Everything Old is New Again

As we age things become routine. We begin to take the people around us for granted. We begin to rely on the alarm waking us up, the coffee, the car starting up, the school bus, the traffic, the normality of life.

We see the same people struggling with addiction, with pain, wrestling with the devil--maybe we in some ways too are that person struggling with an unkind past of poverty or abuse. Yet somehow God reaches into our normality and He calls us to become new.

1 Corinthians 13 reads:

1Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
9For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
13And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity

Verse 11 reminded me of my age, but as I thought about my age I pondered if I had really put away childish things as the writer described. Or had I instead pulled childish things into my adulthood with me. Had I toted selfishness and self centered behavior into adulthood? Had I held on to the grudges to envy or jealousy that I used to entertain? Was I still as blind as I was as a child; as intolerant and unopened to others? Was I still as judgmental? Was I still as naive?

I started writing this blog today because God revealed to me that I CAN and am still learning and changing. Growth is slower. It takes me longer to realize my bad habits and my biases. It takes the shock of preaching, the thoughtfulness of teaching and the steadiness of discipleship for me to recognize my lessons now. But God revealed to me that I CAN and I am still learning and changing.

I used to think it was all about my own salvation, but more and more when I see hurt people I know that it's about extending myself in someway to persuade someone else that Jesus saves. It's about enduring with patience to be an example. Its about pressing when I don't want to--not for me, but so that I don't miss the divine appointment that God has set up--that juncture where someone will share their story and ask me to pray with them. I don't want to miss any more. I don't want to miss any more opportunities to tell others about Jesus. I found my mind racing today to tell another woman about the WEW meeting. I searched my mind to remember people that I had invited to church before that I hadn't seen in a while. Do I still have their numbers?

What does the totality of my experiences, my knowledge, my struggles or my life mean if I live it all without extending love. When I was a small child I once heard my Grandpa say "Loving somebody doesn't mean anything if you never get the love to them." How can I pass up one more person without sharing Jesus? When I was a child, I talked like a child out of ignorance. I could only comprehend what I was mature enough to handle at that time. I thought as a child because I had no other experience. But now that I'm grown I have learned to put away my childish ways. It's high time that we move into the rich destiny of the calling on each of our lives--out of the darkness and into His marvelous light. Once in the light we should walk in the light as He is in the light. He loved. He taught. He shared. He cared. He healed. He relieved people of their burdens. He cast out devils. He performed miracles. He sacrificed. He developed people. He gave. He laid down His own life so that we could freely receive salvation.

I'm growing up. I'm maturing in Christ. I CAN still learn and change. I can make a difference. I can touch somebody who's hurting. I can share that Jesus is still saving.

God Will Post a Guard Around Your Heart

Good morning. The Bible establishes that God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, love and of a sound mind. Yet there are times in our lives that we can be plagued by fear. For some of us it's because of generational curses, abuse, mistrust or misuse. Whatever the reason the Bible provides a real answer for how to overcome and eradicate the spirit of fear from our lives. Philippians 4 1:11 provides the solution:

1 Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved. 2 I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord. 3 And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life. 4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say , Rejoice . 5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 9 Those things, which ye have both learned , and received , and heard , and seen in me, do : and the God of peace shall be with you. 10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again ; wherein ye were also careful , but ye lacked opportunity . 11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned , in whatsoever state I am , therewith to be content.

Verse 6 encourages us to not fear. The New King James translation uses the term be anxious for nothing. There's no need to live a life held hostage by fear. You can live in the No Fear Zone when you follow the advise of the scripture above. Let's see those steps below:

1. Let God know all of your requests. The first step in eliminating fear from our lives is to tell God everything. We should communicate with God all of our desires, goals, ideas and dreams. The scripture tells us that we can do this through prayer, supplication and thanksgiving. Prayer gets God's attention. Supplication is petitioning God or earnestly expressing to God what you want. It's your opportunity to explain your need. We must also make our requests know through thanksgiving. We must thank God for what He's already done. We must approach Him with a praise that shows Him that we know that He can and He will move on our behalf. We must have the perspective of David or of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego that our God can deliver us--even if He doesn't, we won't lose our integrity, we won't bow down to the enemy because we know that we know that we know that we know that He is able!

