Daily Devotional – 10/2/11 “Dance on the devil head”

This morning when I rose I could have complained about the number of hours I didn’t sleep or how early I had to get up. I could have complained about the coldness in the air or the fact that I had to get out in it. I could have even complained about my long drive to church. But then I thought about my cousin who is laying in ICU and not able to do any of these things. I though of grandma who wants to go to church but can’t or granddaddy who would love to get up and walk but can’t but I can so who am I to complain?

When I begin to think about the blessings that God bestows on me day after day it makes me want to dance. When I think about how he has kept me through dangerous situations, I want to dance. When I think about the things that could have taken my life when I was in the world, it makes me want to dance. When I think about how God has blessed my family over & over, how he breathes life into my body each day, keeps my mind, sends new mercies my way each morning, it makes me want to dance!

Not only am I dancing to show my appreciation to God but I’m dancing on the devils head. I’m letting him know that he can’t have my joy, my peace, my children, my husband, my family, my friends, my mind, my car, my job, my happiness nor my life. I’m letting the devil know that even though you may try and show up from time to time, there is no room here. I won’t allow you to sleep in my guest room. So whatever situation you’re ready to send my way, send it cause I’m ready. Whoever you want to send to try and block my blessings, send them cause I’m ready. Whatsoever you try to do to me won’t prosper cause I’ve got the love of God in my heart and I’m covered by his blood. I know all my days won’t be easy and the sun won’t always shine but God’s word has prepared me for that and for you, so I’m ready.

So when times begin to get too much for you, dance on the devils head! When it seems like you’re taking 2 steps back, dance on the devils head! When your bills outweigh your money, dance on the devils head! When your spouse & kids aren’t acting like they belong to you, when sickness comes, death attacks your family & friends and it seems like there’s no answer..dance!!

Dance like there is no one watching. Dance like you have no problems. Dance like God will do just what he said he would! Dance! Dance on the devil’s head!

Daily Devotional – 10/1/11 “Life is … “

As I journey through this thing called life, I have to sometimes take a moment to reflect on how good God is.  This morning I attended the funeral of a little girl, who although she was born with some birth defects, God allowed her to live on this side for 7 years.  Even with the problems in her body on this side she had a smile on her face and touched those that she came in contact with.  Because of that, God allowed her to sleep away on this side only to wake up with a whole new body that is without pain and judgment from folk on the other side.  There she will be able to walk and run and do all of things that she couldn’t do on this side, because when she wakes up with God, all her problems will be solved. I can never imagine how a mom or dad feels burying a child, but I know that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, so that’s good news.

I realize that no matter what life throws, things could be much worse.  I visited Baptist ICU, tonight, and watched my cousins deal with the pain of watching their mother on life support and not knowing if she will ever be the same again and then having to make tough decisions on how long she should remain on life support.  I can’t begin to understand what they feel because my mom was sitting in the waiting room.  Often times we take people for granted until we are standing over their caskets and then all the things we want to say or should have said are meaningless.  We take things for granted, like our hands & feet until we can no longer use them, our legs until we are in a wheelchair with no feeling, our eyes until we can no longer see, our minds until it is no longer useful or our love until there is no one to share it with.  We take small things for granted because we think it’ll always be there, like an appetite until you have food and no desire to eat or a bed with no rest or sleep no matter what you take or how many sheep you count.

It has been said many times that life is precious because the next minute isn’t promised but no matter how many times it is said, you are the only one that can make the best of your life.  Start by living for you.  When you allow yourself to be happy then nothing can take it from you.  Love yourself and those around you.  Things happen faster than a blink of an eye, don’t live with regret but live for the reward that God has waiting.

Daily Devotional – 9/30/11 “It’s Friday!”

