Isn’t that something? You read your bible, you know a few scriptures by memory, you can recite some of the commandments yet you don’t get excited about the things God does. You know how He healed folks in the bible, gave sight to the ones who were blind, made the lame walk, removed demons that resided on the inside of some yet you still don’t get excited about the things God does. You’ve been taught, read about or even watched a movie about the hell that Jesus endured at the hands of folk who found no crime that He had committed, just so we’d be able to sin and then repent for it yet you still don’t get excited about the things that God does. He woke your ungrateful self up this morning, gave you back the piece of mind you had, gave you the ability to dress and feed yourself and you’re still not excited. He allowed your family to rise in their right mind; He gave you common knowledge to know how to drive a car and work at the job He blessed you with yet you’re still not excited. God healed your body of the pain that had you tossing and turning yet you won’t praise Him. He allowed your marriage to go from failing to favorable yet you won’t fellowship with Him. He blessed you with a car with that credit you got when you should have been walking yet you won’t worship with Him. Yea, you wondering why God hasn’t shown up in your life; you may want to look at your praise. See, God inhabits the praise of His people which means if you aren’t praising Him, He has no place to reside. No, praise doesn’t mean you have to jump, dance, shout and scream but praise can simply be you thanking Him in the midst of your day, praying to Him while you’re driving in the car, singing about Him when you’re in the shower or calling out to Him while you’re lying in your bed. Yea, I know you have the facts about the Father but do you have the fire? That kind of fire that makes you cry when everything is going right, dance without caring whose watching, laugh when folks say you should be sad or feel like running when no one is chasing you. Have you ever felt that fire on the inside of you? You got the facts but where is your fire? Oh, you have it because the bible says in Luke 3:16, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” The fire is there, you just need to add some fuel to it! You have the facts but where is the fire?
Daily Devotional – 3/13/13 “Are you saved?”
Yea, I know you sin sometimes and fall short of the promise you made but even in your sin, you’re saved; aren’t you? Yes, you will be tempted but in your temptation, you’re still saved, aren’t you? Yea, I know “they” almost made you act a fool but you’re still saved, aren’t you? See, God knew we would fall short which is why He allows us to repent and be forgiven but stop acting like a Christian sometimes and be a Christian all the time. Just because you go to the club, casino, dog track, liquor store, bar, etc., you’re still saved so act like it when you get there. No, I don’t mean you have to pull your bible out and hold bible study but I am saying carry yourself like you know you should. Let me explain. Just because you’re drinking, it doesn’t mean you have to get drunk. Just because you’re going to the club, you don’t have to dress like a hoe. Just because you’re going to the liquor store, you don’t have to broadcast it on Facebook. Just because she keeps walking by wearing that short skirt or he keeps stopping by your desk smelling all good, it doesn’t mean you have to give in. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” All I’m saying is even in your sin, you’re saved so act like it. Stop allowing the world’s standards or how other folks act to take you out of your character. If folks have to question whether you’ve been saved because of the way you’re acting, there’s a problem you need to address. No, I don’t mean you have to wear your Christianity on your sleeve, well yes I am because Matthew 5:16 says, “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Baby, if every time I pass you and you are complaining, your light is off. If every time I ask you for something and you tell me no this is mine get your own, your light is off. If I call you for guidance and prayer and all you got to offer is gossip, your light is off. If every time there is work to be done at church and you’re a hindrance, your light is off. And if you keep your light out at all times, God may pass you by like a trick or treater does a dark house on Halloween. So act like you’re saved. Stop treating folks wrong because you might need them tomorrow. Stop stepping on folks because they may be the one you need to get the job you want. Just because your kids don’t act up and you think you have all the answers don’t mean I’m doing things wrong so watch what you say because I may just have to bail you out next week. Be careful of the backs you cross because that person may be the one to help carry you when you fall. Be careful of the shoulders to step on going up because they may be the one you lean on coming down. Be careful of the hands you bite because they may be the only ones to pull you up when you get knocked down! I don’t know about you but I’m singing every day, “Lord whatever you’re doing in this season, don’t do it without me!” Yes, you will fall short but it doesn’t mean you’re not saved it just means you fell short. If you’re saved and you know it, act like it!
Daily Devotional – 3/11/13 “You do know you’re free, right?”
