7 Today’s Gem
Why are you trying to please God without faith? Hebrews 11:1 states, “Faith is the assurance of the things we hope for.” Verse 6 tells us, “But without faith, it is impossible to please God. For whoever would come near to God must believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him out.” God has not moved and has not changed. So, why don’t you believe Him when He says you are free? Why don’t you trust that if you were born without it, you can live without it; without him; without them. Today, ladies, I challenge you to believe God and allow your hope to be the proof to the devil that if God said it, that settles it.
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8Today’s Gem
Many of us use church as a trampoline out of our emotional and psychological valleys every week. We start from the bottom every Sunday morning, and consequently, church becomes a routine that never seems to satisfy. We expect the worship experience to lift us out of the low place we settle into—sometimes before we leave the parking lot. Thus, it’s hard for us to comprehend that life can be lived in the high places ordained. Truth is, you can live in the high places of God when you expect an encounter with God on Sunday. This encounter is not just for an emotional release—it’s to give you exciting revelation of who you are in Him. Habakkuk 3:19 says, “The Lord God is my strength, and He will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and He will make me walk upon mine high places. Once God lifts you—keep going up.”
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9Today’s Gem
John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son—that whosoever believes in, trusts in, and clings to Him, should not perish but have eternal life.” Jesus loves you unconditionally. His love for you is not based on what you’ve done, but on who He is. Even when He is disappointed by your behavior, He still loves you. God’s love for you is perfect. Even when you mess up—He keeps on loving you. You’ve been accepted in the beloved. An old African proverb says, “He who conceals his disease cannot expect to be cured.” Once you believe and accept that you are loved by God, you then can begin accepting and loving yourself. His love will help you turn. Turn from what? Only you know what or who that is, back to where you belong—abiding in the love of God.
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10 Today’s Gem
We must do the work. The word of God works if you work it. Hebrews 4:12 declares that the Word of God is quick, powerful and full of life; sharper than the sharpest dagger; it penetrates deeply, even to the dividing of soul from spirit; yes, to the inmost parts thereof. It is skilled in judging and sifts the purpose, intents and thoughts of the heart. Follow the instructions in Psalms 119:11, which instruct us to hide the word in our hearts that we might not sin against the Lord. Find a scripture, commit it to memory and watch it work wonders in your life. Remember, we must do the work.
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11 Today’s Gem
Yes, grace is amazing. Yes, grace is sufficient. But aren’t you tired yet of God looking beyond your faults and seeing your needs? Just think how blessed you would be if God did not have to look so far to measure the contents of your obedience account. How quickly would your capacity increase if when God looked at you all He saw was obedience? Don’t let grace keep you from getting better. Don’t let grace stop you from doing better. Let grace and mercy be your backup while obedience takes the lead role in your life. I assure you, you can’t imagine the overflow that is about to come your way.
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12 Today’s Gem
Isaiah 43:18–19 says, “Do not remember the former things: neither consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth: do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” Troubled waters are not new to God—they are new to us. Unless you try something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow. Be comfortable with great dreams. An opportunity’s favorite disguise is an obstacle. Conflict is simply a barrier on the road to your answer. Struggle is good—for it is proof that you have not quit or been conquered. The sky is not the limit—Jesus is—and in Him, there is no failure!
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13Today’s Gem
Whenever God calls you to do the ridiculous, revelation must be your reality. Every day you must ask, “What did God say to me today?” When revelation is your reality, you live your life according to the vision and not according to the visual. Habakkuk 2:3 states to “write the vision and make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.” Write what God shows you so you won’t be distracted and detoured by what you see. 2 Corinthians 5:7 reminds us to “walk by faith and not by sight.” God is faithful to perform what He promised…it’s just a matter of time.
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14Today’s Gem
Ecclesiastes 3 says, “To everything there is a season; a time for every purpose under heaven. A time to weep and a time to laugh; a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to gain and a time to lose; a time to keep and a time to throw away.” What season is it in your life? Is it summer and you’re dressed for winter? Is it winter and you’re dressed for summer? Girl, what time is it in your life? God is conditioning you for a new place. I know it’s a little rough right now—but hold on, help is on the way. Galatians 6:9 says, “And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap if we do not relax our courage!” Again I remind you, it only takes a moment for the seasons to change.
