“The Stretching is Strengthening Your Faith!”

“…thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer” (Psalm 4:1)

When God wants to make you a bigger person, He does it through “Distress”! The word “Distress” has an Old French Origin “Destresce”, from Latin “Distringere” which literally means “To Stretch Apart”! And “Stretch” is defined as “To be made or able to be made longer; wider without tearing or breaking; to extend to full length; last longer than expected; extend over a period of time; be sufficient for a particular purpose; extended storage capacity; and to use the maximum of one’s resources”.

You see saints, when you look at “Distress” in its Proper Perspective it doesn’t seem all that bad at all now does it?!

The Psalmist was “…Enlarged…” when he was in “…Distress…”! Trust me, you’re going to want to remember that! To “Enlarge” is defined as “To Make Bigger”! So the Psalmist was Made Bigger By God’s Distressing Stretches which resulted in him being made longer, wider (without tearing or breaking apart), he now also has the ability to extend to his full length, and even last longer than others expected and over a good amount of time as well, not to mention being sufficient in his purpose and having more than enough in his storage capacity to use to the max all of his resources!

In other words, Stop Complaining About Your Distress…It’s the Place Where God Enlarges You! I Bet You’re Ready To Be Distressed Now Aren’t You?!

You see, the way to build a stronger muscle is to lift more weight! Now, when a muscle is put under stress, you groan. But if you persist, that muscle grows stronger and what you were groaning about last week you are smiling about this week, because you can now handle what you couldn’t get a hold of before! Which is why I’m still trying to figure out who said the Christian Life was supposed to be easy? Because It Certainly Was NOT God! His Word actually compares the Believers Life to a Battlefield, not a Bed of Roses! The Bible even declares: “…endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Timothy 2:3).

Let’s look at how a few other translations word this text:

“Take [with me] YOUR SHARE of the hardships and suffering [which you are CALLED TO ENDURE] as a good (FIRST-CLASS) soldier of Christ Jesus” (AMP);

“Accept YOUR SHARE of suffering like a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (CEB);

“As a good solder of Christ Jesus YOU MUST endure your share of suffering” (CEV);

“Thou therefore suffer affliction as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (GNV);

“JOIN ME in suffering like a good soldier of Christ Jesus” (GWT);

“TAKE YOUR PART in suffering, as a loyal soldier of Christ Jesus” (GNT);

Hopefully you noticed a few things:

1.       YOU SHOULD’VE NOTICED PHRASES LIKE: “YOUR SHARE” and “JOIN ME”, in the translations above. And why is that relevant? Because, believe it or not, you are not in your Distress ALONE! When God calls you to endure hardness, He does not send you as a lone soldier and call you an Army! So before you start complaining, realize that you are not the only one! Here’s a perfect Scriptural Example: Elijah said, “I am the ONLY ONE LEFT, and now they are trying to kill me, too” (1 Kings 19:10, 14) And God’s reply? “Yet I will preserve 7,000 OTHERS in Israel who have never bowed down to Baal or kissed him!” (1 Kings 19:18). Right when you think you’re the ONLY ONE, God will show you He has 7,000 More, Just Like You! As hard and lonely as your distressing moment may feel, you are not alone! You have other brothers and sisters in distress with you! If you stop your self-made pity party, you could celebrate the presence of your comrades! You are not the only one struggling in marriage; you are not the only one praying the Lord has mercy on your children’s idiotic decisions; you are not the only one battling loneliness in the midnight hour; you are not the only one unemployed; taking medication; surviving an illness; dissatisfied with the reflection they see in the mirror; heartbroken or trying to figure out how do I get myself out of what I got myself into?! Listen, the military does not call one soldier an army! Neither does God! You have soldiers who are fighting day-to-day just like you to win the battles of life. And just like them, YOU must take YOUR SHARE and JOIN in the warfare with the rest of God’s Army! So no more murmuring and complaining, as the Word of God admonishes you, JOIN In the Suffering and TAKE YOUR SHARE As a Good Solider!

“Be grateful for what you have and stop complaining – it bores everybody else, does you no good, and doesn’t solve any problems.” (Zig Ziglar);

“If you’re not going to put forth any effort to change it, don’t waste your efforts complaining about it.” (Author Unknown);

“Complaining is draining. Complaining only takes away energy from today and never solves the problems for tomorrow.” (James Altucher);

“If you don’t like something change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. Don’t complain.” (Dr. Maya Angelou);

“Complaining about a problem without posing a solution is called whining.” (Teddy Roosevelt);

“If you’re not helping to make it right, then stop complaining about it being wrong.” (Author Unknown)

2.       DID YOU NOTICE THAT THOSE WHO “ENDURE” are “CALLED to Endure”? Read the text! “Take [with me] YOUR SHARE of the hardships and suffering [which you are CALLED TO ENDURE]…” (AMP) I find it absolutely Amazing that we don’t mind being called to preach, teach, prophesy, pray, preside, lay hands, lead the solo, sit in the pulpit, in the big, special chair, or on the front pew or to wear all sorts of titles, positions, offices, rings, robes and bedazzled crosses, but we Complain About Being Called To Endure! Oh, you can CALL us Apostle, Prophet, Bishop, Pastor, Elder, Evangelist, Minister, Deacon, Missionary, Director…Just Don’t CALL Us to Endure! Oh, you can CALL us blessed, anointed, gifted, talented, awesome, phenomenal, handsome, beautiful, smeared in blessed oil…Just Don’t CALL Us to Endure! Listen, “Endure” simply means “to suffer (something painful and prolonged) PATIENTLY; to TOLERATE; and to Remain in Existence” In other words, NO you’re not going to come out of it in 2 days, you are Called to Endure…Patiently! Tolerate it, Handle It, Remain in its Existence or in other words, Stop Trying to Outrun Suffering and Hardness That Is Your Share to Carry! Stand Still and Handle It, That’s What Good Soldiers Are Commanded To Do!

