Now is the Time to Get in Position

It seems like this has been a season of struggle for many Christians, a season of endurance. God is not pouring out the way we think He should. But instead He is working on our character and preparing to take His bride to a new level of intimacy with Him where His power can be displayed on a broader scale. No longer will the mediocre life be acceptable. You must either be red hot or ice cold. There is no more room for compromise. Those that have taken His grace as liberty to sin will be exposed if they do not repent. What is done in the dark will be revealed and brought to the light. God is giving us a window of time to get things right and line up. But He will come as a theif in the night. When He comes you will either be as the wise virgins or the foolish virgins. You will either have your vessel (body) stored up with oil (anointing) or it will be empty. For those who have spent time worrying about themselves, chasing the things of this world, doing acts of no eternal value, your vessel will be empty and you will not be allowed to walk into the promise. For those who have spent time in the presence of God, sanctifying their vessels with the Word, spending time in prayer, in worship, giving glory to God in praises and thanksgiving, and who have persevered through pain and suffering, God is going to reward you and you will walk into the promise. Choose this day who you will serve. Prepare your vessel as one of honor. Only what you do for Jesus Christ matters.

Wrestling and Resting in Christ

I've been meditating a lot lately on what it means to rest in Christ. I preached a sermon last week from Hebrews 4 and touched on the subject slightly.

Hebrews 4:10-11
He that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
Let us be diligent therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

In my free time this past weekend I listened to a sermon by Pastor John Piper entitled: Resting and Wrestling for the Cause of Christ - Together. He made some great points that I would like to share. He read from Romans 15:30-32, which reads in the ESV:

I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, so that by God's will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company.

Pastor Piper noted that in this passage Paul is longing for two things. That the church joins him in wrestling (strive together can also be translated as wrestle - Greek sunagonisasthai) and in resting (being refreshed - Greek sunanapauomai). I found this very interesting, specifically because he made the remark that we should both wrestle and rest at the same time. Piper quoted Luke 13:24: “Strive (wrestle) to enter through the narrow door.” then Matthew 11:28: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” He combines these two passages and says that the two descriptions of Christian life are wrestling and resting:

"Strive to enter through the narrow door. Life is war. Fight the good fight. Wrestle.
Come to me, you who are weary, and rest. Find a light yoke and an easy burden. "

He then concludes that:

"It is both wrestling and resting partly because our hearts do not naturally rest in all that God is for us in Jesus. So we must fight against everything that inclines us to rest in anything but Jesus.

Money beckons us to rest in what it can buy. Sex beckons us to rest in the way it can make us feel. Power and recognition beckon us to rest in what they can give. Health and food and athletics and family and friends and hobbies and education and looks and accomplishments all beckon us to rest in what they offer.

But Jesus says, “Come to me and find rest for your souls.” Other shelters offer rest. Other yokes seem easy. Other burdens feel light. They are all an illusion. In the end, they enslave and destroy. Only Jesus gives deep and lasting rest and joy. Only Jesus supports the burdens he gives. Only Jesus uses a yoke to lift his team of oxen. "

My question to you (and myself) is what are you resting in? What are you yolked up to? Are you resting in Christ? Are you wrestling to continue in that rest? As Hebrews 4 says, when we enter into His rest, we cease from our own labors by diligently laboring or wrestling to stay in His rest.

Are You Fully Converted?

Luke 22:32
"I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. "

In the above passage, Jesus is speaking to Peter. He tells Peter that Satan wishes to sift him as wheat. Jesus then says that He has prayed for him that his faith fail not, and that when he is converted that he is to strengthen his brothers and sisters. This was during the last supper, when Jesus was preparing His disciples for His death. Peter responded saying that He will serve Jesus unto death, however Jesus prophesied that before the cocks crow in the morning he will deny Him 3 times.

How many of you know that we have an enemy of our soul? The Word of God tells us this enemy is satan, and yes he is an enemy, along with his demons. But the true enemy is sin. As Christians, we know that we were all born in sin and shapen in iniquity, inheriting a sinful nature from Adam and Eve. This means that all humans are drawn to sin, they naturally sin. The word sin means to fall short of God's perfection. We sin by our thoughts, by our actions and by our deeds. Before we were born again we had no choice in the matter, we were sinners and practiced a lifestyle of sin. Once we became born again, the Holy Spirit regenerated us and we now have the ability to choose not to sin. But that choice is not always as easy as it may seem.

The enemy of our soul seeks to steal, kill and destroy us. Satan uses sin to accomplish this goal. He can only do this if we give him place, for if we submit to God, and resist the devil, he will flee. If we are serving the LORD, no weapon formed against us shall propser. But too many times we stop serving the LORD. We stop submitting to God. We stop resisting the devil. And we end up in sin.

But Jesus has prayed for us! Romans 8:34 says that "It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us." He is praying for us just as He did Peter that our faith fails us not. Now that we know that He has and is praying for us, we must walk in the faith He has given us and be converted.

What does it mean to be converted? In this text it means to turn away from sin and turn to Jesus Christ in worship. To convert means to transform, from the old sinful man to the new Christ-like man. When God drew us and gave us His Spirit, He gave us a new nature. However, it is still up to us to choose to be converted. As long as we live in this mortal flesh, sin will always plague as. The way to true conversion is putting to death the deeds of the flesh by the power of the Holy Spirit and walking according to the Spirit in the newness of Christ. Seems difficult huh? It sounds easy, but I can personally attest that sometimes it seems impossible. But how many of you know that what is impossible to man is possible to God!

When we are converted the things that used to bother us don't bother us anymore. The music that used to tempt us doesn't tempt us anymore. We are able to walk in the midst of demons and they can't touch us. Lust is no longer an issue, even when we are surrounded by images and seducing spirits. Our mind is renewed and we are able to quickly cast down every vain imagination that tries to exalt itself above the knowledge of God.

Only when we are converted will we be able to strengthen our brothers and sisters in the faith without stumbling ourselves. This is important because sometimes we think "oh, I haven't done this in a long time so I'm delivered." But that stronghold may just be lying dorment and as soon as you try to minister to someone else, you will find yourself dealing with that same sin all over again as you cry out: "I thought I was delivered!" Make sure you are delivered. Make sure that there is no common ground with the sins of other people before you try to minister to them. Make sure there are no soul ties present when you attempt to minister to someone from your past. Be mindful of the plots, the plans and the schemes of the enemy!

This may all seem overwhelming. But honestly, God will convert us and make us completely whole. Just as He did Peter. Just as He did Paul. Just as He did all of the other disciples before us who made up in their mind with no compromise, "for Christ I live, for Christ I die!"

He is still working on me. I'm not there yet. But I know that it is possible to be completely converted, fully persuaded as Paul puts it in the book of Romans. Let's all strive to be fully converted and walk in the power and in the authority of the Spirit of the Living God. It isn't easy, but it is possible and it is worth it.

1 Peter 5:6-11
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Which God Are You Serving?

After my last post on 'Taking Advantage of Your Season' I began to think about Solomon and how he worshipped false gods over the True and Living God. He not only knew of the LORD, he not only saw God move, but he actually spoke to God and heard His voice as the LORD appeared to him twice. How easy it is for us to lose track of what God has done for us and fall deep into our flesh, forgetting His Word and His sacrifice for our sins.

Temptations continually surround us to put up idols before the one True God. These idols can be ourselves, they can be a loved one, a wife, a husband, a pastor, a friend. They can be money, a career, even ministry. They can be lust, sex, pornography and infidelity. Anything that you place above God that causes you to sin against Him is an idol a/k/a a false god in your life. I just read a post from a young brother who struggles with pornography. Although he has made his struggle public I will not name names, but merely use his situation as an example. He illustrated his struggles in a rhyme where he is crying out to God. In one stanza he wrote that he is tired of dealing with it, and later on he says he is hooked on the excitement. He knows the Word, yet isn't applying it. He is caught up in his flesh, and whether he realizes it or not is choosing to serve lust over serving God. This is just as bad as Solomon serving the false gods Ashtoreth and Baalim. Though the brother mentioned above may not be bowing down to Buddha or Vishnu, he is being led of his flesh which is very dangerous. This was actually the very sin that caused Solomon to serve these false gods, his heart was turned to his 700 wives and 300 concubines who persuaded him to set up altars in the high places to worship idols. This was just a manifestation of what was already in his heart, for even before the altars were erected, his heart had been turned to the false gods of lust and perversion.

