Did you know that chance means an opportunity or a set of circumstances that makes it possible for something to happen or doing something despite being uncertain of the outcome? Don’t you know that when God woke you up this morning, He gave you another chance to trust Him in spite of whatever you’re facing? Yea, God has given you another chance and all He’s asking is for you to have enough faith in Him to see you through. God is saying take a chance and step out on faith regardless of what you may think will happen. God is saying take a chance and let go of the rope even though you aren’t sure of where you’ll land. God is saying take a chance and apply for that job although man said you’re not qualified. God is saying take a chance and try that new medication or do the surgery even if it didn’t work last time. God is saying take a chance and walk away from that abusive relationship even though you don’t see how you can make it. God is saying take a chance and accept the calling I’ve placed on your life even if it means changing some things. God is simply saying, take a chance and trust Me! Ecclesiastes 9:11 says, “I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.” Take a chance even if you fall, at least you found out that it’s possible. Take a chance because it may just be the chance you’ve been waiting for.
Daily Devotional – 2/3/14 “It’s time!”
We’re at the 3rd day of the 2nd month of this New Year; now what? You’ve been given another opportunity to do what you’re supposed to be doing, are you? You’ve been granted another day to get it right, will you? There’s really no sense in me telling you, again, what the bible says because you’ve heard it all before so what will you do with it? I mean, folk are so quick to judge a pastor for the mistakes they make when the flock is much, much worse. When will we get ourselves together? I mean, if the flock would do their part, the pastor wouldn’t have so much stress on him or her. Oh but you spend so much of your time watching to see if the pastor might stumble that you don’t even realize the wall you’re about to run into and then the pastor is so caught up in trying not to stumble out of fear of you seeing that they are stressed to the max. If you’re able to “turn up” and you’re a Christian, why can’t the Pastor live? Am I saying that it’s right for a pastor to do what he or she shouldn’t be doing; no, but neither is it right for you. However, aren’t they entitled to a beer or glass or wine, if they want? Are they entitled to listen to worldly music and dance, if they want? Aren’t they entitled to see an R rated movie, if they want? Aren’t they entitled to go out to a bar & grill and chill, if they choose?
I don’t know why this is in my spirit this morning but someone needs to know that it’s time to get right. You’re leaving the church in worse shape than you came when that shouldn’t be the case. However, it isn’t the pastor or members job to fix you because you can’t expect deliverance when God can’t even get to your heart to make the first attempt. It isn’t the church that’s dead but it’s the members who make up the congregation. It isn’t God who has left us but it’s us who have left Him. It isn’t the songs that are being sung or the prayers being said but it’s the spirit of the person who’s receiving it. It’s time! It’s time now! It’s time now to get right! You don’t have to stop living because you’re doing what you know you should be doing, you just live better.
Daily Devotional – 1/31/14 “How are you living?”
We’ve got to get back to handling the kingdom’s business. As women, it’s time out for fighting over people and things that don’t belong to us because the only time you fight for something, when it’s yours. If he can’t put a ring on your finger to make you his wife, he isn’t worth fighting over because Proverbs 18:22 says “He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD.” If she can’t treat you like you’re husband material, she isn’t worth arguing over because 1 Corinthians 11:9, says “For indeed man was not created for the woman’s sake, but woman for the man’s sake,” and If he or she can’t contribute to the household then they aren’t worth fighting over either because 2 Thessalonians 3:10 says “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.” But you know all this don’t you? We’ve got so accustomed to this world that know we post all our business on social media and then got the nerve to be mad when someone says something about you. Oh but let me tell you, you can spend your tax money on whoever you want to because it’s yours. You can date, hook up with and fool around with whomever you choose because it’s your business. However, one thing I must say, YOU BETTER GET IT TOGETHER BEFORE YOUR TIME IS UP! Yea, we are spending way too much time on meaningless mess, foolish fighting, lavish lying, secret spying and blatant backstabbing than working God’s business. So many folks are dying and being killed when they are here at 2PM and gone at 2AM. It’s time out for playing church.
