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Even If God Doesn’t…

September 1st, 2011

Many are seeking a miracle from God. Our circumstances have become so bleak and dark that it will take the mighty hand of the Lord to deliver us. I don’t know what your need is. Maybe you have been diagnosed with a deadly disease, maybe you have recently lost your job, or maybe you have just received an eviction notice. Whatever the crisis is, it is but a small thing to the Lord. If we would only sit back and gain a wider perspective of God’s job responsibilities then we would quickly realize that He is never slack on His work, He is not lazy, and He never sleeps. He is alive and awake 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days of the year. He is listening to prayers in Asia right now and at the same time He is listening to prayers in North America, Russia, Africa, and Australia. God is omnipresent. He is everywhere at all times. And although He is ubiquitous, He is not running around like superman preventing every bad happening. My definition of a miracle is an uncommon event which steps outside of the realm of nature. If miracles were more common and happened more frequently then it would no longer be recognized as a miracle.

But if you need a miracle, you must know that miracles are a direct result of God’s mercy. Mercy is something we do not deserve yet it fills a “need.” There are two ways of obtaining mercy from God: 1. showing mercy towards others (Matthew 5:7) 2. praying (Hebrews 4:16). If you are doing these things and nothing seems to be happening for you, then continue in your diligence. I am learning that although God is more than capable of delivering us, we cannot force Him to do anything. To have a genuine, bona fide relationship with the Lord you must gain great clarity on His character and His ways. If He chooses not to do anything else for us He is still wonderful, merciful, majestic, just, and true. Whether He grants our petition or not, He has already done enough on the cross. Our relationship with God is not based on performance – what He can do for us. We serve and worship Him simply because of who He is.

There is a story in the Bible about three young men who took a stance on that which was right and refused to conform to the world’s system (way of doing things). Read about it in Daniel 3. When the king caught wind of their righteous indignation, he sentenced the upright men to death via a fiery furnace. The young men responded to the penalty by telling the king how their all-powerful God can and will deliver them BUT even if He didn’t, the men said they would rather die believing that God will save them, rather than do something that is contrary to their beliefs.

The moral of this story is all of us have needs, and believe me, God knows all about them. But even in a desperate situation, we don’t have to take desperate measures in an attempt to save ourselves. These three young men could have easily done what was expected of them, which would have saved them from the furnace. But instead they let God be God. When you have done all that you know to do, your next step is to pray for the mercy of God, wait for the mercy of God, then watch the mercy of God in action. Remember God is not on our urgent schedule. Heaven doesn’t have a clock. God simply wants you to believe in Him with all of your heart – no matter what it looks like. Because when you trust Him, it puts a big smile upon His face. And this happiness causes our Abba Father to move on our behalf.

Posted in Breakthrough, Dark Times, Empowered Magazine, Faith, Miracle, Testing, Trust, Waiting | No Comments »

God ‘Sent’ or God ‘Used’

August 1st, 2011

Toddlers are notorious for throwing temper tantrums. When things do not go their way, they cry and yell hysterically. They punch and hit things. They throw themselves on the floor and refuse to go any farther until their demand is met. I know many of you would not tolerate such behavior from your child. But the truth is temper tantrums are not found in one specific age group. Many adults have been known to throw tantrums, especially when it comes to God.

Let us say that you purchase a beautiful home. It is the house of your dreams. It has everything you could ever want plus some. But four years down the road, life happens. You lose your job. And although your spouse is working, the remaining income is not enough to cover all of the expenses. You have gone four months without paying your mortgage and the bank decides to take action.

You are weeping profusely over the impending foreclosure. You are begging and pleading with God to intervene somehow. But sooner rather than later the inevitable happens and you lose the house of your dreams. You are officially angry with God. Your prayers didn’t seem to make it to God’s heavenly throne. And it didn’t matter how much you cried, it felt like God completely ignored you. You are enraged. You are punching walls – mad at the world because the God that you have been serving for years did not intervene. As a result of your misery, you refuse to take another step in this journey of life with God.

But Luke 12:15 tells us, “Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”(ESV) In other words, life extends beyond the material world. So what if you lose a house, a car, or a job. Do you not know that all of these things can be replaced easily? Life is not about making more money, or becoming well known, or having more power. Life is about fulfilling God’s purpose for your life. God created you for a reason. Discovering your purpose unlocks the true meaning of life.

Don’t get bogged down when things don’t go your way. Accept the fact that everything happens for a reason. And even though everything is not “God sent”, it is “God used.” Sometimes the Lord allows the devil to afflict us for a season. But the Lord is always faithful to take what the enemy means for bad and turn it around for His good and perfect will. Being a Christian is not about living a life full of permanent bliss. Our struggles are opportunities to mature and grow into the person that God has created us to be.

