Intimacy

Be honest with me . . . . what did you think that this post was going to be about? Often times when we hear or see the word intimacy we think that it is referring to a sensual physical act. Well . . . that's not what I'm going to talk about. Sorry if I disappointed you, but what I want to share with you is so important and vital to our very existence.

Did you know that your soul and spirit craves intimacy? Intimacy is defined as a close familiarity or friendship. It can also be defined as a close observation or knowledge of a subject.

We have an innate desire to have an inexplicable closeness with another person.  We desire for this person to know who we are, at our core, without having to explain ourselves to them in detail. This desire is one that was planted by our Father when He created us.  God made us relational and we have to be connected to each other in order to fulfill our journeys in life. However; in order to fulfill the desire in our hearts for intimacy, we have to be willing to be vulnerable to someone else.

This in turn is where the challenge begins. Because of our experiences in life that have lead to hurts, disappointments, broken hearts, and shattered promises it is difficult for us to be vulnerable with those around us. It is unthinkable for us to share our inner most thoughts and feelings with someone else who might not cherish them and hold them in the highest regard.

But there is hope. I promise you there is hope! I've experienced my fair share of hurts, disappointments, broken hearts, and shattered promises. However; because I chose to allow God to step into my life and heal the scars those moments left behind, I was able to be made whole. I also learned during that healing process that although I desired to have a close familiarity and friendship with another person, God desired for me to have that level of intimacy with Him. He desired for me to be vulnerable with Him, to allow all of me to be exposed and uncovered, all the while knowing that He would cover me, protect me, and cherish me like the rarest of jewels. He wanted me to observe Him closely and have a knowledge of Him that would forever be tattooed on my heart. He wanted me to find the place where my level of intimacy with Him would transform my intimate interactions with other people.

The scriptures tell us:

“Come close to God, and God will come close to you . . . " James 4:8/NLT

In our coming close to God, He is able to have the opportunity to observe us closely and share His knowledge with us of who we really are.  In that place of closeness, God is able to heal us and mold us into our true selves. And when we've been through the process of developing an intimacy with the Father that can't be shaken, then and only then are we able to begin to truly develop healthy intimate relationships and friendships with those around us. Then and only then are we able to embrace someone else and cherish them on the level that will satisfy their desire for the intimate care of another person.

If you find yourself in a place where you have a deep longing for a close intimate relationship, be courageous enough to stand before the Father exposed. Stand there knowing that He loves you beyond measure, that He wants the very best of everything for you, and that in Him you will find an intimate satisfaction that no other human on Earth can provide. Once you've found this place, know that God will bring the right friendships into your life that will allow you to experience the unexplainable closeness of a divine connection, in His perfect timing.

Scraped Knees

I had a dream . . . and in this dream I was my younger self. I had fallen and scraped my knee. I saw myself brush off my scraped knee a little, I began to cry, and then I immediately ran into the house calling out for my father, so that he could treat my wound and make things better again.

As I woke up from this dream, I felt the Spirit of God leading me to write about this dream for the Blog. I felt lead to write about it from the perspective, of how in our lives we often fall down, scrap our knee, and even cry a little, but even through all of that we have a loving Father who desires for us to run to Him, in order to have our wounds attended to, cleaned, bandaged, and healed, so that our very lives can be made better.

The Word of God tells us that everyone has sinned and that we all fall short of God's glorious standard (Romans 3:23/NLT); however, I don't say that to be a discouragement to you, because the Word also let's us know that the godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again (Proverbs 24:16/NLT). God has given us a promise that although our walks with Him may not be perfect, we will get up again.

As a child of the Most High God, you have an eternal promise that you are, and will forever be, forgiven for any area in your life that you have fallen short in (i.e sinned); as long as you are willing and obedient to bring that area before God to confess your sin and repent. For every area that we've ever fallen short in, or will fall short in during our lifetime, God wants us to immediately come crying out for Him. He wants the opportunity to clean the wounds that our sins left behind; to bandage us up with love; and to make room for the Holy Spirit to begin the inner work of healing, growth, and maturity within us. God's desire for each and every one of us is that the confession, repentance, and healing of our sins would ultimately make us stronger. God's type of wound care enables us to be able to overcome that obstacle the next time around, and to help others to not fall in that same pothole that tripped us up.

