 In October 2019, during a prayer gathering in San Diego, CA, I received a profound urgent command from the Lord to prayer for America. He specifically said to pray for 50 hours for America (1 hour for every state). Perplexed as to how to get this done, I shared it with a few prayer warriors to ask them to help carry the load. We came into agreement. Then the Lord provided a prayer strategy (see below) of how and what to pray. This morning I heard it again and the Lord instructed me to share the prayer strategy. Nothing happens without prayer. Can you pray for just one hour? 50 HOURS OF 🙏🏾 PRAYER FOR AMERICA 🇺🇸
Can you pray for just one hour? (October 2019) Many people have gotten their lives straightened out, and many desperate situations have been changed because people have learned to pray. Mature sons and daughters learn to legislate in the prayer closet. When we pray, God does the impossible in ways we could never dream of. Prayer changes things. “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” (1 John 5: 14-15 KJV) One day, I read this Scripture and my prayer life was transformed. I realized that if I could locate a promise in God’s Word, then write it down as a petition, I would see results. From that day until this one, I have used this Biblical technique to see victory in my prayer life. The Word of God says the we shall decree a thing and it shall be established. When we issue our decrees, they cannot be challenged by any court of law. “Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.” Job 22:28 . The Bible also says: If any of you shall say to the mountain: Be thou removed and cast into the sea and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he said shall come to pass; he shall have whatever he saith (Matthew 11:23). Let’s begin! When we pray Heaven responds. Begin with reciting The Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6: 9-13 or Luke 11:2-4) - I also encourage you to take the time to meditate on the 6th chapter of Luke and the 11th chapter of Luke it is a red letter text with many powerful nuggets of wisdom that you will be blessed by. “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.” Repentance (Psalm 51) - Before petitioning the Lord it is important to repent of any known or know sins, sins of omission and commission. Reciting Psalms 51:1-19 will be sufficient. “Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your lovingkindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions. Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Make me hear joy and gladness, That the bones You have broken may rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins, And blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence, And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted to You. Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, The God of my salvation, and my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall show forth Your praise. For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise. Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion; Build the walls of Jerusalem. Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, With burnt offering and whole burnt offering; Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar.” Psalms 51:1;6-19 NKJV Cover yourself, your home, and your family - FEEL FREE TO PRAY WHAT YOU SEE, ARE LEAD TO PRAY BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, OR USE THIS EXAMPLE: I thank you Lord that you go before me and perfect those things that concern me. I thank you that you have chosen me to be your official representative in the earthly realm. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV) Therefore, I submit my mind, heart and body to you as a living sacrifice. Holy and acceptable because it is my reasonable service. I plead the blood of Jesus over my mind and I bind any demonic assignments released against me in Jesus name. Let God arise and His enemies be scattered! I release the fire of God and the blood of Jesus against witchcraft control, mind binding spirits, spirits that block or bind the will, mind control, destruction, lust, fantasy lust, perversion, intimidation, rebellion, rejection, schizophrenia, paranoia, anger, hatred, wrath, rage, resentment, bitterness, unforgiveness, unteachableness, deception, doubt, unbelief, passivity, pride, and false humility in Jesus name! I am an empowered believer. It's my desire to honor you. To be a vessel of glory and honor for your use. I activate and enforce the authority that you have given me. I ask that today I would be granted the full access and application of the work on the cross, from resurrection to ascension. Resurrect anything dead in, around and near me. Help me to ascend as an eagle above test, trials, and tribulations today. I clothe myself in Your whole armor according to Your Word in Ephesians 6:14-20; “Standing with my loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; My feet are shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, I take the shield of faith which will quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. I place the helmet of salvation upon my head, and speak the word of God boldly, as I ought to speak. As I fight the good fight of faith today, I thank you that demonic