Blue Skies...

Today started off rainy,damp, bleak and dismal but now the sun is shining and the sky is that color blue that could have only been created by an awesome God. God can do the same for your life and it won't have to take a half of a day - It can be right now! Trust him.

Money...

Money wasn't with me in my recent two accidents that could have claimed my life, nor was it with me when I foolishly went out to walk the bridge not having known that it was a Tornado in the very area I was in.  Money didn't bring me my husband or my children.   When I didn't have the money to pay a bill, I was still blessed to continue life as normal with my services.  What I do need is to remain in God’s unmerited favor and his will for my life.  His favor shows us how devalued money really is to him – it’s nothing.  But to have his favor with you is all that you need; and all things will work out for your good and to God’s glory.  Favor is the one thing that can purchase the money you need.  Who would've ever thought that there was something that could buy money…?  Only God… Sometimes you just have to shake your head is dismay at the wonders of him.

Dream On...

This morning was special, dare I say magical… in that spiritual kind of way.  Out of all the times that I have dreamed, I have never been able to conjure the dreams that I would've like to have.  Every night and even when I drifted off for a quick siesta; I always suffered violence in the dream state and God’s word says the violent take the kingdom by force!  Many mornings I awoke tired from having fought all night long against me and principalities.  I realized a long time ago that it was caused from stress among other things, but I have been attacked since I can remember… since youth!  Most people cannot remember their first dream they were able to recollect – but I do.  Every night I lay down to sleep, it is my hope and my desire that before I drift off to sleep, that I for once be in a place of prosperity and joy because it was what I had desired to see; and if I could not see it in real life, then the least I should be able to do is dream about it – right?  Not!  I am 40 years old and until last night I dreaded falling asleep.  Why this morning?  What about today made my life change for the better?  Why was I finally able to dream, be completely cognizant and aware that my dreams were coming true and I kept thinking to myself – this is really happening?  For the first time, I didn't want to wake up.  I was tired for a completely different reason – I wanted to continue sleeping to see just how far into my Promised Land that I could go.  Once up and going about my usual schedule, I went to read my Daily Bread devotional and it was a confirmation of what I had felt in my spirit from my dream.  “Resting In God” was the title and the subtext was from Romans 4:16-22 “He did not waver… through unbelief… being fully convinced that what God had promised he was also able to perform”.  The final word was “Some lessons of patience take a long time to learn”.  If you are like me and believe that God moves in signs and wonders, then you know once I read those words after all of these years, no matter what, I must continue to trust God for his Promise.  No matter the time or the process.  This day is one that must go down in my history book of life for what God has already done and will complete to his glory.  I found rest in a dream and in my God through Christ Jesus.  Continue dreaming even when all you have experienced in life were nightmares.  

TRAFFIC JAM!

Feeling run down, stressed, and overworked? It’s nothing but a traffic jam in your life.  Create time for God and he will make the time for you to spend with him in peace.  He will take you down ways, streets, avenues and roads that are less congested in life.  He is the only one that can make life bearable and for us not to have spiritual road rage because we trust that we will arrive right on schedule for our entrance into our personal lands of promise. 

Only One Negative

There is only one negative that can destroy us and that is a negative thought; and not that we don’t all have them because we do but the one’s that overcome don’t choose to focus on the negative but rather on God.  When Job was at his lowest, the enemy kept one person around who was closest to him and I am pretty sure he valued his wife of many years and who bore him 10 children opinion.  She told him to “Curse God and die”.  No one knows for sure why she said something so foolish, but it was up to Job to make up his own mind and come to a decision to trust God regardless.  Oftentimes we are our own worst enemy because the enemy can do no more than God allows.  He cannot make the choice for us to stay in faith.  If we could see how the process would bring us to our expected end, we would believe, but that is not how faith works.  Faith believes in impossibility; so there is no planning or preparation.  You can either take up your bed and walk or keep lying in the same paralyzed position.  Faith asks you, “Do you believe that Jesus can do it for you?”  “Do you believe that there is power in the name of Jesus?” Sometimes it takes going in the dark rooms of life in order for what God is trying to show you and bring you into to be developed. 

Vision

“Without a vision the people perish.” Not without a man or woman the people perish; and neither does the scripture reference, “Not without money the people perish.”  A vision is better than money.  Do you think so little and trivial of God that all he can do is provide money?  Money is just one of the myriad of benefits that God can bestow upon a believer or non-believer.  Money is nothing to God – It’s something to YOU.  In all your praying, pray to get understanding; and that understanding will bring you to a “vision” – guaranteed!  Everyone who was healed or delivered had to first believe that it could be possible and to garner that kind of belief, you had to have envisioned the impossible first, before it manifested.  The vision gives you hope and inspiration to see God – not money. 

O Woman!

