Daily Devotional – 4/26/12 “Spare the rod if you want!”

There isn’t anything wrong with disciplining your child and whoever told you it was, lied. I know that maybe hard to believe or even hear but weren’t you disciplined as a child? Well? How’d you turn out? Now-a-days, we have parents who want a better life for their child, than what they had, so they try things differently from what their parents did but what was so wrong with the way you were raised? You may not have had name brand shoes but you had manners. You may not have had what you wanted to eat but you didn’t starve. You may not have had money to hang out with your friends when you wanted but you had morals and values. You might not have had the fanciest clothes to wear but you were never naked. So, was it all bad? Yea, you had to learn to clean the kitchen, wash clothes, take care of your brothers and sisters and cook early but aren’t you glad you did? Don’t get me wrong, I was guilty of that too but I had to wake up. I was spending so much time making sure the kids wanted for nothing that I missed teaching them that it’s not about what you want but what you need. See, when we were growing up my momma was a single mom raising, at the time, 4 girls and she worked a lot which means we had to handle the house when she wasn’t there. When my brothers came along, we helped to raise them because she couldn’t do it on her own, she needed help. While she worked, we became the women of the house; cooking, cleaning and taking care of them. We never missed a meal and we were never without what we needed, maybe without what we wanted but never what we needed. Folks sometimes are amazed to know that we grew up in the projects of North Memphis, but guess what; we had the most fun in those projects because they were home. We enjoyed getting to know our neighbors, hanging out on a Friday night, getting up early Saturday with all the doors opened in the house with the music playing while we cleaned and walking to the store on Sunday morning for Momma’s newspaper and cold cuts, crackers and chips to eat. We went to school because we didn’t have a choice, we didn’t talk back because we had respect, we didn’t fight amongst ourselves because we all had the same thing and when we got into trouble, we got our butts whooped because we knew better.

Now, you let the kids roll their eyes, stomp off, slam doors, talk back, hang up the phone in your face, act out in school (and then you go and act a plum fool), go and do whatever they want, see whoever they want, come in when they want, eat what they want, wear what they want and then you have the nerve to say, “I just want them to have better than what I had.” Baby, please! The bible says in Proverbs 29:15, “To discipline a child produces wisdom, but a mother is disgraced by an undisciplined child.” See, the child isn’t the one looking bad when they are acting up in the middle of a grocery store or being disrespectful at school, it’s the parent. If you start at home, instilling fear in them, they’ll take it with them when they are in public. Think back on a time you cut up with your mom in public and the remembered what she did. My grandmother says, “Wherever they act up at is where you get them.” If we acted up in church, we got disciplined in church and if we acted up in the store, we got disciplined in the store. Our parents and grandparents had no problem getting us back in line. But no, not now! We, as “new age” parents have the game all wrong. We got the nerve to say, “do it again and see if I won’t get you.” What the…! Why are they getting a second chance to talk back when they should be holding their lips from the sting of your hand? “Girl, slam that door again and see if I don’t come in there!” Are you serious? If I would have attempted to slam a door, I would have been picking up the door after I picked myself up. We allow children to talk back when they don’t like what we say, we go get them fast food if they don’t like what we cook, we allow them to get away with doing nothing in school and then we spend the time trying to get them back on track. Yea, keep on sparing the rod if you want.

Now, I’m not saying whoop the children all day everyday but what I am saying is that sometimes you have to beat the hell out of them because they act like that’s what is in them. Proverbs 29:17 says, “Discipline your children, and they will give you peace of mind and will make your heart glad.” Will they always give you peace, no, but that’s why mistakes are to be learned from. Will they always make your heart glad, no, but that’s why we have prayer. There’s nothing wrong with having an open and honest relationship with your child or children but know when to draw the line. Let them know that you’re their parent first and friend second. Don’t parent them when it’s convenient for you, but parent all the time and then be a convenient friend. Allow them a venting session to say whatever it is they need to say without them getting in trouble but only give them a small amount of time and then it’s over. Stop discussing grown folks business in front of them and it doesn’t matter that they are 17, if they don’t contribute to paying the bills then they should be a part of discussing how to make ends meet and if they don’t buy groceries, then they shouldn’t decide what the menu is for dinner. If you and your spouse are having issues, deal with them behind closed doors and don’t raise your voice to allow them to hear what you’re saying. If you are co-parenting with the other parent whose in a different household, don’t talk negative about the other one and definitely don’t discuss business in front of the child. You have to wonder why your child doesn’t respect her daddy when you keep telling her that her daddy isn’t anything. Yea, he may not have been anything to you but to her he’s her daddy. You don’t know why your child follows the rules at your house and then cuts up at his mom’s, well, it maybe because you say stuff like, “Your mom may let you get away with that over there but not in my house,” when you should be discipline his butt for both houses if she can’t.

