Let's Go on a Journey Together

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; (I Cor 6:19)

Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? (I Cor 3:16)

You know many of us when we get settled into a relationship, whether marriage or dating one particular person over an extended period of time, we become very comfortable.  In being comfortable, we sometimes lose ourselves in the relationship and neglect our needs to accommodate the needs of the other person.  I know you know what I'm talking about.

I watched my weight and self esteem fluctuates throughout my marriage.  When my weight was down, my self esteem was high, when it was up, it was low.  Really, our self-esteem should not be based on what the scale says, but what God says about us.  He says that we are fearfully and wonderfully made.  That doesn't mean that we shouldn't take care of ourselves as best we can.  It means that God took time in making us in his image and after his likeness.  How can we be anything but wonderful if the Lord used his pattern to make us?  So, contrary to what the scale says, we are to be assured that we are his workmanship and that's makes extraordinary.

But it is so important to honor him in this temple that he has fashioned after himself.  What are we doing to our temple when we put things in it that makes it unhealthy and causes it to be sick?  You know we do this, then we ask God to heal us from the things we have introduced into our own bodies.  We snack on Wendy's burgers because we can get them off of the $1 menu instead of going home and cooking something that will be healthier and better for us.  Then we don't understand why we can't squeeze into that dress this week that we could wear a month ago.  It's time to be really real my sisters.  We need a reality check.  I'm talking to myself too.  We want people to accept us like we are and love us for us.  But the truth is they will never get close enough to us to know how wonderful we are if they are turned off by how we look on the outside.  That's just real talk.  We need to be really serious about us, not for other people but because God wants us to take care of this vessel that he's made for his glory. 

It is not enough to say that we want people to be accepting of us as is.  That's great, but unfortunately, this is a hard pill to swallow for most when the first impression of how we feel about ourselves can be seen from the outside.  Not taking care of our exterior is an indication that we don't really have a high opinion of ourselves to the person who is looking from the outside.  This is a reality that we have to face as single women of God.  When there are so many single sisters out there who are trying to be the best that they can be in God and in the natural.  Can we really afford to be slack concerning our temples?  I don't believe so.

Making positive changes in our lifestyles with proper food choices and exercise not only will benefit us naturally, but spiritually as well.  It is equally difficult for someone who is out of shape and overweight to run a mile as it is for them to lay hands on hundreds of people or preach for an hour without being physically exhausted.  There are great benefits for you and the kingdom when we take care of what God has entrusted to us.  He's entrusted us with this temple for him to reside in and we have a responsibility to ensure that we properly nourish it and keep it fit.

I've made positive changes in my eating and exercise regime in the last month.  I knew it was necessary to my overhealth and well being.  I challenge you as I blog in future about my journey to join me in making changes in your lifestyle as well.  It will only benefit you.  This is not about nabbing that man you've been after, but it's about taking care of yourself, feeling good about yourself, and doing what is best for yourself.  No more Wendy's, McDonald's, or Burger King.  Opt for healthier things like lots of fruits and vegetables.  Stay away from processed foods, white rice, sugar, white flour.  Embrace high fiber foods and drink plenty of water.  Please, don't drink your calories, that is a total waste when you could be eating something instead. Get up and get moving as well.  Throw your sneakers on and walk, walk, walk or do some form of cardio 30-60 minutes 3-5 times a week.  Do some weight training as well as this will help you get in shape quicker because it will help burn fat faster.  If you do all of that, you will slim down, feel better about yourself, and look better as well.

That little black dress has been hanging on the rack too long.  You keep looking at it, but you are no closer to getting back into it.  Your blood pressure is up and you can't walk a flight of stairs without breathing heavily.  So, do it for you because you deserve to feel better.  Do it for you because you need to feel better.  Do it for you because you cannot do what you need to do if you do not change the pattern of unhealthy behavior.  The enemy hurts us with the things we do to ourselves.  Don't let the devil keep you from being and doing what God has purposed because you can't muster up the strength to do it. 

I encourage you to join me in the journey and look forward to hearing how each of you is doing.

TO DATE OR NOT TO DATE?

This is such a complex question and I'm sure depending on who you ask, you will get a different answer.  The super-spiritual will say, no need to date, you will just know.  Then there are the ones who tell you dig in but don't have too much fun.  It's so very complicated.  Times have changed and people even in the church play games and keep up foolishness.  You never know if they're being real or not, if they're wasting your time or not, and if you're old school like me, you just believe people would be honest enough to say "I like you, but it's really not a love connection".  You know what I mean.  It's crazy girlfriends.

So, one of the things I've learned from a close friend of mine is, you cannot take meeting someone or even going out on a date too seriously.  Men do not think like us.  Most of them allow their gender parts to dictate their pursuit.  You understand what I mean?  So, they can have a great conversation with you and you think everything went well and look forward to seeing them again, but if the sexual attraction isn't there then they have moved on.  A intellectual or emotional connection means little to nothing.  While you are still waiting by the phone for them to call thinking you had a great time, they have started talking to someone else about going out.  So, really it's so important to not get too overly excited about meeting someone if you are not sure they feel the same way.  After all, it's just a meeting, not a relationship. 

Back in the day, people were just a little more real and a little more honest, but now you have to deal with folks in the church who operate like the people in the world.  So, you must use a little more reserve in investing your emotion, heart, and time into someone who has not made the same commitment to you.  If you have not had that conversation with them, then why are you waiting around for them to call if someone else is interested and pursuing you?  I had to pause for a moment and think about that for a minute as a friend told me that.  A wow moment indeed.  If you've been married then you are used to dealing with just one person and that's why it's so easy to put too much emphasis on one individual.  This is a mentality that we have to switch out of when we enter into being single.

Our minds want to think that we've locked into something when we really haven't.  Then we think something is wrong with us.  We begin to beat ourselves up because someone didn't like us when we know we are likeable.  However, if it is not God, do you really want that in your life?  I think not.  You want in your life who God wants for you.  So, all the people who dismiss you and don't value how wonderful you are, you do not need them in your life.  That is a pause moment and a thank you Jesus moment as well.  There is nothing wrong with you.  It's not your looks, your weight, your height, your smile, your color, your age, etc.  You are fearfully and wonderfully made.  You are altogether lovely and beautiful.  Don't ever question that, just know that what God has for you, it is for you.  Keep it moving.

Don't accept anything less than what the Lord has told you for your life.  Don't compromise yourself in any way for anyone who is less than who God told you to expect.  There is something in you that is valuable and God will connect you to the person who can help draw that out of you and walk with you into the place where the Lord is taking you.  Nobody under that will do.  It must be who he has ordained for you.  So, don't be hurt, offended, or troubled by imposters.  Don't be swayed by those who don't know who you are or value who you are.  Don't be moved by a desire to have someone, because someone will not do.  The "one" is the only one who will do.