forces and powers of darkness are under my feet and shall remain there. I bind the strongman and render him helpless in my life, in my families lives, in the lives of my church family, our ministries, businesses, communities and our nation. Declarations Over Marriage & Family I command division, separation, strife, jealousy, envy, chaos, resentment, disharmony and bitterness that would attempt to operate in my home or toward one another to leave immediately in Jesus name! I cancel every assignment of the enemy against SPOUSE & CHILDREN’S NAME mind and I command that their mindset line up with the Word of God. Lord sever every ungodly soul tie and street tie. Remove the stumbling blocks. I decree that they will serve the Lord! Sever the ungodly male/female influence and cease it in Jesus name. Sever the relationship with his/her homeboys and remove them. Lord remove the ungodly influences. May the fire of the Holy Spirit burn out all not of You. Surround them with godly people. Let nothing hinder them from seeking you. Amen. Cover your neighborhood - FEEL FREE TO PRAY WHAT YOU SEE, ARE LEAD TO PRAY BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, OR USE THIS EXAMPLE: Heavenly Father, we ask for your presence in families in our neighborhood. We pray for strength and understanding between the marriages in our neighborhood. We ask for loving, strong bonds between the children, teenagers, adults, and grandparents. We pray that each branch of the family would demonstrate love for one another. God Almighty, we ask for healthy, thriving relationships between neighbors. We pray different cultures will be able to understand and care for one another in our neighborhood. We pray that the diversity of your people will be celebrated by all neighbors, just as you affirm and love each one of us. Father, we pray for the teachers and local principals who devote their days to shepherding our students. Please be present as district and state leaders make impactful decisions. We ask for guidance and patience for the parent volunteers as they serve our neighborhood schools. We pray that our schools will be a safe, positive community for our students. Lord God, we pray for guidance for our local pastors as they nurture Your congregation and seek to serve those around them. We pray congregations would welcome neighbors with open arms. We hope for residents to find a place to experience community with the body of Christ as they grow spiritually. God, our Prince of Peace, we ask for your presence in the streets and homes of our community. We pray for local law enforcement, for their safety and wisdom and compassion in all circumstances. We pray your comfort for those who have experienced violence, and we ask your protection for all our neighbors. Father, we ask you to give our state and local leaders wisdom to make decisions affecting our neighborhood. We pray they will be thoughtful in their decisions and listen to the voices of the community. We pray for courage to stand up for our community and to live with grace and dignity in our city. God, we ask for a flourishing community, where neighbors learn to love each other and come to know Jesus. We pray that we can be good stewards of Your love to each one of our neighbors. We ask that You help us to learn from our community, and it may be a place where all are welcomed. Cover your region - FEEL FREE TO PRAY WHAT YOU SEE, ARE LEAD TO PRAY BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, OR USE THIS EXAMPLE: Father, you said in your Word that, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14. Today I stand in the gap for the [INSERT YOUR REGION HERE] region of the United States of America. So now Lord, we humble ourselves. We realize we are not self-sufficient and our dependency is on you. We seek Your face and pursue You above all else. I pray that Your righteousness would invade our region with healing, deliverance and Your perfect will. I pray for regional repentance. That hearts may turn back to You. WE COMMAND DRY BONES TO LIVE AGAIN in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama. I pray for the leaders throughout the region and those in authority. The heart of the king is in your hand and we know you are able to direct his decisions to your plans and purposes. (Proverbs 21:1). Give our leaders discernment, understanding, and knowledge concerning the issues that concern their attention. Strengthen them spiritually, mentally, and physically. Give them courage and fortitude to stand strong in the face of adversity. May they be bold and courageous to stand up for what is right and defy the forces that would come against our country, state, and communities. Cover your state and the nation - FEEL FREE TO PRAY WHAT YOU SEE, ARE LEAD TO PRAY BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, OR USE THIS EXAMPLE: Father I ask according to Isaiah 22:22 that you would open the Gates of Heaven above us and bless us. I ask You Heavenly Father to open the Gates of Favor, Provision, Deliverance, Wisdom, Protection, and Healing for the state of ________________. I bring the needs of our local, state, and national governments before You and ask You to bless our nation through godly leaders. We magnify the Name of Jesus and declare that He is Lord