The Purpose for the Present Pain

The seasons of brokenheartedness we experience, as worshippers, come to break our will power of the stubbornness that has led us astray from the heart of Yahweh. By disregarding Father's wishes to instead do that which we have deemed to be right in our own eyes, we ultimately set ourselves up to experience the sort of painful spiritual reckoning that is meant to crush the soul as well as the ego. 

As spirit beings having a human experience, we must undergo a maturing process that makes it unmistakably clear to us when even our best intentions conflict with Heaven's agenda. Consequently, the only way Father can most effectively get our attention is by ALLOWING us to presently experience the pain of our humanity contending with the plans He both ordained and set in motion before the foundation of the world. 

Pain creates brokenness. And yes, there are times in our life journeys when it takes us experiencing brokenness to produce our willingness to embrace the culture of righteousness. In other words, sometimes our way has got to hurt more than we ever thought it would in order for us to see why Yahweh never wanted us to go that route. But it is often through brokenness that we are steered back into the right direction.

When You Feel Overwhelmed

Have you ever been in a place where the weight of your life's challenges seemed to be way too much to handle? It's probably safe to say that all humankind has experienced such feelings. In the midst of the heaviness, it can be seemingly difficult to cast your cares upon GOD in worship. But the one thing your opposition is counting on is you doubting what YOU can incite through worship.

Make no mistake about it, the very best thing to do WHENEVER you feel overwhelmed is to ascend in worship. Don't bother worrying about all that may be weighing on you in trying moments. Worrying solves nothing. Also, avoid rash decision-making born out of your flustered emotions. Emotional reactions change nothing. When overwhelmed, these sort of carnal-minded approaches only make YOU worse off... 

BUT when you choose to elevate your mind (i.e. your thinking) above the circumstances and begin to bless (i.e. speak well of) the LORD your GOD, something more advantageous happens... YOU change! Your perspective, your response, your attitude ALL change because NOW you're looking at those very same circumstances from a totally different angle than before. Worship literally shifts your line of sight from what has you feeling overwhelmed to the One whom those troubling circumstances must bow and become subject. 

Know that the upper hand has NO CHOICE but to be yours as an atmosphere-shifting worshipper of Yahweh. You being able to get past how you feel at any given moment and earnestly call for an uprising of GOD's glory WITHOUT musicians, a worship team or pastor is precisely what keeps you together away from whatever physical sanctuary wherein you worship corporately. PLEASE understand that your sanity depends on YOU--as a worshipper--being able to command atmospheres for yourself. Therefore, begin to decrease your dependence on those whom you have looked to as glory carriers. Start stirring up the gift of GOD within you, so the worshipping warrior you were redeemed to become rises up and releases the governing influence of Heaven in the earth. 

In Pursuit of Intentional Corporateness

It is often said that teamwork makes the dream work. And as cliche' as that may sound, it really doesn't take a rocket scientist to conclude that two heads are better than one.  We live in an increasingly social culture that strongly encourages collaboration in the areas of education, commerce, and even government.  With greater emphasis now being placed upon building high-performing teams as opposed to celebrating superstar MVP's, the Body of Christ has an amazing opportunity to lead the way in exemplifying how the culture of Heaven interprets teamwork.  More importantly, we can shift the cultural dynamic in the various environments in which we go in and out by appropriating Messiah's teachings in our everday dealings with those whom we collaborate.

As an observant believer, I more clearly see now why the Body of Christ MUST be in the world but not of the world.  The world around us is filled with messy situations that cannot be overlooked.  And if we--as high-performing teams--are going to shift the cultural climate in the territories to which we have been sent, then we simply cannot afford to be "religious" ostriches burying our heads in the sand.  No more can we avoid grappling with matters we deem to be ungodly.  That excuse has been overly used to deflect attention from any frank admission that the messy matters lying before us are REALLY above our theological pay grade, and we know not what to say of these things without risk of sounding irrelevant.  As citizens of the Kingdom of Light, we have been placed in the earth to be light bearers wherever we are sent.  Our very presence is meant to eradicate darkness--not in a judgmental, condescending way but in a loving, encouraging manner that evokes the same kind and quality of conviction with which Messiah communicated during His earthly ministry.

Why Momentum Requires Maturity

It recently became clearer to me how maturity affects momentum.  As I read over some notes taken during a recent teaching shared by my good friend William Johnson, I began to reconsider various unmet personal goals from years gone by.  And as I pondered them, the Set Apart (Holy) Spirit began showing me how the maturity I lacked back then killed my momentum.  I lacked the necessary force to drive through the obstacles blocking my path.  Therefore, unable to plow through what stood in my way, I made no further progress towards reaching those goals.

