Spiritually comatose

By: Monique Smith

This is a call to wake up. Many of us are sleep. Our guards are down. We are getting side-swept by the enemy and not realizing our demise until its too late.

The enemy is coming at us from all angles and is holding no one captive to his attacks. The enemy is using our family members, our friends, classmates, and co workers to attack us emotionally, mentally, physically, but primarily spiritually. There are situations that are happening that leave us perplexed and in a state of confusion and instead of knowing immediately to rebuke the negative forces using that person to attack, we spend our time complaining and being frustrated about the situation.
The Bible clearly tells us:
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:12 KJV)

So we HAVE to remember it is NOT the person who is attacking you!! It's the spirit of darkness using them!!!
Wake up and pray without ceasing!!! These attacks are used to break you down and throw you off track and make you lose focus!!

Wake up!!!! We have to fight! Once we accepted Christ we accepted the fight of our lives!! This is a war y'all!

Prayer: God you are amazing! Thank you for loving us in spite of ourselves! God, today I’m asking you to help me recognize spiritual attacks before it is too late. Help me remember that I am in the fight of my life! This Christian life isn’t hard only because I can’t do things like others in the world but because the enemy is out to kill me, EVERYDAY. God, help me build up my spirit by agreeing with the Word. Knowing that in order to agree with the Word, I must know the Word, God help me become more self-disciplined concerning Bible reading. God I want to get the word in my mouth as well as in my heart! God I want to be better! Help me be better!  God I love you with all my heart! In Jesus name I pray, Amen!

Reserved Battery Level

By: Davon Johnson (Guest Blogger)

"Plug in or find another power source. Your batter power is low (7%). If you don't plug in your computer soon, it will hibernate automatically."

Every time my laptop battery is about to die, I see that message pop up in a window. I always tell myself that I still have a few more minutes left, and I'll plug it in before it dies. But, that would never be the case. I would get so caught up in what I'm doing, that I forget to connect the charger. And then the computer would hibernate on me. I'd try to quickly plug the charger in to keep the computer on, but it'd be too late....

God was ministering to me about this. He said he is always giving people warning signs, but they take them for granted. He is always giving people a way of escape, an opportunity to repent and get saved. But they keep saying, "Not now. I'll do it later." This is dangerous. Get saved now. There may not be a later... You may get soo caught up in your sin that you may forget to do it later. You may die in your sins. Or Christ may come back. You won't have another chance to get it right then.

So now, when my laptop is about to die, I remind myself to plug it in right away. When God shows me an area of my life that I am in error, I ask him to forgive and deliver me right away. #TakingHeedToTheWarnings...

Halloween. FYI

                                                                     By: Donovan Parker

Trick or Treat?

I wasn't able to do as much research as I would have liked to on Halloween, it's origin, and practices.  

This year especially, I've been uneasy about anything related to such a holiday.  I can remember growing up always going to church on Oct. 31 for "Holy Night".  While this was an attractive alternative to the traditional 'walk around gathering candy' understanding that I have of Halloween, I'm not quite sure that I fully comprehended it all.  

Hopefully I can put into words what I feel God wants me to share on this topic.  

Let me start w/Ephesians 6:12

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  -Ephesians 6:12

For the Christian, this is NO game! It shouldn't be commercialized, entertained, or endorsed.  We KNOW the enemy can/will disguise his attack, but we also KNOW what we war against! As it relates to the traditions and practices of Halloween (as we know it) - it brings NO glory to God, and MUST be considered a TRICK of the enemy. 

Here's the TREAT though ... 

John 12:26

If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.  

John 12:32

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.  

John 12 assures us that if God be glorified, we have hope and prosper against darkness. He will honor us in return, and ALL men will be drawn to Him. That sounds like #WIN if you ask me.

This one's for the Dressers 

How's this for a Costume ...

Ephesians 6:13-18

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 

14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; 

15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench ALL the fiery darts of the wicked. 

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: 

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; 

Press forward w/this .. consider the ways of the world vs. the standards of God. Whether you believe it's just candy, or another commercialized holiday, etc. Don't allow yourself to be deceived ... God will not be mocked. 

Romans 12:2

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 

Lord God, I am amazed with your splendor. You are holy, and I must be holy. Thank You for knowledge and understanding in You.  Convict us where we fall short. Strengthen mentally, physically, and most importantly spiritually so that You get ALL glory! It is in the name of Jesus we count it done. Amen.

“I work out”

By: Monique Smith

There are many places in scripture where physical activity is compared to spiritual activity. 

Let’s look at 1 Timothy 4:7-8-

“ ….Rather, train yourself in godliness, for, the training of the body has limited benefit, but godliness is beneficial in every way, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come.”

Let’s also flip over to 1 Corinthians 9:24-27-

^“Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize. ²⁵ Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything. However, they do it to receive a crown that will fade away, but we a crown that will never fade away. ²⁶ Therefore I do not run like one who runs aimlessly or box like one beating the air. ²⁷ Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.”

A few days ago my friend Tiffany tweeted this: “Folks nearly out of breath running after worldly pursuits. Build your treasures in heaven.” Her tweet sums up the gist of this devotional. If we notice in both of the above scriptures, Paul is encouraging training of our spirits. Paul realizes the importance and the necessity of training ourselves spiritually to walk out this Christian lifestyle. We have to literally train ourselves to be Christ like because our flesh is completely opposite from what we should be doing.  In verse 25 of Corinthians, Paul notes that everyone who competes in races, practice self-control. Before a 5k, individuals spend many weeks in preparation for the event, which could mean better eating habits, more hydration, controlled breathing, etc. These people are prepared. Just as Fred stated in a recent devotional, we are at a constant war, so we can’t sit around expecting preparation to come simply by occasionally reading a scripture or whispering a prayer. We have to bring our bodies under strict discipline. We have to ignore its desires and cravings to be qualified for the race and to “reach the mark of the higher calling of God” (Phil 3:14). Paul tells us that we should train ourselves in godliness.