In addition, God Would Not Give You A Calling He Didn’t Equip You To Answer! Listen to the Word of God: “Strengthen (complete, perfect) and make you what you ought to be and equip you with everything good that you may carry out His will; [while He Himself] works in you and accomplishes that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ (the Messiah); to Whom be the glory forever and ever (to the ages of the ages). Amen (so be it).” (Hebrews 13:21 AMP); “ And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you.” (Philippians 1:6 AMP); “And those whom He thus foreordained, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified (acquitted, made righteous, putting them into right standing with Himself). And those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity and condition or state of being].” (Romans 8:30 AMP) People of God, You Are Not In Your Distress Alone and God Called You to Endure It! And Last I Checked, Obedience Is Still Better Than Sacrifice!

“Without patient endurance, even the smallest thing becomes unbearable. A lot depends on our attitude.” (Dalai Lama);

“Endurance is not just the ability to bear a difficult thing, but to turn it into glory.” (William Barclay);

“Don’t pray for an easy life. Pray for the strength to endure a difficult one.” (Bruce Lee);

“Perseverance is more than endurance. It is endurance combined with absolute assurance and certainty that what we are looking for is going to happen.” (Oswald Chambers);

“I will love the light for it shows me the way, Yet, I will endure the darkness because it shows me the stars.” (Og Mandino);

“I’m a distance runner. I’ve been trained to keep going, even when it’s hard. When it hurts. When it sucks. When I don’t want to. I look past it. Relentless forward progress to the finish. Call it what you want; stubbornness, endurance, determination, guts. Deep down, I don’t know how to give up.” (Author Unknown)

3.       ONE OF THE TRANSLATIONS DECLARES, “…you MUST endure your share of suffering”(CEV)  The word “MUST” is defined as “To be obligated”. “Obligated” has a Latin Origin “Obligare”, from “Ligare” which literally means “To Bind”!  It’s root is found in the legal field and is called a “Binding Agreement/Contract”, and in a nutshell it is defined as: “An agreement with specific terms between two or more persons or entities in which there is a promise to do something in return for a valuable benefit known as consideration”. It also carries the definition, “An agreement between two or more parties, especially one that is written and enforceable by law”. If anyone in the Bible was the epitome of a “Binding Agreement/Contract”, it was the Apostle Paul! And even he was not alone, both Timothy and James were called Bondservants as well, and a Bondservants’ main purpose is to be Obedient To Their Master! When something is Binding Nothing Should Separate It! It’s an Agreement a Contract that Serves to Benefit Both Parties! You are indeed called to endure hardness and handle your place of distress, which means you are obligated to this also! This is not an option! This is a requirement! It’s a legal, written (the Bible) Law, Agreement and Contract between you and your God! So as Distressing as it may be, You MUST Endure It! Never Forget, Every Binding Agreement Comes With a Promise Attached!

“Great moves of God are usually preceded by simple acts of obedience.” (Steven Furtick);

“We are not obedient because we are blind, we are obedient because we can see.” (Boyd K. Packer);

“Obedience is an act of faith; disobedience is the result of unbelief.” (Edwin Louis Cole);

“Obedience doesn’t make God love you more, but it does show that you love God.” (Greg J. Barber);

“Be obedient even when you do not know where obedience may lead you.” (Sinclair Ferguson);

“Obedience is a choice. It is a choice between our own limited knowledge and power and God’s unlimited wisdom and omnipotence.” (L. Tom Perry);

“Let the consequences of your obedience be left up to God.” (Oswald Chambers);

“God is awesome. He doesn’t need you to be awesome; He needs you to be obedient.” (Matt Chandler);

“There will be no peace in any soul until it is willing to obey the Voice of God.” (D.L. Moody);

“In times of distress, let your covenants be paramount and let your obedience be exact.” (D. Todd Christofferson);

“Selective obedience brings selective blessings.” (Jorg Klebingat);

“When the Holy Spirit lays something in your heart, move without hesitation. You have no idea who may be depending on your immediate obedience.” (Author Unknown);

“He who refuses to obey, cannot command.” (Author Unknown)

4.       I’VE ALWAYS LOVED THE SAYING, “GOD DON’T MAKE NO JUNK!” And that’s the truth! One of the translations above even calls us, “…FIRST CLASS SOLDIERS…” Even in Distress, We Are Still First-Class! We May Have to Endure Sitting In Distress, But At Least We Do It Sitting In First-Class! Listen, God Called You and Equipped You, Therefore, You Can Endure It! Yes, Your Uniform Has Been Beaten, Battered and, Torn, But Don’t You Dare Take It Off and Don’t You Dare Abandon It! You Are a First-Class Soldier and You Can Endure! So Act Like It!

“Don’t ever make the mistake of telling God that you have nothing to offer. That simply is not true. God does not create any junk.” (Dr. Myles Munroe);

“I am somebody cause God don’t make no junk.” (Ethel Waters);

“I am a Citizen of a Kingdom that Cannot be Shaken. A Child of a King with No Limitations.” (Author Unknown);

“You have something to offer that nobody else can offer. Nobody has your exact personality or your gifts. You are more than average. You are one-of-a-kind.” (Author Unknown)

And What Has All of That to do with Strengthening Your Faith? Well, Satan’s number one target is your FAITH! And if you don’t learn how to stand your ground in the midst of distressing seasons, he will aim at, and hit the target of your faith, piercing it through-and-through every time! Just ask Peter!

