My weakness, His Glory.

Ever just felt drained?

I was definitely feeling that way. Just tired of being tired, fighting, being strong, holding on, and waiting. I would just be driving and crying. Sitting and crying. Honestly, I tried to fight those tears cause I didn’t like how weak I thought it made me look but I couldn’t. Then God reminded me that when I am weak, all I need to do is surrender the truth about my situation at His feet. My personality would imply that I’m a go-getter. I'm much better at lending help sometimes than receiving. This behavior slipped into my relationship with God. It would appear that I would like to give God my all, but don't know how to receive His.

I've come to realize that getting to the end of myself, meaning that I feel exhausted, could be viewed as a blessing rather than a curse. When you look through scripture, the common denominator of all the people used by God was their ability to surrender, not just when it was convenient but when it wasn’t. Jesus presented His will to God about the cup that was set before Him, but surrendered to His fathers will (Matthew 26:39). Esther availed herself to be used by God to deliver her people from being wiped out even though she knew her life was at stake. Paul gives us a point of reference about weakness in 2 Corinthians 9-10

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

When we feel like we can handle everything we usually don't consider surrendering. Let’s say there’s a war; when both parties feel like they have what it takes to defeat the other side, they continue to pursue. But when they realize they don’t, they throw up a white flag/sign that represents their surrender.

But in this case we are not fighting against God, but the enemy and we cannot win on our own. Throwing up our white flag represents our surrender to God. It’s okay to admit that we can’t handle it, in fact the situation was never ours to handle in the first place and that’s why it overwhelms us. The bible says that in our weakness, God is made strong. Meaning that His strength cannot fully be seen when we decide to put our “strength” on display. One must be less, so the other might be greater. In Genesis 1:16, we learn about how God created the sun and the moon. Both emit light but there is a greater one (Sun). Our “strength” is only a foretaste of the eternal strength and power God possesses. The moon can never outdo the Sun no matter how hard it tries. 

Yet, our human nature tells us to always fend for ourselves and as a result we fake being strong instead of allowing God to truly get the glory. If we could admit that we can’t do it, we will find that at the end of our selves marks the beginning of God’s divine intervention. Our weakness gives God an opportunity to gain the Glory we were created to bring Him. Meaning that these weaknesses can aid us in fulfilling our purpose on earth. So, don’t hide them rather shout about them as Paul said so that He who is greater can be seen through you. 

Be encouraged.

Prayer Point

Lord, please help me to be real with you about how I feel. Cleanse me of the pride that causes me to hide my weaknesses and pretend to be strong. Teach me to believe Your word that assures me that when I am weak, You are strong for me. All this I pray in Jesus name. Amen!

Safe Haven

Someone once said “The safest place to be is in the will of God”; although some would argue that it doesn’t always feel that way. I want to encourage you that our feelings don’t constantly display the truth. Feelings are fleeting, but the truth of God is everlasting.

However, knowing that in His will we are safe doesn’t always help our feelings of vulnerability and doubt. So, I’ll throw out this question to ponder while you read, do I really want the will of God for my life?

Often times we say we want the will of God because it sounds good. But when push comes to shove, you will learn quickly whether you said it because it sounds cute or if you really meant it. The bible tells us that there is a cost to following Christ, and we should count that cost before undertaking the journey.

^“A large crowd was following Jesus. He turned around and said to them, “If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple.  “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it? Otherwise, you might complete only the foundation before running out of money, and then everyone would laugh at you. They would say, ‘There’s the person who started that building and couldn’t afford to finish it!’” Luke 14:25-30 NLT

It would appear that along the route we tend to forget that we’re not promised a walk in the park, especially when the enemy attacks us. And the only reason he does that is because God loves us, but remember that it’s a privilege to not only trust but suffer on behalf of Christ (Philippians 1:29). 

When we say something will cost us, it means we have to give something up in exchange for another thing. In this case we have to give up our rights, die to ourselves, and pick up our cross in order to follow Christ. Since we have this natural tendency to please self, this is not an easy path to take and it makes sense why the path to life is narrow and only few find it. 

The good news is that we don't have to run this race by our strength. We have God beside us (Psalms 16:8). The reason some might be finding it hard to accept the will of God is because of the suffering involved, but if you could only see the glory that lies ahead (Romans 8:18); it can never be compared to the price. Let me give an illustration. Take your suffering as a seed planted, you don't harvest a seed rather you harvest fruit. And fruits are not only bigger than seeds but they are harvested in larger quantities. 

