Daily Devotional – 5/14/18 “Stain remover!”

So this morning I pull up and park, at work. Right before I get out I notice a stain on my dress. Are you kidding me? Now, I laid this dress out (threw it in the dryer for good measure, you know wrinkles and all), put it on, looked at myself in the mirror and ain’t seen nothing! Do you hear me? Not one thing and yes, it is noticeable because my dress is white with orange, purple … you get the gist. I sat there for a minute contemplating going all the way home to change or either waiting until my favorite store (Rainbow) opens at 10. Then I said screw it, got out and walked into the job. Don’t get me wrong, the stained worried me because what if someone sees it and thinks something. But then, I thought about it. Chile, forget this stain because I know this dress is clean and there are way more pressing things that could be wrong. However, as I was walking to the cafeteria, I said to myself, “Self, what if folk actually saw the stains within us.” The stains of our self-doubt, lying, cheating, backbiting, sabotage, slander, promiscuity, sorrow and etc. What if folk only knew about those stains because baby, a lot of us would be looked at differently if they knew what our flesh covered? This is why my attitude changed to appreciation of God for being my stain remover.

Anybody else thankful that God is better than Gain, Arm & Hammer and Tide when it comes to removing stains? Anybody else grateful that God is more powerful than Oxi Clean and will wipe out our sins and speak of them no more? Anybody else, other than me, glad to serve a God whose power is more potent than the magic eraser and shout? And get this. God doesn’t remove our sins and transgressions because we deserve it but He does for His sake. Beloved, it’s not because of us that He finds us worthy of being purified, over and over but it’s His reputation on the line. This is why God says, even with your shortcomings, I’ll still stamp out your sins. God says, even with your weaknesses, I still find you’re worthy. God says, even with your flaws, I’ll still favor you. For it is His word which says in Isaiah 43:25, “I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake, And I will not remember your sins.” And you got the nerve to worry about folk talking about you. Chile, let them talk while you serve a merciful God who is willing to eradicate our sins, even when we don’t serve Him as faithfully as we should. Thank you God for being what I didn’t even know I deserved.

Daily Devotional – 5/11/18 “Two is better than one!”

I don’t care how independent you think you are, you cannot walk this journey of life alone and survive. Before you ‘happily single’ folk come for me, let me explain. The bible says in Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.” Please understand something, I am not talking about having a husband or wife but I am speaking of life in general. Beloved look, with so many things going on, you need somebody you can lean and depend on. Yea, I know you can lean and depend on God but I am speaking physically because no matter how heavy you are spiritually, you need somebody when your flesh fails. With suicides on the rise, murders plaguing our land, relationships not surviving, depression, hurt and pain; you need somebody you can depend on. With strongholds and generational curses destroying families, demonic spirits smothering the sanctity of worship places and mental illness shutting the mouths of strong Godly people; you need somebody.

No longer can you act like you got it together when the enemy has set up in your house and he’s destroying your life. No longer can you keep quiet about your woes because if it hadn’t been for your children, some of you would have already taken your life. Baby, there are some folk who get up every morning, dressed up and messed up. There are some folk in boardrooms, right now, functional addicts. There are some teachers who are secretly fighting the foreclosure of their home. There are some pastors who are contemplating bankruptcy but they preach real well. There are some mothers who want to give up and some fathers who want to give in. There are some sisters sleeping around just to feed their children and some brothers who can’t even afford a haircut, after working 60 hours last week. Ma’am/sir, you need somebody even if it’s just to talk. You need somebody, if it’s only to get a hot meal, this week. You need somebody, if only it is to hold the phone while you cry. You need somebody who will come and get you when your car stops on the expressway at midnight. You need somebody who will tell you when you’re right and wrong. You need somebody who will support you. You need somebody to pray you off the ledge. You need somebody. Why? Because two is better than one. Don’t allow your strong will to be the reason you suffer alone.

Daily Devotional – 5/10/18 “Expiration date!”

Stop forcing something to work that is beyond its expiration date. Do you use spoil milk in your macaroni and cheese? Do you use old oil to keep your motor running? Do you cook old meat for your family? Do those old batteries still operate the remote? Can you stay in an apartment whose lease has expired? How about driving with expired tags or license? Can you? Then why are you trying to force something to work that has expired? If your church home isn’t feeding your spiritual need, it may be expired. If you put more money in that raggedy car than you do your house, it may be expired. If you consistently find ways to sabotage your relationship or have to search through other folk’s phone; your trust in them has expired. And I know this may be hard to hear but you can’t force something that no longer has the potential to be or do what you need.

