We All Need Each Other

       You never know what people are going through so you have to be careful with how you treat them. As children of God, we should NEVER intentionally hurt another person no matter what.

       Real ministry is learning to: love the unlovable, be kind to those who pay you with unkindness, and make yourself available to hear the hearts of those who seek help. When you push people away, you could very well be pushing away the "Joseph" who is to help you later in life during your dry season. In the Word of God, Joseph was despised and cast away by his own brothers. Later on, Joseph was the one who helped to provide for the land when a drought came, and guess who had to come to Joseph? That's right: his brothers. They did not recognize him at first because of the dramatic change God made in Joseph's life, but after a short while they began to see who he really was to them.

Be careful to not run God's children off. We ALL need each other.

Your Purpose In Life

       It is amazingly odd how this world system runs off of the idea that working to gain money 24/7, increase popularity, and own a fancy car amounts to the ultimate "purpose" in life. The saying that "the world will work you to death and keep it pushing to the next person" is very correct. At some point in life, we have to seriously pause and think about what and who is truly important to our daily lives, including what God has designed us to operate in.

       God's Son, Jesus, was sent to earth to teach and show us of a greater purpose in life. We should not be in a constant rat-race to the finish line on a daily basis with nothing to show forth. This wears a person down on all levels (i.e. physically, mentally, spiritually). Let's get down to business. Your purpose in life is the spiritual gift that God gives to you which brings glory to Him, and it is done with grace given by His Spirit. For example, I am a singer and have been anointed by God to do so. I am grateful for this gift and am very careful to use it for any other thing besides bringing Him glory. He uses me in a way like I could never imagine to help deliver people who are spiritually bound, including the ability to further encourage those who are on the right path in life. This is just one of the few gifts He has graced me with and I strive to walk daily in what He has called me to do.

       Your purpose in life can be revealed through prayer before the Lord. Ask God to show you what you're supposed to be operating in on this earth. When He shows you, (and He will when you faithfully ask and believe), step into action. In 1 Corintians 12, the Apostle Paul explains to the body of Christ that we all have a special gift from God to use for the benefit of all people. (Understand that God has freely given out these gifts, so it's very possible that you may be equipped with more than one, and that's perfectly fine). Not everyone can be a preacher, the president of a country, or an engineer. Similarily, not all are gifted with the ability to manage employees, skillfully minister on a musical instrument, or teach. What I want you to grasp is that even though you can learn to do all types of things in life, you have to seek God for what you have been ANOINTED to operate in. Your purpose is backed up by the anointing of God, and it will be fruitful...lacking nothing.

Victory Over Your Enemies

       Think about the amount of fear that the enemy causes to take place in people's lives daily. What about the unrelenting harassment that is placed upon those who have done absolutely nothing to deserve it? People have to deal with all types of hatred and dishonesty against their good name. One thing that I have personally seen in the lives of others is that God will allow them to go through the storm so that they can come out stronger and wiser than what the enemy would have ever expected. [Just so that we are clear in these posts about who the "real enemy" is, let me briefly explain. The real enemy is satan. Anyone who will allow satan to operate through them is allowing him to use them as a coverup for who he really is and his true plan].

       Satan wants nothing more than for your life to be in total disorder. If he can succeed in this, your focus will always be on "how hard life is" while he's steadily writing the order and delivery date for your spiritual and physical casket. Let me be real with you all: satan is not your friend, nor a partner who wants you to achieve in life. As I stated earlier, he'll use whatever or whomever he can get his hands on to destroy people.

       OK, I believe you were waiting for that silver lining in the clouds. Yes, there is ALWAYS a way to get through hardships in life while still being in one piece at the end. Take your prayers to God about your enemies. This is not the time to speak harshly to those who have allowed satan to use them. Try doing this: love your enemies. Treat kindly those whom persecute you. YES, IT'S NOT ALWAYS EASY! I understand your concerns. However, many of us were once enemies of God. How do you think He reacted to us? He still loved us in spite of our mess.