Maybe you're in a situation whereby you've been waiting on God for the manifestation of His will in your life and you are discouraged, please whatever you do don't look back! The bible says that if we do we are not fit for service (Luke 9:62). In a moment of weakness, Lots wife looked back and the result was permanent. She turned into a pillar of salt and that was the end of her story. 

I think that if she really understood what was waiting ahead for her she wouldn't have considered looking back. God was giving her a chance to live and flourish, but she turned back maybe because she wanted a last look at what she left or she saw the journey ahead and it looked like too much. We can learn from this story about how expectancy and faith go hand in hand.

So, are you expectant of God?

Do you believe that Gods plan for your life is perfect? And that He orders your steps?

Over the last couple of weeks I've heard that word, expectancy, more times than I can count and usually when you keep coming across something over and over again, its God trying to get your attention. After sitting quiet enough to hear what He was trying to say, I learnt that I was slowly losing my expectation of the things He had promised to establish in my life. Can I be honest?

I was tired of fighting, of holding on, being strong, and waiting on the Lord. Felt like time was mocking me saying “After everything you’ve done, you have nothing to show for it so stop being naïve and look elsewhere.” Truthfully, I almost bought into those words until I assessed the voice properly. God doesn’t discourage us, so it was definitely the enemy and since I know his plan is to ruin my life, I rejected those words.

The enemy was speaking these lies to discourage me, and trust me when you start getting those hopeless thoughts; it means you’re on the right track. The enemy only goes after things that God wants or has his hands on, so when the attacks come then know God is working on something big!

All this to say, it’s not going to all be peaches and cream as we follow Christ, but know that the greatest harvests are birth from the most costly sacrifices. I understand that it gets hard, but hold on. You’re one step closer than you were yesterday and draw hope from the word of God that says:

“There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.” Proverbs 23:18 NIV

It's not you, it's me

But seriously, it’s not you it’s really me.

Have you ever thought that maybe the reason things remain that same is because you’ve refused to change?

What this means is that we might be fighting the wrong battle, rebuking the enemy when maybe we should be checking ourselves.

See, it’s really easy to blame the enemy for all the things that go wrong in our lives and this started way back in the garden of Eden. Adam and Eve ate the fruit but both blamed someone else. Adam blamed Eve, and she blamed the serpent. Granted the serpent told a lie and tricked them, but they had a choice. The enemy didn’t force them to eat the fruit, they had free will - unfortunately they chose wrong.

 ^“And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.” (James 1:13-15, NLT)

The enticement stemmed from a desire within but they couldn’t accept it, so they put the blame on everyone and didn’t address the real issue. Temptation exposes the deep longings of a person’s heart.

So I asked a question “why is it easier to put the blame on others rather than assessing myself?”

The Lord spoke to my heart and explained that pointing a finger to myself would mean acknowledging my flaws. I would have to admit that indeed I have desires that don’t please Him and those desires fuel my dysfunction. Placing it on someone else labels me “faultless” and that way I’d be able to preserve the image of “self-perfection” I tried to uphold.

Of course I resisted His explanation cause apparently I was too sanctimonious to be at fault. The word cut, but only to remove the filth in my heart and then heal me. Then why was I so resistant?  

There’s a misconception that we have to be spotless to come before God, when in reality it’s under the covering of Jesus that we approach the throne of grace. One thing I know God loves is genuine honesty but we, like Adam and Eve, have chosen to cover ourselves and our blemishes when we come before Him.

If you were spotless you wouldn’t need God.

Prior to sin, Man was comfortable with being vulnerable (exposed) before the King, because their focus had been solely on Him. They were so consumed by His majesty that they didn’t notice they were naked. What sin does is make us take our eyes off God and focus on ourselves, therefore elevating “self” higher than the sovereignty of God.

You may think that you’re doing God a favor by projecting an outward façade of perfection but it’s not for God, it’s for you. Jesus didn’t die so we can pretend to be whole, He died so that we can become (future tense) whole.

I love David’s prayer to God that says:

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (Psalms 139:23-24, NIV)

That’s a prayer that we must daily pray because the person who will pay at the end of such great denial is us. Everything is laid bare before God, so there’s no need trying to hide from our solution. Sometimes we don’t even know we have these issues because we have dwelt in that space for so long. Good news is that God is ever merciful! He can show us the error of our ways and lead us in the right way, if only we submit.