Lately, my thoughts and energy have been consumed with what's next for me.  One of the pivotal statements William made that evening was, "Momentum is necessary for the assignment that lies ahead, because you can't be slowed down in the coming season."  Obstacles will indeed be faced in meeting the demands of assignments to come.  But this time, things must be different!  Immaturity cannot be given the opportunity to zap the zeal that comes with the excitement of starting something fresh.  I have, therefore, committed myself to ensuring that the momentum I start out with is not only sustained but intensifies according to the maturity by which I operate in my work.  In doing so, I am also committed to changing because that's ultimately what maturity requires.

When pursuing a different outcome, staying the same is no longer an option.  Change must occur, and it must be intentional.  And in order to possess the degree of momentum that drives through obstacles, there must be an intentional pursuit of holistic development.  This process of maturation requires personal change, which means I must be held accountable for building my own momentum.  After all, maturity is essentially the willingness to accept responsibility for your own success.  The mantra of maturity pretty much says, "I will not put the responsibility for MY change on someone else."

Building momentum starts with being burdened for change.  The slow down you may be experiencing is most likely due to you not changing.  And the reason why you're NOT changing is because you don't care enough.  The burden for change has yet to weigh heavily enough upon you to make something happen.  Yes, please understand that it's burdened people who make things happen.  They don't just watch stuff happen and talk about what they see.  They feel the weight of what they see and are inspired to change.  They're inspired to mature.  And like a seed fighting its way through the soil to the light above the surface, their momentum increases to bring the transformational development that makes seemingly impossible goals reachable.

Why Your Gift Makes Room For You

In Proverbs 18:16, it reads, "A man's gift makes room for him and brings him before great men."  As I've heard this verse of scripture both preached and taught throughout my life, what I heard (and in some cases read) explained "a man's gift" here as an individual's innate ability to excel at various exploits.  The idea was that GOD has placed something special within you that is purposed to bring you before people of great influence and renown.  With that said, if you so desired to be great, you would then discover what gifts you possess and cultivate them to the extent that the excellence you embody when exercising them, in turn, becomes a platform upon which you can prosper.  It's a great concept that makes perfect sense!  If I may, however, allow me to share with you a little something extra I just learned regarding this...

As I researched the terms in this particular verse of scripture, I noticed that the word translated as "gift" in Proverbs 18:16 is the Hebrew word "mattan" (pronounced "mat-TAWN").  It means "a present".  In considering this information, the verse immediately took on a whole new meaning to me.  As I see it, when you aim to sit among people of greatness, it is the gift you bring that makes room for you to be in their company.  In other words, time is an extremely valuable resource; and influential people are in no way obligated to give their time to anyone, especially those who do not value it.  Their knowledge, wisdom, and feedback often comes at the expense of the failures, mistakes and setbacks they have experienced along life's way.  Out of respect for all it took for them to ascend from the bottom to their places among the top within their areas of influence, you just can't glean from them FOR NOTHING.

Power Belongs To The Responsible

I was reminded last week of something my good friend and brother Prophet William L. Johnson II shared in a teaching a couple of years ago: "Power belongs to the responsible."  That statement really stood out amongst all he shared in that particular evening of revival, and it arrests my attention even now as I ponder over who power belongs to.  If you have ever taken a Physics course, then you're most likely familiar with the idea that power is the ability to do work.  Not just something that lies dormant, it is a force that enables the empowered entity to fulfill some degree of purpose. Therefore, power is only as valuable as the work it actually accomplishes. It makes no sense to possess power if it results in nothing purposeful. And let's be frank here: irresponsible people lack a sense of purpose.

In the hands of irresponsible people, power becomes abused (or "ABnormally USED").  As my favorite teacher, Dr. Myles Munroe, has said, "Where purpose is NOT known, abuse is inevitable."  Irresponsible people do not seek to understand purpose because it requires too much of them.  And without an understanding of purpose, people are totally clueless as to how they should respond to anything.  Furthermore, if responsibility indeed be the ability to respond, then why should supernatural power be entrusted to those who fail to appropriately exercise the limited ability they've already been given to favorably respond to life's demands?  It makes zero sense whatsoever...

