Have you ever been at the checkout counter in a store and realized that you forgot to get something? If youhad someone with you, you’d ask them to remain in line so that you don’t lose your place.

Have you ever left home in a rush and realized you forgot something? It’s just too much to have to turn off the car, unload all of the children, unlock the door, retrieve the item you forgot and then start your process over again. So you pull up quickly, park the car and tell the children: “Stay here. I’ll be right back!” 
What is so amazing is that we have this same mentality with the Lord. 
“Hey Lord! Sit here while I do what I want. I’ll be right back.” 

Then, we expect Him to be there, so we can pick up where we left off, without having any consequences for our behavior. We feel that there is no harm in what we are doing and that we should be able to do what we want, when we want, and how we want. Then when we are good and ready, we can come back to the Lord, get everything we desire, get back into position, and not lose our “spot.” 

“Lord stay here, while I go hang with my friends who don’t even acknowledge you. I’ll be back.”

“Lord, just a minute. This guy caught my attention. I know he says he doesn’t believe in “all that” church stuff butI  believe that I can show him the way. I can get Him saved. I’ll check him out and I’ll be right back.”

Here’s the kicker: We want The Spirit to be still, until we return; but He cannot. He moves. 

“And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭1:2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

The words spoken by the Lord and given to us, still has to be fulfilled. There are miracles yet to be performed. There is someone crying to know Jesus and not religion. There is someone who truly believes that Jesus is real but he or she just needs a real introduction. But… unfortunately, some of us have put Jesus on hold. 

Remember that checkout line? You went for one thing, passed the aisle and realized you forgot the milk. By the time you returned to the counter, your hands were filled with stuff, and your spouse or child has had to let others get in front of your position to keep the line moving.

So  what’s the point? 

Stay in line. Why chance getting passed over? By the time you return, you have 7 other spirits more wicked than the first issue you were dealing with (Matthew 12:43-45). You’re trying to get back to that place where you once had joy and peace. The other stuff just didn’t matter. You had a feeling like none other that you had never felt before; but it seems so hard. The Lord seems so far away. What if you don’t return in enough time and someone has to get in front of you or take your place, to keep the Kingdom of God progressing? 

Let’s not place the Spirit on hold in our lives. Someone’s spiritual birth (even if it’s your own) is depending on you. The Lord has mercy and grace. Just don’t allow the grace card to expire. 

“So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you are reading? And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he asked Philip to come up and sit with him. So the eunuch answered Philip and said, “I ask you, of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?” Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him. Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders Me from being baptized?” Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”‭‭Acts‬ ‭8:30, 34-37‬ ‭NKJV

We live in a world filled with thoughts of doing and having “better.”

We attend a college/university to earn a degree in hopes of obtaining a better job and financial independence. 

We seek out neighborhoods for our families so that we can feel better about their safety. 
Mobile phone companies compete to provide their customers with better cellular service than its competitors. 

Grocery/shopping stores seek for ways to market their business to attract new customers and retain the existing, by offering better deals on the products most sought after by consumers. 

You should desire better. You should desire that your children excel beyond what you’ve accomplished. You should desire better for your community. You should desire better for yourself through gifts the Lord has given you. Once you receive better what will you do with it? 

This better mentality also infiltrates the church world. Not too along ago, there were not praise leaders, and liturgical teams and auxiliaries of fine arts and children’s churches. Nooooo NOOO. If you were going to attend a church service, you were going to receive a testimony (because there is power in it and you overcome by the words of your testimony), a few hymns, the ability to pay your tithes and offering, and a word from the Lord. From ages 0-99, evvvvverryyy body gone get the same word. There were the pews, the altar, a mic, and our voices to pray and lift up pure worship and adoration to our Lord and Savior. 

Nowadays church leaders are seeking new methods, new plans, new organizations to advance the Church and reach generations who were not taught to depend on Jesus. 
Church goers are seeking an experience. They want to find a heavenly “experience” – one that will never be forgotten. It’s almost as if there is this thought of: “if you’re going to make me spend part of my day listening to what you have to say, then you need to make it worth my time.” But oh how simple minded the flesh can be. How quickly we forgot that it was the power of God, and His word ALONE that changed our lives, impressed upon us to change our malicious behavior and seek to learn more about Him.

