Tag: encouragement

LEARNING TO LIVE & WORK WITH PEOPLE YOU DON’T TRUST…

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Your success, effectiveness and peace is not only determined by how well you relate with people you DO TRUST…but how well you are at relating with people that you DON’T TRUST.

Our ultimate trust is in God, but He didn’t put us on this earth alone.

God has also ordained it that there is little that we can accomplish alone.

Even God Himself uses His angels to relate to us…

Hebrews 11:14 (NKJV)

 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?

God let the captives in Babylon know that though they trusted Him, they were to pray for the peace of the city in which they lived because their peace was dependent on the city’s peace…

Jeremiah 29:7(NKJV)

And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace.

Jesus sent the first disciples out in pairs (Mark 6:7, Luke 10:1)…

The apostles worked in pairs, teams and even depended heavily on the early church for help.

As much as we are interdependent on another in this life, God also warned us about putting our trust in people rather than Him…

Psalm 118:8 (NKJV)

It is better to trust in the Lord. Than to put confidence in man.

Of course we all want to be in relationships and situations with people we trust, but that’s not always possible…Sometimes we can’t even trust our own selves.

It seems it’s getting harder and harder to trust people these days.

We have families, jobs, churches, communities, organizations that we are all a part of in which to live, but the fact is that you KNOW you can’t trust everyone…

In your family…

On your job…

In your church…

In your community…

In our government…

Sometimes we go through seasons and situations when we can’t trust our spouse, children, parents or even friends…because we are human beings being human.

Do we abandon these relationships and resources because of the lack of trust or total trust?

Of course not!

Your ability to be successful, effective and have peace in your life is just as dependent upon your ability to work and relate with people you DON’T trust as well as those you DO trust.

How do you do it?

First of all trust God first. If He has you in a situation, or you have allowed yourself into a situation where trust is limited…you still have to lean on His word, truth, character and TRUST HIM.

Second pray for wisdom and discernment so you can know WHO to trust and WHO NOT to trust.

Third pray for those whom you don’t trust that they submit themselves to God through our Lord and Savior Yeshua, Jesus Christ. It’s bigger than just you or me…Ultimately it’s more about their relationship with God than ours with them.

Fourth, remain in God’s character so that you can set a standard and example of behavior and plant good seeds for God’s Kingdom. You do this by walking in the Spirit as defined in Galatians 5:22, 23.

Fifth, always make are always faithful and trustworthy in all your relationships.

And finally, remember that God had equipped you with everything you need for this LIFE and GODLINESS in this life, through His divine nature that is now inside you…

2 PETER 1:2-8 (NKJV)

2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

No you can’t trust everyone…

The fact that we aren’t always faithful means that God can’t always trust us. But, we can always trust Him.

So,

Trust God…

Trust Yourself…

Be Trustworthy…

And remember, GOD IS GREATER THAN THOSE WHOM YOU DON’T TRUST.

Add this to your prayer life…”Lord give me the ability to relate with those I don’t trust.”

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

 

 

3

GIVE PEOPLE TIME TO CHANGE…

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Sometimes we can get frustrated when we share God’s truth or fresh revelation and people don’t respond the way we had hoped.

They may respond negatively…

They may even tell you that they don’t want to hear it…

They may tell you that you’re confused…

They may tell you that they just aren’t ready to change…

Once you plant a seed, you can’t force it to grow…We plant and water, but God gives the increase.

1 Corinthians 3:6-8 (NKJV)

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.

We must remember…we didn’t always immediate agree with everything we heard concerning God the first time.

We didn’t immediately take heed to every bit of good, sound spiritual advice we received.

We didn’t immediately stop sinful practices when someone warned us.

There were seeds planted in all of us that took some time to grow.

There were habits, behaviors and attitudes that we had to work through.

There were difficult truths that we weren’t immediately willing to accept…

In fact, there are still some spiritual truths that we have not yet accepted. Just because we haven’t accepted it yet doesn’t prevent it from being God’s truth.

Pray for an ear, heart, mind and attitude that you can be good soil for the good seed that’s planted in you as in the Parable of the Sower

Matthew 13:18-23 (NKJV)

 18 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

Be patient when you share the word of God, or give spiritual advice to others…

Think about the fact that when Jesus was in His human form, his biological brothers (Mary’s other sons) did not believe in Him…

John 7:18 (NKJV)

 3 His brothers therefore said to Him, “Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. 4 For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” 5 For even His brothers did not believe in Him.

BUT,

Eventually they did believe. In fact, the letters of Jude and James are now part of the New Testament.

Give people time to change.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

 

5

HOW PRINCE INSPIRES ME AS A CHRISTIAN (In case you missed it)…

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Prince’s music is definitely a huge part of the soundtrack of my life, especially my younger days. I enjoy the genius of his artistry..He wasn’t just a singer, but a singer/performer/entertainer/entrepreneur/activist/philanthropist. His influence on music, fashion and culture is undeniable.

It’s also very evident that Prince, as we all do, had a strong spiritual side and a strong carnal side. He wrote songs that were sexually explicit as well as songs that were beautiful and spiritual, such as “God”, which was the B-Side to “Purple Rain” (for younger readers who may not know, a B-Side was another song on the opposite side of the single of a vinyl record). In fact, sometimes Prince was a spiritual paradox…again, as we all have been.

The purpose of this post isn’t to judge Prince’s spirituality or his carnality, but how both inspire me.

Many of you may be thinking, how can a man of God be inspired by carnality? Well, remember Luke 16: 1-12, “The Parable of the Unjust Steward”?

Luke 16 (NKJV)

He also said to His disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. 2 So he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’

3 “Then the steward said within himself, ‘What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg. 4 I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.’

5 “So he called every one of his master’s debtors to him, and said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 And he said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ So he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ 7 Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ So he said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ 8 So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.

9 “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. 10 He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. 11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?

Notice that the rich man (representing God in this parable) commended the unjust steward or manager. The steward acted very shrewdly in regard to the rich man’s money. Jesus proclaimed that “the children of this world are more shrewd (wiser in some translations) in THEIR GENERATION than the sons of light”. In other words, Jesus was saying that there are some lessons that Christians can learn from ‘the world’…that’s another post that’s coming soon.

When I look at the life of Prince and the way he pursued and released what was inside of him…the way he made the most of his talents and gifts… I’m inspired in my pursuit of ministry and releasing what God has placed inside of me.

Prince’s Gifts and Talents

Many people are talented, but few are ‘special’. Prince’s talents definitely took him from beyond talented to special. Prince was one of the most gifted individuals of our time, THAT WE KNOW OF. I say “that we know of” because there are probably scores of other gifted individuals out there that will let their talents and abilities die with them. Gifts and talents are no good if we allow them to remain dormant…or keep them to ourselves. God gives us gifts and talents so we can use them to reveal His glory to the world, and as tools to build His Kingdom. Prince didn’t allow his gifts to remain dormant or to himself. He didn’t come from ‘money’. He wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He didn’t allow circumstances or excuses to negate his gifts. He FOUND WAYS to make it happen…

That inspires me to do the same for God.

Prince’s Vision

God drives home the importance of vision in Habakkuk 2:1-3…

 Then the Lord answered me and said:

“Write the vision, And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.

For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come,
It will not tarry.

Prince had vision of where he wanted to go. He had a clear picture of where, what and who he wanted to be. Vision is a snapshot of how you see yourself in the future, and it is what drives you to reach the smaller goals along the way to get to your destination. No one can move with the trajectory and momentum of Prince, even through setbacks, without vision…

That also inspires me in ministry.

Princes Dedication to Perfection

In the bible, perfection in regard to man, isn’t flawless, but mature (Teleios, Strong’s Concordance). It means being ‘perfect’ for each level as you progress, as a 4th grader who is ready to be promoted to 5th grade…not yet ready for high school, but perfect for the current level. Prince honed his talents and the talents of those around him. He consistently got better, and he made those around him better. As an instrumentalist, song writer, producer, performer, entertainer, he was never satisfied. He always strove for perfection. This is what we should do as Christians. We should always be growing, maturing and perfecting the gifts and talents that God gives us…

This inspires me as a minister, songwriter, writer, husband, father, man of God.

Prince’s Boldness

It was clear that Prince had the boldness to do what he felt he needed to do to be seen and promote who and how he wanted to be perceived. Of course coming on stage almost naked, and using profanity was not good or Godly. In an interview with Tavis Smiley, Prince stated that he did a lot of things early in his career to be as “flashy” and as”noisey” as he could be to deal with and compensate for getting teased in school. He focused on getting better at what he did to deal with the pain of his past. His boldness to write what he felt, perform as he felt, dress as he felt is what gave him his platform. After signing with Warner Brothers, after being offered one of the hottest producers in the industry at the time, Maurice White, he insisted on producing himself….now that’s bold for a teenager…

This inspires me as a minister to be bold for Christ.

Prince’s Influence

Prince will always be remembered as one of the greatest influences on music, culture, fashion, expression, etc., of our time, and possibly all time. Not only did he set the standard, but he raised the bar. You can hear Prince’s influence in various genres of music. His audience is one of the most diverse of any artist. His influence extends beyond race, gender, culture and ethnicity. He has inspired artistry, professionalism, excellence and greatness in countless others that will continue to shape our world…

This inspires me as a minister, writer and man of God.

