Crutches

It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.
Psalm 11:8 AKJV

Growing up I had the strange desire to have to use crutches. When my
dad broke his ankle, my brothers and I took turns playing with the
crutches. Strange things we want as kids...I wanted to have to wear a
cast haha, I wanted glasses (overrated, as my brief experience
resulted in a lost pair of glasses I paid for myself grrr), and I
wanted braces (yet another experience I don't miss but I often
consider to further perfect my smile haha). But now as an adult and
having had to use them myself after a foot injury and the ugly boot
that ensued...crutches are a blessing and a curse all at once.

I guess I'm not meant to find that devotion I wrote...bummer. Anyway,
I have had the tendency in life to seek guidance from others. As a
consequence of that, I tend to get dependent and reliant that those
people will always be a resource for me. God ALWAYS has a way of
snatching the crutches back from me. You see the downside to using
crutches for too long is that you become dependent on them, so much
that you get comfortable and complacent where you are. You stop
challenging and pushing yourself to do better, until you get into a
position where you feel stuck. Ah yes, in the past, I got to that
place quite often. It was like finally one day God got tired of me
and told me enough was enough and started snatching the crutches
away--the people I went to in order to seek Him, instead of praying
and going to Him for myself. Isn't that why Jesus died, so that we
are no longer separated from the Father? There is no longer a need
for sacrifices--well maybe sacrificing time here and there to truly
spend that time with God.

And it would happen that either that person who had become my crutch
would say something I didn't agree with, hurt my feelings, or offend
me in some way. Then I would go back to God for myself. Now I
recognize it is the same thing happening again, some people had become
my crutches in Charleston or over the years. Now that I have left, so
have the crutches, and I am learning to walk on my own again, except
this time hand in hand with God.

Maybe a valued friend or mentor has recently left their coveted
position in your life and like me, it has left you confounded,
confused, and in disbelief. Rest assured, God's hand is stretched out
to you in order for you to get through, but this time He wants you to
come to Him for yourself, beyond the veil. I realize crutches are
only supposed to support you in a time of weakness. But how do you
know that your legs are strong enough until you try to walk without
them?

"Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.
And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the
age."" Matthew 28:20 NLT

Itchy

The LORD will smite you with the boils of Egypt and with tumors and
with the scab and with the itch, from which you cannot be healed.
Deuteronomy 28:27 NASB

Itching in almost all cases is an indicator that there is something
wrong. Whether you start itching immediately after a mosquito bite,
you start itching during the summer from the heat and the resultant
eczema patches, or you are suffering from allergy and sinus-induced
itching and scratching of the throat and ears as often used to happen
to me, itching is an indication that further investigation should be
done to identify the root of the issue.

Likewise, when we itch spiritually, that is a clear and key indication
that something is going wrong in our lives. And more often than not,
we all seek natural ways to calm the itch.

Testimony Time! Okay, sigh, inhale and exhale here it goes...

So...when I had my transplant, I decided to give my life to God fully,
meaning I would date whoever He had for me--thus resulting in me
breaking up with my high school sweetheart, I would do whatever He
wanted me to do with my life--including pursuing ministry if that is
what He had for me, and just live life for Him and leave everything
that was hindering from true growth and development behind. Sure
enough...I started in the area of love, seeking to learn to love
whoever He put my life how He loved me. So I tried, I mean I tried,
taking every kind of mental blow and honestly lowering my standards to
be the best girlfriend I could be. But something within me just felt
the relationship was so wrong. On the surface, everything seemed
okay. I thought my apprehension was a defense mechanism I had
acquired from life and life experiences. Instead of letting God love
me and thus teach me how to love others with His agape kind of love, I
stayed in an unhealthy relationship that took a toll on me and scarred
me. I was so afraid to be in a relationship after that one that I
just kind of 'floating' in a quasi-relationship status, from one guy
to the next, all the while harboring the anger and bitterness that my
ex sparked within me. I had the realization at my dad's funeral that
I had a perfect example of His love all along in my parent's
relationship...and I had been seeking to satisfy that need to love and
be in a relationship for validation in the wrong person, through the
wrong means.