2. Once we have made our requests known then the peace of God, which passes all understanding will guard or keep our hearts and minds through the power of the Son, Christ Jesus.

3. We must use our mental capacity to think about things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report; virtuous, and worthy of praise.

4. The last thing that Paul admonishes in this text is that we apply all of the things that we have learned and all of the things that we have observed through the example of our leadership. He expresses that those that he's writing the letter to must have had a problem with fear, but that he has lived an example of how to force fear out and replace it with the peace of God.

If we are careful to do all of these things then we can win the battle of the negative emotion of fear. We can oust the spirit of fear and we can rest in the peace of God. We can cast our cares, our fears or our worries upon Him because He does care about us.

Read Hebrews 4:15-16. We must realize that God does not want us to be down. He does not want us to be plagued by fear or to live in a constant state of worry. That is why He sent His Word to encourage us. We've got to hide the Word upon the tables of our hearts because as Bishop Woods has stated, it is a mind game and a heart thing. Those things that we hold in our hearts become our outcome.

Be encouraged today that you CAN overcome the spirit of fear through prayer, supplication and thanksgiving!

You Ought to Take it Personally!

St. John 10:10 reveals, The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Bishop Woods continued Bible Study last night on the attributes or the character of the mind of Christ. Philippians 2:5 admonishes to let this mind be in us that was also in Christ Jesus. With that mind God can expand our capacity to handle more--more blessings, more evangelism, etc. With the mind of Christ God will increase our ability and allow us to have room to prove our capability. With the mind of Christ we will do right because it's the right thing to do as we exercise our integrity. With the mind of Christ we will learn to be still and see the salvation of the Lord. We will be able to endure and to keep pressing toward the mark!

Toward the end of the Bible Study Bishop Woods introduced two internal forces that can and will quench your gift(s). These are the spirit of discouragement and the spirit of offense. Have you have been feeling down, like no one cares about you, or have you been stewing in a past hurt and you are right now in the middle of feeling like someone has harmed you in some way? Do you feel stuck like you can't make any forward progress? There's a reason for that and it's most likely because of these two internal forces.

Make no mistake that the enemy is less concerned about "what" distracts us and more pleased that we become distracted from expanding our capacity, maximizing our ability, utilizing our capabilities, exercising our integrity and standing in our stability. God wants to us to have greater room inside and outside. Therefore, you ought to take it personally, that the enemy wants to steal your joy, kill your gift and destroy your soul. He wants to remove your potency, your influence and your effectiveness. You ought to take it very personally, that he wants to run roughshod all up in and through your home. He wants to steal for your future and the hope that God has for you. He wants to silence your praise and hold up your blessings. He wants to block your healing and hinder your testimony. So yes you ought to take his attacks on your life very personally. You ought to take his attempts to keep you, your friends and your loved ones in bondage personally. It should make you want to fight your way out and through. It should make you want to break out and break through from the chains of bondage into the liberty that Jesus is calling us into!

I admonish and encourage you today to realize that there is an answer and it begins with you. We have to recognize when we are under siege. See some of us are unable to get out from under the blows of the enemy because we refuse to admit that he keeps knocking the mess out of us. We don't want to admit that we've succumb to his tricks--like the spirit of discouragement or offense. We don't want to be viewed as that Christian who fell for Satan's lies. But believe that the enemy will continue to whoop up on you as long as you allow him to.

I thank God for Bishop Woods' boldness in ousting the spirit of Jezebel and the spirit of Absolom! Those spirits were oppressive, binding and blinding. And I truly believe that anyone who spends a whole lot of time in hurt, offense, depression, discouragement or disappointment makes himself or herself vulnerable to an attack from the spirit of Jezebel or Abosolom. Read these scripture passages and get those Bible Studies! Jezebel and Absolom started out from a place of offense. That offense escalated in their minds and created a divide between them and those that they were offended by, but ultimately between them and God. These individuals decided that they could handle the situation themselves and by doing so invoked spirits that still thrive in our society today.