Remember that unexplainable feeling you had when you read about Jesus? You experienced the power of God through hearing and reading His word. He made you worth His time by saving you and now your time is sooo valuable…that same word seems to not be enough- for your time. 

“He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭107:20‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” Hebrews‬ ‭4:12‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

The voice of the lord is powerful and His voice is heard through His word:

“The voice of the LORD is powerful; The voice of the LORD is full of majesty.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭29:4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

We want God’s will to be done on Earth as it is in Heaven, but we will not allow His will to be done in our lives. 

This trend of better church programs and better this and better that has a tendency to lose sight of the purpose. Do not misunderstand what I am saying. 

However your church services are conducted, the organizers should always first consult the Lord for guidance and next operate in the Spirit of excellence. The times of which we live have changed. This has also required the role of the church to change as well. So let us be clear while getting an understanding. Whatever we do, we cannot get lost in the plans or organizations. In the Bible, God said to write the vision and make it plain, but the vision had to come from Him and so it must be constructed and completed by Him, through us. 

What the Church needs today is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more, but men and women whom the Holy Ghost can use. That is when better has arrived. 

Women and men mighty in prayer. Women and men who will fight and stand up for the truth, which is Jesus Christ. 

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” John‬ ‭14:6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

• The Holy Ghost does not dwell in physical structures but through men and women and children. 
• He does not come on machinery, but on and in and through us. 
• He does not anoint pieces of paper, but men and women and children of prayer and faith in Him. 

“And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people.” II Corinthians‬ ‭6:16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Only a God – THE TRUE AND LIVING GOD can move mountains, but faith and prayer move Him, to move the mountain. Oh my God- I just got excited. Let me end this before I end up writing a book. 

We sing a song about having better coming our way. One of the versus state: “I got better coming,” but better has already arrived. We must be willing to receive it. 

“You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” Philippians‬ ‭2:5-11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Better is here. 

The name is JESUS!

Have you ever put together an event that required you to obtain an accurate headcount and make reservations? You advertise and promote for weeks, months, even years and some do not reply until the last minute.

Others are planners, making provisions in their schedule, and reply right away. You have some who may not pay attention, or the time just passes so quickly, when the event finally arrived, they show up, with the anticipation of still being able to attend.

And then…there is the few…who sign up and THEN bring some extra uninvited guests along with them to the celebration, who were not accounted for. They just “crash” the party. Not only do they crash, they expect to get in.  

A reservation means: “to make arrangements so that you will be able to use or have access to something at a later time.”

Jesus is not a party crasher. He only enters your life when He is invited.

We have to stop making reservations for sin (to do what we want), only allowing Jesus in the areas of our lives that we want Him to enter. We need His help in everything. He is our Savior, the One who can deliver us. However, He will not enter without our permission- which is our YES to Him. 

What excuses have you given Jesus for excluding Him from your life’s guest list?

“Jesus replied with this story: “A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come, the banquet is ready.’ But they all began making excuses. One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me.’ Another said, ‘I now have a wife, so I can’t come.’” ‭‭Luke‬ ‭14:16-20‬ ‭NLT

‬‬

Please take a moment to do this for me. 
Close your eyes. What do you see? What can you see? What can you not see? It’s dark. You have no idea what’s on the other side of your eyelids when you open them. You believe you will see what you saw prior to closing your eyes, but you do not know. Do you feel alone in this moment of darkness? Do you feel at peace?  Is it quiet? Or is your mind racing?

Close your eyes. You are left to deal with your thoughts, your spirit and your life. 

Close your eyes. Do you feel scared? Honestly, you are horrified because of the uncertainty and all of the questions you have now, and have had for some time. You knew it was going to happen. You just did not know how or when. You know what you have heard. You know what you have read, but realistically, you are not ready. You don’t want to. All that you have known, exists on the other side of your eyelids, with your eyes open. You are unfamiliar with the world behind your eyelids when they are closed. 