Hand Him Your Worst

For the sake of not looking as pitiful as our situations may be, most believers--especially those who are well-acquainted with church culture--have mastered the art of disguise.  Oh yes, we go to great lengths to mask the struggles with which we grapple, the insecurities secretly tormenting us, even the consequences of the mistakes we've made.  Because GOD forbid the saints see how jacked up we REALLY are!  So we say, "I've got to give the LORD my best..."  And all the while we are hiding our worst, and for what?!

Recently, a dear woman of GOD by the name of Evangelist Cynthia Diggs shared on her Facebook timeline, "We are so busy trying to give Jesus our best but our best without Him still isn't good enough. He actually wants our worst so He can make it better!"  What an encouraging Word for this modern day church!  There are too many people of faith NOT receiving better because they remain hung up on trying to publicly present a version of themselves that is not only inconsistent with their present reality but one that actually hinders them from truly experiencing life more abundantly.

As Evangelist Diggs continued in her status update, she referenced Mark 3:1-5 where Messiah healed the man with the withered hand on the Sabbath.  It angered Yeshua Jesus to see people in the synagogue so caught up in THEIR OWN agendas that it was just accepted for the afflicted to remain bound.  There was no mercy, no compassion--just hardness of heart from the very people whose lives should be the very embodiment of Yahweh's loving-kindness.  The behavior of this people evidenced a culture of worship that was very much counterproductive to the restoration of that which was withered to a state in which it was made fully functional.

The Hardships Were Sent To Harden You

Throughout our lives, we will experience seasons of hardship.  It is, therefore, not wise for us to view life through the rose-tinted lenses that deceive us into thinking that everything will ALWAYS be pleasant for us, especially as born again believers in Christ the Messiah.  Right here is where sobriety of the mind is necessary in order to endure the afflictions we will--without a doubt--experience.  Sober thinking, furthermore, ensures that our souls (i.e. mind, will and emotions) PROPERLY process the trouble we experience.  When we appropriately handle hardship, the hardness we experience fulfills its purpose to bring forth THE BEST of us and not OUR WORST.  And with understanding of the order of righteousness, according to Romans 8:28, we are better able to see how GOD is indeed HELPING us by HARDENING us to difficulty.

If you would, take a look back over a season in your life that was hard for you to get through.  As much as you may hate to admit it, what you suffered most likely helped you in some way.  And as a result of enduring that as well as other hard seasons of your past, herein lies the good news: thanks to what you've been through, the challenges to come won't even phase you!  Because you know it was GOD who brought you through the past hardships, you can trust and believe that He will bring you through whatever trouble comes your way next.  And why is that?  Because every hard thing you overcome toughens you to face the adversary's forthcoming attempts to defeat you.

Be Willing and Productive

While in a training session as part of my professional development, there was something said with regard to teamwork that vibrated with Heaven's frequency and caught my spirit's attention: "The people you get to help you must be willing AND productive.  If they can't produce, then don't you depend on them."  I actually shared the below status update on my Facebook timeline with regard to that moment.

The Journey To Rediscovery - Part 3 of 3

Through sanctification, our born again spirit, which is the actual bearer of GOD's image and likeness within us, connects us to the Holy Spirit.  It is He who, along with the Word of GOD, nourishes and fortifies our faith as we undergo the process of "dis-covering" ourselves--that is, the real "us" whom GOD purposed and designed us to be before the foundations of the world.  As part of this process, our faith in the Word of GOD as well as the power and presence of His Spirit within us causes our spirit man to wax strong enough to boldly command our souls to line up with Heaven's culture.  What we have established in Part 1 and Part 2 of this series has, therefore, brought us to THIS point: no matter how "good" we--as humans--may think ourselves and mankind as being, it's not until our spirit man is made alive that we can even begin to assimilate to GOD's way of doing things.

We are tripartite beings: SPIRITS possessing SOULS who live in BODIES.  The soul of man is caught BETWEEN the spirit and the body, both of which have the ability to influence our soulish realm (the mind, will and emotions).  The soul is literally the battleground between light and darkness, good and evil.  Prior to the new birth, the spirit lies dormant and the soul is totally influenced by the body's five senses (which dominate how humanity makes sense of its earthly surroundings).  Now do you see the picture coming together? Without spirit--the very core of who we were really designed to be--actually influencing us, we basically grew up and matured in this world's system, relating the pleasures of the five senses to that which is good and likewise relating unpleasant experiences to being bad.  If whatever we saw, smelled, heard, tasted and felt was enjoyable, then it was understood as being good; and vice versa.

