Friday, December 23, 2011

"Show me what you working with"

Matthews 9:29, "Then He touched their eyes saying, "According to your faith let it be to you."


Matthew 9:27-31, discusses two blind men who followed Jesus by their faith, not by sight. The men had to walk by their faith because they lacked the physical capacity to do so. The men had to utilize their spiritual eyes to get to Jesus which required them to activate the substance of their faith. Hebrews 11:1, now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. The blind men had "BIG FAITH." BIG FAITH creates BIG BLESSINGS. The men's faith took them into an unknown place that positioned them for their miracle. When we are placed in situations and circumstances that we can't "see" our way out of, we have to walk by our faith and not by what we see in the natural eye. We have to seek God without expecting anything besides for Him to show a little mercy on us. The blind men didn't go expecting a healing of their eyes, they simply said "Son of David, have mercy on us!" They knew Jesus was able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all they could ever ask or think-Jesus reminded them that it was according to the power that was activated within them-not Him! Jesus is telling us that it's a 2-way street and He ain't in the business of proving Himself, we have to prove ourselves to Him! 


Similar to the blind men, God will place us in unfamiliar territory to show us who we are-not who He is. We have to walk by our faith and believe that He already knows our situation and will heal us of our short-comings. The blind men came expecting mercy, but because Jesus is all-knowing, He went on and hooked them up with some 20/20!!  Jesus is still able to perfect those things which concern us, He is just waiting on us show Him what we working with. Be blessed!

Monday, December 19, 2011

Blessing Blockers

1 Kings 3:26, "Then the woman whose son was living spoke to the king, for she yearned with compassion for her son; and she said, "O my Lord, give her the living child, and by no means kill him!" But the other said, "Let him be neither mine nor yours, but divide him."


King Solomon's first spiritual assignment came soon after he asked God for wisdom and knowledge. Two harlots had birthed children and one of the women laid on her son while she slept and the child died. She switched the babies in the middle of the night and the woman whose child was living woke up to nurse her baby and after examining the child she noticed he wasn't hers. King Solomon was faced with the difficult task of determining who the biological mother of the child was.


Similar, to King Solomon and the two women in this story, there will come a time in our lives where our enemies will make us question our "baby" which is our destiny. The Bible says, the real mother examined the baby she birthed, she didn't focus on the baby being lifeless. When God places us in difficult situations and trying times, we can't focus on if our baby is lifeless, we have to examine the situation spiritually, not physically. Only you know what God has birthed in you and no matter how others may try to take credit for your baby, it's yours and God will not allow your enemies to abort it! The real mother of the living baby stay calmed under pressure and didn't go toe to toe with her enemy, she remained firm , held on to what she knew to be true, and she spoke directly to the King-not her adversary. The real mother used wisdom and stood on the word of God-if God be for you, who can be against you! And she stood still and saw the salvation of the King. When we are going through and our baby's life is on the line, we have to walk in our integrity and don't disservice our enemies by playing into their games and foolishness! The Bible says, the real mother out of compassion for her baby was willing to give it to the other woman out of her love for her baby to live in spite of  the circumstances. When God has birthed purpose into you, you have to be the bigger woman or man and allow the King's will to be done in spite of what it may look like in the natural to you. The King will honor your "baby" and ensure it remains in your care. According to the Word of God, King Solomon recognized the REAL from the FAKE, and He immediately returned the real mother's baby back to her care. When God has taken you through the fire and is assured you are REAL about going forward even if He leaves you EMPTY HANDED, He will present you with what is rightfully yours! All things work together for the good of them who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose!

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Under Construction

Jeremiah 18:6, "O house of  Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel."


Jeremiah 18 are life lessons that God taught Jeremiah at the potter's workshop. A potter during Jeremiah's time would spin the lower wheel with his foot and would work the clay on the upper wheel in a process. The lesson that God showed Jeremiah is applicable to us now. God is willing to do the work as the potter had in our lives if we are willing to allow Him to mold us and take us through a process. In our molding seasons, we have to allow the Potter to lower the wheel and put His foot down on our issues and short-comings. As the Potter puts His foot down on us, we have to be mature enough and spiritually ready for Him to crush those things which concern us and allow our Potter to move folks and things out of our clay that are hindering us from solidifying into the form that God desires us to be in. As the Potter spins the lower wheel, we have to be willing to lay low and allow God to work out the kinks and be receptive to criticism and folks questioning the integrity of our mold. As the Potter works on our "deep down" issues, He is simultaneously working the clay on the upper wheel, which means He is bringing you out!! Don't believe the hype-we are all works in progress and those whom God humbles, He exalts. Press down, shaken together, running over-expect good measure!! God has His Hands on you and will ensure that others hands stay off of you and your situation while He is perfecting you. 

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Giddy Up !!!

2 Kings 4:24, "Then she saddled a donkey, and said to her servant, "Drive, and go forward; do not slacken the pace for me unless I tell you." 


