A New Year's Resolution

"And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.  And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." Luke 22:39-44


   As the start of a new year approaches, our goals and resolutions for the new year have been drafted, if not already finalized.  So many have already declared 2012 to be a year of blessing and prosperity as they say goodbye to a year that brought so many trials and storms.  Each year, I hear this positive declaration (and by all means, there is nothing wrong with this), yet year after year, it seems as though the trials have only became stronger as new valleys are experienced.  I am sure this year will have its victories and triumphs, but I am certain that it will also have its testings for we know that victories don't come without a battle first.
   When Jesus was about to go to His death on the cross, he prayed to God to let that cup of pain and agony pass from Him. His flesh did not want to go through what He knew He was about to go through.  He was vulnerable just like you and I.  Yet, Jesus did not stop there. He prayed the most powerful prayer one could pray to God, Nevertheless, not my will, but your will be done.  Many times, we also ask the same thing from God. Lord, let me avoid the trial. Keep me from that heartbreak. Keep me from that situation.  Don't let me experience sadness and weakness.  But our prayer too must evolve and mature into the words of our perfect Savior. Nevertheless not my will, but your will be done Lord.
     This year, there will be storms that we have never experienced before and new valleys to navigate.  We will have moments of frustration mixed up with the blessings. In this new year,  we must determine  in our spirits to push forward no matter the circumstances and follow God's leading. With this said, I make a new declaration, a new resolution within my heart.  Lord, this coming year, no matter what may come my way, through storm or triumph, sadness and joy, strength and weakness, I make my resolve to keep pushing forward and maintain my spirit of worship. Lord, I may not have all my prayers answered this year, but nevertheless, not my will, but your will be done.  I know many of us are tired from the battlefield, but now is not the time to rest or give up. Our ultimate victory is closer than before.So let us not shy away from the storms, but face them head-on.  Let us send a message to the enemy that come what may, we are prepared and equipped to weather the storm. After all, we already know the ending. My prayer is that God bless you and prosper you and that your prayers be answered, but my prayer also is that if this year does not go how you want it to,  that you will bless God anyways and keep pressing toward the mark.  Remember, everything is for a reason and for a season.  Just as Jesus was strengthened and ministered supernaturally to by an angel in the midst of his trial, you too will be gifted with supernatural strength from God.The deeper the valley, the more strength and grace our God will provide you. The fiercer the storm, the sweeter the victory.   May God's grace continue to keep you this year and may His power work more perfectly in you.

April

A Godly Example to My Life...Sister Nona Freeman

Today will be two years that Sister Nona Freeman has departed from this world into her true life with Jesus Christ.  I just wanted to say how much this woman of God's ministry meant to my life.  Did I ever meet her?  No. I didn't have to. Her preachings filled me such faith and helped me through some times of discouragement. It was through her sensitivity to God that I learned the power of blessing others, that God will use anyone, male or female, to see His will accomplished, and that prayer is powerful!  Through this woman's example, I was able to desire something great for my own life. It was through her fire and passion that a desire was born within me to venture out of my comfort zone to see the lost won. With my own calling set before me, I remember that all things are possible and that when God calls you to do something, He will also provide the grace to accomplish it.  Thank you Sister Freeman for being such a godly example to my life. When I was 15 years old, I wrote her a letter telling her how much I admired her and her ministry.  I never thought she would write me back, being that she had such a busy schedule.  A short time later, I received a letter from her with such uplifting words.  She gave me a Psalm to ponder over which happens to be one of my favorites today.  I pray it often and it reminds me that God is always with me and I can never run from His presence.

Psalm 139

"O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.  You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.  Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD.  You hem me in--behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.  Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?  If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.  If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,  even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,"  even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.  For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,  your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.  How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!  Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you.  If only you would slay the wicked, O God! Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!  They speak of you with evil intent; your adversaries misuse your name.  Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD, and abhor those who rise up against you?  I have nothing but hatred for them; I count them my enemies.  Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

What Can I Give to the King?

"And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.  And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had."  Luke 21:1-4

During the holiday season, it's super easy to get wrapped up in all the materialism and forget the true meaning of this wonderful holiday called Christmas. Don't get me wrong, I love to give and receive gifts, but we can't forget about the birth of the most important person this world will ever know, Jesus Christ. So, it is with this in mind that I pose a very important question- what will we give to the King this Christmas? What could we possibly bring to the King who has everything.  The answer is so simple.  YOU.  He wants you. He wants ALL of you.  Not just a couple of Sundays here and there, a couple of prayers when you need him, some praises when your time permits.  He wants ALL of you.  He wants your mind, body, soul, your time, family, house, cars, job, education, your desires, your will, your thoughts, your commitment, your total surrender, everything about you, even your very own life.  He wants ALL of you.  He will not settle for just a small portion of you.  The widow mentioned in Luke gave everything she had, even though it didn't seem like much to others.  It wasn't the quantity, it was the quality of what she gave to the Lord. She gave all of her heart with that offering. You may feel like you don't have much to bring  to the Lord, but if you bring all that you have, your offering will be pleasing to God.  You may feel like a walking mess, a fragmented man or woman, a broken person, but God still wants all of you.  The woman of Luke gave from her poverty (physical and spiritual), but God still wanted her gift. It was one of the richest gifts one could give- all of what they had. Its a bit easier to give God when you are living in abundance, but it takes a true, sincere, genuine believer to give of themselves when they are facing trials and tribulations.  Christ gave us all of himself. In return, we should not hold back from doing the same. So again, I pose the question, what will you give to the King of Kings this Christmas?

Merry Christmas!

April Abigail

His Righteousness is Yours for the Keeping!

"No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment, you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is from Me,” says the LORD." Isaiah 54:17

As I drove to work this morning, this thought came to me. I pondered on the many times I fail the Lord and fall short of His glory. As the enemy tries to come in like a flood, I see God's hand keeping me and guiding me despite my shortcomings.  I could have done more, I could have prayed more, I should have fasted more, I should have spoken up more....the list of my weaknesses plays before me like a broken record.   Yet, God's grace does not decrease with my errors.

I thought amazingly about how many times God has fought my battles for me and protected me, even when I did not deserve it.  He has not allowed the enemy's weapons to harm me nor condemn me.  I realized just how merciful God truly is to me daily even when I don't quite meet the standard. Then the words hit me hard from the above verse, "Their righteousness is from me." 
    God does fight my battles for me only when I do good, but when I fail Him also.  His blessings fall on me because I'm His daughter and because He has clothed me with His righteousness.  He blesses me because of who He is, not because of who I am.  As the above verse says, we have a heritage of the Lord because He has chosen us and set us apart for His honor.  On our own, we can never do enough to merit His grace and deserve His power. He does it because He can and because He wants to.  Be encouraged my brother and sister.  If you are facing the enemy's weapons in your life and also at a place where you are falling short, reach out to God who is able and willing to fight your battle for you.  The enemy will try to condemn you, but not your Heavenly father.  He is nothing like that. Even in your shortcomings, God's love is still vibrant for you.  Be blessed.