Accepting The Paint

One thing I've come to understand about life as a believer is that Father's methods can raise a lot of questions.  We often have our own ideas and perceptions of how things should go; and each time we do, we're reminded that His thoughts and ways are higher than ours.  When we feel like we're at the end of our ropes, He's waiting for us to let them go so He can catch us.  When we feel like our backs are against the wall, He's waiting for us to stop fighting long enough to allow Him to lift up a standard against the enemy.  See, we struggle with letting go of life's ropes and putting down our fists when the fight seems to be the most intense; yet scripture continues to remind us that His strength is made perfect in weakness (as found in 2 Corinthians 12:9).

In contemplating the frailties of life, some days this journey plays out like a suspense thriller.  Finding myself in one vulnerable place after another is honestly quite stressful, and there are indeed times when my moody side just doesn't want to be bothered after having dealt with all the drama. (Can I get just ONE witness?!)  Yes, as grateful as I am to Yahweh for making ways, opening doors, snatching me out and catapulting me forward, the compounding stress that comes with waiting on Him takes a toll on me when TIME is of the essence.  If you didn't know, well now you know: living on eternity's timetable is NOT for the faint of heart because He who is from everlasting to everlasting is literally in no one's hurry.  He has His own appointed time for everything He sets His hands to do to be accomplished.  And regardless of how we may feel, there's absolutely NOTHING we can do about it.

Staying Power

In order to run this race of a life with patience, we must have the stamina to endure what--at times--can be a very grueling experience.  Yes, life can be hard; but we have unlimited access to the grace to persevere.  I'm reminded here of the term "staying power," which is the ability or strength to last or endure.  It's the quality or ability that allows someone or something to continue being effective and successful.  Today, we're living in a time when effectiveness and success are less and less evident in people's lives simply because they lack the endurance to finish what's been started.

When we consider how our Heavenly Father works, we see that everything Abba starts gets finished because it was already finished at the start.  In other words, whenever He starts something, Him starting it is proof that it's already complete.  Therefore, may I suggest that our ineffectiveness and unsuccessful efforts directly correlate to the fact that what we set out to do was pretty much unfinished from the beginning.  Our minds must be renewed here to understand that when something reaches its completed state in the unseen realm, it is THEN--and ONLY then-- that the process of fulfillment can begin in the physical realm.  Essentially, the execution of a half-baked idea is purposed to reveal that the idea was always half-baked.  It furthermore causes us to see that we cannot fully commit to physically manifesting what our lack of commitment in the spiritual realm has already failed to manifest.

Our problem is that we lack vision.  And work plans can only be devised for that which has been envisioned.  Without a clear picture of the finished product, there can be no documented procedures on how to start at Point A and arrive at a finished product that bears the image and likeness of the vision.  Furthermore, the absence of vision will surely set us up for failure.  It's impossible to have the staying power necessary to overcome the various hurdles encountered while bringing a vision to pass when you're not clear on what the end result looks like.  And here's the more sobering thought: you simply cannot commit to that which you're unclear about.  No one in their right mind will commit to a vision that's foggy, but how many times have we all been guilty of attempting to do something about which we're unclear?  In fact, when the situations and circumstances surrounding the process of materializing that foggy vision become too hard to handle, quitting is usually what happens next, doesn't it?  So in order to stay committed unto the completion of a thing, we must possess a clear understanding of what is indeed being finished.

Don't Forfeit Your Inheritance - Part 2

Salvation is more than just believing in our hearts and confessing with our mouths the Lord Jesus as Christ, the Son of the Living GOD.  WE MUST BE BORN AGAIN.  If what a person has believed and confessed does not birth a new creature within them, then it's safe to say that they have no genealogical ties to the incorruptible seed of the Spirit.  Mind you, we're not talking about an instantaneous transformation of character here.  However, when Holy Spirit dwells in you, the spirit of conviction will not let you make a life for yourself in sin.  Why?  Because He knows the value of your spiritual inheritance better than you do.

Therefore, it is my sincere encouragement to EVERY believer that you do not forfeit what Christ has made available for you through His death, burial and resurrection.  The enemy knows the end he's destined to meet; and out of spite, he wants to snatch as many sheep from the flock as possible to get back at GOD.  And what better way to do so than to deceive souls into believing that they're safe for all the "right-ish" reasons.  Either you have fellowship with GOD or not, as there's no sorta, kinda, something in between.  For Christ said in John 10:27-28, "My sheep hear my voice," among other things of great importance.  If you do not hear the voice of the LORD, then--regardless of what you believed and confessed--He most likely does not know you and you most likely do not follow Him.

