Brokeness Produces Wholeness

Remember- God's goodness and never underestimate the power of perspective.  When you're wondering if God is good: look to the Cross, not the Crisis- "God uses broken things. 

It takes broken soil to produce a crop, broken clouds to produce rain, broken grain to give bread, and broken bread to give strength.  It is the broken alabaster box that gives forth perfume.....It is Peter, weeping bitterly, who returns to greater power than ever.  

Remember, remember, some trials are necessary-and every trial reveals who we are in Him! Hallelujah! Praise His name!!! 

Wrong Destinations

Pride will lead you to taking the wrong turn, and produce unfruitful destinations in life.  You in essence cease to see clearly amid all the extra stuff in your way.

The challenge is to live in such a way that you wake up not only the world but yourself to all of the possibilities in your way, instead of the world waking you up. Your decisions do count. 

In order to get from here to there,  we must access our present positions in our move forward to "there." Perhaps that is why God called Adam in the garden by saying, "Where art thou"? Genesis 3:9. In other words, do you know where you are headed? We can surmise that Adam knew where he was hiding; for he later says so.  But does He know that He stepped out of the place called "there"? 

That was all that mattered to God.  Adam had made a move that had compromised his destination.

Pride and it's counterparts. we will refer to them as "great thieves" of life. 

To get back on the right road, redirection is needed, it starts with your admission and then confrontation. It is not until these two things are redirected can we hope to get back on course. 

If you are not sure where you are headed, begin with a heartfelt admission and then be honest in your personal confrontation as to what mishaps brought you to the wrong destinations in your there.  @twitter.com

Esther Excellence Ministries

Presumption Can Kill You...

(Companion to The Walking Dead)

Any authority or influence that we gain by our own manipulation or self-promotion will be a stumbling block to us, hindering our ability to receive a true commission and authority from God. If we are going to walk in true spiritual authority, like David, we will have to trust-all the way in the Lord to establish us in it, and in His time.  As Peter exhorted, Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you (1Peter 5:6,7, KJV). 

Those who really understand spiritual authority will also have a profound understanding of God's grace. Their greatest fear will be to depart from that place of His grace.  James and Peter understood this, which is why they both emphasized that in 1 Peter 5:5, It is pride that compels us us to go beyond what God has called us to do.

One of the most frequent phrases attributed to King David was" he inquired of the Lord." On the few occasions when David made a major decision without inquiring of the Lord, the consequences were devastating.  It was not just David who suffered  the impending consequences  of his presumption, but the people  who were under his responsibility.  Remember this: the higher the position of authority the more dangerous it is, and  more people are affected by even the seemingly insignificant decisions made by you. @twitter.com

Those who attain prominence before humility will fall, because James 4:6 says, Therefore, if we have Wisdom we will seek humility before position. True authority operates on the grace of God, and the more authority we walk in the more grace we will need.  

We only have true spiritual authority to the degree that the King lives.

 Esther Excellence Ministries

The Walking Dead (The Zombie Complex)

The music snarls very loud with high and low pitches followed by a sound of a woman desperately clutching at her clothes, while her face is grimaced in an uncontrollable series of eerie expressions of sheer fright. From the corner of the shadows of the densely populated trees in the forest, we get a glimpse of why the woman's face is in  sheer agony and terror. Straight ahead with arms outstretched, an almost unimaginable beast charring an expression of pure horror, seeks to do his master's will....shrieks and more shrieks as the woman realizes their is no escape....from a life ending in pure domination and control.....she knows her fate is sealed, no more will she be able to control her own thoughts......emotions....

 Believe it or not this scenario is not limited to dark horror movies, but is played out in the hearts and minds of people just like you and me everyday. How many times have you stumbled out of bed into the bathroom, back to bedroom, and then in a fog barely make it downstairs or around the corner to kitchen, for your pick-up yes--coffee. I introduce  you to the Zombie Complex-yes- I know you don't want to be called a zombie. Think about it and the scenario I just painted, aren't you dead if your eyes are not opened, feet barely walking, thoughts not clear, not fully awake, somewhere between here and there, certainly you're not alive.

Too many times our lives are played out like a zombie with outstretched arms, bidding his master's deceitful,and treacherous orders. Sorry to be the one to break the bad news, there's nothing alive about a zombie. The very thing we allowed free reign in controlling us now wants, to make us his Zombie.

Guess what, our spiritual lives resemble this when we refuse, ignore, perpetrate to leave dead issues alone.  We in turn become dead issues ambassadors,  spokesperson, it's representative and give to these dead issues the authority to walk around and prey on the fertile feeding grounds they have not planted.

Isn't it time to stop letting others control your heart, mind, body and soul? We give up so much when we allow others to control us. I wouldn't leave my self open to the control of others.  Who is controlling you? Do you know?

Yeah, Janet Jackson said it best, Control.    http:www.sylviajoyner@twitter.com

An Open Letter to God...

Have you ever taken the time to write God a letter, I know we live in age of technology, and people rarely write each other letters anymore. But this day I wanted to put some of my heartfelt desires to the pen. I thought it might help you to in your walk with the Lord as well.

Dear God,

My Meditation is of you. 

Day and night, morning and evening I desire to do your will and that only.  I will be honest though; there are times when I do not give my meditation to you. And I know that when I keep my meditation on you, it is pleasing to you (Psalm 19:14). But God sometimes I meditate on selfishness, hopelessness, and even depression (let's be honest, our deliverance is near). I let worldly cares consume me and my way of thinking. So today, I ask that you help me get back on track and began anew, because I want to always be in right fellowship with you. I want to do the instructions set by you, not the world. I want wisdom to flow through me like a mighty river, making me wiser than my enemies. (Psalm 119:97, 99).

I even ponder this, that what if I lived everyday as if you were truly first?

David in this Psalm asks God to sanction his words and thoughts as a sacrifice upon the altar of his heart. I know just as David begins anew, I can also begin each day with you first in my life.  I will make my mind up today to show forth your good thoughts. As I begin to change toward the things of God, God will be manifested in all of my life.

Be Blessed

Esther Excellence in Ministry

Carrying the Weight

This is truly a day of many blessings.  But I am reminded also that with this life comes many burdens, some we bring, some brought by others. But nevertheless, it still is being carried by us. Now suppose, you were given a great opportunity to unload these burdens that you have been carrying around all your life, onto shoulders that could carry them, would you? Be reminded, God has not structured us to carry a heavy load.

Our frames were not built to carry more than we should.  In life it is so easy to accumulate this extra weight, this junk, garbage, that we are not even aware of its detrimental effects. We all have been carrying bags loaded with nothing but garbage. It has no value. It is useless.

What benefit is garbage in our lives? How do we get rid of this weight? God has instructed us to cast all of our burdens on him. Let go and feel the weight come off of your shoulders and onto his shoulders.  Enjoy your life without the hassles of carrying around garbage, it’s your choice.

Be Blessed! 

Esther Excellence Ministries