Daily Devotional – 9/24/13 “Stressing for your blessing”

If life was always easy and everything you needed was handed to you, what would you work hard for? If you woke up, every day, without needing anything or anybody, would you try hard to get more or make a relationship work? If God automatically gave you every desire that your heart ask for, would you thank Him more than you barely do know? I’m just asking. See, stress that we know of is defined as mental, emotional or physical strain but it is also defined as special emphasis, importance or significance attached to something. So, Lakisha’s definition; the time, energy and importance you put into the gifts that God has given you and the work He has asked you to do in order to receive and then be able to handle the elevation that is about to come your way. In other words, you have to stress to be blessed.

Yea, you have to stress for a little while in that job you really don’t like in order to get the career that’s yours. You have to stress for a little while going through these relationships that don’t last in order for them to make you wait on the one God is sending. You have to stress for a little while in your sickness in order to appreciate the healing that God has for you. You have to stress, just for a little while, every now and then, just so your strength is built. How do you know how strong you are if you never have to show it? How do you know what you can bare if you never have too? How do you know if you can overcome your storm if you’re never in one? How do you know that God is a deliverer if He never had to deliver you? How do you know God to be a healer if He never had to heal you? How do you know God can break chains, if you’ve never been bound to any for him to break? Again, I’m just asking? Your strength comes from stress but after the stress comes your blessing. Don’t believe me? After sickness (stress) comes healing (blessing). After unemployment (stress) comes the job you’re appreciate now (blessing). After being hurt (stress) comes love, the kind you’ve never felt (blessing). Still don’t get it? Habakkuk 3:18 says, “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!” Oh but before the rejoice there was stress because Habakkuk 3:17 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! Or simply, stressing for your blessing.

With the stress you face you’re able to stand and look the devil and his followers in their face when they try to attack your life again because stress makes you strong and in your strength you gain salvation from the Holy Spirit who resides with you daily and in those moments when it seems like the stress is winning, the Holy Spirit intercedes on your behalf for the bible says in Romans 8:26, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.”

Daily Devotional – 9/23/13 “Have you ever?”

Have you ever wondered why a woman pats her head when it itches instead of just scratching it? Have you ever wondered what a baby is really thinking when you’re all in their face making those crazy sounds? Have you ever wondered why your eyes close when you sneeze or why women hold their mouth open when putting on mascara? Do you? Well, I would assume God has to sometimes wonder about some of the things we do. You know like pray for Him to do something and then worry about it or how we get blessed with something and then take it for granted or even how we ask for this and then act like He won’t do it. I mean, have you ever thought about it? Have you ever thought about how God feels when we doubt His power, second guess His decision or run from His answer? Have you ever?

Yea, you worry all through worship, pace when you should praise, sin when you should be sleep, raise hell when you really should be helping, spoil your spirituality when you settle for stuff, harbor hate when you should be healing your heart and mess around in mess when you should be making the most of God’s mercy. Have you ever stopped to think about how God feels when you don’t trust Him? Have you ever taken a moment to believe that God will do exactly what He promises? Have you never opened your bible, studied for yourself or taken God at His word? For Matthew 7:7 says, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

Have you ever thought about how greater you can be if you stop giving up so easily on your ability to do things? If you don’t think you’re capable of doing it, why would God bless you with it? Stop allowing doubt and fear to rob you of what God has promised. Yea, you might fall and you might even fail but afterwards get up and try again. Stop worrying about tomorrow, when it is not even here yet. Stop worrying about the “ifs” because if God is for you who can be against you (Romans 8:31)? Oh but then Romans 8:32 says, “Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?” Stop and take time to enjoy this moment because the next one is not promised. Stop stressing and start saying, “I am more than a conqueror.” Stop concerning yourself with things you can’t control and start calling on God, He’ll always answer. Stop being anxious and start accepting the anointing that has been appointed over you. Stop running and realize your potential. Stop hiding and hear God’s voice. Oh, have you ever?

Daily Devotional – 9/20/13 “Clean out and Delete!”

