What are You Giving Life to?
“The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” Proverbs 18:21 NIV
Hello everybody! I hope this finds you blessed and favored on this Wednesday! I think now I have written a few devotions on healing and a few more on the importance of watching what you say. But today God gave me a different view on this scripture.
Lately, I have decided to embark upon a personal journey towards total healing; I believe that you must be healed in all three parts of the person: mind, body, and spirit and I want to be whole. I have realized that you can pray for healing and deliverance but if you are not getting to the root of the problem, most times a mental seed that you have planted within yourself, it will continue to grow because you have already nourished this seed with bad thoughts and words to yourself. Every time before that I have thought of this scripture I have always focused on the death part, how we can speak death and defeat inadvertently over a situation or ourselves. But today, I was praying on whether to talk about certain diagnoses I have received. And it hit me, well let’s be honest here, God laid it on my spirit that some of the things I have dealt with are resultant of the fact that I spoke life into whatever it was. I spoke life into the kidney disease; I briefly gave life to the false lupus diagnosis. I spoke life into the financial troubles I had by complaining and “woe is me-ing” over it. If I want to be healed and delivered, I cannot give life to these things; that is, by continuing to speak to them as if they exist. See, as a child of God, we have already received the promises of the word. Jesus has already died. He has already provided for that healing, deliverance or prosperity we want. Everything evil in the world is the result of the first sin, perpetuated now for many millennia. Now the way I see it, I must continue to cast down the words, or weapons, that come against everything I believe God for—Isaiah 54:17 in full states “No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, said the LORD.” In order to have life, I have to speak life into the right things, and I have to condemn the tools of the enemy that come against me. The verse says to condemn every tongue and especially your own—think about it, James 1:6-8 GWT says “When you ask for something, don't have any doubts. A person who has doubts is like a wave that is blown by the wind and tossed by the sea. A person who has doubts shouldn't expect to receive anything from the Lord. A person who has doubts is thinking about two different things at the same time and can't make up his mind about anything.” You cannot be double-minded about GOD!!!
This does not say that things will not happen, because they will. But when they do, I know now what I am to do. I have to first check myself and my tongue so that I am not prematurely giving the enemy the victory over me. Because Jesus’ death already won every battle we face. We must remember that this is not just a physical battle, because if the devil can control your mind—by the words you say—he can plant seeds of doubt in everything you do. We have to tell ourselves that the past is dead and all of the things that happened in it—instead of continuing to feed those bad plants with the decay of unresolved pains. We have to tell ourselves that the Word is the Truth and that we are already victorious because of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57). We have to tell ourselves even through the tough times that it will pass and God has not stopped loving us and will never stop. We must stop giving life to these fruits of the enemy by uprooting them forever and filling up on the Word and the truth that is in it!
“But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.” Matthew 12:36
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Daily Devotion
Refuse to Use Your Mouth for Death
“The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.” Proverbs 18:21
“The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; The one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.” Proverbs 13:3
“Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from troubles.” Proverbs 21:23
Have you ever been around someone that just complained and complained about the poor quality of life they had? They could find no good in their life so they would sometimes even wish death on themselves. These types of people eventually talk themselves into an early grave, either by illness unexpected yet traumatic deaths, or even at the hands of someone else. But if they had only realized how truly powerful those words were, they could have changed their situation and their outlook on life.
I love Donald Lawrence’s CD, “The Law of Confession.” One of the key points he strives to make is that we are what we speak. If we speak life, health, and wealth over ourselves, we eventually make decisions that align with what we are asking for. This was something else he said: we have conditioned ourselves to not trust what we say, by confusing good thoughts and words with the meanings for bad thoughts and words. In the wise teachings of Solomon above, several times he mentions the importance of guarding our mouths. And here’s why: when we say something, we hear it by three separate ears—the two outer ears sitting on the sides of our heads, and that inner ear, and by far the most important one, our heart. By saying things, you plant seeds that become thoughts, ideas, habits, decisions and these things become engrafted in your mind and heart. Saying things that do not line up with the word will cause you to be deceived and guided in the wrong direction. Matthew 15:18 says “But the words you speak come from the heart--that's what defiles you.” So by speaking these words, you defile yourself, you sin against yourself, and as the Word says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Think about it, God gave us all these promises, healing, eternal life, prosperity but how can you benefit from them if you have taught yourself to not believe them in the first place! Do not allow your mouth to guide you in the wrong direction. Do not be misled because you have been cultured to think that God’s Word is not true! Learn to keep your mouth and tongue by feeding your spirit with the truth! God says that He will give you your heart’s desire and will provide all of your needs so if you speak that you can keep yourself from any form of lack! (Psalm 145:19, Psalm 21:2, Psalm 23:1, Philippians 4:19)
“Jesus answered them, "I can guarantee this truth: If you have faith and do not doubt, you will be able to do what I did to the fig tree. You could also say to this mountain, 'Be uprooted and thrown into the sea,' and it will happen.” Matthew 21:21 GWT
“The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.” Proverbs 18:21
“The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; The one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.” Proverbs 13:3
“Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps his soul from troubles.” Proverbs 21:23
Have you ever been around someone that just complained and complained about the poor quality of life they had? They could find no good in their life so they would sometimes even wish death on themselves. These types of people eventually talk themselves into an early grave, either by illness unexpected yet traumatic deaths, or even at the hands of someone else. But if they had only realized how truly powerful those words were, they could have changed their situation and their outlook on life.