So Monique, how am I to do that?

Glad you asked! I can think of no better teacher than the Holy Spirit! Throughout your day, begin asking Him to show you ways you can be more godly or ways you can develop the fruit of the spirit. We want to develop these characteristics and continually train our spirits to be more Christ like because these are the things that are pleasing to God. Sure, it may be great to win a medal or to achieve other personal life goals, but if we have no stock stored in heaven for us, everything we do is in vain.

Prayer: Dear God, Thank you for being so mighty. So marvelous. So great. So big. So loving. So kind. So goofy. So powerful. You are really amazing to me. God, thank you for your word and the ability and desire you have given me to thirst after righteousness.  God help me overcome any barriers that are preventing me from truly serving you and suiting up to be a “solider in tha army of the Lord” (old church mother voice lol). God I want and desire to be better. So much better than I have been in the past. Make me new. Use me. I love you. In Jesus name, Amen.  

Equal Opportunity Gift

This one is about the gift of salvation and how Christians present it. The scripture:

Ephesians 2:8

⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰ For we are God’s handiwork, createdin Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (NIV)

There are a lot of people that need to be saved, and most of them are ratchet savage like people, but are STILL entitled to salvation. Whether you’ve been in church since birth or you’ve only heard about Jesus from this blog, salvation is a gift. It can’t be earned, bought, stolen or anything the like. It is a GIFT from God, it must be received and accepted…and honored..but that’s another post for another time. So no matter how long you’ve been saved BE CAREFUL that you don’t judge others or make them seem like they are too wild for Christ. Instead you will be doing the very opposite of what God is expecting from you.

No one can boast in their qualifications for salvation because it is a gift from God, but it has a purpose. The Lord has saved you so that you can do the works that He has already set you up to do. We were made by God with a purpose in mind. We were born into sin, and therefore lost our way and really our value and purpose so Jesus had to die for that to redeem us back to that purpose. Whether or not someone has accepted Christ and their purpose yet or not we as saints should be ready to point them to the cross instead of rubbing in their face how sinful they are and how “holy” we are. Besides, if Jesus is our role model we would notice that He didn’t do things like that. 

SHARING IS CARING ... CARING WILL LAST

     I'm not sure how many people followed the latest season of "Sunday's Best," but this is just to share with you a 

brief comment that I heard Donnie McClurckin share with finalists Joshua Rogers and Alexis Spight.

"Only the things you do for Christ will last ... "

This has been in my head since the season finale that aired weeks ago.  The good thing about Christ is that as you 

develop your relationship with Him you cultivate a surety that only He can provide. For example, that thing has

been pressing - somewhat at the forefront of all the other routine happenings and occurrences I've experienced. I guess it was meant to be shared!  

Another situation that I was taken through allowed me to experience God as somewhat of a Jimminie Cricket 

(from the movie Pinocchio).  It was a situation in which it felt like I was being presented with (financial) 

opportunity.  I promise every bit of me was like even if this isn't the best thing for me, I can just proceed this 

once.  God had another thing in mind. The signs were all there - I was just ignoring them. There was a Caution, Slow Down, Slippery When Wet, Stop, Yield, etc.  The thing that gets me is that God already knew my nature and He designed just the thing for my blindened-stubborness.  The repetitive, constant, and lasting tug to get me to stop and consider Him is much similar to that with the aforementioned quote from Donnie McClurckin.  

He knows ... lol (Jeremiah 29:11)  ... not just your specific situation and how to deal with it, but how to get YOUR attention, how to love YOU, discipline YOU and so much more ... The awesome thing is that He isn't just doing things at random!!  He knows, AND He's got this!! A personalized approach to dealing with YOU!!

(Proverbs 3:11-12)

My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:

For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. 

But back to the quote ... 

It's been a while since I've written a devotion. I'd heard, but didn't understand that I am the NATURAL vessel that God may use to be a blessing to someone else.  (I'm going to try and connect the dots now .. ) It is only the things that you do for Christ that will last!  I hope to satisfy Christ, but need for you to join with me. For a lasting impact on this world we must embrace and share with each other God's principles and values. 

One of the things that I feel factored against my attention to God's persistent love (tug on my heart) was my inclination to be convinced in the natural.  I even had to hear someone (a few people) tell me it probably wasn't a good idea to get involved/proceed to really halt and pay attention.  This in turn showed me the importance of being able to hear from a brother/sister in Christ.  We need each other.  In fact, - so that you might be persuaded to pause and take time to listen to the Christ in you, I share ... YOU were meant to read this!!  

Has God been able to use YOU for His glory? I'm still not able to completely make sense of everything that is going on in my life as I probably never will be ... BUT I do know that I was MEANT to share this with YOU!  We overcome by sharing our testimonies! So, be encouraged!!

The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. -Psalms 19:7 (KJV)

The law of the LORD is perfect and preserves one's life.  The rules set down by the LORD are reliable and impart wisdom to the inexperienced. -Psalms 19:7 (NET)

God is cultivating wisdom in YOU! He is building the foundation for you to operate in surety and with confidence. Don't ignore His signs because they are trustworthy and fool-proof.  And when you've learned something, share it and be a blessing to your brother/sister!

Lord, thank you for looking out even when we can't see (or refuse to see) what's going on around us.  Continue to build us up in knowledge and understanding so that we can really please you and make your name lasting and known across nations. Thank You for your persistent love, patience, and care.  Continue to teach us how to serve you. With love and adoration we pray, Amen.

Or have you forgot we’re at war...