Lions, Tigers, and Bears....Oh My!

"Many bulls have surrounded Me; Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me. They gape at Me with their mouths, Like a raging and roaring lion. I am poured out like water, And all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It has melted within Me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death. For dogs have surrounded Me;
The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet. I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me. They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots. But You, O LORD, do not be far from Me; O My Strength, hasten to help Me! Deliver Me from the sword, My precious life from the power of the dog. Save Me from the lion’s mouth. And from the horns of the wild oxen!"  Psalm 22:12-21

Ever feel attacked from all sides?  Ever feel overwhelmed by the darts of the enemy?  Ever had fear grip you so hard, you almost felt like you wouldn't be able to take the next step? I'll never forget an experience I once had.  I was eighteen years old and I had just given my first Bible study to my fellow youth girls. Following the study, we got into a prayer meeting and God began to deal with our hearts. The Holy Spirit fell and some of some of us girls sat in my living room weeping in the presence of God.  The Bible study ended. We felt refreshed with a sense of purpose.  I lay in bed that night thinking about what God's plans might be for me. As I gazed up into the ceiling, something flew over my head.  I can still remember that it looked like three bats. Suddenly, I realized that these were not bats, but were evil spirits.  I called on the name of Jesus with everything in me. Immediately, those spirits left. I remember crying to my mom that night as she comforted me and prayed with me. She explained that the enemy knew that God had a purpose for me and was angry, thus the spiritual intimidation.  I wish I could say that my faith overpowered my fear, but I am sad to say that for the next two years, the enemy kept me in the bondage of fear. I couldn't sleep peacefully anymore.  My spirit was timid. I couldn't do spiritual warfare anymore. Insomnia took over my nights.  I cried often, not feeling like I could be delivered because I was too fearful to fight against the enemy.  It wasn't until two years later at a late night pentecostal service that a visiting preacher rebuked that fear from my life.  I was finally able to sleep again, but there was still that spirit of intimidation that bothered me in other ways. I still couldn't take authority in the Spirit and make war on the enemy. As I began to get into God's Word more and more in my Christian walk, I began to gain confidence in the Spirit.  I remember when I moved into my apartment at age 25 that I refused to take that fear with me.  I would not live with it any longer. I told God, Only your presence is invited into my home. I gave the enemy a message loud and clear.  I spoke with authority and told him, If you ever come into my place, you will have hell to pay. At that very moment, that spirit of intimidation left me and has not returned since.  The enemy still tries to initimidat me in other ways, but his tactics have no power over me.  Right now, I am currently being attacked in a certain area of my life.  When fear tries to control me, I remember that God already defeated the enemy at the cross. My victory is already secure. 
     When you are called of God, you are at the top of the enemy's hit list.  The enemy knows that if he can scare you, he can paralyze you. If he can paralyze you, he can keep you from doing what God has called you to do.  Jesus knew what it was like to fear. In Psalm 22, in which the death of Jesus is prophesied, it says that Jesus's enemies were coming at Him from all sides. He describes His enemies as furocious bulls, dogs, and lions.  Maybe not quite lions, tigers and bears, but close enough. lol. These animals signified the enemies who desired His destruction. They were ravenous and evil. They wanted to tear Him apart. The Psalm says that Jesus's heart melted within Him which signifies the intense fear that He felt. This fear caused his tongue to cleave to his jaw.  His strength was all dried up. Yet, despite all the fear that gripped Him, He did not allow it to stop Him from making it to the cross.  His desire to fulfill His calling overpowered His fear.
     What fears grip you at this moment? Is the enemy making you fear that God does not love you, that God doesn't care, that God won't meet your need, that you are alone, that you are a failure, that if you pursue God's calling you will fail, that you will have to give up more than God will return to you, or that God will lead you somewhere you don't want to go?  Is the enemy using people to attack you in your job, your business, or your education?  Are you facing a scary disease or sickness? Are you unsure of the future?  Is there a spirit of intimidation that has you literally in bondage?  We will all face fear now or later, but we cannot allow it to paralyze us. We must tell the enemy, You are already defeated and done with. I'm going forward anyhow!  Know that if fear has gripped you, then you are called by God. Why else would the enemy bother you?  The enemy attacks those he fears the most. Don't be afraid. Walk forward. Take that next step with confidence and faith! Don't run from your calling.  Run straight into the arms of God.  Lastly, put on the whole armor of God, for that is how you will fight against the darts of the enemy.  Ephesians 6:11-13 says,

 "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand....above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. "

My sister or brother, put on that shield of faith.  Trust that God has a wall of protection upon you that no enemy can get through. Trust that God already sees your end and it is victorious. You may not realize it, but fear is an attack on your faith.  The enemy wants to you doubt God's protection and promises from His Word.  Stay strong, God is your defense. Jesus had the victory.  So do you!  Although I sympathize with you that you are facing this attack, the truth is that I am excited for you.   God must have something so incredibly awesome for you that the devil is taking the time to attack you.  So in the name of Jesus, I say, fear Be Gone! Faith be renewed!  God's salvation is coming soon!

Altar of Sacrifice

“I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”   Romans 12:1

Serving God is not about us.  In Pastor Rick Warren’s book, A Purpose Driven Life, the very first words are, “It’s not about you.”  Many Christians today have made serving Christ all about what he can do for them and what blessings and riches they can get from Him.  In reality, Christian service is more about what we can give rather than what we receive.   Christ paid the cost for our salvation on Calvary so He already did His part. Our Christian walk is all about giving our life back to Him in service.  Pastor Jeff Garner once said, “Salvation is free, but being a disciple of Christ will cost you everything, even your life.”   So it comes as no surprise that we are called to be a “living sacrifice.”  Further, we are told that this is our “reasonable service.”  One translation says that this is our “reasonable worship.”   Animal sacrifices were common throughout the Old Testament. They were used for atonement and worshipful gifts unto God.  But now, God is calling us to be that sacrifice. He is calling us to lay ourselves down at the altar so He can perfect the inner parts of our heart in order to make us more Christ-like. 

