“CARRY GOD CORRECTLY!”

2 Samuel 6:3, “And they set the ark of God upon a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abindab, drove the new cart.” (AMP)                     

For those of you desiring to be a True Soul Winner for God, then the First Key you must remember is to CARRY GOD CORRECTLY!  

God cannot be sprayed on like cologne, used as a scent to cover up our sinful stench! Nor can He be used like a credit card, hidden, and taken out only when needed to be used! NO, God Must Live IN You and Through You! 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who LIVES WITHIN YOU, Whom you have received [as a Gift] from God? You are not your own, You were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own]. So then, honor God and bring glory to Him IN your body.” (AMP).

Truth is, it’s getting really hard for the people of God to be Effective in reaching out to the world because the world is starting to believe in their own Form of Righteousness and even though they have No Commitment to God, they believe that they are heaven bound! This is going to step on some Sanctified Toes, but the Truth of the Matter Is: This is the Churches Fault! 2 Timothy 3:5, “For [although] they hold a FORM of piety (true religion), they DENY and REJECT and are STRANGERS to the power of it [their CONDUCT BELIES the genuineness of their profession]. Avoid [all] such people [turn away from them].” (AMP).

Church, We have made So Many Excuses For Ourselves, And Them, going after Money Instead of Deliverance or Preaching Feel Good Messages Instead of Preaching the Total Truth, that Now, the World is Walking Alongside the Church As If They Are Okay! However, the Word of God Has Commanded Us: “So, come out from among [unbelievers], and separate (sever) yourselves from them, says the Lord, and touch not [any] unclean thing; then I will receive you kindly and treat you with favor.” (2 Corinthians 6:17 AMP). 

When we Hide the Truth, We Give No Reason For Change To The World! We have to remember at all times, Believers Don’t Blend!

Again the Church Is Commanded: 2 Corinthians 6:14-16, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers [do not make mismated alliances with them or come under a different yoke with them, inconsistent with your faith]. For what partnership have right living and right standing with God with iniquity and lawlessness? Or how can light have fellowship with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and Belial [the devil]? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? What agreement [can there be between] a temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in and with and among them and will walk in and with and among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” (AMP). 

Understand This: When We Are “Of” The World, Then We Promote It And Cause the World to Accept a Form of Godliness, Instead of a Godly Lifestyle! It’s All About How WE (THE CHURCH) Carry God In Our Daily Lives, PUBLICLY AND PRIVATELY! The World Should See a Distinctive Difference Between Us and Them. Our Homes, Families, Character, Integrity, Work Ethics, Dress Attire, Habits, Lifestyle, Should All Send a Clear Message Between Light and Dark, Clean and Unclean, Holy and Unholy, Saved and Unsaved, Believer, and Unbeliever! Church, Let’s Come Out of Acting Like the World, So We Can Bring the World Into the Church! We Can’t Help Them When Our Behavior is No Different From Them.

Listen: In this passage of Scripture, we find a group of people that are Trying to Carry God’s Ark (Which Represents His Presence), BUT They Did Not Follow His Commandments!

Let me say it like this: These guys Decided to Put God on a Vehicle and Carry Him to a Certain Place. HOWEVER, God Commanded that They Carry Him By the Hands of the Sanctified Levites and that They Carry Him By the Handles that were Attached to it! BUT, They Came Up With the Bright Idea to Place Him On a Cart and Drive Him By Oxen! Well, when the cart hit a bump, the Ark Got Off Balance and Uzzah Reached Out to Stabilize it. When He Touched It, He Was Struck Dead On the Spot! But the Moral of This Story Is Not that Uzzah Touched the Ark of God, BUT the Whole PROCESS of Carrying the Ark was WRONG!

Church, in case you didn’t know, Disobedience Leads to Death and Dethroning! Just Ask Saul! “Then Samuel said, Do you think all GOD wants are sacrifices—empty rituals just for show? He wants you to listen to him! Plain listening is the thing, not staging a lavish religious production. Not doing what GOD tells you is far worse than following around in the occult. Getting self-important around GOD is far worse than making deals with your dead ancestors. Because you said No to GOD’s command, he says No to your kingship.” (1 Samuel 15:22-23 MSG).

Amazing, You Can Either Have It All Or Lose It All And It All Simply Depends On Obedience!

God Did Not Want Them to Carry Him Like That! Uzzah reached out and tried to Help God, BUT He Shouldn’t Have Been Carrying God Like That In the First Place! Even Though Their Motives Were Good, the Process of Getting God to the People Was Wrong! And That’s What We Must Remember Today! If We Are Going to Reach the Lost, We Have to Carry God Correctly!

2 Corinthians 5:16-20, “Because of this decision we don’t evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don’t look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We’re Christ’s Representatives. God Uses Us to Persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re Speaking For Christ Himself Now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you.” (MSG).

In A Neat Little Nutshell: You Can’t Convert Them Into a Right Relationship With God, Carrying God Wrong!

Listen: As Christ’s Representatives, We Can’t Afford to Mix God Up in Our Selfish Agendas, BUT We Must Stick to the Bible and Understand How He Wants Us to Walk in This World!

“See then that ye Walk Circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise.” (Ephesians 5:15). The Word “Circumspectly” means to be “Cautious and Prudent” Its Latin Origin “Circumspectus”, from “Circumspicere” literally means to “Look Around”. In other words, whether it be in your thoughts, words, actions, motives, intentions, or attitude, Be Cautious and Prudent, Take the Time to Look Around You, there is a Whole World Watching How You Walk! And Many will either stay the same, change for the better, or change for the worse, Simply and Literally By Watching How You Walk!

“Prudent” means “Acting with or showing care and thought for the future”; Its Latin Origin “Prudens”, from “Providens” literally means “Forseeing” As a part of witnessing, it is our job as the church not to see people (unbelievers) as they are Currently, but as they Can Be In Christ! We have the ability to Forsee Them Being Saved, Sanctified, Healed, Delivered and Changed! Therefore, we walk in such a manner as not to foolishly hinder what could be a fruitful future for them in the Kingdom! Which means, we must take such care in our walk because they are watching and will thereby imitate…For Better Or For Worse!

Think of it this way: A small child learning how to put their shoes on needs assistance, teaching, direction and an example shown because of their lack of knowledge in how this is to be done. And looking to an adult, who they believe knows all about this stuff, obviously, they come to us to show them how to do it. Can you imagine if we told them the left shoe goes on the right foot, and the right shoe goes on the left foot? Sounds comical, but do you know that they’re going to do it! Why? Because they trust that what We Tell Them and Show Them Is Correct! After all, why would we, who supposedly love them, want to tell and show them something that is not only wrong, but painful, and which can eventually lead to a difficult walk and deformity?

However, the truth is, that’s exactly what we, the church, has been doing to the world! We’ve been telling them one thing and yet doing another! And in confusion, they’re doing both…what we say and what we do, and then we’re wondering why are they so screwed up and confused…BUT WE CAUSED IT!

And while we’re talking about teaching people to walk right, there’s another little thing to keep in mind. As parents, we often check our children’s feet and shoes as they grow older because we always want them to be in the Appropriate Size! Likewise, don’t just get the “glad glads” when someone comes to Christ and then just leave them at the altar! Babes in Christ are no different than Babies, to Children, To Teens, To Young Adults, To Adults. They need help throughout all their stages of life and growth! Teach them throughout each Transition! Listen, you can’t get mad when they’re 16 and still struggling trying to walk in the same size shoe as when they were 6, when you never helped them out of it! You see, the danger is that once a person does something consistently (be it right or wrong), it develops into a habit, and that habit (be it good or bad) will become their normal way of life. So, if we tell the world to put out their cigarettes, get rid of the bottle, flush the drugs, we better make sure those things have already been delivered from us first! Because when we compromise before the world, we compromise the eternity of the world. We can’t tell them to start a new way of life, when we haven’t stopped our old way of living. In addition, we can’t set low standards that say you can cuss (just not on Sundays); you can drink, get high, and smoke 2 packs a day (just not on Bible Study nights); you can fornicate, commit adultery, lie, steal, cheat, be unforgiving and spiteful (just not when you see other believers around). We have to stand out so distinctively it makes the world come to us asking questions! Which is why you don’t see an influx of unbelievers visiting churches. For what? When what’s going on within the 4 walls of the church is the same thing going on within the 4 walls of the club! Why would they come to church to learn how to live right, when we’re comfortable living wrong? Church, we have to do and be better. We have to set the bar as high as God’s character and integrity, especially since we’re going around using His Name (Christ) to describe ourselves (Christians)! My former pastor used to say, ‘bring no shame to the family name.’ Well, if you were charged for bringing shame to the Kingdom of God family name, would you be found innocent or guilty? And yes, that includes your public AND private life!

It’s our job to make sure that unbelievers come to Christ, and it’s our job to continue walking with them along their journey! However, that is difficult to do when we keep changing up the rules of Salvation depending on the Circumstance of Life we find ourselves in! We can’t call what they do sin on Saturday, when we do the same thing on Monday. We Can’t Compromise the Characteristics of Christ that Should Be Evident in Every Believers Life and Lifestyle. Remember This: Carrying Christ Requires Consistency!

We must learn to consistently walk in such a manner that our testimony is the same as Enoch’s: “And Enoch walked [in Habitual Fellowship] With God; and he was not, for God took him [home with Him].” (Genesis 5:24 AMP).  And this isn’t a Sunday Walk either! Enoch’s Walk With God Was “Habitual”, meaning it was “Done Constantly as a Habit; It was his usual or his regular, daily, consistently unbroken routine”! Now that’s a walk, in the words of the Apostle Paul, that is “worthy to be imitated”!

Church, To Carry God Correctly, We Must Walk Circumspectly! God Wants Us to Walk With Him and Carry Him Within Ourselves So that He May Be Shown Mighty In Our Own Lives! God Wants Us So Full of Him that We Can Just Walk Up to a Sinner and he will See God’s Glory Shining Through Us!

After All, If We’re Really Spending Quality Time Walking With God, Talking With God and Carrying God, There Should Be Manifested Evidence of the Fact, Shouldn’t It? It was for Moses: “When Moses came down from Mount Sinai carrying the two Tablets of The Testimony, he didn’t know that the SKIN OF HIS FACE GLOWED BECAUSE HE HAD BEEN SPEAKING WITH GOD. Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, SAW HIS RADIANT FACE, and held back, afraid to get close to him. Moses called out to them. Aaron and the leaders in the community came back and Moses talked with them. Later all the Israelites came up to him and he passed on the commands, everything that GOD had told him on Mount Sinai. When Moses finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face, but when he went into the Presence of GOD to Speak with Him, he removed the veil until he came out. When he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, THEY WOULD SEE MOSES’ FACE, ITS SKIN GLOWING, and then he would again put the veil on his face until he went back to Speak With GOD.” (Exodus 34:29-35 MSG). 

People of God, the World is looking to see the Glow of His Glory on Us, NOT the Form of Godliness Through Us! Therefore, Today Determine To Carry God And His Glory Correctly!

God Is Tired of Us Hiding In the Church or Using Our “Ministry” as a Cart to Carry Him Instead of Us Carrying Him Personally! The Day of Trying to Get Sinners to Church to get them Saved Is Over! We Must Be Full of God’s Spirit and Reach the Lost at Our Jobs, in our Homes, at the Supermarket, in the Laundromat, on line at the Bank, Walking through Parks and our Neighborhoods, Just Because He Is Shown Mighty in Our Personal Lives! If We Walk Right Before Them, They Will Know the True and Living God! If Signs and Wonders Really Follow Us (Healing, Miracles, Deliverance, etc.) then They Will Know the Power of God and Desire It! Our Man-Made Schemes of Reaching the World are Not Important! God Will Reach the Lost If We Just Lend Him Our Members and Show Him In Our Daily Walk! Don’t Get Caught Up In a Man-Made Plan to Carry God in Any Method Other Than the Way the Word of God Tells Us To!

After all, what will it Profit the World to See Us Carrying God the Way They Do?

Saints, There Must Be a Difference Between Us and Them! A Clear Distinction! Exodus 8:20-23, “God said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning and confront Pharaoh as he goes down to the water. Tell him, ‘God’s Message: Release my people so they can worship me. If you don’t release my people, I’ll release swarms of flies on you, your servants, your people, and your homes. The houses of the Egyptians and even the ground under their feet will be thick with flies. BUT WHEN IT HAPPENS, I’LL SET GOSHEN WHERE MY PEOPLE LIVE ASIDE AS A SANCTUARY – NO FLIES IN GOSHEN. THAT WILL SHOW YOU THAT I AM GOD IN THIS LAND. I’LL MAKE A SHARP DISTINCTION BETWEEN YOUR PEOPLE AND MINE. This sign will occur tomorrow.’” (MSG)

IT IS MY BELIEF THAT GOD STILL WANTS HIS PEOPLE DISTINCT FROM THE WORLD AROUND THEM! SO THE QUESTION YOU NEED TO ASK AND ANSWER IS: “IS MY CHRISTIAN LIFESTYLE DISTINCT FROM THE WORLD OR HARD TO DIFFERENTIATE FROM IT?!”

2 Samuel 6:6-7, “When they came to Nacon’s threshing floor, Uzzah reached out [with his hand] to the ark of God and took hold of it, because the oxen [stumbled and] nearly overturned it.  And the anger of the Lord burned against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his irreverence; and he died there by the ark of God.” (AMP) Trying to help cost him his life. And all because he put his hands on the ark he wasn’t supposed to touch. An ark that was being carried incorrectly. Can you imagine if that was God’s response to us every time we carried Him incorrectly or represented Him in a manner inconsistent with His Character? How much of the Church would be left alive? Sadly, Uzzah would never have lost his life had the ark been carried correctly in the first place. Saints, we have to remember that there are always consequences to our choices. And if we choose to haphazardly carry God incorrectly, He will chastise the children in whom He loves. But who’s to say what that chastisement might be? And do you really want to compromise and chance it? Truthfully, we’ve all missed out on much due to our disobedience. Not to mention, this side of heaven, we’ll never know how many people we led astray by our contrary behavior.

We preach, teach and pray that these are the end times and the last days. Well, wouldn’t you say then that it’s vital that the church gets her act together? Lives and eternity are hanging in the balance. Our obedience can tip the scales in the Kingdom’s favor. People of God, We Must Stay Obedient to Him In Order to Win the Lost! For We Dare Not Carry God So Carelessly That the World Declares “…You ALMOST Persuaded Me…” (Acts 26:28) ‘Almost’ is defined as, ‘very nearly; borderline; partially; just about; within an inch of.’ And in these last days and end times, is that the report we intend to give to God? That our inconsistent lifestyles of straddling the fence, caused people to miss heaven by a borderline?! People who were very near to accepting You, they were partially there, just about, within an inch of making it in, until they saw how we act out! Listen, I can’t speak for you, but that is NOT the report I intend to give God!

Let’s not lose anymore Uzzahs!

Let’s Carry God the Way He’s Already Commanded Us to. Let’s be His clean, and honorable vessels that He can pour into and out of. Let’s make sure our habits, behavior, attitude, speech, attire, lifestyle choices all reflect a good representation of God. Let’s remember we’re created in His image and likeness, we’re His Ambassadors, we are Christians, called by His Name, we are Disciples of Christ, we are children of God, and representatives of heaven, we are the called out ones, we are the CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD! Now, let’s act like it!

Remember, the world is watching our walk, let’s make sure we don’t trip them up!

Much Love, Dr. Shermaine #EnjoyTheRead #BeInspired #BeEncouraged #BeEmpowered #BeChallenged #ShareTheWord

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“Don’t Miss Your Turn!”

“You have stayed here long enough. TURN…” (Deuteronomy 2:3 TLB)

God’s plan for your life always involves your gifts, His timing, and being in the right place. But three things can keep that from happening:

1…Fear of Failing: (For some reason we’re under the impression that failures are final and fatal, and that is far from the truth. When you read the Bible from cover-to-cover you will quickly discover that all of God’s children failed at some point in time. Absolutely none of them were perfect. They failed as Kings, Priests, Prophets, Judges, Leaders, Fathers, Mothers, Sons, Daughters, Male, Female, Married, Single, Young and Old Alike. No one that is flesh and blood is exempt from failure! However, failure is not to be feared, it’s to be learned from so that you better appreciate the success when it does come)!

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” (Thomas A. Edison)

“I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.” (Michael Jordan)

“Failure is only the opportunity to begin again, only this time more wisely.” (Henry Ford)

“Never Quit! If you stumble, get back up. What happened yesterday no longer matters. Today is another day, so get on track and move closer to your dreams. You can do it.” (Author Unknown)

LESSON TO LEARN: NEVER FEAR FAILURE BECAUSE IT’S NEVER FINAL OR FATAL!

2…Unwillingness to Leave Your Comfort Zone: (Sadly many people have not failed because of where they’ve gone, but because of where they’ve chosen to stay. Truth is, you can’t get THERE, remaining HERE! Which means daily you have to challenge yourself to do, try and experience new, different, uncomfortable and unfamiliar things. You have to learn to broaden your circle by getting out of the box! No one fulfills their Calling in a Comfort Zone. Jesus walked the world over healing and delivering, but it was the shedding of blood that brought salvation. Last I checked, the cross was not the most comfortable way to the crown, but He endured it, and whatever your cross is, endure it! Get out of your comfort zone, so you can finally fulfill your calling)!

“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. You won’t find glory at the center of safety, but at its edge. You won’t find love at a place where you are covered, but in the space where you are exposed. You gotta take some risks. You have to not only pick up the dice, but roll ’em. So go ahead, take the gamble. You have nothing to lose except the chance to win. Life is not long enough to spend it on the sidelines.” (Neale Donald Walsch)

“Step so far outside your comfort zone that you forget how to get back!” (Author Unknown)

“A comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there.” (Author Unknown)

“Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.” (Brian Tracey)

“If we’re growing, we’re always going to be out of our comfort zone.” (John Maxwell)

“Sometimes it takes us traveling outside our comfort zone, to discover the abilities we never knew we had.” (Robert M. Hensel)

Lesson to Learn: Your Calling Will Not Be Fulfilled in Your Comfort Zone!

3…Being Swayed By the Opinions of Others: (Another sad commentary is that many people accomplish only minimal greatness because they’re so busy ignoring Christ and listening to Critics! If you are to do great things, you have to get past the opinions of people. And it doesn’t matter whether those opinions are good or bad. Even Jesus had Hosanna’s turn to Crucify by the same mouths! So likewise, you have to learn to do what God has called you to do, and be who He has called you to be, without the need for people opinions, validations, confirmations, seal of approval and pats on the back. When God gives the go ahead, only a fool allows others to stop him!

“I used to care about what people thought about me until one day I tried to pay my bills with their opinions and quickly realized how worthless their opinions really are.” (Author Unknown)

“Your opinion is not my reality.” (Dr. Steve Maraboli)

“Don’t let the noise of other peoples opinions drown out your inner voice.” (Steve Jobs)

“Don’t worry about other people’s opinions of you. God never told you to impress people; only to love them.” (Dave Willis)

“Leave people to their opinions and judgements. They cannot harm you; it is their understanding that is faulty, Not Yours.” (Leon Brown)

“Opinion is the medium between knowledge and ignorance.” (Plato)

“The greatest fear in the world is of the opinions of others. And the moment you are unafraid of the crowd you are no longer a sheep, you become a lion. A great roar arises in your heart, the roar of freedom.” (Osho)

Lesson to Learn: Don’t Allow the Opinions of Others to Hinder Your Obedience to God!

Remember This: Use Your Gifts, Move in God’s Timing, and Make Sure You Are Always in the Right Place! Never Allow Fear of Failure, The Crippling of Your Comfort Zone or the Opinions of Others to Stop Your Forward Progression!

In focusing on our text, there came a point where in order to enter the Promised Land, God said to Israel, “You have traveled around this mountain long enough. Now TURN…” (NLV). Please understand, that when you reach this point it’s crucial that you say yes to God and be willing to step out in faith! Whether God is directing you, or redirecting you, listen, heed and immediately obey!

Think about it, and let’s be honest, we can all admit that we’ve stayed in places longer than we should have. And to be even more brutally honest, many of us have stayed in stuff we should’ve never been in, in the first place! But how much longer do you intend to miss God? God said to them, “You have traveled around this mountain long enough…” I don’t know about you, but I’ve never seen a “small mountain”. In other words, mountains are by definition Big! In fact, it’s defined as, “a mass of land rising abruptly and to a large height from the surrounding level.” That doesn’t sound too tiny to me! Can you imagine traveling around “a mass of land rising abruptly and to a large height from the surrounding level”? A mountain is massive! And the word “massive” means “large and heavy; solid; exceptionally large, intense, or severe.” So, people of God, I say to you, as God said to them, “You have traveled around this mountain long enough…” Or better yet, you’ve traveled around this massive, large, heavy, intense and severe situation long enough…WHEN DO YOU PLAN TO HEED GOD’S DIRECTION AND TURN?! It’s been a burden, it’s weighed you down, it has caused you to lose sleep, weight, hair, and peace. How much longer are you going to endure self-inflicted-suffering? God Himself is giving you permission to go in another direction, so what are you waiting for? Why are you still facing a dead-end? Why are you still standing by the cliff? Why are you stuck in park? MOVE! Better Yet…TURN!