O woman, that statement let’s women know that we have a voice at the throne of grace and mercy.  We can’t make a man or God do what we want them to do but we can have the faith to persuade the outcome that we would like.  Have you seen Jesus do anything for you out of the sight of others?  Well, it may only be conjecture but I know that Mary had to have seen her son Jesus do something miraculous before the changing the water into wine episode.  It wasn't his time yet but she helped usher him into his calling.  We can do that same thing with our husband’s and children – just keep the faith and trust that when it is time; he (they) will step up to the plate.  The Syrophenician woman who beseeched the Lord on behalf of her daughter heard “O woman” and she learned that sometimes women have to endure in order to get our breakthrough; perhaps some words that we would rather not hear but God who is rich in mercy will bless us nonetheless.  Mary and Martha spoke ignorantly saying, “Lord if you had of been here.”  They referenced Jesus as Lord of this life but didn't have a clue that he was Lord of all life - both in the natural and the eternal.  Sometimes it’s better to be ignorant than right.  Women are more powerful than we can ever imagine.  Eve had a hold over Adam so much so, until he didn't question whether or not he should eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil – he simply took and ”did eat” knowing the consequence would be death.  Foolish of him yes, but we see that women have far more power than we give credit to ourselves.  Women stay in faith and seek the Lord and you will be instrumental in the birthing process of not only children but the Promise Land for you and your families.

Electrocution!

When it comes to electrocution we tend to want to scream at a person, “Just let go.” Unfortunately it’s not as simple as it sounds because the power of volt of the electrocution is stronger than the person’s ability to simply let go, so it holds the person in place and attached to the object. Trying to separate the person from the power will cause more harm than good. God is the same way – separation from God hurts and though we might want to let go, we know that it is in ...our best interest to be held in place by him. Once he latches on to us – there is no us letting go of him because he has us locked in place. God’s power is more intense than being electrocuted because it was him who created electrical forces. Allow God’s power to flow through you. Your spirit is what drew him to you in the first place; he saw that you could be a great conductor for his will to travel through and give light and power to others. Be the light on the hill and allow him to be the lamp to your feet and the light to your path. Don’t let go of God because he won’t let go of you.
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Public versus Private

Only you can believe God for yourself.  You first have to believe God for something and that one something will change your life forever.  Out of that one trusting moment you will experience a life change that will produce infinitely throughout a believer’s life.  When Abraham had gone up on Mt. Moriah to sacrifice Isaac, his true reason was only between him and God.  No one would have been the wiser had he changed his mind and chosen not to offer up as a sacrifice his son – “The one whom he loved.”  Only God would have known that Abraham had backed out of his commitment.  He had the option to not go all the way and quite possibly kept his child all the days left remaining of his life but it was not about the child but rather it was about his relationship with God; and that is what Abraham understood and the reason why he went through with it.  His life would have been immensely and drastically different - No hope, No blessing.  Those who trust God experience a covenant through personal, out-of-sight victories and unbeknownst favor that only God knows about, but blesses us publicly, as to say “This is my child and this is what a covenant agreement produces in a relationship with him will bring; beneficial and innumerable blessings.

Hell Is Real...

It hurts like hell sometimes waiting on the Lord and to believe God for the impossible.  Hell is relative to where you are in God and where you hope that God will take you.  There are many types of Hell… Hell is right here on earth, but another even worse Hell is coming.  Hell is real, if you have found yourself trusting God for greatness to accomplish his will, and you have experienced different degrees of Hell.  Some think that it is bad now not seeing God’s hand in their natural life – imagine eternally being separated from him – who is mercy.  With that thought, I get a glimpse of what made Christ Jesus cry out and ask, “Why he was being forsaken?”  He was asking the Father, “Don’t you remember when I was there with you in the beginning before the foundation of the world.  I was there when you spoke, “Let us make man in our image and likeness.”  As if God had forgotten what all transpired before stepping out of eternity into creation.  It is the same question that stirs a believers soul but we almost dare not allow the question to travel across our tongue and out between our lips because we are made to endure when are his.  If Hell is that, I must endure to keep closest to God as I can.  So I say “Yes” to God even when the hell that I am going through seems unbearable.  I choose not to focus my attention on the hell and not accept the intensity because I know that the God that I serve is both good and full of mercy; and it endures forevermore.  Therefore, when I focus on the goodness of God, it returns me to trust in him that all things will work out for my good because I have first learned to believe him.  

Thank You for Always Hearing Me...