We can never truly understand the mind of God. It is difficult to comprehend what He is doing at times. But nevertheless continue to trust in His infinite wisdom and learn to be okay with whatever comes your way. Because this, my friend, will keep you peaceful.

Posted in Dark Times, Empowered Magazine, God's Will, Suffering, Testing | No Comments »

I am your Beloved Too

July 1st, 2011

I used to be really jealous of the Apostle John. I know he hasn’t been around for over two thousand years but let me explain why… Early in my Christian walk, I read the entire New Testament for the very first time. I was comfortable while reading Matthew, Mark, and Luke, but when I got to the book of John, I got a little agitated, to say the least. Throughout the Gospel of John, John never gives his name; instead, he refers to himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved or Jesus’ beloved. (John 13:23; 20:2; 21:7; 21:20). The reality is Jesus never called John his beloved; it was John who identified himself this way. But John was so convincing in his declaration that I believed what he said was true. And I assumed the Lord seemed to love John more than everybody else. I thought to myself, “John is such a braggadocio! Lord, how can I be your beloved too?!”

I have since learned that John was indeed Jesus’ beloved. We all are! The apostle John taught me what it really means to receive the love of God. I mean, picture him in John 13:23 (NKJV) “Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.” He was a young adult man leaning on Jesus’ chest as if he were a kid all over again. I don’t know many young men who would have the courage to do this in this day and time, but to lean on Jesus… what an experience that must have been.

When you fully embrace the love of Jesus, you do not seem to care about what others say about you. God has the final say. You do not seem to listen to the lying vanities of the evil one. God has already defeated him. You do not seem to let life’s circumstances drive you into a frenzy. You understand earth is just a temporary place. To truly receive the love of God means to realize your value- how much you are worth to the Lord. You are so valuable to Him that you were worth dying for. You are so valuable to Him that He brought you to this planet called earth because you have something someone needs. This was John’s secret revelation. He was an eyewitness to the things that Jesus went through just for him, just for you, and just for me. And out of that experience, he discovered that he was all of that, plus some.

So prior to pursuing your purpose or your destiny, first take the time to embrace the love of Jesus. The initial step is to accept Him into your heart. If you have not done so already, repeat this prayer out loud. “Lord, I repent of my sins. I believe that you are the son of God and God has raised you from the dead. I receive you into my heart. May I come to know the love of God more and more each day. Thank you for loving me so much that you paid the ultimate sacrifice and died for me. Help me along this journey of life. In Jesus’ name. Amen.” Now, my friend, you are ready to carry out your godly purpose, and I’m confident that this month’s articles will further empower you. God bless!

Posted in Beloved, Empowered Magazine, Love | No Comments »

Immunity for Change

June 1st, 2011

This is a time in my life where I am literally starting over. In doing so, I have had to let go of a lot of things from relationships to material possessions. One of the most difficult transitions in the workplace is change – a new way of doing things. We are comfortable with the status quo. We can maintain our routines and continue business as “normal.” But when our processes (way of doing things) start to shift, we assume the world is coming to an end.

As people of God, we must become immune to change. Better yet, we must always be ready and prepared for it. The truth is our God is a God of change. Though His character and ways never change (Malachi 3:6), His methods (way of doing things) do! In other words, we cannot expect the Lord to bless us the same way He did five years ago. As we grow with the Lord, our faith should mature. A person with matured faith does not spend their wheels trying to figure out ‘how’ God is going to work; instead they sit back, relax, and watch God perform His miraculous wonder. God likes to surprise His people beyond their imagination because He wants us to know that it is Him working things out and not man.

Before God works His spiritual miracle though, He prepares us. He wants us to be ready for whatever it is coming our way, and many times the Lord will implement change in our camp. This may involve us losing things; because the fact is all of our earthly things are just that – earthly things. When we leave this earth, our things will remain with the earth, grow old with the earth, and be destroyed with the earth. With this being said, we must avoid being caught up in things – money, cars, houses, and jobs. When we are open to change, we will freely let go of whatever God is prompting us to let go of. God has reasons for allowing various events to happen. Welcoming and embracing these changes are a signal to God that we are ready to go up a little higher in Him. If you recollect the story of Job, he was a man who literally had it all but almost overnight everything had been taken away – his family, servants, riches, and health. But Job finally came to terms with the drastic change occurring in his life and said in Job 14:14 (NKJV), “All the days of my hard service I will wait; till my change comes.” And shortly after Job accepted the change, he ultimately received back all that he had lost plus some!