              This one is about the somewhat casual manner Christians tend to take towards the fight for their soul or the souls of others. I simply want to remind us all that THIS IS A WAR! Granted we have already won, but only if we adhere to the strategies and weapons established and left behind by Jesus.

2 Timothy 2:3

“thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ”

From this scripture I wanna point out that there will be HARD TIMES when you are in the body of Christ. But this is part of war. Second, as my pastor pointed out recently, the reference to a soldier in this scripture should bring to mind the idea of someone who has been trained and is disciplined to follow orders!

2 Corinth 10:3-4

“for though we walk in the flesh we do not war after the flesh: ⁴ (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds)”

These scriptures help us identify that we are not fighting with people, but rather the spirit, mindset or ideas that are possessing the people and blocking them out of freedom and knowledge and truth. Well maybe it don’t tell us all that but I’m trying to keep this short lol Another important aspect is that the description of the weapons we DON’T use. There are carnal weapons, and indeed we could use them, but they won’t be about the result we are seeking (the pulling down of strongholds).

In closing remember the valuable prize that is on the line during this war. The devil is after the souls of the lost, and our connection to God by faith. Be careful of what you entertain and the effects it could have, the enemy doesn’t take any breaks and SPECIALIZES in subtly But above all, don’t be scared just prayerful and vigilant. 

Forgive Them

So this one is about forgiveness, in the sense of how and why to forgive people no matter what they do. The short version is people are ignorant of the damage and effects of their actions therefore you should grant them forgiveness and free yourself of the problem.

First our scripture:

Luke 23:34 “Then Jesus said, Father forgive them for they know not what they do…”

In this excerpt the soldiers are crucifying Jesus but are honestly quite unaware of the fact that they are killing the messiah and setting into motion one of the most important spiritual processes in the history of everything!! They were simply carrying out an order that was passed down; and further more since there was an excited crowd watching and cheering them on they may have been caught up in the moment. They may have known that they were killing a innocent man but who He was to the history of the world, or who He was to God they were clearly unaware.

            So now us. I assert to you that people that do things that harm or upset you aren’t really aware of what they are doing. Even if they plan to hurt you, they don’t plan or mean the consequences that follow you well beyond that moment. I have been the person in the wrong, the one that was out to hurt somebody either physically or emotionally; but I had no further thought of the effect that it would have on that person. I was simply caught up in the fact that I was upset and wanted them to feel as bad or worst than I felt. I had no idea that I could be harming them for years! Something that would stick in the corners of their minds for the rest of their life. It would affect the way that they interact with others because they want to avoid the feeling that I caused. Also,  I have been the one that was harmed and the consequences of someone else’s ill-fated actions negatively affected me, sometimes these people have asked me to forgive them but I wanted to be mad, I wanted to be the victim so I chose not to forgive. Ultimately I was the one still holding on to the situation while they were presented with the opportunity to move on with a clear conscience.

            We should forgive! People are rarely aware of what they are really doing. A lot of it comes from the spirited crowd watching. Whether it’s their friends hyping them up, or just trying to save face in general.  They may purposefully say things to hurt your feelings but they haven’t thought it through to the point of the insecurities it would create in your life. They don’t know that they are resurrecting fears and generational curses that you have defeated. When a child makes a big mess, no matter how big, and they don’t know any better wouldn’t you let them off the hook instead of holding it against them? Similarly when people lack the knowledge of what they are truly doing you can’t really hold that against them. And I mean people in general, saved or unsaved, just because someone claims Christ doesn’t mean they have as much knowledge as they would think, people that know better do better. So no matter who has wronged you, consider the fact that they don’t really know the impact of their actions and let it go! Free yourself of the dysfunction and follow Christ.

Over and Out J  

Valued.

By: Monique Smith

I was listening to the radio earlier and wanted to share with you the revelation I received from that listening session.

The radio personality shared the following story:

There was a family who had two pet guinea pigs and they thought both were boys. Lo and behold, there was one boy and a girl. The obvious happens next, they reproduced and now many guinea pigs came into existence.  The family didn’t want all the new pigs, so they took them in a cage to a local pet store and put a “FREE” sign in front of the cage. For a solid week, the man took the pigs to the pet store and no one took them. Finally, the owner of the store encouraged him to put “$1” on the sign in front of the cage. The next person that walked into the pet store, bought the pigs.

Interesting right? Here is the revelation I got from that. In life, if we don’t place value on our abilities, belongings, our dreams, or ourselves, no one will appreciate or recognize those things. No one wants anything that is valueless.  It was not until a value was placed on the pigs that someone became interested. Friends, are you placing value on things in your life? Are you selling yourself and your morals short just to be in a relationship? From this story we realize if we do that, we are doing ourselves a huge disserve and actually not attracting anyone.  Are you second-guessing your abilities? Everyone else will also. Many times we may suffer from not wanting to seem cocky or boastful in ourselves, but having a confidence and sense of pride in our abilities encourage others to do the same. Why would anyone buy your music if you didn’t promote yourself with confidence? Are you rocking your fake Jordan’s like they are fake? Walking around looking sad and tacky. Put on some nice pants and a shirt with them and be confident in your swag. Others may not even notice they are fake if you rock them with confidence.  Lastly, are there dreams or visions you don’t fully believe? Of course if you doubt those things, others will as well. How will anyone ever believe you will open your own business when you can’t even talk about the idea confidently?

Friends, lets place value on things with our names on it. Don’t belittle anything. Value yourself. Value your dreams. Value your future.

Prayer: Hey Dad! Thank you for this great day! Everything worked according to your plan today and I am thankful for that! God thank you for reminding me to value things in my life. Please help me identify and correct areas in my life that I have deemed valueless. God, I want to look at these things the way you see them, with value. However God, help me in keeping a good balance when I begin placing more value on things. Help me not become vain or boastful or “cocky” with anything in my life. I do not want to be prideful, so help me keep pride at bay. Lord, I thank you for your loving kindness that is better than life! Hug brother Jesus for me! In Jesus name, amen.