If they need discipline, give it to them because it didn’t kill you and you had it much worse. Proverbs 23:13 says, “Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you strike him with a rod, he will not die.” If they need to be punished, do it! If they can’t go to school and do what they are supposed to do, then they don’t need a cellphone. If they are disrespectful and not minding in your face, they don’t need Facebook. If they can’t follow directions, then they don’t need to be following anybody on Twitter and if they can’t tell the time and be home before curfew they shouldn’t be going anywhere. Stop giving in so quickly, if you say 2 days stick to it. Don’t think because your child is mad now at the way you are they will always be because although they don’t appreciate it now, they will. If you build them up on a solid foundation, no matter what they go through and they will have to go through some things, it’ll always remain!

Daily Devotional – 4/25/12 “Don’t you know that marriage is sacred?”

It’s crazy how fame, fortune, status, TV and folks have taken the sacredness out of marriage. Folks in Hollywood get divorced on Monday and remarried by Sunday, like it’s something that can be easily taken off or put on. Don’t they understand that God is not pleased? Marriage is defined, in the dictionary, as the state of being husband and wife. The bible says in 1 Corinthians 7:1 “But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband.” Now my definition of marriage is, a relationship between 1 man and 1 woman who have chosen to be one with one another but in your decision, you choose to be a prayer partner, a helper, a tag team, a confidant, a back rubber, feet massager, a cook, a company keeper, a bill payer, a secret keeper, a sex toy (yea, your body belongs to the other, read your bible), an encourager, a stress reliever, a door opener and a maid. When you enter into a relationship with someone, you should go in acting like this man or woman is your spouse and you should treat them as such. When you respect your wife/husband, you respect yourself and when you disrespect your wife/husband you also disrespect yourself because you are each a part of each other. Ephesians 5:33 says, “However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.”

I know, you got married young and marriage just isn’t for you, then why did you do it? I got married on my 21st birthday and although we had our ups and downs in the beginning, I am happy that we chose to stay instead of run all those years ago. See, it’s easy to give up but hard working it out. Now, as we are about to celebrate our 14th wedding anniversary, next week, I’m excited about what God has for us in the years to come. Are all our days great, no but they are good which is much better than bad but that’s because WE choose to make it what it is. The world is already stressful enough without having to come home to stress. Your home should be a place that you enjoy being after the world has walked all over you. You should be able to come home to your spouse and not walk into a war zone but you have to make it what you want it to be. Proverbs 21:9 says, “It is better to live in a corner of the housetop than in a house shared with a quarrelsome wife,” or in the words of my husband, “if momma ain’t happy, the house ain’t happy.”

Your marriage and/or relationship shouldn’t involve family and friends because they make it worse. Your marriage and/or relationship shouldn’t involve other folks PERIOD! When you allow others to come into your relationship it is no longer sacred because you’ve broken the bond by letting them come in. Ephesians 5:31 says, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This says father and mother, but it should say, ALL, because having other folks chirping in on your marriage/relationship opens the door to issues. Do you not realize that most of the arguments you have is because of what “they” said? Who are they, anyway? If you’re having problems in your marriage or relationship, the world shouldn’t know it. Yea, I understand that sometimes you need to vent to your girl or talk it out with your boy but that person should be trustworthy enough that they don’t share it with nobody else and you should be the same way for them. A problem only continues when you add to it, the same way a fire keeps burning if you continue to add wood. So what if you argue, get it out and then get over it. It used to amaze me how my grandma and granddad would argue one minute and the next she was asking him what he wanted for dinner, why wasn’t she still mad? Then I had to realize that holding a grudge affects you and the not the person you’re holding it against, so let it go. The bible also says, “And don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a foothold to the devil (Ephesians 4:26-27).” When you’ve allowed anger to consume you, it gives the devil a place to grab on too and once he grabs on and the anger continues to build in you, the devil now consumes you and once he does, all hell breaks loose in your home. There is a saying over our bed that says, “Never go to bed angry, always kiss me goodnight.” This is something I had to learn and believe me it was hard but I had to realize that tomorrow is not promised to anyone and the last thing you want is for something to happen to you or your spouse and you or they never got to apologize. Swallow your pride and admit when you’re wrong and even if neither one of you can agree, then agree to disagree and move on. Let the things that happened in the past stay there. There isn’t any since in digging through a box that hasn’t been open in years to bring up something that happened in the past because it no longer matters. Forgive and forget because they have to go together in order to work. Yea, I know you say, “I’ll forgive but I won’t forget,” then you have forgiven because you have to forget in order to truly forgive.

