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Desperation

Aug16

Feeling DownGod doesn’t work on our time schedule nor does He do things our way.  A really good example of this is someone going to the casino.  When someone is desperate, it is so easy for them to think that by going to the casino, they could pray to God and expect a miracle to happen.

However, this couldn’t be further from the truth.  God is not mocked. (Galatians 6:7)  He knows that the person is trying to get Him to do something that is not according to His will.  If God didn’t guide you to go, then, God is not obligated to make things happen.

See, when we try to take things into our own hands, we think of a lot of ways to “try” and make things happen.  The problem with this thinking is that we are to “cast all our cares upon Him”. (1 Peter 5:7)  So, when we take things into our own hands, it is like telling God that we can handle the problem ourselves.  And, God being the gentleman He is lets us “try” to take care of it.

Unfortunately, we find that most of the time, things don’t go according to plan.  In fact, we find that the very things we are trying to fix get worse.  This is when we desperately cry out to God asking the “Why” questions.  A lot of times we even start to get angry with God when it wasn’t His fault; it was ours.

God wants us to have the absolute best; a life filled abundantly.  However, He does have a stipulation.  He wants to be in FIRST PLACE; leaning on Him for all things.  He wants us to love Him, seek Him, and get to know Him in a very intimate way.  Then, and only then, you will find yourself prospering in all areas of life.  You won’t have to “try” to make things happen; they just will. (Matthew 6:33)

Drowning

We serve a supernatural God.  It takes one small move from Him to change your life around in the most amazing ways.  So, the next time you have a problem; don’t “try” to solve it on your own.  Instead, immediately give it to God for His amazing transformation.  His ways are much higher than our own, so don’t limit His ability to provide for you nor how long it should take.  It will come when you least expect it and in a way that you would never have imagined.  And, when it comes, there won’t be any question to WHO provided it.

SO REJOICE!

NO MATTER WHAT YOU FACE, GOD HAS YOU COVERED!

Tear Down the Walls

Jul26

Saved by GraceWhen you make a mistake, do you find yourself mulling it over and over in your mind?  As you continue to think about it, you start to feel sick in your stomach, your body starts to ache, and you just can’t seem to think about anything else.  It continues to fester until you find it affecting your mood and no one wants to be around you because you snap at them.  And then, you find yourself in a funk that you can’t seem to get out of.

Truth be told, we all find ourselves in situations like these.  Maybe you did something that hurt someone or you were mistreated by someone you trusted.  There are many reasons why we can feel guilt, anger, bitterness, and frustration.  Our walls come in many different shapes and sizes.  And, what makes it worse is that it seems to be easier than letting go.  It is almost like we would rather hold onto the feelings of pain and sorrow because then we can feel justified. You know the old saying, “an eye for an eye”.  It is like we hold onto the guilt to justify our pain or we hold onto the anger because it somehow gets back at the person who hurt us.

We are all far from perfect and we are bound to make mistakes.  However, we don’t have to feel guilty, angry, or bitter towards ourselves or anyone else.  If we ever want to experience a breakthrough, we must tear down the walls in our thinking.

Wrong thoughts lead to wrong actions…

RIGHT THOUGHTS lead to RIGHT ACTIONS. (Eph. 4:22-24)

See, the devil’s plan is to hold you in the guilt, anger, and frustration.  He knows that if he can keep you thinking on the pain, you can’t let go of it.  Therefore, you find yourself deeper and deeper in the pit; feeling desperate and overwhelmed.  The perfect breeding ground for Satan and his cronies.

However, God wants you free from all of it.  And better yet, He wants to help.  So, why don’t you start getting your Work in Progressthoughts lined up with God’s word.  If you feel anger boiling up inside, ask God to replace it with His peace.  If a thought comes into your mind telling you that God can’t love you because you messed up too badly, tell Satan to take a flying leap because there is nothing you can do to take God’s love away from you.  Not now or ever!

Just remember, be gentle with yourself and others.  We are all “works in progress” and it is a step-by-step journey that we embark upon. No matter what mistakes you’ve made, God loves you this very moment and is willing to help you.  He will free you from the past and make your future far better than you can imagine!  So DREAM BIG because He has some AMAZING THINGS PLANNED FOR YOU!

The Healing Power

Jul19

Cast Your CareThis past week, I found myself surrounded in doctors when my mom was rushed to the hospital.  We had no idea what was happening and soon found out that it was very serious.  As more and more tests were taken, fear tried to persuade me that she wasn’t going to make it.  I had a choice to make; either give into the fear or start pleading the blood.