So why don't we immediately cry out for our Father when we've fallen and scraped our souls? Is it because of the guilt and the condemnation that the enemy quickly brings to the forefront of our emotions? Is it because of the pressure that we put on ourselves to be "perfect" in our Christian walks? Is it because we don't want to have to be honest with ourselves that we've fallen into the enemy's trap, yet again?

At the core of it, repentance is a heart issue. By that I mean it has to deal with our own personal relationship with God. In the natural, when we love someone and we hurt them, we are often quick to ask for their forgiveness and make promises that we will change our actions, and make every effort to not hurt that person again. Why should our relationship with our Heavenly Father be any different? If for no other reason than because of His great love for us, we should be able to run into His arms, cry on His shoulders, confess what we've done that wasn't pleasing to Him or that didn't honor our relationship with Him, and truly have a repentant heart in our promises to change our choices and actions. True repentance is the commitment to make a complete turn away from those things that are not pleasing to God and that don't honor Him. 

In Matthew 18, we see an account of Paul asking Jesus how many times should he forgive someone who has sinned against him. Jesus responds . . . seventy times seven (Matthew 18:21-22). That's 490 times! Sorry, the accountant in me had to do the math. That's a whole lot of forgiveness, and honestly it is hard for us to wrap our minds around that level of forgiveness when it comes to a natural relationship. But think about it this way, If Jesus' instructions were to forgive someone who has sinned against you 490 times, how many more times will our Heavenly Father forgive us?! We serve a God who is unfailing in His love and faithfulness towards us. How many more times will He welcome us with loving open arms, scraped knees and all?

I am grateful to have a relationship with a God who not only promises that we can get back up, that we will be forgiven for our sins, that He will accept us without question, but also a God who promises, over and over, to not remember the sins that we've committed, because He loves us just that much (Micah 7:18-19, Hebrews 10:17, Hebrews 8:12, Isaiah 43:25).

If there is something that has been weighing heavy on your heart and your spirit, I hope that this post will encourage you to go before the Lord . . . confess whatever it is, accept His love for you, receive His forgiveness, allow His healing to take place, and grow and mature into the overcomer that He created you to be. Someone else is depending on you to win your battle so that you can come and fight  alongside them and encourage them to not give up. Once you've won your battle, you can let others know . . . "if God did it for me, then He will surly do it for you".

"If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness." 

1 John 1:8-9/NLT

Stand Tall!

As I watched one of my petite dancers minister during our praise and worship service one evening the Holy Spirit spoke to me and said . . . "You may not be able to change your physical stature but you can increase your stature and presence in the Spirit Realm."  That very statement became the inspiration for this week's blog post.

As I contemplated that statement and begin to think about not only the dancer that I was observing, but myself as well, it became very clear to me what the Spirit of God was trying to reveal.

Personally I'm a petite dancer in size and height; however I've been told at times, by those who have witnessed my ministry, that I GROW in the Spirit, while I minister. I appear to be taller and have a longer reach then I do to the natural eye.

I began to contemplate this concept. And it became very clear to me, that when you have an understanding of who you are in God and how He flows through you in the use of your gift, it does not matter how "big" you are, you will make insurmountable waves in the Spirit Realm, because God is at the center of what you are doing and you have an awareness and knowledge of His presence and His had upon your life in that moment.

As a minister of the arts, no matter the form - - music, song, dance, painting, drama, etc. - - you have to know that God uses your gift in a very unique way to impact His people.  You have to know that God has anointed you to be able to deliver a very specific message through the art form that He has graced you with the talent to deliver. Once you've settled these very important facts in within yourself, it will allow you to grow in the Spirit Realm and have a much larger impact then you could ever imagine.

I will give you this example . . . have you ever seen someone who at first seems very shy and introverted walk up to a mic stand to sing a solo? But when they open their mouths to release the song that is deep down on the inside of them you are almost knocked out of your seat, because of the anointing and the fact that you were not expecting something so "grand" to come out of someone so "small". Well that same impact can be true for you and your gift, when you are confident in the One who gave you the gift and how He operates through you when you surrender it to Him.

So I just encourage you this week to STAND TALL in your gift and under the anointing that the Father has placed on your life for the impact of His people.  There is no greater joy that I get than to be able to be in a position surrendered to God's use. The more you surrender your gift, God will reveal to you how He specifically uses you to impact the world. Know that "every joint supplies" and you and your gift are needed for a Kingdom work.

