A Force to Reckon With

One person cannot chase a thousand people, and two people cannot fight ten thousand unless their Rock has sold them, unless the LORD has given them up. – Deuteronomy 32:30

I imagine this principle was just what enabled King David to be the master strategist and warrior that he was. King David was smaller than his brothers but he was fierce. When he went into battle, he had the ability to slay thousands and thousands of those in his enemy’s camp—all by himself. He was a living, breathing epistle of the passage above. Why? Because David did 2 things: 1) he prayed and sought the Lord before he went into any battle and 2) he understood and acknowledged the true source of his abilities: the Lord.

King David was confident in the Lord. He did not doubt whether the Lord spoke to him or even if he actually heard from God. He knew God and he knew His voice. He went to the Father in boldness. He asked the Father pointed questions and waited for the answer. David waited on the Lord to reveal His strategies and plans for him and his people. By acknowledging God through perpetual prayer and expecting Him to answer, David aligned himself with the Father. This means that David came into agreement with all that Father spoke and desired. The power of agreement is a force to be reckoned with!

Coming into agreement with the things that God speaks causes God to move on our behalf. It stirs Him and causes Him to not only grant us favor but to also multiply the blessings that He has for us. When David agreed with God that the army of the Lord was well able to defeat the Philistines, he gained favor with the King and he killed Goliath. He went from being a little known shepherd boy, to a wealthy, sought after hero. He went from being honored by a King, to being a King who God said was a man after my own heart. God took David from glory to glory; from faith to faith. When we agree with what God says, we position ourselves to receive from the throne of heaven. Jainists practice the art of speaking truth. We must speak the truth and position ourselves to not only receive God’s power, but to also see Him at His finest. Alignment commands God’s blessings. This is why it’s important that believers only speak what God speaks. This is why it’s important to view God as a trusted ally instead of a distant friend. The difference could come down to unity. When we unify our wants with God’s, we can expect Him to multiply our blessings.

Look at the passage. By yourself, you chase one thousand; working with a partner, you chase ten-thousand. God honors unity, agreement and alignment. Don’t allow yourself to step out of God’s will for your life. Keep fighting to follow Him! Don’t settle for mediocre, when God has the best!

©2010-2013 Minister Claretta Taylor Pam, Global Ecumenical Ministries Inc. and Universal Life Church Monastery of Massachusetts. All Rights Reserved

I Love You and the Answer is No

“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! – Matthew 7: 9-10

We are humans. Inevitably, that means we are flawed. It means we will not always have the wherewithal to ask God for the things that we should ask Him for. We will not always have the intellect to stay away from things that can cause us harm. Sometimes, we are not able to tell the difference between what appears to be bread and what might be a serpent. Thank goodness our Heavenly Father does!

This passage promises that if we ask our Father for bread, He will not give us stone. If we ask Him for fish, He will not give us a snake. In other words, God promises to not give us anything that will cause us harm or be unprofitable for us. This means that if we think we are asking for fish but we are actually asking for a serpent, God will not give it us! Hallelujah!

Although, most of us tend to feel discouraged, or even angry, when the Father does not grant us what we ask for, we all have to be grateful. Why? God’s refusal to say yes could be the only thing keeping life’s serpents at bay. As believers, we have to learn to trust God even when the answer is no. This does not mean you will not experience feelings of disappointment, anger or resentment. When the Father says no, emotions like that are to be expected. It does mean, however, that at the end of the day our prayer is—and should always be—not my will Father but yours be done. I trust you Gracious God and I know that you desire only what’s best for me; and I only want the best that you have for me.

We have to learn to trust our Heavenly Father. We have to learn to accept that His no’s are every bit as important as His yea’s. We have to believe that when He says I will withhold no good thing from you that He actually means it. We have to exercise our faith by trusting Him to orchestrate our lives. To trust Him, we have to get to know His character and His heart. To do that, we have to read study and meditate on His holy word.

Doubting God is not a luxury we can afford. With doubt comes fear and with fear come confusion, disobedience, and pain. The Talmud, a Jewish text, says doubt cannot override certainty. When God says no, let’s thank Him for His faithfulness. Let’s worship Him in spite of what we think may be a set back or total loss.

