Monday, January 26, 2009

It Doesn't Matter What They Think.....

We had an exceptional worship encounter at KHC yesterday. The Spirit of God was evident through song, giving, and the ministry of the Word. We were blessed to minister from the subject "I'm Anointed for This", dealing with the David being anointed king.

If you watch the text, it seems that David's family didn't have a very high opinion of him. A prophet was coming to their house (at this time the visit of a prophet was a big deal) and everyone was invited to the feast.... except David. David was left to tend to the sheep. Yet in this sequence of events, we discover that it didn't really matter what the family thought of David - it only mattered what God thought of him! The Bible says that the anointing oil would not flow until David was in his right spot. Glory to God!!!!

This is a liberating Word, because too many of us stress ourselves out trying to convince other people that we belong.... that we matter..... that they should like us. Yet the story of David highlights the fact that our destinies cannot be thwarted because of the opinions of people - what God has for us is for us regardless of what others think or say.

Here is my challenge to you - move out of the shadow of the opinions and criticisms of others. Strive to dwell under the shadow of the Almighty God who will elevate you (or demote you) according to His own good pleasure. Don't spend your life trying to please people....... strive to please God!

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Get Ready!

Up above my head I hear music in the air;
Up above my head there's a melody so bright;
And fair I can hear when I'm all alone;
Even in those times when I feel all hope is gone;
Up above my head I hear joybells ringing;
Up above my head I hear angels singing.
There must be a God somewhere... There must be a God somewhere.

These are the lyrics from an old hymn, remade in the 1990's by Kirk Franklin. It is a song that reverberates in my spirit at this precise moment.

Indeed, this is a historic moment in our nation's history. It is rightly historical for African Americans. And it is a sign for believers who are pressing toward the mark and seeking to fulfill the call that God has placed on their life.

A black man, with a weird name, and very little time on the national political stage was just sworn in as the President of the United States of America. This man was the proverbial underdog, whom most - including black folks - thought would never succeed. Though the Lord had been preparing him for this moment for years behind the scenes, this man appeared to come out of nowhere! LOL!

My friends, as it is in the natural, so it is in the spirit! I can sense God about to do some awesome things in the midst of his people! The old guard (i.e. old paradigms, old leadership, and old methods) is transitioning out and God is raising up some young lions who will appear to come out of nowhere! Yet, if you ask these chosen people, they will tell you that they endured a lot of pain, discouragement, setbacks, disappointments, and sleepless nights.... yet through it all, God has matured them, built them up, and prepared them for their moment when God takes them from the background to the forefront! Hallelujah!!!!!!

In our current church climate, we are guilty of throwing out "church lingo" just to appear deep, without really understanding what we are saying. Now, everyone is "kingdom", when the reality is that they still do the same things they did when they were just religious and churchy. We say "we're going to another level", while at the same time failing to realize that if we do what we've always done, we will get what we've always got. And we call people who are gifted "anointed", when they are really just talented.

Anointing is not butterflies in your stomach..... it is not being able to lay hands on folks and watching them be "slain in the Spirit"..... it is not necessarily having the house "go up" after a great sermon. No, the anointing is the result of a process that God has allowed you to go through, that prepares you for a movement or happening that God manifests in your life. My friends, anointing is when preparation meets opportunity! David's anointing was the result of all of the preparation that God allowed him to go through while tending sheep - these would be the same experiences that David would look back on as he encountered life's challenges.

With this understanding of anointing, the question that must be answered is "Are You Ready for What God is About to Do in Your Life?" The older I get, the more cognizant I am of time, because time is the most valuable resource we have. Too many of us are wasting time on meaningless relationships that are going nowhere fast...... we waste too much time doing things that go against God's Word and hinders us from being everything God has ordained....... we waste time in bed, on the phone, fighting worthless battles, and impressing people we don't like anyway! It's time to prepare for our moment. And anybody or anything that does not fit into God's plan for our life has to go!

In a football game, points are scored because football players successfully run plays meant to get the football from one end of the field to the other. Plays require that key players are in the right spot on the field to receive the ball at the right time. If the player gets to the spot too quickly or not quickly enough, they miss their moment and fail to advance. We must strive to get to our spot in the time that God has given us so that we can score.

I know this has gotten a bit long....... but are you ready for what God is about to do in your life?