       Think of your walk through the valley as: the time to strengthen your faith and trust in God, the way to get to the other side of your blessing, and finally the victory that you WILL see as long as you take every step as God has ordered. When you emerge on the other side of that valley, your enemies will wonder how in the world you made it there successfully, unharmed, and going stronger than before! I know it to be true because I have experienced it many times before. God will not allow you to sink. Just hold on, go through the process, and watch God take home the victory for you! In case you need a little something to help you believe that God is greater than your enemies, here ya' go: "He Turned It" - Tye Tribbett.

Everyday Life

       Tomorrow can seem so far away at times when life is kicking hard against you. It may appear as if your success rate in overcoming hardship is dwindling away. The issue with simply waiting for another day to come and go is that if you do not deal with the issues face-to-face, they will cycle around again...guaranteed. Sometimes it will take crying your eyes out for a brief moment; praying for a few minutes or hours; or sitting in total silence as you wait for God to speak to your heart.

       The key is to not run from the problem, but pray through it and believe that God will work it out. It does not always feel good, but once you have the answer to what God is speaking, you have to make the choice to be obedient to His Word or deny the right way.

       Many have found that when life seems to be crashing in on them, taking a rest to dive into God's Word (the Bible) allows them both peace of mind and a change for God to work things out on His own timetable. When God places His touch on anything, it has to get in line; it has to...period. Do not allow everyday living to drain the life out of you. Get connected to people who have that shining light as Christ does to help you through the process. Life is not more tough than God.

What Are You Dishing Out?

       I learned a very important principle about operating in the ministry of God from a woman back in college. She spoke clearly one night while I was in choir rehearsal and said something along the lines of the following:

"What you take in and entertain during the week is what you will feed to the people when you open your mouth to sing.

Imagine a plate that you have filled with sin during the week and then serving it to those whom you are trying to minister to.

Your 'worship and praise' is tainting the people, not building them up."

       My prayer is to always minister to people with a clean heart, or know when to sit down and be ministered to when I need growth in any specific area of my spiritual walk with Christ.

Teach What God Has Taught You

       The Word of the Lord is powerful and His hand is mighty. After reading God's Word, I blessed God for protecting my family from many disasters seen and unseen. God reminds His beloved children (Israel) that He has brought them through the storm and delivered them safely to the other side when they fled from Egypt and Pharoah's control. Deuteronomy 11:7 [HCSB] states that "your own eyes have seen every great work the Lord has done." The Israelites saw, first-hand, the miracles and wonders that God performed in order to deliver them out of the hands of the enemy. The Israelites' testimony of the greatness of God was to be told for generations to come so that no one would ever forget the commandments, ordinances, and statutes of God. As the Israelites were commanded by God to share their testimony and His Word, we are also responsible for doing the same.

    Many people learn about things by repetition, usually after hearing or seeing them. In Deuteronomy 11:18-21 [HCSB], the Bible states the following words:

"Imprint these words of mine on your hearts and minds, bind them as a sign on your hands, and let them be a symbol on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, so that as long as the heavens are above the earth, your days and those of your children may be many in the land the Lord swore to give your fathers."

It is imperative that we as adults/parents teach each other and our children about the ways of the Lord. How can we expect children for generations to come to know about the God of all creation if we do not take the time to learn and testify of Him ourselves? My goal, (and I pray this is or will become the goal of those who read this post), is to help set the example in my household of living right in the eyes of God. In addition, I want my future children and generations to come to intimately know the ways of the Lord because of the example that was set before them.

Scripture:

• Deuteronomy 11:1-32

Forgiveness: Loving Past What You See

       When I was younger, I remember being told to go to the person I needed to forgive and say, "I'm sorry." It seemed simple enough because I figured that once it was stated (with emotion or not), I was off of the hook. As a young girl, I felt justified. Now as an adult, I know better and must work to carry myself accordingly. Learning to forgive is not about the choice of words one chooses to speak, but rather a heart issue in which one does not allow what took place to keep him or her in bondage. Simply stated: forgiveness pardons people from the pain or hurt that was experienced by another.