I love Donald Lawrence’s CD, “The Law of Confession.” One of the key points he strives to make is that we are what we speak. If we speak life, health, and wealth over ourselves, we eventually make decisions that align with what we are asking for. This was something else he said: we have conditioned ourselves to not trust what we say, by confusing good thoughts and words with the meanings for bad thoughts and words. In the wise teachings of Solomon above, several times he mentions the importance of guarding our mouths. And here’s why: when we say something, we hear it by three separate ears—the two outer ears sitting on the sides of our heads, and that inner ear, and by far the most important one, our heart. By saying things, you plant seeds that become thoughts, ideas, habits, decisions and these things become engrafted in your mind and heart. Saying things that do not line up with the word will cause you to be deceived and guided in the wrong direction. Matthew 15:18 says “But the words you speak come from the heart--that's what defiles you.” So by speaking these words, you defile yourself, you sin against yourself, and as the Word says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Think about it, God gave us all these promises, healing, eternal life, prosperity but how can you benefit from them if you have taught yourself to not believe them in the first place! Do not allow your mouth to guide you in the wrong direction. Do not be misled because you have been cultured to think that God’s Word is not true! Learn to keep your mouth and tongue by feeding your spirit with the truth! God says that He will give you your heart’s desire and will provide all of your needs so if you speak that you can keep yourself from any form of lack! (Psalm 145:19, Psalm 21:2, Psalm 23:1, Philippians 4:19)
“Jesus answered them, "I can guarantee this truth: If you have faith and do not doubt, you will be able to do what I did to the fig tree. You could also say to this mountain, 'Be uprooted and thrown into the sea,' and it will happen.” Matthew 21:21 GWT
Daily Devotion #2
Contextual Christianity
“Do your best to present yourself to God as a tried-and-true worker who isn't ashamed to teach the word of truth correctly.” 2 Timothy 2:15 (GWT)
“Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.” (NLT)
“Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.” (AMP)
I know that I have been guilty of sometimes quoting a scripture out of context and making it apply to whatever I was saying. But NOOOO!! We cannot do that! We miss out on the true understanding and overall message of a particular passage by henpecking through the scriptures. True indeed, that is how a lot of so-called “moral wrongs” have been excused through the ages—that’s right, by misquoting the bible. Reading in context means gaining understanding and comprehension in terms of when it was written, why it was written, who that particular passage may have been written for(the audience), and what is actually being said.
I was watching Bible Study online—well, actually a Financial Empowerment seminar—and I had actually realized about a week ago how I have been missing out on the truths in God’s word by not reading in context and by not truly understanding what has been said. I ask God for healing, health, deliverance and prosperity, but truthfully, I am not doing everything He asks. I mean really, how can you expect to be healed if you do not heed the full warning? How can you ask for prosperity if you do not know that it is necessary to be fully obedient? How can you want to be delivered if you have not studied to know what is needed to gain that deliverance? Many people have begun to easily doubt and question God and some of His messengers because they simply have not followed directions. The main things God tells us is to love and trust Him wholeheartedly, love others unconditionally, and believe even when the whole world has accepted defeat. God takes care of His people; but how can He do that if you haven’t at least taken the medicines He had provided you with? Reading and spending time in God’s presence guarantees that you have the relationship necessary to call Him correctly on His word! The key here is that mostly everything in the Bible has already happened.
Challenge yourself to go deeper in the Lord by simply reading the whole story so you can get the whole truth and nothing but the truth! Trust that God will give you the understanding He wants you to have!
“Acquire wisdom. Acquire understanding. Do not forget. Do not turn away from the words that I have spoken. Do not abandon wisdom, and it will watch over you. Love wisdom, and it will protect you. The beginning of wisdom is to acquire wisdom. Acquire understanding with all that you have.” Proverbs 4:5-7
“Do your best to present yourself to God as a tried-and-true worker who isn't ashamed to teach the word of truth correctly.” 2 Timothy 2:15 (GWT)
“Work hard so you can present yourself to God and receive his approval. Be a good worker, one who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly explains the word of truth.” (NLT)
“Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.” (AMP)
I know that I have been guilty of sometimes quoting a scripture out of context and making it apply to whatever I was saying. But NOOOO!! We cannot do that! We miss out on the true understanding and overall message of a particular passage by henpecking through the scriptures. True indeed, that is how a lot of so-called “moral wrongs” have been excused through the ages—that’s right, by misquoting the bible. Reading in context means gaining understanding and comprehension in terms of when it was written, why it was written, who that particular passage may have been written for(the audience), and what is actually being said.
I was watching Bible Study online—well, actually a Financial Empowerment seminar—and I had actually realized about a week ago how I have been missing out on the truths in God’s word by not reading in context and by not truly understanding what has been said. I ask God for healing, health, deliverance and prosperity, but truthfully, I am not doing everything He asks. I mean really, how can you expect to be healed if you do not heed the full warning? How can you ask for prosperity if you do not know that it is necessary to be fully obedient? How can you want to be delivered if you have not studied to know what is needed to gain that deliverance? Many people have begun to easily doubt and question God and some of His messengers because they simply have not followed directions. The main things God tells us is to love and trust Him wholeheartedly, love others unconditionally, and believe even when the whole world has accepted defeat. God takes care of His people; but how can He do that if you haven’t at least taken the medicines He had provided you with? Reading and spending time in God’s presence guarantees that you have the relationship necessary to call Him correctly on His word! The key here is that mostly everything in the Bible has already happened.
Challenge yourself to go deeper in the Lord by simply reading the whole story so you can get the whole truth and nothing but the truth! Trust that God will give you the understanding He wants you to have!
“Acquire wisdom. Acquire understanding. Do not forget. Do not turn away from the words that I have spoken. Do not abandon wisdom, and it will watch over you. Love wisdom, and it will protect you. The beginning of wisdom is to acquire wisdom. Acquire understanding with all that you have.” Proverbs 4:5-7
Daily Devotion (written on 4/15)
Hey everybody!!! Disclaimer: I completely forgot to post this devotion and the next one...but a fresh one will be written for today as well... Love ya!