Again, this post is not to judge any aspect of his life.

Am I a fan of Prince…Yes.

Do I agree with everything that he did or the way he did it…No.

However,  we have to learn to make the most of the good and bad in all of our lives…and Prince Rogers Nelson is and will remain to be the one of the greatest influences in the life of Minister Aldtric Johnson and my ministry.

Is there someone or something that inspires you in your walk with Christ, that may make others say….”REALLY? Tell me how!” If so, please leave a reply, and tell me how. It may inspire others too.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

2

YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO IT ANYMORE (In case you missed it)…

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YOU CAN STOP TODAY IF YOU REALLY WANT TO…#encouragent

YOU DON’T HAVE TO…

You don’t have to gain one more pound…

You don’t have to give away your body…

You don’t have to make one more charge…

Watch one more obscene video…

Make/answer one more call from ‘them’…

Send or open one more text from ‘him or her’

Open one more email…

Send one more pic…

Take one more drink…

Smoke one more cigarette…

Curse one more time…

Waste any more energy…

Waste any more time…

Cheat one more time…

Spread one more rumor…

Start one more fight…

Make one more frivolous purchase…

Insult, backstab  or undermine one more person…

Quit one more job…

Be in one more clique…

Hold one more grudge…

Do ‘IT’ one more time (you know what you ‘IT’ is)…

God has given you the power and responsibility to stop today if you want to.

Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)

 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Colossians 3:8 (NKJV)

But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.

Ephesians 4:31

 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.

He has given you the tools to do it…

Matthew 17:20-21

 20 So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief;[d] for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. 21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

You STOP today if you REALLY want to!

Sometimes, the right thing to DO…is DON’T.

BE BLESSTIFIED!!!

 

6

GIVE PEOPLE TIME TO CHANGE (In Case You Missed It)…

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Sometimes we can get frustrated when we share God’s truth or fresh revelation and people don’t respond the way we had hoped.

They may respond negatively…

They may even tell you that they don’t want to hear it…

They may tell you that you’re confused…

They may tell you that they just aren’t ready to change…

Once you plant a seed, you can’t force it to grow…We plant and water, but God gives the increase.

1 Corinthians 3:6-8 (NKJV)

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.

We must remember…we didn’t always immediate agree with everything we heard concerning God the first time.

We didn’t immediately take heed to every bit of good, sound spiritual advice we received.

We didn’t immediately stop sinful practices when someone warned us.

There were seeds planted in all of us that took some time to grow.

There were habits, behaviors and attitudes that we had to work through.

There were difficult truths that we weren’t immediately willing to accept…

In fact, there are still some spiritual truths that we have not yet accepted. Just because we haven’t accepted it yet doesn’t prevent it from being God’s truth.

Pray for an ear, heart, mind and attitude that you can be good soil for the good seed that’s planted in you as in the Parable of the Sower

Matthew 13:18-23 (NKJV)

 18 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

Be patient when you share the word of God, or give spiritual advice to others…

Think about the fact that when Jesus was in His human form, his biological brothers (Mary’s other sons) did not believe in Him…

John 7:18 (NKJV)

 3 His brothers therefore said to Him, “Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. 4 For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” 5 For even His brothers did not believe in Him.

BUT,

Eventually they did believe. In fact, the letters of Jude and James are now part of the New Testament.

Give people time to change.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

 

9

HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR REGRETS (in case you missed it)…

wp-1489325386452.jpgWe all have them…regrets.

We regret things we’ve done…

Things we’ve said…

Things we’ve thought.

Even our regrets are an aspect of being created in God’s image.

Genesis 6:6 (NIV)

6 The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled.

 The word regret here, according to Strong’s Concordance, means to sigh, groan or ease oneself.

God’s ‘regret’ wasn’t lamenting over a mistake He made, because He makes no mistakes, but rather His comforting Himself as He progressed with His plan that eventually led to man’s salvation.

God gave us every emotion for a reason…even those we consider negative.

He gave us anger to lead to passion in order to make positive change.

He gave us hate to have hatred for evil and sinful behavior…not people.

And, he gave us REGRET to be seeds to repentance rather than depression.

Sometimes when we think of those sinful, shameful, irresponsible or foolish things that we have said, done and thought, we can allow those thoughts to consume us. If we aren’t careful, they can lead to depression or isolation. They can lead to behavior that not only causes harm to ourselves, but also to those we love.

But, God gave us regret to help us avoid making the same mistakes.

USE YOUR REGRETS!

You can use your regrets to PROGRESS you rather than DEPRESS you.

Let your regrets lead to the Godly sorrow that leads to repentance…

2 Corinthians 7:10 (NKJV)

10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

Even if you are dealing with the consequences of what you’re regretting, if God has given you breath in your body…that’s grace to make things right and avoid making the same mistakes again.

RECOGNIZE that you can’t go back in time and change what you regret.

REPENT of those thoughts, words, actions, and behaviors and avoid putting yourself in the positions or even frames of mind that would lead to repeating what you regret.

RESOLVE in your mind that you will not allow yourself to ‘go there’ again.

REJOICE in the fact that when you truly repent, that even if others haven’t, God has forgiven you and has given you grace to go on in peace.

Don’t let your regrets overwhelm or cripple you. Let them be brief, temporary moments that you use to make yourself better.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

 

 

 

8

WHEN GOD USES THE ‘N-WORD'(In case you missed it)…

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God has said it to me many times.

The ‘N-WORD’

And I must admit that it’s very rare that I like it.

It’s very hard for me to hear.

Sometimes, I think it’s not fair.

I will think to myself, “You didn’t say the ‘N-WORD’ to him…or to her!”

I know that God is sovereign, and He can say whatever He wants to say.

I know He loves me…knows what’s best for me…and everything He does is always working for my good.

I know He knows me better than I know myself.

Yes, I trust Him, and I submit to His perfect will for my life.

But, that doesn’t make it hurt any less when God decides to respond to me with…

The ‘N-WORD’

Sometimes I reason within myself, He really didn’t mean that.

Sometimes I will keep pushing, trying to force a different response…

But, still His answer remains to be…

The ‘N-WORD’

As much as He loves me and gives me all of what I need and some of what I want…

Sometimes God has to say…

The ‘N-WORD’ to me

As much as I don’t like it, I still love Him and trust Him.

I take peace in the fact that His grace is always sufficient for me.

How do you react…

When God tells you “NO”?

2 Corinthians 12: 8-9 (NKJV)

 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore, most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

 BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

 

5

YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO IT ANYMORE (from my archives)…

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YOU DON’T HAVE TO…

You don’t have to gain one more pound…

You don’t have to give away your body…

You don’t have to make one more charge…

Watch one more obscene video…

Make/answer one more call from ‘them’…

Sent or open one more text from ‘him or her’

Open one more email…

Send one more pic…

Take one more drink…

Smoke one more cigarette…

Curse one more time…

Waste any more energy…

Waste any more time…

Cheat one more time…

Spread one more rumor…

Start one more fight…

Make one more frivolous purchase…

Insult, backstab  or undermine one more person…

Quit one more job…

Be in one more clique…

Hold one more grudge…

Do ‘IT’ one more time (you know what you ‘IT’ is)…

God has given you the power and responsibility to stop today if you want to.

Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)

 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Colossians 3:8 (NKJV)

But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.

Ephesians 4:31

 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.

He has given you the tools to do it…

Matthew 17:20-21

 20 So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief;[d] for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. 21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

You STOP today if you REALLY want to!

Sometimes, the right thing to DO…is DON’T.

BE BLESSTIFIED!!!

 

0

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SAY BEHIND YOUR, “I AM…”(From My Archives)

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Exodus 3:14 (NKJV)

14 And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

When God tells Moses who to say sent him when he goes into Egypt, He says tell them, “I AM”.

I AM is less about his name and what He’s called and more about His nature. Every time God says I AM, He let’s us know more about who He is…what He is…what He does.

Look what God says behind, “I am”…

“I am your shield…”

“I am the Lord…”

“I am God…”

“I am the Lord your God…”

“I am the Lord who sanctifies you…”

“I am giving…”

“I am holy…”

“I am with you…”

“I am He who blots out…”

“I am the First and the Last…”

“I am He who comforts you…”

“I am merciful…”

“I am Holy…”

“I am the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob…”

“I am the Christ…”

“I am able…”

“I am the Son of God…”

“I am One…

“I am from above…

“I am the bread of life…”

“I am the living bread…”

“I am from Him , and He sent Me…”

“I am the Light of the World…”

“Before Abraham Was, I AM…”

“I am the door…”

“I am the good shepherd…”

“I am the resurrection and he life…”

“I am the way, the truth and the life…”

“I am in My Father and the Father in Me…”

“I am the vine…”

“I am not of this world…”

“I am the King…”

“I am the Alpha and he Omega, the First and the Last…”

“I am He who lives…”

“I am alive forevermore…”

“I am He who searches the hearts and minds…

“I am coming quickly!”

BEHIND every  “I AM” from the Lord…there is meaning, purpose…action!

BEHIND every “I AM”…He defines himself.

AND SO DO WE…

Remember what Jesus said…

Luke 6:45(NKJV)

45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. FOR OUT OF THE ABUNDANCE OF THE HEART HIS MOUTH SPEAKS.