I love the definitions of the word “Turn”: “to move into a different position; to go in the opposite direction of where you are currently; to change in nature, state or form.” However, my favorite is: “a place where a road meets or branches off into another; a turning point.” Another favorite: “a time when one period of time ends and another begins.” And that phrase “turning-point” is another favorite of mine: It’s defined as “a time at which a decisive change in a situation occurs, especially one with beneficial results.” Now, please tell me with all of that said, why have you yet to TURN?! People of God, it’s time for you to stop blaming, pointing fingers, complaining, having good intentions with no plans, a long list of “one day I’m going to…” and “I promise…” and finally you make a deliberate decision to do something! Based on the above definitions, it’s time for you to move into a different position, go in the opposite direction of where you’ve been traveling, make a change! In a nutshell: TURN!

The word “reposition” is a good one, it means “a strategic move to alter and adjust to a different position.” In other words, no I am by no means saying this will be easy, but I am definitely saying it will be worth it for you to deliberately make a strategic move and alter and adjust to different people, places and things! After all, the people, places and things that you’ve become accustomed to, have obviously not worked for you, so why not quit and get work elsewhere?! You’ve been doing this long enough, putting up with this long enough, tolerating this long enough, suffering because of this long enough! Now is the time to Reposition and Turn! Remember: “turn” is also “a place where a road meets or branches off into another; a turning point.” And a “turning-point” is “a time at which a decisive change in a situation occurs, especially one with beneficial results.”

In a nutshell: This Turn Is To Your Benefit, So What Are You Waiting For…TURN!

“A bend in the road is not the end of the road…unless you fail to make the TURN” (Helen Keller)

During a famine God said to the prophet Elijah, “And the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “Leave here and TURN east. Hide yourself by the river Cherith, east of the Jordan.  You will drink from the river. And I have told the ravens to bring food to you THERE.” So he went and did what he was told by the Word of the Lord. He went and lived by the river Cherith, east of the Jordan.  The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and in the evening. And he drank from the river.” (1 Kings 17:2-6 NLV).

God’s PLAN for your life is always connected to a PLACE!

“…Leave here and TURN EAST…”; (1 Kings 17:2-6 NLV);

“You have traveled around this mountain long enough. Now TURN NORTH”; (Deuteronomy 2:3 TLB);

“The Lord said, “Ezekiel, son of man, TURN TOWARD THE SOUTH…” (Ezekiel 20:45-46 CEV);

“Moses…led the flock to the WEST…The angel of God appeared to him in flames of fire…” (Exodus 3:1-2 MSG)

Are You Getting This? From all 4 corners of the Earth, God’s people are charged and challenged to make a TURN! EAST, NORTH, SOUTH, WEST! Likewise, it’s vital for your life and calling that you are always in the Right Place at the Right Time! This week is a good time to take a look around at the people, places and things in your life, and see where you need to make a Beneficial TURN for yourself!

Think about it: Elijah would’ve missed his provision in the EAST if he didn’t TURN; Israel would’ve missed the Promised Land if they didn’t TURN to the NORTH; Ezekiel would’ve missed his ministry opportunity to deliver a prophetic word if he didn’t TURN to the SOUTH; and Moses would’ve missed the burning bush if he didn’t TURN to the WEST! What are you missing out on because you have yet to TURN in the direction God has commanded?!

Listen, Even Jesus “…HAD to go through Samaria…” (John 4:4 NIV). The Message Bible says it like this, “TO GET THERE, HE HAD TO PASS THROUGH SAMARIA…” (MSG). In order to get THERE, you have to leave HERE! And why did Jesus have to go through Samaria? To meet a woman who was destined to reach that city with the Gospel. Can you imagine, a whole city would’ve missed out on hearing the Good News of the Gospel, if Jesus didn’t go through Samaria?! Believe it or not, but you being in the right place at the right time, is not just about you! There are some people who won’t receive what they need to until you get there! Some people won’t make a turn for the better until you’ve finally decided to make a turn from the worse! Some won’t get a turn, until you make you a turn! And do you really want to be held responsible for a whole city missing God because you missed your turn?!

And will all of your turns feel good? Absolutely not! However, you can’t just go where you like, God honors you when you’re where HE wants you to be! “Tell me,” Samuel said. “Does the Lord really want sacrifices and offerings? No! He doesn’t want your sacrifices. He wants you to obey Him.” (1 Samuel 15:22 CEV). So whether you’re being sent to the North, South, East or West is irrelevant! What’s important is that you obey the direction of the Lord when He tells you it’s time to make a TURN!

God has promised to bless you, but sometimes He has to reposition you in order for you to receive His blessing! Just ask Peter. He went from I’ll live and die with you Jesus, to being warmed by strange fire, with strange people, and lying about his identity to Jesus. However, it’s never too late to make a TURN, because he’s later restored, repositioned, and preaching redemption to thousands! Paul went from killing Christians to speaking life and resurrecting them! It’s amazing what just a little TURN in the right direction can accomplish! In other words, it’s not too late for you either! So, MAKE THE TURN…BEFORE YOU MISS YOUR TURN!

Think about this as well: It was when Ruth moved to Bethlehem that she met Boaz and married him; it was when Bartimaeus went to where Jesus was that he received his sight! In a nutshell: You Don’t Want to Miss Your Turn Because You Missed Your Turn! Make sure you are in the right place, at the right time, with the right people, doing the right thing! After all, to miss God, is just wrong!

In closing, can you imagine how Abraham’s story would’ve read had he missed his TURN in Genesis 12:1? “Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, From your family And from your father’s house, To a land that I will show you.” The Living Bible says it like this, “God told Abram, “Leave your own country behind you…” (TLB). And the Amplified Bible reads, “…Go for yourself [for your own advantage] away from your country…” (AMP). Abram had to leave some people, places and things BEHIND HIM and FOR HIS OWN ADVANTAGE, AND TURN IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION ALTOGETHER! And what was the blessing for his obedient TURN? “If you do, I will cause you to become the father of a great nation; I will bless you and make your name famous, and you will be a blessing to many others. I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and the entire world will be blessed because of you.” (Genesis 12:2-3 TLB).  And All Because He Refused to Miss His Turn By Missing His Turn! Verse 4, is the bonus, “SO ABRAM LEFT JUST AS GOD SAID…” (MSG). What Blessings Are You Missing Out On Because You’re Still In the Same Place?! What Blessings Are You Missing Out On Because You Didn’t Listen When God Spoke?!

And was this the only time Abram would have to make a TURN? Absolutely Not! He would eventually have to TURN away from Lot, who was originally granted permission by Abram to go with him! However, Once Again, Do to Making Another Timely TURN, the Word of God Declares: “After Lot separated from him, God said to Abram, “Open your eyes, look around. Look NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, AND WEST. Everything you see, the whole land spread out before you, I will give to you and your children forever. I’ll make your descendants like dust—counting your descendants will be as impossible as counting the dust of the Earth. So—on your feet, GET MOVING! Walk through the country, its length and breadth; I’m giving it all to you.” (Genesis 13:14-17 MSG)

Abram Made a Timely TURN, and God Made Abram a Timeless Promise! If You Don’t Want to Miss Yours As Well, Today, Determine to MAKE A TURN!

“No matter how far you go in the wrong direction, there’s always a chance to TURN your life around.”  (Author Unknown)

Much Love, Dr. Shermaine #EnjoyTheRead #BeInspired #BeEncouraged #BeEmpowered #BeChallenged #ShareTheWordFeel free to also join us at: http://www.selfcarewithdrshermaine.blogspot.com “Worst Foods For Your Belly”

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“Don’t Miss Your Boomerang Blessing”

Exodus 1:15-21, “Finally, the king called in Shiphrah and Puah, the two women who helped the Hebrew mothers when they gave birth. He told them, “If a Hebrew woman gives birth to a girl, let the child live. If the baby is a boy, kill him!” BUT THE TWO WOMEN WERE FAITHFUL TO GOD AND DID NOT KILL THE BOYS, even though the king had told them to. The king called them in again and asked, “Why are you letting those baby boys live?” They answered, “Hebrew women have their babies much quicker than Egyptian women. By the time we arrive, their babies are already born.” GOD WAS GOOD TO THE TWO WOMEN BECAUSE THEY TRULY RESPECTED HIM, AND HE BLESSED THEM WITH CHILDREN OF THEIR OWN. The Hebrews kept increasing.” (CEV)

A paraphrase of the story goes like this:

“Come Quickly! It’s almost time!” Gathering the folds of her long robe in her well-worn hands, Shiphrah hurried through the door. Her eyes narrowed and adjusted to the relative darkness inside the home. Light from a small oil lantern cast the shadow of two women on the wall. One squatted in a corner, knees bent, as another woman hunched beside her. “A fresh cloth, Shiphrah!” one of the shadows barked. “I can see the head!” Puah always was the bossier of the two women. You see, they were midwives by training and friends by choice. So, Shiphrah obediently brought the strips of cloth to Puah. It was an ordinary day, or so you would think. After all, women birthed babies into the world all the time. But, come to find out, today was different. This baby was different; it was a boy. And the king of Egypt made his order crystal clear: If it is a girl, let her live. If it is a boy, kill him. The problem in a nutshell was this, the strength of the Hebrews threatened Pharaoh and intimidated him. Therefore, he would quell their numbers with his murderous plot and keep their supposed rebellion at bay. But, if the women had obeyed him, what would that make them? Murderers too? Shiphrah and Puah did not discuss Pharaoh’s orders openly. Silently, they worked alongside each other, except for the routine bedside manner required at each birth. However, every time, when it became clear they would have to make a decision, their minds raced through their options. To disobey the highest authority meant certain death. After all, Pharaoh was willing to slaughter innocent children; certainly two midwives meant nothing to him. If they did their job, someone would die, but they would live another day. The dilemma tugged at their hearts each time they pondered their duties. The God of the Hebrews had made Himself real to them in ways they could not explain. They feared Pharaoh, but they revered God. And just then, right in the middle of their pondering, an agonized scream, followed by a loud sigh, snapped both women to attention. It was time! “Push! Push!” they responded in unison. Their final decision obviously being made.

These two women absolutely amaze me because of the deadly decision they made in helping out another woman to birth a child; and then the follow-up deadly decision of allowing what that woman birthed, to live! And yet, sadly to say, you can’t find women today in the church willing to help each other out, and in this case, there is no life or death decision that needs to be made. The only decision is, do I help my sister? And the obvious answer is, YES! These women put their very lives on the line to help this woman birth what was inside of her. I wonder how many great things have yet to be birthed because we as women have sat on the sidelines refusing to help our sisters birth their purpose because of our own feelings of competition, comparison, jealousy, envy, intimidation and the like. How many businesses have yet to be birthed because she’s waiting for us to help her; how many gifts are remaining stagnant and under-developed because she’s waiting for us to help her; how many opportunities have passed her by while she was waiting for us to help her; how many ministries are halted because she’s waiting for us to help her? How many books are left unwritten; songs left unsung; dances left unperformed; higher education left unreached; growth left stunted; sermons left unpreached; lessons left untaught, and all because our sisters are simply waiting for us to help her. How many women have their purposes unfulfilled because their waiting for their sisters to lend them a helping hand?

But instead, we allow our own inadequacies and deficiencies to cause us to keep to ourselves, focusing solely on accomplishing our own goals and agendas, and finishing our own to-do-lists.

We have no idea of the awesome things locked up inside of our sisters, because we’re more concerned for our own welfare then hers. So many are too afraid that if we help her, she’ll take my position, my place, my favor, my praises from the people, my chair, my role, my title. But that’s not to be our concern. Our concern is to turn this world upside down while simultaneously building the Kingdom of God up! And that means using every part in the Body of Christ. Using every skill, every talent, every gifting, and every ounce of anointing. We are to benefit others, not ourselves.

These two women had a choice to make with grave consequences. Do we obey Pharaoh or God? And in the end, they decided their fear of Pharaoh would not hinder their faithfulness to God. I wonder as women, are we more focused on Pharaoh or God? Have we become so fearful of what others will say or do, that we’ve allowed that to supersede what God has said we are to do? We are to be helpers one to another, yet in the time when our sisters need us most, we clock out and leave for the day.

Exodus 17:10-13, “Joshua led the attack as Moses had commanded, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur stood on the hilltop. The Israelites out-fought the Amalekites as long as Moses held up his arms, but they started losing whenever he had to lower them.  Finally, Moses was so tired that Aaron and Hur got a rock for him to sit on. Then THEY STOOD BESIDE HIM AND SUPPORTED his arms in the same position until sunset.  That’s how Joshua defeated the Amalekites.” (CEV) Can you imagine the tremendous victories our sisters would attain if we simply stood beside her and supported her the same as Aaron and Hur did for Moses? Not standing beside her to be seen when she’s doing something awesome, so our face can get in the picture or our name on the same line of accolade as hers. But I’m talking about showing up when she’s in the heat of battle, worn, bruised, weary, tired, and about to drop her hands…and then you step beside her and offer her the support she so desperately needs. You see, they were able to defeat the Amalekites, because when their brother became tired, they stepped in to support him. Likewise, don’t allow Satan to have victory over your sister, when you’re close enough to step in beside her and support her, even in the midst of battle.

Galatians 6:2, “Carry one another’s burdens and in this way you will fulfill the requirements of the law of Christ [that is, the law of Christian love].” (AMP) When you help your sister to carry her burdens, you fulfill the requirement of the law, and become the evidence of Christian love. Help is a sign of Love. Don’t tell your sister you love her, but don’t help her, because then you’re a liar.

1 John 4:19-21, “We, though, are going to love – love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first. If anyone boasts, “I love God,” and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won’t love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can’t see? The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You’ve got to love both.” (MSG) Don’t put yourself in a position to have God Himself call you a liar! You can’t say you love Him, but won’t help and love Her!

Hebrews 13:16, But don’t forget to help others and to share your possessions with them. This too is like offering a sacrifice that pleases God.” (CEV) Now many of us ladies, will (even in our highest of heels) run around the church offering God a sacrifice of praise (and that’s wonderful). But what about helping your sisters, which is also a sacrifice to God, and one that pleases Him. Believe it or not, but you don’t please God by hooping, hollering, running, leaping, jumping, spinning, or singing the best or dancing the most choreographed. No, you please God by faith and help. So if asked, could you honestly say that you’ve been pleasing God by your service and sacrifice for your sisters?

John 15:13, The greatest way to show love for friends is to die for them.” (CEV) Now, this is interesting because the two midwives weren’t even friends of this dear sister, and yet they laid their lives on the line for this woman. And some of us have ate, praised, worshiped, prayed, and even went to school and shopping with the women sitting next to us week after week, and still we won’t lay down a muffin to call her and see if she’s okay. Yet, the two midwives risked their lives. Can you really say you love your sisters when you don’t even help them?

Proverbs 3:27-29, “Never walk away from someone who deserves help; your hand is God’s hand for that person. Don’t tell your neighbor “Maybe some other time” or “Try me tomorrow” when the money’s right there in your pocket. Don’t figure ways of taking advantage of your neighbor when he’s sitting there trusting and unsuspecting.” (MSG) Do you see just how vital your helping hand is? It is the equivalent to being God’s Hand! And last I checked, God has never made excuses for not helping us, so why are we (made in His image and likeness) making excuses for not helping our sisters out? We’re not supposed to tell her some other time, or maybe tomorrow, after all, God doesn’t do that to us when we need help. When your sister needs you, be there, no excuses!

Romans 15:1-2, “Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, “How can I help?” (MSG) Your strength is not for you…it’s for her! It’s for service, not for status! We have to reach a place where we stop asking “How can this help ME?” and instead ask “How can this help HER?”

1 John 3:17, “This is how we’ve come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed His life for us. This is why we ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers, and not just for ourselves. If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God’s love? It disappears. And you made it disappear.” (MSG) Can you imagine having a Heavenly Father who loves us so much that He would sacrifice the life of His Only Begotten Son…and then WE turn our backs on our sisters in need? The Bible says we make God’s love disappear by such an action. Do you really want to be found guilty of such a horrendous act?

Philippians 2:1-4, “If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care— then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends. Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top. Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.” (MSG) There simply is no clearer Scripture for us to get it through our thick skulls that it is not about us! We are to remember our sisters by forgetting ourselves long enough to help her out! The two midwives did it! And what did God do for them? The Bible says, “…God was good to the two women because they truly respected Him, AND HE BLESSED THEM with children of their own…” (CEV)

This was the boomerang effect! These two women helped a woman to birth her child, and in the end, God gave them children of their own! Maybe the very thing that you’re waiting for God to do for you, He’s waiting for you to do for someone else…First!

“Boomerang” has often been defined in a negative sense. However, it is also defined as “a curved club that can be thrown so as to return to the thrower; to come back or return.” It is in essence to throw something out that comes back to you. And that doesn’t always have to be a bad thing! For example, if you want love to be returned to you, send it; if you want help to be returned to you, send it; if you want kindness, forgiveness, and encouragement to return to you, send it! Send out what you want to be returned, that’s what happened to these midwives. They helped a woman birth her child and in return God gave them their own children! They sowed good seed, and therefore reaped a great harvest! The Bible don’t lie: Galatians 6:7-8, “Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.” (MSG)

They helped to sow a life, and they reaped a life!

“…And because the midwives honored God, God gave them families of their own.” (MSG);

“…And because the midwives feared God [with profound reverence], He established families and households for them.” (AMP);

“…And because the midwives revered God, He gave them children of their own.” (TLB)

These women helped one woman birth one child, and in return, God gave them Families (Plural) and Children (Plural) of their own. You can’t out-give or out-do God! The boomerang effect hit these women’s lives and not only did the child live, not only did they receive children and families of their own, but the Israelites continued to Increase and Grow Stronger! That’s what happens when you help someone else, without regard for a selfish hidden agenda!

Therefore, today ladies, let’s make a deliberate decision to look out for our sisters. Let’s not be and do as the world does. But let’s set the standard for dignity, grace, elegance, character and integrity. Let’s show the world what Women of God look like, sound like, and act like. Let’s help our sisters where their families are concerned, where their health is concerned, where their finances are concerned, where their mental, emotional and spiritual needs are a concern. Let’s be there to not only pray FOR but to pray WITH our sisters. Let our presence make an impact in such a tremendous way that our sisters look forward to seeing us (especially in battle, because she knows she has a ride-or-die sister by her side). Let’s talk up our sisters instead of talking them down. Let’s not be the owners of the gossip and rumor mill, and instead be the newspaper journalist that shares daily articles about our sister’s goodness, greatness and effectiveness. When others close a door in her face, let’s be the women who open the window and let down a rope! When others throw bricks at her, let’s be the women who show up on the construction site and help her build bridges to get over it and go on! Let’s pat her on the back, without stabbing her in it. Let’s sit behind her, instead of trying to sit in front of her. Let’s be her cheerleading corner when others want her to lose. While others may push her down, let’s be the women who pull her up! While others may try to burn her at the stake, let’s be sacrificial sisters who lay across the fire and put it out. When others attempt to say something negative about her, let’s say something positive. Let’s be the Cover-Girls who Cover Her!

And what happens when we do all of this? The Boomerang Effect Returns to US!

Focus on Looking out for your sister, and you’ll See bigger, better and greater blessings coming your way in return!