It is critically important that we focus on the Master’s business. Our reluctance and rebellion to the voice of God merely get in the way of what He is trying to accomplish. My encouragement to you is to be willing to go where the wind is blowing. If God is telling you to let go, just release the thing you are holding onto and do not ask any questions. If you want God to do something new in your life, you must heed to the Change Manager. God so desperately wants to take you places you have never been and give you the desires of your heart, but you cannot allow your fears and anxieties to hinder you from receiving. God has great and mighty things in store for us all, but nothing comes without pain, suffering, or loss. Take some time and grant the Lord permission to execute change in your life. A godly change is guaranteed to reap significant benefits, not only in your own life but in the lives of others as well.

Posted in Change, Empowered Magazine, Preparation, Transition | No Comments »

Keep your Dream Alive!

May 1st, 2011

I believe there is a strong connection between dreams and creativity. Many people are blessed to receive some of the most innovative ideas through their dreams. The desires you have in your dreams are creativity at its best. Children are known to have the most innovative ideas. They are always dreaming (some probably more than others). But what I love about children is they dream and think the impossible. Sadly though, their creativity will slowly diminish as they reach adult years. We can blame that on the vicissitudes of life. People and circumstances have a unique way of giving us a reality check. This causes people to believe that dreaming should be left to children and fairy tales. This new revelation influences them to stop dreaming altogether about things that seem impossible. They wonder what the purpose is of investing time and energy into a false web of hope. I will tell you why, keep reading…

Many times the Lord gives us a glimpse of our future by utilizing the thought life or our dreams. He gives us those burning passions, dreams, and desires deep within our souls. Those who are blessed to see their plan to fruition are the ones who cease to stop dreaming. They continue to feed their creative thoughts with affirmative statements to keep the dream alive. With prayer, patience and determination, the dream will soon surface above the rubble and debris. But this is only for those who believe it and want it bad enough.’

Satan desperately wants to destroy your dream seed. Therefore, anything he can say or do to get you side-tracked or out of focus, he will do it. It is up to you to keep your dream alive. God is not going to keep it on ice for you. What have you been hoping for? What is it that you wish you could do but you lack the
skills, resources, and/or aptitude to accomplish? Whatever this out of the box idea is, continue to meditate on it. Diligently seek the Lord as you embark on your journey towards the dream and always make yourself available at every rest stop.

If you continue along the course, you will soon make it to your “dreamed” destination. You must know that this is not the end goal, rather it is the beginning. God is the dream giver and He has the unique capability of thinking outside of the earth. God will lay yet another dream upon your heart, and will continue to do so until He calls you to your eternal home.

We have a habit of overestimating the worse and underestimating the Best. We must always bear in mind that God knows us better than we know ourselves. He can see the great potential in all of us. But, it is a matter of us trusting that He will carry us through the waves of uncertainty. Keep pursuing your impossible goal because God is always looking for opportunities to show the world, through our lives, that He is the God where ALL things are possible.

Posted in Creativity, Destiny, Dream, Empowered Magazine, Future, Goals | No Comments »

Say Yes to the Lord!

April 1st, 2011

Never, in my wildest dreams, did I imagine that I would be in the position I’m in now. Ten years ago, I was a girl who lacked purpose, ambition, and dreams. No one could see the hidden talents within me except God. There was a time in my life when I was so terrified of public speaking. And when I was assigned to write a term paper for school, I would experience anxiety of every sort. Speaking, researching and writing were just not my forte! Who knew that I would be a speaker someday? Who knew that I would be a talk show host? Who knew that I would be an author someday? Who knew that I would be the publisher of an empowering magazine someday? Who knew?!

It was God who spoke to me while I was still battling insecurities. He clearly told me that He had a purpose for my life. In retrospect, I don’t know if I was more excited about God speaking or more excited about Him having a purpose for me. Many people, who obtain success, are privileged to credit their teachers, their parents, or themselves for that matter. I will admit that my mother has played an instrumental role in my accomplishments, but God proved to be the ultimate igniter. He ignited a flame on the inside of me to fulfill His assignment. It felt like the Lord hand-selected me out of a lineup to be one of His little helpers. Everything about me didn’t seem to measure up with His future description of me. Nevertheless, I said Yes.

It was exciting to know that I had something to live for. No longer did I have to feel remorseful about my past mistakes. The moment I accepted Jesus, God gave me a clean slate. It was as if the Lord said, “Tess, I know you cannot see it right now but you have a special gift on the inside of you. Your gift has the potential to transform many, many lives. If you trust Me and continue to follow Me, I will bring it to fruition.” I want you to know that God doesn’t show favoritism. This promise was not just for me but to all mankind. He will not give you all the details concerning your purpose but He will empower you with strength upon high to fulfill His plan. But to get started, He needs a Yes from you. The moment you say Yes, God will begin to “work a work” in your life like no other. (Habakkuk 1:5 KJV) In whatever you do, pursue godly kind of success – the success that will shake nations and make history.