SO, Be careful how you define yourself!

Be very careful what you say behind your “I am!”

I am defeated!

I am depressed!

I am weak!

I am ugly!

I am helpless!

I am hopeless!

I am lost!

I am cursed!

I am victorious!

I am joyous!

I am strong!

I am saved!

I am empowered

I am beautiful!

I am hopeful!

I am blessed!

I am a child of the King!

I am BLESSTIFIED!

 

 

 

 

12

IF BILL MAHER’S USE OF THE N-WORD OFFENED YOU, THINK ABOUT THIS…

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If you don’t already know, Bill Maher on a recent episode of his talk show, Real Time with Bill Maher, he used the N-Word referring to himself in a joke. This of course was offensive and inexcusable and Mr. Maher quickly apologized.

The purpose of this post isn’t to discuss his mistake, but to quickly examine how we as Christians prioritize what words offend us.

Years ago, I remember hearing, and reading Richard Pryor say after a trip to Africa, “ I ain’t never gonna call another Black man ni**a”. Now I’m in no way bringing this up to disparage Richard Pryor, but to make a point. He passionately made this statement and changed his behavior.

He stopped using the N-WORD, which offends many people, but continued to use profane and vulgar words that offend God.

Colossians 3:8 (NKJV)

8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.

 Ephesians 4:29 (NKJV)

29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers

 Ephesians 5: 3-4 (NKJV)

But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks

There are many words that offend us. Some more than others. Which words offend you, in many cases has much to do with who you are.  People CHOOSE to use the words for various reasons.

It’s interesting to me how many Christians are MORE offended by…

  • The N-Word
  • The Fa-Word
  • The Hon-Word
  • The Ho-Word
  • The B-Word
  • The K-Word
  • The Sp-Word
  • The Ch-Word

…than they are offended by other profane, offensive, vulgar or even blasphemous words that offend God. Some even seem completely comfortable using the GD-WORD.

Jesus made it very clear in Matthew 12..

Matthew 12:36 (NKJV)

36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.

The words that we use and that offend us give great insight into what is in our hearts. Yes, some words are offensive racially, but God expects us to put Him even above our race.

 Galatians 3:28 (NKJV)

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Are some words offensive and inexcusable? If course, but think about this…

What’s more important to you? Words that offend you? Or words that offend God?

Let us be careful not to put what offends us above what offends God.

BE BLESSTIFIED!!!

1

EVEN THE MOST EFFECTIVE LEADERS DON’T ‘HAVE IT ALL TOGETHER’…

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Leaders, especially spiritual leaders , are very highly scrutinized and often criticized if they ‘don’t have it all together’. We can find ourselves expecting them to be near perfect. But, when we read our bibles, we find that many of God’s most anointed…those whom He gave great responsibility were lacking in many areas.

Moses and the Apostle Paul weren’t the greatest speakers.

Exodus 4:10 (NKJV)

10 Then Moses said to the Lord, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”

2 Corinthians 11:6 (NKJV)

6 Even though I am untrained in speech, yet I am not in knowledge. But we have been thoroughly manifested among you in all things.

Eli the anointed High Priest and Judge had corrupt, disobedient sons (1 Samuel 3).

1 Samuel 3:13  (NKJV)

13 For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows, because his sons made themselves vile, and he did not restrain them.

Peter was quick to speak before he thought, and was even rebuked by Paul for being a hypocrite to the point that it influenced other leaders.

Galatians 2:11-13(NKJV)

11 Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; 12 for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. 13 And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.

Just because one is anointed by God doesn’t mean that he or she doesn’t need any help. Every great leader needs a strong support system. They need to be surrounded by gifted, anointed people they can trust to delegate responsibility and help with their weaknesses. I think that’s God’s system of checks and balances.

We sometimes see charismatic, polished and sometimes affluent leaders and assume they have ‘it all together’ and that we could never qualify for leadership in God’s Kingdom because of our personal issues and weaknesses.

But, let me assure you that all leaders…

ARE NOT CHARISMATIC

It’s easy to confuse charisma for anointing or confidence. Many great leaders are soft-spoken and reserved. There are many of charismatic leaders who can motivate a crowd but have absolutely no vision. There are others who have the WRONG vision and can motivate millions to do the wrong thing. Never confuse charisma with anointing. Check out this post for more on that… 4 WAYS TO TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PREACHING & A PERFORMANCE….

ARE NOT GOOD AT MANAGING MONEY

The ability to manage money can either be a gift or an acquired discipline. For those of whom that it doesn’t come so naturally, they can struggle with the discipline, detail and organization it takes to be a great money manager. Remember how one of the devoted prophets in the Old Testament died in poverty leaving his sons to be sold into slavery…

2 Kings 4:1 (NIV)

4 The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.

ARE NOT ORGANIZED

Here again some people are more naturally inclined to be organized. They pay great attention to detail. They are uneasy when things aren’t in place. They even organize things in their minds as they observe them, while others struggle to be organized. They make a sincere effort, but slowly find themselves slipping into their old habits. Notice how the rich nobleman in Luke 16:1-13 had a shrewd manager hired to manage his affairs.

DON’T HAVE THE BEST BEHAVED CHILDREN

Yes, I know what the bible says…

1 Timothy 3:4-5 (NKJV)

4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence 5 (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?)

…and this is not a contradiction. I had a friend tell me that his dad, a very sincere, devout man of God resigned as a deacon because his son, (my friends brother) was addicted to  drugs and in and out of jail. Well, the devil found out how to move a great leader out of the way. We are all God’s children and we don’t always behave as He commands us, does that mean that He’s not a good Father? Does that mean that God is not a good leader? No! God set’s the standard of behavior and doesn’t waver. He tells us, “NO!” to certain things. It’s up to us to love and respect Him enough to obey. That’s what God expects us to do…set the rules and boundaries in the home. To say, “No!” and don’t waver. As mentioned earlier, Eli, a great man of God, didn’t restrain his sons in 1 Samuel Chapters 2 and 3. But, he was still highly respected and used by God.

DON’T HAVE THE PERFECT MARRIAGE

Any stromg leader will tell you that leadership itself is a challenge to marriage. Responsibilities sometimes force the leader to choose between his or her spouse and duties. Leadership cuts into quality time, occupies the leaders mind during personal time, and even sometimes affects the desire for intimacy. It was obvious that ministry took some apostles a way from their wives, which is sure to put a strain on marriage…

1 Corinthians 9:5 (NKJV)

 5 Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? 

DON’T HAVE A GREAT CREDIT SCORE

Of course God expects leaders to honor their commitments and responsibilities…

Psalm 37:21 (NKJV)

21 The wicked borrows and does not repay,
But the righteous shows mercy and gives.

But, when responsibilities aren’t met, it not always due to intentional carelessness. It’s not necessarily because of over extending, but sometimes life happens. Sometimes illness, job loss, an unwanted divorce and other things beyond the leaders control can happen damaging his or her credit.

 

ARE SOMETIMES TROUBLED BY DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES

Jesus Himself was troubled in the garden the night before He went to the cross.

John 12:27 (NKJV)

27 “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.

 

Sometimes we don’t expect our leaders to be visibly troubled by circumstances. But, that only shows their humanity. If Jesus Himself was troubled, the greatest leader of them all, then surely we will be too.

These are only a few of the reasons is why good leaders should be honest with themselves and aware of their natural weaknesses, so they can surround themselves with the right support to carry out their vision. They must also be confident enough in themselves to not be threatened by their support, but have the discernment to know who may actually be a threat to their leadership.

And, those whom they lead must be humble enough to follow in spite of their weaknesses, offering help towards the vision where possible. They must also realize that some weaknesses don’t disqualify the leader from leading. For example, the prophet Nathan didn’t tell David that he wasn’t qualified to be king after murder and adultery. (1 Samuel 12)

 Leaders are only human, and they will all have lapses in character, but overall they must be…

Trustworthy.

Integrity…

Calm in Crisis…

One who unites rather than divides…

One who resolves conflict…

And, most of all led by God and a student of His word.

Remember, God uses imperfect people to carry out His perfect will. All good leaders need good help.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

8

STOP TRYING TO WORRY…

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Have you ever had something unfortunate happen, gotten ‘bad’ news or lost something of value, and it didn’t bother you?

You felt you should be anxious or upset, but you just weren’t?

You tried to get upset, but you didn’t?

Maybe even tried to cry, but couldn’t.

Do you know why? It’s because you’ve been praying for peace, or someone has been praying for you.

Peace is one of God’s greatest promises…

Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV)

 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, WILL GUARD your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

God’s peace will literally guard and protect your heart and mind.

When God’s peace guards your heart and mind…worry, doubt, fear, anxiety and stress can’t get in, sometimes even if you try to force it in.

In spite of what’s going on in your life you have a sense of calmness and ease because you trust God. You may not see a solution or resolution, but you have peace that no one can even understand…not even you.

But, isn’t that what God promised in Philippians 4:7?

Stop TRYING to worry and enjoy your peace.

 

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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IT’S TIME TO STOP MOPING AND MOVE ON…

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Yes, they hurt you.

Yes, they did you wrong.

Yes, they slowed you down.

But, your moping has stopped you.

They’ve moved on…so now it’s time for you to do the same. God won’t even allow people to feel sorry for you anymore because it makes you mope even more.

