The Art of Communication

     Ingenuity!  Ingenuity!  Lord, what do you mean “Ingenuity”?  My question to the Lord, while I was in prayer one day, seeking His face for one thing—He, saying something else! Has that ever happened to you, having a conversation with the Holy One, talking about A, B, & C, and He, pretty much ignores (as though it seems) your questions and starts to talk to you about  X, Y, & Z?  (This kind of conversation, between the Holy Spirit and I, reminded me about Jesus & the Samaritan Woman at the well, (John 4:4-26 KJV).  Talk about Ingenuity in its fullest, read the story of how the lord works!  Here’s a synopsis:  Jesus saying, “Give me to drink”, the Woman at the well is saying, “You don’t have anything to draw with”.  He’s talking about spiritual water she’s talking about natural water.  She then asks him for that water; He then says to her, “Go, call your husband and come here!”  What?  It’s like they’re having a communication problem.  However, Jesus eventually got her to talk about what he was really after, WORSHIP!   Well, I continued to pray, trying to ignore the voice within, to hear him say, “Ingenuity!  Go look it up.”  Well, I did!  It means: The quality or power of ready invention; quickness or acuteness in combining ideas; ingeniousness; skill; openness of heart; prompt to invent; witty;, well formed; well adapted; an ingenious scheme or plan; ingenious performance of any kind.  In Genesis 11:1-9, you can get another glimpse of ingeniousness at work, “The Tower of Babel”.  The account of this story says that, “The whole earth was of one language, and of one speech” and they, (the people of Shinar which is believed to be the descendents of Noah - Nimrod), spoke to the people about making brick to build a city and tower “Whose top may reach unto heaven and let us make a name…”  But this idea was not pleasing to God, because of their intent; so “the Lord came down to see the city and the tower which the children of men builded.”  And the Lord said, “Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.”  So he confounded their language that they could not understand one another’s speech.

A person can have great ideas, an awesome plan to do, to have, to be: but is it from the Lord and is it pleasing to him or will it gratify your flesh, your ego?  Can he work the “stuff” out of you, that doesn’t add value, that’s not prospering, that’s causing you to sabotage yourself?  Can the Holy One of Israel re-work, in you His “stuff”, to get you back on track?  I have realized that there’s so much “Ingenuity” in me, that our Heavenly Father has downloaded, and that I haven’t even begun to tap into.   The creativeness that’s in me, I’ve been exploring for some time; the administrative side of me is already in operation; the “sister-girlfriend-social butterfly” part of me is always exercised; the ministerial part of me, I’m now utilizing and realizing even more!  Have I missed the mark, fell off the wagon—YES!  But I continue to get back up and keep moving forward: It doesn’t matter if someone tries to “label” me or hope that I don’t succeed or progress further—I’ve got a revelation and that is, Ingenuity!  

So, the next time you’re in prayer and the Holy Spirit speaks too you and gives you one word and he tells you to go look it up, you better know that he’s saying something to you, for you, and imparting himself in you!  Now I get it!  “…and with all thy getting get understanding!”◘

Embrace

    

    

Entering the Promise Land!

            As I’m typing on my computer, thinking about my new BLOG, wondering what should I talk about and what should the title name be, the thought that came to me: talk about my fear of stepping into “Techno-land”, i.e.: FACEBOOK, BLOG, TWITTER, MY SPACE, U-TUBE, etc.  As I typed the words in capital letters, that’s just how I saw these sights, in my mind, as BIG-Bold Imagery of a Giant!  I remembered how overwhelmed I was when a male associate helped me to create my first FACEBOOK page.  I began to hyperventilate.  I was typing all wrong, like my fingers were positioned on the wrong keys: sdfghjkl, huh?  My heart was racing and I couldn’t even think to type my basic information, not even my interests!  Talk about an over-rated experience!  He then grabbed my hands and said, “Wait a minute Claudette, let’s pray!”  We began to pray!  I felt a bit calm as a tear welled up in my eyes, then…I could breath again!  I began typing, fingers positioned correctly on the key board: asdf  jkl; now that looks a whole lot better!  You see, I had built up so much fear, in my mind, about this new technology, because of what I heard in the news, and what I heard others say about FACEBOOK, BLOGGING, TWITTER, MY SPACE, U-TUBE, and other sites out there.  No matter what was spoken in my ears, be it good or bad, or indifferent, I didn’t want to participate in updating myself to the future: after all, I thought the old is better-no one has to be in your business, that’s less information for the government, and the bill collectors, and cyberspace watchers, and just plain ole’ nosy people!  I had strongholds in my mind.  I wasn’t letting the new ideas in and I wasn’t going out to get it either.  I was bound! Well, as you can very well see, I’m over that now!  As much as I believe in ministering the word, praying the word, confessing the word, and believing in the word, there was a part of me that did not want to “Do the Word” especially in this area of “Taking my land”!  What I was experiencing, like many others out there, is called “The Grasshopper Mentality!”  This story is found in the bible Numbers chapters 13 & 14.  Num. 13:1-2 (kjv) And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, “Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.”  Looks like the Lord was into “Search Engines”! Hum!  As I read the chapters, I received revelation from the Lord.   This is the revelation: “Get up and go search out what FACEBOOK & BLOGGING is all about.  See how the people are using this new idea that I have given them.  Are they using it for good or bad?  Are they dwelling freely or are they bound?  Is it used for unjust means or is it vibrant?  Is it enough room to build up the Kingdom of God?  Can you build and carve out your business or not?  Claudette, be of Good Courage and bring me the fruit of the land.” Wow! When the Lord speaks, it's awesome!  Num. 13: 32-33:  And they (the 10 spies, except Joshua & Caleb) brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, “The land, though which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.  And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.”  Shall I say anymore? This was an evil report brought up to the Lord.  Why was it evil?  Because on one hand, they saw how good it was, desired to have it and wanted to dwell in it.  The Lord allowed them to get in without being noticed and they took some of the fruit from that land.  He even opened their eyes to show them what they could have & what he desired to give them; in response with their mouth and in essence, there heart, the people were saying that they didn’t trust God enough to help them nor did they believe in themselves.  They’ve forgotten His miracles, His help, and their testimony!  They saw themselves as grasshoppers—and to think, I was acting and speaking like them, and so are many others out there!  Chapter 14: 7-9 And they (Joshua & Caleb) spake unto all the company of the children of Israel, saying, “The land, which we passed through to search it, is an exceeding good land.  If the Lord delight in us, then he will bring us into this land, and give it us; a land which floweth with milk and honey.  Only rebel not ye against the Lord, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us: their defense is departed from them, and the Lord is with us: fear them not.”  Well!  For me, not anymore, I’ve been delivered!  Now, how about you?  What Land has the Lord told you to search out-then take?  My friend Darlene helped me to upgrade my FACEBOOK page and set up my  BLOG, thank you very much!  Now, my new saying is, “With God All Things Possible!” ◘

Embrace!