Daily Devotional – 9/20/11 “I’m Not Worthy, But You Still!”

I woke up this morning with my mind, but I didn’t say thank you Jesus.  You didn’t have to bless me but you did and yet I still didn’t say thank you! You didn’t have to raise me but you did and I still didn’t say thank you!

Lord, you don’t have to love me but you do! You don’t have to keep me, but you do. In spite of my wrongdoings, you are here.  In spite of my lying tongue, you’re still here.  In spite of my mean ways, you’re still here. When I’m too selfish to give thanks, you still put breath in my body.  When I’m too lazy to give you praise on Sunday morning, you still give me strength in my body.  When folk do me wrong, you give me peace.  When they speak death over me, you give me life.  When I don’t feel worthy, you bless me still. When am I bound by the troubles of this world, you release the shackles.  When my tears won’t stop falling, you give me joy.  When my body aches with pain & sickness, you send healing! When my flesh is weak, you make me strong. When temptation comes, you give me courage to resist it!

When I’m broke, you’re still Jesus! When I’m down, you’re still Jesus! When I’m alone, you’re still Jesus.  When I’m up, you’re Jesus! When I don’t take the time to pray, you’re still here.  When I’m too busy to hear your voice, you are still here.  When I’m judged by the world, you remove the burdens from my shoulders.  When I can’t see my way, you’ll place a light on my path.  When I feel like I can’t go on, you carry me! Lord, you don’t ever leave me.

JESUS! JESUS! Power in the name! Jesus, healing in the name! Jesus, deliverance in the name! Jesus, I’m not worthy of your grace but you still! I’m not worthy of your mercy but you still! I’m not worthy of your healing, but you still! I’m not worthy of your blessings, but you still!  Jesus! Thank you for washing me in your blood! Thank you for making me new! Thank you for bringing me through my storm! Thank you for loving me! Thank you for covering me! Thank you for wiping my tears, for giving me sleep on my restless nights, for giving me food when I’m hungry! Lord, I know I’m not worthy but you still!

Heavenly Father, I thank you today. God, someone is reading this and their heart is troubled. I don’t know why, but I know that you do. God, I ask that you touch them right now. Send deliverance into their life. God someone is looking for confirmation to a decision or situation. Send deliverance now! Someone is dealing with some things that seem hopeless, but Oh God I know that you are able to send calm in the midst of a storm. Someone got bad news from a doctor but you can send healing before any medicine is given. Someone got fired or laid off from their job, but I know that you, God, is a provider. Someone is dealing with the death of a love one, send rest to their weary mind today. God, do it right now. I know that I am just a vessel sharing your word but I ask that you touch my head, heart, mind, body & soul, so that I may continue to be a vessel for you. God anoint me with your blood, have your way in my life.  Whatever path you set before me, I am ready! God bless the person reading this so that they may share your word with others. 

In your name I pray, Amen! 

Daily Devotional – 9/19/11 “The past is the past”

Life is designed for us to encounter trouble and with trouble comes mistakes & bad choices. The bibles states in Job 14: 1, “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.” But your life doesn’t have to be consumed by the mistakes and troubles of your past, so why do you keep looking back on them? If you constantly look back, how can you see to move forward?  If you constantly compare your new husband/wife to the old one how can you see the good in him/her? If you constantly compare your new job to the old one you use to have, how will you enjoy it?  If you constantly talk about things that happened in your childhood, how can you expect to enjoy your adulthood? 2 Corinthians 5:17 states, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Rejoice in the fact that you are still alive and that you have a life that is worth living.  If you feel like it’s not worth living, then you aren’t doing something right. God’s mercies are new every morning.  Lamentations 3:22-23 states, “It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” If, every morning, you have been given breath in your body to get up with new mercies, new blessings and a new start; why would you use that being bitter and mean?  If God has chosen you to wake up with your mind right, an appetite & strength, why would you use it for bad? The saying, let go so you can grow, is true.  If you are constantly holding on to rope that is tied to something, it will eventually stop you from moving.  This is the same hold the past has on you because you choose to let it.  You still mad at momma because of something she did when you were a teenager.  Now, momma is dead & gone and you still can’t get over it.  It is not hurting momma anymore, but it’s consuming you.  Let it go!  You still mad at your last boyfriend/girlfriend because he or she cheated on you and now every guy/girl you meet has to hear about or deal with your insecurities.  But the ex-boyfriend/girlfriend has moved on, gotten married and is enjoying life.  It’s consuming you, let it go!  You’re bitter because the job promoted somebody to a position you thought was yours, now all you do is complain the entire time you there.  But the person who got the job has moved on to 2 other positions since then and you still wondering why they keep overlooking you.  Let it go!

Sometimes you have to give up stuff in order to be happy.  You have to give up that gossiping friend in order to get real friends.  You have to let go of the trifling boyfriend/girlfriend in order to get the husband/wife God has for you. You have to let go of that one child that keeps making the same mistakes in order to see the good in the other children.  You have to let go of anything that is holding you down. You can’t float to the top if you got a weight around your ankle.  If there are 2 boats and you’re sitting in the one that has a hole in it, there is no possible way for you to get into the other one until you let go & get out of the old one.  But if you continue to sit in the boat that will eventually fill with water, you drown! Let go!

You have to decide to be happy. Stop wasting the time that you have on being bitter to the world.  You are losing precious time that you can’t get back.  Get out and enjoy life before you no longer have it to live!

Daily Devotional – 9/18/11 “Convenient Praise”

It’s Sunday morning, do you know where your praise is? Is it showing or shall i put up a missing poster? For some it hasn’t been seen since you joined church & got baptized and for others, since trouble last showed up.