       When I get out of hand, God is always there to love me back to where I need to be. Do you remember the example I gave in my post about "When You Pray For Patience"? I could have easily chosen to get even with the man, and I actually wanted to for a split second. However, God's conviction over me was a great reminder that I needed to slow down, forgive the man in my heart, and move forward. The benefits of doing so were totally worth it versus my own selfishness. Forgiveness involves showing mercy to another, and looking past what you currently see in front of your face while loving with the heart of God.

       The lack of forgiveness is living in bitterness, and this is a self-made prison. It is precisely spiritual imprisonment. People literally gather ridicule, hurt and pain from any memory they can think of and decorate their self-made prisons with them. While forgiveness may seem like a cruel thing for the person who was hurt in the process, it is the only way to be redeemed from the bondage of spiritual imprisonment. The issue may be as small as a person cutting in front of you in line at the store, or as great as someone who broke off a loving relationship with you. Understand that surrendering your heart to God and your willingness to let Him change you will open up doors for you to show mercy to others as well as forgiveness.


Scriptures:

• Psalm 25:18
• Psalm 86:5
• Ephesians 4:32

Making Necessary Transitions

       Psalm 23 is overrated to many people; however, God's Word never changes and is as strong today as it was in the past and will forever be. As I was preparing myself to go to sleep, once again, God began to speak to me. One of our friends (like family) transitioned from one phase of life to another just a few days ago. The walk for our friend had seemed horrific for a short while, but God began to connect people all over the country to pray for protection, grace, and guidance. The end result of fighting through what the enemy thought was a guaranteed lost battle was total victory in Jesus' name! Many of us continued to speak life into his situation as he kept moving forward with God and the angels backing him up the entire way.

       A new day has come for our friend, and I heard God speak this word tonight: "transition". Right after I heard that, God immediately brought Psalm 23 to my attention and visually showed me a verse-by-verse walkthrough of our friend's transitioning period. I could see him in every verse as he faced and overcame every trial with goodness and mercy following him. The point is that no matter what you are faced with, understand that you MUST go through some trials without faltering in order to see the intended end result. When the battle looks like it is crumbling to the ground, remember God's Word in Psalm 23. Pull up your sleeves and walk through that valley with great anticipation that you will come out with victory in Jesus.

       The storms are there as stepping stones (transition), so do not despise the process. When your physical body seems to be wearing down, your spirit man can always be built up in studying and putting into action the Word of God. In doing so, God will add to your body the strength that you need to go on. His strength is made absolutely perfect in our weakness [II Corinthians 12:9-10]. Just remember that when the storms come your way, use them as a traveling method to get where you need to be all the while knowing that God is transitioning you from pain to glory.

     To my family who witnessed a great accomplishment with the unending guidance of Heaven this weekend: Amen!! We love you and may God continue to do what He does best: miracles, signs, and wonders performed with agape love.

Psalm 23:1-6 KJV
[1] The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. [2] He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. [3] He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. [4] Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. [5] Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. [6] Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

God's Beauty

       God's beauty is breathtaking. Times when I need a Word from Him, He speaks so clearly and reminds me of His love for me. I grew up in an outer-city limits area in which I was surrounded by trees. There was always plenty of room for relaxation, if you knew how to find it. Typically, I would ride or walk to the nearest park with a few of my favorite friends just to get away and have a wide open space to play at. What I noticed then and even now is that God has given us so many beautiful things and places to enjoy if we would only take the time to slow down and marvel in His beauty.
       God's beauty is also seen in how we should treat one another. God showed us the way through His Son Jesus. Everyday that Jesus spent on this earth was done so to prove to us that a greater love existed than what we could find through others. What He did for us is more rewarding than life itself. The same selfless love that He shows to us is how we are to interact with each other. The beauty of seeing God's children in harmony with one another is priceless.
       Take time to stop what you're doing in order to rest in the beauty of God. In addition, allow your lifestyle to be that of a child of God.