Women are made with the rib of man which means she protects him. Don’t you know that the rib cage protects most of your main organs like the heart, liver and lungs? Well, women, in a sense, you are the protector of your man because although he is the main organ that provides for his family, he couldn’t do it without the protection and covering of you. Because of that, you have to work extra hard to make sure no harm or danger comes his way. Yea, a man is supposed to be the provider and protector but he also needs to know that he has someone covering his back. There isn’t anything wrong with you standing behind him because when you’re behind him, he protects you better. Cut out all the crap, the jealousy and foolishness. If you are with him, trust him! Besides whatever is done in the dark can’t stay hidden. Men, the same goes for you. I’ve never understood being jealous anyway because you ought to be happy that someone is looking at the blessing that you’ve been given as long as they don’t touch. If your marriage is worth saving, save it! If it’s not, then let it go so that you both can move on. Stop dwelling on past mistakes and enjoy the present. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 says, “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” Love is worth enduring when you love the one you’re with. Love is worth the suffering, if you suffer with the one you’re with. Love is worth the down times because it makes you enjoy the up times so much more. Love abides where God is. Make God the head of your marriage and he’ll do the rest. Marriage is a sacred union that God ordains and what he ordains, he will maintain. I am a living testimony!

Daily Devotional – 4/24/12 “Missing the present!”

If I had to guess, I would imagine that most of you are sitting somewhere thinking about all the things you have to do this weekend, right? Or you’ve probably made a note of things you need to do tomorrow or by the end of the week but what are you doing right now? So many times we spend hours looking into the future that we are missing the present. Why are you worrying with next month’s bills when this month isn’t even over? Why are you concerning yourself with next year when this year is still going? Matthew 6:27 asks, “Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” Yea, I know that times maybe hard, kids might not be acting right, spouse acting retarded, folks on your job act like they’ve lost their minds and then to top it off, traffic has been bad the last few days causing you to be late but worrying won’t change it. So, let me tell you what to do: finish your work on today, get in your car, let the windows down, put on your favorite radio station and when your song comes on (you know you have like 40, right?) dance behind the wheel and enjoy yourself. Stop by your favorite dessert place and get you whatever you’ve been missing because you say you’re on a diet, go home and kick off your shoes, grab your favorite wine or beer and RELAX! Stop acting like the customers will leave just because you didn’t return all the calls from the voicemails you have at work. Stop acting like your family will starve because you didn’t stop to get dinner, let your husband or wife or one of them grown kids pick it up. Stop acting like God will cast you out because you missed bible study once; you’re entitled to a day off. The world won’t end because you take a moment to yourself but you might. Let go sometimes!

We’ve got so used to working to save for future retirement but what happens if you work your body into the grave before that time comes? You’re working 18 hour days trying to pay off a 30 year mortgage on a house that you won’t have time to enjoy if you don’t slow down. Stop focusing so much on the future because you’re missing your present. While you are working all that time trying to make sure your child has all his needs met, who’s attending to yours? Plus you’re missing them grow up and then they’ll have the nerve to resent you for it later on. Either somebody is mad because you don’t spend enough time with them or mad because you don’t have the means to buy them $100 pair of shoes. Baby, it’s a never-ending battle so stop trying to fight it. Life does go on but not forever. Slow down for a moment and enjoy the blessings you have in the present moment. Ok, so your marriage didn’t work, get over it and stop focusing on whether you’ll get remarried, enjoy your single life now. Your job didn’t last, ok, but draw your unemployment, go get some government assistance (you’ve paid for it) and relax while you look for another one. Your car quit, ok, but your legs haven’t, so stop worrying about next week and focus on getting there and home, today and you can always use the bus which is cheaper than gas anyway. Matthew 6:34 says, “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.” Don’t add tomorrow’s and next week’s problems on top of todays because there will be time to focus on them.