Jesus said to Peter, “…Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your FAITH should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” (Luke 22:31-32 NKJV). In the same way you separate wheat from chaff, Satan wants to separate you from your Faith!  Don’t Let It Happen! No Matter How Deep the Distress, No Matter How Far The Stretch, No Matter How Enormous The Endurance Must Be…Don’t Let Your Faith Fail!

Listen: Not only did Peter survive this attack, and strengthen his brothers, but he also grew through it and wrote: “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you” (1 Peter 4:12 NKJV). The Amplified Bible says it like this: “Friends, when life gets really difficult, don’t jump to the conclusion that God isn’t on the job. Instead, be glad that you are in the very thick of what Christ experienced. This is a spiritual refining process, with glory just around the corner.”

In other words, “There Will Be Glory After This!” And It’s Coming, Just Around the Corner! So remain steadfast on your journey! Fight, Endure, and While You’re Strengthening Your Faith, Strengthen Your Brothers, And Before You Know It, God Will Enlarge You IN Distress…And When It’s Done He Will Have Glory Waiting to Greet You…Just Around the Corner!

If Satan can destroy your confidence in God and His Word, he wins and you lose! So the Word for you today is to be encouraged because “The Stretching is Only to Strengthen Your Faith!”

“You have to sweat for it. HE requires an investment from you. The miracle is in your discomfort. Stretch!” (Bishop T.D. Jakes)

“The circumstances of life will shrink or stretch your faith. Either way, the choice is always yours.” (James MacDonald)

“Sometimes God stirs us out of comfortable situations in order to stretch us and cause us to exercise our faith. We may not like it, and it may not always be comfortable, but God loves us too much to just leave us the way we are.” (Author Unknown)

“The stretching of your faith is an immediate pain that results in ultimate gain. It is in the waiting that we become who we are meant to be.” (Mandy Hale)

“This season, God is stretching you. You won’t pop, but you will stretch in your faith, dreams, vision, and goals. Trust God and stretch.” (Author Unknown)

“For God’s purpose to Spread, God’s people must Stretch.” (Steven Furtick)

“God doesn’t always take you out of the problem. Sometimes, He stretches your faith by taking you through the problem.” (Rick Warren)

“If God is stretching you, He’s transforming you.” (Author Unknown)

“You can’t grow without being stretched.” (Amy Gatliff)

“God’s plan is so big for you that it’ll require you to Stretch!” (Author Unknown)

“When God is stretching you, expect great things on the other side.” (Author Unknown)

“When God stretches you beyond your comfort zone, He’s preparing you for greater.” (Dianna Hobbs)

“God wants us to be constantly stretching and growing. There are new levels for you to rise up to. There are new treasures within you to discover. Explore what God has placed within you because He has purpose for everything within you.” (Victoria Osteen)

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

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“It’s Time to Write and Run!”

“Then the Lord answered me and said: “Write the Vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it.” (Habakkuk 2:2 NKJV)  

Habakkuk describes his vision as, ‘The oracle (a burdensome message – a pronouncement from God) which Habakkuk the prophet saw‘ (Habakkuk 1:1 NKJV). He ‘Saw’ it wherever he went. It drove him to his knees. He even cried out, ‘O LORD, how long shall I cry, And You will not hear? Even cry out to You, “Violence!” And you will not save. Why do You show me iniquity, And cause me to see trouble? For plundering and violence are before me; There is strife, and contention arises. Therefore the law is powerless, And justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; therefore perverse judgment proceeds‘ (Habakkuk 1:2-4 NKJV).  

Saints, Before God blesses you with a plan of action He will first BURDEN you with the problem you’ve been called to help solve! A ‘burden’ is defined as, ‘a heavy load; a cause of hardship, worry, or grief; something that is carried; something oppressive or worrisome; a thing to bear; a duty; responsibility; something that weighs down.’ You see, so many are running to God asking Him for a vision, but they don’t want the burden that comes attached to the vision. Receiving a vision from God will cost you. And the price is heavy. Oftentimes a vision from God will keep you up late at night; pacing the floor; spending countless hours in prayer; fasting for weeks on end; even separating yourself from familiar people, places and things. It often makes you uncomfortable because it takes you out of your comfort zone into unfamiliar places. Often a vision from God comes with the weight of burden. It doesn’t come cheap or easy. So before you go to God the next time asking for a vision, be careful, because you just may get more than you bargained for!  

Many of us love to quote Ephesians 3:20, “Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us.” (AMP) However, we tend to forget that a vision from God, and His purpose for us can also BURDEN us with a weighted responsibility that’s, “…superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us.” When it comes to God’s vision and purpose, it comes with glory, and His glory always carry’s weight! Accepting an assignment from God, receiving vision from God, fulfilling purpose in God, will come with burden and glory, and both are heavy! Don’t ask God to hand you what you’re not ready to carry! 

Yes, the prophet received a vision, but it came at the expense of him crying out to God; with him facing trouble and violence; unanswered questions; powerlessness and even being surrounded by wickedness. Are you really sure you’re ready to pay the price of carrying vision and burden? 

Lewis Braille wanted to read and write. But at three years of age he was blinded in a tragic accident while playing in his father’s harness shop. Refusing to settle for a world of darkness he said, ‘I will make a system so that the blind can read and write.‘ As a result, millions of sight-impaired people have been blessed by the Braille system.  

People of God Prepare Yourself, Because He’s going to Bless You, but FIRST HE’S GOING TO BURDEN YOU!