Close your eyes. What if they do not open again, and now, you’ll be introduced to something you’ve only read about? Who is going to take care your family? Your bills? There are so many unrealized dreams. So many places you desired to visit. So many unspoken words of “I love you” or “forgive me” or “let’s settle this” to those who may have been hurt by your forwardness. 

You meant well (I mean…well..to say what you wanted and how you wanted) but well was not received. After all, people know what you are all about. If a person does not want the truth, do not ask you, because irregardless of how it comes out- “it’s the truth.” Like it or love it. Take it or leave it. 

Here is an interesting thought. Not once, or  just for a moment, did you think that if you put pride down, whether you were wrong or not, that your Father would be glorified in your efforts to live peacefully with all, as He requires. Not once did you think to allow the peace of God to rule in your heart so that you may be clear to freely worship and freely compel. 

Now, your eyes are closed and they – Just. May. Not. Open. Again. 

Close your eyes. What do you see? Are you really prepared for what awaits you on the other side? Because this time, when you open your eyes, it is for eternity. Oh, and by the way, a proud look is one thing God cannot stand so surely we cannot possibly think that God will allow something He hates to abide in this new Heaven  and New Earth that He is preparing for those who are preparing themselves now. I mean seriously, if we cannot freely worship here on this earth without turning up noses and rolling eyes and murmuring and comparing and complaining about one another, do we truly believe that Jesus  will allow these acts of pride to exist in Heaven? Do we really feel we will have “groups” of people we can tolerate and others we cannot in Heaven? 😳🙆🏽

Close your eyes. Pause for 3 minutes. Imagine opening them to eternal life or eternal death. Are you ready to really receive the destiny you have chosen?

We navigate through life as if we have control over the number of days we will sojourn here. The reality is, we have no idea! 

Can you imagine going into the hospital for what you thought was a common cold or routine treatment, or for a “typical” treatable injury or symptom, to now the circumstances being life-threatening and the doctor plainly telling you that You. Are. About. To. Die?

Imagine lying on the hospital bed, sobbing, curled into a ball like a newborn child. Thoughts of why, what-ifs and what-abouts. Loved ones and friends creating Call-to-actions for prayers and hands-laid and fasting and agreements on your behalf, but it’s too late. 

If you’re reading this now, the blessing is that the Lord granted you with two gifts today: The  ability to open both of your eyes. What are you going to do with your second chance? Will you make peace now, or take a chance, playing Russian roulette with your life, to see if you are afforded the opportunity to ask for forgiveness on your death bed? 

“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” ‭‭John‬ ‭13:34-35‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Live with compassion. Be forgiving. Be kind. Be genuinely concerned. We know there are those who will twist and turn every positive thing you do into something negative but that is okay and to be expected. We are in the world. That is the way of the world. Love came into the world by way of God, through Jesus Christ- so why get upset? 

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” ‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:21‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

They are showing you who they are. Now you show them who you are. 

“Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭5:1-2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Death is real. But so is life. It’s as close to us as the inability to open our eyes again. 

Open your eyes and live. 

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭5:8-10‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

With all that is going on, I felt the need to pray. But before I do that, we must remember who we say we represent. Does it hurt? Uh yeah and being a follower of Christ doesn’t mean that we ignore what is going on. Jesus was moved with compassion. He became angry and frustrated but He also consulted with His Father to ensure that His Father received the glory from every calculated move He made. As a follower of Jesus Christ, we do not become timid and fearful when faced with adversity. If we be honest, adversity and sufferings are things we should be accustomed to, simply because of who we say we represent. We are in the world, not of the world, but definitely affected by this world’s events. 

“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.” ‭‭John‬ ‭15:18-20‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

• Fear is torment. 
• Worrying means we do not have faith.
• With out  faith we cannot please God. In fact it is totally IMPOSSIBLE. 

Jesus told us what to expect and so we must prepare ourselves. How do we prepare for astrocities and events that make us want to lay aside every moral and belief that we have to “get even?” 

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.”‭‭Matthew‬ ‭5:14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Light brings hope in a dark place. You don’t lose your light. You allow it to shine brighter. Pick yourself up, and Get ready to shine! Now is the time!!!