WHEN GOD SAYS "NO"

And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. (I Sam 15:22)

My sister, daughters, and mothers I know you have all been at a place when you had to decide whether to obey or continue in a matter.  I know you've had God tell you no to some things and then you stood there and reasoned with yourself whether God really said it or did he really mean it?  You've even said, was part of what he said what I am supposed to do.  We do this because we really don't want to do what God told us to do, because we have made up our minds about what we want to do.  That's why some of us are with people right now and in relationships right now that are shipwrecks hung up in the ocean and going nowhere.  We get where we think we can fix a matter that has already been decided.  We think we have the power to make people into who we want them to be.  We have not come to realize that we can't fix what's broken in people, only God can.  But we hold on to some things so tightly, we're like a pitbull that has a hold to something and when he locks his jaws you cannot get him to release it.  The problem with this is that if it isn't release then nothing else can ever go into his mouth again.  He will die trying to hold on to something that he shouldn't have in his mouth to begin with.  That's exactly how we are.  We hold tightly to things that we shouldn't even have and because we won't let them go, God cannot bless us with the real blessing that he would like to give us.

Let me say this plainly, "obedience is better than sacrifice".  It is better to obey him than to think that your offerings of praise, deals, and schemes will appease God for your willful disregard of his instructions.  I don't care how many praise offerings you send up, it will not be enough to where God will overlook, forget, take back his instruction.  You see, we cannot take a portion of what God has said to us and rationalize it into what we want it to mean.  When he says no, he did not stutter, skip, or misspeak in his response and instruction.  He has said just what he meant and will not change his mind on the matter.  It has been decided.  He knows what is coming down the line if you continue on the course that you are going.  His desire is to keep you on a path that he has mapped out for you. 

When we are willful in our sin, there no longer remains a sacrifice for the thing that we are committing (Heb 10:26).  There will not be another lamb slain for the thing that we are doing.  The price has already been paid for our transgressions.  So when we decide to willfully disobey God, we've stepped out of covenant and decided that the blood was not enough.  We are saying we don't need the blood to cover us any longer. So if we've taken ourselves from under the blood, then we are outside of the jurisdiction of God's word and subject to another authority and the consequences that come with that jurisdiction.  You've entered into Dallas County outside the jurisdiction of Tarrant County.  But now you're subject to the jurisdiction of the state police who can get you no matter what county you go into.  The sin itself is still under the blood, but our disobedience has taken us out of fellowship and exposed us, so the enemy doesn't see the blood anymore, he just sees us in our mess.  So, the consequences for our disobedience is what we are subject to.  Some folk think because we are under the blood that there are no consequences for sin.  If you get pregnant while in sin, there is still a baby coming that you have to deal with.  Although you are forgiven, the consequences of your choice to willfully disobey God are still there.  We put ourselves in direction line for the enemy to play pitipat with our lives when we disobey.  The Lord is not going to help you in your disobedience.  He'll forgive you, but he is not going to help you disobey him.  His word says, if we confess our sin, he's faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I Jn 1:9).  When you decide to obey him in what he told you, he will help you get yourself together.  I am a living witness and testimony to that. 

We need to make sure that every decision that is made in our lives is made with the consent of the Lord.  I did say every decision.  If you cannot hear God in a matter, then you need to wait until you do before you proceed.  This is the reason why we end up in so many messed up relationships and making so many bad decisions about life, because we do not have the patience to wait on God to speak to us concerning something we've petitioned him on.  The other reason is, when he is specific on a matter, we ignore the word because we don't want to believe that what God has told us is what is best for us.  But he knows best every time, not just some of the time.  If I could reverse the hands of time, I would go back and make a great many changes in my life and obey when I heard God say some things to me the first time.  I would have avoided many hurtful things and many bad decisions I've made on my own.  But we can't reverse time, but we can reverse our behavior right now.  We can make a conscience decision to consult the Lord on every matter so that we do not find ourselves in similar situations in the future.

Starting a new chapter in your life makes you realize that you have to look at things through God's eyes and not your own.  Clealy our eyes do not tell us the truth of the matter.  But when we walk in the spirit and keep our eyes turned toward him, he will keep us from going into trenches and potholes in life.  When he says no, he really does mean no.  It is to our benefit and not our detriment.  I've decided whoever I've got to say, "no thank you" to or goodbye to, it is better that I do it than to find myself out of his will.  This is not hour to be playing around his will, but we need to be found in his will and walking in obedience.

I appeal to you to say your goodbyes to whoever or whatever that is, that has, hindered you from obeying the voice of God.  If the Lord has not given you a green light in your spirit, then you are to yield until he tells you proceed.  For it is better to obey than to assume that we can pray, praise, and dance our foolishness into being a part of his will.  He neither will accept those tears and offerings, for they compromise his very plan for your purpose.  He will not forfeit his plan, so wipe off the tears, take off the praise garment, and put down your hands until you are ready to really surrender and do what he told you.

DON'T BE LUCY LOOSE

You all have seen this I'm sure a woman in the church who has decided that the Lord told her that someone else's husband was hers.  She somehow convinced herself that God would speak something so disconnected from who he is and violate his own word on her behalf.  I have seen this spirit in operation and I tell you dear ones, it is NOT of God.  The Lord is a God of order and he does not speak one thing and do another.

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. (I Jn 4:1)

When you hear a word from someone, first you must ascertain that it bears witness to what God's word says.  The only way that it will bear witness to your spirit is if the Holyspirit within you confirms that indeed it is a word from God.  Why, because, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come (Jn 14:26).  So, you will know whether that word can be confirmed through the Holyspirit because he will bear witness to what the Father has said.  God will not speak anything that does not comply to his word.  Believe me on that one!

There are an abundance of single women running throughout the church as well as in the world.  There doesn't seem to be enough good men to go around, so some women set themselves out to snag someone elses' mate.  The unfortunate thing is that these women do not realize there is neither blessing or approval of God on this union they've done out of their flesh.  God's hand will not be in it, it doesn't matter if you get 10 preachers to pray over you at the ceremony. 

I remember one evening my former spouse and I walked into one of the larger churches in the metroplex and all along the back pew were a great many women sitting.  As we walked by, I could sense the spirit of lust jumping out at us.  This was the first time visiting this particular church and I was very thrown back from the onset.  That is why I'm appealing to you today, to not be Lucy Loose.  Let me tell you what I mean.  Lucy Loose is that woman who is always doing things to try to get the attention of some married man in church.  It is a lustful spirit birthed out her her fleshly desires.  She volunteers for everything, when she hears about a man who may be getting ready to divorce or is having marital issues, she is always there to comfort and console.  She likes being out in front where she can be seen.  She is gifted and anointed spiritually and wants to flaunt what she can do so that the spotlight will be on her.  She takes pleasure in confusion especially when she feels it benefits her effort in gaining the attention of male companionship.  She is a liar, manipulative, and works undercover.  You see, she's the one on Facebook chatting with your husband's when you're sleep, texting him while he's at work, and sending him private emails when you're not looking.  She's the one always wanted to send a plate home to just your husband and not you.  She's wants to be friends with him, but not you.

This woman is like the spiritual mother to Jezebel.  Jezebel would have to step up her game to compare to her.  Lucy Loose is the spirit of Jezebel in operation, but it seems to be more cunning and deceptive in this hour.  I'm telling you today that this spirit is alive and well within the borders of the church.  It is NOT God women of God.  This is NOT the order of God.  The Lord does not operate in this manner.  If you are devising a plan to get someone else's husband to divorce his wife for you, the Lord is NOT going to honor that.  In this hour God is turning over tables and exposing everything that's been hid.  All secret sin is being exposed and everything that you thought was hidden is going to be revealed.  I urge you to line yourselves up with God's word today.