over this nation. We pray for our president, the vice president, all the Cabinet the, chief justice and associate justices of the Supreme Court, our governor and mayor, to receive the wisdom of God, to act in obedience to that wisdom and for the power of God to flow in their lives. We pray for the members of the Senate and the House of Representatives to find Your peace and direction, and for these men and women to act and lead according to Your Word. A house divided against itself cannot stand, therefore, we pray for them to be unified in righteousness for the sake of the nation. May our leaders conduct their administrations and personal lives ethically, morally, and honestly. May they be people of integrity and truth and follow the convictions of their hearts, looking to You, God, in prayer for help and comfort. We pray for the safety and protection of our leaders, as well as our law enforcement officers, and men of and women of the military. We ask for godly counsel and wisdom for judges across this land. In the Name of Jesus, we pray that You and Your kingdom of righteousness be manifested in the hearts of all those who are in authority in any way. Give wisdom and insight to our leaders and everyone involved in the elimination of terrorism. Provide instruction in the development of effective and efficient anti-terrorist strategies that will give us an advantage against our aggressors, allowing the country to remain safe and secure. God, we pray you prevent the destructive forces of terrorism directed against our nation. May every evil plot be revealed and stopped. We repent for the sins of this nation. Forgive us where we have strayed dangerously far from the path you have for our country. We ask You to cleanse us and forgive us from idolatry, witchcraft and every kind of disobedience. Grant this nation a spirit of repentance and cover us with Your mercy. As we turn back to You, Lord, we believe our land is being healed. In Jesus name. Amen. Pray for the Church Father, in the name of Jesus, we pray for the great sleeping giant, the church, who even now has begun to shake herself from her sleep. We pray she would awake to righteousness and holiness in every denomination, in every body of believers, and slumber no longer. We pray we would begin to unify under the blood-stained banner of the Cross, and preach the Gospel of the Kingdom clearly and boldly in every highway and byway of our nation. We pray and believe for the voice of truth, salvation, revival and restoration to be proclaimed and heard across our land. Grant unto your servants everywhere that with all boldness we may speak your Word. We pray for a mighty outpouring of your Spirit with signs, wonders and miracles. We pray we will not only stand up and speak up but will begin to reap a great harvest in our nation, bringing multitudes to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. May the revival of the saints be so all encompassing that it affects the spiritual complexion of our entire nation and influences our politics, our economy, our media, and our entire society. In Jesus name. Amen. Pray for Jerusalem Father, Your Word says to pray for the peace of Jerusalem because those who love Jerusalem shall prosper. Lord Jesus, because You love Jerusalem and wept over it, we love it also. We pray for Jerusalem to receive the shalom of God, which brings wholeness—nothing missing, nothing broken. We pray that no leader of our nation will make any decision that will harm Jerusalem in any way. And in the Name of Jesus, we pray that You reveal Your perfect will to all the leaders of Israel. We ask You, Lord, to reveal Yourself to each person. Thank You, Father, for hearing our prayers that are in accordance to Your will. We receive the answers. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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When your humble and walk in peace, they say, “you don’t know who you are.” When you walk in confidence and authority, they say, “your arrogant and controlling”. When your a go-getter, trendsetter, and actively go after what’s yours, they say, “your all over the place and motivated by performance.” When you live rested in the Lord, they say, “your lazy and unmotivated.” Can you relate? Everybody has something to say. They think they know you better than you know yourself. They think they are right too! He say, she say. What does God say about you? What does He know about you? What is He leading you to do? Honestly, that is ALL that matters. Along the way He will send people across your path to encourage you, build you up, motivate you, support you, and ultimately push you right into the very moment you have been waiting on. Be encouraged today. Keep seeking the one that knows all and sees all. Keep moving as He leads you. Keep going even when “they say” stop. Your submission to Him depends on your ability to SILENCE ALL OTHER VOICES. Unless you can hear the heart of God for you through those voices, tell them to SHUT UP and keep moving. What voices do you need to silence today? Silence the voices... Of the enemy Of the immature Of the past Of fear Of naysayers Of the jealous Of the haters Of the part of yourself that does not honor God. Tune in to His voice and silence all others. Be blessed. 