Recognizing the Spirit of Loneliness
“God places the lonely in families; he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy. But he makes the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.” Psalm 68:6
Hey everybody. I hope that this day is wonderful for you. Last night and the last few days actually, I have been thinking about loneliness. There are several definitions for loneliness; there are two in particular: 1) sadness resulting from being forsaken or abandoned and 2) the state of being alone in solitary isolation. I know that feeling all too well. To be quite honest, its more than a feeling, as the definition says it’s a state of mind, a spirit. I was lonely growing up, not because of not having a sister or friends. Actually, I have always been able to make friends without a problem. Loneliness is different from being alone or by yourself. For me it was the result of some event or tragedy in my life: 1) as a child following moving to different places and a new school, 2) primarily after experiencing and witnessing some difficult things as a child and teenager, 3) after I got sick in college, 4) when I moved back here and in dealing with all the things that have happened since. But last year I started identifying changes I wanted to make in myself, mainly how I looked at things and my attitude towards life. Loneliness is not having someone you feel you can talk to, and it is also not allowing yourself to reach out to others. You isolate yourself in nearly every way imaginable, of course hurting yourself all the more.
I chose the scripture above for several reasons. 1) There is a way out of loneliness—turning to God. If you give those feelings and that spirit over to God for Him to eliminate, He will do it. 2) He will, as the scripture says, put you in a family—be it your own family, the church, or other people that can help you recognize your wealth. You allow yourself to stay in “prison” to being lonely by not dealing with it and complaining about it. When I got sick, which I have to say, was the lowest point in my life, I could not deal with other people. Quite frankly, I hated to even get up and look in the mirror at myself. I had to couple that with going to class everyday as if things were normal. Everyday someone would say something in regards to how my face was looking (prednisone is the devil I tell you!) or me gaining weight and I would go break down. One day one of the side effects of the medicine had crushed my spirit so badly that I cried for the rest of the day. No one can understand that feeling if you have never been lonely; it seems that even God has left you. 3) But it’s only a lie to believe that God has left you alone to deal with the evils of life. Once I got back to a safe place emotionally, I was able to recognize that it was only the devil, aiming to break me and discourage me, to distort the fact that God was there witnessing what I was going through and carrying me through it. In Deuteronomy 31:6&8 Moses tells the Israelites then Joshua that God will never leave or forsake them. That does not only apply to them because it also applies to all of us through Christ’s provision. God will give you what you need to get through every situation. After praying that God help me get past it, I was able to relish in the joy of spending time with the people around me that cared about me. Once you give things to God who is much greater than yourself—and yes that is hard, I have to remember this everyday—you can allow Him to fix it and you. Truth be told, loneliness is only a warping and distortion of the truth—the truth that God is always there.
“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." Deuteronomy 31:8
Recognizing the Spirit of Loneliness
“God places the lonely in families; he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy. But he makes the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.” Psalm 68:6
Hey everybody. I hope that this day is wonderful for you. Last night and the last few days actually, I have been thinking about loneliness. There are several definitions for loneliness; there are two in particular: 1) sadness resulting from being forsaken or abandoned and 2) the state of being alone in solitary isolation. I know that feeling all too well. To be quite honest, its more than a feeling, as the definition says it’s a state of mind, a spirit. I was lonely growing up, not because of not having a sister or friends. Actually, I have always been able to make friends without a problem. Loneliness is different from being alone or by yourself. For me it was the result of some event or tragedy in my life: 1) as a child following moving to different places and a new school, 2) primarily after experiencing and witnessing some difficult things as a child and teenager, 3) after I got sick in college, 4) when I moved back here and in dealing with all the things that have happened since. But last year I started identifying changes I wanted to make in myself, mainly how I looked at things and my attitude towards life. Loneliness is not having someone you feel you can talk to, and it is also not allowing yourself to reach out to others. You isolate yourself in nearly every way imaginable, of course hurting yourself all the more.
I chose the scripture above for several reasons. 1) There is a way out of loneliness—turning to God. If you give those feelings and that spirit over to God for Him to eliminate, He will do it. 2) He will, as the scripture says, put you in a family—be it your own family, the church, or other people that can help you recognize your wealth. You allow yourself to stay in “prison” to being lonely by not dealing with it and complaining about it. When I got sick, which I have to say, was the lowest point in my life, I could not deal with other people. Quite frankly, I hated to even get up and look in the mirror at myself. I had to couple that with going to class everyday as if things were normal. Everyday someone would say something in regards to how my face was looking (prednisone is the devil I tell you!) or me gaining weight and I would go break down. One day one of the side effects of the medicine had crushed my spirit so badly that I cried for the rest of the day. No one can understand that feeling if you have never been lonely; it seems that even God has left you. 3) But it’s only a lie to believe that God has left you alone to deal with the evils of life. Once I got back to a safe place emotionally, I was able to recognize that it was only the devil, aiming to break me and discourage me, to distort the fact that God was there witnessing what I was going through and carrying me through it. In Deuteronomy 31:6&8 Moses tells the Israelites then Joshua that God will never leave or forsake them. That does not only apply to them because it also applies to all of us through Christ’s provision. God will give you what you need to get through every situation. After praying that God help me get past it, I was able to relish in the joy of spending time with the people around me that cared about me. Once you give things to God who is much greater than yourself—and yes that is hard, I have to remember this everyday—you can allow Him to fix it and you. Truth be told, loneliness is only a warping and distortion of the truth—the truth that God is always there.