Stop waiting for an apology…move on.

Stop complaining to others…move on.

Stop thinking about it…move on.

God can’t use you if your moping.

Your PITY party is making you PITIFUL!

Turn your PITY PARTY into a PRAISE PARTY!

Philippians 3:13-14 (NKJV)

13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Stop moping and move on!

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

0

FOR THOSE WHO FEEL IT’S TAKING TOO LONG FOR THINGS TO ‘TAKE OFF’ FOR THEM…

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You finally did it. You have begun fulfilling the purpose that God has for your life.

You’ve birthed your vision. You’ve pushed it out. You’ve planted the seeds and you’re anxious to see the results, to see the fruit and yes, to even reap some of the harvest.

But, you’re discouraged because it’s taking so long. You’re disappointed because the masses aren’t seeing what you see. People aren’t buying into your vision. In fact, some are rejecting it.

It begins to make you doubt…did I hear God right? Is this my purpose? Is this what He’s called me to do? If so…wouldn’t it be easier than this?

Let me give you a quick word of encouragement.

The fact that it’s taking so long. The fact that you’re being met with so much resistance could be your CONFIRMATION that it’s from God.

Think about it…anything that is BIRTHED has to first go through it’s infancy stage. Babies don’t walk or run when they’re first born. Toddlers aren’t able to take care of themselves. They have to be fed…nurtured. Yes, they’re full of potential but they really don’t even yet resemble what they will be when they mature.

Any seed that’s planted doesn’t sprout up immediately. It has to be fertilized and watered. It has to be nourished. It then breaks through the ground and grows ONLY by the light of the SUN. Neither the seed, nor the small plant resembles what it will one day be.

Look at our Lord Jesus Christ. He used twelve men to birth His church. It started small. It met great resistance. It took years and persecution for the church to become what it is today. And, even today, God’s church isn’t totally what He would have it to be.

Seedtime and Harvest…

Genesis 8:22 (KJV)

While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

Even though many have perverted this scripture to reduce the Gospel to prosperity…there is a time and a season for everything…

Ecclesiastes 3:1 (KJV)

 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven

God didn’t even send His Son until it was time…

Galatians 4:4-7 (KJV)

 4 But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

When’s your time? Your time is now…it just hasn’t reached it’s fullness. What did Jesus tell Mary at the wedding…

John 2:4 (NKJV)

Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.”

Now look at what He told His disciples…

John 7:6 (NKJV)

6 Then Jesus said to them, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always ready.

So, if you feel it’s taking too long for your vision to manifest…don’t give up. Keep nurturing it. Keep feeding it. Keep watering it. Even when no one else understands. Some days you will be the only one who can see it…that’s why God gave it to you.

Celebrate the small victories and confirmations that God gives you. You will need them to get through the difficult days…to keep you encouraged when confronted with doubters.

Of course as humans, there are moments when we want our doubters to see that God is the source of our vision…we want to share some of the Lord’s glory when it manifests.

So…

Be ready not to just wait ON the Lord, but wait LIKE the Lord.

Jesus went to the cross over 2,000 years ago, and some of those present that day left thinking they had won. He allowed them to go home thinking they had defeated Him.

If you think things are taking too long to take off for you, think about this…

If Jesus can wait for His glory, so can you.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

4

HOW PRINCE INSPIRES ME AS A CHRISTIAN…

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Prince’s music is definitely a huge part of the soundtrack of my life, especially my younger days. I enjoy the genius of his artistry..He wasn’t just a singer, but a singer/performer/entertainer/entrepreneur/activist/philanthropist. His influence on music, fashion and culture is undeniable.

It’s also very evident that Prince, as we all do, had a strong spiritual side and a strong carnal side. He wrote songs that were sexually explicit as well as songs that were beautiful and spiritual, such as “God”, which was the B-Side to “Purple Rain” (for younger readers who may not know, a B-Side was another song on the opposite side of the single of a vinyl record). In fact, sometimes Prince was a spiritual paradox…again, as we all have been.

The purpose of this post isn’t to judge Prince’s spirituality or his carnality, but how both inspire me.

Many of you may be thinking, how can a man of God be inspired by carnality? Well, remember Luke 16: 1-12, “The Parable of the Unjust Steward”?

Luke 16 (NKJV)

He also said to His disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. 2 So he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’

3 “Then the steward said within himself, ‘What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg. 4 I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.’

5 “So he called every one of his master’s debtors to him, and said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 And he said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ So he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ 7 Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ So he said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ 8 So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.

9 “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. 10 He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. 11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?

Notice that the rich man (representing God in this parable) commended the unjust steward or manager. The steward acted very shrewdly in regard to the rich man’s money. Jesus proclaimed that “the children of this world are more shrewd (wiser in some translations) in THEIR GENERATION than the sons of light”. In other words, Jesus was saying that there are some lessons that Christians can learn from ‘the world’…that’s another post that’s coming soon.

When I look at the life of Prince and the way he pursued and released what was inside of him…the way he made the most of his talents and gifts… I’m inspired in my pursuit of ministry and releasing what God has placed inside of me.

Prince’s Gifts and Talents

Prince was one of the most gifted individuals of our time, THAT WE KNOW OF. I say “that we know of” because there are probably scores of other gifted individuals out there that will let their talents and abilities die with them. Gifts and talents are no good if we allow them to remain dormant…or keep them to ourselves. God gives us gifts and talents so we can use them to reveal His glory to the world, and as tools to build His Kingdom. Prince didn’t allow his gifts to remain dormant or to himself. He didn’t come from ‘money’. He wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He didn’t allow circumstances or excuses to negate his gifts. He FOUND WAYS to make it happen…

That inspires me to do the same for God.

Prince’s Vision

God drives home the importance of vision in Habakkuk 2:1-3…

 Then the Lord answered me and said:

“Write the vision, And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.

For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come,
It will not tarry.

Prince had vision of where he wanted to go. He had a clear picture of where, what and who he wanted to be. Vision is a snapshot of how you see yourself in the future, and it is what drives you to reach the smaller goals along the way to get to your destination. No one can move with the trajectory and momentum of Prince, even through setbacks, without vision…

That also inspires me in ministry.

Princes Dedication to Perfection

In the bible, perfection in regard to man, isn’t flawless, but mature (Teleios, Strong’s Concordance). It means being ‘perfect’ for each level as you progress, as a 4th grader who is ready to be promoted to 5th grade…not yet ready for high school, but perfect for the current level. Prince honed his talents and the talents of those around him. He consistently got better, and he made those around him better. As an instrumentalist, song writer, producer, performer, entertainer, he was never satisfied. He always strove for perfection. This is what we should do as Christians. We should always be growing, maturing and perfecting the gifts and talents that God gives us…

This inspires me as a minister, songwriter, writer, husband, father, man of God.

Prince’s Boldness

It was clear that Prince had the boldness to do what he felt he needed to do to be seen and promote who and how he wanted to be perceived. Of course coming on stage almost naked, and using profanity was not good or Godly. In an interview with Tavis Smiley, Prince stated that he did a lot of things early in his career to be as “flashy” and as”noisey” as he could be to deal with and compensate for getting teased in school. He focused on getting better at what he did to deal with the pain of his past. His boldness to write what he felt, perform as he felt, dress as he felt is what gave him his platform. After signing with Warner Brothers, after being offered one of the hottest producers in the industry at the time, Maurice White, he insisted on producing himself….now that’s bold for a teenager…

This inspires me as a minister to be bold for Christ.

Prince’s Influence

Prince will always be remembered as one of the greatest influences on music, culture, fashion, expression, etc., of our time, and possibly all time. Not only did he set the standard, but he raised the bar. You can hear Prince’s influence in various genres of music. His audience is one of the most diverse of any artist. His influence extends beyond race, gender, culture and ethnicity. He has inspired artistry, professionalism, excellence and greatness in countless others that will continue to shape our world…

This inspires me as a minister, writer and man of God.

Again, this post is not to judge any aspect of his life.

Am I a fan of Prince…Yes.

Do I agree with everything that he did or the way he did it…No.

However,  we have to learn to make the most of the good and bad in all of our lives…and Prince Rogers Nelson is and will remain to be the one of the greatest influences in the life of Minister Aldtric Johnson and my ministry.

Is there someone or something that inspires you in your walk with Christ, that may make others say….”REALLY? Tell me how!” If so, please leave a reply, and tell me how. It may inspire others too.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

3

JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN’T FLY – DOESN’T MEAN YOU CAN’T TOUCH THE SKY!

I saw an older gentleman relaxing in the park, flying a remote control airplane. It was clear that he wasn’t physically able to do the things he could when he was younger. But, he looked totally empowered as he flew his plane.

When I looked at his face, it was almost as if he were in the plane himself. He wasn’t smiling…he looked serious but relaxed. It seemed at the time that there was no where else he would rather be. His hands looked strong and as if they have done their fair share of hard work, but he delicately worked the controls with expert precision…while his eyes were fixed towards the sky.

I don’t know his past…what was going on in his life at the time…or what he had to face later in the day. But, it was clear that he had achieved a moment of peace, serenity and joy with his remote control plane. It was as if he was in the park all by himself. It was obvious that his plane was a mental…emotional…and even spiritual ‘get away’ for him.

