What Grade Would God Give You?

What’s Your Grade?

As a teacher, I often find myself lecturing my students about studying. I continuously stress the importance of being prepared for class and life. Well, while I was sitting the other day, the spirit spoke to me. It asked me, “What was my grade?” At first, I was confused. Then, it came to me. I was always lecturing my students about studying and being prepared, but was I prepared myself?

If life were a “real classroom”, what would my grade be?

Students who make “A’s” are either naturally smart or they put a lot of time and effort into their studies. Students who make “B” are students who also put in a lot of time studying. However, they might miss it on a few points. The “C” students do what the majority of their classmates do. They study a little and “wing” the rest of it. (Of course, there are exceptions.) The “D” student spends almost no time studying. They study just enough to squeeze by. And, the “F” student has fails. Now, knowing this, what is your grade?

Think about the amount of time you spend praying, reading God’s word, going to worship, and helping others. What is your grade? Do you pray as much as you should? Do you regularly attend worship? Okay, you went to worship once this week, but was that all? Do you confine God to one day a week? How much time do you spend studying the word? How much time do you spend in silent mediation with God? When you are alone with him, who talks the most…you or him?

Well, now that you have graded yourself, forgive yourself. None of us are perfect. We all fall down. As the scriptures tell us in Romans 3: 23, we have all fallen short of the glory of God. However, that is not an excuse to continue doing what we have been doing. If our grade is not an “A”, we can do better. We must make a commitment to spend more time studying God’s word. We must be willing to spend more time in pray. We must be willing to push our plates back and fast as needed. We have to be willing to sacrifice our time, talent, and…wait for it…money in order to be good steward to our God. Stop waiting for a disaster to strike to pray. Pray now. Stop talking and let God speak to your spirit. Open your heart to him.

Yes, I know you are pressed for time. I know, the kids are running all over the place and you can’t seem to find the time. But, what if God didn’t have time for us? Just begin small. Start setting aside 5-10 minutes a day to study God’s word and watch your life transform.

Still Thankful

Thankful Even After Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is behind us, and Christmas is rapidly approaching. Nipping at our heels is the close of this year. This is the time of the year when I like to take a step back and look at the things that I have accomplished or meant to accomplish throughout the past year. Yes, I accomplished somethings. And, yes, I even fell down on some things. Despite this, through it all I am still thankful.

Just because Thanksgiving is over, it doesn’t mean that we should lose that spirit of thanksgiving. We should be thankful all of the time. We should thank God for all things…both good and bad. And, I know you may be thinking that I am crazy when I say thank him for the bad times. But, it is in the bad times that we learn to lean and depend on him. We learn the real source of our strength. In the storms of life, we are molded and transformed. So, yes, thank God for the bad times as well as the good.

So, this holiday season, we should not only be thankful for the gifts and toys and piles and piles of food. We should be thankful for all things. God tells us not to despise the day of small beginnings (Zechariah 4:10). If we are faithful over a few things then God knows he can trust us with more. So, instead of complaining about what little we have, we should be good stewards over what God has entrusted to us.

Amen.

Sitting on the Floor of Life

 

Sitting on the Floor

I love a nice, fluffy couch. I like to relax on a soft couch after a hard day at work. Occasionally, I like to sit on my floor surrounded by pillows and watch television. This feels so great. However, I have noticed that the older I have become the harder it is to get up off of the floor. I know those of you who are under 30 years old might not understand. But, those of us who have sailed passed our thirtieth birthday know that there are just somethings that we can’t do with as much ease as we used to. For me, getting up from my floor is one of them.

As I was pushing myself up from my floor the other day, I was thinking about how hard it is to get up from such a low place. Then, it hit me. Just as it is hard to get up from my floor, it is also hard to get up from a spiritual fall or even a financial fall. It is downright hard!

It seems like the whole world wants to kick you when you are down. When you have no money, it seems like no one will give you any. It seems like no one has any money to spare. It seems like no one cares. When you fall away from the church, it seems like there is no one there who cares enough to ask you how you are doing. It seems like there is no one who cares enough to find out what happened to drive you away in the first place.

Maybe, you sinned. Just maybe. Maybe, you found out something about one of your church leaders, and you felt betrayed. You wonder why God doesn’t do something. You wonder why he allows such heartache and pain. You are even tempted to wonder if he cares or if he is “real” as the darkness of life begins to surround you. Like the prodigal son, you find yourself sitting in the muck of the hog pen.

