“GOD SEES YOUR POTENTIAL”

Judges 6:15-16, “But Gideon said to Him, “Please Lord, how am I to rescue Israel? Behold, my family is the least [significant] in Manasseh, and I am the youngest (smallest) in my father’s house.” The Lord answered him, “I will certainly be with you, and you will strike down the Midianites as [if they were only] one man.” (AMP)

There was a sign that read Antique Auto Show, so Rob and his wife decided that they’d take fifteen minutes and stop at this car dealership and look at the antique autos. They were really interested in seeing the ones that went back to the 50s and 60s. And as they continued looking, there was this one car that stood out amongst all the rest. It was a sleek, black ’66 Mustang that had a flawless exterior, a rich interior, and the hood was even open so you could look at the horsepower underneath. However, there, sitting on the engine block, was a thick book of photos. And it wasn’t the guy’s wife, children or grandchildren. But it was his car! And at the beginning of this photo album there were BEFORE pictures of the car. Let me tell you, it was trash when he started! The first pictures were of this rusted, wrecked, banged-up Mustang that no one in their right mind would claim as their property! Come to find out, it was the car he bought. And as you looked through the book, step by step you could see the car was slowly being Transformed. It took months, maybe years for the owner to give patient attention to get this beautiful classic to where it stood now before them. I believe that when the owner saw that wreck, he saw more than a wreck. He actually saw something that others didn’t see. What he saw was Potential.

Well, that leads us straight to Judges 6. God is looking for a general for His troops, someone who will be a mighty commander and beat the Midianites who have intimidated and terrorized the Israelites for years. And He speaks to Gideon in verses 11-12, “The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, MIGHTY WARRIOR.” (NIV).

And what was Gideon’s response? Verse 13 reads, “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” (NIV).

However, verses 14-16 declare, “The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this strength of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?” But Gideon said to Him, “Please Lord, how am I to rescue Israel? Behold, my family is the LEAST [SIGNIFICANT] in Manasseh, and I am the YOUNGEST (SMALLEST) in my father’s house.” The Lord answered him, “I will certainly be with you, and YOU will strike down the Midianites as [if they were only] ONE MAN.”” (AMP).

Okay, here is Gideon. He’s hiding in a pit. He doesn’t look like a mighty warrior…at all. And God comes along and says, “Mighty warrior!” Surely, you’re thinking just like I’m thinking, this is no mighty warrior! But God didn’t see what Gideon WAS. He saw what he COULD BE, what he WOULD BE and what He intended to MAKE HIM. And that’s the very same place where many of us mess up and get stuck at! We get so consumed by where we ARE, and where we’re NOT; who we ARE, and who we’re NOT; what we CAN and what we CAN’T do…that we never consider a vision from God’s point of view. I find it absolutely amazing that BEFORE Gideon does anything, God calls him a “Mighty Warrior”, IN ADVANCE! Unlike us, God doesn’t get stuck in what we ARE, but His focus remains on what we CAN BE! And so God speaks contrary to Gideon. Gideon sees someone insignificant, unimportant, irrelevant, small even, yet God sees him as a “Mighty Warrior”! Question: How do you see yourself? How do you speak to and about yourself? What do you see for yourself? Do you consider yourself “mighty”? Gifted? Smart? Beautiful? Well, in case you don’t, I’ve stopped by to inform you that you need to check your eyesight! Situations and circumstances should never distort how you see yourself, because they certainly do not distort how God sees you! No matter what your marital status is, how many children you have, you don’t have or that you’ve aborted or miscarried. No matter your education, employment, ethnicity, or back ground. No matter what your father was, what your mother did, you are still a “mighty warrior” in the eyes of God…NOW it’s time that you see yourself the very same way. Stop spending so much time focusing on what you’ve done or left undone that you become stagnate between the two. There’s so much more to you then yesterday. Today is a new day and with it needs to come a new outlook on your life, despite your mistakes, flaws, failures, bad decisions, errors in judgment and the like.

Just look at Peter.

Same thing happened with Peter. Matthew 16:13-19, “When Jesus arrived in the villages of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “What are people saying about who the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some think he is John the Baptizer, some say Elijah, some Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.” He pressed them, “And how about you? Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter said, “You’re the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”Jesus came back, “God bless you, Simon, son of Jonah! You didn’t get that answer out of books or from teachers. My Father in heaven, God himself, let you in on this secret of who I really am. AND NOW I’M GOING TO TELL YOU WHO YOU ARE, REALLY ARE. YOU ARE PETER, A ROCK. This is the rock on which I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out.“ And that’s not all. You will have complete and free access to God’s kingdom, keys to open any and every door: no more barriers between heaven and earth, earth and heaven. A yes on earth is yes in heaven. A no on earth is no in heaven…” (MSG)

I imagine when people heard this they said, “Did He just say Peter? He’s not a rock!” Truth is, when he came to Jesus he was sort of a flake. He was always up and down and inconsistent. But Jesus saw the rock He was going to make him into. And that’s the problem with us, we remember (and certainly everybody else remembers) how bad we’ve messed up, what we did, when we did it, who we did it with, how often we did it, where and why, and YET, Jesus looks beyond our hard heads and still sees a Rock! How awesome to know that regardless of how messy we’ve been, God still sees a masterpiece in us! In fact, He looks at us the way that Mustang owner saw that banged-up car. He sees the value in us more than we do. He knows the person He created us to be. And in God’s words, “For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God; not as a result of [your] works [nor your attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will [be able to] boast or take credit in any way [for his salvation]. FOR WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP [HIS OWN MASTER WORK, A WORK OF ART], CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS [REBORN FROM ABOVE-SPIRITUALLY TRANSFORMED, RENEWED, READY TO BE USED] FOR GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD PREPARED [FOR US] BEFOREHAND [TAKING PATHS WHICH HE SET], SO THAT WE WOULD WALK IN THEM [LIVING THE GOOD LIFE WHICH HE PREARRANGED AND MADE READY FOR US].” (Ephesians 2:8-10 AMP) Even as messed up and banged up as we were, God still saw in us “…HIS WORKMANSHIP, HIS OWN MASTER WORK, A WORK OF ART…”

How can you possibly view yourself as junk, when God Himself sees you as “…A WORK OF ART…”? YES EVEN YOU!

Like the Mustang owner, God’s photo album shows where you were and His step-by-step rebuilding.

See, if you believe how God sees you, then there are some important changes in how life should look to you. First, when you’re down about who you are, look back at the old pictures. Look at what you used to be. You’re becoming something aren’t you? Remember what you used to do, how you used to act, where you used to be, and see where you are now. No, you haven’t made it all the way yet, but neither has any of us! So learn to celebrate where you are, and where you’re heading, knowing that God sees the Best in you always!

Psalm 103:6-18, “God makes everything come out right; He puts victims back on their feet. He showed Moses how he went about His work, opened up His plans to all Israel. God is sheer mercy and grace; not easily angered, He’s rich in love. He doesn’t endlessly nag and scold, nor hold grudges forever. He doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve, nor pay us back in full for our wrongs. As high as heaven is over the earth, so strong is His love to those who fear Him. And as far as sunrise is from sunset, He has separated us from our sins…” (MSG) So, stop holding your past and mistakes over your own head, when they’re under God’s feet! He remembers them no more, now it’s time that you do the very same thing!

Today is a good day to move forward! A good day to start over fresh without yesterday’s baggage! Your problems don’t hinder your potential. It’s still there. God sees it, and so should you!

Second, when you’re down on yourself, realize you’re not finished yet! The rebuilder is in the process! Look at it like this, have you ever taken the time to look at a construction site? It’s an absolute mess! There’s dust, dirt, debris, everywhere! Nothing is together, nor does anything look anywhere near what the blueprint suggests it should! There are people in hard hats, dirty clothes, they’re sweating, tired, yelling, there’s signs of danger up everywhere because the site isn’t finished yet! And even at the end of the day when they go home, they don’t forget about the site! They come back the next day and work some more. Why? Because what’s on blueprint has to become a building! And God is no different with you! You may not look like much in the eyes of some, or even in your own view. But God is still at work! Daily He’s making you better! Daily He’s adding, subtracting and dividing just so you can be multiplied in the end. Daily what you are to become is seen more and more by many! So stop fretting yourself and judging yourself by what you see today! God isn’t finished yet, but He’s promised He will! The Bible says in Philippians 1:6, “I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus [the time of His return].” (AMP). You have God’s Word that He will finish what He’s started in you so don’t you dare consider giving up in the middle of the process again! Can you imagine if after day one on a construction site that the construction workers said, ‘that’s it, I quit! I refuse to work on this project any longer. We’ve been working at this thing all day and into the evening and still it looks nothing like the blueprint!” Listen: Any building that goes up in one day, is guaranteed to come down in one day!  There’s a reason construction is such a slow process. The foundation is the most vital to be established and you can’t rush foundation! The wiring is essential, the plumbing is important, walls, floors and ceilings need great attention to detail. And why is all of this significant? Because if it’s not done right, somebodies going to be severely hurt! And that’s what happens when people attempt to rush God’s process of rebuilding for their lives. They want to run out and preach, teach, prophecy, travel the country, lay hands and overseer mega ministries. And yet, they want to do all of that without being properly processed! The end result, they hurt themselves and everyone attached to them because they rushed a process that needed proper timing to be fully established!

1 Peter 5:10, “After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace [who imparts His blessing and favor], who called you to His own eternal glory in Christ, will Himself COMPLETE, CONFIRM, STRENGTHEN, AND ESTABLISH YOU [MAKING YOU WHAT YOU OUGHT TO BE].” (AMP)

Listen, I get it, it’s been some years now and you’re still wondering God what is going on?! Please believe me, your God does not have Dementia! Your God does not have Alzheimer’s! He remembers every word He spoke to you and about you and every single word will come to pass, in season! Let God finish the work He started without your doubt delaying it’s development!

And third, when you’re dealing with other people, look for and encourage the person God is building in them. Be part of His rebuilding project in their life. Tell people what they could be. Tell them the good you see in them – the potential. You see, the word “potential” is defined as “having the capacity to develop into something in the future; qualities or abilities that may be developed and lead to future success or usefulness.” And to take it a step further, its Latin Origin “potentialis,” from “potentia” literally means “power”. People of God, no matter how bad off a person may be, they still have potential, they still have the power to become better! So don’t judge them, don’t put your negative mouth on them, don’t keep bringing up their past! Like You, they still have the power to become more! I’m here to tell you from personal experience, there’s nothing worse than an individual holding another person hostage by their past. Let them grow, evolve, and change for the better…in their time, in God’s time, not yours! So back off a bit! Give them space and room, just like you needed!

You see, when you take dirt and throw it on a fire it’s called “smothering”. In throwing dirt on a fire you smother it, you extinguish it, which means you stifle or suffocate it, you cut off the air and prevent it from breathing, which prevents it from growing. That’s what you do to people when you keep harping on them for their mistakes. You smother them! You suck the life right out of them. You hinder them from glowing and growing. Stop It! Even embers that have dimmed down, are still hot to the touch! They just need a little stoking. And so do people! To “stoke” is to “encourage, incite, or add to”. And that’s all most people need to find their potential again. They just need someone that will see past their Gideon and see a “mighty warrior”; they need someone who will see past their Peter and see a “rock”. And often stoking doesn’t take much. You would be absolutely amazed at the fire that could return from just a few empowering pokes of encouragement. “I believe in you; I’m proud of you; you’re doing great; keep pressing; don’t give up; you can do this; you’re getting better; look how strong you’ve become; look how much wisdom that taught you…” Try it on someone today and you’ll be just like Peter: “but I have prayed [especially] for you [Peter], that your faith [and confidence in Me] may not fail; and you, once you have turned back again [to Me], STRENGTHEN AND SUPPORT YOUR BROTHERS [IN THE FAITH].” (Luke 22:32 AMP). That’s what we should all do daily, as God betters us, we should help others get better too!

Think about it like this: Can you imagine the mental stress it would put on players if they were in their own home-court advantage, yet their own fans boo them the whole game?! Even when they’re winning, all they hear is a constant stream of boo’s! Would you be encouraged by that? Then why do it to others? Realize that people are trying their best, and many after several losing games, are still coming back again and again, giving it everything they’ve got. Don’t smother their future success with the ashes of their past failures! Encourage your brothers and sisters so that their faith and hope stay intact in the process! Let them know that you’ve got them covered! That you have their back! That you’re on their team! That you believe in them! Isn’t that what you would want to Receive? Then Give it! You can’t expect to throw dirt on someone else’s potential and think that God is going to allow you to grow from it!

Like the Classic Mustang in the above story, we ALL have a beginning that we’re not so proud of. We all of chapters in our book of life that we don’t read aloud or share with anyone else. We all have flaws, mistakes, and failures. We’ve all made bad decisions and judgements. We’ve all fallen far short of God’s grace, characteristics, standards and mark. And yet in His eyes, we’re still a masterpiece! It takes time to take mess and make it a masterpiece, but God is willing to put the time in. So, no more complaining about yourself (or others). Let God complete the work He began. Enjoy the step-by-step process. And when you get a moment, just reflect back over your life, and see just how far God has already brought you. You may be more inclined to ease up on yourself and others. Your potential is still intact, just wait and watch God produce something powerful with it!

“God’s plan is always the best. Sometimes the process is painful and hard. But don’t forget that when God is silent, He’s doing something for you.” (Author Unknown)

“Trust the process. Once you have prayed, let it go. Have faith that God heard you the first time, and is working on your prayer right now.” (Author Unknown)

“God’s purpose and process are tied together.” (Author Unknown)

“God knows your value; He sees your potential. You may not understand everything you are going through right now. But hold your head up high, knowing that God is in control and He has a great plan and purpose for your life.” (Joel Osteen)

“Don’t squander your potential living a life that amounts to far less than the one you are capable of living.” (Zero Dean)

“Potential is a priceless treasure, like gold. All of us have gold hidden within, but we have to dig to get it out.” (Joyce Meyer)

“The big challenge is to become all that you have the possibility of becoming. You cannot believe what it does to the human spirit to maximize your human potential and stretch yourself to the limit.” (Jim Rohn)

“There is no man living who isn’t capable to doing more than he thinks he can do.” (Henry Ford)

“I will prepare and some day my chance will come.” (President Abraham Lincoln)

“Successful and unsuccessful people do not vary greatly in their abilities. They vary in their desires to reach their potential.” (John Maxwell)

“There is no heavier burden than an unfulfilled potential.” (Charles Schulz)

“Look past the exterior, and see that there is so much more within. Then decide to unleash that potential to the fullest.” (Lincoln Patz)

“Surround yourself with the dreamers and the doers, the believers and thinkers, but most of all, surround yourself with those who see greatness within you, even when you don’t see it yourself.” (Author Unknown)

“Continuous effort, not strength or intelligence is the key to unlocking our potential.” (Winston Churchill)

“People who repeatedly attack your confidence and self-esteem are quite aware of your potential even if you are not.” (Author Unknown)

“Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us.” (Wilma Rudolph)

“Each person has the potential of making a positive impact on the world. It all depends on what you do with what you have.” (Gary Chapman)

“Most of your potential is trapped behind other people’s opinions. Some of those people love you, they just don’t understand you. The other group don’t want to see you win and they’re hoping their opinions will hold you back. Neither group’s opinion matters more than your own.” (Author Unknown)

“Your potential is endless. Go do what you were created to do.” (Author Unknown)

“Questions provide the key to unlocking our unlimited potential.” (Anthony Robbins)

“To unlock your potential in anything you do is going to require practice, consistency and patience.” (Simeon Panda)

“We are all strangers to our hidden potential until we confront problems that reveal our capabilities.” (Apoorve Dubey)

“You were born with potential. You were born with goodness and trust. You were born with ideals and dreams. You were born with greatness. You were born with wings. You are not meant for crawling, so don’t. You have wings. Learn to use them and fly.” (Rumi)

“A strong woman knows that she has the potential to shine in this world, but true strength lies in her ability to lay down her life so that God can shine through her.” (Darlene Schacht)

“Potential means nothing if you don’t do anything with it.” (Author Unknown)

“Your potential will haunt you until you take steps towards realizing it.” (Author Unknown)

“Action breeds potential; potential changes the world.” (Jordan Ring)

“True success is reaching our potential without compromising our values.” (Muhammad Ali)

“Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you help them become what they are capable of becoming.” (Goethe)

“There lies within each person a huge reservoir of untapped potential for achievement, success, and happiness.” (Jim Rohn)

“Focus on the possibilities for success, not on the potential for failure.” (Napolean Hill)

“It takes drive and focus to move from potential to reality.” (Author Unknown)

“People don’t get promoted for doing their jobs really well. They get promoted by demonstrating their potential to do more.” (Tara Jaye Frank)

“Maybe this year…we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives not looking for flaws, but for potential.” (Ellen Goodman)

“Difficulties in your life don’t come to destroy you, but to help you realize your hidden potential.” (Author Unknown)

“Discipline is the key to unlocking your true potential.” (Author Unknown)

“It’s only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential.” (President Barack Obama)

“You have the potential for greatness.” (Steve Harvey)

“Greatness is more than potential. It is the execution of that potential. Beyond the raw talent. You need the appropriate training. You need the discipline. You need the inspiration. You need the drive.” (Eric A. Burns)

“God never loses sight of our eternal potential, even when we do.” (Carole M. Stephens)

“Once I got a glimpse of my potential, the desire to be great was born.” (Andre Ferguson)

“Leadership is unlocking people’s potential to become better.” (Bill Bradley)

“It’s not enough to just have potential. You also need to know what to do with it.” (Susan Gale)

“Everyday has the potential to be the greatest day of your life.” (Lin-Manuel Miranda)

“To reach your greatest potential you’ll have to fight your greatest fears.” (Author Unknown)

“If you really want to live your life to the fullest and realize your greatest potential, you must be willing to run the risk of making some people mad. People may not like what you do, people may not like how you do it, but these people are not living your life. You are.” (Iyanla Vanzant)

“No one lacks potential. You can lack will or skill, but everyone has potential.” (Author Unknown)

“Fear and self-doubt have always been the greatest enemies of human potential.” (Brian Tracy)

“You’re so busy doubting yourself while so many others are intimidated by your potential.” (Author Unknown)

“Our Heavenly Father knows our divine potential. He rejoices every time we take a step forward.” (Larry R. Lawrence)

“Acknowledging you have areas to work is not an admission of failure; it is an admission that you have more potential.” (Carrie Cheadle)

“Mediocrity is living below our known, true potential.” (Dr. Myles Munroe)

“Your potential is the sum of all the possibilities God has for your life.” (Charles Stanley)

“Your God-Given potential is far too great to ever dare to bargain for anything less than a victorious life. Therefore, it’s time to rise to the challenge and push beyond your fears and doubts.” (Edmond Mbiaka)

“Every day, I wake up with one goal; to make sure our children and generations yet unborn will reach their God-Given potential and that the future we are creating is a brighter one for every child.” (Representative Elijah Cummings)

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

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“You Can’t Be the SAME And Make a DIFFERENCE”

2 Corinthians 6:17-18, “Don’t become partners with those who reject God. How can you make a partnership out of right and wrong? That’s not partnership; that’s war. Is light best friends with dark? Does Christ go strolling with the Devil? Do trust and mistrust hold hands? Who would think of setting up pagan idols in God’s holy Temple? But that is exactly what we are, each of us a temple in whom God lives. God himself put it this way: “I’ll live in them, move into them; I’ll be their God and they’ll be my people. So leave the corruption and compromise; leave it for good,” says God. “Don’t link up with those who will pollute you. I want you all for myself. I’ll be a Father to you; you’ll be sons and daughters to me.” The Word of the Master, God.” (MSG)

Years ago some friends who lived near a heavy industrial area where the mills filled the air with a shall we say very distinctive aroma; well, actually, smell would be a better word for it. It was sort of a sulfur-like, rotten eggs type of odor. When you first went there, you would sniff and you’d go, “What is that?” And the people who lived there would say, “What’s what?” See, they’d lived around the stink so long, it didn’t even register any more. Well, in my humble opinion, there are simply some smells you should never get used to!