“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." Deuteronomy 31:8
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Daily Devotion
Resistance is Futile
“Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: "Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you." Jonah 3:1-2
It is pointless to ignore God. You can be thrown all the doubt, opposition, discouragement and disbelief in the world but God’s voice will be louder. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to “Trust in the LORD with all you heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.” Doing that alone will get you past anything you or someone else can say to you. Isaiah 54:17 says this in Amplified: “But no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall show to be in the wrong. This [peace, righteousness, security, triumph over opposition] is the heritage of the servants of the Lord [those in whom the ideal Servant of the Lord is reproduced]; this is the righteousness or the vindication which they obtain from Me [this is that which I impart to them as their justification], says the Lord.” Therefore condemn every voice that comes against what God has told you to do because we are to have faith and trust in God always; don’t allow yourself to be misguided by your own doubt and the fickle opinions of others. Because sometimes truthfully, other people's responses could be out of jealousy, hatred, or just plain ignorance--I know for a fact because I have witnessed a lot of that lately!
I came to terms with this desire to serve God and just do whatever He asked of me shortly after my surgery. As I began to listen, things just seemed to happen that would serve to do everything but encourage what God wanted me to do. I doubted that what I was hearing was from God, and even found scriptures that I thought supported my decision to not go forward. But God kept calling, getting louder, sometimes even convicting me of what He wants from me. Two Sundays ago, I broke down and listened to the voice that told me to share my testimony and my calling. Even now, I have family (which I had been forewarned about) giving their opinion of what God has directed me to do. Rather than entertain their dissension—because they are only being used by the devil—I laugh because I wholeheartedly know that it is pointless for me to even give them a second thought. Even this past Sunday after hearing a sermon in which God was speaking directly to me, the only thing the devil kept playing in my mind was the part that served to act as a distraction and deterrent. But I resolved that I will listen to God and God alone and let Him lead instead of entertaining those that were not sent by Him. In the end, God will have his way whether you try to weasel out of it or not!
In the book of Jonah, we all know that Jonah openly and deliberately disobeyed God. At the opening of the story, God issues a decree similar to the one above and Jonah instantly flees in the opposite direction. (Jonah 1:1-3) God immediately set into place a series of events to cause Jonah to yield to God’s request: Jonah flees towards Tarshish on a ship and God causes the seas to be rough. Jonah admitted to the men on the ship that the cause of the storm was his fault for running from God; in turn he gets them to throw him over the ship and they turn to God and worship him. He is swallowed by the “great fish” and is kept there for 3 days until Jonah cries out to God. The fish throws him up on dry land and God again issues the above request. Jonah obeys, and then the people of Nineveh turn back to God and God forgives them.
Other prophets like Ezekiel experienced death threats, being outcast and ostracized by the people, and rejected altogether. But quite frankly, I’m more afraid of what God will do to get me to be obedient or what He can do if I do not…what about you???
“For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished.”
Hebrews 2:2
“Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time: "Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you." Jonah 3:1-2
It is pointless to ignore God. You can be thrown all the doubt, opposition, discouragement and disbelief in the world but God’s voice will be louder. Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to “Trust in the LORD with all you heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.” Doing that alone will get you past anything you or someone else can say to you. Isaiah 54:17 says this in Amplified: “But no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall show to be in the wrong. This [peace, righteousness, security, triumph over opposition] is the heritage of the servants of the Lord [those in whom the ideal Servant of the Lord is reproduced]; this is the righteousness or the vindication which they obtain from Me [this is that which I impart to them as their justification], says the Lord.” Therefore condemn every voice that comes against what God has told you to do because we are to have faith and trust in God always; don’t allow yourself to be misguided by your own doubt and the fickle opinions of others. Because sometimes truthfully, other people's responses could be out of jealousy, hatred, or just plain ignorance--I know for a fact because I have witnessed a lot of that lately!
I came to terms with this desire to serve God and just do whatever He asked of me shortly after my surgery. As I began to listen, things just seemed to happen that would serve to do everything but encourage what God wanted me to do. I doubted that what I was hearing was from God, and even found scriptures that I thought supported my decision to not go forward. But God kept calling, getting louder, sometimes even convicting me of what He wants from me. Two Sundays ago, I broke down and listened to the voice that told me to share my testimony and my calling. Even now, I have family (which I had been forewarned about) giving their opinion of what God has directed me to do. Rather than entertain their dissension—because they are only being used by the devil—I laugh because I wholeheartedly know that it is pointless for me to even give them a second thought. Even this past Sunday after hearing a sermon in which God was speaking directly to me, the only thing the devil kept playing in my mind was the part that served to act as a distraction and deterrent. But I resolved that I will listen to God and God alone and let Him lead instead of entertaining those that were not sent by Him. In the end, God will have his way whether you try to weasel out of it or not!
In the book of Jonah, we all know that Jonah openly and deliberately disobeyed God. At the opening of the story, God issues a decree similar to the one above and Jonah instantly flees in the opposite direction. (Jonah 1:1-3) God immediately set into place a series of events to cause Jonah to yield to God’s request: Jonah flees towards Tarshish on a ship and God causes the seas to be rough. Jonah admitted to the men on the ship that the cause of the storm was his fault for running from God; in turn he gets them to throw him over the ship and they turn to God and worship him. He is swallowed by the “great fish” and is kept there for 3 days until Jonah cries out to God. The fish throws him up on dry land and God again issues the above request. Jonah obeys, and then the people of Nineveh turn back to God and God forgives them.
Other prophets like Ezekiel experienced death threats, being outcast and ostracized by the people, and rejected altogether. But quite frankly, I’m more afraid of what God will do to get me to be obedient or what He can do if I do not…what about you???
“For the message God delivered through angels has always stood firm, and every violation of the law and every act of disobedience was punished.”