Chosen

". . . I chose you, forever I'll choose you still . . . 

cause I love you, I promise I always will"

There is just something about being chosen! When someone expresses to us or notifies us that we've been chosen for a particular assignment or opportunity there is a sense of acceptance, worth, and belonging that comes over us. If we are honest with ourselves . . . we all just want to be chosen.

As I listened to "Promise I Always Will" by Steffany Gretzinger, the lyrics at the top of this post pierced my ear and my heart.  When I began to reflect on and imagine God saying this to me directly . . . . I was completely overwhelmed and overtaken by worship! I dare you for just 5 seconds to imagine . . . the God of all creation speaking to you directly and saying . . . I CHOSE YOU, forever, I'll CHOOSE YOU still. 

Well . . . If you didn't already know, I'm here to tell you . . . that's exactly what God says about YOU! Yes, YOU!!! It doesn't matter what you've done, what you feel like you failed at, or what areas you may still be falling short in.

God loves you with an unimaginable unconditional love that's hard for us to even imagine. Don't believe me . . . well . . . Galatians 1:15 (NLT) says that "before I was born, God chose me and called me by his marvelous grace." The Word also tells us that "many are called, but few are chosen" (Matthew 22:14). There is something about being called and chosen! It is a wonderful place to be in God to not only be called but also to be CHOSEN by Him.

Now I know that for someone reading this the enemy will try to tell you that what I've pointed out is great, but it doesn't pertain to you, because of whatever you've done in your life that you feel wasn't pleasing to God.  But let me expose the enemy's lie right now . . . the Word of God says in Psalms 139:

You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous - how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!

God knew how every day of your life would play out before you were even born. He knows every intricate detail of your personality and He still has precious thoughts towards you. It doesn't matter what your past holds, God is still with you; therefore, your past can no longer hold you!

I pray that this post today gives you the bit of encouragement and the sense of belonging and acceptance that you needed to keep pressing forward in your life and in your journey with God.  Life can be overwhelming at times with all the things that are required of us, but know that God loves us enough to give us relief and overflow our lives with His goodness at any moment.   Don't give up!!

God says to you today . . . 

"I chose you, forever I'll choose you still. Cause I love you, I promise I always will."

The Daily Battle

When you are a child of God, you have to know where it is most effective for you to fight.  The word of God tells us that . . . "we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places".  Know that the fight that we must engage in, as children of the Most High God, is in the Spirit and not in the natural.  Know that God is your righteous judge.  He is your peace, your protector, your voice, your covering, your weapon against everything that would attempt to come against you.  

Yes! We all face challenges, situations, and circumstances that we could give the side-eye to and tell the devil . . . "Oooh . . you tried it!" But in those moments we have to know that we are not fighting against our family, friends, jobs, finances, or anything else that might be going haywire.  We have to recognize that this is SPIRITUAL WARFARE. We have to put on the full amour of God and press forward into the battle, without fear. We cannot let the enemy push us into having a flesh reaction to a spiritual incident.  We have to mount up and take our positions in the spirit and remind the enemy that he is already defeated.

If you are a born-again believer of the Lord Jesus Christ and you are filled with the Holy Spirit, know that God has fully equipped you for the spiritual battle that you have to face.  The word of God describes the Holy Spirit as a "Comforter, Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, and Standby". I don't know about you, but that seems to me that God made sure that we would have help in any and every situation.  And if it so happens that there is something that we don't think we can handle . . . . God said that the Holy Spirit could be a Standby . . . that the Holy Spirit will stand in our place and fight for us!!  The Holy Spirit is out tag-team partner in this spiritual battle. How amazing it that?!

"But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world." 

(1 John 4:4 NLT)

So let me ask you a question . . . Are you a Child of God? If you answered yes . . . the above promise from God's word is for you! You have to KNOW that you have already won the victory.  

Now . . . go back and read the scripture again and replace "those people" with whatever situation you are facing and let that settle in your spirit.  Let it settle in your spirit that you have already won the victory over . . . sickness, debt, lack, low self-esteem, brokenness, drug abuse, alcoholism, fornication, lying . . . whatever "it" is! I don't care what it looks like or feels like right now, God has already given you the victory over that situation. The only thing that you have to do now is listen to the voice of God and be obedient to His instructions.  He will lead you right into your victory party!

God said wait . . . .

So, God said . . . 

Now what?