The Bible, in Matthew chapter 5, gives us clear instruction on what to do when we feel offended:

22But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. 23Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; 24Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

As Christians we want to keep up appearances. We want to show up taking our sacrifices to the alter like everybody else knowing good and well that before we got to church and as soon as we leave we are talking about what folks have done to us or how we feel hurt and wronged. Why is it that we want to look right but we don't actually want to get right? Until we learn to be right the enemy will keep on hitting us upside the head. We have got to learn to swallow our pride and apologize sincerely. We have got to learn that love covers a multitude of sins. We can do this! Relationships can be restored. We can get along. We can work together to build the kingdom and to run with the vision. Bishop and Pastor have enough capacity to love all of us. It is what they have been anointed to do. They can handle it! And we can handle all that God has promoted us to do. This about kingdom work and advancement. We have to change our focus and lose some pride.

Today's reading might be cumbersome, but please take to heart the message. We are not fighting with carnal weapons. In fact our weapons are so mighty that we can tear down and destroy strongholds as Bishop Woods has proven. Sometimes the easiest way to defeat the attach of the enemy is with an apology or with reaching out to explain to someone that they have offended you, reconciling with that person and moving forward. We cannot continue to allow the devil to rob us. We just don't have the time. It is time to mature, to get in order, to be discipled and to work.

Take it personally that the enemy wants to sift you as wheat. Once you recognize the enemy's games, his tricks and his intent you can come to the realization that perhaps you've been influenced by the spirits of discouragement or offence. When you realize this then you know how to fight. If that means fasting, praying, seeking assistance from Bishop and Pastor Woods, going to your brother or sister and reconciling and spending more focused time in the Word of God and in His presence with praise and worship then do what you have to do so that you can move forward. So that you can take back some things. So that you can influence and impact again. So that someone else can overcome by the word of your testimony. So that someone else can be reconciled to the Father. We have much work to do as the harvest is ripe.

The Great Divide--Bridged

This morning I was considering the following scripture:

Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

It occurred to me that maybe I've been taking God's plan for me for granted. I've been resting in the salvation that He freely gave me. I've been hesitating to trust who He made me; often doubting myself. But in the middle of these thoughts this scripture came to me. It was one of the first passages of scripture I can recall reading on my own as a child. As a young one reading this it meant the whole world to me that God counts me as His child. But now as I'm knocking on 40 years old, it made me ponder the scripture more deeply.

God is at enmity with sin, which means then that because of my sin nature there would have been no way that I could have overcome the divide between us. It would have been like God having a restraining order against me. But His love--I'm about to cry writing this today--His love was so deep for me that He couldn't bare to have this divide between us so He made a way, He made a truth through the life of Jesus Christ. Jesus became my propitiation--making a straight path for me to enjoy a relationship with the Father. I can get to God through Jesus! The sacrifice that God made for me encourages me to realize that He made me who I am so that I can do what He's called me to do. As I do what He's called me to do--just as I am--in my weakened state--His strength becomes perfect so that He can get the glory by someone else being reconciled to the Father through what Jesus has done! There is a way to Him. It's like we were lost wondering in the darkness, separated from God and unable to repair the gulf between us, but Jesus became my salvation. He became my brother and as Bishop Woods so eloquently put it, Jesus--my big brother--seeing my situation and how I was living, went to God on my behalf and asked God to adopt me--to take me in--to save me. God listened to Him and now here I stand folded into the body of Christ and swallowed up in the love of God.

