For me, 2016 was a year of revealing, exposing and being vulnerable. God exposed some things in my heart that were not becoming to Him; which hindered and caused my walk and progress to be stagnated. You see, I had been hurt and wounded, in the church, by someone I totally respected and loved and I didn’t realize how deep that wound went. I had noticed that I wasn’t allowing myself to get close to people or letting them get close to me for fear of being hurt again. Anybody that knows me knows that I’m always smiling but that became my cloaking shield, my guard, my wall; which had a sign on it that said “hi and that’s all you’re getting from me and I’m looking at you but not seeing or listening because I can’t allow you in.” Not only was I holding other people at bay, I was holding the Holy Spirit at bay, as well. That very wall that I built kept out the only One that could heal me and restore me (imagine that). That wound festered and spread and I became bitter, angry, critical and judgmental, towards the church and people. I was walking around in that state, for over a year, and I didn’t realize it until the Holy Spirit revealed it to me. When He exposed that thing, through a simple conversation with my sister, I was stuck on stun! I had prayed God don’t let me become a bitter and angry woman (from a previous hurtful act against me) and there I was in that very thing. Because I didn’t act or look like, what I thought a bitter person looked like or acted like, I had no clue that I was that person. I had to repent of my sins, for my actions, my behavior, my attitude and my negative words and also for negatively influencing someone’s decision because of my words. I had to give the Lord permission to go in and clean and heal that infected wound that ultimately seeped over to other areas of my life. I knew God had call me back to the church and why, but I couldn’t figure out why He wasn’t permitting me to work in different ministries or why things weren’t happening like He said. And with Him exposing my heart, He also stated that He couldn’t allow me to minister, teach or even help because I would be toxic to the people I was supposed to be helping. That’s the last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt somebody intentionally or unintentionally but that would have been inevitable. My heart is to serve God and His people, but I couldn’t do either one effectively until I was healed.
With the closing of one year and an opening of a new, the Lord had to close one chapter, one season of my life so that I may fully enter into the next. Allow the Holy Spirit to reveal things that are hindering you, don’t spend 2017 in the same state that you were previously in. Not all the hindrances will be bad things; it could be things that you just have to leave behind because they just don’t fit in the next season of your life. Be transparent before Him and then listen to what He has to say and then be obedient in what He’s telling you. What a way to start the year, healed and free; besides it is your portion! Be healed, free and blessed! Happy New Year and new you! God Bless, Tracy Prayer: Father God, thank You for blessing us to see another year. Father we don’t want to enter this year just like the previous; so we’re giving You permission to reveal anything in our hearts and lives that would hinder us from moving forward in You. We want to walk and flow in the fullness of who You created us to be and that can only happen as we yield ourselves You. Thank You Lord, in Jesus’ Name, amen. Ephesians 4:31-32 AMPC: Let all bitterness and indignation and wrath (passion, rage, bad temper) and resentment (anger, animosity) and quarreling (brawling, clamor, contention) and slander (evil-speaking, abusive or blasphemous language) be banished from you, with all malice (spite, ill will, or baseness of any kind).32 And become useful and helpful and kind to one another tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you. Hebrews 12:15 AMPC: Exercise foresight and be on the watch to look [after one another], to see that no one falls back from and fails to secure God’s grace (His unmerited favor and spiritual blessing), in order that no root of resentment (rancor, bitterness, or hatred) shoots forth and causes trouble and bitter torment, and the many become contaminated and defiled by it. Psalms 139:23-24 NLT: Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
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When we think about a prodigal, often times, we think about someone who has physically walked away from the faith, or the church, or God. But what about the ones that are still in the church serving but have emotionally, spiritually or intimately walked away? Personally I have been in that place where you’re just going through the motions but have no real relationship with The Father. You send up empty prayers, raise empty hands and give empty words not realizing that they’re empty and your heart is far from Him. I didn’t intentionally walk away but many factors cause me to slowly draw back: fear, unworthiness, disappointment, discouragement, disobedience, rebellion etc. It wasn’t until I reached for Him and became fully conscious that I had drifted far away. I was serving in His house but lost contact with the very One whom I was supposed to be serving, but thank God for His mercy, grace and The Holy Spirit, which gave me access to return to Him. I had to repent for my behaviors, my rebellion, my disobedience and for drawing back, I had to remember that He takes NO pleasure in me when I draw back according to Hebrews 10:38. How could He be pleased with me living below the standards He had set for me, living subpar what He died to give me. I had to be intentional about my relationship with Him, serving Him with all that I am and all that I have, worship Him, honor Him, love Him, commune with Him not out of obligation but by choice, my choice.