Which brings us to Ezekiel 9:2-4. It’s where the prophet is receiving his instructions from the Lord in the form of a vision, and here’s what it says: “Six men appeared at his call, coming from the upper north gate, each one with his sword. One of them wore linen clothing and carried a writer’s case strapped to his side. They all went into the Temple and stood beside the bronze altar. And the glory of the God of Israel rose from between the Guardian Angels where it had rested and stood above the entrance to the Temple. And the Lord called to the man with the writer’s case and said to him, “Walk through the streets of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who weep and sigh because of all the sins they see around them.”

God is saying here, “I’m looking for some people who don’t gloss over the sin around them; people who literally grieve over sin.” Well, they were hard to find then; and truth is, they’re hard to find now. Those kind of people were special then, and they’re special now. People who don’t get so used to being in the middle of sin that they don’t notice the ‘smell’ any more. Do you understand that it was so strange, odd, and unusual to find people who actually grieved over sin that God sent a vision to the prophet about sending out people to scout out the land and “mark” those who were indeed bothered by sin? Let’s look at verse 4 in a few translations to see the type of people God was looking for:

“The Lord said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, throughout all of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who SIGH [IN DISTRESS] AND GRIEVE OVER ALL THE REPULSIVE ACTS WHICH ARE BEING COMMITTED IN IT” (AMP);

“Walk through the city of Jerusalem and mark the forehead of anyone who is TRULY UPSET AND SAD ABOUT THE DISGUSTING THINGS THAT ARE BEING DONE THERE.” (CEV);

“Go through the whole city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the forehead of everyone who is DISTRESSED AND TROUBLED BECAUSE OF ALL THE DISGUSTING THINGS BEING DONE IN THE CITY.” (GNT);

“Go through the streets of Jerusalem and put a mark on the forehead of everyone who is IN ANGUISH OVER THE OUTRAGEOUS OBSCENITIES BEING DONE IN THE CITY.” (MSG);

“He said to the man, “Go through Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of the people who GROAN AND CRY ABOUT ALL THE HATEFUL THINGS BEING DONE AMONG THEM.” (NCV);

“The Lord said to him, “Go through the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who CRY INSIDE THEMSELVES OVER ALL THE HATED SINS WHICH ARE BEING DONE AMONG THEM.” (NLV)

God was looking for those who were lamenting, crying, groaning, in anguish, troubled, disgusted, repulsed, upset…ABOUT THE SINS OF THE CITY! I wonder if He looked for people like that today, in His church in particular, would He find anyone to mark?

Does the church lament, cry, groan, feel in anguish, troubled, disgusted, repulsed and upset about the sins of the city? Or have we sat amongst it so long that the scent of sin doesn’t even smell to us any longer? Does adultery still stink to us? Does lying still smell funky to us? Does backbiting still offend our nostrils? Does discord still smell foul in the sanctuary? Or have we learned to use religious behavior to act as Febreeze and attempt to mask the smell? Do we spray church lingo over stuff that only needs one word “sin” to describe its scent? Are we bothered, are we disturbed, are we convicted, or have we become so tolerant that we’re no longer even moved by the odor?

I spoke with a friend of mine who so happens to be a sanitation worker. And I asked him, “how in the world do you do a job that smells like this every-day?” He gave me a two-fold response. For one he said, “for the amount of money they pay me, the scent ain’t all that bad”. And then he added something that brought about today’s word, he said “once you’ve been around the stench so much, and so often, and for so long, you literally learn to block out the smell”. Now, I can’t lie to you, I’m still perplexed, because anytime I’ve passed a sanitation truck, I for the life of me can never just block out the scent! However, I’m only around such a stench every now and then, but sanitation workers are around it all the time. Which made me think of something my mother’s doctor said a few years ago. He said, “we have to change her medication because she’s been on it for so long that her body has built up an immune to it, and therefore it no longer works because its’ been in and apart of her make-up for so long now, that her body treats the medication as if it were just one of her vital organs functioning as it should as a part of the rest of her body.” I’m afraid that the church has become just like that! We’ve built up an immune to sin that it no longer looks or smells wrong because we’ve been in it for so long that it doesn’t bother us in the least. Its’ become a part of our make-up. It functions in us as though it were one of the vital organs in the Body of Christ. But this should not be so!

Chances are that you come in daily contact with a lot of sinful garbage; lying that’s considered just to be smart business, an acceptance of adultery (or do we call it “an affair, weakness, or indiscretion”? you know we like to use a prettier sounding term so it doesn’t seem so bad), or just a flippant attitude toward sexual purity. Like the two guys sitting next to me at the pizza place two years ago. One very casually said to the other one, and pardon my bluntness, but this is the way he stated it, “So, did you get laid yet?” See, that’s casual about something God calls sacred. It’s a flippant “who cares” approach to a sacred act of love, created by God for a lifetime bond. When did we, the church, become so accepting and tolerant of ALL things? What happened to the churches distinction?

Leviticus 10:8-11, “God instructed Aaron: “When you enter the Tent of Meeting, don’t drink wine or strong drink, neither you nor your sons, lest you die. This is a fixed rule down through the generations. Distinguish between the holy and the common, between the ritually clean and unclean. Teach the People of Israel all the decrees that God has spoken to them through Moses.” (MSG);

Leviticus 20:24-26, “I’ve told you, remember, that you will possess their land that I’m giving to you as an inheritance, a land flowing with milk and honey. I am God, your God, who has distinguished you from the nations. So live like it: Distinguish between ritually clean and unclean animals and birds. Don’t pollute yourselves with any animal or bird or crawling thing which I have marked out as unclean for you. Live holy lives before me because I, God, am holy. I have distinguished you from the nations to be my very own.” (MSG)

From the priests to the people, God has always Distinguished His own! The word “distinguish” is defined as “to recognize, show, or treat as different; to have an identifying characteristic; to be dignified in appearance; to successfully command great respect.” Its Latin Origin “distinguere”, from “stinguere” literally means “to put out.” In other words, to stand out from anything else! Look at it like this: If you visit any jewelry store, you’ll see that the costume jewelry does not mix with the real jewelry! How it’s made, how it’s crafted, how it’s priced and valued, and even where it’s placed at in the store lets you know the difference between the two. And likewise, should be said of the church! The world should be able to see that we don’t mix, don’t match and distinction is why! However, as sad as it may be, you can’t seem to tell the difference anymore between the holy and unholy, the clean and unclean, the fragrant and the funky, because we’ve dwelt together so long in the same space that they all appear one in the same!

I remember buying a bag of mixed bagels. I had everything from plain, to poppy seed, to cinnamon raisin, to onion. But when I opened the bag, all I could smell on all of them was the onion. Because its scent was the most prominent and dominant among them all. Even the ones it didn’t physically touch, still carried its scent because of its closeness in proximity. Makes me wonder if that’s what’s happening with the church? Have we spent so much time marrying, dating, having children, going to church….WITH THE WORLD….that you can no longer tell the 2 worlds apart? Have we gotten so close and comfortable with the world, that you can no longer see the Kingdom in the Church?

What happened to obeying Scriptures like:

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)

With all that said, I must then ask, how did we go from Distinguished and Distinct to Compromise and Conformity?

When did we lose our Sense of the Scent of Sin?

2 Corinthians 2:15-16, “In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade. Through us, he brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation—an aroma redolent with life. But those on the way to destruction treat us more like the stench from a rotting corpse.” (MSG)

How did we go from the Exquisite Fragrance of Christ, the Sweet Smelling Scent of God, an Aroma of Life, to smelling like the scent of sin, the stench of a rotting corpse?

We as the church need to regain our Distinction!

The word “distinct” is defined as “to be recognizably different or individual; to be able to be perceived clearly by the senses; a marked difference or contrast; outstanding excellence; special honor or recognition; expressly different from others of its kind” Its Latin Origin “distinctus”, from “distinguere” literally means “distinguish”. Church, we need to be recognizably different from the world! We need a Peter experience!

The Bible says, “And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; FOR THY SPEECH BEWRAYETH THEE.” (Matthew 26:73) Listen to this verse in varying translations:

“…FOR EVEN YOUR [GALILEAN] ACCENT GIVES YOU AWAY.” (AMP);

“…FOR WE CAN TELL BY YOUR GALILEAN ACCENT.” (TLB);

“…WE CAN TELL IT BECAUSE YOU TALK LIKE SOMEONE FROM GALILEE” (CEV);

“…CERTAINLY YOU TOO ARE ONE OF THEM, FOR YOUR ACCENT BETRAYS YOU.” (ESV);

“…IT’S OBVIOUS YOU’RE ALSO ONE OF THEM. YOUR ACCENT GIVES YOU AWAY!” (GWT);

“…OF COURSE YOU ARE ONE OF THEM,” THEY SAID. “AFTER ALL, THE WAY YOU SPEAK GIVES YOU AWAY!” (GNT);

“…IT’S CLEAR FROM THE WAY YOU TALK.” (ERV);

“…THE WAY YOU TALK GIVES YOU AWAY.” (CEB);

“…YOU’VE GOT TO BE ONE OF THEM. YOUR ACCENT GIVES YOU AWAY.” (MSG);

“…FOR SURE, YOU ARE ONE OF THEM. YOU TALK LIKE THEY DO.” (NLV);

“…SURELY YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE WHO FOLLOWED JESUS. THE WAY YOU TALK SHOWS IT.” (NCV);

Peter couldn’t blend in because his distinction wouldn’t let him! Those who were not “with” him knew that something about him being here is simply out of place. They even went so far as to say “We can tell; certainly; it’s obvious; of course; it’s clear; you’ve got to be; and surely you are.” They had absolutely no doubt and no question about the fact that Peter was with Jesus. Therefore, him being there with them, was out place! They said “…surely you are one of those who followed Jesus. The way you talk shows it.” Peter’s distinctive speech betrayed him! He couldn’t blend, couldn’t hide, couldn’t join in, couldn’t go unnoticed, and all because who he really was couldn’t be camouflaged! Would people be able to see the evidence of your relationship to Jesus in your speech and conduct, in spite of where you are or who you’re around?

People of God, you can’t cover up distinction, its visible evidence! So much so, that even the senses can tell something is different!

See, the problem is, we’re around sin so much sometimes it doesn’t break our heart any more, but it breaks God’s heart all the time, and He’s looking for people whose heart it can still break. We hear people treat God’s name, Jesus’ name, like dirt. Jesus, the name at which every knee will bow. There are attitudes that amount to nothing less than idol worship, and we’re no longer bothered by it: living for money, living for a guy or a girl, living for music, careers, and entitlements, living for the next party, living for a ring, robe, positions and chairs. It’s time we prayed, “God, give me back my sense of spiritual smell.“

Isaiah 65:1-7, “I’ve made myself available to those who haven’t bothered to ask. I’m here, ready to be found by those who haven’t bothered to look. I kept saying ‘I’m here, I’m right here’ to a nation that ignored me. I reached out day after day to a people who turned their backs on me, People who make wrong turns, who insist on doing things their own way. They get on my nerves, are rude to my face day after day, Make up their own kitchen religion, a potluck religious stew. They spend the night in tombs to get messages from the dead, Eat forbidden foods and drink a witch’s brew of potions and charms. They say, ‘Keep your distance. Don’t touch me. I’m holier than thou.’ These people gag me. I CAN’T STAND THEIR STENCH. Look at this! Their sins are all written out— I have the list before me. I’m not putting up with this any longer. I’ll pay them the wages. They have coming for their sins. And for the sins of their parents lumped in, a bonus.” God says so. “Because they’ve practiced their blasphemous worship, mocking me at their hillside shrines, I’ll let loose the consequences and pay them in full for their actions.” (MSG)

If this is how God feels about the stench of sin, why does the odor not bother the Body of Christ any longer?!

People of God, today is a good day to pray and ask God to deliver us, and give us back our distinction. Because the truth is, we can’t be the same as the world and make a difference. They should feel free to come into our church services, but they should feel something that makes them know that they can’t stay the same way they came. We can’t blend, compromise, conform, tolerate, and certainly not water down the Gospel. We have to stand up and stand out so that we might be able to bring them in. Today, determine to be the Fragrance of God, that abhors the Scent of Sin!

“The devil must be daily resisted. The world must be daily overcome. There is a warfare to be waged, and a battle to be fought.” (J.C. Ryle)

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“Turning a MESS Into a MASTERPIECE”

“Then I [Jeremiah] went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? Saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.” (Jeremiah 18:3-6)

If you’re asking today, “Why am I going through all that I’m going through?” the answer is, you’re “IN THE HAND OF THE POTTER!”  

Knowing that alone helps, especially when you’re on the wheel and everything in your life seems to be spinning and spiraling completely out of control! I use the word “seems”, because in Actuality, your life is not spinning and spiraling completely out of control. ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS LOOK UNDER THE TABLE AND SEE WHOSE FOOT IS ON THE WHEEL! “…behold, HE (THE POTTER) wrought a work ON THE WHEELS” Many of us have seen wheels spin on bikes, motorcycles, cars, trains and the like, and when those wheels get to spinning, if you stare at them long enough it can make you dizzy! The speed is swift as it goes around and around in circles! And sometimes, as believers, that’s how our lives feel when God has His foot on the potter’s wheel! Everything feels like it’s spinning completely out of control, but the potter has been doing this far too long to not know how to control the speed of the spin! And God likewise, has not loss control of your life even when the marriage, kids, family, job, finances, health, business and church all seem to be spinning at 200 MPH in all different directions at the exact same time! But be encouraged, the Potter’s foot knows how to handle the speed of the wheel!

“…behold, HE (THE POTTER) WROUGHT a work on the wheels.” Now the word “Wrought” means “Beaten Out Or Shaped By Hammering.” This may hurt you, but it will eventually help you, listen, the pain you THINK is the devil, is REALLY JUST THE POTTER RESHAPING YOU! Think about it, IF THE ENEMY HAD BEEN IN CONTROL OF YOUR SITUATION, HE’D HAVE THROWN YOU OFF THE WHEEL A LONG TIME AGO! BUT HE CAN’T, BECAUSE THE POTTER CONTROLS THE PROCESS, THE WHEELS AND THE WROUGHT! And all this time you’ve been giving the devil credit for a work he didn’t do! The devil wants to steal, kill and destroy you, not work on you for the better! Yes, the hammering hurts, it’s painful, it’s difficult, it’s uncomfortable, but it’s God’s process! And most important, the Hammer is in the Hand of God! Which should serve as great encouragement to you that no hurt, harm or hindrance will come of it. He’s simply shaping you to become the masterpiece He already designed you to be! Ephesians 2:10, “For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].” (AMP) That’s what all the hammering is about! It’s transforming us, renewing us, and making us ready to be used by God for good works as His workmanship, His own Master Work, His own Work of Art! And you really thought the devil was behind all of that goodness?! Absolutely not! Stop adding skills to the devil’s resume for work he couldn’t and didn’t do!

But listen to what the devil would have you focus on: “… And the vessel that he made of clay was MARRED in the hand of the potter…” The devil doesn’t want you to focus on the Masterpiece God is creating you to be, he wants you to focus on the fact that you’ve become Marred in the Potter’s Hand! But what he doesn’t know however, is that God is Monitoring Your Every Move! Now, I know how messed up you think you are because you’ve been “Marred”, but understand that when something is “Marred” it’s defined as “to Harm the Appearance or Quality of.” And let’s be honest, the devil isn’t trying to simply HARM YOU, OR HARM YOUR APPEARANCE, OR HARM YOUR QUALITY, he’s trying to DESTROY YOU! Which is why the Bible forewarns us: “THE THIEF’S PURPOSE IS TO STEAL, KILL AND DESTROY…” (John 10:10 TLB). THEREFORE, IF IT WAS THE DEVIL’S FOOT ON THE WHEEL, YOU WOULD BE DEAD BY NOW! But since he can’t kill you, he tries to distract you by getting you to focus on stuff that matters to you, but doesn’t matter to God, stuff like your marring, your mess up, your mistakes, and especially your past! But beloved, before you go and lose heart, know this, you’re simply “Marred” and Fortunately, God is Not Intimated By Your “Marring”. He’s not intimidated by the clay regardless of where He finds it or how flawed and out of shape it is. Truth is: WE SERIOUSLY GIVE OUR PAST WAY TOO MUCH POWER, BECAUSE GOD IS NOT AT ALL INTIMIDATED BY IT OR WHAT IT HAS CAUSED US TO LOOK LIKE! He’s not intimidated by our past promiscuity, addictions, mess-ups, screw-ups, or mistakes. He’s not intimidated by our ex friends, lovers or spouses. He’s committed to working on us until we become what He wants or better yet, “As Seemed Good to the Potter…”  

Listen: I don’t care what you’ve done, who you did it with, how long you did it or where, no man has the right or authority to hold you captive by your past, neither the devil, not even you! Your “Marring” did not mess you up for all eternity! There is no accidental mistake, or deliberate bad decision that you’ve ever made (or will make) that the Potter cannot make over into what seems Good to Him! You still have use, you still have value, you still have worth, you still have purpose! So let nothing and no one (not even YOU) allow your past to make you believe that you have no future! The Word of God still holds true for you, regardless to your past: “This is God’s Word on the subject…I’ll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out – plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the FUTURE you hope for.” (Jeremiah 29:10-11 MSG). In the words of my pastor, you need to start saying daily to yourself: “I SEE MYSELF IN THE FUTURE AND THINGS LOOK SO MUCH BETTER. I’M EXPECTING A MIRACLE, AND MY MIRACLE IS EXPECTING ME!” (Bishop James R. Chambers). So you see, if God Himself is not hindered by your Past, why should you be? “He has removed our sins as far away from us as the east is from the west.” (Psalm 103:12 TLB). Therefore, marred vessels, keep moving forward, “Marred” and all! God can still make you the light of the world, no matter how dark your past was! God Still Uses Cracked Pots!

Listen: A water bearer in India had two large pots, one hung on each end of a pole, which she carried across her neck. One of the pots had a crack in it. While the other pot was perfect, and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the mistress’s house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to her master’s house. The perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do. After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream: “I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you.” Why?” asked the bearer. “What are you ashamed of?” “I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your mistress’s house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don’t get full value from your efforts,” the pot said. The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in her compassion she said, “As we return to the mistress’s house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path.” Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure. The bearer said to the pot, “Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side? “That’s because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you’ve watered them. “For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my mistress’s table. Without you being just the way you are, she would not have this beauty to grace her house.”

Moral of the story: Just as the water bearer knew of the flaw in the cracked pot, God knows about our flaws too. The water bearer continued to use the cracked pot, knowing full well of its flaws, and God uses us just the same, even with full knowledge of our every flaw! It’s US who focus on our flaws more than we focus on fulfilling our purpose in God.

For example, Benjamin felt small; Gideon felt insignificant; Moses felt his speech hindered him from being God’s mouthpiece, and yet God used each of them in a big way, flaws and all, and He’s using you the same way! God never asks for our perfection, just our availability. The question is, are we willing to give God our flaws that He may use them to bring Himself Glory?

Think about the above story, the perfect pot delivered a pail full of water. And that’s what it was designed to do. But the cracked pot was designed to deliver water, AND purposed to water the seeds that the water bearer would sow along the journey. So the mistresses house received from the cracked pot, water and flowers for her home. God can do more with your imperfections than He can with your false views and attempts of perfection. Just ask God to use you, available, cracked you. I promise you’ll be amazed by the harvest that’s produced in the lives of others because you gave God your cracked water pot to use!

To take it further, bear in mind: John 1:12 “As many as received him, to them gave he power TO BECOME the sons of God.” ALWAYS REMEMBER: THE BATTLE IS OVER WHO AND WHAT YOU’RE BECOMING! Regardless of what you’ve been up until now, GOD SEES IN YOU THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME! And what are you to become? “…a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the Master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.” (2 Timothy 2:21). Listen: When you see a can’t in yourself, GOD SEES A “CAN”. When you see a won’t in yourself, GOD SEES A “WILL”. When you see a don’t in yourself, GOD SEES A “DO” When you see a shouldn’t in yourself, GOD SEES A “SHOULD”.

GOD WILL ALWAYS PUT YOUR POTENTIAL ON A PEDESTAL!

IN OTHER WORDS, HE WILL ALWAYS LIFT UP WHAT YOU WILL BE, NOT WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN!

Cracks and all, you are still becoming “…a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the Master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.”