Remember that time the thunderstorm was so bad, that it knocked out all of the power in your area? It was pitch black. Kids screaming- scared, asking what will you all do. You had to give them some hope and diffuse the situation IMMEDIATELY. You had to remember where you kept the candles and matches/lighter (nowadays smartphones have flashlights on them but this has not always been the case). When you finally found all the equipment needed to bring a sense of calmness and relief to you and your family, you struck the match and lit the candle. That one candle brought hope. It brought hope and belief that you could maneuver throughout your home to find whatever else was needed to make your family comfortable until you were able to return to your norm- which was  electricity. 

As Christians, we give hope. Not a false sense of hope but real hope. That hope is through the word of God; however, you cannot give something that you do not have. If you cannot find hope in the word, you cannot give that to someone else. 

All is not lost. We post, talk and tweet on what we think is the answer. Whether accepted or not, Jesus is the answer. 

So, let us pray: Father in the name of Jesus. Lord we thank you. First, I have to thank you for affording us the opportunity to even approach your throne of grace with our petitions. You are God alone. You are loving and kind. You are full of mercy and grace, of which you given us an abundance of, but some of us have truly taken it for granted. We thank you that through our sufferings, we are able to show your compassion and demonstrate your love. Lord this world is chaotic right now. I know that you know this. I also know that, just as a teacher cannot offer help to a student who remains silent, so it is with you.  You have given us a powerful weapon. A weapon of prayer. Insomuch that you told us if we humble ourselves, turn from our own wickedness, and seek you, you would heal the land. Jesus I am presenting myself to you as humbly as I know how to. Lord give us guidance and direction on how and what to do. None of us had any control over the color of our skin. That was the beautiful creativity of your hands. What’s even more amazing is that we all bleed the same color. The enemy has somehow conned others into believing that one color is more beautiful than the other. But how can that be? When we are presented with a box of crayons, we utilize multiple colors to represent and bring to life the beauty of the image. If only one color is used to fill in the black and white image, the image then has no depth and its beauty becomes unrealized. We are all beautiful because you made us to be so. The enemy has begun to roar and quite frankly, you did tell us to prepare for these times and to not allow our hearts to be troubled. But, I am asking that you strengthen us for the work ahead that has to be done as you have warned us, and that you give us an insurmountable abundance of peace that can only come from you, in the midst of chaos. Lord you even told us it is okay to be angry but that we do not sin in our anger nor awake with that same anger in our hearts. We must direct our efforts at identifying who the real enemy is and moving forward on how you guide us. I recall you sharing an incident in the Bible, in the book of Joshua, where you gave specific instructions to the Israelities of what to do to make the wall of Jericho fall down; however, the Israelities had to listen and do exactly as they were told. If you are the SAME God, that is the same yesterday, today and forever, and I believe that you are, I am asking that you give your leaders the specific instructions of what to do in this country today, and that we ADHERE to your instructions verbatim. We realize that when we fight our own battles, we offend. But oh God, when YOU fight, you redeem. We are seeking redemption through you. Not revenge but redemption from the enemy and the fury he is pouring out. He has been meticulous in his efforts and has infiltrated his plans slowly but surely, through spiritual wickedness in high places. But he will not prevail. We as your children will do as you command, with Heaven’s armies standing with us, side-by-side. You have not given us the spirit of fear and so I will not operate in it. I REFUSE to claim representation of a God that can destroy an entire country and its existence to never be found, and who also is MY Father, to believe He will allow sin to reign over his people. I do realize this battle is not human vs. human- and we as your children, need to come to this realization as well. But I will NOT live in fear! Thank you for revealing these things to us and I thank you for allowing us to accomplish your will during this time of spiritual warfare. I humbly ask for your acceptance of this prayer. In Jesus’ name, amen 

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you.” ‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭1:7, 14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭7:22-23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

• We give our time to feed the homeless during the Thanksgiving Holiday. 
• We donate $1 or $2 for breast cancer awareness at the checkout counter in Walgreens or Duane Reade. 
• We give to causes and foundations for children who live in less favorable conditions. 

Even as our heart seems to all but stop when we hear devastating news affecting the lives of our friends and loved ones, and we do all that we can to help those in their time of need, we cannot simply rely on the works we do to get us into Heaven. 