I want to encourage you that it is okay for you to live holy and it is okay for you to be single and do the things of God.  The Lord will take care of you.  No, sometimes it is not easy, but give yourselves over to the Lord and that is when the yoke will become easier for you.  His yoke is not meant to be a burden on us, but it can be heavy sometimes that's why you should cast it upon him because he is able to strengthen you, keep you, and sustain you for this walk. 

Lucy Loose only wants marriage for sex and security.  There is more to a marriage God ordains than to having thighs and a checkbook.  We want what God wants for us.  Because when you get satisfied physically and your bills are paid, what do you have after that?  Do you have someone who was specifically designed for you?  Do you have that one who compliments you and who God called to walk hand and hand with you?  Guess what, if you don't then you've manipulated yourself into a relationship that will not produce what you really were after. So, set yourselves to seek the Lord and wait to hear a true word from God like King Jehosephat.  Call a fast if you have to, let no food touch your lips till you hear from God concerning your life like Hannah who petitioned God concerning a child.  Wait on the promise and don't settle for something that might be a curse.  Someone else's grass might look really green, but it's still not your yard, so stay out of it.

IT'S IN YOUR MOUTH

Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. (James 3:10)

I told you yesterday that your deliverance is in your mouth.  Do you remember that?  Your blessing, though it tarry for a season, it has not been denied.  Sometimes we will stop, hinder, or delay our own blessings, by what comes out of our own mouths.  Our faith not being consistent with the thing that we believe God for, we find ourselves wavering on the promises of God. 

How can God operate in unbelief?  But, you think that you are believing, but your confession on that belief is not consistent with God's word concerning faith.  You speak blessing and cursing within the same breathe.  You tell God you believe him, but then you say if it's his will.  You tell God you believe, but within the same mouth, you utter unbelief and doubt.  Well, if he promised it, is it not his will to perform the thing which he has promised to those that believe?  Is he a man that he should lie and not honor his own word?  Not at all!  Whatever his word says is sure and it is true.  There is no variance in him, nor shadow of turning. 

I had been praying concerning some things and expecting God to perform the request I made.  Though it did not come when I anticipated, it came right when I needed it.  There are a great many reasons God may delay our blessings.  Sometimes it is to our benefit that our blessings are held up.  At other times, they are delayed because we cannot consistently hold on to our faith long enough for him to perform the things that we've asked of him.  I held on to my faith and kept believing.  I didn't know how or when, but I know God was going to come through for me.  Though my week started out with unfinished business and closure from my past, the delayed blessing of my prayer came through at the closure of my past.

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You see, sometimes God will wait till all doors are closed, because he does not want a curse to partake of the blessing that he is about to release to you.  If there is still a door open and a possibility that it could attach to what he is doing, he will hold it back until the door is closed, then release the blessing.  I feel like someone has been waiting on some answers from God and for him to release some things, but you have not been consistent in your faith concerning the matter.  The Lord told me this morning, "the curse cannot partake of the blessing".  I don't believe its merely a word that speaks to my situation, but that word is for someone else as well.

You may be locked into a relationship or coming out of one and wondering why you are having such trouble getting it together.  Well, if you have been wavering in your mind about going back and forth instead of trusting God to take care of your needs, then surely he cannot do all that he would like to do, because you are holding back his hand on the matter.  He wants to bless you and give you all that is needed, but you need to believe that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him and the way and provision is going to made by him and through him.  You cannot put your confidence in man, but you have to believe that God has the final word on the matter.  He is capable without any help from anyone to take care of you and all that concerns you.  Do you believe that?

Your situation is yet for a season.  I just came out of tough season in the wilderness.  A season is not meant to last a lifetime, but it is for a purpose.  There are only four seasons in a year and the end of each, we transition into another one.  They are not meant to last throughout the year.  Though sometimes the seasons seem to stretch beyond their expected time.  Sometimes they are prolonged.  It stays colder longer than expected or hot longer than anticipated.  Eventually, the season does change because they are only intended the last for a time.  When we are in a season, we might not like the climate or what we have to deal with, but we still have to go through it.  It's not going to change because you want it to.  The testing of our faith produces something in us that causes us to stretch our faith (James 1:3).  Whereas you thought in times past that you would or could not endure the thing you went through, when storms come again, you know that you are fully capable to withstand because you grew during the last trial while you were tested. 

You have to know that your profession during your season is important to what God does at the end.  Can he trust you in the end for what he has planned for the next elevation?  It does matter how you go through the trial.  It does matter what you say while you are going through.  Did you believe God while you were going through?  Let the words of your mouth and meditation of your heart be acceptable in his sight (Ps 19:14). Let your conversation be that which edifies and speaks to what is fruitful to your life and situation.  They always say, "keep hope alive".  I understand that because unless a person can hope in something then they have nothing to look forward to.  I don't say hope, but I say keep faith alive, so that the blessings proceed out of your mouth continuously and speak to the affirmation of God's word.

Stir up your praise to ensure that your praise lines up with your faith.  If we say that we believe but yet wait till the manifestation to give God credit for the blessing, are we really believing?  But if we say that we believe and our praise reflects that God has indeed done the thing before the manifestation, then we are really believing. 

Be blessed women of God!

THE FINAL WORD

As I laid on my face praying and thanking God this morning even about all of the things that I had recently been through, I realized that the trials did not destroy me because I was still standing. Everything that I had gone through, no doubt, would have taken the average person out, but there is something special in me that gives me the victory even when I can't see my way through to the other side.

I have had an assignment of attacks by the enemy from various sources. Most people would think that these things come from outside sources, but it was an inside job. The enemy will use those closest to you to try to bruise you and rub you raw. Honestly, why else would you care if it's someone you have no connection to. So through all the heartache, seperations, disconnects, abandonment, rejection, lies, humiliation, confusion, hurt, drama, and pain I looked around at myself and there was still a praise within me. Though at times, the press was harder to find that praise. But it was always there, knowing that God could do exceeding abundantly above all I could ask or think, according to the power that worketh within me. So I was challenged to pull the praise out of me, because it was within me to do so.

I speak about rejection often, because so many women who have been challenged in past relationships can identify with those feelings of rejection. It is not because I want you to focus on the rejection, but I want you to understand it, so you can identify the symptoms for the future, keep your spiritual eyes focused, and understand the tactics of the enemy. If we walk blinding through life as if it is a fairy tale we give the enemy free rein to do what he will, because we are so unaware to his tactics. Proverbs 2:2 turn your eyes to wisdom and your hearts to understanding. Your eyes will teach you some things and help you walk in wisdom and I'm just sharing the things that life and my eyes have taught me. The reason I give scripture and not just my opinion is because Proverbs 18:2 A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion. So, I want you to understand the things I speak to you are inspired by the Holyghost, my experience, and God's word.