Highlight for yourself from John 1:12, “to them gave He Power TO BECOME…” That’s what the devil is after to destroy, WHAT YOU WILL BECOME! Don’t let him do it! Don’t let the devil distract or discourage you! Stay focused on what God Said no matter what the devil would want you to See! You are Becoming a wonderful, useful, cracked vessel unto honour, sanctified and meet for your Master’s use, for He is preparing you for every good work! Do not lose sight of the big picture, stay focused on what you are becoming! 

In a Nutshell: The devil’s not intimidated by your Caterpillar stage, because you’re on the ground, low, at his level, defeated, and struggling to crawl by. But what intimidates him is your Butterfly stage, because you then Possess the Ability to Fly, to Soar, to Excel, and to Reach Altitudes He Can’t Reach! You see, some snakes can sliver through trees, but when it reaches a certain height, it can reach no further. But the Butterfly Isn’t Limited to Where the Tree Top Stops! And Neither Are You! That’s why you can’t get distracted from what you’re becoming! Children of God, it’s time for you to soar, but if you keep allowing your past, the devil, discouragement, and low self-worth to hinder you, you’ll remain in a cocoon with undeveloped wings that were designed and destined to soar! You were never meant to stay on this level! The cocoon is only for a time period, then you break out of it fully developed and soar to new heights!

“The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hind’s feet and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]!…” (Habakkuk 3:19 AMP)

You were made for high places, so stop settling for low positions!

Notice also, that even though the vessel was “Marred”, It Was Still In The Potter’s Hand! God Never Throws Us Away, Nor Is His Plan For Us Thwarted Because We Have a Flaw of Struggle in Certain Areas! Understand that whether you’re being lifted from the mud, turned on the wheel or made over again, At All Times You Are In His Hand, And Always Will Be! “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall Never Perish, Neither Shall Any Man Pluck Them Out of My Hand.” (John 10:28) SO, BE ENCOURAGED: YOU ARE IN THE POTTER’S HANDS, AND HIS HANDS NEVER STOP WORKING!” “But Jesus said, “MY FATHER HAS NEVER STOPPED WORKING…” (John 5:17 CEV) Therefore, even if you continue to mar in the master’s hand, which you will as long as you are still flesh and blood, but the good news is, that can’t hinder the Hand of God on your life! From birth to death and everything in between, God never stops working on you and your life! So even when you make more mistakes, and even deliberate sinful choices, God never stops working on you! Don’t let the devil, your past, or yourself make you believe anything different! There is nothing about you or your life or your past that is powerful enough to Hinder the Hand of God’s Work!

I found yet another little nugget too! Did you know the word “Smith” in “Silversmith” comes from the Old English word “Smite”? Well, in case you didn’t know, Silversmiths are very Accomplished Smiters! AND SO IS GOD! You see, the word “Smite” is defined as “Striking a Firm Blow”. In other words, God Knows the Weight of the Hammer and the Force of the Blow Required to Produce In You Christ-Like Character! And absolutely no one yanks the hammer out of His hand and says, “Go easy on that silver; you’ve pounded it enough!” No, He Buffets the Metal Until He’s Finished With It! And when you “Buffet” something, it means you “Strike It Repeatedly and Violently”. In other words, there is a Determination on the part of the Silversmith to Beat the Silver Into the Design He Envisioned It To Be! And He Will Beat It Until It Conforms to What He has Constructed in His Mind! He Will Beat it Until the Blueprint Comes Off the Pages and Stands Before Him Fully Erected! He Will Beat it Until He Sees With His Eyes What He Saw in His Thoughts! And the Same Goes For You!  

Too often we forget He’s Our Heavenly FATHER! And unlike today, Daddies of old didn’t spare the rod, nor spoil the child! So, keep in mind: He’s Your God, but He’s Also Your FATHER! “But don’t, dear friend, resent God’s discipline; don’t sulk under his loving correction. It’s the child he loves that God corrects; A FATHER’S DELIGHT IS BEHIND ALL OF THIS.” (Proverbs 3:12 MSG); “For the Lord corrects and disciplines everyone whom He loves, and He punishes, even scourges, every son whom He accepts and welcomes to His heart and cherishes.” (Hebrews 12:6 AMP)

Please Understand that Your God Will Bless You, But Never Forget, Your Father Will Buffet You Too!

In the end, God Alone Knows Exactly What You’re to Look Like. He Was the One that Gathered All Your Materials BEFORE Time! “BEFORE I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you. BEFORE you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you: A prophet to the nations—THAT’S WHAT I HAD IN MIND FOR YOU” (Jeremiah 1:5 MSG). BEFORE YOU BEGAN, HE ALREADY KNEW HOW YOU’D END! SO STOP FRETTING! HE ALREADY KNOWS HOW FABULOUS YOUR FINISHED PRODUCT LOOKS!

I know the Blows come Fast and Hard, and it seems like they’ll never end, but you have to Trust that God Knows What He’s Doing! 

However, sadly enough, I wish I could tell you that after the Hammering and Buffeting is Done You’re Finished, BUT…then there has to be POLISHING!  And when you “Polish” something you “Make It Smooth and Shiny By Continuously Rubbing It!” And the Best of Silversmiths will tell you that they Keep Polishing UNTIL THEY CAN SEE THEIR FACE IN THE FINISHED PRODUCT! So, When Will God Stop Polishing You? When He Sees His Nature and His Likeness Reflected In You! In other words, when He looks at you, He ought to see, Integrity, Faithfulness, Dedication, Power, Consecration, Diligence, Obedience, Honor, Loyalty, Leadership, Commitment and the like. He ought to see “…the Fruit of the Spirit…Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, Temperance…” (Galatians 5:22-23). 

Simply put, He’s Done When He Looks At You And Sees Himself! 

And if we’re all to be Real Honest, God Is No-Where Near Finished Smiting, Buffeting or Polishing Any Of Us! Jesus said, “My Father Never Stops Working.” Therefore, you need to understand that: The Pounding You Feel Doesn’t Suggest God’s Distance, It Proves His Nearness! So Stop Attributing Everything to the Devil! 

Lastly, after a lifetime of walking with God, Joshua said, “Not a Word Failed of Any Good Thing Which the Lord Had Spoken…All Came to Pass.” (Joshua 21:45 NKJV). 

Understand that Whatever God Has Spoken Over Your Life, He’s Not Stopping Until He Sees It “All Come to Pass”! And If That Takes Smiting, Buffeting and Polishing…He’s Committed To Doing Whatever It Takes, For However Long It Takes and No Matter How Painful It Will Be…”Not A Word Failed Of Any Good Thing Which The Lord Had Spoken…All Came To Pass!” He’s Still Working On You Because All That He Has Spoken Has Yet To Manifest In Your Life! And He Has To Keep His Word! So Endure The Wheel, the Spinning, the Hammering, the Smiting, the Buffeting and the Polishing! In The End It Will Be Worth It To Possess All God Has Promised You! God is the Greatest of Silversmiths. Trust Him as you imagine what you’re going to look like When He’s All Done…In the meantime, Remember: The Potters Hands Are Not Finished Molding You Yet! So, Don’t Be Discouraged In The Process, You Will Produce Something Great After This Is All Over!  

People of God, you are becoming a vessel of honor in the Master’s Hand and for the Master’s use, cracks, flaws, imperfections and all. So, don’t hate the process, because you’re going to love the end product!

As Painful as This is, Be Encouraged My Friend You May Have Been Marred, but Now You’re Being Molded and Made Into a Masterpiece Cracked Vessel of Honor for the Master’s Use and Glory!

Much Love, Dr. Shermaine #EnjoyTheRead #BeInspired #BeEncouraged #BeEmpowered #BeChallenged #ShareTheWordFeel free to also join us at: http://www.selfcarewithdrshermaine.blogspot.com Today’s Lesson: “Blood Sugar Basics: Terms You Should Know”

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“You Can’t Be the SAME, and Make a DIFFERENCE”

2 Corinthians 6:17-18, “Don’t become partners with those who reject God. How can you make a partnership out of right and wrong? That’s not partnership; that’s war. Is light best friends with dark? Does Christ go strolling with the Devil? Do trust and mistrust hold hands? Who would think of setting up pagan idols in God’s holy Temple? But that is exactly what we are, each of us a temple in whom God lives. God himself put it this way: “I’ll live in them, move into them; I’ll be their God and they’ll be my people. So leave the corruption and compromise; leave it for good,” says God. “Don’t link up with those who will pollute you. I want you all for myself. I’ll be a Father to you; you’ll be sons and daughters to me.” The Word of the Master, God.” (MSG)

Years ago some friends who lived near a heavy industrial area where the mills filled the air with a shall we say very distinctive aroma; well, actually, smell would be a better word for it. It was sort of a sulfur-like, rotten eggs type of odor. When you first went there, you would sniff and you’d go, “What is that?” And the people who lived there would say, “What’s what?” See, they’d lived around the stink so long, it didn’t even register any more. Well, in my humble opinion, there are simply some smells you should never get used to!

Which brings us to Ezekiel 9:2-4. It’s where the prophet is receiving his instructions from the Lord in the form of a vision, and here’s what it says: “Six men appeared at his call, coming from the upper north gate, each one with his sword. One of them wore linen clothing and carried a writer’s case strapped to his side. They all went into the Temple and stood beside the bronze altar. And the glory of the God of Israel rose from between the Guardian Angels where it had rested and stood above the entrance to the Temple. And the Lord called to the man with the writer’s case and said to him, “Walk through the streets of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who weep and sigh because of all the sins they see around them.”

God is saying here, “I’m looking for some people who don’t gloss over the sin around them; people who literally grieve over sin.” Well, they were hard to find then; and truth is, they’re hard to find now. Those kind of people were special then, and they’re special now. People who don’t get so used to being in the middle of sin that they don’t notice the ‘smell’ any more. Do you understand that it was so strange, odd, and unusual to find people who actually grieved over sin that God sent a vision to the prophet about sending out people to scout out the land and “mark” those who were indeed bothered by sin? Let’s look at verse 4 in a few translations to see the type of people God was looking for:

“The Lord said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, throughout all of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who SIGH [IN DISTRESS] AND GRIEVE OVER ALL THE REPULSIVE ACTS WHICH ARE BEING COMMITTED IN IT” (AMP);

“Walk through the city of Jerusalem and mark the forehead of anyone who is TRULY UPSET AND SAD ABOUT THE DISGUSTING THINGS THAT ARE BEING DONE THERE.” (CEV);

“Go through the whole city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the forehead of everyone who is DISTRESSED AND TROUBLED BECAUSE OF ALL THE DISGUSTING THINGS BEING DONE IN THE CITY.” (GNT);

“Go through the streets of Jerusalem and put a mark on the forehead of everyone who is IN ANGUISH OVER THE OUTRAGEOUS OBSCENITIES BEING DONE IN THE CITY.” (MSG);

“He said to the man, “Go through Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of the people who GROAN AND CRY ABOUT ALL THE HATEFUL THINGS BEING DONE AMONG THEM.” (NCV);

“The Lord said to him, “Go through the city of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who CRY INSIDE THEMSELVES OVER ALL THE HATED SINS WHICH ARE BEING DONE AMONG THEM.” (NLV)

God was looking for those who were lamenting, crying, groaning, in anguish, troubled, disgusted, repulsed, upset…ABOUT THE SINS OF THE CITY! I wonder if He looked for people like that today, in His church in particular, would He find anyone to mark?

Does the church lament, cry, groan, feel in anguish, troubled, disgusted, repulsed and upset about the sins of the city? Or have we sat amongst it so long that the scent of sin doesn’t even smell to us any longer? Does adultery still stink to us? Does lying still smell funky to us? Does backbiting still offend our nostrils? Does discord still smell foul in the sanctuary? Or have we learned to use religious behavior to act as Febreeze and attempt to mask the smell? Do we spray church lingo over stuff that only needs one word “sin” to describe its scent? Are we bothered, are we disturbed, are we convicted, or have we become so tolerant that we’re no longer even moved by the odor?

I spoke with a friend of mine who so happens to be a sanitation worker. And I asked him, “how in the world do you do a job that smells like this every-day?” He gave me a two-fold response. For one he said, “for the amount of money they pay me, the scent ain’t all that bad”. And then he added something that brought about today’s word, he said “once you’ve been around the stench so much, and so often, and for so long, you literally learn to block out the smell”. Now, I can’t lie to you, I’m still perplexed, because anytime I’ve passed a sanitation truck, I for the life of me can never just block out the scent! However, I’m only around such a stench every now and then, but sanitation workers are around it all the time. Which made me think of something my mother’s doctor said a few years ago. He said, “we have to change her medication because she’s been on it for so long that her body has built up an immune to it, and therefore it no longer works because its’ been in and apart of her make-up for so long now, that her body treats the medication as if it were just one of her vital organs functioning as it should as a part of the rest of her body.” I’m afraid that the church has become just like that! We’ve built up an immune to sin that it no longer looks or smells wrong because we’ve been in it for so long that it doesn’t bother us in the least. Its’ become a part of our make-up. It functions in us as though it were one of the vital organs in the Body of Christ. But this should not be so!

Chances are that you come in daily contact with a lot of sinful garbage; lying that’s considered just to be smart business, an acceptance of adultery (or do we call it “an affair, weakness, or indiscretion”? you know we like to use a prettier sounding term so it doesn’t seem so bad), or just a flippant attitude toward sexual purity. Like the two guys sitting next to me at the pizza place last year. One very casually said to the other one, and pardon my bluntness, but this is the way he stated it, “So, did you get laid yet?” See, that’s casual about something God calls sacred. It’s a flippant “who cares” approach to a sacred act of love, created by God for a lifetime bond. When did we, the church, become so accepting and tolerant of ALL things? What happened to the churches distinction?

Leviticus 10:8-11, “God instructed Aaron: “When you enter the Tent of Meeting, don’t drink wine or strong drink, neither you nor your sons, lest you die. This is a fixed rule down through the generations. Distinguish between the holy and the common, between the ritually clean and unclean. Teach the People of Israel all the decrees that God has spoken to them through Moses.” (MSG);

Leviticus 20:24-26, “I’ve told you, remember, that you will possess their land that I’m giving to you as an inheritance, a land flowing with milk and honey. I am God, your God, who has distinguished you from the nations. So live like it: Distinguish between ritually clean and unclean animals and birds. Don’t pollute yourselves with any animal or bird or crawling thing which I have marked out as unclean for you. Live holy lives before me because I, God, am holy. I have distinguished you from the nations to be my very own.” (MSG)

From the priests to the people, God has always Distinguished His own! The word “distinguish” is defined as “to recognize, show, or treat as different; to have an identifying characteristic; to be dignified in appearance; to successfully command great respect.” Its Latin Origin “distinguere”, from “stinguere” literally means “to put out.” In other words, to stand out from anything else! Look at it like this: If you visit any jewelry store, you’ll see that the costume jewelry does not mix with the real jewelry! How it’s made, how it’s crafted, how it’s priced and valued, and even where it’s placed at in the store lets you know the difference between the two. And likewise, should be said of the church! The world should be able to see that we don’t mix, don’t match and distinction is why! However, as sad as it may be, you can’t seem to tell the difference anymore between the holy and unholy, the clean and unclean, the fragrant and the funky, because we’ve dwelt together so long in the same space that they all appear one in the same!

I remember buying a bag of mixed bagels. I had everything from plain, to poppy seed, to cinnamon raisin, to onion. But when I opened the bag, all I could smell on all of them was the onion. Because its scent was the most prominent and dominant among them all. Even the ones it didn’t physically touch, still carried its scent because of its closeness in proximity. Makes me wonder if that’s what’s happening with the church? Have we spent so much time marrying, dating, having children, going to church….WITH THE WORLD….that you can no longer tell the 2 worlds apart? Have we gotten so close and comfortable with the world, that you can no longer see the Kingdom in the Church?

What happened to obeying Scriptures like:

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)

With all that said, I must then ask, how did we go from Distinguished and Distinct to Compromise and Conformity?

When did we lose our Sense of the Scent of Sin?

2 Corinthians 2:15-16, “In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade. Through us, he brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation—an aroma redolent with life. But those on the way to destruction treat us more like the stench from a rotting corpse.” (MSG)

How did we go from the Exquisite Fragrance of Christ, the Sweet Smelling Scent of God, an Aroma of Life, to smelling like the scent of sin, the stench of a rotting corpse?

We as the church need to regain our Distinction!

The word “distinct” is defined as “to be recognizably different or individual; to be able to be perceived clearly by the senses; a marked difference or contrast; outstanding excellence; special honor or recognition; expressly different from others of its kind” Its Latin Origin “distinctus”, from “distinguere” literally means “distinguish”. Church, we need to be recognizably different from the world! We need a Peter experience!

The Bible says, “And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; FOR THY SPEECH BEWRAYETH THEE.” (Matthew 26:73) Listen to this verse in varying translations:

“…FOR EVEN YOUR [GALILEAN] ACCENT GIVES YOU AWAY.” (AMP);

“…FOR WE CAN TELL BY YOUR GALILEAN ACCENT.” (TLB);

“…WE CAN TELL IT BECAUSE YOU TALK LIKE SOMEONE FROM GALILEE” (CEV);

“…CERTAINLY YOU TOO ARE ONE OF THEM, FOR YOUR ACCENT BETRAYS YOU.” (ESV);

“…IT’S OBVIOUS YOU’RE ALSO ONE OF THEM. YOUR ACCENT GIVES YOU AWAY!” (GWT);

“…OF COURSE YOU ARE ONE OF THEM,” THEY SAID. “AFTER ALL, THE WAY YOU SPEAK GIVES YOU AWAY!” (GNT);

“…IT’S CLEAR FROM THE WAY YOU TALK.” (ERV);

“…THE WAY YOU TALK GIVES YOU AWAY.” (CEB);

“…YOU’VE GOT TO BE ONE OF THEM. YOUR ACCENT GIVES YOU AWAY.” (MSG);

“…FOR SURE, YOU ARE ONE OF THEM. YOU TALK LIKE THEY DO.” (NLV);

“…SURELY YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE WHO FOLLOWED JESUS. THE WAY YOU TALK SHOWS IT.” (NCV);

Peter couldn’t blend in because his distinction wouldn’t let him! Those who were not “with” him knew that something about him being here is simply out of place. They even went so far as to say “We can tell; certainly; it’s obvious; of course; it’s clear; you’ve got to be; and surely you are.” They had absolutely no doubt and no question about the fact that Peter was with Jesus. Therefore, him being there with them, was out place! They said “…surely you are one of those who followed Jesus. The way you talk shows it.” Peter’s distinctive speech betrayed him! He couldn’t blend, couldn’t hide, couldn’t join in, couldn’t go unnoticed, and all because who he really was couldn’t be camouflaged! Would people be able to see the evidence of your relationship to Jesus in your speech and conduct, in spite of where you are or who you’re around?

People of God, you can’t cover up distinction, its visible evidence! So much so, that even the senses can tell something is different!

See, the problem is, we’re around sin so much sometimes it doesn’t break our heart any more, but it breaks God’s heart all the time, and He’s looking for people whose heart it can still break. We hear people treat God’s name, Jesus’ name, like dirt. Jesus, the name at which every knee will bow. There are attitudes that amount to nothing less than idol worship, and we’re no longer bothered by it: living for money, living for a guy or a girl, living for music, careers, and entitlements, living for the next party, living for a ring, robe, positions and chairs. It’s time we prayed, “God, give me back my sense of spiritual smell.“

Isaiah 65:1-7, “I’ve made myself available to those who haven’t bothered to ask. I’m here, ready to be found by those who haven’t bothered to look. I kept saying ‘I’m here, I’m right here’ to a nation that ignored me. I reached out day after day to a people who turned their backs on me, People who make wrong turns, who insist on doing things their own way. They get on my nerves, are rude to my face day after day, Make up their own kitchen religion, a potluck religious stew. They spend the night in tombs to get messages from the dead, Eat forbidden foods and drink a witch’s brew of potions and charms. They say, ‘Keep your distance. Don’t touch me. I’m holier than thou.’ These people gag me. I CAN’T STAND THEIR STENCH. Look at this! Their sins are all written out— I have the list before me. I’m not putting up with this any longer. I’ll pay them the wages. They have coming for their sins. And for the sins of their parents lumped in, a bonus.” God says so. “Because they’ve practiced their blasphemous worship, mocking me at their hillside shrines, I’ll let loose the consequences and pay them in full for their actions.” (MSG)

If this is how God feels about the stench of sin, why does the odor not bother the Body of Christ any longer?!

