A Word – Page 15 – My Grace Untold

The Rocks Have A story Too

“And he answered unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.”

Luke 19:40

The rocks got a story too! Who knew?

When the Pharisees asked Jesus to rebuke his disciples for rejoicing and praising God at the Mount of Olives, Jesus’ response was one that would remain edged in the minds of generations to come.

He said the stone would cry out and proclaim God even if the disciples were to be quiet!

Could you imagine the voice and language of rocks? The stones that lay on your path when you walk, and the billions that rest in God’s glory along the sea shores. Could you imagine how loud and glorious that sound would be? If God gave rocks the voice to tell their story and give God the glory, would your voice matter anymore?

But God in his infinite grace and mercy gave you the lips to praise and proclaim HIS glory through your story.

Why are your lips still sealed? Why is your heart hesitant to share your story for His glory?

The scripture tells us in Romans 10:14,

How can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?”

There are ears waiting to be told, eyes waiting to see the glory of God! That glory friend, is living and breathing in you!

But you have not opened your mouth yet. You have not told your story of how God brought you from the brink of hopelessness and put new life inside your body through His son, Jesus Christ.

And the enemy is the one at work. It’s no coincidence that the filthiest secrets of man become the most amazing work of God, because God does not leave us to die in our wretch. God does not leave his children in sin. Christ sought us, found us, and saved us. Glory be to God for the victory!

You know your story. But others need to know too for HIS glory! It is ALL for his glory!

Or are we waiting on the rocks to proclaim Our Father’s name?! (Won’t HE do it?!) From the smallest pebbles buried in the earth, to the largest rock that sits in the middle of the world’s waters, God is able to raise them up to give Him praise if we fail to do so!

My prayer for us today is that our Almighty Father grants us a voice loud enough, and the courage bold enough to proclaim His wondrous works in our lives. May the enemy never again be able to shut us up in Jesus name. Amen.

Adding God Multiplies You!

“That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore…”

Genesis 22:17

What a mighty and merciful God we serve!

Sometimes I think about the many sleepless nights and restless days we endure in the pursuit of something. Be it a love interest, a business goal, an ambition, an end aim of any sort. We tell ourselves as many times as we have to, that it is worth it. Along the weary way, we constantly remind ourselves the significance of why we do what we do.

I’m so glad we have a spirit of the living God who stands in the way of our consequential decisions.

Recently, the spirit reminded me, in the most subtle yet powerful whisper, “Just add God.”

God is Your Must-Have-Recipe Friend!

You ever just stop the madness, and the hustling and bustling, and just ask yourself, “Is God in this?”

See the beauty of having such a mighty Father is that He can do what He says He will do. There is no uncertainty in the words of the Most High God. Nothing He says will go unfulfilled. His Will be done in Jesus Name!

And when God says, He will multiply your blessings as the sand on the sea shore, He can and will do just that! So how could you possible consider leaving God out of anything you do?!

Friend, adding God multiplies you! How amazing is that?!

That our Father loves us so much that He rewards us for being His! And HE is God. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, He is Jehovah! The Messiah! And He blesses us for choosing Him! God is the one who gives us life, then adds purpose to it. Even in purpose, He gives you joy, peace, love, and promises salvation at the end of the journey. God is the One who makes you worthy. He is the One that deserves all the glory and honor. He is the One that placed a crown of victory on your head. And yet, you are the one that is multiplied when you stay.

And even when we stray, God remains mighty in all his glory! He still seats on his throne, waiting on us, and never leaving us in the wilderness of destruction.

I don’t know about you, but I know I’m not worthy. I know that I was a wretch in sin, and the Almighty mercy of God gave me hope and put praise on my lips. Glory to God!

Adding God multiplies you. You are more than you can ever imagine when you keep God in it.

“You are more than a conqueror, more than victorious,” says the Lord your God.

Don’t you know that you are the best you with God?!

No matter what it is, no matter what you think you want or need. The One who knows it all and saw your tomorrow before your today began, is ALL you will ever need. Don’t you let anything or anyone ever convince you that you can do without God in the mix.