Now, that I've said that, I want you to understand in your present situation whatever that might be, that God is the final authority on the outcome. I've had people speak against my very life and tell me, how God was going to get me because I wouldn't allow them to manipulate and control me. We do not have to submit to someone's opinion, but we have to submit to the word of God. Every idol word spoken against us has no authority, power, or influence over our lives. In fact the Lord says that it is condemned and will not prosper (Isaiah 54:17). His word says even anything that violates what his word says to be true to cast that very thought down and then not only that but turn around and speak against it by using the word of God to make the matter come subject to his word (2 Cor 10:5).

When I was looking at 2 Cor 10:5 this morning, I heard the Lord say to me the word captive. That word stuck out to me, because when you capture something, you have to subdue it and put it on lockdown. Just as a prisoner who has been taken into the enemies camp. God wants us to grab that thought that is contrary to what his word affirms bring into a place of captivity, subdue it, lock it down. It's like lasoing something then making it do what you want it to do. That's what the Lord says to do. We subdue it and make it do what God's word says for it to do. For example, God's word says you are above and not beneath, but someone has told you that you are beneath them. You bring that word that was spoken and subdue and put the word that God really said concerning you over what the enemy has said.

I said, well, God, "how do I subdue it?" Well you have to keep reaffirming God's word over it every time that thing comes back up in my mind. That's how you cast it down. It makes no sense to just to try to erase it from out of your mind, because that won't work. You've got to put something back in place of the thing that you are trying to subdue. That thing is the word of God.

The Lord just wants me to encourage you all today and let you know really, that he has the final word on your situation. Whatever his word says today, God is in agreement with that. If you have had ill things spoken over you by people close to you, know that the Lord's word conflicts with what the enemy has released into your life and spirit, but you have to be the one who subdues those words and speak against them with the word of God.

If I had received every ill word spoken over me, I don't know where I would be right now. Surely, not where God intended. Proverbs 10:6 Blessings crown the head of the righteous, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked. So, you do not need to worry about what other people have said or did because God has that handled. Your blessing is in your obedience to him. Your deliverance is in your mouth.  Arm yourselves with his word, speak over yourself, and know that God has your back and he has the final word on your situation.

NO TURNING BACK

As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly. (Proverbs 26:11)

God has a way of keeping you on course and from making again the mistakes of the past.  Just when you begin to question what you know God orchestrated, he will reach over and shut the door that still remained open so that you will no longer be tempted to revisit the past.

It is a foolish person who goes back to what God has released you from.  Once deliverance is brought to your life and God has given you peace in your spirit again, why long for the thing that has caused you conflict and discord?  Many times this is what we do when the first wave of storms come into our lives.  We believe we were better off with our past situation even though we were tormented every day and the enemy was having fun beating us up.  So, many women unfortunately return again and again.  Oh, I have done the same thing and painfully, it did not get better but worse.   Going back to the same situation with the same spirit plainly in operation but expecting that it would discontinue the same manner of behavior doesn't speak to sound wisdom. I just said a mouth full I know.

Women of God you cannot pray against someone's will to change.  If it is not their desire, they never will change.  If it is not the will of God for you to remain, then they will not change at least while they are with you.  One thing about it, if God is up to something to get you somewhere, he will do whatever he has to, to get you there.  You can cry and fight and try to run back and forth all you want, but at the end of the day the Lord is still God. 

The world says you can't keep doing the same thing and expect to get a different result.  The scripture says a fool who repeats his foolishness is like a dog returning to his own vomit.  When you go back into a situation that is not fruitful to who you are, you are repeating the same foolish behavior that had you in bondage thinking that the result is going to be different than the last time.  As I often say, Who does that?  Did you anticipate that God would change his mind about what he instructed you to do.  He gave you grace to get up and leave and gave you provision to take care of your needs.  Why then would the Lord cause you to slip back into bondage and into the same state that he brought you from so once again you wouldn't be free to worship him. Clearly, it is not the mouth of God instructing you to return, but something else is at work in that.

If I can be transparent for just a moment, my situation was that I had to fight just to pray in my house and be free to be who I am in God.  What sense does it make for me to walk backwards into a situation that would prohibit me as a worshipper and prayer warrior from having the freedom to pray in peace?  We do many things in life and we say it's in the name of love.  But really some of the things we do, have more to do with familiar spirits and strongholds on our lives and nothing to do with love.  We are connected to people who we have to struggle with to survive, but then we are afraid to be really free.  There is no price you can put on peace.  I don't care how you look at it, living in a place where you cannot be the woman of God the Lord has called you to be is beneath where he wants you.

Once he has delivered you from the yoke of bondage, do not return to the thing that held you captive.  The enemy is on a mission to shut down intercessors and prayer warriors.  He wants to shut up the heavens so that people cannot receive the manna that God has for them.  All of you who lay on your faces each day for others to receive deliverance, the enemy doesn't want that.  He works tiredlessly against women like me to constantly bring conflict into our lives to pull us out of the face of God.  The conflict comes to close our mouths.  So if you are a vigilant prayer warrior, know this, you cannot stay in a place that limits your ability to lay before God.  The Lord will not allow it.  He will shut it down and close the door.

I've seen God close so many doors here lately to my past my head is spinning.  If he doesn't want you to go back into a situation, he will nail it shut.  You can count on it.  You can contemplate all you want, but if God says the matter is finished, you can bank on that, it's finished.  So even if you were thinking about going back, there is no longer an option to return to what you left, because God made sure that you couldn't go back.  Trust me, I've seen and heard some crazy things lately and I know the Lord had his hand in it.  Be thankful unto him and bless his name that he considers you so valuable that he will not allow another distraction to step between your place of purpose.  I hope you're lifting your hands right now and blessing God. 

Treasure your time women of God and don't dispare.  God has his hand in your lives and everything good work that he has begun, he will finish it until the day of Jesus Christ.  You be mindful of the enemy using various things to distract you.  If it is not time for your Boaz, every man that you look at will reject you accept the ones that clearly are not one of God's men.  So, if this is happening in your life, it means it's not your season to date.  God wants you to date him right now.  Don't turn back for the pleasure of your flesh.  If you try, you will challenge the Lord's hand to move in the matter and he will certainly nail the door shut without question.  No turning back women of God!

Getting Your Groove Back

I know some of you have gone through some valley's, rivers, and rocky terrain.  You've had to endure hurt, ridicule, criticism, abuse, and rejection.  After having gone through all of that you've got to find your groove back and get back in the game.  At some point, you have to tell the coach you're ready to go back in and enough time has been spent sitting on the bench. 

I'm working on a book entitled, "When Hell Comes Knocking" subtitled "Coming Back from Rejection". The reason for the book is to share with everyone who has experienced some of the things I have and offer my experience so that it might help someone else fight their way back from attacks from the enemy designed to sideline you.  The things that we go through really are distractions to the purpose before us.  Although they are used to grow us up and mature us, they are also devices that can keep us from going forward. 

When the enemy comes in like a flood you have to be ready to lift up a standard.  If you are vulnerable from rejection and hurt, you can find yourself weak, depressed, and sometimes even suicidal.  Getting back from rejection is critical to moving forward.  You've got to be ready and willing to accept things as how they are and that you may not ever figure out how you came to be.  That means if you never find out why you were rejected, you've got to be willing to accept that and move on.  If you don't you will never be able to get back or beyond where you are right now.