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15Today’s Gem
Psalms 63:3 declares, “Because your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise you.” God alone can satisfy our deepest longings! The key is to be honest with God. Although we often try, we cannot hide from God. There is nothing covered that will not be revealed or nothing hidden that won’t be known. Hebrews 4:13 says, “All things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” God wants to empower you to live and not die; to prosper and not experience lack in your heart, your soul, your emotions, your mind or your spirit! God wants to fill your empty place with Himself so you can have joy—in any situation.
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16Today’s Gem
There is delay, danger and often devastation in keeping what God said to destroy. God will not release the new until you bring closure to the old. You can’t move forward effectively if you keep looking behind you. God wants to do a new thing in you. Even in the midst of chaos, God speaks a word of life to you today. He will make a way in the wilderness and create a flow of rivers in the desert—just for you! Stop rehearsing the past! Stop nursing dead issues! You can’t stop the memories from coming to visit, but you don’t have to invite them to stay. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. For when you think differently, you’ll see differently! When you see differently, you’ll choose differently! When you choose differently, you’ll live differently. Stop trying to patch up what God said to get rid of. Matthew 9:17 says, “Put new wine into new wineskins so they both are preserved.” God has something new and different for you—but first you must get rid of the old.
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17Today’s Gem
Matthew 6:21 says, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Who are you in love with? Who have you given your heart to? Who has your worship? Who has your attention? Is it God who has your whole heart? Passion dominates when you are in love! The direction of your passion is the direction of your worship. The direction of your worship is the direction in which most of your time is spent. God wants to be the sail in your boat! God wants to be the wind beneath your wings! God desires to be the object of your affection. Get your affections in order. Throw all caution to the wind and give God everything…all of you. Girls, you know how we are when we fall in love! Why
? Your anointing is at its peak when you get to the point that you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
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18Today’s Gem
In this season of trusting and obeying God, no longer can we reap the benefits of salvation without the responsibility of a real relationship with God. God will no longer tolerate the rituals, the routines and the religious charades. Abundance always follows obedience. Retraction of the inevitable abundance always follows disobedience. Please don’t mistake God’s goodness in your life as His “approval” of your choices, behavior and lifestyle if your choices, behavior and lifestyle contradict the Bible. Romans 2:4 says, “God is good to us and holds back His judgment giving us time to repent!” Listen closely, Zion is calling you to a higher place. The goodness of God is the wellspring of His glory—let Him wash you with the water of His word!
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19 Today’s Gem
The Bible declares in Hebrews 4:12–13, “For the word of God—the word that God speaks is alive and full of power—making it effective; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (your soul) and the immortal (your spirit), and of joints and marrow (the deepest parts of our nature; exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes and intents of the heart. And not a creature exists that is concealed from His sight, but all things are open and exposed, naked and defenseless to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” The Lord is pursuing us with the word! Let it overtake you—so it can lead you over into your promise!
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20Today’s Gem
When God speaks—things happen. In Genesis 1, time and time again we read, “And God said, ‘Let…” and there was. So today, God speaks to your confusion and produces order. Today, God speaks to your distress and produces peace. Right now, God speaks to your anxiety and calls for rest. Today, God speaks to fear and converts it to faith and assurance in Him. God speaks to depression and releases unspeakable joy. Yes, God speaks to broken hearts, broken dreams and broken pieces and declares total recovery and renewed strength and courage to keep going. Today daughter of Zion, God speaks to you—“I made you in Our image and Our likeness—behold, it is very good and I have approved you completely.” In Him, you are already blessed—now live like it!
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21 Today’s Gem
Praise is the language of love. It communicates to the recipient how much they are adored, admired, acknowledged and appreciated. Praise is the prelude to the more intimate experience of worship. Worship takes place “beyond the veil.” It costs to go behind the veil. Whether it’s the veil to enter the “holy of holies” or the veil to enter the most sacred place of your womanhood—the price is still the same. The cost is “commitment!” So increase your ability to commune with God by adding “praise” to the languages you speak. Now that you’re bilingual, expect an increase in your capacity to receive more of God!
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22 Today’s Gem
Are you Mary or Martha? Like Martha, are you so busy doing church work, serving others, impressing others, caring for others that you have neglected to make time and just sit at His feet? God believes in priorities. He honors women who make time for Him first; then themselves; then their families; then ministry. Are you busy due to full devotion to God or man? Listen, the word no is a part of the Kingdom language. It’s okay. Seek God to establish or reestablish what’s really important! With God, we accomplish more, when we work less.