 

©2010-2013 Minister Claretta Taylor Pam, Global Ecumenical Ministries Inc. and Universal Life Church Monastery of Massachusetts. All Rights Reserved

Learning to W.A.I.T.

W: wait on God

A: anchor in Jesus

I: grab you some inspiration

T: give God time to move

-by Bishop Alfred Owens

I’d come to the end of my rope. For months, I’d been praying, fasting and listening to the Holy Spirit speak to me of His promises. I listened intently and I even wrote it in my journal. I was aglow with excitement and anticipation of the fulfillment of God’s spoken promises. That was a year ago. The promises had not materialized nor had the word come to fruition. At first, I was annoyed, then I was angry and then I felt rejected. God made me a promise that didn’t come to pass. Did that make God a liar? For God is not a man that he should lie. Did that mean He no longer loved me? For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son. Was He really rejecting me? Never have the righteous been forsaken. Since none of these were true, you might be asking yourself: what’s the hold up?

God’s timing is vastly different from our own. When we pray and God speaks to us, we expect to see the manifestation of that spoken word instantly. I liken them to microwaveable prayers. You pop in the item, set the timer and when the buzzer goes off, you expect to have something fully cooked, warmed and ready to eat. In other words, when you speak your prayers, we expect to have something fully actualized, ready to go, in the time frame that we set. Fortunately for us, God is a wise God.

Did you know that if you remove a caterpillar from its cocoon during its transformation into a butterfly that it will die? Likewise, if you plant seeds or bulbs out of season, they will probably never bloom. They may never grow. The bible tells us that for there is a season for everything. You may have seasons where every promise is fulfilled and you may have seasons where you’re confidently waiting for those promises to manifest. No matter which season you’re in, God is actively causing all things to work together for your good.

If you haven’t seen God’s promises in your life come to fruition, give Him time to move. The same way God created the planets to revolve around the sun is the same way He orchestrates His promises—they manifest in His timing. Druids believe that praying at specific times throughout the year, unleashes power. They are particularly fond of the Winter Solstice. Your prayers will release power in your life.

Believers know that prayer changes everything. The bible says that our prayers are powerful and effective. If you have prayed, wait on God. Do not be discouraged or dismayed. Do not give up. You will surely reap the harvest if you do not faint. Remember, God’s timing is not like our timing. He may not come when you want Him too, but He’s always there when you need Him.

 

©2010-2013 Minister Claretta Taylor Pam, Global Ecumenical Ministries Inc. and Universal Life Church Monastery of Massachusetts. All Rights Reserved

Persistence Wins Every Time

He said, Let me go, for day is breaking. But Jacob said, I will not let you go unless you declare a blessing upon me. – Genesis 32:6

Talk about persistence! Jacob wrestled with the Angel of the Lord all night refusing to let Him go without getting the blessing he knew he was entitled too. What a powerful testament. As believers we have to be willing to wrestle with God through our prayers, day and night, until we see the manifestation of His promises in our lives. Far too often, we’re content with speaking a prayer one time and going on about our business. While some prayers need only be spoken once, there are others that require a more persistent approach. Sometimes, we have to pray about a particular situation and refuse to stop until something changes.

Remember Blind Bartimaeus? He cried out to Jesus for mercy and healing. When the people around him, heard him they became annoyed and told him to shut up. He didn’t. Instead, he yelled louder “Son of David, have mercy on me.” I suspect that somewhere on the inside of him, Bartimaeus knew this might be his only chance at receiving his sight. He refused to give up despite what the people were telling him. As a result, Jesus’ response was tell the man to come here. Not only did Bartimaeus receive his sight, the bible says that he followed Jesus on the road.

Some things, blessings and promises require us to be persistent. We cannot be swayed by popular opinion. Instead, we must approach God boldly expecting Him to hear our prayers and answer us. This was Jacob’s stance. He refused to let the Angel of the Lord go until a blessing was released in his life. Would Jacob have gotten the blessing if he hadn’t wrestled the Angel of the Lord? Maybe. Maybe not. The question is do you want to risk it? Jacob obviously didn’t.