In the face of opposition, mocking, and accusations, what will you do? Will you draw back into the shadows and be silent? Will you walk away from the call (purpose) on your life or will you stand strong? In my twenty six years of ministry I have experienced my share of the aforementioned situations. Until I grasped an understanding of why these things happen I would draw back, be silent, and disqualify myself. We’re supposed to be blameless right? I submit to you an alternative perspective. In the Apostle Luke’s account of Jesus’s Sermon on The Mount in the sixth chapter it reads, “Blessed are you who hunger now, For you shall be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, For you shall laugh. Blessed are you when men hate you, And when they exclude you, And revile you, and cast out your name as evil, For the Son of Man’s sake. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy! For indeed your reward is great in heaven, For in like manner their fathers did to the prophets.” (Luke 6:21-23 NKJV). A few more verses down Jesus continues His teaching to the disciples and the multitudes saying, “But woe to you who are rich, For you have received your consolation. Woe to you who are full, For you shall hunger. Woe to you who laugh now, For you shall mourn and weep. Woe to you when all men speak well of you, For so did their fathers to the false prophets.” (Luke 6:24-26 NKJV). No need to add anything to this text or take anything away from the text, it’s simple, and clear. I’m hear to declare to you today that your voice will not be silenced. The other day I resumed my cycling workouts after recovering from a broken ankle which resulted in two surgeries. Needless to say being waitlisted for over two months was quite the ordeal for my type A personality. Eventually I settled into the process and embraced the season of rest. It is now a new season, and I was so excited to be back in the saddle! So excited that during the class I was singing and dancing along to the tunes as I rode. I was a first time guest in this particular class. I must have been disrupting their usual mundane ride because after a few songs, the other cyclers began to mock my enthusiasm, echoing my random shouts through what was some discomfort for me as my ankle readjusted to the range of motion. They started laughing at my dancing and excitement on the bike as well. I didn’t care because it was fueling me to go harder. Rather than drawing back and becoming silent and stoic like the rest of the class, I pushed through it and had a blast! By the end of the class I had people coming up to me saying we need you in this class will you come back? You motivated us. Just think if I would have drawn back. First my ride (which we are supposed to make our own) would have been horrible and I might not have finished strong. Secondly I would have lost the opportunity to motivate the class. What does this say to you? Do you! Let the haters and hecklers on the sideline do what they do. Use it as fuel to finish strong and win! You were #BuiltToEndure Meditate on this text as you settle in to the declared promise above: “When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.” Isaiah 43:2 NLT #BecomingFruitful #SupernaturalExceleration #DivineHealing  I was home just 48 hours. After returning from a two week missions trip to Uganda, Africa 🌍 I took a tumble down the front steps of our home early Sunday morning on my way to worship service. As I braced myself from the fall I heard a break. The pain I felt radiate throughout my entire body was unbearable 🤕. I cried, and screamed, but no one heard me. So I cried out to God for help. His response was simple and gentle, "I Am". In the midst of the pain suddenly I had the mind to make my way to the car (crawling) and drove around to our stairless entrance. Crawling, screaming , and crying, I pushed open the door and found refuge inside of the house where my husband and daughter were. The sound of my cry alerted them to wake up and run to my aid. The pain was so excruciating I couldn't catch my breath long enough to tell them what happened. "Just take me to the ER", I cried. After arriving to the ER I was immediately taken to Xray to assess the damage done to my ankle. It was broken and oh how it hurt! A dose of morphine later, I felt no pain and I could speak because I was no longer hyperventilating. Sharing the story with the physician and my husband I felt so foolish. I was carrying a box down the stairs in heels. Needless to say, I'm not Superwoman and that was foolish of me to do that. After hearing the news that I would have to see a surgeon, I braced myself for what was next.  Corrective SurgeryThe week long wait to see the surgeon was rough and the range of emotions I felt was real 😩😥😤😣😡😭. I went from floating on a spiritual high, full of faith, and ready to take on the next assignment, to anger in a matter of days. I could only get around on crutches which meant no free hands to carry anything. I was TOTALLY dependent on my daughters (thank God they were home on summer break from school) and my husband to take care of me. First off, this was difficult for me because I'm always the one taking care of everyone else's needs. It was difficult to be vulnerable and dependent. Secondly, why did God allow this to happen? The next several weeks would prove to be a process that was not only physical, but spiritual.