So when we say our ministry movement is a bridge--we are simply mimicking the Bridge--Jesus. We are doing all we can to touch a sinner; an unchurched, a backslidden, one of those ones that Jesus was sent here to reconcile. We want to lead them--through the testimony of what He did for us--into the revelation of a true and personal relationship with Jesus. A relationship that makes that person a brother or a sister with Christ. A relationship that allows Jesus to again and again go to God and ask Him to adopt another and another. That's love that can bridge an insurmountable divide. Not only does it make me part of a family of redeemed, but it entitles me to the promises of God.

Thank you Jesus for being my savior. Thank you for adopting me. Thank you for reconciling me. Thank you for reaching way down to pick me up. Thank you for empowering me through discipleship under my Bishop and Pastor. Thank you for bringing me to the understanding that when you saved me--it wasn't over, but you commissioned me to tell somebody else about the good news of how YOU SAVE! You are yet saving. You are yet beckoning for more.

Be encouraged today realizing that what God has done for you is to make you a son and a daughter. You are bought with the ultimate price. Now it's time to take back the Kingdom with the force of your testimony, of your living and of your heart's desire to become a bridge for someone else!

What We Have Here is a Failure of Confidence

Philippians 1:6 states: Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

There are Christians who do not hold on to this promise. Life's circumstances toss us to and fro and the enemy introduces thoughts of doubt that find a foothold and grow in our minds. As Bishop Woods stated Wednesday, Its a mind game and a heart thing. What we ponder and think about obsessively we eventually will say, when we say it there's the opportunity for those words to turn into actions, then those actions can so easily become habits and those habits will then make up our character and finally we have planned out our destiny. God wants us each to have more abundant life.

If He started a ministry in you why aren't you confident that He will give you the provision to fulfill your vision? Too often we get side tracked by mole hills. A mole hill would barely be noticeable if it had grass on it yet we can become so fascinated with them that they begin to look like mountains that we cannot simply walk over or around.

This is why it is imperative that we change our minds and that we hide the Word of God in our hearts. Bishop Woods shared the characteristics of the mind of Christ with us. Those are:

Capability

Stability

Ability

Integrity

Capacity

I was talking with a friend last night and she confessed that when she lost a coveted director position a few years ago, she initially started looking for another directorship. That's what she felt she deserved--what she had earned. But she couldn't find that kind of position anywhere. No one wanted a director. So she found herself having to take on what seemed to her at the time to be a lower level position. Soon after though she was blessed to obtain another position a bit higher, but still not her former directorship.

She then came to the recognition--to the glory of God--that the two positions that she held that she felt had been lower level positions in fact prepared her for her current position by providing her with experience that she had not and would not have gained as a director. God wanted to expand her capacity. Sometimes we get so caught up on the title and on the pomp and the circumstance of a matter that we neglect to gain the experience that God wants us to have so that He can elevate us to another level. Therefore, He will provide a wake up call--because He loves us so. He'll shake us up to shake some stinking thinking off of us.

The point is that we must change our perspective--how we look at the trials, the tribulations, and the sheer experiences that happen to us in life. We have to begin to look at each as though they may be a challenge, but they are not going to wipe me out. There may be some struggle, but I will not be overcome, instead I will be an overcomer. What may at first appear to be a step back is really a stumble forward into the opportunity for God to prove our ability. We can't know what we can take or what we can do until we are presented with the challenge.

God wants qualify you and give you capability so that there will be no question that your promotion came from above. When God promotes you spiritually, every other area of your life begins to fall in line and come within His order. Stop looking that negative things negatively and look at them positively. There is an outcome that is ultimately for your good. Use your integrity to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord rather than to seek a way to side-step trusting in in Him.

Do not cast away your confidence in the Lord--therein lies your faith and we build our faith by hanging on to our confidence and our hope. Are you struggling with this concept? Then simply do this, the next time you find yourself questioning if you can make it, if you can pay your bills, if you can buy a house or a car, if you can find a new job, if you can do what God has already predestined and preordained for you to do--just remember some things that He's already done for you.