I have to choose daily to stay intentional even when I don’t understand, or disappointed, or when it seems like His timing is off, even when it seems as if all hell is breaking loose in my life, I must make a decision to trust Him and stay in relationship with Him. I know that I'm not the only one who has dealt with or dealing with this, there are definitely other prodigals in the church and it's time to come to yourself and come home. Jesus says if we draw near to Him, He would draw near to us, notice that it's us that must take that first step, He wasn't the one that walked away it was us but His arms are open waiting for us to return. The Father loves you, wants you and desires to have an intentional relationship with you, He wants to restore you to your rightful place/position in Him. Come home He's waiting!!! Be blessed, Tracy Luke 15: 11-24 Matthew 15:8 James 4: 8-10 There’s a roar in her belly that is like no others
but life and circumstances tried to muzzle her sound Her vision is precise and hearing is clear but life and circumstances tried to distort her perception Her heart is uncompromised and her stance is strong but life and circumstances tried to break her down Her beauty is unparalleled and her worth is priceless but life and circumstances tried to steal her value Her purpose is heaven ordained and her identity is God breathe but life and circumstances tried to poison her with lies. Yet in all of the buts the seeds never died, they were just hiding dormant until the truth arrived bring life and light to the right season, until knowing became believing and believing became reality and reality became living and living was on purpose and destiny revealed. So now she lives in purpose, on purpose, with purpose with a voice that speaks volumes and a heart that hears and eyes that distinguishes His truth reflecting the Father’s love because she knows who she is and whose she is, His truth has now become her truth This new image has awakened the warrior and she is now poised and ready for battle taking back what rightfully belongs to her. Her stance is surefooted as she walks out the Father’s declarations, with weapons in hand that were fashioned just for her life, her walk, her journey. She is loved, healed, free, delivered and available for His use. She is a woman of war, a woman with a mission, she’s His weapon and she’s been loosed to do battle in the natural and spiritual realm, she is His warrior created for such a time as this. Life and circumstances are the irritating sand that can make a pearl, the pressured coal that can make a diamond, the intense fire that can purify gold; it’s a choice do you let it break you or cause the warrior within to arise and fight? You are loved, needed, wanted and required; so stand and fight mighty warrior for your God is with you. God Bless, Tracy Tracy ‘Flo-Real’ Fleming copyright © 2015 In case of the following…
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Whatever we choose to focus on effects our perception of reality. God loves us so much that He gave us Himself! It doesn’t get any better than that. If we lose sight of the Greatest Gift Ever Given we do ourselves and those around us a disservice. Not to mention Jesus. Stay focused and Happy Holidays! Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began. Luke 1:68-70 Rasheeda The Bible says in Joshua 24:15, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve and then in Deuteronomy 30:19 it says; I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life and then in John 10:10 (amp) it says I (Jesus) came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows). There is a choice that has to be made to have that abundant life. Just because it’s promised in the Word of God doesn’t mean that it’s ours on GP (general principle), a conscious decision has to be made on our part and then a follow through. Circumstances, trials, negative thoughts and people are going to come hard against us but we have a choice on how it will affect or infect us. Every day a choice should be made to follow and speak God's Word because it says choose you this day, not yesterday not tomorrow, but this day. God is so faithful and wonderful that He also put in place brand new mercies for each day, for our mess ups, as well as giving us the Advocate Himself the Holy Spirit. So, no matter what comes up, what comes out or doesn’t show up, you are always left with a choice; choose wisely. God bless, Tracy Fleming Prayer Father God, Your word says if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God and it shall be given; so Holy Spirit we ask that you give us wisdom to make the right life choices concerning our day and help us walk those choices out. In Jesus' Name, amen. James 1:5 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) John 14:25-27 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) I remember being faced with the knowledge that someone other than God was on the throne of my heart. Yes, this was after salvation. Yes, this was after I had “given my life to Christ”. I was filled with the Holy Spirit! I was reading the Word, going to church, etcetera, etcetera!
