If I Hold My Peace

"Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord. Keep watch over the doors of my lips".  Psalm141:3

My philosophy has always been to speak the truth especially if it is to someone that has wronged me.  But today during my quiet time with the Lord I discovered that everything doesn't always need to be said.  My words will not necessarily work to bring about real change.  And furthermore my words may be causing more damage then healing.  As a I sat and thought about this I realized that a changed needed to take place.  This could not be an external, cosmetic change but it had to be an internal change - a heart change.

There are many verses in the Bible that refer to the tongue and how deadly it is.  How it can either build someone up or literally tear someone down.  The tongue has destroyed many marriages, friendships, and jobs.  Words don't have to be said directly to someone for them to have an affect. They can be told to someone you trust and then shared with someone else under the pretense of confidentiality.  I can't tell you how many times I have uttered words in anger and later regretted not praying about the situation first.  Oh how I wish I had.  My problem was that I thought my words were justified and that my feelings needed to be validated.  After all, this person did me wrong.  The song I sang as a child that said, " If I hold my peace, let the Lord fight my battle, I know that the victory shall be mine" was the furthest thing from my mind.  I was too worried about getting taken advantage of.  What a costly mistake!  How many times had I been reminded to pray about everything?  How many times had I told a brother or a sister in need to turn it over to God.  He is the only one who can bring about true change. 

Every morning I rise I pray...Dear Lord let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight O God, my strength and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19:14) I can only imagine how many times God has been disappointed in me.  But thank God for His grace and His mercy.  I thank Him today because He is the God of another chance.  His love is steadfast and His mercy is abundant. (Psalm 51:3)  All He is waiting for me to do is ask for forgiveness and submit to His will.  That is where Psalm 141:3 comes in to play.  In order for this change to take place I must allow God to be a guard over my mouth and keep watch over the  doors of my lips.  By no means am I allowing myself to become a doormat for mistreatment instead I am giving God the right to bring about true transformation.  One very important question I have started asking myself before I speak..."Is it necessary?"  More times than not, I have found that they are not necessary and when I make the decision to hold my peace and let God fight my battles...victory is most certainly mine. 

Most Gracious Heavenly Father, 

I need Your help.  My desire is to be used by You in every aspect of my life.  I am aware of my weaknesses and I thank You for loving me enough not to leave me the way I am.  Thank You for Your Word that is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword that has shown me once again that I need You for everything.  I can do nothing without You.  I need you to set a guard over my mouth and a guard over my lips.  Use my words to build up those that I come in contact with instead of tearing them down.  Thank you Lord.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name I pray Amen. 

Above Everything...

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.  Matthew 6:22

Above all else, seek God.   Here I am thirty-seven years old and achieving things that I never thought I could.  I used to think that these goals could only be achieved by my neglecting my relationship with God.  School books above the Bible.  Homework above church activities. A career above my family.  Not so.  Only when I learned to put God first did I really start seeing things fall into place.  It's about prioritizing.  There are so many things that can distract us.  Things that take our attention away from growing our relationship with God.  But I have learned that it was only when I put God first that everything else fell into place. 

How do we seek God first above everything else that goes on in our lives?  We acknowledge Him as Lord and Savior and submit to His will and to His way.  We spend time with Him every day.  It is not enough to simply remember Him in passing or stop by one day a week.  I don't know about you but I have never had a successful relationship of any kind that I didn't make the decision to spend time with that person on a regular basis.  Don't look at it as what you will have to give up when you decide to make your relationship with God your number one priority, instead look at it as what you will gain.  It is through daily prayer  and meditating on the Word that you receive strength to deal with the day to day trials you will have to face.  God sent His Son that you might have life and have it more abundantly.  You must allow God to perform His work in You so that you will be ready not lacking anything.  If it is peace that you need, you will find it in Him.  If you are looking for true love, you will find it in Him. You must live your life daily in His presence putting on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  Each and every day you rise a decision must be made.  How you choose to start your day makes a difference. Maybe you think it's that morning cup of coffee or that bagel that makes your day go right.  I challenge you to start your day with God and watch the difference He will make in your life.  One thing I know to be true...with God all things are possible. 
Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

As I try to make sense of my life help me to remember to keep You first.  It is only when I keep You first will everything else fall into place. There are many things that I want to achieve and I know that all these things are possible with You.  Thank you for loving me.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name I pray Amen.

Fight or Flight

Every Christian faces opposition.  It comes in many forms.  We face it in our homes, on our jobs, and even in the church.  It comes from those we know and from those we don't know.  One of the things that I am working on right now is my reaction when faced with opposition.  How do I respond? I must admit that in the past my reaction hasn't been the most positive one.  My usual response has been either "fight or flight".  Either I retreat into myself or I put my boxing gloves on.  Neither response is the best response.  So I decided to see what the Word of God has to say about what to do when faced with opposition. 