In reading about Jacob, you get a sense that Jacob understood the meaning of prevail. He knew what it meant to be determined about something and refuse to give up. I think this delights God. I think God loves when we are persistent and determined. Why else would God say do not grow weary in well doing, for in due season we shall reap if we don’t lose heart. Wow. God is literally saying if you hang in there, keep praying and keep believing; you will have the blessing when it’s the right time.

God wants you to wrestle with Him through your prayers. God is delighted when we persevere—it pays off. So, don’t be discouraged. Don’t give up on your dreams. Don’t throw in the towel. You too can receive the blessing from the Lord if you faint not! Muslims fast during the month of Ramadan. They pray 5 times a day expecting God to meet them throughout the day. Christians should do the same. God is waiting for you!

©2010-2013 Minister Claretta Taylor Pam, Global Ecumenical Ministries Inc. and Universal Life Church Monastery of Massachusetts. All Rights Reserved

Insecure? Don’t Be.

Because of our faith in Him, we dare to have the boldness (courage and confidence) of free access (an unreserved approach to God with freedom and without fear). – Ephesians 3:12

In the first few years of my being a Christian, I learned that I was very insecure about my prayers. I honestly believed that in order for God to truly understand and respond to my petitions, I had to use language or diction to get my point across. Hence, I prayed with a Shakespearean approach: doth, doest, thou-est and everything in between. In all honesty, I added so many ‘ests’ and ‘oths’ to my prayers that I could barely remember what I was even saying. Often times, I was so frustrated with prayer that I quit or screamed. Was this the God that I signed on to serve and love?! Why did I ever think I’d be able to prayer, surely I wasn’t a spiritual intellectual like the people in my church!

Thank God for grace and revelation. I was so busy trying to pray like everyone else, to do what every one else did that it left me frustrated. God knows us. He knows our weaknesses and our strengths. He is not surprised by us nor is He shaking His head thinking who this person is?! God loves each of us and desires only the best for us. The bible says that he desires to give more than we can ever ask for, think or imagine. So, why do so many of us only have just enough? Perhaps we’re not asking for it.

Scripture teaches us that we have to approach the throne boldly. Contrary to popular belief, boldness is not the same as arrogance. Being bold means you’re doing something with confidence. You know what it is that you want and you’re confidently pursuing it with the full expectation of nothing less. This should be the believer’s attitude or stance in prayer. God’s promises of provision are far-reaching and extensive. He has blessings, abundance and prosperity set aside for each of us. Wouldn’t you like to receive all that God has for you?

Praying boldly means we are confident that we will receive what God has for us. It means we’re replacing insecurity and timidity with surety and anticipation. Don’t allow insecurity or fear to keep you on the outside looking in. Don’t allow insecurity and fear to stifle your faith or hinder your prayers. We are God’s children. The bible says that we are friends of God. Friends have intimate relationships and share a wonderful bond. God’s provision is incredible; His desire to get provision to us is undeniable.

Taoists teach that believers should always strive to maintain harmony with Tao—the force of life. As Christians, we foster harmony with God through our relationship with Him. When we have a solid relationship with the Father, we approach him confidently. The Father loves you. So, don’t feel insecure about going to Him. He’s waiting just for you.

©2010-2013 Minister Claretta Taylor Pam, Global Ecumenical Ministries Inc. and Universal Life Church Monastery of Massachusetts. All Rights Reserved

Relationship, Not Religion

I absolutely love the fact that the basic premise of the Christian faith is that relationship with God and with others is what matters most. It’s not about who you know, how much of a good person you are or what you’ve done. The Christian faith is all about relationship. It was God’s relationship with man that birthed His redemptive plan to reconcile us back to Him. It was relationship with us that caused the Son of the Living God to endure torture in order that we could live a bondage free life. Relationship causes God to move on our behalf even when we despise Him for it. It causes us to weep openly—unashamedly—when we get a glimpse of the sacrifice that was made for us. Relationship with God changes everything. No wonder Jesus took issue with those who belittled or disregarded its (relationship) importance.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but within they are full of extortion (prey, spoil, plunder) and grasping self-indulgence. – Matthew 23:25

Ouch! Jesus is openly rebuking spiritual leaders because they’re solely interested in maintaining a form of godliness and have little desire or intent on conforming to intimate godliness. They thrived on doing good deeds but often did them with the wrong motivation. They frequently indulged themselves and advanced their reputation at the expense of embarking on a relationship with God. They were all show and no substance. For many of us this holds true.