But, he wasn’t alone…Most people in the park stopped to look as he skillfully navigated his plane through the sky. They seemed to enjoy watching it too…I know I did.

His moment reminded me of prayer. Psalm 16:11 describes the feeling we should get when we have found that moment of peace, serenity and joy while we are praying to God.

Psalm 16:11 (NKJV)

 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Prayer should take us to and beyond where the plane took that gentleman. No matter what’s going on in our lives…when we approach prayer as God intended…a personal, intimate moment with our Father, it becomes our mental, emotional and spiritual get away.

Nurture and develop your prayer life to be your personal escape from the world. Like that man in the park…

Just because you can’t FLY doesn’t mean you can’t touch the SKY.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

0

YOUR SUBTLE BUT POWERFUL SPIRITUAL GIFT…

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Sometimes it’s so easy to notice those high-profile, spiritual gifts that not only bring attention and glory to God, but also those who are being used by God…

Pastors, Evangelists, Teachers, Leaders etc…

Ephesians 4:11-12 (NKJV)

11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,

Some people are obviously much more gifted at singing, or speaking…some people naturally have more charisma and personality.

If we aren’t one of these people, if we’re not careful, we can begin to believe that we aren’t gifted.

But, some spiritual gifts are more subtle, but just as important and powerful.

Is there anyone in your life who just makes you feel better?

Even though they always seem to know the right thing to say, they often don’t even have to say a word…you just feel better when they’re around.

They have perfected the art of when to speak, and when to just shut up and listen.

They are the one’s who know how to make us laugh and smile at just the right time.

These are the people who quietly hold families, churches, organizations, and even marriages together.

These are the people who inspire and strengthen those high-profile speakers, singers, leaders etc.

One of the most powerful, overlooked and under-desired gifts in the Kingdom of God is the gift of…

EXHORTATION

Roman 15:6-8 (NKJV)

6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who EXHORTS, in EXHORTATION; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

Some people are just natural encouragers…it is effortless to them.

In fact, they feel compelled to do so whereever they go…they can’t help it.

People gravitate to them…both saved and unsaved because everyone needs encouraging.

Is this you?

Remember this…

When you INSPIRE, ENCOURAGE or ENTERTAIN someone you will always have value to them…though they  may not always show it.

I even believe the gift of COMEDY and ENTERTAINMENT are gifts of EXHORTATION…they’re spiritual gifts that are sometimes hijacked by the enemy. What’s more encouraging than making people laugh or relax?

So, just because you may not be powerful speaker, have a beautiful singing voice or a visionary leader doesn’t mean you aren’t gifted.

If your gift is the gift of encouragement…identify it and embrace it.

Don’t despise your spiritual gift or desire someone else’s…embrace your own!

And, if there’s someone in your life that keeps you going…Encourage Your Encourager Today!

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

0

IT TAKES STRENGTH TO STRUGGLE…

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Are you struggling with something?

A weakness…

A trial….

A sickness…

Your finances?

Your relationships?

Your job?

Your spiritual life?

Do you feel like you’re just holding it together…BARELY?

Do you feel that even though you’re keeping the faith that God’s not hearing your prayers? Or, do you admit to yourself that you should be stronger than you are right now in your walk with God?

Either way…YOU’RE STRUGGLING.

And, sometimes when you love God, struggling can make you feel like a spiritual failure.

But, let me encourage you with a reminder right here, smack dab, in the middle of your struggle…

Remember this…

IT TAKES  STRENGTH TO STRUGGLE!

Even the best of us, the most faithful of us, the strongest of us feel troubled sometimes.

And, none of us are better, more faithful or stronger than Christ Jesus…He gave up His home in glory to become like US…to struggle like US.

Think about the times how Jesus’ heart was troubled and how He struggled before He went to the cross…

John 12:27 (NKJV)

 27 “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify Your name.”

 Matthew 26:38-39 (NKJV)

 38 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.” 39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”

 God made you…

God knows you’re flesh…

God knows you’re human…

God knows you will have human moments…Jesus did. (Oh my God…)

But human moments in the bible from Job, to Psalms, to Jesus are followed by….

Praise

Humility

And, submitting to the will of God.

This is where the strength in your struggle comes from. The fact that your struggle hasn’t ‘taken you out’ is evidence of not only God’s love, grace and mercy in your life…but your strength in Him.

The fact that you haven’t given up is evidence that God has given you the strength to overcome.

Your struggle, and the fact that you haven’t given up, even though you may have thought about it, is proof of the presence and conviction of God’s Holy Spirit in you.

Look to Jesus, who was able to look beyond His struggles…

Hebrews 12:2 (NKJV)

 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Matthew 27:46 (NKJV)

46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”[a]

Take a moment right now and praise God for the STRENGTH TO STRUGGLE…

And remember this…

Romans 5:3

 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

2

HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR REGRETS…

wp-1489325386452.jpgWe all have them…regrets.

We regret things we’ve done…

Things we’ve said…

Things we’ve thought.

Even our regrets are an aspect of being created in God’s image.

Genesis 6:6 (NIV)

6 The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled.

 The word regret here, according to Strong’s Concordance, means to sigh, groan or ease oneself.

God’s ‘regret’ wasn’t lamenting over a mistake He made, because He makes no mistakes, but rather His comforting Himself as He progressed with His plan that eventually led to man’s salvation.

God gave us every emotion for a reason…even those we consider negative.

He gave us anger to lead to passion in order to make positive change.

He gave us hate to have hatred for evil and sinful behavior…not people.

And, he gave us REGRET to be seeds to repentance rather than depression.

Sometimes when we think of those sinful, shameful, irresponsible or foolish things that we have said, done and thought, we can allow those thoughts to consume us. If we aren’t careful, they can lead to depression or isolation. They can lead to behavior that not only causes harm to ourselves, but also to those we love.

But, God gave us regret to help us avoid making the same mistakes.

USE YOUR REGRETS!

You can use your regrets to PROGRESS you rather than DEPRESS you.

Let your regrets lead to the Godly sorrow that leads to repentance…

2 Corinthians 7:10 (NKJV)

10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

Even if you are dealing with the consequences of what you’re regretting, if God has given you breath in your body…that’s grace to make things right and avoid making the same mistakes again.

RECOGNIZE that you can’t go back in time and change what you regret.

REPENT of those thoughts, words, actions, and behaviors and avoid putting yourself in the positions or even frames of mind that would lead to repeating what you regret.

RESOLVE in your mind that you will not allow yourself to ‘go there’ again.

REJOICE in the fact that when you truly repent, that even if others haven’t, God has forgiven you and has given you grace to go on in peace.

Don’t let your regrets overwhelm or cripple you. Let them be brief, temporary moments that you use to make yourself better.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

 

 

 

3

NEW DAY…NEW YOU!

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We all have made some bad choices and bad decisions in life. Sometimes those bad choices can define who we are to ourselves and others.

If you don’t like the person that you have been…

If you don’t like the person that are right now…

Please remember that each NEW day is a NEW opportunity to become the NEW YOU!

Once you accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, your NEW nature begins to shape, refine and define the NEW you…

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

You begin a life long process of progress…you will no longer be the person you were as long as you walk in the Spirit of God and move away from gratifying the works of the flesh that can define us, our character, our personality and ruin our testimony. 

Galatians 5:17-21

16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

The NEW you in Christ Jesus is the ‘you’ that is led by and displays the Fruit of the Spirit…

Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control.

Just think for a moment about the fact that there are scores of people who haven’t met yet, but will meet. There’s an innumerable number of people are destined to hear about you even though you may not know them.

These people will only know who are now…these people will only know THE NEW YOU. 

Even in Christ, we will continue to make mistakes, but remember to view each NEW day as a blessing and opportunity to ‘get it right’. 

Get it right with God…

Get it right with your ‘fellow man’…

Get it right with YOUrself…

Each day is a NEW opportunity to become the NEW you. 

BE BLESSTIFIED!!

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GIVE PEOPLE TIME TO CHANGE…

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Sometimes we can get frustrated when we share God’s truth or fresh revelation and people don’t respond the way we had hoped.

They may respond negatively…

They may even tell you that they don’t want to hear it…

They may tell you that you’re confused…

They may tell you that they just aren’t ready to change…

Once you plant a seed, you can’t force it to grow…We plant and water, but God gives the increase.

1 Corinthians 3:6-8 (NKJV)

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.

We must remember…we didn’t always immediate agree with everything we heard concerning God the first time.

We didn’t immediately take heed to every bit of good, sound spiritual advice we received.

We didn’t immediately stop sinful practices when someone warned us.

There were seeds planted in all of us that took some time to grow.

There were habits, behaviors and attitudes that we had to work through.

There were difficult truths that we weren’t immediately willing to accept…

In fact, there are still some spiritual truths that we have not yet accepted. Just because we haven’t accepted it yet doesn’t prevent it from being God’s truth.

Pray for an ear, heart, mind and attitude that you can be good soil for the good seed that’s planted in you as in the Parable of the Sower

Matthew 13:18-23 (NKJV)

 18 “Therefore hear the parable of the sower: 19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. 20 But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. 22 Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. 23 But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.”

