Lakisha, the Author

Daily Devotional – 1/26/16 “It’s not your place!”

You know the saying, “a woman can’t be a preacher,” is so old and worn out. The first thing out of the mouth of a man or woman who believes this is, “that’s what the bible says in 1 Timothy 2:12.” But in actuality this is Paul talking when he says, “I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.” See, Paul was talking about the way a man and woman should carry themselves in worship in order to stop the disturbances that were happening during his time. Now, if Paul meant that women shouldn’t say anything, at all; why would he mention women praying and prophesying in 1 Corinthians 11:5 that says, “But a woman dishonors her head if she prays or prophesies without a covering on her head, for this is the same as shaving her head.” Please understand; I am in no way trying to fix the scripture to fit me because I don’t owe anyone an explanation of my calling when you weren’t there when God called me worthy enough of doing His will. However, it just bothers me the lengths men (and some women) will go through to demean the calling over a women’s life.

Oh, oh but get this … When Peter was preaching to the crowd, he stated in Acts 2:17-18, “in the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants–men and women alike–and they will prophesy.” I’m sure someone, somewhere will fight this scripture too because it doesn’t fit in their logic of thinking but that’s alright. I tip my hat to all men and women who preach the gospel of God because it’s not easy. Yet, I will say this; the same way a man has an issue with women preachers and pastors, I have an issue with the men who stand in pulpits preaching from their flesh, aren’t leading nobody anywhere but to hell and got more faults and flaws than anybody. Baby, please don’t tell me I can’t preach because I have female organs because I might just be the one God uses to save your soul from the pits of hell. And it’s not your place anyway! You don’t have the authority. Oh but I’m so glad I don’t do things so that men or women can accept me but I do what God has called me to do because Jesus says in 1 Corinthians 11:1, “And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.” Who are you imitating?

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As always
–Happy Reading
Lakisha

Daily Devotional – 1/25/16 “Lose your religion!”

Along this life’s journey, you may get to a point when you start questioning if the path you’re on is even worth it. Be honest! It may be because life has gotten hard, you’re struggling in your spirituality, you’ve been dealt a bad hand or it may be you just don’t know what you should be doing. Now, you’re sitting in between give up or give in. You’re torn over if you should or shouldn’t answer the call/text from your past because anything seems better than your present. You’ve had a brave face because it’s easier than telling someone about your struggle. Your cheeks are starting to hurt from the fake smile you’ve been wearing. You’re always too busy to talk but the truth is, you don’t want anyone to hear the pain in your voice. You’ve stopped posting pictures because you don’t want anyone to see the bags under your eyes from the sleepless nights. You haven’t changed your relationship status because you don’t want anyone to know that one didn’t work either. You’re afraid to ask for help because folk now days talk about you more than they pray for you. You’re tired of being told to hold on and let God do it. You’re tired of seeing folk blessings and yours haven’t showed up yet. You’re not trying to be petty but it’s hard to control it. Now what?

Well beloved, you may need to lose your religion! Yea, you may need to lose what you’re use to in order to get what you now need. You may need to let go of religion and get religious. See, religion is defined as people’s beliefs and opinions concerning the existence, nature, and worship of a God but religious means believing in and showing devotion or reverence for a God (dictionary). Religion searches for answers on the creator of creation but religious seeks the one who created creation for He has all the answers. Religion is your belief of God but religious means your belief in God. Religion means you practice Christianity but religious means you partake in Christianity. Religion means you try to figure out how God did it but religious means you’re faithful to God for doing it. Religion means you question things but religious means you testify of things. Religion means you got God but religious mean God has you. This is why you have to lose your religion and tap into being religious. Baby when you’re religious you walk through the valley of the shadow of death and you fear no evil, you stop leaning on your own understanding, you walk through darkness and don’t bump into anything, you minister to folk who talk about you, you pray for those who prey on you and you go through the struggle with strength and come out with your salvation intact. It may not feel good because then you’ll have to come out of your comfort zone but it’s worth it.

“Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one He has sent.”” John 6:29

Daily Devotional – 1/21/16 “Fight in the spirit!”

During bible study on last night, we dug deeper into prayer. What prayer means, how to pray and how to keep a prayer journal. It was great! See, I’ve come to realize that these battles of the flesh, I can fight them but I’ll never win because they aren’t my enemy. Yes, it’s easier to fight who we see but what about what we don’t see? The real enemy is of the spirit and he fights dirty and he gets dirtier the closer you get to being real with God. This is why the enemy uses us, folk, in the flesh to fight one another. See, if I stand and fight you, in the flesh, once it’s over we’re both tired and have now let our guards down for the enemy to attach to our spirit. And the reason we were fighting still isn’t resolved. Get this, when you’re fighting in the flesh; your opponent can see or predict your next move but when you fight in the spirit, they won’t know what hit them until it’s done. This is why you need to stop fighting in the flesh. The bible tells us in Ephesians 6:12, “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.”

How do you win? You fight in the spirit. How do you fight in the spirit? With prayer, fasting and putting on the full armor of God. I’ve told you this before but Ephesians 6:13 picks up and tells us, “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” You don’t have to fight when folk lie on you when the bible says all you need to do is stand firm with the belt of truth around your waist, the breastplate of righteousness in place and your feet covered in shoes of peace. It doesn’t matter what they throw at you, hold up the shield of faith for it shall block any attack thrown your way. Stop worrying about what they try to drop on you when your helmet of salvation is mighty enough to keep it from penetrating your head. And you don’t have to lash out trying to match them word for word when you’ve been given a sword of the spirit to use on them instead; it’s called God’s word. Stop trying to fight your battle in the flesh. Although you might win the fight, the battle won’t be over until you conquer it in the spirit. Let prayer fight your battles because it’s only then you’ll get the W in your column.

Daily Devotional – 1/20/16 “Offer them a seat!”

I’ve learned on this journey that you’ll have more folk in the audience of your life who can’t stand you than those who say they support you. Yea, you’ll have folk mixed into the crowd who actually came to see if this will be the time you fail. There will be folks who say they are happy for you, downing you behind your back. Those who claim they will be there will never buy what you’re selling yet they’ll show up to eat and then have the nerve to want something free. Well beloved, it comes with the territory of your gift. You don’t have to believe these printed words, just keep living. There are people who show up on Sunday mornings, not for the preached word but to see if this will be the day you mess up. Folk on the job are waiting for you to say something wrong in the meeting. So called friends are waiting to get some juicy gossip on you. And here you are still trying to figure out how they got in. It’s simple; God allowed them access to you. Turn to your bible and read where it clearly states in Psalm 23:5, “You prepare a table before me, even in the presence of my enemies.” See, God has given your enemies access because He needs them to see His word being manifested in you. Why? Eventually they’ll stop hating and really start congratulating and maybe they’ll want to get to know the God you serve.

What do you do? Keep walking in God’s way and using your gift. Stop worrying about what folk say because there’s only fifteen dedicated folk in your congregation, your book doesn’t have as many reviews as theirs, your car is over ten years old, you haven’t upgraded your house yet, you’re still unmarried, your children didn’t go to college, your spouse isn’t like theirs and your event didn’t sell out. Stop focusing on why you keep bumping into naysayers or folk with the look of ‘I told you so’ in their eyes. Don’t put too much stock into those who make it their mission to knock you off your mission because God has granted them front row access but they can’t harm you, all they can do is look. For my bible tells me in Psalm 138:7, “Though I am surrounded by troubles, you will protect me from the anger of my enemies. You reach out your hand, and the power of your right hand saves me.” So be nice to those who wants to see harm come your way, be kind to those trying to make you stumble and smile at those who only say mean things about you because the bible says in Proverbs 25:22, “In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.” Beloved, when you don’t entertain the enemies, it makes them burning mad they didn’t get you. And when your anointing allows you to offer them a seat at your table, it makes them hot with anger they didn’t win this time either. Let them sit, they have no authority!