Sometimes in this walk with God He tells us to wait. We often feel in that moment like that "loading circle" that's constantly revolving and we anticipate the moment when the period of waiting is over. We often shift our focus and expectations to the end of the waiting period, instead of seeking God about the reason why He told us to wait in the first place.

In my own seasons of waiting on God, I have come to understand that the "waiting" is most often not about the length of time, but it is purposeful for what God wants to get accomplished in our lives. For some of us it may be hard to come to the conclusion that we are still works in progress that are being perfected for God's use, but if we can ever settle this fact in our spirits, hearts, and minds then we will be better equipped to endure through the waiting periods.

God's waiting periods are always strategic.  When He gives us the command to wait, it is likely because there is something that He has to work in us to be ready for the next step or level in our journey with Him.  Maybe there are still some of our own selfish ways that He must work out of us, before we are ready to walk in the next level of anointing that He desires to place on our lives. Often there is some fine tuning that is required so that our ability to hear and trust Him is increased, before He gives the next instruction. Sometimes the greater purpose is for us to have a much needed period where we slow down and are purposeful about being in God's presence to deepen our relationships with Him.

Noticed I called this period of waiting a command.  When God says to wait, it isn't an option.  He isn't giving us the option to wait or to move forward. God's instructions for us to wait can also be associated with our protection. Maybe there is a direction that we thought we were being lead by God to take and it is really a trap set by the enemy to take our very lives. However, when we are obedient to the voice of God and the leading of the Holy Spirit, we can avoid such pitfalls and have victory in every area of our lives.

I hope that this post encourages you to trust God not only for His promises, but also for the timing of those promises in your life.  If God said to WAIT, know it has a purpose and you will still get to the expected end and all the promises that God has spoken over your life, exactly when He desires for them to manifest for you.

I Can't See . . .

So here goes a real honest moment . . . . 



In this walk with God there are moments where I feel like, I can't see.  I can't see the path that God is taking me on and the directions that I'm given . . . well sometimes, they don't even make sense in the natural.  Fortunately for me, I've had enough experiences with God to know . . . that's exactly how He desires our relationship with Him to be.  


God does not like to be predictable in our lives.  He wants us to constantly be in a place of trusting Him.  He wants us to trust Him, even when we cannot see.  And as we progress and mature in our relationship with God, the level of trust and the things that God will require us to surrender to Him will change and even, at times, be more of a challenge.

There have been times in this walk with God that I've found myself having to surrender to God's will at the expense of my own desires and thoughts about what is "good" for me.  I've found myself having to prove through my desires, decisions, and actions in life that I truly trust God and the leading of the Holy Spirit in my life, even when it doesn't make sense in the natural. I've had to challenge myself to prove that at the end of the day, above all else . . . I trust God's leading in my life. I have to trust that God will guide me in the direction of what's not only "good" for my life, but what's "great, exceptional, and abundantly blessed" for my life.  I have to trust that God will work all things for my good, including even those things that are a challenge for me to give up or walk away from.  I have to trust God even if, at the onset, what I can see in the natural is completely opposite of looking like it is working for my good.

Spiritual growth and maturity is not an easy process, but it is necessary if we truly desire to deepen our relationship with God.  In this type of season, it will require more and more of a dying to one's self (i.e. desires, thoughts, feelings, etc.) in order to progress forward.  As we take this journey, the growth and maturity that we experience in our private lives will begin to spillover into our external ministries. Remember that with every step, God is with you and He will never leave you or lead you astray.  God has your back and knows where the path is that leads to your future. When it is all said and done . . . JUST TRUST GOD!

Be Present

God has allowed me to write posts concerning the Spirit of Honor and sharing the love of God with those around you, but this post turns the mirror inward.

There are times in our lives where we have to take moments to reflect and receive the love that others are pouring out for us.  We have to pause from the busyness of life and "just be".

We all have the same amount of time in a day . . . 24 hours . . . 1,440 minutes . . . . 86,400 seconds . . . but my question to you is . . . What are you doing with the time God has graced you with?

Are you so busy with the activities of life that the days of the week go by faster than you can remember? Do the birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays seem to come faster and faster each year? Do you find yourself putting off that one thing God keeps reminding you to do for Him, because you have just one too many things on your plate?

If so . . . . I want to recommend that you take an evaluation of your life and how you allocate your gift of time.  Time is one of those things that we cannot exchange, return, or save.  Time is a free gift from God, but we have to be good stewards over what God has given us.  We have to make an effort to set our priorities to reflect God's priorities for our lives, according to His will.