Wisdom

     Wisdom is more than having great knowledge of something; it involves using what God has taught you at the proper time coupled with discipline. Here is an old saying that is still somewhat popular: "If a friend jumped off of a building, would you?" Wisdom teaches you that life in Christ is more important than following the foolishness of man. I like how Proverbs 1:1-19 introduces and breaks down what wisdom is.

       It is imperative for us as God's children to hear from shepherds (pastors) whom He has placed in our lives. This does not mean that they know everything; however, as they allow God to lead them, they will pass down whatever news from Heaven is meant for your instruction. Proverbs 1:8-9 (HCSB) says, "My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: for they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck." My husband and I have a pastor and his wife who have been called by God to check on us regularly. My Pastor and his wife are very loving people who do not mind letting us know what the Word of God says about an issue, yet they will teach and guide us with the love of God. Our appreciation for their work in the kingdom of God is great, and it is awesome that they love each and every one of their spiritual children as their own natural children. When danger is around the corner or right upon any one of their sheep, a shepherd (pastor) should fight in the Spirit of God with the same tenacity and courage as David did against enemies that approached his flock. As a father or mother guides his or her child(ren), God has a spiritual shepherd in place who will love and fight to protect you as God leads.

       Here is my testimony of learning when to use the wisdom that God has given to you. My family was recently delivered from a place of bondage in 2014. We faced disappointment time and time again as we searched for spiritual liberty in what should have been a place where God resides. One day, (after praying for God to lead us into liberty), God spoke clearly to me that He had released me from being in a certain position within the church. As soon as I heard it, I relayed the message to whomever needed to hear it and got out of the way. My husband was notified (as I submitted to God and then my husband) and he was more than happy for God's will to be done. I allowed God to give me the command and I followed quickly. I did not want to miss the opportunity to be released because there is nothing like missing your season and having to start all over again. After my family continued to pray, God released my husband from his position within the church. Talk about a spiritual breakthrough!!!!! During all of this, the enemy was sending all types of foolishness our way to make us feel as if we were in the wrong for what was taking place. I will tell you from the heart: he never received the victory. God was and still is with us through it all. Those who prayed with us are witness to this. When God told my husband and I to speak, we spoke. When He instructed us to be still and quiet, we did as He commanded. There was no compromising.

       Now, we did not stop praying. A few weeks after God released both my husband and I from serving in leadership at church, He spoke clearly to my husband and said that it was "time to move". Let me tell you something: when God says "move", you do not have time to waste. It would be very wise to hear Him and step in line with every word He speaks. God led us to exactly where we needed to be the entire time we were elsewhere. Upon arrival to the place where He led us, the Spirit of God began to minister to our current pastor about our lives. Our pastor loved us with the love of God. He was neither harsh nor a dictator; our pastor just loved us as Christ loves the church. Even today, our pastor and his wife speak life (not death) into our hearing and they pray for us as they do every other sheep that God has sent to them. If one is broken, doing well, having the best day of their lives, or battered, our pastor and his wife consult God first about the issue then minister every word that God speaks. That is the way a shepherd is led...by God and only Him.

       Remember that knowledge and wisdom are different. It is one thing for a person to have a knowledge of leading a group of people; it is another thing when someone leads a group of people with wisdom which is only given by God. That person must be led by the Spirit of God in all things in order to know when to move, where to move, how to move, why a certain thing must be done, and what to do when guiding a flock. If you do not have a pastor in your life who you can call a spiritual parent, I urge you to seek God in prayer and ask Him to guide you to finding one. Having a pastor who will speak life into your heart and soul and help lead you away from what is harmful (Proverbs 1:10-19) is awesome. In case you want to know the heart of a pastor and what to pray for, go to the verses that are listed below. Know that a pastor follows after and is led by God Who is the Chief Shepherd.


Read:

• Psalm 23: all verses
• Jeremiah 3:14-15
• Psalm 1:1-3