Hebrews 2:2
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Daily Devotion
Gain Peace by Praying for Your Enemies
"But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which spitefully use you, and persecute you;" Matthew 5:44
It took me praying for someone else for 7 days and I finally somewhat understood what this meant. As you can recall, I encountered some difficulties last week. But this morning my linesister sent out a scripture from Psalm on giving God the praise. My own devotion said to shout praises to God, then the song I was listening to was saying to praise God. So I shouted in my car, "Thank you God because I have the victory!" See this morning, my supervisor returned to work and I had not yet spoken to him. I prayed before getting out of my car that I had the victory and peace. I sat at my desk and even as one of the maintenance staff walked in on me, I was praying that I had peace and that everything would work out; I said a special prayer for my supervisor. About 5 minutes later, my phone rang for me to come over to his office. So my anxiety increased, I started busying myself and had to calm down. I called for prayer, prayed and I still had to calm down some more. But I remembered my proclamation from earlier, that I already had the victory. So I waited 2 hours later to go and talk to my supervisor. And then God gave me some insight. Through praying for my supervisor, I allowed myself to feel compassion as he told me things about his own family. How his mother passed away with complications due to Parkinson's disease and how much she meant to him. He told me of how his physically abusive father caused him to draw closer to her and his grandmother, who passed from colon cancer. Then I knew why I had such difficulty to begin with, in relation to my getting permission to work from home to spend time with my father; indirectly, his own indifference to his father caused him to transfer those feelings--because every time I said something in relation to my father I would get a no. It seemed like nothing I could say would change his mind. But because God still reigns, I see the blessing God gave me in allowing me to spend time with my father; I was able to value every moment I had because of my supervisor's refusal to help me. Now I won't have ill feelings towards him. I was given a chance to get to know my dad with intentional focused attention and truly understand why he was the way he was; and in turn, love him more. I was able to peel back the layers and the walls built over the years and truly draw close to my dad and in that one moment, realize that the time I had with him was precious and is something I will never forget; something my supervisor has not been able to have.
Praying for those that wrong you has a weird (DIVINE INTERVENTION) way of helping both parties. In most cases, you may not get a swift action like that. But truth be told, I had prayed for my supervisor before, just not consistently. You have to consistently pray--1 Thessalonians 5:17 says NEVER stop praying--and make your requests known to God. (Ephesians 6:18, Philippians 4:6). Even when the road seems dim and bleak, don't stop praying until God has brought His will to pass. I allowed that anxiety to affect my sleep last Friday because I simply did not understand why my supervisor was being that way to me. I had never wronged him, been offensive or anything. Now, because I understand why he was the way he was to me, although it doesn't excuse the way he said things, I forgive him. After our conversation, I left with peace because in spite of all of that, I knew that God had made me victorious by revealing what I had in my dad. I would not have even gone into his office had it not been for God making it alright.
So folks, get that peace and get down on your knees and pray for that road block of a person in your life. You never know how God may use you in that person's life or how that person may inadvertently help you.
"Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them!" Having said this, he fell asleep." Acts 7:60
"BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD." Romans 12:20
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Daily Devotion
What Demons are You Feeding?
“Complain if you must, but don't lash out.
Keep your mouth shut, and let your heart do the talking.
Build your case before God and wait for his verdict.” Psalm 4:4-5 The Message
“Be angry [or stand in awe] and sin not; commune with your own hearts upon your beds and be silent (sorry for the things you say in your hearts). Selah [pause, and calmly think of that.]” Psalm 4:4 AMP
“In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent. Selah” Psalm 4:4 NIV
“When angry, do not sin; do not ever let your wrath (your exasperation, your fury or indignation) last until the sun goes down. Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him].” Ephesians 4:26-27 AMP
Yesterday I told you all to seek God before you act. The above verses (Psalm 4:4-5) tell you quite plainly to do that. I must say that I have truly grown; I used to say things when I got angry that were very hurtful—so just IMAGINE how much hurt would have been caused had I reacted to everything that went on? But you see, it’s even greater damage taking place than hurting someone else. When you act in anger, you allow the devil to dictate your actions. When you let anger stay past its welcome, Anger invites Bitterness over for the long haul. You take God away from the situation and seek to impart your own vengeance. I ask what demons are you feeding because when we act impulsively, there is always some demon, or even the devil himself, acting as the fuel behind that situation. By acting in anger or worse yet, allowing it to fester (and not just overnight, but by not addressing it and letting it linger on) you feed and nourish it. Anger is like the unwanted pest in your home. When you drop crumbs and do not clean them up, the pests feed on it. Then they start reproducing, causing more destruction. Before you know it, they have built a nest behind the walls and just drop by uninvited whenever they please. Pretty soon what started as one or two becomes a problem requiring “professional” intervention.
I chose to go to my mom or call my assistant pastor to vent and specifically them first for a reason. Had I called the wrong person, they would have added lighter fluid to my anger and could have perhaps caused me to do and say some unnecessary things. I decided to not call any of the offenders first because I was already angry, and why burn them with hurtful words? Not to mention the fact that they acted in self in the first place by considering their own opinion as more important than those of everyone involved; but what good would it have done, me calling or addressing them after they had already said their thoughts? I was a little bit exempt from Eph. 4:26 because some of the things did not happen in the daytime, rather they were discovered in the evening, lol. But no excuses! I read something today that applies here: if you desire to truly get over anger, the only way to do that is to forgive. And as un-fun as forgiving someone can be when you’ve been wronged, it is the only way to get past it because to forgive you have to stop bringing it up. You have to accept that you were wronged and let it go—because if you don’t, you have not forgiven that person! Trust I’ve complained about them, how selfish and uncaring they were, how their acts were definitely not helpful in the least way—because some people used every opportunity they could to get something out of my dad’s passing for themselves, and how much I wanted to curse them out or put my sneakers on and…well. But none of that would have helped me or would it have given me lasting satisfaction. Despite the fact that my father’s passing was supposed to be about comforting the people he loved the most—my mom, my brothers, and I—people always have a way of ruining things or making things about themselves especially when they feel some sort of guilt. Acting out would have done nothing but made me as ignorant as them; worse yet it would have hurt my family. Those that were genuinely there to help, gave their help with no questions asked, no backtalk and no unwanted opinions. I spent so much time being angry and worked up over everything that I missed out on sleep from anxiety attacks and feeling my heart racing.
