Do You REALLY Want That?

  I remember when the Lincoln LS first came out. I wanted one so bad.  The car was beautiful, and I loved the elegance of its appearance.  One day, I decided that I would go and test drive the car.  The car salesman started to tell me a bunch of things about the car’s exterior and the bonus features. As soon as I sat down in the car, I knew that it was not the car for me.  While beautiful on the outside, it lacked all of the things that I needed as a consumer on the inside.  The radio seemed very generic; the quality of sound was below acceptable for me.  It had a very plain look inside.  Nothing to boast about. The few moments behind the wheel on the open highway proved that it lacked the power that I had in all my other cars.  I quietly pulled into the dealership and told the salesman that I would get back with him. I know he was angry after spending almost an hour trying to sell me the car.  I set out to find something else that would better suite me.

  About a week later, I pulled into the Toyota dealership to get an oil change on my Avalon.  A beautiful eggshell-colored Lexus ES300 caught my eye.  “I have to have it!” I thought.  I made it clear to the salesman that I wanted this car and that I was leaving that day with it.  I remember discussing with my banker that I was in love with it and that it had everything that I wanted.  He tried to warn me of the costs associated with such a luxury car, but I wasn’t hearing a thing that he said. “Just tell me I can get it” I snapped.  “Oh yeah, you can have it” he said and signed all the paperwork.  He shook his head and said good luck under his breath.  My sassy self walked out of the bank, feeling like a million bucks and riding in style.

Oh WHY didn’t I listen to him?

Two weeks later, I found out that I was expecting.  Two months later, my child’s father and I split up (I got saved Sunday morning and we broke up Sunday night). A short time later, I almost lost everything I had because the burdening car note and the lack of incoming money once on my own again.  I was riding in style, looking like a million bucks with no clue of how I was going to pay my bills or how I was going to keep my own place.  Did I forget to say pregnant, too?  I was so hung up on appearances that I forgot about what was necessary.  For a few years I struggled with a new baby and new bills, and I often robbed Peter to pay Paul.  The cost of maintenance was ridiculous!  Unfortunately, that one choice affects me to this day.  I am still cleaning the mess that I made.  It was a terrible choice and I had to deal with the consequences.

God gives us all free will.  Free will is the ability to make decisions for ourselves.  He would like for us to follow His way (“Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give ye rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”  Matt 11:28-30).  Many won’t take His advice and walk right into situations that take longer to get out of than it did to get in.  If you won’t take His advice, consider mine; weigh every option completely before you make any decisions.  Let the Lord guide you in every aspect of your life because with His guidance, you can’t go wrong.  A good man’s steps are ordered by the Lord (Psalm 37:23), so acknowledge Him and follow His lead.  Have a great week!

Question of the Day- March17, 2012

If you had an opportunity to be happy, but your happiness would mean distress for someone else, what would you do? Would you forfeit happiness for peace or vice versa?

Getting To the Gate Isn't Good Enough

Before I became a born again believer, I used to go to nightclubs. Some of the places I went to had no waiting lines and once you got inside, you knew why. There wasn't anything going on and I felt that I had wasted my time and wanted to leave. The other places that I went to had waiting lines and guest lists. If you were on the list, you could walk right up, give your name, and be granted access. If not, you stood outside watching people go in, wishing you could get inside because you knew that it was worth it. Yesterday while sitting at my desk, I heard a small voice say "Getting to the gates ain't good enough. You still have to get in." Oh, WOW! So many people say and sing," I just want to see the gates." Just like the people standing outside waiting to be let in? They see the door, but since they are not on the list, they can't get IN. I don't want to be good enough to just get to the gates! The word says that if we hold to what we have been told by the word of God and repent, that our names will not be taken out of the book of life and we will enter into heaven (paraphrased, Rev 3:3-5). So if we lose sight and stay out of the word and sin and not seek to rectify ourselves and repent, then outside of the gates we go! I don't want to see and not inherit, and neither should you. Let's stay focused and grounded and have the mind to repent daily so that when the time comes, we are welcomed inside. Have a great day!

Don't Do What They Do

While driving to work this morning, I reached a merge in the highway where the other oncoming traffic was directed to yield. The other driver, in her own world, continued to drive even as I came into the lane.  I heard the words, "Even if they don't yield, YOU yield."  Why, I have the right of way?  I wanted to yell at her and wring my fist in the air.  I don’t know if it would have done any good since she wasn’t paying the least bit of attention to me.  Though the situation put a wrinkle in my forehead, I just let it go and drove on to work.