After much wrestling, I told myself that the reason why I don’t deal with certain aspects of my life and fully invite God is because I don’t know how to deal with it. But I knew it was a lie. Truth is, I was scared to admit that I actually had a problem and it’s wasn’t anyone’s fault but mine. It’s much easier to blame someone else, plus it takes humility to turn our fingers around and point ourselves out as the culprit.

Not to say that the enemy doesn’t try to oppose us, but he comes in through doors that we sometimes open. If we can muster up courage to let God truly work in us and change our desires then the enemy wouldn’t be able to tempt us in those areas, most importantly we won’t have to pretend to be clean. The blood of Jesus would have washed away the blemishes that once clouded our hearts.

Be encouraged and God bless!

Announcements

• The official book launch for my book was in July & God blew my mind! If you follow me on Facebook you can see some pictures from the event :)  
• Visit my website (www.michelleziregbe.com) to checkout my new book “Journey to an Expected End”
• Check out some spoken word pieces I wrote and performed on YouTube here & here J

My First Book is now Available Online!

Surprise! For those who follow me on social media I made an announcement about my book being available for purchase on sites like Amazon and Barnes & Noble. 

I was waiting for some information before sharing with you lovely readers, but i couldn't hold the excitement anymore! 

God really wowed me with this one to be honest. The process to publish began last year, and turbulence arose but God was much greater. Calmed my anxious heart, covered my ears from the doubt, and reassured me of His irrevocable plan for my life. One of the verses i stood on was Habakkuk 2:3 KJV

For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

So, if you're out there and God has put an vision in you, but it hasn't come into fruition- please whatever you do don't give up. I am a witness to the fact that no matter what obstacles arise, if you keep going you'll realize that the glorious light at the end of the tunnel is worth it. If God said it then it must come to pass as His word cannot return void. 

One of my passions is to encourage people whether through personal experiences, or revelations from God. In Journey to an Expected End, I am transparent about my struggles, lessons, and triumphs in hopes that someone will gain some courage to keep pressing on. 

I’ll post links to direct pages where you can purchase a copy of my book below (they deliver internationally) Thank you in advance for your support! I would really appreciate your feedback after reading, and please be on the lookout for some announcements to come!

michelleziregbe.com

Order book on Amazon

Order book on Barnes & Noble

An Attitude of Contentment

There was a point in my life that I felt in order for me to walk with God, I couldn't have a need or want. My mind told me that I had to become unemotional in order to be content with Him. If you've ever felt that way, please know it’s a lie from the devil. God is not some dictator who created us to be like robots. We were made in His image and likeness, meaning that we can feel emotions just like our father in heaven. But we must not let our emotions control us.

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.  I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:11-13, NIV)

Can I be honest? The struggle to be content is real. Deep down I want this to be my reality, although I’m not there yet; I’m on my way. Paul says something that seems so small yet profound in the verse above “for I have learned to be content”. This means contentment is a process, not a quick fix. You can’t say you learned something you already knew; therefore Paul must have been in a place of discontentment prior.

Let’s address what contentment actually is to clear some misconceptions. Contentment is not the absence of need/want. To be content in God means to be so satisfied in Him that those things we want/need become like an atom compared to Him. This can translate in the physical sense as when you really want something and don’t get it, instead of becoming bitter you remain content in God. Whatever you place the most emphasis on will become magnified in your life, so being greatly filled with God makes every other thing so small.

The problem with being discontent is that you are always hungry, unsatisfied, and craving one thing or the other. From personal experience, it’s quite a tedious and nerve bending lifestyle. We place so much emphasis on always getting stuff, that when we don’t feel like we are getting something we start to feel agitated.

I’ll paint a picture, so you can understand what I’m talking about. Let’s say someone prays to God to give them a nice car and He does. Immediately they receive it all their excitement dies, and they misplace the entire thrill that their expectancy once brought. Now they see someone with a better looking car and start asking for one or some money to revamp their current one. Basically this person hasn't even finished thanking God for the first thing He did or enjoyed the gift, but is already asking for something else.

Such a person has a tendency to spend majority of their time in prayer asking for gifts rather than to be filled with God. Truth is, no matter how much stuff you receive you will never be satisfied because only God can fill you infinitely. It is in Him we are made whole, and that’s why we are to seek the kingdom first and then everything else will be added. The real price is God, the rest is just extra but for some reason the “extra” stuff appears better to us.