Be patient when you share the word of God, or give spiritual advice to others…

Think about the fact that when Jesus was in His human form, his biological brothers (Mary’s other sons) did not believe in Him…

John 7:18 (NKJV)

 3 His brothers therefore said to Him, “Depart from here and go into Judea, that Your disciples also may see the works that You are doing. 4 For no one does anything in secret while he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things, show Yourself to the world.” 5 For even His brothers did not believe in Him.

BUT,

Eventually they did believe. In fact, the letters of Jude and James are now part of the New Testament.

Give people time to change.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

 

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YOU CAN FORGIVE ANYTHING…TODAY! #FORGIVENESS

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Ephesians 4:31-32 (NKJV)

31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you

 

MORE THAN CONQUERORS (Romans 8:37)

Isn’t it funny how some of us can claim to be more than conquerors…

Be filled with the Holy Spirit…

Blessed and highly favored…

Testifying every time we can get a chance…

Claim, “I love everybody!”…

…And REFUSE to forgive!

We can serve as a deacon, preach every weekend, sing in the choir, give to the poor…BUT WON’T FORGIVE.

There are preachers who get up and preach to some members whose souls they are responsible…and are withholding forgiveness from some of them.

Too many of us are holding on to…

Anger…

Animosity…

Hatred…

Resentment…

Bitterness…

Wrath…

PAIN…

What ever emotions, moods and attitudes that prevent us from FORGIVING.

Withholding forgiveness is one of the enemy’s most successful distractions.

We can’t love like God expects us to when we don’t forgive.

The enemy doesn’t mind you going to church or even serving in the Kingdom of God if you don’t forgive because it dims the light of God in you.

WE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD (Matthew 5:14)…We can’t be light if we are DISTRACTED! Being unforgiving is a distraction…

Think about this…

The SUN provides light & the MOON reflects…

Sometimes Moon blocks light from Sun…This is an eclipse.

Sometimes Man blocks light from Son…This is a spiritual eclipse.

Distractions block eclipse our light from the SON…

Anger is a spiritual eclipse…

Bitterness is a spiritual eclipse…

Being unforgiving is a spiritual eclipse!

Our marriages, families…relationships CAN NOT exist WITHOUT forgiveness, but sometimes it’s so hard because of the pain…Because we are flesh.

Matthew 26:41 (NKJV)

41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

God understands we are flesh, but he also expects more from us. It is not God’s will for us to go day in and day out holding on to STUFF!

Matthew 18:21-22 (KJV)

21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

FORGIVENESS CAN BE A STRUGGLE FOR MOST CHRISTIANS.

We can put effort into ‘conquering’ everything, but forginvenss….getting a house, car, job, promotion, man, woman, getting a closet full of shoes, purses, ties…our neighborhoods full of crime, immorality, poverty, while many Christians are worried about conquering the ‘good life’.

That’s why some of us give, just so we can get….to some giving is a BLE$$ING bill. That’s why sometimes cousins, sisters, brothers  and relatives keep coming asking for money cause that’s the only way God can get some people to spend money on someone besides themselves. Does anyone owe you money and you haven’t forgiven them?

The enemy knows God ONLY forgives us AS we forgive others…(Matthew 6:12)

That means if there is something that you haven’t forgiven someone for…your sin that you asked forgiveness for is still there.

Don’t let someone die before you let them know THEY ARE FORGIVEN!

Is anyone you refuse to forgive WORTH forfeiting your forgiveness over? Don’t let your feelings towards them come between you and God.

Remember, there’s someone out there that you have hurt too…

You may not know what you did, but most of the time you do!

THE ENEMY KNOWS WHAT’S HARDEST FOR YOU TO FORGIVE…

The enemy knows how to present the right situation to you…

The right person…

That one thing that he knows that’s most difficult for you to forgive…

That’s the thing that he will use.

It could be your wife, your husband, your sister or brother, mother or father, best friend…it could be a pastor, that job who fired you, that team that didn’t pick you….you know what it is.

Stop right now and think about that one thing you are still holding on to.

God WANTS…DESIRES…TO FORGIVE US!

Think about how much we hurt God and He forgives us…

Psalm 103:8-12 (NKJV)

8 The Lord is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
9 He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor punished us according to our iniquities.
11 For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
12 As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

 

We (his church) are the bride of Christ…we ‘cheat on God’ every time we sin/ That’s why I know we can even forgive infidelity.

Every shameful thing done in the presence of His angels supposed to be there to protect you

He is there when we are tempted

He is there when we think about the fact that this is wrong and we still decide to do it

He is there when we do it.

That same conversation that the enemy had with God about Job, he had about you…Consider my servant ____________ !

Job 1:8a (NKJV)

8 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job…”

God witnesses us every time we cheat on Him…Every time we put Him to open shame…

He is willing to forgive us…

How could He be so willing to forgive? Because He WANTS to forgive us!

Isaiah 1:18

“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool…

God is practically begging us to come to Him for forgiveness.

 God wants to forgive you! God gets angry, but He doesn’t stay angry!

Psalm 103:8-9 (KKJV)

The Lord is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
9 He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.

God can forgive us over and over because He DESIRES to do so! And He doesn’t WANT to stay angry.

God CHOOSES to forgive us!

Forgiveness is OUR CHOICE.

You can’t control how people treat you, but you can control how you react.

When we are honest with ourselves, we don’t forgive because WE DON’T WANT TO.. WE want to stay angry!

If we forgive…we take away our ‘excuse’ to be angry…

You can even hear the person who hurt you has made a change for the good, and it can make you angry…you don’t want them to do better. This can lead you to judge them saying, “They’re change isn’t sincere!” You can get to the point that you don’t even care about their salvation.

We don’t want to forgive due to our pain…

We don’t want to forgive because of our pride…

We don’t want to forgive because of our shame…

No matter how heavy it is, uncomfortable it is…we still hold on to it, because we want to do so! When our arms up…after a while we have to put it down, because they get too heavy

That’s what we have to do with our pain…put it down.

How?

Stop asking God to TAKE AWAY what He told you to PUT DOWN!

If your spouse is cheating, and you love them, do you want to make them stop, or for them to stop on their own?

Notice God Always tells you to put it down…

Colossians 3:8 (NKJV)

But now YOU YOURSELVES are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.

Hebrews 12:1 (NKJV)

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

FORGIVENESS IS EASIER THAN YOU MAY THINK! AND WHEN IT HAPPENS…IT’S INSTANT!

No matter how slow or gradual any transition may seem…when you think about it, the change…the moment of change…the instant of change…no matter how minute the shift in thought or direction – THE CHANGE IS ALWAYS INSTANT!

MAKE UP YOUR MIND, AND IT WILL CHANGE!

This is simple but powerful…

TELL YOURSELF AND MAKE UP OUR MIND… “I DON’T WANT TO BE MAD ABOUT THAT ANYMORE!”

I’m tired of being angry…

I’m tired of being sad…

I’m tired of being bitter…

I’m tired of being resentful…

I’m tired of avoiding them…

I’m tired of wanting everybody else to be mad at them too…

I REFUSE TO FEEL THIS WAY ANYMORE!!!!!

Romans 12…Be transformed by the renewing of you MIND!

Refuse to let your emotions dictate how you feel and behave.

Controlling your EMOTIONS is the closest you can come to controlling your world.

Hebrews 12…How did Jesus react to Emotion? He “scorned” the shame of the cross for the “joy” thats set before him.

Once you make up your mind, and REFUSE to be angry….it will go away.

Once you make up your mind, and REFUSE to be angry….you can forgive.

Once you make up your mind, and REFUSE to be angry…you can forget.

Let me define forget…you will still think of it, but not the same way! You will forget that frame of mind…such as “What was I thinking when I dated him or her!”

Once you make up your mind, and REFUSE to be angry…you won’t even need an apology.

Why do you not need an apology? Because God still keeps showing you His love and kindness…even when you haven’t apologized or repented…

He keeps letting your heart beat…

He keeps feeding you and letting you live in the home He provided…

He keeps giving you strength to work…

He keeps on protecting you from harm…

He’s willing to forgive, even when He knows you will do it again.

One of the best exercises you can have in patience is to hold it together when you are being mistreated. Going on without an apology…showing character and patience of God will help you grow.

Once you make up your mind, and REFUSE to be angry…you can actually feel sorry for the one who hurt you. GUESS what? You are doing what God does! You are learning to love and learning to forgive like GOD!

That’s how you can even feel sorry for your enemies.

Jesus died on the cross to give the opportunity of salvation to those He knew would not only ask appreciate it, ask Him for forgiveness, or even believe in Him.

Exercise in forgiveness…Pray for God’s Spirit and Get a picture or go to a place, whatever reminds you of your pain. And practice looking at it and telling yourself..I don’t want to be mad at you…I don’t want to be bitter…sad and tell yourself that you won’t…

That’s what God does to us.

Sometimes people will try you back acting like they DON’T APPRECIATE YOUR FORGIVENESS…Be strong, cause that’s how we treat God sometimes.

Let your light shine…Get back your peace….Forgive as God is willing to forgive you!

YOU CAN GET OVER ANYTHING…TODAY!

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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YES, YOU’VE GOT TO LEARN TO RELATE WITH PEOPLE YOU DON’T TRUST…

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Your success, effectiveness and peace is not only determined by how well you relate with people you DO TRUST…but how well you are at relating with people that you DON’T TRUST.

Our ultimate trust is in God, but He didn’t put us on this earth alone.