“I’m obsessed with seeing women encourage, support, and empower other women. It’s my favorite. We need more of it.” (Author Unknown)

“One woman can make a difference, but together we can rock the world.” (Author Unknown)

“Behind every successful woman is a tribe of other successful women who have her back.” (Author Unknown)

“There is a special place in hell for women who do not help other women.” (Madeline Albright)

“You can always tell who the strong women are. They are the ones you see building one another up, instead of tearing each other down.” (Author Unknown)

“I always believed that one woman’s success can only help another woman’s success.” (Gloria Vanderbilt)

“And one day she discovered that she was fierce, and strong, and full of fire. And that not even she could hold herself back because her passion burned brighter than her fears.” (Mark Anthony)

“Think like a Queen. A Queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another steppingstone to greatness.” (Oprah Winfrey)

“Little girls with dreams become women with vision.” (Author Unknown)

“Supporting another woman’s success will never dampen your own.” (Author Unknown)

“It’s about women helping women and women doing things together and supporting each other.” (Diana Burch)

“When women support each other, incredible things happen.” (Author Unknown)

“Amazing things happen when women help other women.” (Kasia Gospos)

“No matter where you are in life, inspire and empower the women around you. Success is sweeter when shared.” (Author Unknown)

“Women are the largest untapped reservoir of talent in the world.” (Hillary Clinton)

“A strong woman looks a challenge dead in the eye and gives it a wink.” (Gina Carey)

“A woman who walks in purpose doesn’t have to chase people or opportunities. Her light causes people and opportunities to pursue her.” (Author Unknown)

“No country can ever truly flourish if it stifles the potential of its women and deprives itself of the contributions of half of its citizens.” (Michelle Obama)

“Women are the real architects of society.” (Harriet Beecher Stowe)

“A woman is like tea bag – you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water.” (Eleanor Roosevelt)

“As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.” (Dr. Maya Angelou)

“You can break down a woman temporarily but a real woman will always pick up the pieces, rebuild herself and come back stronger than ever.” (Author Unknown)

“The most common way women give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” (Alice Walker)

“Real Queens Fix Each Other’s Crowns.” (Author Unknown)

“Being powerful is like being a lady, if you have to tell people that you are, you aren’t.” (Margaret Thatcher)

“She Believed She Could, So She Did!” (Author Unknown)

“Strong women wear their pain like they do stilettos. No matter how much it hurts, all you see is the beauty of it.” (Author Unknown)

“The success of every woman should be the inspiration to another. We should raise each other up. Make sure you’re very courageous; be strong, be extremely kind, and above all be humble.” (Serena Williams)

Much Love, Dr. Shermaine #EnjoyTheRead #BeInspired #BeEncouraged #BeEmpowered #BeChallenged #ShareTheWordFeel free to also join us at: http://www.selfcarewithdrshermaine.blogspot.com Today’s Lesson: “27 Weight Loss ‘Rules’ That Are Actually Making You Gain Weight”

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“The Purpose, Power and Privilege of Alone Time in Prayer”

Mark 1:35, “The next morning Jesus woke up very early. He left the house while it was still dark and went to a place where HE COULD BE ALONE AND PRAY.” (ERV)

Believe it or not, but in a day where everybody wants to be in the ‘in crowd’; have a clique; be a part of a pack; be a member of the team; or surrounded by an inner circle; being ALONE isn’t always a bad thing! In fact there are times when it’s Absolutely Necessary in Order to Hear From God!

The Bible points out the following “ALONE” moments of Jesus:

1. “But JESUS would OFTEN go to SOME PLACE where he could be ALONE and pray.” (Luke 5:16 CEV).
2. “…JESUS…CROSSED LAKE GALILEE to go to some place where he could be ALONE…” (Matthew 14:13 CEV).
3. “Then HE went UP ON A MOUNTAIN where he could be ALONE and pray. Later that evening, he was still there.” (Matthew 14:23 CEV).
4. “After leaving them, HE went UP ON A MOUNTAINSIDE to pray. When evening came, the boat was in the MIDDLE OF THE LAKE, and he was ALONE ON LAND…” (Mark 6:46-48 NIV).
5. “When the voice had spoken, they found that JESUS was ALONE…” (Luke 9:36 NIV).

Now, many of you will say, ‘but I don’t have time to go away and be alone.’ But, Jesus went ‘SOME PLACE’, He ‘CROSSED A LAKE’, was on a boat ‘IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LAKE’ and He ‘WENT UP ON A MOUNTAIN AND ON A MOUNTAINSIDE.’ In other words, Jesus didn’t select easy places to get away too. He crossed lakes and went up mountains just to be alone. And please note, He didn’t have a speed boat, a jet ski, plane, or helicopter! Which means getting away to these places was not a 1.2.3. escape route! And yet if alone time was this important to Jesus to do whatever He had to do in order to get it, how can you say you don’t have time? I’m sure Jesus was just a tad bit more busy than you don’t you think? Furthermore, you can have access to a speed boat; jet ski; plane or helicopter to take you anywhere in the blink of an eye, so what’s your excuse? Now I can even hear your next excuse, ‘but that’s expensive.’ Let me help you out again, the Scripture says, “…JESUS would OFTEN go to SOME PLACE where he could be ALONE and pray.” Key words? SOME PLACE! No one is telling you to rent a private villa in Paris, JUST MAKE TIME TO GO SOME PLACE ALONE! Surely you can do that, and for free!

Listen, we often talk a lot about Jesus being active in ministry, however, He was also well-balanced in ministry and in life. Even as the Son of God, He took advantage of alone time. And more often than not, it was to pray. Church, do you take advantage of your alone time? Do you take advantage of the privilege of prayer? Or are you like most who get so busy in ministry and life that the crowds consume them and everything about them? Jesus, with all the miracles, blessings, healings, deliverance, teaching, leading and even enemy attacks, He still made time to get away alone to pray. Brothers and sisters, if you’re schedule is so overwhelming that you don’t even have alone time to get away and pray, than much of your schedule has nothing to do with the Agenda of God. Programs, Protocols, and Positions should never become more Potent than your alone time with God which carries with it the Priority of Prayer. If the Son of God made time to get away alone and pray, but you can’t, does that really mean you’re busier than God? I think not…

And so that we don’t get stuck on Jesus alone, but He was in a great company of people who spent time alone:

In Exodus God said: “Moses ALONE shall come near the Lord; THE OTHERS SHALL NOT COME NEAR, NEITHER SHALL THE PEOPLE COME UP WITH HIM” (24:2 AMP). God wanted Moses to come to Him alone, this speaks volumes of a relationship with intimacy at its core. Truthfully, there are some things going on in your life that don’t need public opinion! Some of that stuff that you keep taking to Tommy and Tammy should only be spoken in the ear of God, alone! People flip out and go off on folks because they found out somebody they ‘confided’ in, shared their personal business that they themselves already shared all over social media! SELAH! How can you get mad at the world, when you posted your life on the world wide web?! There’s a reason God desires private, intimate alone time with us. Because it’s in settings like those where God can heal us without anyone knowing we were hurt; He can deliver us without anybody knowing what we were delivered from; He can save us when nobody knew how much of a sinner we were; He can silence the gossip before Gabby Gabriella parts her lips; He can mend the marriage without anybody knowing it was torn; He can restore our children without anybody knowing they were the prodigal sons and daughters eating slop with pigs; He can give you a job without anybody knowing you were laid off; He can reverse sickness without anybody seeing a symptom! That’s why it’s so important to spend private, quality, intimate, alone time with God! There’s just some things He’s going to do in private that do not need a public display!

When Elijah spent the night ALONE in a cave, God told him to: “…Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by…” (1 Kings 19:11 NIV). He didn’t however, call a men or women’s ministry meeting to have everybody go with him, he was sent alone. There are some assignments God gives you alone, stop trying to take the crowd with you!

Daniel was: “…left ALONE, gazing at this great vision…” (10:8 NIV) All eyes don’t need to see the great vision that God is about to show you! That’s how plans and purpose get messed up, we show people more than they were pre-approved to see!

The Prophet Jeremiah needed time alone due to ministry: ^“…I sat ALONE because Your hand was on me…” {Jeremiah 15:17 NIV} For some reason we assume that as soon as God calls us, we’re supposed to run off to do a 10 day revival in Africa, but what happens when God’s hand is on you and all He wants you to do is sit down? SELAH! Believe it or not saints, but sometimes you’re anointing won’t flow while you’re standing up in the pulpit, but when you’re sitting down in the pew!

Even our Patriarch Jacob had an “ALONE” moment: “So JACOB was left ALONE, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak.” (Genesis 32:24 NIV). And what happened in this alone time? Jacob received a name change and a blessing! Dare I ask, what are you missing out on and messing up in, all because you want to bring 10 people to a table set up by God as a table for two!

Like it or not, but Many of Your Greatest Spiritual Victories Come From the Battles God Calls You to Fight When YOU’RE ALONE! Most times He outlines and clarifies His plans for your life when there’s NOBODY ELSE AROUND! That’s because He wants YOU to be more Influenced By HIM, than ANYONE ELSE!

When God’s grooming you for a special work you’ll be Required to Spend Time Outside the Company of Others. And does that make the others bad? No, just not full-time necessities! Even Jesus knew how to divide His time between the 12 Apostles, the 3 Inner Circle, and when it was necessary to just be alone By Himself! And the same goes for you! You don’t always need an entourage; you don’t always need your boys or your girls; you don’t always need all the armor bearers and adjutants; you don’t always need the whole men and women’s ministries! You can’t always take your family, friends, your network, your social media ‘friends’, your church, your ministry, your business, etc…Sometimes It Will Only Be YOU!

Now, can you imagine if any of these men forfeited their alone time with God? Moses would have missed the presence of God; Elijah would have missed the voice of God, Daniel would have missed the vision of God; Jeremiah would have missed the assignment of God and Jacob would have missed the blessing of breakthrough with God. Which makes me wonder, in forfeiting your alone time, how much of God have you missed out on? Has the crowd cost you the presence of God; the voice of God; the vision of God; the assignment of God; the blessing of breakthrough from God? Was your alone time really worth what it cost you to lose God in the crowd?

People of God, your alone time is good and vital!

But the problem with many is that they confuse ALONE and LONELY. They are NOT one in the same. People who are LONELY can feel that way Even When Standing In the Middle of Grand Central Station! They can be right in the Midst of a Crowd and Still Feel Deserted.

But those who are ALONE, are usually “PURPOSELY” so! 

When I have to teach or preach I purposely spend time ALONE because I Don’t Want Any Outside Distraction or Interference With Me Hearing God’s Directives Clearly. I need to hear what He wants me to say and do, and in order to be sure I hear Him Alone, I need time Alone with Him! And I feel no sadness or despair, I don’t feel abandoned or left out, because I DELIBERATELY do as Jesus did and “…often go to some place where [I can] BE ALONE AND PRAY” (Luke 5:16 CEV).

Jesus, Jacob, Moses, Elijah, Daniel and Jeremiah all spent time ALONE Because of the Assignment On Their Lives to Fulfill. Likewise, YOU Will Have to Spend Time ALONE To Fulfill the Assignment That Has Been Mandated For Your Life. And that’s difficult to accomplish when you’re so wrapped up in the lives of others.

Which is why you need to prepare yourselves because there will be seasons in which you have to “…come out from among them and be ye separated…” (AND THAT INCLUDES BELIEVERS AND NON-BELIEVERS ALIKE) Why? Because oftentimes you’ll experience what Jesus experienced: “And when daybreak came, He left [Peter’s house] and went into an ISOLATED [DESERT] PLACE. And the people looked for Him until they came up to Him and tried to prevent Him from leaving them” (Luke 4:42 AMPC)

You’ve Got To Realize That Your Time ALONE With God Is VITAL, And NEEDS To Be Respected, Even By Those Who Need You The Most!

As soon as Jesus went to be ALONE, HERE COMES THE CROWD! “The next morning Jesus went out to a place where He could be alone, and crowds came looking for Him. When they found Him, they tried to stop Him from leaving.” (CEV)

Max Lucado said it best: “A Man Who Wants To Lead The Orchestra Must Turn His Back On The Crowd” You Can’t Fulfill Your Vision to Lead the Orchestra While Focusing On the Audience! And Sometimes The Hardest Thing to Do Is Walk Away From Those Who Want to Walk With You…But Can’t! The Bible says, “…they tried to stop Him from leaving.” And people in your life will do the very same thing to you. And it’s not because of something bad either. But when you have an assignment and anointing on your life, you are a blessing to the lives of people, and who wants to be apart from a blessing? Of course they want to cling to you, they’ve heard God preached, taught and prayed through you. You’ve been a blessing to them. And still, you have to know when to turn your back on the crowd, spend alone time with God, and finish fulfilling your assignment.

Another translation says it like this: “…And Tried To Keep Him From Going Away From Them” Another Hard Truth? People Who Can’t Go Where You’re Going Will Attempt To Stop You From Going Anywhere! If they can’t go with you, they don’t want you to go at all! So, how did Jesus handle this? The Bible says, “…But He replied, “I must preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God IN OTHER PLACES TOO, FOR THAT IS WHY I WAS SENT. SO HE CONTINUED TO TRAVEL AROUND PREACHING IN SYNAGOGUES THROUGHOUT JUDEA.” (vss. 43-44 TLB) Don’t get so busy and caught up in ministry, crowds, assignments and life, that you get distracted and derailed! Saints, don’t get stuck where you were never supposed to stay! Jesus deliberately went to spend alone time, got away from the crowds, informed them of why He couldn’t stay in the same place with them, and He kept on preaching! Family, know how to pull away before you press forward! Even Jesus didn’t attempt to keep preaching UNTIL AFTER He spent alone time away from the crowds! Remember, He is your example to follow!

Sadly, so many are busy self-promoting themselves and running after people, places and things, they’re missing out on time with God. The crowd has become more important than the closet! The greatest mistake you can ever make is to spend all of your time with the people in the crowd, and yet having no time to spend with God alone in the prayer closet. Far too many of us will quickly take an assignment from God, and yet not have any time on our agenda for Him. Oh, we’ll accept a full itinerary for ministry to travel all over the world, yet at the same time, God can’t get five minutes with us on our face in the living room!

Listen, far too often, God speaks in a STILL, SMALL VOICE, and when we’re so caught up in the Need To Have Someone Around Us, Their Voice Has a Way of Amplifying Itself Above His! Which isn’t hard to do, because remember, HE’S NOT YELLING, SCREAMING OR GRABBING AT YOUR EAR…HE’S SPEAKING IN A STILL, SMALL VOICE. And It’s Hard To Hear Direction From God When Mike’s Voice Is Directing You To The Movies, Keisha’s Voice Is Directing You To The Concert, Alicia’s Voice Is Directing You To Olive Garden, Tim’s Voice Is Directing You To The Football Game, Craig’s Voice Is Directing You To The Sales At the Men’s Warehouse, the 15% off at the Barbershop, and the Buy One Get One Free at DSW!

And to bring it further home for us “CHURCH FOLKS”, It’s Also Hard To Hear Direction From God When You’re Singing On The Choir, Overseeing The Youth Group, Setting Up for the Church Meeting, Preparing Communion, Planning  Anniversary Celebrations and Driving the Church Van, ALL AT THE SAME TIME!

PEOPLE OF GOD, STOP CONFUSING ACTIVITY WITH PRODUCTIVITY! JUST BECAUSE YOU’RE BUSY DOESN’T MEAN YOU’RE FULFILLING THE WILL OF GOD FOR YOUR LIFE! CHURCH WORK AND KINGDOM WORK ARE JUST AS DIFFERENT AS LONELY AND ALONE! TOO OFTEN WHAT WE DO IN THE CHURCH ISN’T WHAT HE’S CALLED US TO DO IN THE KINGDOM ANYWAY! AND I’D RATHER BE APART OF THE PLANS OF GOD FOR THE KINGDOM THAN MISS OUT BECAUSE I WAS TOO BUSY BEING APART OF THE PROGRAMS OF THE CHURCH, THAT HE NEVER ASSIGNED TO MY HANDS IN THE FIRST PLACE!

That’s why you’ve got to learn the NECESSITY of FOLLOWING JESUS’ EXAMPLE: “Very early the next morning, JESUS got up and went to a place WHERE HE COULD BE ALONE AND PRAY” (Mark 1:35 CEV).

PEOPLE OF GOD, GUARD YOUR ALONE TIME WITH GOD! IT’S THE PLACE WHERE YOU SEEK HIM AND HIS WILL FOR YOUR LIFE! IT’S THE “SOLITARY PLACE” WHERE YOU AND HIM ALONE SPEND QUALITY TIME TOGETHER! The word ‘solitary’ is defined as ‘done or existing alone; secluded or isolated; single; and only.’ Its Latin origin ‘solitarius,’ from ‘solus’ literally means, ‘alone.’ God loves you so much He desires to have you secluded; isolated; and alone. Only you! Single, meaning ONE, and you are that ONE! Do you even realize just how treasured you are by God that in all His greatness, all He wants to do is spend alone time with YOU alone. Is He really asking too much? I think not.

Hear God’s Heart, He Has Already PROMISED: “…Call to Me and I will answer you. I’ll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out ON YOUR OWN.” (Jeremiah 33:3 MSG). IF YOU WOULD ONLY GET TO A QUIET PLACE ALONE WITH GOD, YOU COULD FINALLY STOP TRYING TO FIGURE IT ALL OUT ON YOUR OWN! ALL YOU WOULD HAVE TO DO IS CALL AND HE’LL ANSWER AND TELL YOU MARVELOUS AND WONDROUS THINGS! THAT’S CERTAINLY A LOT LESS STRESSFUL THAN THE WAY YOU’VE BEEN DOING IT DON’T YOU THINK? He said, ‘CALL ME AND I WILL ANSWER YOU…’ But we’re too busy talking and texting everybody else! But doesn’t it make you wonder what you’re missing out on receiving from God, and all because you took your QUESTIONS to THEM when only He said, “I WILL ANSWER YOU.”

Listen, the Crowd will kill you, just ask Jesus!

Church, if Jesus made time to be alone, you are certainly not busier than He that you can’t do the same. You have a lot of responsibility to meet, and that can’t be done with your agenda alone. You need time away with God, His plans are more important than your agenda and His purpose is more important than your itinerary! Getting away from the crowd and in some alone time with God will grant you insider information on how to be a better man, woman, husband, wife, father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, teacher, preacher, leader, believer, and person in general. You can’t get that from yourself or the crowd, only God, and He’s still speaking in a still small voice. If you don’t get away from THEM, you’ll never hear HIM, and surely what He’s got to say supersedes anything they do.

Today, rearrange your schedule and MAKE alone time for God!

“In Order to Be Open to Creativity, One Must Have the Capacity For Constructive Use of Solitude. One Must Overcome the Fear of Being Alone” (Rollo May)

You’re not being asked to be Tom Hanks in the movie “Cast Away”, but you do need time alone to yourself and with God. Today, Make Sure You Take It!

“One of the best gifts we can give ourselves is time alone with God.” (Author Unknown)

“Spending time with God, puts everything else in perspective.” (Author Unknown)

“Time spent alone with God is never wasted.” (Author Unknown)

“If you are feeling inpatient, irritable, bitter, forgetful, disorganized, and disconnected from God, it’s time to tend to your soul. Grab your Bible. Get alone with God.” (Courtney Joseph)

“Sometimes loneliness is God’s cry for time with you.” (Author Unknown)

“We can be tired, weary, and emotionally distraught, but after spending time alone with God, we find that He injects into our bodies energy, power and strength.” (Charles Stanley)

Much Love, Dr. Shermaine #EnjoyTheRead #BeInspired #BeEncouraged #BeEmpowered #BeChallenged #ShareTheWordFeel free to also join us at: http://www.selfcarewithdrshermaine.blogspot.com Today’s Lesson: “31 Fitness and Diet Tips That Anyone Can Benefit From”

Feel free to join us at: http://www.chefshermainesbiblecafe.home.blog Today’s Chef Special Word: “KNOWLEDGE”

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“I’d Rather Be DIFFERENT, Than DIE!”

Numbers 14:24, 26-32, “But My servant Caleb, because he has a DIFFERENT spirit and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his DESCENDANTS shall possess it…And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, How long will this evil congregation murmur against Me? I have heard the complaints the Israelites murmur against Me. Tell them, As I live, says the Lord, what you have said in My hearing I will do to you: Your DEAD BODIES shall fall in this wilderness—of all who were numbered of you, from TWENTY YEARS OLD AND UPWARD, who have murmured against Me, Surely NONE shall come into the land in which I swore to make you dwell, EXCEPT CALEB son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. But your LITTLE ONES whom you said would be a prey, THEM WILL I BRING IN and they shall know the land which you have despised and rejected. But as for you, your DEAD BODIES shall fall in this wilderness.” (AMP).

Earlier in Numbers 13 Caleb said to Moses: “…Let us go up at once and take possession [of the Promised Land] for we are well able to overcome it” But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we” And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out…” (Numbers 13:30-33 NKJV).