When we look further to verse thirteen, Paul goes on to say that he can do all things (including being content) by the strength of God. What this means is that it truly isn't by power or by might but by the spirit of God. We cannot truly desire God without His help, but we can draw encouragement from Philippians 2:13, NLT:

 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him

Don’t let the enemy penetrate your mind and insert condemnation in a place where conviction should reside. I would beat myself up when I realized I wanted blessings more than I wanted God, and this made me discouraged. It’s a journey to get to contentment, so it won’t happen overnight.

The secret to being content is knowing that in all things, Jesus is enough. Everything else can change but God is forever the same. You can be hungry today, fed tomorrow, sheltered one minute, and homeless the next. God on the other hand is consistent and placing your hope in Him makes you stable.

Are you wondering how to begin this journey to contentment?

Since we have been given the power to speak a thing into existence by faith, start off by making a positive proclamation in prayer. Ask God for strength to make choices daily that lead you to the physical manifestation of your prayer. Contentment has a lot to do with our attitude, and how we think. If our mindset could change to the fact that in God we have all we need and everything else is an addition; I believe we would have more peace of mind.

No matter what situation you’re in, remember that God is greater and it is in Him you are made complete. Be encouraged. 

The Waiting Room for Hell

Thanksgiving is one of the days families come together to discuss what they are grateful for as they look back at the year coming to an end. Being that Africans love an excuse to cook fried rice and meat pie, my household gladly substituted the usual mac & cheese for some authentic Nigerian fried rice, and mashed potatoes for some finger licking meat pie. We couldn't just Nigerianify (I just made this word up lol) the whole menu, so we also made turkey and corn bread to balance the meal.  

After all the festivities, I gladly obliged my bed’s calling as I was tired and stuffed, unknown to me that I was about to witness something that would forever change my life.

I had a dream that showed me the two types of people who had one thing in common; they were in the waiting room for hell.

So here’s how it all started..

I woke up at about 5 am and felt a tug in my spirit to pray, so I did. As I was reading I started drifting in and out of sleep, and shortly after was pinned down in the exact position I lay on my bed. Some of you might know what I’m talking about, but the term people use is Sleep Paralysis. Sleep paralysis is basically when you are in between sleeping and consciousness and you feel some pressure/force holding you down. You can’t move or speak.

 Now, this was certainly not the first time this happened to me, but by God’s grace it was the last. For years I dealt with this and I knew it was the enemy sending his agents to torment me. On this very day, I was sick and tired of being scared of an enemy I knew deep down I had been given the power to overcome (John 1:5). I never clearly saw the faces during any of the attacks, but God opened my eyes and let me tell you they are quite unimpressive. At the mention of Jesus, all three that held me down on that night fled and never came back!

After that happened, I still remained on my bed but the scene dimmed and out of nowhere a woman approached me. I didn't see her face, but I remember thinking she looked fly. She was dressed in a stylish business professional outfit, hair on point, and shoes looking fleek. My observation was cut short when she spoke saying “I don’t know why you keep trying to pray when God isn't listening. You don’t read your bible or pray enough. Just stop wasting your time because you’re going to hell”

The condemnation that she spoke kicked in, because indeed I felt like I wasn't doing enough of those things and I thought “Lord, I know I’m not perfect but I didn't know You had given up on me”

She then took me into another room that was lit up and packed with lots of people, some of which I knew personally. They appeared happy, but deep down I knew something wasn't right about that place. As we walked through the room, I saw an area where the people treated like royalty and I asked her what it was. She chuckled and responded “They are in the VIP section”

We walked back to the first room which was literally dark, and now it was packed with people lined up in rows like soldiers. Their minds had been conditioned and I knew they had lost all hope. The woman then told me “You see, you’re going to hell so just join the line with the rest of them”

At this point I lost all hope. I just came from a room where I knew a lot of people who thought they were in the light, but I knew they weren't so obviously I must be going to the same place they were, hell. You've probably heard the saying “Show me your friends and I’ll tell you who you are”, so I walked towards my spot on line and heard a still voice whisper “Just call on me, trust me”

For some reason I had a candle in my handle and as I blew it out, I called on Jesus and received power to pray. My faith was still low, but after every time I said “Jesus” my faith grew, and the lady who had kept her composure the whole time began to scream. She told me to stop calling the name and sent her sidekicks (the ones from the paralysis) to come stop me. I ordered them to stop in the name of Jesus, and they fled.