People of God, today is a good day to pray and ask God to deliver us, and give us back our distinction. Because the truth is, we can’t be the same as the world and make a difference. They should feel free to come into our church services, but they should feel something that makes them know that they can’t stay the same way they came. We can’t blend, compromise, conform, tolerate, and certainly not water down the Gospel. We have to stand up and stand out so that we might be able to bring them in. Today, determine to be the Fragrance of God, that abhors the Scent of Sin!

“The devil must be daily resisted. The world must be daily overcome. There is a warfare to be waged, and a battle to be fought.” (J.C. Ryle)

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

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“Turning a Mess Into a Masterpiece!”

“Then I [Jeremiah] went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? Saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.” (Jeremiah 18:3-6)

If you’re asking today, “Why am I going through all that I’m going through?” the answer is, you’re “IN THE HAND OF THE POTTER!”  

Knowing that alone helps, especially when you’re on the wheel and everything in your life seems to be spinning and spiraling completely out of control! I use the word “seems”, because in Actuality, your life is not spinning and spiraling completely out of control. ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS LOOK UNDER THE TABLE AND SEE WHOSE FOOT IS ON THE WHEEL! “…behold, HE (THE POTTER) wrought a work ON THE WHEELS” Many of us have seen wheels spin on bikes, motorcycles, cars, trains and the like, and when those wheels get to spinning, if you stare at them long enough it can make you dizzy! The speed is swift as it goes around and around in circles! And sometimes, as believers, that’s how our lives feel when God has His foot on the potter’s wheel! Everything feels like it’s spinning completely out of control, but the potter has been doing this far too long to not know how to control the speed of the spin! And God likewise, has not loss control of your life even when the marriage, kids, family, job, finances, health, business and church all seem to be spinning at 200 MPH in all different directions at the exact same time! But be encouraged, the Potter’s foot knows how to handle the speed of the wheel!

“…behold, HE (THE POTTER) WROUGHT a work on the wheels” Now the word “Wrought” means “Beaten Out Or Shaped By Hammering.” This may hurt you, but it will eventually help you, listen, the pain you THINK is the devil, is REALLY JUST THE POTTER RESHAPING YOU! Think about it, IF THE ENEMY HAD BEEN IN CONTROL OF YOUR SITUATION, HE’D HAVE THROWN YOU OFF THE WHEEL A LONG TIME AGO! BUT HE CAN’T, BECAUSE THE POTTER CONTROLS THE PROCESS, THE WHEELS AND THE WROUGHT! And all this time you’ve been giving the devil credit for a work he didn’t do! The devil wants to steal, kill and destroy you, not work on you for the better! Yes, the hammering hurts, it’s painful, it’s difficult, it’s uncomfortable, but it’s God’s process! And most important, the Hammer is in the Hand of God! Which should serve as great encouragement to you that no hurt, harm or hindrance will come of it. He’s simply shaping you to become the masterpiece He already designed you to be! Ephesians 2:10, “For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].” (AMP) That’s what all the hammering is about! It’s transforming us, renewing us, and making us ready to be used by God for good works as His workmanship, His own Master Work, His own Work of Art! And you really thought the devil was behind all of that goodness?! Absolutely not! Stop adding skills to the devil’s resume for work he couldn’t and didn’t do!

But listen to what the devil would have you focus on: “… And the vessel that he made of clay was MARRED in the hand of the potter…” The devil doesn’t want you to focus on the Masterpiece God is creating you to be, he wants you to focus on the fact that you’ve become Marred in the Potter’s Hand! But what he doesn’t know however, is that God is Monitoring Your Every Move! Now, I know how messed up you think you are because you’ve been “Marred”, but understand that when something is “Marred” it’s defined as “to Harm the Appearance or Quality of.” And let’s be honest, the devil isn’t trying to simply HARM YOU, OR HARM YOUR APPEARANCE, OR HARM YOUR QUALITY, he’s trying to DESTROY YOU! Which is why the Bible forewarns us: “THE THIEF’S PURPOSE IS TO STEAL, KILL AND DESTROY…” (John 10:10 TLB). THEREFORE, IF IT WAS THE DEVIL’S FOOT ON THE WHEEL, YOU WOULD BE DEAD BY NOW! But since he can’t kill you, he tries to distract you by getting you to focus on stuff that matters to you, but doesn’t matter to God, stuff like your marring, your mess up, your mistakes, and especially your past! But beloved, before you go and lose heart, know this, you’re simply “Marred” and Fortunately, God is Not Intimated By Your “Marring”. He’s not intimidated by the clay regardless of where He finds it or how flawed and out of shape it is. Truth is: WE SERIOUSLY GIVE OUR PAST WAY TOO MUCH POWER, BECAUSE GOD IS NOT AT ALL INTIMIDATED BY IT OR WHAT IT HAS CAUSED US TO LOOK LIKE! He’s not intimidated by our past promiscuity, addictions, mess-ups, screw-ups, or mistakes. He’s not intimidated by our ex friends, lovers or spouses. He’s committed to working on us until we become what He wants or better yet, “As Seemed Good to the Potter…”  

Listen: I don’t care what you’ve done, who you did it with, how long you did it or where, no man has the right or authority to hold you captive by your past, neither the devil, not even you! Your “Marring” did not mess you up for all eternity! There is no accidental mistake, or deliberate bad decision that you’ve ever made (or will make) that the Potter cannot make over into what seems Good to Him! You still have use, you still have value, you still have worth, you still have purpose! So let nothing and no one (not even YOU) allow your past to make you believe that you have no future! The Word of God still holds true for you, regardless to your past: “This is God’s Word on the subject…I’ll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out – plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the FUTURE you hope for.” (Jeremiah 29:10-11 MSG). In the words of my pastor, you need to start saying daily to yourself: “I SEE MYSELF IN THE FUTURE AND THINGS LOOK SO MUCH BETTER. I’M EXPECTING A MIRACLE, AND MY MIRACLE IS EXPECTING ME!” (Bishop James R. Chambers). So you see, if God Himself is not hindered by your Past, why should you be? “He has removed our sins as far away from us as the east is from the west.” (Psalm 103:12 TLB). Therefore, marred vessels, keep moving forward, “Marred” and all! God can still make you the light of the world, no matter how dark your past was! God Still Uses Cracked Pots!

Listen: A water bearer in India had two large pots, one hung on each end of a pole, which she carried across her neck. One of the pots had a crack in it. While the other pot was perfect, and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the mistress’s house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to her master’s house. The perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do. After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream: “I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you.” Why?” asked the bearer. “What are you ashamed of?” “I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your mistress’s house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don’t get full value from your efforts,” the pot said. The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in her compassion she said, “As we return to the mistress’s house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path.” Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure. The bearer said to the pot, “Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side? “That’s because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you’ve watered them. “For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my mistress’s table. Without you being just the way you are, she would not have this beauty to grace her house.”

Moral of the story: Just as the water bearer knew of the flaw in the cracked pot, God knows about our flaws too. The water bearer continued to use the cracked pot, knowing full well of its flaws, and God uses us just the same, even with full knowledge of our every flaw! It’s US who focus on our flaws more than we focus on fulfilling our purpose in God.

For example, Benjamin felt small; Gideon felt insignificant; Moses felt his speech hindered him from being God’s mouthpiece, and yet God used each of them in a big way, flaws and all, and He’s using you the same way! God never asks for our perfection, just our availability. The question is, are we willing to give God our flaws that He may use them to bring Himself Glory?

Think about the above story, the perfect pot delivered a pail full of water. And that’s what it was designed to do. But the cracked pot was designed to deliver water, AND purposed to water the seeds that the water bearer would sow along the journey. So the mistresses house received from the cracked pot, water and flowers for her home. God can do more with your imperfections than He can with your false views and attempts of perfection. Just ask God to use you, available, cracked you. I promise you’ll be amazed by the harvest that’s produced in the lives of others because you gave God your cracked water pot to use!

To take it further, bear in mind: John 1:12 “As many as received him, to them gave he power TO BECOME the sons of God.” ALWAYS REMEMBER: THE BATTLE IS OVER WHO AND WHAT YOU’RE BECOMING! Regardless of what you’ve been up until now, GOD SEES IN YOU THE POTENTIAL TO BECOME! And what are you to become? “…a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the Master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.” (2 Timothy 2:21). Listen: When you see a can’t in yourself, GOD SEES A “CAN”. When you see a won’t in yourself, GOD SEES A “WILL”. When you see a don’t in yourself, GOD SEES A “DO” When you see a shouldn’t in yourself, GOD SEES A “SHOULD”.

GOD WILL ALWAYS PUT YOUR POTENTIAL ON A PEDESTAL!

IN OTHER WORDS, HE WILL ALWAYS LIFT UP WHAT YOU WILL BE, NOT WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN!

Cracks and all, you are still becoming “…a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the Master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.”

Highlight for yourself from John 1:12, “to them gave He Power TO BECOME…” That’s what the devil is after to destroy, WHAT YOU WILL BECOME! Don’t let him do it! Don’t let the devil distract or discourage you! Stay focused on what God Said no matter what the devil would want you to See! You are Becoming a wonderful, useful, cracked vessel unto honour, sanctified and meet for your Master’s use, for He is preparing you for every good work! Do not lose sight of the big picture, stay focused on what you are becoming! 

In a Nutshell: The devil’s not intimidated by your Caterpillar stage, because you’re on the ground, low, at his level, defeated, and struggling to crawl by. But what intimidates him is your Butterfly stage, because you then Possess the Ability to Fly, to Soar, to Excel, and to Reach Altitudes He Can’t Reach! You see, some snakes can sliver through trees, but when it reaches a certain height, it can reach no further. But the Butterfly Isn’t Limited to Where the Tree Top Stops! And Neither Are You! That’s why you can’t get distracted from what you’re becoming! Children of God, it’s time for you to soar, but if you keep allowing your past, the devil, discouragement, and low self-worth to hinder you, you’ll remain in a cocoon with undeveloped wings that were designed and destined to soar! You were never meant to stay on this level! The cocoon is only for a time period, then you break out of it fully developed and soar to new heights!

“The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army; He makes my feet like hind’s feet and will make me to walk [not to stand still in terror, but to walk] and make [spiritual] progress upon my high places [of trouble, suffering, or responsibility]!…” (Habakkuk 3:19 AMP)

You were made for high places, so stop settling for low positions!

Notice also, that even though the vessel was “Marred”, It Was Still In The Potter’s Hand! God Never Throws Us Away, Nor Is His Plan For Us Thwarted Because We Have a Flaw of Struggle in Certain Areas! Understand that whether you’re being lifted from the mud, turned on the wheel or made over again, At All Times You Are In His Hand, And Always Will Be! “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall Never Perish, Neither Shall Any Man Pluck Them Out of My Hand.” (John 10:28) SO, BE ENCOURAGED: YOU ARE IN THE POTTER’S HANDS, AND HIS HANDS NEVER STOP WORKING!” “But Jesus said, “MY FATHER HAS NEVER STOPPED WORKING…” (John 5:17 CEV) Therefore, even if you continue to mar in the master’s hand, which you will as long as you are still flesh and blood, but the good news is, that can’t hinder the Hand of God on your life! From birth to death and everything in between, God never stops working on you and your life! So even when you make more mistakes, and even deliberate sinful choices, God never stops working on you! Don’t let the devil, your past, or yourself make you believe anything different! There is nothing about you or your life or your past that is powerful enough to Hinder the Hand of God’s Work!

I found yet another little nugget too! Did you know the word “Smith” in “Silversmith” comes from the Old English word “Smite”? Well, in case you didn’t know, Silversmiths are very Accomplished Smiters! AND SO IS GOD! You see, the word “Smite” is defined as “Striking a Firm Blow”. In other words, God Knows the Weight of the Hammer and the Force of the Blow Required to Produce In You Christ-Like Character! And absolutely no one yanks the hammer out of His hand and says, “Go easy on that silver; you’ve pounded it enough!” No, He Buffets the Metal Until He’s Finished With It! And when you “Buffet” something, it means you “Strike It Repeatedly and Violently”. In other words, there is a Determination on the part of the Silversmith to Beat the Silver Into the Design He Envisioned It To Be! And He Will Beat It Until It Conforms to What He has Constructed in His Mind! He Will Beat it Until the Blueprint Comes Off the Pages and Stands Before Him Fully Erected! He Will Beat it Until He Sees With His Eyes What He Saw in His Thoughts! And the Same Goes For You!  

Too often we forget He’s Our Heavenly FATHER! And unlike today, Daddies of old didn’t spare the rod, nor spoil the child! So, keep in mind: He’s Your God, but He’s Also Your FATHER! “But don’t, dear friend, resent God’s discipline; don’t sulk under his loving correction. It’s the child he loves that God corrects; A FATHER’S DELIGHT IS BEHIND ALL OF THIS.” (Proverbs 3:12 MSG); “For the Lord corrects and disciplines everyone whom He loves, and He punishes, even scourges, every son whom He accepts and welcomes to His heart and cherishes.” (Hebrews 12:6 AMP)

Please Understand that Your God Will Bless You, But Never Forget, Your Father Will Buffet You Too!

In the end, God Alone Knows Exactly What You’re to Look Like. He Was the One that Gathered All Your Materials BEFORE Time! “BEFORE I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you. BEFORE you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you: A prophet to the nations—THAT’S WHAT I HAD IN MIND FOR YOU” (Jeremiah 1:5 MSG). BEFORE YOU BEGAN, HE ALREADY KNEW HOW YOU’D END! SO STOP FRETTING! HE ALREADY KNOWS HOW FABULOUS YOUR FINISHED PRODUCT LOOKS!

I know the Blows come Fast and Hard, and it seems like they’ll never end, but you have to Trust that God Knows What He’s Doing! 

However, sadly enough, I wish I could tell you that after the Hammering and Buffeting is Done You’re Finished, BUT…then there has to be POLISHING!  And when you “Polish” something you “Make It Smooth and Shiny By Continuously Rubbing It!” And the Best of Silversmiths will tell you that they Keep Polishing UNTIL THEY CAN SEE THEIR FACE IN THE FINISHED PRODUCT! So, When Will God Stop Polishing You? When He Sees His Nature and His Likeness Reflected In You! In other words, when He looks at you, He ought to see, Integrity, Faithfulness, Dedication, Power, Consecration, Diligence, Obedience, Honor, Loyalty, Leadership, Commitment and the like. He ought to see “…the Fruit of the Spirit…Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, Temperance…” (Galatians 5:22-23). 

Simply put, He’s Done When He Looks At You And Sees Himself! 

And if we’re all to be Real Honest, God Is No-Where Near Finished Smiting, Buffeting or Polishing Any Of Us! Jesus said, “My Father Never Stops Working.” Therefore, you need to understand that: The Pounding You Feel Doesn’t Suggest God’s Distance, It Proves His Nearness! So Stop Attributing Everything to the Devil! 

Lastly, after a lifetime of walking with God, Joshua said, “Not a Word Failed of Any Good Thing Which the Lord Had Spoken…All Came to Pass.” (Joshua 21:45 NKJV). 

Understand that Whatever God Has Spoken Over Your Life, He’s Not Stopping Until He Sees It “All Come to Pass”! And If That Takes Smiting, Buffeting and Polishing…He’s Committed To Doing Whatever It Takes, For However Long It Takes and No Matter How Painful It Will Be…”Not A Word Failed Of Any Good Thing Which The Lord Had Spoken…All Came To Pass!” He’s Still Working On You Because All That He Has Spoken Has Yet To Manifest In Your Life! And He Has To Keep His Word! So Endure The Wheel, the Spinning, the Hammering, the Smiting, the Buffeting and the Polishing! In The End It Will Be Worth It To Possess All God Has Promised You! God is the Greatest of Silversmiths. Trust Him as you imagine what you’re going to look like When He’s All Done…In the meantime, Remember: The Potters Hands Are Not Finished Molding You Yet! So, Don’t Be Discouraged In The Process, You Will Produce Something Great After This Is All Over!  

People of God, you are becoming a vessel of honor in the Master’s Hand and for the Master’s use, cracks, flaws, imperfections and all. So, don’t hate the process, because you’re going to love the end product!

As Painful as This is, Be Encouraged My Friend You May Have Been Marred, but Now You’re Being Molded and Made Into a Masterpiece Cracked Vessel of Honor for the Master’s Use and Glory!

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

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“God Sees Your Potential!”

Judges 6:15-16, “But Gideon said to Him, “Please Lord, how am I to rescue Israel? Behold, my family is the least [significant] in Manasseh, and I am the youngest (smallest) in my father’s house.”  The Lord answered him, “I will certainly be with you, and you will strike down the Midianites as [if they were only] one man.” (AMP)

There was a sign that read Antique Auto Show, so Rob and his wife decided that they’d take fifteen minutes and stop at this car dealership and look at the antique autos. They were really interested in seeing the ones that went back to the 50s and 60s. And as they continued looking, there was this one car that stood out amongst all the rest. It was a sleek, black ’66 Mustang that had a flawless exterior, a rich interior, and the hood was even open so you could look at the horsepower underneath. However, there, sitting on the engine block, was a thick book of photos. And it wasn’t the guy’s wife, children or grandchildren. But it was his car! And at the beginning of this photo album there were BEFORE pictures of the car. Let me tell you, it was trash when he started! The first pictures were of this rusted, wrecked, banged-up Mustang that no one in their right mind would claim as their property! Come to find out, it was the car he bought. And as you looked through the book, step by step you could see the car was slowly being Transformed. It took months, maybe years for the owner to give patient attention to get this beautiful classic to where it stood now before them. I believe that when the owner saw that wreck, he saw more than a wreck. He actually saw something that others didn’t see. What he saw was Potential.

Well, that leads us straight to Judges 6. God is looking for a general for His troops, someone who will be a mighty commander and beat the Midianites who have intimidated and terrorized the Israelites for years. And He speaks to Gideon in verses 11-12, “The angel of the Lord came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, MIGHTY WARRIOR.” (NIV).

And what was Gideon’s response? Verse 13 reads, “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” (NIV).

However, verses 14-16 declare, “The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in this strength of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?”  But Gideon said to Him, “Please Lord, how am I to rescue Israel? Behold, my family is the LEAST [SIGNIFICANT] in Manasseh, and I am the YOUNGEST (SMALLEST) in my father’s house.”  The Lord answered him, “I will certainly be with you, and YOU will strike down the Midianites as [if they were only] ONE MAN.”” (AMP).

Okay, here is Gideon. He’s hiding in a pit. He doesn’t look like a mighty warrior…at all. And God comes along and says, “Mighty warrior!” Surely, you’re thinking just like I’m thinking, this is no mighty warrior! But God didn’t see what Gideon WAS. He saw what he COULD BE, what he WOULD BE and what He intended to MAKE HIM. And that’s the very same place where many of us mess up and get stuck at! We get so consumed by where we ARE, and where we’re NOT; who we ARE, and who we’re NOT; what we CAN and what we CAN’T do. That we never consider a vision from God’s point of view. I find it absolutely amazing that BEFORE Gideon does anything, God calls him a “Mighty Warrior”, IN ADVANCE! Unlike us, God doesn’t get stuck in what we ARE, but His focus remains on what we CAN BE! And so God speaks contrary to Gideon. Gideon sees someone insignificant, unimportant, irrelevant, small even, yet God sees him as a “Mighty Warrior”! Question: How do you see yourself? How do you speak to and about yourself? What do you see for yourself? Do you consider yourself “mighty”? Gifted? Smart? Beautiful? Well, in case you don’t, I’ve stopped by to inform you that you need to check your eyesight! Situations and circumstances should never distort how you see yourself, because they certainly do not distort how God sees you! No matter what your marital status is, how many children you have, you don’t have or that you’ve aborted or miscarried. No matter your education, employment, ethnicity, or back ground. No matter what your father was, what your mother did, you are still a “mighty warrior” in the eyes of God…NOW it’s time that you see yourself the very same way. Stop spending so much time focusing on what you’ve done or left undone that you become stagnate between the two. There’s so much more to you then yesterday. Today is a new day and with it needs to come a new outlook on your life, despite your mistakes, flaws, failures, bad decisions, errors in judgment and the like.