I also read that if you have been wronged, you should try to keep it to yourself. Because once you keep telling people things, their reactions can negatively influence your reactions. It makes perfect sense though; keeping your mouth shut, searching your own heart and allowing God to be the final judge as said above keeps you from feeding that pride demon and giving in to the wrath demon where the lashing out is the sin! If you do not say anything, nobody knows what happened to you, how Joe Blow hurt your feelings and how you should never say anything to him again. Besides, maybe it is something you can work through. In my case, I probably will distance myself from the involved parties for a while because I’m just one of those people that believes helping and caring for others should happen without conditions. You should always be willing to help others when lead to do so. After this experience, it just makes me want to guard my heart even closer, but I do forgive them…can’t block my blessings being mad! Neither should you! Get the pestilence out of your mind, homes, and away from you because you end up hurting yourself even more!
“Get rid of your bitterness, hot tempers, anger, loud quarreling, cursing, and hatred.” Ephesians 4:31 GWT
“Complain if you must, but don't lash out.
Keep your mouth shut, and let your heart do the talking.
Build your case before God and wait for his verdict.” Psalm 4:4-5 The Message
“Be angry [or stand in awe] and sin not; commune with your own hearts upon your beds and be silent (sorry for the things you say in your hearts). Selah [pause, and calmly think of that.]” Psalm 4:4 AMP
“In your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent. Selah” Psalm 4:4 NIV
“When angry, do not sin; do not ever let your wrath (your exasperation, your fury or indignation) last until the sun goes down. Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him].” Ephesians 4:26-27 AMP
Yesterday I told you all to seek God before you act. The above verses (Psalm 4:4-5) tell you quite plainly to do that. I must say that I have truly grown; I used to say things when I got angry that were very hurtful—so just IMAGINE how much hurt would have been caused had I reacted to everything that went on? But you see, it’s even greater damage taking place than hurting someone else. When you act in anger, you allow the devil to dictate your actions. When you let anger stay past its welcome, Anger invites Bitterness over for the long haul. You take God away from the situation and seek to impart your own vengeance. I ask what demons are you feeding because when we act impulsively, there is always some demon, or even the devil himself, acting as the fuel behind that situation. By acting in anger or worse yet, allowing it to fester (and not just overnight, but by not addressing it and letting it linger on) you feed and nourish it. Anger is like the unwanted pest in your home. When you drop crumbs and do not clean them up, the pests feed on it. Then they start reproducing, causing more destruction. Before you know it, they have built a nest behind the walls and just drop by uninvited whenever they please. Pretty soon what started as one or two becomes a problem requiring “professional” intervention.
I chose to go to my mom or call my assistant pastor to vent and specifically them first for a reason. Had I called the wrong person, they would have added lighter fluid to my anger and could have perhaps caused me to do and say some unnecessary things. I decided to not call any of the offenders first because I was already angry, and why burn them with hurtful words? Not to mention the fact that they acted in self in the first place by considering their own opinion as more important than those of everyone involved; but what good would it have done, me calling or addressing them after they had already said their thoughts? I was a little bit exempt from Eph. 4:26 because some of the things did not happen in the daytime, rather they were discovered in the evening, lol. But no excuses! I read something today that applies here: if you desire to truly get over anger, the only way to do that is to forgive. And as un-fun as forgiving someone can be when you’ve been wronged, it is the only way to get past it because to forgive you have to stop bringing it up. You have to accept that you were wronged and let it go—because if you don’t, you have not forgiven that person! Trust I’ve complained about them, how selfish and uncaring they were, how their acts were definitely not helpful in the least way—because some people used every opportunity they could to get something out of my dad’s passing for themselves, and how much I wanted to curse them out or put my sneakers on and…well. But none of that would have helped me or would it have given me lasting satisfaction. Despite the fact that my father’s passing was supposed to be about comforting the people he loved the most—my mom, my brothers, and I—people always have a way of ruining things or making things about themselves especially when they feel some sort of guilt. Acting out would have done nothing but made me as ignorant as them; worse yet it would have hurt my family. Those that were genuinely there to help, gave their help with no questions asked, no backtalk and no unwanted opinions. I spent so much time being angry and worked up over everything that I missed out on sleep from anxiety attacks and feeling my heart racing.
I also read that if you have been wronged, you should try to keep it to yourself. Because once you keep telling people things, their reactions can negatively influence your reactions. It makes perfect sense though; keeping your mouth shut, searching your own heart and allowing God to be the final judge as said above keeps you from feeding that pride demon and giving in to the wrath demon where the lashing out is the sin! If you do not say anything, nobody knows what happened to you, how Joe Blow hurt your feelings and how you should never say anything to him again. Besides, maybe it is something you can work through. In my case, I probably will distance myself from the involved parties for a while because I’m just one of those people that believes helping and caring for others should happen without conditions. You should always be willing to help others when lead to do so. After this experience, it just makes me want to guard my heart even closer, but I do forgive them…can’t block my blessings being mad! Neither should you! Get the pestilence out of your mind, homes, and away from you because you end up hurting yourself even more!
“Get rid of your bitterness, hot tempers, anger, loud quarreling, cursing, and hatred.” Ephesians 4:31 GWT
Monday, April 5, 2010
Daily Devotion
Get Divine Consultation Before You Act
“Understand [this], my beloved brethren. Let every man be quick to hear [a ready listener], slow to speak, slow to take offense and to get angry.”