As you lay yourself down on the altar of sacrifice, you are saying that your dreams, your will, your future, your hopes, your everything, is in God’s hands.  You are telling God that He can do whatever He wants to you.   Like Job in the Old Testament, you are saying Even if you slay me Lord, I will still trust in in you.  It’s not easy to place our lives in the hand of another and to put ourselves in that vulnerable place.  We’ve seen all too many times in this life, how people have used their power for evil and have taken advantage of those who were vulnerable.  Sometimes, we carry this fear into our walk with God.  The altar of sacrifice can be quite uncomfortable as those fears play over and over in our head.  We begin to question God’s motives and overall, His love towards us? Will God really give me His best if I surrender everything to Him?  Will He give me evil or good?  Will God really let me live if I place myself at His altar?  You would be surprised how many people feel like God is out to destroy them.   This is far from the truth.  Jeremiah 20:11 says, “For I know the thoughts I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”  The truth is, God does not want to destroy you, He wants to perfect you.  At the altar of sacrifice, He is testing your love for Him.  He wants to know that even if He does not give you what you want, that you will still serve Him and trust Him.  As God raises His hand on you, you lay there trembling, knowing that this situation may look like its meant to do you harm, but somehow, He will preserve you.  From the depths of your soul, you find the courage to trust His love for you. One song put it, you may not trust His hand, but trust His heart. 

On the altar of sacrifice, in your state of brokenness, you all of a sudden feel his soft gentle hands brush your tear-saturated cheeks and eyes. The Sovereign and mighty God who had the power to destroy you, to wipe you out with one gesture of His hand, did no such thing. He kept you. He may have broken you, but He put you back together.  It’s from that brokenness that the purest oil of worship will be produced.  He may have emptied you of yourself, but He filled you with more of Him. You are a living sacrifice.  It was messy and bloody, but all sacrifices are. Christ is our prime example of this. His body was wounded and bruised for our sin. He died the most humiliating and gruesome death on the cross.  Even when he was resurrected, the scars remained on him. Yet, what His sacrifice did for humanity was the most beautiful thing this world ever has and ever will see. My friend, it is in the aftermath of our living sacrifice where the beauty and the glory truly flows. On a side note, often, people want the glory of the cross without the sacrifice, but God will not use a life that has not been through the fire.  As you lay there, God begins to lift you up and embrace you.  His words drip like honey into your soul, “You do love me, you do love me.  You’ve trusted me and now I trust you. You are now ready for what I have for you.” 

I would like to share a poem I wrote about five years ago. I was inspired to write this after reading Romans 6:13 and Romans 12:1. I don’t think I fully understood at the time what it truly meant to let God have complete control of your life, I just knew that I desired that.  With every situation, I understand more and more that to truly serve Christ is to die to yourself daily.  Each day, we must lay ourselves at the altar of God in complete surrender to His will and His desires. I’m not all the way there yet, but I’m a work in progress.  Blessings!

Altar of Sacrifice

I am an instrument of righteousness

My melody is sweet

I yield all my members

Before my master’s feet

I die daily

My life is not my own

It is offered in sweet surrender

Before His almighty throne

I lay myself at the altar

As a living sacrifice

May He do as He pleases

With this vessel He gave life

When I begin to get weary

My desire to surrender begins to fade

I climb back on the altar

Again He gives me strength

I am an instrument of righteousness

My melody is sweet

I can do ALL things

Through Christ who strengthens me

May I Have Something to Drink?

(Note: I wrote this thought back in July 2011)

“O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is”

 Psalm 63: 1

“...And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the waters of life freely.” 

Revelation 22: 17

Dehydration is when your body loses more fluids than you actually take in.  It occurs when your body doesn’t have enough water and other fluids to carry out its normal functions.  Extreme dehydration can lead to even death. What’s interesting is that most people are dehydrated and don’t even know it.  You only need to lose 2% of your fluids in order to be dehydrated.  It is said that when we feel thirsty, we are already dehydrated.  It has been said that  human beings can live weeks without food, but only a couple of days without water. Case and point: We need water or we will become dehydrated and eventually die.

As I sit and write this, I am on a personal vacation for two weeks to Italy.  Beside me is my most wonderful treasure: my Bible.  Next to my Bible is a tall bottle of Lilia Water that I purchased just a while ago. When I began my trip to Italy, I did not take into account the weather conditions on this side of the world. I knew it would be warm as most summers are in the Mediterranean, but I wasn’t prepared for the extreme heat conditions, humidity, and enormous amount of walking I would be doing.  My first couple of days in Rome were miserable.  I was tired, felt weak, and did not feel like myself. When I started my adventure to Italy and found myself not feeling so well the first couple of days, I continued to feast on sodas.  You see, I have never been a water drinker.  I’ve always been the one to head for the sugary soft drinks, my favorite being diet coke. Often, when I get thirsty (and it is very often), I rush for a soda.  It feels great for the moment, but usually within the hour, I am thirsty once again. Water is not desirable to me; never has been. I hate the neutral taste.  The first three days, as I progressively felt worse, the sodas did not take away the nagging thirst that began to feel like death to me. When I couldn’t take the thirst and weakness anymore, I ran to a snack stand and asked for a large bottle of water.  Within moments of drinking it, I felt my strength return. I began to desire it more than ever, realizing it was the source of my strength and the only way I could finish this trip in bliss. At this point in the trip, water has become my friend. Soda, my enemy. The words of my mumsy are so clear in my head, “Soda is no substitute for water”.  I realize that in order for me to desire water, I had to experience not having it.  My thirst had to become so deep that I had no choice but to trade in my soda addiction for a water addiction.  The benefits have been great, and even when I return home, I believe my new love for water will follow me. Now let's get to the spiritual application.

     Spiritually, many of us are dehydrated. The sad part is that many of us don’t even realize it. Just like many people think they are getting enough water, but are still dehydrated, it is the same with us spiritually. We think we have our fill of God, but truly, what we are doing is not truly quenching that deep spiritual thirst inside us.  What we are doing currently is just not enough.  Our spirit is calling out for more. The Spirit is calling out for more. We are thirsty for more--more than last year, more than last month, more than even yesterday. We need more of God.  We need more of the Holy Spirit. Tapping into the spirit is not always the easiest thing to do because there are other things that vie for our attention. Just like reaching for a cold, sugar-saturated soda is always more desirable than reaching for a clear liquid glass of flavorlessness (aka water), tapping into the Spirit is not always our first choice. Why? Simply because our flesh is weak.  Its not until we submit ourselves and do it anyways that the joy follows. I can recall so many times when I didn't want to pray, but I kneeled near my bed anyways.  After a couple of moments of praising God with my dry spirit, something would break forth inside of me.  Then I didn't want to leave His presence at all!  Like many things, it takes us actually doing it in obedience for the the joy to follow.  