Notice two attitudes at work:

1…AN ATTITUDE OF DOUBT: Ten of twelve spies came back saying, “It CAN’T be done!” But the majority isn’t necessarily right! Hear this, if God promises you something, it’s yours even if you’re in the minority! Don’t let a few foolish, faithless folks who are clothed in fear cause you to forfeit a fruitful future in the land of promise! If it’s only two people out of two-hundred, GO FOR IT ANYHOW! I would rather look silly on the way to obtaining my inheritance, than to look ridiculous walking away from my wealthy place, because of a few fools with a whole lot of Sight, but No Vision, Courage or Tenacity!  The majority report terrified God’s people; which caused them spiritual amnesia. Because, they forgot the last forty years of His Super Natural Provision! But How Is That Even Possible?! How do you forget what the Lord has Already Done?! In other words, how do you panic when you have to go for a physical when God has already healed you in the past? Look at it like this: If nothing is there, You’re Healed! If something is there, He’s Healed You Before, And He’ll Surely Heal You Again! Either Way, How Do You Justify Fear of the Future When He’s Already Fulfilled Promises In Your Past?! Church, Get Your Faith Together! Be People of Courage and Go For It Inspite of the Circumstances, Conditions and even the Company surrounding you! Now, I know that’s a little different than what most people are doing today, but I’d rather be different than die! You see, Fear Will Make You Look Foolish! I’ll Prove It! They were so fearful that they even talked themselves into believing that Egypt (of all places) was actually the land of milk and honey! Listen to what they said: “Is it a small thing that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness…” (Numbers 16:13 NKJV) Do you know how stupid that sounds? Fools, Egypt was a land of straw and slavery, masters, whips, beatings and bricks, not milk and honey! Never allow your fear of the future to cause you to reconstruct a faulty view of your past! For your greatest blessing is before you, not behind you! And what’s coming will always be better than what’s been! For the Latter house shall be Greater than the Former house! So, what was their problem? They allowed their surroundings to influence them more than what God said! Saints, Don’t Let It Happen To You! Don’t You Ever Allow Intimidation or Imagination To Cause You To Miss Out On God’s Promises For Your Future?! Never Allow What People Say to Alter What God Has Already Said! There Is No Problem That Can Stop the Process of God’s Promises From Coming to Pass In Your Life! I Challenge You to Be Different Than the Doubters! You never want doubt and fear to cause you to say stupid stuff like: “God may have worked miracles in the past, but He doesn’t do it anymore.” Which as a result of this kind of thinking and talking and unbelief, not one of them entered the Promised Land except Joshua and Caleb! So, Which Company Do You Belong To? The ten or the two, the fearful majority or the faithful minority? Think about it: Twelve were sent, and only Two had a good report! Therefore, Your Challenge For The Week Is To Examine The People In Your Circle That Box You In! And When You Locate Them…Break Out The Box! Understand that when you allow people’s distorted thinking to box you in, it will eventually reshape your faith in God! And you’ll find yourself like Israel, going around in the same circles for 40 years going absolutely nowhere! And you know why? Because a box is a coffin, and I’m not ready to die! I Rather Be Different Than Die! Get Out The Box! I know this isn’t the status quo, but like Facebook I have the authority to change my status as often as I want to! Therefore, every day, you  should have a different status! On Monday My Money Is Coming to Me; On Tuesday My Tuition Is Paid In Full; On Wednesday I’m Walking In Wealthy Places of Favor; On Thursday I’m Triumphant Over Every Trick, Trouble and Trial, On Friday My Future Is Fruitful, On Saturday Every Full Scholarship Available Is Hunting Me Down, and On Sunday I’m Shouting Because All Week Long I Broke the Status Quo! Daily Remind Yourself, Get Out the Box! If you have a company of twelve friends and only one has faith, kick the rest to the curb, and drive full force into your fruitful future! Besides, the passenger seat is made for Only One Person anyhow! Therefore, that one person might as well be a person of Faith!  I Warn You: Be Different Or Die!

2…AN ATTITUDE OF FAITH: God said, “But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land…and his descendants shall inherit it” Do you realize that the company you keep can even hinder the blessings of your household and your posterity?! Read the text: God said, “…AND HIS DESCENDANTS SHALL INHERIT IT” Now, I can’t speak for anybody else, but as for ME, as a wife, oh I will help my husband exam and exonerate (release) some friends! Why? Because My Inheritance Is At Stake! You see, if he hangs around doubtful, faith-faltering, negative, pessimistic, fearful men, that attitude is contagious! And His Infection Can Kill My Inheritance! The Devil Is A Liar! His Present Inner Circle Will Not Choke Out My Future Blessings! Therefore, You Need to Search the Company You Keep Then Hire, Fire, Promote and Demote Accordingly, for You Alone Are The CEO of Your Life and Future! In this day and time everybody’s trying to fit into a mold! But I need to hear you say, “You Didn’t Make Me, You Can’t Mold Me!” I’ve decided to dare to be different! No, I’m not doing what you doing, and going where you going! Why? Because I’ve got a wealthy future of fulfilled promises STANDING before me, and I won’t allow the company I SIT amongst to rob me and leave me for dead in the wilderness, all because I was too fearful to be different! Boxes are coffins, and I’ve got too much to live for to die now! “I Rather Be Different Than Die!” And if So, Then Get Out The Box!

Church, When God Commands You to Go Forth…GO! You are not spineless, nervous, panic-stricken, fearful, timid, nail-biting, anxiety driven cowards! This is the Generation of Courage! Therefore, Possess the Land, Possess Your Promises, and Bless Your Posterity! And what’s “Posterity”? It means “All Future Generations Of People!” It’s Old French Origin “Posterite”, from Latin “Posterus” Simply Means “Following!” All Future Generations Are Depending On You To Get This Thing Right So That They Are Literally Birthed Into Blessings that Are Already Awaiting Their Arrival! So Don’t Let Them Down! There’s a Fruitful Future Following Behind You, Make Sure You Lead Them Straight Into The Promised Land! However, bear in mind: Anytime there’s a Promise Lingering In Your Future this Great, You Better Believe Folks Will Come From Near and Far to Discourage Your Possession! Especially those who are about to die! Don’t Let Them Do It! God Promised It To You And Your God Cannot Lie! “God is not like people. He tells no lies. He is not like humans. He doesn’t change His mind. When He says something, He does it. When He makes a promise, He keeps it” (Numbers 23:19 GWT). So Let Them Talk While You Walk Into the Land of Promise! Listen: When you made the deliberate decision to be different than the rest, God made a decision to deliberately bless you better than the rest! Unfortunately, however, today people so easily flow with the “norm”; they easily “fit in”; they easily “follow the crowd”; they easily stick with the same ole bunch of knuckleheads doing the same ole stupid knucklehead stuff day in and day out. Romans 12:1-2, “So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. DON’T BECOME SO WELL-ADJUSTED TO YOUR CULTURE THAT YOU FIT INTO IT WITHOUT EVEN THINKING. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. UNLIKE THE CULTURE AROUND YOU, ALWAYS DRAGGING YOU DOWN TO ITS LEVEL OF IMMATURITY, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.” (MSG) Listen: if you’re going to attain this great promise from God than you’re going to have to do something different! And Your Something Different Will Be Something New!” Why? Because It’s A New Day, A New Year, A New Decade, A New Thing And A New Move of God!

 “Behold, I am doing a NEW THING! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert?” (Isaiah 43:19 AMP) God says He wants to “…do a NEW THING…” For YOU, so disregard the circumstances and believe the God who cannot lie! “So shall My Word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return to Me void [without producing any effect, useless], but it shall accomplish that which I please and purpose, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11 AMP) So If God Said He’s About To Do Something New For You, You Better Believe It and Get Ready! The 10 spies who thought the same, died the same! They thought the same thing, they died the same way in the same place! But Caleb, who had a different spirit, thought differently, acted differently, Lived and Attained The Promised Land! All because he dared to be different!

I like the word “different” because it means “not the same as anything else; or to produce and perform something new!” “Then said the Lord to me…I am alert and active, watching over My Word to PERFORM IT” (Jeremiah 1:12 AMP) People of God, Get Your Tickets Quick and Arrive Early For the Show Because the Lord Is About to PERFORM His Word In Your Life Today! Are You Ready For It?

“Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall SPRING forth…” After feeling like you’ve waited forever, Get Ready, God will move Suddenly and Shift You From Egypt to the Promise Land of Exceeding Abundantly Above All That You Could Ever Ask or Think According to the Power at Work In You! Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall SPRING forth…” No Matter What the Calendar Says, Hear Me, You Are Entering Your SPRING Season…Your Season To SPRING Forth! Therefore, Don’t You Dare FALL Back Into the Wrong Crowd! Remember Anything In The Box Is Dead! And I’d Rather Be Different Than Die!

If you’re not ready you’ll miss the next open door or the next great idea that God has RESERVED just for you! And do you know what the word “Reserved” means? It means “To keep for future use” or my personal favorite “To make pre-determined arrangements to be kept for the use of a particular person”. “Reserved” also means “To retain or hold for an individual who has the right or entitlement to something”! It further means “Funds kept available by a bank, company, or government” not to mention, “An area of land set aside for the access of a particular person”! “Reserved” has a Latin Origin “Reservare” which literally means “To Keep Back”! And what does all that mean? Glad you asked! I don’t care how rough it’s been, how bleak it looks or how discouraged you are! The reality is, God Has a New Thing In Reserve Just For You! You are NOT the same as the rest, you will not die stuck in the box, you will not live by the same status quo, You Are Different! And Because You’re Different, There’s a Blessing Reserved and Waiting for Particular YOU and it Includes Funds and Land That Can Only Be Accessed By YOU Because As A Child of the King, It Is Your Right and Entitlement! I don’t care how many died in the wilderness, this is your new day to do something different so you can live and inherit the promises that you are entitled to because of who you are and who you’re attached to! The Bible says, “…since you are Christ’s family, then you are Abraham’s famous “descendant,” HEIRS according to the covenant promises” (Galatians 3:29 AMP) Do you know what an “Heir” is? An “Heir” means “A Person Legally Entitled to the Property or Rank of Another Upon that Person’s Death” It also means “A Person Who Continues the Work of a Predecessor”. I don’t know about you, but I’m certainly determined to continue the work of my Predecessor Abraham! He Was Continually Blessed and that’s My Job Too…To Be Continually Blessed! Listen: Truth Is, Abraham Is Dead! However, His Covenant Promises to His Heirs Is Very Much Alive! And what Covenanted Promises Are We Inheriting? Glad you asked! “And I (God) will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you [with abundant increase of favors] and make your name famous and distinguished, and you will be a blessing [dispensing good to others] And I will bless those who bless you [who confer prosperity or happiness upon you] and curse him who curses or uses insolent language toward you; in you will all the families and kindred of the earth be blessed [and by you they will bless themselves]” (Genesis 12:2-3 AMP)

Is that all the blessing you get? NO! The Bible goes on to say, “Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, I will give this land to your posterity…” (Genesis 12:7 AMP) There’s that word again! And what’s “Posterity”? “To All Future Generations”! Literally meaning  your “Following”! In other words, Every Generation That Follows After You Will Reap The Abrahamic Covenant, Promises, Blessings and Favor! But you got to be different to get it!

Now, if you think that’s awesome, you ain’t seen nothing yet, because your inheritance continues to increase! The Bible further states: “…Abram was extremely rich…” (Genesis 13:2 AMP) In Case You Forgot…Caleb, You Are Abraham’s Heirs! And you have no need to be selfish either, because God isn’t going to just bless YOU, but even your “Posterity” (All Future Generations Following)! Listen, If You’re Smart, You’ll Do Something Different and Follow Me! And what does the Bible say about Abraham and His “Posterity” Nephew Lot? Glad you asked! “Now the land was not able to nourish and support them so they could dwell together, for their possessions were too great for them to live together” (Genesis 13:6 AMP) Can you even wrap your brain around the fact that God will so favor you that you have to move because where you are can no longer hold you?! Saints, Pack Your Stuff and Get Ready For a New Move Of God! But remember, you got to be different to get it!

By now you must certainly be thinking “that has to be it?!” Well, once again…, NOPE! Believe it or not, YOUR INHERITANCE GAINS EVEN MORE INTERESTS! The Bible says: “The Lord said to Abram…Lift up now your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; For all the land which you see I will give to you and to your posterity forever. And I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth, so that if a man could count the dust of the earth, then could your descendants also be counted. Arise, walk through the land, the length of it and the breadth of it, for I will give it to you…” (Genesis 13:14-18 AMP)

Did you pay close attention to the text? Of course you didn’t, because if you did, you would be shouting right NOW!

1…No matter where Abram looked (“…northward…southward…eastward…westward…” God declared “…all the land which you see I will give to you…” Go Ahead…It’s Okay, You Can Shout! And If Anybody Says Anything To You, Just Send Them To Me And I’ll Explain Your Unspeakable Joy! Seriously, Can You Imagine Being So Blessed That No Matter Which Way You Turn You Bump Right Into a Blessing?! Here’s Yet Another Warning Saints: GET READY! Or Should I Say Brace Yourself, Because You’re About To Bump Into A Blessing!

2…Not only will Abram receive a “anywhere you look the land is yours” blessing, but God declares, “…I will give to you and to your posterity forever…” Do You Know How Long Forever Is?! It’s defined as “For All Future Time!” and “Continually Without Ever Ceasing”! In other words, you AND all your future generations following you will Forever…For all the time into the Future of Eternity Be Abundantly Blessed, Continually, Without Ever Ceasing! Now, I’ve heard of a Big Blessing, But Only God Can Give You A Blessing So Big That It Outlives You and All Your Future Generations That Aren’t Even Born Yet! That’s What You Call A Radically, Ridiculous, Make No Kinda Sense, I’ll Never Be Able to Explain It Kind of Blessing! Listen, You Are So Favored By God That Not Even TIME Can Stop Your Blessing! Now That’s What You Call a Crazy Blessing! How Can You Be In Time, And Yet Have a Blessing Outside of Time, At the Same Time! Your Blessings Are Absolutely Ridiculous! Your Blessings Are So Big That They Defy Logic! Don’t Make No Sense No Kinda Way! Let folks know, If You Want the Same, Just Do Something Different! Want What I Got, Then Do What I Did, And All I Did, Was Do Something Different!  Go Ahead, It’s Okay…You Can Run Again I’ll Try To Explain To Folks Who Don’t Quite Understand That You’re Being Bombarded With a Blessing That’s Hitting You From Every Direction and Angle! And Believe It Or Not, But That’s Not All! On Top of that “Your Every Direction I Turn” Blessing Is Also Going to Last FOREVER! “For You, O my God, have told Your servant that You will build for him a house (a blessed posterity); therefore Your servant has found courage and confidence to pray before You. And now, Lord, You are God, and have promised this good thing to Your servant. Therefore may it please You to bless the house (posterity) of Your servant, that it may continue before You forever; FOR WHAT YOU BLESS, O LORD, IS BLESSED FOREVER!” (1 Chronicles 17:25-27 AMP). From Now On You Need to Wake Up In the Morning With This Declaration On Your Tongue: “I’M BLESSED FOREVER!” Yep, with my purple hair, 10 piercings, 20 tattoos, green lipstick, orange shirt, blue pants, red shoes and rainbow socks! Yep, I’m Still Blessed Forever! Don’t judge me, I might be different, BUT I’M BLESSED FOREVER! I may look different from the norm, but I’m blessed forever, I may talk funny, but I’m blessed forever, my friends may look a little quirky, but I’m blessed forever, I may have come from the wrong side of town, but I’m blessed forever, I may be divorced, I may live in the projects, my brother may be in jail and my sister on welfare, but hear me when I tell you, I’m blessed forever! Remind Yourself: different is the new norm! Because I’m different, I’m blessed FOREVER! But you can only get this type of blessing when you dare to be different, when you break out the box, when you stand away from the crowd, when you break the status quo, when you move from the murmurers, when you follow God fully, when you trust and believe His promises! You Can’t Get Something Different Doing the Same Thing!

3…Then God tells Abram, “Arise, walk through the land, the length of it and the breadth of it, for I will give it to you…” Can You Imagine a “Anywhere I Place My Foot It’s Mine” Blessing?! That sounds a lot like Deuteronomy 11:22-25, “That’s right. If you diligently keep all this commandment that I command you to obey – love GOD, your God, do what He tells you, stick close to Him – GOD on His part will drive out all these nations that stand in your way. Yes, He’ll drive out nations much bigger and stronger than you. Every square inch on which you place your foot will be yours. Your borders will stretch from the wilderness to the mountains of Lebanon, from the Euphrates River to the Mediterranean Sea. No one will be able to stand in your way. Everywhere you go, GOD-sent fear and trembling will precede you, just as He promised” (MSG). Saints, I Challenge You: “Put Your Foot On It!” No Matter How Long or Wide You Walk…The Land Is Yours…Forever! You Better Go To “Sport’s Authority”, “Models”, “Payless”, “Foot Locker”…Somewhere/Anywhere, And Get You A Good Pair a Sneakers And Get To Stepping! Where? IT DON’T EVEN MATTER! THE LAND, IN ALL IT’S LENGTH, IT’S DEPTH, AND WIDTH…ARE YOURS…FOREVER! NOW RUN TELL YOUR HATERS THAT! God Is Giving Me Mountains, Rivers, Seas and Land…FOREVER! No matter what state, city, town, country, it’s mine forever! Deuteronomy 11:24, says: “Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours…” The word “sole” is defined as the “underside of a person’s foot”. But more importantly, its secondary definition means “One And Only; Belonging or Restricted to One Person or Group” It’s Latin Origin “Sola” Literally Means “Alone”! If I was preaching this, I would tell you to tell somebody, don’t get mad, but this ones for me, alone! If you want the same, be different! Caleb was blessed for having Abraham as his predecessor, he could claim the Abrahamic Covenant Promises and Blessings, which is why Caleb didn’t care about the giants in the land, the promise from Abraham’s posterity that he is attached to as an heir said, One: “Wherever the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours” and Two: “…GOD on His part will drive out all these nations that stand in your way. Yes, He’ll drive out nations much bigger and stronger than you.” When You’re Different It Don’t Matter! It don’t matter who comes against you, don’t matter who they are, don’t matter what they said, don’t matter what they do, where they come from, what their size is, or who they bring with them to the fight! Just by being different, I don’t even have to fight. I can sit back relax, and enjoy the ride, because God promised me and my posterity, that He alone will drive out all the nations that stand in my way, and He’ll drive out nations much bigger and stronger than me! But You Got To Be Different To Get It! Knowing the promises that were given to your predecessors in the past, is what keeps you focused as you move forward into your future, even when problems arise!

Saints, don’t be like the doubters and die in the wilderness, when you can simply follow God, be different and live in the Promised Land!

Caleb’s…Your Abrahamic Covenant of Generational Promises, Blessings and Favor are Awaiting You! Don’t Die, Be Different and LIVE!

Much Love, Dr. Shermaine #EnjoyTheRead #BeInspired #BeEncouraged #BeEmpowered #BeChallenged #ShareTheWordFeel free to also join us at: http://www.selfcarewithdrshermaine.blogspot.com Today’s Lesson: “Veggies That Are Healthy Sources of Carbs”

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“Trust God…Even in the Dark!”

“Who is among you who fears the Lord, Who obeys the voice of His Servant, Yet who walks in DARKNESS and has no light? Let him TRUST and be confident in the name of the LORD and let him rely on his GOD.” (Isaiah 50:10 AMP).

You were promised the Peace of God, but not smooth sailing, immunity or exemption from life’s problems! Which is why Jesus Himself admonishes you with these words: “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have TRIBULATION and TRIALS and DISTRESS and FRUSTRATION; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]” (John 16:33 AMP). In other words, you will experience Tribulation, Trials, Distress and Frustration, but it will NOT Overcome you no matter how Overwhelmed you may feel!

However, you WILL experience it nonetheless!

According to our text in another translation, the Bible says this: “Who is among you who [reverently] fears the Lord, who obeys the voice of His Servant, yet who walks in DARKNESS AND DEEP TROUBLE and has no shining splendor [in his heart]? Let him rely on, trust in, and be confident in the name of the Lord, and let him lean upon and be supported by his God.” (AMPC) I’m certain that is the testimony of many of you, “…fearing the Lord…YET…walking in darkness and deep trouble…” However, I encourage you to rest assured that you are NOT the only one who shares this testimony!

Let’s see some examples:

1…JOB—lived an exemplary life yet he lost everything! Troubled and perplexed, he cried, “God has blocked my way so I cannot move. He has plunged my path into darkness.” (19:8 NLT).

2…JEREMIAH – after preaching to a rebellious people who beat and imprisoned him, said, “I wish that my eyes were fountains of tears, so I could cry day and night for my people…” (9:1 CEV).

3…JOHN THE BAPTIST—was puzzled about why Jesus, who could raise the dead, had left him to languish in prison. So he sent Him a message asking, “…are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?” (Luke 7:19 NIV).

4…PAUL—suffered so much he “…despaired even of life.” (2 Corinthians 1:8). Or better stated by The Message Bible, “We don’t want you in the dark, friends, about how hard it was when all this came down on us…It was so bad we didn’t think we were going to make it. We felt like we’d been sent to death row, that it was all over for us…” (vss. 8-11).

