Daily Devotional – 3/18/15 “Death has power! “

I was sitting at home last Friday and I ended up writing, in the notes in my phone, “death has power”. Now, I don’t know who this is for but somebody needs to be reminded on today that death is not the end even though it’s all we see. I know you’re probably wondering how death can have power when you saw the casket of your loved one being lowered in the ground or you just left the funeral home making arrangements or you’re sitting next to their bedside reading this and the doctor has said death can come at any moment. I know you’re wracking your brain trying to figure out how death can have power when it shows up without a moment’s notice, rocking your world and not for the good. I know you’re questioning the audacity of death’s power when it can snatch the breath out of your lungs, tears from your eyes, beats from your heart and even steps from your walk…. How can death have power?

Well, it’s actually quite simple. Yea, see the enemy wants us to believe that death is the end, the finale, the last curtain call, that the fat lady has sung but baby when you’re in God, when you’re of God, dying has power! I know that losing momma is the hardest thing you’ve ever had to endure. I know that no parent ever wants to bury a child, no sibling ever wants to lose a sibling, it’s difficult to say goodbye to a cousin, niece or friend but there is power in death. See, all we know is the fact that there is no more on this side, that they are no longer here for us to see but 2 Corinthians 5:8 says, “Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord.” For when our loved ones are absent from this side it means they are present with the Lord – see death has power! When you are a child of the King and you leave this world, you are present with the Lord – death has power. When you know whose you are and you leave this world, you have a place to go – death has power! I won’t say death is easy, it’s not because although death has its power, it also leaves behind pain but death is a way we all have to go for the bible says that flesh and blood cannot enter the kingdom of Heaven. But 1 Corinthians 15:51-55 sums it up this way… “But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” So, you see … Death has power! Power to live again! Whoever you are facing whatever you are going through at this very moment, take comfort in knowing that death has its power, for in God to be absent from this side is to be present with the Lord.

Daily Devotional – 3/17/15 – Excuse the mess … Restoration in progress

Someone woke up this morning feeling like their life is scattered and shaken only because you laid down last night feeling the exact same way but hold on beloved this is simply God working to set you up for something greater. Yea, it feels like you can’t get your thoughts together, you can’t get anything to line up right, it feels as if you’re drowning and you aren’t near any water, you’re fighting to breathe and you’re outside in fresh air, you feel lonely in a room full of people and you can’t get your finances straight if you laid them on a ruler – this is God scattering the pieces of your life to put you back together greater than you were before. See, sometimes the potter (God) of this old clay (us) has to tear us apart, scatter us about just to put us back to together again; that’s called restoration. When things start to fall apart and you don’t know what to do, when hell has shown up in the midst of your home and when you keep getting knocked six steps back after taking one; that’s simply God scattering the pieces. Yea, in order for God to see what He’s working with He has to scatter out the pieces so He has to shake some stuff loose. Oh but when it all settles …

When it all settles, the potter; that’s God begins to masterfully recreate us in His image – that’s restoring us to a better point than we were before. He begins molding us back together so now the hell begins to subside and we can see the sun peeking through the clouds. Now we can feel our lungs expanding to breathe better, we can feel our heart beating for the good to love better and we can feel the weight lifting from our shoulders to walk better. When it all settles … we may have lost a few things along the way like those friends who didn’t make the settlement, those family members who can’t understand the change and the places and clothes that no longer fit our image – they were simply distorting our appearance anyway; be good with it for my bible tells me in 1 Timothy 4:4 “Since everything God created is good, we should not reject any of it but receive it with thanks.” You might be going through at this very moment but it could be your restoration period, just tell folk to pardon your dust while you’re under construction. Yet in the midst, continue your praise and if they can’t get with it, tell them to excuse the noise, you’ll be back in business in no time! Just tell them – Excuse the mess … Restoration in progress!

Daily Devotional – 3/16/15 “Just be satisfied!”

You are never satisfied with anything, always looking for more when you have all you need. You are never content with what’s in your hand because you want more than you can actually hold. You’re full with food in your mouth yet you’re still reaching for more. You got a good husband or wife at home yet you’re still looking for more. You’re being spiritual fed at your church yet you’re still looking for more. You’re never satisfied. You complain because your husband doesn’t put the toilet seat down but does he complain when he has to lift it up? You complain because the kids won’t clean up their room but they could be out standing on somebody’s corner slanging drugs. You complain because the pastor asks for a raise yet you can miss Sunday when you’re sick, he or she can’t or don’t. You’re never satisfied. Always complaining about the way you look yet you never put in an effort to change it. Always complaining about the job yet you won’t look for another one. Always complaining about being sick but you won’t take the course of treatment the doctor prescribes. Always complaining about your life but you won’t trust God’s plan. Always complaining about not having but you’ve yet to give God His 10% – you are never satisfied. Philippians 4:11-13 says, “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”

Beloved, the bible says in Hebrews 13:5 “Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” 1 Timothy 6:6-8 says, “Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.” All I am saying is this – be satisfied with whose you are because then you will be satisfied with who you are. We are made in the likeness of God, in His image and if you aren’t where you are supposed to be, on your walk to your destiny/purpose, then get up and change it but stop complaining. You’re alive today which means you have another chance – take it! You have another opportunity to try again – try it! Be satisfied with something before it’s too late! It makes no sense to be unsatisfied and dead.