In order for me to take control of the feelings pressuring me to make the wrong choices, I sent a Prayer Call to all of our family and friends on Facebook.  I needed help and in a BIG WAY!  As soon as I hit the enter button, I immediately felt the weight of the world lift off my shoulders.

Right before mom went into surgery, we prayed to the Great Physician; knowing that God is our healer and protector in all situations.  The surgery went well, however, mom had an adverse reaction to the anesthesia.  She found herself unable to breathe and shivering non-stop.  This was not a normal reaction and we came very close to losing her.  Now, during this time, I could have panicked.  I could have given up.  Heck, I could have even started yelling at God.  But, something very different happened instead.

While I’m watching the hospital staff do everything they could to save mom, I found myself speaking in tongues.  I just opened my mouth and uttered whatever it was the Holy Spirit knew I needed.  The more I spoke, the worse mom got.  Then it hit me like a ton of bricks…THE DEVIL IS A LIAR, don’t believe what you see.

Fervently, I kept praying in tongues asking the Holy Spirit to take over the situation because I had no clue what was going on, nor what mom needed.  All of a sudden, mom was breathing and calming down.  It was like the angels surrounded her in God’s amazing healing power.  Within 24 hours, she did a miraculous 360 degree turnaround.  It was one of the most amazing things I have ever encountered.

1 Corinthians 14:2 “For those who speak in a tongue do not speak to other people but to God; for nobody understands them, since they are speaking mysteries in the Spirit.”

Full armor of GodMiracles do still happen!  And I’m here today to tell you that no matter what you encounter and no matter what you see, God is still in the miracle business.  He is still intervening in ways we can’t comprehend.

So, the next time you find yourself under fire and nothing appears to be going right, speak in tongues and watch God’s healing power come to life in your situation.  For He truly is a Loving, Protecting, and Caring Father!

Anger and The Art of Forgiveness

Dec14

AngerHave you ever found yourself so angry that you began to shake violently or you wanted to hit or throw something?  Anger can be violent and very disruptive to your life, as well as, those around you.

For when we hold built up anger against others or ourselves, it lingers and tends to grow into a full-blown pity party and you seem to fly off the handle at the little things in life.

Let’s see what scripture has to say:

  • Ephesians 4:31, “Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice”.
  • Proverbs 15:1, “A soft answer turns away wrath but a harsh word stirs up anger”.
  • Proverbs 16:32, “Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty…”.

Let those scriptures sink in.  Repeat them.  They sure say a lot, don’t they?  But why would it be so important for God to tell us these things within the Bible?

Sing Out Loud

Because, He knows that this is not a simple task for us. Our human nature tends to hold onto grudges. We like to think that if we treat the individual differently, they will feel our pain or if they can sense our anger towards them, they’ll get the point.  However, nothing could be further from the truth.

When we have a quick temper or say something that we shouldn’t, then it tends to fester as guilt and becomes a vicious cycle.  When we hold onto pain, anger and unforgiveness; all it does is cause sickness and unhappiness within our own lives.  We are clearly told in Colossians 3:13, that we should “Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you.  Remember, the Lord forgave you so you must forgive others.”

Now, we all know that we are not perfect and we certainly make mistakes.  There was only one perfect person that ever existed and that was Jesus.  So, the best thing we can do is learn how to control anger and learn the art of forgiveness, His way.  It is imperative that we make HIM a big part of the equation.  It is completely for our benefit, not for anyone else.

The absolute best thing you can do when you find yourself angry or unwilling to forgive is to STOP YOUR THOUGHTS AND HOLD YOUR TONGUE.  Immediately, ask God to help you overcome the situation, release it to Him for transformation and ask for Him to fill you with peace that surpasses all understanding. It is also best to hold your tongue rather than to regret your words later.  For it is written that the power of the tongue brings life or death.(Proverbs 18:21)

Word of Caution…the more you attempt to release things to God, the more negative thoughts you will encounter.  Do not allow yourself to relive the situation over and over again. Just keep stopping the thoughts, ask God to take them off your shoulders and to be filled with His peace.

ForgivenessLet me emphasis that I have experienced all of this and it is not an easy task. However, I promise that if you stand against your opposition by giving it all over to God and filling your mouth with praises for Him…you will notice that the burdens begin to lift and your anger, pain and frustration will subside.  Things will begin to roll off your back and you won’t sweat the small stuff either.  God is bigger than any problem, that I can guarantee you!