Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Marvin Sapp Not The Time

WAIT for it

WAIT FOR IT!



Reference Reading
Psalms 27:4 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.


We live in such a Microwave Age. Everything has to be done NOW. We have to eat now, fall in love now, get everything we want NOW, and if we serve God he has to do everything NOW. The concept of waiting is foreign and drives most of us to a point of frustration. Even as I was gathering info to type this piece, the internet was draaaagging. A whole 7 seconds for my page to pop up almost made me, shut down and restart my computer (which by the way would have taken me at least 3-5 min). If I didn’t have 7 seconds, how was adding 3-5 minutes with the “hopes” that it would make it go faster save me anything? Well it didn’t. And for most of us our band-aid quick fix solutions to our life issues, only ends up costing more time and resources. We allow our appetites and fears drive us to go for the easy route because we don’t want to wait. It took time to get to where you are and wit will take time for you to get to where you want to go. The question is how do you want to spend that time? In fear and anxiety? Or in peace and faith? Either way you are going to have to WAIT.

Wait on the Lord, in Psalms 27 is Qavah, translated look for or hope for, to look eagerly for, to lie in wait for. Sounds like an antonym to our understanding of WAIT. We think wait means NO, or you’re not getting it, or you’re not ready for it. So one of two things happen, you get depressed and pray out of fear and out of sorrow because you think you have been denied. Or you prep yourself; go through all these rituals of preparation thinking that will speed up the blessing or answer. In my Madea voice, “Sat DOWN!” and WAIT. And don’t wait moping, stressing, fearing, pacing. WAIT and be of GOOD COURAGE. That means – be strong, courageous, firm, resolute. Not whiny, crying, frantic, depressed, dejected, and down trodden.

When we (people who believe God IS and KNOW God IS), WAIT, we are to be like the Buckingham Palace guards. On the outside they look like they cannot be moved. It is a tourist’s challenge to do as much as you can to try and distract them and get them to move. But they have built a reputation on their stellar ability to NOT BE MOVED no matter what is going. However underneath the uniform and outward decorative appearance, is a beating heart, a keen mind, instinct, and a highly trained guardsman eagerly awaiting for the appointed time. The only thing that moves them is a threat on the palace or their appointed time to move. They look like decorations but they will destroy you before you can take two steps beyond the line. The only thing that should move you is a threat on what you are charged to protect or your appointed time to move.

When you WAIT - eagerly expect God to do it, and be of good courage – firm resolute, it say HE will strengthen your heart and HE will exalt you, and HE will save you. (Psalms 27:14, Psalms 37:34, Proverbs 20:22). God gives provision when he has you planted somewhere to wait. He sent the children of Israel water first, then manna, then when that wasn’t enough he sent them quail. He sent Elijah to the brook to drink, then the birds brought him bread, then they brought him meat. God increased their substance while they were waiting. If you trust him, instead of fight him (do your own thing) or flight him (run from him) you will see he has provision for you in your place of wait. And he is able and ready to increase as you need.

WAIT I SAY ON THE LORD AND BE OF GOOD COURAGE AND HE WILL STRENGTHEN YOUR HEART. Please WAIT.

Enjoy this song of encouragement by Marvin Sapp, Not the Time or the Place.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Secret Faults

Reference Reading: Psalms 19:7-14

Psa 19:12  Who can understand [his] errors? cleanse thou me from secret [faults].

The word cleanse translated means empty, free, purify. The word secret is translated hide, conceal, or cover up. So in essence the psalmist is asking God to empty, free, and purify me from the things I HIDE, CONCEAL, COVER UP.

How many secret faults do we carry? How many sins (the things that causes us to stumble) do we hide? The things we do in secret that no one knows. The things we struggle with that we don’t tell anyone about. Not the big sins that others can see but the secret sins that those close to you or that know you, don’t ever get to see. The stumbling that keeps you up at night, the stumbling that makes you wait until everyone is sleep, the stumbling that you do alone because you don’t want anyone to see. The stumbling you only do with a select circle because you don’t want others you respect or that respect you to know. The stumbling that actually makes you feel ashamed and convicted because you know it’s not right.

Here is the problem. We can go to church or go through some at the moment event and think we are free, but we don’t realize the more we engulf ourselves in those faults, the more we taint, stain, and convolute our souls. We also don’t realize that he more we continue in those actions, the more we entangle ourselves and bind ourselves to those things, people, places, habits, and actions.

In Psalms 19:7, the word soul, actually means your life, being, mind, desires, and appetite. Your life, your mind, and your appetite have to be changed in order for you to experience true freedom. Like an addict or a person with a disease related to diet. They must first DETOX their bodies in order to begin a true healing and recovery process.