As I pulled into the parking lot, I still heard those words. “Even if they don’t yield, you yield.”  What does that mean?  Let them run into me?  Stop every time I get to that merge?  What?  Anyway.  I decided that since I had only 3 minutes to clock in, I’d better get inside.  “Thank You Jesus, I could have been hurt or worse.”  Again I heard, “Even if they don’t yield, YOU yield.  Don’t be like them.”

 What does yield mean? Merriman Webster offers one definition of yield as "to surrender or submit (oneself) to another."  I had to surrender the right to go first for my safety, the other driver’s safety, and for those coming afterward.  The same thing applies in our daily walk with Christ.  Even though there are signs and common sense instructions within us all, we STILL have to yield to God.  We have to yield to him for ourselves and for each other.  We are to treat each other with respect and dignity, even if the other person doesn’t return the same.  Even though we want to act how our flesh tells us to and opposite of what our heart tells us.  Romans 7:18 states " For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not." Ask God to help you to learn to do this so that you can develop to the point where it wouldn't affect you the next time.  After all, we seek to be more like Him, right?  His way always is the right way!


  My prayer today is that first, God forgives me for entertaining what my flesh desired, and second, that this note will cause someone to think about the consequences of their actions before they react.  Don't do what the world would have you to do.  Be different.  I love you all. Be blessed.

He Calls ME Friend

I am an avid collector of music.  In the new day and age of technology, I still prefer a cd over an MP3 player or an IPod.  This week, while I pouring through my cd collection, I found an Israel and New Breed cd that I thought for certain I had given to Michelle, the choir director.  I grabbed it this morning and headed out the door.  I popped the cd in, drove Tiana to school, and headed to work.  Listening to the cd gave me a sense of freedom and I began to worship in the car. When I got to work, I took the cd out so I could listen to it in my office and continue my worship.
  The first song on the cd is "Friend of God."  The lyrics state "I am a friend of God, He calls me friend."  WOW! Isn't that great? Despite what I have done, He still calls me friend! I typed the lyrics in to a search engine, and I found a blog about the song.  The writer stated that it was not scripture and that they had poured over the Bible and not found any verse where God calls us friend. "What?!!" was the first thing that popped into my head, and I began to wonder whether or not this was true.  Many songs that are sung by gospel artists are not scripturally based, but being an Israel fan and having seen him in concert and witnessing  how much he loves the Lord, and knowing how he and his musicians pray and fast for 40 days to hear from God before recording, this rang a little false to me.  Then John 15:13 fell into my spirit and I heard these words "Greater love hath no man than this, to lay down his life for his friends." I grabbed the bible that I keep on my desk, opened it to the scripture and continued to read "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth; but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you."  (14-15) and then more scripture from this week's bible study came to me, particularly John 10:15, the b portion states "and I lay down my life for the sheep."  I am born again, therefore I am sheep, and He said that He lay down His life for the sheep.  He died on the cross for us, so this has to pertain to us! 
   Merriman Webster defines friend several ways.  Two offerings are a. one attached to another by affection (fondness) or esteem (regard).  and b. one that is of the same nation, party, or group.   Whether we fully understand or not, we, as the body of Christ, are His friends. We are attached to Him because of the price He paid for us on Calvary and by our acceptance of Him as out personal Lord and Savior. We are His friends, because of the high regard we have for Him, and because of the deep affection He has for us to lay His life down so that we may live! A lot of us are willing to do just about anything for someone we consider a friend, and Jesus did the ultimate thing for us that chose to follow His commandments. He's your friend.  He's my friend.

Which Are You?

Good Afternoon,

  While sitting at my desk today, a scripture dropped into my spirit.

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed.  The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16