When we’re thirsty, its so easy to fill ourselves with others things hoping that it will take away or quench our thirst. Often, when I feel hungry, I have found that I’m really just thirsty.  Many times, I have fed myself junk food thinking myself to be hungry, but really I was just thirsty. Spiritually, we reach for others things to fill us: television, internet, Facebook, work, friends, a great social life, hobbies, money. For each of us, it is different. Unfortunately, those things can never quench our true spiritual thirst. They were never meant to. They are just substitutes, which if not eliminated or reduced from our lives, can cause spiritual death. For all us, the solution is the same.  We must fill ourselves with more of Jesus Christ and allow him to give us spiritual nourishment and quench our spiritual thirst.

    A special note to singles, having a husband or wife will not fill you like many of you think it will.  The Samaritan woman in chapter 4 of John had five husbands and obviously, each of them failed to give her the fulfillment she longed for. She was left thirsty for something more. That is why when she encountered Jesus for the first time, he offered her himself.  Often, I have found that as a single, when I am anxious for God to bring me a mate, this is a thirst signal.  Often, I don’t want to acknowledge this because it forces me to have to shift my focus from dreaming about God’ prince charming for me to focusing on God alone.  The Bible says that we are complete in him (Colossians 2:10).  This means that in this moment, we have everything we need in Jesus Christ.  He is our fulfillment, our Joy, our comforter, our guardian, our true everlasting Lover of Lovers. No man or woman can ever take that throne. 
      For those of you who have yet to surrender your life to Jesus Christ, I make an invitation to you to take that leap of faith and call out to God. He wants to be your savior and fill that thirst in you.  Your soul was made to be filled by Jesus. If you take that step, wherever you are right now, God will meet you at your thirst point. You will find His love the most fulfilling and wonderful.

So what do you say?  Are you willing to dive deeper into the Spirit and allow Jesus to quench that thirst within you? The depths of the Spirit will leave your life drenched to the point that your life will overflow with Him.  In turn, what you have will flow into the lives of others.  The first step is to get on your knees and call out to him. Even if you don't feel it, do it anyways. You will find that your spiritual dehydration will begin to disappear and God will come in and saturate you with Him. It is refreshing and exhilarating!  It is life-changing! Go ahead and take a drink!

The Fragrance of Your Anointing

"For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing of birds is come...The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with tender grape give a good smell.  Arise my love, my fair one, and come away" (Song of Solomon 2:11-13).

"Awake, O north wind; and come south, blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow out" (Song of Solomon 4:16)

Woman of God, something has been locked inside of you for a very long time. Your God, the one truly living God, is now releasing that precious anointing in your life. Its beauty is dazzling! Your persevering faith has brought you to this moment. You've hungered for it. The work of God in you is plain to see. It's fragrance is already in the air. Its flavors marvelous beyond measure. All the work that has gone into preparing you for this moment of destiny has paid off.  Those thick prayers, those tears that have been shed, those late nights of lying flat on your face in the presence of God have now birthed a new season.  Your brokenness has produced such a pure anointed oil that could only be conceived through you. It is costly, rare, and one of a kind.  It is yours alone. Your worship, your praise, your spirit will never be the same again. I'm so excited for you!

"And you shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed" (Joel 2:26)

Woman of faith, God has dealt wondrously with you. Don't you ever forget that. May your life be used to minister in fragrance to those around you and to those you will meet shortly!  Your season is not coming, it is already here. Open your eyes and see what God is doing! Walk in your divine destiny my sister in Christ! 

April

Slowly Perfected by the Lord

Have you ever baked a scrumptious cake or another yummy dessert?  Have you ever made a delicious dish that was so awesome, you couldn't help but give yourself props?  What is it that makes the perfect dish?  The answer is time. My mom always told me to cook on low heat and to let the food cook slowly. The longer you let something cook, the better it turns out. The flavors have time to slowly merge and richly compliment the dish. I have to admit that sometimes, I'm in such a hurry that I pull the dish out too soon. To my dismay, it's often not ready, and back in the oven or stove it goes.  Our Christian walk is similar to this.  God is slowly perfecting us to be that mature Christian and powerful men and women of God He has called us to be.
James 1:2-4 tells us,

"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations [testings]; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."

God's testing in our life is meant to bring us to perfection or spiritual growth.  When we are tested, God is producing patience in our lives. It is that patience that brings us to spiritual maturity and to the place God is taking us to.  If we try to interrupt what God is doing or take matters into our own hands, we are cutting our process short and not letting the flavor of God truly develop within us.  If I may say,we are taking the "dish" out too early.  Therefore, we won't be fully perfected and entire.  When we allow God to fully make us into what He wants, we end up truly winning because the finished product is fully done and nothing more needs to be added to it.  We become what God truly intended us to be.  We will lack nothing spiritually because God has truly finished what He has started. T.D. Jakes wrote the following words. Keep in mind, although it was written for a woman, it applies to men and women alike:

Every woman who walks with God walk through storms winds and rain. O woman of God, your life is filled with challenges and victories, smiles and tears. You are like a sweet salve mixed by an apothecary. You are a careful blend of life’s many spices. Your personality is a potpourri of so many different things that years of knowing you will not reveal everything that makes you who you are. You are carefully concocted, slowly simmered, and stirred patiently by the Lord. It is amazing how deliberate God is in preparing you for you destiny. He knows what event it will take to bring you to a place of maturity in Him. He is your Lord.

Let us allow God to take His time in forming and molding us.  The final product will be amazing. 

The Pilgrim's Journey

In light of the coming holiday season, here is some food for thought. Am I getting excited about the holidays? Absolutely. LOL.

This last month in my 8th grade U.S. History class that I teach, we've been exploring the colonization of the Americas in its early beginnings. Colonists had many reasons for relocating to the Americas.  Many people left Europe hoping to free themselves from debt, start new businesses and make profits, and some just wanted a fresh start.  Later, a group of people came from England and settled in the New England area in what is now Massachusetts. These people left England because they desired to have freedom of religion, the right to worship God as they saw fit. They became known as the pilgrims and separatists. The pilgrims desired a better place than where they came from. They sought a destination where they could explore the realms of Spirit without fear of persecution. They were blessed in that they found a destination, and through them as well as other colonists, the United States of America was birthed. Today in our country, we still enjoy the privilege of being able to worship God freely and serve Him as He has been revealed to us.

     As I reflect on the pilgrims' journey, my spirit nudges me to another group of pilgrims listed in the book of Hebrews 11. Abraham, Sara, Abel, Enoch, Noah, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Moses's parents, Joseph, Joshua, Rahab, Gedeon, Barak, Samson, Jepthae, David, and Samuel as well as so many others were pilgrims in the truest sense. Hebrews says this about our heroes and pilgrims of the faith:

"Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions. Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect" (v. 32-40).

