Encouragement Ink

View Original

Get Up!

MY CONVERSATIONS WITH GOD

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

Get Up! Fon Strong James

Welcome to the OABG Daily Blog and Podcast!

If you’ve been listening to the podcast for the last month or so, then you know that my wake up time had shifted. It was like I was getting up much later to pray. I even moved the timing of the blog/podcast release. But to be totally honest with you, it has been quite a task to get everything done on time.

When I look back over these last few weeks, I have been running late every morning. At first, I beat myself up about it and then realized that God can and will use me no matter what time I get up. So I made the adjustment with that in mind. But again, the fruit of my time was still lateness and rushing. That part just didn’t feel like God at all. I kept going. I mean you KNOW I kept going because the blog and podcast was coming out daily. But I couldn’t help but to think back to the time where I would get up early at 5 a.m. to pray and read my Word, and then blog and podcast my conversation with God. I longed for that original feeling. I really wanted to stop rushing. I was praying for God to help me get the blog written and podcast recorded with speed, but it never felt just right.

Well fast forward to the last few days, including today, and I finally realized that my 4 a.m. wake-up times weren’t because I had drank too much liquid. God showed me that He was answering my prayers of wanting to get back to the original way I started this whole lifestyle change. It’s like my heart just wanted to get back to the place I had been in the beginning.

For the last few days I have been waking up at the exact time of 4:44 a.m. When I looked at the time this morning and saw that it was exactly the same time as yesterday, I heard GET UP! And then I felt it. I needed to use the bathroom too. I didn’t even feel tired or super sleepy either. I got up and here’s the conversation me and the Holy Spirit had this morning:

  • Listen more.

  • Learn more.

  • Keep sharing what you are learning. Don’t hold back. I have you learning so that you can teach others the concepts. They will be more receptive of the concepts with YOU teaching it verses learning it from the people you are learning from.

  • You learn it, then teach it.

  • The teachings I am showing you will be foundational for your non-profit.

  • Always give credit to the teacher. You are an ambassador for Me and for those I sent to you to learn from.

  • Just like I did before with the Permission Slips miracle, I will do it again with your next book.

  • Repeat miracles.

  • You said you wanted to get back to the way it was in the beginning…that’s why you’re up.

  • When I wake you up, go ahead and get up.

  • I am still laying the foundation Fon.

I can’t even begin to tell y’all how amazing it feels to flow with The Father this morning! I didn’t take my focus off of Him to check the time (which is what I have been doing these last few weeks). Now don’t get me wrong, I know that God wanted me to rest and He is okay with me resting, but going to bed early is the key, not staying in the bed longer in the morning. I couldn’t justify it with all the rush I was doing. God’s character is not one of rush. And when we learn His character, we can always look at our lives from the Holy Lens to see if we are in alignment with God’s way for our lives.

————

Scriptural Bible Study:

We are studying together in the book of Acts and as you know, today we are in chapter 21. Now y’all, I read pass chapter 21 today because it was getting so good reading about Paul! Y’all agree? I can’t believe I ever listened to anybody who said reading the Bible wasn’t as exciting as binge watching a show on Netflix. They haven’t read Acts. LOL!!

So in this 21st chapter of Acts, Paul and crew are on a journey to Jerusalem. They have been teaching and preaching and in this chapter, the first thing that stood out to me was that when Paul and crew arrived in Tyre, they sought out the disciples and stay with them for 7 days. And it was during that time, through the Spirit, they told Paul not to go to Jerusalem (Acts 21:4).

I also noticed that when they were all departing for their different journeys, it says in verse 5 that they said farewell to each other AFTER kneeling down on the beach to pray. I could see this in my mind. When I went to Miami Beach last year in 2019, I got a chance to pray on the beach and it was one of the most transforming moments other than getting baptized last year, that is permanently embedded in my mind. I am sure that is why that verse stood out for me. I could see Paul and nem all on the beach praying!! What a sight!

A few other notables in this chapter of Acts is that Philip, one of the first seven deacons had four virgin daughters who prophesied. In the study notes, Dr. Evans points out that the Spirit makes no gender distinction in the distribution of spiritual gifts. While at Philip’s house, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea and shared what the Holy Spirit said, which was pretty much that Paul was going to be arrested and bound by the Jews, but Paul was like, I am ready and willing not only to be bound but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 21:14). In the study notes, Dr. Evans says when the excitement of spending eternity with Jesus is real in your heart, whether you live or die, doesn’t make a difference as long as the Lord is glorified. Philippians 1:21 is Paul talking to the Philippians and he said, “For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” And that’s how we all should be. We must have hearts that submit to our King’s will for our lives. Do you have a heart fully submitted to King Jesus? Is Jesus calling you, his ride or die?

As I was reading, one other verse that stood out was verse 19. It says, after greeting them, he reported in detail what God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry (Acts 21:19). Right after I read that, I heard: STOP SAYING THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAILS. We can see how Paul reported IN DETAIL what God had done among the Gentiles. And it says in verse 20, when they heard it (the details), they glorified God and said, “You see, brother, how many thousands of Jesus there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law.”

Bottomline: When it comes to sharing the Word of God, share ALL THE DETAILS because when people hear it, they will glorify God. We got to stop saying these little sayings that we have always heard or said when we learn better. When you share about God, give details because the details matter. The details help people to see the glory of God and they see that through your story telling. Testify and give details. The devil ain’t in none of my details. It’s ALL FOR THE GLORY OF GOD!

P..S. Be sure to press play above & listen to each episode as I always go deeper on the audio version.


YOUR ASSIGNMENTS

  1. What did the Lord God say to you in your conversation with Him this morning?

  2. When was the last time you told someone a detailed story about how God moved in your life? Bonus: If your date isn’t yesterday, then I challenge you to tell someone a detail story about how God moved in your life TODAY!

    REMINDER: Don’t forget to read the Scriptural Bible Study below and see what the Lord says to you about it.


SALVATION PRAYER

If you’re not a believer and have a desire to be, openly confess and declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9). When you pray that prayer out loud, you are saved. Get connected with a good, bible-based church in your community and start having a conversation through prayer with God every day. And let me be the first to welcome you to your new life with Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. YAAAAY!!!!! You made the best decision you could ever make! Feel free to email me at info@onassignmentbyGod.com and let me know about your newfound life or if you need prayer for anything.

Check out today’s Scriptural Bible Study!!


See this gallery in the original post

Psssst! If you enjoyed today’s blog, become a subscriber! I want to help you get connected to me via email on a daily basis so you won’t miss a day of My Conversations With God. Get the blog sent to your inbox daily by signing up here!! Trust me, God will speak to you too! Need to email me? I can be reached at info@onassignmentbyGod.com

See this content in the original post