Daily Devotional – 9/20/12 “I am a keeper!”

Yes, I am a keeper but not a keeper of shoes or clothes, of my house or car but I am a keeper of you; my brother and my sister. I am a keeper of you when I pray for you even though I may not personally know you. I am a keeper of you when I can speak on your situation without knowing what it is. Now, get this because I didn’t say gossip about your situation but I said I can speak on it and when I speak on it, I’m talking to somebody I know can fix it. This is why I am praying for you this morning. I am praying for the mother who paced the floor all night long. I am praying for the father who has no job and worried about how he will support his family. I am praying for the daughter who is dealing with peer pressure from so called friends. I am praying for the son who has anger issues and it is ruining his life. I am praying for the sister whose grief is consuming her days and nights, for the brother with the substance abuse problem and for the child who is toiling with grown folk’s problems and contemplating suicide. I am praying for the parents whose son was killed on last night by the hands of someone with no conscience. I am praying for the mother whose child is fighting in a war and she doesn’t know if he/she is coming home. I am praying for the teacher who is an alcoholic and won’t get help. I am praying for the coach who finds joy watching the children undress in gym, for the principal who is sleeping with a student, for the police officer who is using his job to bully folks and for the boss who gets paid the mega bucks while his employees are suffering. I am praying for the pastor who doesn’t care that members of his congregation are barely eating, for the deacon who never serves and the usher who never helps. I am praying for the person who is driving drunk and almost killed somebody on their way home from the bar, for the person whose is serving a prison term for something they didn’t do and for the person who actually committed the crime and got away with it because they actually haven’t. Which is why the bible says in Romans 12:19, “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.”, Yes, I am praying for you because I am your keeper. I can pray for you without calling your name because even though I don’t know the situation, I know a situation fixer, a problem solver, a right now in my time kind of man, a heavy load sharer, a mind regulator, door opener, lifter when you’re down, a tear wiper when your tears won’t stop, a doctor when man has given up, a comforter when you feel lonely in your own home, someone who walks with you in the dark times and someone who can carry you when you can no longer go one. So you see, no matter your situation, you’re covered!

God has given me authority to do these things because Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” So, I am only doing what I am supposed to be doing. If we, as Christian women & young women, would pray for one another instead of gossiping, bring each other up instead of tearing one another down, comfort instead of confronting, fast instead of fight, praise instead of partying, anoint instead of arguing, witness instead of worrying, testify instead of terrifying; imagine, just imagine how much better our lives would be. The bible states in Job 14: 1, “That a person born of a woman is of a few days and full of trouble.” And if you’ve already been promised trouble before you were even born, why add to it? Why should I be jealous of the clothes and shoes you wear when God says if I ask and it shall be given? Why should I wish for your blessings when Gods says knock and the door will be opened for you? See; don’t pray for my blessings because your legs may not be able to walk through the storm I did to get this blessing. Your shoulders may not be able to carry the burdens mine have to get my car. Your back may not be able to endure the backstabbing by friends mine have to get my house. Your body may not be able to handle the sickness that mine has in order to get my testimony. Your heart may not be able to handle the heartache mine has in order to get my husband. Your eyes might not be able to handle the amount of tears mine have shed in order to reap from my harvest.

We as Christians have to be keepers of one another. When you lean, I’ll be standing beside you to prop you up. When you fall, I’ll be there to reach down and grab your hand to pick you up. When you cry, I’ll offer my sleeve to wipe your tears. When you talk, I’ll offer my ears to listen. When you need a comforting word, I’ll offer my voice as a vessel of God’s word. When you’re going through, I’ll be standing in front of you to offer my arms for a hug. And when you need me to just be there, I’ll do that too. I’ll do all of these things because I am your keeper!

Daily Devotional – 9/19/12 “Walking you through the Alphabet

I know you’re probably wondering why I would want to walk you through the alphabet now and you’re grown and have known your alphabets since you were 4 but this isn’t your regular ABCs. No, see, I just had to stop by to let you know that every time you go through something there is a reward or something greater that shall, not should, but shall come afterwards. 2 Timothy 2:12-13 says, “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: Our faith may fail, his never wanes- That’s who he is, he cannot change!” Now, wanes in the previous scripture means fades or vanishes so this is simply saying, even when your faith fails, God’s never fades. Isn’t that amazing? This is why I had to show you, through using the alphabet that even when you go through, just hold on because afterwards there shall be a reward, if you don’t give up, give in; if you don’t sow in the world’s fields, listen to gossiping friends and messy church folk but if you hold on and endure you shall reap a reward that man’s hands can’t touch.