You literally have to fight your way out of your situation so that the enemy will know you are not the weak pathetic thing that he pegged you out to be.  We don't fight with our fist, because we can't wrestle the enemy with flesh and blood, but we fight him in the spirit ream.  You have to fight to keep your mind.  You have to fight to keep your sanity.  You have to fight to keep your peace.  You fight by putting the word of God on every area of vulnerability.  I am no expert in handling rejection, but I've learned that it is a part of life and you have to learn to cope with what it can do to you emotionally.  Your emotions can affect you spiritually if you allow it.  Your emotions can pull you backwards when you are trying to press forward. 

I once was one of those women who was caught up in the fairy tale love stories.  You know, girl meets boy, boy likes girl, girl likes boy, they fall in love and live happily ever after.  I know some of you are still right there.  Sometimes unexpected things happen and you don't get the happily ever after that you were anticipating.  You end up with the girl being by herself and now having to face and deal with the fairy tale not going as expected.  Love is supposed to conquer all, that's what people say.  The word says love doesn't fail, the world says it conquers all (I Cor 13:1).  The problem is not with love, the problem is with people.  We can't control what they do and how they handle things, we can only give them the love that we are supposed to give.  Your love didn't fail, but the people who you were connected to failed.  Don't despair over love, because it's real, it's Godly, and it's appropriate to love.  God expects it and don't ever give up on it.  You can and will love again.  Just because someone else failed you, doesn't mean that the intended purpose of love is not extraordinary.

If the fairy tale came to an end, it's because you were never meant to be in the story.  God has another story that he's writing out for you and that you are meant to be in.  You were sidetracked by what you just came out of.  Don't get sidelined by the sidetrack.  Get off of the bench and get back into the game.  There's still time on the clock because the game isn't over.  Now it's time to put your focus back on what it needs to be on and that is your husband.  You are the bride of Christ so therefore, your focus now should be on him.  Your instructions are going to come from God.  Don't allow what the witch did in story book to keep you from kissing your prince.  I was sidelined because of rejection and for a time I wouldn't kiss my prince because of the hurt.  I'm a relentless prayer warrior and the enemy had to do something to get me out of the face of God, so he sent hell to my doorstep to stir up strive.  The witch tried to isolate me from everyone who cared about me.  For a time, I was wouldn't get off of the bench, but God stepped in and let me see what the enemy was doing.  So, I'm sharing with you this, so that you will understand that you are not the only one who has gone through something that threw you so much that you thought you couldn't go on. 

But, I need you to pick yourself up and put yourself back into the place that the Lord called you to.  Don't allow what the enemy meant to destroy you and keep you from operating in God's purpose for your life. Stir yourself back up in prayer and press on.  Get your groove back in the spirit.  Propel yourself forward and let go of what you left behind.  The story has not been told yet of what God's going to do, but know that he does have a plan and book designed just for you.  Yes, some people have been written out of the new edition, but thanks be unto God they were, because they would have limited where God was taking you. 

Get your groove back emotionally and spiritually.  Stop saying no to everyone that wants to talk to you, or have coffee with you.  If you're not feeling them, then just let them know.  I knew a woman who thought no man was good enough for her because she had an idea of the perfect man.  This man never came along and she turned down many that could have been the one but she was so stuck on her characteristics list that she never married.  Soon just about any man would do, but the unfortunate thing is she got old, her looks deteriorated and all those who once were interested had moved on.  Don't be her.  If some of you have been married, you probably don't even remember what it's like to go out on a date.  I'm trying to figure that thing out myself.  But it's time to find out.

So find your way back from being sidelined and back into the place in the Lord you use to dwell.  Next, don't be afraid to say yes sometimes to invitations.  Don't let the opportunity to find out if your next invitation is the one God intended for you.

DON'T COME DOWN!

Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel (Philippians 1:27)

The things that people do just to be seen are absolutely amazing.  I have never seen so much desperate and unguarded behavior by women in all of my days.  The age and time that we live in is certainly different than 20 years ago or even 10 years ago.  I'm sure 50 years ago, women would never do some of the things I have seen on the net.  You can't help but wonder what has lead them to this behavior and why they let their standard down.  At some point, I would imagine that they held a higher standard but something or someone filled their heads with things that made them believe less about themselves and so their attitudes and self esteem began to lower.  Certainly, a woman who feels compelled to expose all of her assets to gain the attention of someone has a low opinon of herself.  She believes this to be the only way to bring attention to herself.  She fails to realize the attention she draws only demeans her and destroys her credibility. 

As single women of God, we too can find ourselves in this same mode of thinking.  Feeling as if we have to shift who we are to accomodate the mainstream.  I certainly believe that it is important to step up your game so to speak.  That means that you need to take care of yourself.  You do need to be clean, well groomed, eat well, and exercise for the sake of general health as well as to look and feel your best.  After all, if you do not feel and look your best, this will reflect in your outward presentation.  Women who are not confident in who they are tend to lean toward the mentality of the world and play to their physical attributes to gain attention.  Dress to look your best but not bring the wrong kind of attention to your self as a Godly woman.  When you try to bring attention to yourself you are encouraging people to take their eyes off of God.  There is fine line between putting yourself in line for Boaz to see you and wearing see through clothes so he can SEE you.  You get my meaning?  You don't have to change who you are, just enhance who you are to look and feel your best.

You do not have to lower your standard to attain the promise.  I want to be very clear in that.  The scripture in Phil 1:27 says whatever happens conduct yourself in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.  It doesn't matter what other people are doing or how they are behaving, you ensure that you are living and doing what the Lord has instructed.  You let your life reflect the gospel.  You let your ways reflect the image of Christ.  You let your name be well spoken of.  You don't have to look like the world and you certainly do not have to act like the world.  The world's interpretation of dating is having sexual relations, but we know as saints of God, this is not scriptural.  You do not need to lower your standards and test the water to get a man to commit to you.  Eph 5:3-4 says "But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks". 

I had someone once tell me, a preacher of the gospel who I was dating at the time, "well it's really whatever we agree to (concerning premarital sex)".  Really?? Is that what the word says?  It did not set well with me that this is mentality of people even in the church.  You cannot agree to disobey God's word and rationale that it's right.  It doesn't matter if you are engaged, it doesn't matter if you've set a wedding date, it doesn't matter if you are in love.  Anyone who encourages you to sin against God's word, you need to run very far away until you can't see their image in your rear view mirror any longer.  Needless to say, to my good fortune, I got dumped because of my views.

You are on the wall and do not come down off of the wall.  There is a remnant and you are part of it.  Everybody cannot go where God is taking you and will not understand that about you.  You cannot allow that to deter you, frustrate you, or discourage you.  When someone will not allow you to be a Godly woman in a relationship, then it is to your benefit not to be involved with that person.  You do not have to feel bad about that.  God would not send someone into your life that will pull you out of his will. I want you to write that down and put it on your frig for future reference.  Encouragement to stray from the things of God should be a red flag.  Someone who wants the benefit of marriage without the certificate should be a red flag.  If you are dating right now and doing what married people do (I'm being nice) you are out of the will of God.  It's that simple.  There are no ifs ands or buts about that.  I'm not going to run around what I just said, pat you up, or spoon feed you.  The word says it, I didn't make it up.  It says fornication shouldn't be named among us once.  Being engaged to be married doesn't release you from living God's word.   You are not married YET.

