Jabbok Ministries

"... I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen..." II Timothy 2:10

This is the platform that You have built for me to stand upon, to raise me up that You may be seen.

"…you shall be My witnesses…even to the remotest part of the earth…" Acts 1:8

"who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed…"
I Peter 1:5

My hand is outstretched, reaching for Thy Hand to hold
Securely placed in Yours, will You ere my fears enfold

I fully trust Thy saving power, for You have never lost a hand
But by Thy loving kindness, brought them to Thy chosen land

"…run in such a way that you may win." I Corinthians 9:24

Run blessed runner, and may you run to win.

…It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me…" Galatians 2:20

"Make me thy Woman Lord and let me not give myself to another"

…"there is a place by Me…" Exodus 33:21

"Let me be found at thy side, oh Lord"

"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1

God's woman will never lack an audience with her King.

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God" Philippians 4:6

May you be found as a beggar at the King's table, for the beggar receives the King's reward

"For it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure."
Philippians 2:13

Make my life to shine with the brilliance of Your Holiness
Brand Your mark upon me, molding me day by day
Lift not Thy hand from me sweet Master
Til all that is earthly is burned away

"Honor the Lord from your wealth…" Proverbs 3:9

I looked into my hands and found nothing, for I have given it all to Thee

"So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel…" Haggai 1:14

Stir up your spirit within me Lord, that Your glory will be seen once again

"Oh satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness…" Psalm 90:14

I will seek Thee in the Morning Hour

"…He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death…"Hebrews 5:7

I raise my voice to speak but one word, "Father"

"Peter followed from afar off" Luke 22:54 KJV

I will follow ever so closely sweet Savior of Calvary
I will love you completely, precious Lamb slain for me

Lift me from the shadows and my voice to You I'll raise
Throughout the endless ages, my Jesus I will praise

"And they sang…the song of the Lamb." Revelation 15:3

"Great and marvelous are Your works,
O Lord God, the Almighty;
Righteous and true are Your ways,
King of the nations!
Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name?
For You alone are holy;
For all the Nations will come and worship before You,
For Your righteous acts have been revealed."

I hear a melodious sound resounding through the streets of the New Jerusalem, it is the song of my life raised in praise to the Lamb!

"You found his heart faithful before You…" Nehemiah 9:8

May Faithfulness be the yield You gather from my vineyard
May the soil be fertile that it may spring forth life before You
Hold my hand steady to the plow until the work is finished

Pour forth upon me Thine Heavenly dew

"Praise the Lord, all nations; Laud Him, all peoples! For His lovingkindness is great toward us, and the truth of the Lord is everlasting. Praise the Lord."Psalm 117:1&2

May you rise above it all precious daughter of God, singing His marvelous praise.

"Rise up, you women who are at ease, and hear My voice; Give ear to My word, you complacent daughters." Isaiah 32:9

Rise up, oh daughter of Zion, and embrace the cross

"This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given me I lose nothing…" John 6:39

" Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you…" Jeremiah 1:5

"When they led Him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, coming in from the country, and placed on him the cross to carry behind Jesus." Luke 23:26

A cross bearer I am chosen to be
Though it lead me to Calvary
This cross twill be my honor to bear
Its shame and suffering I'll gladly share

May my life reveal the blood stains of Calvary, for I have carried His cross after Him

…and you will be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord will designate. You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. Isaiah 62:2&3

You took up ordinary clay and purposed to show your glory
You worked and fashioned it so you could tell Your story
What a God You are!

May you show the world His beauty

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us… John 1:14

Your King Understands

"So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord." Hosea 6:3

Earthly treasures my soul did seek,
Only to yearn for deeper things,

Until my thoughts did settle there
In the shadow of the Almighty's wings

…He delights in unchanging love." Micah 7:18

…let those who love Your salvation say continually, "Let God be magnified." Psalm 70:4

You chose me to be Your very own
From eternity my soul You've known

Be lifted high for saving me
Be magnified for the world to see

For the Lord will be your confidence and will keep your foot from being caught. Proverbs 3:26

May He be Your Foundation so that the house may weather any storm

"They will fight against you, but they will not overcome you, for I am with you to deliver you," declares the Lord. Jeremiah 1:19

Who is that wearing the victor's crown? It is you, oh daughter of Zion!

He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with me, scatters. Luke 11:23

I have set my hands to gather in Thy field until the Harvest is no more

May 1

The Power of Grace

..."And He has said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for thee,for power is perfected in weakness..." II Corinthians 12:9

The mere mention of grace and our minds instinctively turn upon God's salvation given to us when we did not deserve it. Grace is always connected to giving in our minds and the giving is something we would consider to be good; something we would want to receive. Who wouldn't value mercy, love, compassion and forgiveness? Who wouldn’t want these priceless amenities in our lives? But when we think of grace how many of us think of sufferings, of trials, persecutions, physical challenges, and hopeless situations? Grace is that mysterious gift from God given to extend His power to us through situations that have rendered us powerless. The glory of God's power is manifested in the outpouring of His grace during times of difficulties. Knowing this beloved, if the difficulties never come, how then will God's glory be seen? Grace is an all-sufficient perfecting tool in the hand of God; A truth known all to well by the Apostle Paul.

Paul was given a thorn in the flesh in order to make him weak. What kind of thorn Paul had is only mere speculation, thought to be a physical condition of the eyes. Whatever it was, God intended it to be a source, not of weakness, but rather of His power. The way up with God is always down, the way to first place is to be last, the way to get is to give, the way out is in, and the way to power is through weakness. His ways are incomprehensible and beyond our human reasoning; so vast and complex that the mind can't wrap itself around the understanding of it. When Paul came to understand this truth, he was set free in his spirit. All of a sudden his situation didn’t matter, for it was not about his circumstances any longer, it was about grace; God's grace. It took him three times asking the Lord to relieve his situation and being denied his request to come to this understanding but he did.

Paul understood that grace operates within the realm of weakness. The weaker we are the more powerful grace will become. Grace is not about giving, it's about glory, God's glory. Grace will exalt God at any cost, even if it's His only Son; in any situation, even if it's a cross beloved; no matter how bleak or dismal, no matter how hopeless or painful, the glory of God's grace will radiate from the very tomb itself dispelling the darkness bringing a resurrection with it. And the earth will behold the beauty of God as it is unleashed in the life of the suffering soul.

Unleash Your Power of Grace In My Life

May 2

Divine Power

It was late and having spent myself completely in the evening service all I wanted to do was enjoy a cup of coffee and have some nourishment for I had not eaten since that morning. I placed my order for some blueberry pancakes, my favorite, and a treat that I do not get to indulge very often. As the waitress placed a full pot of freshly brewed coffee on our table my eyes were drawn to a woman sitting all alone across the restaurant in a both. Her table was covered in a pile of papers that were spread out in front of her like a heap of misery. She looked overwhelmed, her eyes full of despair as she placed her face down into her hands shaking her head back in forth.

I immediately knew in my spirit that the Lord wanted me to go over to her. He whispered to the chamber of my heart, "go over there and tell her that I know about her and that I do care" I would love to say the godly woman buried deep within me jumped up with eagerness but instead she hid herself behind the fleshly woman who reminded the Lord how tired she was and how very much she wanted to do nothing but enjoy her blueberry pancakes! As I watched her, the Lord intensified His nudging of my soul to go over to her. Wanting to help the woman and ease my conscience I even suggested the Lord send the precious sister in the Lord who had come to eat with me! But the Lord was relentless with me until I obeyed. I haven't learned much in this life but one thing I have learned is this, God will have His way even when it's not what I want!

I walked over to the lady's table and told her who I was and said to her, "I know this may sound a little strange but the Lord has sent me over here because He wants me to say to you that He knows about you and that He cares for you." With a look of total disbelief, tears began streaming down her face. I asked her if I could sit down and for about 2 hours she, Nora, began pouring out her life story to me. She told me that she had just bowed her head to pray asking the Lord, "do you even know about me, do you even care?" She went on further to say that she could not believe that God would actually answer her, let alone care enough to send a complete stranger over to tell her. Needless to say her story was one of great sorrow but God intervened and gave her the strength and assurance she needed at that moment. Blueberry pancakes and hot coffee were no longer important to me for I was reminded that, "my food is to do the will of the One Who sent me" (John 4:34). God's divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness even if He has to give it through a very stubborn Bible Teacher who had to leave her blueberry pancakes in an I-Hop late at night.

