"Get Up!"

Scripture: "Sir, the invalid replied, I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me. Then Jesus said to him, Get up! Pick up your mat and walk. At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.” –John 5:7-9, NIV

Over the past ten years, there has been a group in Gospel music who has created awesome songs of ministry and yet songs with crossover appeal. When I say crossover appeal, I mean being able to be not only a Gospel hit, but a R&B/Hip-Hop hit. This group I am making reference to are a set of sisters from the metropolitan Los Angeles, California area. These sisters go by the name of Mary Mary, with Erica and Tina Atkins-Campbell, making up this dynamic duo. In 2008, Mary Mary released their last album which receives major play throughout the radio waves today entitled “The Sound”. On this particular album, the ladies released another one of those crossover hits, which serves as the impetus of today’s message. This song is entitled “Get Up”. The gist of this song encourages you to make the most of your time because you are one of God’s greatest creations. It encourages you to get off of your bed of do nothing and do something! It encourages you to be proactive and make things happen, instead of sitting and waiting for things to happen. As men and women of God, God is encouraging you and me on today to do the same thing! He is encouraging us to get up from our beds of do nothing! He is encouraging us to get up from our bed of procrastination! He is encouraging us to get up and make things happen! With this thought in mind, today’s text provides the perfect example of someone taking the initiative to get up.

Today’s scripture is located in the Gospel account according to John. Within this fifth chapter, John takes us to Jerusalem where our Lord and Savior is there for the Feast of the Jews. Before getting to this feast, Jesus went to a pool known in the Aramaic as Bethesda and at this pool, there were sick people (paralyzed, blind, and lame). At the pool, we find a particular man who has been at this pool, according to the text for 38 years! The text refers to this man as being an invalid. In the King James, it refers to this man as a man with an infirmity or sickness. Why was this man an invalid for so long? Well, if you go to the King James version, in verse 4, it makes mention that at a certain season, an angel comes and troubles the water (i.e., He stirs the water) with healing power and anyone who can make it to the pool would receive healing. If I could poll the readers, how many of you are willing to just be an invalid? How many are you are willing to say, “God, help me to do what I can not to be like this invalid!” As Jesus approached this invalid, He simply asked him do you want to be made well? With this in mind, we’re now at our main scripture.

The invalid answers Jesus by saying, “Sir, the invalid replied, I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me”. If you sit and read this thing for a quick second, what is this invalid man giving Jesus? Yes, you guessed it, an excuse! I have heard the cliché that excuses are like buttholes, everyone has one! As men and women of God, God is not looking at us for excuses, He is looking at us for solutions! He is looking at us to simply answer the questions He poses to us! He is looking for us to simply trust Him at His Word when He asks us things! He is looking for you to man/woman up, not boy/girl down! Since this man had an excuse, Jesus had an answer and solution to work pass this man’s excuse.

He tells the man this: “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” In the King James, it says, “Rise, take up thy bed, and walk”. As I write today’s message, there is someone who will read this and say that I am like this invalid man, whether you are invalid in finances, invalid in emotions, invalid mentally, invalid physically, or even invalid spiritually. Well, I have some news for you: God says for you to get up! Get up off of your bed of depression! Get up off of your bed of emotional letdowns! Get up off of your bed of mental breakdowns! Get up off of your bed of stress at the workplace! Get up off of your bed of past agonies! Once you get off your bed, pick that bed up, and walk! Walk into your destiny! Walk into your victory! Walk into your healing! Walk into your miracle! Walk into your breakthrough! Walk into the season God has destined for you!

In closing, Mary Mary’s “The Sound” has reached #1 on the U.S. Gospel and U.S. Christian charts. They also went on to win a Grammy for Best Gospel Performance for this song, “Get Up”. I am thankful for the message they conveyed through this song; however, I am even more thankful for Jesus conveying this same message to us through the Gospel of John! Jesus came that you may have life and have it more abundantly! I encourage you, my brother, and my sister, that no matter what bed you may be lying in, God wants you to get up! When you get up, take your bed, and walk into the things He has for you! Are you ready to get up or are you satisfied lying down?

"Give Him the Green Light"

Scripture: “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” –Revelations 3:20, NIV

Within the last couple of years, I have grown fond of the music expertise of one of the best Neo-Soul artists around. This particular artist I am making reference to is a Philly native by the name of John Legend. He has made hits like “Ordinary People” and “Used to Love U” on his “Get Lifted” album that garnered him sales over 2.1 million thus earning the distinction of double platinum. In 2008, Legend dropped his last album entitled “Evolver” and so far, it has sold over 600,000 copies thus earning the distinction of gold. On this particular album, he recorded a song with Andre 3000 of Outkast that has become one of my favorites entitled “Greenlight”. Within this song, Legend wants to obtain the green light to get with a woman and be able to enjoy her on a more personal level. As I began to think about this song, I began to think our Heavenly Father and how He desires the green light from us! He desires it in such a manner where He wants to show you more and more each day how God He really is in your life! He wants the green light so that He can share things with you! He wants the green light so He can help you see your way through situations, instead of you trying to struggle through situations. My question to you on today is “Are you giving God the Green Light in your life?” Today’s scripture ministers to us why we should give God the green light.

