Happy Mother’s Day

Being a Mom requires mental and emotional energy that can sometimes feel like its completely depleted. Being a single Mom, or one without little or no support adds even more complexities. But I have learned that God and only God provides the Grace to endure those challenging times. But he doesn’t stop there he also restores 100 fold. I know that God loves all of his children but I strongly believe that God keeps a special eye on women meaning to protect them and keep them in all their ways. I believe what the angel Gabrielle said to Mary, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” (Luke 1:28 Berean Study Bible) There is nowhere in the Bible where a brother is greeted in this manner. The word of God also says “He who finds a wife finds a good thing AND obtains favor from the Lord. (Prov 18:22 NASB). Ladies you are not only a “good thing” but you provide access for favor on your husband, children, and family. As women, we have been told so much of what we are not its time for us to believe the truth of who God says we are. Lavish in how unique and beautiful God has made you. “You are altogether beautiful, my love; there is no flaw in you.” (Song of Solomon 4:7 ESV) See yourself “flawless” celebrate who God has made you to be. Believe in the word of God as it relates to your true identity and be for you not against you. Your best days are ahead, God has so many great things in store. Believe and rest in HIS individual and intimate love for YOU as you soar. 

Your True Love

I think it's a little ironic the number of romantic movies featured on a yearly basis. Even many TV series is based on the romantic storyline of the characters. I believe the film industry features love stories because it is the one thing that everyone seeks, being loved. We were created in the image of the one who is love and through that love, we find the most significant relationship we can ever cultivate and that is with Christ Jesus. Although God knew our fist parents would sin, just like he knows we will make mistakes he desires to share his love and blessings with his children. Can you think of anyone else in your life that knows you would fail but already had a plan in place to reverse the damage that you caused? Only God, and he did it for us, for me, for you. I believe if it was only Adam on the earth Jesus still would have sacrificed himself just to be in a relationship with Adam. That is the desperate, unimaginable love of God. It boggles the mind, melts the heart, and changes our lives. The enemy has perverted true love in so many ways that many of us don’t even know what love feels like, looks like, or what it's supposed to be modeled after. But praise God we can look to Jesus the perfect example who demonstrated his perfect love through the crucifixion. But you know the part the pulls at my heartstrings is what he endured before he even went to the cross, the rejection, insults, beatings, & scourging. Why wasn’t he just nailed to the cross? He did it for our healing, our deliverance he became the true sacrifice that animals could not satisfy so every sin we would ever commit would be forever forgotten, and forgiven. What a mighty God we serve! He didn’t leave one detail out every injustice and violation placed upon Jesus before he was actually nailed to the cross was significant to our well-being. The love we are all searching for that true love will only be quenched when you realize just how much God loves you. Not our flawed love for him but how much he cares for you that’s when chains will fall off. This truth is what the enemy has been fighting for all your life. He wants you to believe that you are not loved and therefore you have to settle for less. God gave you the best, his Son Jesus, and he will continue to always supply you with all things in its highest quality. You are royalty. And for the record, you are literally the love of God’s life. Let that sink deep in your spirit. You have been made the righteousness of God through Jesus Christ and nothing or no one can take that status from you. “It is finished.” 

Lies, lies and more lies….

…for he is a liar and the father of lies and half-truths. John 8:44

For most of my life I have heard lies about myself, you aren’t good enough, smart enough, the right complexion, your too big, too shy, to this, to that. If I didn’t hear it from family members I heard it from teachers, or saw it in their eyes, you know the look that says you don’t belong here, you don’t measure up, or how did you get this job? My life has been covered with lies, and when you are told a lie over and over again guess what you do, you live the lie because that is all you know. And when you live lies they are displayed in some very dysfunctional and ugly ways. I am not proud of them but acknowledge them now for what they are to me today, lies the enemy used to sabotage my life to the One that has given me truth.  We are all fearfully and WONDERFULLY made, because we were made in God’s image, the truth and the light, Jesus Christ. You are a masterpiece Child of God. Christ died on the cross and took our sin away, stood in the gap as a one time sacrifice for mankind so when God sees us all he sees is a bunch of WONDERFUL. No sin, no lies, no mistakes, he just sees you as his awesome child that He loves more than we can fathom. So when the enemy lurks from the pit of hell to whisper lies in your ear, shout back to him who you really are. The righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, light, God’s Beloved who has authority and power over the enemy, protected by Almighty God, and redeemed with a bright future that no one can take from you. Once you allow the love of God to saturate your heart knowing the Grace of God is your covenant agreement, sealed and irrevocable, you will distinguish between the lies of the enemy and your true identity outlined in the word of God by his love. Darkness cannot overtake you because you belong to the LIGHT.