God is calling us to serve Him and Him alone. He wants our total devotion. There is nothing wrong with enjoying the company of people you love, the material blessings of God, and even intimacy with your spouse - however when your life begins to revolve around these things instead of Jesus Christ and you find yourself meditating on them rather than the Word, it's time to check yourself and place that devotion back on the LORD. Our God is a jealous God and will not have idols placed before Him. He will either move the idol out of your life, or move you for disobediently serving something other than Him.

Examine yourself today. If there is anything in your life that is distracting you from focusing on Jesus, repent and ask God to deal with it. It can be something as small as your favorite television show or something as big as pornography. No matter what the issue, the LORD can and will deliver you. He is waiting with His arms wide open to receive you. To cleanse you of your sins, to blot out your transgressions, and to remove every iniquity in the secret places of your soul.

We have all fallen short, so no matter what you have done it is time to repent. Punishment for even the smallest sin is eternity in hell separated from the manifest presence of God. Only in Jesus Christ can we receive reconcilation to the Father, who is waiting for us to cry out as David did in Psalm 51 after he sinned against the LORD. So let us meditate on the following passage and ask God to cleanse us and make us holy as He is holy:

Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your lovingkindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.

For I acknowledge my transgressions,
And my sin is always before me.
Against You, You only, have I sinned,
And done this evil in Your sight—
That You may be found just when You speak,
And blameless when You judge.

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,
And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.

Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Make me hear joy and gladness,
That the bones You have broken may rejoice.
Hide Your face from my sins,
And blot out all my iniquities.

Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners shall be converted to You.

Deliver me from the guilt of _________ (insert your sin here), O God,
The God of my salvation,
And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.
O Lord, open my lips,
And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.
For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;
You do not delight in burnt offering.
The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart—
These, O God, You will not despise.

Take Advantage of Your Season

I've often heard it said that as Christians we serve a God of time and season. Though the LORD lives outside of time and in eternity, He has preordained and predestined a timeline of events leading up to the end of time when He comes back for His bride to judge the world. His plan is so intricate and detailed that He has set aside specific seasons for us as individuals to prosper, to endure suffering, to practice patience and experience every facet of life that we find ourselves in. This plan is so complex that He has granted us a sense of freewill, yet even that He is in control of. As sons and daugters of God it is up to us to recognize the season we are in and act accordingly. For some it may be a season to reap, for others a season to sow. There is an appointed time to speak, as well as a time to hold your peace. For some it may be a time of heavy warfare, yet for others a time of focused intercession. Every promise of God has a season where it will manifest, but in order to receive your promise you must be in position.

Jeremiah 5:24
...Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.

Galatians 6:9
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Sometimes what we receive in our season is conditional. In Jeremiah 5:24 the LORD said that if we as God's people fear Him, we will receive a harvest in the appointed season (in this context the LORD is using Jeremiah to rebuke the people of Israel for not fearing Him saying what their attitude should have been). In Galatians 6:9, Paul writes that if we do not become weary in well doing we will reap a harvest. Many promises are conditional, and God gives each of us an opportunity to receive the fullness of His blessings if we only trust and obey.

Solomon is an example of how being out of position can cause you to miss your season (1 Kings 9:2-7). God told Solomon that if he walks in integrity, obeys His statutes and does not serve other gods He will establish Solomon's name in Israel forever. The LORD then told Solomon that if he or his children act in disobedience and serve other gods, He will cut them off from the promised land and take away the temple (His house). Solomon disobeyed and missed his blessing by serving other gods (1 Kings 11). All of Israel was then cut off from his rule (other than Judah) and God gave Solomon's kingdom (the rest of Israel) to his servant Jeroboam. After Solomon passed, his son Rehoboam became king of Judah in his stead, but should have inherited the entire kingdom of Israel (all 12 tribes) were it not for Solomon's disobedience. Many years later, the Kingdom of Judah lost their land and were exiled during the Babylonian captivity of the 6th century BC as noted in Daniel, Jeremiah, 2nd Chronicles and 2nd Kings under the reigns of King Jehoikim, Jehoiachin and Zedekiah (the last king). King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon not only took the people of Judah captive, but is recorded to have raided Solomon's Temple twice, afterwhich he burned it down and took all of its treasures back to Babylon (See Biblical References). The Kingdom of Israel was also taken captive and destroyed by the Assyrian Empire 200 years earlier around the 8th century BC under the rule of it's last king Hoshea who reigned in Samaria (2 Kings 17:6-24).

Don't miss your season. Walk uprightly before the LORD and you will receive every promise of God in due season. For the promises of God are yea and amen and if you are not in position in the appointed season, He will move someone else into your place who will walk in your promise.

Ecclesiates 3:1
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.

Hearing and Doing the WORD

James 1:19-25 (ESV)
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

What an on-time passage this is for me. I've found myself in the midst of extreme warfare lately, specifically this past week. I've fallen short many times, doing things in my flesh rather than walking in the Spirit. I truly want to have an intimacy with Christ, and I feel as if I am in an obstacle course full of hurdles and walls, ditches and lakes. Only when I overcome the obstacles will I reach Christ, who is waiting on the other end. I urgently want to get there, but I keep tripping on the hurdles, falling off the walls and into the ditches, and sinking in the lakes. His Word is my strength, but I've been weakened by my shortcomings. My focus has shifted from the end of the course and on to the actual obstables themselves.

Now I'm back at square one. I'm looking across the obstacle course and I know what I have to overcome. I've been equipped with the means to get there (the Word of God), and even have a strategy planned out (Faith). Now that I know the Word, I must act on the Word by Faith, only then will I reach the end of the course and obtain my reward. I have to watch what I speak and make sure that I listen intently while I make my way past the hurdles. As I listen to God's instruction I must act fast and talk later. Rather than get upset at how I feel and how things look, I must stay meek and low, climbing the walls and jumping the ditches, knowing that these obstacles are just a test of my faith. As I act on the Word, my faith will increase, and like Peter I will walk on water over the lakes to the end of the course, and I will receive my blessings of intimacy with the LORD and His will being done in my life.

Although this illustration may seem kind of corney, it is exactly how I feel right now. I know that I have the victory and that God has strengthened me to persevere as an overcomer. No matter what comes my way, I will press my way through and receive every promise that God has laid up for me.

Be of ONE Mind

James 1:8
"A double minded man is unstable in all his ways."

All throughout Paul's epistles he tells us to be of "one mind". Even Peter and the author of Hebrews (who is argued could be Paul, Peter or another disciple) commands us to be of one mind. In these passages being of one mind is explained as being on one accord with your brothers and sisters in Christ, esteeming them above yourself, having compassion, and being unified. Philipians 2 describes being of one mind as having the mind of Christ.

As Christians we must be unified, for "if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand." (Mark 3:25) We must be on one accord. The enemy knows this and does whatever he possibly can to create division and confusion to hinder the unity of the saints.

Being of one mind begins with you - the individual believer. Many look at our minds as the battleground where we decide to either walk according to the flesh or the spirit. I believe that our will controls what we think about in our mind, that our mind controls how we feel in our emotions, and our emotions often determine our actions. That being said, the mind plays an integral part in our decision making. The Bible says that our mind is renewed by the Word of God - which is God's will. Therefore when we spend time meditating and studying the Word of God we are in actuality trading our will for His, and in doing so our mind becomes transformed into the mind of Christ. When this happens our thinking becomes clearer; we no longer have confusion but abound in understanding and wisdom; our mind becomes sound - meaning whole and complete; our faith does not waver but is firm for we know what the will of God is; we walk in love towards everyone, both our friends and our enemies; we bear good tasting fruit and display the fruit of the Spirit in everything that we do; men see our good works and glorify the Father in heaven; miracles signs and wonders follow us; God uses us to save souls and bring deliverance to other believers; and every temptation, trial and ounce of suffering is counted as joy because we understand its purpose and that our latter will be greater than our former because we will reign with Christ in eternity. And that is just a fraction of what will happen when you as an individual have one mind. Just as James 1:8 says that a double minded man is unstable in all his ways - a man with one mind is stable in all his ways.