My prayer for us today, is that our Father in heaven will renew our minds today and wash away the thoughts and patterns that hinder our closeness to Him in anyway. May we become conformed to accepting that God, and only God, is the maker and master of our destiny in Jesus name. Amen.

Watchu Got On?

“Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it?

Luke 13:18

The glory of God’s golden roads in heaven is yet to be seen and told by any man. It only remains a promise that our God made to us through salvation in Jesus Christ.

Before Christ ascended to heaven after resurrection, he told the disciples (you and me) that he is going to prepare a place for us with the heavenly Father. This was the glorious invitation friend.

So as we prepare for that glorious day at that glorious place with our Father in heaven, the spirit is reminding us what we ought to be wearing for that glorious occasion.

Surely, you can’t just put on something at the last hour without preparation and expect to be received in the same fullness as though you took the time.

My question to you today is, “watchu got on?”

I am not referring to your new designer shoes or jacket that matches your assemble perfectly.

I’m asking you who, not what you are wearing today?

WHOSE BRAND ARE YOU?

Are you your own brand? – You know, picking up a little bit of style from this playbook, and this character, and this star, and that religion, and that other thing?

Friend, when people see you, do they see God on you and through you?

I hope you know by now that the spirit that breathes and lives in you belongs to your maker, your Father in heaven, who made heaven and earth.

So, what have you been covering that spirit with?

What God-like features can the world see on you when you speak and when you act? Are you really your Father’s child?

Undoubtedly, there is none like God for he is God alone and He alone is God.

But His word tells us how we are to portray ourselves as the sons and daughters of Royalty that we are indeed. Our father is the King above all kings and Lord above all gods. How we wear our God is so very important in our walk with Him. Except, wearing God starts from within. It begins from the inside out. The colors of love, the patterns of kindness, and the fabric of compassion are all styles of our Most High God. What style you got on?

This most certainly trickle down to the placement of actual clothing we use to cover our body, which cradles the spirit of God by the way. (We need that reminder as often as possible!)

Sister-girl, are you wearing that dress to honor the ‘curvaceous’ masterpiece that is God’s temple? or are you simply trying to outline all there is to unwrap without too much effort? Once again, “watchu got on?”

Brother-man, the waist can hold your pants just fine, and that muscle shirt won’t complain if it is tucked neatly under a sweater or nice-looking spacious shirt. “Watchu got on?”

Friend, you are rightfully the reflection of the One who made you. We are here to give Him ALL the glory and honor and praise. There is a reason behind your good looks and attractiveness too. God is beautiful, as you are made in His image. So why not wear what you really are so the world can truly see God’s work through and through?

My prayer for us today is that the Lord above grants us the courage and determination to put on the attributes we were gracefully created with. May the temptations and desires to be anything else be trampled today under the powerful might of God in Jesus name. Amen.

The Last Leg – God Says Finish Strong (II)

“Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross…”

Hebrews 12:2

This is it. The last leg of this particular race you’ve been running. And God says finish strong.

For me, it’s this job. For you, it may be a relationship, a school course, a particular program, or some project. Whatever it is you started in faith, God says you have to finish it.

Friend, this is not the time to give up, to stop hoping, or to give in to the weariness you feel on the inside or even physically.

There is a cheer section of spirits and heavenly hosts just for you! You have to finish strong!

Don’t you worry about who is not there with you right now, or what you think you left or missed along the way. If God had use for that person or thing to finish this course, they would be there. Trust your Maker.

No matter what it looks like, no matter what it feels like, your tiredness is a reminder that this is indeed the last leg of this particular course. For “Eyes have not seen, ears have not heard of all the plans I have for you,” says the Lord of Hosts.

Remember that nothing is coincident. Nothing in your life has just happened. Every position, every tear, every circumstance that has brought you here has been ordained by the Most High. Like the scripture above confirms, Christ Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith, so please don’t think that God has missed anything in your life plan.

You are right where you are because the calling on your life required that you should be.

Friend, be faithful and obedient in your race. You can finish strong. Remember that all, not some, but all things are working together for your good because God loves you and He has called you His. HE is your strength and fortress. As long as you have God, your weariness will never overtake you because He will give you wings to soar like an eagle when the time is right. But you must first finish this course you are on.

