Daily Devotional – 1/17/12 “Rise above!”

I am reminded of the story of the old goat that fell in the old dug well while his owner was away and when the owner returned and realized he couldn’t get him out, he decided he would bury him. So, he started throwing dirt down on the goat but what the man didn’t realize was the goat was shaking off the dirt and packing it under his feet and each time he did, he rose higher and higher until he was able to walk straight out of the hole. This made me realize that when folks of this world decide they will bury you with lies, backbiting, back stabbing, hate and envy; you have to shake that off and pack it under your feet. When kids aren’t acting right, shake it off and pack it under your feet. When your husband or wife won’t do what is right, no matter how hard you try, shake it off and pack it under your feet. When the job keeps overlooking you for the position you keep training other folk for, shake it off and pack it under your feet. See, when you shake off the dirt that is thrown on you by haters, you’re creating a platform for you to stand on and when you step on this platform, you’re able to rise higher than your enemies. Every time you shake off hurt, you’re rising higher. Every time you shake off ungratefulness, you’re rising higher. Every time you shake off jealousy from your own family members, you’re rising higher. Just because you were raised below the poverty line, it doesn’t mean you have to stay there – rise above it. Just because daddy left and acted like you didn’t exist when he had another family, it doesn’t mean you’re less than a man or that you deserve to be treated any kind of way by any kind of man – rise above it! Just because the guidance counselor said you wouldn’t amount to nothing because of your test grades don’t mean you just give up – rise above it! Just because you used to be a drug addict, alcoholic, whoremonger or an abuser it doesn’t mean you have to continue – rise above it. Isaiah 40:31 says “but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

See, God says, you shall mount up which means you climb up onto something and when you climb up you got wings, but not just any wings, but eagle wings that allows you to soar above all those things below that wants to cause you harm. Isn’t that great news? You have the necessary things needed to move you above all the things that tries to block your way, so why aren’t you rising? Your job offers tuition reimbursement but you’re too scared to go back to school because you’re listening to co-workers who say it’ll be too hard and now you’re stuck in the same position for 20 years. Your marriage is going great and you’re about to celebrate 10 years together but because your friend’s marriage isn’t going good, you go home to cause trouble in yours now you’re headed for divorce court. You got a little money saved, just in case, but because your sister is always shopping, you try to keep up by going into debt and now you’re headed for bankruptcy. You’re allowing folks to clip your wings which keep you from rising and soaring above to higher heights and you wonder why you’re not prospering. Just because the folks on the job always complain about every little thing, it doesn’t mean to you have join in but when you do, your wings are clipped. Philippians 2:14says “Do everything without complaining or arguing.” Just because the church folk are always trying to keep an eye on Pastor to see what he’s doing and then gossip about it at Wednesday night bible study it doesn’t mean you have to take a part in it and when you do, your wings are clipped. Proverbs 18:7 says “The mouths of fools are their ruin; they trap themselves with their lips.” When someone makes you mad or angry and you try to get back at them instead of forgiving, you clip your own wings. James 1:20 says “for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.”

You are capable of rising above all adversity, pain, hurt, strife, circumstances and situations, if you choose too. God said, you shall renew your strength and mount up on wings like eagles, he didn’t say you might but he said you shall. So, why won’t you believe it? You have to renew your strength the same way you have to renew a lease, car tags and/or driver license but you don’t have to stand in a long line to do it. Renewing is simply making something new. See, when you’ve battled something so long, you need your strength renewed. When you’ve struggled to make A touch B, your strength needs to be renewed. When you keep getting pushed back and knocked off your feet, you need your strength renewed. Why do you think boxers and fighters only go a certain amount of time in the ring before the bell sounds and they take a break? They are renewing their strength. God won’t allow you to consistently go through a storm without a reason behind it and without the right amount of strength to get you through it. If you lift weights in the gym, after a certain amount of time, you’d probably increase the amount of weight you actually lift because you’ve gotten use to that size, right? Well, going through this Christian life is the same thing. Let me explain. God sends you through the storm, for a few months, carrying a 15lb weight on your shoulder and at first it’s so heavy you wobble when you walk but after a certain amount of time of carrying this weight, your legs and arms get accustom to carrying it, so now it’s not so heavy. Then you come out of your storm to reap the reward of the Son, you’re renewing your strength and the next time you get ready to go into your storm, your weight will be a little heavier because God knows you can handle it and each time you go through you rise a little higher. Now, don’t put your own pedestal down in order to raise yourself up without the help of God because we tend to mess up and when we raise ourselves, man can knock us down but when God raises us, man can’t do a thing about it without first going through God. Romans 12:2 says “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” You can rise above the harsh remarks, the abuse, the constant struggling, your enemies and hate but you have to go on through the rain and come out clean and refreshed because once you’ve been refreshed you’ve been renewed and through renewal comes endurance and enduring gives us assurance that you are ready to be elevated! Rise above because God is setting you up, not to fail, but to succeed and in your success comes victory and victory makes you victorious over the enemy