Just imagine if every Christian had one mind. Imagine how much power the Body of Christ would be able to maintain. Imagine the impact we would have on the world. As David puts it in Psalm 133:1 -"How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!"

As an individual member of the Body of Christ your responsibility is to receive the mind of Christ and link up with other likeminded believers. You are to build yourself up, then build others up and bring them to the same level of maturity. You must be careful who you fellowship and connect yourself with. Minister to those that are weaker in the faith, but do not take part in their sin. Do not allow other people, whether they are a believer or not, to sow doubt, perversion and all other types of ungodliness into your mind. Once you receive the mind of Christ maintain that same mind. Do not waver. Do not doubt. Do not talk yourself into something that is not the will of God. Be careful of feelings and check every thought with the Word of God before you begin to dwell on it.

My prayer for everyone reading this blog entry (including myself) is that you receive the mind of Christ by spending time in God's Word and obeying His commandments.

Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
- Philippians 2:2

Wise Beyond Belief

James 1:5-7
"If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. "

Everyday we have decisions. These decisions may affect the way our day goes, our week goes, and even the rest of our life. Our choices can also impact the lives of those around us - both in positive and negative ways. It is important that in every decision we acknowledge God and seek His wisdom (see Proverbs 3). In prior blog entries I've shared that Colossians 4 commands us to walk in wisdom towards them that are without wisdom, while Ephesians 5 states that the wisdom of God is synonomous with the mysteries of the gospel that we are made stewards of in 1 Corinthians 4. Coupling this understanding with James 1:5-7 we can then say that we receive this wisdom by asking for it by faith, in other words believing that we will receive what we ask for, then once we receive wisdom we must walk in that wisdom. If we doubt not we are guaranteed to receive this wisdom. However if we waver, or doubt, we should not expect to receive this wisdom because we did not believe that God would give it to us before we asked.

Faith is the secret ingredient in all things. We see this all throughout the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. In fact, faith is the one thing that God truly requires of us. Faith is what gives us access to grace, which leads to salvation. Faith is what makes the impossible possible and the natural supernatural. Faith is the key to opening every door that is locked in our lives. As the late Smith Wigglesworth once said "Only Believe."

Wisdom is actually a by product of faith. When Solomon asked God for wisdom and discernment, he believed he would receive what he asked for and God showed Solomon favor and granted his request. Wisdom was given to the early apostles as they stood before worldly leaders, persecutors and men of high esteem. They didn't know what to say, but the Holy Spirit granted them wisdom and spoke through them as they opened up their mouth. Elders are often looked at as wise because of their age and experience, but the Holy Spirit that lives inside of each believer holds all wisdom, for we have an unction from the Holy one in which we know all things, so it is possible for the youngest child to be wiser than than the oldest and most experienced adult - all we have to do is tap in to the power of the Holy Spirit and we will be wise beyond our imagination.

I've heard a saying that wisdom is learning from other people's mistakes rather than going through them yourself. And yes, it is a wise thing to avoid A, B and C if you've seen other people do A, B and C and have to endure unwanted consequences. However true wisdom is not in learning from other people's mistakes, it is in learning from the Word of God. The Bible is the wisdom of God and the Holy Spirit is often described in the Old Testament as the Spirit of wisdom. We have no need that man teach us, but that the Spirit teaches us all things, whether through man or through the Bible.

Using wisdom is necessary as a Christian. Wisdom is a gift from God and comes from walking in the Spirit. Wisdom is granted to them that believe. Wisdom grows as we spend time in the written Word and grow in intimacy with the Father through Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Psalms and Proverbs speak of wisdom in almost every chapter. Wisdom is knowing what to say and when to say it. Wisdom is knowing what to do and when to do it. Wisdom is being in tune with God and walking in obedience as He directs your paths and orders your steps.

Let us all walk in the wisdom of God as He supplies His wisdom liberally to us when we ask Him for it in unwavering faith.

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
- Proverbs 3:13

November 2007 - a month to remember, a month to forget

Once again it has been some time since I have written a blog entry. A lot has transpired this past month. I am currently in Boston at my mother's house. After service at church on Thursday the 8th I noticed that I had a voicemail message. My father's girlfriend left a message, francticly asking me to call her back. It was after midnight so I called the next day and was told that my father went into a seizure and was rushed to the hospital. I later found out that the seizure was caused by a brain tumor, and a few days later on Monday morning I took a rush flight into Boston. I spoke with the surgeon, other doctors, nurses and hospital staff who assured me that they would take good care of my father and that his surgery would take an entire day. Today I found out that it is scheduled for December 7th (a day I may not be able to be in Boston). There has been some drama and my father seems scared, but I am believing that God will use this situation for His glory, save my father, deliver him, heal him and raise him up as a preacher of the True Gospel of Jesus Christ. Right now I can only stay in prayer and stand by faith knowing that God is able.

This past weekend I visited some very close friends of mine in New Jersey. I had a wonderful time, and even preached at their church sunday morning. The LORD prepared me and told me the Monday prior to be prepared to preach. Friday evening/Saturday early morning I was asked to bring the Word and I was excited because I was actually prepared. lol I preached about entering into the LORD's rest and serving God in faith and not by our own works. The main scripture I used was Hebrews 4. I then spoke a little about the house, encouraging the members to study the Word, support their Bishop, and come to Christ for forgiveness no matter what sin they may have committed. It went a little shaky at first, but after 5-10 minutes I loosened up and it began to flow much better. I was congested and lost my voice from praising God the evening before during a service that a powerful, anointed, gifted, virtuous woman of God ministered in music with a group she is a part of - Will Brown and Another Level. They ministered at 3 churches this weekend - a few of which were a hot mess, but that is another blog entry for another day. I also had the pleasure of attending a youth shut-in and hearing and supporting a close sister of mine preach. The LORD really used both of them and I was truly blessed.

That was a very brief synopsis of the past week and a half. The week before that we had service Wednesday-Friday at Divine Hope with guest speakers leading up to our Inaugural Service on Saturday where my Pastor was "officially" placed as pastor, had hands laid on him and was set apart. It was a great service and was more of an appreciation than anything else. The congregation handed him keys to a brand new Chrystler 300, a car he has wanted for years. It was a wonderful thing. The week before that was preparation for the event, and I was running around almost non-stop trying to help. I'm glad that it all turned out the way it did, that God was glorified and that honor was given to my Pastor for his years of hard work, obedience and sacrifice.

This sums up the month of November thus far in my life. Much more went on. There was actually some blood, sweat and a few tears shed. But God strengthened me, and I believe took me to another level. My discernment has increased, my perspective has again shifted, and I experienced life in new ways that I will not take for granted - even if it hurt at times.

I was searching for a scripture to include in this entry, and the one below truly sums up this past month for me:

James 1:2-5
My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
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.
If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

A Mighty Fortress is My God

It's been a minute since my last post. I've written a few devotionals that I didn't post since my last entry, but I'm going to start fresh with this one.

God was dealing with me this morning about what truly matters in life. What good is having material possessions when you have no power to affect people around you? What good is being comfortable when there are people around you on their way to hell? I've been very uncomfortable lately, but it is a different discomfort than I've faced in times past. Yeah the living situation is crazy, the finances are tight, spirits around me use people to irritate me, and things are getting hectic in ministry. Yeah I'm dealing with some issues in personal relationships that make no sense. But that is not what is making me uncomfortable anymore. What truly bothers me is that I am in a dry place where it seems as if I have no real power to change situations. The anointing on my life seems stagnated. My prayers feel hindered. My mind feels cluttered, even in prayer. I have peace, yet people are pulling me in many directions, and I am noticing that it is distracting me from God's purpose for my life. I've put so much weight on relationships with people, that when they go sour, it bothers me and rather than work it out I feel like giving up. I'm noticing that even the people that you think are closest to you can turn on you and actually play with your emotions. I'm finding that it is a dangerous thing to trust in even an ounce of flesh - whether it is my own ability or someone else. So right now I surrender everything to God and I'm just going to stand, hold my peace, and allow Him to fight my battles.

Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight: My goodness, and my fortress; my high tower, and my deliverer; my shield, and he in whom I trust; who subdueth my people under me. LORD, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him! or the son of man, that thou makest account of him! Man is like to vanity: his days are as a shadow that passeth away. - Psalm 144:1-4

Seek Him Early

Psalm 63: 1-2
“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; To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.”

My main struggle right now is in prayer. I know that every spiritual gift within me is going be activated in prayer. I know that the breakthroughs I am expecting are going to manifest through prayer. I know that every promise that God has spoken will be birthed out through prayer. And not in praying about myself, but specifically intercessory prayer – standing in the gap for others.

Right now I feel like David in Psalm 63. My soul thirsts for Jesus, I want to see His power and His glory, greater than ever before. It is time for me to seek God early while He may be found. Not just early in the morning, but right now while I am alive. I have to find a place where I can be alone with the LORD, even if it is in my car. I need to get up early every morning, no matter how tired I feel, and consistently get into the presence of God and intercede on behalf of others. I know there will be opposition, but God will not give me more than I can handle, and right now these desires are too strong to ignore. I must get closer to God.

I had the pleasure of attending the women’s fellowship last night running the soundroom, and after Prophetess Jean spoke she passed the mic to my sister from Homestead, Pastor Tarea. I hold her in very high regard, although I have not fellowshipped with her much, I have a lot of love for her, she has one of those kindred spirits that I kind of cling to. One thing that Pastor Tarea said was that the best time to be intimate in a marriage is early in the morning - the same thing goes with the LORD. As His wife, the best intimacy we’ll have is when we wake up early in the morning and get to “know” Him.

Looking introspectively at myself, prayer is the missing ingredient in everything that I do. I exort everyone reading this to examine yourself. Is your prayer life what it should be? Are you growing in your relationship with the LORD? Is there open communication between you and God? Have you gotten to know Him as Eve knew Adam? There is fullness of joy in His presence (Psalm 16:11). Seek God early while He may be found.

Proverbs 8:17
“I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.”

What is your legacy?

1 Kings 11:11-13
Therefore the LORD said to Solomon, “Because you have done this, and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant. Nevertheless I will not do it in your days, for the sake of your father David; I will tear it out of the hand of your son. However I will not tear away the whole kingdom; I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of My servant David, and for the sake of Jerusalem which I have chosen.”

1 Kings 15:3-5
[Abijam] walked in all the sins of his father, which he had done before him; his heart was not loyal to the LORD his God, as was the heart of his father David. Nevertheless for David’s sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, by setting up his son after him and by establishing Jerusalem; because David did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, and had not turned aside from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.

2 Kings 8:18-19
[Jehoshaphat] walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife; and he did evil in the sight of the LORD. Yet the LORD would not destroy Judah, for the sake of His servant David, as He promised him to give a lamp to him and his sons forever.

Isaiah 37:33-35
"Therefore this is what the LORD says concerning the king of Assyria: "He will not enter this city or shoot an arrow here. He will not come before it with shield or build a siege ramp against it. By the way that he came he will return; he will not enter this city," declares the LORD. "I will defend this city and save it, for my sake and for the sake of David my servant!"

Are you taking advantage of this time on earth to leave a lasting legacy? Or will you be forgotten once you pass on? What you do in this life will influence generations to come. David is an example of how obedience to the LORD can affect future generations in a positive way, even in their disobedience. David was described as a man after God’s own heart. Although he made many mistakes, he turned to God in repentance and gained favor in His sight. Because of this favor, God spared kings, kingdoms and entire cities for the sake of keeping David’s name alive. David’s son Solomon was blessed because of his obedience, and even when Solomon turned to other gods the LORD had mercy “for the sake of his father David.” The LORD gave David so much favor that He called Jesus Christ “the son of David.” When you pass on, will God have mercy on your future generations for your name’s sake?

Paul left a legacy through his spiritual sons Timothy and Titus. He instructed them in the ways of the LORD, commanding them to follow him as he followed Christ. Because of Paul’s obedience, the church was established all over the globe and countless souls came to know the LORD. His letters are still being used as scripture and every day people come into the knowledge of the Truth because of the words written by Paul.

Your decisions can affect your posterity in a negative way as well: “…I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me” – Deuteronomy 5:9

Are you laying up a positive legacy, built upon the foundation of Christ that was set before you? Or are you living a lackadaisical life, full of vanity and disobedience? It is time for us as Christians to walk according to the Spirit of the LORD, allowing the Holy Spirit to use us to lift up a standard against the works of darkness. It is time that we lay up an inheritance for our future generations in heaven, where moths and rust cannot corrupt.

True Repentance

Psalm 103:8-13
"The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in Mercy.
He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him."

How great is our God! Those He has chosen have received His mercy, His grace, His forgiveness! Those who have repented of their sins have been washed clean, their transgressions have been removed, and their iniquities blotted out! We are being sanctified and perfected to be holy as He is holy. Hallelujah!

But how do you know that you are one of His chosen vessels? How do you know if the LORD has chosen to forgive you of your sins and not reward you according to your iniquities? The Bible tells us that in order to receive forgiveness of sins you must repent. Let's take a look at what repentence really means.

To repent means to turn away. So, to repent of your sins means to turn away from your sins. We do this by confessing our sins, for "if we confess our sins, he (God) is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)

Then we turn to Jesus Christ: "All the prophets testify about him (Jesus) that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name." (Acts 10:43) When we confess our sins and put our trust in Jesus Christ, we have assurance that He has forgiven us.

Now that we have confessed our sins and turned to Jesus, our actions (our fruit) will show us whether or not we have truly been forgiven. When God forgives us, He gives us a new heart, and our desires change. We are not to take His grace as liberty to sin, but use His grace as means to grow in holiness. We should all have a reverential fear of the LORD, knowing that we are undeserving of this forgiveness, yet thankfully receiving it as the free gift that it is.

We will all make mistakes, we will still have faults, but the key is to confess those faults and ask God to help you change. Don't accept them. If you battle with fear, don't confess you are fearful, instead confess what God's Word has spoken concerning you: "God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of love and of a sound mind." If you wrestle with anxiety, don't confess you are an anxious person, but speak what the Word requires of you "I am anxious for nothing!" Spirits will try to attach themselves to you, and you must recognize that the way you feel, the way you act, and the way you think is not always you! Don't allow things that are not of God to become part of your "personality". Our personality now is one of "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control." If you are saved, the Holy Spirit now lives within you, and everything else has to flee! Submit yourself to God, resist the devil (and his demons) and they have no choice but to flee! Put to death the deeds of the flesh by the power of the Holy Spirit, because they should have no part in you! Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries have no place in the Christian.

Repentance is an ongoing process. There is an initial repentence for living a lifestyle of sin before we are saved, but once we are saved we must repent for all of the wrongdoing we find ourselves doing when we walk in the flesh. The goal of every born again beliver should be to walk in the Spirit 24/7 just as Jesus did.

Trust God - He Can't Lie

Yesterday at church my pastor called me up to the front and announced to the congregation that he was placing me in charge of the youth ministry, and that my title is now "Minister Otis." The LORD has been preparing me for this new life in ministry for almost 3 years now. Multiple visions, prophecies and other confirmations have flooded my life concerning my work as a youth pastor. I just never thought it would sneak up on me so fast. I can't say that God didn't prepare me, and I'm looking forward to stepping out in faith and allowing God to use me in this new capacity. I'm excited to see what He has in store!!


God is constantly speaking to me, making promises, trying His Word, then bringing His Word to pass. You would think at this point that my faith would not waver. But I must admit that sometimes I still battle. In the midst of His Word being tried and proven, things usually begin to look contrary to what He has promised me. I usually begin to feel anxious, which is direct disobedience to Philippians 4:6-7 - "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." So no wonder my spirit is not at rest. I go through stages of being in complete peace, but it is usually interrupted when I worry about what I see. This shows me that my will has not yet been completely submitted to the LORD. It shows me that Jesus Christ has not become the satisfaction of my soul. So what is it that is interrupting my peace? What is it that is causing me to sin by worrying? What is it that is distracting me from my LORD Jesus Christ?