We’re so busy doing religious activities and advancing our own reputations that we forget to stop, drop and think. Are we doing what we do for God’s glory or is it for our own? Are we putting our deeds before the people because we’re glory seekers? It’s imperative that we learn to ask ourselves about our motives. Doing the right thing for the wrong reasons is still the wrong to do.

The bible teaches us that when it’s all said and done, God cares more about why we do things and less about what we’re doing. It’s no different for us. Would you be happy if your best friend only invited you to a party because the person they really wanted to attend couldn’t make it? Probably not.

Having a heart and mind for the things of God requires that we check our motives and check our hearts. Yes, we should care for the poor. Yes, we should minister to the lonely, abused and the hurting. However, if we’re only trying to gain notoriety or further our own objectives, we’re not sharing ourselves with God. If you’re not sharing your heart with God, you’re probably not hearing His voice either. Trying to help someone else when we’re hemorrhaging is both futile and unwise.

The Talmud, a religious text in the Jewish faith, states this: ambition destroys its possessor. Unchecked motives lead to self-glorifying ambitions which can lead to our spiritual destruction.

 

©2010-2013 Minister Claretta Taylor Pam, Global Ecumenical Ministries Inc. and Universal Life Church Monastery of Massachusetts. All Rights Reserved

What’s Feelings Got to Do With It?

We walk by faith [we regulate our lives and conduct ourselves by our conviction or belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, with trust and holy fervor; thus we walk] not by sight or appearance. – 2 Corinthians 5:7

The bible teaches us that true faith is exercised as we learn to forsake what we see and stand on or move toward what we know. Faith encompasses more than the occasional “thank you Jesus” or emotional expressions of worship. Operating in faith means we’re not solely relying on our senses. Instead, we allowing God to speak to us through those senses, and provide the necessary clarity and direction needed to fulfill His plans for us.

When we pray expecting God to move, He releases power in our lives. Why? Faith pleases God. The bible tells us without faith, it is impossible to please God. If you desire to see the power of God operate in your life, working on your faith is a great place to start. Don’t just be a hearer of the word, be a doer as well. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.

Operating in a spirit of faith has nothing to do with how you feel. In fact, how you feel about a particular circumstance is irrelevant. Yes, you’re feelings are important. Yes, your feelings matter—just not when it comes to faith.

Having faith in God is born from having an intimate relationship with God. Out of that intimacy with the lover of our souls, comes the ability to know Him—to know His word. The word of God transforms the mind and the soul. It vanquishes old mindsets bringing restoration, newness and hope. When we meditate on the word of God, the Holy Spirit is able to shine a light on the dark, hidden areas in our hearts. He alerts us to their existence not for us to cower in shame or feel condemned. He wants us to know the areas where we’re weakest so that we can partner with Him as He brings us through them. Our willingness to partner with God is directly related to how much we trust Him. The more we trust Him, the more our faith grows. Increased faith means we rely less on what we think or feel, and operate more on what the Spirit of God is saying to us.

Our lives are regulated not by the storms that rage around us but by the faith that speaks to them. Believers walk by faith with trust and holy fervor. Much like the Hindu and Jainism faith call for its believers to hold fast to their faith, believers should stand on God’s promises.

“Faith reaches out into the spiritual realm and expects God’s supernatural power to show up and do what no person on Earth could do.” So, pray boldly. Expect God to move in your life regardless of how dire your surroundings or circumstance is.

 

©2010-2013 Minister Claretta Taylor Pam, Global Ecumenical Ministries Inc. and Universal Life Church Monastery of Massachusetts. All Rights Reserved

Now I Know….

In the last few years, I’ve found myself on a journey that felt indescribable, for the most part. There was abundance of mountain-top experiences and by mountain-top, I mean soul-shattering face-to-face encounters with God’s glory. I have a better understanding of how Moses must have felt when God passed by him. Few things on earth can compare with glory’s kiss on the soul. In addition to these glorious encounters, there were plenty of pit experiences—more than I’d ever experienced before. In truth, it often seemed as though my navigational compass was broken or off kilt. Surely, there had to be a reason for all of these pits.