God will take great strides in getting to us when we need Him whether it be through the venue of one of His own or directly from His voice to your heart. He is ever faithful to prove Himself over and over again just so we'll get it. HE KNOWS ABOUT US AND HE DOES CARE! Maybe you are in the place where Nora was that night, needing to know God was near, or maybe you are like me, the stubborn woman who sometimes wrestles with her Heavenly Father to be obedient to speak His word to those around you. Either way, recognize Who God is this hour. He is able to meet your need and mine, whether it's in witnessing to others of His amazing love or needing the assurance of His presence from someone else no matter where we find ourselves. He has truly granted to us everything pertaining to life and to godliness.

May 3

Wings Of Protection

Swarming under the mighty waters of the ocean waves are countless creatures of wonder all masterfully designed by the hand of God, their Creator. During breakfast this morning enjoying God's beauty aboard a beautiful ship, I witnessed a marvelous sight. As the ship made its way through the large body of water all at once a team of flying fish would spring out of the water propelling them forward a few feet before diving back down into the deep. It was absolutely fascinating to watch as they did instinctively what God had designed them to do.

They had a built in defense mechanism just as all His creatures do, including you and me. It's the part of God's design to give His creation a path of escape if met with a threat of any kind. When these flying fish sensed danger or needed a way of escape they took flight with the wings He gave them. God has given each of us spiritual wings of protection just like He has to the flying fish in His vast oceans. Instinctively, we protect ourselves in different ways. For some it's retreating into a shell and allowing no one or nothing to come near. For others it's exerting their own power through abrasive personalities, harsh judgments and even humor. And for many it's in striking back in hurt with words and actions, demeaning others through slander and gossip so we can feel better about ourselves. And still others it's riding on the wings of pride elevating one's own accomplishments before the eyes of others. We all have our fleshly defense mechanisms. What's yours beloved?

God has given us our spiritual wings or a spiritual defense mechanism found in His Word. His Word protects us, it delivers us, it seals us, it guides us, it refines and purifies us, it reproves us, it builds our faith, it gives us wisdom and motivation to keep pressing on, it renews our hope and brings our hearts peace and comfort, and it is mighty to save! It's everything we need or will ever need to live in a way that is pleasing to God and the power to withstand the onslaught of the enemy. We are protected by the power of God's Holy, infallible eternal Word! His Word is our spiritual wings and they will never fail us.

Maybe you are at a cross road of uncertainty today or even at an impossible passage. You may be facing a divorce, living with the loss of a child or loved one, coping with a life threatening disease or an unfaithful spouse. Maybe there is a rebellious child out in the world that you are praying will come home. You may be a single mother or raising your grandchildren because you have a child who is incarcerated. Maybe you have an addiction that no one knows about or a secret relationship you are too ashamed to tell anyone about and you don't know how to get out of it. You could be facing death or living in fear of something or someone. Listen to what God says to you! Take wings upon the power of My Word and let My Word lift you up to soar above your circumstances. You are protected by the power of His Word beloved. Take Flight!

May 4

What's In Your Water Pot?

Alone, weary, dejected, and thirsty she made her way down the mountainside carrying her water pot to the only source she knew of. She had come to this same place all of her life drawing water from Jacob's well. Where else was she to go? She was living with a man and having had five husbands prior friends were scarce, no doubt because of her tainted past. Her life had not turned out the way she dreamt of as a child and the canyon of her shame was wide and deep with no hopes of crossing over to a new and better life. She did the only thing she knew to do; go to the same well and fill up her water pot with the same water. It was an endless cycle with no sign of light, no hope for change. Until...

Jesus came to where she was and spoke with her face to face. He talked with her about her past and about her present. He showed her something so powerful that it not only changed her life forever but an entire city! What she was putting in to her water pot would never satisfy! She was filling it with the same water, instead of the living waters that only come from the Lord Himself. This woman no only learned of her thirst but she learned of the One Who could meet her thirst, no matter what she had done. It did not matter that she had been married five times, it did not matter that she was living with a man presently; what mattered was she needed to draw from the living waters so she would never thirst again. Jesus asked her a very simple question that day, "give Me a drink"? Have you ever wondered why the Lord would become a beggar asking for a drink from a complete stranger, one who was not only an enemy of the Jews but a woman, a tainted woman? In order for her to give Jesus a drink that day she would have to give Him her water pot to drink from for He had nothing to draw water with. Jesus wasn't after a drink of water, He wanted her to give Him her water pot.

We all have our water pots beloved. The question is what are you putting in to yours? Is it the waters of the world? How often do we fill our own water pots with the things of this world to try and comfort, wash away our past mistakes, find peace and find satisfaction only to come up thirsty. We are by nature creatures of habit and we will continue to drink from the same well simply because we don't want change even when we know we need it. So, we continue to fill our water pots, our lives, with things that will never satisfy trying to hide pain, relieve our guilt, find joy, contentment, peace, protection, purpose, love, healing, or just the strength to make it through another day.

If this is you, precious one, then do as this woman did, lay down your water pot at the feet of Jesus believing that only He can satisfy. He was all she needed and He is all you need and I need. He alone can meet our every need and even bring peace to the soul that has a past of shame. Because she that drinks of the waters that He has will never thirst again. Did you get that word? Never! No thirst, no longing, no shame, no need, no guilt, no fear, no hopelessness and no wanting for anything else! What's in your water pot beloved?

May 5

Crucified With Christ

To journey to the cross of Calvary through the pathway of our mind we search for a hill, a hill carved out before time began marking the very place where the Son of God would die for the sins of the world. Leading us to this holy place is the pathway of suffering stained by the blood drops of the precious Lamb of Glory. With every step we feel the agony of soul knowing that a painful death awaits Him. The weight of the cross is bearing down upon His bleeding back and the loss of blood is taking its toll. Suddenly Jesus collapses and someone is summoned from the crowd to come and lift the cross from His battered body. As we bend low to the ground we cannot recognize our precious Savior; they've beaten Him so badly. Tears begin to flow from our eyes as the sight of His pain pierces to the very core of our soul. Our heart grows heavy as we follow onward.

It's a long journey up to the place of death yet Jesus stays the course, knowing for this He was born. They drive spikes through His hands and His feet before lifting up the cross to its final resting place. He makes not a sound, like a sheep to the slaughter. He does not struggle or put up a fight. His footsteps find beneath them the imprint of destiny. Jesus carries not only the cross but the sorrows and sins of the world. We stand in reverential awe as we gaze upon the One, High and lifted up for us. But there is someone hanging upon that cross with Him; He is not alone in His death. The face is familiar, drawing near the face is now recognizable; It's me, and it's you precious one. He took our life and placed it upon the cross with Him so we would forever be free from sin and its penalty.

We do not have to die for our sins any longer beloved, for we have been crucified with Christ upon the cross of Calvary. We no longer need to fear death for we have already died and sin has no power over our flesh because it is dead! Watchman Nee was traveling on an airplane once and the stewardesses ask him if he wanted an alcoholic beverage, he replied: "I can't, I'm dead". He who has died no longer lives but rather the One who rose from the dead is alive in us! A. W. Tozer said, "People who are crucified with Christ have three distinct marks: They are facing only one direction, they can never turn back and they no longer have plans of their own." Have you died beloved, that Christ might live in you?

May 6

The Unstoppable Force

A woman who has learned the secret of prevailing prayer will be the most powerful force upon the earth. There will be no shadow of turning for her faith is strong, unchanging even when the world around her falls apart. Show me a woman whose knees bear the imprint of the altar and I'll show you a woman whose feet will stand in the face of death; unshakable, immovable, full of joy inexpressible. She is secure in her God because her heart hopes in Him and in Him she is at complete rest. The chamber of prayer is her solace from the raging storms of life as she cloaks herself with the presence of the almighty.

Her flight of refuge is found beneath His wings of love and grace. This mighty woman of prayer embraces with urgency the blessed privilege that has been afforded to her by running into the throne room of her Heavenly Father. She has His ear and He has His heart. Longing to be with Him, just to sit at His feet and lean back upon His chest, feel His heartbeat drinking in His presence. She knows the nearness of her God is all she needs. Her presence with Him is her stability when away from Him. He is her rock, her strong tower, her shelter, her joy and her very life. There is nothing she does not share with Him; longing to tell Him every detail of her day she beckons Him to search out her heart to the very depths leaving nothing hidden from His view. He is her addiction, her fix, her very life line and nothing else matters but to be with Him enjoying Him forever. It is here that she not only pours out all of herself but she intercedes for His world, for His people and for His Kingdom.

