4GIVEN

Proverbs 18:24 says, “DEATH AND LIFE ARE IN THE TONGUE.” With that being said, please fill-in the blank at least one positive attribute about yourself that you’ve forgotten about (I am ________enough). Now can I get at least one witness that knows the power of speaking life into their lives? Too many believers are ‘low-key’ killing themselves by the words that treadmill in their own heads. (E.g. “I am not good enough”, “I am not cute enough”, “I am not confident enough”, and “I am not smart enough” etc…) Thoughts and words framed our world. Unfortunately, we either knowingly and/or unknowingly kill ourselves with them. Our words have the tendency to kill our hope, self-esteem, confidence, desire, song, joy, peace, and beauty. Proverbs 16:24 prescribed the remedy to this negative mindset and it says, “Gracious words are like a honeycomb sweetness to the soul and health to the body”. You may be thinking, “How can I speak life when I don’t ‘feel’ like life is going in my direction nor my favor?” Well, you don’t have to ‘feel it’ to speak life into it! Stop trusting in yourself and start trusting in God’s word. Quit talking negatively about yourself, and begin to bring the words of your mouth into agreement with the truths God has deposited in your life. God’s Word says you’re healed, so begin to say you’re healed. God’s Word says you have the mind of Christ, so begin to say you have the mind of Christ. God’s Word says you’re blessed, so begin to say you’re blessed. God’s Word say that you were skillfully and wonderfully made! The key to turning your life around is practicing positive self-talk, daily. Remember who you are and Whose you are. Speak the Word over your life by declaring and decreeing you are who He has created you to be, you have all that He has given you to live your best life, and you will do exactly what He has divinely purposed you to do.

DOn’t quIT!! Every difficulty is an opportunity in disguise! Galatians 6:9 says, “So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit.” Psalm 27:14 put it this way, “Stay with God! Take heart. Don’t quit. I’ll say it again: Stay with God.” This is not the season to give up rather, it time that you rise up! Can I get at least one witness that is as fiercely determined as Nehemiah was because, he didn’t give up building the walls of Jericho despite the fierce opposition he faced. Caleb never gave up on the promise of God, and he conquered a giant-infested, fortified hill country when he was 85 years old. David didn’t throw in the towel after seeing Goliath!And, Jesus persevered all the way to the cross. “Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart” (Hebrews 12:3). Beloved of God, when we give up too soon, we lose out on all God planned to do through and for us. So as I mentioned above, stay with God, don’t quit, and keep grinding because every difficulty is indeed an opportunity!!

Stop giving CPR to dead situations in your life! Live for today and not in yesterday’s drama because tomorrow ain’t promised to no one! Psalm 90:12 says, “Teach us to number our days…..” Make note, there was a “DO NOT RESUSCITATE” order issued because God is getting ready to do a “NEW THING” in your life in this season of refreshment, renewal, revival, and restoration! Isaiah 43:18-19 gives us confirmation and it says, “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” Don’t let people, this world, the enemy, or even yourself convince you that you aren’t living in God’s purpose. God is God and He works all things, including your life, according to his divine plan, will, and purpose (Rom 8:28). So, stop breathing life into your past and start breathing life in your present. Luke 9:62 says, “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” and C.S. Lewis said, “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” It’s not so much of how you start rather, how you finish….so finish strong! #MoveForward

In his book, The Five Love Languages, Gary Chapman provides insight in how to improve the quality of romantic relationships through understanding your partner’s native love language. The 5 expressions of love he list in the book are; physical touch, acts of service, words of affirmation, quality time, and receiving gifts. I truly love the content of his book and it’s an awesome study guide for small groups or to share with your partner. However, the Bible translation of love is depicted a little more sacrificially. In 1 Corinthians 10:13 (MSG) we find that true love is best exampled through our selfless sacrificial actions. It reads, “If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love. Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, Doesn’t have a swelled head, Doesn’t force itself on others, Isn’t always “me first,” Doesn’t fly off the handle, Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, Doesn’t revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end.” John 15:13 adds the exclamation to the end by reminding all of us, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends!” Happy Valentine’s Day♥️

We serve a BIG GOD and according to 1 Kings 8:27, “All of the universe can’t contain Him.” He is infinite, while everything He created including man is finite. “Finite” is defined as “limited” and “infinite” is defined as “ limitless”. Having distinguished the difference between the two, why is it often difficult to trust an infinite God in times of finite adversity? Well, it goes back to our finite nature. We can’t always see what God knows. However, we should not let what we can’t see, make us forget what God said. The Lord wants to reveal to you and me His will in every situation, but in order to receive that revelation, you and I have to constantly remind ourselves that God is not finite. Therefore, you should not limit what you think God can do in any adverse circumstance or situation. Stop evaluating yourself based on your carnality rather, evaluate all things based on God’s omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence. Jesus didn’t say in Luke 1:37, nothing is impossible for man (finite). He said, “For nothing will be impossible with God (infinite).” You actual limit the power of God when you doubt the power of God. So, stop trying to make sense out of every little aspect of your life. You do not have to understand how a thing works in order to receive it by faith and to receive the benefit it brings. You may not understand electricity, but I betcha you’re not going to live in the dark. Jesus illuminated a reminder for us in John 14:12-14. He said, “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.” We must let God be God and constantly cultivate that attitude of expectancy (infinite faith) that will enable Him to do great and mighty things in our lives.