Accusations: “How you gon’ act”

By: Monique Smith

Hey friends! In my study time, I’ve been reading Daniel and I am fascinated by this book thus far. It’s really cool to read the stories we learned about as a kid, as an adult and truly understand the context! I have so many devotional ideas blubbing on the inside but I wanted to share this quick thought with you.

If we are followers of Christ, we will be accused of doing things or being involved in something where the ultimate purpose of the accusations is to see us defeated or humiliated.

Let’s look at Daniel 6. In this chapter King Darius appoints 120 leaders over the kingdom.  Over them 3 administrators were named. Of those three, Daniel was one. However, Daniel was distinguished because he had the spirit of God in him. All of the leaders were beyond jealous of Daniel. The Bible didn’t say Daniel carried himself in a arrogant way or anything, so the people were jealous for no reason.  They kept trying to find fault in his lifestyle, but could come up with nothing. So they took it a step further. The leaders went to the King and encouraged him to make a decree that anyone who prays to any god, God, or anything other than the king for 30 days would be put in the lion’s den.

Everyone knew Daniel prayed to God daily so they encouraged the decree to get Daniel killed. Long story short, they found Daniel praying, King Darius tossed him in the lion’s den, and the next day Daniel was still alive because the angel of God shut the lion’s mouth.

When the King went to check on Daniel the next day, he called out to Daniel to see if he was alive. Daniel responded “May the king live forever…. I was found innocent before God…..and did not commit a crime against you, my king”.

Daniel’s response is the focus of this devotional. The bible tells us in Colossians 4:6- “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”  Daniel could have fussed the King out, told him “Ahhhaha! Sucka, can’t kill me!”, and said all kinds of reckless out of control things, but He chose to be Christ like and respond with grace.

So to you friends, how you gon’ act when false accusations come your way? How did Jesus act? Let’s continually be mindful of our Father and Brother’s characteristics. : )

Prayer: God, I love you! You are the apple of my eye. The only true lover of my soul. God I appreciate your presence and the favor you have over my life. God, help me, my speech, and my thoughts when I am faced with false accusations.  God I don’t understand sometimes why I am picked on or called out, but help me control my flesh and not retaliate the way I want to. I want to be more like you, each and every day. I love you and praise you. In Jesus name, Amen.

First Fruits

By: Fred Reid

      Surprisingly this one isn’t about tithes and offering! Gotcha!! Instead it’s about your responsibility and the command we have to be fruitful. The title better reads, First, Fruits! The first thing you must do is learn to be fruitful. Thus scripture the for this devotional comes from Genesis 1:28:

“And God blessed them and God said unto them Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth”

      At this point God is speaking to Adam and Eve and His first command (not suggestion) is to be fruitful then multiply. Now I feel it is important to recognize that the game has changed since then in the fact that we are originally born in sin and must be saved first before this becomes our primary commandment; now back to our regularly scheduled programming already in session J.

      The sequential order of the commandment is paramount! We must be FRUTIFUL before we began to multiply; otherwise we will be passing on corruptible seeds that will only worsen with each generation and thus put us further and further away from the original plan of the seed. For instance, if an apple seed produced apples that were a little bit poisonous and people ignored that and kept replanting the seeds, the poison would increase with each germination and eventually we end up with a weapon instead of a delicious snack. Similarly, whatever you are doing that carries God’s name and thus His kingdom must be fruitful before He will allow it to multiply. Before you get the “well done my good and faithful servant” speech you have to properly take care of the few; then He will elevate you to ruler over many. That’s just simply how it works.

       What’s the contrast to this plan? If you skip over the fruitful part and just begin multiplying? There’s a scripture for that. Mark 11:12-14:

“And on the morrow when they were come from Bethany he was hungry ¹³ And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves he came if haply he might find anything thereon and when he came to it he found nothing but leaves for the time of figs was not yet ¹⁴ And Jesus answered and said unto it, “No man eat fruit of thee hereafter forever.” And his disciples heard it.”

      So, Jesus cursed this fig tree because it was not fruitful. Notice the damage of fruitlessness, when people come looking for you to serve your purpose you are unable to; you have nothing to offer. Next, notice that it was not time YET for the figs to be produced. One of the key factors of fruitlessness is being out of season. Out of order, usually in my case, rushing. This was for/about me before I could ever tell anybody else about it. There is so much I want to do, and I’m looking for God to make a way and I get frustrated sometimes like this isn’t going the way I expected but He has shown me that I have not begun to be fruitful with what I have already. How can I be given increase; when there is no return on what I have? Instead the increase is IN me using what I currently have. There’s a scripture for that!

Matthew 25:14-30 is the story of the talents. I’ll allow you to look back over it real slow on your own time but a quick summary is, one servant was given 5 talents he invested and returned with 5 more talents (10 talents good business), another received 2 talents flipped those into 2 more (4 talents good bidness) a final servant got one talent and hid it and thus only had one talent when the ruler came back for a return (bad business, no business). These talents were given based on ability, this was the best they could handle. So we see the person that was already not able to hold/be trusted with as much talent proved it by hiding the one talent he did have! In the end his one talent was taken away and given to the one that had ten talents. Makes sense right? He’ll prolly turn that 11 into even more.

Anyways how does this relate? If you are asking God for more but still haven’t figured out how to work with what you already have to make THAT fruitful, how would you randomly make the increase He gives you fruitful? That’s not how the kingdom works. Jesus specifically says  the parable about the talents is about the kingdom of God. I don’t want anyone to feel discouraged though because there is ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS hope in Christ. So, what do you do if you are the one talent having mug and you looking for more? There’s s scripture for that!