Today’s scripture is found in the last book of the New Testament, thus making it the last book in the Bible, the book of Revelations. This book was written by John the Revelator while being alone on the isle of Patmos (a small island located in modern-day Greece). In Chapters 2 and 3 of Revelations, God instructed John to write to what is known as the Seven Churches of Asia Minor (located in modern-day Turkey). These churches were located in Ephesus, Thyatira, Philadelphia, Pergamos (or Pergamum), Sardis, Laodicea, and Smyrna. Today’s main scripture is found when John wrote the church at Laodicea. As he was writing this particular church, he was letting them know about their lukewarm faith in God. He tells the church that you are neither hot nor cold, but you are lukewarm and that God will spew you out of His mouth. If we were to be honest with ourselves, at one point or another, we have been Laodiceanish! We have been very hot, then become very cold! We have been lukewarm, but God provides us a warning here not to be this way! He wants us to serve Him and serve Him wholeheartedly (or at least strive towards serving Him in this manner)! Even through this discussion with Laodicea, John provides the church and us why we should give Him (God) the green light.

The text begins with God exclaiming, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock!” Each and every day, God stands at the door of your hearts and He knocks! He knocks become He wants to get in! He knocks because He cares about you! He is at the door because there’s something He wants with you and wants to do through you! If truth were told, just because we hear someone knocking at the door does not mean we let them in. Today, God does not want you to treat Him like a stranger off the street! God wants you to give Him the green light!

Then, the text concludes with this: “If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with Me”. Wow! By giving your Heavenly Father the green light, He will come in and eat with you and you with Him. In other words, He will come in and minister to you His love for you! He will share with you the cuisine of love! He will share with you the dessert of happiness! He will share with you the cuisine of longsuffering! He will share with you the cuisine of clarity on life’s matters! He will share with you the dessert of joy! Not only will He serve you these dishes, you can serve Him a side dish of praise! You can serve Him a side dish of worship! You can serve Him an entrée of Hallelujah, Glory to Your name! You can serve Him an entrée of yourself, being a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God which is our reasonable service (Romans 12)! Giving Him the green light and letting Him in opens up the doors of opportunity in your life! It will bring about prosperity, happiness, joy, understanding, forgiveness, longsuffering, patience, and other critical things needed to be an effective Christian!

In closing, Legend is a respected artist with awesome thoughts relayed through his music. “Greenlight” was an example of this artist in action. On today, God wants to receive from you, my brother and my sister, the green light! The green light to gain entrance into the doors of your heart! As you give Him entrance into the doors of your heart, He will be there to eat with you and you with Him! As you do that, He will feast off of you and you will truly feast off Him! Will you give God the green light?

"Give Me One More Chance"

Scripture: “Then God ordered me, Start all over: Love your wife again, your wife who's in bed with her latest boyfriend, your cheating wife. Love her the way I, God, love the Israelite people, even as they flirt and party with every god that takes their fancy." –Hosea 3:1, The Message

As a teenager listening to music, there was an artist from New York City who grabbed my attention. He was not the lightest skinned of guys, nor the skinniest of guys. However, he had something to say and the right man provided him the opportunity to do so. This artist, this rapper, that I am making reference to is known as Biggie Smalls aka the Notorious B.I.G. In 1994, the Notorious B.I.G. dropped an album under the Bad Boy umbrella entitled “Ready to Die”. This album was such a hit that it sold over four million copies, thus earning the distinction quadruple platinum. One of the songs that was on this particular album was entitled “Give Me One More Chance”. This single alone garnered over a million copies being sold. Within this song, you hear the ladies asking Biggie to give them one more chance because other guys/men are in the picture or with them. When I think about the title of this song, I think about God and how He is with us, His children. There are times where we go astray and just like God, He is like “Give me one more chance!” There are times where we go the wrong way and think God has left us and in turn, we ask Him “Give me one more chance!” Today, we have a great example of this title in action.

Today’s message takes us to the Minor Prophet of Hosea. Within this book, we learn that Hosea is married to a prostitute by the name of Gomer. In its introductory chapter, we find that at this time, there was a strong disconnect between Israel and God. We also find out that Gomer bore Hosea three children, two sons and a daughter. Each of their names carried negativity with them. Within your circles of life, be careful that your name does not bring negativity or add negativity to a scene! As we forge ahead to the third chapter, we find the thought of “Give Me One More Chance” at work.