I remember being taught in elementary school that a noun pertains to people, places and things. And you know what? Nouns are getting in the way of my communion with God!

People.
People that I care for make decisions that I don't agree with, so rather than pray for them, I worry. One thing I learned a long time ago, years before God saved me, is that you can't make decisions for other people. 2 Corinthians 6:14 says not to have fellowship with unbelievers. 1 Corinthians 5:11 says that if one says he/she is a believer, yet takes part in sin, not keep company with them, even to eat with them. Matthew 10:37 says that he who loves anyone more than the LORD is not worthy of him. This is serious. This means I have to forsake my mother, my father, my sisters, my friends from the world, my brothers and sisters in Christ, my spiritual parents, and even my fiance and future wife compared to Christ. So when they do things or say things that hurt me, I cannot let it affect me, because that shows that I love them more than Christ. Now that is what I call a harsh word!

Places.
Living in a fallen world I am surrounded by sin. And I can't stand sin! I can't stand lust. I can't stand pride. I can't stand ungodliness and anything that upsets my Father in heaven. So sometimes the sins of the world cause me to get upset. Living in a very sensual world, where the media feeds us the love of money, sex and violence, I find myself warring in my flesh. I try not to watch television and movies, but living in a house where the TV is always on, it is a battle. These seeds of wickedness are constantly being thrown in our faces. We are told what to look like, how to talk, what to like, what to dislike, what is attractive, what is ugly - and it is all a lie of the devil! It is time to rise above the world we live in and live in the Kingdom of God, in earth as it is in heaven.

Things.
We all want things. Consumer America bombards us with advertisements trying to incite us to want the "next best thing." To be up-to-date with the latest styles. To own the newest state-of-the-art technological device. But these are all distractions. Things war with God for our focus, they want us to desire them instead of Christ. Psalm 23 says that if the LORD is truly our shepherd we should have no want. Since we have Christ, He should be all we need. As Jesus said in Matthew 6, we are to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all the things the gentiles (unrighteous) seek will be given to us. As Paul said to his son Timothy, "godliness with contentment is great gain." It is time for us to be content.

So now it is time to repent. And tonight I'll do it publicly.

LORD GOD, I come before you humbly thanking you for your grace and praising you because you alone are worthy of every ounce of praise that comes from my lips. Forgive me for placing people, places and things above you. Forgive me for being anxious and not being content. Forgive me for wavering in my faith. I ask right now that you take away every desire that does not line up with your will. Take those desires away and place your desires in my heart. Strengthen my faith, so that I would trust in you and you alone. That I would not be moved in my emotions. That I would forsake all things for you, and as Paul, count all things as garbage for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my LORD, that I may win you. That I may know you. That you may be my all in all. Cover me in your anointing LORD, destroy every yolk, remove every burden. Release your love within me, and help me to walk in all humility, in meekness, in lowliness, in faith, in total trust, so that I would represent you as a good soldier, and that you would demonstrate your power within me in both word and deed and not in the wisdom of man. I magnify your name, you are glorious! You are magnificent! You are God! Thank you for saving my soul. Thank you for regenerating me and conforming me into the image of your son! Thank you for teaching me how to love you, to love myself and others as myself! Thank you Jesus! I love you Father and I pray these things sincerely in the Name of your son Jesus Christ. Amen.

Send Me I’ll Go

Isaiah 6:8

“I hear the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.”

I’m in front of the church waiting for someone to come and unlock the door. I try to make it a habit to be the first one here and the last one to leave. As I’m waiting, I’m meditating on Isaiah 6 – one of my all-time favorite passages. In verse 8 Isaiah is hearing the Lord speak, seeking a vessel to send out. Isaiah responded by saying “Here I am, send me!” God then gave Isaiah an assignment to be His mouthpiece to Israel.

I’ve been doing a lot of confession on these blogs lately. I can’t help but feel convicted after reading this passage. I have allowed people, situations and things to affect my assignment. I’ve already made the proclamation – “Here I am LORD, send me!!” But I never imagined the opposition I would face. The Bible tells us to count the cost – and the price is high! But the blessings are well worth it. I have to ask myself – why are my parents and loved ones still in bondage? Why has God spoken things concerning my life that haven’t yet come to pass? Why am I not operating in my office within the ministry? The other day God showed me that I was behind schedule. Now is the time to get things in order, and time is short. I feel a sudden urgency, as well as an even greater opposition to keep from pressing forth in the Spirit. The enemy wants me to stay stagnated. He wants to interrupt my ministry, my business, my marriage. He wants me to dwell on things that have no eternal relevance. And I have to confess that at times I have given in. God has brought seducing spirits my way, in the form of very subtle distractions. However I know that these weapons can form but they will not prosper since I am a servant of the LORD, that the seducing spirits will come but will not be able to seduce me away from the faith since I am part of the elect, and that all things will work out for the good because I love God. This is where I take a praise break and shout “HALLELUJAH!!!” :)

So these are my questions for you: Have you told God you were willing? Have you said “send me I’ll go!”? If so, are you owning up to your part of the deal? Are you walking in obedience? Have you counted the cost? As the song says – does your heart soul say yes? There is more that He requires from us, and it is time now to repent from our disobedience, put our past behind us, and like Mary said to those at the wedding in Cana “Whatever he (Jesus) says, do it!”

Quotes from Pastor Jean in today’s service:

“Once you are obedient you have to check your intentions, are you obedient to get something from God, or are you actually obedient to grow closer to God?”

“Stop trying to figure our how God is going to bless you and just line up to receive your blessing”

Hebrews 10:34-37

"Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry."

Prayer Doesn’t Move God Until You Praise God

This was a line preached by my spiritual father last night during our weekly intercessory prayer meeting. David exclaimed in Psalm 100:

“Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”

As I’ve mentioned in earlier blog entries a problem I often have is inconsistency in my prayer life. Whether it be distractions from my surroundings or thoughts attempting to exalt themselves above God, in order to get to a place where I can pray without hindrance I usually have to endure some spiritual warfare. Whenever I have trouble praying I am beginning to make it a habit to praise. When I praise God, I am promised in His Word that He will inhabit my praises. When He inhabits my praises, I begin to feel His anointing cover me as His presence grows stronger. My mind then begins to clear up, and I am in a better position to pray effectively. The Bible also makes it clear that when we know not what to pray the Holy Spirit prays for us, and as Paul makes the distinction in 1 Corinthians 14, praying in the Spirit is one and the same as praying in tongues. Jude told us to pray in the Holy Spirit to build up our most holy faith, because as Paul pointed out: when we pray in tongues we edify ourselves. My praise usually evolves into praying in tongues, which then leads to me praying in English. I know the formula, but to know and to act upon that knowledge are two different things. This is where consistency comes into place. Daniel prayed 3 times a day consistently, even when an edict went forth in Babylon making it against the law to pray to the LORD. Because of Daniel’s consistency, when his prayers were hindered, God sent angels to war over the words that he prayed. My battle right now is consistently acting upon the knowledge that God has given me – for to know to do and not do is sin.

Today was a great day. I’ve been out of the job for almost a week now. A few days after I was laid off I got call out of the blue from a contractor that works with ESPN asking me to work a day job at the Orange Bowl running wires for the cameraman. It was my first time attending a football game as UM went up against Georgia Tech. The first thing I noticed was how excited and riled up the fans were. As I ran the sidelines throughout the game I occasionally looked up at the packed out crowd at Orange Bowl Stadium and was amazed to see thousands of people praising the University of Miami, along with a few hundred routing for Georgia Tech. They had so much pride in their school and in their football team. They cheered when UM scored touchdowns and made big plays, and booed at Georgia Tech as they took the field (and eventually won the game). As the praise was building up I couldn’t help but imagine what it would be like if all of these people were instead praising the True and Living God. I saw myself preaching before them by the 50 yard line, leading them in praises to the King until the Shekinah Glory of the LORD rested upon the stadium as the glory cloud did during the dedication of Solomon’s Temple. Preachers always say, “if you can shout and make noise at a football game, you can surely shout praises to the God who saved you!” And you know what, those preachers are right, because if we don’t praise Him, as Jesus said the very rocks will cry out.