John 10:10 (AMP) tells us . . . . The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).

The thief (a.k.a. the enemy/the devil) will try to get you to fill your 86,400 seconds every day with so many things that you will just be going through the motions of life.  This is how he steals, kills and destroys your time.  You will have life, but you won't be enjoying it.


Be determined . . . . Not to just EXIST… but LIVE! Enjoy life and be present in the moment. Soak in the goodness of God that He shares with you in the small things in life each day. 

God intended for you to experience and enjoy life to the point of it overflowing with His goodness, favor, joy, love, peace, and glory. 

The 86,400 seconds of today, only last for today. They will never be seen again, so make them the best moments of your life . . . TODAY!

If It Is All Stripped Away

I've recently had the thought . . . .

What if "it" was all stripped away?

What do I mean by "it" you might ask, and I would respond . . . . 

"It" = your roles, jobs, titles, accomplishments, accolades, etc. For example, what if you were no longer referred to or carried the title of Pastor, Elder, Overseer, Vice President, Teacher, Manger, Mentor, etc. Who would you be without the "title"?

As God challenged me to think about this, I began to reflect and ask myself . . . At the end of the day what do I want to be known for? What are the things that I want the people who I interact with to remember me for when I'm no longer serving in the "position" that they have seen me in.

I know that at the heart of who I am  . . . I love God,  I'm a worshiper, and I'm a lover of God's people. When it is all said and done I want people to remember me more for how I made them feel, how I encouraged them, how I dared them to be more than their present circumstances, and how I challenged them to keep seeking after God.  I want them to know me by the love of Christ that pours out of my pores for them.

We've heard it time and time again that . . . only what you do for Christ will last.  So, why don't we focus more on the assignment that God has given us to help, nurture, encourage, and love His people? I'm not saying that I always get it right, but I'm determined to be more and more like Christ as I continue this journey with Him.

The love of God is powerful. Most often it is only the love of God that is able to reach someone who is still seeking to fill the void within, which only God can fill. Be determined to exude the love of God through everything you do.  Desire to be known more for the love that you share than the title you hold.

The Spirit of Honor

When the Holy Spirit inspired the title for this blog post I thought that it would go in a different direction initially.  In the midst of thinking about what to write to address the Spirit of Honor, my family suffered the tragic loss of my Step-Father - Mr. John E. Walker.  In the days that followed this loss, the Spirit began to speak to my heart again in regards to the Spirit of Honor and what to include in this blog post.

The Word of God admonishes us to . . . "Honor your father and mother. Then you will live a long, full life in the land the Lord your God is giving you." (Exodus 20:12 NLT)  

God reminded me of the above scripture and reminded me of the simple fact that the time that I took to shut everything down in my own life to be at my Mom's side, for as long as she needed me, didn't go unnoticed by Him.  I also watched intently as my Mom took the time to take care of every detail for the arrangements and desired to ensure that she was truly honoring her husband and his final wishes. 

This was not the first time that I had watched my Mom in this role of honoring my Step-Father, but it got me to thinking  . . . How many of us wait until the moment of laying our loved one to their final resting place to honor them? 

This post is not about grieving or death, but it is about life and living.  I want to encourage you to take the time to operate in the Spirit of Honor on a daily basis.  Don't take one day for granted.  The Spirit of Honor seeks to appreciate and invest time into those that God has set in our path. It causes us to think of the needs of others before ourselves.  When you make it a point to operate out of the Spirit of Honor, those that God has placed in your path will have no doubt about the love and care that you have for them.  Walking in the Spirit of Honor demonstrates openly to everyone around you that the Fruits of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) are at work in your life. 

As children of the Most High God, we always seek to reflect His nature in all that we do; so we must allow God to integrate a Spirit of Honor into the core of who we are.  And I will challenge you again . . . seek to honor those outside of just your family or good friends.  Honor those who you labor with in ministry, those you work with, or even a stranger.  You don't know how your one act of kindness could change the trajectory of their lives.  Have your ears and heart open to the Holy Spirit and follow His instructions on who, what, when, and where.

Your act of honor can be as simple or as grand as your heart desires.  It could be as simple as a handwritten note or could be as grand as blessing someone with the trip of a lifetime.  Whatever you set your heart to do . . . do it TODAY!  Tomorrow isn't promised to any of us.  Don't miss the opportunity afforded you today to honor those around you.