The Psalmist cried: ‘The zeal for Your house has CONSUMED me…‘ (Psalm 69:9 NASB). Today, ask yourself the following questions, ‘What’s my all-consuming desire? What am I passionate about? What has God called and gifted me to do?’ You see, the word ‘zeal’ is defined as, ‘eagerness in pursuit of an interest; a fervor; passion; enthusiasm; an intense, compelling emotion that requires action; it’s a deep stirring; a determination to do something.’ And where was the psalmist zeal? In God’s House! What are you doing in God’s House?! Are your gifts, talents, skill-set, ability, anointing, calling all being passionately utilized in the Lord’s House? Or are you simply warming pulpit/pew chairs until the Lord returns? What are you doing with what God gave you to do? 

Paul’s burning desire was to reach the world for Christ. And he succeeded! When his enemies imprisoned him, instead of giving in to defeat he turned his cell into a writer’s retreat and penned thirteen epistles that would change more lives after he left the world than he could ever hope to touch while he was in it! So, what are you willing to give your life to, and for, that will impact this world while you’re here and in an even greater way after your gone? Why is that important to ask? Because if your vision is truly of God, you will ‘FEEL’ a BURDEN for it! And that BURDEN will be COSTLY! And you need to be honest with yourself and find out if you’re really willing to pay the price?

Notice two important things about Vision: 

1)   YOUR VISION MUST COME FROM GOD: There’s a difference between setting your OWN GOALS and having a GOD-GIVEN VISION! When your vision is of God, ‘… it will surely come…‘ (Habakkuk 2:3). In other words, you won’t have to orchestrate events behind the scenes; God will provide the resources and open the right doors at the right time and you’ll enter them with all the right people! Your steps will be directed by Him! But here’s an interesting Scripture: ‘…TIME AND CHANCE happen to them all. For man also does not know his time: Like fish taken in a cruel net, Like birds caught in a snare, So the sons of men are snared in an evil time…‘ (Ecclesiastes 9:11-12 NKJV). ‘…TIME AND CHANCE happen to them all…” God will reveal to you your destiny and give you an opportunity to fulfill it. But, you can resist it, or postpone it, or give your life to other things and end up missing your ‘TIME’ and ‘CHANCE’, according to the Scripture. Which is why I admonish you, DON’T GET CAUGHT IN THAT NET OR TRAPPED IN THAT SNARE AND FORFEIT WHAT GOD HAS FOR YOU! Your ‘TIME’ and ‘CHANCE’ have a limit. You don’t accomplish them after death; you accomplish them in the time God has given you to live! Don’t die having let everybody use you but God! When God gives you the vision; sets the due time for it to come to pass; and grants you the perfect chance to go for it, don’t be caught like the foolish virgins missing out on what you could’ve got in on, if only you were prepared and ready when the opportunity presented itself!

2)   YOUR VISION WILL BE CONNECTED TO A CERTAIN FIELD: Joseph’s dream started with a field of wheat (Genesis 37:6-7, “Joseph had a dream. When he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. He said, “Listen to this dream I had. We were all out in the field gathering bundles of wheat…” MSG). So, what’s your field? Because, whether God calls you to the field of medicine, education, finance, ministry, real estate, or some other field, it’s to be a blessing to others! It’s not for you to boast, it’s for you to be a blessing! God told Abraham, ‘…I will make your name great, and you will BE A BLESSING‘ (Genesis 12:2 NIV). Don’t seek fortune, fame, popularity, stardom, or the like, but seek to serve others! If you do, your impact will be greater than your image and your eternal reward greater than anything you can drive, wear, live in, or hang on a wall! THEREFORE, FIND YOUR FIELD!

Jesus said, ‘…In fact, THE REASON I WAS BORN…‘ (John 18:37 NIV). When you know why you’re here and what your God-given purpose is, you become virtually UNSTOPPABLE! You won’t be flawless, but you’ll have the innate power to overcome each obstacle as you proceed! If you get turned around, God loves you enough to get your attention, correct and redirect you, and get you back on track! But to find the right answers you must first ask the right questions, such as:  1) What desires have been living in me most of my life? 2) What motivates me to be productive? 3) What keeps me going forward when I’m worn out? 4) What makes me refuse to quit when I meet with resistance or opposition? 5) What do I do that doesn’t seem like work? 6) What do I do that brings positive response and support from others? 7) What am I doing, or what’s happening in my life when doors seem to open automatically and effortlessly? 8) What do discerning leaders and godly counselors think about my work? 9) What makes me feel good about being who I am? 10) What makes my creative juices flow? 11) What am I willing to sacrifice to accomplish it? 12) What am I doing that I’d be proud to offer for God’s approval? 13) What would I do without being paid for, if I could afford to? 14) What would I be willing to withstand Satan over, in order to accomplish it?  

You Need To Know: What is the ‘reason you were born’? And it’s not too late; so ‘find‘ your vision and follow it!

Paul was on a mission! He traveled light, practiced personal discipline, avoided distractions and kept his eye on the ball. The Bible says, ‘…one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize…‘ (Philippians 3:13-14 NKJV). Successful companies live by a mission statement every team member can understand; they keep it before them at all times. God told Habakkuk, ‘…”Write the vision and make it plain… that he may run who reads it.‘ (Habakkuk 2:2 NKJV). SAINTS, YOU MUST WRITE YOUR VISION DOWN, READ IT REGULARLY, REMEMBER IT AT ALL TIMES AND RUN WITH IT! YOUR GREATEST ENEMY ISN’T THE OPPOSITION, IT’S THE DISTRACTIONS! SO LET NOTHING AND NO ONE MESS WITH YOU ACCOMPLISHING YOUR MISSION! Proverbs 4:23-27, “Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that’s where life starts. Don’t talk out of both sides of your mouth; avoid careless banter, white lies, and gossip. Keep your eyes straight ahead; IGNORE ALL SIDESHOW DISTRACTIONS. Watch your step, and the road will stretch out smooth before you. Look neither right nor left; leave evil in the dust.” (MSG)