Proverbs 24:7
“Wisdom is too high for a fool: he openeth not his mouth in the gate.”

In this scripture, Solomon equates praise and thanksgiving to wisdom – as we see in Psalm 100 above, his father David wrote that we are to enter into the LORD's gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise. Proverbs 1:7 says that fools despise wisdom, therefore those who do not open their mouths to give God praise and thanksgiving are fools. As my mother Prophetess Jean pointed out a few weeks ago, the word “gate” in this context refers to a fortified city, the gate of heaven and pertains to our salvation. If we have truly been saved, we will show our gratitude by giving God His due praise and thank Him for His graciousness in sparing and transforming our very lives.

Praise is a necessary duty of every son and daughter of God. Praise removes every hindrance and creates an atmosphere conducive for God to move. The garment of praise is a weapon that God has given us to defeat the spirit of heaviness (depression, anxiety, fear, pain). God has created us to praise Him, and we might as well get used to it now, because when we get to heaven it will be one of our jobs. Praise and thanksgiving gets us into a place where God will hear us, and once He hears us, praise and thanksgiving shows Him that we believe that He has heard us and trust that He will answer our petitions.

True Consecration

Consecration is a term that is thrown around left and right in Christiandom, particularly in charismatic/pentecostal circles. Sometimes I wonder if people truly understand what consecration is. To many, consecration and fasting are synonymous. Fasting can be part of consecrating, however they are not one and the same. To fast means to go without something, traditionally food. According to Isaiah 58, there are a number of requirements that people often neglect when it comes to going on an "acceptable fast to the LORD":

Verses 3-4 says that we should not fast to be seen, for selfish reasons or to oppress others, if we do this our prayers during the fast will not be heard by God.

Verses 5-6 says that we must humble ourselves and provide for the poor with food, shelter and clothing.

How many of us do these things when we fast? Without following these requirements it is possible that you are merely starving yourself and there will be no true reward for your time of 'fasting'.


Consecration on the other hand means to set yourself apart. You do not necessarily have to fast to consecrate yourself, but it is helpful. In a consecration you are setting yourself apart from all distrations and making yourself available to the LORD so that you can focus on Him.


The Priests of the Old Covenant

Traditionally, Priests were all consecrated to God before they could serve in the tabernacle/temple. Exodus 28 through 30 speaks about the order of the priesthood - what they were to wear, what their duties were and how they were to perform those duties. God was giving these instructions to Moses, and He told Moses that after the priests were adorned in their garments that he was to "anoint them, consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister to Me (God) as priests." They had to be consecrated, set apart from the world and dedicated to God before they could minister to the LORD. No unclean thing could come into His presense in the Holy of Holies - if there was any iniquity present they would die (28:43).



Personal Consecration under the New Covenant

Romans 12:1 (ESV)
"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."

Paul was speaking about consecration in Romans 12:1. Setting ourselves apart to God as a living sacrifice. With that said, consecration is not just something that we do when we want to get closer to God - it is a lifestyle to be lived by every believer. Yes there are times and seasons when we will eliminate certain things from our life to help us grow closer to God, however our lives should be consecrated to God continuously. Just as the Priests of the Old Covenant had to be consecrated before they could come before God, so do we. The only difference is that our consecration comes in the finished work of Jesus Christ, not through the works of the law. He made the way for us to live a consecrated lifestyle by faith, for He is now our High Priest and in Him we are being conformed daily to His image as He sanctifies us and prepares us as a Bride without spot or blemish.

Leviticus 20:7-8 (NIV)
"Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the LORD your God. Keep my decrees and follow them. I am the LORD, who makes you holy."

Are Your Prayers Targeted?

Last night was a power-packed evening at Bible Study. Prophetess Dyer from the Bahamas preached and tore the house down! The topic of her message was Spiritual Maturity, piggy backing off of a message preached by Pastor Jean last Sunday (which I missed because I was out of town visiting my nephew). She ended her message sharing 5 keys that should govern a believer:

1. Knowing God
2. Having a Right Perspective
3. Acting on Conviction
4. Receiving and Sowing Skills
5. Developing Character

The Word was specific to our house, which included correction, rebuke and an exhortation to get things in order. After the message the LORD began to move and released a powerful anointing as He brought deliverance and empowerment to His people. I didn’t get out until 2:00 am (those who know us, particularly my pastor, know that we can’t have a service for less than 5 hours lol), but as usual it didn’t seem that long. We have a saying at Divine Hope Restoration Ministries – “Don’t Rush Me When I’m In His Presence!” The word was sharp and on point, exactly what we needed. Now I only pray that we take heed to what was spoken and line ourselves up.

After she finished ministering to the congregation, my pastor grabbed the mic and began to expound even more on the Word. One thing he said, which he has shared with the ministers before, is that our prayers should be specific and targeted. I can honestly say that one of the biggest struggles I have had is consistency in prayer. I can break down the Word and get excited about rightly dividing the Truth, but my mind always seems to wander when it comes down to praying. Because I have been called as an intercessor I understand the battle, however I have no excuses for my disobedience in not pushing my way through. I had the pleasure of sitting in on the women’s meeting a few weeks ago since I am in charge of the sound, and one thing that my mother, Prophetess Danielle, shared with the women is an acronym for the word PUSH – Pray Until Something Happens. I haven’t been praying until something happens. In fact, I have been so stagnated that I can see promises of God being held up specifically because I have not been communing with Him in prayer.

Prayer is a tool that God has given to accompany us in every aspect of our walk. Paul told the church at Thessalonica to pray without ceasing, and this command not only applies to the Thessalonian saints of the first century, but to every Christian who has ever walked this earth. When we pray, it shouldn’t just be repeating words, but prayer is actually communication with God. It should be personal. It should be specific. When we are making requests known and praying for others, we should understand our objective in that request and be specific with what we ask for.

In my studies, God has showed me how to pray effective prayers.

1. Repent and Worship God
   
   John 9:31
   Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.
   
   
2. Store His Word in Your Heart
   
   John 15:7
   If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
   

3. Pray according to His Willl (His Word)
   
   1 John 5:14
   And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us
   
   
4. Pray Believing
   
   Matthew 21:22
   And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, beleiving, ye shall receive.
   
   
5. Pray to the Father in Jesus Name
   
   John 14:14
   If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
   
   

The effectual (effective) fervent (consistent) prayer of the righteous avails much. I stress time and time again in my devotions that we have been made righteous in Christ, therefore when we consistently pray according to the scripture listed above we know that God will hear us and that He will move on our behalf.

Target your prayer. Don’t just throw up general prayers and expect God to move. Talk to God as you would your spouse or your best friend – for He is both our husband and our best friend. God has been showing me that time is precious, that we must diligently seek Him while He may be found, and as we seek Him our prayers must be specific.

God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him

As I sit here thanking God for the free time I have, I know that I have to take advantage of this time by seeking God like never before. It's funny that just a few days ago I wrote a devotion on the preciousness of time, and now those words are becoming ever so important. The last portion of Hebrews 11:6 has been ringing in my ears for the past week or so, "he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." It seems as if God has been stringing me forward, the closer I get to Him, the farther away He moves - but I'm seeing both my faith and my perseverence intensify and I'm finding that my focus has shifted more towards the Kingdom of God and His righteousness - right where it should be.

At this point in my walk I'm beginning to seek Him like never before because I understand the importance of now. I understand that time is running short and there is a harvest of souls out there waiting on me to line up and allow God to release His power through me and prove Himself as God. He wants to draw people to Christ through the Holy Spirit within me, but that can only happen through my submission and obedience.

I did a search on BibleGateway.com using the words 'diligently seek' and came across 3 scriptures other than Hebrews 11:6.

• Proverbs 11:27-28 reads: "He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him. He that trusteth in his riches shall fall; but the righteous shall flourish as a branch." The only thing that is good is God (Matthew 9:17). Therefore we can say that He who diligently seeks God gains favor! Since we are the righteousness of God in Christ we should not seek stuff, but as Jesus commanded in Matthew 6:33 we must seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.
  
  
• Proverbs 7:15 was also listed where Solomon speaks about a married woman diligently seeking another man in adultery. He warns the reader not to follow her, for she will turn a mans heart away from God and lead him to death and hell (sheol).
  
