Daily Devotional – 11/14/13 “If God’s people … “

How can you honestly say you are helping to save the souls of those who have yet to find God if you keep losing Him yourself? I mean, you party more than the folks in the world and yet you expect them to follow you to church on Sunday. You can roll a joint with the best of them yet you say you want to be portrayed as holier than thou. You drink more than the law allows and then try to bring scripture in to make it alright! Oh, let me make this point clear, I am by no means saying that I am perfect because I still sin and even if you never know it or see it, God does which is why I, we; have to do better. How can we possibly help others when we haven’t even helped ourselves? See, 2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” God said, MY PEOPLE, which means those of us who claim to be saved, sanctified and filled with the Holy Ghost; you know, us “blessed and highly favored” saints. Yea, His people, those of us who are supposed to pray for our brothers and sisters instead of preying on them; those of us who are supposed to be a help mate instead of a hell mate, those of us that are supposed to be a leaning post for those who fall instead of the ones digging the ditch; those of us who are supposed lift folk up instead of snatching them down and those of us who are supposed to spread God’s word instead of worldly gossip.

Baby, if we holy folks don’t get ourselves together, we will be busting the seams out of Hell when the time comes! If, we saints would take more time reading and studying our word more instead of the world; we might just be better. Does this mean our problems would stop, no, because trouble is what we have to go through but our living would be better! How do I know? Because God says, “You say you’re a saint which means you are called by my name, well you need to humble yourself (He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them his way, Psalm 25:9.), pray (Never stop praying, 1 Thessalonians 5:17), seek MY face (I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me, Proverbs 8:17) and turn from your wicked ways (Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old, Isaiah 43:18) because it is then that I will hear from Heaven (The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry, Psalm 34:15), I will forgive your sins (If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, 1 John 1:9) AND I will heal your land (And the LORD will protect you from all sickness. He will not let you suffer from the terrible diseases you knew in Egypt, but he will inflict them on all your enemies! Deuteronomy 7:15). If my people… we are God’s people, aren’t we? Then we need to get our stuff together because you might not have tomorrow to do it. Oh, If God’s people …

Daily Devotional – 11/13/13 “Victory over defeat”

I heard this song on the radio that said, “I’ve seen too many victories to let defeat have the last word,” and although I wrote this down to write on, weeks ago; it wasn’t time. Then I got to work this morning and as I was searching through my purse for my driver’s license and pulling out papers for all the things I have to do (outside my job), the average person would feel defeated yet I am determined. Why? Well because I’ve seen too many victories to let defeat, have the last word. Yea, when I open my eyes and see another day, I count it victory. When I can see and hear my Grams, I count it a victory. When I can call my momma, I count it a victory. When I can still go lie in the bed with my sister, I count it a victory. When I find my other 2 sisters and my 3 brothers alive and well, I count it a victory. When I realize I still have all 7 of my uncles and my 2 aunts, I count it a victory. My husband and children are alive and well, I count it a victory. I still have a job, a place to call home, a car to drive, a few dollars in the bank, folks I call friends, a gift that is still making room for me and encouragers praying for me; I count it a victory. When I can feel and see God’s favor over my life, I count it victory. When I realize I could look like the things I go through and I don’t, I count it victory. Oh, I know I’m making this thang personal today but let me tip around your front yard for a minute.

If you woke up this morning in your right mind, still knowing where you are, clothes to put on even if they are ones you’ve worn before, you had a few morsels of bread to eat, you’re warm and you’re more blessed than someone else because you’re reading this on some sort of electronic device; you should count it a victory. Even though you have a few pains in your body, maybe going through chemo or dialysis and taking more pills than you like; you’re yet alive to feel God’s anointing one more day; you should count it a victory. You survived that dope you smoked or those drinks you had last night so you should count it a victory. You’ve been through hell more times than you care to remember, hurt more than you’d like, left by someone you thought never would yet you survived, you should count it a victory. You survived the storm you thought would never end, you should count it a victory. You got that car after you’ve been turned down 2 times before, your apartment was approved in your name and your promotion was set up just for you; you should count it a victory. You still have all the things you had on yesterday even if you weren’t thankful for them; you should count it a victory. Baby, I can go on but why don’t you take over and start being thankful for the victories you’ve won which means you haven’t been defeated! Sing with me, “I’ve seen too many victories to let defeat have the last word!”

“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” 1 John 5:4

Blog Blitz!

BLOG BLITZ! BLOG BLITZ! BLOG BLITZ! BLOG BLITZ! BLOG BLITZ!

That’s right! “A Secret Worth Keeping” will be part of a blog blitz on over 20 blogs this morning and I am so excited! Can’t you tell?
I am very appreciative for Everything Marie for this amazing opportunity!

Now, here is the list of my fellow bloggers who are participating. Stop by their page and show some love, PLEASE! And then go on over to Amazon and get your copy of A Secret Worth Keeping to help get it into the top 20!