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23 Today’s Gem
It’s time for you to come forth! What are you waiting for? Who are you waiting for? Why? Could it be that you have failed to realize that you already have everything you need to move forward. The greater one is in you! I John 4:4 declares, “You belong to God and have already defeated the enemy, because He who lives in you is mightier and more powerful than he who is in the world.” Take inventory and take action. You’ve already prayed about it—now be about it! This is your due season! Your water has broken, your labor has begun—now push!
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24Today’s Gem
God honors humility! James 4:10 says, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up.” The way down is up! Position yourself like the woman with the alabaster box—at the feet of Jesus. Humility is a prerequisite to ruling and reigning with Christ. Walking in humility is a heart issue, a lifestyle and a mentality. Yield your heart to the supernatural impartation of the Lord so that you become a garment of humility—available for the Lord’s display! Likewise, the Lord delights in your contentment with the hidden treasures between you and Himself! Lord, make me a fragrance to you and to those I encounter today! I only want what you want for my life!
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25Today’s Gem
Christian author Watchman Nee said, “When God opens our eyes that we may know the intent of our heart and the deepest thought within us in the measure that He, Himself, knows us—that’s revelation. As we are naked and laid bare before Him, so are we before ourselves as we receive revelation. This is revelation: for us to be allowed to see what God sees!” What does God see when He looks at us? He sees Himself. Therefore, cancel the pity party. You are fearfully and wonderfully made! You are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. You are the head and not the tail. You are healed, you are whole and you already have worth. It’s time for you to get up, shake the dust off and get moving. God has great plans for you because He is great. There is not an issue you can have, woman, that God can’t handle. What you are going through is not about where you are—it’s about where you are going! Now get moving…God is waiting there to blow your mind.
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26Today’s Gem
Dr. Mark Hanby says that God’s order of breaking bread is to take it, bless it, break it and then give it. Today, God wants you to know that your brokenness is a part of the process of God expanding you. He took you from something, blessed you and now He is breaking you. In the midst of brokenness, ungodly pleasures become painful. Brokenness draws you back into the will of God because self-will and brokenness do not get along. In the midst of brokenness, God gives us what we need—not always what we want. Brokenness is God’s friend. Any friend of God is a friend of yours! So in the midst of this broken place, let everything go—before God gives you to be multiplied, He will give back what belongs to you.
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27 Today’s Gem
Who is like the Lord? Our desire should be to become like Him. The character of God is multifaceted. Unless we are prepared to study every facet, we will always have a distorted view of Him. In the words of Joy Dawson, “God is something like a giant diamond. His true, intrinsic beauty will only be seen by those who take time to have a close-up, concentrated focus on the wonders of His whole personhood.” God wants to ruin you to the ordinary. He wants to captivate you with His majesty, His mystery and His meekness. He wants to be the lover of your soul. Do yourself a favour and pursue Him with your whole heart…you will be so glad you did.
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28Today’s Gem
In a culture filled with microwaves, fast-food restaurants and drive-thru banking, it can be very difficult to “wait.” Faith Tibbetts McDonald said in her article “Finding Worth In Your Wait” that waiting can be grueling and sometimes, waiting can be cruel. When waiting seems to never end, we must look beyond our circumstances and trust God with the outcome. God’s purpose is always fulfilled in our waiting. Sometimes waiting builds character; other times it’s God’s way of giving us much needed rest. Waiting is one of God’s ways to teach us patience. Possessing the virtue of patience is a sign of spiritual maturity. James 1:4 says, “Let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” God has a message for you in your wait—listen closely. He wants to tell you something that’s worth waiting for!
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29 Today’s G
em
Are you eyeball-to-eyeball with destiny and can’t touch it? Are you like the children of Israel—you can see the promised land, but you can’t get to it? You’ve made it this far and can’t move, huh? Well, it’s not elephants that trample on our dreams. The Bible tells us in Song of Solomon that it is the “little foxes that spoil the vine.” Today’s fox is unforgiveness. Unforgiveness always keeps you from reaching the mark—no matter how close you are. Unforgiveness affects your body (the stress manifests as different ailments), it affects your soul (it numbs your emotions and stifles your worship) and it affects your spirit (it kills your communication with God). The key to your release is to separate the offense from the offender. Let the power of the Holy Ghost empower you to forgive the offense—God will give you grace to deal with the offender! My spiritual father, Bishop Ralph Dennis taught me that…thanks, Dad.
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