It is the last leg friend, finish strong with faith!

My prayer for us today, is that God in his infinite wisdom will guide our footsteps as we run, walk, or even crawl (if we must) to get to the finish line that He has ordained for us. May the strength and courage of our Lord overtake us in our most weary moments in Jesus name. Amen.

The Last Leg – God Says Finish Strong (I)

“But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy…”

Acts 20:24

About a month ago, I was ready to move up in the company I had been with for about a year. Although the commission-paid position had its more arduous days than not, I enjoyed the work I did. I enjoyed the daily interactions with my diverse clients. And best of all, my managers respected me enough to entrust me with many responsibilities – safe to say my work ethic was exemplary.

So when I relocated from NY after graduation to heed the voice of God, it made sense to stay with the company. In truth, the transition was not as smooth as I would have liked but God, at the right time, moved the right people to put me where I needed and wanted to be to make ends meet.

So when the opportunity peeked, I began to consider a path up the ladder since I had all the qualifications and my supervisors’ support. A plausible plan came about and I was set to pursue the road to management, (unless God said “no.”)

Just a couple of weeks before things were set in motion, God did say “No.”

The week after that, the “No,” was delivered even stronger as the spirit told me it was time to leave the company.

You can imagine my tremor at the thought of not having a plan, but I thank God that my trust in him has matured so much more than before. So, I asked the Lord to show me the way.

Here I am now, heading into my last week at my current position, and I am so very tired.

I came home from a long day at work yesterday night and the ache in my body was almost paralyzing. Perhaps it was the 40-minute drive to work and the the 40-minute drive home, or the slow pace of my 8-hour shift on my feet, or the nervousness going through me as I wait on God to show me what is next.

All I know is, I feel really worn out. I mean Lord! My body feels really overwhelmed!

Then the vision was made clear to me – I feel the weight of all my work because it is the last leg of this particular race. KEEP READING HERE

The Sacred F-Word (II)

“To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness.”

Acts 26:18

So many hearts remain lost, cold, and unaware of God’s love and fullness simply because they will not forgive.

However, we often forget the guilty hearts overwhelmed with sorrow and shame because they are yet be forgiven by those they wronged.

Repentance is for all and none, no one is beyond redemption. Please remember that.

Could it be that the enemy took heed of God’s clear instruction even more than we did? Could it be that the enemy wages war against us in this most simple yet consequential manner because it keeps us from receiving our much-needed forgiveness from our Father?

The Word not only tells us we can forgive, it mandates us to forgive. I mean it says it right there that our sins are forgiven as we forgive those who have wronged us. No compromises.

It’s no coincidence that forgiveness is such a battle for most of us. It is no ordinary thing that forgiving hurts even more than what we are trying to forgive in the first place. Only God knows why we feel such strong forces within our hearts as we walk towards forgiveness.

Until recently when God delivered a personal miracle to me in the form of forgiveness, I could never speak on that sacred F-Word because I know we all have our own ways of coping with pain, hurt, and discomfort that we hold others responsible for.

I know now that those forces we inwardly feel, are chains of the enemy breaking loose as we move even closer to the freedom of glorifying God because of our own forgiveness.

The enemy may think he has succeeded in convincing many of God’s children that they cannot and should not forgive. But remember dear friend that the devil is a liar!

To each his own. That’s why forgiveness is usually a long road we must walk alone. You have to understand the full gravity of forgiveness and why it resonated through the life of Christ our Lord. Jesus was our forgiveness. So, forgiveness is no small feat. It is a great deal for us as followers of Christ.

Child of God, it is time to forgive and be forgiven.

Glory be to God for the spiritual discernment to see that not forgiving others is no more than another form of disobedience to our merciful God.

My prayer today, is that God almighty grants us the boldness to trample the lies of the enemy and cling on to forgiveness of our sins as we forgive those who have wronged us. May the fullness of God’s grace and mercy be evident in your life as you walk towards forgiveness today in Jesus name. Amen.

The Sacred F-Word (I)

“For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive your trespasses. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Matthew 6:14-15

Forgiveness.

