Daily Devotional – 9/4/13 “After the invitation is received …”

After you’ve invited God in, allowed the Holy Spirit to be ushered in, moved self out the way, rearranged some things that were placed in the wrong position, cleaned out the mess, uncovered the windows, shook out the dust from your prayer mat, dried your tears and released the weight; things start happening. Yea, after God receives your invitation He steps into your home and begins to take inventory of the stuff that you got there. He slowly moves around to see if the things there belong and if they do, He allows them to stay but oh, if they don’t; things start moving. Go with me … See, when God sees that man lying in your bed that isn’t your husband, stuff starts to be exposed. When He sees the TV is big enough to block your view of Him, the picture tube goes out. When He sees the xbox is consuming all your time, you get the ring of death and it plays out. When He sees the children being led by their phone instead of by Him, they’ll crack the screen. When He sees the fast food restaurants are replacing the family dinner time, He’ll take the taste of it from your mouth. When He sees that school is lacking because we don’t have time to check backpacks and homework; He’ll make you take notice. Oh, when the invitation is received; God comes in to shake things up. Why do you think all hell is breaking loose, right now? That’s God removing some things so why are you mad? You did invite Him in, didn’t you? Well, if you haven’t maybe you should.

Yea! Romans 10:9 say, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” That’s the invitation. Revelation 3:20 says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” That’s God receiving the invitation. Revelation 3:21 says, “He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” That’s after you’ve been to hell and back yet you still stand as an overcomer to receive what God has for you. Don’t believe me, then read Proverbs 28:20 which clearly states, “A faithful person will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.” All you have to do is be faithful and wait until God receives your invitation because after the invitation is received, thangs start happening, doors are opened, sickness and diseases are healed, minds are regulated, broken hearts are mended, legs that didn’t work now walk, hands that had no strength now work, eyes that only cried are now dry, no have finally turned into yes, declined change to approve, alcohol turns to water, drugs are thrown away, lying and gossiping ceases, worship becomes real, shouting is done and thankfulness reigns high. Oh, after the invitation comes joy but not just any joy. After the invitation comes that unspeakable joy that gets caught in your throat and all you can do is wave your hand, that joy that gets shut up in your bones and all you can do is shout it out, that joy that makes you feel like running and that joy that makes the tears flow and you can’t put it into words. After the invitation is received, God shows up and when He shows up ….

Daily Devotional – 9/3/13 “Usher in!”

I touched on this a little on Sunday but it has been stirring in my spirit. See, usher doesn’t only mean the people standing at the door at church but usher, in this text means to escort or guide. Let me break this thang down to you… Instead of being down and having a pity party, I choose to usher (that’s escort in) the Holy Spirit who intercedes (that means speaks for me) on my behalf. Instead of thinking about the sickness in my body, I usher in (that’s invite) the healing that God has for me. Instead of wallowing in the fact that I’ve been laid off, I’ll usher in God (that means He’ll accompany me) who’ll go before me to speak on my behalf. Yea, instead of hiding from my enemies, I’ll usher, that means to show them in, into my area in order for them to see me being blessed. Oh, don’t you know that God will bless you in front of the folks who mean you no good? Don’t you know that God will enlarge your territory in front of the folks who have hated on you all your life? Don’t you know that God will do exactly what He said He would in the face of all those who have dug a hole for you to fall in? This is why Psalm 23:5 says, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.”

So, I’ll share this again. Instead of inviting sickness and disease, usher in healing! Instead of opening the door to what could have happened, usher in the things you’ve asked for as if they’ve already been given! Usher in deliverance instead of trembling in defeat. Usher in praise instead of being trapped in pain. Usher in your breakthrough instead of acting like you’re broken. Usher in victory instead of claiming you’re the victim. I don’t know about you but I’m ushering in the anointing because I can feel it being rained down. I’m ushering in a shout because I can hear the chains dropping and the breath being released from those that have been patiently waiting on God and He has finally said yes! I hear the hand clapping of those who have been healed and the doctor is mystified! I can hear the shouting of those who have just been promoted and the qualifications weren’t on paper! I can hear the praise of those who are dancing in their storm. I can hear your testimony being written and you’re still taking the test. I can see your glory even though you haven’t shared the story. Oh God! I can feel the weight being lifted because you’ve given it over to God. I can see the scars being healed and the tears being dried. I can see your rope being dropped to lift you back up. I can feel the presence of God simply because you’ve ushered (invited) Him in.