Daily Devotional – 1/16/12 “God never fades!”

One thing I’ve learned, in this life, is that the color of your clothes, the color in your hair, the love for something or someone and even ink from paper may sometimes fade but the grace and mercy of God never does! Deuteronomy 31:6 says “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” See, even when the love fades from your marriage, God is still there. When the color fades from your favorite black dress, God doesn’t. When the black fades from hair and is replaced by gray, God never fades. Stop allowing storms to control your life! When the rain starts falling and the thunder is loud enough to rock the ground, hold on! When the tornado comes and wipes out your possessions, with God, you still got a strong foundation on which to rebuild, so don’t start wavering in this fight. Strap on your battle gear, tighten your shoe strings and let the word, God’s word, do the work! Start by trusting, believing, and having faith that God will do just what he said he’ll do and when all else fails and/or fades, God will be right there.

You’re struggling in your marriage, not because God has forsaken you but because the person you’re telling your business too is the one that is keeping up the mess! If the truth shall be told, they want what you got and why you are wondering whose telling your spouse all your business, you’d better open your eyes to who you’re telling your business too. You’re struggling on your job because your mouth keeps putting you in a place you can’t get yourself out of. You know, it’s writing a check your butt can’t cash. You’re trying to show that you’re better and smarter than most of your coworkers and now you’ve been placed over a project and don’t have a clue where to start. Now, you could possibly lose your job but maybe if you would keep your mouth sometimes, you’d stay out of harm’s way. You are worried about bills but you’re still shopping. You got problems but you won’t turn to the problem solver. You got pain but won’t turn to the healer! You’ve fallen but you won’t reach up to the one person that can pull you up. God is waiting at the door, knocking and all you have to do is let him in. God says oh ye of little faith why are you afraid (Matthew 8:26)? When the door is shut in your face, didn’t I give you hands to knock with? When folk talk about you, didn’t I give you knees to pray with? When you mess up, sin, hate on folk and lie, didn’t I give you a mind to think and a mouth to repent with? When folk speak death over your life and circumstance, didn’t I give you a tongue to speak life with? When money is low aren’t I a provider? When times are hard aren’t I able to carry you? When folk leave am I not there for you? When sickness comes aren’t I a healer? When the car stops don’t I give you legs and strength to walk with? So then why do you doubt and why are you so afraid? Why don’t you have faith that I’ll bring you through? You got faith that the IRS will do you right come tax time but you don’t have faith that I will do you right all the time. Oh ye of little faith! If you would just trust in me like you trust in the chair you sit in daily to hold you up, your walk would be better, your talk would be greater, your living would be living and your hands would do better giving. Oh ye of little faith! Matthew 17:20 says “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”

With God, all things are possible. When you doubt God and when you worry it’s like asking God if this is possible or even can I actually do this but Mark 9:23 says “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” If you believe it then you can achieve. If you don’t have the believeth of yourself within yourself, how can you make someone else believe it? You have to be a salesman of yourself, so that everyone that comes into contact with you buys what you’re selling. But, if you’ve placed your gift on the back shelf, hidden from the view of the people you’re trying to convince, you’ll never make a sale. Believe in you and keep God first and all that comes behind it will be a blessing and then and only then it won’t be allowed to hurt you. Yea, hurt will still come but it won’t affect you like it use too. When you have God first, when your boo leaves, you’ll be able to handle it. When the money runs out before payday, you’ll still be able to handle it. When you have God first you can handle whatever test that comes your way because when you have God you have salvation and with salvation you have strength and with strength you’re strong enough to handle situations. Trust God because he will never fail nor fade. 1 Peter 1:25 says “But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.”

Daily Devotional – 1/13/12 “What do you do?”