2 Kings 4:1-7. This scripture is about a woman that was behind in her finances and the tax folk were coming to take her sons, so she needed some increase for family! Elisha asked her WHAT DID SHE HAVE?! All she had was a little oil for a cake so she made it for him. As a result there was so much oil in her house that she could sell it to pay her debt. This serves as an example that whatever you DO have, find a way to give it to God and He will work it for an increase. Maybe you don’t have the job you want, but you have plenty of time on your hands, instead of spending ALL your time looking for jobs and feeling sad, find some time for God. Both praying, reading and singing, as well as helping other people around you. You will be surprised who he can connect you with and you’ll end up with a job you don’t even have to apply for. Maybe your money isn’t as swole as you would like, but you have great writing skills or organizational skills, PLANT THEM!! DON’T HIDE THEM!! Write stories for little kids, practice writing books, help organize church and community events! If you don’t use what you have God will give it to someone who will!

Over and out J

Rhema Word

By: Monique Smith

I absolutely love when God takes the time to speak directly to me or my situation through His word, especially when it seems to be “right on time”.  This, is referred to as a “Rhema Word”.

Can I teach a little today friends?

"In Greek, the word rhema means "an utterance." Therefore, the rhema word in Biblical terms refers to a portion of scripture that "speaks" to a believer. In most cases, a rhema word received while reading the Bible applies to a current situation or need. In essence, the rhema word is timely and extremely valuable in a Christian's walk with God." -Jamee Rae (sharefaith.com)

Here’s a clear example of how you will know you are experiencing this gift from God. Let’s say that since you were a child, you have been reading Psalm 23:1 “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” Then one day, when you are 20 years old, you flip open your Bible to Psalm 23:1 and it seems to jump out from the page at you! “The Lord IS MY shepherd, I shall not WANT!” The passage that you deemed “familiar” no longer seems that way. You receive a completely different understanding of that passage. The Word “arrests” your spirit, brings clarity to your situation, and provides divine insight. This my friends, is an amazing gift that we receive as being a part of God’s chosen generation!

Today at work, I read Colossians 4:6- “Your speech should always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person.”  Approximately five minutes after reading that scripture a situation occurred that challenged my ability to remain calm and peaceful.  My flesh quickly volunteered to react in an ungodly manner, however, my spirit was quickly reminded of the scripture I had just read minutes ago. God knew I needed that word in my spirit to prepare me for the atrocity  that was soon to follow.

(For y’all nosey folk (LOL), a parent sent me a nasty email in which I wanted to get buck and respond ungracefully to, but I was reminded of the scripture, phoned a friend (who wants to be a millionaire lol), and was able to make a wise decision concerning the email…which was to not respond).

So friends, I encourage you all to spend time with our Father daily so He can share all the great mysteries and cool things He has the ability to do.

Prayer: Father, I thank you for the grace, mercy, and love that you have shown me today. Lord, you are the love of my life and I never want to replace you with anyone or anything. God, I thank you for the ability to hear you through your Word. It is amazingly cool to have a strong connection with you and I pray you give me the desire and strength to improve our relationship. God, also, please comfort the hearts of everyone experiencing pain from losing a loved one. We know that the last enemy is death, and YOU have already defeated it! “Death, O Death…WHERE is your victory? Death, where is your sting! God we praise you and love you! Can’t wait till you come back and get us though! In Jesus name, Amen.

It's All about your perception

Hey everyone!

Check out this great video devotional by Pricilla Shirer!

http://vimeo.com/47491757

You Influence the Countenance of your Friends

By: Donovan Parker

I first heard the scripture - Proverbs 27:17 before an MVP Men's Conference at New Covenant Christian Church in the summer of 2012. The Scripture reads as such ...

Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend. -Proverbs 27:17

In my research of the term 'countenance' I came across the following definition from the Merriam-Webster dictionary ...

1 obsolete : bearing, demeanor

2 a : calm expression b : mental composure c : look, expression

3 archaic a : aspect, semblance b : pretense

4 : face, visage; especially : the face as an indication of mood, emotion, or character

5 : bearing or expression that offers approval or sanction : moral support

In summation, as sort of a working definition, the term 'countenance' can be thought of as an external expression of internal influence.

Mood, emotion, and character each have to do with issues from within.

If we take and apply this particular definition to Proverbs 27:17, we know that you influence the being of your friend.  The reason why this is exciting is because the influence that you have is so great that not only will change occur internally, but it will be evidently EXPRESSED in the appearance.  

Most importantly, we must note that it is the contact of the iron with the iron that sharpeneth each.  Likewise it is the interactions and contact that we share with one another that elevate us in Christ.  

I am so fortunately blessed to have a body of brothers and sisters in Christ to grow alongside and fellowship with.  If I never express how encouraging it is to be in attendance with the like-minded - let me take this opportunity.  

To all those who shared moments in fellowship (whether on the court, at the crib, or even in passing), I appreciate you! 

Proceed in Christ knowing that your interactions with others affect their character, mood, and emotions.  Those will be reflected in their countenance.  YOU must make it your duty to be a reflection of Christ.

Dear Lord, 

Thank you Jesus for being the ultimate example of Victory by coming to earth in fleshly form to show us the way. Continue to help us become more like You. Thank You for the influence and dominion You've given us here on earth until Your second coming.  Extend our reach.  Thank You for allowing us to fellowship with one another.  You are PERFECT in ALL Your ways. Thank You for these and all of Your many blessings. Lord, we love You.

Amen.