Remember, like David remembered all of the times that God strengthened his hand. God has done some magnificent and marvellous things for us. Remember those things and give Him glory. Then make it up in your mind that if He never does another thing for you--He's already done more than enough. Once you find yourself in this stable place then you will see your mind begin to concentrate on things that are lovely, that are good, that are pure and of a good report. Next thing you know you begin to open your mouth and give God praise. Then you're waving your hands, stomping your feet and putting action with your faith. Then your active faith becomes your habit and eventually your character. When people see you they will know that you are a woman or a man of faith. Then faith and trust in God becomes your destiny and all the things that you thought you may have wanted fall in line and in order with God's Word and His will. You want what He wants for you and as a result you have what you asked of God.

That's how you praise our mighty God in advance. You praise in the morning--just because. You praise Him in your car--just because. You praise Him when bills are due and you have no way to pay--just because He's Jehovah Jireh.

Be encouraged today to count on your confidence knowing that God has begun and will complete the good work that He has started in YOU!

SDV (Spiritual Dimension Vision)

Everything visual these days is moving to 3D. We have 3 dimensional movies--which are very expensive--we have 3 dimensional televisions, 3 dimensional video games and 3D phones. People are so excited about seeing something extra, but in fact what you are really seeing is a distortion--not another dimension.

God wants us to see with our spiritual dimension vision. That's an advantage of being saved. When you are a sinner you can only see things as a sinner, but when you become redeemed and can say so, you now have a different perspective, thanks to a Holy Ghost paradigm shift. Romans 12: 1-2 says it best:

1I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

2And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

SDV allows the discipled Christian to mature knowing that although tragedy befalls me--what the enemy meant for bad, God has moved heaven and earth to make that thing work out in my favor. Even in the midst of my struggle and in the middle of my storm, I can have peace that passes all understanding because of the way I see things. When there's trouble on the water, Jesus stands there in the water beckoning me to come out there with him--just like He did with Peter. He wants me to keep my focus and my eyes trained on Him. He wants me to trust that in the midst of it all, He is my source. God is the strength of my life--whom shall I fear and of whom shall I be afraid? No one can pluck me out of His hand and no one can change His will for my life. I am who He says that I am and I have the promises that His Word extends to me.

The enemy's job is to steal, to kill and to destroy. He wants to hold up the blessings and the anointing that you've been praying and longing for. He wants to cloud your vision with false realities. Reality is what you experience in your relationship with the Father. The enemy wants to distort the very revelation of the Word of God for your life and if we are not careful we will revert to regular old natural vision. We will look at people and their actions instead of praying in the spirit for them and for ourselves. We will look at circumstances and feel helpless and hopeless, instead of looking to the hills and keeping our heads lifted so that the King of Glory can rest in our situation.

When you move into SDV you become purposeful and serious about your praise. You understand that your praise is a warring spirit. As a matter of fact the fight that you launch into the spirit realm when you open up your mouth, lift your hands and give God praise here in the natural is a like putting 1000 enemies to flight. If you touch and agree and pray with another, its like chasing 10,000 enemies away. Why do you think the enemy works so hard at dissension and division? Because in the spiritual realm our praise is exponentially magnified when we agree because where two or three get together God comes to dwell in the midst. With your SDV you begin to see the movement of the enemy more clearly. You see that he wants to take your blessings, steal your joy, mess with you family, and hold up your anointing. The the devil is a liar! He can't stop nothing! King David was so serious about his praise that he danced out of his clothes. When you begin to see that the enemy has it out for you, then you ought to have a King David type of praise because the fact is that we need to get what God has for us by any praise necessary. If that's an advanced praise, then count me in. If that's a shabach, then count me in. If that means I've got to open my mouth to give Him all the glory that He is due, I'd wish I had 10,000 tongues and that wouldn't even be enough to Thank God for who He is and for what He's done.

