The Work Of Your Hands – part II

“I will destroy all your idols and sacred pillars, so you will never again worship the work of your own hands.”

Micah 5:13

How often do we consider that the work that we do, the job we commit all your time to, and the creative expressions of our God-given visions, all belong to God?

It is easier to say that God is ruler over our lives than it is for us to give God rule over our lives. So again I ask, do all your works reflect God?

If you are a Christian actor, do you commit to acting in movies that edify other Christians or non-believers with messages about God’s truth?

Or like many God-fearing artists of today, do you wait to receive an award for your dramatic role in a violent or vulgar masterpiece that connotes nothing about God’s word or His kingdom, to ‘thank God’ for His mighty hand over your blossoming career.

Yes indeed, we are favored. We are graced time and time again with God’s favor and goodness when we gain opportunities to prosper. And I thank God for that. But when I see the number of Christians who acclaim their fame and success to God but do not speak words of God, sing words of God, project the image of God or perpetuate messages of God through the work of their own hands, I am paused.

Friend, can you see the work of your own hands? Because if you cannot see it, how then do you expect others to see it?

Are your endeavors led by the purpose of God inside of you?

That thing that you have your hand on, that project you are building your career on, that platform you are boldly claiming as your own, does it reflect Christ and His purpose in our life, in your heart?

Now more than ever, in this season of intentionality, in this realm of manifestation, in this year of breaking forth, we must pause and consider ALL the works of our hands because destiny cannot be formed by hands that lie.

I pray for you as I pray for me. May the Lord of Hosts renew our minds today. May God take over ALL things in our lives as we surrender yet again to His almighty hand. And may we again be re-aligned in all our ways for the sake of God’s purpose in Jesus name. Amen.

The Work Of Your Hands – part I

“I will destroy all your idols and sacred pillars, so you will never again worship the work of your own hands.”

Micah 5:13

 When people ask you, “what do you do?” …”who are you?”… “what are you about?”… “what kind of work do you do?”

What is your response? Are you able to answer all these questions with one response? If not, where is the separation? In other words, do you separate how you use God’s gifts from the ‘you’ that receives the gift?

Better yet, are you able to answer all these questions with just one response? If not, where is the separation?

How do you separate how you use God’s gifts from the ‘you’ that receives the gift? How do you put a distance between who you are in God and what you do in the name of God?

Are you the Christian who uses Heaven’s gifts to gain worldly treasures?

A while ago, my pastor commented on the wealth that he believed was in the church. He stated that it is almost unimaginable how rich the House of God would be if we all brought our wealth into the church. Surely, he was not merely referring tithes and offerings, but rather the wealthy gifts that God has given to us. My pastor was calling out the wealth that was in us, the wealth that was us.

Friend, how much of your ‘wealth’ do you give to the world but not to God? Your gift, your heart, your creativity, and your time, how much of it do you give to God? And why have you not given it all?

Often times, we don’t want to consider the many ways that we dishonor God when we use our gifts for our own desires. We try to ignore our misalignment when the work of our hands don’t reflect the Father. But God knows and you know.

Consider that if no one ever saw your face or knew your name, if the world had to testify to who you are by all the works of your hand, would it truly reflect God?

For example, are you a Christian actor or an actor who is Christian?

Are you a Christian doctor or a doctor who is Christian?

Are you a Christian artist or an artist who is Christian?

Are you a Christian teacher or a teacher who is Christian?

Friend, do you know the difference?  FINISH READING HERE

Do You Really Know God?

“You were shown these things so that you might know that the Lord is God.” 

Deuteronomy 4:35 

Sometime ago, I was sure I knew God. I was certain that my life as a preacher’s daughter, reflected the knowledge of God. I didn’t know then what I know now.

I thank God for HIS Spirit, the one that guides and directs us in all things according to the will of God.

It was not until after my baptism, that I realized that I never really knew my heavenly Father. I never knew God. I knew of Him, I talked of Him, I worshipped Him, but I never knew HIM.

Friend, do you really know your heavenly Father?

Or are you so blinded by your religious habits and ideologies that you have failed to see that you don’t really know THAT which you claim to serve and worship?

You go to church, but why?

You listen to praise and worship, why?

You pray every night before you sleep, why?

Why do you do all that you do in the name of God? Do you really understand your very own heart posture towards God as your heavenly Father? Or have you discarded the intimacy between you and God in place of worshiping a Being that you do not really know?

Do you know the voice of God? What does it sound like?

Can you feel the peace of God’s presence? What does it feel like?

Can you see the Hand of God in everything around you? What do you see?

Can you discern when your Father calls or speaks than when the enemy, a master of disguise, pretends to be your Father’s messenger?

Can you tell the language of God apart from the language of men?

Friend, do you really know God?

I urge you today to seek these deeper things because you and I are called to know.

Our heavenly Father has called us to know Him more and to seek the things of God more so we are able to stand firm against the evils of this world, trusting in the knowing of HE who created all things.

I pray that we are encouraged today to know our heavenly Father better than we did yesterday. May we be enabled by the Holy Spirit of God to walk closer to the call to higher knowledge and wisdom so that we may attain the prize of glory that we have been promised in Jesus name. Amen.