Daily Devotional – 11/11/13 “SAVED”

Yea, we all know that when we accept God into our life that He saves us but did you know that being saved means you’re Soaring Above Valleys Every Day? See, each day that you walk for God the enemy’s job is to knock you down and when he shows up, it’s not to make you wobble but it’s to make sure you fall hard enough to stay down. See, the enemy wants to make sure you fall into the lowest valley so that you may not have the strength to pull yourself out of but my bible tells me in Exodus 15:2, “The LORD is my strength and my song; he has given me victory. This is my God, and I will praise him–my father’s God, and I will exalt him!” He wants to make sure you walk through the darkest valley so that you might not be able to see your way through but my bible tells me in Psalm 23:4, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” He even wants you to get comfortable in your valley so that you’ll want to stay but what you need to do is remind that ole enemy that you’re saved which means you’re Soaring Above Valleys Every Day! Psalm 27:1 says, “The LORD is my light and my salvation–so why should I be afraid? The LORD is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?” So why are you afraid of what the enemy pledges to do when you’re saved? Why are you running out of fear of what the enemy is throwing at you when you’re saved? Why are you hiding from the storm when you should be rejoicing in it? I mean, you are saved right? Then you should know that Psalm 91:2-4 says, “This I declare about the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease and He will cover you with His feathers; you will take refuge under His wings. His faithfulness will be a protective shield.”

Stop stumbling and sinking yet stand up straight and strong. Stop scattering and start staying steadfast in your faith. Stop searching for what’s lost and seek those things that can be found. Stop sacrificing yourself and start serving God. Stop settling for anything and speak things as though they are. Stop suffering because you’re saved which simply means you can Soar Above Valleys Every Day because God is your strength and with Him you can defeat the enemy, reach that which was once impossible, be who they said you couldn’t, overcome that which broke someone else, recover from that which claimed someone else’s life, rebuild on the foundation somebody said was cracked, smile when someone tried to snatch your joy, live when somebody said you’d die, rise when they said you’d fall, walk when they said your knees would buckle from the pressure and survive after they stabbed you in the back. So if you’re SAVED then SAY IT and ACT LIKE IT!!

Daily Devotional – 11/8/13 “Let me tell you …”

When I say that waiting on God will pay off, it’s because I know. See, my sister has been dealing with this thing called Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN) and it’s often called the suicide disease because the pain can make you want to do just that and for months I’ve had to watch her suffer. Now, this is my twin sister, the other part of me and the one that God saw fit to attach me too so for her to suffer means I suffer but I promised her I wouldn’t stop until I found someone to help her. So, I made appointment after appointment, sent emails, had others sending emails and making phone calls, cursed out doctors, sat in emergency rooms for hours and most of all I prayed. I prayed for her healing knowing that God would eventually send it so I waited, we waited. We waited and we prayed. Well, a few weeks ago a young lady from John Hopkins, in Maryland, called and scheduled an appointment for 11/21/13 but this didn’t feel (to me) like God’s answer so again we waited. Oh but then on last week, a lady called and when I answered she said, I got your email about your sister and I think we can help. I said I’ve heard that before being that we’ve been to numerous neurologists here with no answer. She said well Dr. Mericle can help her because he is the best in the country when it comes to treating TN but we’re in Nashville. I told her, ma’am I don’t care where you are because I will get her there. She said, we happen to have a cancellation for next Thursday (which was yesterday) at 2pm, can you get her here. I said, ma’am if you needed her there today, I would get her there. Needless to say, we get to the doctor’s office in Nashville and from the time we signed in, filled out paperwork and waited, I could feel God moving. See, first off his name is Robert (my granddaddy’s first name) and secondly his last name is Mericle (close enough to Miracle to me) and then from his assistant, to the nurse practitioner to the doctor everyone understood exactly what she’s been dealing with. Whew Lord! I wanted to shout in that man’s office but shouting isn’t one of the gifts God blessed me with so I praise Him through my words. However, I know that this has been what she has been waiting on and I know for a fact that it’s nothing but God. For my bible tells me in Isaiah 40:31, “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Then 2 Corinthians 4:8 says, “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair.” But wait because then Habakkuk 3:17-18 says, “Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!”

Oh, that’s enough because I may be struggling in my finances, yet I shall not be without. I may be drinking tears for water yet my weeping won’t last. I may be heartbroken at the moment yet my God is a heart fixer. I may have a few storms in my life yet God covers me. I may lose a few friends and loved ones yet God never leaves. I may get burdened down in my trials yet God is my strength. I may not always see my way yet God is my light. I may sometimes do wrong yet God forgives me. I may not always know my worth yet God continues to bless me. I may not always do what I know I should or go where I know I am supposed to yet God still uses me. Yea, I may fall at times yet I can still get up. Yea, so called friends may have dug a dusty grave for me yet I shake off the dirt and rise. Yea, sickness may be attacking my body yet I’m living. Yea, my road may be longer and my fights may be harder yet I’m willing. Oh, I feel my help on this morning! God is working on your behalf so just wait!