It’s like this old cord I used to have for my phone. Most of the protective coating had worn off, there were wires hanging out the end and sometimes I’d have to play around just to get it to charge but I still trusted in that cord. Until one day when I really needed it. Phone was dead and all I had was this raggedy cord that was past its expiration date. Yea, it worked the times before but when I needed it the most, it could not help me. And although I wanted to blame the cord, I couldn’t because I knew it was past its expiration but I still tried forcing it. Why? Because it “used” to do what I needed. Yea, I saw the signs but it used to work. Yea, I knew it but it used to work. Beloved, stop forcing what you know needs to be discarded. If it/they cannot be what you need in your time of need, it/they may just be past its expiration date too. Stop trying to make things work or stuff taste better when it’s past its expiration date. Yea it used to work but it doesn’t anymore. Face the reality, shed a few tears, throw it out and then you’ll have the possibility of replacing it.

Daily Devotional – 5/9/18 “Praising God for it!”

Somebody is about to have a “Nobody but God,” testimony. I don’t know who you are, what you are about to receive, neither has it been released the miracle that is about to hit your life but I am praising God for it. Yes, before it even shows up, I am praising God for it. For what? For the healing about to take place. For the womb about to open. For the promotion about to be announced. For the house you are about to close on. For the debt you are about to pay off. For the marriage you are about to enter into. For the place of worship you are about to pastor. For the ministry assignment you are about to embark on. For the book you are about to release. For the increase in your pay. For the back pay you are about to receive for those months of doing the job. For the royalties you haven’t received but were due. For the organ transplant you are about to receive. For the tuition about to be paid. For the car you are about to get off the showroom floor. For your mind that is about to be restored. For the depression and sunken place you are about to be snatched from. For the pit that will no longer be able to hold you. For the big screen that will display your name. For the invitations that are about to bombard your calendar. For your heart that will be made new. For the sacrifice about to pay off. Simply for the manifestation of God’s miracle that is about to enlarge your territory.

Beloved, get ready. Whomever you are, get ready because I am praising on your behalf before it even shows up. Get ready ma’am. Get ready sir. Favor has just been released on your behalf. And this is why I am praising God, on your behalf, before it even comes. It’s a part of my faith and I just believe, when God sees my faith for you, even those of you I don’t personally know, He’ll declare “Your sins are forgiven,” and then He’ll bless. I just believe, when God sees my faith, on your behalf, He’ll speak into existence that which you’ve been praying for. This isn’t about me but it is for those of you who have been paralyzed with fear, for far too long. It’s for those of who you can’t get to Jesus on your own. So, here I am like the friends in Mark and Matthew, cutting a hole in the roof to get you to Jesus; by any means necessary because I need you to survive. I need you to get up and walk. I need you to be blessed. I need you to tap into destiny. I need you to walk in your purpose. I need you to get up, beloved. This is why I am praising for you. I have no choice because you’ve got to live!

Daily Devotional – 5/8/18 “Trust God’s word and way!”

You are being hated on, disliked, unsupported, talked about and lied on; not because of who you are but for what folk see in you that you might not even see in yourself. Beloved look, for the sake of your sanity, I will not sugarcoat this thang but you need to know this. There are some people who will not like you, they will not support what you have to offer (even if it’s free) and neither will they congratulate you. And sure, I can tell you not to feel bad about it but the truth of the matter is, it hurts. You’re saying, “But they don’t know I’m still pinching off the little just to make it,” “But they don’t know the many nights I’ve had pace and pray,” “But they don’t know the days of not having enough for lunch and dinner,” “But they don’t know the times I didn’t think my marriage would make it,” “But they don’t know the many mornings I’ve had to cry in my car or the bathroom at work,” or “But they don’t know the thoughts that will not allow me to sleep.” They don’t know yet they assume. They assume you got it together because you look like it. They assume you got what they need because of the house you live in. They assume you can let them borrow because of the car you drive. Can I be even more real? They assume you’re good because you’re in a ministry position. They assume you don’t have any problems because all your selfies show a smile. They assume you are alright because you’re always upbeat.

They assume because they see the anointing but not the nights you’ve been angry at God. They assume because they see God, all over you, but not the times you’ve asked God to take back His oil. They assume because they see God is preparing you for something but they don’t know the times you’ve wanted to give up. They don’t know you had a meltdown yesterday because you got yourself together and you trust God. They don’t know you have $8 in the bank and four days to payday because you only let them see your trust in God. They don’t know you didn’t sleep well last night due to your worry of the household bills because you only allow them to see your devotion and not the early stages of depression. And I wish I had the right words, scripture or prayer for you. I wish I had the address of a church who could get you what you needed. I wish I knew the antidote to what ails you, the potion to end your pain, the cure to your confusion, the remedy to your rejection, the therapy to stop your toiling or the solution to your suffering. I don’t but I will tell you to, trust God. Simply, trust God’s word and God’s plan. Read Luke 21:10-19 but in verse 14-15 God says, “So make up your mind not to worry beforehand how to defend yourselves. For I will give you speech and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.”