Now, just in case you don’t know your alphabets or you don’t feel like singing the dreaded alphabet song, let me list them for you here. Just so you can follow along with me.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

See, in life you have to deal with folks who accuse you of doing wrong even when you’re not, you have to deal with your adversary (enemy) who is trying to tear you down on every side and even agony in your body but then when it’s over you come through your battle because God has allowed you to beat the enemy this time and with more blessings than you can measure. Yea, I know you got the call that cancer was in your body or the devil tried to hold you captive but God says, hold on because I’m carrying you out of what you’ve been cast in, I’m changing your circumstances and I’m clearing the clouds so that you will no longer be consumed. That danger and that darkness the devil ditched you in to discourage you, don’t worry because I’ve got a door opened for you that’ll give you back double what you lost. God is saying, it won’t be easy all the time but if you embrace me; I’ll fill the empty places and enlarge your territory in due time and exceed your expectations. Even if you fall be faithful and your fears shall be few and I will not forsake you. Yea, I know you gave your all and all you got back was grief but God says I’ll guide you through your heartache and your hurting times and I’ll increase your inheritance and your joy. Even with the world judging you, I’ll justify your actions and keep you from being knocked down while you labor, stop you from leaning when your legs want to give out, maintain your mind when misery tries to mock you and move your murmuring so that nothing overshadows your praise. Ok, it seems like your prayers aren’t being answered, you can’t get promoted which means you’re not prospering, you can’t find your purpose and you’ve stopped pursuing your goals but don’t you know that you need to get in a quiet place to talk to God and quit running from His safety? Yea, it seems like you keep getting setup but you’re being shaped into who you should be and your soul is being filled with the Holy Spirit which makes you steady when it feels like you’re sinking and gives you strength when it feels like you’re stumbling. Yea, that ole devil may have taken some things from your life but that’s just the tribulations and trouble that God promised but it’s not meant to make you an unbeliever but it’s to make you understand that God is unmovable and that He can make you victorious in your weeping, wise during your woes and wonderful in your works. God can take YOU and your zeal (that’s passion) for Him and make your life a blessing zone!

Yea, I just had to take you through the alphabet to let you know that no matter what you go through, there is always something greater coming afterwards! So don’t give up, don’t give in, don’t allow your faith to waver and your work, on God’s side, to be few; don’t allow the world to change you and don’t allow yourself to change just because you’ve been hurt, misused or abused. Hold on! God never changes and although you’ve changed more times than you can count, change for God this last time and allow Him to do the rest!

Daily Devotional – 9/16/12 “Everyday, be thankful!”

Everyday is a day of thanksgiving. Yes, everyday is a day of thanksgiving and if you don’t have a reason to be thankful let me give you a few.. You’re walking on top of the dirt, you woke up and not only did you wake up but you have sight because you’re reading this, you have your right mind because you understand this, you have the activity of your limbs because you logged into Facebook, you’re blessed because you’re either reading this from a phone, computer, iPad etc., so yes you have a reason to make everyday a day of thanksgiving.

Oh, it’s not enough? Then let me make this thang personal. I woke up this morning with all my family well and with everything that I had on yesterday only better. I still got grandma who could have been gone after losing her only husband of 66 years. I still got my momma when someone’s has been gone for years, I still got my God given parents (my inlaws) who treat me like their own; I still got my husband and someone buried theirs yesterday, I still got my children and someone is saying a final goodbye to theirs; I still got all my sisters when someone lost theirs to breast cancer; I still got all my brothers and someone lost theirs to drugs; I still got all my aunts and uncles and someone has lost theirs to a senseless crime; I still got all my cousins and all my friends after somebody has lost theirs to gossiping! Yes see, everyday is a day of thanksgiving for me. I won’t sit on my praise because God has been too good. Even when I’m still fresh in my grief over granddaddy, I’m still thankful because he could still be here suffering. Baby, you better get a thankful attitude of gratitude because the things you take for granted can be easily taken from you and granted to somebody else!

Daily Devotional – 9/12/12 “Revival Time!”

I am inviting those of you who can and will to come and share with us on the first night of our Youth Revival at Macedonia in Hollywood, MS. It starts at 7:00 PM and our speaker this year is Rev. Brian Bartlett of Lake Grove Baptist Church (Memphis). For the first time ever, I will be tonight’s lecturer (yea I know right). Anywho.. Tomorrow Night’s Lecturer is the anointed LaShundra Richmond of Ebenezer Baptist Church (Memphis) and Friday’s night lecturer is another dynamic young lady, Ms. Iesha Gilliam of Believers in Faith Church (Memphis). So come on out and be blessed.

