The Graduation of Elevation.

By Guest Blogger: Melissa Ann Ricks

“John answered, ‘I only baptize using water. A person you don’t recognize has taken His stand in your midst.”‘ John 1:26a

I often wonder about the Body of Christ and why we don’t have a great impact in the Earth as we could. Do we lack the boldness of the first century church? It seems many are still somehow unaware of how awesome, all-powerful and amazing our God is.  

Doesn’t the fact that we have Jesus Christ living in us, actually working in the midst of our very being, make us more than conquerors and overcomers, just like the Bible says?  

We’d betta’ recognize!

Martha didn’t really recognize. She was unaware of whom she had in her midst. Had she really recognized who Jesus is and that everything that she would ever need to live a successful life was sitting in her living room, she would have dropped everything she was doing to “prepare” and sat at his feet, just like Mary. 

But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made…, “The Lord answered, ‘You are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed, indeed only one.” Luke 10:39

Many people are so busy working and doing, failing to realize that it has already been done. People prepare and prepare some more, oblivious of the fact that the way has already been prepared. Many are so preoccupied with “getting ready” for God, when we fail to recognize that He is already in our midst, desiring to release more than we can ask or think.

Many are frustrated, like Martha, because they don’t seem to be making any headway in their endeavors.  I was just like Martha. “All I want is to serve you with my writing,” is what I complained to Jesus. I was so busy “doing” and “preparing”, trying to accomplish everything to move into what I believed was my destiny. 

“Don’t you know that it’s already done?” is what I heard from the Lord.

I forgot that He’d already spoken it to me, but I failed once again to recognize that it was already completed. 

“So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11

All we should be doing is sitting at His feet like Mary, learning more of Him from Him. She recognized the presence of holiness, power and the one person that could complete her. There was not anything else that needed to be done. She got it! It is imperative that we get it! Once we recognize that He is in our midst, victory is ours! Recognize that Jesus is everything that we need, want and could ever hope for.

Only then will we have the boldness to act on His word and cause a spiritual fire unlike the world has ever seen just like the 1st century believers. They recognized Him because they knew Him!

Hasn’t he already told you that He is the Alpha and Omega? 

He said that, “I am the Author and Finisher of your Faith!”

Recognize Jesus as…  

YOUR REDEEMER! YOUR PEACE!  

YOUR JOY! YOUR HEALER!

YOUR FUTURE!

Open your eyes and see your Savior for who He is and everything He is.

He is right in your midst!

“Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him.” Luke 24:31

Recognize the awesomeness of Jesus the Christ so that you can impact the world with all that He is in you!

By: Guest Blogger, Shairon Taylor

As people of God, we can oftentimes have the wrong mentality and personal desires.  In this aspect, we need the Davidic mentality–the mindset and the heart of David, which is the type of desire he had toward God.

In Psalm 27:4, David said, “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.”  Desire begins with an encounter with something that captivates our thoughts and heart. True desire drives your determination to fulfill that desire. To dwell in the house of the Lord was David’s desire, and he passionately sought after that.

We desire fancy cars, big homes, jobs bringing in six-figure salaries, and even spouses. But is it the right desire? Yes, God will give us the desires of our hearts, but the contingency is delighting ourselves in Him! It’s fine to want nice things; however, our passion, our desire and initiative should be seeking God, pleasing God, and serving God with a spirit of love and humility. Matthew 6:33 tells us, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

God will bless us. He desires to bless His people. But, are we obedient to Him and His Word? Are we seeking Him like we are supposed to? Are we praying and fasting like we should?

Refocus your thoughts and hearts toward God.

Blessings will come through obedience.

Scriptures:  Psalm 27:4, 37:4-5; Matthew 6:33; Colossians 3:1-2

The DNA of Change.

By Guest Blogger, Tiffany Patton 

Change starts with you. Be the change that you desire to see! 

You have the ability to frame your world. Follow these simple steps to get the results you want.

1. Meditate on things that are in alignment with your overall vision and goals.
2. Find a scripture that supports your vision or goals.
3. Say the scripture every day, multiple times a day. Then, speak that which you wish to see.
4. Believe that you already have that which you ask for!
5. Begin to operate as if it is already in existence. If you desire a mate or family, start setting the table daily. If you’re believing for a new job, get up early and get dressed as though you already have the job or business you wish to start. If you are looking to step out on faith as an entrepreneur, do your research. Believing that you can’t make something out of nothing is not God’s word. His word states greater works we shall accomplish! We have the master Creator living within us. It’s in our DNA to create something out of nothing! See it. Speak the word over it. Believe it! Know it! Be it! Your miracle begins with you.

I know it’s been a while since you’ve heard from me. But my inspiration usually comes from things that happen throughout life. My son just completed an awesome season of track. He ran many races, but the most important thing was that he finished them all. In some, he placed high enough to get medals. But in others, he still didn’t finish last. The key is that he finished, no matter how tired he was. He ran PAST the finish line.

Today, be encouraged to keep running. I know it may not look like it’s going to happen. Keep running. It may not look like the money is there. Keep running. You may not have anyone on the sideline cheering you on along the way. Keep running!

When I ran track, I usually finished last. It wasn’t until I ran cross-country, a sport where you need to pace yourself more, that I began to win medals. But no matter what, my coach, as mad as he may have been, was at the finish line yelling, “Finish!” So, whatever you started, don’t stop running until you finish the race you started!

On today, my prayer for you is that the struggle be over. And if we know anything about struggles, we know that the struggle really begins in the mind, and that is where we will end it today. No more will we see ourselves in lack, having not enough, struggling financially, struggling emotionally, struggling in our friendships, struggling in our families, struggling in our marriages, struggling in our churches and struggling on our jobs. The struggle ends when you speak to that thing that has you twisted, tied up and locked up, and you cast it down. I know you, but I may not know everything in which you struggle. But it is time for the struggle to be over! You’ve sat in enough empowerment sessions, enough sermons, enough women’s/men’s conferences to know that this is a battle of the mind and nothing more. If the enemy can transform your mind, he has already won. But we know, that we are MORE than conquerors through Christ Jesus, who resides in us day by day. And we also know that ALL things are working for the good of them that love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. I know you love the Lord, and I know he called you for purpose. That means you. Yes, you! This is the time to see yourself in the future and start making strides, steps, strolls to get to the place you want to see yourself in the next 2 weeks, 2 months, 2 years, 2 decades. I pray that you will not settle with just mere existence, but that you would begin to live. There’s a big difference. By faith, according to His word and His will, the struggle is over in your life. Walk it out. Dream it out. Act it out. Love it out! Live it out!

What’s Your ETA?.