She is a powerful instrument in the mighty hands of God because she believes in prayer. This woman knows that prayer is not a choice, but a privilege, the birthright for every child of God and it is the moving force of His heart. Hell cannot contend with her, the demons know of her and tremble; she shakes the very foundations of the Kingdom of Darkness. What a mighty warrior she is because her weapon of choice is prayer; prayer to the One enthroned above. Where is this woman? Is she you precious one? Are you a woman of prayer? You can measure your dependency upon God by your time spent in prayer to Him. How would you measure up today? Let me share the mighty prayer of Leonard Raven Hill, may it become your prayer as it has mine!

"Lord, I tearfully ask:

Teach me to pray with groaning so that there are earthquakes in hell.

Teach me the groaning of the Spirit until angels stand in awe

Teach me Spirit-born intercession that changes history.

Teach me the birth pangs of the Holy Ghost until hell-shaking revival is born.

Lead me into travail that will hold back divine judgment from the nations for a

Let me be a living sacrifice on the altar of prayer, bleeding to bless, until flood

tides of mercy sweep the nations.

Lord, break my heart in intercession until my eyes, like those of Jeremiah are

a fountain of tears, weeping for the slain of an educated, but spiritually dead people

May 7

Beyond Our Jordan

Two things keep us from that fair land, that good hill country that the Lord has ahead for us: The ability to see beyond the rivers of impossibilities and the faith to pass through them. Our hearts deceive us with doubting questions like, "does God even have a good and fair land for me, or is there even a fair land that exists?" The heart wrenching thought usually is: we'll never make it across the great divide of our circumstances to make it to the other side because the crossing is impossible from where we are standing! Like the nation of Israel when God brought them out of the land of Egypt, we take one look at our enemy and all of sudden they become bigger than our God turning our situation into a "Red Sea" of no way out and no way across!

Have you been there before, or are you there now? Then have no fear precious daughter of the Living God! Lift up your eyes and pray to the One Who is able to part the waters of doubt, the waters of fear and weakness. When there is no way, He will be your way, where there is no path He will move your feet forward making your steps sure. When panic overtakes your soul in the darkness, He will be the light leading you to the shores of deliverance. The enemy of the child of God cannot tread upon paths of deliverance. God will see to it that you cross over beloved and then your eyes will see the good and fair land while your enemies perish along the way.

We must learn to look up from our waters of doubt and rivers of confusion so we can see beyond them. We cannot cross over with our eyes looking to our barriers we must look to Him and to Him alone. Today, with eyes wide open, gaze not at your Jordan but look with eyes of faith unto the fair and good land that God has for you. Where are your eyes looking daughter for this will determine your final destination? Believing that He has a marvelous place waiting ahead of us we must press on fully trusting in Him.

May 8

Godly Confidence

The apostle Paul was highly experienced in the field of depending upon the Lord! When you read of His testimony and what He had endured you get a glimpse of the miracle of God's working power in His life. He was beaten, times without number, imprisoned, shipwrecked and a night and a day he spent in the deep. He has gone hungry, been in danger of robbers and false brethren, in cold and exposure and suffered from a physical ailment. On top of all of this Paul had the daily pressure of overseeing the beloved churches God had placed under His care. Our brother Paul knew what it meant to be utterly dependent upon the strength and intervening presence of God in His life. When he tells the beloved people of Philippi that he could do all things through Christ Who gives him the strength to do it he was speaking from firsthand experience. This was not a statement made out of faith alone but life experience. Paul had been through the fiery furnace with the Lord and a testimony was born, a testimony of the sustaining and enabling power of Jesus. Once Paul learned this he wanted for nothing else.

Trials will sow the seed of endurance in our lives and when it has yielded this precious fruit, endurance will teach us what nothing else can; dependency, dependency upon God and none other because we have tried Him as silver in the furnace of life and He has come forth valiant and worthy. Having endurance as our teacher we are able to proclaim without hesitation to a needy world; "I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me". There is no need to fear or dread anything or anyone because Christ removes every limitation, every obstacle, all confusion, and doubt lifting our anxieties, removing every encumbrance. Through Him you are empowered and the enemy is rendered powerless. Through Jesus we have no more excuses!

Are you at a difficult passage today or do you find yourself in the place of uncertainty? Maybe you've been given a task that you feel completely unworthy of and absolutely inadequate to undertake? Are you facing a situation in your life that you do not have the strength, courage or means to handle or do what you know you had to do or should do? Do you need courage this hour like you have never known before? Is facing tomorrow fearful or uncertain for you because you don't know what you are going to do or how you are going to make it through? Remember the testimony of Paul and say with him; "I can do all things, all things, all things, through Christ Who strengthens me". You are not alone precious one, you have Jesus and through Him you are empowered over every situation and every person. It's not with Him, beside Him, behind Him or before Him but THROUGH Him that we overwhelmingly conquer. He's in it with you and He is able! Praise Him today and choose to face this day and tomorrow through Him and fear not!

May 9

God's Dessert

You can walk in a room and announce the word, "dessert time", and faces will light up like a city nightline. Just hearing the word makes us smile and will even bring comfort to many of us. Have you ever had such a decadent dessert, one that was so fabulous you set aside to enjoy at a later time; A time where you could savor every part, enjoy it fully, put your mind totally at rest where you could focus all your attention on this marvelous treat? Have you ever taken pleasure in something so much that you wished you could capture it in a bottle, sealing it away for future enjoyment? I have!

There are those things in life deemed so special, bringing us such joy that we tuck them away for moments of celebration, occasions where we can honor their worth to us. This is what God did with you and with me, He saw such joy in us, He deemed us so special that He set us aside before we were even born in order to enjoy us at a later more perfect time. We are very much like God's dessert; He saved us by placing us apart from every one and every thing else labeling us, "belonging to God". And when the time was right, when God could focus all His attention upon us, a time when He could savor our lives fully, He took us in hand and began to enjoy us for His pleasure. God's timing is awesomely perfect; it's never fast and by no means is it ever overdue.

In God's vast wisdom and perfect plan He looked ahead in time and etched out a span just for you to occupy. God designed you and I for a specific purpose and this purpose is going to bring Him total joy and satisfaction. When we grasp this truth, when we accept God's choosing of us, there is a fulfillment that comes that all of life's disappointments cannot rob us of. We find our purpose, our value, and our very life in this powerful truth; "God chose me and set me aside for Himself". You, precious one, are God's dessert! What a treat you are for Him and oh how He delights Himself in you.

Where are you looking to or to whom are you looking to find your worth, your purpose, your joy for living? Do you find your worth in others, in talents, accomplishments, relationships, money, looks or position? Do you compare yourself with others? Know this, beloved, your worth comes from the One Who fashioned you and then set you aside for His special purpose. You are uniquely God's! You are His delight and He wants to savor and enjoy every moment of your life for Himself. One day our lives upon this earth will be over and time will be no more. The earth and all of its glory will fade away soon will be over and we'll be presented before our Heavenly Father.

May 10

A Woman of Integrity

I learned at a very young age that when you give your word you should do everything within your power to keep it. My papa taught me this growing up, as he never made a vow that he did not keep. He believed that his testimony of integrity was on the line and more importantly that he represented God in everything he did and said. When you did not keep your word you were no more than a liar in his book. Strong belief but it was the character of his generation, one that is all but non-existent today. God never intended for us to be capricious people. The world is full of vacillation and unpredictability largely due to a lack of integrity. The Lord laid it out clearly for us when He spoke these very plain and relevant words for us today; "let your yes be yes and your no be no".

Integrity is the root of loyalty and God desires that we are both. When we commit to something then we need follow through with it. And we stand on a no we should brace ourselves not to be moved unless God reveals to us that our no was wrong to begin with. High levels of frustration plague the Church today because its members are not dependable. When people commit to something it seems to not mean anything as it did say 40 or 50 years ago. Even our children recognize this trait in that often times when a parent has said no to something they will "wear them down" until they relent and say yes. Not only should or yes be yes but our no should be no! Something all of us parents should do well to take note of; according to Jesus. This would save a lot of emotional stress in many families today.

Sadly integrity is something we've come to expect less and less of as our generation changes. The mentality of "freedom” and "do whatever makes you happy" especially if something better comes along is the increasingly accepted standard of the world. When integrity is absent beloved, loyalty is as well. It's absolutely vital that we follow the Lord in all things and integrity is one that is often overlooked or underestimated. If we give our word, our commitment; be it to a Bible Study, serving, prayer meeting, teaching for someone, fall festival volunteer, supporting missions, a dinner date with a friend, or committing to anything big or small we should follow through with it. Changing our minds is not an option with the Lord! Giving your word will always put your testimony and the Lord's name on the line. Honor the Lord with your words beloved by keeping every vow you make thus honoring Him. Women of integrity are needed so desperately in the hour in which we live. I pray you will rise to the occasion.