The first thing that popped into my mind was "Okay Lord, what are You trying to tell me?" One thing I have learned is that when something burns into your mind or into your lap, you don't ignore it.  So, as usual, I had to get the dictionary to break down the words in the scripture.  Even though I have two Bachelor of Arts degrees, I still don't have a clue as to what some words mean. I thought to myself "Okay, look up effectual, fervent, righteous, and availeth." As I began to read, my feet began to hurt.
  Webster's definition of effectual is "producing or able to produce a desired effect" and some synonyms were "effective, fruitful, and potent." Antonyms? Fruitless. Useless. Ouch. The definition of fervent is "very hot, exhibiting or marked by great intensity. Zealous." Synonyms were "blazing, burning, intense, and passionate." Antonyms? Cold. Emotionless. Ouch. Next up, righteousness. Definition is "acting in accord with divine or moral law: free from guilt or sin." Synonyms are "just, upright, virtuous." Antonyms? Immoral. Wicked. Wrong. Ouch again. By the time I reached the last word, not only were my toes hurting, but so were my feelings. The key word in availeth is avail and  in this text is used as a transitive verb. The definition of avail is "to produce or result in as a benefit or advantage" with synonyms being "benefit, profit." Near antonyms? One stuck out like a sore thumb; HINDER. Right along there, I began to experience a gut-check from the Lord himself. "Which one are you, Treva? Now that you have broken the word down and you have a better discernment, where are you? Where do you stand? What does that say about your prayer life, and what are you going to do about it?" AWWWW-CH (country version of ouch), yes Lord, I hear and heard that!
  After picking myself up off the floor, I took stock of the revelation. If you have a passionate, intense, burning and heartfelt approach and you are in right standing with God (at peace, yesterday's message), then your prayers will be profitable, potent, and fruitful.  If you have a lukewarm, cold even, emotionless approach and are not in an upright standing, then your prayers are useless and won't benefit you or anyone else for that matter. WOW! That's deep! I had to apply it to me first, and I thank Jesus for that toe-crunching, chin check that He just dealt. Brothers and Sisters, we have to get ourselves in order with the Word so that we can see the fruit of our prayers. If you've been praying and believing God for some things and you don't seem to see any evidence of your prayers, check yourself and your approach. I'm going to work on mine. I love you all.

He Hears You Over the Crowd

Good Evening Family and Friends!

It has been a few months since my last note. I have been dealing with a few things privately, and I wanted to speak when God pressed me to and not when my flesh desired me to. With that being said, this has been pressed upon my heart since Thursday night Bible Study, and I have been released to share it.

Thursday evening's topic was "Putting a demand on the annointing" and Pastor Dortch dealt specifically with three instances when people were healed because of their faith in God.  One story has stayed with me and has given me a great revelation personally and I have to share it with you. Luke 18:35-43 tells of a blind man sitting on the roadside that had been begging and heard a multitude (great crowd) of people passing by. He asked what was going on and they told him that Jesus was passing by. He cried out "Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me." And people began to rebuke him, telling him to hold his peace, but he cried even louder, "Thou son of David, have mercy on me." Jesus stopped and told them to bring the man to him, asked him what he wanted him ( Jesus) to do for him, and he asked for his sight. Jesus told him to receive his sight and that his FAITH had saved him. Immediately he received his sight and he followed Jesus, glorifying him, and when the people saw him, they gave praise unto God. (I paraphrased it, but go and read it, I promise it's there)

Ok Treva, now that all of that is said, what are you saying? It blessed me that this man, unable to see the works of God with a physical eye, knew in his heart that Jesus could heal him. He didn't let a large crowd stop him from crying out to God! Even though someone tried to shut his mouth and discourage him from seeking God (ain't that a trip?) he cried out anyway! And what blessed me even the more was that even though there was a large crowd of people (who undoubtedly made alot of noise, whether by chatter amongst each other or by worshipping God, or by praising God, or just the noise that accompanies a large movement), that Jesus heard the cry of ONE MAN, and stopped what he was doing to attend to this man's cry! AMAZING! All the people around Him and he could hear the cry of a need! It reminded me of Psalm 40:1-4 which states "I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of the miry clay and set my feet upon a rock and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and trust in the Lord. Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such turn aside to lies."

It is a great thing to have faith but a greater thing to press on in that faith ignoring the crowd. Its a great thing that Jesus attends to everyone, and a greater thing to me that even though a noise could be around, even though many can be in prayer, many can be in worship, and many can be at His feet, but when I/You cry out to Him, our cries will not go unnoticed. He's not too busy, He's not consumed. He won't ignore us. The blind man cried out twice, and Jesus answered him and delivered him out of his problem because of his faith. He didn't get discouraged because his first cry didn't get the response he wanted, but he cried out even the more! He was serious and was not going to be deterred! We need to have that kind of faith! Sometimes when we cry out to God we expect a change as soon as the sound leaves our mouth and we get discouraged because people will tell us in so many words that God didn't hear us, or we're not praying right, or even that we need not bother God with our "mess", but the truth is that only God can deliver us from what we are crying out for. Don't let the circumstances or your surroundings affect your faith in Jesus. He can and He will meet you at your point of need, but it's according to your faith!

I pray that you all have a blessed week and that your faith be unwavering. I love you all!