Daily Devotional 1/10/13 “You are called!”

A lot of people think the only person that is called by God is a minister but I don’t believe that’s true. Now, this is only Lakisha’s thinking because 2 Timothy 1:9 says, “He has saved us and called us to a holy life–not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.” Now, it doesn’t stop there because it then goes on to say in 2 Timothy 1:10-11, “but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher.” Get this, a herald is defined as somebody who brings or announces important news; an apostle is a prominent Christian missionary, especially one who is responsible for first converting a people; and a teacher is somebody who teaches, especially as a profession. Ok, so if all these are true and it is our responsibility as Christians to save the unsaved through studying, sharing and teaching of God’s word; doesn’t this mean we are called? 1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” Again I asked, doesn’t this make us called?

Being a child of the King makes our living called because it is up to us to glorify His word so that those, who are unsaved, can know that God gave His only Son to hang, bleed and die on an piece of wood that had been carved into a cross, just so that we could one day be called to do His will. Yea, He knew this old world would be a jacked up mess yet He also knew that there would be folk He could call to save those capable of being saved. No ma’am, no sir; it isn’t only up to the ministers and preachers to save souls but it’s up to every blood bought believer who has been washed and redeemed and call themselves Holy. It is up to each one of us. How do I know? Well because not every saved person is in a church on Sunday morning, which is why the church is us and not a building. This is also why the bible says in Matthew 5:16, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” This didn’t say to glorify their father but your father because it’s up to us to make sure the unsaved gets to know our Father. So, the next time you choose to put your mouth on a minister who may not be living up to your standard, look in the mirror. You have the responsibility to save souls just like they do so when you think they shouldn’t be drinking, you shouldn’t either. When you think they shouldn’t be in the same place you are, you shouldn’t be either. Oh, I know you think just because someone stands in a pulpit on Sunday they’re sins are greater than yours but it’s not. The unsaved are looking at you the same way they look at a minister and it is every Christian’s charge or obligation to live a life that will make someone who hasn’t accepted Christ want to get to know Him. Therefore, please understand, we are all called when we accept God which is why, 2 Peter 2:10 reminds us, “So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things and you will never fall away.” Yes, you will sin but repent for it, learn from it and move on. God doesn’t cast you away when you do wrong because His word tells me in Romans 11:29, “For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.” You are called, how will you answer?

A Secret Worth Keeping … Featured

I know I haven’t updated in a few days but I wanted to share with you all a few blogs I’ve been featured on lately. I am really appreciative of all of you who support me daily as I work to get Lakisha’s name out as an author. As I stated in a previous blog, writing isn’t for wimps because it takes a LOT of hardwork. I won’t go into that again but I am very thankful for fellow bloggers who feature my work.

Please take a moment and stop by their blog to show love because they didn’t have to be kind to me.

IAMDIDARA

100% Real, RAW AND UNCut

Daily Devotional – 1/9/14 “Are you a disciple?”

On Facebook the other day, one of my friends posted a status that said “All Christians are not disciples but ALL disciples are Christians!” Now, of course this piqued my curiosity because reading this it seemed to be one in the same so I had to dig deeper to get a better understanding. By definition, a disciple is somebody who believes in and follows the teachings of a leader, a philosophy, or a religion and a Christian is defined as somebody whose religion is Christianity and someone who shows qualities such as kindness, helpfulness, and concern for others. Again, this seems to go hand in hand so I turned to my bible and John 13:34-35 says, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Ok, so in Lakisha’s logical thinking it breaks down like this … If you love me regardless of my wrongs, my past mistakes, the mistakes I still make, the times I sometimes say something unchristian like or go somewhere I shouldn’t be going; then you are a Christian and a disciple. Oh, but if you judge me because my skirt is a little short, laugh at me when I fall even though you said you’d pick me up, hate me in your heart even though your lips say you love me, hurt me when you said you’d help me and even kick me while I’m down; then you are a Christian only.

See, God’s disciples are those who, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15,).” For Jesus said to the people in John 8:31, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.” Meaning you’re not riding the fence being indecisive on which side you want to be on, acting like a faithful worker on Sunday then a “flodger” on Monday and riding with God on Tuesday yet you let the devil drive on Wednesday. No, Jesus says if you remain faithful to His teachings because His teachings said love thy enemy even though they spitefully use you because in turn they are used to become your footstool. His teachings says don’t seek revenge because it is mine yet you try to hurt folk worse than they hurt you. His teachings say a man unwilling to work shall not eat yet you’d rather steal from someone who is. Yea, you do all these things and still stand before the altar on Sunday morning; this simply means you are a Christian. Yes being a Christian is great but when will you be willing to become a disciple; a willing worker for God, one who He can put His trust in to see about His people, one who isn’t lazy but a laborer, one who isn’t fearful but faithful, one who isn’t perfect yet passionate and one who isn’t wandering but willing? You are a Christian but Jesus said in Matthew 16:24, “If any of you wants to be my follower (disciple), you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.” You can’t follow Jesus and the world because they aren’t going the same way. Yes, everyone who believes in Christianity is a Christian but not everyone can proudly proclaim to be a disciple. Can you?

Daily Devotional – 1/8/14 “Jubilation Praises!”

