The God of the Do-Overs

Are you in need of a do-over?

How about a do-over of the do-over???

Well thank goodness we have an advocate with the Father that knows we not gonna get it right 100% of the time.  He knows we won't get it right not even 75% of the time. So our Father, the God that loves us as His own, gives us renewed mercies and a second chance.  Sometimes a third, and fourth chance too!


I found myself in need of a do-over and to be honest it wasn't my first. The enemy tried to make me feel bad, like a failure, like God would be too disappointed in me to help me.  But Satan is a liar, the bible calls him the father of lies. The God that we serve is faithful.  He knows that we won't get it right all the times, its one of the reasons we get a new mercy every morning (Lamentations 3:23).  I have to admit I let the devil talk for a while, so much so that I started to feel physically sick.  Then I was reminded of Ephesians 6, where it tells us to take on the whole armor of God.  Our Father has given us provisions to help protect us from the lies and darts of the enemy, we have to use them.

When life starts screaming at you, we have to learn not to scream back, but to take the authority we have in Jesus and make it sit down and get it together.  If you need a second chance to do it right, take it.  God didn't renew mercy in the morning for nothing.  He is not the out of luck God.  He is not the too bad, so sad God.  And he's definitely not the too little too late God.  He is Merciful, Compassionate, our Helper!  He is the abundance God.  Everything about Him is abundance and all that are in Him enjoy abundance.  So I encourage you to take your inheritance.  Live the life God has planned for you, and if you loose your way remember there is no condemnation in Christ.  All you have to do is repent, ask for forgiveness (1 John 1:9) and that grace and mercy is sure to come your way.

God Bless U 

There is Beauty in the Storm

Across town the snow is falling and the roads are getting slick, Mary begins to look out the window and worry.  Over the last hour the snow started to really come down and the newscaster is predicting over 4 inches in the new few hours.  Mary said to no one in particular, "storms come for no reason but to bring trouble". She starts hoping and praying her boss tells everyone to pack it up.  She can just see the traffic at a stand still.  Mary wants to get home to the kids, the school already said they would be dismissing early.  Soon the announcement comes that everyone can go, and to get home as soon as possible, it going to be a blizzard.  Mary becomes worried and fearful, the last time she drove in the snow someone almost hit her car and she knows today will probably be no better.  Curse this snow, Mary thought.

 

Now the snow begins to fall in the neighborhood and Alex and Hailey can't wait to get off of the school bus.  They hurry into the house and their Dad, Michael has just arrived home too.  They greet their Dad and inquire as to when Mary, their Mom will be home.  Michael reports that he just spoke with her and that she's on her way.  The kids get giddy with excitement and run toward the garage.  Michael continues into the living room.

 

Mary makes it home after a grueling bout with traffic. She walks in the house as the wind picks up and again curses the snow under her breath.  As she walks in the house she's greeted with warmth from the fire place and immediately feels warmth all the way down to her toes.  She come to the living room where she sees the window covering spread and open to reveal the shovels in the back yard and all the fixings to sled and make snow men. The snow is falling and its a beautiful sight! She also find Michael, Alex and Hailey gathered around the fire with mugs of hot chocolate. One is sitting to the side for her. Hailey exclaims they've been waiting for her to get home!  Alex explains how they were super excited to get out of school early and how they got everything ready to play in the snow later!  Michael holds his arms out so that she can come get comfortable with them and enjoy the rest of the day.  As she sits down he whispers into her ear "thank God for blizzards".

Mary considered her earlier feelings regarding the snow, about how it was such a hassle and just made for a miserable time.  As she thought to herself, she looked at her family and considered their outlook on the snow, she quickly realized that perception is everything.  That though snow and blizzards can bring about some ugly conditions in some circumstances,  they can also bring some awesome moments too. She realized there is beauty in the storm.

I pray this touched your heart today and that you will consider every side of  the situations you find yourself in.  Look for the beauty, if you happen to not be able to find it, look directly to God because He has purpose in everything.

~God Bless U

In the Paths of God

Good morning!  I pray all is going well with you today and if it's not I pray God's grace and mercy upon you right now.  (Agree with me in Jesus Name, Amen.)  I was praying this morning and I want to share with you one of the last parts of my prayer.  My words to God was "let me walk safely in your paths".  Right then and there I received a revelation that God has a path He has set out just for us.  we all know that we have individual walks, but did you ever think God has some avenues He has set up just for us to walk down.  For instance, we may be believing God for the better job. But what if you get the job offer and God tells you to stay where you are?  It seems you should take the "better job", but what if God is saying He has a work for you to do right where you are and the real "better: is coming later!  Or perhaps you think you should do a certain thing, but God nudges you in a different direction.  Because He knows what's best for us, and how our tomorrows will work out while we are still dealing with our yesterdays, we have to trust Him and the paths He has for us. Your path is not mine, and mine isn't yours. We may cross each other's paths from time to time, they may even run parallel for a season or even a lifetime, but these paths are just for you and the Father. The bible has much to say about our paths.  One scripture says,

 "Watch the path of your feet And all your ways will be established."  Proverbs 4:26

another says,

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" Psalms 119:105

There are many roads that lead to a lot of places, but the safest and most prosperous one is the one God Himself puts you on.  I encourage all of you to stop and say a quick prayer right now, and simply ask God to direct you in HIS paths.