Ever heard of ‘a white elephant?‘ When the King of Siam wanted to destroy an enemy, he supposedly gave them a white elephant. In those days white elephants were considered sacred, and nobody dared refuse a king’s gift. The trouble was, white elephants couldn’t be put to work but they had to be fed – A LOT! So the king’s ‘gift’ ended up causing his enemy’s downfall. Listen Carefully! Guard yourself, your vision and purpose against ‘white elephants’ that drain your time, energy and resources, and do nothing towards anything that works for you! In order to protect your vision, live by these words, ‘…lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God…consider Him…lest you become weary and discouraged… ‘ (Hebrews 12:1-3 NKJV). DON’T LET DISTRACTIONS DIVERT YOUR VISION! ‘Divert’ is to, ‘turn aside; deviate; to turn from one course or use to another; to distract; to entertain.’ You cannot afford to lose sight of your vision; nor to distort your vision because you’ve become so busy entertaining distractions. Which reminds me of a quote I heard: “Don’t blame a clown for acting like a clown, blame yourself for going to the circus.” People of God, Stay Focused!

Five times in Genesis chapter thirty-nine we read: ‘But the Lord was with Joseph.‘ Be encouraged: God is at work with you and in what you’re going through right now! Where did Joseph get the wisdom to lead a nation? By dealing with his own family problems, by handling Potiphar’s household staff, and by running a prison system! Like rungs on a ladder, each one took him closer to the top! Notice how it worked: his brothers sold him to Ishmaelite slave traders, who sold him to Potiphar, who put him in prison where he met the butler, who introduced him to Pharaoh, who made him Prime Minister of Egypt, fulfilling his dream! Was it easy? No, “Until the time that his word came the word of the LORD tried him” (Psalm 105:19). Prepare Yourself: Your vision will be ‘tried‘ by situations that either make or break you! And the word ‘tried’ is defined as, ‘to be found good and faithful; to be found trustworthy through experience, trials, distress or testing.’ And indeed that same text in psalm read in the Message Bible proves Joseph was tried by testing and he passed with flying colors! “Then he called down a famine on the country, he broke every last blade of wheat. But he sent a man on ahead: Joseph, sold as a slave. They put cruel chains on his ankles, an iron collar around his neck, Until God’s Word came to Pharaoh, and God confirmed His promise. God sent the king to release him. The Pharaoh set Joseph free; he appointed him master of his palace, put him in charge of all his business to personally instruct his princes and train his advisors in wisdom.” (Psalm 105:16-22 MSG) 

People of God, Pass the Test! James 1:2-4, “Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.” (MSG) 

Now, some of you may ask, ‘but what do you do when you already received a vision, but it died?’ 

Well, Bill Gothard describes this process as: the birth of the vision, the death of the vision, and the resurrection of the vision. When you’ve no funds, no friends, and no fight left in you (the death stage), remember the words of Jesus: ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain‘ (John 12:24 NKJV). The Message Bible says it like this: “Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground, dead to the world, it is never any more than a grain of wheat. But if it is buried, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds on to life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you’ll have it forever, real and eternal.” (vss.24-25 MSG). When your vision dies and God resurrects it, you begin to talk and act differently! With ego subtracted and grace added, you start saying with the Psalmist, ‘I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living‘ (Psalm 27:13). At that point God smiles and says, ‘You’re finally getting it right! You’re finally ready to receive the resurrection of your dreams, purpose and vision.‘ Once you get it right with God, you get to begin again. Remember, Joseph didn’t just have one dream, but the second was bigger than the first, and yours can be also!

When a vision comes from God and you commit yourself to it, it will ‘SURELY’ be fulfilled! Yes, you’ll stumble, be stretched to new limits and maybe even stagger across the finish line, but you’ll make it! You’ll get to the Promised Land, even if failure is the road you have to travel in order to get there! Look at Moses: he had a history-changing message to deliver to Pharaoh, yet he was a poor speaker. He had marriage problems. He had to reach his breaking point before he learned to delegate responsibility to others. He experienced sibling rivalry. He even had a problem with his temper, and as a result God said, ‘…”This is the land I promised… I have let you see it… but you will not cross over into it.” (Deuteronomy 34:4 NIV). But Moses finally got there, maybe not in life, but most certainly in death! 1,400 years later he stood with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration: right in the middle of it! Matthew 17:1-3, “Six days later, three of them saw that glory. Jesus took Peter and the brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain. His appearance changed from the inside out, right before their eyes. Sunlight poured from his face. His clothes were filled with light. Then they realized that Moses and Elijah were also there in deep conversation with him.” (MSG) 

You say, ‘I’ve failed so badly.‘ Well, David committed adultery, yet his psalms bring strength to multitudes and he’s quoted in pulpits around the world! God didn’t excuse David, but he forgave him and used him still! ‘…David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God…was buried… ‘ (Acts 13:36 NKJV). The Bible describes God as, ‘… ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abundant in kindness… ‘ (Nehemiah 9:17 NKJV). Notice the words ‘ready to pardon.‘ God is ready when you are, all you have to do is turn back to Him! Just because you mess up doesn’t mean you miss out on God’s vision and purpose for your life! He’s always right there ready to ‘pardon’ (‘the excusing of an offense without exacting a penalty; to release from the legal penalties of an offense; to forgive a fault; to absolve from the consequences of a crime.’)! Aren’t you glad that God doesn’t judge our failures like man does? 