5…NAOMI – was so bitter in soul, that she renamed herself bitter. “But she said, “Don’t call me Naomi; call me Bitter. The Strong One has dealt me a bitter blow. I left here full of life, and God has brought me back with nothing but the clothes on my back. Why would you call me Naomi? God certainly doesn’t. The Strong One ruined me.” (Ruth 1:20-21 MSG)

6…DAVID – did not bite his tongue at all when addressing God about how he felt. “Long enough, God – you’ve ignored me long enough. I’ve looked at the back of your head long enough. Long enough I’ve carried this ton of trouble, lived with a stomach full of pain. Long enough my arrogant enemies have looked down their noses at me.” (Psalm 13:1-2 MSG)

7…ELIJAH – simply wanted to die! “When Elijah saw how things were, he ran for dear life to Beersheba, far in the south of Judah. He left his young servant there and then went on into the desert another day’s journey. He came to a lone broom bush and collapsed in its shade, wanting in the worst way to be done with it all—to just die: “Enough of this, God! Take my life—I’m ready to join my ancestors in the grave!” Exhausted, he fell asleep under the lone broom bush…” (1 Kings 19:3-5 MSG)

8…MOSES – was under such distress, He even asked God to erase him out of His book! “Moses went back to God and said, “This is terrible. This people has sinned – it’s an enormous sin! They made gods of gold for themselves. And now, if you will only forgive their sin…But if not, erase me out of the book you’ve written.” (Exodus 32:32 MSG)

9…JESUS – even asked a question many of us ask of our Father. “From noon to three, the whole earth was dark. Around mid-afternoon Jesus groaned out of the depths, crying loudly, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Matthew 27:45-46 MSG)

People of God, in a nutshell: Faith is like film; it’s developed in the DARK! Yet you can take heart because you share the ‘DARK ROOM’ with some great men and women who experienced the same struggles and yet still overcame them and succeeded! Job, Jeremiah, John, Paul, Naomi, David, Elijah, Moses and even Jesus all spent time in the Dark Room developing into images of strength and endurance for us to admire and become!

You see, dark days are purposed to make you lean on God in ways you normally wouldn’t! The truth is, if your faith was never tested you wouldn’t be motivated to pursue God and draw closer to Him! The hymn writer wrote it best: “When darkness seems to hide His face, I rest on His unchanging grace. When all around my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay. On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.”

Think about it: It’s easy to praise God when your health is good, your bills are paid, your kids are well-behaved, your marriage is back in the honeymoon phase, you got the job you weren’t even qualified for, the school gave you the grant, the car is running like its brand new etc… But it’s a completely different story told when light suddenly turns to darkness that you discover what your faith is really made of and where your trust truly lies. The Bible says it like this: “Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when TESTS and CHALLENGES come at you FROM ALL SIDES. You know that UNDER PRESSURE, YOUR FAITH-LIFE IS FORCED INTO THE OPEN AND SHOWS ITS TRUE COLORS. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you can become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.” (James 1:2-4 MSG). Saints, I know the Tests and Challenges Coming From All Sides doesn’t feel all that great, but it challenges, tests, stretches and strengthens your faith. In the words of the Apostle Paul: “So, my son, throw yourself into this work for Christ. Pass on what you heard from me—the whole congregation saying Amen!—to reliable leaders who are competent to teach others. WHEN THE GOING GETS ROUGH, TAKE IT ON THE CHIN WITH THE REST OF US, THE WAY JESUS DID. A soldier on duty doesn’t get caught up in making deals at the marketplace. He concentrates on carrying out orders. An athlete who refuses to play by the rules will never get anywhere. It’s the diligent farmer who gets the produce. Think it over. God will make it all plain.” (2 Timothy 2:1-7 MSG)

Therefore, I agree, the tests, trials, challenges, frustrations, rough times and tough seasons can weary you, however, you have to remember the reason you don’t allow your weariness to overwhelm you to the point you quit: “Let’s not get tired of doing good, because in time we’ll have a harvest if we don’t give up.” (Galatians 6:9 CEB).

Therefore, I encourage you my brothers and sisters to continue to press on, because there’s a prize at the end of the pressure! “Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I PRESS TOWARD THE MARK FOR THE PRIZE OF THE HIGH CALLING OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS.” (Philippians 3:12-14). I Challenge You to Let the Pressure, Press You and Push You to attain Possession of Your Prize!

Now, to Developing Night Vision!

In our dark seasons of struggle, stress and strife, sometimes God doesn’t tell us WHY because He wants us to know WHO! In Psalm 23, David goes from talking ABOUT God, “The Lord is my Shepherd…” (vs. 1) to talking WITH God, “…Thou art with me…” (vs. 4). So what happened in between? David learned that no matter how dark the way is, the Lord is there to guide us, “…He leadeth me beside…still waters…He leadeth me in…paths of righteousness…” (vss. 2-3). He discovered that it’s better to walk through the valley with God than stand on the mountaintop without Him! Church, if you haven’t reached this level of faith and trust in God, keep stretching! It’s mandatory that you reach it! Practice talking like David!

Psalm 23 – “God, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, You find me quiet pools to drink from. True to Your word, You let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction. Even when the way goes through Death Valley, I’m not afraid when You walk at my side. Your trusty shepherd’s crook makes me feel secure. You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies. You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing. Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life. I’m back home in the house of God for the rest of my life.” (MSG)

David learned something that we all need to learn, especially when traveling through the dark and even death valley’s of life. He learned to trust God even when he couldn’t trace Him. Why? Because God is a covenant keeper of His Word, and His Word has made you promises that will not fail! And those promises hold true even when God doesn’t immediately light the path for your way out of darkness. “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.” (Isaiah 43:2). The Message Bible says it like this: “…Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you. I’ve called your name. You’re mine. When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you. When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down. When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end – Because I am God, your personal God, The Holy of Israel, your Savior. I paid a huge price for you: all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba throw in! That’s how much I love you! I’d sell off the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you.” (vss. 1-4 MSG)

Does that sound like you’re walking in the dark alone? I think not!

Family, when you feel like you’re out in the depth or in over your head, claim the Isaiah 43:2 promise and let it be a light of hope in your dark season! Remember, no matter how dark your road gets, Faith can do more for your vision than Pearle Vision and Lens Crafters combined! Increase your faith so your doubt doesn’t cause you to miss God in the dark! 2 Corinthians 5:7, “(For we walk by faith, not by sight.” The Message Bible says it like this: “That’s why we live with such good cheer. You won’t see us drooping our heads or dragging our feet! Cramped conditions here don’t get us down. They only remind us of the spacious living conditions ahead. It’s what we trust in but don’t yet see that keeps us going. Do you suppose a few ruts in the road or rocks in the path are going to stop us? When the time comes, we’ll be plenty ready to exchange exile for homecoming.” (MSG)

That’s the kind of faith that keeps your focus on point!

Listen: Job had many unanswered questions, but when he began to understand the difference between REASON and RELATIONSHIP, he told God in Job 42:5, “I had heard of You [only] by hearing of the ear, But now my [spiritual] eye sees You.” (AMP). The Message Bible says it like this, “Job answered God: “I’m convinced: You can do anything and everything. Nothing and no one can upset your plans. You asked, ‘Who is this muddying the water, ignorantly confusing the issue, second-guessing my purposes?’ I admit it. I was the one. I babbled on about things far beyond me, made small talk about wonders way over my head. You told me, ‘Listen, and let me do the talking. Let me ask the questions. You give the answers.’ I admit I once lived by rumors of You; now I have it all firsthand—from my own eyes and ears! I’m sorry—forgive me. I’ll never do that again, I promise! I’ll never again live on crusts of hearsay, crumbs of rumor.” (MSG)

Job teaches us that when you can’t find the REASON, simply trust the RELATIONSHIP! God won’t fail you! Even when you act like Sarai and try to help Him out with your own back-up plan; or like Job, you try to foolishly speak on God’s behalf, yet God remains in His relationship to us and with us, regardless of our poor judgment in trying to find our own light in the dark. In fact, Job’s relationship is deepened because in his own words, he only lived on rumors about God, but now after trusting Him through a dark season, he can now say, I have firsthand knowledge of God with my own eyes and ears. He no longer needed anyone to tell him about God, he learned of God from God! And what’s one of the lessons Job learned? You can trust God with everything, even when a dark season leaves you with nothing!

But, there is something else you should know about darkness and that is: Contrary to what you may think, DARKNESS isn’t always the work of the enemy! In actuality, it’s often God’s best teaching tool! Listen to the Bible: “LATE AT NIGHT, the boat was far out at sea; Jesus was still by himself on land. He could see his men struggling with the oars, the wind having come up against them. At about four o’clock in the morning, Jesus came toward them walking on the sea. He intended to go right by them. But when they saw him walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost and screamed, scared out of their wits. Jesus was quick to comfort them: “Courage! It’s me. Don’t be afraid.” As soon as he climbed into the boat, the wind died down. They were stunned, shaking their heads, wondering what was going on. They didn’t understand what he had done at the supper. None of this had yet penetrated their hearts.” (Mark 6:48-52 MSG).

Truth is, you get to know the Lord by going through storms WITH Him! Yes, it was “LATE AT NIGHT”, but aren’t you glad your GOD still works the NIGHT SHIFT?!

The Psalmist said, “EVEN THE DARKNESS WILL NOT BE DARK TO YOU; THE NIGHT WILL SHINE LIKE THE DAY, FOR DARKNESS IS AS LIGHT TO YOU” (139:12 NIV). So instead of running from your problems, ask God to develop your night vision, and when He does, remember He promised to “…GIVE YOU TREASURES HIDDEN IN DARK AND SECRET PLACES…” (Isaiah 45:3 CEV).

Remember, just because your situation is too dark for you, doesn’t mean it will EVER be too dark for God!

Now to take it just a little step further, when the darkness you’re experiencing is God-Ordained, don’t try to create your own light! The Bible says, “…walk in the light of the fires YOU HAVE SET. But with his own hand, the LORD WILL PUNISH YOU AND MAKE YOU SUFFER” (Isaiah 50:11 CEV). Attempting to light your own way, will only lead to further, and might I add, Unnecessary, suffering! For example: Abraham And Sarah decided to kindle their own fire when God’s promise of an heir didn’t materialize quickly enough. So they ended up with Ishmael, and ended up creating problems that would last for generations!

Therefore, Never Attempt to Make Decisions In the Dark! All You Need to do is See, Hear and Trust God!

NEVER Attempt to Make Your Own Light in Your Dark Seasons!

As a matter of fact, when you’re in darkness, by divine design, simply recall these great promises:

“Light arises in…darkness for the upright…” (Psalm 112:4 AMP); and “…weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5). Your dark seasons will not last always, but while they are here, trust God in the dark as though it were already light! Remember: He’s God in the Mountains and the Valley’s alike! Listen: The forty days Moses spent alone on the mountain, Elijah’s stay on Mt. Horeb, and Paul’s years in the Arabian Desert weren’t wasted experiences; they were all part of God’s plan! Likewise, darkness can’t detour your destiny! Simply Develop Your Night Vision and See the Great Treasures God Has In Store For You…Surely that will Lighten Your Dark Places…for it’s often in our Dark Seasons when we See God Brighter than ever before!

Learn to Develop Night Vision So You Can Learn to Trust God Even in the Dark!

“To trust God in the light is nothing, but trust Him in the dark…that’s faith.” (C.H. Spurgeon)

“Trust God in the dark, until the light returns.” (Aiden Wilson Tozer)

“Never doubt in the dark what God has shown you in the light.” (Author Unknown)

“When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don’t throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer. Trust God today no matter how dark your situation. God says, ‘you are coming out!’” (Christine Caine)

“When you trust God to fulfill the promises He’s given you, all the forces of darkness cannot stop God from bringing your dreams to pass.” (Author Unknown)

“I would sooner walk in the dark, and hold hard to a promise of my God, than trust in the light of the brightest day that ever dawned.” (Charles Spurgeon)

“Heavenly Father, I may not understand how everything will work out, but I trust You. I don’t see a way, but I know You will make a way. I have faith at this very moment You are touching hearts, opening doors, and lining up the right breaks and right opportunities. Things may look dark and bleak now, but I have faith that my dawn is coming! In Jesus’ name.” (Author Unknown)

“It is the easiest thing in the world to obey God when He commands us to do what we like, and to trust Him when the path is all sunshine. The real victory of faith is to trust God in the dark, and through the dark.” (Theodore L. Cuyler)

“Trusting God when the miracle does not come, when the urgent prayer gets no answer, when there is only darkness – this is the kind of faith God values perhaps most of all. This is the kind of faith that can be developed and displayed only in the midst of difficult circumstances. This is the kind of faith that cannot be shaken because it is the result of having already been shaken.” (Nancy Gutherie)

“Confession is the statement of truth based on the ‘WORD’. You might be in the night season of your life but don’t allow it to change your confession. You have to trust God in the darkness with what He told you in the light. Keep declaring His Word till your change manifests. The Word of God Never Fails and Never Lies.” (Author Unknown)

“It takes faith to trust God in times of trouble, especially when the boat you’re in is being tossed to and fro in the dark.” (Rosa Watson)

“True worship doesn’t put on a show or make a fuss; true worship isn’t forced, isn’t half-hearted, doesn’t keep looking at its watch, doesn’t worry what the person in the next pew is doing. True worship is open to God, adoring God, waiting for God, trusting God…even in the dark.” (N.T. Wright)

“It is not my responsibility in what form God answers my questions for guidance. That, is quite safe in His hands. The only thing that I know is that God is light, and not darkness. Those who trust Him, He does not leave in darkness. He is a very, very good shepherd.” (Corrie ten Boom)

“Faith is the bird that feels the light when the dawn is still dark.” (Rabindranath Tagore)

“The tiny Seed knew that in order to Grow it needed to be Dropped in Dirt, Covered in Darkness, and Struggle to Reach the Light.” (Author Unknown)

“Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all the darkness.” (Desmond Tutu)

“The ultimate test of faith is not how loudly you praise God in happy times but how deeply you trust Him in dark times.” (Rick Warren)

Much Love, Dr. Shermaine #EnjoyTheRead #BeInspired #BeEncouraged #BeEmpowered #BeChallenged #ShareTheWordFeel free to also join us at: http://www.selfcarewithdrshermaine.blogspot.com Today’s Lesson: “Surprising Signs You’re Not Moving Enough”

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“Surviving Disappointment”

Proverbs 13:12, “Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heartsick, but a…good break can turn life around.”

If you’re still living—then disappointment is inevitable! Webster defines disappointment as, “When expectations fail to be met, producing anger, frustration, sadness and discouragement.”

With that said, here are some examples to help you when:

1.. YOUR DISAPPOINTED WITH THOSE YOU LOOK UP TO: Think of Samuel and Eli (1 Samuel 1-4). Samuel’s mother entrusted her child to Eli the High Priest, confident he’d mentor and prepare him for God’s service. But Eli had a serious character flaw! He was a weak, passive parent who stood by while his own sons abused their priestly privilege, bringing shame and disrepute to the family and ministry! There’s a very befitting quote that says, “He who thinketh he leadeth and hath no one following him is only taking a walk.” (Author Unknown) I believe it’s fair to say that Eli was “…only taking a walk.” I mean with a “mentor” like Eli, who’d have even blamed young Samuel for taking a nose dive right into the very heart of immorality, when the man he looked up to failed him so badly?! But no, instead he fielded his disappointment and kept his eyes on God: The Bible says, “…Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him.” (1 Samuel 3:19). And as a result, God turned him into one of Israel’s Greatest Prophets! Henry Ward Beecher accurately stated: “Ones best success comes after their greatest disappointment.” Well Done Samuel, Well Done! So, how are we to deal with the disappointment we feel in those we look up to, that let us down? Because it’s bound to happen at some point in life. Whether it’s a parent, clergy, family, friend, business associate, spouse, governmental official, etc, we are bound to be let down by those we look up to. But does that give us license to lower our standards because they didn’t raise theirs? Absolutely Not! Samuel grew and the Lord was with him. You see, even when Eli messed up his Role, Samuel maintained his Character. He never attacked Eli, he didn’t bash him, he didn’t talk about him, he didn’t spread rumors, lies, gossip or even Truth about him. No, Samuel just lived the life of a good leader, which reminds us that we can point fingers and lay blame, but where does that get us, even if we’re in the right?! The better bet is to take the high road. Live right, think right, speak right, behave right, no matter how wrong your surroundings or the people in them. So the next time someone you look up to let’s you down, keep them in prayer and be a mirror to them showing them the reflection of what good (not perfect) looks like. Why? Because Eli died and missed out, but the person you look up to doesn’t have to. So, share your heart with them gently and honestly, then whether they agree or disagree, you move onward showing everyone that you can learn a good lesson even from a bad example! Don’t judge them, just refuse to make their same errors in judgment. You can do it, I know you can!

2.. YOU’RE DISAPPOINTED IN THOSE YOU LIVE WITH: If anyone wouldn’t let you down, surely it would be your family, right? Wrong! Just ask young Joseph. When his father favors him and God promised him a big dream you’d think his own blood brothers would celebrate him, and celebrate with him! But instead they responded with jealousy, anger, spite, bitterness, ridicule and resentment, while dropping him in a pit, then selling him into slavery! Far from friends and home he languished in prison for a crime he didn’t commit! What an invitation to bitterness, and an opportunity to rehearse the wrongs done him while plotting his revenge. But if he’d done that, he’d have died an innocent, unknown convict in a foreign jail! Instead he allowed God to vindicate him, using his circumstances to position, prepare and promote him to being Egypt’s Prime Minister—now that’s how you deal with disappointment! Robert Kiyosaki said: “The size of your success is measured by the strength of your desire; the size of your dream; and how you handle disappointment along the way.” Well Done Joseph, Well Done! So, how do you deal with family, your own blood, that stabs you in the back? What happens when the attack is from an assailant under your own roof? What do you do when it’s your sibling that drops you in the pit, or your cousin that sells you out, or your auntie that lands you behind bars?! How do you recover when it was a relative that inflicted the hurt?! You do as Joseph did, you trust God throughout the entire process! Nowhere do we read that Joseph cried out ‘why me God’; he didn’t blame dad for not being there to protect him; he didn’t retaliate against the cup-bearer who forgot him; he didn’t get angry with the whole world and try to issue his own form of the big payback. As he went from disaster to disaster God never left his side. In every bad, God produced something good. Now, is it easy, especially when it’s blood, to just trust the vindication and vengeance to God alone? No! But it’s the best way to handle it, to put what you will mishandle in the hands of God! In the end, those same relatives had to come and bow before Joseph, will that happen with you, probably not, but isn’t it worth it to trust God and let Him work? Maybe, just maybe, you’ll at least get the apology and more importantly, you’ll get the reconciliation. Saints, take the high road my friends, even when it’s family that’s trying to drive you off course!

3.. YOU’RE DISAPPOINTED IN THOSE YOU WORK WITH AND DEPEND ON: To succeed, you need people; you can’t make it without them! And when those people fail you, it’s painful. Imagine Moses’ disappointment. He leaves his brother Aaron in charge while he attends a summit conference with God and receives the Ten Commandments. Returning, he finds Israel in anarchy, idolatry and unspeakable perversion! And where’s Aaron you ask? Leading the Rebellion! When Moses needs him Most, Aaron fails him Miserably! But watch Moses; true leadership shines even in darkest of disappointment! He confronts Aaron, takes the mess to God for resolution, and prays forgiveness for Israel! God listens, then reminds Moses of his assignment! [It’s disappointing, Moses, but…] – “…go, lead the people…my angel will go before you…” (Exodus 32:34 NIV). People of God, disappointment doesn’t cancel your assignment—nor does it close the door on God’s presence! So, go forth, even in the midst of disappointment, and do what He sent you to do! “Man must be disappointed with the lesser things of life before he can comprehend the full value of the greater.” (Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton). Well Done Moses, Well Done! So leaders, dare I even ask if you’ve ever been disappointed by your leaders? Surely you have, many of us have. But that doesn’t mean you disown them; you don’t give up on them; you don’t give them the cold shoulder; you don’t attempt to replace them; you don’t ignore them; and certainly you don’t retaliate tit-for-tat with them! No, you follow Moses’ example. Take the issue before God! Let Him tell you how to handle it, not your ‘inner circle’; not your clique; not your buddies and pals; not people you know don’t like them; and certainly you don’t attempt to get back at them from over the pulpit! Moses took the issue he had with Aaron his leader, to God. And God could’ve told Moses get rid of Aaron, you don’t need him, you’re the key person to this assignment anyhow. No, He simply tells Moses to not focus on the attack but on his assignment, “…go, lead the people…my angel will go before you…” Leaders, I do not have to tell you just how difficult it is to lead people, especially those who are stiff-necked, hard headed and rebellious! But do you get to retaliate? Nope! You are still held accountable for your leadership, your life and lifestyle and your responses to offense. Your character and integrity must remain intact. You must still be above reproach, even when those you lead keep falling under it! Yes, the disappointment hurts, but you can’t let the wound infect your assignment. Do what Moses did, take it to God, receive His directives, and continue on. Why? Because God said, “…go, lead the people…” which means others will be affected by how you respond when disappointed. Don’t let childish immaturity be the only way your followers can describe your leadership. Handle it, rise above it and keep moving the people forward! Don’t mess up your ministry because you’re mad!