Then I began to scream  at the top of my lungs to the people in the room that the woman had deceived them and they didn't have to settle for hell. All they needed to do was believe. The lady was screaming and pushing the people out of the room, so they wouldn't hear what I was saying. To cut this long story short, there were a lot of people in that room and only four people left that line of doom.

When I woke up, I was shaken as you can imagine but there are key lessons from this dream that God showed me and I have been led to share.

• We cannot tolerate and let the enemy boss us around. God has given us the power to overcome the adversary, but when we don’t know who we are we run scared. There is power in your tongue (Proverbs 18:21)- don’t sit inactive.

•   The lady represented those people in our lives or around us who we look up to, and because they “appear” to be trustworthy we take everything they say as gold. The enemy will use people who you hold at a certain level of honor to deceive you.

 Have you ever watched those toothpaste commercials? They use doctors in lab coats to promote because subconsciously people have this trust factor when someone is represented as “knowledgeable”. In my case, my field of study is business so when I saw her and admired her from the start, I was more susceptible to take what she said as the truth. If you want to be sure whether a person is speaking from God, then line their words up with His word. This lady brought condemnation and the Holy Spirit brings conviction. The difference is one points to hell as the ultimatum, and the other corrects but brings hope (a solution). Don’t be deceived just cause someone is “dressed up” for the part doesn't mean they are from God.

•      Those in the lit room who thought they were in the “light” were actually not; instead they were in the appearance aka facade of light. When you deceive yourself long enough, you begin to lose sight of what is real and what isn't.

“..I know all the things you do, and that you have a reputation for being alive—but you are dead.” (Revelations 3:1b, NLT)

We unfortunately, live in a world that places so much emphasis on outward appearance that we forget how to truly examine bad fruit. The bible says to test men by the fruit they produce (Matthew 7:16), but we test by how well kept their outside appears to be. Make sure to check inside because the exterior isn't always a reflection of the interior. People put on the garment of “good works” and that is classified as a life lived under Christ when it’s not. Faith, which comes from the inside, is what should propel the exterior work we do.

You can be outwardly vivacious and spiritually dead. Christ died so that we might come alive spiritually, not settle for a perception of life. The people in the VIP section represent those who have been bestowed great callings, as whom much is given much is required. It is possible to start out right, walking by faith and the unction of the Holy Spirit, and then settle for works to be seen. God is looking at your heart condition.

•      I can relate to those that were in the dark room as I almost joined the queue of those who didn't assume they were in the light, in fact they had mentally settled for hell. God examines the heart, and you may not even know that subconsciously you don’t believe you can make it to heaven. Sometimes we think that our sin is too great to forgive or that we are too messed up for God, but in reality who you are and your sin does not scare Him.

          God is not intimidated by our past or present or even future.

      Before the foundations of the world, He knew every decision we would make and still chose to die for us. We have to learn that we are saved by grace which is a gift bought with the blood of Jesus Christ (Ephesians 2:8)

Sure, you might not be were you think you need to be, but grace has covered you. The reward for the sacrifice of Jesus is a chance to have a relationship with you, yes you! He bore your sins and shortcomings on his back thousands of years ago, so that you didn't have to carry the weight. Rest in Him, and rebuke the enemy. You belong to Jesus. Be encouraged!

Prayer: Abba, please reveal to us if we fall into any category, and give us the strength to accept that indeed, Your grace is sufficient. For those that feel condemned, I ask that you whisper Your words of hope to their hearts. Remind them that You foresaw it and made provisions, and all they have to do is listen to Your voice. Examine us Lord! If we are dying spiritually, revive our hearts, and help us set our minds on things above. All this we ask in Jesus name. Amen!

The Secret to Having a Relationship With God

For a long time, I cheated God in our relationship and stole His glory while claiming I was “worshiping” Him.

The problem was that I was lazy; it looked like too much to put in time to develop my relationship with Him. It was much easier to cheat off my neighbors and copy how I saw them worshiping God, or how they described the way they interacted with Him.

After my consistent “high” sessions of apparently coming so close to opening heaven’s door, I felt I just couldn't get in.

Wasn't I knocking hard enough? Seeking enough? Praying enough?

