IN THE GARDEN DEVOTIONS

"Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:" Psalm 23:5 On the television sitcom “Good Times” back in the 70s, James finally received his big break. He had a job interview that impressed the lady interviewer so much, that she, in so many words, promised him the job. He went home bragging to Florida. Florida was skeptical and asked him how did he know he had the job. James pulled up at his belt, stuck out his chest and said, “Hea, Hea, Heaaa, that woman

"Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies..." Psalm 23:5

Isaiah 54:17 NLT says, "But in that coming day no weapon turned (formed) against you will succeed (prosper)! You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord; their vindication will come from me. I, the Lord, have spoken!" In other words, the weapons are formed and turned against you, but IT will not succeed at its intended purpose! Its purpose is to mess with your mind to block you from seeing, by faith, with your s

🌿A Place of Divine Encounter In the beginning God placed man in the Garden of Eden. It was a place where the source of all things met man to commune with him. It was a place of perfect provision and pure fellowship. Can you just for a minute imagine being in such a place where God actually called out your name simply to commune with you? In Genesis 3:8-10 Adam and Eve heard God's voice, but God first only spoke to Adam. In Acts 9:3-8 the men traveling with Paul heard God's

“Abba, Father! All things are possible for You; take this cup [of judgment] away from Me; but not what I will, but what You will.” Mark 14:36 After receiving a diagnosis of breast cancer over the phone, [for which I gave my doctor permission to call me] thank God I was not driving, thank God it was the end of the workday, thank God only my manager and I were there because I had an absolute tantrum. I cried and through the many times of hearing my manager crying saying, Den

“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” Psalms 116:15 Have you ever prayed for God to heal someone and they died anyway? Have you ever prayed for someone and in the midst of the prayer, God said, “Transition”, in other words, prepare for their death? Do you give up hope? Did you hear God right? As I knelt one morning to pray for my Church Friend, my Sister-in Christ, my sister through the blood of Christ, I heard the Spirit say, “Transition.” I immedia

“A man's gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.” Proverbs 18:16 As we set our goals and make our plans, we must keep in mind that as citizens of the Kingdom of God, our gifts were given by God to build His Kingdom. The Kingdom of God is God's way of doing things. When we operate according to the Word of God our gifts will be used to make room for Him to do extraordinary things through us that will cause men to be at awe and glorify Him. Matthew 5:16 For

“You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world…” (NLT) Colossians 2:20 When I was 17 years old my father did not approve of my boyfriend. He said he was no good and good for nothing. I could not understand why my daddy would call someone he did not know, no good. I fought so hard and rebelled against my daddy to prove him wrong, that I failed to see those things that were tr

“Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness,and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. ” 1 Corinthians 4:5 As I sat thinking to myself about knowing a Christian that was in, what I thought was, a practice of a sin. I asked myself how could that person do that and still be a Christian. Then on top of that be in the ministry? As I continued thinkin

“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” Luke 2:10 Upon hearing of a friend's diagnosis of stage 4 cancer and that it was spreading to her vital organs, I asked the Lord what Word should I encourage her with? And He responded, “The Joy of the Lord is your strength!” Nehemiah 8:10 In Luke 2:10 the angel said, "...I bring you good tidings of Great Joy..." Great is considerably, above the normal

“…For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.” Matthew 27:18 Holy Week is time when we reflect on the cross and the price Jesus paid for us. During this week the Jewish leaders plotted the death of Christ which began the road to Jesus' crucifixion. Although they were used for this very purpose, Satan was able to use that which was in their hearts which drove them to kill Jesus - Envy, Jealousy, and Fear. There was a time when I was extremely insecure and the Lord sent N

“Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother ,…” John19:25 There is just something about a mother's love. She's there when no one else is. My mother died when I was 22 years old. I watched my mother suffer many trials and setbacks, times of lack, times that seem like there were more downs then ups and finally illness. But I always remembered her never giving up, fighting and bouncing back again and again. My greatest memory of her was that no matter what she was going th

“Blessed and happy and enviably fortunate and spiritually prosperous (in the state in which the born-again child of God enjoys and finds satisfaction in God's favor and salvation, regardless of his outward conditions)…" Matthew 5:10 Ampc I was talking to one of my dearest friends and sister-in-Christ. She shared some wonderful things that were happening in her life. Her life is truly enviable. She’s married to a husband who adores and cares for her. They are financially secur

"But Rabshakeh said unto them, Hath my master sent me to thy master, and to thee, to speak these words? hath he not sent me to the men which sit on the wall, that they may eat their own dung, and drink their own piss with you?" 2 Kings 18:27 Webster's dictionary defines a bully as a person who hurts are browbeats those who are weaker. To browbeat is to intimidate with harsh looks, talk and threats to make you afraid. That's what Webster says. My definition of bully was simpl

“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 enquire in his temple.” Psalm 27:4 Early in my Christian walk, I began questioning whether I was really God's child, did He really know me? One Sunday a guest Minister preached at our church. He spoke of how his daughter was dying and on her dying bed, requested that he read her favorite scripture. Suddenly,

"...Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name." Matthew 6:9 My parents divorced when I was about 12 years old and my father and mother were given shared custody. During the period that we lived with my father, because I was the oldest daughter, I became the one who took care of the housework, caring for my brothers and sisters and even began to cook. (I can hear my sister laughing when I mentioned that I cooked). Because my daddy worked so hard, I tried hard to p

“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the WORD of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” Hebrews 11:3 The Bible is made up of words, God filled words Words are mighty things and will produce (cause a particular result to happen or come into existence) what you continuously say. The Bible says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” Proverbs 18:21 If we tr

"Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." Isaiah 6:5 I love Sunday School. It's like going on a date and getting to know someone more and more intimately. The more you meet the more He begins to reveal more and more of Himself. It's like going to His family gathering, talking about Him with all those who love Him and discussing their

"I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.” Proverbs 8:17 Once while at a church service, with thoughts of needing answers for the many things that were going on in my life, the Pastor prophesied that God would come and wake us up early in the morning to tell us some things we needed to know. “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” Jeremiah 33:3 It was a timely Word for I was in a despe

“...Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.” 1 Samuel 17:45 One of my greatest battles took place in the Operating Room. I remember when I was told I that I needed a defibrillator (see About the Author). While in the doctor's office the surgeon explained the procedure and discussed what would take place. He explained that he would cut me, p