Your testimony has a way of breathing life into someone who has given up on their life. The MSG paraphrase of Psalm 105:1-2 hits the nail on the spiritual head and it reads; “Thank GOD! Pray to him by name! Tell everyone you meet what he has done! Sing him songs, belt out hymns, translate his wonders into music! Honor his holy name with Hallelujahs, you who seek GOD. Live a happy life! Keep your eyes open for GOD, watch for his works; be alert for signs of his presence. Remember the world of wonders he has made, his miracles, and the verdicts he’s rendered— O seed of Abraham, his servant, O child of Jacob, his chosen.” There are so many things that encumber our focus in our independent worlds that we often forget we are God’s chosen people (1 Peter 2:9) and that He has given us plenty of reasons to praise His name. It really boils down to this perspective—Life isn’t all bad because God is always good! Everyone should have at least one hallelujah in their spirit and with the leading of the Holy Spirit should be wiling to share that testimony with others that might be bogged down in life’s various disappointments and challenges. Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron so one person sharpens another.” Each of us have testimony and a praise that can help change the trajectory of someone’s life. God wants us to remember the things He has done in our lives and He wants us to share those things with others at the right time. So don’t muzzel your praise to God and don’t be afraid to share a life-breathing word of encouragement to someone who is in need of spiritual resuscitation and enlightenment!

God is a God of new beginnings, breakthroughs, transformation, and turnarounds. Zephaniah 3:9 says, “In the end I will turn things around for the people. I’ll give them a language undistorted, unpolluted, Words to address God in worship and, united, to serve me with their shoulders to the wheel.” It’s difficult to grasp this concept when we are holding onto pain, resentment, and disappointment. In order to experience this kind of peace and joy in our lives on a more consistent basis, we must first release all the junk we’ve accumulated and then trust that God is in control and He is able to do anything for us that lines up with His will, plan, and purpose. Once you relinquish the shock and the hurt, you will see that God is able to turn your test into a testimony, your mess into message, your misery into a ministry, and your crisis into opportunity. There ain’t nothing our God can’t do and the only 2 things he won’t do is fail or lie! Hallelujah, God causes all things to work together for your good and His glory (Romans 8:28). All that being said, I am ready to serve God with my shoulders to the wheel because He is getting ready to do a new thing in my life; who’s with me?!

In 1766, the world was introduced to the word “rec-i-proc-i-ty”. Reciprocity has known synonyms such as cooperation, exchange, mutuality, or interchange. The short definition can be summed up in two words, “giving back.” In this edition of D-mars, the emphasis has been placed on the essentials of giving back. I am a strong advocate of reciprocity and it is incumbent upon everyone to understand that there is true value in helping others and giving back. In fact, many of you who will read this article are able to read because someone in your past (home, school, etc.) decided to reach out and help you. He or she took the time to teach the rudiments of discerning the alphabet, interpreting symbols, and reading for understanding and comprehension. It was not long before you mastered it and could understand the most complicated literature. Some of us decided that it was simply enough to learn the skill while others chose to pursue a career at helping others begin their reading journey. We call refer to those individuals as teachers.

People oftentimes approach me after I give a speech or present a training session and ask me do I minister or preach at a church. I am always flattered; however, my typical response is two-fold and centered on the two types of ministers in the world, ministers by profession and influence. In either case, we are all ministers. Likewise, we are all teachers because we have an influence (positive or negative) on everyone we come in contact with on a moment-by-moment basis. Susan Skog once wrote:

“There’s a deep wave of grassroots giving back sweeping the country. A surge of people across all age groups is volunteering like never before. But giving back doesn’t mean that you don’t get anything in return. Helping others reach for a new day rejuvenates us in ways that another margarita-soaked vacation, more stuff, a fatter resume, or a supersized house can’t begin to. We want to feel useful. We want to find meaning. We want to feel this alive and on fire with possibility.”

Here are three simple ways you can give back from finding your true calling to boosting your overall sense of joy:

1. Join a prayer group — prayer is an essential component of our existences as well as our destiny. Intercessory prayer has been the bedrock of our salvation and our country’s freedom, so why not fall on bended knees for someone else (in season and out of season). Do not just say I am going to pray for Brother John Doe or Sister Jan Doe…take the time to pray without delay. In these uncertain times, we need to say more than God bless you!

2. Iron up — some people have gone further than they thought they could because someone else thought they could, so reach out and help another person attain a career goal or objective. King Solomon once wrote, “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.” (KJV)

3. Be creative — maybe you have a relative who is interested in a certain academic area, rather than just getting them a bathrobe or slippers, get them information and possibly tickets to a speaker that is coming to town. Compliment your neighbor on a “yard-well-done”…send a hand written note (text messages and emails do not count) to an employee who completed the project on time and under budget.

We do not need a season to begin giving back because if you have the opportunity to get up in the morning, then that is reason enough because when you do it unto the least of them, you are really doing it unto God…so, have fun giving back because one day someone will give back to you!