However, we have to realize that it is all a trick of the enemy. Yes, God cares. Yes, God is real. He longs to help us. He longs to guide us. But, he didn’t promise us that we won’t have pains. He didn’t promise us that every day would be sunshine. And, too often, our pain and suffering is the result of choices we made…wrong turns that we took. We didn’t listen to God. We didn’t listen to our parents or our friends. We listened to the siren song of sin. James 1:13-15 says, “Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.” When we give in to sin we open our door to its consequences.

We live in a world full of sin, and as a result of sin, we face life’s challenges. But, we have the blessed assurance that God is there even in the mist of our pain and sorrow. God is still there. Just as he was there for Job as he was tried and tested.

Let us lift up our eyes to the hills from which cometh our help. All of our help comes from God. Let us speak encouraging words to ourselves and our situations because we know that life and death are in the power of the tongue. Let us speak life and hope and prosperity. Let us push ourselves up from the floor…from the pit and walk boldly into God’s grace.

God Truly Knows Us

 

God Knows You

You know it is amazing how we say we love God, but we don’t really know him. We read our Bibles. We go to church. We pray. We may even fast, but we can’t really grasp the depth of Him. We don’t understand that he know us. And, in spite of everything we have done, He still loves us. God loves us, and he really knows us. He knows our shortcomings. He knows when we lie. He knows when we curse. He knows when we go places we shouldn’t go or watch things we shouldn’t watch. And, guess what! He loves us anyway.

Yes, God knows us. He knows all about us. Before he formed us in our mother’s womb, he knew us. He knew we would mess up, and he still loves us. He has plans for us. God wants to give us a future and a hope. He wants our lives to be full. He wants us to prosper. He doesn’t want us broke, busted, or disgusted. He wants the best for us. So, instead of crying like a baby when we don’t get what we feel like we deserve, remember that God sees all and knows all. He knows that it is either not the right time or it is something that is not good for us and where he wants to take us.

We must lean on God and not our own understanding. No, his thoughts are not our thoughts. His ways are not our ways. His thoughts are must higher than ours. He knows the end from the beginning.

I recently received a traffic fine for something that I felt was not really my fault. And, to be honest, I could have been anger. I mean, it happened on payday. It costs me large chunk of money…so much money that I was wondering how I was going to pay some of my bills. I only get paid once a month, and I live on a tight budget. However, instead of getting angry, I thanked God. I thanked him that it was payday. I thanked him that I did have the money to pay the fine, and I trusted him that everything was going to be alright. Yes, I hated having to give up such a large sum of money, but I was thankful that I had a job to be able to pay anything at all. I also realized that God knew I would get this fine. God knew how much it would cost me, so he made sure that it happened on payday.

I am so grateful that I serve a God that knows my future. He knows where the stumbling blocks are. He knows who I can trust and who I can’t. He knows everything. So, I can’t help but to trust him.

Amen!

Jeremiah 1:5

Isaiah 55:8

Jeremiah 29:11

Isaiah 46:10

Moving Forward: Forgetting Those Things that are Behind You

Moving Forward and Not Back

            I had the same old cellphone for years. I could have upgraded it years ago, but I was so comfortable with it that I didn’t. Everyone told me to get a new phone~even the phone company. But, I was happy. So, I refused to change.

It took one of my friends describing to me in detail all of the great things she could do with her phone like download coupons, pay her bills, and shop online. To be honest, it was the coupon thing that won me over. So, after years of keeping an old phone, I decided to upgrade. I was excited. I rushed to the phone place and got a new phone. End of story, right? Wrong!

After I got the new phone home, I realized it was different from my old phone. I didn’t know how to use it. I was more complicated, and I was frustrated. I decided to get in my car and head back to the store to get my old phone and old plan back. Then, the light came on. All I needed was for someone to show me how to work the phone, and most tutorials are on YouTube or the phone company’s website. I was ready to get rid of a perfectly good phone and go back to something obsolete just because it was something I wasn’t used to.  

How many times have we done that on our walk with God? How many times have we wanted to throw in the towel because things weren’t going the way we thought they should? We cry out, “It’s too hard, Lord” or “I can’t do it.” We act like the children of Israel who complained. They wanted to go back to Egypt, a place where they had been in bond. They forgot that they had no freedom there. They forgot that they had been slaves. They forgot how meaningless their lives and the lives of their children were to the Egyptians. All they could remember was the food that they ate while they were there.