Remember Job? He was the man who the bible says was upright before the Lord. He was well liked others, he was incredibly blessed and he was kind, thoughtful and an all-around wonderful person. He prayed regularly. He conversed with and exchanged ideas with the God of Wisdom. He was clearly favored by God. In fact, scripture tells us that God bragged about His servant Job—highly esteeming him in the presence of the Adversary. God knew Job and He loved him dearly. How many of us know that when God brags on you, it’s no small matter? When the Almighty God, the Omnipotent One, says to your defeated enemy have you considered my servant (insert your name) this is clearly an indication that life as you know it will change? Your walk, your talk and even how you interact with others will change. Your worship and your prayers will change.

The bible tells us that the Adversary (who’s already defeated) had license to inflict as much chaos and pain that he could muster—and he did. Suddenly, everywhere Job turned a new pit experience greeted him. Pain, suffering, and agony became his constant companions. He was beaten, bruised and bleeding. Although Job felt alone, angry and abandoned, God was still bragging on him! God’s plan was still to prosper Job and give him hope. Regardless of how Job felt, God was still in control causing all things to work together for the good of Job.

In Buddhism, one of the Four Noble Truths state: there is a cause for suffering. In the story of Job, this was absolutely true. Job’s pit experiences and suffering were not designed to crush or discourage him. They were designed to sculpt him in the image of God.

According to Job, surely I spoke of things I did not understand. You spoke of thing too wonderful for me to know. My ears had heard of you before, but now my eyes have seen you. Now I know my redeemer lives.

Job was operating in a limited understanding of God’s character. His lifestyle of faith and worship dwelled on the outskirts of glory. His pit experiences moved him from the outer courts into the Holy of holies. His eyes were finally opened and he could see God clearly. There is a purpose for your suffering.

 

©2010-2013 Minister Claretta Taylor Pam, Global Ecumenical Ministries Inc. and Universal Life Church Monastery of Massachusetts. All Rights Reserved

Father, May I?

When I was a child in elementary school, I loved to play the game “mother, may I?”

The premise of the game was simple. Ask the “mother” of the game for permission to complete a task. She would either grant your request by answering “yes, you may” or she could deny your request by answering “no, you may not.” The object of the game was to see how favor or grace you won with the “mother” to get more of your requests completed. When I played with my siblings, the rules were a little different. In our version of this game, “mother” could be bribed with a simple “mother, may I give you these Skittles?” For the record, this is where things always erupted in fits of laughter and many “I quit’s.” However, the idea stuck with me long after we played our last game. In essence, you ask and keep asking until you get an answer.

It must be in faith that he asks with no wavering (no hesitating, no doubting). – James 1:6

As believers, our task is similar. The bible says that we should knock, and keep knocking. It says that we should ask and keep asking. God is not bothered by our persistence nor is He annoyed when we camp out in the throne room waiting for Him to pass us by. He relishes when we pursue Him with vigor and hunger. God loves when we hang on His every word. He smiles when we make are requests known to Him in faith.

God is not offended when we come to Him asking Him for help. He is not irritated when we make a repeat trip to the throne to get more instruction. In fact, God loves it when we do what King David did: “inquire of the Lord.”

God takes pleasure in us relying on Him. God wants us to depend on Him for all of our needs. As we’re coming to the Father, let us consistently invite God to do His will in our lives. Let us continually commit ourselves to the pursuit of His peace through the study of His word. Let us gain strength from God as we rest in and lean on Him.

We have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus [the leaning of your entire human personality on Him in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness] and of the love which you [have and show] for all the saints. – Colossians 1:4

I love what that passage says. We have heard of your faith, the leaning of your entire human personality on Him in absolute trust. Wow. We are placing our mind, will and emotions into the hands of the Father with all confidence. Why? Because we trust in His power, wisdom and goodness.

©2010-2013 Minister Claretta Taylor Pam, Global Ecumenical Ministries Inc. and Universal Life Church Monastery of Massachusetts. All Rights Reserved