Just look at Peter.

Same thing happened with Peter. Matthew 16:13-19, “When Jesus arrived in the villages of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “What are people saying about who the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some think he is John the Baptizer, some say Elijah, some Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.” He pressed them, “And how about you? Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter said, “You’re the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus came back, “God bless you, Simon, son of Jonah! You didn’t get that answer out of books or from teachers. My Father in heaven, God himself, let you in on this secret of who I really am. AND NOW I’M GOING TO TELL YOU WHO YOU ARE, REALLY ARE. YOU ARE PETER, A ROCK. This is the rock on which I will put together my church, a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out. “And that’s not all. You will have complete and free access to God’s kingdom, keys to open any and every door: no more barriers between heaven and earth, earth and heaven. A yes on earth is yes in heaven. A no on earth is no in heaven…” (MSG)

I imagine when people heard this they said, “Did He just say Peter? He’s not a rock!” Truth is, when he came to Jesus he was sort of a flake. He was always up and down and inconsistent. But Jesus saw the rock He was going to make him into. And that’s the problem with us, we remember (and certainly everybody else remembers) how bad we’ve messed up, what we did, when we did it, who we did it with, how often we did it, where and why, and YET, Jesus looks beyond our hard heads and still sees a Rock! How awesome to know that regardless of how messy we’ve been, God still sees a masterpiece in us! In fact, He looks at us the way that Mustang owner saw that banged-up car. He sees the value in us more than we do. He knows the person He created us to be. And in God’s words, “For it is by grace [God’s remarkable compassion and favor drawing you to Christ] that you have been saved [actually delivered from judgment and given eternal life] through faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [not through your own effort], but it is the [undeserved, gracious] gift of God; not as a result of [your] works [nor your attempts to keep the Law], so that no one will [be able to] boast or take credit in any way [for his salvation].  FOR WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP [HIS OWN MASTER WORK, A WORK OF ART], CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS [REBORN FROM ABOVE-SPIRITUALLY TRANSFORMED, RENEWED, READY TO BE USED] FOR GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD PREPARED [FOR US] BEFOREHAND [TAKING PATHS WHICH HE SET], SO THAT WE WOULD WALK IN THEM [LIVING THE GOOD LIFE WHICH HE PREARRANGED AND MADE READY FOR US].” (Ephesians 2:8-10 AMP) Even as messed up and banged up as we were, God still saw in us “…HIS WORKMANSHIP, HIS OWN MASTER WORK, A WORK OF ART…”

How can you possibly view yourself as junk, when God Himself sees you as “…A WORK OF ART…”? YES EVEN YOU!

Like the Mustang owner, God’s photo album shows where you were and His step-by-step rebuilding.

See, if you believe how God sees you, then there are some important changes in how life should look to you. First, when you’re down about who you are, look back at the old pictures. Look at what you used to be. You’re becoming something aren’t you? Remember what you used to do, how you used to act, where you used to be, and see where you are now. No, you haven’t made it all the way yet, but neither has any of us! So learn to celebrate where you are, and where you’re heading, knowing that God sees the Best in you always!

Psalm 103:6-18, “God makes everything come out right; He puts victims back on their feet. He showed Moses how he went about His work, opened up His plans to all Israel. God is sheer mercy and grace; not easily angered, He’s rich in love. He doesn’t endlessly nag and scold, nor hold grudges forever. He doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve, nor pay us back in full for our wrongs. As high as heaven is over the earth, so strong is His love to those who fear Him. And as far as sunrise is from sunset, He has separated us from our sins…” (MSG) So, stop holding your past and mistakes over your own head, when they’re under God’s feet! He remembers them no more, now it’s time that you do the very same thing!

Today is a good day to move forward! A good day to start over fresh without yesterday’s baggage! Your problems don’t hinder your potential. It’s still there. God sees it, and so should you!

Second, when you’re down on yourself, realize you’re not finished yet! The rebuilder is in the process! Look at it like this, have you ever taken the time to look at a construction site? It’s an absolute mess! There’s dust, dirt, debris, everywhere! Nothing is together, nor does anything look anywhere near what the blueprint suggests it should! There are people in hard hats, dirty clothes, they’re sweating, tired, yelling, there’s signs of danger up everywhere because the site isn’t finished yet! And even at the end of the day when they go home, they don’t forget about the site! They come back the next day and work some more. Why? Because what’s on blueprint has to become a building! And God is no different with you! You may not look like much in the eyes of some, or even in your own view. But God is still at work! Daily He’s making you better! Daily He’s adding, subtracting and dividing just so you can be multiplied in the end. Daily what you are to become is seen more and more by many! So stop fretting yourself and judging yourself by what you see today! God isn’t finished yet, but He’s promised He will! The Bible says in Philippians 1:6, “I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus [the time of His return].” (AMP). You have God’s Word that He will finish what He’s started in you so don’t you dare consider giving up in the middle of the process again! Can you imagine if after day one on a construction site that the construction workers said, ‘that’s it, I quit! I refuse to work on this project any longer. We’ve been working at this thing all day and into the evening and still it looks nothing like the blueprint!” Listen: Any building that goes up in one day, is guaranteed to come down in one day!  There’s a reason construction is such a slow process. The foundation is the most vital to be established and you can’t rush foundation! The wiring is essential, the plumbing is important, walls, floors and ceilings need great attention to detail. And why is all of this significant? Because if it’s not done right, somebodies going to be severely hurt! And that’s what happens when people attempt to rush God’s process of rebuilding for their lives. They want to run out and preach, teach, prophecy, travel the country, lay hands and overseer mega ministries. And yet, they want to do all of that without being properly processed! The end result, they hurt themselves and everyone attached to them because they rushed a process that needed proper timing to be fully established!

1 Peter 5:10, “After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace [who imparts His blessing and favor], who called you to His own eternal glory in Christ, will Himself COMPLETE, CONFIRM, STRENGTHEN, AND ESTABLISH YOU [MAKING YOU WHAT YOU OUGHT TO BE].” (AMP)

Listen, I get it, it’s been some years now and you’re still wondering God what is going on?! Please believe me, your God does not have Dementia! Your God does not have Alzheimer’s! He remembers every word He spoke to you and about you and every single word will come to pass, in season! Let God finish the work He started without your doubt delaying it’s development!

And third, when you’re dealing with other people, look for and encourage the person God is building in them. Be part of His rebuilding project in their life. Tell people what they could be. Tell them the good you see in them – the potential. You see, the word “potential” is defined as “having the capacity to develop into something in the future; qualities or abilities that may be developed and lead to future success or usefulness.” And to take it a step further, its Latin Origin “potentialis,” from “potentia” literally means “power”. People of God, no matter how bad off a person may be, they still have potential, they still have the power to become better! So don’t judge them, don’t put your negative mouth on them, don’t keep bringing up their past! Like You, they still have the power to become more! I’m here to tell you from personal experience, there’s nothing worse than an individual holding another person hostage by their past. Let them grow, evolve, and change for the better…in their time, in God’s time, not yours! So back off a bit! Give them space and room, just like you needed!

You see, when you take dirt and throw it on a fire it’s called “smothering”. In throwing dirt on a fire you smother it, you extinguish it, which means you stifle or suffocate it, you cut off the air and prevent it from breathing, which prevents it from growing. That’s what you do to people when you keep harping on them for their mistakes. You smother them! You suck the life right out of them. You hinder them from glowing and growing. Stop It! Even embers that have dimmed down, are still hot to the touch! They just need a little stoking. And so do people! To “stoke” is to “encourage, incite, or add to”. And that’s all most people need to find their potential again. They just need someone that will see past their Gideon and see a “mighty warrior”; they need someone who will see past their Peter and see a “rock”. And often stoking doesn’t take much. You would be absolutely amazed at the fire that could return from just a few empowering pokes of encouragement. “I believe in you; I’m proud of you; you’re doing great; keep pressing; don’t give up; you can do this; you’re getting better; look how strong you’ve become; look how much wisdom that taught you…” Try it on someone today and you’ll be just like Peter: “but I have prayed [especially] for you [Peter], that your faith [and confidence in Me] may not fail; and you, once you have turned back again [to Me], STRENGTHEN AND SUPPORT YOUR BROTHERS [IN THE FAITH].” (Luke 22:32 AMP). That’s what we should all do daily, as God betters us, we should help others get better too!

Think about it like this: Can you imagine the mental stress it would put on players if they were in their own home-court advantage, yet their own fans boo them the whole game?! Even when they’re winning, all they hear is a constant stream of boo’s! Would you be encouraged by that? Then why do it to others? Realize that people are trying their best, and many after several losing games, are still coming back again and again, giving it everything they’ve got. Don’t smother their future success with the ashes of their past failures! Encourage your brothers and sisters so that their faith and hope stay intact in the process! Let them know that you’ve got them covered! That you have their back! That you’re on their team! That you believe in them! Isn’t that what you would want to Receive? Then Give it! You can’t expect to throw dirt on someone else’s potential and think that God is going to allow you to grow from it!

Like the Classic Mustang in the above story, we ALL have a beginning that we’re not so proud of. We all of chapters in our book of life that we don’t read aloud or share with anyone else. We all have flaws, mistakes, and failures. We’ve all made bad decisions and judgements. We’ve all fallen far short of God’s grace, characteristics, standards and mark. And yet in His eyes, we’re still a masterpiece! It takes time to take mess and make it a masterpiece, but God is willing to put the time in. So, no more complaining about yourself (or others). Let God complete the work He began. Enjoy the step-by-step process. And when you get a moment, just reflect back over your life, and see just how far God has already brought you. You may be more inclined to ease up on yourself and others. Your potential is still intact, just wait and watch God produce something powerful with it!

“God’s plan is always the best. Sometimes the process is painful and hard. But don’t forget that when God is silent, He’s doing something for you.” (Author Unknown)

“Trust the process. Once you have prayed, let it go. Have faith that God heard you the first time, and is working on your prayer right now.” (Author Unknown)

“God’s purpose and process are tied together.” (Author Unknown)

“God knows your value; He sees your potential. You may not understand everything you are going through right now. But hold your head up high, knowing that God is in control and He has a great plan and purpose for your life.” (Joel Osteen)

“Don’t squander your potential living a life that amounts to far less than the one you are capable of living.” (Zero Dean)

“Potential is a priceless treasure, like gold. All of us have gold hidden within, but we have to dig to get it out.” (Joyce Meyer)

“The big challenge is to become all that you have the possibility of becoming. You cannot believe what it does to the human spirit to maximize your human potential and stretch yourself to the limit.” (Jim Rohn)

“There is no man living who isn’t capable to doing more than he thinks he can do.” (Henry Ford)

“I will prepare and some day my chance will come.” (President Abraham Lincoln)

“Successful and unsuccessful people do not vary greatly in their abilities. They vary in their desires to reach their potential.” (John Maxwell)

“There is no heavier burden than an unfulfilled potential.” (Charles Schulz)

“Look past the exterior, and see that there is so much more within. Then decide to unleash that potential to the fullest.” (Lincoln Patz)

“Surround yourself with the dreamers and the doers, the believers and thinkers, but most of all, surround yourself with those who see greatness within you, even when you don’t see it yourself.” (Author Unknown)

“Continuous effort, not strength or intelligence is the key to unlocking our potential.” (Winston Churchill)

“People who repeatedly attack your confidence and self-esteem are quite aware of your potential even if you are not.” (Author Unknown)

“Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us.” (Wilma Rudolph)

“Each person has the potential of making a positive impact on the world. It all depends on what you do with what you have.” (Gary Chapman)

“Most of your potential is trapped behind other people’s opinions. Some of those people love you, they just don’t understand you. The other group don’t want to see you win and they’re hoping their opinions will hold you back. Neither group’s opinion matters more than your own.” (Author Unknown)

“Your potential is endless. Go do what you were created to do.” (Author Unknown)

“Questions provide the key to unlocking our unlimited potential.” (Anthony Robbins)

“To unlock your potential in anything you do is going to require practice, consistency and patience.” (Simeon Panda)

“We are all strangers to our hidden potential until we confront problems that reveal our capabilities.” (Apoorve Dubey)

“You were born with potential. You were born with goodness and trust. You were born with ideals and dreams. You were born with greatness. You were born with wings. You are not meant for crawling, so don’t. You have wings. Learn to use them and fly.” (Rumi)

“A strong woman knows that she has the potential to shine in this world, but true strength lies in her ability to lay down her life so that God can shine through her.” (Darlene Schacht)

“Potential means nothing if you don’t do anything with it.” (Author Unknown)

“Your potential will haunt you until you take steps towards realizing it.” (Author Unknown)

“Action breeds potential; potential changes the world.” (Jordan Ring)

“True success is reaching our potential without compromising our values.” (Muhammad Ali)

“Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you help them become what they are capable of becoming.” (Goethe)

“There lies within each person a huge reservoir of untapped potential for achievement, success, and happiness.” (Jim Rohn)

“Focus on the possibilities for success, not on the potential for failure.” (Napolean Hill)

“It takes drive and focus to move from potential to reality.” (Author Unknown)

“People don’t get promoted for doing their jobs really well. They get promoted by demonstrating their potential to do more.” (Tara Jaye Frank)

“Maybe this year…we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives not looking for flaws, but for potential.” (Ellen Goodman)

“Difficulties in your life don’t come to destroy you, but to help you realize your hidden potential.” (Author Unknown)

“Discipline is the key to unlocking your true potential.” (Author Unknown)

“It’s only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential.” (President Barack Obama)

“You have the potential for greatness.” (Steve Harvey)

“Greatness is more than potential. It is the execution of that potential. Beyond the raw talent. You need the appropriate training. You need the discipline. You need the inspiration. You need the drive.” (Eric A. Burns)

“God never loses sight of our eternal potential, even when we do.” (Carole M. Stephens)

“Once I got a glimpse of my potential, the desire to be great was born.” (Andre Ferguson)

“Leadership is unlocking people’s potential to become better.” (Bill Bradley)

“It’s not enough to just have potential. You also need to know what to do with it.” (Susan Gale)

“Everyday has the potential to be the greatest day of your life.” (Lin-Manuel Miranda)

“To reach your greatest potential you’ll have to fight your greatest fears.” (Author Unknown)

“If you really want to live your life to the fullest and realize your greatest potential, you must be willing to run the risk of making some people mad. People may not like what you do, people may not like how you do it, but these people are not living your life. You are.” (Iyanla Vanzant)

“No one lacks potential. You can lack will or skill, but everyone has potential.” (Author Unknown)

“Fear and self-doubt have always been the greatest enemies of human potential.” (Brian Tracy)

“You’re so busy doubting yourself while so many others are intimidated by your potential.” (Author Unknown)

“Our Heavenly Father knows our divine potential. He rejoices every time we take a step forward.” (Larry R. Lawrence)

“Acknowledging you have areas to work is not an admission of failure; it is an admission that you have more potential.” (Carrie Cheadle)

“Mediocrity is living below our known, true potential.” (Dr. Myles Munroe)

“Your potential is the sum of all the possibilities God has for your life.” (Charles Stanley)

“Your God-Given potential is far too great to ever dare to bargain for anything less than a victorious life. Therefore, it’s time to rise to the challenge and push beyond your fears and doubts.” (Edmond Mbiaka)

“Every day, I wake up with one goal; to make sure our children and generations yet unborn will reach their God-Given potential and that the future we are creating is a brighter one for every child.” (Representative Elijah Cummings)

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

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“Has Your Appetite Matured Yet?”

Hebrews 5:11-14, “I have a lot more to say about this, but it is hard to get it across to you since you’ve picked up this bad habit of not listening. By this time you ought to be teachers yourselves, yet here I find you need someone to sit down with you and go over the basics on God again, starting from square one—BABY’S MILK, when you should have been on SOLID FOOD LONG AGO! MILK IS FOR BEGINNERS, INEXPERIENCED IN GOD’S WAYS; SOLID FOOD IS FOR THE MATURE, who have some practice in telling right from wrong.” (MSG)

Two of the greatest days of my life happened when I gave birth to my daughters. They are now 30 and 27 years old, and have grown into beautiful women. As their mother, I am extremely proud of them. And as much as they’ve accomplished over the last 3 decades, I think the funniest accomplishment of them all was when they were babies learning how to walk. Watching them transition from the stage of crawling to walking was indeed some of the funniest moments of my life.

Now, both of these young women came from the same mother, but they most definitely had two very different levels of motivation.

My oldest daughter Mo’Nae was not at all, whatsoever, fond of this whole walking thing. She didn’t get it and wasn’t trying to. She found no excitement in it at all. She’s a size 2 today, but then she was a chunky, chubby baby who acted as though her weight hindered her from doing much of anything. She wasn’t one of those children who pulled up on the furniture, or crawled out of the crib, or one who would make effort to stand on shaky legs and give this whole walking thing a shot. In fact, I thought I’d help her get motivated. Now, as my disclaimer, for many of you, you are going to consider this some form of child abuse. You see I walked to the store, and on the way back, I decided to sit her down on the ground and start walking away. My stupid assumption was that she would cry a little but then try to get up and come after me. Needless to say, that chubby, stubborn kid sat right there, unfazed in the least. She didn’t move, didn’t even try to, didn’t cry, didn’t reach, made absolutely zero attempts to walk. She just sat there, waiting for me to come back and pick her up and keep on carrying her. And sadly, I most certainly did.

However, my youngest daughter Ashley, was a different story altogether! I thought this kid had super-natural powers! She would pull up on anything, crawl out of anywhere. She wouldn’t sit still! She learned to walk so early, and so fast, it was amazing. I even took her to the doctor to make sure this was normal baby activity. She refused to stay in one spot. If you blinked, she would be attempting to get up the stairs! She was such a handful, because she was always so motivated to try the next thing. And it never mattered whether she fell or not, hurt herself or not, she wouldn’t let anything stop her. She would just keep going to whatever she deemed the next phenomenal life discovery!

And if you think the difference in these two stopped there, you are mistaken. Because the next thing was baby food. My oldest daughter Mo’Nae, could wait, the youngest Ashley, never could! Oh, and neither was she content with baby food for long. No, she kept following our forks as we put real food into our mouths. She was determined to have some of that right there, right now. And she wasn’t the type of kid that you could trick and give a chicken bone to. If you gave that to her, she would throw it on the ground. She was always looking for meat. She refused to settle for an empty, non-filling bone. She would not be fooled.

Now, the oldest could wait for you to sit with her and feed her. But oh boy that youngest one, she wasn’t even content for long with depending on someone else to feed her. Early on, she was reaching out for food and insisting on feeding herself. She would have food on the floor, in her hair, down her clothes, in her shoes. It didn’t matter, as long as some of it landed into her mouth, and she did it on her own, she was alright!

You see, our oldest could wait, she could be patient, she was in no hurry for anything at all. She has always done her own thing, at her own pace, in her own time. And even if it was different from the rest, she didn’t care, she would never alter who she was or what she did for anyone. She could wait out anything, and has not changed in over three decades.

But that youngest one, oh she crawled for a while, waited to be fed for a while, but we could tell she was impatient with crawling being her only means of transportation and waiting for others as her only means to eat. She really wanted to walk and she did. She wanted to eat her food when she wanted to and she did.

And what does all of this have to do with anything? Simple: A healthy child is never content to stay at the same level, and neither should a healthy child of God! Amazing how our babies and children motivate themselves to the next level, but we bible-toting, bible-believing, bible-quoting children of the Father are always stuck at a stagnant, stunted growth stage!

Unfortunately, too many of God’s children have reached a particular level of growing up in Jesus and they have just settled down there. You see, they don’t feed themselves much spiritually. They depend largely on others feeding them. They have no personal devotion time, no time in which they read the Word of God for themselves. No, instead they wait around for the latest fad-preacher to spoon-feed them sugar instead of handing them a knife and fork for some meat! So many children of God don’t even attend Sunday School (which I never understand how you skip foundational teaching); nor do they attend Bible Study (how do you stay healthy if you’re not eating the Word of God, in a consistent, private and public setting?)

Then, you have those children of God who think spiritual crawling is just fine, maybe because most of the Christians they know are stuck in the crawling stage themselves. You know, those who’ve been saved 40 years, in leadership 30 years, yet still going around in the same immature circles for 20?! At what point to realize you’ve been in this same place, with these same people, doing all the same stuff for years, and nothing has made a bit of difference in your life yet?!