And, we forget all the pain we felt when we were bound by our sins. We forget how sad we were when we were out at the clubs all night looking for someone to love us. We forget how tired we were of our alcohol or drug addicts. We forget how felt worthless every time we gave in to temptation. All we remember is the high we got from overspending or from seeing those flashing lights. We don’t remember the looks of disappoint on the faces of our families, our loved one, or even ourselves. So, instead of focusing on how good we felt then and how much we are hurting now, focus on the end result. Focus on God.

            As the bible states, we should forget those things which are behind, and press on toward the mark of a higher calling. We can’t live our lives looking back. We have to press forward. God tells us that he will do a “new thing”. So, we must learn to trust God and be prepared to accept the “new thing”. Remember, weeping endures for a night, but joy comes in the morning.

 

Philippians 3:13

Luke 9:62

Isaiah 43:18-19

Psalms 30:5

Persistence as Christians

 

Persistence

I will be the first to admit that I don’t have all of the virtues of a good Christian. I find myself being impatient. There are times when I find myself fighting doubt especially when I look at my wallet and it is empty, and there is a bill that is due. I know God promised to supply our needs. I know God has come through for me time after time, but there are days when I am find myself having to do battle in my mind. It’s one thing to speak faith, and other to truly live it. So, yes, I fall short sometimes in the patient’s department. And, sometimes, I get weak in the faith department. However, when it comes to persistence, I can be relentless. Psst…my mother calls it stubbornness, but I call it determination.

Luke 18:1-6 is one of my favorite parables. It is the story of the persistent widow. This woman justice, so she went to the judge. She didn’t just stop by and state her case. She came by every day. The widow didn’t stop when people began to talk about her. She didn’t stop going because she was tired. She didn’t pay the stares of people any attention. The judge had something she wanted…justice. And, she was determined to get it. Eventually, the judge got tired of her coming and decided to give her what she wanted.

As Christians, we must be persistent. We can’t give up when times are hard. We must continue to press on. We can’t stop praying for that wayward child or straying husband. We have to press on in prayer and in praise. We have to be like the woman with an issue of blood. We have to know that “if we can just reach the hem of his garment”. We have to know that God will provide justice for us. He hears our prayers. Even when it seems like he isn’t working, he is. God is working it all out for our good.

Habakkuk says “For the vision is yet for an appointed time…though it tarry, wait for it.” God is a just judge. He will provide a just answer.

So, don’t give up on that sinner for whom you are praying. It is our privilege and our duty to stand in the gap for the lost.

Don’t lose hope. That the situation on your job will change. God will change the circumstances or he will change you.

Pray and press on!

Luke 18: 1-6

Habakkuk 2:2-3

Luke 8:43-48

Mommy Is This Real?: Learning to Recognize the Truth

Mommy Is This Real?

There used to be a show called Kids Say the Darnest Things. Well, this is definitely true. Kids do say the darnest things. But, I have to give them credit. Sometimes, they can say some of the most profound things that you have ever heard. Just the other day my youngest son was happened by a show on television. I can’t remember what it was at the time, but I didn’t even think he was watching it. Then, out of the blue, he says, “Momma, it that real”. I looked at him and said, “No, son. It’s just a television show.” And, then I thought about what he said: Is this real? Well, is it?

How often have we gotten ourselves involved in situations that leave use confused and disoriented? We, like children, have gotten our reality mixed up with fiction. We have allowed Satan to play mind games with us.

Satan likes to make us think that certain things are real when they are not. He wants us to think that “good people” never finish first. Satan wants us to believe the lies that the world tells us. Lies about how we should dress…Lies about how we should act. Lies. Lies. Lies.

I have listened to my students talking about the latest music video and what the stars are doing. Sadly, so many of them think that what those stars say in their songs or what they see on those videos is how life really is. But, it’s not. That's why we are warned to guard our eyes.

All women are not tots. All women don’t just want money or are nagging baby mommas. Unfortunately, our children have gotten reality mixed up with fiction. And, we are just as guilty.

We have fallen victim to Satan’s lies about reality. But, we must realize that we are not to be like the world, but different. We have to keep our minds clear, and our reality checked.

Here are some truths:

Today’s woman does not have to wear a dress that could double for a top in order to get and keep a man. Besides, a godly man doesn’t want us show off the goodies anyway. Godly women don’t let any and everybody in the Candy Shop.