After seeing the surgeon he confirmed that I would have to have surgery and my recovery time would be 6-8 weeks! "What!? I can't sit still that long". Well, in the words of my favorite comedian Kevin Hart, " you gone learn today". Leading up to the surgery I was very anxious. I battled with fear that I didn't know was there. I also had to let go of some projects and engagements. Lets just say God was rearranging my priorities. Following the surgery, my family continued to care for me. I watched God work on their hearts as they served me. I also noticed that God was working on my heart, as well as my attitude about being "waitlisted". Attitude is everything. Some days were good, but honestly, many of them became dark as I endured weeks of laying in the bed and not being able to leave the house. I was being buried. It was time for another death and I knew it. Once I accepted that this was the Lords doing, well He allowed it, I finally ask Him what He wanted me to learn and what should I be doing as I heal? His answers surprised me and I began to write. Excerpt from The Endurance Ride of Life "Becoming Fruitful" Volume 2. Coming Soon Fall 2019 #BecomingFruitful #BuiltToEndure #ERLV2  Someone told me the other day that I was so Heavenly minded that I was no earthly good. I didn't know whether to laugh or to say thank you.
First off, that is not a Biblical statement, it's one of those church phrases that folk use like it's Bible. I can't stop laughing now the more that I think about it. The Word of God tells me that I should "set my mind on things above, not on the things that are on the earth" (Colossians 3: 2), now that's Bible! The problem with this underhanded insult is that being Heavenly minded always inspires me to be more earthly good. Honestly, being Heavenly minded helps me to handle insults like these and not be offended. As I continue to pursue intimacy with my father daily in my personal time and live on #Worship365, I realize more and more, the importance of being Heavenly minded, setting my mind on things above, and faithfully serving the Lord in every area of my life. I appreciate the opinions of others, but God's approval is better than man's applause or acceptance. 1Corinthians 3:18 - 4:5 teaches us in detail how to regard ourselves as Kingdom Ambassadors. I hope you will take time to read it. In a nutshell it tells us do not adopt the world's wisdom and do not judge God's servants. Signed, Heavenly Minded #HeavensHeartbeat #WORSHIP365 #InspirationalSipOfChiT #MyInsideOutLifestyle #InspireEmpowerTransform  I have ALWAYS known there was more for me.