First this first, "Don't be surprised".  Remember when God asked Satan where he had come from, and the response was "I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that's going on."  Think about this.  Satan has nothing better to do that to try to defeat you.  To throw you off guard.  To keep you distracted from doing the work of the Lord.  Not only that but if you turn over to I Peter you find a similar message that says, "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour," (v8)  The devil is not playing.  There is a war going on.  So what is opposition?  I liked this definition best that says, 'a person or group of people opposing, criticizing, or protesting something, someone, or another group'.  Sound familiar.  "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places'.  (Ephesian 6:12)  Opposition!  Which brings me to my second point on what to do when faced with opposition.  "Put your armor on".  This must be a daily process.  You must have on the belt of truth. Your feet shod with the preparation of peace. The sword of the spirit.  The shield of faith.  The breastplate of righteousness.  The helmet of salvation.  One thing I have realized it that I can't fight this enemy on my own.  I don't have what it takes in the physical man to combat this enemy.   This is spiritual warfare.  Flight is never the response for a soldier in the army of the Lord.  Why not?  Because we are already victorious.  No need tor retreat.  You can stand firm knowing that you and God are a majority.  And no need for boxing gloves...you can hold your peace and let the Lord fight your battles.  Ask God to give you the words to say when faced with opposition. 

Maybe you say that you have done all these things and you are still having a hard time handling the opposition that you face.  If so, I have one last word of encouragement and that is to "Remember Jesus".  Hebrews 12:3 says, "Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart".  Reflect on this example so that you may be able to bear your trials.  Think about the hardship that He suffered while being beaten, pierced in His side, nails pounded into His hands.  Yet He endured so that you and I might have the right to eternal life.  Understand that there is great danger when we become disheartened and weary by the opposition that we face.  Satan wants to control our minds. That is why we must keep our eyes fixed on Him.  Remember God has a hand in it all.  He keeps His promises. It's okay for your enemy to think that he or she has one because you know your reward is not here on earth.  You have the 'smoking gun'.  "For we know that all things work together for the good of them who love the Lord, tot hem who are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

I know You said in Your Word that I will have to endure trials and tribulations.  I can't say that I like them and on most days I don't understand them.  Yet will I trust you Lord.  Let me not grow weary in well doing.  Help me to stand firm when faced with opposition in my life knowing that all things will work out for my good.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name I pray Amen

God Has A Plan

Do you really believe that God has a purpose for everything that you go through in life? The good, the bad and the ugly. I became a Christian at an early age. I grew up in the church. But there was a period in my life where I was sure that what was going on was working against God's plan and was not a part of God's plan.


Read Ecclesiastes 3:1-15. The very first verse of this passage says, 'There is a season for everything, a season for every activity under heaven'. Really?!?!? The writer goes on to contrast different things that made me think about my life. For instance, 'a time to be born and a time to die'. I thought about that for a moment. Before I could be born again, I had to die to self. 'A time to plant and a time to harvest'. Another pretty simple concept for me to see. Throughout most of my life I had to agree that what I planted in my spirit and my mind is what I received in return. But some of the other concepts listed were a little harder to swallow, 'a time to kill, a time to tear down, a time to cry, a time to grieve'. All of these things sounded rather painful. Nevertheless, I do believe God's word is true, so I had to figure out what all this meant and how it applied to me.

I came to one very important conclusion. Timing is important. After everything I had been through, I realized that God did not take me through those things until I was ready. Each and every trial, heartache and rocky situation had come at a time when I could handle it. Of course, I didn't think that I could. But I remembered a prayer that I had prayed a very long time ago for the Lord to use me in any way he wanted. At the time that I prayed that prayer I did not realize what that would mean. I lived a few more years and I saw that while I was changing there were times when I would look in the mirror and still see an image of myself and not one of God. So God had to try me and test me, put me in the fire, remove some people away from me, take away those things I had come to rely on more than him. But the timing of all this had to be strategically planned by God, all in his perfect will. If it came too soon then I would have given up and ran away. If it came to late then I might not have had the opportunity to help my brother or sister along the way. He had to get rid of some distractions. He had to remove some barriers.