 

There was a woman who would visit this pet store 2-3 times per week.  Each time she visited and got ready to leave, a parrot at the front of the store would always say, “Hey Lady!”  She would say, “Yes?” He’d reply, “You shoal is ugly” and then laugh.  After numerous times of this happening, she had finally had enough.  She went to the owner and said, “You know I visit your store a lot and I am one of your best customers.  But every time I come in that bird offends me.  Either you do something or I won’t be back!”  The owner went to this parrot and said, “She is one of my best customers and I cannot lose her business, from now on stop calling her ugly.”  The parrot nodded in agreement.  The next day the lady walks in the store, she goes to get the things she needs, pays for them and was just about to leave when the parrot said, “Hey Lady!”  The lady rolled her eyes and replied with an attitude, “What do you want now?” He said, “You know!”  

You do know that laughter is good for the soul and it is Friday!  You’ve been wound up all week long and just because its 9:30 in the morning doesn’t mean you can’t laugh.  Just because you’re a Christian, you are not sinning if you have a little fun.  Sometimes, when you’re going through a lot you have to just let go! Even for one hour or an entire weekend.   Ecclesiastes 9:7 states, “Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.”   Now this doesn’t mean run out and get so drunk that you forget where you are because Ephesians 5:18 states, “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,”

See, God made this life for you.  He didn’t say it would always be good but he did say to enjoy it while you have time.  If you don’t believe me, study the word for yourself.  Ecclesiastes 11:8, states, “However many years a man may live, let him enjoy them all. But let him remember the days of darkness, for they will be many. Everything to come is meaningless.”  So, on your good days enjoy life and even on the bad days, enjoy life.  You only have one to live.  Don’t live it with regrets because the next minute is not promised.  If there is something you want to do, do it! If there is a restaurant you want to try, try it! If there is a dress/suit you want, buy it! I know that you got paid today and you’re still in the hole but I can guarantee you the bills you have now, will still be there when you leave here. 

Stop letting life pass you by.  Stop allowing that job to kill you.  Use some of that vacation time you got saved because you’re be replaced at the job before the dust settles on your grave.  Enjoy the life that you’ve been blessed with, the day you’ve been blessed to see and the family & friends that are blessed to have you!  Your life has meaning and is worth living!

Daily Devotional – 9/29/11 “If my people..”

2 Chronicles 7:14 states, “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

In 2 Chronicles 7, this chapter talks about the dedication of the temple that had been built as a place of worship.  As Soloman prayed, God heard and appeared to him to let him know that he had chosen this place as a temple of sacrifices and because of that he would hear and see to every prayer that was offered there.  As I thought about this, I began to wonder why some churches are having it so hard.  Is it because we have forgotten about the real reason we gather there on Sunday morning, Sunday evening, Monday night and Wednesday night?  Have we forgotten that in Matthew 18:20 where it states, “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” Have we forgotten the real reason for our praise?

Let’s break this thang down..

God says, if my people who are called by my name – This isn’t just talking about preachers, pastors, evangelists and missionaries, for God calls all those who are willing to work for him.  (1 Corinthians 7:17, “But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. And so ordain I in all churches”) so this means he has called you. 

God says,  will humble themselves – Romans 12:3, states “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” You are no better than me, so humble yourself! You put your pants on one leg at a time, just like I do, so humble yourself! If you hit your toe on the end of the table, a not so Christian like word slips out too, so humble yourself! Stop thinking that you’re higher than everybody else because you might just raise yourself too high where even God can’t reach. 

God says, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways – Pray, by definition means to make a request in a humble manner or to address God or a god with adoration, confession, supplication, or thanksgiving.  When the world is against you, pray! When folk talk about you, pray! When all you see is clouds, pray! When kids aren’t acting right, pray! When momma & daddy is gone, pray! When so-called friends won’t answer when you need them, pray! But in the midst of your prayer and seeking God’s face, you have to turn from YOUR wicked ways.  This didn’t say help somebody to turn from theirs.  You know the ways you have, when you see somebody coming and you don’t want to be bothered so you go another way, your sister is calling & you think it’s to beg so you don’t answer, when you see somebody on the street you roll your window up so they won’t ask you for nothing, when somebody ask for a ride but you’re too busy (& going the same way), when you’re standing at the altar and your mind is thinking about the dress that Sis. So & so is wearing instead of praying, or when you gossip about church business to folk who aren’t even members.  In order for you to be right you have to first get right. Stop allowing yourself to be dragged into other folk’s ways.  You hear somebody gossiping about your coworker and instead of you walking on by, you join in.  Humph, just because you’re a Christian it doesn’t mean that God will bless your mess any more than a person in the world.