  
• The last scripture, Luke 15:8, is an account of Jesus speaking a parable about a woman diligently seeking a piece of silver she lost comparing it to a shephard who looses one sheep which signifies the LORD seeking one lost soul. He says that "there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth."

So, why did I just list these 3 scriptures? Because we all seek something. Whether it be money and material items (Luke 15:8), a man or woman who is not our spouse (Proverbs 17:5) or the goodness of God (Hebrews 11:6 and Proverbs 11:27).

What are you seeking? What am I seeking? Where our treasure is, there will our hearts be also. We should all be diligently seeking God, for our time is short. We should put away all vanity, all pride, all lust, and put our total trust in Jesus Christ, proving our faith by our actions and proving our love by obeying His commandments.

Isaiah 55:6
"Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near."

God is Faithful

Romans 5:1-5
"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us."

For the first time, in a very long time, I find myself unable to sleep. Maybe it’s the pound of pasta I ate just before I went to bed. Maybe it’s the A/C blasting next to me, as I lay on the sofa trying to find a semi-comfortable position to rest in. Maybe it’s my brother in Christ sleeping on the floor below me, snoring so loud that I can’t keep a train of thought long enough to pray. Or, maybe it’s because everything that I took for granted in my life seems to be slowly taken away. Yesterday I was laid off from my job. After 4 and a half years of service, my time at Chicago Title was up. I can’t say that it caught me off guard, because even yesterday morning my mind was thinking about what I would do if I lost my job. Throughout the morning I wondered why other people in the department were getting work I usually did. When I got pulled into the conference room and saw the new regional manager sitting down with a frown on his face, I knew the inevitable. But it was bitter sweet. It wasn’t a job I particularly enjoyed working, however I loved the people I worked with. So now I find myself in an uncomfortable position. I have no job, nowhere to live since just last week the apartment I was planning on moving into didn’t work out (I understand why now), those that are closest to me seem to be further away than ever, and I have no choice but to trust in God. And you know what’s funny? Just a few months ago I received a prophecy that October would be my month, that I would have promotion on the job and be in a position to minister to those I work with, that I would be living in a studio apartment, and that I would be in a position to get married. So as always, you know His word is being tried and proven. I have no job, no apartment, not even an engagement ring nevermind a wedding date planned, and I’m praising God through it all. Every prophetic word I have received has been tried – sometimes it wasn’t until things looked absolutely impossible that He performed His Word.

1 Timothy 1:18-19
"This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck"

I believe He is setting Himself up to receive maximum glory. When He moves in my life, there is no way anyone can say that man had anything to do with it, and that is exactly the way I want it to be. It is no longer about me anyways, it is about His glory. It is about serving Him no matter what the situation, being content and thankful for all things, understanding that He knows best. It is about Christ being glorified and me staying humbled. It is about loving God, loving myself, and loving others as myself. No matter what happens, I cannot forsake my responsibility as a minister of Jesus Christ whose mission is to preach the Gospel to the poor and bring edification to the saints. God is in control and I look forward to what He has planned in this next stage of my life. God is truly sovereign. He is in control of all things, and He has the best interest of His children at heart at all times. Hallelujah! The LORD is worthy to be praised! Holy is the lamb of God, who is and was and is to come! For His majesty reigns from everlasting to everlasting! May the LORD Jesus Christ, Yeshua Ha'Mashiach, be glorified alone in all things. Amen.

Romans 8:28
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

The Preciousness of Time

"Christians, most of the time we don’t make the most of our time/

So let’s refocus on Jehovah’s design/

Yet I’m convicted/

By how much of my time's been wicked even since I’ve been Christian/

But time is ticking and life is a vapor/

So delight and then savor Christ whose our Savior"

Timothy Brindle - The Preciousness of Time

Listen

Read Lyrics

This is perhaps one of the most convicting songs I have ever heard. Time is something that is always moving, yet can never be regained. While on earth, we are bound by time - and we will be judged according to what we did with our time. Our place in eternity (which is never ending) will be affected either positively or negatively by how we use our time during our life (which we're told by James is but a vapor).

I've often struggled with procrastination, using excuses for not making the most of my time. Although the LORD has brought some major deliverance in this area, I still do struggle, using my environment, my living situation, my knowledge, my comfort level and/or my finances as an excuse not to do what I know I should be doing. Shortly before God saved me, I read a book by Bishop T.D. Jakes entitled "Maximize the Moment." Although the content of the book escapes me, the title still rings clear in my mind.

What does it mean to maximize the moment?

I'm the type of person that is always making lists. I try to be very organized, I have lists for monthly income and expenses, needs, wants, to-do lists for myself, ministry, school... they go on and on. My problem is that I spend more time writing out the lists then I actually do completing the items on the list! I find myself knowing what it is I have to do, what it is I desire to do, but then I tend to make excuses for not doing these things. Sometimes it is because certain goals are unrealistic - and although I have faith that God can and will do the impossible, I tend to get caught up in trying to do these things out of my own strength. The outcome is almost always failure, because I did not operate in Christ under the power of the anointing.

Maximizing each moment is understanding that what we do NOW is what matters. The past is gone, it has passed away into eternity, even the last few seconds since you read the previous sentence is now the past. We are told by Jesus Himself not to worry about tomorrow because today has enough trouble to deal with. I'm not saying it isn't good to be prepared for tomorrow - because we must prepare as the 5 wise virgins who stored up their oil and were ready for the bridgegroom. But we must prepare NOW and not put anything off until tomorrow. The point I'm trying to make is forget about yesterday, don't worry about tomorrow, but find out what God wants you to do NOW and do it!

"See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. " - Ephesians 5:15-17

Redeem the Time

The Bible makes mention of the necessity of redeeming the time. How is it possible to redeem the time if it has passed away? Paul said in Colossians 4:5-6 that one way of redeeming the time is to walk in wisdom towards them that are without [wisdom/Christ], making sure that our speech is seasoned with salt, full of grace, so that we would know how to answer every man. Here we see that both gaining and sharing wisdom redeems the time. The wisdom we speak should be the mystery of Christ (verse 3). Therefore evangelism is one way to redeem the time. We have been made stewards of the mysteries of the Gospel (1 Corinthians 4:1) so that we may be ministers of reconcilation (2 Corintians 5:18-19), being used of God to bring other people (those that are without) into a right relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Paul also mentioned in Ephesians 5:17-19 (above) that wisdom is necessary to redeem the time. Not just having wisdom, but again, walking in that wisdom. In the verses prior to 17, Paul is instructing the Christians at Ephesus to avoid the works of darkness and instead walk as children of light in Christ. He told them to display the fruit of the Spirit and to have no fellowship with darkness, but rather correct those that are in darkness. Everything done in secret will be brought into the light, so we must not sleep, but arise so that Christ can give us light. Jesus has made us the light of the world, the salt of the earth, so let's redeem the time by letting our light shine before all men, that they may see our good works, and glorify our Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:13-16)

Be Sound in Faith

My favorite song from the 116 Clique album 13 Letters is Sound - a survey of the Book of Titus by Trip Lee. Listen

Paul wrote his epistle to Titus instructing him to put things in order in the church of Crete. He told him to ordain Elders in every city, explaining the qualifications for Elders and Bishops/Overseers. He commanded Titus to rebuke naysayers sharply so that they would become sound in the faith. Paul told Titus that his speech should line up with sound doctrine, so that the Elders he selects and teaches would be "sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience." (Titus 2:2) Even though these qualifications are made specifically for Elders and Bishops, they are characteristics that every Christian should strive to attain.

So what does it mean to be sound in faith? 2 Synonyms for it's greek translation from "hygiainō" in this text are "whole" and "healthy". Therefore we can say that our faith should be whole and healthy - in other words lacking nothing. It also suggests that our faith should be correct, as Paul suggests that in order to be sound in the faith our speech must line up with sound doctrine - meaning whole, healthy, correct doctrine. (Titus 1:9)

What we believe directly affects our faith - for faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. In order to believe that God is who He says He is, and will do what He says He will do, we must have a correct understanding of God byway of His Word. The more we read the Bible, the more we study it to show ourselves approved, the more we meditate on His Word, the greater our faith will become, until it is sound - whole, complete, lacking nothing.