And stop trying to save everybody! You are only responsible for children who are too young to worry about salvation for themselves but those grown folk are just that, grown. Stop worrying about your son going to jail, who is in the streets, because he knows that his actions have consequences. Stop worrying about your daughter who is letting that no good baby daddy run all over her, she has 2 feet that she can stand on, all you can do is help the babies that she has. Am I saying take your hands off, yes because when you take your hands off, they fall into God’s hands and his hands are much bigger and better to handle it. If you’ve raised your children with morals and on the foundation of God, he still has them until they decide to let them in. God hasn’t left them, even though they act like they never knew him because he’s still there. Folk have to go through their own share of mistakes to learn from them. Just because you tell them the fire is hot, they won’t believe it until they touch it for themselves and when they do, bandage them up, pray for them and let them go. Stop spending all your time crying for them to be saved because they have to save themselves. Stop spending all your time on your knees praying for them because God has heard you but he has to wait until they open the door. Pray for yourself sometimes. Cry for yourself sometimes. Take care of yourself ALL THE TIME. 1 Peter 5:6-7 says, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you”

When you stop focusing on the future, you’ll see the goodness of God in the present that you’ve been missing. It’s alright to dream about the future but it does you no good if you never live to see it. Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” God has a plan for your life and he won’t let you suffer in vain but you have to stop letting your suffering consume you because Luke 1:37 says, “For nothing will be impossible with God.” Focus on your present because it gives you power to push through the problems on this world. Focus on your present because it gives you praise when pain is all you feel. Focus on your present because its peace will persuade you to pick up the pieces of your past and press on. Focus on your present because it pleases God who then pours out a profit’s reward from Heaven. Your present is a gift from God so unwrap it and then enjoy it.

Daily Devotional – 4/23/12 “Everything is not what it seems!”

Don’t you know the way you are viewing your situation isn’t the way God sees it? Yea, you see a problem but God sees an opportunity to praise. You see sickness but God is giving you a chance to shout. You see bills but God is showing you a blessing. You see friends that have walked off but God is cleansing your life of enemies. Stop thinking that everything that happens in your life is an attack by the devil or your enemy because sometimes God has to send a storm your way in order to remove some things that are hindering your walk and work for him. See, God has to sometimes shake you in order for you to put things back into perspective. You have to wonder why God allowed your boo to leave when you used to go to church on Sunday but now when you get up to get ready, he/she pulls you back in the bed to cuddle and now you’ve missed church. You have to question God about why he allowed your friends to be backstabbers when they designated Mondays as girls night when you used to teach bible study on Mondays. You used to be dependable and could be counted on when someone needed your help, your ear to listen or your shoulder to cry on but now your life is consumed with your new friend who always seems to have an emergency when someone else calls. Do you honestly have to ask why it seems like your prayers aren’t being answered when your fellowship with God is interrupted by somebody else who seems to have all of your time? You do know that God will allow a flood of tears to come in order to wash away the dust that has settled on your eyes in order for you to see things clearer? He will allow the wind of tribulation to blow hard in order to blow out the folks that are blocking your path to him. He will even allow a tornado of suffering to come in order to wipe out all of the unnecessary things that have taken his place in your life.

We’ve become so accustomed to allowing folks to be a priority in our lives and then God trailing far behind but don’t you know that when everyone is gone and the dust has settled, God will be the only constant that remains? God doesn’t run when the money runs out but so called friends do. God doesn’t talk about you when you’re going through trials but the folks on your job might. God doesn’t laugh when you cry, he doesn’t wish sickness over your life and he won’t knock you down just to see you bleed but your enemies will. So why is he at the end of the line? God should be first in everything you do because whatever goes through him surely won’t hurt you. It’s like going through the security checkpoint at the airport. They make sure your pockets are emptied before they move you through the metal detectors and they make you put your bags through this x-ray machine to ensure you don’t have any weapons or anything harmful that can hurt the others around you once you’re on the plane, it’s for your safety. Well, God is our metal detector and x-ray machine but how can he show you what’s harmful to you if you never make them go through it to see? You wouldn’t know the man you’re with is a cheater and low down dog because you didn’t make him go through the x-ray machine to check to see if his heart was capable of love. You wouldn’t know that women you’re with is crazy and will bust every window out of your car because you didn’t have her remove the stuff from her pockets and go through the metal detector. You wouldn’t know the friend you’re confiding all your business too is the one spreading your business because you didn’t let security check her out. You’ve got to have God as the head of your life, as the metal detector to your heart and the x-ray machine to your soul because he will be the only one the keeps you from getting hurt by man of this world. Stop looking at the things in your life as an attack to take you out but look at them as a learning lesson in order to keep you from making the same mistake again.

