can live again if we all play our respective parts. I don’t know if you realize it or not but it’s time. It’s now, right now, to just live better.

“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” Hebrews 10:24-25

Daily Devotional – 2/2/16 “Where is your if?”

It’s another Tuesday and someone is in the midst of your struggle. Yea, it’s another month yet you’re still struggling with the bills of last month. Yea, you paced a little while last night, you laid down with tears staining your pillow and worrying clouding your thoughts but don’t allow it to take you out of this thang. No, I’m not about to tell you to hold on because sometimes there’s a blessing in letting go. No, I won’t tell you to get out of our pity, to stop crying, to stop wallowing because sometimes it’s needed. Just don’t stay there and don’t look like what you’re going through because you don’t have to look like your struggle! Oh but what I will tell you to do is pray, fast and pray some more. But when you pray, stop saying if God will because God is not a man who works on if.

If is defined as a conjunction used to indicate circumstances that would have to exist in order for an event to happen. What do I mean? Blessing will come down if I send praises up. I’ll get knowledge if I study God’s word. It shall be given if I ask in faith. God will answer if I seek Him. The door shall be open if I knock. It can happen if I believe. It goes further. I can get healthy if I work out and eat right. I may get a job if I apply for it. I can get my destiny if I tap into it. And God’s grace will be sufficient if I just believe. Mark 9:22, when a father brings his son to Jesus to heal, he says, “…But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!” Jesus makes it plain and simple in Mark 9:23 when He answers, “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” ANYTHING is possible IF you believe. You see the difference? If we depended solely on us, we’d never get out our storm, valley or pit, we’d never stop crying long enough to climb that mountain or get our deliverance. If it depended on us, we’d still be a filthy rag not worth wringing out. Oh but I’m so grateful that God doesn’t look at our grammatical mistakes but He looks at what He’s placed in us. For God says we can move mountains if we have mustard seed size faith. Where are you placing your if?

Daily Devotional – 2/1/16 “Are you ready?”

As a Saint of God, I won’t lie and tell you this journey is always easy because sometimes it can get overwhelming. I’m not just talking about me but I’m talking about all Saints of God. But being in ministry, for me, it’s even harder. Why? Well, because you have people looking up to and looking at you. For this reason, we have to be a good example but please understand this … we have flaws too. How do I know? Everybody has flaws. However, that’s not the basis of the devotional today. To be honest, I don’t have a specific topic in mind. And as I sit and pray for God’s guidance on a specific word for this devotional, for even bible study, sermons, encouraging words; etc., sometimes it doesn’t come until I begin writing. That’s when the Holy Spirit intercedes on my behalf. Because it is then, God leads me to share with someone what they’ve been asking Him for. I know you may ask, “Why didn’t God tell me?” Maybe it’s because you aren’t listening. See, I’ve come to realize that God will send a word to you in any form, to get your attention. This is why if you ask of God, you have to be willing to receive of God. Oh but it may not be the answer you thought it would be. Yet, accept it.

I’ve been praying lately for guidance on a number of things and I’m waiting on God to respond. I don’t know when or how I’ll get the message but I’m waiting. What about you? What have you been praying for? Are you waiting? Well in your waiting, don’t rush God because you may not be ready to hear what it is He’s going to say. And don’t count God out because He moves in His time. What have you been asking for? You don’t have to tell me, it was simply a question to get you to think. Are you really ready for that? You ask God to open more doors, to enlarge your territory, to send you a spouse or maybe it’s for a promotion on your job; you ready? You can’t complain when you get what you’ve been asking for, when you asked. If you aren’t spiritually prepared to receive what you’ve been asking for in this natural space you’re in, stop asking. The same way you have to prepare for a test, an interview, a race, a workout, to write a book, to minister, to sing or perform; is the same way you have to be prepared to receive that which you’re asking for. Are you ready? Don’t take a long time to figure it out especially if you’ve already asked.

“Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession.” James 1:17-18

Daily Devotional – 1/29/16 “When?”

I am often reminded that time isn’t at the mercy of us. Yea; death, sickness, being misused by family and friends, being talked about and sold out can give you a quick dose of reality that time doesn’t wait on you. When I consistently see RIP attached to someone else name, it’s a sure reminder that death waits on no one. Time is swiftly passing by. So, tell me again what you’re waiting on to get yourself together. Y’all the bible says we have to be ready at all times for we don’t know the day nor the hour when our time is coming (Mark 13:32). This means we have to keep (not get) our house in order. Please understand, I am not perfect by any stretch of anyone’s imagination but I live today trying to be better than yesterday. I’ve told you before that I never could have dreamed I’d be in this place in my life. A place where people inbox me, not with mess but for encouragement; where people dial my number for prayer instead of gossip. A place I write a devotional blog that has new followers every day and in a place where I stand in the pulpit to preach God’s message as a way to pull His people up. I’m in a place where I’ve added published author to my resume and where folk remember my name and it’s not for something bad. I never thought I’d be here but I am and because of that I am living every day. I don’t want to get on my sick-bed and then have regrets about what I could have done. I don’t want to leave this world without helping all I can. I want to leave a legacy.

This is why we have to make the most of every opportunity, every chance, every second, every minute and every day. We are the only ones who can make the most of our happiness. Start today. I don’t know who this is for but baby you’ve got to let go of the hell you keep holding on too. You’ve got to step out of that comfortable place and trust in the faith you have. You’ve got to let go of folk who are hurting your chance of being greater. You’ve got to get up. The bible says in Ephesians 5:15-16, “Be very careful, then, how you live–not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” I don’t know what you are dealing with ma’am, sir but you’ve got to get to a place in your life where you’re happy. Not for anyone else but for you! Don’t wait until tomorrow because you aren’t promised to see it. Don’t wait until the children are grown to do you. Don’t stay at that church because it’s family and you don’t want to hurt nobody when clearly you’re hurting. Get to a place in your life where you say, “I never thought I’d be here” and it comes from joy and not jack up. God has invested in you, when will you invest in you?