The Shunammite woman was at a crossroads of where she could either accept what she saw in the human or she could walk by faith and not by her sight. In reality, her only son had died in her lap and she and her husband would have to prepare to bury him. The Shunammite woman didn't concern herself with what she saw in the physical, she immediately got on her "grown woman" and had a "little talk with Jesus" and asked her husband to send her a servant and she requested a donkey. She hid her son along the journey and folks questioned her motivation. Similar to the Shunammite woman, we have to be wise and not tell folks our business. Every time she was approached she simply said, "It is well," even to her husband. When she got to the man of God, he took her son in a room, closed the door behind them and they prayed to God. The child sneezed 7 times and opened his eyes and she praised God and went out with her son!


 Like the Shunammite woman, God places us in impossible situations and circumstances to show us that He is a Possible God. When we are presented with reality, we have to close our door as the Shunammite woman had, seek God for direction and understanding, and then take the necessary steps to move forward along our faith walk. God will provide provisions for us and people who have a sense of direction to lead us to our destinations. When we are placed in stressful circumstances, we have to be like the Shunammite woman and hide our pain and be reserved. Those who are closest to you may not understand your motivation and goals and it's okay! Simply say, "it is well" and get connected to God for your blessing by any means necessary! Drive and go forward and understand that you set the pace of your journey! Giddy Up!!

Monday, December 12, 2011

"On the Rocks"

Matthew 26:42, "Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, "O my father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done."


We all have heard folks say, "I will take my drink on the rocks." This term usually refers to a straight drink on ice. The Scripture discusses Jesus being at the cross roads of His life and He had gotten to the point where it was time to swallow a shot that was not so pleasant . The scripture says, Jesus went away and prayed concerning the matter and He had gotten to a place where His Spirit man said, I will take this shot for the team to ensure that God's Will could be done in His life. When God places a cup before us, we have to be still and think through the situation and Pray. Prayer should always be the first reaction when  we are faced with difficulty. The Bible says, Jesus told His confidants to stay put while He went away to pray. God will separate us from those who are closest to us to ensure we are seeking Him and able to receive clear instruction from Him-not them. When Jesus came back, He was very clear on His purpose and the directives God had given Him. We have to allow God's Will to be done-and not our own to ensure that we aren't hindering ourselves from getting to the next level. His Word says, thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. God wants to bless us right here on earth with heavenly blessings! He wants us to receive the goodness of His glory on earth as He performs the same miracles in Heaven. Be mindful, when God gives us a Cup to drink, He will send us some  "ice" to cool down the heat that He takes us through.  His "ice" is His grace-the unmerited favor of God. Be blessed!

Sunday, December 11, 2011

"And they Lived............."

Ecclesiastes 7:8, "The end of a thing is better than its beginning; the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit." 


As a little girl, I enjoyed reading fairy tales and I would often go to the last page to see what the ending would be, as usual, "And they lived happily ever after." As a young lady, I quickly learned that the real world doesn't operate in this fashion and sometimes we don't get happy endings to tragic beginnings. The scripture tells us that the end of a thing is better than its beginning. For us to fully appreciate and embrace this word, we have to look with our spiritual eyes and not our carnal minds. God's Word clearly tells us that the last shall be first and the first shall be last, meaning that if we are steadfast and not easily moved by light afflictions and setbacks and press forward-we have a justified reward. The Bible says, " He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." We can't allow life and our current situations to punk us out and make us come to a "standstill" or get writer's block in the middle of our breakthrough! If we stay focused and press through the pages, we will make it to the ending of a not so good season. His Word says, He is not the author of confusion.  He is the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end! Trust the penmanship of Our Creator.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Tis' the Season

Ecclesiastes 3:1, "To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven."


We live our lives seasonally based and similar to the nature seasons, some seasons we don't look forward to embracing. Every season is a season and when we decide to walk for the Lord, we have to simply take the bad with the good. The Bible says, to everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. Meaning, in each season of our life there are transitions that have to transpire to bring forth the purpose of the season. In our "winter" seasons, we should expect stand stills and for growth to come to a closure. Our winter season is necessary to allow us to reflect on the things that couldn't withstand the heat in our lives and we should use the winter seasons as a personal time to seek God for understanding on areas we need to work on to ensure that we have a productive spring. Our Spring seasons are those seasons where we are most productive and the seeds that we planted in spite of seeing fruition in other seasons come forth and  we are renewed spiritually and physically. In our Spring seasons, we have to cherish the moments and embrace the blessings and people that God has called forth to bless us. Spring seasons are also seasons where we should ensure that we are growing properly and are cultivating the gifts that God have rooted inside of us and share our "pollination" with those who didn't fall on good soil as we had. Our Summer Season, are the seasons where God takes us through the fire and forces us to separate from heavy baggage. Our summer seasons require us to pull from a "Source" that is able to rejuvenate us and protect us from the heat of our enemies. The Bible says we all have access to the Secret Place of the Most High God-a place where we can find protection under the "SON" of God. Psalm 91. Last, but not least, we all have to endure the Fall seasons, where it is difficult to withstand the storms and the separation of deadly leaves from our vines. Our fall seasons are necessary because they provide us with the expected harvest that those who live for Christ are owed. Harvest seasons are the surprise gifts that God bestows on our lives for planting ourselves on fertile ground and for enduring the seasons of heat, lukewarm folks, hurricanes, and human parasites. Embrace each season in expectancy mode of all that God has to give you according to His riches and Glory! Every season is a season and a purpose for God to equip you with His heavenly direction.