Our boys need to know that they don’t have to act like a thug in order to be successful. The dope business isn’t the only business a black man can be successful in.

Our children are not dumb. We can turn our schools around. As prayer warriors, we are the ones called to fight for our youth.

Hello!

The reality is that we must take back our children. We must take back our school. We must take back our community. We must stop sitting idly by and waiting for someone else to save us. The reality is that we must wake up. We must arm ourselves with the word. We must teach our children the truth and help them put on the whole armor of God. We must help to recognize that “No, Satan’s tricks aren’t real.”

 

Ephesians 6: 10-18

Psalms 101: 3

Bow Down and Worship Him

Bow Down

As Christians, I hope we all know the significance of bowing down. It is a symbol of our submission to God and his authority. It is an acknowledgement of our willingness to be led by Him. It is always a sign of honor. We are honoring our God when we bow down.

I like to walk in the evenings, and the other day as I was walking, I saw some birds. They were scurrying around and making noise. Some were singing. And, some were screaming out a warning that danger~little ole me~was approaching. As I watched one bird, I noticed something amazing. Instead of flying away the closer I came, it sat down in the grass and began to bow its head down. I continued to walk. I got a little closer, and the bird bowed down even further. I was dumbfounded. It came to me. Even the bird know to bow down. When danger threatened, the little bird did not just take off. It bowed down and waited. And, as Christians, we must learn to do the same.

When we face hard times or when the enemy comes up against us like a flood, we need to bow down. We need to turn off the world and turn on God. Just as the bird bowed down, we need to bow down in submission. We need to bow down in praise.

It is when we honor God that He honors us. He hears our prayers. He knows our distress. He is waiting for us to simply bow down and worship Him. He is waiting for us to cry out to Him for protection.

When King David was in trouble, he always turned to the Master. When the Amalekites had taken his wives and children and fled in 1 Samuel 30:8, David called unto the Lord for guidance. Whenever he was in despair, David called to God.

 How awesome it is to be able call to our Father and know that he hears and will answer us. So, like the birds, we need to know how important it is for us to honor God by bowing down to Him and his majesty.

 

When you know where your help comes from…when you realize just how powerful God is, it becomes easy to bow down and worship Him.

As Psalms 95: 6-7 says, “Come, let us worship and bow down…”   

Philippians 2: 10

2 Chronicles 2: 12-14

Daniel 6: 10

Acts 20: 36

Thank God for Your Haters

 

Thank God for Your Haters

How often have we encountered people who make us mad…people who hurt us…or people who downright hate us? If you are like me, you seem to run into these people at the time when you think that you are making personal or professional gains. I can remember thinking one time, “Dog, if it wasn’t for --, this would be an awesome place to work.” I didn’t realize that I was allowing someone to dictate my day. I was giving this person power over me. The reality is that our haters are a part of our lives, and we should thank God for them.

I know you are probably thinking that I am crazy. Who need haters? Who wants haters? I do. We all do. Why? Because it is the people who annoy us or who plot against us that help us to reach our full potential. They force us to work harder and give it our best. They force us to pray more and with more sincerity. It is our haters that propel us into our destiny.

I can remember working on a project at work. I was doing the project, but I wasn’t all that concerned about it. However, my nemesis decided to make a comment about how much better the project would be if she was the one doing it. Well, what do you think this made me do? It made me care. It made me suddenly want to give it my best. I worked so much harder on that project just to show her that I was just as capable as she was.

When we look at the bible, we see so many examples of people having to deal with “haters”. Take Joseph, for example, he was hated by his brothers. His brothers went as far as to plot his murder. Thankfully, Joseph wasn’t murdered, but he was sold into Egypt as a slave. Why? This all happened because his brothers recognized a greatness in him, and they were jealous. This also happened because Joseph was arrogant. Joseph was blessed. He knew he was blessed. And, he wanted everyone else to know he was blessed. Joseph’s arrogant attitude was not what God wanted. He needed a humble man. So, he allowed him to learn humility as a slave and as a prisoner. Despite everything he went through, Joseph eventually rose to the greatness that had been promised him.

If Joseph’s brothers had not sold him into slavery, he would never have been in Egypt at the time God needed him. If Joseph’s haters, his brothers, had not been jealous, a whole nation would have perished. God, in his infinite wisdom, knew what was ahead. So, he positioned Joseph to be at the right place at the right time. What Joseph’s enemies meant for his harm worked out for his good.