Now, you know I couldn’t leave you without a little encouragement! So here goes! STOP WHINING ALL THE TIME! Yes, I said it. Yea, I know you are irritated about this and mad about that but still, whining; really? You’re grown! Deal with whatever it is that has pissed you off, ruined your lunch or messed up your day because either way you probably couldn’t have stopped it anyway. I could have been mad after getting a call from my son saying he was out of uniform (for the same shorts he’s worn 3 times already) and that I needed to bring him a pair of pants to the school but why? I couldn’t change the fact that A. he had on the wrong pants and B. he needed new ones. So, why don’t you try it. Stop giving folks the happiness you’ve worked so hard to get. No, they can’t steal it because happiness starts within which means you have to give it. Be happy for you, for a change and stop pretending to be. Baby, life is so much better when you’re happy and you know it. Be happy in the skin you’re in. Be happy with the hair you have, with the clothes/shoes you wear, with the car you drive and the home you stay in. Be happy with the person you’re with (well, you’re with them so you may as well be happy) and if you can’t be then move! Stop letting the bill collectors get you down, pay what you can when you can and the rest can wait. Stop stressing over stuff you can’t change and stop worrying about tomorrow that you may never see. Be you and be happy being you.

That’s all!

Daily Devotional – 9/11/12 “Check the expiration date!”

Yes, you read this right. You need to check the expiration date on some things in your life. Oh, you didn’t know? Well, let me tell you, everything has an expiration date. If you don’t believe me then turn your bible to Ecclesiastes 3 and read the following verses…

Verse 2 says, “A time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,” which means people have an expiration date; it’s called dying and even things that are planted because when they expire, they are uprooted from the ground. Verse 3 says, “A time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build.” Now, kill here means as in self-defense and not because you felt like harming someone because the bible says in Exodus 22:2, “If a thief is caught breaking in and is struck so that he dies, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed.” Even old buildings expire, which is why they are said to be unlivable and are torn down. Heartache, yes it has an expiration date; it’s called getting over it which is why verse 4 says, “A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.” Verses 5-8 goes on to say, “A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.” So you see, all things have an expiration date. Bad relationships do, it’s called moving on. Sickness has one, it’s called healing. Sorrow even has one, it’s called joy. Suffering has one too, it’s called peace. Why do you think everything that you buy has an expiration date on it? Because at some point, some things just get old and need to be thrown out. Yea, you know those favorite shoes that you have that are barely holding together, it’s past their expiration date. That man, that other woman’s husband, who you’ve been holding on too for years now; it’s past their expiration date. That woman that you’ve been asking to move in and she won’t because she still needs time; it’s past her expiration date. That job that keeps overlooking you for promotions, it has expired too. That raggedy robe that you keep holding on too that no longer has pockets and has no buttons, it also has expired. See, it’s time you do inventory in your life and see if the things that you’ve been holding on too are expired because if they have, they maybe the thing that is affecting your health. No, I don’t mean you need to go home and act a fool on your spouse but I am saying just take a look around. If you are still allowing your grown child to live at home with no job and can’t even clean up the room they currently stay in, for free, their time of freeloading has expired. If that friend who always need help from you but can never be there when it’s your time of need, they too have expired. Even trouble has an expiration date which is why Ecclesiastes 8:6 says, “For there is a time and a way for everything, even when a person is in trouble.”

I’m not trying to tell you that you need to start acting a plum fool but I am saying look through the things that you have to see if they have expired, the same way you clean out your medicine cabinet. Old medicine is no good and neither are old feelings of hatred and malice. If folks hurt you, in the past, it has expired and now you need to move on. Stop holding on to all that old crap because it’ll soon weigh you down and then you won’t be any good. Let go of things that keep you from being exactly who you need to be. Let go of that old boyfriend who only comes around when his new girlfriend isn’t providing for him. Stop answering the phone every time that girl calls you only on payday. There are a lot of things that have expired that you’re holding on too because you think you can’t do without them but how do you honestly know if you haven’t tried to do without them? Expire means to come to an end or be no longer valid or in operation. Just like your credit card has an expiration date, so does everything you touch. Let go of those things in order to get the new things. The only way for you to receive a blessing, you have to make room for it. It’s like buying a new rug to replace that old one that expired years ago. You know the one that used to say welcome but now you can only see the w and the ome at the end? Yea, it’s time to throw it out because it has expired but the only way to put your new rug down, you have to first throw out the old one. Blessings are the same. If you constantly asking God to bless you with the means to buy new clothes yet you haven’t cleaned out and donated the old ones, where will you put them? Take charge of your life and throw out all the things that have expired because they are no longer usable. Just like those batteries you keep putting in the freezer, no baby, they have expired; throw them out and go get you some from the dollar tree. Stop holding on to things, thinking they can be revived because if it is expired, it’s no longer worth it. Try drinking milk once it’s spoiled … my point exactly!