Makes me think of my youngest daughter, because as her parent, just like any other parent; I was happy my daughter wasn’t content to stay where she was. She was always restless for more. Once she out-grew something, there had to be something else, and she’s still like that to this very day.

Truth is, I would have every reason to be very concerned if she was content to stay at a level that was below where she was meant to live! Could that be how your Heavenly Father feels about you?

Imagine how ridiculous it would look if at the age of 30, I’m still tying her shoes, spoon-feeding her, picking out her clothes and dressing her, carrying her around, pulling out baby wipes to clean her face, changing her diaper, heating her bottles. Are you seeing how foolish this imagery is? Now, if she suffered from some disorder or disability, we could all understand this type of behavior, dependence, helplessness, and neediness. But since she doesn’t have any, this would be utter insanity on her part and mine! And before you agree, make sure that this imagery isn’t descriptive of you!

Come on now, let’s be real about it: Are people still carrying you, babying you, spoon-feeding you, supporting you, wiping your tears and snot, and trying to protect you from every known danger in all of the world, because clearly you don’t know how to defend yourself? If that is you, this is your personal devotional, STOP CRAWLING, GET UP AND WALK!

The writer of Hebrews challenged believers who he said “ought to be teachers” by this time but instead were still needing someone to “teach you the elementary truths of God’s Word all over again.” He told them to “leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity” (Hebrews 5:12; 6:1). The Message Bible says it like this: “So come on, LET’S LEAVE THE PRESCHOOL FINGER-PAINTING EXERCISES ON CHRIST AND GET ON WITH THE GRAND WORK OF ART. GROW UP IN CHRIST! The basic foundational truths are in place: turning your back on “salvation by self-help” and turning in trust toward God; baptismal instructions; laying on of hands; resurrection of the dead; eternal judgment. God helping us, we’ll stay true to all that. BUT THERE’S SO MUCH MORE. LET’S GET ON WITH IT!” (Hebrews 6:1-3 MSG)

My favorite part? “…BUT THERE’S SO MUCH MORE. LET’S GET ON WITH IT!” I Agree! Let’s be real, who wants to be in the exact same place July 17, 2020, that they were in on July 17, 2019? Or for many of us, July 17, 1999; 1989; 1979; 1969; 1959; 1949, for that matter?! People of God, There’s So Much More! More to Mature Into! Our prayer lives should be more, our bible study should be more, our faith, hope and trust in God should be more. We should have more stability by now. More strength by now. More courage by now. More forgiveness by now. More bounce back ability by now. More focus by now. In the words of Paul, “…BY NOW YOU SHOULD BE…”

So, maybe the question you need to ask yourself today is, “BY NOW, WHERE SHOULD I BE…THAT I’M NOT?” And your follow-up question? “WHAT AM I GOING TO DO ABOUT IT…STARTING TODAY?!”

And how about we take our honesty just a little further? When are you going to stop complaining about your marriage, and do more to fix it? When are you going to stop fussing about your children, and do more to help them get on with life (even if that’s a swift kick in the behind, and right out the nest?!) When are you going to stop talking about your leaders and do more praying for them instead? When are you going to stop gossiping about that auxiliary and do more to make it better? When are you going to stop begging people for money and do more interviewing to simply get a job and save your own money? When are you going to stop nagging about that house, that apartment, that car, that tuition, those bills, and do more to improve them? Complaining, fault-finding, blaming, pointing fingers, whining, nagging, even crying will not help the situation. It’s time to “…GET ON WITH IT!”

Learn to cook, clean, do laundry and pay bills on time. Get out of debt. Finish school. Get a job. Take better care of your own health. Move. Relocate. Change your conduct, speech, and attitude. In other words, stop crawling around crying and get up and walk! Walk to interview, walk to the bank, walk to the counselor, walk to the gym, walk to the real estate. Get up and actively do something more to make your life better! You’ve been crawling around in this crib of life long enough. Even babies grow out and grow up, what’s your excuse?

You’ve been at this stage long enough. Challenge yourself, stretch yourself, and most of all, be honest with yourself, that you are not doing your very best. Today is a great day to give it everything you’ve got! Get up, get out, get on with it and get more!

In Philippians 3, beginning with verse 12, we hear what a healthy child of God wants. Remember, this was written by the Apostle Paul, maybe the most powerful Christian of all time. But still he says, “I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” The Message Bible says it like this: I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.” (MSG)

Maybe you’ve been coasting at the same spiritual speed for a while; you’ve been content with mediocrity – still crawling, still on milk. But now it’s time for you to get restless with remaining the same. Paul said, “I press on to TAKE HOLD…” It’s time for you take hold and get a handle on your life, and start making some gear shifts! It’s time for you to say with Paul “…I’M OFF AND RUNNING, AND I’M NOT TURNING BACK.” No more diapers, milk, pacifiers, bibs, bottles, formula, and crawling. No, it’s time for Maturity not Mediocrity! And by no means wait until January 1, 2020 to determine you’re going to shift gears from crawling to walking, no, adhere to the Bible’s admonishment: Proverbs 27:1, “Never boast about tomorrow. You don’t know what will happen between now and then.” (GNT). The Easy Read Version says it like this: “Never brag about what you will do in the future; you have no idea what tomorrow will bring.” (ERV) And then over in James 4:13-15 we read: “Look here, you people who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to such and such a town, stay there a year, and open up a profitable business.” How do you know what is going to happen tomorrow? For the length of your lives is as uncertain as the morning fog – now you see it; soon it is gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we shall live and do this or that.” (TLB). Therefore, stop making the same empty promises and resolutions to yourself and everybody else about the change you’re going to make at the stroke of midnight on December 31! Instead, start NOW, this moment! You have no idea how much time you have left, but you do know how much time you’ve already wasted that you can’t get back! So no more procrastination; no hesitating; no straddling the fence; no waiting until the New Year. No you’ve been waiting around long enough, get up now and start walking in it for real, right now! This is NOW the Moment for you to finally Walk Into Maturity!

That word “Maturity” is defined as “fully grown or developed”. Its Latin Origin “maturus” literally means “timely, ripe.” And that should describe you, by now, don’t you think?! When something is “ripe” it means it’s “fully matured; having reached a fitting time; advanced; full”. If that doesn’t describe you, edit your life so you can edit your description. You are no longer a babe in Christ, so stop crawling and crying and get up and walk in maturity!

The word “Mediocrity” is defined as “of only average or fairly low quality”. Which reminds me of Colossians 3:22-25, “Servants, do what you’re told by your earthly masters. And don’t just do the minimum that will get you by. DO YOUR BEST. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you’ll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you’re serving is Christ. The sullen servant who does SHODDY WORK will be held responsible. BEING A FOLLOWER OF JESUS DOESN’T COVER UP BAD WORK.” (MSG) As believers, we don’t do shoddy or bad work, everything we do, we do to our Best ability! And that includes the life and lifestyle in which we live. Be it public or private our life and lifestyle should always exemplify excellence! Mediocrity should never even be found in our vocabulary!

When complacency, procrastination, familiarity, laziness, slothfulness, mediocrity and anything stagnant presents itself to you, remember who you are: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a [special] people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies [the wonderful deeds and virtues and perfections] of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.  Once you were not a people [at all], but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” (1 Peter 2:9 AMP)

Did you catch that? “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a consecrated nation, a [special] people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies [the wonderful deeds and virtues and perfections] of Him who called you…”

Nothing About That Sounds Like Mediocrity! You Have a Responsibility to Your Royalty!

Today, this devotional was sent to remind you that you’ve been living far beneath your rights and privileges as a Child of God. And now that you know better, do better! James 4:17, “So any person who KNOWS what is right to DO but does NOT do it, to him it is SIN.” (AMP) So, stop begging, bargaining, pleading, and crawling. Get up and walk! Whatever you don’t have, get up and go get it! No excuses! Today is your day of motivation to make changes in your life for the better. And if that means you have to change some people, places and things, do so. If it or they are not making you better, get rid of them before they make you worse! Keep a circle of people who push you, pull you, charge and challenge you. You need those who refuse to accept that where you are is as far as you can go. You need people who put their foot in your back and propel you out of your comfort zone. You need people who make you pick up tools and start building instead of just looking at the blueprint. You need people who act like a nightmare to wake you from your daydream to get you to live your actual dream! You need those who call you on the carpet no matter what. You need those who will tell you, to your face, enough is enough. Get up, grow up and get on with life! Don’t settle for flattery of speech, don’t settle for those who say they understand your short-comings, struggles, and strongholds. Don’t settle for those who will carry you so long they actually cripple you. Don’t settle for those spoon-feeding you riches, when they should motivate you to feed on repentance. You’ve been at this stage, on this level, for far too long! Enough is indeed enough. Stop leaning, and walk; stop crawling, and walk; stop letting people carry you, and walk; stop being propped up and walk, stop waiting for everybody else to do it for you, and do it yourself. How much more of your time, ability and life are you really willing to waste?

Today is your day to move from Mediocre to More! Remember the Word of God: “So come on, LET’S LEAVE THE PRESCHOOL FINGER-PAINTING EXERCISES ON CHRIST AND GET ON WITH THE GRAND WORK OF ART. GROW UP IN CHRIST. The basic foundational truths are in place: turning your back on “salvation by self-help” and turning in trust toward God; baptismal instructions; laying on of hands; resurrection of the dead; eternal judgment. God helping us, we’ll stay true to all that. BUT THERE’S SO MUCH MORE. LET’S GET ON WITH IT!” (Hebrews 6:1-3 MSG)

By the end of this year, don’t let your resolutions be the same unfilled ones you made last year. Don’t get stuck!

“HERE May Be Comfortable, But THERE Is Calling You!”

If you want to Walk into More, you have to Crawl around Less!

Today, Get Up, and Get There! STOP CRAWLING, GET UP AND WALK!

Today, Shift Your Appetite From Milk to Meat! It’s Time to Mature to a New Level!

“Spiritual maturity isn’t measured by how high you jump in praise, but how straight you walk in obedience.” (Author Unknown)

“Spiritual maturity is not reached by the passing of the years, but by obedience to the Will of God.” (Oswald Chambers)

“Maturity in the Christian life is measured by only one test: how much closer to His character have we become?” (Elyse Fitzpatrick)

“Every season of your life is valuable because God does not waste anyone’s time. Every season is necessary for our growth, our pruning, our maturity and preparation for our calling.” (Lisa Osteen Comes)

“We shouldn’t focus on the doors that God closes. Change doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Change means growth.” (Author Unknown)

“When God Wants You to Grow, He Makes You Uncomfortable.” (Author Unknown)

“Growing closer to God is not the result of trying harder, but of surrendering more.” (Author Unknown)

“Change is a part of life. Be open to change, because that’s God opening the door to growth in your life.” (Author Unknown)

“God allows difficulties, inconveniences, trials, and even suffering to come our way for a specific purpose. They help develop the right attitude for the growth of patience.” (Billy Graham)

“Spiritual maturity is a lifelong pursuit. We grow in spiritual maturity moment by moment, day by day, year by year.” (Jim George)

“Spiritual maturity is not a matter of years or time, it’s just a matter of your connection with the Lord and His Word, and your obedience and your humility.” (Author Unknown)

“Maturity is the ability to think, speak and act your feelings within the bounds of dignity. The measure of your maturity is how spiritual you become during the midst of your frustrations.” (Samuel Ullman)

“One of the greatest indicators of our own spiritual maturity is revealed in how we respond to the weaknesses, the inexperience, and the potentially offensive actions of others.” (David A. Bednar)

“God’s Word is the living seed that brings new birth. It is the milk that nurtures the new life of a young Christian and the meat that builds the muscle of a mature believer.” (Colin S. Smith)

“Bible study is the metal that makes a Christian. This is the strong meat on which holy men are nourished. This is that which makes the bone and sinew of men who keep God’s way in defiance of every adversary.” (Charles Spurgeon)

“Our spiritual maturity will never exceed our knowledge of the Bible.” (Albert Mohler)

“Biblical convictions are essential for spiritual growth and maturity. What is ironic today is that people often have strong convictions about weak issues (football, fashion, etc.) while having weak convictions about major issues (what is right and what is wrong)?” (Rick Warren)

“A spiritual mature person prioritizes work before play, love over lust, and character over charm.” (Pastor Paul Sheppard)

“Maturity comes when you stop making excuses and start making changes.” (Author Unknown)

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

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“The Process of Pruning Produces the Fullness of Potential”

“I AM the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser. Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit [that stops bearing] He cuts away (trims off, takes away); and He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit.” (John 15:1-2 AMP).

Unlike my mom, when it comes to growing things, I’m not exactly Seedling Sam the Gardening Man. I grew up in New York, but my mom on the other hand, was the epitome of a farm girl who had the most amazing green thumbs! As soon as you’d walk in her apartment, you would be immediately welcomed into a living room that could be best described as a personal green house! I’m not as good as mom, but I can, however, keep a plant or two alive based off what she’s taught me about how things grow and flourish. I was reminded of one of those lessons when I read an article about growing blueberries in a local Sunday newspaper. The writer of that article is a recognized expert on blueberries. He explained how one of his most important steps in making blueberry bushes fruitful Is to Chop Off Branches! Sounds Destructive, But Actually It’s Constructive! He Prunes Away A Lot of TOP BRANCHES So the Interior Branches Are Exposed to the Sunlight! The result? BIG BLUEBERRIES AND LOTS OF THEM! And all because he Chopped Off the Top Branches!

“Better to be pruned to grow than cut up to burn.” (John Trapp).

We all really need to understand this pruning process, especially since it’s one of God’s Most Important Methods In Growing Us! In fact, some of the difficulty and loss that you’re experiencing right now May Actually Be Your Heavenly Father Cutting You Down to Help You Grow Up! And the results are going to be far greater than they ever could have been, if He left what He has been taking away! “If God didn’t think twice about taking Pruning Shears to the natural branches, why would he hesitate over you? He wouldn’t give it a second thought…” (Romans 11:21 MSG). In other words, God is not struggling with cutting you down so He can help you grow up! He hasn’t given it a second thought, because He knows it’s ultimately for your good, growth and development!

As Jesus was in His final hours before the cross, He prepared His disciples for the battles and the assignments ahead with some powerful teaching. And since they saw grapevines pretty often, He chose that as an analogy of their, AND OUR, relationship with Him. In John 15, beginning with verse 1, Jesus says: “I am the true vine, and My Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” (NIV). Another version says it like this: “I AM the True Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser. Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit [that stops bearing] He cuts away (trims off, takes away); and He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit.” (AMP).

In short, HE LEAVES YOU WITH LESS, SO YOU CAN BE AVAILABLE FOR MORE!

Sidebar: Pastors, when the ministry begins to go through shifting changes and all of a sudden you began to notice that the numbers are lowering, don’t panic! This is not always a bad sign! God simply has the Pruning Shears on the ministry for its’ future growth and development! It’s a necessity to have the ministry pruned for its later potential and prosperity. Before God takes you into Greater, He will Cut Off those who have Stunted Growth and even those who are Consistently Growing, just so they will Grow All the More! Remember: “…He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that CONTINUES TO BEAR FRUIT, TO MAKE IT BEAR MORE AND RICHER AND MORE EXCELLENT FRUIT.” Sometimes when it looks like a Loss, it’s actually God’s Greater Gain! Of course He loves the fact that the ministry has experienced Growth, but that’s why He Prunes, so it not only experiences Growth, but so it can, “…BEAR MORE AND RICHER AND MORE EXCELLENT FRUIT.” Take note, the, “…RICHER AND MORE EXCELLENT FRUIT”, ONLY COMES AFTER THE PRUNING PROCESS! So, don’t be discouraged, just continue to trust your Gardener during the Pruning Process!

Jesus went on to explain that all the things we do for Him have to flow from our deep relationship with Him – “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man REMAINS in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; APART from Me you can do nothing…If you REMAIN in Me and My words REMAIN in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given you.” If you keep pursuing Jesus and getting ever closer to Him, your life is going to be Abundantly Fruitful! You’re going to make a Greater Difference with your life than you’ve ever made before! You’re going to be More Spiritually Magnetic, and having you around is going to be more and more like actually having Jesus Himself around! You are going to attract more people into the Fruitful Kingdom of God! The key is to Remain in a Healthy Relationship with Jesus! Why? Because, Apart from Him You Can Do NOTHING! But, If You Remain In Him and His Word Remains in You… “…ASK WHATEVER YOU WISH AND IT WILL BE GIVEN YOU!”

BUT…Before You Receive the Richer and More Excellent Fruit, FIRST COMES THE PRUNING!

I imagine if a vine could talk, he’d say to the pruner, “You’re killing me, man!” And the gardener would reply, “I know this hurts, but I’m actually removing things you don’t really need so you can explode with greater fruit.” THAT MAY BE EXACTLY WHAT’S HAPPENING IN YOUR LIFE RIGHT NOW! IT DOESN’T FEEL GOOD, OH, BUT IT IS GOOD! Romans 8:26-28, “Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. THAT’S WHY WE CAN BE SO SURE THAT EVERY DETAIL IN OUR LIVES OF LOVE FOR GOD IS WORKED INTO SOMETHING GOOD.” (MSG)

AS BAD AS IT FEELS NOW, STAY IN THE PRUNING PROCESS, BECAUSE IT’S ABOUT TO GET REAL GOOD!

GOD IS LOVINGLY REMOVING THINGS (AND PEOPLE) YOU THINK YOU NEED, BUT MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, THESE THINGS (AND PEOPLE) MAY ACTUALLY BE HOLDING YOU DOWN, HOLDING YOU BACK, AND HOLDING YOU CAPTIVE! SO BE ENCOURAGED, THE CUTBACKS ARE COSTLY BUT WORTH IT! THE PRUNING IS PAINFUL, BUT ESSENTIAL TO YOUR POTENTIAL, PRODUCTIVITY AND PROSPERITY!

I actually learned that there are a few types of pruning methods:

FIRST, THERE’S “THINNING”: This is a drastic form of pruning, a thinning out cut is the removal of an entire shoot, limb, or branch AT ITS POINT OF ORIGIN! When performed correctly, THINNING ENCOURAGES THE FORMATION OF NEW GROWTH THAT WILL MORE READILY BEAR FRUIT AND FLOWERS!

NOW FOR THE SPIRITUAL APPLICATION OF “THINNING”: In order for many of us to GROW PROPERLY, WE HAVE TO BE PRUNED TO THE EXTENT THAT WE REMOVE, ENTIRELY, PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS THAT HELPED US GET TO THIS DAMAGED PLACE WE’RE IN NOW! REMEMBER: THINNING REMOVES THE ENTIRE SHOOT, LIMB OR BRANCH AT ITS ORIGIN! IN OTHER WORDS, WHERE IT ALL STARTED! For instance, if that’s liars who got you lying; the bars that got you drinking or the credit cards that got you in debt, REMOVE THEM ENTIRELY! DON’T BE AFRAID OR ASHAMED TO THIN SOME FOLKS AND SOME STUFF OUT! REMOVE HIM, HER OR THEM, IF THEY DARE TO COMPROMISE YOUR POTENTIAL TO PROSPER! IF YOU DO, YOU’LL THEN BE IN THE POSITION TO FORMULATE (HEALTHY PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS) SO THAT NEW GROWTH CAN TRANSPIRE, MORE READILY FOR BEARING FRUIT! RESPECT GOD’S THINNING PROCESS! LET HIM REMOVE PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS THAT YOU STARTED OUT WITH…BUT DON’T NEED TO FINISH WITH!

SECOND, THERE’S “TOPPING”: Topping is a very severe form of pruning which involves removing all branches and growths down to a few large branches or to the trunk of the tree. When performed correctly, IT IS USED ON VERY YOUNG TREES TO TRAIN THEM TO GROW INTO SPECIFIC SHAPES!