Dear Father God,

     First and foremost – Thank YOU.  Thank you for the ability to pray and to call out to you both in spirit and in writing; sitting here at my work station, not sure if I would call it my office or even a desk.  A desk is something that I envision in such a different manner.  A home office has a desk ensconced and perched in the perfect position in order to produce a heartfelt work; or perhaps in a picturesque destination that inspires me to write or to say something that enlightens a reader or a hearer on just how good my God is.  Father I pray for that place and that peace where this leg of my journey comes to entering into and not merely sojourning until me and this life arrive at death do us part.  You asked the question, “Do I believe that you are able to do this”, and Father as Peter answered, “Lord you know”.  I can hear Peter saying it with such an exasperated response because no matter what we ourselves believe or whatever we answer – “Lord, you know”.  Sometimes my heart is fickle and I believe emphatically one way and then at the slightest blow of the wind, my heart has turned against that thing that I so passionately believed.  All I know is that you said “Author”, not just write.  Writing, I have been doing all of my life but being an “Author”, to some might sound like the same thing but they are not, they are twins and even when twins are identical, there are some unique characteristics that distinguish them individually.  When I put on my author’s cap am more informative and ideas and inspiration flow through me via a different channel than when I am simply writing in the spirit and praying; though both are giving Glory to you, they are being done so with a slight difference of intensity and veracity.  Give me a word that will have the impact as the Children of Israel received to witness the walls of Jericho tumbling down.  I often wonder not about whether you told me that I would be an author but moreover have I written my magnum opus just yet.  Give me the wherewithal and the discerning insight Father to wait on your next instruction and to continue to have the fervor and favor to want to do your will over anything else.  It is my prayer in Jesus name.  Amen.

Pound for Pound...

Many of us know who are carrying an extra pound or two and want to shed it would like for the pounds to magically disappear and the sheer thought of having to exercising is dreadful enough, but when you have been giving it all you’ve got and no one seems to notice our efforts; if we are not determined, we can soon find ourselves discouraged and no longer in pursuit of our original goal.  The same can be said about our pursuit of God’s promises; it can appear as if nothing is moving us toward the promise, and every day just looks like a carbon copy of the one before.  But, we must remember that just as pounds come upon us subtly, they come off the exact same way.  No one has ever seen a pound burned; regardless of what the calorie burner counter says on your treadmill, elliptical or pedometer.  You will have to get on the scale in order to know and gauge your progress.  Our progress is measured that same way in God – no one has ever physically seen faith, perseverance, patience or God’s footsteps beside ours as we walked out our course of life.  However, just because we can’t see the work that God is performing in us and through us, we have got to know that regardless of what we see transpiring existentially in our lives – he is indeed working.  Don’t be afraid to step on the scale and look down and neither should you be afraid of stepping out on faith in God.  We must stand on the foundation that we are growing in faith and losing overtime what God is not pleased with in our lives.  Pound for pound – Blessing for blessing – Trust that God is working for your good. 

Read The Fine Print...

Hope against Hope – words some take for light.  Hoping against all that you know and can deduce into reasoning is hard.  Hoping in and of itself is hard on the person that chooses to believe God over all that they can see or within our own ability.  What’s hope? Hope is to believe that God will do - what? There is some maybe hoping for a spouse, that dream career, prosperity to bless our children’s children, our dream home, for healing or to be fruitful in childbearing.  There is much that we hope for but we don’t know whether or not it’s going to fulfill us or not.  And that is why we hope in God for his best for us, because only he knows – what is THE best for us. Hope is not for the faint of heart.  Hope is one of the most painful experiences that you may ever find yourself in because you are in pain and God is well aware of your pain, in fact, he is the one that has given you the reason for your hope, but he is also the reason why you hope thus the pain – a paradox to say the least.  God’s blessing may start off appearing to be small or insignificant and then over time can become starbursts and multiplicities that reach beyond our thinking, reach or scope.  All throughout the Bible, God’s admonition is for us to be “courageous” and “do not fear”, why is that you think?  Have you ever asked yourself why?  Sometimes the most obvious is the hardest for us to see, because many will become discouraged and fearful at what they see or do not see.  There is a reason why God loved King David so, so much.  David found a way to encourage himself in the Lord – despite the circumstance.  Do what you have to do to remain hopeful – Read your bible or other bible principled teachings, pray, fast, call on the name of the Lord, plead the blood of Jesus, write, study to show yourself approved – all of the above, if you can or in tandem.  Hold on to the Lord until he blesses you. Read the fine print: Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Sink or Swim...

There is a million dollars on a platform but it is situated a mile from the shore out in the ocean, not some little stream or river – and you can’t swim.  What do you do?  You can just jump in and take your chances and chances are you will drown before you come close to the platform or obtaining the prize of the million dollars.  Now you do have an option – you can learn to swim.  To learn how to swim, you first have to desire to want to swim; and that will give you the confidence to not fear the water, the depth, the waves, the creatures and the distance.  If you never overcome the fear of the water or the fear of the possibility of drowning – how will you accomplish your goal?  It’s there – the million dollars waiting for you on the platform.  God has a prize for everyone willing to swim to him and what he has in store for us.  Some never overcome their fear and just live out life as best they can, while some learn to swim; and while some learn to swim quicker than others – the goal is the same – to get there by any means necessary.  Learning patience is a lot like learning how to swim; and God is only trying to prepare us for what we may encounter on the way to our blessing.  There are some that endure obstacle after obstacle and others have an unencumbered path straight to their goal.  Nevertheless, stay on your path and remember your swimmer’s training; perseverance and your testimonies.  Trust that God will get you there and you will get all that God has for you. Sink or Swim – it is up to you!