I have always BELIEVED that God had a plan for my life that was bigger than me. and... I have ALWAYS felt a burning in my heart and that ache in my soul year after year of doing and achieving, but not FULLY grabbing hold of that ONE thing that I KNEW was my 'Glory Zone'. It's like I've had glimpses of it, dreams about it, close encounters with it, but never that ACTUALIZATION moment. So, I picked up this book called 'Believe Bigger' written by my mentor and friend, Marshawn Evans Daniels. I had high hopes and expectations that written within the pages would be the wisdom and the missing pieces of the puzzle I had been constructing for over two decades. Surely if anyone could direct me to what I was missing it would be her. She not only learned to believe bigger for herself, but she has helped thousands of women, just like me, believe bigger too! So I cracked open the pages of that life transforming book on a brisk, pre-spring morning flying high on a four hour flight to Los Angeles, and boy did I have a moment! Several "Ah Ha!" moments. Can you say AWAKENING! It wasn't that I had been doing anything WRONG, per say, but I had allowed my lived experiences, past, and current traumas, to taint my belief in me! When I tell you that I arrived to LA with a different swag about myself, whew! I had to stop by the restroom, take a long look at myself in the mirror, and say, "Hello Chi, nice to meet you. You are awesome!" Can you say mental SHIFT! I turned 40 this past December, which I've looked forward to for many reasons. This year is significant in so many ways for me. Two of the most significant are sending my youngest daughter off to college (making me an empty nester) and launching my lifelong dream that I had placed on the shelf many years ago until now. As I continue to read, write, and reflect while consuming the pages of Believe Bigger, I can feel the evolution of a woman who is not only ready to believe bigger for herself, but for my daughters, and all of those waiting for me to show up for them. Are you ready to take the limits off? Believe Bigger! #TakingTheLimitsOff #BelieveBigger #FOD2018 #FODF #ERLV2 #BuiltToEndure #WORSHIP365 #LMLMN #PsalmistLife #MyInsideOutLifestyle #PurposePreneur  My Testimony. When these two were just 4 and 2 years old, I made a very difficult decision to leave an abusive marriage for them. Thus becoming a "Cycle Breaker". The journey as a single mother for 13 years was not easy, but God. Losing my mother to domestic violence when I was just 14, left me with a void in many areas of my life. I started out with MAJOR disadvantages being a motherless daughter, but God. I accepted Christ and was filled with His Holy Spirit when I was just 12 years old at a youth camp. I was standing down front near the stage lifting my hands in worship as Carmen, our worship leader ministered in song.
My love for God, my dependence on His Holy Spirit and my love for music and worship has sustained my life and the lives of these two beauties for 28 years! I'm a believer in the power of the name of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit, if we will surrender to the process, and allow the power of Christ to have its perfect work in us. As we prepare to celebrate the graduation of my youngest daughter this year, I am reminded of the faithfulness of God all these years. He has ALWAYS provided for us, protected us, and sustained us. He was right there all the time. Through the ups and the downs, He was there. When I had no support, no money, and cried myself to sleep MANY nights, He was there. Through relocations, mistakes, and drama, He was there. If you are a single mother, struggling to raise your children the best you can, be encouraged and know that God is and He is ALWAYS there. Have FAITH in Him and He will NEVER let you down. I'm a witness.  Will you respond to what He is asking you to do out of obedience to Him? Enduring the process of spiritual growth and maturity is an ongoing, lifelong process. Unfortunately, it took me more than a decade to reach this conclusion and finally come to a point of total surrender. Isn't it comforting to know that if we would only surrender to the process of obedience to God, being willing to wait on Him, surrendering our will in exchange for His; that we will experience tremendous spiritual growth. Honestly, I believe that it makes the journey easier to endure, and takes less time. Obedience brings healing, and it is much better than any sacrifice you can offer. God requires total obedience, yet what we offer Him daily are works, the sacrifice of our time, our talents, and our tenth. What about the other areas of our lives? "All a man's ways seems innocent to him, but motives are weighed by The Lord" (Proverbs 16:2). Where there is outright disobedience, an act of sacrifice is worthless before God. Are you doing all the right things for all the wrong reasons? When it comes to moral and spiritual actions, motives of the heart are equally complex. Sometime we may be acting from the purest of motives, yet we are in violation of God's commands. Obedience IS Better Than Sacrifice Consider Jonah and many other ordinary people like you and I who God called, as examples of our disobedient and resistant human nature. Moses, who God called and prepared, standing before a burning bush, making excuses for why he couldn't do what God called him to do. Consider Gideon who God called to lead an attack against the Midianites; arguing