So, as we face the challenges of today and the people who hate us, remember they are only there as stepping stones. They are helping to take us to the next level. Your haters are just a set up for your blessing.

Psalms 23: 5

You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows

 

Genesis 50:20

"As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.”

Even This: Even the Bad Things are Working for Your Good

 

Even This

Each of us have times in our lives when we experience something that we feel is unfair or simply unbearable. I know I have. I have experienced times in my career when people bullied me, mistreated me, or did things to try to get me fired or make me look bad. I can remember wondering why. I couldn’t understand why people who could care less about their jobs or who didn’t like teaching or children that seem to be sailing through work every day. No one came to harass them. No one questioned their every choice. But, me, that was a different story. I just didn’t get it. I loved teaching. I loved children. So, why was I the one always singled out?

Now that I have grown in Christ, I can see what was really going on. Yes, I was a Christian at the time, but I wasn’t as mature as I am now. So, what do I now see? I see Christ. I see that God was in the mist of the trouble preparing me for a blessing. I see that instead of stressing and fighting and not sleeping I should have had faith in God. I should have kicked in cruise because “all things work together for the good of those that love the Lord”.

I know Joseph must have felt abandon and lost during those years he spent in the prison in Egypt. I have never been to prison, but I can imagine the loneliness he felt being away from his family. I can imagine the disappointment he felt when he remembered his dreams of greatness. I am sure there were times he even questioned God’s purpose.

But, what Joseph didn’t know was that God was putting him in position. He was putting him in the right place at the right time. He was stuck in Egypt to save his family when the famine came. He was in prison learning some humility. Joseph was having an “Even This” experience.

I have had some “Even This” experience. Those experiences have help to make me stronger. They were increasing my faith.

As my pastor, Dr. Robert Nix, likes to say, “It didn’t happen by chance”. Even the bad things turn into blessings.

So, as you face the problems of today, remember that “even this” is working for your good. Amen. Amen.

Genesis 37

After the Rain: God's Blessings are Coming After the Rain

 

After the Rain

I love springtime. However, there are two things that I don’t like about spring. They are the storms and the long periods of rain. Last week, it rain almost none stop. Everyone began to complain about the weather. I even started to wonder when it was going to stop. Someone jokingly asked “Is it going to rain for 40 days and 40 nights?” Thankfully, after almost two straight weeks of rain, the sun came out. As I was enjoying the beautiful sunshine, God spoke to my heart. He whispered into my spirit, “After the Rain”.

As I looked around, I noticed something. After the rain passed, the grass was greener and new life was bursting forth everywhere. Flowers were blooming. Birds were singing. It was amazing. And, just like nature begin to flourish after the rain, so can we. We can become stronger, better, and more beautiful after the rain.

We don’t have to be defeated by our current situations. We don’t have to be held down because of our past. We don’t have to be discouraged because of what our finances look like. Yes, it may be raining in your life today. But, that doesn’t mean the rain will last forever. Change is coming. The sun will eventually break through. But, what do you do in the meantime?

In the meantime, give praise to God. Thank God for his faithfulness. Even thank God for the rain because the rain is change you. It is molding you. Just like nature grows and flourishes after the rain, so will you. We have to remember that it is God who sends the rain as well as the sunshine. Without the rain, there would be no growth. God has orchestrated the events of our life. He is using the rain for His purpose and of our own good. We must remember that His thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are not our ways.

 

So, instead of focusing on the negative. Focus on the positive. Go ahead and praise God for the change he is working in you. Thank him for increasing your faith because after this you will have sunshine.

Amen!

Isaiah 55:9-11

Desperate People Do Desperate Things

Desperate People

Have you ever been desperate? Well, I have. I think, we all have. Have you noticed that when you are desperate you do crazy things~things that you won’t have done if the circumstances had been different? Come on. Be honest with yourself. The following is a true statement: desperate people do desperate things.

As believers, it is so important that we focus on God and not our circumstances. We should never find ourselves in a situation where our back is against the wall, and we make desperate choices. We should always consult God first. Let’s look at some biblical incidents were people were desperate, and instead of turning to God, they turned to someone else or something else.

Victim of desperate circumstance #1: King Saul

After the death of Samuel, the Philistines gather together and settle around Shunem, and King Saul becomes afraid. When he didn’t hear from God, he took matters into his own hands. He consulted a medium. King Saul had this woman conjure up Samuel from the dead. (Playing with Dead Things~we’ll talk about that at another time). Although Saul knew this was wrong, he was desperate. So, he sins.