Don't Forfeit Your Inheritance

In a recent Bible study at church, Minister David Humphrey shared in the evening's teaching on "Spiritual Warfare" that the believer forfeits his spiritual inheritance when in sin.  This couldn't be more true!  While we all sin and fall short of the glory of GOD, the spirit of conviction will compel believers to confess their sins (i.e. come into agreement with how GOD sees their actions) and repent (i.e. change their actions by turning and going the opposite direction).  However, there are some believers who choose to repeatedly engage in behavior that is not in alignment with the culture of GOD.  These are the individuals who willingly forfeit what Christ Jesus has secured for all who believe in Him.

The word "forfeit" means "to lose or give up (something) as a punishment or because of a rule or law."  It also means "to lose or lose the right to especially by some error, offense, or crime."  This forfeiture is apparent on multiple levels, but it's most plainly seen in scripture when Jesus says to those who claim to have done many wonderful works in His name that He never knew them (Matthew 7:21-23).  It doesn't get more clear than this, folks!  Workers of iniquity (i.e. illegality), those who do not do the will of our Heavenly Father, lose the spiritual inheritance they unfortunately were deceived into believing was secure for them.  But to their utter shame and disappointment, no amount of prophesying in Jesus' name, casting out of devils, and working of miracles will overcompensate for a life of deliberate sin and outright disobedience.

The Power of Love (Part 1 of 2)

Not too long ago, a friend of mine on Facebook posted a touching status update about a story shared by one of the pastors at his church.  This pastor's son committed suicide because he got tired of wearing masks for church people.  How sad!  The pastor talked about the importance of having courage and having the heart of GOD towards others by building them in love instead of killing them with judgement.

It's so sad that our churches are filled with religious people who have cold hearts towards others.  I heard something not long after reading the aforementioned Facebook post that REALLY impacted me.  Ironically, it was at a forum discussing the topic of "INTIMACY."  There was a woman of GOD in attendance who stated, "It's been said that hurt people hurt people.  And that's true.  But I know I've been healed, and I like to think that I've been healed to heal people."  THAT REALLY BLESSED ME!

Much of this coldheartedness prevalent in today's church is a direct indication of a lack of healing.  And it's not always because there's no ministry of healing taking place within an assembly. Some folks just don't want to be healed!  And some of these people are ministry leaders or just people of influence in the congregation.  They're so caught up in masking their own pain and suffering that they have no discernment regarding the suffering of others, neither do they carry the anointing to bring healing into the lives of those who are sick, hurting and broken.

No Longer Pursuing Perfection

Following a recent conversation with friends about virtue, Holy Spirit shared with me that it's unnecessary to worry ourselves with trying to attain perfection if we focus our efforts on being excellent.  This blessed me tremendously because the human experience often leaves us feeling like we're not only imperfect but that it is impossible for us to be perfect.  However, this powerful message from the heart of GOD simply says that our perfection is something we should not even be overly concerned about.  AMAZING, isn't it?!

Most people's understanding of the word "perfect" is that of it describing something (or someone) as being flawless or free of damage.  However, GOD defines "perfection" as a state of maturity.  And only He can bring us into a place of maturity that removes all those damaging qualities we inherited as a result of the curse of sin.  What I've learned, though, that facilitates the maturation process is a spirit of excellence.  When we desire to do everything we possibly can to the best of our ability and activate our faith to produce the highest quality results with the resources available to us, GOD honors that by stepping in and further developing (i.e. maturing) us so we can reflect His nature even more.

Psalm 18:32 says, "It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect."  The word "way" here figuratively means "course of life" or "mode of action".  So no longer do we need to stress ourselves out over making ourselves perfect, mature or without blemish.  GOD will take care of all that, as long as we submit ourselves to a life of virtue through excellence.  As we endeavor to live righteously and excel in our own day-to-day roles and responsibilities, we will begin to see the effects of GOD's hand upon our lives.  It's just that simple, and I pray you're encouraged now more than ever to excel in the years to come.

Never Minding The Fog (Part 2 of 2)

Yesterday's post ("Never Minding The Fog - Part 1") was the result of me having to take a tough look at my life and being selfless enough to publicly share my own process of transformation.  I'm a very practical person and strive to make Christianity plain to understand.  So, as promised, here are the "6 Steps To Never Minding The Fog," as inspired by Holy Spirit on yesterday morning.  I pray these insights will also help you on your road to life transformation in Christ.