4.. YOU’RE DISAPPOINTED IN THOSE YOU’VE POURED YOUR LIFE INTO: Let’s check in again with Moses, Founding Pastor of the First Church of the Critical and the Ungrateful, a congregation of former slaves, delivered, abundantly blessed, en route to the Promised Land, but without a shred of loyalty or gratitude for the man who put everything on the line to make it all possible! Fresh out of Egypt they turn on Moses, accusing, blaming and berating him (Exodus 14). Was Moses disappointed and hurt by it? Sure, who wouldn’t be?! But each time he wanted to quit he’d discuss it with God, pray for his complaining flock, receive fresh orders from headquarters and return to work! It’s what “God-Called” men and women do when they’re disappointed and feel like giving up! “If you use disappointments as sort of mid-semester exams, for learning, you will learn that every disappointment you overcome makes you stronger—and wiser. The greatest success stories have been lived by those who had to grow strong and wise in that very way.” (Loretta Young). Once Again, Well Done Moses, Well Done! Leaders, once again I want to encourage you, because it’s not easy to take one vision and try to get an entire house to see and follow it. I know it would be absolutely wonderful to have the whole house on the same page, however, realistically, our churches are family trees with a whole lot of mixed nuts! One person wants the school; the other person thinks the school won’t work; the other person doesn’t mind a school, but doesn’t like the blueprint of the school, and all the while you wish you could throw all of them in detention and keep building the vision by yourself. But unfortunately pastors, it doesn’t quite work out that way. We’re apart of One body with many members, and every member is vital to the health and well being of the whole. So even when it seems like you can’t get one good solid supporter, remember you always have God and with Him you are in the majority! Moses led a frustrated, frustrating bunch of complainers, but did he throw in the towel? No, and neither will you. Like it or not, but you will pour even more of your life into the people, and some of them have eternal leaks, but that’s not your problem! Their capacity is for God to handle, you simply pour of yourself into them. God will never allow you to dry out and die, He will continue to replenish you, His Chosen Vessel of Honor. Therefore, understand that disappointment will visit, but don’t let it move in! Stay the course, God’s got you!  

Now take a moment and look at 1 Samuel 15:10-12, “…God spoke to Samuel: “I’m sorry I ever made Saul king. He’s turned his back on me. He refuses to do what I tell him.” Samuel was angry when he heard this. He prayed his anger and disappointment all through the night…” (MSG). As already stated, if you’re still living—disappointment is inevitable! But might I add, it’s not ‘Impregnable’, which means ‘Unable To Overcome’! You see, when anger and disappointment threatened Samuel, he fought back in Prayer! If you’re smart, you’ll do the same! Disappointment only delivers a death blow to those who don’t fight back! You can literally read those verses and feel Samuel’s anger, after all, do you know how mad you have to be to pray angry and disappointed…All Through the Night?! But sometimes prayer is the best thing, because when you’re hurt, angry and disappointed, your mouth runs faster than your mind. So you have a tendency to say some things that you meant to say and a whole lot more that you didn’t! But when you empty all of that out to God in prayer, He’s a master-sorter, He knows how to pick through that prayer for what’s really needed. Therefore, no matter how great the disappointment, take it to God FIRST in prayer, even if you have to enter your prayer closet hurt, disappointed, bitter, angry, confused, rejected, abandoned, used, betrayed, lied on, suicidal, take it all to God in prayer, even if that prayer will last long into the night! Thank God, He never sleeps or slumbers! Take it to Him, then rest in Him, knowing He’s going to bring something good, out of your something bad!

Now, we’ve talked about disappointment with those we look up to; those we live with; those we work with and depend on and those we’ve poured our life into. But, there’s one last disappointment I want us to dig into, and that’s:

5.. DISAPPOINTMENT IN OURSELVES! It’s potentially the most debilitating kind of disappointment because it can throw you into a downward spiral that’s hard to stop or recover from! Rollo May said: “Depression is the inability to construct a future.” And for most of us, who can tell the whole truth, we’ve had so many little disappointments along the way that we can’t even fathom a pencil-sketch of a big future! Well, there’s an even better quote that I want you to hold on to by Albert Ellis, he said: “You largely Construct your depression. It wasn’t given to you. Therefore, You can Deconstruct it.” You see, mounting disappointments are a map with all directions pointing towards the destination of depression! But remember, anything you can CONSTRUCT, you can also DECONSTRUCT, or ‘cause the destruction of”. The other definition I like is, “to dismantle and expose the workings of.” If you’ve built up and constructed disappointments in your life, you can also grab your toolkit and deconstruct those same disappointments. Take them apart, dismantle them and expose the works behind them, so you can ensure that what worked before in building that disappointment, won’t ever work again! And even if “YOU” brought the discouragement, disappointment and depression on yourself, there is still a way to recover! JUST ASK PETER! Peter had sworn undying love and fidelity to Jesus. “Lord, everybody else may abandon you, but not me! I’m yours till death.” (Read—Matthew 26:33-75). And he meant every word of it! But under the pressures surrounding the crucifixion, he yields, and three times denies knowing Jesus. Later, remembering Jesus’ words, “Before the rooster crows, you’ll deny me three times,” Peter, heartbroken BY HIS OWN DISMAL FAILURE, “went outside and wept bitterly.” (Luke 22:62 NIV).

Have you ever been there, asking: “God, how can You possibly use someone as messed up as me?” I lost the job; I flunked out of school; I had this baby out of wedlock; I have a prison record; I fell off the wagon again; I’ve destroyed my finances; my health is falling apart; my marriage is on life support and we’re both ready to pull the plug; I can’t even remember the last time I prayed or fasted or studied Your word; I can’t remember the last time my hands clapped, my feet danced or praise was on my lips and worship in my spirit. Lord my family is a feuding mess; the loans were denied; the bills are about to drown me; there’s so much to pray for regarding my kids, I don’t even know where to start; my parents are getting sicker; God I can’t get two sentences to make sense in my head, Lord, why are you still trying to use me?!

Listen, Peter failed to meet his own expectations, but Jesus was never shocked! He was well aware of Peter’s flaws when He called him into the ministry. He knew that His blustering, outspoken disciple had a tender heart, so He extended grace to him rather than remove him from office! And as disqualified as you may feel from all of your disappointments in life, God is not going to remove you from office or your assignment either!  

When Christ gave post-resurrection orders to “…tell His disciples and Peter…” (Mark 16:7 NIV) to meet Him in Galilee, He reaffirmed His choice of the failed disciple! The rest of Peter’s story is New Testament History!

So, Yes, You Can Recover Even From Disappointment In Yourself!

Never forget, God is the Master Potter, and no matter how many times we His clay become marred in His hands, He never throws us away! We’re never discarded! He simply molds us again into another vessel He can use again.

Jeremiah 18:1-6, “God told Jeremiah, “Up on your feet! Go to the potter’s house. When you get there, I’ll tell you what I have to say.” So I went to the potter’s house, and sure enough, the potter was there, working away at his wheel. Whenever the pot the potter was working on turned out badly, as sometimes happens when you are working with clay, THE POTTER WOULD SIMPLY START OVER AND USE THE SAME CLAY TO MAKE ANOTHER POT. Then God’s Message came to me: “Can’t I do just as this potter does, people of Israel?” God’s Decree! “Watch this potter. In the same way that this potter works his clay, I work on you, people of Israel. At any moment I may decide to pull up a people or a country by the roots and get rid of them. But if they repent of their wicked lives, I will think twice and start over with them. At another time I might decide to plant a people or country, but if they don’t cooperate and won’t listen to me, I will think again and give up on the plans I had for them.” (MSG)

So let up on yourself! If you think you’ve ruined God’s purpose and plan for your life because of your screw ups, you clearly have underestimated God’s love, care, protection and provision for you! You are not strong enough on your worst day to dismantle God’s assignment on your life! Neither your mistakes nor your deliberate, willful sin, can hinder what God has for you! So know this, today is the day you forgive yourself and determine to be better today than you were yesterday, and better tomorrow than you’ll be today! Every day He gives you brand new mercies, and not so you can keep going over old disappointments.

Friends, if last night wasn’t your LAST night, God still has much in store for you! So stop beating yourself up, sometimes God uses our greatest disappointments as reappointments to life and ministry! He hasn’t given up on you, so don’t give up on yourself! It’s a new day, make a renewed you, and fulfill your purpose in life! God is waiting to hand you your next assignment, now get back to work!

THIS IS THE YEAR YOU OVERCOME AND SURVIVE EVERY DISAPPOINTMENT!

“Anytime you suffer a setback or disappointment, put your head down and plow ahead.” (Les Brown)

“When you believe in your purpose, you can work through obstacles, overcome disappointments, and endure hardships.” (Billy Cox)

“There will be disappointments in life. It’s okay to feel sad, just don’t wallow for longer than necessary.” (Author Unknown)

“Disappointments are just God’s way of saying, ‘I’ve got something better.’ So be patient, have faith and live your life.” (Author Unknown)

“Disappointments are natural life occurrences. Their lifespan depends on how long they dominate your thoughts. The shorter…the better your life will be.” (Dodinsky)

“Disappointments were not meant to destroy you. They were meant to strengthen you and give you fortitude to accomplish your destiny.” (Joel Osteen)

“Disappointments are inevitable, Discouragement is a choice.” (Author Unknown)

“It is how you handle your disappointments that define you as a person. If you get up after the fall or just lay there in defeat.” (Author Unknown)

“When you find your path, you must not be afraid. You need to have sufficient courage to make mistakes. Disappointments, defeat and despair are the tools God uses to show us the way.” (Paulo Coelho)

“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.” (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.)

Much Love, Dr. Shermaine #EnjoyTheRead #BeInspired #BeEncouraged #BeEmpowered #BeChallenged #ShareTheWordFeel free to also join us at: http://www.selfcarewithdrshermaine.blogspot.com Today’s Lesson: “12 Habits of Super-Healthy People”

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“Lift, Look and Live!”

John 3:14-16, “And just as Moses LIFTED up the serpent in the desert [on a pole], so must [so it is necessary that] the Son of Man be LIFTED up [on the cross], In order that everyone who believes in Him [who cleaves to Him, trusts Him, and relies on Him] may not perish, but have eternal life and [actually] LIVE forever! For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.” (AMPC)

During Pete’s college years, his wife Nina spent part of a summer as a counselor at a Bible camp that was buried deep in the mountains. I mean like deep in the mountains – deep enough in the mountains that the rattlesnakes are plentiful and feel right at home! One day as she was hiking with her girls through the woods, they all heard what they thought was just a branch or a stick breaking. Until they realized that one of the girls had been struck in the leg by a rattlesnake. Now Nina was someone you wanted to have around you when there was a crisis because she’s always a cool head. She ran to the nearby camp and immediately went for the box in the infirmary that said Snake Bite Kit on it. But her heart sank when she opened it. Why? Because the LIFE-SAVING KIT WAS EMPTY! Thankfully, they were able to get that girl to a hospital in time to save her life, NO THANKS TO THE EMPTY SNAKE BITE KIT!

It’s a terrible thing to realize that the thing that CLAIMS to be able to SAVE YOUR LIFE really has NOTHING THAT CAN HELP! As you read the pages of the Bible, you discover that the religions of the world are much like that. Every religion motivates its followers with the same promise – some form of heaven, and eternal life if you’re a “good follower” of “whatever” or “whoever.” But sadly, religion does not, for the most part, offer a cure for the deadly infection we have which is SIN AND ITS ETERNAL DEATH PENALTY. And just in case you didn’t know it, there’s a huge difference between RELIGION and RELATIONSHIP!

“Christianity is not a religion or a philosophy, but a relationship and a lifestyle. The core of that lifestyle is thinking of others as Jesus did, instead of ourselves.” (Rick Warren)

“Religion wants to see your report card, but Jesus wants to see your heart.” (Jarrid Wilson)

“Jesus didn’t come to start a religion. He came to have a relationship with you. He has a purpose and a destiny for your life.” (Author Unknown)

“Jesus wants a Relationship; Satan wants Religion.” (Author Unknown)

“Jesus didn’t die so you can have a religion, He died so you can have a relationship with your Heavenly Father.” (Author Unknown)

“Christianity is a relationship not a religion. I did not convert, I was reborn.” (Author Unknown)

“Religion puts you in bondage, while Jesus sets you free. Religion makes you blind while Jesus makes you see” (Tia Pugh)

“Salvation is not a religion. It’s not rules or regulations or rituals. Salvation is a relationship. That relationship doesn’t begin when you get to Heaven; it begins here on Earth.” (Rick Warren)

“Religion can be anything! But true Christianity is God coming to man in a personal relationship.” (Billy Graham)

I Reiterate, There’s a HUGE Difference Between Religion and Relationship!

Speaking of relationship, there may be no more famous verse in all the Bible than John 3:16. It says, “GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONE AND ONLY SON, THAT WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE.” Interestingly enough, the verses that immediately precede that description of God’s plan for saving us talks about a snake. In John 3:14-15, He says, “Just as Moses LIFTED UP the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be LIFTED UP, that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal LIFE. God so loved the world…”

In order to understand this snake thing, and more importantly, to understand the only way your sins can be forgiven and you can go to heaven, is to go back to Numbers 21 in the Old Testament where this snake incident took place. Venomous snakes have attacked God’s people in the desert, and many of those people are dying. So, God says to Moses, “‘make a snake and PUT IT UP ON A POLE; anyone who is bitten can LOOK at it and LIVE'” (Numbers 21:8-9). The Amplified Bible reads like this: “And the Lord said to Moses, Make a fiery serpent [of bronze] and SET IT ON A POLE; and everyone who is bitten, when he LOOKS at it, shall LIVE. And Moses made a serpent of bronze and PUT IT ON A POLE, and if a serpent had bitten any man, when he LOOKED to the serpent of bronze [attentively, expectantly, with a steady and absorbing gaze], he LIVED.” (AMPC) Their only hope was to LOOK at what God told Moses to LIFT up to save them.

FOR US, THAT IS JESUS, GOD’S SON, DYING ON THAT CROSS. John 12:32, “And I, if and when I am LIFTED UP from the earth [ON THE CROSS], WILL DRAW AND ATTRACT ALL MEN [GENTILES AS WELL AS JEWS] TO MYSELF.” (AMPC) We’ve all been bitten by the deadly snake called SIN. None of the great moralities, none of the great religions can possibly pay the death penalty for our sin. You see, getting to Heaven isn’t just about putting enough good on one side of the scale to balance the bad on the other; it’s about satisfying a death penalty, and it took Jesus Christ’s death to do that. You have to LOOK to Him as the ONLY ONE who can save you. John 14:6, “JESUS SAID TO HIM, I AM THE WAY AND THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE; NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT BY (THROUGH) ME.” (AMPC); Acts 4:12, “AND THERE IS SALVATION IN AND THROUGH NO ONE ELSE, FOR THERE IS NO OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN GIVEN AMONG MEN BY AND IN WHICH WE MUST BE SAVED.” (AMPC); Romans 10:9-10, “BECAUSE IF YOU ACKNOWLEDGE AND CONFESS WITH YOUR LIPS THAT JESUS IS LORD AND IN YOUR HEART BELIEVE (ADHERE TO, TRUST IN, AND RELY ON THE TRUTH) THAT GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD, YOU WILL BE SAVED. FOR WITH THE HEART A PERSON BELIEVES (ADHERES TO, TRUSTS IN, AND RELIES ON CHRIST) AND SO IS JUSTIFIED (DECLARED RIGHTEOUS, ACCEPTABLE TO GOD), AND WITH THE MOUTH HE CONFESSES (DECLARES OPENLY AND SPEAKS OUT FREELY HIS FAITH) AND CONFIRMS [HIS] SALVATION.” (AMPC); Matthew 1:21, “SHE WILL BEAR A SON, AND YOU SHALL CALL HIS NAME JESUS [THE GREEK FORM OF THE HEBREW JOSHUA, WHICH MEANS SAVIOR], FOR HE WILL SAVE HIS PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS [THAT IS, PREVENT THEM FROM FAILING AND MISSING THE TRUE END AND SCOPE OF LIFE, WHICH IS GOD].” (AMPC)

One of the First things you need to keep in mind is that JESUS is your ONLY means to Salvation! No matter how many other ‘ways’ you may hear about, it is Jesus Alone! MATTHEW 17:8, “AND WHEN THEY RAISED THEIR EYES, THEY SAW NO ONE BUT JESUS ONLY.” (AMPC) Which reminds me of the old hymn “Jesus Only” by Charles P. Jones. Just one verse says: “JESUS ONLY is my motto, JESUS ONLY is my song, JESUS ONLY is my heart tho’t, JESUS ONLY all day long. NONE BUT JESUS, Savior, Captain, NONE BUT JESUS help me sing, fill me ever with They presence, Jesus, Jesus, Lord and King.” If you take nothing else away from this devotional, remember always, that Jesus ONLY is your way to Salvation!

Truth is, we the CHURCH have to get back to this being our job and responsibility, to make sure that we’re LIFTING up JESUS ONLY in our Houses of Worship. We’ve become so focused on lifting names; positions; and gifts, that we’ve lost sight of LIFTING Jesus! But the Scripture says: “AND I, IF AND WHEN I AM LIFTED UP FROM THE EARTH [ON THE CROSS], WILL DRAW AND ATTRACT ALL MEN [GENTILES AS WELL AS JEWS] TO MYSELF.” (John 12:32 AMPC) Jesus was already lifted up on the cross, He was crucified and resurrected and now sits at the right hand of the Father ever living to make intercession for us. So, Jesus is NOT being crucified again.

THEREFORE, IT’S OUR JOB AND RESPONSIBILITY AS BELIEVERS, THE CHURCH, AND CHRISTIANS TO LIFT HIM UP! Remember These Scriptures About Lifting! Nehemiah 8:6, “And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God. And all the people answered, Amen, Amen, LIFTING up their hands; and they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with faces to the ground.” (AMPC); Psalm 63:4, “So will I bless You while I live; I will LIFT up my hands in Your name.” (AMPC); Lamentations 3:41, “Let us LIFT up our hearts and our hands [and then with them mount up in prayer] to God in heaven:” (AMPC)

WE ARE NOT TO LIFT UP OURSELVES! Psalm 75:4-7, “I said to the arrogant and boastful, Deal not arrogantly [do not boast]; and to the wicked, LIFT NOT UP THE HORN [OF PERSONAL AGGRANDIZEMENT]. LIFT NOT UP YOUR [AGGRESSIVE] HORN ON HIGH, speak not with a stiff neck and insolent arrogance. FOR NOT FROM THE EAST NOR FROM THE WEST NOR FROM THE SOUTH COME PROMOTION AND LIFTING UP. BUT GOD IS THE JUDGE! HE PUTS DOWN ONE AND LIFTS UP ANOTHER.” (AMPC); Isaiah 2:12-14, “For there shall be a day of the Lord of hosts against all who are proud and haughty and against all who are LIFTED UP—and they shall be brought low— [The wrath of God will begin by coming down] against all the cedars of Lebanon [west of the Jordan] that are HIGH AND LIFTED UP, and against all the oaks of Bashan [east of the Jordan], And [after that] against all the high mountains and all the hills that are LIFTED UP,” (AMPC); Daniel 5:20, 23, “But when his heart was LIFTED UP and his mind and spirit were hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was deposed from his kingly throne and his glory was taken from him;… And you have LIFTED YOURSELF UP AGAINST THE LORD OF HEAVEN, and the vessels of His house have been brought before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them; and you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know; but the God in Whose hand your breath is and Whose are all your ways you have not honored and glorified [but have dishonored and disgraced].” (AMPC);

HOWEVER, GOD IS SO GREAT THAT EVEN WHEN WE LIFT HIM, HE IN TURN LIFTS US! 1 Samuel 2:7-8, “The Lord makes poor and makes rich; HE BRINGS LOW AND HE LIFTS UP. He raises up the poor out of the dust and LIFTS UP the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with nobles and inherit the throne of glory. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and He has set the world upon them.” (AMPC); 2 Samuel 22:49, “Who brought me out from my enemies. You also LIFTED ME UP above those who rose up against me; You delivered me from the violent man.” (AMPC); Job 5:11, “So that He sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn HE LIFTS to safety.” (AMPC); Psalm 3:3, “But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, my glory, and the LIFTER of my head.” (AMPC); Psalm 18:48, “Who delivers me from my enemies; yes, You LIFT me up above those who rise up against me; You deliver me from the man of violence.” (AMPC); Isaiah 11:11, “And in that day the Lord shall again LIFT up His hand a second time to recover (acquire and deliver) the remnant of His people which is left, from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Pathros, from Ethiopia, from Elam [in Persia], from Shinar [Babylonia], from Hamath [in Upper Syria], and from the countries bordering on the [Mediterranean] Sea.” (AMPC); Mark 9:27, “But Jesus took [a strong grip of] his hand and began LIFTING him up, and he stood.” (AMPC); 1 Corinthians 2:7, “But rather what we are setting forth is a wisdom of God once hidden [from the human understanding] and now revealed to us by God—[that wisdom] which God devised and decreed before the ages for our glorification [to LIFT us into the glory of His presence].” (AMPC); James 4:10, “Humble yourselves [feeling very insignificant] in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you [He will LIFT you up and make your lives significant].” (AMPC)

I Reiterate, We Are to LIFT JESUS; We Are Not to LIFT Ourselves; and God in Turn Loves Us Enough to Even LIFT US!

