Daily Devotional – 12/2/13 “Father, are you listening?”

Yea, I know this thing called life is getting hard and you are tired of hearing, “God will take care of you,” “Hold on until your change come,” “God hasn’t given up on you,” “It’ll be ok in the morning,” “Your storm won’t last always,” because you’re standing in the need of a blessing right now. You keep a smile on your face because if you don’t you may just burst into tears. You rather text than call somebody because they may hear the pain in your voice. You keep skipping church because you don’t want anyone to see the hurt in your eyes and you don’t even hang out with your family and friends because you’re trying to keep the shade pulled down. Sickness is attacking more young folk, cancer is everywhere you turn, death has quit knocking on the door and has started letting himself in, hurt comes from folks you know more than folks you don’t know, hours on the job is going up and pay is going down, violence can be found in the hands of babies, bullying at the hands of so-called friends and even your own family hating. And now you’re asking God, are you listening? See, times have become now that the devil doesn’t even have to work as hard to get Christians on his side because they are becoming devils themselves. They lie when the truth will do, use and hurt folk because they think they can, kill folk because they feel powerful and even steal from folks because it’s easier than working for it. What in the hell is going on?

You’re asking; Father, can you hear me? Is this the type of trouble that you promised, is it supposed to be this hard? Yea, I know you made me in your image but sometimes it feels like I’m made of jelly instead of steel. Yea, I know I am supposed to turn the other cheek but I’m tired of them both being hit? I know that I shouldn’t seek revenge when folks talk about me but how much more can I take? I don’t know how much longer I can stand with my back up against this wall before I fall, how much longer I can stand in this rain without drowning in the water or how much longer I can take the sleepless nights because my body is tired. Father, can you hear me? I’m calling out to you! I’m trying to be strong, I’m trying to hold on, I’m doing the very best I can but I need to know if you’re listening. Yea, I read my bible and I even memorize a few scriptures but they don’t help pay the light bill. I go to bible study sometimes but it’s not helping with this broken heart and I even get into the worship service but it hasn’t stopped my tears from flowing. What am I to doo, now? Father, I’m not giving up but I’m simply giving in to you. I’m not throwing in the towel but I’m waving my white flag. I’m not quitting the race but I’m giving you the baton. I refused to be knocked out in this round so I’m tagging you in. I’m not jumping over this cliff, I’m simply letting go by your command. I’m not going right because you told me to go left. I’m not losing my faith in you because that’s what is getting me through. God, I just needed you to know that I need you and your presence and I need it right now!

Laquisha’s Benefit

Uly's Benefit

For those who may or may not know, I am a twin. Yes, I have a twin sister and we are identical (although we can’t see it.) However, for the last few months she has been suffering with a condition called, Trigeminal Neuralgia and for those of you who have never heard about it, let me explain. This disease is described as a chronic pain condition that affects the trigeminal nerve, which carries sensation from your face to your brain and with trigeminal neuralgia, even mild stimulation of your face — such as from brushing your teeth or putting on makeup — may trigger a jolt of excruciating pain. The pain is so debilitating that this condition has been called “The Suicide Disease” because many have taken their own lives.

Oh, but God has been keeping her and times when many would have given up; she has held on. When others have called it quits, she has called on God. Her faith has sustained her and I am in awe of her strength. Oh, her faith has withstood because God had to bring her through that in order to get her to her healing and her healing will happen at the hands of a man that God has led her too by the name of Dr. Robert Mericle of HW Neurological Institute in Nashville, TN and God, along with Dr. Mericle, will perform surgery on her on December 17, 2013.

The surgery she is scheduled to undergo is called MVD or Microvascular decompression. The surgery consists of relocating or removing blood vessels that have come into contact with her trigeminal nerve. During microvascular decompression, the doctor will make an incision behind her right ear. Then, through a small hole in your skull, he will move any arteries that are in contact with the trigeminal nerve away from the nerve, and place a pad between the nerve and the arteries. If a vein is compressing the nerve, he may remove it. After the surgery, she will remain in the hospital for 1 to 2 days and then she will have 3-6 weeks of recovery.

The surgery will take place in Nashville, TN and we will be there for at least a week. It is because of this that I am putting together a benefit party to raise money for the expenses that have been and will be incurred. Expenses such as travel and lodging, medicine and hospital stay (that’s not covered by insurance) and to assist with Laquisha’s bills until she is able to get back to work.

If you would like to donate, you can do so through paypal (ljohnson133@comcast.net) or email me at ljohnson133@comcast.net. No amount is too small. Even if you can’t donate money, your prayers are sufficient enough for us both.

Daily Devotional – 11/29/13 “Black Friday”

Somebody woke up this morning in tears because they couldn’t afford any of the black Friday sales. You just celebrated Thanksgiving with family and were fed yet you’re still down. You have a place to sleep, healthy kids, TV to watch yet you’re still down. Oh no, you’re not upset because you got bad news from the doctor, your lights are off, car won’t work or death has knocked at your door yet you’re crying because you don’t have money to shop. Are you serious, really? You’d rather stand in a line, in front of a store, wrapped up trying to stay warm just to get pushed and shoved for an $8 toaster or blender when Wal-Mart will have 30 of them next week for $9.99? You’re upset because you want to get that new Xbox game for your son but he’s failing at school. You’re upset because you can’t afford the new cell phone your daughter wants yet she won’t even clean up her room after asking 12 times. Chile, cut it out! If I stopped ten people coming out of Best Buy and asked them if they got what they came for, all of them would probably say no. So why are you rushing to spend money you don’t have anyway? You rather put yourself into debt that’ll take you half of next year to get out off and for what? I don’t think standing in a check-out line for 2 hours is worth the sale price of any item and I’ve never had the desire to get pushed and shoved for a few dollars off anything.