I now know that it is no truer a statement that if you try to appease
an itch with a mediocre balm--lust, human conditional love, work,
etc.--IT WON'T HELP! In fact, it can make the itch worse. It can and
will leave you broken, battered, bruised and still itching!

I find comfort now that as long as the thing I desire is in God's
will, He will provide it. I can go to Him and get my fill of
'antihistamines' and 'histamine-blockers' for any situation or
circumstance. Stop scratching those itches with poor imitations of
the real thing! You can't get a knockoff generic when Benadryl is
proven to provide you relief! God is the relief you seek!

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from
his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:19 NLT

Setting Sails and Pruning Rosebushes: Allowing the Process So You can Grow

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” John 15:1-2 NIV

I am truly having a case of déjà vu today!!!! I either dreamed I wrote this devotion because I searched through all the ones on my blog and I cannot find them!! (UPDATE: success! I found the original devotion I wrote on this topic…you can see it here: http://lifeinspiredbygod.blogspot.com/2010/11/daily-devotion_12.html) Anyway…I wish I could shout to you how much this scripture means to me. Look at the screenshot below from my vision board:



In the bottom left there is a picture of pruning shears. God gave me revelation on some of the things I want–true companionship with my future husband and doing everything He put me here to do while I’m on Earth–and it was this very picture that spoke to me the most. I had to be pruned–pruned of negative attitudes, old habits and bad behaviors, fear, doubt, worry–everything that sought to keep me from God’s blessings. I thought about this yesterday as I talked with one of my friends about how my recent loss of friends (rather, God’s pruning me of them as I realized, His removing them from my life) had made me feel. I honestly know this was God’s will, because one of the persons was genuinely not happy about what God had chosen to do in my life, and the other…well I don’t know about him lol.

Pruning as Jesus relays above, prepares you for more growth. Dang, it just hit me. PRUNING prepares you for more growth. It is a part of the process, you cannot truly grow unless you have been thoroughly pruned. I remember being outside with my daddy growing up, and he was pulling the old rose blossoms off the vine. It was then that he said you have to pull off the dead blooms so more can grow (Thanks Daddy!!). I never fully understood that concept until now…things that had once blossomed in your life and have since died, it has shed its leaves and dried up–it cannot grow anymore! It can no longer be that beautiful rose you once saw. It now barely, if at all, resembles the beautiful blossom it once was. Life has been sucked out of it, and if it is not removed or doesn’t fall off, it can leach the lifeblood from the remaining vine and nearby buds.

It dawned on me yesterday and it was confirmed today in talking to one of my friends (thanks Shawnda): sometimes we have to stop clinching these things and people so tightly–especially in the process of being prepared because God has to work on us now. How can you experience that increase or receive those blessings if you will not allow God to take away the thorns–those things about you that make you less than appealing to others at times? Ladies, would you rather have a thorny bouquet with some dead buds or a dozen (or more) long-stemmed roses? And fellas, be forewarned lol thorny roses are not necessarily the best gift, so don’t go picking roses off someone’s bush! (just kidding, but really don’t do that) They both smell great, but to enjoy the latter you must accept the pain that comes with it because it is a part of the nature of that flower. (Yeah that one was for me lol) HOW can you honestly expect to be able to sail to the next destination with the anchor still stuck in the bed of the harbor? You have to allow that pruning process–but take it from me, do it with open hands because it sure does hurt to be pruned and have things snatched out of your grasp! You are in a season where you are being prepared and to prepare for that next harvest, the weeds, brambles, sticks, stones, and parasites must be eradicated! Ask yourself, who IS sucking the life out of you???

Until next time: allow the process and think how much better you will look after it is over!

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. John 15:7-8 NIV

God is Moving!

Hi everyone!


Here are some announcements:

Seeing how I can reach a broader base...

• I decided to revive my old blogger Blog in conjunction with my existing domain, http://lifeinspiredbygod.com. You can subscribe to either and my goal is to deliver you a weekly word to take and apply!
• Also feel free to add me on Google+!
• I now have a YouTube channel and will be posting there every Tuesday at 9:15pm CST.
• Lastly, I have a weekly bible study on Google Hangouts! Feel free to join in as we dissect God's word in a loving environment!