However, in this scenario, we are to focus on LIFTING JESUS!

John 3:14-16, “And just as Moses LIFTED up the serpent in the desert [on a pole], so must [so it is necessary that] the Son of Man be LIFTED up [on the cross],In order that everyone who believes in Him [who cleaves to Him, trusts Him, and relies on Him] may not perish, but have eternal life and [actually] LIVE forever!For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.” (AMPC)

Jesus Loved Us Enough to Be Lifted On the Cross, and Now It’s Our Turn to Lift Him in Our Prayers, Praise, Worship, Services, Lives and Lifestyles. There are lives and souls at stake! There are still sheep that have yet to be added to the Lord’s fold, and it’s our responsibility (as sheep) to make sure they SEE HIM LIFTED UP HIGH! Our sermons and Sunday school lessons need to LIFT JESUS; the songs the praise teams and choirs sing need to LIFT JESUS; the way we treat people (friends, family, foes, coworkers, and even the unsaved needs to LIFT JESUS! Our behavior and conduct and mindset should all LIFT JESUS! We are created in His imagine and likeness; we are His believers, church, disciples, witnesses and ambassadors. And with that comes the responsibility to ensure everything about us LIFTS JESUS! Why? Because when we LIFT HIM; the people LOOK ON HIM; the people are SAVED BY HIM; and the people LIVE FOR HIM for all eternity! Isn’t that worth us focusing more on LIFTING JESUS instead of focusing so much on lifting ourselves!?

God’s people in the desert suffered snake bites, and there was no snake bite emergency kit to reach for. No, Moses had the responsibility to LIFT up the serpent that the people would look upon it and be healed. If God can provide healing by the people looking up at a serpent on a pole; imagine what He can provide for the people who LOOK to JESUS and LIVE! They will be healed; saved; delivered; restored; redeemed; forgiven; justified; made whole; have peace and joy added to every part and portion of their lives. And all we need to do is to make sure we LIFT HIM so the people can LOOK to HIM and LIVE!

Let us not be so concerned with people lifting us and looking up to us! WE are not the focal point! (2 Corinthians 4:7)

“We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. THIS MAKES IT CLEAR THAT OUR GREAT POWER IS FROM GOD, NOT FROM OURSELVES.” (NLT)

“We have this light from God in our human bodies. THIS SHOWS THAT THE POWER IS FROM GOD. IT IS NOT FROM OURSELVES.” (NLV)

“But we have this treasure in earthen containers, so that the EXTRAORDINARY GREATNESS OF THE POWER WILL BE OF GOD AND NOT FROM OURSELVES;” (NASB)

“…If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. THAT’S TO PREVENT ANYONE FROM CONFUSING GOD’S INCOMPARABLE POWER WITH US. AS IT IS, THERE’S NOT MUCH CHANCE OF THAT. YOU KNOW FOR YOURSELVES THAT WE’RE NOT MUCH TO LOOK AT…” (vss. 7-12 MSG)

“But this precious treasure—this light and power that now shine within us—is held in a perishable container, that is, in our weak bodies. EVERYONE CAN SEE THAT THE GLORIOUS POWER WITHIN MUST BE FROM GOD AND IS NOT OUR OWN.” (TLB)

“Yet we who have this spiritual treasure are like common clay pots, IN ORDER TO SHOW THAT THE SUPREME POWER BELONGS TO GOD, NOT TO US.” (GNT)

“Our bodies are made of clay, yet we have the treasure of the Good News in them. THIS SHOWS THAT THE SUPERIOR POWER OF THIS TREASURE BELONGS TO GOD AND DOESN’T COME FROM US.” (GWT)

“We are like clay jars in which this treasure is stored. THE REAL POWER COMES FROM GOD AND NOT FROM US.” (CEV)

“However, we possess this precious treasure [the divine Light of the Gospel] in [frail, human] vessels of earth, THAT THE GRANDEUR AND EXCEEDING GREATNESS OF THE POWER MAY BE SHOWN TO BE FROM GOD AND NOT FROM OURSELVES.” (AMPC)

CHURCH, ITS NOT ABOUT LIFTING US, IT’S ABOUT LIFTING JESUS! Let’s shift our focus back to where it should be, on JESUS!

John 12:30-33, “Jesus said, “The voice didn’t come for me but for you. At this moment the world is in crisis. Now Satan, the ruler of this world, will be thrown out. And I, as I am LIFTED up from the earth, will attract everyone to me and gather them around me.” He put it this way to show how he was going to be put to death.” (MSG)

Jesus knew He came to DIE that we might LIVE, and all we have to do is LIFT Him! Let our Houses of Worship not be like the opening story where a person in dire need to be saved, had someone reach for what would save them, and unfortunately it was empty! Let our churches not be emptied of the name of Jesus! Not the man upstairs; not ‘Him’ or even just using a vague term as ‘god’, but let’s make sure we are LIFTING the name of JESUS! We don’t want our churches to be FILLED with music, dancing, clapping, spinning, speaking in tongues, running, leaping, jumping, hollering and falling out. None of that saves souls. It’s not bad in and of itself, but people are saved by JESUS not our JUMPING! This weekend as we celebrate once again the Lord’s Supper, let’s remember the life, death, burial, resurrection and second coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. As we LIFT the wafer (His Body) and the juice (His Blood), let’s remember to LIFT HIM and HIS NAME. As we LIFT HIM; the people will LOOK to HIM; and LIVE!

Matthew 19:29, “And anyone and everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for My name’s sake will receive many [even a hundred] times more and will inherit ETERNAL LIFE.” (AMPC)

Acts 13:48, “And when the Gentiles heard this, they rejoiced and glorified (praised and gave thanks for) the Word of God; and as many as were destined (appointed and ordained) to ETERNAL LIFE believed (adhered to, trusted in, and relied on Jesus as the Christ and their Savior).” (AMPC)

Romans 6:22-23, “But now since you have been set free from sin and have become the slaves of God, you have your present reward in holiness and its end is ETERNAL LIFE. For the wages which sin pays is death, but the [bountiful] free gift of God is ETERNAL LIFE through (in union with) Jesus Christ our Lord.” (AMPC)

Galatians 6:8, “For he who sows to his own flesh (lower nature, sensuality) will from the flesh reap decay and ruin and destruction, but he who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap ETERNAL LIFE.” (AMPC)

1 Timothy 1:16, “But I obtained mercy for the reason that in me, as the foremost [of sinners], Jesus Christ might show forth and display all His perfect long-suffering and patience for an example to [encourage] those who would thereafter believe on Him for [the gaining of] ETERNAL LIFE.” (AMPC)

Titus 3:7, “[And He did it in order] that we might be justified by His grace (by His favor, wholly undeserved), [that we might be acknowledged and counted as conformed to the divine will in purpose, thought, and action], and that we might become heirs of ETERNAL LIFE according to [our] hope.” (AMPC)

1 John 5:13, “I write this to you who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) the name of the Son of God [in the peculiar services and blessings conferred by Him on men], so that you may know [with settled and absolute knowledge] that you [already] have life, yes, ETERNAL LIFE.” (AMPC)

SAINTS, LET’S LIFT JESUS, LOOK TO HIM AND LIVE!

Much Love, Dr. Shermaine #EnjoyTheRead #BeInspired #BeEncouraged #BeEmpowered #BeChallenged #ShareTheWordFeel free to also join us at: http://www.selfcarewithdrshermaine.blogspot.com Today’s Lesson: “What Happens When You Lose A Lot of Weight?”

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“Carry God Correctly!”

2 Samuel 6:3, “And they set the ark of God upon a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abindab, drove the new cart.” (AMP)                     

For those of you desiring to be a True Soul Winner for God, then the First Key you must remember is to Carry God Correctly!  

God cannot be sprayed on like cologne, used as a scent to cover up our sinful stench! Nor can He be used like a credit card, hidden, and taken out only when needed to be used! No, God Must Live IN You and Through You! 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “Do you not know that your body is the temple (the very sanctuary) of the Holy Spirit Who LIVES WITHIN YOU, Whom you have received [as a Gift] from God? You are not your own, You were bought with a price [purchased with a preciousness and paid for, made His own]. So then, honor God and bring glory to Him IN your body.” (AMP).

Truth is, it’s getting really hard for the people of God to be Effective in reaching out to the world because the world is starting to believe in their own Form of Righteousness and even though they have No Commitment to God, they believe that they are heaven bound! This is going to step on some Sanctified Toes, but the Truth of the Matter Is: This is the Churches Fault! 2 Timothy 3:5, “For [although] they hold a form of piety (true religion), they deny and reject and are strangers to the power of it [their conduct belies the genuineness of their profession]. Avoid [all] such people [turn away from them].” (AMP).

Church, We have made So Many Excuses For Ourselves, And Them, going after Money Instead of Deliverance or Preaching Feel Good Messages Instead of Preaching the Total Truth, that Now, the World is Walking Alongside the Church As If They Are Okay! However, the Word of God Has Commanded Us: “So, come out from among [unbelievers], and separate (sever) yourselves from them, says the Lord, and touch not [any] unclean thing; then I will receive you kindly and treat you with favor.” (2 Corinthians 6:17 AMP). 

When we Hide the Truth, We Give No Reason For Change To The World! We have to remember at all times, Believers Don’t Blend!

Again the Church Is Commanded: 2 Corinthians 6:14-16, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers [do not make mismated alliances with them or come under a different yoke with them, inconsistent with your faith]. For what partnership have right living and right standing with God with iniquity and lawlessness? Or how can light have fellowship with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and Belial [the devil]? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? What agreement [can there be between] a temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in and with and among them and will walk in and with and among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” (AMP). 

Understand This: When We Are “Of” The World, Then We Promote It And Cause the World to Accept a Form of Godliness, Instead of a Godly Lifestyle! It’s All About How WE (THE CHURCH) Carry God In Our Daily Lives, PUBLICLY AND PRIVATELY! The World Should See a Distinctive Difference Between Us and Them. Our Homes, Families, Character, Integrity, Work Ethics, Dress Attire, Habits, Lifestyle, Should All Send a Clear Message Between Light and Dark, Clean and Unclean, Holy and Unholy, Saved and Unsaved, Believer, and Unbeliever! Church, Let’s Come Out of Acting Like the World, So We Can Bring the World Into the Church! We Can’t Help Them When Our Behavior is No Different From Them.

Listen: In this passage of Scripture, we find a group of people that are Trying to Carry God’s Ark (Which Represents His Presence), BUT They Did Not Follow His Commandments!

Let me say it like this: These guys Decided to Put God on a Vehicle and Carry Him to a Certain Place. HOWEVER, God Commanded that They Carry Him By the Hands of the Sanctified Levites and that They Carry Him By the Handles that were Attached to it! BUT, They Came Up With the Bright Idea to Place Him On a Cart and Drive Him By Oxen! Well, when the cart hit a bump, the Ark Got Off Balance and Uzzah Reached Out to Stabilize it. When He Touched It, He Was Struck Dead On the Spot! But the Moral of This Story Is Not that Uzzah Touched the Ark of God, BUT the Whole PROCESS of Carrying the Ark was WRONG!

Church, in case you didn’t know, Disobedience Leads to Death and Dethroning! Just Ask Saul! “Then Samuel said, Do you think all GOD wants are sacrifices—empty rituals just for show? He wants you to listen to him! Plain listening is the thing, not staging a lavish religious production. Not doing what GOD tells you is far worse than following around in the occult. Getting self-important around GOD is far worse than making deals with your dead ancestors. Because you said No to GOD’s command, he says No to your kingship.” (1 Samuel 15:22-23 MSG).

Amazing, You Can Either Have It All Or Lose It All And It All Simply Depends On Obedience!

God Did Not Want Them to Carry Him Like That! Uzzah reached out and tried to Help God, BUT He Shouldn’t Have Been Carrying God Like That In the First Place! Even Though Their Motives Were Good, the Process of Getting God to the People Was Wrong! And That’s What We Must Remember Today! If We Are Going to Reach the Lost, We Have to Carry God Correctly!

2 Corinthians 5:16-20, “Because of this decision we don’t evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don’t look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We’re Christ’s Representatives. God Uses Us to Persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re Speaking For Christ Himself Now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you.” (MSG).

In A Neat Little Nutshell: You Can’t Convert Them Into a Right Relationship With God, Carrying God Wrong!

Listen: As Christ’s Representatives, We Can’t Afford to Mix God Up in Our Selfish Agendas, BUT We Must Stick to the Bible and Understand How He Wants Us to Walk in This World!

“See then that ye Walk Circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise.” (Ephesians 5:15). The Word “Circumspectly” means to be “Cautious and Prudent” Its Latin Origin “Circumspectus”, from “Circumspicere” literally means to “Look Around”. In other words, whether it be in your thoughts, words, actions, motives, intentions, or attitude, Be Cautious and Prudent, Take the Time to Look Around You, there is a Whole World Watching How You Walk! And Many will either stay the same, change for the better, or change for the worse, Simply and Literally By Watching How You Walk!

“Prudent” means “Acting with or showing care and thought for the future”; Its Latin Origin “Prudens”, from “Providens” literally means “Forseeing” As a part of witnessing, it is our job as the church not to see people (unbelievers) as they are Currently, but as they Can Be In Christ! We have the ability to Forsee Them Being Saved, Sanctified, Healed, Delivered and Changed! Therefore, we walk in such a manner as not to foolishly hinder what could be a fruitful future for them in the Kingdom! Which means, we must take such care in our walk because they are watching and will thereby imitate…For Better Or For Worse!

Think of it this way: A small child learning how to put their shoes on needs assistance, teaching, direction and an example shown because of their lack of knowledge in how this is to be done. And looking to an adult, who they believe knows all about this stuff, obviously, they come to us to show them how to do it. Can you imagine if we told them the left shoe goes on the right foot, and the right shoe goes on the left foot? Sounds comical, but do you know that they’re going to do it! Why? Because they trust that what We Tell Them and Show Them Is Correct! After all, why would we, who supposedly love them, want to tell and show them something that is not only wrong, but painful, and which can eventually lead to a difficult walk and deformity?

However, the truth is, that’s exactly what we, the church, has been doing to the world! We’ve been telling them one thing and doing another! And in confusion, they’re doing both…what we say and what we do, and then we’re wondering why are they so screwed up and confused…BUT WE CAUSED IT!

And while we’re talking about teaching people to walk right, there’s another little thing to keep in mind. As parents, we often check our children’s feet and shoes as they grow older because we always want them to be in the Appropriate Size! Likewise, don’t just get the “glad glads” when someone comes to Christ and then just leave them at the altar! Babes in Christ are no different than Babies, to Children, To Teens, To Young Adults, To Adults. They need help throughout all their stages of life and growth! Teach them throughout each Transition! Listen, you can’t get mad when they’re 16 and still struggling trying to walk in the same size shoe as when they were 6, when you never helped them out of it! You see, the danger is that once a person does something consistently (be it right or wrong), it develops into a habit, and that habit (be it good or bad) will become their normal way of life. So, if we tell the world to put out their cigarettes, get rid of the bottle, flush the drugs, we better make sure those things have already been delivered from us first! Because when we compromise before the world, we compromise the eternity of the world. We can’t tell them to start a new way of life, when we haven’t stopped our old way of living. In addition, we can’t set low standards that say you can cuss (just not on Sundays); you can drink, get high, and smoke 2 packs a day (just not on Bible Study nights); you can fornicate, commit adultery, lie, steal, cheat, be unforgiving and spiteful (just not when you see other believers around). We have to stand out so distinctively it makes the world come to us asking questions! Which is why you don’t see an influx of unbelievers visiting churches. For what? When what’s going on within the 4 walls of the church is the same thing going on within the 4 walls of the club! Why would they come to church to learn how to live right, when we’re comfortable living wrong? Church, we have to do and be better. We have to set the bar as high as God’s character and integrity, especially since we’re going around using His Name (Christ) to describe ourselves (Christians)! My former pastor used to say, ‘bring no shame to the family name.’ Well, if you were charged for bringing shame to the Kingdom of God family name, would you be found innocent or guilty? And yes, that includes your public AND private life!

It’s our job to make sure that unbelievers come to Christ, and it’s our job to continue walking with them along their journey! However, that is difficult to do when we keep changing up the rules of Salvation depending on the Circumstance of Life we find ourselves in! We can’t call what they do sin on Saturday, when we do the same thing on Monday. We Can’t Compromise the Characteristics of Christ that Should Be Evident in Every Believers Life and Lifestyle. Remember This: Carrying Christ Requires Consistency!

We must learn to consistently walk in such a manner that our testimony is the same as Enoch’s: “And Enoch walked [in Habitual Fellowship] With God; and he was not, for God took him [home with Him].” (Genesis 5:24 AMP).  And this isn’t a Sunday Walk either! Enoch’s Walk With God Was “Habitual”, meaning it was “Done Constantly as a Habit; It was his usual or his regular, daily, consistently unbroken routine”! Now that’s a walk, in the words of the Apostle Paul, that is “worthy to be imitated”!

Church, To Carry God Correctly, We Must Walk Circumspectly! God Wants Us to Walk With Him and Carry Him Within Ourselves So that He May Be Shown Mighty In Our Own Lives! God Wants Us So Full of Him that We Can Just Walk Up to a Sinner and he will See God’s Glory Shining Through Us!

After All, If We’re Really Spending Quality Time Walking With God, Talking With God and Carrying God, There Should Be Manifested Evidence of the Fact, Shouldn’t It? It was for Moses: “When Moses came down from Mount Sinai carrying the two Tablets of The Testimony, he didn’t know that the SKIN OF HIS FACE GLOWED BECAUSE HE HAD BEEN SPEAKING WITH GOD. Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, SAW HIS RADIANT FACE, and held back, afraid to get close to him. Moses called out to them. Aaron and the leaders in the community came back and Moses talked with them. Later all the Israelites came up to him and he passed on the commands, everything that GOD had told him on Mount Sinai. When Moses finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face, but when he went into the Presence of GOD to Speak with Him, he removed the veil until he came out. When he came out and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, THEY WOULD SEE MOSES’ FACE, ITS SKIN GLOWING, and then he would again put the veil on his face until he went back to Speak With GOD.” (Exodus 34:29-35 MSG). 

People of God, the World is looking to see the Glow of His Glory on Us, NOT the Form of Godliness Through Us! Therefore, Today Determine To Carry God And His Glory Correctly!

God Is Tired of Us Hiding In the Church or Using Our “Ministry” as a Cart to Carry Him Instead of Us Carrying Him Personally! The Day of Trying to Get Sinners to Church to get them Saved Is Over! We Must Be Full of God’s Spirit and Reach the Lost at Our Jobs, in our Homes, at the Supermarket, in the Laundromat, on line at the Bank, Walking through Park and our Neighborhoods, Just Because He Is Shown Mighty in Our Personal Lives! If We Walk Right Before Them, They Will Know the True and Living God! If Signs and Wonders Really Follow Us (Healing, Miracles, Deliverance, etc.) then They Will Know the Power of God and Desire It! Our Man-Made Schemes of Reaching the World are Not Important! God Will Reach the Lost If We Just Lend Him Our Members and Show Him In Our Daily Walk! Don’t Get Caught Up In a Man-Made Plan to Carry God in Any Method Other Than the Way the Word of God Tells Us To!

After all, what will it Profit the World to See Us Carrying God the Way They Do?

Saints, There Must Be a Difference Between Us and Them! A Clear Distinction! Exodus 8:20-23, “God said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning and confront Pharaoh as he goes down to the water. Tell him, ‘God’s Message: Release my people so they can worship me. If you don’t release my people, I’ll release swarms of flies on you, your servants, your people, and your homes. The houses of the Egyptians and even the ground under their feet will be thick with flies. BUT WHEN IT HAPPENS, I’LL SET GOSHEN WHERE MY PEOPLE LIVE ASIDE AS A SANCTUARY – NO FLIES IN GOSHEN. THAT WILL SHOW YOU THAT I AM GOD IN THIS LAND. I’LL MAKE A SHARP DISTINCTION BETWEEN YOUR PEOPLE AND MINE. This sign will occur tomorrow.’” (MSG)

IT IS MY BELIEF THAT GOD STILL WANTS HIS PEOPLE DISTINCT FROM THE WORLD AROUND THEM! SO THE QUESTION YOU NEED TO ASK AND ANSWER IS: “IS MY CHRISTIAN LIFESTYLE DISTINCT FROM THE WORLD OR HARD TO DIFFERENTIATE FROM IT?!”