But here’s something else from Habakkuk. He said, ‘I will stand my watch and set myself on the rampart, and watch to see what He will say to me, and what I will answer when I am corrected‘ (Habakkuk 2:1 NKJV). Did you catch that? Corrected, but NOT Discarded! Isn’t that wonderful?

Lastly, there’s an interesting picture in Amos ‘… “A shepherd who tries to rescue a sheep from a lion’s mouth will recover only two legs or a piece of an ear. So it will be…‘ (Amos 3:12 NLT). Picture Satan as that lion, you as that lamb, Jesus as that shepherd coming to pick up what’s left of you, and see how God brings victory out of defeat! Has life torn your vision to pieces like the image in Amos? If so, keep in mind, with God, you only need two things for a comeback according to what’s recovered in Amos:

1)   An Ear to Hear. Stop listening to voices that discourage you; it’s not over until God says it’s over! God told Ezekiel to prophesy to a valley full of dead, dry bones (Ezekiel 37:4): ‘So I prophesied… and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceeding great army.‘ (Ezekiel 37:10 NKJV). Your hopes may be dead and your soul dry, but if you listen to what God is saying your vision will live again! Keep your hear to God’s mouth, receive His instructions, obey them, revive your vision, and this time let it live!

2)   A Leg to Stand On. The God who gave Job twice as much at the end of his trouble as he started with before it, isn’t finished with you yet! Read what He’s promised and stand on His Word! Look at it this way: Achan was stoned to death in the Valley of Achor for stealing the spoils after the battle of Jericho. End of the story? Not a chance, later, God in His mercy said, ‘I will give… the Valley of Achor as a door of Hope…‘ (Hosea 2:15 NKJV). You may be living with your consequences, but by God’s grace you can still live to see your vision fulfilled! There is Hope in the Valley for Your Vision! Your Valley of Achor may have started out with a Stoning, but it will end with You and Your Vision Surviving and Walking Through New Open Doors of Opportunity! Don’t throw in the towel, don’t give up and don’t quit! 

People of God, as you can see from cover-to-cover in the Bible there are tons of stories of those who Found Their Vision, Followed Their Vision and Fulfilled Their Vision…Even AFTER Fumbling Their Vision! And even those who suffered and recovered from the death of their vision. So, Keep Your Eyes of Faith Focused! A Rich Future Is Ahead of You, But Only If You’ll Finally Invest In the Value of Your Vision! 

It can and it will come to pass, hold on to it, and let nothing and no one distort it!

Habakkuk 2:2-3, “And then God answered: “Write this. Write what you see. Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run. This vision-message is a witness pointing to what’s coming. It aches for the coming—it can hardly wait! And it doesn’t lie. If it seems slow in coming, wait. It’s on its way. It will come right on time.” (MSG)

PEOPLE OF GOD, IT’S TIME TO WRITE AND RUN!

Much Love, Dr. Shermaine #EnjoyTheRead #BeInspired #BeEncouraged #BeEmpowered #BeChallenged #WriteAndRun
Feel free to also join us at: http://www.selfcarewithdrshermaine.blogspot.com Today’s Lesson: “What Can the DASH Diet Do for You?”

“Exterminate Your Termites!”

Joshua 7:11-12, “I said everything in Jericho belonged to Me and had to be destroyed. But the Israelites have kept some of the things for themselves. They stole from Me and hid what they took. Then they lied about it. What they stole was supposed to be destroyed, and now Israel itself must be destroyed. I cannot help you anymore until you do exactly what I have said. That’s why Israel turns and runs from its enemies instead of standing up to them.” (CEV)

Let’s say that someone steps on the wooden backstairs of your house. Imagine what they do when all of a sudden one of those stairs caves in! With that as a thought, whose fault is it that the stairs caved in? Well, you could blame it on your friend and say, “‘Bout time you went on a diet, isn’t it buddy?” OR could it be that it wasn’t their weight that really made it collapse? COULD IT BE THAT THOSE LITTLE TERMITES GOT IN AND ATE IT FROM THE INSIDE; AND IT WAS ALREADY WEAKENED? In fact, even a skinny friend might have made it cave in! BECAUSE ULTIMATELY IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE WEIGHT PUT ON IT, BUT THE WEAKNESS WITHIN IT!  

“Open your eyes, look within. Are you satisfied with the life you’re living?” (Bob Marley). This is indeed a question we all need to ask ourselves quite often! BECAUSE UNTIL YOU’RE DISSATISFIED WITH WHAT’S HAPPENING WITHIN, YOU’LL NEVER CHALLENGE IT AND CHANGE IT!

I’VE COME TO FIND OUT THAT WHEN THEY CALL TERMITES A “PEST”, THEY ARE INDEED DESCRIBING THEM ACCURATELY! You see, the word “pest” is defined as “a destructive animal that attacks crops, food, or livestock; or an annoying person or thing”. Its French Origin “peste” or Latin “pestis” literally means “plague”.  And what’s a “plague”? It’s defined as “a contagious disease spread by bacteria and characterized by fever and delirium”. And what’s “delirium”? It’s defined as “an acutely disturbed state of mind”. It’s Latin Origin “delirare” literally means “to be deranged”.  