It's Hard!!!

Even the best of us at different points in our Christian walk have turned to God and asked … "Why is this so hard? What am I doing wrong? Did I not hear you? Did I miss the shift?" Yes, even me! 

In response, God answered … "The Fight is hard, because the Call is great."

When you are called by God, consecrated, and set apart for His use … that assignment doesn't come easy. Over the years I've heard my spiritual leaders say many times, "there is a price for the anointing." There has to be a certain level of opposition to what you are called to do, or the enemy is not doing his job. 

Now, don't get me wrong … I'm not talking about toiling and striving in the flesh to try to get something accomplished. If you find yourself in a position where you are working so hard to get something done in your own strength, this is a time to seek God and reevaluate what you are working towards.  

But when you know you are clearly on a spiritual assignment, you should expect there to be a certain level of spiritual warfare. You will have to mount up in God's strength, that He so generously supplies, and put on the full armor of God so that you can make it through the hard sections of the journey. There is overwhelming victory on the other side. 

Based on your past victories, your assignments for God will increase in their level of spiritual authority. As this takes place, the spiritual warfare will also change and increase. But do not be afraid. You've already overcome so much and come so far. Know you have divine back-up at all times and that God is aligning those that are specifically assigned to assist you along the way.  Keep pressing forward and remember this message of The Lord … 

"The Fight is hard, because the Call is great."

A Life Well Spent

I want to live a life well spent . . . 

You may say . . . well that is a little bit of a depressing view of life, but I challenge your thinking today. Life is not a guarantee and every moment is extremely precious.  God gives us 86,400 seconds every day and not one of them can we relive again. 

Time is our currency on Earth. Once it is spent, it only returns to us as an investment of life experiences and memories.  Only you can determine what your return will be.  Will it be reflections of moments with those you love, of stress and worry, or of heart stirring impacts of ministry?

When I look back over my life . . . let's say in a year . . . I want to be able to report to God that I effectively used the 8,766 hours He gave me to accomplish all that He set out for me to do.  I don't want to look back and think that there was one minute that I wasted being fearful, bitter, stuck, or having a pity party. I don't want to have lived a life of sound bites, snapshots, and disjointed memories. I want to look back and see that I walked with God throughout each of those hours, that my eyes, ears and heart were open to His voice and His leading, and that even in the hard moments of life, I held on strong to my faith.

Life is to be cherished.  I want to encourage you today to "spend" your life seeking after God and striving to walk out the plans that He has for your life (Jeremiah 29:11).  I promise you that the    "mustard seed" amount of effort and faith that you put forward, chasing after God and His righteousness, will return to you a lifetime of experiences and memories that you could have never imagined.

Surrender!

Surrender is defined as … 

1. to yield (something) to the possession or power of another;deliver up possession of on
   demand or under duress: to surrender the fort to the enemy; to surrender the stolen goods
   to the police.
2. to give (oneself) up, as to the police.
3. to give (oneself) up to some influence, course, emotion, etc.: He surrendered himself to a life of hardship.
4. to give up, abandon, or relinquish (comfort, hope, etc.).
5. to yield or resign (an office, privilege, etc.) in favor of another.
6. to give oneself up, as into the power of another; submit or yield.

Oftentimes the picture we have of surrender is one of giving up. It is at the point where we are "at the end of our ropes". A place of being battered, bruised, and unable to move forward any further. That point in the journey where we've fought the fight of life, out of our own strength, and rationalize that victory is unattainable. 

However, when your surrender is to God, it supplies immense power and strength. It is exactly opposite of what the world would have us to believe surrender is about. Surrendering to God is about laying down your personal will and saying … "God I take on your will for my life and all that you desire for me to accomplish to glorify your name". 

We have the ultimate example of surrender in our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Do you really understand how much of God's unlimited, sovereign, and unstoppable power was released when Christ settled in His heart to do the will of the Father? Salvation, healing, deliverance, restoration, peace, love, joy, glory … and the list could go on. The beautiful thing is that by this one act, God allowed His very Spirit to be released into the Earth to help us make the same decision … to surrender to the will of God Almighty.

I have to make a very bold statement ……God doesn't just want your gift, He wants your life! He wants you to raise your white flag of surrender. Not because you are giving up, but because you recognize that you need God's supernatural power to work in your life. When we choose to surrender, God grants us access to everything that Heaven can supply. When we surrender our gifts and our lives to God, what He can do through us is limitless. 