Yesterday Evangelist Sandridge, at our church, spoke from Galatians 5:1-7 and I’ll be honest and say that I really didn’t read the scripture like I should have then but it caught my attention this morning. (The Holy Spirit, I tell ya!) Galatians 5:1 says, “Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you.” Now, before you start thinking this is only for blacks or that I mean slavery in terms of what happened in the past, I’m not because slavery didn’t stop there. However, I am speaking on the terms of anything that has you bound or dominates your life. See, this particular passage is actually speaking on the act of circumcision and how if the people then accepted it they were giving up the advantages of the free life that God had already allowed for them. However, I’m speaking of the now, when you choose to do things your way, live your way, forget the commandments of God, lie when the truth will do, hate when love feels better or hurt when a hug will be sufficient because when you do these things you’re giving up the blessings that God has for you. Oh, stop blaming others because Galatians 5:7-8 says, “You ran well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion does not come from Him who calls you.” Just because someone is doing it doesn’t mean you have too. Stop being bound by things that you should have released a long time ago. Let go of those drugs that keep you acting stupid. Let go of that alcohol that makes you look stupid. Let go of that man or woman who keeps treating you like you’re nothing even though you’re the child of a King. If there is anything that is dominating your life that keeps you out of the will of God, then you’re in slavery to it. You do know that you’re free, right? Romans 8:14-17 says, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children. And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.”
Yea, Jesus suffered when He was beaten all night long, drug from each judgment hall, made to wear a crown of thorns, carry his own cross, spit on, cursed at, hung between criminals although he had committed no crime, nailed in his hands although they healed, nailed in His feet even after the many miles he traveled healing and restoring and buried in somebody else’s grave even though His Father was the Almighty. Yet after His suffering, after His death and after His burial; He was raised from that dusty grave and received all that His father had promised Him. Why, because He shared the suffering. Stop being in slavery to stuff that takes you out of God’s will. You’re free because you’ve been set free so stop putting the chains back on. Yes, there will be some suffering on this side but that’s to make you appreciate the glory!
Daily Devotional – 3/8/13 “Make it happy!”
It’s Friday and I’m happy! No, I didn’t get paid today, I didn’t win the lottery on Wednesday, I haven’t gotten promoted on my job BUT I have a job, I have a few dollars in my pocket, I’m alive in my right mind, I have all my bodily functions, I still have all the things that I had on yesterday even if I forgot to thank God for them, my family is alright, friends ok and enemies still hating; so when I say I’m happy, I am just to see this day! See, I realized that nothing good ever comes of me walking around with a frown on my face, so I’ll try a smile instead. I never prosper when my mood is bad so when someone asks me how I am, I’ll reply “happy and blessed,” because I am. It doesn’t do any good to be mad when someone interrupts my work to ask for help because they trust me enough to ask me when they could have asked someone else, so I’ll do it. Yea, so instead of being mad today be glad. Instead of being ungrateful, try being grateful for the things you HAVE! Instead of being mad because you didn’t get enough sleep, be thankful that you had a place to sleep because I can guarantee your night would have been worse sleeping outside on the ground in a cardboard box or in a shelter with folks you don’t know. Ok; so your day, your week, your month, your year could have been better but baby it could have also been worse so suck it up and enjoy the right now! Live in the moment right now and be happy. Stop worrying about tomorrow because you may not see it. Stop worrying about next week because things can be drastically different then. Stop worrying about next month when this month just started. Make today happy! Make your life happy! May your work happy! Make your home happy! You can do all this, if you try! So start right now by making you happy!
Daily Devotional – 3/7/13 “What’s in a gift?”
I’ve been working on a new book, the past few months that I just published to Amazon on yesterday that isn’t a devotional book but it is a work of fiction (for a mature audience). Yea, I know that someone will ask how I can go from writing devotionals to writing fiction but its simple, just change a few words. See, when God blessed me with this gift He didn’t stipulate that it only be used for spreading His word but He said for me to use it and so I shall. Yea, I know this book won’t be for everybody and I’m ok with that but please don’t think that I am doing less than what God has for me because of it. Colossians 3:17 says, “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him,” and this is what I do every day.
I’ve learned in my years of living that Christian folk can be some of the most judgmental folks when they shouldn’t be and they can also be the most hurtful but that’s another topic. However, whatever gift you’ve been blessed with; use it! You think that because God blessed you with a gift of cooking that you should only cook in the church but baby, if paying your bills mean you have to cook for the late night club crowd, do it because you are using your gift. You’ve been blessed with a gift of sewing and you think that you should only sew long skirts and long sleeved shirts but baby, there are other folks who need clothes and they may just want them a little short, do it because it doesn’t mean that you are forfeiting your gift but it means you are using what God has given you. Don’t allow folks to run you away from the gift that God has given you because 1 Peter 4:10 says, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” All I am trying to get you to see is, no matter what your gift is; use it and when you use it, use it to the best of your God given ability. You don’t have to prove stuff to man because they surely won’t prove it to you. You don’t have to get the approval of man to be the best you can be because you’ve already received the ultimate approval from the only man that matters and that’s God. Should you care about what people think, yes; but not at the expense that it stops you from living? What’s in the gift that you have? Well, if you don’t use it, you’ll never know.
Lakisha, the Author 