In short I had pledged allegiance to God, the King of Kings. I wondered “how had this happened”? I was heartbroken. It didn’t take long for me to realize that I had never kicked this person off the throne once I got saved. If I did, I forgot to lock the door to the throne room. There are many people that we love and are loyal to. We have causes and organizations that we are passionate about. All those things are fine, God created us this way. A throne however is occupied by a sovereign, ruler or king. It is a place of influence and rulership. Ask yourself, who do you want issuing decrees and declarations from your heart? No One, I mean No One should hold that place but Almighty God. How do you check yourself? The best way is to ask the Holy Spirit to show you. Psalm 139 22-24 says : Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. I once heard a wise man say “Love people out of your heart, but Give your heart to God.” Rasheeda Davis Ladies, it’s in our nature to nurture, help and protect and that’s something that God has put in us. So, it’s only natural when we want to step in and try to save our husbands, our children, our parents or any of our love ones from any hurt, harm, pressure or pain but sometimes our nurturing can hinder the Hand of God.
Sometimes God allows our love ones to go through certain tests and trials to work stuff out of them, or to get something to them or just show that He alone is God. But we tend to over step our boundaries and try to save them by any means necessary, meddling, gossiping, or trying to fight their battles, in other words we’re trying to be holy ghost jr.(there’s no such thing, there is only One). God knows that mama knows, but He wants mama to know that Daddy (God) knows best. He knows the whole situation before it ever happens and He knows what’s best for every situation and circumstance and He has the answers to every problem. Our job is to get in Daddy’s face, His presence, in prayer and find out what He would have us to do, pertaining to our love ones, and then be obedient to what He says. We have to trust God and let Him handle them and do what only He can do and remember that the prayers of the righteous availeth much. He promised that our household would be saved and saved doesn’t just mean born again, it also means deliverance, healing, wholeness and restoration, the complete package. So ladies, even though it’s in our nature, we need to just step back and let Daddy handle it because He knows that mama knows, but Daddy knows best. Be blessed. Tracy Prayer: Daddy God, help us to remember that You know the plans that You have for our loves and to fully trust in You and Your promises. Forgive us for over stepping our boundaries and we ask that You give us wisdom to do our part. In Jesus’ Name, amen. James 5:16 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) 1 Timothy 2:3-5 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Acts 16:31Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Yes, though I walk through the [deep, sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I will fear or dread no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort me. Psalm 23:4 AMP
So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There’s far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can’t see now will last forever. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 MSG The valley is an essential position for intricate work to happen in our lives. It’s where the renovation, excavation, gutting, and sometimes demolition take place so a new foundation, structure, or frame can be built. It’s where we come face to face with self and realize some thing has to die so something can be birth. It’s a place that seems as if, very little light or warmth exists, almost like isolation but a process of development is happening so metamorphosis can begin. The valley is a mandatory process that we must go through; it’s that ‘to’ in glory to glory, from faith to faith, test to testimony, trial to triumph. The valley is the underground tunnel, the trench, the cave, the desert place that gets us from the old to the new, the good to the better, the better to the best, from selfish to selfless, from striving to living from bondage to freedom, etc. It’s a place most of us want to avoid but can’t get around especially if our desire is to go deeper in God and mature in our faith walk. It hard to wrap our natural minds around something that seems the complete opposite of where we’re trying to go or become; how can going through the valley, through the fire, test and trials, bring about the Glory of God or our expected outcome? When in fact, it’s the very thing that pushes us towards Him, and causes us to embrace Him even more. It’s the place where we must trust that He knows what He’s doing because He knows what must take place in our hearts for the next season/level in our lives. There are going to be a lot of things that we don’t understand about God, things that don’t make natural sense but one thing is true and constant…HE KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING! He said ‘He knows the thoughts and plans He has for us’ according to Jeremiah 29:11; well if He knows all of that, then the valley must be a part of His plan for our lives. We can’t get to the high places without experiencing and going through the valley; our faith, peace, joy, patience, courage, development, etc., are made in the valley. So let’s accept with joy those seasons in the valley, knowing that it’s working together for our good, our betterment, for the advancement of the Kingdom of God and the Glory of God. Father God, our finite mind can’t begin to understand Your infinite wisdom and the workings of Your hands, but we will trust that You know what You are doing. We will accept with joy our seasons of the valley knowing that all things are working together for our good and that You are even there with us. In Jesus’ Name, amen. From the Heart Tracy |
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