Make the choice today to surrender and raise your white flag of victory. Never see surrendering as defeat ever again. 

Where is the Oil?

As I sat watching a popular reality t.v. show with my beautiful Mom, this statement was made. . . "Where is the Oil?" and it struck my spirit, so here goes . . . . . 

So . . . the funny thing is . . . as Believers, often times when someone calls out "Where is the Oil?" our first reaction is to go looking for the physical anointing oil.  However, in this instance, the search for the oil is one of a spiritual outpouring that is being sought.  It is the search for that intangible deposit of the anointing of God in a person's life and the release of that anointing as they go forward in ministry.

This type of oil can only be obtained by spending time in the presence of the King of Kings, living one's life striving for the holiness that is required for a pure anointing to rest on you, surrendering and consecrating your gift for God's use, and understanding how to step out of the disguise of performance into true ministry.

Don't get me wrong, the physical oil is necessary, but it should not be a substitute for the spiritual oil. The physical oil should be a representation and a reminder, to those who anoint themselves with it, of what God has already done in those private moments of our lives.

When you can stand operating out of the purity of your ministry gift, understanding the purpose of that gift, understanding how God can use it and move through you to minister to others, and desiring nothing more than to give God glory with your gift . . . . at that very moment, you will begin to pour out the spiritual oil (anointing) that's on your life.  At that moment, people will be able to see the conviction in your heart and know that you truly believe what you are singing about.  At that moment the words of the song that you interpret through dance become alive and have a spiritual impact on those who witness the ministry.

Know that God can use your artistic gift, whatever it might be, to minister to His people.  He can use your gift to deliver every spiritual gift . . . salvation, healing, deliverance, restoration, peace, love, etc. to those who have open hearts to receive you as you flow under the anointing of God that's on your life.  

Please be encouraged today to not take the importance of the spiritual oil for granted. It is great to have a talent and to perfect and disciple that talent, but ooooh how much greater is it to have the anointing of God on your life so that your talent then becomes ministry.

Popular vs. Prophetic

As ministers of the arts, we all come to the crossroads of having to make the decision to either follow the path of being POPULAR or PROPHETIC

When selecting the songs to sing for morning worship, when pondering the lyrics to the melody you are writing, when determining which song to dance to for the next special selection, when thinking about the next priceless moment you want to capture on canvas, or when considering the next character you are going to portray on stage you will have to decide in that moment -- "Do I want to be popular or do I want be prophetic?"

Popular: The road to being popular or seeking popularity is one that seeks after the approval of man.  It is the way of looking to others to validate you and celebrate you to find your worth. It is the way of doing things in your own strength and trying to please man, so that your efforts and striving gets you noticed and promoted.  In this place, you think that it is your connections, talents, and abilities that can get you to the top, when in reality, God has a more excellent way for you to travel to your wealthy place.  Trying to be popular takes a stance of "I got to grind" versus resting in God as you walk out the plan He has for your life.

Prophetic: The road to the prophetic or to operate in and declare the prophetic is to seek after God's approval alone.  It is the way of looking only to God to validate you, celebrate you, and raise you up in your ministry.  In the realm of being prophetic you are only looking to be moved by the Spirit of God and say and do only what the Spirit of God has inspired within you.  The way of the prophetic is to rely on the strength of God to accomplish anything that you set your hand to do and when you've been given success, the only thought that you have is to give God glory. Operating in the prophetic realm requires a posture of total surrender.

I want to encourage you with this post to seek after God in your ministry of the arts.  Ask God . . . "What is it that you want to say through me?" Settle in yourself that you want to only say what God says, go only where He tells you to go, and do only what He tells you to do.  As you endeavor to surrender more of yourself and your ministry to God, for His use, I promise you that you will start to experience growth, greater anointing, and more miraculous manifestations of God's glory.

Nameless

Somewhere along this journey of life with God, if we are truly desiring to be effectively used for His glory, we have to get to the point of saying … "I don't care if people applaud me or even know my name, as long as the Father is glorified!"

We have to get to a point in our walk with God and with our ministries that we take on the mind of Christ and accept the fact that in order for God to be totally glorified through us, we have to step out of the way and become "of no reputation".

