Go Where You Are Sent

Matthew 9:37

37Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few."

Jesus had seen the multitudes of people who were lost and sought after Him. In seeing them, Jesus had great compassion. He wanted to ease their weariness. And when He saw this, He was ready to send His disciples out but  Jesus recognized one truth. Many people are not willing to labor for Him to ease the weariness of the people. There a host of reasons as to why not but the most common is fear. Many that God has spoken to directly fear failing, fear not being accepted by those who care not to entertain the company of Jesus, fear not being able to roll around in the pig pen of sin they have enjoyed for so long. Since God sent you to this earth for a purpose and  yet you refuse to accept it, have you not already failed? If the people you are surrounding yourself with do not care to entertain the company of Jesus then do you really believe they accept you right now? Those same people are likely already talking about you behind your back because you are not who God called you to be and you are imitating someone else. The Pharisees talked about Jesus but He did what He was sent to do. And lastly, do you think there are no consequences lying in that pig pen for you? Do you understand that you will regurgitate whatever initial fun you have swallowed in that pig pen in the form of pain and consequences? They will be teachable ones of course.

Jesus came for a specific purpose. And Jesus didn't have Disciples for the purpose of being groupies. Jesus spent time with them because the objective was for them to go where He was sending them. So do not think that Jesus will not send you somewhere. You are not a groupie. He will equip you with everything you need when the time comes. You just need to be in the ready stance or what the military calls, "at attention" with Him.

P.S. Remember to checkout my girl Stubbs on the Leap of Faith Show Monday-Friday from 10am-12pm on the Leap of Faith Network (www.lofnetwork.com) and listen for the Get Your JOY In The Morning segment throughout the day.

Do Not Imitate Life

Ecclesiastes 7:1

1A good name is better than precious ointment, And the day of death than the day of one's birth

All we have is our name. Our good reputation, love and the people we have touched are all we can take with us when we pass to the next stage of our existence and leave the flesh behind. So many attach a lot to their reputation but your good name is simply about being who you say you are. If you are who you say you are, there ought to be some evidence of it. The day of your death and those who mourn your passing gives evidence of your good name.

I love old movies and one of my favorite films is the 1958 remake of An Imitation of Life with Lana Turner and  a special appearance by my pastor's godmother, Mahalia Jackson. Annie was the black house keeper for a Broadway starlet. Annie's daughter was a young girl who could "pass" for white because of the fairness of her skin. Annie's daughter spent years trying to change who she was born to be to the point that she ran away from her mother. Annie was a good woman and cared for everyone. She was loved. But the day she died, everyone in the house mourned her. Her own employer had no idea the many people she touched because she could not see past what Annie did for her. The day of Annie's memorial, her casket was in a horse drawn carriage. And that day her daughter returned screaming and throwing herself on the casket, "Mama! Mama! I'm sorry Mama! I'm sorry!" 

Annie had a good name and the hundreds of people who celebrated her was a testament of the love she gave. She gave so much but not everyone, especially the one who she loved the most, understood what she meant until she was gone.

Do not be an imitator or who people think you should be. Be who God called you to be and your name shall be great in His eyes and He will also do it among men. Be who God called you to be and you won't regret on the day you take your last breath. Do no imitate life but live it according to your purpose.

What About Rachel's Pain?

Genesis 29:27

27Fulfill her week, and we will give you this one also for the service which you will serve with me still another seven years.

I always know when there will be deliverance with a message because the enemy gets mad and starts creating technological havoc. But surely I say to you...deliverance is here in the name of Jesus!! God has been giving me direct downloads in the middle of the night about this message that He told me would be done today.

God showed me some things about Rachel in a way that I had not expected. Rachel felt slighted because her promise was delayed due to someone else's deceit. In this scripture it is due to her father, Laban. But what Rachel failed to understand was that though she was second in number she was still first. Leah was given to Jacob due to trickery on his wedding night which he was supposed to celebrate with Rachel. Rachel spent her years with Jacob full of anger and jealousy over the fact that Leah stole what was hers and then had children. But Rachel missed the blessing. She was so busy focusing on what didn't happen when had she tuned into God, she would've seen what did happen. The enemy likes to get us so distracted that we miss the blessing so that we won't give God glory. This is a two part blessing.

1. Rachel might have been second in number but she was seen first by Jacob. He fell in love with Rachel and she was first in his heart.
2. Jacob could have settled for Leah and let it go at that but his love for Rachel was so strong that he had to go back for her.

No matter what Leah did and no matter how many babies Leah had, Rachel had the real prize, Jacob's heart. Having Jacob's heirs were important in custom but it is very hard to capture a man's heart. By Rachel having Jacob's heart he wanted to please her. Leah didn't have Jacob's heart so she was the one attempting to please and appease Jacob. Leah had Jacob's body. I will say again what a dear male friend said to me, "just because a man sleeps with you doesn't mean he loves you."  Men can unfortunately disassociate themselves from their emotions to the point that sex is just an act whereas women often become emotionally attached through the act. And for Leah this was true. Leah had to pretend to be Rachel and have the sex in order to grab Jacob's attention. All Rachel did was be herself and he fell in love with her and was willing to wait for her. Sex was preserved until after the wedding ceremony/festivity to consumate and make the marriage official. But what really makes a marriage official in God's eyes is love and devotion because HE is love. Rachel despised Leah and her children though none of that really mattered. Rachel had the real and true marriage.  Rachel's years ended early but they could've been spent with a brighter outlook because she had the heart of the man she loved.

To every Rachel, do not see yourself as second but know that you are first. To every Leah, no amount of  children can change what is in a man's heart when it is ordained by God. And to every Laban, forcing or manipulating a situation that was not to be only causes more problems. The chains have been broken.

P.S. FOR WOMEN ONLY!! I will be one of three featured guest speakers on Saturday, August 17th at 5:30pm for the Summer Social Event hosted by Ratliff Events & Lifestyle Experts! Go to www.ratliffevents.com to register!