Daily Devotional – 6/20/13 “There is a Man!”

There is a man that stepped out of nowhere and spoke the world into existence. With His voice He commanded the creation of day & night, the Heavens & the Earth, the seas, grass, herbs, seeds, fruit trees, seasons and signs to tell the difference between the days & years and He even spoke the creation of the living animal. This same man created man out of dust and woman from the man’s rib. This man called God. Do you know him? Have you accepted him? Have you opened the door to let Him in? Yes I know that while you were in the world you had to deal with temptations but now with the acceptance of Christ you got trials too but just hold on! See, with God you’re transformed from worldly temptations to trials because trials are God’s way of testing us and through these tests and trials we are taught talents that allows us to tolerate the torment of those who trespass against us so that we triumph over the trouble and get the treasure that turns tests into testimonies, toiling into teaching and tears into thankfulness.

So be thankful for the tests and for the trials that you go through because God won’t ever take you to a place that He hasn’t already prepared with an escape exit. He won’t take you down a road that doesn’t have road side assistance and he won’t ever back you up against a wall that doesn’t have a secret passage way out. Yea, even with the things you’re battling now; hold on because there is a Man who can turn those things around. Even with the doctor’s face looking grim and the words coming from his mouth feels like a knife cutting you; there is a Man who can heal and restore your health. With the laying off of hundreds of teachers and school workers, there is a Man who is able to provide just in the nick of time. With the many obstacles you’re facing, there is a Man who has given us the faith to say to those obstacles, “MOVE” and they shall be moved and if that doesn’t work; He’ll give us strength to climb. Even with the hell roaming the streets, killings are rising, people don’t even speak to one another anymore, children dying at the hands of folk who are supposed to love them, husbands & wives aren’t speaking and living in the same house, forgiveness doesn’t exist because hate has replaced it, love doesn’t live in your heart anymore because lust has taken over, grace and mercy aren’t invited to your house because gossip and mess beat them there, friends are being replaced with dressed up enemies and your own family is starting to hate on your blessings but that’s alright because there is a Man that can turn the wrong way into the right path, the wrong words into a worship experience, a diagnosis into a dance, pain into praise, stumbling blocks into your shouting area, jealousy into joy, a victim into a victory, evil into your elevation, abuse into your anointing, rejection into your reaping, refusals into rejoicing, weakness and weeping into willing workers and pity into passion for picking up and pushing on! Oh, there is a Man who is able if you accept, willing if you want it and capable if you care. You need to believe in Him, accept Him, trust Him and then work for Him and allow Him to do it!

Daily Devotional – 6/19/13 “Sweep your own porch!”

I wonder if you think you feel or look better when you talk about me. Well, if the truth shall be told, I’m not worried because I am covered by the blood you see. I don’t have to try to fit in with the world to be cool because God promised in His word, that He’ll make my enemies my footstool. You do know what that is, a footstool, I mean? Oh, well it allows me to reach things higher than you and I don’t even have to lean. Yea, God has placed a shield around me to protect me from folk like you, when you always gossip and lie; it seems that’s all you do. You’re always throwing rocks and then running to hide your face, but baby I suggest you get yourself together before it’s too late. Stop worrying about what’s sitting on my front porch or the many leaves in my yard because if you want something to fix, look at home, you don’t have to look far. No, I don’t have to worry about the skeletons in your closet, the secrets you have buried or the things you do when you creep because I’ve lived long enough to know that when you sow, you shall reap. So, stop dragging my name through the dirt in order to make yourself look good, because you’ll be blessed just like me if you do what you know you should. Stop digging ditches for me by scandalizing my gifts, because I have struggles and strife too but it’s God who gives me the lift!

If you took as much time minding your business as you do mine, then you’d be able to do more of God’s work and let your light for Him shine. Yet, instead you find fault in belittling your sister and brother, whom God says you should love because you’ve allowed the enemy to put his hands around your neck tighter than a glove. Yea, you call yourself a Christian when it is convenient for you, but even the devil studied and he knows God’s word too. So, don’t be fast to sweep my front or back door, when you got chaos, backbiting, and judging laying all over your floor. Clean up your own house sometimes and then invite me in but don’t expect me to join in with you in your daily sin. Yes, I make mistakes too because I’m not perfect but a work in progress; so I don’t need your messy self adding to my stress. So when you feel the need to peek through the hole in my fence to see my mistakes and faults, I hope you have your eyes closed when God starts throwing salt. See, He is the only one able to make you pay for the things you try to do, so I can’t worry about the things you try to put me through. You can continue to talk, spread lies and drag my name through the dirt, because you won’t have a bearing on where I go when I leave this earth. For God has promised me an eternal home in paradise, the one He built; so I’ll continue to prepare myself for that trip. So clean your yard before you try to jump the fence into mine because you may just trip coming over and then what will you find? Sweep around your own porch before you try to sweep mine because you may just use all the time cleaning yours when there’s no telling what you’ll find.

Daily Devotional – 6/18/13 “Don’t visit with pity too long!”

