Daily Devotional – 4/17/14 “Setup!”

Yea, the way our lives are setup; we cannot lose! The way our path has been setup, we won’t be lost. The way our destiny is setup, we cannot fail! For Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Yes, I am a sinner who was saved by the blood when I walked up and sat on the mourner’s bench (in revival one night), confessed my belief in God and His power, accepted Him into my life and was baptized in the water because the way God set this thang up, I was already chosen. I am a sinner who sometimes sin, lie, curse, occasionally drink, dance to worldly music, sometimes worry, sometimes say no when I should help, sometimes stay when I should go, sometimes miss the message from the messenger and sometimes frown instead of smile yet the way God has this thang setup, it’s a part of my purpose. I am a sinner who sometimes falls asleep without praying and eat without saying grace yet God has it all a part of the setup. I sometimes worry when I shouldn’t, make a few mistakes without repenting and get discouraged when I should pray but it’s all part of the setup. I sometimes get tempted but I hold fast and I even get sick at times but it’s all part of the setup. Do I always read my bible, do I always do what God says I should, do I always walk the right path, do I always use my gift, do I always encourage those who are discouraged or do I always pray for folk instead of myself, no! But it’s all part of the setup. I am a girl who was once broken but I’ve been healed, once hurt but now I’m well, once cried but now I have joy, was once in the dark but I’ve seen the light shining from on the inside of me, was once on the wrong path but with God, He made it right; I was once dying but now I’m living, I used to sing “I was battered, bruised and cast aside” but that’s been replaced with “Now I got the Lord on my side.” Oh, whatever it is, whatever it used to be and whatever it will be; I now know that it’s all part of the setup! God is the man with the plan and I’ll trust His setup over mine any day!

“Many, LORD my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare.” Psalm 40:5

Daily Devotional 4/16/14 “There is no greater love!”

There is no greater love than the love shown when God gave His only Son to die in Golgotha (Calvary). There is no greater love than the love shown when Jesus was bought for only thirty pieces of silver although His worth is immeasurable. There is no greater love than the love shown by Jesus when He was stripped of His clothes, given a scarlet robe to wear and a crown of thorns placed on His head as they mocked Him for being who He was. There is no greater love than the love shown by Jesus when He was bound over to be crucified although He had committed no crime. There is no greater love than the love shown by Jesus when He was given wine to drink that was mixed with gall (bile) even though He offered many living water so they’d never thirst again. There is no greater love than the love shown when Jesus endured being pierced in the same hands that healed folk, sometimes those who didn’t even say thank you. There is no greater love than the love shown when Jesus was pierced in the same feet that traveled miles to minister to and teach folk, raise folk from the dead, cast out demons and perform miracles. There is no greater love than the love shown for us, God’s people; us, the ones God knew would sin so He gave us the ability to repent through the crucifixion of His only Son. There is no greater love!

Yet, here we are; those same sinners who’d rather take this great love and throw it away. You open Facebook everyday but barely open a bible. You make happy hour but not bible study. You’ll be the first one at karaoke but won’t make choir rehearsal. You’re never late for work but you’re always late for church. You won’t say anything to folk but you’re quick to put your mouth on pastor. And you can’t even manage your own finances but you’ll tell the church how to manage theirs. Where is the appreciation for the love that Jesus showed? Where is the gratitude for the love that God shows to us every day? When will the love we’ve been given be given back? When will we show our thankfulness? Isn’t this love worthy of it every day and not just when we play dress up on Easter Sunday? Will we truly understand and appreciate this great love before it’s too late?

“We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the Day of Judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. We love each other because he loved us first. 1 John 4:16-19.”

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Daily Devotional – 4/15/14 “Remain faithful!”

When I started writing my devotional this morning, I had decided that it would be on the decisions that we sometimes make. Now, did you catch that because it said I had decided but when I went to my online bible, a scripture stuck out like it had a flashing light around it. (Ok God, I hear you.) The scripture is Revelation 2:10 that says, “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” In all honesty, I’d never read this scripture before today and even though this scripture was talking to the Church in Smyrna, God is leading me this way to tell somebody that for the next ten days, you’ll be tested. This may even be for me, I don’t know, but for ten days tribulations will be there and there’s nothing we can do about it but REMAIN FAITHFUL. James 1:12 says, “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” Yea, for the next ten (10) days, something will have you in bondage and make it seem like you can’t break free but you will, remain faithful. All hell make seem like it’s breaking loose and it won’t end but it will, remain faithful. Some folks may leave and your heart may break but it’ll mend, remain faithful. Some lies may be told, some obstacles may be placed in your path, your bad days may seem like they are outweighing your good, your body may be in pain, your help may seem like it won’t come; yet remain faithful. Your checking account may be empty or even in the negative, your bills behind, cable about to be turned off, car insurance about to lapse, you need another extension on your light bill, need a doctor’s appointment but no copay money, places to go but no gas; nonetheless remain faithful. Friends aren’t replying to your text, family tired of hearing you whining, folks on the job complain more than you and you don’t feel like going to church, yet remain faithful. You may already be in your ten day testing period, remain faithful through it. Yes, it’s easy for me to tell you that because I don’t know what you’re going through and you’re tired of people telling you to hold on but you don’t have to believe me but trust God because He’s never let you down. Hold on my brother, my sister and remain faithful for whatever you’re going through because it won’t last.

Daily Devotional – 4/14/14 “Passover”

Passover begins tonight at dusk and for those of you who don’t fully understand it, please take a minute and research it biblically. See, Passover, is a celebration of God’s people being freed from Egypt and according to the bible in Numbers 9:2-3, the Lord spoke to Moses saying, “Let the people of Israel keep the Passover at its appointed time. On the fourteenth day of this month, at twilight, you shall keep it at its appointed time; according to all its statutes and all its rules you shall keep it.” Now, I am not going to write on the principles of Passover however it’s befitting that I tell you on today that whatever God has freed you from, celebrate it! Yea, I understand that it may be hard but whatever you’ve lost (which means you’re freed from) celebrate it through your grieving. When a person dies, don’t we have a home going celebration to celebrate the fact that they’ve been freed to an eternal glory? Then why don’t you celebrate whatever situation that has died in your life thus freeing you? Why are you holding on to the thoughts of what could have been? Ok, I get it; your marriage could have been great but he/she has been gone now for 8 months, move on. Ok, so that job was one you thought could have been meant for you but you got fired or you got sick and couldn’t work so now that’s passed over, get over it. Stop whining and crying like the people of Israel did in the wilderness after God released them and recognize the blessing that you’ve been given. Whatever it is that you’ve lost has now passed over, grieve it and then let it go. Yes, it’s easier said than done but how can you get anything new when you’re still holding on to the old? How can you grab something new when you’re hands are still holding on to the memories of the past? How can you see where you’re going if you’re still looking back? How can you see your way out if you’re still looking at the way in? You’ve been freed from the addiction, the abusive spouse, that chemo or dialysis, all the medication, lying friends, a dying church or whatever had you in bondage; so why aren’t you celebrating? Why aren’t you celebrating that storm that passed you over that could have claimed your life? Why aren’t you celebrating that tornado of hell that passed through your house but left your foundation standing? Why aren’t you celebrating the should haves, the could haves, the negatives the prospered into positives, the no’s that turned to yes, the lefts that God made rights and the passing over of what was meant to push you over? Why aren’t you celebrating?