God says, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land – When you’ve done all I’ve asked you to do, when you go where I tell you to go, when you’ve helped with the last amount of change in your pocket, gone when you didn’t have gas, fed folk when you didn’t have enough food, clothed folk with the shirt off your back, prayed on the phone when you could barely stay woke, visited the sick when you’ve worked 14 hours, offered a hug when someone needed one, offered words of comfort to a grieving friend, offered your hand for someone who has fallen or just been there to listen when someone called – God says I’ll be there! God says when you do right I’ll heal that cancer in your body, approve that car loan you put in, and give you that job you wanted and you didn’t even apply for it.  God says I’ll be there to give you joy the world can’t give or take away, wipe your tears when they flow from your eyes, give you peace that will make you sleep like a baby, put a fire in your spirit that makes you want to run when nothing is chasing you and a praise on your lips when everything is going good. God says I’m here!

If my people would pray more instead of having pity! If my people would fast more instead of fighting! If my people would help more instead of hindering! If my people would use their hands to uplift instead of bringing down, use their feet to walk right instead of over people, eyes to see the good in folk instead of judging, ears to hear the sorrow in someone’s voice instead of the words they say, arms to hold up those that are leaning instead of closing the door in their face and mouth to speak life for their brother/sister instead of speaking death then will I hear from heaven and will forgive your sin and will heal your land.  Thank you God for your word!

 

 

Daily Devotional – 9/28/11 “What is your worth?”

When you walk into a store for a pair of jeans, shoes, a shirt, dress, suit or wig there is usually a price tag on it or listed somewhere close showing you the worth for that item.  Because someone has looked at that particular item and deemed it’s worth.  When you look in the mirror don’t you see your worth?  When you endure the storms of this life and come out stronger, don’t you see your worth?  When God died for your sins after being beaten all night long, don’t you know your worth?

Then why do you settle for the price of what folk of this world place on you?  Why do you allow yourself to be placed on the clearance rack when you should be shining in the window?  Why settle for half or no value at all?  You allow a man to walk all over you, come in and out of your house when he feels like it, left to sleep in your bed when you have to get up for work or even drops you off in your car for him to ride around all day.  You allow your women to treat you like dirt in front of her friends & family, you try to give her the world but it’s still not enough, she has never had to pump gas in her car and then she complains when you forget one time or she hasn’t ever changed a tire and then complains when you won’t run to her friend’s aid who has a man at home.  Why would you continue to degrade yourself?

Women walk around in clothes that are 2 sizes smaller and their butts hanging out and then get mad when a man calls you a gardening tool.  Men walk around with their pants sagging or hands on their private part and then wonder why they can’t find a decent woman.  You attract to you what you act like.  If you dress like a whore (sorry for my bluntness), you attract a pimp.  If you look like a slob, you attract filthy women.  Granddaddy always says, you lay down with dirty dogs you are bound to get up with fleas.  Don’t complain about being dirty if you’re lying in filth.  Don’t complain about your house smelling bad when it’s full of trash.  It just may be time to do some soul cleaning.

Women, value your worth! Men, value your worth! If you don’t appreciate the body that you have, who else will? If you don’t appreciate the prettiness of your face, who else will?  God has made you in his likeness and in his image. Stop trying to conform to this world because the world won’t conform for you.  Love yourself first and then someone else will be able too.