Posted in Empowered Magazine, God's Will, Success | No Comments »

Push

March 1st, 2011

I feel like I am on the verge of a breakthrough but I am still awaiting the full manifestation of it. Do you ever feel like there has to be more for you? If you have, then know that there is! Contradiction and the wave of doubt always precede the promise or the birthing of a dream. Sometimes the promise appears so far off that it seems almost impossible to obtain. But it isn’t. I am learning that we play a critical role in the timing of our birthing season. By this, I mean that we can do things to expedite or impede the promise.

Do you remember the story of Hannah? Please read about it in 1 Samuel 1. Well, Hannah desperately wanted to bear a child but the Lord had closed her womb. So as Hannah would present herself to the Lord year after year, she had Peninnah, who represents the epitome of doubt and contradiction, strategically placed in her life as a midwife. Although Peninnah aimed for Hannah to give up on her pursuit to have a baby, God’s divine plan was for Hannah to leverage Peninnah’s provocation as fuel to “push” until the breakthrough came into fruition. So one day Hannah finally received her “ah ha” moment. She presented herself to the Lord as usual but this time she broke the status quo and did something different than the norm. She had a heart to heart conversation with God. And the very thing that she had been asking for day after day and year after year was no longer an idol for her. Hannah made a vow to give the thing that consumed her back to the Lord if He granted her petition. In other words, this was her way of telling God that she would rather have His will accomplished over hers. Boy ole boy did she touch the Master’s heart that day. Hannah’s prayers went before God as a memorial and as a result the Lord remembered her and finally gave her the desires of her heart.

I don’t know what you have been asking for but maybe God is waiting on you. Until you do this one thing _______ then God will answer you. I want to encourage you to have constant heart to hearts with the Lord. Make a vow. Let the Lord know that you would rather have Him over this thing that you are asking for. Be sure you are sincere because God does not just read your mind, and hear your words, but He is examining your heart as well. Let your Heavenly Father know that you are willing to do whatever is necessary to expedite your request. And I promise you as you do your part, God will certainly do His.

Posted in Birthing Season, Breakthrough, Waiting | No Comments »

Dark Season

February 2nd, 2011

There is something sacred about the dark times. 2 Chronicles 6:1 says, “Jehovah hath said that he would dwell in the thick darkness.” Think about this for a moment… When we are going through our trials and tribulations, there the Lord is. I have not experienced so great of intimacy with God as I do right now. I am having a real love affair with the Lord. And I am at a point where I want God more than anything else.

I believe we are in a season where God is putting His people to the test. He is sending us through an examination to see where our heart is. If our heart is caught up in material things or positions of power, it will be made known. God’s ultimate desire is for our hearts to be intertwined with His. Please remember this as the days lie ahead.

Posted in Dark Times, Examination, Testing | No Comments »

The 12 “We Must”

January 1st, 2011

1. We must take one day at a time.
2. We must stop worrying about things that God doesn’t seem to worry about.
3. We must stop giving attention to and nurturing our offenses until it reaches a level of hatred.
4. We must keep in mind that all are capable of making mistakes including us.
5. We must accept that God does not always do things the way we want Him to and that His way is the best way.
6. We must love on those whom we cherish the most while they’re here and not wait to throw them an appreciation/celebration during their funeral.
7. We must avoid taking life so seriously because God created us to live.
8. We must not be afraid to fail (a failure is one who doesn’t at least try).
9. We must practice being the same person when people are watching and when they are not.
10. We must be great examples for our kids and others who are watching our every move.
11. We must always do our best to show the Lord just how much we love Him because He feels unloved at times as well.
12. We must maintain our faith in the Lord, no matter what is happening around us because this is what He desperately longs for.

Posted in Encouragement | No Comments »

Encourage yourself in the Lord!

December 1st, 2010

If someone were to ask me where I see God taking me, I would be lost for words because the truth is I do not know. What I know for sure is that God has a future for me and it extends beyond my natural achievements. In other words, I cannot reach my destination by my own means and power.

Maybe you, too, share my feelings on this one. If God would just tell us more, then ole then we would feel more at ease. We must come to a place where we are encouraging our own selves in the Lord. (1 Samuel 30:6) Understand that people have been assigned to discourage you along the way but discern what the Lord is saying to you personally.

Pursuing purpose has nothing to do with pleasing or appeasing people. People will say things about you out of ignorance or jealousy. Don’t take the attacks to heart. Continue to focus on your tasks; I will assure you that as you get closer to the end goal, it will become more crystallized. And God will avenge you by confounding the naysayers and the gainsayers. In the meantime, keep holding fast to the little bit God has told you regarding your future and don’t you dare let the enemy take it away!