Doesn’t God deserve more than that? Doesn’t he show up when times are good and when they are bad for you? Didn’t he allow you to make it home safely after your night of partying? Didn’t he keep your lights on when you couldn’t pay your bill? Didn’t he comfort you when friends left, when husband/wife stopped loving, or when folk scandalized your name?

Then why is it that we choose when he gets praise? You’re at church showing out when your boyfriend leaves but quieter than a church mouse when you got money in the bank. You’re out shouting the mother on the mother board when you don’t have food but texting during service when it’s the first of the month. You’re the first one at the altar when you need a job & then rob God of his tithes when you’re blessed with one. You’re sitting at the front of the church when life is treating you bad, but couldn’t see you in the dark with a flashlight when so-call friends show up.

Please know, God is aware. He doesn’t keep score like man does but he knows. He knows when you’re praise is genuine and when it’s not. God said come into my house with praise on your lips and thanksgiving in your heart. The church is not the building you worship in, but it’s you. Most times the closest the sinner man gets to God is you! If you’re a mess then what reason would they have to seek God?

See, God allows the fire(trouble) to come into our life but it won’t consume you, it won’t even burn. When you put your hand in the world’s fire you come out with first, second or third degree burns & smelling like smoke.
Oh, But when you come out of God’s fire, you come out shining like gold and smelling like roses. God’s fire may feel hot to your body but it won’t burn. It might be filled with smoke but it won’t consume you! He knows what you can bear!

Because of this you need to give God the praise, thanks and worship that he deserves. I dare you to do it today cause tomorrow may be to late. Praise him while your mouth, hands & feet work because there maybe a time when they won’t. Praise him now, while YOU can.

Where is your praise? Where is YOUR praise??

Daily Devotional – 9/17/11 “Dear J.O.H.N. Letter”

Dear John, (Jealousy. Obstacles. Hurt. Negativity)

If you’re reading this letter its because I’ve had enough and this is goodbye. To you our time together has been great but to me, not so much. You only come around to destroy and make me unhappy and I can no longer take it. See, I’ve found this Man who has promised me Joy if I trust him. He said he would be my umbrella when you show up with your rain, thunder and lightning. He said he would give me strength on the days you’re in my way. Those days when you mean things for my bad.

This Man has always been there for me to find but I couldn’t see his grace because I was worried about you and your jealousy. I couldn’t see his mercy because of what folk were saying. I was so busy worried about you & folks of this world that I almost missed out on the praise that was hidden in my heart. I was so use to your negativity that I haven’t even used the gifts that I have.

But, I must thank you. I thank you for the times you have showed up because you’ve made me strong enough to handle you. When folk talk about me, this Man gives me prayer to handle it. When your storm starts he has given me faith to praise my way through it. When you place obstacles he has given me strength to climb them. When you speak negativity he has given me a spirit of discernment to know the difference.

So, I can’t say I’ve enjoyed the time together but I appreciate what you’ve taken me through because I’m stronger now. I know now that I’m worthy of being blessed. I know now that trouble don’t last always. I know now that I can do all things through Christ because he strengthens me.

Who is this Man of whom I speak? Who is this Man who gives me joy the world can’t take? Who is this Man that blesses me even when I don’t deserve? Who is this Man who has taken your place? His name is Jesus and it’s the sweetest name I know. He gives me this feeling deep down in my soul that makes me want to run when no one is chasing me. He makes me want to dance when there is no music. He makes me want to shout in the midst of a crowd. This Man has a hold on me that I don’t want to let go of.

He told me to pack your bags. I’ve placed them on the curb by the street. Don’t worry about the keys because the locks have been changed and you’re no longer welcome. You don’t have to go home but you have to get Hell out of here because there’s no room for either of you! If you happen to stop by and see the house rocking, it’s a praise party that you’re cordially invited too. I’m not worried about you causing a scene because he’ll be there to cut you off. So come on by, because when you knock he’ll answer!

Signed yours truly,
God’s child!

Daily Devotional – 9/16/11 “Let me be Spiritual!”

There is a new song by Donald Lawrence called Spiritual.  The chorus says,

“You’re not a natural being
Having a spiritual experience
But you’re a spiritual being
Living this natural experience”

I listened to it on my drive to work this morning and the Lord placed these words in my heart for you. 

He said you’re not a natural being but you’re a spiritual being.  Because if you were a natural being, man of this world could hurt you.  But being a spiritual being, the joy that you have the world didn’t give it nor can the world take it away. 

If you were a natural being, when man speak harsh words in your life, tears fall.  But being a spiritual being, the words roll off like water does on oil.  If you were a natural being, man can cause you heartache. But being a spiritual being, God has your heart and the only way to it is through him, so there is no hurt!  If you were a natural being, when folk walk off you feel like you don’t have anyone.  But being a spiritual being, when folk walk off it’s just God’s way of removing your enemies.  Being a natural being when man says sickness you feel like you have no hope. But being a spiritual being, when sickness comes, you claim healing before it even comes! 

Natural being = Test                 Spiritual being = Testimony

Natural being = Pity                  Spiritual being = Praise

Natural being = Mess                Spiritual being = Mercy

Natural being = Hope                 Spiritual being = Faith

God, I pray today that you allow me to be spiritual! When I have the world on my shoulders, God let me be spiritual.  When folk talk about me, let me be spiritual.  When I can’t see my way, God let me be spiritual.  When I feel like I can’t go on, God let me be spiritual.  When I keep getting pushed down & back, God let me be spiritual.  When the downs outweigh the ups, God let me be spiritual.  When bills outnumber money, God let me be spiritual.  

For the word of God says in John 4:24, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”  and 1 Corinthians 3:16, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?’ and Deuteronomy 5:32–33 “Therefore you shall be careful to do as the Lord your God has commanded you; you shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. 33 You shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess.

God, I want to be; let me be spiritual!