Simply put; don’t tarry, stay, remain, linger, stay put or get comfortable in that pity party you’re in. Yea, you can get sick and tired of being sick and tired; you can get frustrated about never ending bills, the sickness that won’t leave your body and you can even get mad about never having enough even though you’re working like a dog but have your moment; just don’t visit long! See, if you stay in your funk to long you get funky and then you start following and feeding off the feebleness of other fearful folks who have also fallen and are now filthy. And if everybody you’re around is filled with the pity funk, which one of you will make the suggestion to now get clean? I mean, somebody needs to stand up and tell you to put on your big girl or boy underwear, pull up your pants or pull down your dress; strap up your boots or step into your stilettos and let’s get this thang popping! Yea, I get it! I do, I really do but now what? After you’ve cried, things will still be the same unless you change. After you’ve yelled and screamed and cuss “them” out, things will still be the same unless you make some changes. If he is still mistreating you after the fight, then it wasn’t worth it. If she is still walking all over you after the talk, then it wasn’t worth having. If you’ve told them what you’re no longer taking then close your hands, legs and mouth and stop taking it! Stop visiting with pity every time stuff happens, deal with it and then move on. Stop allowing pity to make a necklace for you to hang around your neck. Stop allowing pity to attach to your legs and now you’re barely moving. Stop allowing pity to run rampant through your mind and now you’re not sleeping. Stop swallowing pity and now you have no appetite. Pity comes with the purpose of putting pain in places where your praise should be so, placing people around you so you have no peace and even planting persuasion to make you think you’re being persecuted when you’re simply being promoted. Baby, stop visiting pity because it means you no good! Where pity plants God will pluck up; if you let Him. Pity comes just don’t visit with it long!

Daily Devotional – 6/17/13 “Stormy Season”

Although you see the dark clouds forming, don’t fret because after the storm, the SON shines. Yea, this is why the bible says in Psalm 34:17-20, “When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.” So, when I tell you that everything will be alright, it’s because I trust and believe it will be. Have I had a major illness, no, but I’ve been sick and now I am well. Have I been homeless, no, but that doesn’t mean I’ve always had a good night’s sleep but I’m functioning. Have I been without food, no, but that doesn’t mean I’ve always had an appetite yet I haven’t lost a pound. Have I lost my leg, arm, hearing or vision; no, but that doesn’t mean I always appreciated them yet God gives me the ability to use them every day. See, God doesn’t favor me because I’ve been good at keeping His commandments but He favors me because I am His child. God didn’t choose me because I was gifted but He chose me and then gifted me. Yea, it’s your season to go through the storm but don’t give up now because God won’t have you toiling in your storm too long but you have to go through.

And this stormy season you’re facing, it’s for your purpose, so instead of asking God when He will get you out, ask Him what He wants you to get out of it. You know how when you’re in school and at the end of the year you have finals to test you on what you’ve learned the past few months to determine if you should be passed to the next grade, well the storm you’re in is the final at the end of the level that you’re currently on but the great thing about God’s final exam, there are no failures just favor and no rejection just reforming. See, God can’t promote you until He knows that you’ve learned all that He wanted you to and this final is the storm and all the hell you’re going through is simply your evaluation. And if you go through the storm and come out refreshed, renewed and stronger then God sees that you’re ready for your next level but if you come out a little shaken but not defeated, then He knows that you need a little more time so He allows you to stay where you are. See, God uses edification, that’s instruction, in order to educate us and through education we are enlightened, then evaluated and after the evaluation comes elevation which allows us to exceed our own expectations. So, see you aren’t alone when it comes to facing trials and hardships, so stop thinking that you are. Yea, you may be going through something at this very moment, that’s ok, it simply God evaluating you on what you’ve already been through. So, sharpen your pencil and take the test because after you’ve been evaluated, push the button on the elevator that’ll take you to your elevation. Don’t fret because it seems like the walls are closing in on you or you think you can’t take anymore just shout through your stormy season and then receive what’s yours!

Daily Devotional – 6/14/13 “From but to yet!”

This is something I shared a while back and it was on my mind again so I thought I’d share some of it again. See, most of us have become “but” type people and I’ve been wondering why when God says “Just trust Me.” You know when God says go and we say but I can’t right now. God says do this and we say but why me? God says let go and we say but I’ll fall. Why is that when God is a Man of His word and keeps His promises? 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,” but wait, I know you’re saying that if all these things have happened how could there be something good at the end. How can I rejoice with cancer, dialysis, no money, stomach growling, no car, no job and friends who are really enemies? Oh, but then Habakkuk 3:18 says, “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!” Now comes the rejoicing and the shout! See, this tells me; 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 is my umbrella. I may have to lose a few friends yet God is a whisper away. I may lose a few loved ones through death 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. So called friends may have dug a dusty grave for me yet I shake off the dirt, pack it under my feet and rise. Sickness may be attacking my body yet I’m living. My road may be longer and my fights may be harder yet I’m willing. I may not have done everything right yet God is keeping me. I may not have all the answers yet God is still teaching me. I may not hear everything I should yet God is still reaching me! Oh, I feel this thang because somebody reading this is being converted from a “but” person to a “yet” person and that’s enough to rejoice about. Stop questioning God and instead say, “God, I am not worthy yet I will work for you!”