I want those who have been strong and may have been struggling with what to do to stay on the wall today and not come down.  Stand firm in God's word and know that he will bless you for your faithfulness to him.  While you are God's handmaiden only and single, don't let the influences of the world dictate your behavior and mentality of conduct.  You are beautiful women of God and deserve someone in your life that realizes that without you having to come down off your post, lower your standard, and sin against God just to have them in your life.  You remember as teenagers how young boys say, "if you love me you'll do it?"  Really, a man who pressures you by continuing to put you a position that makes it difficult for you to say no, is saying that very thing.  He's saying it without saying it.  Some of them will just come right out and say it's okay, God will forgive us.   Girl, run far away! Get back on post so you can spot the real Boaz coming up the street.

POSITION YOURSELF

We've been discussing this morning some of the reasons that single women in the church are still single.  The church is very closed minded with the interpretation of the scripture not considering what other Godly women of times past have done to obtain favor for husbands.   One of my facebook sisters posed a question about online Christian dating sites.  I chimed in along with many other people.  Some felt that it was women seeking out a husband when you join a site.  While others agreed with me that using wisdom to position yourself so that you can be found is permissible.  One of my brothers brought the scripture to our attention to confirm these words that were shared.

If you will look at the story of Boaz and Ruth, the great story that many like to refer back to because everyone is always stating that they believe God for their Boaz.  But let's look at what Ruth did to obtain favor in his eyes and capture his attention and heart.  First Naomi sought out near kindred for Ruth.  How else would anyone know who she was or even come to find her unless she was in a place to be found?  After near kindred had been found, Naomi instructed Ruth as to what to do to put her in direct contact and sights of Boaz.  She put herself out there to be seen.  She didn't hide in her tent or stand around waiting for someone to show up at her door.  She was out working in his fields so he could see her.  Now watch this, as she labored in his field, she found favor in his eyes so that he gave her grace to get all that she needed. 

Now people in the church will tell us, no you are not to do this or that, but Naomi instructed Ruth to go a step further.  She sent her into the tent of Boaz to uncover his feet.  This signified that she was willing to become his wife.  She didn't throw her clothes off and make a spectacle of herself, but she let him know she was available and interested in marriage.  When she spread her cloak it meant she was asking for marriage.  Did you all here me?  I said SHE was asking for marriage by spreading her cloak.  A man spreading the cloak means he has acquired that woman for his wife.  But the woman had the choice as well to let a man know that she wanted to get married.  We've got a lot of things twisted in scripture and how we do things in church.  As a consequence, there are women who sit year after year by themselves thinking somebody is just going to show up out of the blue.  That might be true in some cases, but often it is not.  We've built a whole doctrine off of, he who finds a wife finds a good thing without knowing specifically what that scripture means.

If we reference Proverbs 31 which talks about finding a virtuous woman, I noticed also that the word find is indicated in this particular scripture.  Finding just any wife does not give a man favor, but finding a virtuous woman gives him favor.  Anybody can get married.  People in the world do it all the time.  If it was just getting married to a woman that gives you favor, then everybody partakes in the blessings meant for God's man.  There is a difference between finding and marrying a virtuous woman and just finding a woman to wife.  There is something that a virtuous woman brings to the table that just any wife cannot bring.  God honors this kind of woman because she delights in him. 

The scripture states, "Who can find a virtuous woman?"  That's a question because you do not run across virtuous women all of the time.  When you do find one it a rarity and an exceptional find.  The word find means to come upon by chance, often by accident; meet with; Something that is found, especially an unexpectedly valuable discovery.  It can also mean to discover by searching or making an effort.  The latter part does not dismiss the first part.  So, one way of finding does not cancel out the other.  We've been going by the second definition and ignoring the first.  Because the word has more than one meaning it doesn't mean one meaning of the word isn't as significant as the other. If we reference the virtuous woman scripture it is confirmed that the discovery of such a woman is an unexpected but valuable discovery that is a rarity, and not common.  So one can search for such a value or can find it unexpectedly.  A great many people have struck oil in their yards without trying and some dig for years and never strike it rich.  The bottom line is that we cannot limit God in how he does things.  No more than we can say a man can only find a wife by searching, than saying that a woman can only find a husband by sitting and waiting.  It’s as if we think God has nothing to do with giving us instructions or wisdom on how to obtain what we want.  We have learned there is only one way to find something and that is to let it find us.  What about positioning yourself to be found?

How many people are telling you that you cannot position yourself or even let someone know you are interested because you are going against the word of God?  Really?  If that is the case then the examples of virtuous women that we have used for many years to model our walks with God after, which have done the very thing that we have been told not to do.  Were they wrong too?  So who’s right or who’s wrong could it be our boxed interpretation of the scripture?

No one is going to walk up to your door, knock and tell you God said you're my wife, while you're hiding in your house afraid to position yourself.  How in the world can anyone ever know the jewel you are if it is hid?  If Ruth had not been out in the field working and positioning herself to capture Boaz's favor, she would not have won his heart.  What if she just said, no, I'll just stay here in the tent and wait to see what happens?  It is so unfortunate, so many single ladies in the church just sitting within those four walls afraid to do anything or go anywhere.  There is, however, a fine line between positioning yourself and putting yourself out there like the people in the world.   

I'm not telling you to go out and run the brothers down, I'm saying position yourselves just as Ruth did by putting yourself in visual range of what you hear God saying to you.  Let's ensure the man is single, of course.  Find yourself working and doing the will of the Lord.  Though Ruth had aligned herself to obtain favor, she did so in a Godly manner and one that did not bring shame or reproach to her name.  Now, that right there is another blog discussion.  I'm certainly not encouraging anyone to behave in an ungodly and unseemly manner.  I am encouraging you to take steps if you so desire to marry to position yourself in direct line with who you believe is your Boaz so that you can obtain favor in his sight.  If he isn't interested, then you haven't lost anything.  Men get rejected every day and they go on and so can you.  I've certainly had my share of no interest as many other women have.  Everybody is not going to share the same enthusiasm you have about them.  Don't be afraid of rejection.  Just press on my lovely sisters but stay in position.

WHO DO MEN SAY I AM?

When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:13-16)

I know some of you have been in relationship that you thought ended on a good note.  One or both of you decided that the relationship should end, but at the end you were still civil to each other.  At least that's what you thought.  I'm not sure what it is that goes through the minds of some but, breaking up some how shifts them into thinking that you are like their last girl friend that slashed their tires, showed up wherever they were, and threw eggs at their windshield.  The person kind of begins to treat you like you're that girl.  You end up thinking it's you or that you've done something wrong.  The reality is you've never shown any signs of that behavior and thought you could still have a civil relationship.  After all, you both are adults and christians. 

