Daily Devotional – 9/13/11 “Christians are human too!”

Chile, I ain’t worried about your blessings because I’ve got my own! There is no need of me being jealous because I’m reaping the benefits of what I’ve sown.

I don’t have to be petty & battle in life’s fight, because God said he has my back & I’m walking in his sight!

Just don’t hate on me when I won’t join your party of pity, cause if you’re walking without God that’s just plain ole silly!

So I’ll be the names you call me and the things you say I do, because as long as I got God on my side he WILL see me through.

Please, don’t get me wrong I’m still human so my feelings sometimes get hurt. Especially when it’s so-called friends that’s dragging my name through the dirt.

But I shake it off and I HAVE to pray, because if I don’t I may just revert back to my old days.

Don’t think Christians don’t make mistakes and sometimes do wrong. Because it’s not always Sunday morning and we don’t always sing the same song.

Christians still put on pants the same as sinners do, so don’t be surprised when something unchristian like pass through my mouth, as it sometimes do.

Don’t hold me at a higher standard like I won’t sometimes fall or make a bad choice. But pray for me instead of bringing me down, every time I hear your voice.

Don’t act like you don’t drink, when it’s not water in my cup. But reach down to grab me when I fall, to pull me back up.

Don’t be quick to count me out when you see me wavering in this fight because as long as I repent & try to change, God will keep me in his sight.

I am not perfect by any means and neither are you. So don’t act like you are, when I am going through.

Let’s face the world together, tackle the obstacles in our way! Let’s be each other’s leaning post for when we have a bad day.

This place is hard enough without asking for trouble or strife, so why continue to let it consume your own life?

So, I’ll pray for you; my sister, my brother, my enemy, my friend! I’ll be praying for you until the very end.

That’s what God has commanded of me, so I will obey. I’ll be your leaning post, your prayer partner, and your friend until my dying day!

Deuteronomy 28: 1 – “If you fully obey the LORD your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. 2 All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the LORD your God“

Daily Devotional – 9/12/11 “Blue Monday”

It’s Monday! A new week and the same routine. There is new responsibilities, new issues, new problems and same bills! Same money in the bank that was there the last time you looked and the same food in the refrigerator. Same kids with the same set of problems! I could write and tell you that in Ecclesiastes 3:1, it says “to everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.”  That no matter what you’re facing, it won’t last, but don’t you know that?  I could tell you that “weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning,” Psalm 30:5, but isn’t this already known?  I could tell you that this is just a storm and like all storms, they eventually end. That there is no situation too big for God, no mountain or stumbling block that he won’t give you strength to climb over.  But, if you’re a Christian or you’ve had/have a praying grandmother, like me, then you know all of this.

There will be circumstances that you face that seem like they are too big for you to handle.  There will always be more bills than money, some dark clouds looming overhead, sleepless nights, tears to be shed, going left when you should go right, being talked about & lied on, being overlooked for a job that should have been yours, being misused by so-called friends, hated on by family who is supposed to love you & sickness in your body.  These are just some of the things that have been promised.  The bible says, “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble,” (Job 14:1)

But we have been equipped with all that we need to handle trouble on this side.   God said he’d be our refuge in the time of trouble  (Psalm 9:9).  He said when we walk in darkness; he’d be our light & our salvation (Psalm 27:1).  He said when mom & dad forsake you; he’d pick you up (Psalm 27:10).  When you feel like your enemies outweigh your friends, he said “I’ll make your enemies your footstool” Acts 2:35.   He said when facing trouble, “For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.” (Psalm 27:5)

Take joy in knowing that no matter what you face on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday; God is able to bring you through it.  These may just be mere words to read, but if you ask God in FAITH, he’ll show you the sun even when its raining.  He’ll show you the good even when you think it’s all bad.  He’ll send you food when you’re hungry.  He’ll send a blessing your way at the very moment you need it.  Stop being too proud to ask for help even if you simply need prayer.  Prayer can bring you out & remove a lot of things faster than friends. 

Talk to God today because he’d love to hear from you. 

Daily Devotional – 9/11/11 “Isn’t this God’s house”

1 Corinthians 11:17-33 was written by Paul about the conduct of Christians Worshipping. Verse 17-18 says that when we come into God’s house it’s mostly for the mess not the message. That when we enter into God’s house, we come in divided. Choir members fighting, deacons not getting along & ushers not serving and then we wonder why we leave like we came.