Daily Devotional – 9/1/13 “Ushering in!”

It’s Sunday morning and I’m headed to church already in worship mode because I’ve realized that praise is the way I thank God for all He’s done. So, right now I’m ushering in (that’s showing in) the Holy Spirit! Yea, I’m ushering in healing! I’m ushering in those things in which I’ve spoken! I’m ushering in that anointing because I can feel it being rained down. I hear those chains dropping and the breath being released from those that have been patiently waiting on God and He has finally said yes! I hear the hand clapping of those who have been healed and the doctor is mystified! I can hear the shouting of those who have just been promoted and the qualifications weren’t on paper! I feel this fire in my bones that’s waiting to come out! Oh God!

I’m just thankful! Thankful because even though I don’t have the spirit of shouting, I can sing my praise. Even though I don’t have the spirit of dancing my praise, I’m devoted. Even in the midst of my wrong, God still writes my name. In the midst of my mess, God gives me a message. In the midst of my sin, God saves me. In the midst of my lies, God gives me life. In the midst of gossiping, God gives me His grace. In the midst of mistakes and misery, He gives me His mercy. In the midst of pain, pressures and problems, God gives me a praise. In the midst of my journey that’s sometimes jacked up with junk, God gives me jubilated joy. In the midst of crying, God gives me courage. In the midst of temptations, troubles, transgressions and traps; God touches me and deems me trustworthy. Yea, I’m yet thankful because you could have been headed to my funeral. You could pass me on the street begging for change, visit me in prison or rehab or see my face on a missing poster. Yet, here am I! A filthy rag that’s been dipped in God’s blood, cleaned from all my iniquities (even those from yesterday), shook out to shake off the stuff you thought would sabotage me, scars healed, brokenness mended, hope refilled, debts settled, mind regulated, tears dried, legs strengthened, hands stronger, eyes sharper and mouth renewed in order to become just who God had already made me. Oh! Look at me looking like I’m looking! A saint who sometimes sin yet repentance saves me! A person who isn’t perfect by man’s standard but I was purposely chosen and I met God’s requirements. Look at me! A turned up Christian with a testimony, testifying to tell you I’m thankful! Yea, I’m turned up; turn down for what when God never turns me down!

Daily Devotional – 8/30/13 “Man up!”

Yea, you shouted that it’s over on yesterday but do you believe it? Do you really believe it? You’re nodding and saying yes but you’re still worrying. You probably even lifted your hands with tears in your eyes but there’s still a little fear in your heart. Why? Don’t you trust God to handle what He promised He would? Then, “Oh ye of little faith, why are you so afraid? (Matthew 8:26)” You’re sleeping with the enemy yet you’re too afraid to roll over and tell them it’s over. Your overgrown son and disrespectful daughter, tell them it’s over. Your sister, that one that keeps her hands in your pocket even though she works too, tell her it’s over. You keep being used at work to do everybody’s work plus your own and you’re too scared to tell them it’s over. Baby, I told you yesterday that when you shout it’s over and you believe it; then the enemy has to flee. When you stop holding on to the stuff that’s weighing you down, you start rising. When you release the stuff that has you weighted down, you stop drowning. When you really start believing that all things are possible with God things starts to happen. Yea, you start having a little extra money, you start having a little extra energy, you start to smile more, you love more, you help more, you stop getting angry so fast, you speak to folks you don’t normally speak to, you go to worship service more, you get that promotion that you wanted, you have fewer pains in your body and you found the joy you had buried away. Yes, when YOU shout it’s over, things start to happen! Oh, I wish you’d stop being afraid to shout it’s over! You need to stand up and shout it’s over and then believe it to be. You can’t continue to go on in the situation that you’re in, so shout it’s over. You don’t have to keep facing the same hell day in and day out, so shout it’s over. That dark cloud that won’t go away, shout it’s over. The tears you keep shedding at the hands of the person who is supposed to love you, shout it’s over. Being walked over by friends, shout it’s over. That depression and suicidal thoughts, the sleepless nights, the drug addiction and alcoholism, the sleeping around and the adultery, the stealing and robbing and the pacing, the tossing and turning; SHOUT ITS OVER!