You see every year there are four seasons, winter, spring, summer and fall. During each one of these seasons a different activity takes place. In the winter it becomes bitter cold and has the shortest days and the longest nights. It is often compared to a time of death. Then there is spring, the transition season. This is usally a time of rebirth, renewal and regrowth. It is also the season with the most unstable weather, because although summer is peaking in, there are some cold days still lingering on. Next comes summer. Summer is known as the wet season and during this time there are often food shortages before crops reach their full maturity. And then there is fall when we think about harvest time and enjoying the fruits of our labor. We usually forget about how much work takes place at harvest time. You see because right along with the good crops there are some weeds growing right next to them that must be pulled out at the root. But notice how all the seasons work together. One would not survive and serve it's true purpose without the one preceding it.


That's how our lives are. In order to move to the next season of our life we have to go through the season before it. There are no shortcuts. If you plant during the winter, it will die. If you try to harvest before the crop reaches maturity, you cut off the growth. It is not as valuable. There is a purpose to your life. Believe it! Receive it! No matter what situation you are facing, go on through it. I promise you will be better because of it!


Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

Thank you for choosing me as a part of your plan. Although I don't always understand what you are doing, I submit to Your will and to Your way. I trust you Lord. I trust you with this process of molding me into the person that you want me to be. Help me to see your divine hand working on me and help me to walk in my purpose. In Jesus' Wonderful Name I pray Amen.

Above All...

"Lord, increase my faith."  How many of you have prayed this prayer?  I know I have.  As a matter of fact, I have prayed this prayer more than once.  A very interesting thought occurred to me regarding this thought.  Do I really need to increase my faith or simply exercise the faith I have?  What do I mean by that?  It is guaranteed that God is going to provide me with opportunities to test my faith.  And my responses will usually help to determine the outcome of the situation.  I sat and thought about those times I work up and actively put on my shield of faith.  The shield that covers me for every event that I am going to have to face in life.  It is not about me measuring my level of faith against someone else's.  I believe that God has given me all the faith that I need.  Romans 12:3 tells me that.   "...God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith."  At the same time I thought about those times that I actively put on my shield I also thought about the times that I neglected to put on my shield.  These time coincided with the times I neglected my relationship with God.  My focus was on other things.  As a result when I was faced with tests and trials I was not able to withstand the pressure.

When you use your faith you take a stand to claim the results God promised in His Word.  The shield of faith stops all of those fiery darts that the enemy throws your way. What are some of those fiery darts?  It could be an impure thought. It could be a thought of despair. A thought of hatred.  These darts are swift and silent.  You won't receive any advance notice. That is why faith should be a mindset knowing that all things are going to work out for your good.  Truth be told, the rest of the armor will not function without faith.  Without faith, the Word of God is nothing more than words on a page.  You must believe.  Why do you think the Apostle Paul began Ephesians 6:16 with "Above all..."  You cannot afford to let your guard down.  Satan's primary goal is to distract you, steer you away from what you believe.  Keep you out of the Word of God.  But you must keep pressing.  Stay in the Word.  Stand firm and speak life into your situation.  When you are under attack you must stand firm on His Word.  You must know it in your heart.  You cannot afford to be easily swayed.  That is why when times are good you can't afford to neglect your relationship with God.  I learned this the hard way.  Today I want to encourage you not to make the same mistake I did.  Read the Word daily. Pray.  Ask for wisdom.  Seek the Lord.  He stands ready, willing and able to guide you into all truth. 

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

I thank You for the shield of faith.  Help me to keep it oiled through prayer and reading Your Word. I want to be able to stand against the fiery darts of the devil.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name I pray Amen. 

But Prayer

I have often heard many people say "But God".  I have a different concept that I want to share with you today..."But Prayer".  How many times in your life have things seemed all but lost but then you remember to pray.  A sea of emotions flood your mind. Overwhelmed, hurt, disgusted, afraid, angry, depressed, sad. Nothing seems to be going right.  You may be at a point of giving up.  I have often said that we use prayer as a last resort when it should be the very first this we do.  In fact we are told to "Pray without ceasing".  I Thess. 5:17  The new Living Translation says it this way, "Never stop praying".  I like that.  As a Christian we can't afford to stop praying. 

What does this mean?  It means that our prayer life should be consistent.  Nothing should come between you and your prayer life.  It also means that prayer should be uninterrupted.  You should maintain a constant spirit of prayer.  And when we do we acknowledge our dependence on God for everything.  Prayer is not about the eloquence of your words. It is more about sincerity of heart.  Don't you know that prayer is our direct communication line with God.  I recently took a class entitled "Creative Supervision".  The author of the book stressed the importance of two-way communication between the supervisor and the employee .  In fact he called it the bloodline of the relationship.  Without it, the relationship suffers.  Isn't that how it is with God?  Too often we use prayer life like my children do me.  There are days when all I hear is "Momma Can I?"  But there are times when I just want to sit down and share with them.  Just as God wishes to share with you.  He desires to be in constant communion with His children. 