These pilgrims as you will note, were wanderers, meaning they settled in no particular area. The reason being that they desired a better country, a heavenly one (v.16).  They did not involve themselves with the cares of this world for they knew that this world was not their home, they were just passing through. Hebrews 11, referring to two of the greatest pilgrims, Abraham and Sara, says that by faith, they journeyed to the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tents with their families. They looked for a city that had foundations whose builder and maker was God (v. 9-10).  Why did they dwell in tents when God had already given them the land? They could have made a permanent dwelling, yet they understood that God had prepared for them a heavenly dwelling better than this world could offer. Now that's faith! Referring to the pilgrims of faith, Hebrews also says,
 
"These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city" (v. 13-16).

 

These pilgrims understood they were on a journey whose destination was heaven. They had eternity in their hearts.  They could have returned to their old way of life, but they knew that it meant nothing in the greater picture. They desired something better. They desired Jesus Christ. In the light of Jesus Christ, the cares of the world were foolish and unimportant. It was this attitude that caused God to open his arms to them and made Him not ashamed to be called their God.  He was preparing a special city for them.  These pilgrims would not be let down. Later in Hebrews 11:38, its says that this world was not worthy of these people. This world will never be worthy of the kind of people who give it all, even their very lives, to serve Jesus Christ

      My question to you today is simple. Are you a pilgrim or a settler? If you are a settler, you have become comfortable and content with your place and success in this world. You see the world as being able to offer you riches, houses, money, fame, love, success etc.  The end of this life will soon come, but you cannot take those things with you to eternity. Have you become too comfortable in this life? Does heaven even excite you anymore? If not, then it is possible that you have become a settler. 

     If you are a pilgrim, you see your life as a vapor, short-lived. You understand that only what you do for Christ on this earth will last  into eternity. You have chosen to set your affections on heavenly things (Colossians 3:2) and you're storing your treasures in heaven because that's where you want your heart to be (Matthew 6:20). Your heart is set on Jesus Christ. When we see our lives in the light of eternity, we realize that all hurts and pain we have experienced in this life do not even compare to what will later be revealed in us (Romans 8:18). Just like the pilgrims, our temporal pain is just the entrance way to eternity. The pilgrim's life is the most rewarding.  If you are a settler, there is still time to change your mindset. It simply takes you picking up your tent, just like Abraham and walking on with eternity ahead of you, never looking back. Won't you do so today and make heaven your home?  I leave you with the words to one of my favorite songs:
 

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in His wonderful face
And the things of Earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace

Letting Go of Ishmael

Sometimes it's hard to let go. Giving up our own dreams, our wants, our desires, and our plans can be just plain difficult initially (you will later see that God's plan is wonderful and perfect). When God gives us a promise, He has his very own unique way of fulfilling it that does NOT require our help. Our temptation is to sometimes think that we can help God along in fulfilling His promise, as if the Almighty Sovereign One needs our assistance. When God gave Abraham and Sarah the promise that they would have a son, they both realized that the task was completely out of their hands. Afterall, they were well beyond the age to have children. After much frustration and impatience, Sarah took matters into her own hand and had Abraham go into her servant Hagar, hoping that an heir would be born to them through an alternative method. Ishmael was born, yet God still confirmed to the couple that this would not be the heir that was part of his divine plan. Time passed. When Ishmael was still a young child, the Lord spoke to Abraham again and reconfirmed his promise to him concerning Isaac, "I will bless her [Sarah], and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations...And Abraham said unto God, O that Ishmael might live before thee!"  (Genesis17:16,18).  At this point, it is evident that Abraham and Sarah had long given up on the promise of God for their very own son.  They already errored in taking matters into their own hands and trying to fulfill the promise of God on their own, but what was worse is that they were still willing to settle for less than what God had for them. Their plan may have slighlty resembled  God's promise, but it was not the real thing. Ishmael, no matter how much embraced and loved, would never compare to God's plan and would never be God's plan.

     When the time came for Abraham to let go of his son and his mother, the bondwoman, Abraham had trouble letting go. As we read, he told God, "O that Ishmael might live before thee." Abraham at this point had come to love Ishmael and was close to him. He had warmed up to being a father. Everything probably  felt so right to him, except for the little voice in the back of his mind telling him there was something more that God had for him and Ishmael was not it. Abraham probably wanted so badly for Ishmael to be the one, but the truth is, when its not of God, it's not of God.  Nothing can change God's sovereign will, not anybody or anything. We see that Abraham finally came to terms with his mistake and eventually, once Isaac was born (aah, finally!),  was forced to send Ishmael away with his mother. Sending him away, although painful, meant that God's plan of Isaac would flourish.  Both plans, the one of the flesh and the one of God could not coexist.

Sometimes in our human or fleshly spirit, we birth things that are not of God.  Sometimes in our impatience to see God fulfill a promise given to us, we produce something of our own will.  We embrace it, we nurture it, and we hope that God will fit it into his plan for us. Our plan may feel like a bit of the real thing, but its' not the real thing. What is of the flesh is flesh, and what is of the spirit is spirit. The book of  Romans, referring to Abraham and Sarah's ordeal says, "They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted for the seed, for this is the word of promise...(Romans 9:8).  Galatians also says, "For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewomen. But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh, but he of the freewoman was by promise....What saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman." (Galatians 4:23, 30)  This scripture has many applications, but I would like to use it to show how what is born out of our own will cannot coexist with the promise of God.  Just like Abraham, we must be willing to give up what is not of God to receive from Him what is. We cannot keep our own plan and have God's plan for our life as well.  Sacrifices must be made so that God can fulfill His perfect will in our lives.  His will is sovereign and nothing can change it. Our will can never be his will no matter how much we wish it.  This will end in heartbreak for not only us, but for others who we involve. Ishmael and Hagar were hurt  and damaged because of Abraham and Sarah's disobedience which is quite sad, but in the end, God's plan stood supreme. I have had my share of Ishmael's in my life, watered down versions of what God really wanted to do in me. Take this from a gal who has started three different masters programs for example. lol. Thank God he kept nudging me on to something better.  I sometimes wonder what would have happened if I would have allowed God to work perfectly through me instead of taking matters into my own hands. Yes, God is full of grace, as we see that he had mercy on Abraham and Sarah, but we must be careful with the consequences of letting our plan exist too long.  What problems they could have avoided if they would have continued to trust in God and not have allowed their frustration and impatience to get in the way. I remember the testimony of Nona Freeman from years ago. She talked about her work in Africa and how much God used her and her husband for a special calling. Yet, she notes how as she looked back, she realized how much more God could have done through them  if their wills would have been pushed out of the way completely.