What do you do when the enemy is attacking on every side? What do you do when you take 2 steps forward only to get pushed 4 back? What do you do when you seem to be surrounded by walls or facing closed doors? I’ll tell you what to do… For that enemy, put on your war clothes and fight because the battle is not yours, it’s the Lord (2 Chronicles 20:15). When you get pushed back, you didn’t get pushed out so keep going. Proverbs 24:16 says “Even if good people fall seven times, they will get back up. But when trouble strikes the wicked, that’s the end of them.” When you are surrounded by walls, keeping walking because you are bound to find an opening and when you face closed doors, keeping knocking until one opens. The bible says in Luke 11:9 “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.”

See, God’s word says when I’m down he’ll pick me up. When I lean, he’ll be my leaning post. When my way is dark, he’ll be a light unto my path. When I can’t go any longer, he’ll carry me. He’ll be mother when she’s gone, a daddy when he’s gone, friend when they walk away, healer when I’m sick, food when I’m hungry, water (living water) when I’m thirsty, a keeper when I can’t keep myself, a provider when I can’t make ends meets, a comforter in my lonely hour, shelter in my storm, bowed head raiser, a tear wiper, a mind regulator, heart fixer, pain reliever, a bridge over troubled water and a burden bearer! So why should I worry about things of this world? Bills will remain, lying never dies, and folk will still talk about you, and wish bad on your life, stick knives in your back & folk will hurt you! So my trust is in God, this way those who I trust will have gone through him to get to me and when they get to me and try to hurt me, God won’t allow them too. If I place my heart in God, they have to go through God to get it, then they won’t be able to break it. So, if I stand for God, he’ll stand for me. If I kneel down for God, he’ll kneel down to get me when I fall. If I go for God, he’ll go for me, no matter how far it is. So, I’m covered on every side, on my going and my coming, I’m covered! When the enemy attacks, yes it’s hard, but I’m covered.

When you’re in darkness read John 14:6, that says, “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” When you feel defeated, read Ecclesiastes 9:11, “Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all.” When your rope is breaking-God says reach beyond the break/hold on. When your obstacles get taller-God says I may not move them but I’ll give u strength to climb. Blessings don’t come without the test of endurance. So endure because it won’t last long. Believe in God and trust him to do just what he said he would!

Even on my bad days I’m great because God gives me grace and with grace comes mercy and with mercy comes hope and with hope comes faith and faith brings rejoicing and rejoicing paves the way for my recovery and once I recover I am rejuvenated and through my rejuvenation, I am redeemed and through God’s redemption I get restoration and restoration restores all the devil stole from me!</blockquote>

Daily Devotional – 1/12/12 “Think back but don’t look back!”

As we journey on this Christian walk we will go through all types of things that will try to throw us off our designed path. You do know that the path you’re walking is designed just for you, right? Well, the bible says in Romans 8:29 “For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.” See if God has already predestined you for greatness, because being like Jesus means you’re destined for greatness, don’t you think the devil knows? Now, if the devil knows this then he has a responsibility to make sure you don’t make it to that greatness. He will throw things into your way that’ll make you want to turn and look back at your past life. He’ll throw struggle in your way so that you can look back at all the easy times you had in the world to make you want to turn back. He’ll throw sickness in your way to make you look back on all the healthy days you had in the world, to make you want to turn back. He’ll throw more bills and less money in your way to make you want to revert back to the days when you had more money in your pocket, from doing wrong, than you had time to spend it. He’ll throw a friend in your path that party all night on Saturday because they don’t have to go to church on Sunday, to make you want to go back to the old you. He’ll even throw that fine sister or brother in your path to make you want to revert back to being carefree and careless instead of a husband or wife. Well, I am here to tell you to think back on your past life but don’t look back. Why? Because when you look back, you might just go back. See, the enemy will make your past road look all smooth and easy and better than the bumpy road you’re walking now that you’ve chosen God, but it’s actually just a painted scene that he’s showing you. The enemy will make the grass from your past look dark green, healthy and worth standing on, when you look back, while the grass you’re currently on has a few dead spots, weeds and even a few bugs; but it could just be a green light shining on a brown patch.