May 11

Uniquely Woman

What a wonder you are! Uniquely woman because you are God's design and none other compares to you. He saved you as a crown of beauty to His already spectacular creation. When He designed you He imprinted Himself into your being, a holy impression of the Lord and all that He is. You are the picture of Himself to the world; the revelation of all that God is. Every word you speak, every thought you entertain or word you allow your ears to receive; each place you journey to, all things you set your mind and hand to do, and every decision you chose to make is to display Who God is. Your very life is to project the Holy One enthroned upon the chambers of your heart. What an awesome responsibility you and I have precious one. A responsibility we should never take lightly or shirk.

You were created in the very image of God, the mirror of His beauty and holiness. We are first and foremost to be His image bearers and our purpose is His glory in all things. Corruption is anything that mars His image and He is glorified when His image is seen. Difficult question dear one but, how much of or what of God would others learn from your life? How is God reflected to others through you? You were designed to show Him off! What a beauty He is beloved, and what a sin it is to hide Him from a lost and dying world that so desperately needs to know Who He is. When God is unleashed in you He will be unleashed in the world. What chains are holding Him back in your life?

What a great honor God placed upon our brow when He bent near and engraved Himself upon us. To hide Him would be the gravest dishonor to His name we could ever give. Take an inventory today of your relationships, your decisions, your places of visitation, your music, your time, your money, your resources, your physical appearance, your intake, your thoughts, your words, your actions and every other part of your life and see how God is reflected in each. Would you do Him justice? If not, what adjustments do you need to make today to unleash His captivating splendor?

May 12

Covered Treasures & Hidden Wealth

Times of darkness in our lives often captivate our minds with fear overshadowing our hearts with despair. Blinding situations raid our faith like a thief in the night plaguing our thoughts with doubt in the day. Our eyes were created to give us sight unveiling our surroundings, which sometimes can bring us a measure of understanding while other times an outpouring of confusion. It's difficult to trust when you cannot see what's ahead or what's happening around you isn't it? God understands every emotion, every concern and although our surroundings and the outcome may be hidden from our view, they are never hidden from His! God is steady at His post and He never waivers from His duties as a Father.

There was once a group of students who had gone deep into some caves for exploration as part of a class assignment given to them by their professor. They were to dig around until they unearthed something from the cavern that they could bring back to class in order to study them. Their goal was to learn about the cavern itself learning about its history and geological makeup. They had very limited light and were on a strict time schedule once inside the cave because of lights and weather conditions outside the caves. The students were finding artifacts left and right soon leaving only a handful of students left digging. One student in particular could not find anything of interest and his light was fading quickly. The professor was calling time and gave the students only a few minutes to gather their things and exit the cave. In his panic he began digging around in the dark until he unearthed a hard object, which he believed to be just a rock of some sort. Having no choice but to bring it with him he quickly stuck it in his backpack and headed out of the cave to rejoin his group. When they returned to class one by one the students began to show off their great archeological spoils with pride. The time came for the young student to open up and show his rock to the class. He was somewhat embarrassed because of his poor find and apologized to his professor as he held it up for all to see. The professor gasped and said to the young lad; "why son you've found no ordinary rock, what you've found is a rare gem no doubt that is very valuable".

It was not until the lad uncovered his find in the light did he realize the treasure that he was given while in the dark. The treasures that God gives to us in the darkness are not realized until we are brought back into the light. There are seasons in our lives when God shields the light of His presence from our view in order to cause His glory to pass over us causing a canopy of His presence to hide us in the darkness below. God's glory becomes the very shield over us protecting us until we are brought back into the light of His presence once again. It's here, in these places of darkness, this secret place that God hides us that He give s us the greatest treasure known to mankind; Knowing Him and even more importantly that He knows us, even by name. Intimacy with God is birthed in the nighttime beloved not in the day. If you are passing through this shadowy valley then know God is causing His glory to pass over you all the while stealing you away in the shadow of His presence.

May 13

A Faithful Mind

When I hit my forties my mind left and shortly after that my eyes went looking for it! My memory is not what I would like for it to be and it seems to be fading much faster than I had anticipated when I was in my twenties. How many of us can remember what the pastor spoke on Sunday before last? Living in the Bible Belt of America, I do not lack for the Word of God. I can tune in multiple radio stations to find a good sermon or choose from a host of channels on my television to find a Bible teacher or preacher. If that's not good enough, I can pull out my old favorite; tapes or CDS or DVDs and if I need more to choose from than that I can always go to the web where my choices are limitless. Let's not forget the old tried and true; reading it! Our supply of God's Word is vast and it's ever increasing. My bookshelves are filled with several Bibles and a plethora of Bible Studies and study resources. I, like all the others in my country, do not lack for the Word of God.

God is pleading with His child not to forget His teaching, His word. This tone implies desperation, a matter of life or death. God knows that keeping His word will bring life but forsaking it will bring death. If we forget His Word we will not keep His Word; remembering is likened unto keeping here in Psalm 3:1. It's not just a reading of remembrance or even hearing but it's a keeping before your heart with all diligence as a guide for living; not for a road map but for a life map. Our hearts are bombarded every day for things that vie for God's attention and affection; it's constantly under attack and in danger every moment of every day of being carried off from the land of safety.

God knows the power of our enemy far more than we ever will and more importantly He knows what life holds for us. The only way we are going to make it is to make a conscience choice to put His Word before us every day. Without it we are not going to make it. Is there desperation for the Word of God in your life? Do you have an urgency of soul to feed off it spiritually every day? Then hear not the words of a writer of this devotion but the Lord Himself; my daughter, forget not my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments. It's God's warning call to us beloved; will you answer today? He's pulling, He's urging, He's desiring His children to be in His Word. Will you answer Him today?

May 14

Abundance of Praise

The word for praise used in Psalm 113:3 means; to boast in, to act madly, to shine, to flash forth light or to act a fool over. King David once danced down the streets of Jerusalem in praise to what the LORD had done and his wife was totally embarrassed by it! David praised the Lord without restraint, with no worries of what anyone thought; he flashed forth light and let lose in the city streets and he had no regrets when he was finished. He was mad about His God! Praise is liberating when we allow it to jump up within us and release into outward expression. From the time the sun begins to rise from its slumbering state until it begins its journey back down we are to praise the name of the LORD. Praise is to be part of our entire day, from beginning to end; praise for the LORD that is. We are to start our day praising the Lord in advance for what the day holds and whatever happens within our day praise should always follow!

you ever been in a crowd when something wonderful happened like a touchdown, a goal, a homerun with bases loaded;the end of a great show or play and hear the crowd erupt with loudest praise? It' exhilarating to say the least and more than that it's contagious! When praise erupts, no complaints are heard, no plans are made, no phone calls taken, no worries welling up, anger subsides, dismal situations fade into the noise and all is right with the world for that brief moment of celebration. Praise led the way for the army of Israel in many a battle! Praise is God's timeless gift to His children whereby we can minister to Him every day. Praise ministers to the heart of God because it recognizes Who He is! When is the last time you spilled over with praise for God, uninhibited?

praise releases us from our surroundings beloved because it silences the world. Praise for God will remove obstacles, defeat the enemy, rebuke fear, silence unbelief and send demons trembling! Start your day with praise for the Lord because He's worthy and as the sun is setting on your day, praise Him just the same! He's worthy beloved. When you don't know what to do, praise Him, when you don't know what to say, praise Him, when you don't know how, when or why, praise Him! Praise is your instrument to play before God; may you pick it up today and play it loudly!

May 15

Leaving Our Ark of Safety

Noah was 600 years old when God gave him the assignment to build an ark in order to preserve life from the coming judgment. He was no spring chicken and it had never rained upon the earth before. God's word tells us that Noah was a blameless man, the only righteous man that God could find upon the whole earth. The waters fell from heaven for forty days and forty nights. Every mountain was covered and all life was gone. God had purged the earth from sin and was starting over again with Noah and His three sons and their wives along with all the living creatures God told him to bring aboard. It took many days before the water resided so Noah and his family could get off the ark. It had been a year since they had boarded the ark and finally God gives the word for them to go out. Can you imagine that moment beloved?