Your Identity

Your identity is not tied to what you do. Your identity is tied to the one who suffered and died for you, Jesus Christ. The assignment or work is not who you are it does not “define” you. You are defined by your identity in Christ, it is the one significant truth that gives meaning to everything else. Your “doing” establishes a gratification to the flesh, your identity places you in right standing with the Father through Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit in turn gives you power, wisdom and understanding to perform your assignment. But your assignment or work does not define who you are. God defines or has already defined you and he says first of all that you are love, chosen (hand picked), holy, whole, set-apart, powerful, anointed, and just and overall masterpiece standing in right position with the Father. Knowing, but most of all believing this powerful truth in your relationship with Christ will enable you to reflect the image of Jesus which is every believers assignment. It is not in what you do that provides true meaning in your life but it is in your identity through Jesus Christ. 

Rest in the finish work of Jesus Christ that not only provides salvation but an identity that no one can every take from you. 

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. Eph 2:8

A Love Letter from Your Father

Much of what the world values is very insignificant compared to what I hold in high esteem. Our relationship is the most important component above anything else this world has to offer. You allowing me in every space of your life touching the places only you and I know about. I was desperate for your love I allowed myself to be severely beaten, insulted, and finally nailed to the cross all because I wanted a relationship with you. That one act made you the righteousness of God, you are priceless. My love for you is like no other it can not be duplicated. Our relationship is the most significant one you can ever have, cherish and cultivate it. If I went to the cross for you why wouldn’t I take care of you now? Every good gift is from me. I know what is best for you and will never allow you to fail. You are in the palm of my hands, the apple of my eye, engraved on my heart. I constantly think of you. Bring all your cares and worries to me I will handle your life its too much for you to carry. Submitting to death on the cross broke every sin and curse so that I can love you like no other. Will you accept and believe in this love and allow me to care for you?

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with loving kindness, I have drawn you and continued My faithfulness to you. Jerm 31:3 AMP

God is LOVE

I Cor 13:4-7

Many people have their perspective on the meaning of love based on how others have treated them. God being love provided us a clear meaning of true love through His Son Jesus Christ, he wanted us to know just how we are dearly prized and adored. I believe the world is crying out for God’s love and don’t even realize it. If we really focused and received a revelation of God’s love for us it would free us from the strongholds in our life that the enemy uses to destroy us. I just wanted to remind you today how greatly loved you are.

God is patient and kind towards us, he is never envious or boasts although he has every right. He isn’t arrogant in the power he possesses but always deals with us lovingly even in a correction. He is not rude by causing evil things to occur or exposing our weaknesses.  He is gentle allowing his greatest creation to make the decision to love Him. He doesn’t become irritated even when we make the same bad decisions repeatedly. He never holds our sins against us, as a matter of fact, He paid for them so we are free from judgment. He does not rejoice in our mistakes but brings us back to him in love by reminding us just how much we mean to Him. Jesus bore all sufferings, pain, and diseases in expectant hope that we would accept His free gift of Grace. Jesus love is unique and can never be duplicated its unfathomable. And although we are unable to fully understand it we seek and crave for it daily. God’s love is the only love that will fill every need and desire. My prayer is that we will “grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love Christ.” Ephe 3:18 NIV

For this reason, I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephe 3:14-19 NIV

You Are the Light of the World

The Light shines on in the darkness, and the darkness did not understand it or overpower it or appropriate it or absorb it [and is unreceptive to it]. John 1:5 AMP

Are there dark situations in your life that you are struggling with? Whatever it may be I need you to remember one thing, “you are light.” The darkness or situation will not overtake you. Your light may seem buried right now but it's still there. As you learn more about God’s love for you your light will manifest itself even more as you realize who you are in Christ. Don’t lose hope God is on your side. His love demonstrated on the cross is more powerful than any circumstance. Trust and believe that God is working for you and not against you. Give Him every situation, in exchange, you will receive peace, joy, and restoration. You will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Jesus sacrifice on the cross placed us in right relationship with the Father to receive His every promise. So stand on the Word of God today with the confidence that His light shines brightly in you overcoming the darkness.

I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you. Gen 17: 6-7 AMP