From Evernote:

Bishop Jakes - I've Got Nothing in my Hand

(KJV) Judges 14:1 And Samson went down to Timnath, and saw a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines. 2 And he came up, and told his father and his mother, and said, I have seen a woman in Timnath of the daughters of the Philistines: now therefore get her for me to wife. 3 Then his father and his mother said unto him, [Is there] never a woman among the daughters of thy brethren, or among all my people, that thou goest to take a wife of the uncircumcised Philistines? And Samson said unto his father, Get her for me; for she pleaseth me well. 4 But his father and his mother knew not that it [was] of the LORD, that he sought an occasion against the Philistines: for at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel. 5 Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him. 6 And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and [he had] nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done. 7 And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well. 8 And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, [there was] a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion. 9 And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion.  10 So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do. 

 

It is here that we see the catalyst if circumstances that released Samson into his destiny. It is through his desires both good and bad that lead him to his destiny. He stumbles into his purpose.

 

Why do you need to complicate your life. His parents knew not that it was the Lord. One would think that if it was something of the Lord, it should work! How can something be of the word and fail?

 

All hell broke loose in Samson's  life over this woman. This crazy woman. Out of all of the daughters of Israel he falls for this crazy Philistine woman. When a man's steps are ordere d by the lord, it is even his bad steps.

 

The riddle was designed to reflect a past experience but they couldn't get the answer. So they went to he woman he was about to marry for the trick to get the answer. He obliges because he thinks that intimacy is the same as trust.

 

He gets tricked, and then angry. His anger is used to create an act for Israel. The marriage wasn't supposed to work. It was meant to move him so that God could use him in another dimension.

 

All things work together ... 

 

He set it up and then set it off.

 

Every bit of it is God shaping you. You wouldnt have fought that hard if you had not have been hurt that bad.

 

His predicament sets the stage for the rest of his life. Both his strength and his struggle. His issue is not the list of it, it is that he will always struggle with trusting the wrong person.

 

He always opens his mouth when he opens his heart. He never gets her... 

 

Can you see God's will in who you didn't get? 

 

The riddle comes from his journey to Timnanth. The challenge before him provokes the power within him. The encounter with the Lion is the first time Samson realizes his power. He had nothing in his hand.   

 

Stop praying that the lions won't roar, for it is the roaring of he lions that release the power that is within you...  Either you're going to fight or fly.

 

You don't have to be bad if you have the right stuff in your hand.

 

What do you do when you have to have the fight of your life at the worst moment of your life because you have nothing in your hand? Where is your strength?

 

God's going to give you the victory over the lion in your life with nothing in your hands. Man's extremity is God's opportunity. And He says get out of the way.  

 

The death  of the lion is  the birth of his ministry because killing the lion made him aware of what was inside of him.  

 

He leaves the lion dead and continued on his way. He must have been in wonder. When it becomes easy to do what other people cannot do, it is a sign of annointment.  "Who am I?"

 

The closer he gets to the fight, the more bees he encountered. The bees will live in the place where you got the victory. The bees needed a place to work from. There is now honey coming out of the place I his greatest struggle.

 

For every fight in your life, there will be honey. He dips his hand - the one that had nothing in it - his cup now runneth over...

 

From Evernote:

Bishop Jakes - Look Up

(KJV) Genesis 33:1 And Jacob lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, Esau came, and with him four hundred men. And he divided the children unto Leah, and unto Rachel, and unto the two handmaids.

(KJV) Genesis 33:2 And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost.

(KJV) Genesis 33:3 And he passed over before them, and bowed himself to the ground seven times, until he came near to his brother.

(KJV) Genesis 33:4 And Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck, and kissed him: and they wept.

(KJV) Genesis 33:5 And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, Who [are] those with thee? And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant.

(KJV) Genesis 33:6 Then the handmaidens came near, they and their children, and they bowed themselves.

 

 

Look up to the Lord because you need help.