What would they find once they got off? How would they survive in a new world? Where were they? How would they start over again and live with the loss of the rest of their family, loved ones, friends and neighbors? Would it be safe? How would the world look now that it had been destroyed with water? The pressure that Noah must have felt knowing that he had been entrusted with all life upon the ark that God had him build and now he had to release them back upon the earth. Thoughts of what kind of future he and his family would have now I'm sure were foremost in his mind. Where would he begin? No doubt fear of the unknown was a lurking enemy. But, beloved, we begin to see a most beautiful picture when we note where God landed the Ark of life. He settled it upon the top of Mount Ararat. God had taken His people through the torrential rains, in order to move this storm tossed family to higher ground! That place elevated above all that was familiar and earthly to begin anew.

Going with God means leaving the familiar, our Ark of safety and moving on to uncharted territory; moving from stability to having to trust because you don't know what's coming next; it's going from having everything in to everything uprooted and ripped out from under you; it's surrendering everything dear to you in order to please God and be all that He intends for you to be. Maybe you are at the door of your Ark of Safety and God has brought you through a time where everything has been stripped away, washed out from under like a rolling sea. Know this, precious life of God, He has carried you through the storm to bring you out to a new place, a new life and He will not fail you. If you don't know where to begin, begin where Noah did; he stepped out in God's timing and he built an altar and worshipped God in his new land. Step out in faith and worship the Lord where you are, offering up a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving for bringing you through. What a faithful God we have!

May 16

Presence or Presents

Loving God's presence more than His presents was one of the greatest spiritual lessons in walk with Him. When I learned to love the Giver without the gift, I found a well-spring of joy that I could draw from every day. Depression fled along with worry and doubt. I no longer struggled to find happiness and fulfillment was poured out upon every area and circumstance of my life; good and bad. By nature we run to God asking instead of giving. We cannot go into fullness of joy and walk out unhappy; it's impossible. He is full in joy and pleasures for the soul of everyone who runs into Him and drinks Him in. We will lack for no good thing in the light of His face and before His throne the soul of man is completely satisfied.

Our circumstances will dictate our emotional state apart from the presence of God. It's vital to our spiritual strength and emotional stability that we learn the practice of living in His presence. Enjoying Him will yield the fruit of a life of joy that the world, others or circumstances cannot rob you of. God's presence is our sustaining power in times of weakness for the joy of the Lord is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10). Learning to rejoice in Him and not in circumstances will be a major turning point in your life as a Christian. The overwhelming wonder is when we come to know that although He is our joy when we are in His presence, we are His joy when He's in our presence! God delights Himself in the presence of His children! What a marvelous, incomprehensible truth for us to cling to.

When was the last time you enjoyed God? Do you desire God's presents more than His presence? Why not choose this day to begin enjoying being in His presence; why not make God your life long hobby, your soul's delight, your reason for living, your love your passion, your pursuit of life. You will want for nothing more precious one than to have more of Him! Enduring joy, everlasting happiness comes only from Him.

May 17

The Grateful Heart

There is a legend of a man who found the barn where Satan kept his seeds ready to be sown in the human heart, and on finding the seeds of discouragement more numerous than others, learned that those seeds could be made to grow almost anywhere. When Satan was questioned he reluctantly admitted that there was one place in which he could never get them to thrive. When urged further to answer where, Satan replied; "in the heart of a grateful soul." Discouragement can find no rooting place in the soil of the heart that is plowed in thanksgiving. Just like the lone leper that came back to thank the Lord for what He had done; so we too are to remember His goodness to us. Entering His gates with thanksgiving in our hearts will lend to praise in His courts.

The greatest weapon you can take in hand in the battlefield of discouragement is the weapon of gratitude. It will defeat the greatest foe of the hopeless soul and build a wall of strength and confidence that cannot be penetrated no matter how dismal the circumstance. Honoring the Lord with our remembrances of His goodness defeats the deception of the enemy when he whispers lies that will discourage our hearts. Return the serve of lies the devil gives with a praise of thanksgiving to God and watch him flee before you! What a powerful tool in the hand of the child of God when he picks up gratitude and works the fields of life with an appreciative heart.

The sweetest times with the Lord are not those times when we pour out our needs before Him but when we just sit and praise Him and thank Him for Who He is and express our gratitude for all He's done. Remembering Him in all of His goodness will be medicine to the disheartened and strength for the weary. He who has forgotten the goodness of the Lord will be prey to the enemy's attacks. When was the last time you celebrated "thanksgiving" with the Lord? May your lips never lack for praise and your tongue for gratitude for all the Lord has done. He is due recognition, beloved, more than we could ever give in our life time. Remember the Lord in your good times, and forget Him not in the hard times. Today, fill heaven with words of gratitude for a God Who loved you so very much that He sent His only begotten Son to die for you. This is reason to praise and thank Him every day upon the highest mountain tops!

May 18

The Dew Drenched Life

One of God's greatest secrets is the pouring out of dew in the stillness of night when all is silent beneath the awning of His starry host. The earth is refreshed and replenished from the toil of the day and given back what it has spent in order to sustain and give life. It's a mystery to creation that this wonderful gift is given to the earth when all is quieted from the stress of life and calm from the anxieties that plague the daylight hours. What holds true in nature also holds true for us in the spiritual realm.

Hosea brings a marvelous revelation of the dew drenched life by leading us to the source of this dew; God Himself. God, in the stillness of our lives will pour out upon us His heavenly due drenching us with His presence replenishing our barren lands and restoring the cisterns of our lives with holy refreshment. We miss the dew of Heaven because of anxiety, stress, frustration, hurriedness, busyness, selfishness and every other internal struggle of the mind because we don’t take the time to stop and rest in the Lord's pasture that He may rain down upon us. Those who spend time with the Lord will come forth doused with Holy dew, refreshing all who they encounter.

God's dew comes in the quiet hours but works with such might and power in the day; a Holy secret. We cannot produce this Heavenly dew or conjure it up in our emotions, it must be received in the stillness as we are quiet before Him. Learning to receive is the greatest challenge for the busy soul that longs to have the dew drenched life. How we sacrifice those things of spiritual value for that which will never prosper, not able to feed the soul of God's child. Oh restless soul, tossed to and fro, may you see the sun just on the horizon and be at perfect peace as you are laid before the One Who will cover you with His Heavenly dew. Are you worried, over-loaded with tasks, over committed, over-worked, unappreciated, fearful, weary or disappointed? Are you too busy planning to pray, too busy running to sit? Slow down precious soul for time is ticking faster than you and God is waiting patiently wanting to pour out upon your thirsty soul the dew of Himself. The dew poured out in the night will be our soul’s spring in the day. May you not miss it!

May 19

Reflecting To Refuel

Collapsing in the floor sobbing, weak and frail she cried; "I can't make it another day, I feel as though I'm dying spiritually, there is no way I can keep going". Her words of desperation still echo in my heart as it wrenched it grief for her over the situation. My precious friend had reached the end of her rope and exhausted all of her strength and resources trying to stay afloat in the pool of despair she had been sinking in for such a long time. The anguish of soul she was experiencing unveiled the desolation around her shielding her view of all that was good and true. When our eyes are sheltered within our misery our hearts are taken captive into hopelessness. We can't seem to even locate the higher ground of freedom let alone know how to get there. Where is our deliverance from despair found beloved? How do we escape the shackles of the low land of misery?

It is here in this low land that we need to gravitate to the reflecting pool of God and look deep into its healing waters that will restore, refresh and empower. Reflection is the cure for the weary soul and we can visit it even in the most despairing of circumstances. The beauty of reflection will reveal the glory of God that's been there all along but shielded from our view. God calls us to remember Him and His goodness to us in days past in order to carry us in the present ones. Reflection is your source of strength, it will renew your hope and steady your feet even when your world is sinking around you. It's the power to echo God and what you know to be true of Him in the canyons of life. These echoes of praise will raise you up to the heights of victory releasing every encumbrance for the future.

your vision will be made clear, your strength renewed, and your feet will have power to trod onward no matter where He leads. Are you passing through a canyon of darkness wanting desperately to come out into the light, climbing a mountain of difficulty, walking the valley of despair having no sign of relief? Then look into the reflecting waters of your God and allow your heart to drink Him in fully. Your reflecting pool is unlike anyone else's, it is God's place where He allows you to replay your life with Him and remember all He's done. Your soul will leap within you precious one as you remember your God. These are your precious waters of history with you and God and they are most sacred shared only between you and Him. What a Father you have; May you stand in awe and wonder of Him not dreading tomorrow and knowing victory today. Reflect and refuse! Your soul will lack for nothing.