James 1:19 AMP
I must say thank you to everyone that was supportive and took the time to listen to me these last two weeks. Losing my father was something I could not fathom in the amounts of stress, anger and anxiety that would weigh on me and my spirit. I have had sleepless nights, sleeping for two hours then awake the next 22 hours. Those of you that took the time to listen know that I experienced much of this at the hands of my family; from all of the unwanted advice and opinions to flagrant expressions of Academy Award-winning acting and whoop-lah, it was quite an experience.
I spent lots of time in prayer, prayer to protect me from the hurtful things that were being done and said, prayer to keep me from “going postal” and hurting my mom even more, and prayer that I maintain my strength and health so that I could be strong for my family. It was hard with folks saying and emailing all kinds of things to you. None of the people considered the things I have encountered since before my dad died, or the fact that I had a kidney transplant last year and that extreme amounts of stress can cause kidney rejection. No one took into consideration the amount of self-control required not to snap back at them—but instead, say nothing and keep my distance. I really have to thank God for discernment and revelation of ways for me to get out of stressful environments like walking my dog and leaving the house altogether. No one considered the fact that certain members of our family felt it their responsibility to try and abscond decisions regarding my father’s care from my mother. No one considered or knew about the difficulties I experienced at work before this or afterwards—including having a shouting match over the phone with my supervisor the day my dad passed and even having been yelled at by my supervisor on Wednesday then being called again by him on Friday. No one considered the amount of stress from having no available leave to use during this absence because of my transplant last year. To make matters worse, not a single one of these offenders asked me how I was doing, no one pulled me to the side to ask me what was wrong, if I needed anything or if I needed to talk before voicing or writing their frivolous assumptions. Even more appalling, some of them haven’t even lost a pet, let alone a parent, child, sibling or spouse, so how can they offer an opinion about a situation they have not gone through! In my mind and heart I was hurt and angry, but like Jesus said I had to turn to the other side and let them slap the other side because my reaction would not have been pretty or helpful. Surprisingly, in the face of all of these things, I did not say anything. It was the hardest pill of humility I ever had to swallow because I definitely wanted to rip them a new one (smile). Lord you know how it is eating me up! Sometimes though, it is those closest to you that hurt you by their own misguided guilt and frustration. People often want to shift the blame to someone else when they themselves have done or not done all they could have done in a particular situation. But in respect of my father’s memory, and out of love for my mother and brothers, I overlooked all of these things. And fortunately for these people I had a few people I could go bounce my anger off of. My choice was simply to walk away, say very little if anything at all, and ignore them.
I’ve been on the other side where I did not fully think through the reaction to what I said to someone. I thought about it after the fact, and I did apologize. But the words were already out and the damage already done. We as human beings have a “me-centered” mentality rather than being “God-centered”. We judge before knowing the whole story, we accuse and offer unwanted advice, and many of us speak without thinking, even to the point of not considering what the person may be going through before voicing our sometimes unneeded opinions. “When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.” Proverbs 10:19. I DEFINITELY know it was much better for me to hold my tongue and not say anything because there would have been plenty of hurt feelings and angry people. I have to remind myself that God says that vengeance is His so why bother getting riled up when God will handle that for me. The only way to deal with something like this, in my opinion, is to pray. God knows what you need to hear or what to put in your path to keep you from causing yourself a setback, so give it to Him and let Him guide your path and your tongue. Don't say/write/do NO THING you may regret...
“A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered.”
Proverbs 17:27
“Understand [this], my beloved brethren. Let every man be quick to hear [a ready listener], slow to speak, slow to take offense and to get angry.”
James 1:19 AMP
I must say thank you to everyone that was supportive and took the time to listen to me these last two weeks. Losing my father was something I could not fathom in the amounts of stress, anger and anxiety that would weigh on me and my spirit. I have had sleepless nights, sleeping for two hours then awake the next 22 hours. Those of you that took the time to listen know that I experienced much of this at the hands of my family; from all of the unwanted advice and opinions to flagrant expressions of Academy Award-winning acting and whoop-lah, it was quite an experience.
I spent lots of time in prayer, prayer to protect me from the hurtful things that were being done and said, prayer to keep me from “going postal” and hurting my mom even more, and prayer that I maintain my strength and health so that I could be strong for my family. It was hard with folks saying and emailing all kinds of things to you. None of the people considered the things I have encountered since before my dad died, or the fact that I had a kidney transplant last year and that extreme amounts of stress can cause kidney rejection. No one took into consideration the amount of self-control required not to snap back at them—but instead, say nothing and keep my distance. I really have to thank God for discernment and revelation of ways for me to get out of stressful environments like walking my dog and leaving the house altogether. No one considered the fact that certain members of our family felt it their responsibility to try and abscond decisions regarding my father’s care from my mother. No one considered or knew about the difficulties I experienced at work before this or afterwards—including having a shouting match over the phone with my supervisor the day my dad passed and even having been yelled at by my supervisor on Wednesday then being called again by him on Friday. No one considered the amount of stress from having no available leave to use during this absence because of my transplant last year. To make matters worse, not a single one of these offenders asked me how I was doing, no one pulled me to the side to ask me what was wrong, if I needed anything or if I needed to talk before voicing or writing their frivolous assumptions. Even more appalling, some of them haven’t even lost a pet, let alone a parent, child, sibling or spouse, so how can they offer an opinion about a situation they have not gone through! In my mind and heart I was hurt and angry, but like Jesus said I had to turn to the other side and let them slap the other side because my reaction would not have been pretty or helpful. Surprisingly, in the face of all of these things, I did not say anything. It was the hardest pill of humility I ever had to swallow because I definitely wanted to rip them a new one (smile). Lord you know how it is eating me up! Sometimes though, it is those closest to you that hurt you by their own misguided guilt and frustration. People often want to shift the blame to someone else when they themselves have done or not done all they could have done in a particular situation. But in respect of my father’s memory, and out of love for my mother and brothers, I overlooked all of these things. And fortunately for these people I had a few people I could go bounce my anger off of. My choice was simply to walk away, say very little if anything at all, and ignore them.
