Daily Devotional – 4/2/18 “Help or hush!”

The thoughts of domestic violence sufferers has been so heavy on me lately. I’ve never been the victim of domestic violence so I don’t know what it feels like. I’ve never had to be afraid to speak my mind to my spouse or been made to feel scared in my own home. I’ve never had to hide scars and bruises, been fearful of my spouse acting out in public places or in front of family and friends. I’ve never been in the shoes of a victim. But this isn’t what has been heavy. What I’ve been toiling with is those, who like me, have never been a victim yet they speak so freely on those who have. “She’s stupid for staying.” “Why don’t they just leave?” “It couldn’t be me.” SHUT UP! If it were easy to leave, do you not think they would? Have you ever stopped to think that maybe they don’t need your opinions but they desire your prayers? Have you stopped, even for a second, to think just maybe they are victims of abuse because they witnessed it in their home? In other words, they are repeating the vicious cycle because it is all they’ve ever known. And when people say, “Hurt people, hurt people;” it’s true. Joe Jr. is only mimicking what he saw Joe Sr. do to his mom. Sue thought the hits she received was love because it’s what she saw daddy do to momma.

This is why, when a victim of abuse comes to you, they don’t need you rubbing in the fact they’ve gone back time and time again; they simply need to know you’ll be there until they finally leave for good. Pray for them, cover them and intercede for their strength. You don’t have to join in the physical fight but are you willing to join in the spiritual war? Bible says in Proverbs 22:10, “Drive out a scoffer, and strife will go out, and quarreling and abuse will cease.” And Psalm 11:5, “The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked, And the one who loves violence His soul hates.” You may not have noticed but domestic violence starts long before adult years. There are young ladies, in high school, being abused right now yet all the guidance counselor and principal see is her acting out. Yes, every fight is blown out of proportion because those are the ones she can handle but she can’t win against the star of the basketball team. According to loveisrespect.org, nearly 1.5 million high school students experience abuse in a single year while one in ten have been purposely been hit by a boyfriend or girlfriend. Are you praying or are you opinionated? Are you interceding or instigating?

Dear God, I pray today for every victim of abuse. I ask God for you to surround them with some spiritual warriors who are willing to pray until a shift happens in their life. Send someone who may not even know their name but can sense their pain. Give a voice to somebody who is willing to intercede on their behalf, praying until the one who so easily gives abuse can be run out of their dwelling. And God, shut up the naysayers and the judgmental for we need those who can and will help, not hinder. In your name, amen.

Daily Devotional – 3/30/18 “Public death, quick burial!”

After the Jewish leaders accused Jesus, tried Him in front of a court of unpopular opinions, beat Him, mocked Him, spit on Him, put a crown of thorns on His head, made Him carry a cross to Golgotha Hill, nailed Him to that same cross, laughed at Him and shot dice for His clothes; they had the audacity to not want Him to hang there because the following day was Sabbath. So you mean to tell me, they had no care for the Savior yet they didn’t want to contaminate the Sabbath by reminding them of the crucifixion? They’d done all these things to Jesus, while He was still saving folk (the criminal next to Him) and thinking about others (us and we weren’t even there) yet He couldn’t stay where they’d hung Him. A Man who came, willingly, to drink our cup of suffering couldn’t hang on the Sabbath. And in order to speed up the process of Him dying, they ordered for His legs to be broken and His body immediately removed. Oh but when they realized He was already dead, they still pierced His side. Unknowingly to them, they were simply fulfilling scripture.

However beloved, don’t think, for one moment, there aren’t those who are plotting your public death but quick burial. See, they want you to hurry up and die because they cannot have the death of your dreams overshadowing their day. They need you to hurry up and take your last breath so they can swoop in, clean up the mess and go on to their celebration. Because if folk see the RIP on your business, you vision, your destiny and your purpose; they may actually cry for you and not celebrate them. Don’t worry about them though, you’ll rise again because they have no power over you. When Pilate told Jesus, he had the power to release Him or let Him go, Jesus replied in John 19:11, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.” In other words, when you walk in the authority of God, nobody can do to you what God doesn’t allow. All you have to do is be willing to be used. Because they that publicly ridiculed and accused you are the ones guilty who will have to pay for the crime and while you’ll be soon set free.

Daily Devotional – 3/29/18 “It has to finish!”

Words have the power to change everything. You don’t have to believe me. Ask somebody who’s had to stand before a judge waiting on a sentence of guilty or not guilty. Ask the man who has had to wait on the answer to his proposal. Ask the person who had to hear cancer or remission. Ask somebody who has heard the words, time of death. Ask the person who was at the edge of their cliff but heard, you’re hired. Words can change everything. And when Jesus spoke the words, “It is finished,” His words changed the course of our lives and we weren’t even thought of yet. Jesus’ war cry, “It is finished,” signified an end to His sacrificial purpose on the cross. It was His cry that symbolized the ending to Him taking on the guilt our committed sin deserved. It is finished. Words Jesus spoke to let those who tried know, they didn’t win. It is finished. Words for those who once doubted to now see, you didn’t do anything but what My Father allowed. It is finished. In other words, the work of my flesh is done. It is finished. Call answered, obedience obeyed, prophesies pleased, ransom resolved and debt cancelled. It is finished. Sting taken from death. It is finished. God’s justice justified. It is finished.

Beloved, I don’t know what you are facing. I don’t know what you’ve had to endure. I don’t know the voices you hear, in the stillness of the night. I don’t know the suffering that’s threatening to close your mouth. But you’ve got to go through because in the end, when it’s all said and done; It has to finish. And regardless if it is manifested in the natural or in that great getting up morning; know that it has to finish and you will win. Your war cry will not be in vain. It has to finish.