Daily Devotional – 3/12/15 “Get in the way of God!”

I told you on yesterday that you need to get up in order to get that which you are standing in the need of because sometimes you have to get in God’s way. Yea, sometimes you have to get in His line of sight to let Him know that you need what you’ve been asking for. Yea, when need a healing and your faith is strong enough to get the healing you stand in the need of, go get it. Don’t believe me, I got some witnesses. The woman with an issue of blood who toiled for 12 long years (Mark 5:25-34) – she got in the way of Jesus even when she didn’t try too, Blind Bartimaeus had no sight but He through his hearing, Jesus coming through Jericho (Mark 10:46-52) so he began to shout – He got the attention of Jesus – and he asked for healing and it was received. Not enough? Come here grandma, doctors had given up, had called the family in, getting ready to give last rites, they said sign the papers because we’ve done all we can do but we got in the way of God and we called on His name and she’s alive and well today. Come here sister, doctor said suicide disease that many haven’t survived, some still living with the devastating pain and can’t even leave their house, family has walked off and left yet we, and a whole heap of praying believers got in God’s way on her behalf, and she’s alive and well and living 85% pain-free and more on a good day. Come here momma who buried your only child and you thought you would lose your mind yet God sustained. Come here husband who buried your wife and thought you couldn’t make it alone yet you’re surviving. Come here single parent who is still making it even though you can’t even see how to make ends meet. Come here person with cancer, you who are living on dialysis, with diseases running through your blood yet you get in the way of God every day with your prayers and you’re still here. Come here Pastor who has more battles to fight dealing with Christians yet God always shows up and shows out allowing you to come out victorious even if you don’t feel like the winner!

Baby, thangs happen when you are in the way of God! What things? Glad you asked. You get what you ask for. Doors open when you knock (only the ones meant for you). Love finds you. Battles are already won. Your purpose is positioned. Destiny is determined. Vision is valued. Favor flourishes. Mercy is magnified, grace is glorified and your joy is justified! When you get in the way of God, thangs began to shift into position. You began to settle into your rightful place, your finances began to line up, worry begins to wither away, depression disappears, sickness and suffering is set right and your spiritual walk lines up with your talk! Oh, when we get in the way of God!

“Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.” Colossians 2:6-7

Daily Devotional – 3/11/15 “When will you get up?”

How long are you going to wait for your miracle to come to you? I know the bible said that your husband would find you but you don’t think he’ll knock on your door, do you? Oh, you think that career you want is going to pull your name from heaven? That degree you’ve been getting ready to start, it’s going to come and get you too; right? What are you waiting on? When will you get up and do something? You’ve been painting that room for two years and it still ain’t done. You’ve been fixing that car for months and it’s still parked on the side of the street. You’ve been going to the doctor for weeks yet you’re waiting and still feel like crap. You’ve been getting yourself right to go back to church for 27 years and still ain’t made it yet. What are you waiting on? Oh, you waiting on time – it waits for no man. Oh, it’s folk – they’ll kill your dreams, spirit and then walk off and leave you when you’re down. Oh, you’re waiting until you change – that’ll never happen when you’re trying to change yourself, you can’t do it on your own. Oh, you’re waiting until the time is right – time will never be right! You’re waiting until your spouse change – keep waiting and they may never change because you can’t change folk. When will you get up?

In my studying on last night, God told Abraham (he was Abram at the time) to go to an unknown land and there He would bless him. Now, Abraham didn’t have a clue what waited for him there but he had faith enough to take God at His word and he got up! And because Abraham got up and went, not only was he blessed but God gave him a covenant that he would be blessed and all his descendants. I don’t have to run down the bible telling you the many folk who were blessed because of them getting up, you should know them but my question to you is this … What are you doing? What are you sitting on? What business plan is being pushed to the back burner? What gift is being stored until next year (that you might not see)? What purpose is not being used? What destiny is not being fulfilled? What calling is not being answered? What dream is being buried? What shout is being stifled? What praise is being pushed down? When will you get up? God gives us chance after chance, when will we take it? When will we get up?