There are people who have diabetes, that have actually been healed from it, by simply changing their diets. When a person is first diagnosed with the common form of diabetes, the first thing they are told is that they have to change their diets. Then they are given classes and materials to help educate them on how to make better food choices. It’s one thing to eat right while you’re in the hospital, but it’s a different monster to eat right when you’re home alone, and there is no diet being forced upon you.

In that same verse, it says, "the law of the Lord is perfect," which really means the instruction and direction of God is sound, whole, and complete for the converting- turning back or returning, of your soul. To be free, you have to allow the instruction and direction of God to turn your life, mind, desires, and appetite back. The word, prayer, and counsel will help you learn the tools necessary to change your life, mind, and appetite.

That’s why he said CLEANSE me – empty, free, purify me. It’s those hidden things, those soul ties that keep us bound to habits, people, places and things that we should owe no loyalty to. Check the children of Israel. They were freed from the physical, slavery, but their souls were still tied to Egypt. In their hearts they concealed, and hid their love for Egypt. Everyone that walked out of Egypt wasn’t happy to leave. Some of them got comfortable being one of Pharaoh’s workers, handmaids, sex slaves, musicians, bakers, soldiers, etc. They liked the privileges of their roles. They got used to that appetite. That’s why they said I’d rather have garlic and onions with a whip on my back, than to eat bread from heaven FREE. How else could they sit there and watch God perform the greatest miracle their eyes had ever seen and still strip naked bow down to a idol.

DON’T JUDGE THEM. How many times has God performed miracles for you and come through for you, and you still end up in your concealed, hidden, covered sins?

God wants to heal you for real. Like the diabetes patient, you don’t have to struggle with this all your life. And you don’t have to die from complications of the secret faults. Allow the Holy Spirit to cleanse you of your secret faults. Be like Namaan and keep dipping yourself until you come up clean. Keep following the instruction and direction of God until your life, mind, and desires, and appetite are turned back to the way God intended.

Be like the psalmist in this chapter, and ask God not to allow “presumptuous sins” – arrogance, pride, insolence to have rule over you. God is giving us ALL an opportunity to come before him in His secret place to be cleansed, freed, and the reproach taken away from our names. Take advantage of this season. For when it is passed, things will be revealed and uncovered, and those secret faults will be secret no more.


Dr. Cindy Trimm, world renowned Prophetess, Prayer Warrior, and Kingdom Teacher will be hosting a 40 day Soul Fast. For more information or to participate, click the link below: http://www.trimminternational.com/readmore/thepower/soulfast.html

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Where Is Your Heart In The Matter

I had an opportunity to see Fireproof, a Christian movie about marriage. In the movie the husband was tasked by his father to do a set of activities 40 days before he followed through with divorce. The activities included things he was supposed to do for his wife and scripture readings to accommodate the activities. About half way through 40 days he became very frustrated and wanted to quit…..Sounds familiar? He called his father and angrily told him that his plan was not working and he wasn’t doing it anymore. Then his father encouraged him with two very important things: One, you can’t give what you don’t’ have, and two, where is your heart in this situation?

The son realized that day 1-20 he was just doing it with no faith that it would really work. He did it so he could say , see, I did what you said and it didn’t work. While part of him had a slight inkling that it could, the heart of him believed that it really wouldn’t. This reminded me of Naaman when Elisha told him to dip in the sea 7 times, and he got angry saying “that’s your solution!” Naaman was angry for quite a few different reasons, including the fact that Elisha didn’t even come to the door, but more importantly of all the solutions he could come up with, he asked him to go dip in a dirty river! (2 Kings 5:1-14)

Like the husband in the movie, when Naaman dipped the first few times, he did it grudgingly, and believing that he was a real person he did it with a few choice words and a disgusting attitude. It wasn’t until he pushed passed how he felt and kept dipping that the change occurred. Like Naaman the husband in the movie ended up saving his marriage and being healed. There came a place where they took their eyes off the situation and begin to trust . So much that they didn’t even care if it didn’t work, they found a significant peace in surrendering and believing.