So, I tried to increase my prayer time thinking that it would do the trick, but I was wrong again. Now, I’m not saying that God wasn't speaking during this period because He was, but I on the other hand wasn't exactly listening to Him. There was such a burden in my belly for this place I couldn't quite describe, but my heart sung of it daily.

I knew without a doubt that God was calling me higher and deeper into fellowship with Him but a part of me was defeated. After all the “work” I put in, I wasn't getting there; it was like I was being teased by the picture of the door to my Kings’ heart but couldn't make it past the gate.

Eventually I got to the end of myself, and there began the journey to building my relationship with God. When you are done with trying to calculate your relationship with God like it’s a 12 step process and step aside, then God will show you how He created you to have a relationship with Him.

Let’s look at Abraham in the Bible. God gave him a promise of a son and it became such a burden on him and his wife when it wasn't happening; they decided to take matters into their hands. It seemed like time was just going by and they weren't of help. So, they tried to “birth” the promise based on their plan. Eventually, they realized that Ishmael could never be Isaac. He could never replace the promise.

It’s the same way Jesus brought the promise to us in this era of grace called Relationship. We no longer have to go through high priests and prophets to get to God. He lives within us and calls us friends. We have been given the opportunity to have a personal and intimate relationship with our creator.

So trying to replace this promise by substituting it for what you see your neighbor doing won’t cut it. Not only are you robbing God of the sound He placed in your belly that sings a song of glory in His ears, you’re also robbing yourself of truly experiencing God.

Honestly, this generation has the most microwaved mindset meaning that no one is willing to build. We want things quick, easy, and simple.

What we neglect is that relationships take time to build. Copying the layout of your neighbor will make you like an unstable house that will be blown away during testing because your foundation is off. Each person has a unique layout/foundation when building a relationship with God.

Same God, different person, hence uniquely crafted foundation.

Wasting time copying someone’s foundation because you’re lazy to build from ground up will have you running in circles, and I’m saying this from firsthand experience. I've built a lot of houses that got blown away, but never be afraid to get back up again. God is waiting for you.

From what I've learnt, one of the greatest secrets to having a relationship with God is embracing the sculpt He made you in. We are to worship Him in Spirit and truth, but we cannot do that by trying to be someone we are not. There is a huge emphasis on the relationship being a “personal” one. It’s between you and God, not your neighbor, pastor, family, or friend. Don’t get me wrong they can be used by God to speak to you, but don’t substitute their relationship for yours.

The reason why I could never get to that higher place was because I was trying to knock at the gates of heaven like my neighbor, but when God hears the sound He doesn't recognize it. He won’t open that gate.

I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber! (John 10:1, NLT)

Each sheep has to individually walk through the gate, so your friend cannot carry you in. There’s a way to get to a deeper relationship with God, and cutting corners will not get us there. We have to take time to ask God to show us how we were made to worship and have a relationship with Him. Even if you don’t desire that, you can ask for it and God will give it to you. There were times when I got so complacent in my understanding of God, and I sensed there was more but I didn't desire it in my heart. But we serve the God that sculpted every intricate corner of our hearts, and only He can change it. He changed my desire and can do the same for you.

As long as you have breath, it’s not too late to revamp your relationship with God. All he needs is a heart that is willing. Be encouraged, and God bless!

Are You Being Shifted?

The other night, I was watching the story of Moses on TV, and God poured into my heart a word of encouragement for those experiencing a shifting. 

“Many years later, when Moses had grown up, he went out to visit his own people, the Hebrews, and he saw how hard they were forced to work. During his visit, he saw an Egyptian beating one of his fellow Hebrews.” (Exodus 2:11, NLT)

Moses lived in Egypt for years, although the bible doesn't mention him ever seeing the oppression of the Israelites until the verse above. I assume that he had an idea of what was happening in that kingdom in terms of order, meaning that he knew the Egyptians were in charge. When he paid the visit to his people, he saw the oppression and became very uncomfortable. That resulted in him killing one of the Egyptians. A question struck my mind while examining this scenario, why then and not sooner?

It all trickles down to God’s appointed timing. Maybe he could have visited a year sooner, but then he wouldn't have been walking in Gods divine will. No man can come unto God unless He draws them (John 6:44), and this was the time God had ordained to draw Moses out.