Victim of desperate circumstances #2: King David

Oh, King David…King David. You have to love this guy. Well, God did. He did a whole lot even despite his many short comings. Let’s look at his desperate situation. He sees a beautiful woman. He wants beautiful woman. He sends and gets beautiful woman. Beautiful woman gets pregnant. Beautiful woman is married to someone else. By law, she should be killed. By law, King David should be killed. Oh, what a tangled web we web when intentions are to deceive. King David was in a pickle. So, what does he do? He tries to trick Uriah, the husband of Bathsheba, into going home and sleeping with his wife. When this doesn’t work, he has poor Uriah killed.

Okay. I know you are probably thinking that these guys did some bad stuff. Yes, they did. But, so do we. We have each done something that is wrong. We have each done somethings that we are ashamed of. Take the time to think about it. So, what should have happened in each situation?

King Saul had stopped doing what was right a long time before Samuel died. He made a lot of bad decisions that caused God to reject him. This was simply another example of his bad decision-making. Let us not become so consumed with our wrong-doing that God rejects us.

Poor King David should have been off fighting like the other kings. If he was too tired for a battle, he should have stopped looking when he saw Bathsheba at her bath. He should have ran away from his window like Joseph if he had had to. But, because he was the king and could do just about anything, he decides to indulge his lust. Think about it. He had several wives and concubines that he could have slept with. But, because he could, he sends for a woman he know is forbidden. As a result, his lineage is riddled with turmoil.

So, let us turn to God when we are desperate. Let us not look at our circumstances. Let us look to him who made the sun to stand still and parted the Red Sea. Let us look to him who can move mountains and the hearts of men.

He can do all things except fail. There is nothing too hard for God. Amen!

1 Samuel 28:3-25

2 Samuel 11

2 Samuel 12

Matthew 19: 26

Jeremiah 32: 27

Trust that God is Able

Trusting that God is Able

How often have we heard the story of Samson and Delilah? It is a famous story of a strong man brought down by a pretty face…but, that is a story for another day. I am going to talk about another woman from Samson’s life…his first wife, the woman who helped to start his war with the Philistines. Her name is not mentioned but her deeds are.

She was another pretty face. Samson saw her and wanted her for his wife. The Bible never mentions her intelligence or her integrity. In fact, we see that she is rather fickle. When she is pressured by her countrymen to get the answer to Samson’s riddle from him, she complies. It is true that the Philistines threatened to burn her and her family if she didn’t give them the answer to her husband’s riddle. However, it is here that wifey makes a grave mistake. Instead of telling her husband what is going on, she decides to manipulate him. She bats her lashes and waters her eyes. She begs and moans until her husband gives in. Samson gives her the answer, and she gives it to his enemies.

Mistake…mistake. But, you might argue that her countrymen were threatening to kill her. She had to give them the answer! No, she did not.

Samson’s wife should have told her husband what was going on. This mighty man of God was well able to handle a few Philistines. Instead of trying to control her husband, she should have turned to him for help. Let us not forget, God made man to be a covering for us. One of our husband’s jobs is to protect us. Samson could have easily protected his wife and her family. But, she didn’t trust him.

Sadly, we are often just like her. Instead of trusting God to deliver us, we run to friends. We burn up the phone lines whining to our friends about our problems. We stay up at night worrying about things we can’t control. The reality is that God can control this things. God can change people and situations. I know. He had my enemy give me a job and place me in an honored position.

When I look back over my life, I can see the many times when God came through for me. If he did it then, he can do it now.

God can do exceedingly, abundantly above all we could ask or think.

Praise God. Amen.

Judges 14:15-19

Drive though Prayer

 

Drive through Prayer

I have been meaning to comment on this for some time, but for some reason, I always forget until later. However, I will take the time now to do so. Last summer when I was driving through Meridian, Mississippi, I saw a sign up at one of the churches. It said, “Drive through Prayer”. I turned around to get a good look at the sign and I saw several people in what seemed like a line waiting on people to drive through to get prayed for. I thought to myself, “Wow! Are we that consumed with having everything fast and quick?” But, then I realized that there were people out there who were willing to give up their time to pray for strangers who might wonder through. My train of thought then was, “How awesome is it that God has people who care enough to stand out in the hot sun to wait on people in need of prayer.” I even remembered at time when I was so desperate for someone to pray with me. So, my hats off to those people and the church with “Drive through Prayer”.