Hosea writes, “Then God ordered me, Start all over: Love your wife again, your wife who’s in bed with her latest boyfriend, your cheating wife”. What a STRONG statement! I know most of my ladies that are readers would say that there’s no way in the world that they would take a cheating husband back. In turn, I know that most of my men that are readers would say that there’s no way in the world that they would take a cheating wife back. Hosea showed some guts and more importantly, he showed obedience to God! There will come seasons in your life where God will tell you to do some really strange things and it will be on you, my brother, and you, my sister, to step up and do what thus saith the Lord! That’s why the text makes mention that “obedience is better than sacrifice”. Many of us often hear that we’ll be blessed in the city, blessed in the field, blessed when we go, etc., but that blessing cannot be pronounced over you unless you obey Him! Oftentimes, all God want you to do is give Him one more chance so He can show you His goodness!

God tells Hosea to do this by using this example: “Love her the way I, God, love the Israelite people, even as they flirt and party with every god that takes their fancy”. If we were to cut the grass short enough, does that sound like the Christian church on today? Does that sound like you and does that sound like me today? Yes, we strive towards the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus, but in turn, we often flirt and party with other gods! You know, the god of money! The god of having lavish things! The god of jealousy! The god of envy! The god of strife! At the end of the day, aren’t you glad that He has given you one more chance on today? Aren’t you glad that though we may flirt and party with the little g gods, He still wants to be our big g God? Aren’t you glad that as He has given you one more chance, He wants us to give Him one more chance?

In closing, the Notorious B.I.G. made a pronounced statement with his album, Ready to Die. Over four million records sold and reputation for being a great rapper came with his diligence and hard work. “Give Me One More Chance” is definitely one you can boob your head to, but today provided us a platform to understand God and His love for us. This title has opened our eyes to appreciate God and His compassion for us. As He has been compassionate with us, let’s be thankful unto Him, and be compassionate for our brothers and sisters! Just give Him one more chance and watch the blessings He will bring your way!

"Daddy Said Knock You Out"

Scripture: “This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel.” -1 Samuel 17:46, NIV

About twenty years, James Smith or as the world knows him as, LL Cool J, dropped an album entitled “Mama Said Knock You Out” with a song on there named the same thing. This song’s emphasis was given by his grandmother. It was stated that Smith’s grandmother told him to knock out the critics by dropping a great album. When the smoke cleared, the album sold over two million records, thus receiving the distinction double platinum with platinum meaning you have sold over 1 million records. Just as LL Cool J’s grandmother encouraged her grandson to knock out the critics through his lyrics, God is encouraging you and encouraging me to knock out some things in our lives! He wants us to knock out negativity that surrounds us! He wants us to knock out the enemy that is within us! He wants us to knock out low self-esteem! He wants us to knock out marital issues! He wants us to knock out financial issues! He wants us to knock out emotional issues! He just wants you to serve notice on the devil, no matter where he is, that Daddy said knock you out! Just in case you have not received this revelation, let’s investigate a text that further emphasizes this point.

Today’s devotional brings us to 1 Samuel and to the renowned battle between David and the 9 foot giant named Goliath. It was earlier in this chapter where we find David bringing food to his brothers and thus seeing this polarizing figure as he has challenged the Israelites to fight against him. We find that he challenged them, morning and night, for forty days. Through David seeing his brothers and his countrymen afraid, he visited King Saul and told him that he would like to take on the challenge! Through King Saul’s human eyes, he told David that he was too small to fight Goliath. He was too young to fight Goliath. He did not have the experience to fight Goliath. Then, David had to show King Saul that he was capable and qualified. He let him know that God has allowed him, David, the shepherd boy, the power to kill a lion and a bear who tried to attack him and his flock. Because of this story, King Saul gave David his armor in order to go fight Goliath. As David tried out the armor, he realized that he could not wear Saul’s armor. As men and women of God, we have to recognize that we cannot wear our pastor’s armor! We cannot wear the deacon’s armor! We cannot wear the deaconess’s armor! We cannot wear the minister’s armor! We can only wear the armor that God has equipped us to wear! Through this revelation, David took the things he needed in order to fight Goliath, which was a slingshot and five smooth stones!

The story continues with Goliath talking junk to David and telling him that he would feed his body to the birds. Within today’s scripture, we find that God had given David the green light to knock out Goliath. We know this because David says, “This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head”. Today, I want you to think about the giants that are in your life. I want you to think about the future that God has in store for you. When you think of those aspects, think about how God has given you the strength to cut off the heads of those giants! Know that God has given you the power to knock out the giant of disappointment! Know that God has given you the power to knock out the giant of depression! Know that God has given you the power to knock out the giant of loneliness! Know that through it all, God has given you the power to defeat your giants, knock them out, and take their heads as trophies!

In closing, LL Cool J dealt with his adversity through what people said about him and his work as a rapper. Then, he came back with the album “Mama Said Knock You Out” and when it was said and done and two million records sold later, he did just that, he shut up his critics and knocked them out! Just like he did that to his critics, we can do that to the enemies that stand in our way! The rationale because we can knock them out because God, our Father, our Daddy, told us that we can knock them out! Exercise your God-given power and authority and knock out your enemies!