Don’t you know the church is in you? You are suppose to come into God’s house with a praise already in your heart and on your lips but instead you got both filled with gossip. You are so busy talking about what folk got on, who went where last night and whose sleeping with who that you don’t even realize when God is talking to you. You’re so busy texting during service that if God sat right next to you, you wouldn’t notice. You’re so busy looking at folk, talking & playing at the Altar that your prayers aren’t getting through and then you say God ain’t hearing me! Chile, God ain’t got time to deal with your mess every Sunday. He’d rather have 2 genuine worshipers than 56 unworthy ones. At some point & time you’ve got to be accountable for you. You’ve got to get yourself up for Worship service, pay your own tithes, pray for yourself! Stop gossiping and start glorifying God. Stop complaining! If every time a non Christian come to you & you’re complaining what good are they seeing in coming to God? Most times the only God they get is what you’re giving them but if you’re too busy texting during worship service how can you relay the message to others? God ain’t texting and whoever it is can surely wait until after church.

John 6:53-54 .. Jesus said unto them “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Choose the side you’re standing on. You can’t have one foot in the world and one on God because he doesn’t deal in halves only whole!

Daily Devotional – 9/10/11 “Thankful”

1 Corinthians 11:17-33 was written by Paul about the conduct of Christians Worshipping. Verse 17-18 says that when we come into God’s house it’s mostly for the mess not the message. That is when we enter into God’s house, we come in divided. Choir members fighting, deacons not getting along & ushers not serving and then we wonder why we leave like we came.

Don’t you know the church is in you? You are supposed to come into God’s house with praise already in your heart and on your lips but instead you got both filled with gossip. You are so busy talking about what folk got on, who went where last night and whose sleeping with whom that you don’t even realize when God is talking to you. You’re so busy texting during service that if God sat right next to you, you wouldn’t notice. You’re so busy looking at folk, talking & playing at the Altar that your prayers aren’t getting through and then you say God ain’t hearing me! Chile, God ain’t got time to deal with your mess every Sunday. He’d rather have 2 genuine worshipers than 56 unworthy ones. At some point & time you’ve got to be accountable for you. You’ve got to get yourself up for Worship service, pay your own tithes, and pray for yourself! Stop gossiping and start glorifying God. Stop complaining! If every time a non-Christian come to you & you’re complaining what good are they seeing in coming to God? Most times the only God they get is what you’re giving them but if you’re too busy texting during worship service how can you relay the message to others? God ain’t texting and whoever it is can surely wait until after church.

John 6:53-54… Jesus said unto them “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood; you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”

Choose the side you’re standing on. You can’t have one foot in the world and one on God because he doesn’t deal in halves only whole!

Daily Devotional – 9/9/11 “A woman’s worth”

Just because no one says you’re pretty does that mean you’re not? Just because no one says you look nice does it mean you don’t? Just because no one says you’re talented does it mean you’re not? Stop waiting on FOLK to assess your value. Don’t you look in the mirror for yourself? Don’t you trust in the gifts God has given? If no one ever says/show they love you, God does! Isn’t that enough? Value yourself!

In the bible, Proverbs 31: 10-31 speaks about the value, worth & characteristics of a wife; but not just a wife but a woman.  Verse 10 states; Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies (some interpretations say diamonds).  However, this is simply saying your worth is priceless.  Why do you give it away so cheap or sometimes for free?  Don’t you value yourself? 

You, yes you, find a man (because you can’t wait for God to send him) that treats you any kind of way.  He treats his friends better than the one that he has married, he doesn’t answer when you call and can’t be depended on if you needed him.  Yet verse 11 says, “The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil.” This means he trust her with his whole heart, he will never spitefully do her wrong, and because of this she will do good by him all her life.  Isn’t this the way things should be between a husband/wife; boyfriend/girlfriend?

A real woman, one who values her worth, puts God first, takes care of her husband, children and house.  She is quick to stand by her man even if the decision he made falls through, she is there being his only support.  She stays up late washing & ironing, preparing lunches, getting the kids backpacks together, thinking about breakfast for the next morning, what bills have to be paid on Friday, how much money she will have left for groceries and the deadline she has at work.   For Proverbs 14:1 states; “The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.”

Build up what is yours!  Stop allowing mess to rule your house! Stop gossiping, lying, backbiting, judging & criticizing others.   You wonder why your marriage is shaky it’s because of the “friends” you’ve shared all your secrets with.  You’re so busy telling them everything that you don’t even realize they are praying for what you’ve got.  By the time you realize it, it’s too late.  Be slow to talk but quick to listen, (James 1:19), cause the signs are there.  Can’t anybody tell you how to run your house but YOU! Even those that have been through something similar to your situation, they haven’t been through yours.  You are worthy of all God has promised, but first you have to believe in you.  Start with you and the rest will follow. 

Prayer for today: Heavenly Father, I thank you today for all that you’ve done.  I know that you have made me in your image, so I am asking you now to forgive me for not valuing my self-worth.  God I know that you’ve equipped me with the things that I need to endure the hardships of this world and today I choose ME!  God bless my home, keep my mind, & search my heart & if there is anything there that should not be, please take it away.  I am worthy God because you made me.  I will put my trust in you.  God, guide my footsteps so that I may walk in your way.  Guide my tongue so that I may talk like you.  Guide my heart so that I may love like you.  I am worthy God! Amen