All of our faith should be placed in Jesus Christ. The LORD illustrated something to me a few months ago as I was reading Romans 5:1-2:

Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Lets look at faith as a key, Jesus Christ as the door, and grace as being on the other side of that door. Since God has given every man a measure of faith he has given us each keys. When we apply those keys (faith) to the correct door (Jesus Christ), we will be able to walk through the door and receive what is on the other side of that door (grace).

"Let's be sound in faith, in doctrine, in speech, plus deeds, rep Jesus the King, let Him lead us please, plus we see He told us how we must be, let's really trust Jesus who freed us please " - Trip Lee

I Can See Clearly Now...

Luke 6:41-42 (ESV)
"Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother's eye."

It's time for the church to take the logs out of their eyes. While I was getting ready for work today, I was thinking about all the mess that goes in within the Body of Christ and Luke 6:41-42 came to mind. I witness people around me doing things contrary to the will of God everyday - unwilling to submit, ready to receive ministering but unwilling to sow back into the ministers who labor for them, carrying selfish ambitions masquerading themselves as righteous, unable to follow instructions - just plain disobedient. It's easy for me to get caught up in the actions of others, because let's face it, the decisions of other people can and do affect me (and you) personally! But then I remember that God is in control, and that my faith is not in people, it is in Jesus Christ. I remember that we all fall short, all are susceptible to sin, and in one's own eyes he is always right! So here I was, warring in my mind because of the decisions of other people. It can be so easy to look at the faults of others without first looking at yourself - and that's exactly what I was doing. I immediately was convicted and repented. I always try to make it a point to look at things from different perspectives, in fact one of my prayers is to be able to look at things from an eternal perspective, I really want to see things from God's eyes. The LORD began to show me areas where I had fallen short - from my devotional life, to bad stewardship over my finances and time, to my lack of faithfulness to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Again I repented and asked God to change me. At that point I realized that God was showing me how huge the rod is in my own eye, and that I need to remove that rod through my submission and faithfulness, and then, and only then, will He place me in a position to deal with the specks I see in other people's eyes. It is important to look at yourself circumspectly, comparing yourself to the Word, being careful of what you think, what you speak, and the intentions of your heart. Then, and only then, will we begin to see clearly and have the insight needed to effectively deal with sin in the lives of others.

1 Corinthians 13:11-12 - "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known."

A New Creature in Christ

Welcome to my blog! Grace and Peace to you in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thanks for taking the time to stop by - I don't expect you to read through everything, but as you visit my prayer is that you are edified by something written in these entries and that the LORD would save you, deliver you, fill you and strengthen you to walk in the newness of Christ.

Old Things Have Passed Away, Have All Things Become New?

Where do I begin. Life has had it's share of ups and downs, with both surprises and expectations, joy and misery, victory and defeat... all of which I'm sure we can attest to in our own lives. Our experiences often seem so fresh, so real, so personal, yet in reality there is nothing new under the sun. Depsite 23 years of life experience, I was utterly lost, for it wasn't until Jesus Christ came into my life that I truly understood my purpose. But even after the Father drew me to His Son and sent His Holy Spirit to regenerate me, I continued to walk according to the nature of the old man that lived in this body from 1980-2003. That nature is one of pride, which breeds sexual immorality, envy, hatred, idolatry and deceit. I found myself as Paul descibed in Romans 7, a wretched man, doing those things that I hate, while the things that are good I find myself not doing. Like so many Christians today, I was living an imbalanced life. On one hand, speaking about the goodness of God and how wonderful it is to walk in the Spirit. One the other hand, still bound by the lusts of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life, unwilling to fully submit my all to God. It was almost as if submitting everything to God was too difficult. I would read scripture telling me: "A false balance is an abomination before God", "mortify the deeds of the flesh by the power of the Spirit", "Submit yourself to God, resist the devil and he will flee", "there is no temptation that is uncommon to man...God will provide a way of escape" on and on it went. I found myself studying scripture, understanding the Word of God, but I failed to apply the Word to my own life. I could give wise counsel to others, but when it came down to taking that counsel myself - I failed. I struggled with depression, anxiety, lust, doubt and envy - all after God saved me, all after God spoke to me personally and prophetically, all after God performed His Word in my life.

"Before we were saved we were unable to overcome sin, now that we are in Christ we have the power to choose not to sin." - R.C. Sproul
(paraphrase from his book Chosen By God)

"Walk in the Spirit and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh"

One thing I can say is that these past 4 years being in Christ have been a journey, and I have learned some valuable lessons:

1. Stay in position. My pastor and spiritual father makes it a point to instruct each of his sons to stay in position, no matter what. Staying in position means to continue in the Spirit where God has placed you. This requires action on our part. We must actively apply the Word of God to our life so that we can walk in the Spirit, quoting rapper Timothy Brindle "we can stay filled with the Spirit by prayer and scripture reading." The only way to mortify (or put to death) the deeds of the flesh is by the power of the Holy Spirit. No matter how many firey darts the enemy throws our way, we must stand and not be moved. Pastor John Piper once said that "we always walk in accordance to our strongest desires." If we truly desired Jesus Christ, our actions would show that desire and we would walk accordingly.

2. Be patient. Time and time again I've seen promises in God's Word manifested in my life. He has yet to promise me something that He either doesn't bring to pass or confirm that He will bring to pass. Sometimes we can get so caught up in the visible world that we neglect what is going on in the invisible world. I've come to realize that what we see and how we feel in the natural realm is not always accurate - but God's Word is. Grass withers, flowers fade, but the Word of the LORD endures forever. We must let patience have it's perfect work in us so that we can be complete, wanting nothing.

3. Exercise your faith. "Only Believe" is a short yet profound quote by Smith Wigglesworth. My spiritual father often reminds me of the faith I placed in God uniting me with my wife, and has said that if I just use that same faith in every other area of my life that I would be amazed in what God would do. When we first met we became good friends, and although the LORD told me she was my wife, she didn't know I was her husband. For 2 years I held on to God's Word despite how things looked or how I felt, until finally God revealed His will for us to be married, and I will soon be "officially" engaged and married to a wonderful woman of God. If we "only believe" what God has spoken to us in His written Word, what He has revealed to some of us personally and prophetically, and not waver, we will be like Abraham and receive the promise. I use the word exercise because God has given each man a measure of faith, and as we operate in that measure of faith he will give us more, taking us from faith to faith. Anything not done by faith is sin, and faith is the only thing that pleases God. Only Believe. Put all of your faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ and watch God make the impossible possible.

4. Be aware of your environment. Although we are in the world, we are told not to be of the world. John warns us of the spirit of the world and likens it to the spirit of the antichrist. He tells us to believe not every spirit, but to test it to see if it be of God. God has given every Christian discernment through the indwelt power of the Holy Spirit. With this discerment we must guard ourselves from any and every influence that would distract us from the will of God for our lives. Sometimes these influences are avoidable, sometimes they are not. We must do whatever we can not to succumb to these seducing spirits. The Bible says that they will come to seduce people away from the faith, even the very elect if it were possible. We have to be careful what we allow into the gates of our soul: our eyes and our ears. Everything we take in should be edifying and Christ glorifying and we should avoid worldly influences as much as possible.

5. Examine yourself. Paul told us to examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith. Peter told us to make our calling and election sure. John said that we know we are His if we keep His commandments. The Bible also instructs us to judge ourselves and confess our sins daily, we must identify areas where we have fallen short and ask God to conform us to the image of His son. When we remind ourselves how depraved we really are in light of God's perfection, we should react by humbling ourselves before the LORD and working towards overcoming those areas by the power of the Holy Spirit.

6. Rejoice. When we face temptations, when we struggle, when we are in pain, when we are persecuted, we must always remember to rejoice! The joy of the LORD is our strength, and we must keep a praise on our lips and our hearts must stay meditated on His Word.

7. Persevere. The true test of a Christian is one who perseveres. It is not how one begins a race, but how one finishes that matters. God has given us the strength to persevere. We already have the victory in the finished work of Jesus Christ, and as we endure till the end God has laid up immeasurable treasues in heaven for us as overcomers.