There it is, clear and as direct as can be. Yet, forgiveness is one of the hardest and longest journeys of the mortal man.

If you take a few moments right now, much like me recently, I am sure you can come up with more than a few people or things that you are yet to forgive. Ask yourself why not and try to align it with the voice of God in you.

I know. It is impossible. Because forgiveness is indeed all that God is.

We often convince ourselves that we have forgiven or have tried our best to forgive or sometimes tell ourselves that we have ‘forgiven’ but we are not allowed to forget out of practicality. You know the sayings,

Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.” Or “If someone shows you who they are the first time, believe them (meaning that in the context of people messing up with us of course).” Lets not forget, “I don’t give people too many chances.” Or “You only get to play me once.”

The list could go on with these mantras that is against genuine, compassionate forgiveness.

And no, “letting people go,” (as in kicking them out of your life out of un-forgiveness) is not the same as forgiving them out of love, then separating yourself from them according to the voice of God’s spirit in you.

Malice is not forgiveness. Passive aggression is not forgiveness. Never bringing up the matter is not forgiveness. Reminding yourself or the person their past wrongs towards you is not forgiveness.

Lord help us. CONTINUE READING HERE.

The Spirit Says “No Means No!”

“The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.”

Proverbs 20:27

Something about the new year makes people want to do things new, try new things, date new people, see things in a new way, have a new style, make new friends. It seems all is right as long as it is something new.

But what about that good ol’ Spirit? Will you apply newness to the use of the spirit of God in you this time around? How often do you, 1) acknowledge the spirit? 2) listen to the spirit? 3) OBEY the spirit?

When it comes to the immoral (and demonic, I might add) act of rape, isn’t it ironic how passionately we (believers and nonbelievers) proclaim that “no means no?!”

Yet when it comes to the voice of the spirit and the resounding instruction of ‘NO,’ we fail to adhere to the spirit and proceed with our own desire anyway. What word can we use to describe our own forceful and defiant way with the spirit of God?

Indeed, I am referring to the many acts of intimacy we allow inside and near our spirit that ignorantly defiles the purity and sacred realm that God is!

And yes, this is a message to my sisters AND my brothers in Christ!

Although intimacy is more commonly stated in reference to sexual intercourse, the acts of intimacy we indulge in daily often goes beyond just sexual intercourse. Intimacy can also refer to the togetherness, attachment, or even just close familiarity we have to the people and things we interact with absent-mindedly.

In other words, who or what have you been sleeping on rather than with?!

Is your spirit in the midst of gossip and hate? Is your spirit in a place that encourage violence and malice? Is your spirit a silent partner in perversion? Is your spirit a bed for deceit and dishonesty? Is your spirit entwined with the body of a stranger? Is your spirit a filter for chaos and disruption? And most importantly, have your spirit been telling you “No!” this whole time?!

Granted, I am not simply proclaiming abstinence or celibacy (not in this post at least), but I am reaching out to you as a fellow brethren who knows the ills and weaknesses of the flesh.

Friend, the spirit says, “No means no!”

The spirit serves a purpose. As the scripture above proclaims, the spirit is light inside of you. How is light to shine as bright, when it is abused, malnourished, and ignored? How is the light to guide your path in this world when you shun and defile it with disobedience and impurity?

See, we often fail to realize that the enemy does not have to do us bodily harm to feel as though he is in control. Our pain do not have to be physical for something to feel broken inside. The enemy tries to pollute your spirit in every way he can. Your environment, your personal tastes and desires, your friendships, your intimate relationships, and everything that exist around you become open to the enemy’s attack the moment you stopped feeding the spirit. Even the slightest crack is too big of an opening for the enemy to come in.

But the devil is indeed a liar!

Read IS YOUR SPIRIT MALNOURISHED? to learn more about feeding the spirit.

And the loving grace of Almighty God continue to grant us victory!

My prayer for us today is that God in his goodness will look upon the depths of our hearts rather than our deeds and conform all that we are into his own masterpiece. May the grace of spiritual transition and growth fall upon us today in Jesus name. Amen.

Obey God First.

“Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”

2 Corinthians 10:5

Today, I ran into a friend of mine, a young lady who is a believer like myself. She is also in her very early 20s like me so we relate on many things. In the brief encounter that we had, we began talking about her relationship to her boyfriend and potential life partner whom she had met in her early teenage years.

“Seven years,” she said vulnerably. “But I remember the prophesy given to me that the man I will marry will walk with God, but he (her boyfriend) doesn’t really care.”

I truly felt her vulnerability. But I could not disobey the spirit and speak against what we both know is inevitable – the will of God on your life is the only thing that is unshaken. She further confessed to me that she was in the middle of a fasting period where she is looking to God for guidance. Is it time to walk away from a seven-year relationship?

I then re-assured her that we serve an intentional God whose instructions are very clear. That’s right. Like another good friend of mine would say, “God is not a God of confusion.”

Perhaps we are the ones who get tangled in our web of disobedience and uncertainty because we are living by sight and not by faith like we ought to. Surely, I feel my girlfriend’s pain. The thought alone is like an hammer in the middle of one’s chest.

But I asked her if she would rather live with disobeying God’s word and doing what she thinks her heart agrees with or obey the maker of all things and trust that His way is indeed perfect. Sometimes, our feelings hinder our faith in God. Thus, some (very important) decisions, like saying yes to be married to a man because of your love for him, or saying yes to obey God because of His Great love for us, CANNOT be based just on how we feel. We all know feelings are flimsy because so many factors (many that are out of our control) often affect how we feel.

This is when we must succumb to our spirit. Let your spirit decide. Because that spirit works with God. “God the father, the son, and the holy spirit,” is not just a mantra to reiterate during a prayer. It is what we know to be true. God purposefully placed His powerful and anointed spirit in you because of his unconditional love and affection for you. The spirit in you is an indication of God’s favor on your life. He wants to lead and guide you from the inside out so you surely will not tremble or stumble ‘through the valleys of the shadow of death.’

As I said to my friend before I hugged her goodbye, prayer is key. Let God show you. He ordained your path even before you were born so only He knows the way you must go to remain in alignment with Him. And it is Him who said, “all things work together for the good of those who love Me.”

So what is God possibly telling you to walk away from today friend? Is it a love relationship? A toxic friendship? A negative job environment? An addiction? Open your ears and receive instruction so you can obey. The reward of obedience is beyond bountiful as the Word testifies.

In Psalms, we learn that when you obey God, not only will you walk in the light of His countenance, your seeds shall also be mighty upon the earth and even your children’s children shall be blessed. So why are we still so hesitant about obeying the clear directions of the Most High God?

My prayer for you today is that the Lord of Hosts in his infinite wisdom and mercy renews your spiritual sight to show you what step is next in your faithful journey. May He also give you the serenity to turn away from the noise that hinders your hearing of his Word in Jesus Name. Amen.

Is Your Spirit Malnourished?

“Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.”

Mark 14:38

You are a living spirit of the most high God. Did you know that?!!!

When God created man in his own image out of the dust, man did not come alive until God himself breathe into man’s nostrils. You are a walking spirit of the one who gave you life.

But is your spirit malnourished? What have you been feeding your spirit my friend?

Have you been resting in the company of those that know God or want to know Him? Or have you been ‘living life’ without purpose and letting anything or anyone sip into your God-given spirit?

True enough, this world is not our own nor is it our home, but while we are still in it, God’s kingdom in us lives in this world. So why then should we not feed the kingdom within us with prayer and wisdom?

You spend time with your friends or significant other to grow and nourish the relationship. You devote uninterrupted time to the company you have grown devoted to as friends and family to strengthen the bonds that you have developed with them. But have you devoted time to nurturing the spirit in you? Have you devoted time and effort to feeding God’s kingdom in you? Have you been praying, watching, communing with the spirit? Have you been talking to the spirit? Have you been listening to the spirit as you should?

The spirit is calling out to you today my sister, my brother. The spirit wants to be communed with. The spirit wants you to nourish it with goodness and love and prayer. It is time to feed the spirit while we still can.

It is my prayer for you that the Lord of Hosts who breathe life into you will grant you the strength, knowledge, and wisdom to feed His spirit inside of you. Amen.