Daily Devotional – 11/18/13 “From prayer to praise”

After you’ve prayed, it’s now time to praise. Why? Well that’s because in between prayer and praise is preparation. No, I don’t mean in the dictionary but I’m talking spiritually. See, after you pray God is preparing to do what you’ve asked for and after it’s prepared you get it in your possession so why it’s being done, you need to praise. Yea, after you’ve prayed for healing, God prepares you for it by taking you through the pain for you to see your purpose and then afterwards you gain your possession of healing because you held on so praise in the midst. After you’ve prayed for the promotion, God prepares you for it by taking you through the interview, the waiting and finally the call comes that now possesses you with it so why not praise in the midst? After you’ve prayed for your breakthrough, praise in the midst of receiving it because it’s being prepared for you to possess if you wait. After you’ve prayed for love to come, praise like it’s already there because God has the right one for you that will be only yours. After you’ve prayed about your church home, praise God for where He is about to take you because there’s a place that is just right for you that will feed you everything you need spiritually. All I’m trying to get you to see is, after you pray praise! You don’t have to wait until the healing, praise in the midst of sickness. You don’t have to wait until the deliverance, praise while it’s on the way. You don’t have to wait until you’ve been set free, praise with the chains and then watch them fall. You don’t have to wait until you’ve been lifted, praise while you’re down on your way up. You don’t have to praise once your enemies leave, praise right there in the middle of them. You don’t have to wait until you’ve crossed the finish line, praise while you’re running. You don’t even have to wait until your battle is won, praise in the midst of your fight and some of your enemies might just join in.

“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Mark 11:24

Daily Devotional – 11/15/13 “What would they find?”

I wonder how many church doors would still be open if undercover agents from the DOC (Department of Christianity) were to raid them. I mean, how many churches would actually pass the raid and how many will be shut down as being a nuisance to the community? Seriously! If an undercover agent went in would they find God being glorified or gossip? If an undercover agent went in would they find willing workers or wicked witnesses? If an undercover agent went in would they hear God’s message or mess? Would they find a family of blood bought believers who will stand for one another or would they find the enemy dressed in sheep’s clothing ready to tear each other down? What would they find? Would they find deacons praying or preying? Would they find the usher opening doors or shutting them in folk’s face? Would they find the mothers teaching young girls or simply pushing them out the church? Would they find the choir members singing or sinning? Would they find the pastor teaching or simply talking? What would they find?

Every Baptist church I know has the church covenant posted on the wall yet not many teach it when is states, “When we accept Christ we do so in the presence of the Father, Son and the Holy Ghost and we enter this agreement joyfully with one another as one body.” So, why is it so easy to laugh at somebody who is going through like our time isn’t coming? Why is it so easy to wish bad over folk’s blessings like we won’t soon have a prayer request? Why do we find it easy to be a pain in the butt instead of a praying partner? Why do we find it easy to push folk down like we’ve never had to be pulled up? When will we get back to the real church? The kind of church where the pastor doesn’t have to pump and prime for praise or amen, he kind of church where you leave acting and looking like you’ve been there, the kind of church that has open doors at all time and not just on Sunday, the kind of church that doesn’t mind going outside the 4 walls to reach others and the kind of church that is based on God’s word and not the world. Where are they? Will all the real saints please stand up?

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!