NOW FOR THE SPIRITUAL APPLICATION OF “TOPPING”:  When used correctly, TOPPING IS USED ON YOUNG TREES TO TRAIN THEM TO GROW IN SPECIFIC SHAPES OR IN SPECIFIC DIRECTIONS! When you see those beautiful trees, with all their unique twists and turns to them in various shapes and designs, THEY ARE THE RESULT OF TOPPING! But in order for that to take place, IT HAS TO START YOUNG! Now, it would be very easy for me to pick on our YOUNG PEOPLE (Which the Church Does Far Too Often), but instead we’re going to go in a different direction, and speak of “YOUNG” IN TERMS OF “IMMATURITY!” PEOPLE OF GOD, IF YOU’RE EVER GOING TO FINALLY GROW UP, AND COME TO FULL MATURITY, YOU’VE GOT TO SURRENDER YOURSELF TO TOPPING! IT MEANS BRINGING ALL YOUR IMMATURE ISSUES BEFORE THE GARDENER FOR HIM TO PRUNE, SO YOU CAN FINALLY GROW UP INTO THE SPECIFIC SHAPE AND DESIGN THAT HE HAD IN MIND LONG BEFORE YOUR BIRTH! THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT YOU CAN’T DO THIS FOR OLD TREES, THEY’RE ALREADY SET IN THEIR WAYS AND HARDENED, SO IF YOU’RE STILL AN “IMMATURE SAINT”, THERE’S HELP AND HOPE FOR YOU YET! YOU’RE IN THE BEST POSSIBLE POSITION TO BE RE-DIRECTED FOR THE DESTINY YOU’VE BEEN DESIGNED FOR! PEOPLE MAY TALK ABOUT YOUR “IMMATURITY” BUT GOD IS WAITING, WILLING AND READY TO USE HIS “TOPPING” PRUNING METHOD TO SPECIFICALLY SHAPE, DESIGN AND DIRECT YOU TO LOOK MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN YOU EVER THOUGHT POSSIBLE! THINK ABOUT IT: THOSE BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED TREES ALWAYS MAKE PEOPLE STOP AND STARE OR TAKE A DOUBLE LOOK! AND WHEN GOD GETS FINISHED “TOPPING” YOU…THEY WILL DO THE VERY SAME IN LOOKING AT YOUR LIFE!

THIRD, THERE’S “RAISING”: This removes the lower branches from a tree IN ORDER TO PROVIDE CLEARANCE FOR BUILDINGS, VEHICLES, PEDESTRIANS, AND VISTAS!

NOW FOR THE SPIRITUAL APPLICATION OF “RAISING”: This type of pruning is of a necessity, not for you, BUT FOR THOSE AROUND YOU! “RAISING” IS A FORM OF PRUNING THAT MOVES YOU OUT OF THE WAY, SO OTHERS CAN GET BY AND GET THROUGH! I hate to say it like this, BUT THIS LEVEL OF PRUNING IS OFTEN FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN DOING SOMETHING SO LONG THAT THEY’VE PERFECTED IT AND CAN’T NOBODY ELSE ON PLANET EARTH DO IT LIKE THEM OR BETTER THAN THEM, AS LONG AS THEY’RE STILL ALIVE! YOU HAVE TO BE PRUNED TO MAKE ROOM FOR OTHERS! AFTER 30 YEARS, YOU SHOULDN’T SEE ALL THE SAME PREACHERS IN THE SAME PULPIT; THE SAME CHOIR MEMBERS, THE SAME MUSICIANS, THE SAME DEACONS, THE SAME MEMBERS! WHERE’S THE GROWTH IN THAT?! LOOK AT IT FROM THIS SIMPLE ANALOGY: YOU CAN’T PUT ANYMORE WATER IN A FULL GLASS WITHOUT IT SPILLING OVER AND MAKING A MESS! NO, YOU DRINK IT ALL! AND THEN IF SOMEONE COMES ALONG THAT NEEDS YOUR GLASS, YOU DON’T HAND IT TO THEM USED AND DIRTY! NOR DO YOU TELL THEM I ONLY DRANK WATER OUT OF THIS GLASS SO YOU HAVE TO DO THE SAME! NO, WHAT YOU DO IS CLEAN IT (REMOVE ALL EVIDENCE OF WHAT YOU HAD IN IT), THEN YOU GIVE IT TO THEM GLADLY THAT THEY MIGHT FILL IT HALFWAY OR ALL THE WAY, WITH WHATEVER BEVERAGE OF THEIR CHOOSING! YOU DON’T, HOWEVER, ATTEMPT TO CONTROL THE USE OF THE GLASS JUST BECAUSE YOU HAD IT FIRST, OR HAD IT LONGEST! PEOPLE OF GOD, THERE IS A WHOLE NEW GENERATION THAT IS TRYING TO PRESS FORWARD, BUT CAN’T BECAUSE THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN IN THE SAME PLACE FOR 30 YEARS WON’T MOVE OVER AND MAKE ROOM FOR FRESH GROWTH! THEY WILL REPLACE YOU (THAT’S THE LAW OF AGE), BUT THAT’S NOT THEIR GOAL! THEY’RE SIMPLY TRYING TO HELP, IN THEIR YOUTH, IN THEIR STRENGTH, WITH BUILDING THE KINGDOM OF GOD! SO STOP BEING SELFISH, AND MOVE OUT THE WAY SO OTHERS CAN GET BY AND GET THROUGH! MOSES IS DEAD AND SO IS JOSHUA…BUT THERE IS A NEW GENERATION! DON’T BLOCK THEM WITH YOUR OLD SET WAYS!

FOURTH AND FINAL, THERE’S “REDUCTION”: This reduces the size of a tree, OFTEN FOR CLEARANCE FOR UTILITY LINES! Reducing the height or spread of a tree is best accomplished by PRUNING BACK THE LEADERS AND BRANCH TERMINALS TO LATERAL BRANCHES THAT ARE LARGE ENOUGH TO ASSUME THE TERMINAL ROLES! Compared to ‘Topping’, ‘REDUCTION’ HELPS MAINTAIN THE FORM AND STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE TREE!

NOW FOR THE SPIRITUAL APPLICATION OF “REDUCTION”: This type of pruning HURTS LEADERSHIP! BECAUSE REDUCTION REMOVES BRANCHES THAT ARE HIGH UP BY THE POWER LINES, CUTS THEM BACK SO THAT ROOM FOR THOSE UNDERNEATH THEM CAN ASSUME THEIR ROLE! OUCH! LORD HELP! IN ACTUALITY, THIS SHOULDN’T BE ALL THAT HARD AT ALL, SINCE THE LEADER BRANCH THAT IS BEING CUT BACK, IS ONLY MAKING ROOM FOR THE LATERAL BRANCH TO COME UP AND TAKE IT’S PLACE! NOT BECAUSE THE LEADER BRANCH DID ANYTHING WRONG, IT’S SIMPLY THE TIME FOR  WHAT’S GROWING OUT OF ITS SIDE (LATERAL) TO COME UP A LITTLE HIGHER! “LATERAL” means: “FROM THE SIDE OF; ESPECIALLY A SHOOT OR BRANCH GROWING OUT FROM THE SIDE OF A STEM”.  ITS LATIN ORIGIN “LATERALIS” literally means “SIDE”. LEADERS, IT’S NOT SOME STRANGE, FOREIGN ENTITY, BUT SOMETHING/SOMEONE THAT CAME FROM OUT OF YOU! THAT SHOULD PUT YOUR EGO, PRIDE AND COMPETITIVE NATURE TO REST! IT’S A PART OF YOU, THEREFORE, REGARDLESS TO HOW HIGH IT OR THEY GO, THEY STILL CAME FROM YOU! LEADERS, ENDURE THE PRUNING OF REDUCTION, IT DOES NOT REDUCE YOUR MINISTRY, PURPOSE, GIFTS, ANOINTING OR EFFECTIVENESS, IT SIMPLY MAKES ROOM FOR OTHERS TO REACH THE HEIGHTS OF POWER THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY ATTAINED! TRUTH IS: YOU MAY NOT ENJOY THE PROCESS…BUT YOU AND EVERYBODY ELSE WILL LOVE THE RESULTS! YOU MAY HAVE TO STEP ASIDE, BUT YOU’LL ALWAYS BE CLOSE ENOUGH TO WATCH YOUR “LATERAL” STEP UP AND STEP THROUGH! BE PROUD…THEY’RE PRODUCTIVITY AND PROSPERITY CAME OUT OF YOUR PRUNING PROCESS!

Listen Leaders, I know a lot of this was hard to take in, but I promise you, it was indeed to encourage your heart! Pruning is Painful, but nothing is more Painful than Missing Out on Your Purpose, Potential and Prosperity! Let God do the Gardening that’s a Necessity to Your Future Growth! He Knows What He’s Doing, After All His Pruning is Apart of His Great Plans Just For You!

Jeremiah 29:10-11, “This is God’s Word on the subject…I’ll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I KNOW WHAT I’M DOING. I HAVE IT ALL PLANNED OUT—PLANS TO TAKE CARE OF YOU, NOT ABANDON YOU, PLANS TO GIVE YOU THE FUTURE YOU HOPE FOR.” (MSG)

Pruning is Part of the Plan, All You Have to Remember, is What God Has Said… “…I KNOW WHAT I’M DOING…”

“Every Living Thing Needs to be Pruned, So It Can Reach Its Fullest Potential – Including You and Me.” (Author Unknown)

“Every Experience is Part of God’s Pruning Process. You’ve Been Picked Out to be Picked On. He Cuts Off Fruitless Branches and Prunes Fruitful Ones.” (Author Unknown)

“Give A Lot, Expect A Lot, And…If You Don’t Get It, Prune.” (Tom Peters)

“For Me, Slowing Down Was Simply Another Way to Prune the Bush. To Force Myself Into Cutting Away Certain Parts of My Life So That I Don’t Wake Up Next Year, Blooming Roses I Don’t Like.” (Erin Loechner)

“Pruning is a Necessary Part of Life. In Order to Move Forward, You Must Let Go.” (Cheryl Richardson)

“People Aren’t Too Much Different From Roses. They Both Need the Sunshine of Encouragement, Proper Feeding, Water, Tender Loving Care, Skilled Pruning and Room to Grow.” (Lila Peiffer)

“Gardens Are Great Projects. Like Great Careers and Relationships That Last. They Are Tended, They Shift, They Grow. They Endure Over Time, Gaining a Personality and Reflecting Their Environment. When Something Dies or Fades Away, We Prune, Replant and Grow Again.” (Seth Godin)

“When God Has You in a Place of Waiting, He’s Preparing You For Greater. He’s Sifting, Pruning, Refining, and Shaping You For the Best That is to Come.” (Author Unknown)

“God Prunes Us When He is About to Take Us Into a New Season of Growth and Expansion.” (Christine Caine)

“Better to be pruned to grow than cut up to burn.” (John Trapp).

“When we can become skilled at selectively knowing what to prune out of our lives, what remains becomes stronger, brighter, clearer.” (Lisa Byrne)

“Remember that growth always involves some pruning.” (Pinterest)

“The purpose of pruning is to improve the quality of the roses, not to hurt the bush.” (Florence Littauer)

“The vinedresser is never nearer the branches then when he is pruning them.” (David Jeremiah)

“God loves you too much to give you the promotion without the pruning.” (Bob Sorge)

“No one likes the process of pruning and the pain of loss, but fruit only grows on new wood.” (Leonard Sweet)

“The trees which are pruned, watered and nurtured by caring hands bear the greatest fruit; it is the same with people.” (Bryant McGill)

“Prune the branches that no longer belong to the future.” (Dr. Joe Dispenza)

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

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“You Broke It, You Fix It!”

2 Corinthians 7:9-10, “yet I am glad now, not because you were hurt and made sorry, but because your sorrow led to repentance [and you turned back to God]; for you felt a grief such as God meant you to feel, so that you might not suffer loss in anything on our account. For [godly] sorrow that is in accord with the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation; but worldly sorrow [the hopeless sorrow of those who do not believe] produces death.” (AMP).

This is going back quite a few years, but when my daughters were little, I displayed most of their artwork on the refrigerator door. I was usually proud of their creative efforts…usually…that is. However, there was this time in which I was attempting to paint the wood borders of my bedroom, but I had to stop briefly to answer the phone in the living-room. I gave my baby girl one instruction, “Do not touch the paint!” You want to guess what happened? When I returned from my call, little “Miss Rembrandt” was working on a toddler’s masterpiece. Unfortunately, she had chosen my wall for her canvas! There on my bedroom wall were “designs” done with the paint that was intended only for the borders.

Now, believe it or not, I didn’t spank her. Although I was ready to let her have it! As a matter of fact, I didn’t even yell. No, this was one of the many times in which I decided to make my daughter my student and turn her mistake into the day’s lesson. And how did I do that? Simple. I just went and got a bucket of soap and water and a rag and gave my daughter a new instruction, “Clean it up.” Well, my little girl scrubbed and scrubbed, mostly to no avail. But she learned something important that day. We’re responsible for the messes we make. In essence, if you broke it, fix it, if you messed it up, clean it up!

Which leads to our lesson of the day in 2 Corinthians 7:9-10. It’s really about how to clean up the messes we’ve made. It involves that renewing, transforming process the Bible calls Repentance. You might say, “Oh, you mean feeling bad about what I did?” Well, not exactly.

The word “repentance” is defined as “deep sorrow, compunction (‘a feeling of guilt or moral scruple that prevents or follows wrongdoing’. Its Latin origin ‘compungere’ literally means ‘to prick sharply’), or contrition (‘feeling or expressing remorse’) for a past sin, wrongdoing; to regret.” However, biblical repentance by definition is a bit more detailed. I love one of its translations “metanoeo” which means “to change one’s mind and purpose, as the result of after knowledge.” Its verb is used to denote “a change of mind and purpose and life, to which remission of sin is promised.” But many of us prefer the translation “metamelomai” which is used of a change of mind, regret or remorse on account of sin, but not necessarily a change of heart.” (Example: Judas – Matthew 27:3, “When Judas, His betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was gripped with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. Saying, “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” They replied, “What is that to us? See to that yourself!” And throwing the pieces of silver into the temple sanctuary, he left; and went away and hanged himself” AMP). He may have changed his mind, but taking his life didn’t change what was already in his heart. “Metanoeo” is to change mind, purpose, and life, not take it away. It is to deliberately accept your wrong, admit it and change it for the better. It’s more than saying “I’m sorry”, it’s a complete change of mind, purpose, heart, and life! Don’t take repentance lightly!

Look at verse 9 it says, “Your sorrow led you to repentance.” Feeling sorry is a good start on repentance, but it’s sure not the whole story. Verse 10 says, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret. See what this godly sorrow is producing in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done.” You see, these people understood repentance. It’s not just a forgiveness-fix for your guilty feelings. It’s an all-out campaign to fix what your sin messed up. It’s the kind of cleanup that “leaves no regret.” Repentance doesn’t just bring it to an end, but it turns it all the way around. I love the quote “a bend in the road is not the end of the road unless you refuse to turn.” Repentance is more than bowing your head in sorrow and feeling sorry, but in the definition of the Naves Dictionary, it is “to make a complete reversal of ones attitude and values; a complete turning back toward God.” It’s not enough to say I broke it, repentance also fixes it. Repentance sees the bend in the road that leads back to rightness with God and takes it!

Now, my daughter was quick to say she was sorry for what she had done that day, and she was forgiven. But she had to step up to the responsibility for the marks she had made. She had to do what she could to remove those marks. Well, so do you and I with some of the sinful mistakes of our past. It’s so unfortunate today that the church uses and misuses grace, mercy and forgiveness. It is not a band aide you slap over a deep gash! You don’t say “I’m sorry, God forgive me, I’m forgiven, now let’s start over…but this time not get caught”. No, repentance changes you from the inside out. Why are we under the impression that we can do wrong, and God makes it right, only so we can do wrong again…just in a better way?! No! We have a part to play! Listen to Matthew 6, “In prayer there is a CONNECTION between what GOD DOES and WHAT YOU DO. You can’t get forgiveness from God, for instance, without also forgiving others. If you refuse to do YOUR PART, you cut yourself off from GOD’S PART.” (14-15 MSG). Despite what today’s church makes it sound like, all the work doesn’t fall on God’s shoulders. There is a “connection”, there’s “His part and our part”. So just as in forgiveness you have to do your part and God does His, so in repentance you do your part and God does His. He forgives, renews and restores us. But that doesn’t mean we don’t have work to do on our part. Yes, my daughter said sorry, but she also had to get a rag, some soap, a bucket and water and get to cleaning up the mess she made. Why? Because she made it and it was her responsibility to clean it up. Likewise, God didn’t make your mess, you did, so stop expecting Him to clean up what is your responsibility!

For instance, if you’ve wronged anyone, would you obey the Spirit’s prompting to go back and make it right? If you took something, would you repay what you took? If you helped someone else sin by what you did, would you go back and tell them you’re sorry? Even if they don’t realize it was wrong, will you make right what your lying or your gossip or your anger did to someone?

When you make every effort to fix what your sin may have damaged, you complete the spiritual circle of repentance, restoration and healing. Now, this will require a special grace and a special courage from the Lord. But if He’s telling you to do this, He will give you everything you need to obey Him. The Lord who has forgiven that sin may now be pointing to a mess we made and lovingly saying, “Clean it up.“

By making things right you can really close a chapter. You can actually say a firm goodbye to the sin of the past, and maybe really feel that great forgiveness that Jesus has already given you.

Today is a good day to get clean! Today is a good day to be made whole! You’ve walked around fractured and fragmented long enough, and so have the people you’ve hurt along the way. Take time today to self-exam and see the people in which you’ve damaged and ask God for the tools to help you make repairs. Too often families are destroyed, friendships are lost, opportunities are never recovered, churches are split and lives are severely injured, all because we don’t do our part. Maturity means I know I can go to God and repent and be forgiven and restored. But maturity in its fullness also means going to the person I hurt, acknowledging the pain I caused, admitting my wrong, humbly asking for their forgiveness, and changing ME so that I never cause this or any other like injury to them or anyone else again.

If a toddler can get some water, soap and a rag and make a sincere effort to clean up what she messed up, what do you think God expects of us as adults? Just a small effort may mend the marriage, restore the friendship, bring unity back to the church, and peace to your own mind. Take responsibility and own up to your own accountability and bring forth fruits of repentance, you never know the tremendous harvest that you’ll gather from sowing such seeds.

2 Corinthians 7:8-10, “I know I distressed you greatly with my letter. Although I felt awful at the time, I don’t feel at all bad now that I see how it turned out. The letter upset you, but only for a while. Now I’m glad—not that you were upset, but that you were jarred into turning things around. You let the distress bring you to God, not drive you from him. The result was all gain, no loss. Distress that drives us to God does that. It turns us around. It gets us back in the way of salvation. We never regret that kind of pain. But those who let distress drive them away from God are full of regrets, end up on a deathbed of regrets.” (MSG)

And maybe that’s where you are right now. You’re misunderstanding all the distress in your life because you keep ascribing it all to the Devil, but what if it’s God?! Remember what the Word of God said, “Distress that drives us to God does that. It turns us around. It gets us back in the way of salvation.” And there is no way in the world that Satan wants to send us a distress that would cause us to turn from Sin and back to Salvation! Maybe that pain, that struggle, that hurt, that betrayal, that lay off, that abandonment and rejection were all tools God allowed to distress you enough that it sent you running back to the God that sin had you running from! Perspective is always key! And distress is not always the devil! Genesis 50:20, “Joseph replied, “Don’t be afraid. Do I act for God? Don’t you see, you planned evil against me but God used those same plans for my good, as you see all around you right now—life for many people…” (MSG) Yes, God can still use evil and turn it around for your good! Distress doesn’t always come to hurt you, sometimes it comes to help you! Just look at Joseph’s brothers, their evil plans not only worked for Joseph’s good, but life for many people! And your distress will work for you the same way! You see when you allow that distress to drive you back to God and salvation, and you remedy the friendships and relationships you damaged, it gives life for many people! So many people are holding on to what you said and what you did that they’re still burdened over it even after all this time. But when you make wrongs right, you’ll be amazed how much lighter a person’s load becomes, for both you and them! And isn’t that what you want? To repent, release and return back to God?! Then do so, Today! You can make good come out of bad, remember, you serve a God who makes results like that happen everyday!