I’ve been on the other side where I did not fully think through the reaction to what I said to someone. I thought about it after the fact, and I did apologize. But the words were already out and the damage already done. We as human beings have a “me-centered” mentality rather than being “God-centered”. We judge before knowing the whole story, we accuse and offer unwanted advice, and many of us speak without thinking, even to the point of not considering what the person may be going through before voicing our sometimes unneeded opinions. “When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.” Proverbs 10:19. I DEFINITELY know it was much better for me to hold my tongue and not say anything because there would have been plenty of hurt feelings and angry people. I have to remind myself that God says that vengeance is His so why bother getting riled up when God will handle that for me. The only way to deal with something like this, in my opinion, is to pray. God knows what you need to hear or what to put in your path to keep you from causing yourself a setback, so give it to Him and let Him guide your path and your tongue. Don't say/write/do NO THING you may regret...
“A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered.”
Proverbs 17:27
Friday, April 2, 2010
Daily Devotion
The Power of Your Testimony
"But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect," 1 Peter 3:15
Many of you know a lot about me. Many of you know that I am the oldest of three children, the only girl, that I have graduated and received my bachelors and masters degrees. Many of you know that I moved back home to South Carolina after long professing that I would never come back. Many of you know a lot about me because I have shared my story in some way with you all. But have you shared your own?
In the last 21 months of being back here, I have experienced some of the most deep cut pains a person can ever feel. I have lost my health, lost loves, lost friends, family, and last week lost my earthly father. My spirit has seemed nearly crushed, trampled upon and defeated. I have experienced true heart break and losses to the point that I have felt like I could not go on any longer. This Wednesday and even this very morning as I struggled to sleep I felt the deepest pains I have ever known. But sitting here in Barnes and Noble, God laid on my heart to share my testimony. How I have gone from having nothing--a life without Him--to tremendous earthly and physical losses, to now grasping for the peace and comfort I so earnestly desire. My heart is broken, my spirit battered, and my body is weak. But God sees fit that through all of the things that have plagued me that I share my story with you all. In the verse above, the author says that we must always be prepared to make a defense of our hope.
I defend my hope in the midst of so much loss because I know that God is real. That even now as I cry I know He is going to change my situation, heal my heart, and deliver me and my family. During these last two weeks and as my dad's birthday approaches next Friday, I have seen some of the most horrific displays of guilt in the actions of my family and the most pure form of love as my dad mustered up his last bit of strength to give my mom one last kiss before he died. I hurt in ways no one can understand but I know that it will soon fade because God promises to carry my burdens. Even as I write now, all the tears I struggled to hide are now flowing because I earnestly know that I needed to share. I have endured many things, and yes I know there are people that have gone through much more, but knowing that I overcome through Christ, that I have already won may help you or someone believe in the power of God.
I learned that I heal through helping others heal. I healed from not loving myself through understanding the love my dad had for me all of my life. Some of the things that happened during my childhood caused me to suppress everything from before that time--including all the good, the love, and affection I once knew, and in turn caused me to hate myself. Understanding my dad allowed me to see that I am very much his daughter as we encountered some of the same things and think the same. No one will understand how much I miss him, because it was only in his death that I really got to know him. I hurt so badly but because God carries our burdens I can rest assured that God will carry this and I can relax in knowing that my daddy's love will always remain within me.
I found two scriptures that helped me today. "Therefore, never be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me, his prisoner. Instead, by God's power, join me in suffering for the sake of the gospel." 2 Timothy 1:8 I know that my sufferings are not in vain. I know that the things I have endured and will endure in the future are not without cause because God has already redeemed me. Many of you know that I have had stresses imposed on me at work since I moved back here--even while dealing with health problems, but even yet more problems caused since my dad became ill. But by the confession of my faith, I know God has already fixed these things. I am not ashamed any longer of things I have gone through because I have been freed by the Holy Spirit. My faith and the power of God has freed me from the bondage of guilt, shame, and pain. We are not to be ashamed of God. Today, even today, marks the remembrance of Christ's own crucifixion, the day He died to give us that freedom. We suffer for the sake of the gospel and the Good News, for the sake of God's power manifesting through our suffering, the His provision of deliverance and whatever we ask Him in prayer.
"For in him you have been enriched in every way--in all your speaking and in all your knowledge--because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you." 1 Corinthians 1:5-6 In my heart, I know and believe in Christ's sufferings and what He underwent to reunite us with the Father. I know through my own sufferings and in His revelation that by sharing my trials God is glorified because only He can provide the victory--that same victory He gave to Christ.
I do not know what tomorrow holds. I know that everything that I have gone through in my life is for a reason, obviously greater than I can fathom or understand because who willingly wants to suffer? But remembering what Christ endured for me, sharing my own testimony takes "me" out of the situation and uses my hurts to help someone else. Taking myself out of it allows God that room to work in and through me. I see these things as Christ said in Luke 21:13--"It will lead to an opportunity for your testimony." I can only hope God grants to me a mere portion of the grace He gave to the apostles (Acts 4:33) and that you will do the same. Use your testimony to save someone else; allow God to work through your life--every aspect of it.
"Fight the good fight for the Christian faith. Take hold of everlasting life to which you were called and about which you made a good testimony in front of many witnesses." 1 Timothy 6:12
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