Again, I thank God for your support and prayers and let's watch as God continues to move in my life and ministry outreaches as well as in your lives. We are all called to His service!

Be blessed!

In His love,

Marquita

Facebook: Marquita Priester
Twitter: MzPriester2U
Google+: Marquita P
YouTube Channel: Marquita P

New Site!

Hey everyone!

I have migrated all my posts to my new site, http://lifeinspiredbygod.com, powered by WordPress.  Please sign up if you'd like to keep get the posts!

Many blessings and love to you,

Marquita

--
"No weapon formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of God and their righteousness is of me," says the Lord.  Isaiah 54:17
http://lifeinspiredbygod.com

Today's Devotional

Don't Show Your Hand

 

"But you, whenever you do charity giving, let not your left know what your right is doing. So that your charity may be in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you in public."  Matthew 6:4 (ABPE)

 

Attention!!  This will be my last devotion that I send out on this distro list.  I pray that has been a blessing to you all; if you want to keep up with my devotions, please bookmark my blogspot site, until I migrate over to Wordpress!  The link is below, thanks!  I also post inspirational messages on both Facebook and Twitter as I'm led to do.  Again, thank you for all of your support and love.

 

So after this weekend, I realized that many of my problems are self-imposed.  I have a slight case of diarrhea of the mouth, but with good cause.  I share all of the blessings I've received from God with others by witnessing how great He has been to me.  Unfortunately, I've included a great deal of people from my past, many of you that I no longer talk to or desire to be involved with.  When I prayed about this, God lead me to the above scripture which resulted in the revelation of how this applied to me.  In this scripture and as it relates to this subject, your left hand is the past--past ways, behaviors, people, things, etc. that you no longer conform to.  I've changed a great deal in the last three months let alone the last 4 years through the varied life experiences I have had.  My problem is allowing all that to come with me into my new life and the new place that I am going.  Sadly, I like many young Christians (B.I.C. babes in Christ lol, maybe I am a teenager now, lol) get very excited at all the blessings God is showing and working my life and want to tell everybody...including those in the past.  The even sadder truth is that most will not want to see the blessings or miracles that God is working in your life.  In fact, they will even come to resent you or do everything they can to draw you back to that old life.

 

I don't know if you play cards, but I am an avid Spades player, or any card game for that matter.  Its the desire to win, to conquer, that fuels my strategizing and I can say I've won many a game.  I get really competitive about too, almost hating to lose, lol.  One thing I get told by the opposing team from time to time is 'Don't show your hand'.  They say it to try and make me think I've made some fault or slipped up along the way.  And many times I do, not paying attention to where a person reneges (is that even a word or the right spelling??).  But all in all, I usually win.  And its the same here, sometimes we cannot share the blessings God has given us with those from our pasts.  Why?  Simply because if it was meant for that person to share in the blessings alongside us, they would be right there with us.  I'll say it again because I think I need to hear it again, that person, that thing was not meant to share God's glory in our life with us.  I'm noticing that when we do have diarrhea of the mouth, there will be people to get jealous and envious of those blessings, hating you because of God's light that shines through you.  You cannot your past to drag you backwards.  Don't show your past where you are going, because often times what happens is that the past will come fighting to the forefront to take you right back, kicking and screaming or sometimes if you aren't careful, with an all-access pass.

 

Now, I am not telling you to not share your testimony, because the Word tells us to do so!  Its a part of our Commission to bring and share the Gospel--the best way to minister to someone is through your own life.  But use your God-given discernment tool, the Holy Spirit to know who can receive the glory and go on to proliferate it to others!  In this same set of scriptures, Jesus tells us not to tell everyone we are fasting, praying, etc, so I definitely think that extends to having discernment with sharing our testimony with others.  We should keep these things secret sometimes, because its the things that we consecrate to Him that He rewards.  Its when we respond in obedience and share with those that He leads us to that the reward is the greatest.  Everybody will not be happy for you...especially your past!