Romans 8:26-28, “Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God’s Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don’t know how or what to pray, it doesn’t matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That’s why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.” (MSG)

God is still working on every detail in your life, the bad and the good! Now it’s time you also put your hands to work on turning that bad into something good! As long as you’re still alive and breathing you have the opportunity to make amends, so make them! Repent and Make the Turn That Will Turn Your Life Completely Around and Get You Back On the Narrow Road to Righteousness (after all, you’ve been on the wide road that leads to destruction long enough)!

No matter the wrong, today, make it right. Be the bigger and more mature person. No grudges, no bitterness, no regrets, no hate, no unforgiveness, no resentment. It’s time to become better! And better starts with you! So no more blaming, no more pointing fingers, no more excuses, no more accusing! Today, take personal accountability for your life and get it back on the right track. Remember, in the end, God will not call others in for a reckoning of your life, He’s only going to call you. Make sure you have something good to answer Him when He does call!

Today, let repentance be the tool you use to repair your life, integrity, character, relationships, etc. Use this tool to build your life into the blueprint God has already shown you in His Word!

Church, the trumpet hasn’t sounded yet, so whoever you need to get it right with, including God, get it right! Today! Repentance Leads to Sweet Relief and Release!

“Never Ruin an Apology With an Excuse.” (Kimberly Johnson)

“Apologizing does not always mean that you’re wrong and the other person is right. It just means that you value your relationship more than your ego.” (Author Unknown)

“Sorry is not enough, sometimes you actually have to change.” (Author Unknown)

“Repentance is like antiseptic. You pour antiseptic onto a wound and, at first it stings. Then it heals.” (Timothy Keller)

“Repentance may be old-fashioned, but it is not outdated so long as there is sin.” (J.C. Macaulay)

“It’s bad when you fail morally. It’s worse when you don’t repent.” (Luis Palau)

“God has a pencil with an eraser on it and He has promised us that He will use it if we will repent and change our ways. He has said that if we would forsake our evil and thoroughly make up our minds against it, then He would wash it out of His mind and just forget the whole thing. Of course, He expects that we will wash it out of our minds also.” (Sterling W. Sill)

“True repentance hates the sin, and not merely the penalty; and it hates the sin most of all because it has discovered and felt God’s love.” (W.M. Taylor)

“Genuine repentance must bear the seal of a corrected life.” (Lewis F. Korns)

“There is no repentance in the grave.” (JC Ryle)

“Repentance is the act of exchanging the lie that holds us captive for the truth that sets us free.” (Lisa Bevere)

“The most beautiful blessing we have been given is the chance to repent.”

“There is no eraser for your mistakes, but there is repentance.”

“Repentance is a process and not something that happens at one particular moment. It requires consistency.” (Francisco J. Vinas)

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another [your false steps, your offenses], and pray for one another, that you may be healed and restored. The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God—it is dynamic and can have tremendous power].” (James 5:16 AMP);

“Pay attention and always be on guard [looking out for one another]! If your brother sins and disregards God’s precepts, solemnly warn him; and if he repents and changes, forgive him.” (Luke 17:3 AMP)

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)

Much Love, Dr. Shermaine #EnjoyTheRead #BeInspired #BeEncouraged #BeEmpowered #BeChallenged #BeDelivered
Feel free to also join us at: http://www.selfcarewithdrshermaine.blogspot.com Today’s Lesson: “Tips to Keep Joints Healthy!”

“God’s Transforming Rock Tumbler”

 

Isaiah 61:1, “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.”

There’s a machine called the ‘Rock Tumbler’. And I bet you’ll never guess what it does. Let me help you, it literally tumbles rocks (go figure!) You see, the rock tumbler is placed in water, boring, old rocks are placed inside of it, you turn it on and you let the good times roll! The rocks start spinning, flying, and crashing into each other as they churn around in the water. The atmosphere inside the rock tumbler is pure mayhem! But after all the rockin’ and rollin’ and clashin’ and crashin’, something pretty amazing happens! 

You see, BEFORE those rocks went through the tumbler, they were just drab, boring hunks of stone. BUT WHEN THE PROCESS IS OVER, THEY COME OUT DISPLAYING A BEAUTY YOU WOULD HAVE NEVER GUESSED THEY HAD! 

Reminds me of one of my favorite quotes: “In the beginning, any personal change isn’t easy because you are asking yourself to confront your own self-made comfort zone. The real transformation to the new you, is one that will not only take time, but a healthy dose of perseverance. After all, no transformation is easy or everyone would have already made the shift.” (Byron Pulsifer). 

Now, if the real beauty of an old, dusty, dirty, bent out of shape rock is UNCOVERED THROUGH TURMOIL AND TURBULENCE, DON’T YOU SUPPOSE THAT COULD BE TRUE OF YOU AS WELL? COULD IT BE THAT ALL THE HITS THAT YOU’VE BEEN TAKING RIGHT NOW ARE ACTUALLY PART OF GOD’S “TUMBLER” TO GIVE YOU A BEAUTY THAT YOU’VE NEVER HAD BEFORE?  

Think about it: PRESSURE AND HEAT MAKE A LUMP OF COAL INTO A DIAMOND! AN OYSTER’S IRRITATION AND AGGRAVATION FROM A GRAIN OF SAND ULTIMATELY EMERGES AS A PEARL OF GREAT PRICE! AND, SANDPAPER’S CONSISTENT BUFFING CAN POLISH A BRIGHT NEW SHINY GLOW ON ANYTHING DULL! WELL, DOESN’T IT MAKE YOU WONDER THEN, WHAT YOU’LL COME OUT AS WHEN GOD’S PROCESS IS COMPLETE? Philippians 1:6, “I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and COMPLETE it until the day of Christ Jesus [the time of His return].” (AMP) IF ONLY YOU’D JUST SURRENDER TO THE SHAKING, TOLERATE THE TUMBLING AND STOP CLASHING WITH THE CHANGE, WHO KNOWS WHAT YOU’LL BECOME IN THE END! COULD THERE POSSIBLY BE WITHIN YOU A GIFT OF SUCH VALUE THAT IT’S OF MORE WORTH THAN THAT OF A DIAMOND OR PEARL? COULD THERE POSSIBLY BE WITHIN YOU A BRIGHT NEW SHINY GLOW OF THE ANOINTING THAT’S JUST WAITING TO BREAKTHROUGH TO BREAK SOME YOKES OF BONDAGE OFF THE LIVES OF PEOPLE?

“It is not the strongest of the species who survive, not the most intelligent, but those who are the most adaptive to change.” (Charles Darwin).  

Maybe you need to stand back from just LOOKING at what’s happening, to SEE WHAT GOD IS DOING THROUGH WHAT’S HAPPENING! Stop fighting God’s process of change, after all, the transformation is for Your Good and His Glory!  

Isaiah 61, beginning with verse 1, reveals some of how TURBULENCE CAN TRANSFORM YOU. The Son of God says: “The Lord … has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.” Now the truth is, you may feel like you’re in one of those categories right now yourself: you’re brokenhearted over a relationship, you’re held captive in a dead-end, low paying, no advancing job, or you’re a prisoner to the darkness of bad habits, poor decisions and hard to break addictions. Well, before you read too much into that one verse you’re in NOW, might I encourage you by saying: ‘KEEP READING’, SINCE THAT’S NOT THE END OF YOUR STORY! 

God’s Son goes on to say He was sent: “…to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair…” Jesus has continued writing your story too! He makes beauty from the ashes of your life, gladness from the grieving times, and praise emerging from a time of despair!

As ugly as the situation looks right now, your Hidden Beauty will emerge in full bloom when it’s all said and done! As hard as you’ve had to cry, your tears of pain will turn into tears over the Promises of God still being intact in your life! Only God can take you from Gruesome to Glorious and Grieving to Gladness! But it’s up to you to yield, surrender and submit to His tumbler process of change and transformation. He will not force His Will on your life. 

One of my favorite quotes reads: “We fear that we are inadequate, but our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves: “Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?” Actually, who are you not to be these things? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There is nothing enlightening about shrinking so that other people around you won’t feel insecure. We are all meant to shine as children do. We are born to manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically releases others.” (Marriane Williamson). 

In other words, it’s not just about you! Oftentimes, the people in your circle of influence, are watching how you handle bondage and freedom, and they’re emulating your every move. If you decide to play it small, they will play it small. But what if God has so much greater in store for both of you? Are you really content to allow yourself and others, to miss out on God’s Big because you were too scared to stop playing Small!? When you dim your light, people around you will follow you and dim theirs. But then what happens to the city whose supposed to be attracted to our light? Does everyone suffer in darkness because you’re too insecure and intimidated to brightly shine as God designed you to? Are you going to allow God’s Glory in and on your life to be covered by fear? Remember, people are watching you and following you, lead them well. Give them a better example to emulate. Show them what it looks like to be all that God called you to be. Show them what freedom really looks and feels like. Show them the blessing of letting the Holy Spirit use every gift He’s given you. Show them how powerful the anointing of God is on your life, so that they will desire the same thing. Stop Playing Small, When Your Big God has Given You a Big Role to Play in His Kingdom! 

And if you think that’s something, know when it comes to “…praise instead of a spirit of despair…”, God will grant you a “Habakkuk Anointing” that shouts, “Though the cherry trees don’t blossom and the strawberries don’t ripen, Though the apples are worm-eaten and the wheat fields stunted, Though the sheep pens are sheepless and the cattle barns empty, I’M SINGING JOYFUL PRAISE TO GOD. I’M TURNING CARTWHEELS OF JOY TO MY SAVIOR GOD. COUNTING ON GOD’S RULE TO PREVAIL, I TAKE HEART AND GAIN STRENGTH. I RUN LIKE A DEER. I FEEL LIKE I’M KING OF THE MOUNTAIN!” (3:17-19 MSG).  

SO DON’T LOSE HEART, THE TUMBLER IS NOT DESIGNED TO TORTURE YOU, BUT TO TRANSFORM YOU!

The tumbler teaches you how to have a different perspective, even while enduring the process of transformation. Habakkuk was faced with trees with no ripe fruit; apples full of worms; a wheat field with stunted growth; sheep pens with no sheep; and cattle barns with no cattle! Truth is, if we were in his shoes we would feel justified in having ourselves a huge pity party, but not Habakkuk! When he had so much to complain about, he chose singing, praising and even cartwheels of joy! And why could he do that? Because he learned how to count on God’s rule to prevail! And that’s not easy when your circumstances, situations, and surroundings are telling you to run and hide under the covers of despair! But once you’ve endured the tumbler with all of its throwing you around like a rag doll, you’ll be amazed by how you can handle everything else! Once you survive going through the tumbler, you can go through anything! Remember, everything you’re facing is by God’s design to bring you out better than you went in. Don’t fight the process, don’t fight the pain, don’t fight God’s Transforming Tumbler!

“Ships are safe within the harbor, but is that what ships are for?” (Author Unknown). Listen: Pirates don’t attack ships that are safe at shore, which is probably why you want to stay there, BUT INSTEAD THEY ATTACK THE SHIPS WITH THE TREASURE THAT’S ALREADY OUT TO SEA (MOVING, GOING SOMEWHERE) WHY? BECAUSE THOSE SHIPS ARE LIVING PROOF THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO FIND TREASURE, CARRY TREASURE, AND LOCATE MORE TREASURE! [OK, This Is Going to Hurt, But It’s Also Going to Help]: IF YOU AREN’T DEALING WITH ANY ENEMY ATTACKS AT ALL, CHANCES ARE, YOU HAVEN’T FOUND ANY TREASURE, YOU AREN’T CARRYING ANY TREASURE AND YOU ARE CLUELESS AS TO WHERE ANY TREASURE IS LOCATED! IF THE ENEMY ISN’T TRYING TO STOP YOU, CHANCES ARE, YOU WEREN’T GOING ANYWHERE IN THE FIRST PLACE! IF HE’S NOT TRYING TO TAKE ANYTHING FROM YOU, CHANCES ARE, YOU DON’T HAVE NOTHING OF VALUE WORTH TAKING! THEREFORE, NO MATTER WHAT COMFORT ZONE YOU’VE DESIGNED FOR YOURSELF IT’S HIGH TIME YOU RE-DESIGN! YOU ARE NOT TO STAY AS YOU ARE! NO MORE SETTLING, NO MORE SHRINKING BACK IN FEAR, THERE’S GREATNESS TO GET TO, SO GET THERE! REMEMBER: PIRATES ATTACK WHERE THERE’S TREASURE, IF THEY’RE ATTACKING, REJOICE! IF NOT, GET OFF THE CLEARANCE RACK OF PROCRASTINATION, PITY, TEARS AND SELF LOATHING AND UP YOUR VALUE! YOU’VE BEEN SITTING ON THE SEASHORE LONG ENOUGH! STOP BEING FEARFUL, STOP BEING INTIMIDATED, STOP PROCRASTINATING, STOP BEING INSECURE, STOP BEING COMFORTABLE, STOP PLAYING SMALL! THERE’S A TREMENDOUS TREASURE THAT GOD IS TRYING TO GET INTO YOUR POSSESSION, BUT HE’S NOT GOING TO TRUST HIS TREASURE INTO A VESSEL TOO SCARED TO CARRY IT!

Remember This: “The cave you most fear to enter contains the greatest treasure.” (Joseph Campbell). And maybe that’s the case for you too! That thing you know you’re supposed to do, but you’ve been too fearful to do, just may hold the key to your treasure chest! Family, maybe it’s time you stopped fearing the cave! Because there’s an assignment in the cave! 1 Samuel 22:1-5, “So David got away and escaped to the Cave of Adullam. When his brothers and others associated with his family heard where he was, they came down and joined him. Not only that, but all who were down on their luck came around—losers and vagrants and misfits of all sorts. DAVID BECAME THEIR LEADER. There were about four hundred in all. Then David went to Mizpah in Moab. He petitioned the king of Moab, “Grant asylum to my father and mother until I FIND OUT WHAT GOD HAS PLANNED FOR ME.” David left his parents in the care of the king of Moab. They stayed there all through the time David was hiding out. The prophet Gad told David, “DON’T GO BACK TO THE CAVE. GO TO JUDAH…” (MSG) David was on the run from enemies and ran straight into an assignment from God in the cave! Not only were his family and people associated with his family in the cave, but there also came those who were down on their luck, losers and vagrants and misfits of all sorts, and David became their leader. Brothers and Sisters: As insignificant as you think you are, God sees you in a completely different light altogether! While David’s in the cave he’s assigned, unexpectedly on his part, 400 people in all for him to lead. Question: Who’s waiting on you to enter the cave so you can lead them out? Please know this: While you’re doubting yourself, they’re waiting; while you’re scared, they’re waiting; while you’re hiding, they’re waiting; while you’re waiting for someone else to do it, they’re all waiting on you! Some people will never find their place until you get into yours! You are the key puzzle piece to some people’s lives, and as long as you remain ‘missing’, they remain incomplete! Do you really want to give God an account of how you failed to carry out that assignment?! I think not! Know this, God isn’t looking for you to have it altogether either. Even David said, “…Until I Find Out What God Has Planned For Me.” God is simply waiting on your obedience, faith, works, action and trust to kick in so He can share the plan! You do remember that God has a plan right? Jeremiah 29:10-11, “…I’ll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.” (MSG) God doesn’t need you to figure out a plan, He needs you to trust that He already has a plan! Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume that you know it all…” (MSG) Saints, Trust God’s Plan, Trust God’s Process! And then, let us not forget the rest of the prophet’s instructions to David: “…DON’T GO BACK TO THE CAVE. GO TO JUDAH…” (MSG) Once you’ve fulfilled your assignment in the cave, you don’t stay there, you leave and go to Judah (the place of praise)! Listen, your praise is evidence that you trust God’s process and plan. It’s your gratitude that you express to God because He didn’t leave you in the cave, He processed you and promoted you, and all you had to do was trust the plan of God! Don’t you think today is a pretty good day to start that? Trust God’s Plan, Trust God’s Process, Enjoy God’s Promotion!

Now, here’s how God wants you to look when you come out of the tumbler: “…They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of His splendor.” (Isaiah 61:3 NIV) GOD WANTS TO USE THE TUMBLER TO MAKE YOU STRONG AND INDESTRUCTIBLE LIKE AN OAK! SUFFERING MAKES WIMPS INTO WARRIORS! AND HE WANTS TO USE THE TURBULENCE TO GIVE YOU SUCH A BEAUTIFUL RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM THAT YOU WILL BE A STAGE TO SHOW OFF HIS GLORY! “They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.” (Isaiah 61:4 NIV) If you dare to take on the turbulence of the tumbler, you’ll eventually find yourself “…rebuilding…restoring…and renewing…devastation that has taken place for generations…” When you submit to God’s transforming tumbler, He makes you into His tool that He will use to fix every generational curse of devastation in your family line and that of others! Can you imagine God using little old you to be His change agent in family lineages?! You could be in the position to say, ‘and that generational curse dies now and will not relive in not another generation!’ Sickness could stop with you; failure could stop with you; sin could stop with you; divorce could stop with; prison could stop with you; gangs could stop with you; disobedience could stop with you; addiction could stop with you; school drop outs could stop with you; financial distress could stop with you! Don’t You Want to be a Change Agent for God Used to Destroy Generational Curses?! After All, Who Doesn’t?! 

YOU’LL BE EQUIPPED BY THE HARD TIMES TO BE A DURABLE INSTRUMENT OF GOD IN REPAIRING DAMAGED LIVES! WHO DOESN’T WANT THAT AS THEIR TESTIMONY?  

“The tragedy of life is not found in failure but complacency. Not in you doing too much, but doing too little. Not in you living above your means, but below your capacity. It’s not failure but aiming too low, that is life’s greatest tragedy.” (Benjamin E. Mayes). 

THE SHAKING YOU’RE ENDURING, THE HITS YOU’RE TAKING ARE TOOLS IN GOD’S HANDS TO BRING OUT AN AMAZING BEAUTY IN YOU; A STRENGTH, A TENDERNESS, A MATURITY, A CONFIDENCE, A COMPASSION THAT COMES ONLY FROM BEING BEAUTIFIED IN GOD’S TUMBLER! So don’t wallow in the: “why is this happening?” drama series. Instead, keep asking, “How can God use this?” The reality is: “You can’t help someone get up a hill without getting closer to the top yourself.” (H. Norman Schwarzkopf). GOD WILL USE YOU IN THE LIVES OF OTHERS, BUT ONLY AFTER YOU’VE BEEN USED TO AID YOUR OWN DEVELOPMENT FIRST! So don’t despair when you keep running into things and things keep running into you, when your whole world is spinning and colliding. THIS ISN’T TO DESTROY YOU! THIS IS TO GIVE YOU A BEAUTY YOU’VE NEVER HAD BEFORE! IF YOU LET GOD HAVE HIS WAY IN THIS TURBULENCE, YOU WILL “DISPLAY HIS SPLENDOR” FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE! 

Listen to the conclusion of Isaiah: “Strangers will shepherd your flocks; foreigners will work your fields and vineyards. And you will be called priests of the Lord, you will be named ministers of our God. You will feed on the wealth of nations, and in their riches you will boast. Instead of your shame you will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace you will rejoice in your inheritance. And so you will inherit a double portion in your land, and everlasting joy will be yours. “For I, the Lord, love justice; I hate robbery and wrongdoing. In my faithfulness I will reward my people and make an everlasting covenant with them. Their descendants will be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the Lord has blessed.” I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations.” (vss 5-11 NIV) You my friend are a part of that inheritance. So, are you going to position yourself in God’s Transforming Tumbler so you can receive it, or are you going to allow your fears to cause you to forfeit?

Just think about it: Can you imagine if butterflies said, ‘no, I don’t think I can endure the process of transformation, it’s too dark, too hard, too painful, and too long. I’ll just stay in here. I know wings are waiting for me; I know the beautiful colors I’ll transform into; I know the heights I’ll be able to soar to, but no thanks, I’ll just die in this cocoon.’ Saints, don’t let this be your testimony. Yes, it will be dark, hard, painful, long, and even lonely, but it will be worth it!

“Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.” (Carl Bard). People of God, YOU’RE COMING OUT BETTER THAN YOU WENT IN! AND IN THE WORDS OF THE MEN’S WEARHOUSE COMMERCIAL: “YOU’RE GOING TO LIKE THE WAY YOU LOOK, I GUARANTEE IT!”   

Church, Trust God’s Plan, Trust God’s Process, and Enjoy God’s Promotion!

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