2 Samuel 6:6-7, “When they came to Nacon’s threshing floor, Uzzah reached out [with his hand] to the ark of God and took hold of it, because the oxen [stumbled and] nearly overturned it.  And the anger of the Lord burned against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his irreverence; and he died there by the ark of God.” (AMP) Trying to help cost him his life. And all because he put his hands on the ark he wasn’t supposed to touch. An ark that was being carried incorrectly. Can you imagine if that was God’s response to us every time we carried Him incorrectly or represented Him in a manner inconsistent with His Character? How much of the Church would be left alive? Sadly, Uzzah would never have lost his life had the ark been carried correctly in the first place. Saints, we have to remember that there are always consequences to our choices. And if we choose to haphazardly carry God incorrectly, He will chastise the children in whom He loves. But who’s to say what that chastisement might be? And do you really want to compromise and chance it? Truthfully, we’ve all missed out on much due to our disobedience. Not to mention, this side of heaven, we’ll never know how many people we led astray by our contrary behavior.

We preach, teach and pray that these are the end times and the last days. Well, wouldn’t you say then that it’s vital that the church gets her act together? Lives and eternity are hanging in the balance. Our obedience can tip the scales in the Kingdom’s favor. People of God, We Must Stay Obedient to Him In Order to Win the Lost! For We Dare Not Carry God So Carelessly That the World Declares “…You ALMOST Persuaded Me…” (Acts 26:28) ‘Almost’ is defined as, ‘very nearly; borderline; partially; just about; within an inch of.’ And in these last days and end times, is that the report we intend to give to God? That our inconsistent lifestyles of straddling the fence, caused people to miss heaven by a borderline?! People who were very near to accepting You, they were partially there, just about, within an inch of making it in, until they saw how we act out! Listen, I can’t speak for you, but that is NOT the report I intend to give God!

Let’s not lose anymore Uzzahs!

Let’s Carry God the Way He’s Already Commanded Us to. Let’s be His clean, and honorable vessels that He can pour into and out of. Let’s make sure our habits, behavior, attitude, speech, attire, lifestyle choices all reflect a good representation of God. Let’s remember we’re created in His image and likeness, we’re His Ambassadors, we are Christians, called by His Name, we are Disciples of Christ, we are children of God, and representatives of heaven, we are the called out ones, we are the CHURCH OF THE LIVING GOD! Now, let’s act like it!

Remember, the world is watching our walk, let’s make sure we don’t trip them up!

Much Love, Dr. Shermaine #EnjoyTheRead #BeInspired #BeEncouraged #BeEmpowered #BeChallenged #ShareTheWord

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“You’re Too Close to Lose Focus Now!”

“LET’S KEEP FOCUSED…those of us who want everything God has for us” (Philippians 3:15 MSG)

My mama always said, “You Become Effective By Being Selective!”

It’s human nature to get distracted! Many of us are like gyroscopes, spinning around at a frantic pace but not getting anywhere! Without a clear purpose you keep changing directions, jobs, relationships, churches, etc., hoping each change will settle the confusion or fill the emptiness in your heart. You think, “This time will be different,” but it’s not because it doesn’t solve your real problem—Lack of Focus!

The power of focusing can be seen for instance in LIGHT. With a magnifying glass the rays of the sun can set paper on fire! But when light is FOCUSED even more as a laser beam, it can cut through steel! Just as it is with Light, so it is with LIFE, nothing is as Potent as a Focus! The men and women who make the greatest difference in life are the most Focused! For instance, the Apostle Paul said, “I am bringing all my energies to bear on this ONE THING.” (Philippians 3:13 TLB). Paul’s obsession was to make Christ known, and maintaining a Focused Life, allowed him to do just that. So if you want your life to have impact, FOCUS it! Remember: “You Become Effective By Being Selective!” Which means in a nutshell: Stop Dabbling! Stop trying to do it all! Do less in fact. Turn away from even good activities and do only that which matters most. I learned a hard lesson that I hope you’ll learn easy: Never Confuse ACTIVITY With PRODUCTIVITY!

Poet William Matthews wrote, “One well-cultivated talent, deepened and enlarged, is worth a hundred shallow faculties. The first law of success in this day when so many things are clamoring for attention is Concentration—to bend our energies to One point, and to go directly to that point, looking neither to the right nor to the left.”

Focus doesn’t come easily or naturally, it’s a Discipline that must be practiced Daily!

Paul told Timothy to Focus on his strengths: “That special gift…you were given…keep that dusted off and in use.” (1 Timothy 4:14 MSG). Focused people don’t hide their weaknesses or excuse them; instead they focus on their strengths!

There’s a story about a couple who decided to build a farm. Then they began to argue. The wife wanted to build the house first. The husband wanted to build the barn first to house the animals. They went back and forth until finally the man said, “Look, we have to build the barn first—because the barn will enable us to build the house, the garage, the silo, the kid’s swing set, and everything else!” In other words, When You Focus on Putting FIRST Things FIRST, Everything Else Falls Into Its Proper Place Automatically!

Anthony Campolo says, “What you commit yourself to, will change what you are and make you into a completely different person. The future conditions you, not the past. What you commit yourself to become, determines what you are—more than anything that ever happened to you yesterday. Therefore, I ask you, ‘What are your commitments? Where are you going? What are you going to be? Show me somebody who hasn’t decided, and I’ll show you somebody who has no identity, no personality, and no direction.”

Focusing on weaknesses instead of strengths is like having a handful of coins, a few made of gold, the rest of tarnished copper, and setting aside the gold coins to spend your time shining the copper ones in hopes of making them more valuable. Think about it: No matter how long you spend polishing tarnished copper coins, they’ll never be worth what the gold ones are! So, Stay Focused on your God-given strengths! That is an investment that will yield great dividends!

Another way to look at it is this: Why focus on the many that were called, instead of the important few that are chosen?! Remember: “You’ll Become Effective By Being Selective!” So make sure your selections today are those Few things and people that Matter Most!

“Do not swerve to the right or the left.” Proverbs 4:27 NIV

Bear this in mind, Focus does 3 things for you:

(1) IT KEEPS YOU ON TARGET: We find ourselves pulled in a dozen different directions, spending much of our time and energy on things we don’t really care about. Author Don Marquis put it this way: “Ours is a world where people don’t know what they want, and are willing to go through hell to get it.” The Bible says: “Let your eyes look straight ahead…Do not swerve to the right or the left.” (Proverbs 4:25-27 NIV) Focused People Develop a Discipline that helps them to Stay On Target Without Swerving to the Right or the Left! Distractions Invite Detours From Your God-Given Destination! So, Stay Focused!

(2) IT INCREASES YOUR ENERGY: Attempting everything, like attempting nothing, will suck the life right out of you! Focus gives you energy. Admiral Richard Byrd, the Polar explorer, said, “Few men come anywhere near exhausting the resources dwelling within them. There are deep wells of strength that are never used.” One of the reasons those wells go untapped is Lack of Focus. The mind doesn’t reach toward achievement until it has clear objectives. Focused People have Learned to Focus All of Their Efforts Into One Thing or One Direction, which in Return Replenishes the Energy and Strength that was Zapped from Multiple Activities that didn’t Produce an Ounce of Productivity! All you desire will come together once you stop letting everyone and everything pull you apart!

(3) IT LIFTS YOU: It’s been said that “the world stands aside to let anyone pass, who knows where he or she is going.” In a sea of mediocrity, just knowing what you want to do and making an effort to pursue it, distinguishes you from almost everybody else. Henry David Thoreau asked, “Do you ever hear of a man who had striven all his life faithfully and singly toward an object, and in no measure obtained it? If a man constantly aspires, is he not elevated?” Just by striving to become better than you are, you become elevated—even if you don’t accomplish all of what you desire, and even if others don’t step aside for you. By trusting God and aiming higher, you move to a higher level—Regardless. Staying Focused Isn’t All About Elevating to Another Level, Another Position, Another Title. Staying Focused Gives You The Best and Highest Level of Elevation There Is…Which is Simply Becoming a Better You Today Than You Were Yesterday, and a Better You Tomorrow Than You Were Today! Now That’s What You Call a Worthy Elevation!

“Acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:6).

When it comes to staying focused, keep in mind these 3 additional notes:

(1) FOCUSED PEOPLE ALWAYS LOOK FOR A BETTER WAY: What got you where you are, won’t necessarily get you where you need to be. A family who moved into a new neighborhood got a late start one morning. As a result their 6-year-old missed her school bus. Though it would make him late for work her father agreed to take her to school if she gave him directions. After 20 minutes of going in circles they finally arrived at the school, which turned out to be only a few blocks away from where they lived. Steaming, her dad asked why she drove him all over the place when the school was so close to home. “We went the way the school bus does,” she said. “That’s the only way I know.” Focused People Don’t Get In a Rut, Nor Do They Get Stuck and Stagnant! They Continuously Reinvent Themselves and How They Do Things. They Grow and Change Constantly! They Don’t Regress, They Progress! They’re Forever Moving Forward Looking to Do Better In 2020 Than They Did in 2010! If Everything You Do Is Still Done the Same Way and The People You Are Around Are Still the Same People, You My Friend Are In Serious Danger of Never Becoming Better!

(2) FOCUSED PEOPLE CONCENTRATE A LITTLE HARDER AND A LITTLE LONGER: Hall of Fame baseball player Hank Aaron said, “What separates a superstar from the average ballplayer is that he concentrates just a little bit longer.” Focused thinking is the ability to remove distractions and mental clutter so that you can concentrate with clarity. Examine Your Thoughts, Examine Your Emotions, Examine Your Speech, Examine Your Attitude, Examine Your Heart, Examine Your Habits and Certainly Examine Your Associations and Immediately Remove Anything or Anyone That Clutters Your Clarity or Breaks Your Concentration! Keep In Mind: Folly and Focus Can’t Dwell In the Same Place!

(3) FOCUSED PEOPLE MAKE COMMITMENTS, NOT EXCUSES: A sign on the desk of an officer at the Pentagon read: “The secrecy of my job does not permit me to know what I’m doing.” It’s a cute joke, but not so cute when it’s true. When you don’t know what you’re doing, you become frustrated and end up failing. That’s why praying and getting direction from God, is critical for every area and aspect of your life. “Do not swerve to the right or the left”, says the Scripture.  To ’Swerve’ means ‘to make an erratic deflection from an intended course.” In other words, your lack of focus, when heading in the direction of your destiny will cause you to ’swerve’ – or stray from the intended course God has set for your life. Which is why you must always remember: “In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (NIV). And when He does—STAY FOCUSED!

“No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I FOCUS on this ONE THING: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.” (Philippians 3:13 NLT)

The poorest man in the world is not the one without money, he’s the one without a vision for his life. But Vision requires Focus. When you’re spread too thin you become mediocre at everything and excellent at nothing! Failure always results from saying yes to too many things. Because something is good doesn’t mean it’s right for you. When your plate’s full doing what God has given you to do, learn to say no to everything else! “No” doesn’t mean never, it just means “not now.” If you try to fight on every front you’ll wear yourself out and fail to win where it counts most. Fighting a battle without spoils is like pouring water on a burning shack. Unless somebody’s life’s in danger it’s probably not worth fighting for. Conserve your energy for when something important is at stake!

Know that you’ll always lose when you: Fight the wrong battle; Fight at the wrong time; Fight when you shouldn’t be involved; Fight because you need to win in order to feel good about yourself; Fight, though the battle has been lost, but your pride won’t let you swallow it! Learn to Stay Focused on your goals. Keep your eyes on the prize that God has set before you. And be warned: If the enemy can’t defeat you, he’ll distract you with side issues or disqualify you by getting you to make bad decisions. Either way, he wins and you lose! 

“No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I FOCUS on this ONE THING: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.” Notice 3 more things about Focused people:

(1) FOCUSED PEOPLE DON’T LIVE IN THE PAST: Too many of us yearn for the past and get stuck in it! Instead, we should learn from the past and let go of it. Elbert Hubbard wrote, “A retentive memory may be a good thing, but the ability to forget is a token of greatness. Successful people forget. They’re running a race. They can’t afford to look behind. Their eye is on the finish line. They’re too big to let little things disturb them. If anyone does them wrong, they consider the source and keep cool. It’s only the small people who cherish revenge. Be a good forgetter…success demands it.”

(2) FOCUSED PEOPLE DON’T THINK ABOUT THE DIFFICULTIES, BUT THE REWARDS: If you dwell on the difficulties too long you’ll start to develop self-pity instead of self-discipline. As a result you’ll accomplish less and less. By focusing on results you’ll stay encouraged. Make Christ your example. “He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross BECAUSE OF THE JOY HE KNEW WOULD BE HIS AFTERWARDS.” (Hebrews 12:2 TLB).

(3) FOCUSED PEOPLE CHOOSE THEIR FRIENDS CAREFULLY: Here are 5 types of people you’ll encounter: 1) REFRESHERS—who strengthen your faith and energize you; 2) REFINERS—who sharpen you and clarify your vision; 3) REFLECTORS—who mirror your energy, neither adding to nor subtracting from it; 4) REDUCERS—who try to diminish your goals and efforts to their comfort level; and 5) REJECTERS—who don’t understand you or what God’s called you to do. At some point in time you will have to encounter all five of these people! So, remain Focused and you’ll stay grounded; the praise of others is less likely to go to your head, and the negative impact of your critics will be minimized!

“Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee.” (Genesis 12:1 NLT)

I use to wonder why God would take people like Moses, or Abraham away from their familiar environments, after He called them. Uprooting them from family and friends to use them for greater works. But the more I look at where I was, where I’m at, and where I’m going, the more I understand why God does such a thing as this. The harsh reality is, there are many limits put on us By Our Very Own Loved Ones! Especially those that have watched us come up and fall down many times before. Often, their perception of us distorts our vision and causes us to doubt ourselves, God, and even the planned purpose He has for us. But what we must remember is, whenever someone says you can’t do it or be it, they are a liar! Because the Bible Clearly Declares, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” {Philippians 4:13} Understand that too often people will speak into your life, according to what THEY were able or NOT able to accomplish for their own. They will judge you based on what they could or Moreso, what they couldn’t do themselves. But Listen: A vision is only seen by the bearer of it and because you were selected to bear it, it is therefore invisible to others. In actuality, they only get to see the back of it, after the glory of it has passed by, (Exodus 33:12-21) That’s why folks get mad with you, because they want to see the personal face-to-face of your vision, but have to settle for the hind parts instead! So prepare yourself, because when you’re chosen by God to carry out a vision, not everyone’s going to understand what you’re doing or why.  So they’ll label you based on the outside, because they don’t have inside access! Don’t let them shift your focus because they can only see the container and not the contents! 

“And they said one to another…this dreamer cometh…let us slay him…and we shall see what will become of his dreams.” {Genesis 37:19-20} Listen: Don’t feel bad when you don’t have a lot of friends and family around, or when people abandon you and walk away. Count it all joy, because those that God wants in your life will never leave and those that are from Him will never lead you astray. Friends and family are good to have, but many times God removes them so prepare yourself for it. Don’t fight it. Stop holding folks hostage in your life that need to be set free! Allow God to add and subtract what’s best for your multiplication! There’s so much more to you than meets the eye, so surround yourself with people that can see past your appearance. If you just Stay Focused, you’ll say like Joseph, “…Don’t you see, you planned evil against me but God used those same plans for my good…” {Genesis 50:20} Need I remind you, Joseph didn’t say that to enemies, or even friends, but to FAMILY!

“Isn’t this the carpenter?” {Mark 6:3} Please be careful around those who love to say, “I knew you when…” in an attempt to label or limit you. When David volunteered to fight Goliath his faith was an embarrassment to his big brother Eliab, an officer in King Saul’s army. Think of Eliab’s position, “If my little brother wins, everybody will ask, ‘How come you couldn’t do it—big brother?’” Beware: your decision to step out and follow God will put pressure on others around you! And the first place you’ll feel it will be amongst those closest to you, especially if your calling sets you apart, and takes you higher than them! The Bible records that Eliab “burned with anger at [David] and asked, ‘Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the desert? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is” (1 Samuel 17:28). Take Note: Before David could overcome Goliath, he had to overcome the thoughts and opinions of those around him, especially his family. And you will too! Look at the life of Jesus. When He went back to His hometown they said, “What’s this wisdom…given him,…he even does miracles! Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son…they took offence at him. Jesus said to them, ‘Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor.’ He could not do any miracles there, except lay His hands on a few sick people and heal them…he was amazed at their lack of faith.” (Mark 6:2-6)

Bottom line: Don’t allow those “who knew you when”, to hinder where you’re going! Neither friend, family or foe! STAY FOCUSED!

“…Stay close to the king wherever he goes.” (2 Chronicles 23:7 NIV)

Commercial flying can be a real adventure. Like the day Pastor Ron booked a last-minute flight to the Northwest to support some Native American friends who had just lost their young son. He was supposed to fly into Spokane, Washington, but fog shut it down and he was diverted to another airport for the night. So, the airline put him up in a hotel overnight and promised they’d do their best to get him to Spokane the next morning. Pastor Ron knew if he didn’t get to the reservation that next day, he would have missed what he was going for. He really needed the real scoop on whether or not his plane was going to get into Spokane. Thankfully, from a casual conversation at the hotel, he knew who the captain was. So that next morning, as he waited around trying to get some word on the fate of his flight, he saw the captain headed for a pay phone in the airport. He made sure he got close to the captain; he was calling to check the current Spokane weather. Then, as he walked over to the gate agents in charge of his flight, Pastor Ron overheard him say, “Well, we’ll try Spokane, but I think there’s only a 20% chance we’ll get in. We’ll probably end up back in Denver where we started.” Well, that inside information helped Pastor Ron pursue alternatives – one of which got him where he needed to be, when he needed to be there.

There was one reason Pastor Ron knew where to go – He Stayed Close to the Captain. Actually, that’s how all of us are going to know what we’re supposed to do and where we’re supposed to go – and that’s by Staying Close to the Captain of our flight; Staying Close to Captain Jesus!

There are eight words in 2 Chronicles 23:7 that I’ve actually typed out and posted on my wall at work. These eight words remind me of the secret of knowing and doing what God has planned in any given situation. In this chapter, a coalition of military and spiritual leaders is working to put the rightful king on the throne in Judah – even though he’s only a boy. The temple staff, the Levites, are given a straightforward assignment, and here are those eight words, “Stay close to the king wherever he goes.” That’s our assignment, too. And when we fulfill this assignment, we’ll be led naturally and supernaturally – into the next steps we’re supposed to take. Just like that day at the airport when Pastor Ron got his direction just by staying close to the captain. He had the information Pastor Ron needed, but he never would’ve known that information Except For His Proximity to the One Who Knew. It’s like that with knowing God’s Will for our lives. It’s not your cleverness in figuring it out; It’s Your Closeness to the God Whose Will You’re Looking For! That’s actually the Focus of John 10, which describes us as sheep following our Shepherd. Jesus said, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27) NIV. See, it’s about being where you can hear His voice – not figuring out some spiritual jigsaw puzzle called “The Will of God.”

If you’re needing to know God’s direction right now, don’t focus so much on figuring out The Plan. Focus on staying close to the Man, to Jesus, whose plan it is. Living in God’s Will isn’t supposed to be this stressful spiritual mystery game. Relax and do the things that get you really close to the person Who is the Pilot of your earth-journey. Or in the words of the Bible, “Stay close to the King … wherever He goes!“ Unfortunate in this day and time of the church, too much attention is being Focused on Fleshly Leadership! But God’s Word still declares: “You can’t depend on anyone, not even a great leader. Once they die and are buried, that will be the end of all their plans. The LORD God of Jacob blesses everyone who trusts Him. God made heaven and earth; He created the sea and everything else. God always keeps His word.” {Psalm 146:3-6 CEV}. Stop focusing on the arm of flesh, for it will fail you every time. Instead, Stay Focused on Your Captain, Your Leader, Your King, Whose Word Never Fails! Knowing With Assurance that Once He Gives You Direction, You Are Guaranteed to Make it to Your Intended Destination!

It is indeed my prayer that you will now set your heart, mind and spirit to the things of God and the Will of God for your life, and that you will allow nothing and no one to distract you or deter you from destiny, Not Even You! People of God, Stay Focused and Finish Strong! Because You’re Too Close to Manifestation to Lose Sight of the Vision Now!

“If your parents ever measured you as a child, they had you stand against a wall, and made a little pencil mark on the wall to show your growth. They did not measure you against your brother, or the neighbor’s kids, or kids on TV. When you measure your growth, make sure to only measure your today self by your past self. If you compare your relationships, your success, or your anything against anyone else, you are not being fair to you. Everyone has a different path, a different pace, and different challenges to face along the way.” (Doe Zantamata)

Much Love, Dr. Shermaine #EnjoyTheRead #BeInspired #BeEncouraged #BeEmpowered #BeChallenged #ShareTheWord

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