My question to all of us is what Ishmaels do you need to release today?  What is keeping you from receiving what God really has for you?  Is it a job, a person, a dream, a plan of your own. In Jesus Name, I pray you have the strength to let it go so that God can work perfectly through you and release His dream, His desire, and His plan for you.  You may not understand now what God is doing, but know that His plan is beyond what we can understand. It was through the promise of Isaac that we have salvation today. Imagine what this world would have missed out on if Abraham and Sarah would not have let Ishmael go. Hold on to the promise of God as if it is already fulfilled. Nurture it. Embrace it. Believe it.  Let go of Ishmael and see God do a work in you that will have eternal blessings.

April

The Power of Choice

"And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD. "  I Chronicles 28:20

We read that King David called his son Solomon (son of Bathsheba) aside to give him orders to build the House of God. David assured his son that God was behind this project and that God would be with him as he did God's work. When David handed over the plans for building the House of God to his son Solomon, he gave him specific instructions (I Chronicles 29). Solomon would have everything he needed to be successful in such an undertaking.  When I read the story of Solomon and how he was chosen by God to build Him a house, I marvel at the calling of this man. What a privilege to build a dwelling place for the presence of God!  So much work, so much effort went into fulfilling this dream. We see that Solomon was zealous, just like his father, to see the work of the Lord completed.  He built the House and the Bible tells about its splendor and sacredness.  Throughout his journey, Solomon also built a beautiful personal relationship with God. We see how God gives him much wisdom and favor.  God also appeared to him two times, filling his life with powerful promises. Solomon was one who honored God and worshipped Him alone which God blessed him for.  Yet, at the end of his life, we read that Solomon had a weakness.  This weakness would eventually lead to his destruction.  I Kings tells us,

"King Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites: Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father. Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods. And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded. Wherefore the LORD said unto Solomon, Forasmuch as this is done of thee, and thou hast not kept my covenant and my statutes, which I have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from thee, and will give it to thy servant. Notwithstanding in thy days I will not do it for David thy father's sake: but I will rend it out of the hand of thy son.  I Kings 11:1-12
 
We see that everything Solomon had worked so hard for was now jeopardized because of his love of women.  Such a great man and great calling being reduced to such a low state because of his choices.  The Bible never says that he repented, which leads me to believe that he died in his own sin. We live in a different time and different place, but his story is not so different from our very own.
What a wonderful privilege is it for us to be called to do the work of the Lord and to serve an almighty God like Jesus Christ. We too have been given a task. We are to build up the Kingdom of God as well as our own spiritual house.  God has given each Christian a personal calling which is unique and which no other can fulfill. God provides all the tools and instructions for accomplishing the task at hand.  Our only responsibility is to be obedient to the calling and allow God to lead us. We have good intentions, we want to please God, but yet sometimes we get distracted by other things such as the cares of this world, sin, or like I always say, the"stuff" of life.  We often think that its God's responsibility to keep us from detours and mistakes, but this is not the case. Just like Solomon had a free will, we too have free will. God can tell us what to do and guide us, but we still decide whether to be obedient or not. Obedience is not always easy. It usually means that we have to put aside our desires and wants for something better, although it doesn't feel like the best thing from our perspective at the time. God gives us the power of choice. He allows us to decide what to do with what He has given us. He won't do it himself. God put Adam and Eve in the garden to live in relationship with him, but he still put a tree with the forbidden fruit in the midst of the garden to test their choices. He offers us salvation, but we still must accept it and act on it. Also, He gives us promises throughout his Word that are dependent on our choices.  Solomon had a choice when he took all those foreign, pagan women to be his wives and concubines.  His poor decision cost him his relationship with God so that everything he worked so hard for was overshadowed by his poor decision. He had such a high calling, but in the end, he traded in his relationship with God for the cares of his life. 
We make choices everyday. Some choices are easier to make than others. Remember, God won't always close the door on the distractions or "stuff" of life. He leaves that for us to do.  Will we be obedient and allow God to do amazing things in our life or will be trade in our calling and settle for less through our poor choices? I pray for that you and I will always have courage to seek God's widsom, but utimately the grace to be obedient, even when its not always easy. I'll leave you with this quote that I absolutely love, "God never said it would be easy, He just said it would be worth it."  God bless friends.

Blessings,
April

Living with Uriah's Purpose

"And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they desroyed the children of Ammon, and beseiged Rabbah.  But David tarried still at Jerusalem."  II Sammuel 11:1

One evening, David was walking on his roof when he caught sight of a beautiful woman bathing.  David summons the woman called Bathsheba, wife of Uriah, to the palace.  He then sleeps with her and a couple of weeks later, finds out she is pregant with his child. David then formulates a plan to have her husband Uriah called back from the battlefield in hopes that Uriah will sleep with his wife and the baby can appear to be his, and not David's. Upon Uriah's arrival, David directs him to go home to his wife. Unfortunately, Uriah does not follow David's directions and sleeps at the door of David's palace. When David asks him why he did not return home, Uriah explains to David,

"The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my Lord are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine own house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as they soul liveth, I will not do this thing" (verse 11).

     Do you get a sense of Uriah's conviction and purpose?  Uriah had a calling in his life and nothing was going to stop him from fulfilling his purpose. His reverence for God and loyalty to his brethren, including his captain, Joab, is inspiring and godly. It amazes me how he put aside his own desires and wants in order to fulfill his duty as a soldier in God's army.  He could have chosen to fulfill his own purpose, but he chose the better part, God's purpose. When I read this portion of the text, I sense his reverence for God and the inspiring way in which he lived his life.   Uriah stepped up where David did not.
  The story unfolds that David then gets Uriah drunk in hopes of sending him home to be with his wife, but instead, Uriah stays at the king's palace. David sends Uriah back to the battlefield with orders to Joab to have Uriah placed at the forefront. Uriah is killed in battle, David takes Bathsheba as his wife, and Bathsheba gives birth to a child that dies shortly after. David repents of his sin and is forgiven by God, but his life is altered forever. 
      Some may wonder what David was doing at home when his brethren were out fighting in a war.  Afterall, at the beginning of this chapter, the Bible describes this time as one in which kings "go forth to battle" so why was David any different? David, who should have been out on the battlefield, fighting alongside his brethren, was at home enjoying the comforts of palace life.  My thinking goes that he lost sense of his purpose and ignored his duties as king.  Due to this, he ends up falling into sin with Bathsheba, for if he would have been out doing what he was called to do, he would not have had time to allow his eyes to wander.
         Do you know your purpose? If so, are you fulfilling it?  The danger is that when we are not fulfilling God's heavenly purpose, we set ourselves up to be distracted by the cares of this world which can lead to our demise. We were made to fulfill a purpose.  We naturally look for a purpose in life.  If we don't fulfill God's purpose, our flesh will try to find a substitute. Has God called you to be a preacher, a teacher, a pastor, a singer, a prophet, a prophetess, an evangelist, a community worker, a volunteer, a Christ-filled politician, a foster-parent?  The list goes on.  Then my encouragement to you is to set everything else aside and press towards your heavenly purpose.  As Paul says, we must press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus(Philippians 3:14) The Bible describes fulfilling our purpose as one who runs a  race:

"Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run that you may obtain."  I Corinthians 9:24


"...Let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross...." Hebrews 12:1-2

Our prize is Jesus Christ's Kingdom.  Our purpose is to be used by God to minister to others in order to expand His kingdom.  We must press past the sin and the distractions.  Just like a runner, we must focus only on the finish line.  We don't have time to look to the left or to the right, even for a second.  That split second could mean forfeiting the prize. Like David, a moment of stepping out of his purpose cost him being able to build the house of the Lord.  Are you willing to pay that high of a price? Or will you be like Uriah who fulfilled his purpose until his very last breath?  I encourage, keep your eyes on Jesus Christ and learn from his example. His purpose was Calvary and he stopped at nothing until he made it to the cross.  Stop at nothing to fulfill your calling. Keep your eyes on the prize and see God use your life in a mighty way.

God's Delay is Not His Denial

Driving home from work today, I was reminded of a thought God gave me a couple of months back. I'd like to share it with you.

Do you need God to do a miracle in your life?  Do you need God to give you a breakthrough? Do you need a healing? A deliverance?  The good news is that God will meet everyone of those needs if we believe Him in faith.  You may wonder why God has not yet answered you.  Just because he has not responded does not mean that he doesn't have something up his sleeve.  I recall a story in the book of John where one of Jesus' close friends, Lazarus was ill, at the point of death.  Lazarus's two sisters Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus to come quickly to Bethany, for they believed that Jesus would heal their brother. The Bible says that when Jesus heard the news, he said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby" (John 11:4).  So in Jesus's mind, he already had purposed to heal Lazarus. Yet, instead of leaving for Bethany right away to meet the need, he stayed put in his current city two more days knowing very well that his friends were anxious, worried, and fearful, "When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was" (John 11:6).  Was Jesus heartless? Absolutely not. In his infinite mind, the miracle was already done so he had no need to worry about the situation.  Sound familiar?  Sometimes when we don't see God answering immediately, we seem to get worried, as if God might just forget about us or pass us by.  God already sees the ending from the beginning. We must do the same.  Keep in mind, God's delay is not his denial.  You may not have your answer today, but rest assured, your answer is on it's way.  Believe and you will see the glory of God in your life!

God's Delight

"He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me, because he delighted in me." Psalm 18:19

To delight means to experience a high degree of pleasure, enjoyment, joy, rapture, or excitement in something in someone.   We delight in many things of this life. We delight in success, romance, adventures, money, fame, and many other things.  Many Christians would claim that they delight themselves in God only to claim the promise of Psalm 37, "and he will give you the desires of your heart." Yet, the question begs to be asked, is the Lord truly delighting in you and I? It’s easy for us to say that we delight ourselves in God, but it's another story to say with assurance that He delights in us. Feeling his presence sporadically or attending church once in a while does not denote his delight in us.  In the above scriptures, the Psalmist David was bold and confident when he said that the Lord delighted in him.  How does one get to this point of pleasing God so much that He enjoys, takes pleasure, and excites himself in our person, and even our presence? For certainty, God does not need us. Yet, he chooses to delight in us.  In Psalm 18, after making the statement that God delighted in him, David gives us two main reasons for making such a claim:

 "For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God. For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me" (Psalm 18:21)

“The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me... I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity... Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according being pleasing to God:to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight” (Psalm 18:20, 23-24).

Through these scriptures, we note the following about being the delight of God:

1) God delights in us when we delight in His Word and keep His commandments.

First of all, for God to find pleasure in us, we must delight ourselves and love his Word.  In the verses above, we see that David credited the fact that God delighted in him with him keeping God's commandments. This is also emphasized in the first chapter of Psalms when David says, "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful, but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night."  Do we take pleasure in God's Word?  Do we feast on it daily? Do we think on it all the day long? David was one of the greatest examples in the Old Testament of a person who truly loved the Law of the Lord. The longest chapter in the Bible is Psalm 119 (penned by David of course) and it shows David's reverence and love for the Word of God as well.  He says, "My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments (commandments) at all times."  David longed to follow God's word.  Even though he was imperfect, he knew that the laws of God would bring correction and healing to his life, "How shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to they word" (Psalm 119:9).

2) God delights in us when we keep ourselves pure and blameless in His sight. 

Next, David notes his righteousness and blamelessness before God.   David was a man after God's own heart. He set his heart on pleasing God in every way and being holy or blameless before God.  He wasn't perfect.  After all, he did commit adultery and have a man murdered.  One would think David would be the last person God would delight in.  Yet, David always humbled himself before God and got himself back on track through repentance. For that reason, God delighted in him.  The same goes for us.  I'm not perfect, you're not perfect.  For God to delight in us does not mean that we have to be perfect, but we do have to acknowledge our failures before God and ask his forgiveness each day.  We fall over and over again, but it is our humility and ability to cry out to God that will bring us back into relationship with God and cause us to be his delight. When we have a heart to please God, He will see us through our failures because he delights in us, "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.  Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand" ( Psalm 37:23).   This does not give us the license to sin, but it does mean that when we do sin, we have an advocate on our side who is Jesus Christ.

Another scripture comes to mind when I think about pleasing God:

 "One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his temple” (Psalm 27:4). 

3) God delights in us when we spend time in His presence.

Using a different scriptural context, we can also see from Psalm 27, that God wants our time. In the world we live in today, there are so many distractions that beg for our attention. Yet in the midst of all that, God must be our priority. Seeking his presence daily is a must, a non-negotiable. David understood the necessity to be close to his Maker. His love for God demanded it. When it comes to our prayer life, I believe the best time to spend with God is early in the morning before the events of the day.  Someone once said, we should tithe our first hours to God, a sacrifice that reaps great spiritual blessings. I like that idea.  I understand that everyone's schedule is so uniquely different, but if at all possible, this is the ideal standard. I have had my quiet time and devotion with God after work, but by then, I have given all my energy to my students so there is little left for God but a tired, worn-out school teacher at times. lol.   I want him to have the first of my heart.   He deserves no less. I don't speak this as one that has attained  or as one that has this perfect walk with God, I speak as one that is hungry for a more spirit-filled life. I'm pressing forward just like everyone else.

The last scripture I would like to use deals with holding on to God even when others are against us:

"He [Jesus] trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighteth in him"(Psalm 22:8).