You cannot “earn” a ticket into Heaven. 

“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” ‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭2:8-10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The gift of God gave us a Savior to redeem us back to Him! There’s no great activity or great work ethic we can have in exchange for this gift. 

I watched this movie once where the child grew up to be an adult and moved on to live independently from his parents. But in his quest to be an “adult” his behavior, conduct, and riotous living was the COMPLETE opposite of what his parents had instilled in him. He returned home for a visit during the holidays. His parents had already heard of the troubled and destructive lifestyle he lived, not to mention his attitude and somewhat disrespectful behavior towards then during this visit was not one they were accustomed to. Finally, having enough of the sarcasm, the young man’s dad stood directly in front of his face, stared him in the eyes and said: “Who are you? I don’t know who you are anymore.” The young man realized how he had changed. The smirk on his face became an expression of sorrow and disappointment. 

Can you imagine standing before the Lord, crying, falling to your feet at His feet, gazing upon our Savior and saying within: “I knew you were real. I knew you were there all the time and now my eyes see you. I felt your presence and I knew it was you!”

And then Jesus says to you: “Who are you?”

“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God.” Romans 8:16

If we do not have His Spirit, He does not know us.

“And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us.” ‭‭1 John‬ ‭4:13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The reason Jesus sent the people away in Matthew was not because they didn’t do enough, but because He did not know them.  

We must make sure that we acknowledge the Lord in all that we do so that He works THROUGH us and that He gets the glory, so that He knows us. 

Confidence: a feeling or belief that you can do something well or succeed at something. 

Have you ever felt confident about yourself or within yourself? Typically confidence is a sign of preparation. 

You are confident that you’ll pass the test, because you studied (prepared). 

You are confident that you’ll get the job because you know your capabilities based on your past work experience and/or college education. 

All that is great; but what about our confidence in the Lord and His word? Our confidence IN Him comes through our relationship WITH Him. 

“For the LORD will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being caught.” Proverbs‬ ‭3:26‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

The only way that we can be confident that our Father will take care of us, is if we have prepared our minds and hearts to receive the words that He has spoken to us. We cannot receive those words without a true relationship; one that requires us to listen as He speaks. 

The woman with the issue of blood (prepared) mustered up the strength she had in her weak body to get up, calculate, plan, and position herself to touch Jesus because she was confident that He could touch her situation. 

Zacchaeus prepared himself to be positioned in a tree to get the attention of Jesus as He passed by because He was confident that Jesus could help him. 

The disciples of Jesus prepared the multitude of 5000 or so to receive food because they were confident that this man named Jesus, who fed them spiritual food, could reach Heaven to nourish their physical bodies. 

Your Heavenly Father prepared a way (through His Son Jesus) for us to run back to Him and to experience life as He originally planned because He was confident that this sacrifice of love would bring His children back into His loving arms. 

Bae baeeee…if Jesus had enough confidence in you to fulfill the promise of God AND make you a promise, be confident enough to believe that He will fulfill His promise through you. 

Oh MY Savior. I may not be where I need to be in you. But this one thing I am sure of. As long as I seek to please you, you WILL get the glory out of my life. I love you with every ounce of my existence and I will not let you down. You are confident that I can and because of your confidence in me, that is enough for me to be confident in what you have placed within me, to do what you require of me to do! 

“being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;” ‭Philippians‬ ‭1:6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Have you ever watched some form of professional sports? Track & Field (one of my all-time favorites), basketball, football, soccer, baseball, hockey, tennis, the list goes on and on. Those individuals that make it to the professional teams are undeniably talented. They have a gift from God that is rare. There are some athletes who, as soon as they get in the game, can change the game. They are the game changers.

What a gift and privilege it is to have the ability to play a child-like activity and make it your source of income.

Contracts have to be negotiated. The owner wants to make sure they get what they want, the player wants to ensure his/her needs are met, and the coach wants to ensure this person is the right fit for the team. Once the contract has expired, renegotiation begins. If the player performed at or above expectations, now he/she becomes more valuable. Other teams begin to show interest, and the current team does what is necessary and within the means of the organization to keep their “franchise” player. The sports world today is discussing a few key players from the NBA like Kevin Durant, Hasan Whiteside, and Damion Lillard. Their contracts are about to expire for the teams they currently represent.

