Daily Devotional – 12/5/13 “For if I suffer …”

I keep hearing the song, When I see Jesus, Amen; and there’s a particular part in the song that says, “For if I suffer, I’ll gain eternal life.” Oh but then I turn to my bible; 1 Peter 5:10, that tells me “And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.” Then Romans 5:3-5, “More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” And then Romans 8:18 sums it all up with, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Simply saying for if I suffer, I gain eternal life!

Oh, I feel alright about this thing called life now because if I suffer, I gain a reward over there. Yea, I feel alright about the bad times now because I got something greater waiting on me over there. Yea, I feel, I feel … I feel better about the storm I sometimes endure, this race I have to sometimes run alone, this pain that sometimes takes over my body, this sickness that tries to tear me down, the enemies who tries to destroy me, the lies folk tell to ruin me, the few haters I have that try to spoil my gift, the stress that tries to wear me down, the world that tries to confine me, the doubt that tries to bind me and even the no that tries to detour me because if I suffer through all of this … My God! For if I suffer, for if you suffer, for if we suffer; WE shall gain eternal, that’s everlasting, that’s never ending, that’s forever, that’s having no beginning nor end, no start or stop time, no cancellation or expiration date but undying life! Yea, you can shout now!

Daily Devotional – 12/4/13 “Churchin yourself to hell!”

Yea, I know that you’re asking how you can church yourself to hell; well I’m going to tell you. First, let me define “churchin,” in my terms. Churchin is the time, energy and resources you put into serving God. If you’re at the church every time the doors open but you raise more hell than the devil, you’re churchin yourself to hell. If you are teaching Sunday school yet you’re too holy to practice what you teach, you’re churchin yourself to hell. If you keep saying, “God knows my heart” to account for your sins instead of repenting, you’re churchin yourself to hell. If you’re standing at the altar wishing bad over folk’s life while the preacher is praying, you’re churchin yourself to hell. If your only reason for going to church is to see the mistakes the Pastor makes instead of the message, you’re churchin yourself to hell. Oh and if you think you can’t be sent to Hell, then may I suggest you re-read your bible because if God will banish the angels who sinned then surely you can be too (2 Peter 2:4). Now, let me tell you this … Hell wasn’t made for us because Matthew 25:41 says “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels,” but this doesn’t mean we can’t go. See, if we are living and doing the exact same thing the devil and his angels are doing; what does that make us? If we set out to intentionally hurt folk, misuse and abuse, tear them down, knock them down and then kick them, hate and stay angry; aren’t we as equally guilty as the devil? And no, the devil doesn’t have to have you on his payroll to work for him because if you’re doing all these things as a so called Christian then you’re working for him but for free.

All I’m saying is get back to God! Get back to churchin the right way. Praise God during the good and bad times. Give like you should and help when you know you could. Love more and show hate the door. Pray for people and allow the Holy Spirit to live in you deeper. Show God’s light and let him win the fight. Be a blessing and stop stressing. Share mercy and grace instead of being two faced. Stop with the pity we see and do away with the woe is me. Use your gifts and watch your atmosphere shift. Yea, get back to churchin where the praise is real and not just a thrill. Get back to churchin where you leave renewed, your spirit on fire and not only was it the Pastor but it also came from the choir. Get back to churchin so you’ll have a story to tell and stop with the churchin that’ll send your soul to hell.

Daily Devotional – 12/3/13 “God reply: Yes, child, I’m listening!”

Yes, child I hear you but are you been listening to me? You say you’re at your wits end yet you won’t let things be! You keep bringing me your problems and then you leave with the same worry but you expect me to send your answer quick, fast and in a hurry. Well, I don’t work like that because most times you aren’t ready to receive especially when you’re looking through natural eyes because they can deceive. Yea, I tell you to rest and let Me work it out but you still pace the floor at night with your mind full of doubt. I tell you to stop crying tears of pity when I should be your joy every day, yet you don’t stop long enough to even hear what I have to say. You keep your life so occupied with mess and gossip, that you miss my message and you don’t take time to study My word so you’re also failing my lesson! You cry out “Where am I?” when I’m standing outside your door, you’d notice if you stop looking at your past or raise your eyes from the floor. Yes, I hear you calling and I’m trying to get in but your life is too busy because you’re trying to keep up with your friends.

You say you’re tired of having hell on your back or looking the devil in his face, when you wouldn’t have to if you’d stay under my grace. You say you’re tired of turning the other cheek when folks do you wrong but aren’t you the one that wouldn’t listen when you said you were grown? You say you’re tired of struggling, tired of trying to make ends meet; when baby, I’ve given you all you need to stand up on your feet. No, life isn’t easy; I didn’t tell you it would be but your tests make you stronger, just read James 1:3. For it says, “For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow,” And you also know that in this life you’ll reap what you sow. Which means if you hold out through your test you’ll be rewarded with a greater something because James 1:4 says, “So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” So, yes my child I hear you, I hear you loud and clear; please know that I’m holding you close but I simply need you to hear. Listen when I talk to you because I won’t steer you wrong and just hold on through your storm even though it seems long. You have to know that I haven’t left you and I’m only a prayer away and please know that I’m listening to everything you have to say. Yea, you’ll have some more bad days that I cannot stop because you’ve got to hit a few snags on your way to the top. But that’ll make you appreciate it more when you finally make it; when your breakthrough is granted; so, hold on my child; I’m listening so keep your feet in my word firmly planted.

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.