 

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."  Acts 1:8 NIV

--
"No weapon formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of God and their righteousness is of me," says the Lord.  Isaiah 54:17
http://lifeinspiredbygod.blogspot.com/

Today's Devotion

In Stagnant Water

 

Like sheep they are destined for the grave, and death will feed on them. The upright will rule over them in the morning; their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions.  Psalm 49:14 NIV

 

I think about the one word to encapsulate what my life has been here, and what came to mind is stagnant.  And once I realized that, I realized how bad it was.  I digress though because my entire time here has not been stagnant and the enemy wants me to keep thinking that.  God has given me so much in the midst of adversity--life, health, sustenance, and even now He keeps blessing me.  Yet some of my life experiences can be qualified as stagnant.  For example, my membership in a church has been stagnant, more because I have not found the one place that I can call home, my fertile soil for growth.  But I thank God that instead He has sought to provide me the spiritual nourishment and nurturing that has allowed me exponential growth in spite of that.  My romantic involvements have been stagnant...and boy oh boy I won't even begin to go there, but just know that God has delivered me from those situations and is teaching me what a true woman of God deserves and more importantly patience until I'm in position, molding me into the ideal wife for my ideal husband.  Even my work life has been stagnant, but God has blessed me and allowed me to grow tremendously in other ways.  But I want to help you understand stagnant water and how it may be affecting you and your walk.  The beauty is that out of stagnancy--out of that decay--can come new life if you are willing to pursue it.

 

From my own knowledge, stagnant in itself means not moving, not flowing, to the point of a bad smell.  The only things that grow in stagnant water are mosquitoes (which bring us pain and aggravation), germs (which make us sick), decay (which means its time to cut something off), and death.  And perfect that this plague my thoughts...so what waters are you drinking from?  I have drank from both sides, experienced the pain and aggravation of literal and figurative mosquito bites and the soothing salve that takes the sting and itch away.  I have been sick spiritually from battling the truth I know against the reality of the natural.  I have been sick physically and mentally.  I have, or rather God, had to cut off ways of thinking I had, people I used to hang with but in the midst of that God has stepped in and filled those voids in my life with Himself, allowing me to truly experience what living water is and how I can get more and more of it and it never run out, it keeps on flowing.  I have experienced death--deaths of loved ones, relationships, attitudes and dreams...all of that from allowing the foul odor of stagnancy to stink up my thoughts.  But it has been through these situations that God has been filling me with His water, His word, and His plans.

 

Jesus told the woman at the well that He had living water (John 4:10).  Living waters are like our creeks, streams, and rivers, constantly moving and flowing, brimming with life.  Going to God, getting deeper in relationship with Him, just pursuing and thirsting after Him and understanding of Him causes His waters to rain afresh on you each day.  Dying to self (the decay, the stagnancy), allows God to renew you and give you new life.  However, it is when we drink the waters that look good--self-indulgence, self-gratification, pleasing others, or in my case, always trying to fit in when I knew I never would, that's how you become stagnant and stunted in your growth. 

 

A thought comes to mind from a conversation I had earlier today.  A close friend of mine will be leaving our job next week, and after talking with her, I kept coming back to stagnant.  This environment is like a stagnant pool of water.  Usually what enters here becomes tainted by the stench of power, racism and bigotry, sexism, and other forms of discrimination.  God allows us to go into stagnant situations because we bring the light, His light in and clear out the odor. We are His light bearers!  What happens when the sunlight hits a stagnant pool of water?  After a period of time, it evaporates!  The light kills everything that grew in that pool because it no longer can exist without the water.  God is that light, and when we thirst after Him even in foul situations, His light shines through us and changes the nature of that situation.  I challenge you today to thirst after God (Psalm 42:1) and His plans for you, so that you can be the vessel to channel His light in foul waters, bringing His life-giving waters to others.  He is the only way!

"Against its will, all creation was subjected to God's curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God's children in glorious freedom from death and decay."  Romans 8:20-21 NLT

--
"No weapon formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of God and their righteousness is of me," says the Lord.  Isaiah 54:17
http://lifeinspiredbygod.blogspot.com/