If you’ve ever read or tried to read the book of Job you probably stopped somewhere in the middle because it’s a long, confusing and I must admit boring read. For me the summation of this book in the Bible was good enough – God allowed Satan to take everything from Job except his life; Job kept his trust in God and was given double for his trouble – the end. Yesterday my co-pastor preached a message from the book of Job that put that scripture in a whole different light for me. She started with the chapter and verse that gives the plot of the story (Job 1:1-12) and then she went to Job 42:10; it was here that she blew it out of the water. Thrice she said “prayed for his friends.” As I was leaning towards reminding myself that I needed to pray more for my friends it hit me who the “friends” were that Job had to pray for. These “friends” came to Job with ill advice – you know the kind – they are the “if it were me” kind of friends. We all have them and maybe at times we have been one of them. “Prayed for his friends.”
Before I give away the title of her message I have to share how God gave me the correlation and the revelation this morning between her message and my morning prayer. For years now I’ve always included these words in my prayers, “God, I pray for my family, my friends, and even my enemies.” I don’t know when or why it started but it has become a ritual. Maybe it started because at one time my enemies were once my friends – hmmm I think that’s it. “….and even my enemies.” Don’t get me wrong praying for your enemy takes skill. I first had to find a place to put my tongue; the roof of my mouth, in my jaw, somewhere away from my teeth to make certain that I didn’t bite it. It was hard…Every time I thought of what turned my friend into my enemy praying for them was the last thing that came to mind. Every time I thought of them in general my heart hardened and I thought more of vengeance than of prayer. “God, I didn’t do anything to deserve this, I’ve been nothing more than a friend. Why me?” I prayed more for myself. My aunt (God rests her soul) counseled me often giving me a scripture that made my enemies my footstool. “Read it everyday,” she would tell me, “and see how God will handle them.” She was right.
Job. Job’s devastations were many but they were all allowed by God even though they came from the hands of Satan. He lost everything. My co-pastor reminded us Job lost his oxen and donkeys, he lost his sheep, his camels, his servants and finally he was told that he lost his most precious gift; his children. As she put it Job had 10 obituaries to write, 10 children to bury all in the same day; yet in the midst of his grief he trusted God. He believed in God even when his helpmeet and his “friends” told him otherwise. For 30-something chapters Satan did all that he could but Job trusted God. Job went through hell – he felt like hell – he looked like hell but he continued to trust God. In the midst of all of his pain he poured out his soul to God and then he listened as God pour out His soul to him.
So if you are going through what seems like many trials and tribulations. If you’ve lost things that are important to you. If you’re wondering if you will ever make a way out of no way. If you’ve spent more time talking and listening to others rather than to God–keep trusting in God and remember Job 42:10. Pray for your “friends” because Job 42:12 is but a prayer away. God will bless the latter more than the first and it is then that you can “Tell All of My Haters, I’m Back!” TGBTG
Stay Prayed Up! CLICK ON THE LINK
Monday, July 20, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
When One Door Closes
When man thinks he’s closed one door God opens many doors, windows, cracks and crevices. In fact in His Word He says that He will open up the windows of Heaven and pour you out a Blessing that you won’t have room enough to receive it. Man? God? When I think of the two I am reminded of what my baby sister Charleen said in her squeaky little voice, “Who you gon’ believe?” I don’t know if Charleen remembers saying this but she did many years ago when she was ministering to either her biological sister Cheryl (my best friend) or me. I can’t remember the crisis but I remember her question – who you gon’ believe? Those words spoke volumes to both Cheryl and I even though at the time we laughed at not what she said, but how she said it. It’s been a few years since she said it, but we find ourselves coming back to her statement quite often; usually we either begin or end it with a chuckle as we mock the squeaky voice. However in reality if we put aside how she said it and think about the way she said it what we’d find would be determination. “Who you gon’ believe?!!”