I thought it rather odd that a christian man would exhibit these characteristics and treat a woman of God worse than a man who does not know God or profess to be a seasoned christian.  They walk by you in church and won't speak, can't bring themselves to pray for you, you reach out to ask a question about a scripture and they won't respond.  My first response was, "what kind of demon is this?"  Okay, I know some of you have probably encountered this behavior.  I am watcher.  I watch people to see if what they say lines up with who they say they are.  If their behavior doesn't line up with their profession then there is something wrong with their character.  At the end of the day, we are supposed to be people of God, right? But really, who told you he was the person you perceived him to be?  Did the Holyghost tell you that?

Let's look at the term seasoned.  I like words.  Seasoned is defined as: rendered competent through trial and experience.  We toss that word around alot but never grasping the full understanding of its meaning.  The word compotent strikes me in this definition because it implies that you are capable through your experience to handle situations with some level of maturity.  The definition of competent is having the necessary ability, knowledge, or skill to do something successfully.  Why, because you have grown to be compotent by going through some things yourself.  Trial has taught you what works and what does not work.  It has taught you how to successfuly handle something with greater accuracy and skill.  It has caused you to grow up and operate in a manner befitting an adult.  I spoke of connecting to seasoned women in times past because it is beneficial to our development as women of God to learn from those who are walking in the full counsel of God's word and have grown to a level where they can sow fruitful seeds into our lives.  Let's look at men who are seasoned and why we want to be engaged in a relationship with a man who is seasoned.

We want a man who is seasoned for one very simple reason, he is capable.  He has grown to be capable from his experience as a man and a man of God. When you become a man you put away childish things and handle things as a man would.  A compotent man is capable of seeking out God for answers.  He is capable of searching the scripture for a relevant word.  He is capable of speaking over us wisdom from God's mouth.  He is capable of listening and discerning.  He is capable of praying relevant powerful and accurate prayers.  His experience has taught him that his source is at God's feet.  A seasoned man knows how to treat a blessing and will not mishandled it because he understands that doing so puts him in jeopardy of God dealing with him.  A seasoned man of God understands that he is still a man of God whether he is in your life or not and still must operate as such when dealing with you or any other member of the body of Christ.  A perpertraitor will neither understand any of this and will operate beneath the will and word of God in his treatment, behavior, and conduct toward you.

We do want a man in our lives that can pour into us.  Watching the fruit of one's behavior will show you whether or not they are who they say they are.  My daughter said to me the other day, "people are not who they say they are".  I examined those words because we tend to give people the benefit of more respect than they've earned when we don't really know if they are who they say they are.  Jesus asked the question, Who do men say that I am?  Had the people around him caught the revelation of who he was?  He had never said who he was because he didn't need to throw a title around to impress anybody, he just produced the fruit of who he was and let them discern it in the spirit.  He didn't have to say I'm the apostle, I'm the pastor, I'm the evangelist, I'm the prophet, and I'm the teacher.  If you are all that, all you need to do is do it.  People will see who you are.  Which is why Peter spoke up saying, you're the Christ.  Peter did not know this because he was told this, but his spirit bore witness by the life of Christ.  The residue that Jesus left behind spoke of who he was.

But we bow to titles giving unearned respect just for the titles sake, when we have not seen the fruit of the gifting they claim to possess.  We jump at the chance to date a pastor simply because he said he's a pastor, but never finding out, "if he's really who he says he is".  A pastor (a gift to the body) is more than just the title, but it is a responsibility to the body of Christ which includes you.  A responsibility to pour into the body of Christ that which will edify it, mature it, and build it up.  You get what I'm saying.  The word says in Matthew 7:16, that we will know them by their fruit.  Fruit is produced in more than just one place.  Just because the ministry is big, it does not mean that every barrell of apples is good.  You need the check the life of the individual and residue that is left behind from their past relationships.  If the seeds they are dropping all over the place are leaving a string of hurt, confused, and distraught women, then as they say something in the milk aint clean. That is not what a gift to the body of Christ is called to walk in.  Looking at Eph 4:11-12 which states, And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.  Knowing this, does what this person does line up with what God's word says a gift to the body of Christ should be to the church?  If so, why is he walking by you at church without speaking?  Why can't he speak into your life?  It can't be because you're no longer dating.  Did he stop being who he said he was when you stop dating?   If his ex walked up to him and asked for prayer, would he try to avoid her?  I'm just saying. This will help you know if you are spending time with someone whose possessing what he is professing. 

When we come into the church, I think we forget some of things that helped us in the world.  I'm not telling you to lean on your flesh.  In the world, we let our street intelligence speak to how we deal with people.  But the bottom line is, we are discerning and weighing out what we see and hear.  But when we come into the church and begin to operate in the spirit, we block what God is saying in the spirit because traditon and religion has taught us to be accepting of certain things so we ignore what the Holyghost is trying to tell us.  I'm saying the giftings that are in you are there for a reason.  Don't ignore what you hear in your spirit.  Don't be so willing to accept people at face value.  When we come into the church we are more trusting of people when we should be more discerning.  That's why people in the world can come into the church and see right away if the preacher is running game on the congregation and pimping the people.  They are operating with a familiar spirit.  Should we not be more discerning when we should be led by the Holyghost? We have to be as discerning to what our spirit man is telling us about people and less what somebody is telling us about them.  The Holyghost does not lie, but a man will deceive. 

KEEPING FOCUS

I'm reminded of a word that God gave me for someone else a few months back.  "The Lord does not want you to be distracted because there is a mandate on your life".  God reminded me of that word because there are a great many distractions that can sidetrack us from our real purpose.  There are things the enemy specifically designed, orchestrates, and manifest to be a hindrance to every thing the Lord has told us to do.

As women of God, we often get sidetracked sometimes by the things we do not have in our lives as well as the people we want in our lives.  I would like to remind you that the influence of the anointing that rest on your life is as valuable now as it will ever be.  The distractions are only designed so that the anointing on your life will not produce the same influence and affect the masses who God has called you to reach.  The distractions pull from who you are and draw you away from the places God is calling you into.

As a single woman, we get pulled on a lot, at church, at work, at home, etc.  The church needs us and expects that we will be there because we do not have a obligation to a spouse.  Work pulls on us for some of the same reasons.  Home pulls on us because our children want all of our time for them.  Then there are the other influences that pull on us trying to draw us away from our time with God.  We have things that pull on our spirit and things that pull on our flesh, all being distractions.  We have so many things that pull at the fragment of our lives and heart that it is sometimes perplexing.  It's no wonder that we often feel like we need someone in our lives to help us just to make it through.  A wise man of God once told me, we can be too busy.  We become so busy that we lose focus of our real purpose for being and our relationship with God suffers as a result.  Ministry is not relationship.  Did you hear that?

The enemy can even use hurt to distract us and get us off course.  I know some of you have been there.  Hurt can make us blame God for what we are going through so we feel we are entitled to feeling that way and withdraw from him.  It's really us thinking everything is about me, me, me and not understanding who we are.  Because if we understood who we are, we would know that there is a story behind the pain and somebody cannot hear it because we are stuck on ourselves.  Deliverance is in our mouths but we refuse to open it because we are still thinking its about us.  You have to be self-less and not selfish when you are a kingdom person.  I'm just saying.  I'm preaching to myself too.  I have been there and it is a difficult place to pull yourself out of.  It’s like you really want God but you don't understand why you are feeling so battered.  You are looking down at your heart on the ground because it’s been trampled wondering if you are ever going to come out of this.  If God can look past all of our faults and see our need, then why can't we look past all of our pain and see someone elses?

