“Of my two handicaps, being female put many more obstacles in my path than being black.” – Shirley Chisholm
Forward Thinkers Saturday night Beyoncé brought her Formation Tour to Houston and thousands of fans stood in line and paid hundreds of dollars to see her perform. The people who showed up at the concert expected her to not just perform but perform well and all reports from the concert said she left no one unpleased. But my question today is how many of us are performing well and how many of us can people actually expect to perform well. Beyoncé was born to entertain and she has been living her life on purpose for so long she has changed the music game.
Forward Thinkers today I challenge you to get in formation and start living your life with purpose.
Esther 4:14
14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you were born for such a time as this?”
Forward Thinkers Esther was born for this purpose. We are all born on purpose with a purpose and one of the greatest tragedies in life is to live a life with no purpose. To be born with so much potential inside of you but to never find your life purpose is like being a butterfly that never stops being a caterpillar. You were born to fly but you never leave the ground.
Forward Thinkers God uses people to perform His promises and when we were born we were born with the intent to perform for God. God had Esther’s life planned out before she was born and God has a plan for your life also. Forward Thinkers God doesn’t force us to join in His plans. Esther had to accept her assignment and today God is waiting for us to accept our assignments.
Esther is told if she remains silent there is a great possibility negative consequences will follow your decision. Forward Thinkers we must remember Adam’s silence allowed Satan the freedom to have his way. The bible declares life and death is in the power of the tongue and this season we can’t afford to be silent.
Forward Thinkers last week we saw God call Moses to speak up and today we see God calling Esther to speak up and set her people free. Sisters, do you remember when Abigail saved her family from being destroyed by King David? She spoke up after her drunken husband’s ego gained beer muscles and disrespected David’s army?
Sisters stop being silent it’s time to open your mouth and let God use you to do something great.
There is a concept in sports called next man up. This happens when the starter can’t play and someone else steps up in the starting lineup. Forward Thinkers God loves us so much he is not going to allow us to fail because you are not stepping up. This season if you are not stepping up and living your life on purpose God will call the next sister up to get the job done.
Yes, it’s your assignment but God’s name is on the line so if you won’t answer God will raise up someone who will.
Forward Thinkers by now we all know Hillary Clinton will be the first woman to win the Democratic Party and run for President of the United States of America but in 1972 Shirley Chisholm, a Black woman, received 10% of the Democratic Party votes as she became the 1st woman to make a splash in electoral process. I have had to privilege to speak to both Mrs. Clinton and Mrs. Chisholm but I was greatly amazed during my conversation with Shirley Chisholm when I asked her why she ran for president she said because I wanted to prove to them I could. Forward Thinkers she lived her life on purpose being the 1st Black woman elected to Congress and her theme was Unbought and Unbossed.
Understand sisters when you don’t answer the call there will be negative consequences for rejecting God’s call. Jonah rejected God and ended up in a very dark and nasty place. Sister it’s time to realize you were born to do this and get in formation to live your life on purpose.
Esther 2:7 New International Version (NIV)
7 Mordecai had a cousin named Esther, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This young woman, Esther, had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died.
Forward Thinkers once again we see we can’t determine our future potential based on our past experiences.
Esther’s parents died when she was young and she is being raised by her cousin. Brothers, I’m sure you noticed the bible says Esther was slim in the waist and pretty in the face but sisters I want you to understand her purpose was not based on her looks but her actions.
I’m sure the senior class at Nashville East High School didn’t vote Oprah Winfrey most beautiful her senior year but I’m also sure whoever they voted for would love to trade places today with Oprah. There is no more beautiful woman in the world than a woman operating in her God given assigned purpose.
Forward Thinkers the bible says many women went before the king but Esther found favor with the king and she became Queen Esther. The FOG favor of God on a woman of purpose will cause her to leap into new territories and promotions but remember too much given much expected.
Sisters when God favors you with a title God expects you to honor the title. (Side note- one of the most disappointing things to see in life is a person with a title that does nothing to represent or honor that title)
The title of Wife: Forward Thinkers the bible calls a wife a good thing and declares she should bring her man favor from the Lord. The 1st wife Eve was created to help her man reach his full potential. Sisters if you are a wife it’s time you got in formation and became your man’s good thing and not his sour puss. You are a wife to help him not hold him down and turn him away from God with your negative attitude.
The title of Mother: The bible says your children should arise and call you blessed. The title of mother is more than just being a baby momma when you became a mother you became a giver of life. God trusted you enough to bless you with his children and you must be a good steward over that which belongs to God. It should be an honor to wear the title of mother. Sisters the greatest title you will ever wear is that of being a Mother.
The title of Sister: This is another title only a woman can wear and it’s time sisters united and protected each other instead of dogging each other out and competing with each other over a man. When sisters come together in formation they become a powerful force to reckon with. Yes, you are your Sisters keeper.
The title of Daughter: Daughters get in formation and honor your mother and watch God bless your life. I read a Facebook status the other day that said women used to learn how to cook like their mothers but today they learn how to drink and cuss like their daddy’s. Forward Thinkers it’s very important we restored the mother-daughter relationship in Black America because without it we are doomed to continue to fall backwards.
The title of Queen: Forward Thinkers every woman should desire to be a queen and reject the title of being just another bad female dog. A real man wants to marry, cherish, and take a queen home to meet his mother because every king wants a queen in his castle. Sisters, don’t let society and negative images portrayed of women in music mold you into believing you’re anything less than a queen.
Forward Thinkers Esther lived up to her title as Queen and stood up and made a difference and today I’m declaring every woman and man reading this article will discover their purpose for living and declare I was born to do this and get in formation to make a mark on this world that can’t be erased.
Pastor E. A. Deckard is the Senior Pastor/Founder of the Green House International Church now located, in both Houston, Texas, and the Woodlands, Texas. To contact Pastor Deckard for speaking engagements contact him at pr.ghic@gmail.com, follow him on Facebook, Instagram and Periscope @ Pastor E A Deckard or the church website www.ghic.net