Jubilation is defined as uninhibited rejoicing in the celebration of a victory or success. This simply means when you think about all the things that could have made you a victim yet you came out unharmed, you should rejoice. When you think about all the things that tried to make you stumble yet you succeeded, you should be rejoicing. When you think about all the times folk said you wouldn’t amount to nothing and instead of falling, God gave you strength to walk, you should be rejoicing. Now, this isn’t any type of rejoicing but it’s that crazy praise type rejoicing, the kind that has your clothes twisted, your hair a little messy and a little sweat on your forehead. Yea, the kind of crazy praise that allows you to shout off the stress of last year and dance in the blessings of the New Year. The kind of jubilation praise that’ll have you ready to shout on Monday in bible study, Tuesday in the middle of your living room, Wednesday at Prayer Meeting, Thursday at choir rehearsal, Friday while you’re sitting at work, Saturday at the Beauty/Barber shop and all over again at Worship on Sunday. When I think about the cancer that could be attacking my body, the accident that I avoided that should have claimed my life, how I could have been addicted to crack, pain pills or alcohol or how I could have been walking the street; I rejoice. When I think about all the things I could be going through right now, I rejoice. When I want to give up and God says, “Don’t stop now you’re too close;” I rejoice. When my enemies surround me, God says, “Don’t worry about them, I’ll make them your footstool,” I rejoice. When folks talk about me, God says, “Oh, their opinions don’t matter, only mine does,” I rejoice. When I look around at my life and realize that I’m beyond blessed, God says, “This is only the beginning,” I rejoice! (Yes sah!) See, it’s these things that cause me to celebrate and because I have the victory, I offer God my jubilation praise! I don’t have to wait until Sunday morning to show my appreciation when God shows up on a Friday night to give me rest, when he shows up on Monday with a financial blessing that allows me to make it to payday and when he shows up on Saturday with a calming peace that surpasses all my understanding. Yea, I have to give God jubilation praises because instead of allowing me to jump off the cliff, He allowed me to look over and wave at my enemies. Instead of allowing me to be jealous over other folk’s blessings, He allowed me to join in their praise and instead of letting the judgment of others get me down, He used them as a jack to lift me up higher.

Oh, when I sit and think about the street I could be sleeping on, the cancer that could have taken me out, the bullet that could have passed through my flesh, the hospital my daughter could be in, the prison my son could be in, the grave that could be holding my husband’s body or the headstone that could read my name; I rejoice. When you think about all the chemo and surgeries you’ve made it through, all the times you had to beg for rides and now you’re riding in your new car, when you come home to a loving spouse instead of the one who used to treat you like dirt, when you leave the house a little late and pass the car wreck that should have been you, when your name wasn’t called to receive a pink slip when your other co-workers weren’t so lucky, when you walk past the alleys and see the folks strung out on drugs, when you visit the hospital and it could have been you or your child or when you drive under an overpass and see the folks sleeping outside and you know that God is surely keeping you; do you offer him jubilation praises? Baby, God doesn’t need praise when the sun is shining but He wants to see you dancing in the rain when the storm is raging. He doesn’t need you screaming His name when you’ve been pushed down in the pits and valleys but He wants to hear His name in rejoicing when you’ve made it to the top of the mountain. Offer God jubilation praises every chance you get because it may be your last time!

Daily Devotional – 1/6/14 “Let’s get right!”

I wrote a devotional on Saturday morning and I don’t normally do one but church and worship have been weighing heavy on me. See, lately I’ve been feeling like I am tired of church. Maybe it’s the people or to be honest, maybe it’s me but all I know is God is working on me because I just can’t understand why worship services can be so dead on Sunday yet the clubs are jumping every day of the week. Now, I can understand if this was just my church but I’ve visited others and it’s the same way. The pastor, preacher and minister of music have to pump and prime (can I get an Amen, give God praise…) “Christian” folk to do what they say they’ve come to do which is worship. Oh, but all through the week, you keep posting on how good God is, how He’s keeping you, healed your body, kept your baby daddy out of jail, blessed you with the money you’ve posted pictures of and still you got the audacity to come into God’s sacred house on Sunday morning yawning and falling asleep. I don’t get it. Baby, you better stop coming to church because it’s the right thing to do but do the right thing and then come to church (you’ll get that later). Oh, don’t get me wrong, I don’t need a partner to praise with because God has been too good to me to sit on my praise but aren’t we supposed to worship together? Worship is, by dictionary definition, treating somebody or something as divine and showing respect by engaging in acts of prayer and devotion or to take part in a religious service but in Lakisha’s logical thinking; worship is simply loving and respecting God enough to show it!

Yea! I know that I am all up in my feelings but when will we start to treat God the way He treats us. Ok, so your account maybe in the negative after getting paid on Friday but are you hungry? Oh, you must be living outside or sitting in one of the warming shelters that have been opened up by the city or are you at home? You must be reading this devotional on someone else’s device or does it belong to you? Did you have to visit a clothes closet this morning before you dressed or did you walk into your own? Did you stand on a corner begging for food or did you open up your refrigerator to get what you wanted? Oh, let me guess; someone is reading this to you because you’re plugged up to a machine that’s breathing for you? No, then what are you complaining about? You’re mad because you haven’t gotten all the things you think you should but have you done all that you could be doing to get your blessings for Deuteronomy 28:1-2 says, “And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God.” I’m simply saying; let’s get right because death is no longer knocking at your door but he’s showing himself in, sickness has no respect of person or age and danger doesn’t care about the color of your skin. Stay prayed up by worshipping God the way you’re supposed to because it’ll be a shame to be heading in the wrong direction after the judgment.