6 STEPS TO NEVER MINDING THE FOG

(1) KNOW YOUR DESTINATION.  If you don't know where you're going, then any road will get you there.  Have a clear picture of the goal.  Even if you don't quite know how it looks, at least know its address.  Every landmark has a location, so don't "go another further" until you know exactly where you're going.

(2) CHART YOUR ROUTE.  When you fail to plan, you pretty much plan to fail.  So make time to understand which road(s) to take BEFORE your departure.  Not knowing doesn't automatically spell D-I-S-A-S-T-E-R, but knowing will certainly make the trip way more enjoyable for you.  It will also provide you reference points along the way to reassure that you're headed in the right direction while helping calculate how close you are to your destination.

(3) LEARN THE RULES.  It's very important to understand how to properly get where you're going.  Accidents happen when people are ignorant to the rules of the road or simply refuse to follow them.  More importantly, you must be able to recognize the signs you'll see along the way as well as understand their meanings.  The information they provide is extremely necessary; and because of the speed at which you'll be traveling, the signs are designed to share information concisely.    

(4) GET MOVING.  It's quite easy to get stuck in the paralysis of analysis.  But in order to get where you're headed, you must go.  You can't allow the conditions of your environment to keep you at a stand still.  If the weather and road conditions aren't life-threatening, then get on the road.  Stop making excuses because you're wasting time.  Life is short and destiny awaits!

(5) PAY ATTENTION.  Don't get so caught up in what's happening around you that you miss your exit.  Watch for signs, that you may quickly recognize what they mean and react accordingly.  Missing a sign can cost you valuable time, money, and even effort.  Be disciplined and alert throughout your journey.  Doing so will ensure you avoid those mistakes that create the stressful, frustrating consequences that will give you a swift kick in the rear and leave you bitter.

(6) CORRECT ERRORS FAST.  As soon as you realize you're going the wrong way, turn around immediately.  Get back on track!  The longer it takes for you to recognize you're in error, the farther you will stray off course.  And please don't continue in error hoping that a side street or short cut will emerge.  Even if one does, you have no idea what lies there lurking.  Ditch the pride and receive the protection found in correction.  It will save you from experiencing a whole heap of trouble as well as the emotional baggage it can potentially place in your hands.

Rejection Is Protection

In this Thanksgiving season, we're often encouraged to recount everything for which we're thankful.  Well, this past Sunday, my pastor made the following statement: "In this season [of your life], rejection is protection."  Oddly enough, it wasn't my first time hearing him say this in a sermon.  But today. as I contemplated the relation between what he said and this now being the time of year that we celebrate Thanksgiving, a string of interesting thoughts came to mind.

We've all experienced rejection, and many--if not most--of us have even dealt with the fear of rejection at some point in our lives.  And, let's be honest: no one enjoys being denied what they want.  But how many of us are actually thankful for rejection?  That's something we really don't hear people talking about, especially when the overwhelming majority of praise reports and testimonies given are about what people received.  My question, though, is this: is not GOD's protection from the unseen (and seen) dangers of our desires just as worthy of praise?

To Be Built Up | 06.15.13

Have you ever asked GOD to increase your faith?  I have asked Him in times past to do so because of my own perceived inability to accomplish various things.  Over the years, I've learned that the faith we've been given is all the faith we need (Romans 12:3); but it profits us nothing when we fail to exercise it.  All of us are guilty of having faith without corresponding works.  We have believed, at some point or another, and then failed to follow through on what we accepted as real and true for our lives.  Whether it was to move forward in launching a business idea, pursuing continued education, or even going forth in a call to ministry, among many other things, the measure of faith we've all been given was--for whatever reason--not deployed to manifest what we envisioned.

Lessons In Stewardship | 02.12.13

Early into a recent teaching ("I Want More" | 02.02.13) shared by my pastor, he said something very interesting: "An indication that you're ready for more is you being a good steward of what GOD has already given you."  Although it certainly was not my first time hearing anything of this nature, this time it resonated with me differently.  In this season of my life, I have more on my plate than ever and the Holy Spirit is still saying, "I've got more for you."  Of course, my mind is thinking, "Where else can more be fit? I'm swamped!"  Have you ever been there before, where it seems you've already bitten off more than you can chew and GOD is yet saying, "I've got more to give you"?