The process began when God led him into the Hebrew camps, opened his eyes to see, and his heart to feel. The wrestling in his spirit when he saw the oppression against the Hebrews was a part of God’s way of drawing him. Sure, he could have escaped immediately he killed the solider, but I believe he was comfortable in his old life and tried to fight his conviction of just sitting and watching his people be oppressed. He tried to act normal, but God drew his heart back to visit his people for a second time. He couldn't escape his curiosity and the burden of these people on his heart, even if he may not have understood why. But then he realized that people knew what he had done and sought his life, so he fled. But if no one knew he probably would have acted normal and stayed.

Now, let’s define what it means when the Bible says the father “draws” them. According to the dictionary it means to cause something to move by continuous force, as by leading, to uncover, to cause to flow forth, to pull out, to bring about deliberately.

Moses, before the foundations of the earth had been set apart by God to deliver the Israelites from Egypt. Romans 8 says that those God predestined, He called, then justified, and finally glorifies. Meaning that there is a period between your predestination and calling. You may or may not be following God during that time frame of 2 years, 30 years or whatever, but God is never a second late!

He has set a date to call you out of the lifestyle you might have grown accustomed to in order for you to walk into your calling. He will literally shake everything, move anything, and do whatever it takes to get your attention. In the case of Moses, his settling in Egypt was not conducive with regards to where God was taking Him- there probably would have been opposition from those closest to him being that they weren't going in the same direction. God had to take him out of his comfort zone which in turn cultivated his heart to be good soil before God could work with him. I believe that if God had given Moses an instruction while he was still occupying his position in Egypt, he wouldn't have listened.

So, do you feel like your heart is being tugged in certain areas? Like the surrounding you have been so familiar with is shaking, and don't understand why?

Then I have great news for you! You’re in good company, because it means that God is calling you into a different season. It doesn't mean that you will immediately begin your ministry or step into the place God has for you, but it could be a call into intentional preparation for your journey. Anytime I start feeling restless in my spirit or a great pull towards a certain direction, it is not always comfortable but we must learn to not limit God to our feelings. He is too great to be confined. Too mighty to be held within our earthy minded capacity. I mean this is a God whose thoughts are as high as the heavens, how then shall we fully understand His sovereignty?

Alright, it’s story time! When I started University in 2010, I was a Pre-pharmacy major and it isn't an easy field, so I put in work but it was never enough. When I got really frustrated, I cried to God. He gently reminded me of the past six years he had been speaking about going into a different field; I wasn't willing to hear it then. See, I was chasing affirmation, security and money which I thought came along with my field of study, so I ignored God’s tugging on my heart. To get my attention, He allowed my whole world to literally crumble and it was at that point my heart became receptive. I ignored that call for years and with every year that went by, it appeared too great a sacrifice. But God’s grace carried me, until 2011 when my calling into the College of Business came and I could no longer hide.

Granted it was a great shift, but I want to assure you that God was with me every step of the way and He will be with you too. Through the hills and through the valleys, come rain or sunshine you can bet your bucks that God does not sleep or slumber. He is clocked in on your case for eternity, and He will lead you to a glorious end if you let Him. 

Be cheered by the story of Moses, the dude killed a guy but yet his “mistake” led him to a place where he could hear clearly from God.

Some of the things that scare us are limitations like, who we used to be, the mistakes from our past, and qualities we don’t think we possess. Moses, a murderer with anger issues was used to deliver a whole nation, because he chose to rest on God’s word. Your limitation does not inhibit God’s ability to use you; rather it increases His ability as it is in our weakness that He is made strong (2 Corinthians 12:9). If you were perfect, you would have no use for God, and the cross would have been a waste.

Often, we have a tendency to fight change because we would have to start all over to get back to a point of comfort. Blindsided to the fact that people’s lives could be hanging on the line of our obedience. Like Moses to the Israelites, yours to your neighbor, child on the other side of the continent, family member or whoever. Trust God, and know He will never lead you astray.

Be encouraged all around the world! God has glorious things in store for every one of us, but we have to trust Him to lead us out of our Egypt into the predestined promise. 

Side Note:

I truly appreciate everyone of you that takes time to read this blog, subscribe, and share! By God's grace your heart has been fertile soil and good seeds have been sown. In the upcoming weeks, I have some huge announcements about what God has been doing in my life to share with you all. So, follow me on social media for an immediate update. May God continue to keep and bless you in Jesus name!