This feeling of hurt is multiplied to tenth degree for those of us who have been hurt by "church folk".  I say church folk very loosely as to make distinction between those who are bought with a price by the blood of lamb and those who are still on the counter not willing to be purchased.  Like the M&M's on the commercial who know that they are food but don't want to be eaten.  That's the same principle.  A christian who knows what they're supposed to be, but refuses to submit.  "Don't want to be bought", it's easier being a free-agent.  I have been severely hurt by church folk and it made me lose focus for a time.  This is especially true when leaders hurt you.  Shame on any leader who is so offended, that he neglects his kingdom responsibility as a gift to the body of Christ; just because he doesn't want to deal with you.  It's funny how when you end a relationship with someone, suddenly you are not the woman of God they came to know and love, but suddenly you are the enemy.  That kind of thing will leave you disillusioned and confused.  It will leave you saying, “I thought he was a man of God”.  This is what you will put your focus on instead of getting past dealing with getting over it.  Now back to being focused.

Unfortunately, I cannot tell you why some people behave the way that they do, but I can say this that there is accountability to God for the damage one does to those that belong to him.  So, if you have been battered and injured by someone in the body, know that God will deal with them over the pain they have caused you.  We’ve got to learn in today’s world that there an abrasive and harsh spirit that targets our vulnerabilities and weaknesses.  These outside influences tend to pull at us for one purpose and that is to stop the movement of God’s will in our lives.  That’s all and nothing more.  It’s not personal really.  You are nothing special to the enemy, he’s just trying to stop the move of God and if you are part of the movement, then you are part of the problem and you are a target. 

That’s why it’s so important to remain focused even during turbulent times.  Do not allow outside influences whatever they might be whether home, work, kids, relationships, or even yourself get you side tracked.  Keeping focus during critical times will keep your feet straight and going into the direction you are ordained to go.  As I think about Jonah and how God had called him to go into Nineveh this was his real purpose.  His sidetrack was the spirit of rebellion, because he did not want to release the word God had given to him to give to the people.  Rebellion got him somewhere that he didn't want to be.  Samson got sidetracked with the spirit of lust for a woman and lost his focus on what God told him.  Being sidetracked can get us off course and cause our intended journey to be more tedious than necessary and prolong the expected end.

When we stay focused even in transition, we can expect that our season of being in the wilderness will not be prolonged.  Our obedience will bring our transition from the wilderness to the blessing to a swifter end.  Align your heart up with what God has said to you and keep focus.  This next trial will try to shift you, but consider your purpose, your vision, and everything the Lord has directed you to do.  The race is not given to the swift nor to the strong but to the one that endures till the end. 

IT'S HEAVY, BUT WAIT

For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, though a man's misery weighs heavily upon him. (Ecclesiastes 8:6)

I'm sure many of you are familiar with the book of Ecclesiastes chapter 3 that goes into great depth of how the order of God operates as it relates to seasons and proper timing.  Sometimes we can feel like we are bursting at our seams and wanting so desperately for God to move in our own time.  It's like putting a cake in the oven for 20 minutes but expecting that it will be fully baked throughout, but really it has only begun and the butter and eggs haven't even begun to cook yet.  We are the microwave generation and we want things now and don't want to wait.  We are just itching for God to move and manifest things out of season for us because we want it now.

I was watching a movie on lifetime just the other day and one of the women in the movie decided to date, get engaged and marry a man just because she felt it was the appropriate time for her to do so.  She changed for him, accepted less than she needed or wanted, she adapted herself to accommodate his needs and let her needs go unattended.  It was more important to just find a man and get married to her than it was to marry the right man.  The one who was intended for her.  This movie spoke to me, because women get married for so many different reasons.  We can be attracted to the anointing on someone's life, but not be physically attracted to them.  So, what happens if they backslide, will we still want them?  We can be physically attracted to them, but they are not anointed and have nothing spiritually valuable to add to our lives.  When their looks decline, will we still want them?

What am I saying?  It takes more than just the physical aspect and more than the spiritual aspect to walk in agreement as one.  It's going to take more than just him looking good and more than him preaching good to make and keep you satisfied.  For when God does something he brings the whole measure of who you are and it comes into agreement with the one he has chosen for you.  In other words, God will not give you somebody who does not line up with who you are and can add substance to you as a woman of God both spiritually, emotionally, and physically.  Why would God give you anything less than what you need so that at the end of the day you are satisfied and happy.  Why would God make you wait for your season to be blessed and send you oranges instead of apples, when he knows you need apples.  You get what I'm saying?  He's not going to send you a partial blessing.  Somebody that kind of meets your expected blessing.  He's not going to send you somebody that can only sow into your physically, but cannot sow into you spiritually as well.  You don't even need a man of God for that.  You can take any Joe blow from off the street for that!  I'm just saying.

It's going to take us not having a microwave mentality for God to manifest the thing that we've been waiting on.  Lowering our expectations will not change God's mind about his intended purpose for our lives.  This will result in us deceiving ourselves and not fully walking into the plan he has established for us.  The season of the blessing is not meant for us to call.  But it is God's ordained time for us to attain the blessing.  He gets to make that call, not us.  We can try to manifest it because it feels right, we can fix it up, we cannot say its him when its not.  We're faith people, not flesh people.  We walk by faith, not by sight.  Attraction does not equal the will of God.  I've told you women of God in time's past, I don't care how much you speak in tongues over a thing, if its not God, then it's not.  Stop trying to make a distraction the will of God.  God is not confused about what he said.  He has not suddenly changed his mind. He has not set you on a different path than he set you out on. 

Whatever God is going to do, he is going to do it at the proper time.  Until he decides that its your time for the blessing, the only thing you can do is ensure that you are ready to walk in it when the season arrives.  You're blessing is not what you came out of and it may not be what you are in right now.  But be certain of this one thing, that at his appointed time, it shall manifest.  For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay (Hab 2:3).  Surely, discouragement comes at the delay of God's promises, but delayed blessings are not cancelled blessings, nor are they denyed blessings.  So, though it linger, wait for it.  Don't settle.  Don't get sidetracked by counterfeits.  Don't be deceived by the enemy who appears to be as an angel of light.  God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? (Num 23:19)

Whatever God is going to do, he's going to do it in its season, but be ascertained that he IS going to do it. It doesn't pressure him because you feel weighted in your spirit about the matter now.  I just feel like it's time, well it might be, but wait till you hear God say it.  It is appointed a time and season for things to manifest and reproduce in God's order and timing.  At no time will God act out of character to bring things to past before his appointed just so he can appease us.  If something happens during an off-season, what does the world call it, it's a freak storm.  It's happening at a time it shouldn't happen.  There are no freak storms with God.  God shifts the season at the appointed time so he can produce the blessing.  Yesterday it was summer, but today it's spring because God said it's time.  Remember that.