And what does all this mean? IT STRESSES THE IMPORTANCE OF EXTERMINATING SPIRITUAL TERMITES, BECAUSE IF YOU DON’T, YOU’LL HAVE LIVING IN YOUR SPIRIT A DESTRUCTIVE ANIMAL THAT WILL ATTACK WHAT YOU NEED TO SURVIVE; IT WILL ANNOY YOU; IT WILL BECOME A PLAGUE THAT IS CONTAGIOUS AND THE DISEASE WILL SPREAD TO ALL THOSE WHO COME IN CONTACT WITH YOU! YOUR SPIRITUAL TERMITES WILL WEAKEN YOU SO WITHIN THAT YOU WILL FIND LIVING IN DELIRIUM AS NORMAL, WHEN IN ACTUALITY IT IS A DISTURBED STATE OF MIND, TO THE POINT WHERE YOUR THOUGHTS ARE CONSIDERED DERANGED! And what is “deranged”? It is defined as “to throw in disorder or to be unstable”. And what does the Bible say about that? “For truly, let not such a person imagine that he will receive anything [he asks for] from the Lord,] For being as he is] a man of Two Minds (Hesitating, Dubious, Irresolute), [he is] UNSTABLE and Unreliable and Uncertain about everything [he thinks, feels, decides]” (James 1:7-8 AMP).  

PEOPLE OF GOD: EXTERMINATE YOUR SPIRITUAL TERMITES BEFORE THEY DESTROY YOU FROM WITHIN! GOD HAS NEED OF YOU, BUT HE WILL NOT USE AN UNSTABLE INDIVIDUAL!  SO, GET YOURSELF TOGETHER!

Do you still think it’s okay to let those little spiritual termites live?! They are destroying you, annoying you, making you nuts and unstable, which is causing you to miss out on all that the Lord Would Have Given You, had you Not Been Unstable, Unreliable and Uncertain! Exterminate Your Spiritual Termites Before They Completely Destroy You! 

If you’ve ever had termites in your house, you know what it means to try to get rid of them and you know the damage they can do. You seldom if ever see them, but they quietly, subversively eat away at the wood; and one day beams can cave in, houses can sag, and steps can collapse. And remember, it’s not so much because of the weight put on them, but because of the weakness on the inside of them! 

Well, if natural termites can destroy a natural building, surely you know that spiritual termites can destroy a spiritual building? The Bible admonishes: “Don’t you know that your body is a TEMPLE that belongs to the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit, whom you received from God, LIVES IN YOU. You don’t belong to yourselves. You were bought for a price. So bring glory to God in the way you use YOUR BODY” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 GWT). What is a “TEMPLE”? It’s a BUILDING! I reiterate, if natural termites can destroy a natural building, than spiritual termites can destroy a spiritual building! And YOU are the Spiritual Building of God! So, stop allowing those Spiritual Termites to Destroy God’s Temple Who You Are! Exterminate Them! 

From the Word of God Spiritual Termites are found in Joshua 7, around verse 8. But first you need to know the context. You see, the Israelites have been winners at the battle of Jericho when the walls caved in. They have then gone on to the battle of Ai and have been Defeated by a Much Smaller Force, and a number of their people have even been killed. What many of them don’t realize is that there is among them a family that has disobeyed God’s orders! God’s orders were to take no loot out of the city of Jericho, but Achan and his family did it and hid it. And that is ultimately the reason for Israel’s defeat! 

Joshua is now on his knees and in essence saying, “Lord, what’s happened, why did we lose? I thought we were going to be given this Promised Land,” here’s what he says biblically: “O Lord, what can I say, now that Israel has been routed by its enemies. The Canaanites and the other people of the country will hear about this and they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. What then will You do for your own great name?” The Lord said to Joshua, “…Stand up! What are you doing down on your face?” and then in THREE WORDS He tells what the real problem is. It’s not the Canaanites; it’s not military size or defeat; that’s what Joshua thinks the problem is. Here’s the three-word summary of the problem; God simply says, “ISRAEL HAS SINNED…” (Joshua 7:11 NIV).

See, Joshua was doing what we do a lot of times; he was misinterpreting the setback in his life. He thought it was the situation, it was the pressure, it was the enemy that was the problem, but it’s not the enemy’s strength. It’s not the problem WITHOUT that defeats us, it’s the Weakness WITHIN–like that stair that collapses because of the termites damage within! It’s a sin that we’ve been tolerating and it suddenly becomes noticeable when there’s a major setback or a defeat, and you have been weakened, eaten away, and corroded by that sin. That’s the reason things are collapsing. BECAUSE YOU HAVEN’T DEALT WITH YOUR WEAKNESS WITHIN! Here’s what the Bible says: “There is not [even] one thing OUTSIDE a man which going into him can pollute and defile him; BUT THE THINGS WHICH COME OUT OF A MAN ARE WHAT DEFILE HIM AND MAKE HIM UNHALLOWED AND UNCLEAN” ( Mark 7:15 AMP). SAINTS, WASH FROM WITHIN!

In other words, don’t blame the pressure. Don’t blame the problem. Don’t blame the people. Don’t even blame the enemy. In fact, it might be a mistake to be looking at the financial problem or the medical problem or the personnel problem or whatever the frustration is as being the issue. It’s the result, not the cause. Think of it this way: You may not have the  financial issue if you would faithfully tithe; you may not have the medical issue if you leave the fast fried food alone; you may not be unemployed if you stopped taking 2 hour lunches; you may not have the problems in your marriage if you’d stop taking your spouse for granted! The bottom line is you need to deal with the root and not the stem! Deal with the WITHIN issues and maybe the issues of being WITHOUT will disappear!  

Maybe you have, without realizing it, become careless with the truth. Or you’ve been putting things ahead of people, neglecting some people. Or it could be that you’ve been slowly seduced by materialism, and your values are all inverted. There’s a sin maybe you just won’t repent of, or you’ve been flirting with immorality. Whatever it is, the termites of sin have weakened you. AND ITS TIME TO EXTERMINATE THEM!  