Don't you recognize that power of prayer? Especially prayer made in faith.  There is no greater source of power for the Saint.  I can't help but think about that awesome time when Peter was in prison and the church prayed continuously.  The result?  The prison doors were opened and Peter was set free.  What a sequence of events all because someone prayed.  Whatever it is you may be facing in your life right now, I have to stop and ask have you prayed.  This seems to be the central theme God has placed on my heart right now. With so many things in this world that are out of whack.  From the White House to the poor house.  If you hadn't already noticed...things are out of order.  I can't help but wonder what would happen if all the saints of God PRAYED...on one accord.  We begin to PRAY for our country, our schools, our churches, our families.  I have seen what the power of prayer can do in my life so much so that my prayers are more for others now than for myself.  Yes I still use this time to thank God for all the blessings He has bestowed upon my life and to listen for direction.  I pray just to be in His presence.  There is no other place I'd rather be. 

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the privilege of prayer.  There is nothing more awesome than to dwell in your presence.  I realize how weak I am in my flesh and that I can do nothing without You.  O where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?  No matter where I am I am so eternally grateful that You can find me.  You know my voice and are attentive to my needs.  I can't help but praise Your name.  Help me to always remember that whatever the situation I can come to You in prayer.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name I pray Amen.

Do You Have A Plan?

Have you ever tried to sit down and write a life plan?  Typically people do this when they have reached that point of needing guidance in their life.  They are not sure of which way to go.   Someone had to go and ask that dreaded question "Where do you see yourself in five years"?   I had to do this as my final assignment in my Human Relations in Training and Development course this semester.  It was an interesting assignment.  The object of the assignment was for you to identify those things that you want to improve about yourself and then put together a plan of action to correct those steps.  As I begin to make a list of the things that I needed to improve. The funny thing about this list was that I had made this list before.  So why was I once again in the same place?  Or was I?

The more I sat and thought about it, I realized that I was not in the same place.  I was indeed aware of those things that I did not like about myself.  I recognized those things that I wanted to do better.  This time was different.  It was not by accident that these things were discovered.  It was through my asking the Lord to "search me and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts.  Point out anything in me that offends You and lead me in the way everlasting".  (Psalms 139: 23-24). This discovery was through my reading of the Word that is "quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to dividing asunder of the soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart". (Hebrews 4:12)  You see, in the past this discovery was done by accident.  The process was kind of rough and I went pretty much unwillingly, kicking and screaming the entire way.  The difference now is that I want to know these things.  I trust that God knows what is best for me.  He knows my innermost thoughts.  He sees my sometimes evil ways.  He knows those things about me that hinder my ministry.  And because He knows He can point them out and take me through the necessary steps to remove them.  Now I have come to know that this is not going to be the most pleasant experience but the reward in the end is heavenly.  My encouragement for you today is for you to stop being surprised at the ways God is working in your life.  There is truth behind Romans 8:28.  He is working it all out for your good.  One thing I have learned is that it is not the process but the pain that produces perseverance.  Everything that God is doing in your life is perfect.  It is achieving for you a far greater weight in glory.  I know that it is easy to look at what you see right now in front of you.  No one knows your circumstances better than you.  But I challenge you today to test your faith.  Are you relying in your own ability or in the power of God?  I must admit that my greatest failures have come when I was relying on my own ability.  The knowledge I had accumulated with the brain God gave me.  The experience I had gained through employment opportunities God had blessed with me.  My personality and the ability I have to interview well which came from a heart transplant given to me by God.  All of these things that I thought were "my own" but were truly from God. 

Maybe you feel that you are far from where you thought you should be.  May you feel that there are manmade roadblocks in the way of you getting to where you want to be.  Whatever the case I stopped by to remind you to trust God.  Sometimes it's as simple as that.  Allowing God to make the necessary changes in your life.  Allowing Him to make up the difference.  That's what it is all about.  Remember that He loves you to much to leave you the same way.  Go ahead and try to create steps and strategies to change your life.  Unless God is at the center of that plan, you are setting yourself up to fail.  How much better your life will be if you just trust God!

Most Gracious Heavenly Father,

I thank You for Your Word that directs me and reminds me that I can show you all my flaws, my innermost  thoughts, the very ugliness that I see staring me in the mirror some days, not to be ridiculed but for correction and for change.  My hearts desire is to be more like you.  To walk like you Lord.  To talk like You Lord.  I want the words that I speak to be acceptable in thy sight.  I love you Lord.  In Jesus' Wonderful Name I pray Amen.