Daily Devotional – 9/11/15 “Your new assignment!”

Today is the last day in my old assignment (old job) and in a few days I will begin a new one. And although I am sad to be leaving the old, I am excited about starting the new. Now, as I was writing the very first sentence, I was guided to tell somebody that you need to be prepared to leave your old assignment soon. Yea, it’s scary to step into something new but get excited because God is about to manifest some things that’s about to blow even your mind. However, in order for these things to happen; you’ve got to be ready to leave your old dwelling place, your old assignment and maybe even some old folk. Are you willing? Yes, I get it … It’s hard to let go of what you’re comfortable of but how’s that been working for you? I know you’ve been on that job for years but you’re not going anywhere and it’s not utilizing your gifts. Oh, I know you’ve been a member of the church since you were knee-high to a duck but baby; your spirituality has been stunted. Yea, I get that fact that you’re complacent in those friendships but if they are doing you more harm than good, it may be time to renegotiate the terms of the agreement.

Don’t you get it? God can’t move you if you’re intent on being grounded and unmovable. God can’t use you if you are usable. And God surely won’t elevate you out of the old when you are not prepared for the new. This is why the bible says in Ephesians 4:22-23, “throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.” For when you put away the old and get ready to step into the new, you’ll be ready to, Like Ephesians 4:24 say, “Put on your new nature, created to be like God–truly righteous and holy.” God is getting ready, in this season, to shift some folk into some new assignments but we have to be ready, willing and able. And once we are in the assignment, we still have to be ready, willing and able. And being ready, willing and able isn’t only by saying you are but it’s about living like you are. Not perfect living because none of us are perfect but it’s striving to be greater than we were the day before. Are you ready for your new assignment? If not, get ready!

Daily Devotional – 9/10/15 “The eye of your storm!”

You may be in the midst of your storm with stuff being shuffled all around you and it feels like you’re about to lose your mind. Your finances are in chaos, family going through hell, church folk got you stressing, spouse has you drinking, job got you thinking about walking off when you know good and well you can’t afford to miss a check and you’re trying to figure out which way to go when both seem wrong … Well, baby push through! Don’t you know that even in the midst of a storm there is an eye where the sky is clear, the wind is light and the weather is calm? It’s in the center of the storm which means you have to pass through the storm to get to it. Yea, I know it’s hard and the wind of hurt is pushing you but go. I know it hurts and the negativity, pain, abuse, misuse, being lied on, talked about, cast aside and being stepped on keeps hitting you on every side but go. Yea, I know the tears of shame, mistakes, regret, could have, should have, what if and all that is blurring your vision but go. Why? Because the Lord, our God has already gone ahead of us to ensure thangs work out. You don’t have to take my word for it but the bible doesn’t lie and Deuteronomy 31:8 says, “Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Beloved look, go through whatever it is you’re going through at this appointed time. Push through whatever it is you don’t think you are strong enough to get through. Praise in and out of whatever it is folk are saying about you because when it’s all said and done, you’ll make it to the eye of your storm where there is calm and peace. Don’t give up now when you are almost there. Will it be perfect in the eye of your storm? No, but God has made sure there is protection, provision and most of all prosperity there. Will all of your troubles go away? No but there you’ll find a recharging station to revive the dead places in your spirit that’ll give you strength to go back into battle ready to fight. Will this be the end of your storms? Probably not but the bible says in Deuteronomy 31:6, “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” Whatever it is you’re facing at this moment in your life, don’t count it out as being for a purpose. Go through your storm because in the midst of it, there is peace, calm and clear skies but you have to go through it to get to it.

Daily Devotional – 9/9/15 “His time has expired!”

When you shop in the grocery store, would you intentionally buy an item that is expired? When you go to eat some cereal, would you choose expired milk? Would you want to get pulled over driving on expired tags? Would you stay in a place past your lease expiration date? If you only paid for 30 minutes of light, would you stay there 30 additional minutes past the expired time in the dark? I’m only asking these things because I am trying to figure out why you are staying in an expired place with the enemy. I mean, hasn’t his time ran out yet? When are you going to tell him to pack his stuff and get the hell out of your house, your head, your heart, your text messages, your inbox, your spiritual life and your pocket? Hasn’t his time expired? Isn’t he spoiled by now? Why are you still holding on to him when he wasn’t good when you allowed him in, in the first place? Oh, I know he felt good in the beginning. He was telling you everything you needed to hear. Touching all the right spots but how’s that working out for you now?