May 20

Defeating The Enemy With The Weapon Of Obedience

A man was sleeping one night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light, and God appeared. The Lord told the man he had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might. So, this the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled from sunup to sundown, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might! Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, Feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain.

Since the man was showing discouragement, the Adversary (Satan) decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the weary mind: (He will do it every time)! "You have been pushing against that rock for a long time and it hasn't moved. Discouraged and disheartened the man was overcome with thoughts of failure. Satan taking advantage of the situation said, "Why kill yourself over this? Just put in your time, giving just the minimum effort; and that will be good enough." That's what the weary man planned to do, but decided to make it a matter of Prayer and to take his troubled thoughts to The Lord.

"Lord," he said, "I have labored long and hard in Your Service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?" The Lord responded compassionately, "My friend, when I asked you to serve Me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all of your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push. And now you come to Me with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back shiny and brown; your hands are callused from constant pressure, your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much, and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. True, you haven't moved the rock. But your calling was to be Obedient and to push and to exercise your Faith and trust in My Wisdom. That you have done. Now I, my friend, will move the rock."

God is not looking for strong Christians, productive ones, gifted ones, rich ones, or even intelligent ones; He's looking for obedient ones. It doesn't matter if we "have it all together" if we are not "together" with Him and His plan by being obedient to all He asks of us. What has God asked of you beloved? Have you bowed the knee to His plan, to His way, His timing, His calling, His voice? Rebuke the enemy of obedience by saying yes to God even when it doesn't make sense and watch your faith grow and the enemy flee. God is ever searching for the heart that will answer; "here I am Lord, what will Thou have me to do". Would that be your answer precious one? One of the greatest weapons of Spiritual warfare is the obedient heart. Simple obedience to God will produce an unstoppable Christian who shuts the mouth of the enemy. How beatiful is the obedient heart in the eyes of the LORD and how powerful it is in the eyes of the world.

May 21

No Child Un-Seen

Her face was aged, body worn, hands revealing years of hard work; standing straight as an arrow, with the greatest of confidence she said; "my God sits high but He looks low". She was speaking not from mere head knowledge, but from life experience. She had proven her God time and time again for He had been faithful to bring her through many a storm. They had journeyed through some hard places and faced impossible passages hand in hand. She was a woman of great faith, not in her abilities, not in people, not in her experiences even but in the Living God Who had never failed her. His track record was perfect, He was trustworthy and her heart belonged to Him; she was absolutely secure in His love for her. Although she recognized His authority she also embraced Him as her Father; her soul understood to the depths that she was His daughter.

Hagar discovered a life-changing truth in her brokenness there the river that day; God knew about her! He was a God Who was near and nothing happened in the life of His children apart from His knowledge. He not only knew of her situation, He cared about it because He loved her. Hagar's heart would never beat the same again for now she understood that her heart did not beat alone; she was not a lone heart upon the earth to handle her struggles, her disappointments by herself but her heart was held in the hands of her Father. He was with her and would be with her until the end, walking her through every valley, up every mountain, down every path and if she slipped and fell upon the way He would be there to pick her up. He was the all seeing One and His eye had been upon her every day of her life. Hagar's life changed at this moment forever; her river of sorrow turned into a river of hope.

When you approach God beloved, how do you come to Him? Do you come as His child or as one who is subservient? Do you know that His eye is upon you always, not just because He is God and nothing is hidden from His view, but that you are His beloved child? God is a God Who sees all and there is nothing in your life hidden from His view; nothing that He does not know about you precious one. You can run to Him knowing that He loves you because you are His child and He is your Father. There is not child of God un-seen! You, like Hagar may be experiencing the rejection of others, you may be at your river of abandonment not knowing where to go or who to turn to. Maybe your future is unsure and you feel all alone this hour, like she did. Like her, maybe you too have been used by others only to be abandoned later. Listen to Hagar's words beloved; "you are a God Who sees". There is no place so dark that God cannot see you precious daughter. Let this truth empower you, comfort and strengthen you today.

May 22

When God Doesn't Intervene

They loved the Lord and He loved them, this they were sure of; so when their brother Lazarus fell seriously ill they sent word to Jesus. Their words were few; "he whom you love is sick". It was Jesus' love for Lazarus, not his love for the Lord that they were calling upon. Martha and Mary understood that this is where a person's worth comes from; His love for us, not our love for Him. They were banking on the Lord's love for Lazarus believing that His love would give the healing their heart so desperately desired. What heartache when He didn't come. They did not understand; did He not realize how sick Lazarus was? Why did He not come right away? If Jesus had come Lazarus would not have died; the words both sisters spoke to Jesus after Lazarus had died.

As these two sisters mourned the loss of their beloved brother Lazarus clouds of questions no doubt plagued their minds. Why had He waited? Was there a reason why He did not come earlier? He came too late, so now what? Did He not love us the way we thought He did? Why did our brother have to suffer and then die at such a young age? Was He so busy doing the Father's work and healing everyone else that He could not make time for us? Are the needs of others more important than ours? How can anything good come out of this? What Jesus do now, it's too late for Him to act.

Some years ago I taught a College and Career Class filled with young adults from all walks of life. They were full of life all having their hopes and dreams of getting married, having a home and starting a family. It was beautiful to see them grow in the Lord and in their relationships with one another especially when they met their soul mates. I was blessed to see many of them meet the Lord, their mates and get married. One young couple dated for four years as they attended college and there was no one more faithful and dedicated to the Lord than these two. The young woman's name was Anna. She was radiant and as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside. She and Jeff had kept themselves pure until their wedding night and had their whole lives ahead of them. Jeff had graduated from Georgia Tech and Anna from Clayton State; both intelligent and giving people.

They moved to another state because of Jeff's new job when they got married. They had waited so long to be together and life was good. They bought a home and began the joy of fixing it up together. Their one year anniversary came; where had the time gone. Jeff had to travel out of town on business for a few days shortly after their celebration. He was to be heading home the next morning when the phone call came to his hotel room; his beloved Anna was dead. In an instant his whole life changed. Grief had gripped his heart and questions of why and what now captivated his soul. Some losses we never get over in this life time. Had God not loved them the way they thought He did? Were they being punished because He allowed Anna to die suddenly and alone in their house? Where was the Lord in all this? All these are normal reactions to hurt beloved. In time, Jeff came to see the loving hand of God in all things. It wasn't understanding why that his heart sought most but the re-assurance that God did love Him even in the taking of His wife.

Grief seeks answers hoping to gain consolation. Jesus seeks grief in order to give us consolation. Jesus knew that a greater glory was to be found in the resurrection not in the healing. The Lord will always seek the greater glory precious one and with the glory will come healing in its time. Even in the taking God wants to give the greater gifts.

May 23

Are you a threat?

LEONARD RAVENHILL once said, "My main ambition in life is to be on the Devil's most wanted list." Satan had demanding to sift Peter like wheat because Peter posed a great threat in the future to the Kingdom of Darkness. Peter's life although marked by great failures at times was a life that Jesus had plucked from ruin in order to set him on a throne some day in the courts of Heaven. Peter abandoned himself to the call of the Lord and he never looked back. He had such the power of God resting upon him that people sought just to touch his garments that they might receive healing. Countless lives confessed Jesus as Lord and Savior through the life of Peter. If there are wanted posters in Hell Peter would have been one of them! He was a threat!

Any life that is sold out, fully surrendered to the Lord's Work, to His will and His way will be shake the portals of hell! To be the friend of God is to be the enemy of Satan, there is no middle ground. A force of heaven will be a force against the Kingdom of Darkness. The question is; what kind of force are you? When your name is mentioned in hell do they tremble because you are a weapon of destruction in the hand of God against them? Does Heaven rejoice at the calling of your name? There are no silent forces beloved? Peter died crying out the One name that He knew could and would save all who called upon Him; "Jesus". There was no greater honor for him than to give his life for the One Who gave His.

The moment our feet step upon the floor each morning hell should quake with fear knowing their greatest enemy is awake and on the move. What kind of enemy of hell are you? Does hell even know you exist? God saved us in order to use us as a powerful weapon against Satan and his entire host. Weapons are only as great as the hand that holds them. Have you placed your life, your weapon, in the hands of the God Who is a Warrior and asked Him to use you in the battle against good and evil? Make your life count beloved, cast yourself in the hands of the Almighty and fight the good fight of faith. Cause hell to tremble today and may you give them no rest even in the night! Time is short precious friend; we must fight will it is still day for the Mighty One is coming and He will slay the wicked with a breath. May you be found on His side holding down the trenches until He comes.