Trust

By: Monique Smith The one who understands a matter finds success, and the one who trusts in the Lord will be happy. (Proverbs 16:20 HCSB) Life is tough and having faith sometimes is even more difficult, but it is a must when following Christ. Simply think about that phrase, "following Christ". It's not anything we tangibly do, as far as visibly seeing a man in front of us daily and walking where He walks. Even that statement is a faith proclamation! When our life is going good, it is so easy to trust God! We don't even think twice about it! But once situations come to challenge/increase our faith, that's when what we have seem to break down.  Romans 8:28 says- We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28 HCSB). Since this is a FACT, we must begin to understand all matters in light of this scripture. When we do so, that is when success will come from that matter and we will be happy! I love being happy! With all of that said, the crux of this devotional is: Trust in God is vital.  Prayer: God thank you for life! God you are so cool! All I have to do is ask you to help me serve you better! That's crazy! If it's faith I lack, then when I ask for it, you will give it to me. If its love I lack, you will provide me with that as well! So I'm asking you to fill me with those things I lack! Help me maintain and not grow weary also! Love you! In Jesus name, amen. 

Eden Situation

     One of the main things Christians say at some point in their lives is something along the lines of “None of this would be happening if Adam aint mess up.” People are quick to blame his bad decision for the struggle that we have to go through and the reason for Jesus coming to earth to redeem us, but what about your part in all this? For starters the fact that you would blame Adam for the things you have to go through is already like him since he blamed Eve for causing him to sin.

            But there’s no need to get overly deep or intellectual on this one, this devotional is about not giving up your Eden situation. Jesus came to make us who we were originally when God made us, before sin came in and had us settling for less and confused about who we really are. Thus Jesus is called the second Adam, partly because essentially He led us back to Eden. So at this very moment while you are reading this (if you have given your life to Christ) you are presented with the opportunity to have/be EVERYTHING God has presented you with, or like Adam you can pervert God’s plan with sin.

            Sin is simply separation from God, which is why it leads to death because God is the very source of life and all things good; the further away you get away from that…well that’s the reason the word death was created lol. But let’s examine Eden in order to present the parallels between Adam’s choice and ours. Once Adam sinned and part took of the fruit, (this passage can be found in Ch. 3 of Genesis) mankind began settling. God didn’t kill them, I’d say because He loved them too much, but He put them out of the garden. Instead of chilling with God in the cool of the day and having all their needs met by God, they had to work the ground  to get their food and it’s even mentioned that man would sweat from the work that he was doing. Furthermore, the earth began to change, now animals hunted and killed each other, sometimes even man! Trees became poisonous, later brothers began to murder brothers all the way until today with all the horrible things that happen in our generation.

            In your situation, once Jesus redeems you, you are on your Adam tract. Once you compromise to sin; you began to alter your Eden. Instead of the original plan of God where He provides you food to eat, you get to chill naked with your spouse all day,  name animals and learn from God which in our generation would look more like God leading you in your career,  putting you together with the spouse that will aid you in completing the Kingdom work that’s on your account  as well as whatever other needs you have of them and receiving witty inventions and other lucrative ideas that allow you to help others without exhausting yourself (this is a crucial run on sentence smh);  sin will cause you to choose to be stressed trying to figure your life out on your own because you won’t seek or recognize the voice of God, not eating right which slowly complicates your health, and pushes back the prosperity that God has laid up for you.

            Now I’m NOT saying that once you sin it’s over Eden burns up and you’re stuck in the desert. But I am saying that there are consequences of sin and your original Eden changes based on the decisions your make. Jesus has redemptive power that is FAR greater and stronger than sin, but we HAVE to realize we are simply giving away the things of God (our power, worth, finances, self-esteem, health, etc) when we choose to step outside of God’s will to please our flesh. Knowledge is power and people perish from lack of knowledge, thus the more you learn about sin and holiness the more power you’ll have to walk upright. But in that process I would encourage you not to lead yourself into temptation and ultimately to understand that the pleasure of sin is only for a season; while the works and blessings of God are for eternity!

Over and Out 

Storms!

By: Monique Smith Quick point-- I was just reading John 6:16-21.  When evening came, His disciples went down to the sea,  got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. Darkness had already set in, but Jesus had not yet come to them.  Then a high wind arose, and the sea began to churn.  After they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea. He was coming near the boat, and they were afraid.  But He said to them, "It is I. Don't be afraid!"  Then they were willing to take Him on board, and at once the boat was at the shore where they were heading. (John 6:16-21 HCSB) I have come to realize that everything in the Bible is there for a specific reason, so I kept pondering about the details in this passage. If you notice, when the disciples started out to sea, the sea was calm. But soon after, a storm came, followed by Jesus. This is significant because many times right before God does something spectacular in our life, we may go through a "storm". Think about the scripture again, right before Jesus WALKED ON WATER, a storm came up! Walking on water is miraculous! It's not something you normally see!  This has been true and evident in my life as well. For example, right before I got a job as a college adviser, I went through the "storm" of being rejected from a consulting firm, rejected from Teach for America, deferred from my  graduate school of choice, and experiencing high levels of fear, doubt, stress, and frustrations due to possibly not having a job after college. BUT after that "storm", here comes Jesus, providing me employment with UNC- Chapel Hill admissions as a college adviser! You all don't know how truly thankful I am to be employed by this program and the joy I feel while serving my students! It's an overwhelming feeling! I'm so blessed! So you all just hang in there and stick  it out! This may be your "storm" or you recently experienced a "storm" but If you stay on track (staying faithful and in the Word-- notice in the text the disciples didn't stop their journey or turn astray during the storm, they stayed on path--), God WILL come through in a major way! Prayer: God, you are my best friend! Help me love you more! Help me with my unbelief and eliminate my fear! Help me meditate on your word and realize that your plans are best for me and help me not lose faith in the process! I love you DADDY!

I'm a snitch!