 

You can come from good stock and still have problems. Despite of good stock, there were some issues. Abraham, Sarah... Isaac, Rebecca...

 

Some people pray for drama. Jacob and Esau were fighting in the womb. Sometimes people aren't physically tough but they are mentally tenacious. Don't underestimate people who are not strong in the same areas as you are.

 

Jacob whips Esau with a bowl of soup. Like his mama. Tendencies that run through families. Jacob took his birthright by preying on his weakness.

 

There is a difference between wicke and weak. Wicked will exploit weakness. Weak is not used to saying no.

 

Wicked beat weak. Esau loses his birthright because he couldn't control his urges.  You can lose your opportunity  because  of your urges.

 

You always are weak for what you didn't get. You always crave it.

 

Esau is a good man, bu not a God man. Jacob is a God man, but he is not a Good man. There are some people who are better by nature han you are by practice.

 

Jacob's issues are a reflection of where he came from. He was wrestling in the womb. He wrestles until he wrestles everyone away. He has his birthright but he's lost his brother.

 

Looks good on the outside but wrestling on he inside.

 

Jacob has everything but he has lost what really matters. Though the diamond is brilliant and bright it is dead. The cabbage is wooly and rough but alive.

 

The things Jacob has gone through  have been rough, but he's wiser now.  Jacob has spent 20 years of losses.  Small things out of place can be painful.

 

Have you ever been mad at yourself? Kicking and fighting yourself. There is no one left to blame. Can't everybody be lieing on you.

 

In came God. Stepping into the weeping of your midnight saying that you cannot have joy without me. He knows where you came from, what you did. Jacob wrestles with God.

 

Some have a pathology of conflict. Everything that tried to help you, you fought it. God had to hurt him to hell him.

 

There fighting with God, Hacob figures out who he is. And he is no longer so desperate for man's approval. Even though it cost him something to walk in the wisdom and anointing.

 

If you look down, you will always see what aches. But if you look up, you will see what God has in store for you.

 

The rest of what happened between you and god shows in what happens between you and people. Of you ever get with him nd he forgives you- it will make you forgive people.

 

It took Jacob 20 year s to confront his own wickedness. And here comes Esau- whatever you lost, whatever got away. Esau is a second chance. This is he test to see if you really let go of who you were.

 

Your Esau is coming.

 

It's not what happens to me that matters, it's how I handle it. Embrace what's comin down the road.

 

Stop lieing to yourself.  You're delaying the transformation. You're stopping the change.

 

Let go.  

 

 

 

 

From Evernote:

Bishop Jakes - It's Not About You, Boo

(KJV) 1 Samuel 1:8 Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eatest thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? [am] not I better to thee than ten sons?

(KJV) 1 Samuel 1:9 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD.

(KJV) 1 Samuel 1:10 And she [was] in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. 

 

Demonizing success is how we feel good about not having it.

 

He eighth verse comes from the heart of a man that is maried to a miserable woman. For a high acheiver, failure is torture.  

 

He already knows why she is sad. "Am I not better than 10 sons?"

 

More of this does not replace the loss of that. He reason Hannah is tormented is not just because her womb is closed, but because the other wife is having many sons.

 

God is just but he's not fair.

 

The apostle Paul tells us that it is foolish to compare yourself one with the other.  

 

Hannah does not know that God is using Paninah's success to push Hannah into her destiny. He uses ailment and torment to direct your path.

 

I can't get what I need from another - turn to God.

 

She came to the altar to pray until people thought she was drunk. You have to be willing to look strange. Don't care what others think. God is about to deliver you from people.  

 

Many people come I church but they don't come to the altar. God uses tr citcstances in your life to push you past people and to God. To your knees.  

 

God has a purpose. Be still and know.

 

He knows the way you take. Stop making other people miserable with your miserableness. This is not about having a baby, it's about having a purpose. God is not going to give you a blessing so that you can compete with your friend. Be able to trust Him even when he says no.