You Are Not The Potter, You Are His Witness – part II

“Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.”

Isaiah 64 : 8 

Indeed the awareness of these crooked things around you is no mistake. God purposed it that way.

See, we often forget that we are not called to judge one another according to our own understanding, but rather pray for those we see stumbling in one way or another.

When the Lord calls for us to discern between what is right in His sight and what is not, we often confuse that as the permission to use what higher things we know to condemn those who are yet to come into higher wisdom.

Friend, we are not given the wisdom to condemn but rather to add more to our own faith in the Lord and to believe that there is power of renewal in our tongues when we intercede in prayer for one another.

You see the spiritual need. Pray about it for your brother or sister in Christ. Is this too not part of our calling as the body of the Living Christ?

Is this not what it means to be a witness?

If we, being called by HIS Name, humble ourselves, and pray, would we not see God renew the minds of the ones that seem harder to reach by the Word?

We are all works of God’s mighty and all-knowing hands, so how is it possible that we condemn anyone when we ourselves are still being molded?

Friend, we are not the Potter, we are His clay, and we are also His witness.

Even as I recounted my discernment to closed ones, I heard the Spirit remind me to choose my words carefully as not to condemn another work of God’s hand regardless of what HE has shown me about them.

I am extending this message to you too today.

How carefully do you choose your words when you rightfully discern between what is right and wrong among God’s people? Are you speaking from your own knowledge or the wisdom of heaven?

Indeed the challenges of the kingdom in us, are many, but I thank God for a willing heart of obedience. I trust that HE that started a good work in every one of us will faithfully bring it to completion.

As we are steered in a new direction by the Shepherd, may our minds, hearts, spirits, and tongues be renewed with love and hope in Jesus name. May we be enabled to bless each other and intercede for one another. May we not cause each other to sin or stumble, but rather reach out our hands to lift each other up in prayer and kindness in Jesus name. Amen.

You Are Not The Potter, You Are His Witness – part I

“Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.”

Isaiah 64 : 8 

We serve a strategic God. God is so intentional in the things He calls your attention to and how. Recently, I felt the Lord steer me into a new direction and a new place of gathering to further fuel my passion for His word and His purpose in me.

At first, I was unaware of the strange budding feelings about my intimate surroundings, then one night, when it was time for the veil to be removed completely, the Lord revealed as only HE Can.

Friend, do you remember that we are not the Potter, but we are HIS clay? How often do you forget that you are called to witness HIS moldings rather than be caught up trying to forcefully mold others?

Often times as believers, we feel compelled to mold or in influence those around us to seek God a certain way or pursue after purpose a certain way, to discard their evil ways and renew their minds and hearts according to the word of God, often times, it is to no avail.

I never forget that I too once missed God’s bigger picture. Thank God for grace.

I know this to be so because I know now more than ever that there is only One Potter. There is Only One God, and HE alone is in control of the lives HE is molding.

Before I arrived at the crossroads of departing from a setting that has become dear to my heart, I had to first conquer the struggle within me, one that many of us often battle with, judging our fellow brothers and sisters in what we believe is their lack of faithfulness to a faithful God.

We often perceive the ways of others as an hindrance to our growth in the spirit, often concluding that their lack of deeper pursuit for the deeper things of God is what is causing the strange feelings in our Spirit when we get around them.

But the Spirit of the Lord is reminding us today, that we are not The Potter, we are HIS witness. FINISH READING HERE

An Unknown Road To A Known Destiny

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us…”

2 Peter 3:9

As expected, the trials of a new environment are surfacing one after another and I feel the weariness begin to form in the pits of my stomach. But I thank God for a kind and comforting Holy Spirit who reminds me once again that all that can be shaken will indeed be shaken, but the word of God stands.

In a sum, I am tired.

I am tired of many things, weary and doubtful of a few others. But in humble adoration, still I praise HIM. Still I worship, and thank God for how Far HE alone has brought me thus far in this walk of faith.

Inevitably, stress and uncertainty during this journey of purpose threatens to weigh me down.

Physically, I feel drained and immobile, having not done no heavy lifting or arduous work. Creatively, I feel as though my vision to be productive and to peek into a near future has somehow been suspended as I have surrendered to the Lord.

Spiritually, I feel aware but challenged in faith.

I remember the words and promises of my Father to me and my loved ones, but current waves seem to challenge what I believe is the truth. But in hope, my faith stands. God is able to do just what HE said HE would do.

Admittedly, I have never hoped so greatly in the Lord as I do now. My expectancy for an unimaginable wondrous and glorious work, is greater than I have ever expected and I am truly overwhelmed by it.

In this place, I need God’s power to fall like I’ve never seen and I need help in my unbelief.

So as I pray and press on towards what is ahead, please pray for me as I pray for you. If you are anything like me, you don’t know how God will do it, but you trust that it is already done. You don’t know how God will lead you there, but you know you will get there. God is certain.

And in HIM do we hope.

May our hope never be put to shame. And may our faith be continually anchored in the mercy and grace of an All-knowing God in Jesus name. Amen.