And what are a few Spiritual Termites that need to be Exterminated? Here’s what the Bible says: “Now, the effects of the corrupt nature are obvious: illicit sex, perversion, promiscuity, idolatry, drug use, hatred, rivalry, jealousy, angry outburst, selfish ambition, conflict, factions, envy, drunkenness, wild partying, and things like that. I’ve told you in the past and I’m telling you again that people who do things like that will NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD” (Galatians 5:19-21 GWT). 

What’s some more Spiritual Termites to Exterminate? The Bible shares this: “There are six things that the LORD hates, even seven that are disgusting to him: arrogant eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill innocent people, a mind devising wicked plans, feet that are quick to do wrong, a dishonest witness spitting out lies, and a person who spreads conflict among relatives.” (Proverbs 6:16-19 GWT).  

The Bible is loaded with descriptions of Spiritual Termites that need to be Exterminated from the Body of Christ which is the Temple of a Holy God! And according to the Word of God He Bought Us At a High Price! Let’s be real, you wouldn’t let your mansion be destroyed by termites, and certainly we who have been bought with the price of His Blood are worth more than that! Don’t let the Spiritual Termites Destroy His Invaluable Temple! 

Truth is, some of the defeat you’re experiencing–is not to bury you, it’s to draw your attention to the sin you’ve consistently ignored. So exterminate the sin; do a little rebuilding, and you’ll be stronger than ever. With the weakness inside corrected, you can know for sure that you’re standing on a Sure Foundation! 

Now, the word ‘exterminate’ is defined as, ‘to destroy completely; to drive out; to eradicate.’ And the word ‘eradicate’ is defined as, ‘to remove or destroy completely.’ Its Latin origin ‘eradicare’ means ‘to tear up by the roots.’ And that’s exactly what you’re going to have to do if you’re looking to get delivered! Get to the root of the sin that you’ve allowed to grow this long in your life and uproot it! And to ‘uproot’ means , ‘to pull out of; to move from a familiar location.’ In other words, you need to locate your triggers! When your particular sin comes calling, what’s the familiar triggers that bring it about? For instance, some people emotional eat; some get on the scale and see they’ve gained one pound and they go running to the gym for a 5 hour workout; some feel insecure until they have a glass or a bottle that loosens them up and makes them feel comfortable. What is your root sin? What is the familiar territory that it’s been allowed to grow in? And what are you planning to do to eradicate the issue?  

Listen to our text again: Joshua 7:11-12, “I said everything in Jericho belonged to Me and had to be destroyed. But the Israelites have kept some of the things for themselves. They stole from Me and hid what they took. Then they lied about it. What they stole was supposed to be destroyed, and now Israel itself must be destroyed. I cannot help you anymore until you do exactly what I have said. That’s why Israel turns and runs from its enemies instead of standing up to them.” (CEV)

Israel stole, hid and lied about what they took that God said was supposed to be destroyed! And now, what they didn’t destroy is about to be the reason they are destroyed! They went from being a strong and victorious people winning battle after battle; to now becoming a weak and defeated people losing to much smaller battles! Church, you will never be able to remain in God’s favor walking around as a termite infested body of Christ! And disobedience is the wood that your spiritual termites are feeding off of! Before your house is destroyed, exterminate!

Keep this in mind: Termites don’t care who lives in your house! When they attack, they are not concerned that the beams and roof and walls will all cave in on you; your spouse; your children; and all who are attached to and in your house! So when you walk in disobedience to God, you put everyone in the house at risk! And this includes the House of God as well! When we as believers walk in disobedience in the House of God, we put the whole congregation at risk! From the pulpit to the pew, everyone stands to be damaged beyond repair because of our lack of obedience! And as the Body of Christ, we can’t point our fingers and say that’s their problem! No, we are one body with many members all attached, fitted and joined together as the Holy Spirit set us in place! So when one falls, we all risk being tripped over the stumbling block! Saints, surely you don’t want to be responsible for the downfall of God’s House, neither privately or corporately!

Remember, termites eat out a house from within and weaken it. And if you allow your spiritual termites to remain, they will destroy your temple too! Don’t let that happen! Today is the day to repent and began anew! Today let’s make the deliberate decision to walk obediently before God and man, because you never know who our infestation will affect if we don’t!

THEREFORE, SAVE YOUR TEMPLE BY EXTERMINATING YOUR TERMITES!

“When God tells you to do something, it is very important that you obey even if it seems small and insignificant to you.”

“Disobedience to God always brings consequences.”

“Partial obedience is complete disobedience to God.” (Kyle Pals)

“God is responsible for the consequences of our obedience, we are responsible for the consequences of our disobedience.” (Charles Stanley)

“Obedience is an act of faith; disobedience is the result of unbelief.” (Edwin Louis Cole)

“You see, rebellion, and the disobedience it causes, keeps us from having the power of God that’s available to us as Christians.” (Joyce Meyer)

“How can God bless disobedience? He cannot protect, prosper, or bless you when you are out of His Will and running around outside of the secret place and from under His shadow – His wings – and His fortress of perfect fellowship with Him.”

“Remember, God’s Will was for John to be exiled, Paul to be jailed, and Jesus to be executed. Why do we assume God’s Will for us is to have a great job, a happy wife, and a large bank account?” (Kevin Thompson)

“Be obedient even when you do not know where obedience may lead you.” (Sinclair Ferguson)

“Obedience will always produce benefits that far outweigh the consequences of disobedience.” (Priscilla Shirer)

“The perfection of God demanded that His holiness deal with our disobedience.” (Alistair Begg) 

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: “14 Best and Worst Foods for Your Liver!”