After I updated my phone on last night/this morning, I was going through and deleting old contacts and stuff and as I continued to do this, I came to realize that the same way we clean out emails, old messages, contacts, etc., we need to do the same thing in our life. Yea, you need to clean out that ex who keeps calling from time to time but can’t commit to only you. You need to clean out those old friends who don’t answer during your storm but text every 20 minutes during theirs. You need to delete those church folk who dress up on Sunday but Monday through Saturday wear wolf clothing because they are hindering you spiritually. Sometimes, you need to clean out and delete that old stuff because it’s dragging you down. You need to delete those contacts who only call when they need something. You need to delete the past so that you can focus on your present. You need to clean out the mistakes you’ve already made because if they were meant to take you out, they would have. You need to delete that old whining, complaining and messy spirit and renew the one that God placed on the inside of you. You need to clean out the skeletons that are in your closet because they are holding you hostage even though they can’t hurt you. Clean around your own door, porch, the back seat of the car, garage, back room, closet or attic or wherever you keep your mess and do better. Delete that hatred you’re still nursing, that revenge seeking spirit that’s riding with you and that pity that won’t let you party alone. Clean out whatever it is that is holding you back from being exactly who God says you are. For Romans 12:1-2 says, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Clean out and delete whatever it is that keeps you from the realm of the Trinity because without the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; you’ll simply be a jacked up nobody trying to pass yourself off as somebody. Clean out and delete ALL the things and folk who you allow to hold you back because when all the crap boils down, the mess hits the fan and the hell that broke loose settles; you’ll realize that it’s not about you at all but it’s about the one that molded you and then sent you out to work.

Daily Devotional – 9/19/13 “Unworthy yet willing!”

I am so glad God doesn’t treat us like the mess we sometimes are. I am so glad that in spite of our mistakes God continues to give us new mercies, fresh anointing, renews our gift, restores our hope and refills our joy. Yea, I am glad that even when we think we are not worthy He finds work for us to do. Yes God, I know I cannot repay you for all you’ve done, I cannot find ample words to thank you and I cannot praise you enough but I am willing to try. I know I can’t always help everybody but I am willing to try. I know I can’t encourage everybody but I am willing to try to encourage all I can. I know I don’t always have the answers but I am willing to find it. I know I may not have all the strength but I’m willing to pull my fallen brother or sister up. I know I can’t pray for everybody but I am willing to pray for those I can. Oh God, I know I may not act like I’m worthy of your blessings but I am willing to do better. I know I may sometimes go places I don’t belong and say or do some things I shouldn’t but I am willing to change. Yea, God; to folks I may look like I’m unworthy of your calling but I’m willing to walk for you. I know some say I am unworthy of your elevation but I am willing to work for you. Some may even say I am unworthy of your promises but I am willing to go if you send me. I may talk like I am unworthy but my heart is willing. I may act like I am unworthy but my mind is willing. Oh God, I may even look unworthy but my spirit is willing.

The bible says in 1st Corinthians 6:11, “Some of you were once like that (you know liars, back biters, adulterers, thieves, alcoholic, drug addicts, greedy, abusive, etc.,) But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” Yea, some of us, well most of us still dabble in unclean things but if you’re willing to repent, willing to change, willing to do better and then actually do it; God makes you worthy of being called His child.

Daily Devotional – 9/18/13 “I’m not perfect but I’m faithful!”

As I was leaving work on yesterday, this thought was dropped into my spirit so of course I jotted it down for my devotional today and it fits perfectly. Why, well because I’m not perfect yet I am faithful. (Now, please note; when I say I, I am meaning me, you, us, them and we.) See, why I am not perfect in the way I talk, I am faithful in asking God to forgive me the times some unholy things come out of my mouth. I am not perfect on the road I sometimes travel but I am faithful in asking God to direct my path. I am not perfect because I worry a lot but I am faithful in asking God to keep my mind. I’m not perfect when I want to sometimes give up but I am faithful in asking God to give me strength. I’m not perfect when pain or sickness almost gets me down but I’m faithful in asking God for healing. I’m not perfect in my addictions but I am faithful in asking God to deliver me. I am not perfect in my everyday Christian life but I am faithful in asking God to continue to direct me. I am not perfect with using my gifts but I am faithful in thanking God for giving them to me. I am not perfect but I‘m willing! I’m willing to be changed, willing to be reshaped and molded and willing to learn. I am not perfect but I am able! I am able to ask for forgiveness, ask for another chance and even for new mercies. I’m not perfect but I am faithful! I am faithful in my prayers and faithful in my belief of Christ. I am, by far, not perfect but I am faithful. For the bible tells me in Luke 16:10, “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.” No one is perfect but be faithful in trying to do better. Will you always uphold all the commandments, no but be faithful in your repentance. Will you always say prayers or grace, no but be faithful in your thanksgiving. Will you always do what you know you could, say what you should or act right; no but be faithful in trying to be better. No, I am not perfect but I am faithful. You are not perfect but you can still be faithful as long as you choose the right thing to be faithful too.

Ecclesiastes 7:20 says, “Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23”