When you choose God, you choose life but life with an occasional struggle because the struggle makes you strong. See your storms, tests and the trials you endure they are not to take you out but it’s to build your faith that God can do all he said he can and believeth to know that he will. The bible says in Job 14:1 “Man born of woman is of few days and full of trouble,” so God isn’t picking on you but he simply letting you know that not all your days will be good but they’ll be worth it. How can you appreciate the sunshine if you never see the rain? How can you appreciate the car you have if you’ve never been without one? How can you appreciate being healthy if you’ve never been sick? How can you know what it feels like being up if you have never been down? How can you appreciate the extra money if you’ve never been broke and how can you appreciate the job you have if you’ve never been without? God doesn’t knock you down to leave you, but he does it because he wants to know if your praise is the same. It’s like you winning the lottery and now you have family and friends coming from everywhere to get a piece of it, but when you were struggling you couldn’t offer free food and get a crowd. They are using you, right? Well, that’s how God feels when you only call him during the struggle going down but not on the easy climb up. Have you ever wondered why folks sing, “I’m climbing up on the rough side of the mountain, and I’m doing my best to make it in?” Well, if you climb up on the rough side then you’ll have the smooth side to slide down on. Climbing on the rough side also gives you bumps to hold on too and grooves to place your feet in to push you up higher. Climbing on the rough side will make you appreciate the top when you make it because it was a struggle to get there. You know when you sacrifice hanging out and friends, the late night homework and the stress of passing a test, that’s climbing the rough side of the mountain, but getting that diploma and/or degree after you’ve worked so hard, that’s sliding down the smooth side. The months of chemo, surgery and radiation for the cancer that’s attacking your body, that’s climbing the rough side of mountain, but hearing the doctor say cancer free is sliding down the smooth side. Losing momma or daddy is climbing the rough side of the mountain but knowing the pain they endured is over is sliding down the smooth side. Stressing over where your child is when they are in the world, on drugs and alcohol and constantly being in jail is climbing the rough side of the mountain, but seeing them walk up that aisle to sit in the chair and dedicate his life to Christ is sliding down the smooth side.

The life you’ve chosen with God isn’t easy but is worth it and looking back over your past life won’t change the things that happened back then and while it may have been easier in the world, you were still paying a price. With God the reward you get is eternal life but with the devil it’s an eternity in the pits of hell’s fire. See, after you’ve done all that you were supposed to do, for God, “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world (Matthew 25:34) ,” but for those who choose the world, “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41).” Being in the world may have perks but it also has a price but God paid that price when he died on the cross but in his dying we gain protection and through God’s protection we get promise and God’s promise gives us praise and praise gives us power and power gives us potential and through this potential we get purpose! So when you want to turn to look back over your past, don’t! Simply think about it and how God has brought you from where you used to be, to where you are now and be thankful. I know that you have some bad days but if you write a list of your bad and good, the good should outweigh the bad and even if they don’t PUSH! That means Pray Until Something Happens!

“But as for me, I will sing about your power. Each morning I will sing with joy about your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety when I am in distress. O my Strength, to you I sing praises, for you, O God, are my refuge, the God who shows me unfailing love. Psalm 59:16-17”

Daily Devotional – 1/11/12 – “Cut it off!”

I look at people who have had limbs removed and I sometimes wonder what type of adjustments they had to make in order for them to live afterwards. People like those who use to walk but are now confined to a wheelchair or those who lost a hand in a work accident. I would imagine that life would never be the same but at the same time; I would assume this change had to be made in order to save their life. If you had an infection in your finger, wouldn’t you cut it off to save your hand or if you had an infection in one toe, wouldn’t you cut it off to save your foot? I would guess the answer would be yes. You have to sometimes remove the dead or dying stuff from you in order for you to live and I found this to be the same in your spiritual life. The bible says in Matthew 5:30 “And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.” See, you are holding on to a boyfriend/girlfriend that means you no good they are slowly killing you. You know that boyfriend that comes around when you get paid and then sucks you dry and leave you and your children hungry and now you have to beg and borrow to live? He’s killing you. The girlfriend that always want this and need that and she doesn’t care that you have to work 16 hours to provide for her or even sometimes steal to satisfy her selfish need. She’s killing you. The job that is requiring almost every moment of your life, the 10 hours you work on the clock and then the 5 more you spend working at home; it’s killing you. You need to cut it/them off so that you can live. You do know stress can cause your hair to fall out, acne on your face, heart attacks, and strokes and even can make you go crazy? In other words, it can kill you. Cut it off. If your electric bill is through the roof, then cut off the lights. If your child (ren) can’t abide by your rules, cut them off. If your friends can’t get with the change you’ve made for yourself, cut them off. If the job can’t understand you have a life outside of work, cut them off. Stop trying to please everybody while you are slowly dying.

