Don't Forget Who You Are!

Life is full of challenges. Oftentimes we can feel like the walls are closing in and we don't have any fight left. If we don't have a solid foundation in God, it is easy to give up and throw up the white flags of defeat. Instead of giving up, we have to remember who we are. We were created in the image and likeness of God. We come from greatness. Our Father is the one who stepped into nothingness and with his words, he created this world. I'm sure if you sit back and think you may start to ponder on all the things that are wrong in your life. Can we switch that around for a moment? The next time you feel like you can't make it, think about all the blessings you have. Realize that you come from royalty. If you desire to do the will of God, he can pour his favor in your life. Yes, you will have to cry sometimes. You will get frustrated, but you will not be defeated. Don't forget who you are! You are a chosen vessel, designed by God; unique and special. We can make it through difficulties and come through the fire unscathed.

In your meditation time Read II Corinthians 4...The enemy can try his best to make you give up, but if you stand on the word of God, you will have the victory!

The Past is Over

This morning I woke up with a vivid memory of the past. It wasn't a pleasant time in my life. During that period I was unable to distinguish between what I wanted and what God was trying to do through me. As I pondered on the painful memories of the past, I kept wondering why I started thinking about such a hurtful time when I had declared that the past was over. Then I realized something. The past is just a reminder of the things we've learned, mistakes we've made and primarily an opportunity for growth. Sometimes memories of past hurt and disappointment may creep into our minds, but it is how we react to them that makes the difference. If we use the past as a tool to become a better person, we have literally stomped on the devil's head. The enemy's tactical plan is to have us dwell in the past and get depressed. He wants us to wish we could go back and change things. We all know that we can't change what has happened in the past, but we can take charge of the present and our future.

If we make a conscious effort to let go of the past, we give God the opportunity to work miracles in our lives. Sure there are some things in our past that were so hurtful that it is hard to even fathom how we made it through it, but we did. Those past hurts, let downs and disappointments shape us into who we are.

I am an avid Rocky fan and on the last Rocky movie, he is having a conversation with his son. Because of the notoriety of Rocky, his son has always felt like he was in his shadow and he never had a chance to have something all his own. Rocky gives his son a life lesson. He tells him that this world can be a cold and cruel place. But its not about how hard you get hit in life, its about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. We have to have that same mentality when we reflect on the past. Yes it has caused some devastating blows, but guess what you're still here. Take time to grow and learn from the past. Don't let it consume you. You don't have to let the mistakes of the past define who you are today. The word declares that your latter days will be greater than your past. Now walk in it!

Video of the Day: Moving Forward by Israel Houghton

Feeling vs. Knowing

When you give your life over to God, you become a new creature. You have immediately transcended from death to eternal life. But sometimes we forget to realize that we still have that old mind set. New Christians and even mature one's sometimes beat themselves up when they think negative thoughts or have feelings that don't line up with the word of God.  Because we were all born into sin, our innate desire is to fulfill those lusts. When we come to Christ, we have to exchange our thoughts for what the word of God says.

This Christian experience cannot be based on what we feel but it has to be grounded on what we know. When we study the word of God, we become equipped to take control over our emotions. If we let our emotions rule us it is easy to fall into lustful desires, unforgiveness, and even entice us back into the world's system. The first step in controlling our emotions is to stop and not react instantly. For example, if you are talking with someone and you start to feel like the conversation is not heading in the right direction, the best thing to do is end it and come back to it later. If you continue and let your emotions take over, you may say something that you will later regret. I have waited several days before returning to a conversation when I felt that I needed more time to be strong enough to resist letting my emotions take over.

The second key is to go to the word of God when you start to have negative feelings. Take losing your job for instance. The first thing most of us would think about is how the bills are going to get paid. We would start to worry and maybe even get depressed. If we open up our bible and read, we will discover that God says he will supply all of our need. The word of God has an answer for any situation you are faced with.  If you don't dwell on how you feel, but go to God instead, I guarantee your whole perception of your situation will change.

Lastly, we have to realize that our feelings don't determine the outcome, the word of God does. Just because we feel a certain way doesn't mean it is true. If you make up in your mind that you are going to serve God regardless of how you feel, in time, your feelings will begin to change and will line up with what God says. It doesn't happen overnight. It takes work to build your faith walk and take charge over your emotions. Feeling and knowing are two different things. You can feel like you can't make it, but you have to know that God is always with you. You may feel like your illness is taking over, but you have to know that God is a healer. Situations can come to destroy you, but God says that we are more than conquerors. Believe that God is going to do a new thing in you and he will. Don't get discouraged by how you feel, know that God is able.

When we continue to meditate on the word of God, our feelings will start to change. We will begin operating in the know. The enemy will always try to make you feel things that don't line up with God's word. When you are grounded and rooted in the word, you can immediately counteract those feelings and exchange them for the never failing word of God. Keep giving your situation over to God and know that he desires the best for you. Be Blessed!

Video of the Day: I Believe by James Fortune

My First Author Interview!

I have been hard at work promoting my first book The Job Experience and I am excited about what God is doing in the midst of everything. When you get a chance, check out my first author interview on joeypinkney.com. I know that this is the beginning of great things to come.

http://joeypinkney.com/african-american-author/5-minutes-5-questions-with-margaret-wesley-author-of-the-job-experience.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+JoeyPinkney+%28FeedBurner%29

A Change in Seasons

Every morning I get out with my twins and we walk around the neighborhood. Today, however, something was different. When I opened the door I felt the brisk air of Fall settling in. Yes, I could have bundled up the boys and braved the cold weather. Instead, I decided to stay inside where it was warm and comfortable.

I began to think about this scenario in the spiritual. God's word says that there is a time for everything. A different season to plant and a different season to harvest. Based on the season we are in, we have to make some adjustments. If we are in a season of waiting, we have to equip ourselves for when the harvest comes. We can't just sit idle and let our new season pass us by. Our attitude shouldn't change based on what season we are in, but we can put strategies in place to prepare for where God is going to take us next.

If you are in the midst of a trial, you should start to envision yourself coming out. If you are in a season of prosperity, you should always be prepared for whatever the enemy may try to throw your way. Don't stay inside and roll up in a ball because of what season you are in. Preparation and Expectation should be ever present when you are dealing with the things of God. I shouldn't have changed my routine just because the season had changed. That's how we have to be with God.

We need to recognize what season we are in so God can move in our lives. Too often, we are so ready to get out of what we are going through that we don't take the time to find out what God wants to show us through our situation. We should take every opportunity to grow from our adversity. Just like I opened the door this morning and felt the shift in seasons, God wants to do the same thing in the spiritual. We can all have the abundance that God intended for us from the beginning.

Video of the Day: Don't do it without me, Bishop Paul S Morton. Get ready to come into your new season!