We entered a lifetime contract with Jesus, when we decided to allow Him to be our guide:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Romans 12:1 NKJV

Sometimes we need to renegotiate our contract with Christ. We agreed to no longer live a life of sin that separates us from Christ but allows us to be an example of love and to demonstrate His power through us.

God is the owner.
Jesus is the Head of Operations.
The Holy Spirit is the General Manager.
The preacher is the coach.

God saw something in you…yes YOU! He wanted to have you on His team. In fact, He saw what was in you because He placed it there! The gifts you have are undeniably from Him and will aid in building the Kingdom of God! So, you weighed all of your options, current situation (looking for a better life for you and your family) and said: “You know what? I think team Jesus is it.” You made TEAM JESUS your choice by repenting.

Your teammates (The Angels) rejoiced:

Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:10 NKJV

God gave you the stipulations of your contract agreement:

Therefore Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty. II Corinthians 6:17-18 NKJV

“Yes! Thank you Jesus! I’m ready. Let’s go!” You were on fire!!! No one could stop you! The other team (Broadway and their coach the enemy) had no answer for you! You used to be a hot head, but now you’re calm. Women were your weakness, but now you’re more focused on having a relationship with Jesus so you can find a wife. You used to give yourself to men (ladies) to get what you wanted, but now you realize that your body is a sacred and holy temple of God’s Holy Spirit to dwell in and He requires it to be clean. Of course! That’s a contract stipulation. You used to have thoughts of unworthiness, suicide and depression. NOW? You live to please the audience of one, Jesus.

And then…something happened…

Coach enemy tried a new play on you. Maybe he attacked your finances, your health or family relationships. You stopped following the designed plays (The Bible) and started trying to win on your own. The Business Owner is frustrated (because He gave you a contract where you would never lose), the Head of Operations is trying to get your attention, the General Manager keeps calling you and you won’t answer. Now you’re on the bench.

Whatever the reason, you fell off track and stayed there. Don’t stay there! Get back in the game. RENEW YOUR CONTRACT. Renegotiate for your peace, joy, temperance, love, shelter, strength. Renegotiate!!! One day at a time. Your team is waiting to receive you with open arms. You are the game changer.

#TeamLife

Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the LORD your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent and not punish. Joel 2:13 NLT

If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored— so clean up your life. Job 22:23 NLT

• Little food in the refrigerator.
• Less than a 1/4 of gas in the car.
• Not enough money for the rent.

…but God ain’t fair.

• Routine checkup turns into a heath concern.
• Parent’s social security just enough but they still rely on you for a little help.
• You’re starting to believe the mechanic intentionally rigged the car to break down…again!

…but God ain’t fair.

Did you ever think to consider that the angels may be saying the same thing about you to God?

• “God, you have given them the most of you and they give you the least of their time.
  …that ain’t fair.
• God, we see how careless they are with their food and how you decreased the bill amount due for this month, but they opted to do something else with the extra…
• We see how they eat and drink whatever they desire, putting death in their body, but expecting to receive life in return. They don’t honor their body as your temple…majority of their health issues are a direct result of them not taking care of themselves…
• We see that they murmur and complain about everything, just as the children of Israel did, unable to see the blessing of life because it did not present itself how they desired…
• We see they blame everything on you and you clearly have told them and have shown them that you are love and every good and perfect gift is from you; but the world has made them to believe that the condition of the world and all the sin within is your fault…

…that ain’t fair!”

And then, we hear our Heavenly Father’s reply to the angels, as He has already told us:

Isaiah 49:15 (NKJV)
“Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you.”

Matthew 6:25-33 (NLT)
25 “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? 27 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? 28 And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, 29 yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? 31 So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”

Don’t continue to look down, look up. The Spirit is willing and ready to strengthen you when you call on Him. There is going to be trouble. There are going to be trials as well, but we must remember this:

Life may not seem fair…but God is not far!

Acts 17:24-27 (NLT)
24 “He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, 25 and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need. 26 From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries. 27 His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him—though he is not far from any one of us.”