As I was writing another article I went to my files and opened this out of curiosity. I wasn’t sure if I’d already sent this because it sounded familiar but it was just what I needed for the message I received on yesterday. I didn’t know if I would share this personal message with my blog but God reminded me that sometimes you get a blessing to be a blessing; so I must be obedient. The message I received came to me right after I sent out my last blog It’s But Only for a Moment but I never got a chance to read it. At the time I was so engrossed with the flesh that the devil thought I’d let it slip through my fingers; he was wrong. Even though it was caught up in my old email address that I no longer had I called my friend and asked him to resend it. Most of you have heard me mention my friend Catrell in a previous article or two. WOW!! The people that God places in our lives, even if it’s only for a season. Catrell is young enough to be my mmm nephew (yeah that’s it-LOL) but the wisdom that God has placed in his spirit has always left me thankful and honored that our paths have crossed. Anyway as I was driving I remembered the email and that I needed to have him resend it; I text, he text back; he called and I was busy. This went on a couple of times before we finally connected. As I shared some things with him I could tell that a light bulb had gone off and he said, in a calm voice, “you have to read the email, I just sent it.” Later I made a stop and I noticed the light blinking on my phone reminding me of the email. “Wow, this is going to be good,” I thought – little did I know. As I moved from what Catrell was saying to me to what God was speaking through him tears instantly began flowing down my face. I couldn’t compose myself nor did I want to even if it meant that people were probably wondering what must have happened in such a short amount of time. I couldn’t contain myself because now I understood why. I even understood why the devil didn’t want me to see this email because he wanted me to remain “confused,” but God is not a God of confusion and even though Catrell lives in another state he was the messenger from God.
Will I share some of it with you? Yes. I was blessed to be a blessing. Somebody needs to know that God is in control. God told me He was in control in one of my favorite scriptures Jer. 29:11. To my friend Catrell – I have a couple of “Gail’s” and you, my friend; will be my “Stedman” (we just won’t share a bed).
A portion of Catrell’s email -Woo woo, It has been so hard for me to respond to the news that you shared during one of your last emails. It just seemed as though I couldn’t find the words that were appropriate enough to provide you with comfort and encouragement. I got angry because I know (left out intentionally)... but I didn’t want to speak anything negative so I didn’t call you or respond to the email. So I began to cry out to God, Abba Father, Daddy and ask Him why, I found myself reminding Him of His word and the promises He made to us. Woo, after going through emotions: sadness, anger, disgust, betrayal....I heard God speak and say, “Are you through.” I took a pause and He said.....I HAVE HEARD MY SERVANT’S CRIES, I AM, THAT I AM, KNOWS HER HEART’S DESIRES, THIS IS A NECESSARY STEP FOR MY PERFECT WILL TO BE DONE IN HER LIFE. then I said but God, she has a family, she has....and He spoke and said HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN THAT I AM SOVEREIGN....CATRELL I NEED YOU TO LET ME HANDLE THIS. I HAVE BEEN PREPARING HER, ALLOWING HER TO EXPERIENCE PEOPLE; SOME WHO MEANT HER NO GOOD. YOU SEE THAT PREPARATION ALLOWED HER TO BETTER RECOGNIZE AND DISCERN THE SPIRIT AND INTENTION OF THOSE AROUND HER. HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN THE PETTITIONS YOU SET BEFORE ME? HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN THAT MY WAYS ARE NOT YOUR WAYS; MY TIME IS NOT YOUR TIME? I AM, THAT I AM, GAVE HER A VISION, SHE HAS CARRIED IT LONG ENOUGH AND NOW IS THE TIME THAT LABOR BEGINS. IT WAS BY NO MISTAKE THAT HER POSITION IS BEING ABOLISHED. YOU SEE I OPENED THAT DOOR AND HAVE CLOSED IT, SO NO ONE CAN THINK IT WAS ABOLISHED BECAUSE SHE WASN’T DOING HER JOB. YOU SEE THE DEVIL WOULD HAVE SOME TO THINK THAT THINGS JUST WEREN’T WORKING OUT AND THOSE WHO ENVIED HER SAW IT AS A CHANCE TO TAKE HER PLACE, VIEWED IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BEGIN TO SPEAK AGAINST MY SERVANT. I SHUT THAT DOWN. WHEN SHE LEAVES, SHE HAS DONE A JOB THAT NO ONE CAN FILL. YOU SEE I HAVE BEEN PREPARING HER. LITTLE BY LITTLE I HAVE BEEN ENLARGING HER TERRITORY. SO KNOW THAT I HEAR YOUR PRAYER MY SON AND I HEAR MY DAUGHTER’S. I HAVE GIVEN HER PEACE IN THE MIDST OF A STORM...JUST CONTINUE TO TRUST ME AND ALLOW ME TO WORK IT OUT. WHEN THE DUST SETTLES SHE WILL BE STANDING UN-TOUCHED!