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:5-11 KJV)

Our goal should be selfless ministry and not to be in the spotlight or have our names in lights. Our focus should be on completing our ministry assignments with a joyful and greatful heart with everything within us, so that our Father in Heaven (God) is truly glorified. 

Yes, God uses each of us in mighty ways through our artistic gifts, but keep it all in perspective … it is of His "using us" that we are able to do what we do. It is by His gifting and anointing that we are able to affect the hearts and spirits of those who witness our artistic gifts. Always remember that without God backing you up, you could do nothing. 

Let's make sure that in our seeking to be used in ministry that we are seeking after the Father and not the benefits of being seen.  Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. (Matthew 6:33 NLT) And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint. (Galatians 6:9 AMP)

I've settled in my heart that for Him … I will be nameless. Will you join me?

A Grateful Heart

As I sat catching up with one of my sisters-in-Christ about her recent missions trip to Africa, I could not help but to begin to think how truly blessed we are and also about how many things we often unknowingly take for granted.

I began to think on some of the things that she shared:

• What if I had to walk for miles without shoes …
  
• What if I couldn't go to school because I lived in an area where no one wanted to come and teach …
  
• What if my family was so poor that they couldn't afford any of the basic necessities to sustain life (housing, food, water, clothing, etc.) …
  
• What if the only life I knew was one where I grew up in an orphanage, never truly becoming familiar with the touch of another human …

As a sat there becoming overwhelmed with God's love and grace I could not help but to think that I need to take the time be more aware and more grateful for all that God has blessed me with in my life, even the little things. My reflection began to put a lot of things in perspective.  It confirmed for me that the situations and challenges that we might face in life, although they may be difficult, could be even more difficult, challenging, and even life threatening.

I don't want to take for grated that I have a safe and secure place to rest my head; that there is running water when I turn the handle on the faucet; that God provides the financial means for me to be able to sustain life . . . . this list could go on and on.

I just want to encourage you with this post to take a few moments of your busy day to reflect and express your thankfulness to God about the "little things".  As you reflect, think that your "little things" could be something very big to someone else who has to live with out it.

                             

A Lifestyle of Worship

"Worship Cannot be Rehearsed" ~ Co-Pastor Elena Robertson

Worship is truly about the position of our hearts toward God and not about the outward displays that we typically associate with worship.  True worship is birthed out of your relationship with God and the steps that we've taken to truly surrender ourselves to be lead by the Spirit of God.  When we truly surrender to God and His plans for our lives, worship then becomes a lifestyle.

When worship becomes just the way that we operate on a daily basis, we will begin to notice greater displays of the "fruits of the Spirit" as mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23 (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) being manifested in our lives.  The deeper we take our relationship with God and desire to manifest the "fruits of the Spirit" the deeper our worship unto God will become.  

As we deepen our relationship with God, we become more and more aware of His free gift of grace and understand all the more how God steps in and makes up the difference for us in so many areas of our lives. As we gain this revelation, we can lift our hands in surrender and cry out to God in worship, because we are reminded of just how good God has been and all the things He has brought us through, shielded us from, and favored us with.

I encourage you today to take your relationship with God and your worship unto God to the next level. There is more that God desires to pour out upon your life; however, He is looking for those who want more of Him above all else.  These are the true worshipers (John 4:23-24 NLT).

Did I Go Left?

Many times in our walk with God we ask the question … Did I go left, when I should have gone right? At the heart of this question is the desire to know that we are operating in the will of God.

Rebirth Arts is one of the largest faith walks I've had the honor of taking with God to this point in my life. I find myself often in prayer seeking direction from God, by way of the Holy Spirit, to confirm that the decisions we make, the engagements we accept, the classes and workshops we offer, the staff we bring on board, etc. are in the will of God and what He desires for Rebirth Arts.  My hearts desire is to truly fulfill God's vision and do it with the very best of my ability, so that God can then do the supernatural. 

Even in my seeking, I've also found that there are just some steps that you have to take in faith, trusting God and knowing that He will meet you on the other side and won't let you fall. In those moments of truly stepping out on faith, I've experienced God's overwhelming presence as His way of confirming -- yes, you are exactly where you are supposed to be.

So, be encouraged, at those times in your life when you begin to question, did I go left and I should have gone right .… wait on the presence of God and the peace of God to comfort you and you will know without a doubt that you are exactly where God wants you to be.  Strive to dwell in His peace and all else will fall into place.  God has great plans for your life.  Continue to seek Him and trust His directions.