Your praise clears the path for your blessings to come to you that's why we sing when the praises go up, the blessings come down. Your praise also opens up a channel for you to communicate directly to the Father. Yes communicate. For the most part when we pray we spend a great deal of our time talking to God, but not listening to God. Our prayers are like dialing up a friend, saying everything we want and need to say and then hanging up before they can even say hello. But praise helps us to understand that we have two way communication with the Father. He wants to speak to us and to give us instructions on how to release and to receive what He has for us.

Be encouraged today to change your perspective. Do you have a debt that you know you cannot pay? Good. Here's your opportunity to understand that God is your source and your resource. Give the situation to Him. Don't limit Him by thinking of all the ways you could handle the situation--who you could borrow from, how you could get an extra job--please don't do that. Instead begin to praise Him in advance and begin speaking into that situation as though it is already taken care of--as if the debt were already paid and you have moved on to the next thing because we must speak those things that are not as if they already were. Get serious about your praise on this day! Use your God given SDV. Be encouraged to praise your way through. Keep your eyes trained on God.

No Child of God Left Behind

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9.

Those of us who believe and trust in God often enter into phases of our lives, our walk with God or our ministry where we begin to feel like we are losing ground or being left behind. We feel unproductive like we cannot get traction. This is not an accident.

This morning when I awoke God told me I'm in my chrysalis stage. I researched that term. It is one of the metamorphic stages in the life cycle of certain types of insects like the butterfly. It interested me that God told me this was where I was right now because I've been longing to understand why I can't seem to get anything done. As I began to read about this stage I understood that I'm in a place that isn't about what I can do. Rather I'm in a place in my life where God is proving to me what He and only He can do! He speaks to me and tells me to be still and know that He is God.

The insect in its chrysalis stage cannot move. It must wait. It must be patient. It will not become what it needs to become by thinking, doing, moving or with any effort of its own. The work can only be done while it is still. I thank my Bishop for letting me know that I've got to let go of some things so that I can be still and allow God to work His perfect work in me as an individual.

The insect in the chrysalis stage is defenseless on its own and needs protection. The reading stated that the insect is first camouflaged. It is hidden. Some are protected by other types of insects like ants, while others are protected by their parents. I took that to mean that while we are in this growth stage our job is not to try to defend ourselves--we are tasked only to be still to allow God to hide us under His wing. He will send others to speak up for us. He will allow those who watch for our souls to continue to cover us while we develop and grow. We will be loved and nurtured without effort on our own part. We must just accept it.

Sometimes an insect can go into a state of dormancy while in the chrysalis stage. The reading explained that sometimes the insect has not reached the right season and instead of losing all, the insect slows development. This dormancy can last from a few weeks to a few years. Isn't this just like us? We fail to understand that we may have great gifts within us, but those gifts are meant for a specific time and season and application. God would rather that we slow down and develop under His loving tutelage than to waste the potency of our gifts. What God has revealed to you in your heart and in your mind will come to pass. by faith--you child of Abraham. Do not be afraid of your dormancy. God is not through with you yet. One last point about the dormancy stage. The reading mentioned that the insect will go into this stage during the roughest times of its life. God will allow us to go into this stage when the events of our lives begin to tip toward unbearable. He promised that He wouldn't put more on us that we could bare. So we go into dormancy to be in a place of protection.

Finally, there is the emergence from the chrysalis. It was interesting to me that the reading stated that most insects emerge from their chrysalis in the morning. That reminded me that weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. Realize today that God isn't leaving you behind. You are simply in your chrysalis stage. Be developed. Allow God to groom you, to mold you, to make you and to change you. What emerges will surprise even you. If you wait upon the Lord, He will renew your strength. You will mount up on wings like an eagle, you will be able to walk and not grow weary. You will be able to run and not faint. You will be able to pray and commune with the Father. You will be able to endure more. You will be able to discern more. You will be more graceful. More patient. You will have the fruit of the spirit. Your ministry will bloom. Your gifts will make room for you. Be encouraged today! God wants to bless you. He knows the plans that He has for you. Plans to give you a hope and a future and not to harm you.

Stay in your chrysalis until God allows your break out and breakthrough. Be ready for the new you!