"Aspire to be something more than the mass of church members. Lift up your cry to God and beseech him to fire you with a nobler ambition than that which possesses the common Christian—that you may be found faithful unto God at the last, and may win many crowns for your Lord and Master, Christ." -C.H. Spurgeon

May 24

The Cherokee Legend

Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indian youth's rite of passage? His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the Morning sun shines through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone. Once he survives the night, he is considered to be a man. He is sworn to secrecy beforehand that he cannot speak of his experience to the other boys because each one must come into manhood on his own with no help from anyone else.

When the night falls and the warmth of the sun is lost the sounds of the dark rise bringing terror to the heart of the boy. Wild beasts can be heard crying in the distance and fear gives birth to questions of what if; "there are humans out there who will come upon me to attack me or even kill me? What if a lion or bear comes out of the words to attack me? What of poisonous animals that could bring sickness or death?" The wind howls and the weather turns bleak but the boy must continue to sit on the stump no matter what and he cannot remove the blindfold for any reason for it is the only way he can become a man.

You and I beloved, have a father that keeps watch with us; a father who is there even when we can't see Him, hear Him or touch Him. Though the fierce winds blow, the storm clouds rage, He is keeping His watch; beside His child. His presence is sure and He will keep watch with you precious one until the morning.

May 25

Giving God Your Best

How commanding are the words; "Now to Him that is able"! We serve a God Who is beyond anything we could ever comprehend even in our wildest imaginations. He is unassailable, extraordinary in all the He does and there is no boundary to confine His work, no force to restrain His hand. He is not constrained by the inadequate strength of man nor can He be explained by the tongue of man. God does nothing have way, He is an "all the way" God and beyond! If He is not ordinary then neither are His children to be. While it's true we are but clay, we were created in the image of God; the One Who is extraordinary! He is what makes us unique. Because we were wrought in the depths of splendor and extraordinary beauty then we are as far from ordinary as we can be. It is His mark upon us that sets us apart, nothing else.

Because He is Who He is then we are to make a marked decision to be like Him in all things. When we choose not to be what God intended for us to be we are making a striking decision to be common, to live ordinary, having no distinction from the world and those who are of the world. Because of my origin and because of Who God is I cannot settle for common place but resound with the Apostle Paul; "Now unto Him"! Because He is able, then I am able, because He does exceedingly abundantly in power and might then I am to excel abundantly in all He has called me to do through His power that works within me! Our Extraordinary God captivates us unto Himself and then fills us with all of Him that we might be free to live supernatural lives.

Meritocracy is sin for the child of God and common place has no place in your life! God deserves nothing less than our all, nothing less than the grand and glorious. We should not serve small beloved because we do not serve a small God. Don't be content to be average for you do not serve an average God. We need to be daring in our faith and stretch ourselves into the mighty realms that God has appointed for us. Living in the supernatural is believing God for all things and not trusting in ourselves. If our goals fit into the world's goals then they are not God's. Because we are an uncommon, unique people we must have exceptionally matchless lives. You belong to the One True Living God Who does no ordinary thing and His greatest accomplishment is you. Don't settle for common place, guard your heart against complacency and step out in bold faith to do great things for God.

May 26

Live For The Lord

It was her homecoming day, the invitation had been sent long before she was born she had been waiting for 94 years, endless days of anticipation preparing for her arrival. So many loved ones she could see standing there on the shores of my sweet homeland, all waiting for her. She saw tiny feet running toward her, arms swung open wide, a smile like the sun, her voice echoing through the Heavens; "mommy, mommy". She knew that voice; it was her sweet little Becky who arrived many years earlier. Empty arms now filled with the joy of her baby girl that she had said good bye to so very long ago. Following close behind she saw her eldest son, he's not struggling to walk, his head is held high, his youth renewed, it was the son she remembered , yet he was strong and full of life, it was her Bobby and he's running to meet mama.

A touch is felt on her arm and as she turns, she knew that touch, it was a handsome man, his eyes lit up like the night sky when she looked into his, she knew those blue eyes, it was her sweetheart. He's not sick any more, his memory sharp, his body strong and young. He reaches to take hold of her hand as he did on their first date when she knew her heart belonged to him. Their love was strong; they were together again never to be separated. Surrounding her were all her brothers and sisters, there was mom and Dad, Donald and Preacher Fortner and countless other friends and loved ones. The shores of heaven were filled with familiar faces gathered to welcome her home. She could hardly contain herself.

The sound of singing filled the air, singing like she had never heard before. They were singing for her! She was drawn to it, moving closer and closer she could now make out the words they were singing; “Welcome home my child” she stepped up into the cloud of angelic singing, tears streaming down her cheeks, hands raised; her heart could no longer be silent, spilling forth the words, "I'm home, I'm finally home". This tabernacle of praise shook all of heaven; the streets began to fill with people from every tribe and every nation. Something was happening, she could feel her soul leap within her, hearing the words spreading through the streets of Heaven; "The King is coming...The King is coming..."

The praise swelled, summoning all the angels of God and all those who attend His throne, the twenty four elders and the Cherubim rose to their feet; The King was coming, He was coming to welcome His child home. A holy hush fell over the ocean of faces as all began to bow; light flooded in bold and beautiful, magnificent in appearance completely encompassing the scene taking center stage. There stood the Lion of Judah, the Savior of the world, the Redeemer of all mankind, the lily of the valley, the bright and morning star, the lamb of God, the star of David, the Faithful One, the I am; Jesus, God with us. There before Him, she could do nothing but fall at His nail pierced feet and wash them with her tears of gratitude, worship and love. He had been waiting for His child to come home and now she was finally there. He had so much to show her; so much He wanted to say to His precious child. He reached down, taking her by the hand and lifting her up until she stood face to face with Him, Who loved her and gave Himself up for her; cupping her face in His hands He said; "you fought a good fight, you kept your faith, you finished your course". Words her soul had waited so long to hear. It was worth it!

My precious granny went home today. Among her papers were written these words, penned in her own handwriting. May we leave such a legacy beloved; may Heaven swell with praise when our foot steps upon its golden shores. What will your homecoming be like?

May 27

Lord, What Should I do?

Countless times I have said to the Lord; "Just show me what you want me to do and I will do it" or simply, "Father just tell me what to do". By nature I am fixer, a doer of whatever is needed to make the situation right. What frustrates me is when I believe I've done the right thing and it still turns out wrong. We want a list compiled by God that will give us step by step instructions of what to do and when to do it so we will avoid failures and ensure our successes. Some people just seem to know what God wants them to do, right? While others just seem to take a jab in the dark hoping to hit the Lord's target somehow. Serving the Lord for me has been challenging to say the least, at times, in that I haven't always known what God wanted me to do especially concerning people and their situations. Does God want us to know what to do or does He want us kept in the dark? How can I know what God wants me to do?

The people in John chapter 6 were asking this same question; "what must we do to work the works of God?" No one had taught them what the works of God was. They were in essence asking; "what does God want us to do?" Often times after we become a believer and follower of Jesus Christ we stay excited for a while with our new found life and then as the honeymoon stage wears away we find ourselves wondering; "what now?" How do I know what God wants from me is a question I've heard over and over again from others and even from myself! These precious people had a desire to please God they just didn’t know how and the Lord honored that desire by giving them a clear answer, just as He has us; "believe".

We see great and mighty works of God that others do and our immediate response is; "Lord show me what you want for me to do so I can do what they are doing". When in reality all God wants for us is to believe. This is the work of God beloved; believing. Faith is the work and without it the Author of Hebrews tells us that it is impossible to please God. And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is (Hebrews 11:6.) So what does God want you to do? Believe! Faith in God is the moveable force of obedience in your life and you will never lack for direction of action. Are you looking for a big assignment? Your assignment is faith precious one. Don't be content to walk the paths of the ordinary; why not step out in pioneer faith and leave a blaze for others to follow?

May 28

Greater Things Are Yet To Come

Living in the past will deprive us of our future by pilfering us of the present. Hopelessness is beat out upon the threshing floor of history as we bundle together our hurts and failures. The future is always bleak when we look through the darkness of our past. When we walk in despair we'll stumble through life believing that nothing good will come of life. We have a default button that sends us automatically to gloom and despair land when we surrender our praise to circumstances. Life can bog us down when we trample underfoot all the "what ifs" and "if onlys". It's a waste of energy and precious time that we can never replace.