Yea, I know you thought this was the marriage for you but God didn’t and had you listened you wouldn’t be fighting the divorce battle now. Yea, I know you thought this was the job for you but God didn’t and had you stopped and look you wouldn’t be fighting the crowd at the unemployment office or temp service. Yea, I know you think this sickness is your death sentence but stop and let God show you the real reason he is putting you through it. If you would just take a moment and let the noise level go down, your mind to stop racing and your heart to stop beating so fast, God will tell or show you what he wants you to know. I used to wonder why my grandma would be up so late at night cleaning after everyone else was gone or in the bed but then I realized that while she is sweeping she is singing and talking to God because it was during those moments the house was quiet and she could concentrate fully on him. See, she didn’t have to worry about folks calling her name, asking her questions or interrupting her and God’s fellowship because everybody else had already went to bed. Then she could talk to him and tell him all about her problems and once she was done, she was rested enough to get rest. When you’ve given all of your problems over to God he releases them from your heart and the burdens from your shoulders in order for you to be able to stand in the midst of adversity without being tired, walk in the midst of the fire without getting burned, dance in the rain without it drowning you and love again without you being scared or hurt. When you allow God to be the head of your life, he’ll allow you to go through the storm but it won’t destroy your foundation. God will allow folks to walk in your life but he won’t let them walk all over you or over stay their welcome. God will even allow things to happen but those things will end once their season is over. God has to be the head of your life, the leader of your band, the CEO of your business, the head doctor and the top attorney on your case. He doesn’t need help and he won’t even charge you by the hour but you need to consult him first and the good thing about it, he can be paid in praise and worship.

So stop rushing God, will you? Say a prayer and leave your worries and burdens at the altar and wait. Don’t you know the bible says in Isaiah 40:31, “Yet those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary?” See, in your waiting your strength is renewed and in this renewing process your weary soul is restored and in your restoration you received rest for your shaky spirit that has your faith wavering and once you’ve rested; you’ll be ready to work and when you work you plant seeds during your harvest in rich soil that allows your harvest to be plentiful once it is time to reap. But you have to wait and let God work because even when it seems like he isn’t there, he is because 2 Corinthians 4:7-9 says, “We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.”

Daily Devotional – 4/20/12 “Favor for your labor!”

There was this young man who was in his last semester in college which was ironic because he never thought he’d be able to go because he knew his mom couldn’t afford it when she was barely making ends meet. But he worked hard through high school and as a result he was awarded a full scholarship to the college he always dreamed about. While there, his mom became ill so he had to take on a job to be able to send money home to help out. He worked full time at this small family owned restaurant near campus and he put in all the hours he could and he was a dependable. As he sat in his dorm room filling out his graduation packet he began to worry about finding a job that could support him, his mom and 2 sisters. He knew he would have to move back home, it seemed like his only option. So he bowed his head and as tears begin to stream down his face he prayed,

“Father God, I bow my head before you tonight first to thank you. I thank you for giving me your mercy that has sustained me on my rough nights which have been many. I thank you for giving me the wisdom and knowledge to excel through high school that has allowed me to become now a college graduate. I thank you for giving me the strength to be able to work to provide for my family and for always being a provider for them when I am not able. Now Lord, I ask that you guide me down the right path so that I can continue to be a worker for you and a provider for my family. I don’t know what you have planned for me but Lord, I’m ready to see it because I know that you won’t leave me after bringing me this far. Continue to cover me Lord and continue to crown my head with wisdom and my feet with strength to walk. Lord God, I trust you because you have never failed me and as long as you cover me, I’ll never fail you. In your name I pray. Amen.”

He got up from his desk, wiped his face and went to bed.