Oh but I wonder how much greater our worship, praise and service to God would be if we dedicated time to God like we do for Black Friday? I mean, you’ll put in a vacation day for this day but you wouldn’t dare miss work for Sunday worship. Haven’t you read Matthew 6:19 that say “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal?” Then may I suggest you slow down and get your priorities straight because Christmas isn’t about the gifts under the tree, the tree nor the decorations and we need to get back to the true meaning of it. Stop taking the Christ out of Christmas because He’ll be the one you’re calling on afterwards when the money is gone. I am not saying don’t spend the money you’ve worked hard for but if you know you can’t afford to then be realistic. There are plenty of ways to give gifts without spending every dime in your pocket and if you honestly look around, there is probably not much your kids need anyway. Be smart this holiday season and get back to the real reason for it because Matthew 6:20 says “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Simply because the blessings and the joy that God has waiting for you can’t be taken away and you don’t have to wait until Black Friday to get it!

Partying for Laquisha’s Benefit

Uly's Benefit

For those who may or may not know, I am a twin. Yes, I have a twin sister and we are identical (although we can’t see it.) However, for the last few months she has been suffering with a condition called, Trigeminal Neuralgia and for those of you who have never heard about it, let me explain. This disease is described as a chronic pain condition that affects the trigeminal nerve, which carries sensation from your face to your brain and with trigeminal neuralgia, even mild stimulation of your face — such as from brushing your teeth or putting on makeup — may trigger a jolt of excruciating pain. The pain is so debilitating that this condition has been called “The Suicide Disease” because many have taken their own lives.

Oh, but God has been keeping her and times when many would have given up; she has held on. When others have called it quits, she has called on God. Her faith has sustained her and I am in awe of her strength. Oh, her faith has withstood because God had to bring her through that in order to get her to her healing and her healing will happen at the hands of a man that God has led her too by the name of Dr. Robert Mericle of HW Neurological Institute in Nashville, TN and God, along with Dr. Mericle, will perform surgery on her on December 17, 2013.

The surgery she is scheduled to undergo is called MVD or Microvascular decompression. The surgery consists of relocating or removing blood vessels that have come into contact with her trigeminal nerve. During microvascular decompression, the doctor will make an incision behind her right ear. Then, through a small hole in your skull, he will move any arteries that are in contact with the trigeminal nerve away from the nerve, and place a pad between the nerve and the arteries. If a vein is compressing the nerve, he may remove it. After the surgery, she will remain in the hospital for 1 to 2 days and then she will have 3-6 weeks of recovery.

The surgery will take place in Nashville, TN and we will be there for at least a week. It is because of this that I am putting together a benefit party to raise money for the expenses that have been and will be incurred. Expenses such as travel and lodging, medicine and hospital stay (that’s not covered by insurance) and to assist with Laquisha’s bills until she is able to get back to work.

If you would like to donate, you can do so through paypal (ljohnson133@comcast.net) or email me at ljohnson133@comcast.net. No amount is too small. Even if you can’t donate money, your prayers are sufficent enough for us both.

Daily Devotional – 11/27/13 “Do not quench the Holy Spirit!”

I am not sure who this is for but I simply stop by to share with you what the bible says in 1 Thessalonians 5:19, “Do not quench the Spirit.” Now, in order for you to fully understand what this means, you have to first know that quench means to suppress a feeling completely or (catch this) to put out a fire or light. Simply put, stop putting out the fire of the Holy Spirit and the light of God that is within you. Yea, if you’re always complaining then you are quenching the light. If you sit on your praise then you are quenching the spirit. If you talk more than you teach, you’re quenching God’s light. If you sin more than you shout, you are quenching the spirit. If you’re always angry just because you’re always angry then you’re quenching God’s light. If you hinder those around you from praising then you are quenching the spirit. Baby, if you get up on Sunday morning, get dressed in your Sunday best, drive all the way to church for Sunday school just so you can raise hell about what ain’t going right, you are quenching the spirit.

The bible says in Mark 1:8, “I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit,” but many of us are dipped in the spirit but won’t put the spirit on. Yea, you allow the water to touch your flesh but you won’t let it seep into the crevices of your spirit because although you may look like a Christian on the outside, the inside is filled with nothing but hell. But you do know that your flesh means nothing to God, right? Well Jeremiah 17:10 says, “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.” So while you’re trying to quench the light of God that should be burning like a torch on the inside of you, you might not have a chance to lite it again. And while you are trying to quench the Holy Spirit, you might want to recognize that the Holy Spirit works on your behalf more times than you probably even know. So don’t put out the fire that is burning because you may just find that you like how it feels.