When I was in one of the lowest times of my life I remembered thinking, if this is all there is then I might as well give up now, roll over and die. I thought my future was over because of the present. But God works in the future beloved. Our past or our present can neither amputate nor dictate our future. The most liberating truth that God has revealed to me is that He works in my present in order to satisfy my past that He might secure my future. Because God is all about the future! He doesn't linger in the past and He isn't stuck in the present. His eyes are forward on the distant horizon knowing that joy is coming in the morning. He is a positive force in the lives of His children prodding them to look forward not behind. The present is only a stepping stone to the future and the past is the wind behind us.

God says greater things are yet to come! Just ahead are greater things for every child of God. Praise God today and you'll be secure in Him tomorrow. Praise is good for the soul and it lifts the spirits to heights above every situation no matter how bleak, how hopeless. He is bringing about the greater things that we could never even begin to imagine. We must choose to believe God for greater things and refuse to use our past as a measuring rod for our future. Where are you today beloved? Are you lingering in the low lands of the past or are you bogged down in the miry clay of today? Give it all to God and praise Him for your future. Praise for the future will deliver you this very hour!

May 29

A Woman Prepared

There is a day, unknown to us that the LORD God has prepared, set apart for Him in which He will claim that which belongs to Him. It will not matter who you are, what you own, what position you hold upon the earth, how much money you have in the make or what your net worth is. It will not matter what people think of you, how many friends you have, how many homes you own, what your platform of influence is, how successful or unsuccessful you are. Beauty and physical size will have no bearing, your dress, your demeanor, your gifts or talents. It will make no difference how many movies you made, record deals you were given, how many awards or titles you held. Your resume, your education or experience will be unimportant. Only one thing will matter; were you ready? Were you ready to meet God face to face?

Time will stand still as we know it and all opportunities will be lost forever to serve or give to the Lord. Eternity will soon begin and judgment will follow. How many of us will be prepared, how many will be caught off guard? Can you say that you are pleased with your life to the degree that you are ready to stand before God and give an account for it? I believe most of us would give an emphatic no! Unless we take purposeful steps to prepare we will, most certainly, be caught off guard. God warns repeatedly that no man knows the hour of His coming and that it will come as a thief in the night. How many people are prepared, waiting for a thief when he breaks in? This is God's word for us beloved, may we take heed to it; when He comes most will not be ready. The question is will you? Are you?

Unless we are ready this very hour to meet the Lord, absolutely satisfied with our service unto Him believing we have given Him our all then we are unprepared. We must put oil in our lamps precious one! We must make arrangements for His coming. We must get our house in order and align ourselves to His will and to His Word. Whatever is out of place, that which is not rightly lined up with the plumb line of holy living must be cast off and the way of righteousness embraced. We, as God's children, must walk wisely knowing the days are evil making the most of our time. We must take every measure to finish well. It's time oh daughter to make haste and be about the Father's business; may He find you so doing when He comes.

May 30

Recognizing the Messengers of God

She stood there in holy reverence as she handed me a folded piece of paper. The words on the paper were written by her hand as she received from the heart of God to pen for me. They read: "You are God's morning glory. You are opened to His light, and closed off to darkness. His light is a shield around you." This precious sister in the Lord had a beautiful gift that God had given her, the gift of prophecy. She was shy and hesitant to share this with me but relentless prodding by God she did. As I read these words, tears filled my eyes for I knew that they were words from my Father, not my sister. She was only the messenger delivering the message; God. I was the blessed one that had the awesome privilege of receiving it.

What she did not know what the need to hear these words. I had been through a great valley of suffering and now that I believed it was over I still had doubts as to God's goodness and blessings in my life. I wanted to know that He still had His shield around me and that I was protected from the powers of darkness that had come so close to destroying my life. And lastly I had sought God for the glory that comes when the night is over. This had been my prayer in my quiet time, my secret wrestlings with God. Had He heard me? It seemed as if heaven were silent and I waited patiently on the Lord to answer me. Weeks had passed by and my soul was desperate to know if the battle was finally over that I had been assailed with for so very long.

Then through this woman, this precious saint of God came a message, penned by her hand but spoken by Him. He had answered His child and gave the assurance she needed. In God's perfect way He answered in a way that I would know without a shadow of a doubt that it was Him and it was for me. This sweet sister had no idea what me and the Father had been speaking about yet she delivered His answer. God will send messages to His children in His way and in His time. His word tells us not to despise these prophetic utterances. I realize not every message is from Him but I do believe when it is from Him we will know it because His sheep know His voice! I knew that day it was Him speaking because I recognized His voice even through the note of another.

Would you recognize His voice beloved? Do you know that God speaks through His word but He also at times will speak through another? Listen for Him speaking today that you will not miss what He wants to say to you. It could be the answer you've been waiting for. Tune in to God precious one and take His word in.

May 31

The Weapon of Good

Did you know that good has the power to overcome evil? Good is power in action to destroy not only evil but to give to the child of God what their heart so often needs; Comfort and Strength. Which one of us has not needed strength at one time or another in our lives or needed to be comforted? God’s Word is very clear in letting us know that good works and good words will yield a great fruit in our lives and in the lives of others. A good deed or a timely word can strengthen a weary heart and it can be the arms of God’s comfort to the hurting soul, even if it’s yours beloved. It’s very easy to steal away when faced with difficulties retreating from the situation until it has passed. In these times our reactions are usually to stop doing good because we lack the strength to continue on. "Rest" is our answer when in reality God tells us to do right the opposite: get to work! Good works and salty words are God's remedy for the sick soul.

The power of good is a weapon that we overlook when we are faced with disappointments, failures and hurts. Those seasons in life when our strength is sapped and our hearts are aching is the opportunity we each have to apply the salve of good works and power packed words of hope and encouragement. Babbie Mason, anointed singer, artist and speaker, once told about how she uses the power of good words to even encourage herself when she needs it. Sometimes when she is out and discouragement sets in and the pressure of ministry assails her heart she will call her home number and leave herself a message that goes something like this: "Babbie, you are God’s child, you are loved, you belong to Him, you are awesome, be encouraged today because of Whose child you are and there is nothing that through Him, you cannot do, YOU GO GIRL!!!" And when she got home she would listen to her message and take it in. Don't you just love that!!! She learned the secret of the power of good words even in her own life!

What about you dear one? Have you harnessed the power of good in your life to refute discouragement and console your heart and the lives of others? Are you tired and weak today? Then why don’t you send your heart a message? Why not step out and do some good works today that you may be comforted and your strength renewed. God has provided, in love, knowing that you and I would need it, this powerful weapon called good. Doing good to others and imparting good words whether to your own heart or to the heart of another will lift your spirits to soar upon heights of vigor and joy.

June 1

Pearle From Pasadena

Ruth Graham, speaking at Pearle Goode's funeral spoke these words in honor of her life: "here lie the mortal remains of much of the secret of Bill's ministry." Pearle was 90 years old when she went home to be with the Lord. She was known as, "The little old lady from Pasadena" because yes, she really was from Pasadena! Pearle was the epitome of what an intercessor should be. For many years she prayed in secret for Billy Graham and for the ministry God had given him. Billy Graham heard of Pearle one day and made provision for her to begin attending his crusades so she could pray at each one. While Reverend Graham preached the gospel Pearl was off in secret praying until he was finished. She was God's chosen vessel through which He would make available His spirit upon Graham's preaching bringing countless souls into the Kingdom of God.

Pearle Goode was not some great missionary, dynamic preacher or author; she had no awards gracing her shelves with noble accomplishments and most people did not even know her name. This beloved saint was a faithful prayer warrior for Graham for over 56 years; unknown upon the earth but known in heaven. She had clout in the portals of Heaven and God answered her when she called. What Pearle did behind the scenes in the secret chamber of prayer was more important than anything that was done in public before millions. God had given her the ministry of praying so His man would be equipped with the power of Heaven to speak on God's behalf. She sought no glory, no applause only the throne of God, His presence, His power and His Will to be done. This is the true heart of a servant who understands his or her ministry.

It does not matter what others do, what others callings are it only matters what yours is beloved. We should never compare our gifts to that of another but instead choose to pour ourselves out by doing our part; what God has given us to do. What is your part precious one? Are you doing your part, as Pearle Goode did, doing it whole heartedly unto the Lord? What an impact your gift, your ministry and calling are meant to have upon the earth. If Pearle had not done her part what kind of ministry would Billy Graham have had? God links our gifts together like a beautiful strand each part helping the other what they were designed to do. If you limit yourself, then you just might be limiting the Billy Grahams of the world. You are a vital piece of the Master's puzzle that He is fitting together as only He can do. How beautifully necessary are the Pearles in the world.