A Special Tribute - The Way Makers LIVE! Special Broadcast

Click on Link Below

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mwhyllc/2015/06/26/the-way-makers-live-radio-show-with-minister-angela-gracey

As Ambassadors for Christ, we are called upon to forgive those who spitefully use and abuse us.  I know that's a hard pill to swallow in the wake of these events, but it's the only way the healing can begin.  Trust God.  Vengeance is His and He will repay.

We are also called upon to be Peacemakers; those who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. I am so proud of the Body of Christ serving at Mother Emanuel A.M.E. Church; they are true examples of believers who sow in peace.

I speak a special blessing of comfort and peace over the families who lost their loved ones:  may the God of all comfort and grace embrace you tenderly at this time.

In Jesus's name,
Amen.

Necessary Endings

Have you ever waited for God's direction - you know, whether to go or stay? Change or not? Move or stay? Well, I have, and believe me it can be a most frustrating process!  Most of the time you're afraid of making a mistake: moving too soon; too slow; right place, wrong time or vice versa; or about whether you heard God at all!? It's mind boggling!

There is grace for God's wisdom and direction!

For one thing, whenever God does a new thing, He always tells us first. Is. 42:9.  He promises to guide us with His eye. He said, "I will lead you and guide you into all truth, and show you things that are to come."  But you're not going to see anything in the Bible that says, "You should quit today; or accept that new promotion," etc.  So how do we know?  How do we know when to move on?

I'm put in mind of the eagle, who begins to make the nest very uncomfortable for the baby eaglets when it's time for them to learn how to fly. God's ways often mimic this process when He wants to prompt us to move/shift.  I wasn't feeling confident about my ability to hear God and discern His timing. I wanted to know with absolute certainty, but I was afraid I would miss God. I cried out for wisdom and the courage to move.  God lead me to a special resource that helped me to operate in reality in terms of what was hindering me in executing a necessary ending:  the book, "Necessary Endings" by Dr. Henry Cloud.  (I highly recommend this resource as a valuable tool to assist you on your journey.)  In his book, Dr. Cloud speaks of the courage it takes to end a thing when it is no longer working or beneficial.  I drew immense strength, courage and wisdom and was empowered to do what I needed to do.

Weeks passed. Then something happened that I thought would surely weaken my resolve: the government shut-down.  Of course, my husband was affected, but by God's grace, we had leadership commissions due from our business that took us over the hump.  Not only that, this was only a temporary measure:  we would be at another political impasse in January, and could possibly find ourselves on financially unstable footing again!  I thought, "Now what, God?" How am I supposed to do this in the midst of all of this? 

The Lord told me this was going to be a step of faith. It was not going to be comfortable or safe, and I couldn't allow money to be the determining factor.  I could not walk by faith and by sight at the same time.

Sure enough, true to Himself, God spoke, and His direction was very clear.  Like the father eagle, He presented me with a set of circumstances that made it impossible for me to remain in my present condition.  I was able to see things clearly, as they really are and move to the point of executing a necessary ending.  He spoke clearly - you guessed it - just 2 weeks before the gov't shutdown!  Talk about timing! This was one of those situations where you have to decide if you're going to trust God or not!

I responded in obedience. God knows just what it takes to get us moving!  A most serious set of circumstances turned me upside down for a minute, but after fulfilling the responsibilities of my office, I had the release from God to go. I knew it was God because His peace bathed my spirit like a warm blanket.  Always let the peace of God rule in your heart.

Now, make no mistake: in my humanity I was afraid of the unknown; I think most of us would be; but I discovered that somewhere along the way my faith had been strengthened! My trust in God - for once - outweighed my fear.  God was speaking to me everyday!  The more He spoke the stronger and more confident in Him I felt.  I don't know what all God has in store; I do know His plans for me are good and not evil; I have a future and a hope, amen?

Eyes have not seen, nor ears heard what God has for me, but He will reveal it to me by His Spirit!
Necessary endings invite new beginnings!
Join me! It's going to be the adventure of a lifetime!!

The Weapons of Our Warfare

Have you ever prayed and declared the Word of God over your life and circumstances, only to have things go from bad to worse?  Did you step out in faith in obedience to God, only to encounter one obstacle after another?  Have you ever encountered opposition so strong that you begin to wonder if you ever heard God at all?  I have.  I have experienced all of these and the conflicting emotions and inner turmoil that often comes with these questions.  But I've discovered one thing:  the problem isn't that I did something wrong or that I didn't have faith; the problem was my perspective.  How did I see and process the opposition I was experiencing, and more importantly, how would I respond.  God has answered my prayer, and I'd like to share the revelation with you.

Sometimes chaos and difficult circumstances are evidence of our faith being mixed with the Word of God we received.  You see, it's not our lack of faith.  Quite the contrary; we really do believe God!  It's because of our faith that spiritual warfare ensues.  So often, the challenge for us is to determine if we believe God enough to provoke us to act on what we believe - no matter how crazy and desperate things look.

A great door and effectual is open to us, but there are many adversaries.  We think those adversaries look like us: flesh and blood; but that is how we are deceived by the enemy of our souls.  The facts may say one thing, but the "truth" is our adversaries manifest in the form of:

            Distractions                          False Accusation
            Criticism                              Illness
            Workplace Conflict              Financial Crisis
            Discouragement                   Fear
            Anxiety                                Intimidation
            Busyness                             Temptation to Quit

In the passage, it is clear that we are not left to our own defenses.  God has given us the weapons of our warfare, and they are mighty through God 's power to destroy every stronghold and bring the enemy to his wicked knees!  The thing to remember is that in this battle, we can never let our guard down - not in this day and time.  The older I get, I realize that being "out of uniform" can be most costly to my God-given assignment.  I've learned that I need to appropriate the whole Armor of God every day in order to walk in victory.

So I returned to the disciplines of the faith with a renewed passion to seek His face:  spending time praying in the Spirit and reading the Word of God; serving Him and His people with my spiritual gifts, giving, and most importantly, spending time in worship and solitude - cultivating His Presence.  I began to feed my faith on every occasion; keeping my relationships clear of division/strife or unforgiveness; and living a holy life - seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness.  The scripture says to put on the "full" Armor of God - not just part of it.  We have to be fully dressed so that the enemy cannot take advantage of us.  That is the key to victory.  The attack is certain to come if you dare to "believe God" and then "act" on what you believe. In "acting" on what I believe, I've come to realize that it involves risk; I have to trust God for the variables that I can't see or control. Everything isn't comfortable for me to make some of the decisions I have to make. Standing for righteousness means I have to take a stand without regard for my personal circumstances, and I intend to do just that.  And God will get all of the Glory!

TIP:  When the inner turmoil stops, the peace of God is made manifest.  Then you will know what to do.

Beloved, you can't always stop or prevent spiritual warfare; in fact, it comes with the territory; but, you can take the offensive by being prepared for the attack.  Don't let the enemy steal your time, talent and resources! If you've gotten off track, ask God for wisdom and refocus.  Dare to trust Him no matter what it looks like.  He will restore and redirect your path (Prov. 3:5-6).  Submit to God; the devil must flee.

Whatever you do, DON'T GIVE UP! He will fulfill His purpose for your life! Show up dressed for battle every day, and having done all, STAND!