You’re riding in the car with your boy to go to a sports bar to watch a game and you know that he is always into trouble and has even gotten you into a little bit, but he’s your friend. While riding, you all get pulled over because the car tags are expired but before the officer can get to the window, he tells you he has a small bag of marijuana in the car. He doesn’t want to go to jail again, because he’s already on probation so he asks you to take the charge. What will you do? Or maybe it’s your girlfriend. She’s a little on the wild side but you all have been friends forever, so you can’t turn your back on her. She asks you to go to a party with her and you agree. You get to the party and realize, after walking in, that this could be a bad situation. She’s drinking like normal and is surrounded by a group of guys. You’re trying to watch her while also trying to be aware of your surroundings. She disappears for a while and you find her passed out upstairs in a room with 2 guys and the environment is quickly changing. You’re trying to fight these guys off to get her out of there and when you finally do, you’re shaking and in disbelief that she would actually put you in this type of situation. Then, you got to go home and explain all of this to your husband who is trying to figure out why 2 married women would be at a party like that anyway. But she’s your friend. Would you continue to hang out with her? Again the bible says in Mark 9:43, “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out.” See, while you are trying to hold on to that friend that keeps getting you in trouble or dangerous situations, you’d better cut them off. While you are trying to hang on to this person, they are causing you more harm than good and I’ve found out that a true friend will never put you in a bind or bad position. A true friend would know you and wouldn’t ever betray the trust that the 2 of you have. A true friend would know you don’t like crowded clubs and parties, so they wouldn’t invite you. A true friend would know that you don’t do drugs, so they wouldn’t do them around you. A true friend would know they can tell you anything and you wouldn’t tell a soul.

Sometimes you have to cut off things in order for you to move. If you got into a hot air balloon, the only way for it to fly you have to release the hot air and cut the strings that are holding it in place. It’s the same way with your Christian walk. In order for you to move to a higher level, you got to release the hot air and cut the strings that are holding you down. That person that keeps telling you that you won’t amount to nothing is blowing the hot air and they are holding you down because you’ve started to believe it. Now, every time you go to apply for a new job that’s a step up from the one you got, you hesitate. Cut the strings and release the hot air so that you can fly above. Isaiah 40:31 says “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Don’t you know that God is all you need? When folks mean stuff for your bad, God is working it out for your good. When folks keep pushing you back, God is saying just wait. When folks keep stepping on you, God is saying just hold on. When folks hate on you, God is saying let them do it because I got you covered. Deuteronomy 28:13 says “The LORD will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the LORD your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.” See, God is saying even though you maybe be at the end of the line now, it won’t last because I will turn the line around and make you first. Just because your name is at the bottom of the list, it doesn’t mean anything because I can make the last page first. Not everyone that is close to you are close to you. (You’ll get that later!) Let me repeat what I’ve said before. Somebody you know, that’s probably the closest to you, doesn’t think you deserve the job you got, but look at God. Somebody you know is still trying to figure out how you got approved for the house you got, but look at God working. Somebody is wondering how you made it through heart failure with the life you lived when others, they feel are better, died but look at God working this. Somebody is questioning how you manage to survive when you have no job but look at God working this thang! Somebody is even trying to see how God could have picked somebody like you, who use to be a drug addict, alcoholic and whoremonger, clean you up and now you’re the Youth Director of your church, but LOOK AT GOD WORKING THIS THANG OUT! See, while they are trying to figure it out, God has already worked it out. While they are counting your blessings, they are adding theirs to yours. While they are counting you out, God is simply adding pegs to your footstool and lifting you higher! So go on and tell them to talk about you, lie on you, scandalize your name, try to ruin your relationship, and keep on digging that ditch for you because when it’s all over with God has you covered so all is surely well! Because when I no longer look at what I used to be or how I use to look, I see how I am meant to be. God said he has made me the lender and not the borrower, so in this New Year, make a vow that all that means you no good will be cut off. All that hurts and hinders you from God’s will and stops you from being who you are destined to be needs to be cut off. Deuteronomy 28:12 says “The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none.” Isn’t that good news? For God said, YOU WILL RULE OVER MANY NATIONS BUT NONE WILL RULE OVER YOU (Deuteronomy 15:6)! That makes me worthy of God’s calling on my life, what about you?