~Stay Prayed Up! CLICK ON THE LINK
As I was writing another article I went to my files and opened this out of curiosity. I wasn’t sure if I’d already sent this because it sounded familiar but it was just what I needed for the message I received on yesterday. I didn’t know if I would share this personal message with my blog but God reminded me that sometimes you get a blessing to be a blessing; so I must be obedient. The message I received came to me right after I sent out my last blog It’s But Only for a Moment but I never got a chance to read it. At the time I was so engrossed with the flesh that the devil thought I’d let it slip through my fingers; he was wrong. Even though it was caught up in my old email address that I no longer had I called my friend and asked him to resend it. Most of you have heard me mention my friend Catrell in a previous article or two. WOW!! The people that God places in our lives, even if it’s only for a season. Catrell is young enough to be my mmm nephew (yeah that’s it-LOL) but the wisdom that God has placed in his spirit has always left me thankful and honored that our paths have crossed. Anyway as I was driving I remembered the email and that I needed to have him resend it; I text, he text back; he called and I was busy. This went on a couple of times before we finally connected. As I shared some things with him I could tell that a light bulb had gone off and he said, in a calm voice, “you have to read the email, I just sent it.” Later I made a stop and I noticed the light blinking on my phone reminding me of the email. “Wow, this is going to be good,” I thought – little did I know. As I moved from what Catrell was saying to me to what God was speaking through him tears instantly began flowing down my face. I couldn’t compose myself nor did I want to even if it meant that people were probably wondering what must have happened in such a short amount of time. I couldn’t contain myself because now I understood why. I even understood why the devil didn’t want me to see this email because he wanted me to remain “confused,” but God is not a God of confusion and even though Catrell lives in another state he was the messenger from God.
Will I share some of it with you? Yes. I was blessed to be a blessing. Somebody needs to know that God is in control. God told me He was in control in one of my favorite scriptures Jer. 29:11. To my friend Catrell – I have a couple of “Gail’s” and you, my friend; will be my “Stedman” (we just won’t share a bed).
A portion of Catrell’s email -Woo woo, It has been so hard for me to respond to the news that you shared during one of your last emails. It just seemed as though I couldn’t find the words that were appropriate enough to provide you with comfort and encouragement. I got angry because I know (left out intentionally)... but I didn’t want to speak anything negative so I didn’t call you or respond to the email. So I began to cry out to God, Abba Father, Daddy and ask Him why, I found myself reminding Him of His word and the promises He made to us. Woo, after going through emotions: sadness, anger, disgust, betrayal....I heard God speak and say, “Are you through.” I took a pause and He said.....I HAVE HEARD MY SERVANT’S CRIES, I AM, THAT I AM, KNOWS HER HEART’S DESIRES, THIS IS A NECESSARY STEP FOR MY PERFECT WILL TO BE DONE IN HER LIFE. then I said but God, she has a family, she has....and He spoke and said HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN THAT I AM SOVEREIGN....CATRELL I NEED YOU TO LET ME HANDLE THIS. I HAVE BEEN PREPARING HER, ALLOWING HER TO EXPERIENCE PEOPLE; SOME WHO MEANT HER NO GOOD. YOU SEE THAT PREPARATION ALLOWED HER TO BETTER RECOGNIZE AND DISCERN THE SPIRIT AND INTENTION OF THOSE AROUND HER. HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN THE PETTITIONS YOU SET BEFORE ME? HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN THAT MY WAYS ARE NOT YOUR WAYS; MY TIME IS NOT YOUR TIME? I AM, THAT I AM, GAVE HER A VISION, SHE HAS CARRIED IT LONG ENOUGH AND NOW IS THE TIME THAT LABOR BEGINS. IT WAS BY NO MISTAKE THAT HER POSITION IS BEING ABOLISHED. YOU SEE I OPENED THAT DOOR AND HAVE CLOSED IT, SO NO ONE CAN THINK IT WAS ABOLISHED BECAUSE SHE WASN’T DOING HER JOB. YOU SEE THE DEVIL WOULD HAVE SOME TO THINK THAT THINGS JUST WEREN’T WORKING OUT AND THOSE WHO ENVIED HER SAW IT AS A CHANCE TO TAKE HER PLACE, VIEWED IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BEGIN TO SPEAK AGAINST MY SERVANT. I SHUT THAT DOWN. WHEN SHE LEAVES, SHE HAS DONE A JOB THAT NO ONE CAN FILL. YOU SEE I HAVE BEEN PREPARING HER. LITTLE BY LITTLE I HAVE BEEN ENLARGING HER TERRITORY. SO KNOW THAT I HEAR YOUR PRAYER MY SON AND I HEAR MY DAUGHTER’S. I HAVE GIVEN HER PEACE IN THE MIDST OF A STORM...JUST CONTINUE TO TRUST ME AND ALLOW ME TO WORK IT OUT. WHEN THE DUST SETTLES SHE WILL BE STANDING UN-TOUCHED!
~Stay Prayed Up! CLICK ON THE LINK
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)