We have to transition to a place of peace in surrendering that we trust God more than our situation. Many of us act out of desperation of a thing, person, or situation rather than in total surrender to God. We make unheard of sacrifices to acquire or maintain something or someone, but won’t make those sacrifices for what really matters. In the movie, the husband was a fireman who saved people all day. He risked his life to rescue a girl, but would not put down his pride to rescue his wife. Naaman was a great soldier who risked his life to save Aram. He was willing to bring great riches for a cure, but would not but down his pride to dip in a river. Think about the sacrifices you are willing to make but when God gives you simple instructions, you rebel. He says fast you cheat, but you will work an entire 12 hour shift without taking lunch????? Where is your heart in the matter? Are you going through this Christian walk because it is socially acceptable to, or is your heart towards really walking after Him and seeing his will be done on earth as it is in heaven?

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Character Challenge

Character Challenge: Find one person who you normally don't speak to and genuinely ask them how their day is going? Wait for a response, and respond positively.



You never know where a person is in life, a simple hello and smile, or the feeling that someone genuinely cares, can change a person's day or world.

Monday, June 14, 2010

What Do You KNOW?

It is said that the mind is the most powerful tool. However I recently learned it’s not just the mind, the head, the conscious entity, but it is also the heart, the subconscious entity that rules. Brian Klemmer, an International Leadership and Character Development trainer, explained in one of his trainings that if the heart doesn’t agree with the mind, you can know something and still not do it. The word know as it often used is used being “aware” or “to have knowledge of,” that is head knowledge. But when the bible speaks of know, it means to know by experience, revealed, or made acquaintance with, which means to know by head and heart. This term is often used in the bible to explain sex, because it is an intimate understanding of something that comes in and goes out, exchanged, and experienced.



How many people know how to eat right, but don’t? How many people know the relationship is unhealthy but stay? How many people know the activity is illegal but do it anyway? How many people really believe they are who God called them to be and act like it? When you know something, not just aware of it, but have become acquainted with it, it has been revealed, perceived and imbedded inside you act on it. When you knew in your mind and heart that Christ was Lord, you acted on it, you got saved.


The goal of the enemy in this hour is to challenge what we know. That’s why the scripture says, FORGET NOT THE LORD….and FORGET NOT HIS BENEFITS. When Jesus was tempted in the wilderness, (Matthew 4:1-11), the first the devil said was, “If thou be the Son of God….” Jesus was hungry, tired, stressed, and by alone, and the first thing the enemy says if you are who you say you are, then feed yourself. But Jesus knew (head and heart knowledge) man cannot live by bread alone. Then the devil said to Jesus you know (head knowledge) if you through yourself off this mountain you won’t die angels will run to your rescue. But Jesus knew not to tempt God. The devil knew who Jesus was and Jesus knew who the devil was, and in his final temptation he said look since you’ve come to be a king, I will make you king over all the kingdoms of the world if you bow down to me. But Jesus knew, that only the God was worthy of worship and his purpose was to be King over more than this world. Furthermore, he knew that this tough time was but for a little while to fulfill a greater purpose. So he did not give in.


The problem is many of us are aware, but we don’t know. If you know God is your provider, then a job loss is not an end to provision or a place of hopelessness. It means that God has chose another route to provide. If you know God has plans for you, plans to prosper you and not harm you, then a deal that didn’t go through is not rejection, its protection for future woes you could not see. If you know God is a healer then a bout with sickness is just an attempt to get you off track, and you God will not allow you to die a day before your time. If you know no weapon formed against you shall prosper, then you won’t worry but trust God even to the final hour. If you know God is your peace, then you will go to sleep at night and stop stressing. The enemy wants to pressure you to give in.


I was told of the story done by a university on heart disease. They took two groups of pigs and induced heart disease on both of them. They put one group in a pen with relaxing music and in a peaceful setting. The other group was put in a pen in a stressful environment. The stress – dogs on a leash with ferocious barking. Sad to see that within weeks all the pigs in the stressful environment died. And all the pigs in the peaceful environment lived. Don’t die because of a dog on a leash. As with Job and with Jesus, the enemy can only pressure you to give up but he can do no harm to you. All he can do is occupy your mind and influence your thoughts and make you stress yourself to death. As with Eve when she was tempted he put the words in her thoughts and she went and got the fruit and ate it. It never said the serpent knocked it down, chopped it up and served it to her. She had head knowledge of what was right but her heart did now KNOW what God said so she ate it.


Now is the time to act on what you KNOW and believe with all your heart. Above all else, guard your heart with all diligence for it is the wellspring of life (Proverbs 4:23, NIV). If you guard your heart it can agree with your head and you will live your life as if you KNOW who you are, whose you are, what you can do, what you have access to, and what His plan is for you. If you know in your head but are having trouble knowing in your heart, ask God to reveal to your heart what you know in your head.


Enjoy this song by William McDowell, I Give Myself Away.

I Give Myself Away



William McDowell, I Give Myself Away