Oh, I’m claiming victory not defeat today and I am speaking life back into your dead situations. So, if you can’t shout it’s over; I am standing in the gap declaring today that you shall live and not die; you shall win and not lose; you shall dance and not doubt; you shall be healed and not sick, you shall be the lender and not the borrower, you shall be first and not last; you shall be greater than your problem! Oh, when you shout it’s over; you’re shouting that it will be and that it has to be over. Shout it’s over, let it go and then get on with your life and stop looking back. You are greater than the mess you’re in but you have to first believe it. Shout it’s over and then let it be. You can’t say it’s over and then keep going back to get it. It can be over if you allow it to be because you can only take what your hands, heart and mind will accept.

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17”

Daily Devotional – 8/29/13 “It’s Reaping time, again!”

What does this mean? Well reap means to obtain something, especially as a consequence of previous effort or action. Now consequence means something that follows as a result. So in Lakisha’s breaking down of this thang, reap simply means to obtain something for a previous thing you did or for a previous thing you went through. Yea, see you thought all that hell you’ve been through was for nothing but now it’s reaping time. Yea, you thought all that sickness that attacked your body was for nothing but now it’s reaping time. You thought all those dark nights when you were shooting drugs in your veins was for nothing but now it’s reaping time. When you were drowning your sorrows with the alcohol, you thought it for nothing but now it’s reaping time. When you thought that heartache was too much to bear, when you thought the crying would never end and the debt would never decrease; well I’m here to tell you that it’s reaping time. Yea, cancer took your hair but now you’re getting ready to reap some new hair. Yea, that man or that woman walked off with your smile but now you’re getting ready to reap God’s joy. Yea, the repo man may have taken your car but now you’re getting ready to reap a car that will be paid for. Yea, the bank may have foreclosed on your house but you’re getting ready to reap a home that you can now afford without struggling. Yea, the drug man or the liquor store may have taken all of your money and even your family but now you’re getting ready to reap deliverance. Yea, your old church may have broken your spirit but you’re getting ready to fellowship in a place where you’re going to reap the Holy Ghost. Oh, it’s reaping time saints.

You need to stop wallowing in your situation and shout it’s over! See, when you shout it’s over and you believe it; then the enemy has to flee. When you stop holding on to the stuff that’s weighing you down, you start rising. When you release the stuff that has you weighted down, you stop drowning. When you start believing that all things are possible with God and you believe it, things starts to happen. When you empty out of all the bad stuff you then have room for some new stuff. When you remove the things that are blocking your blessings, you start to receive! Oh, I wish you’d stop being afraid to shout it’s over! The trials, the pain and heartache, the dark nights, the crying days, the depression, the suicidal thoughts, the unworthiness you feel, the hate and anger you have, the unemployment, the loneliness, the abuse, the pacing and whatever else you’re going through; I declare and decree that it’s over! It’s reaping time for God’s deliverance and salvation, for shouting and not sins, for dancing not doubting, for winning not losing, for being first not last, for being the lender not the borrower, for being healed not sick, for living not dying and for your purpose not your problems! Reap it but don’t keep it because the more you give the more God gives to you so when you are blessed be a blessing to others because God rewards those efforts! I just thought I’d share this again (from 2012) because somebody needed to know, today; that after you sow, after you’ve gone through hell, after you’ve looked the enemy in the face, after you fought, after you’ve cried you shall reap a harvest that man’s hands cannot destroy or take away!

“Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life. So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit. Right now, therefore, every time we get the chance, let us work for the benefit of all, starting with the people closest to us in the community of faith.” (Galatians 6:7-10 The Message Bible)