God has also ordained it that there is little that we can accomplish alone.

Even God Himself uses His angels to relate to us…

Hebrews 11:14 (NKJV)

 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?

 God let the captives in Babylon know that though they trusted Him, they were to pray for the peace of the city in which they lived because their peace was dependent on the city’s peace…

Jeremiah 29:7(NKJV)

And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace.

Jesus sent the first disciples out in pairs (Mark 6:7, Luke 10:1)…

The apostles worked in pairs, teams and even depended heavily on the early church for help.

As much as we are interdependent on another in this life, God also warned us about putting our trust in people rather than Him…

Psalm 118:8 (NKJV)

It is better to trust in the Lord. Than to put confidence in man.

Of course we all want to be in relationships and situations with people we trust, but that’s not always possible…Sometimes we can’t even trust our own selves.

It seems it’s getting harder and harder to trust people these days.

We have families, jobs, churches, communities, organizations that we are all a part of in which to live, but the fact is that you KNOW you can’t trust everyone…

In your family…

On your job…

In your church…

In your community…

In our government…

Sometimes we go through seasons and situations when we can’t trust our spouse, children, parents or even friends…because we are human beings being human.

Do we abandon these relationships and resources because of the lack of trust or total trust?

Of course not!

Your ability to be successful, effective and have peace in your life is just as dependent upon your ability to work and relate with people you DON’T trust as well as those you DO trust.

How do you do it?

First of all trust God first. If He has you in a situation, or you have allowed yourself into a situation where trust is limited…you still have to lean on His word, truth, character and TRUST HIM.

Second pray for wisdom and discernment so you can know WHO to trust and WHO NOT to trust.

Third pray for those whom you don’t trust that they submit themselves to God through our Lord and Savior Yeshua, Jesus Christ. It’s bigger than just you or me…Ultimately it’s more about their relationship with God than ours with them.

Fourth, remain in God’s character so that you can set a standard and example of behavior and plant good seeds for God’s Kingdom. You do this by walking in the Spirit as defined in Galatians 5:22, 23.

Finally, remember that God had equipped you with everything you need for this LIFE and GODLINESS in this life, through His divine nature that is now inside you…

2 PETER 1:2-8 (NKJV)

2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 3 as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 4 by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

No you can’t trust everyone…

But,

Trust God…

Trust Yourself…

And remember, GOD IS GREATER THAN THOSE WHOM YOU DON’T TRUST.

Add this to your prayer life…”Lord give me the ability to relate with those I don’t trust.”

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

 

 

0

DON’T LET YOUR WEAKNESSES OVERPOWER YOUR STRENGTHS…

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We all have weaknesses, all of us. They may be different, but we all have them. Even that person that may seem to have it ‘all together’…who seems so strong, struggles with some weakness(es).

That’s why so many people seem so devastated when someone whom they looked up to had a weakness either become public, or diminish their effectiveness.

The difference in those individuals who seem to be…

So effective…

So confident…

So dependable…

So strong…

IS…

They don’t allow their weaknesses to overpower their strengths.

I live in a suburb of a city that is known for crime, Memphis TN… a huge weakness. Memphis also has several fun, interesting and historically significant attractions.

I’m aware of the national narrative about the Memphis area, and that’s why you don’t see trips to Memphis being given away on many game shows.

Now, there are other cities that have just as much, if not more crime, BUT they have other attractions and destinations that outweigh the crime when people are deciding whether or not visit their cities…these cities have not allowed their weaknesses overpower their strengths.

Actually, Memphis is a city that is enjoying a renaissance of development so that the weaknesses don’t overpower the strengths.

Sometimes as individuals, and particularly as Christians, we can allow our weaknesses to stifle us, or even make us feel that they disqualify us.

Let me quickly remind you of two of God’s greatest contributors to our faith…David and the Apostle Paul.

King David…

  • Was a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14)
  • Contributed to scripture with dozens of God inspired Psalms
  • Had a more than healthy sex drive (weakness) (1 Chronicles 3:1-8)
  • Had a man loyal to him killed for his wife (2 Samuel Chapter 11)

David didn’t surprise God when He sinned…God new it would happen when He anointed David. And, David’s sin didn’t disqualify him from being king (2 Samuel Chapter 12)…because he had a truly repentant heart.

Apostle Paul…

  • Originally one of the greatest persecutors of the church (weakness) (Acts Chapter 8)
  • Was not one of the original apostles who walked with Jesus
  • Appeared ‘weak’ in person (2 Corinthians 11:30)
  • Had an admitted ‘thorn in the flesh’ weakness

However, God used Paul to take the Gospel message to the Gentiles. God knew this when Paul was persecuting the church. God uses Paul to confront the worlds most powerful leader at the time (Acts Chapter 25).

Yes, you have weaknesses…

Yes, sometimes you lose battles with your weaknesses…

But, God has made the same promise to you that he made to Paul when he asked to be delivered from his weakness…

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 (NKJV)

8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

David repented…

Paul turned to God for help.

Control your weaknesses…

Strengthen them with God’s help…

But, most of all…

Capitalize on your strengths!

Make the most of THE MOST God gave you.

Don’t allow your weaknesses to overpower your strengths.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

 

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YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO IT ANYMORE…

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YOU CAN STOP TODAY IF YOU REALLY WANT TO…#encouragent

YOU DON’T HAVE TO…

You don’t have to gain one more pound…

You don’t have to give away your body…

You don’t have to make one more charge…

Watch one more obscene video…

Make/answer one more call from ‘them’…

Sent or open one more text from ‘him or her’

Open one more email…

Send one more pic…

Take one more drink…

Smoke one more cigarette…

Curse one more time…

Waste any more energy…

Waste any more time…

Cheat one more time…

Spread one more rumor…

Start one more fight…

Make one more frivolous purchase…

Insult, backstab  or undermine one more person…

Quit one more job…

Be in one more clique…

Hold one more grudge…

Do ‘IT’ one more time (you know what you ‘IT’ is)…

God has given you the power and responsibility to stop today if you want to.

Philippians 4:13 (NKJV)

 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Colossians 3:8 (NKJV)

But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.

Ephesians 4:31

 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice.

He has given you the tools to do it…

Matthew 17:20-21

 20 So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief;[d] for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. 21 However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.”

You STOP today if you REALLY want to!

Sometimes, the right thing to DO…is DON’T.

BE BLESSTIFIED!!!

 

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BE CAREFUL WHEN SOMEONE TELLS YOU GOD TOLD THEM TO TELL YOU…

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Has anyone ever come to you telling you that God told them to tell you something?

In 1st Kings the 13th Chapter, a man of God, was given a message to deliver to King Jeroboam and he was instructed by God that he was to NOT, eat bread, drink water, nor return by the same way he came. After delivering the bad news as instructed, the king invited the man of God to come home with him and refresh himself. The man of God obediently refused.

After leaving, the man of God encountered ANOTHER man of God, an old prophet, who invited him to come home with him and eat bread. Again, the first man of God told him that God had instructed him that he wasn’t to do so…But the old prophet said, “I too am a prophet, and an angel spoke to me and told me differently, but he was lying.

The first man of God, listened to the old prophet, went home with him and did just what God had told him NOT to do. To give us an example of His anger for his disobedience, God allowed the first man of God to be killed by a lion as he returned home.

1 KINGS 13:14-18

14 and went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak. Then he said to him, “Are you the man of God who came from Judah?”And he said, “I am.”15 Then he said to him, “Come home with me and eat bread.”16 And he said, “I cannot return with you nor go in with you; neither can I eat bread nor drink water with you in this place. 17 For I have been told by the word of the Lord, ‘You shall not eat bread nor drink water there, nor return by going the way you came.’”18 He said to him, “I too am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord, saying, ‘Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.’” (He was lying to him.)

Many times, people will come to you claiming God told them to tell you something. Yes, God can use others for confirmation and revelation, but we must use discernment. God won’t use anyone else to tell you something contrary to what He has said in His word, or what He has already placed and confirmed in your heart.

Pray for discernment. Pray for wisdom. Because even people who mean well can sometimes tell you something contrary to God’s will is FOR YOU. Remember Peter…

Matthew 16:22-23 (NKJV)

22 Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!”

23 But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

Peter meant well, but Jesus knew His purpose and realized that any deviation or diversion from it was not of the Father, but of the enemy.

Sometimes family members, friends and even ministers can give you some well-intended advice, insight, or ‘revelation’ from God.

The enemy sometimes disguises himself as an angel of light in order to deceive us…2

Corinthians 11:14 (NKJV)

14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

God the Father sent His Spirit in the form of a dove to confirm who the Messiah was, partly so no one else could come along claiming it is someone else…

Luke 3:22 (NKJV)

22 And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”

Please, pray for discernment, and don’t listen to a PIGEON sent by the enemy instead of a DOVE from God.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

2

HOW PRINCE INSPIRES ME AS A CHRISTIAN…

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Prince’s music is definitely a huge part of the soundtrack of my life, especially my younger days. I enjoy the genius of his artistry..He wasn’t just a singer, but a singer/performer/entertainer/entrepreneur/activist/philanthropist. His influence on music, fashion and culture is undeniable.