A few weeks later, as he stood in the place where his graduation would take place he zipped up his robe and place the cap on his head. He spun around in awe of the many blessings that God had already given him. His mom and sisters were able to travel and he was so happy to see the proudness in their eyes and the smiles on their lips. He smiled hard trying to cover up the worries in his eyes for the “what next” part of his life. As the ceremony went on and his name was finally called to receive his Bachelor Degree in Computer Technology, he was overcome with emotion. After the ceremony, while he waited for his family the owner from the restaurant he worked grabbed him and gave him the biggest hug. She told him how proud she was of him and she handed him an envelope and asked him to open it. When he did, he found a check for $10,000.00 and he gasped. She explained that she knew from the moment he came into the restaurant the favor God has placed on his life and because of that she had begun a savings account for him. As his graduation time drew near, the many customers and members of her family match what she had saved and it allowed her to present it to him on today. He grabbed her this time and gave her the biggest hug and he whispered, thank God for you. As she walked off, she told him to make her proud. As he wipes the tears that escaped from his eyes, a young woman approached him. She introduced herself as the head of the local FBI in the city and they were in need of his computer expertise. She explained that she had followed his college career and she was in awe of his strength. She also told him that all of his professors spoke highly of him and all gave outstanding recommendations. She went on to say the job would be local and it would pay him a substantial amount of money and benefits which included a housing allowance that would allow him to move his mother and sisters here as well. He opened his mouth but no words would come out. She gently patted his hands and told him, no words were necessary because his worked spoke for him. She handed him the packet of information and told him to take a 2 week vacation and report to work immediately afterwards. As she walked off, he simply said, “Only God!”

After he got back to his mom’s house, he went to bed early. He was shaken in the middle of the night and when he sat up; he found an envelope on the end of the bed. He picked it up and began to read. It said,

“My child, I heard your plea to me so I had to come and let you know that I would never leave you nor forsake you. See, when you started on this journey so long ago I knew how hard it would become but I knew that you were stronger and no matter what obstacles you faced, you took them all without every wavering in your faith and because of that I had to give you favor for your labor. I know that your mom’s sickness is hard but it’s just a test. I know that college was hard, but it was just a test. I know that providing for your family was hard, but it was just a test and although you were able to pass them all, it doesn’t mean your tests stop because they won’t and sometimes they will seem harder but you’ll be fine. You are made in my image and because of this you are capable of handling the fire that you’ll have to walk through but you won’t get burned, you’re be able to handle the unfriendly people you’ll meet without it knocking you off your path and you’ll be able to handle the rain when it pours but it won’t drown you. I know that you think the job offer is too good to be true but it is and it’s yours and because you have been faithful in your work for me, I’m giving you favor for your labor! God”

See, although you think that the work you doing won’t pay off, God is saying hold on just a little while longer because you’ll get favor for your labor. Just because you think that working 14 hour days, 6 days a week will kill you; hold on because you’ll soon get favor for your labor. Don’t you know when things happen to you out of nowhere, that’s God’s favor? When you receive a call from a job you applied for 8 months ago and had forgot about, that’s God’s favor. When your boss calls you into his office to promote you to a job you hadn’t even applied for and you think you aren’t qualified for, that’s God’s favor. When you get a bonus on your job for doing the work others complain about, that’s God’s favor. See, if you work for God he’ll work for you. Psalm 5:12 says, “For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.” See, when you have God’s favor, it blocks the attacks of the enemy. When you have God’s favor, those folks on your job who have been trying to get you fired will be fired first. When you have God’s favor the stress that’s causing others on the job to bail, it won’t even affect you. Oh, when you have God’s favor you have protection and with God’s protection you have peace and with that peace come power and with this power you’ll be able to praise while others pity. With God’s favor, you’ll be rewarded for your labor for Psalm 90:17 says, “Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!” When you have favor from God everything your hands touch will be blessed. When you touch the paycheck and it seems small to you, God will make it just enough to make all your ends meet. Don’t believe me, read Ephesians 1:11 which say, “Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.” See; even though it may not be clear to you, it’s surely clear enough to God, so hold on. You might be laboring in a situation and you’ve had thoughts of giving up and throwing in the towel, just hold on. It might not seem like you’re being blessed and your prayers are not being heard, but God is listening and he’s saying hold on because you’ll soon get favor for your labor.