Please understand, I am using the pronoun he only because I’m referring to the enemy so don’t get this thang twisted thinking I am only referring to a man. No ma’am, no sir; I am referring to any aspect of the enemy that has overstayed his welcome in your place. This can be male, female, some materialistic things; depression, sickness, anger, hate, bitterness, resentment or whatever has you bound. Whatsoever it is, it’s time you throw it out. Aren’t you tired of smelling that rotten smell of your spirit decaying from that expired stuff being attached to you? Aren’t you tired of your house being in turmoil because of the enemy being camped out there and he doesn’t belong? Aren’t you tired of walking over old stuff? Well, when are you going to do something about it? When are you going to clean up? You do know that everything has an expiration date, including the enemy; stop allowing him to overstay! The bible says if you resist him, he’ll flee … what are you waiting on? His time has expired and it’s time you gave him his walking papers!

Daily Devotional – 9/8/15 “Stop giving the enemy credit! “

Don’t you know every time we speak the enemy’s name, we are giving him credit for stuff he doesn’t deserve? I got a pain in my body that I’ve had since Saturday and I can easily blame him but why? It’s just a momentary minute of pain that I’ve got to endure. I surely won’t give him the credit for it but I will give God all the credit for allowing me to rise with the strength to push through said pain. Listen, the enemy’s main purpose is to steal, kill and destroy and every day he sets out to do just that. He doesn’t need our credit because he stands tall every day waiting to see whose salvation he can steal, whose purpose he can kill and whose gift he can destroy. Is it yours today? If you got up angry instead of in God’s anointing, the enemy is stealing your salvation. Are you still putting off for tomorrow the things you said you’d do last month? Then the enemy is already killing your purpose. Are you utilizing the gift(s) God has blessed you with? If no, then he is already destroying your gifts. What are you going to do about it?

You can continue to say “God knows my heart,” while the enemy is stroking your body and see how far that gets you. Continue to think you are being blessed when you are robbing God by not paying your tithes because the enemy has you thinking the pastor is getting all the money. Keep on giving the enemy credit until he (the enemy) is done with you. Then he’ll have you around here stumbling in the darkness looking for light. Stop giving the enemy credit when you should be declaring that he can no longer have your stuff. Stop giving the enemy credit when you should be looking him in his face and casting his butt back to the pits of hell. Stop giving the enemy credit when you need to tell him that you are no longer usable on his team. Learn how to bite your tongue and think before you speak. Learn how to say no to the Saturday night party and get your butt to worship on Sunday. Learn how to ignore the text from him/her that you have seen in a while. Take yourself home to your spouse and not someone else. Keep your mouth off folk. And stop being so easy manipulated to do the enemy’s job. He doesn’t need any credit so stop giving it to him.

Daily Devotional – 9/4/15 “Uncomfortable position!”

I know it’s late in the day but I had an appointment this morning to have my annual mammogram so I got a late start. And as I sit here and think about how uncomfortable the mammogram is, I can’t help but to think of the many lives this uncomfortable test has also saved. So that brings me to my next thought … God has to sometimes put us in some uncomfortable positions in order to save us. Yea, God has to sometimes put us in some uncomfortable places in order for us to see Him clearly. God has to sometimes allow our feet to tread into some uncomfortable territories in order for us to know that He can save us like He said He could. God sometimes allows us to be uncomfortable in our mess long enough for us to see Him manifested through our coming out of it. It’s never comfortable being sick yet we have to go through it in order to get the revelation of healing. Losing your job, having your stuff repossessed, house foreclosed on and all your bills behind is uncomfortable yet God allows us to go through this stress in order for us to see Him working when we come through it with our mind, reclaiming everything!

Oh, I know it doesn’t feel good to be in that uncomfortable position but it won’t be long before it’s over. Have you ever ridden in a car with too many folk? Didn’t you eventually make it to your destination? Have you ever grew up in a house and had to share a bed with a sibling that slept wild and you ended up in an uncomfortable position? Yet now you can look back on the memories and laugh? Ever been crammed in an elevator, pushed all the way to the back and you felt like you were in an uncomfortable position and it looked like you would miss your floor? Oh but when the elevator opens, the folk made room for you to get out? It’s the same way with God. Yes, my brother; yes, my sister; you may be in an uncomfortable position at this very moment and although I don’t know the cause of your dilemma, know this … when it’s time for it to end, God will make a way out for you. Don’t give up. It may not feel good where you are but don’t give up on God! Your uncomfortable position is positioning you for a push into your purpose!