Snitchn’! The title comes from a song called “Snitch” by our brother known as Trip Lee.  The song is based off of James 5:16 about confessing your faults to those who you “walk” with.  One quote from the song is “I ain’t just trying to look Christ like, I’m wanna walk this!” and that’s really what I’m trying to do.  I want to live inside out with no dirty little secrets so I thought I’d start with this testimony.  Pray my strength! “Snitch” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrOjxo3b9EA&feature=related James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.  The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. So, my homie Monique came to my dorm yesterday and asked me if I wanted to ride to ATL.  I was a little hesitant because I don’t have money for gas or a hotel at the moment; it’s not really in my budget (if I had one lol) but she told me not to worry about it!  I started thinking about the work I have to do as well but then I promised myself that I would get work done if I go (I’m up and about to get started on some work after I finish this).  So yeah, here I am on my way to ATL, out of the blue!  Another one of our friends who was “in charge” of finding a hotel for us decided that maybe we should stop in Charlotte to not have to drive the whole way to Georgia at once.  She told us that we could stay at her Grandma’s house.  She called her Grandma and let her know that we were in need of a place to stop on our way to Atlanta and she welcomed us to come. (I’ll come back with another testimony about her Grandma next time!!) On the way to Charlotte I sat in the back seat and reflected a little on this past week.  It has been a rough one.  After church on Sunday for some reason I was frustrated.  I can’t recall my thought process but somehow several things were heavily on my mind.  I am focusing more on trying to apply messages that I receive from services rather than just hearing them and that message was so powerful that I honestly did not know where to start in terms of applying it to my life.  My family was on my mind as well, along with things that I want but don’t have.  Of course this frustration and anxiety was from the enemy because I had just been empowered after that service. Long story short all this week I felt myself reverting back to the old, dead, buried DD.  I just shut down.  I didn’t want to be around anyone, I felt bitter, aggravated, a little depressed, and stressed.   Small things were bothering me, I was upset with my roommate and avoided her most of the week.  I didn’t even sleep in my room, but in the lounge in my dorm instead.  Many of you don’t know but for about two years since I’ve been at UNC that’s how my life has been.  Of course no one knew because I can easily put on a smile and act silly to hide what I’m going through.  There were several weeks in the past two years where I have avoided close friends, wouldn’t sleep in my room, cried myself to sleep, walked around feeling depressed in my spirit, etc. all while wearing a smile when need be.  During this time was when masturbation became my stress reliever and during this week of resurrecting the old DD I fell into that sin and I subjected myself to movies (not necessarily porn) but movies with sexual scenes that I should not have been viewing. Whenever I fall knowingly like that I learn from Adam and Eve’s mistake and make the choice to go to God immediately.  I know I have victory over sin and every sin I commit will be forgiven so I confessed and repented.  I felt forgiven by God but I still felt guilty because I know that I also let you down, my brothers and sisters in Christ, the body of Christ.  I did not want to stay in this guilt and condemnation so it didn’t last too long. I made myself listen to the Holy Spirit encouraging me not to isolate myself any longer.  I honestly believe there is a spiritual reason for everything that happens.  My friend Moriah wanted me to chill with her after class on Thursday (this was before I fell but still during my time of isolation) which forced me not to go back to my room and sleep for the rest of the day and fall more and more into a “pit.”  Then today after my first class I told myself I was going to skip my next class and just go back to my room and sleep.  However, during my first class my TA told me she wanted to see me after class to talk about my paper.  She knows I have a second summer class so I’m sure during our meeting she would have stopped to give me time to go to class.  It may sound weird but In my heart I would have felt guilty and probably would have told her that I wasn’t going to go to class (idk why but my conscience makes me do stuff like that lol) I don’t like feeling that way in front of people so I decided to skip all that, let her know that I would need to meet with her later since class was running over the allotted time and I needed to get to my other class.  She said that was cool and told me to come to her when my second class was over.  In my mind that was going to mess up my plan to go back to my room and sleep after class (even though I could have slept after our meeting it wasn’t the same because I had a plan to be in my room at a certain time to sleep my “problems” away but to still wake up at a somewhat decent time so I could get other stuff done).  After my meeting with her (it was around 1:30 pm by this time) I remembered that I signed for an experiment at 3pm, so if I went to sleep I knew I would miss the appointment!  I decided to just walk around the Arboretum (our school’s garden) and started talking to God.  Then one of the girls I mentored last year popped in my head and I forgot I hadn’t returned her text from the other day.  I found out that she was in class on campus but didn’t think I’d run into her.  I was on my way to get food before the experiment; to relieve my hunger so that I would be able to go back to my room well fed after the experiment and SLEEP, when I heard someone call my name.  I turned around and it was her.  I talked with her for a few minutes and told her I’d join her again after I ate.  She ended up leaving before I finished my food so instead of going to my room and risk missing my appointment I went to the library to read and pray.  The Holy Spirit led me to write a letter to my roommate explaining what’s been going on with me this week because I had been rude to her earlier that week and had been avoiding her.   All of this lifted a weight off of me and my desire to sleep everything away was diminishing because I was actually casting all of my cares onto God and he was giving me things to do to handle my stress instead of sleeping.  However, after the experiment was over I still ended up going to sleep but only because I was sincerely tired, not to sleep on any cares.  I was sleep for about an hour when Monique and two other friends showed up at my door.  I’m glad I decided to join her on the trip because although I was feeling a lot lighter, I still would have stayed to myself this weekend because that was my plan to get my work done.  Isolation for me is a killer though!! Although sometimes it’s healthy for me to be alone I’m able to discern when it is or isn’t.  I honestly believe that the enemy would have had his way with me this weekend had I not decided to go and be around my strong sisters in Christ. Final Note: please obey the Holy Spirit when you feel led by Him to give someone a call, invite them somewhere or to encourage them in some way.  You really have no idea what may be going on with them and in the spiritual realm where that one simple act of obedience may change their life!! Prayer: I thank you Daddy for who you are.  I thank You that you use my terrible choices to display your grace and mercy and I am humbled by it.  Thank you for my angels around me; my friends.  Thank you for your love and light that shines through them.  I am so glad your love for me is unconditional because I am not perfect.  I thank you that I can finally admit that I am not perfect and that my mistakes serve as a testimony of your goodness, forgiveness and love.  Help me to never be ashamed of the power of the Good News and to never steal your glory by not telling others about my testimonies.  Help me to uphold the standards that you have given me to walk in holiness and purity!  Help me to go back to abstaining myself from ALL things (TV shows, music, movies, conversations, etc.) that don’t glorify you despite what others may think so that I can truly please you.  From this day forward help me to have more evidence of the fruit of the spirit in my life, especially those I seem to be lacking like self-control, peace and goodness.  In Jesus name, Amen. Deborah