God Bless U

Don't Give Up

I just want to quickly encourage you all to not give up.  So many times we are right on the edge of our breakthrough and because we loose steam, loose the fight, or stop pressing, we never get what God has right around the corner for us.  Ecclesiastes 9:11 says:
 "The race is not given to the swift nor the strong but he who endures until the end."

God would not admonish us to have endurance if we didn't need it.  He doesn't want us to give up!  If you just hold on a little longer, the blessing of the Lord is sure to overtake you.

Here's what I want to share with you today.  Do you know that the enemy gets busier as you get closer to God and what He has for you?  His number one priority is to keep you from getting there.  He wants to keep you depressed, oppressed, discouraged, downtrodden, impoverished, and useless. This keeps you from realizing who you are in Christ, who you are to God, and who God is to you.  Don't let him win.  Keep fighting! Keep believing!  Keep striving!  Don't give up!!!

Think of what would have happened if Abraham had given up, or King David, or Elijah, or most of all Jesus.  But they did not.  Jesus did not throw the baby out with the bath water, He suffered and endured for us.  As a matter of fact, He did it just for YOU!  So I encourage you to endure the sufferings and persecutions a little longer. Withstand the attacks of the enemy.  The Apostle Paul said  ^"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us", in Romans 8:18.  In other words nothing can compare to what God has coming up for you.  Believe that, stand on that, proclaim that, and don't give up!

~God Bless U

Too Important to Wait!

I want to apologize.  I apologize because I have not kept my commitment to this blog.  Which really means I haven't kept my commitment to God.  I got so busy in the beginning of the year and I started telling myself that I would get back to blogging as soon as I could clear some things up, as soon as I got some things out of the way, as soon as my life settled down, etc.  Then I was listening to a sermon by Bishop TD. Jakes and something he said came to convict me and push me into action.  He said "you will die waiting on the right time/the right conditions to do sometthing"!  He used the Apostle Paul as an example. Bishop Jakes spoke of how he (Paul) was being punched in the face while he was making a difference in the churches and cities he went to.  He didn't get to wait for things to calm down or for the optimum conditions, he worked to the glory of God in whatever state he found himself in.  And that's what got me back on the street called Straight!   I was so busy thinking if I could just make it through one thing I could get to another.  Soon a week became two weeks, two weeks four, and so on.  

So now that I have received my deliverance, I want you to receive yours!  Don't miss the blessing in the messing!  God blesses us through our experiences, labors, and deeds.  Just think of the rich lessons I could have shared if I would have been writing for these last couple of weeks. Imagine what would have happened if Jesus would have put off going through Samaria for a more favorable time.  Or Jerusalem for that matter!  When God has ordained you to do something, when it's the season, do it without delay.  It is the enemy's plan to keep you from your destiny and I'm here to tell you that one of the biggest tricks is to get you so busy that you start putting God's business on the back burner!

Proverbs 10:4 says "A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich".  We should be found doing.  Doin what?  Doing all that God has called us to do.  What have you dreamed about, what are you believing for God to bring to pass in your life?  Did you know it starts with you???  God is ready, willing, and able to act on your behalf, but you have to be ready to move.  The Word says in Phillipians,  " I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me".  The first word is the key-word; I.  If I (YOU) will do it (actively get up; get ready, start moving) God will provide the strength (grace, favor, and mercy) to bring it to pass in your life.

So be encouraged my sisters and brothers, God has a plan for us.  He wants you to try new things, experience what's out there, and take on new challenges.  Never let the busyness of life keep you from the life God intended you to live. Go be bold, tell the Lord yes, and start running! I promise nothing can stop you with God on your side.  The thins God has for you to do is too important to wait!!!


~God Bless You

1st Sunday 2016

Happy New Year All!!!

With the arrival of the New Year we have an opportunity.   We can decide to do it better this time.  What is "it"?   Whatever you feel can be done better than you did it before.   In my case, "it" to me is everything!   I plan to do a lot of things better. I endeavor to be a better wife, mother, friend, sister, laborer, minister, etc. 

There is no need for new years resolutions,  when God gives you a new mercy every morning.  What the new year brings is an opportunity to mark a reference point on your progress chart.   You have the opportunity to look back on 2015 and  assess where you've been, what you've done, how you've grown, and the areas that could use more growth.  The important thing,  is that you are continually growing in Jesus. 

A great scripture to meditate on is Luke 22:42.
"Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done."

In this passage Jesus is praying to God about the gigantic task before Him... the Cross. Though He is completely divine, His human nature doesn't want to have to go through the devastation, pain, and turmoil He's about to endure on humanity's behalf.  He prays about it,  asking to be relieved, but in the end He boldy and bravely proclaims (*one of my favorite references and mantras of scripture) Nevertheless!!!  Not my will but your will be done! 

How awesome, how glorious, and what an example! Jesus, knew that He was the only One that was fit for the job.  So, though He, like any other person, would have rather not had to go through the unthinkable, He was so devoted to God that He
forsook what He most wanted and desired for what God wanted.  This is the same kind of devotion we should be pressing toward!

And then comes the reward...
When you reevaluate and start to pinpoint the areas to grow in, God is pleased. The Word of God says He's a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).  When we try harder in God, He helps us and rewards us for our diligence.  Looking back on my own list,  I've found that the greatest reward is realizing that I'm not the person I used to be.  It signifies that I'm getting closer to the person God has called me to be.

May 2016 bring you closer to who God had called you to be,  to who and what He has called you to, and from what He had called you from!

~GOD Bless U