I sometimes wonder what God would say if he walked into our Sunday worship service. I mean, we are raising children who can’t pray because we’re too busy to teach them how. But get this … we teach them that it’s ok to play around with your cellphone during worship service because most times we are playing with ours. We have hell in us all week and then are the first ones shouting when your song is played. You gossip all day Saturday about the “church folk” and then get to church and tell your neighbor that you love them and they can’t do a thing about it. You tipping on Friday night to the motels and clubs and then is the loudest one singing, I love the Lord, He heard my cry! Baby, God isn’t in the midst of your mess! It’s time now to get it together! Live the life worth speaking about so that no one has to stand over your casket and lie about you being a good person because this life you live is the funeral that you’ll one day have. Live your life so that a sinner can see the God in you because sometimes the closest they get to God is through you. I pray that we all be ready when our time comes and even though God promised us 70 and even 80 years, we sometimes don’t make it. You may not have tomorrow to get it right, so start right now because Mark 13:32 says, “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”
Daily Devotional – 1/30/14 “If just for one day!”
If just for one day, you could give up all your troubles, would you? If you didn’t have to worry about this or stress about that, would you give it a try? Then try it, yea, try it; if just for one day. Wake up in the morning without worrying about bills, about what folk are saying about you, how others treat you, your workload or whatever it is that you’re stressing over. Of course, I know that it’s easier said than done but give it a try. Wake up and say, “Lord, whatever I face today I’ll let you handle it,” or “Lord, whenever (not if because God doesn’t work in ifs) you bless me, it’ll be right on time.” Speak the things that you want and make an effort to be happy, if just for one day. Let the stress of this world roll off your body, like the tear drops that are falling; if just for one day.
See, I truly believe that we choose how our day goes, whether it’s happy or sad and we choose how we react to situations, whether good or bad because we set the tone for it. God has given us joy but we allow folk to take it so easily. Yes, you do because you wake up in a good mood but before you make it to work a mean driver has stolen the smile from your face. You walk into work humming and as soon as your coworker sees you, they come with some bad news and now your song is gone. Oh, but if for just one day, take back the joy that is so rightfully yours. No matter how folk look at you, how they make you feel and even what they say; don’t let go of your joy because Nehemiah 8:10 says “for the joy of the LORD is your strength,” yet when you allow folk to take it that’s when you become weak, worn, depressed and torn. Take for instance; you have 4 books propping up a table that you’re using. If for 4 days you remove 1 book, each day, all that remains is a leaning table and what good is it? If you use a chair over and over again, eventually you will wear it out and the springs will push up through the fabric that makes it impossible to sit in, what good is it? Well, it’s the same way with you. If you continue to allow folks to take away the joy that’s propping you up, what will you have to lean on? And if you continue to allow folk to sit all over you, you’ll soon wear out and then what good will you be? What will you be able to do leaned over or worn out? And you know as well as I do that once folk have used you up, they’ll put you on the side of the road just like they do old trash because you’d be no use for them any longer. So, if just for one day, let go of worry and relax in the word, lay the stress down and sleep in the safety of our Savior, forget your faults and fellowship with favor, bury your burdens and blossom in your blessing, move beyond your mistakes and marinate in God’s marvelous mercy and get over your guilt and get into God’s grace. If just for one day, let it go and then deal with tomorrow when it comes!
Author … Living my life in this place!
There’s this song by Tamela Mann called, “This Place” and yesterday was the very first time I had ever heard it but when I tell you that it speaks exactly what my spirit wants to say … You wouldn’t even begin to understand. See, I never thought I’d be here in the place I’m in RIGHT NOW! (Y’all just don’t understand) I never thought I’d be in a place where I’d have folk say they are encouraged by me, ME! I never thought I’d be in a place where I have a devotional blog that gets new followers every day. I never thought I’d be in a place to have 2 books out which means author is now on my resume! I mean, I have folk who know my name and it’s not because I’ve done anything bad. I have folk who call me because they want to know my thoughts. I’ve had my picture on blogs I never thought I’d be on. My name has been written in places I never thought it would be. I never thought I’d be in this place but I’m so glad that I’m, me, Lakisha Dionne Rucker Johnson, called Marcy by family and friend; is in this place. I’m glad that God has seen fit for me to be in this place at this exact moment! Oh, you just don’t understand! No, I’m not perfect but I’ve been positioned with a purpose! No, I’m not faultless but I’m favored for this fight! No, I’m not spotless but I was sanctified for this status. No, I’m not innocent by any means but I was issued instructions that I intend to invest in. No, I’m not afflicted with animosity because I’ve been acquitted and accepted. Oh, in this place! These mere words can’t even begin to describe how I feel …
I thank those of you who support me. I thank those of you who encourage me. I even thank those of you who may not like my work because you push me to work harder to change that! Thank you! Thank you!
Lakisha, the Author 