God's Protection!

Soooo for the rest of the month, I'll be in Chapel Hill anddddd randomly enough this apartment, ON UNC's wireless campus, doesn't have wireless and I don't have an Ethernet cable at the moment... So these devotionals will be sent from my phone! Anyways, I wanted to check in and share how grateful I am for the protecting angels I have guarding my life! You all have no idea how many legit car accidents I SHOULD have been in but that I have never been in! The one that I was in, didn't scratch me or my car... Someone bumped my bumper at a stop light. I am thankful that he wasn't going faster because that would have been crucial! Psalm 91 is a passage that God gave to me which helps me realize the magnitude of how awesome His protection is!! I am simply amazed and overwhelmed when I think of how many situations tried to damage me and alter my life! God is protecting me to proclaim the gospel as I am doing now and for even greater works in the future!  Quick testimony-- God's protection has even protected my temple when I wasn't even trying to protect it! IN THE PAST (high school/ freshman year in college) there were many times on my way to have sex with someone, God would block it. In my dorm room when I would lay in the bed with my boyfriend... God would block it! Someone would knock on the door, my roommate would come back, and many other random things which always prevented me from contaminating my temple prematurely!  I THANK and PRAISE God so much for His divine grace and His wisdom! Most importantly I thank Him from saving me from myself! I don't have a "dramatic" or "extreme" testimony like many may have but I know that God has protected me from experiencing so much in my former ignorance! Now I am excited that I can be confident that my heart is pleasing to God and that I no longer have the same desires that I had three short years ago! God and His protection has been key to my life so far and I am blessed to know that God will keep His end of the deal as long as I stay focused on Him! In those times where I get distracted and complacent, God's mercy will offer me another chance to get it right! I could go on and on and on about God and His goodness toward me because this birthday is really emotional for me! God loved me enough to save me! To protect me! To give me 23 years of life! I'm alive! I still have a purpose! I have a college degree! I have a career working in college access! I am so thankful!  Thank you Lord!  Y'all be blessed and enjoy Jesus more! Love y'all!

Living in the Spirit: Galatians 5:22-26

By: Monique Smith

            Raise ya hand in the air if you like a good old in dept Sunday school lesson? I know I sure do! Wasn’t too fond of it growing up and didn’t get into it until about three years ago, but I now appreciate the foundation Sunday School has given me.

The following is a very interesting breakdown of the fruit of the Spirit that really blessed me. Hope y’all enjoy!

The following is an excerpt from the Free Will Baptist Press Foundation Sunday School books distributed at my church.

            Paul lists nine specific virtues the Spirit is able to produce through the lives of true believers, and this list can be further broken down into three distinct groups.

            First of all, love, joy, and peace are the inward fruit, so called because they directly affect the life of the believer. When we know Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, we possess a love that was not present before our conversion. This love is, first of all, directed toward God, for He was the one who loved us when we were unlovable (see 1 John 4:19). But it does not stop there, for we also have a special love for other believes who are our brothers and sisters in Christ. Jesus said that others will know that we are His disciples by the love we show one to another (see John 13:35). But even this is not the extent of our love, for Christ commands us to also love and pay for our enemies (see Matthew 5:44).

            As love fills he heart of true believes, so does joy and peace permeate our very being. The Apostle Peter said His joy is “unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Peter 1:8), and the Apostle Paul said His peace also “passeth all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).  Those who trust in the world to give peace and joy will find themselves lacking, for anything the world has to offer is both temporary and inferior.  But to know Christ and to faithfully serve His is to experience joy and peace in abundance. His joy will brighten the darkest of nights, and His peace will calm the severest of storms.

            Second of all, longsuffering, gentleness, and goodness are the outward fruit, so called because they have an impact upon those with whom we come into contact. As the first three fruits have a direct affect upon the life of the believer, the next three have an effect on others. To be longsuffering is to be both patient and tolerant, and to show gentleness and goodness is to be kind and compassionate with others.  Every Christian knows of people who are difficult, obnoxious, and rude, and while it may be tempting to treat these people the same way they treat us Scripture commands us to give sweet for bitter, good or bad, and love for hatred.  As we live for Christ and allow His Spirit to influence our lives others will see the difference He has made.

            Finally, faith, meekness, and temperance are the upward fruit, so called because they are directed toward almighty God. Faith is not only the means of our salvation, but it is also the motivating factor of our lives.  We are to daily walk by faith in order that we might please God in all things. Likewise, we are to be meek (tamed or controlled) in order that we might be submissive to His perfect will, and we are to be temperate (moderate, restrained) in all things. As we allow these three types of the fruit of the Spirit to control our lives we will be fully surrendered to God in all areas of our existence. 

Prayer: God, thank you for the fruit of the Spirit! Continue to help me cultivate these things in my heart and in my spirit. In Jesus name, Amen!