4) God delights in us when we endure persecution.

Using a third scriptural context, we see that God delights in us when we stand tall in the face of persecution. In the Psalm 22, David prophesied the humiliation and persecution of the messiah, Jesus Christ. He described the mockery and scorning Jesus would face and how they would taunt him saying that if he was truly God’s delight, why didn't God save him. Jesus was God’s delight because he refused to let the cup of persecution pass from him. He was the delight of God because he endured even to the death at the cross for which reason, God exalted him and gave him a name that was above every name (Philippians 2:8).  When we endure persecution and rejection for Christ's sake, we become the delight of God.  Persecution does not feel good when it is happening, but like Jesus, we can look to the joy that is set before us and endure just as he did. Maybe your friends make fun of you because you live differently and stand up for what is right.  Maybe your spouse left you because you decided to follow God. Maybe your family has disowned you because of your new lifestyle. Maybe you are tempted each day by those who want to see you fall. Know that God is delighting in you in your circumstances because it shows that you love him more than this world. His reward is with him when he comes back if you will just hold on.

In conclusion, I pray that you will find yourself the object of God's delight.  If you are reading this, then I know you must have a desire deep within you to please God.  If so, you are on the right path. Let's press forward together to be what God wants us to be in Jesus Name.

Winter Seasons of Our Lives...

I have delighted in this past summer season and am now looking forward to Autumn.  I love the bronze and gold colors that decorate the ground as leaves fall and act as ornaments to the cool ground. Visions of pumpkins and apple cider dance in my mind. Finally, I love the sound of my 8^th grade students coming back to school, excited to share what they did over the summer. Autumn is definitely my favorite time. Following Autumn is the season that many people dislike—the Winter season. Why do many dislike it?  Well, the sky usually turns grey, rain (and in some areas, snow) falls overwhelmingly, the air is thick with an icy coldness, and nature, with its animal and plant life, seem to retreat. From our perspective, there seems to be a stripping away, a physical barrenness, and even a sense of deadness that encompasses life in the Winter season. Yet below the surface, this is most definitely not the case. Life still exists. Beyond the cold, the ice, and the hardness of the ground, life is still being nurtured beneath us. Nature’s quietness and slumber does not equate deadness, but is the way that preparation is being made for a future fruitful season—the Spring. The Winter season has its part in the cycle of life.  It is needed just as much as the Spring, Summer, and Autumn. It is with this in mind that I speak of spiritual seasons of our life, in particular, the Spiritual Winter season.

Just like the physical season, the spiritual winter season is characterized by a stripping away and quietness in the spirit.  Also, spiritual winter seasons are often characterized by pain, suffering, and waiting. Again, there we go with the dreaded word, waiting. It is often in this season that we face the quietness of God in our lives.  It often seems that God has forgotten us or that He has turned away from hearing our cry.  We feel a sense that God is withholding from us. His promises might even feel dead within us.  I would like to focus on this aspect of the spiritual winter season.

I am reminded of a couple who experienced their own spiritual winter season-a time of unanswered promises.  We read in Genesis, chapter 15, that God promised Abraham and Sara something that they had always wanted- a child.  Little did they know that the time between the promise and the fulfillment of that promise would be a very long period.  We see this couple become discouraged over time. Years later, after much pain, confusion, and tested faith, God finally gives them the child He promised.  The journey was not easy, but this couple made it through their winter season. In the book of Romans, Paul makes reference to Abraham when he says,

 “Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be.  And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb:  He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in the faith, giving glory to God.  And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was also able to perform.  And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness."  Romans 4:17-22

Wow!  When I read this, it blows my mind how Abraham never gave up despite the circumstances surrounding him.  Instead of looking at his situation with his physical eyes, he embraced with his spiritual eyes what God had promised him.  Now that’s true faith!

Just like Abraham and Sara, we might experience such a season of our own.  Although pregnant with promise, we find it hard to hear from God. We feel stripped spiritually, sometimes rejected, hurt, and isolated.  Although we might feel barren and like the promises of God have died within us, truly inside, we know this is not the case. This is the time where we live purely by faith, and faith alone. Just like our perspective is limited in the physical Winter season, it is the same in the spiritual. We cannot see with our physical eyes what God is doing behind the scenes, but we must simply believe that God is answering us. We may not hear His voice or even feel His presence, but we must have faith that He is still working in our spirits and planting the seeds that eventually will come to fruition.  We may feel pain, but with our eyes of faith, we must know with certainty that God is producing a precious oil of anointing that is homegrown in our hearts and minds. We must look past what is in front of us, just as Abraham did, and simply have faith, for we know that God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).

Seasons don't last forever, but they do have their place in our lives. Each season brings new opportunities to grow as a person. It is unrealistic to believe that we can live in only one season.  That's just not the way life works.  Although suffering is hard when it is taking place in our own life, we cannot fight against what God is doing inside of us.  Where there is pain, God will also provide grace and strength. Keep in mind, God’s purpose is being accomplished in you.  During this season, you are producing things that God will use to impact others once this season passes. The Apostle Paul said,

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.  II Corinthians 4:17

I often wish that I could have the same mindset as Paul when he said, “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong” (II Corinthians 12:10)

If I may paraphrase, Paul is saying that he takes pleasure in spiritual winter seasons which are characterized by need, sickness, backbiting, persecution, sadness, unanswered prayers, you name it. He calls us to take pleasure in those things.  I don’t know about you, but I am a big baby when I am sick or feeling less than well. Pleasure is not the exact word that I would use in this case.Unanswered prayers can be such a burden. I don’t like waiting. I don’t like feeling lonely or sad. But again, we are to take pleasure in these things. You may ask, “But how do I do this. It’s so hard.”  The answer is, you can’t.  At least not on your own. It is only through leaning on Christ that we can make it through to the other side of our testing. We can take pleasure in unpleasant circumstances and in a winter season because we know that God’s strength is made perfect in weakness (II Corinthians 12:9). The key here is that when we are truly weak, at our lowest point, feeling the craziest pain, this is when God makes us strong. Although we feel alone during a spiritual winter season, we are not. God is with us if we will simply believe it. Remember, Jesus already experienced the pain so that He could relate to us.  There’s nothing that you are facing that Christ did not already experience. We can take comfort in this. Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary already gave us the victory and made us more than conquerors.  Take hope.  Millions of other Christians as well as myself have made it through this winter season. So can you. When you’ve made it through the heartache and pain and still come out worshipping Jesus, there is nothing like that feeling. The moment when you realize that one season has ended and a new one is about to begin has to be the most wonderful feeling in the world. It is in that moment that you can truly sing, it’s a new season, it’s a new day, a fresh anointing, is coming my way.