It’s also very evident that Prince, as we all do, had a strong spiritual side and a strong carnal side. He wrote songs that were sexually explicit as well as songs that were beautiful and spiritual, such as “God”, which was the B-Side to “Purple Rain” (for younger readers who may not know, a B-Side was another song on the opposite side of the single of a vinyl record). In fact, sometimes Prince was a spiritual paradox…again, as we all have been.

The purpose of this post isn’t to judge Prince’s spirituality or his carnality, but how both inspire me.

Many of you may be thinking, how can a man of God be inspired by carnality? Well, remember Luke 16: 1-12, “The Parable of the Unjust Steward”?

Luke 16 (NKJV)

He also said to His disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. 2 So he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’

3 “Then the steward said within himself, ‘What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg. 4 I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.’

5 “So he called every one of his master’s debtors to him, and said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 And he said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ So he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ 7 Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ So he said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ 8 So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.

9 “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. 10 He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. 11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?

Notice that the rich man (representing God in this parable) commended the unjust steward or manager. The steward acted very shrewdly in regard to the rich man’s money. Jesus proclaimed that “the children of this world are more shrewd (wiser in some translations) in THEIR GENERATION than the sons of light”. In other words, Jesus was saying that there are some lessons that Christians can learn from ‘the world’…that’s another post that’s coming soon.

When I look at the life of Prince and the way he pursued and released what was inside of him…the way he made the most of his talents and gifts… I’m inspired in my pursuit of ministry and releasing what God has placed inside of me.

Prince’s Gifts and Talents

Prince was one of the most gifted individuals of our time, THAT WE KNOW OF. I say “that we know of” because there are probably scores of other gifted individuals out there that will let their talents and abilities die with them. Gifts and talents are no good if we allow them to remain dormant…or keep them to ourselves. God gives us gifts and talents so we can use them to reveal His glory to the world, and as tools to build His Kingdom. Prince didn’t allow his gifts to remain dormant or to himself. He didn’t come from ‘money’. He wasn’t born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He didn’t allow circumstances or excuses to negate his gifts. He FOUND WAYS to make it happen…

That inspires me to do the same for God.

Prince’s Vision

God drives home the importance of vision in Habakkuk 2:1-3…

 Then the Lord answered me and said:

“Write the vision, And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.

For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come,
It will not tarry.

Prince had vision of where he wanted to go. He had a clear picture of where, what and who he wanted to be. Vision is a snapshot of how you see yourself in the future, and it is what drives you to reach the smaller goals along the way to get to your destination. No one can move with the trajectory and momentum of Prince, even through setbacks, without vision…

That also inspires me in ministry.

Princes Dedication to Perfection

In the bible, perfection in regard to man, isn’t flawless, but mature (Teleios, Strong’s Concordance). It means being ‘perfect’ for each level as you progress, as a 4th grader who is ready to be promoted to 5th grade…not yet ready for high school, but perfect for the current level. Prince honed his talents and the talents of those around him. He consistently got better, and he made those around him better. As an instrumentalist, song writer, producer, performer, entertainer, he was never satisfied. He always strove for perfection. This is what we should do as Christians. We should always be growing, maturing and perfecting the gifts and talents that God gives us…

This inspires me as a minister, songwriter, writer, husband, father, man of God.

Prince’s Boldness

It was clear that Prince had the boldness to do what he felt he needed to do to be seen and promote who and how he wanted to be perceived. Of course coming on stage almost naked, and using profanity was not good or Godly. In an interview with Tavis Smiley, Prince stated that he did a lot of things early in his career to be as “flashy” and as”noisey” as he could be to deal with and compensate for getting teased in school. He focused on getting better at what he did to deal with the pain of his past. His boldness to write what he felt, perform as he felt, dress as he felt is what gave him his platform. After signing with Warner Brothers, after being offered one of the hottest producers in the industry at the time, Maurice White, he insisted on producing himself….now that’s bold for a teenager…

This inspires me as a minister to be bold for Christ.

Prince’s Influence

Prince will always be remembered as one of the greatest influences on music, culture, fashion, expression, etc., of our time, and possibly all time. Not only did he set the standard, but he raised the bar. You can hear Prince’s influence in various genres of music. His audience is one of the most diverse of any artist. His influence extends beyond race, gender, culture and ethnicity. He has inspired artistry, professionalism, excellence and greatness in countless others that will continue to shape our world…

This inspires me as a minister, writer and man of God.

Again, this post is not to judge any aspect of his life.

Am I a fan of Prince…Yes.

Do I agree with everything that he did or the way he did it…No.

However,  we have to learn to make the most of the good and bad in all of our lives…and Prince Rogers Nelson is and will remain to be the one of the greatest influences in the life of Minister Aldtric Johnson and my ministry.

Is there someone or something that inspires you in your walk with Christ, that may make others say….”REALLY? Tell me how!” If so, please leave a reply, and tell me how. It may inspire others too.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

12

NEW DAY…NEW YOU!

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THE PEOPLE WHO YOU HAVEN’T MET YET WILL ONLY KNOW THE NEW YOU!

We all have made some bad choices and bad decisions in life. Sometimes those bad choices can define who we are to ourselves and others.

If you don’t like the person that you have been…

If you don’t like the person that are right now…

Please remember that each NEW day is a NEW opportunity to become the NEW YOU!

Once you accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, your NEW nature begins to shape, refine and define the NEW you…

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

You begin a life long process of progress…you will no longer be the person you were as long as you walk in the Spirit of God and move away from gratifying the works of the flesh that can define us, our character, our personality and ruin our testimony. 

Galatians 5:17-21

16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, 21 envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

The NEW you in Christ Jesus is the ‘you’ that is led by and displays the Fruit of the Spirit…

Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control.

Just think for a moment about the fact that there are scores of people who haven’t met yet, but will meet. There’s an innumerable number of people are destined to hear about you even though you may not know them.

These people will only know who are now…these people will only know THE NEW YOU. 

Even in Christ, we will continue to make mistakes, but remember to view each NEW day as a blessing and opportunity to ‘get it right’. 

Get it right with God…

Get it right with your ‘fellow man’…

Get it right with YOUrself…

Each day is a NEW opportunity to become the NEW you. 

BE BLESSTIFIED!!

1

WHAT DID YOU CALL ME??!!

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‘Colorful Language Ain’t Cool”

Years ago, I remember hearing, and reading Richard Pryor say after a trip to Africa, “ I ain’t never gonna call another Black man ni**a”. Now I’m in no way bringing this up to disparage Richard Pryor, but to make a point. He passionately made this statement and changed his behavior. He stopped using the N-WORD, which offends many people, but continued to use profane and vulgar words that offend God.

Colossians 3:8 (NKJV)

8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.

 Ephesians 4:29 (NKJV)

29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers

 Ephesians 5: 3-4 (NKJV)

But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; 4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks

There are many words that offend us. Some more than others. Which words offend you, in many cases has much to do with who you are.  People CHOOSE to use the words for various reasons.

It’s interesting to me how many Christians are MORE offended by…

  • The N-Word
  • The Fa-Word
  • The Hon-Word
  • The Ho-Word
  • The B-Word
  • The K-Word
  • The Sp-Word
  • The Ch-Word

…than they are offended by other profane, offensive, vulgar or even blasphemous words that offend God. Some even seem completely comfortable using the GD-WORD.

Jesus made it very clear in Matthew 12..

Matthew 12:36 (NKJV)

36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.

The words that we use and that offend us give great insight into what is in our hearts. Yes, some words are offensive racially, but God expects us to put Him even above our race.

 Galatians 3:28 (NKJV)

28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

What’s more important to you? What offends you? Or what offends God?

Let us be careful not to put what offends us above what offends God.
BE BLESSTIFIED!!!

1

ARE YOUR RESPONSIBLE WITH YOUR AUDIENCE?

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There are many celebrities, politicians, athletes and ministers who have huge audiences. They have great NAME RECOGNITION, people know them nearly everywhere they go, listen to what they have to say and even imitate their behavior. They have huge influence with their fans or followers. It’s disappointing to see what some people do with their voice and influence. Some are blessed with a social stage or public platform only to squander their voice and influence on foolishness or themselves.

We may not all be celebrities, but God has given all of us an audience and a voice. In your home, job, school, church, the park, the shopping center, in traffic, the restaurant people are watching you and listening to you. What are you doing with your audience? Many times we claim we want God to ‘enlarge our territory’ just as Jabez prayed in 1 Chronicles 4:10. We ask Him to give us more resources and influence, but are we being responsible with that we already have? Are we being responsible with those in our circle of influence, no matter how small?

How do you handle disappointment on the job?…in front of your children? 

How do you act when you get bad service in the restaurant?…or in a store?

How do you behave when frustrated in traffic?…(That one hit me!)

Do you speak up for the right things when it’s not popular to do so or remain silent? 

How do you represent yourself on social media? 

How do you dress? 

God tells us in 1 Peter 2:12 …

“Having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.” 

Colossians 4:5 says… “Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.” 

And of course In Matthew Jesus says…

Matthew 5:14-16… “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. God expects us to be His Light in the world. 

Too many people want God to move them to bigger and better when they aren’t even thriving where they’re planted. 

Are you thriving where you’re planted? 

What are you doing with your voice and influence? 

How are you perceived in your circles? 

Whether you have an audience of  one or one million, God expects you to honor Him and be light. Men, Women and Children of God…let’s be responsible with our audience.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

1

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