with an angel, explaining why he couldn't do it. How about King Saul, the wisest, most powerful King of Jerusalem. Who hid behind luggage when Samuel came to anoint him King of Israel. Consider Jeremiah, whom God called to be a prophet to the nations. Debating with God about his tender age, as though God didn't know how old he was. When God calls you He equips you. Jonah's disobedience resulted in God's intervention and where he ended up, was not an ideal situation. Although he didn't debate with God or argue with an angel, he simply ran the other way. He didn't object to his call because of his inabilities, but rather his personal opinions. He felt that the people of Nineveh didn't deserve a warning of repentance, and rightfully so. The people of Nineveh were evil and wicked. A few days of running the opposite way landed him three days in the belly of a big fish where he would quickly regain his perspective and obey God. Despite Jonah's disobedience, his lack of perspective, his cultural prejudices, and his self-rightoeosuness, God never have up on him. God can still use us in spite of us. Are you a friend of God, obeying His word and His will or an enemy of God rejecting and running away from God's will and not obeying His word. My Nineveh Experience: Before God called me into full time ministry, I was preparing to move back to Atlanta for what I perceived to be a strategic move on behalf of my daughters as they approached middle school, it was clear that they would need the influence of their father to keep them on the right track. I was right. However, before the official move I came to a crossroads. God was calling me back to himself in total surrender. No longer my way but his way. My plans had been blocked and to my surprise, I would spend the next 6 months going through a process of being broken, surrendering, and receiving divine revelation. It was very painful and I felt as though I was being punished. I did not understand and I was angry, but I submitted to the process and allowed God to work in me and eventually through me. I believe that because of my surrendered heart, I was granted permission to continue with my plan to move with my daughters back to Atlanta, GA. I believed that I had made the right decision, however, the circumstances that I encountered when I arrived caused me to doubt. My doubts and lack of faith in God, caused me to waver in my obedience to Gods Word and His will. Anytime you enter into a state of disobedience to God your way will be made hard to bring you back to a place of obedience. It would take me an entire year to finally get this revelation after waisting time, money, and making many mistakes. Eventually my situation would bring me to a point of surrender again. I would spend the next year going through a tremendous process of growth. I stopped running away from the call and surrendered in obedience to His will. The more time I spent in His Word and in prayer, the more clarity I gained about the plan and purpose for my life. This book that you are holding is the product of that and all because of obedience and total surrender. OBEDIENCE = FRUITFULNESS [Harvested Produce] When I finally let go of fear and stepped out of the boat, I began to walk on water, and as long as I keep my eyes on Jesus, He will not let me sink. #FailureIsNotAnOption Exert from The Endurance Ride of Life Vol 2 "Becoming Fruitful"  “When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said:
“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. "You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you. “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought. "You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat. "You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for. "You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world. "You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family. "You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom. “Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble.” Matthew 5:1-12 MSG “And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.” Mark 11:22-26 KJV  FAITH OVER FEAR FRIDAY!
Working on being more intentional in every area of my life, and a big growth area for me is being more relational. I know, those who REALLY KNOW ME and have relationship with me would say, "what are you talking about you are relational". I'm speaking of extending the net to become more relational with those whom I know but have yet to "get to know". I asked God how to do this without stretching myself too thin and this is what He instructed me to do. It's FAITH OVER FEAR FRIDAY! There is power in agreement and I love to pray for my friends. I know this life is hard and can present challenge after challenge, but, what I know for sure is that it's very difficult to handle alone. Your not alone. I would like to stand with you in faith and prayer. If you have a prayer request please post it in the comments. If you would prefer to keep your request private please message me directly. #FaithOverFear Yours In Faith, @chi_likethetea |
AuthorLife long journal keeper who is now ready to share my story with the world! 
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"The water that I give her will become in her a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life" John 4:14
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Chi T. Mathias. All rights RESERVED.
Chi T. Mathias. All rights RESERVED.