Prayer Journal

Prayer Journal

I have decided that I will began a Prayer Journal. This is a journal in which I will place the names of people I want to pray for and things I need to pray for. My prayer partner and I used to do this years ago. We got away from it, but as I was driving down the road today, the Lord place the desire to create another in my spirit.

Years ago, when I kept a prayer journal, I was able to go back and look at my list and see the awesome work that God had done for me, my family, and my community. So, I will begin one again. The Prayer Journal will also help me to remember those people and issues that I mean to pray for, but sometimes forget.

Feel free to join me. Start your own prayer journal today!

Dry, Dry Bones

Dry, Dry Bones

            One of my favorite bible stories is the one about the Valley of Dry Bones. It is found in the book of Ezekiel 37: 1-10. In this biblical story, the prophet Ezekiel is taken to a valley filled with old bones. The bones are dry and without life. After showing Ezekiel the bones, God asks him if the bones can live. Ezekiel answers by saying, “You alone know.” Ezekiel is then instructed to prophesy to the bones. Ezekiel does as he is instructed and life enters the bones. In the end, a great army stands before him. Awesome!

            What does this story mean? What does this story say to me? It says that we serve an awesome God. He is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all we could ever ask or think. Although the situation may seem impossible… although the odds are stacked against us, our God is able. “Is there anything too hard for God?” The answer is no. There is nothing too hard for God. There is no situation too hard. There is no mountain that he cannot move. My God can do anything except fail.

As children of the Most High God, we cannot look at things the way the world looks at things. We must take the blinders off. We must allow God to wipe away the film of this world. We have to look at things the way God looks at things.

So, what your boss is acting crazy. Stay calm and pray. So, your spouse walked out. Yes, it is painful, but before you grab the phone and dial a friend. Dial Jesus. Speak to that situation. Don’t allow your situation to dictate to you. You dictate to your situation. Tell your circumstances what they are going to do. Life and death are in the power of the tongue. Don’t be swayed by what things look like. Don’t even be led by your own emotions because even they are deceitful. Cry out to your God and see his awesome power.

Just because you are in the valley it doesn’t mean that you have to stay there. Just because it looks dry and dead it doesn’t mean that it can’t live again. Speak life. Allow God to breathe life into that situation.

So, as you face that judge don’t fear his sentence. Don’t go in afraid. Go in with power and life. As you are called in to your boss’s office, don’t fear. Cover yourself in the blood and go.

Declare unto your situation: “Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.” Amen.

The Prodigal Son-Lessons Learned

 

The Prodigal Son-Lesson Learned

The story of the Prodigal Son holds so much meaning for me. When I was a younger, I found myself wasting money and living riotously. I was working as a nurse and making decent money. However, I did not have the money management skills I needed to survive my first experience with life on my own. It wasn’t long before I found myself broke, out of work, and living in a way that was contrary to my Christian upbringing.

One day, it came to me. Why was I living like this? Why was I lying around the house hungry and wondering where my next meal was coming from when I could simply get in my car and drive home? So, I tucked my tail between my legs and went back home to my mother’s house.

When I look back on my life, I realized that I had become like the prodigal son. I had thought that I knew everything. I had rushed to leave home and do things on my own. I had landed a great job that I didn’t appreciate. I had not learned to budget, so I had blown my money on parties, clubs, and things I didn’t need.

And, now, I have watched my oldest son do the same thing. He had a great job. He made good money, but he didn’t plan for the future. He didn’t think about the next day. He didn’t save any money. He spend all of his funds on wasteful ventures and “so-called” friends. When I think about what he has thrown away, I get angry. He should have known better. I had tried to teach him to budget and how to save money, but it had all fallen on deaf ears.

Then, I remember myself. I remember how I also wasted my money, my time, and my loyalty on worthless friends. I remember me, and then I forgive.

I can forgive my son’s stupidity because God and my mother forgave me. When I was in the hog pen of life and sinking in despair, God nudged me and said “Go back home to your mother’s house.” Thankfully, I went in time. And, just like the prodigal son, I was not met with anger or scorn. I was met with love and understanding.

So, as I look at my son, I remember and I forgive. I remember how merciful our God is. I remember that Christ went to the cross was my sins. What great lesson in love is there than this?