The Bishop’s Mind: Christian Wisdom, Daily Devotionals & Empowering Messages for Kingdom Living

  As a child, you probably were taught to pray by bowing your head and closing your eyes. You may not have had any idea why prayer had to begin that way. You probably never asked the questions, “Why do I have to bow my head? What is the purpose of closing my eyes?” You most likely went along with the program.   Bowing your head and closing your eyes is more than physical activity. They have spiritual significance. Bowing your head symbolizes your conscious choice to exalt the Christ in you over your ego. Closing your eyes represents taking a break from your external experience so that you can focus more on your internal reality.  In the text, Jesus was on the cross, saying one of his final prayers. He bowed his head in submission to God’s will and closed his eyes to see with the eyes of his spirit. He cut through his pain and suffering by envisioning his oneness with God.  One of the ways to powerfully use the scriptures in your life is through finding scriptures tha...

  Reading, Studying, and Researching the Scriptures is like the Allen Keys used to install nuts and bolts in furniture assembly. They come in various sizes to fit various nuts and bolts. Like the Allen Keys, the scriptures help you assemble your life with good things because there is a scripture to fit every situation. The real power of Reading, Studying, and Researching the scriptures is their practical application to your life. “Be doers of the Word and not hearers only deceiving yourselves (James 1:22).” Jesus read the Word, and he applied the word to himself. He connected with the written Word and made it the living Word. The Word of God is not just facts, stories, and information. The Bible is abundant with principles that empower you to lead a holistically healthy, balanced, and well-rounded life so that you become the living Word read by all people (II Corinthians 3:2).   Reading, Studying and Researching the Scriptures are central to the life of every disciplined follo...

“And I will pour of my Spirit on all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy (Acts 2:17).”  Most of the examples of  leader s that you have read about  in the Bible are  men. There are  also  female  leader s throughout the Bible.  It is important that we highlight the women in the Bible and study them.  Women such as Miriam, Esther, Ruth, and Deborah were  leader s in the Old Testament. Mary, Priscilla, Dorcas, and Phoebe are just a few examples of New Testament female  leader s.  Y our gender does not qualify you or disqualify from being a  Wayshower  (Spiritual Leader) . Being a  leader  is about developing the Christ within and growing in the manifestation of your divine potential.  John, an apostle of Jesus Christ, wrote a letter to a “Woman  Leader ” who was leading a church in her home  (II John 1:1-13) . He called her the Elect Lady and celebrated the love that she manife...

  “Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people (Acts 6:8).” Wayshower is another word for leadership. You are a leader. Your leadership is not limited to a title or a position. You are  a  leader because you are following your own path towards wholeness and balance in your life. You have what it takes inside of you to stand up for what you believe, speak boldly your truth, and see the Christ in every person and in every circumstance.  Stephen who represents royalty was a Wayshower for all leaders. He was a deacon in the church who stood up for his faith and walked his talk. Spirit flowed through Stephen and his ministry manifested miracles, signs, and wonders. He spoke with boldness and it caused him to receive great persecution. Stephen was bitten, stoned, and eventually killed. He was so advanced in the development of his Christ consciousness that he was able to see the goodness of God in his death and in the people, who were s...

  Being a n example  to your family and friends can be particularly challenging. They have known you  longer and often better than other people. Sometimes they can hold your past against you and only see you from their limited perspective. They may not receive you as a   Wayshower , a positive role model,  to them because of their awareness of the challenges that you are working through to be the best version of yourself.  Cornelius was an Italian military leader who was an awesome  Wayshower  to his family, friends, and community  (Acts 10:1-48) . He was known in his locale for being a man of integrity and a philanthropist. When he had his spiritual awakening, the first people that he called to his home were his family and friends. Not only did they receive his invitation, but they too had life-changing experiences.  Each family and friendship  are  unique. In some instances, you may be like Cornelius and receive the support o...

  “The stone which the builders rejected the same is become the head of the corner (Matthew 21:42).” Affirmation – We are all spiritual beings. I see each man as my brother. I see each woman as my sister.  I see every child as my child. Some people are generalists and are called to meet a wide variety of needs for diverse types of people.  Some examples are your Primary Care Physician or Internal Medicine Doctor and Jesus, our  Wayshower . Others are specialists and they are called to target their energies and efforts to a specific group with specific challenges. One instance of this concept is your Primary Care Physician referring you to a Specialist to deal with a condition. Peter who was called to the Jews and Paul who was called to the Gentiles are Biblical examples of specialized  Wayshowers . (Acts 9:15).  Philip, who represents power, was a  Wayshower  to those who were rejected and marginalized by society and other groups of people. He was...

  “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there I am in the midst of them (Matthew 18:20).” Denial – I release and I let go of any erroneous ideas, limited beliefs, or faulty perceptions about partnership. Affirmation – I work well with others. I AM a team player.  In the 1000’s, there was a one energy in the universe. The focus was on individuality, doing things for yourself and doing things alone. The calendar changed to the 2000’s, the energy shifted and now the focus is on partnership, networking, and collaboration. Restaurants and various other companies have merged and learned to share marketing costs and physical space. There has been a rise in coaches for healthy eating, exercise, relationships, and any other goal that a person desires to accomplish.  In a team, each teammate has a specific role. Every person cannot do the same function. Even in the movement that is happening now, everyone cannot protest in the streets.  Some need to write new p...

“I AM the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6).” Jesus was a powerful  Wayshower  to his disciples, the multitudes that followed him, individuals who experienced miracles through their interactions with him and to the religious leaders of his day.  The Gospels illustrate Jesus’ example of how to successfully navigate through the nine phases of life: Pre-existence with God , B irth ,  Life ,  Ministry ,  Death ,  Burial ,  Resurrection ,  ​ Ascension  and  Second Coming .  Shortly after Jesus’ ascension,  in the early church  people  who utilized Jesus’ example and became  Wayshowers  themselves . Today, we are  Wayshowers .  Following Jesus as a  Wayshower empowers  you  to be a  Wayshower  to others throughout your cycle of life.  As you live your life, you are setting an example for others to follow. Sometimes you may do it consciously through conversations a...

  “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savor.” Ephesians 5:2 Denial – Spirit does not have a physical nose. Affirmation – My nose is the nose of God.  Your sense of smell is the strongest of all your senses  (I Corinthians 12:12-18) . You remember what you smell over what you hear or what you see. Aroma therapy is so popular because inhaling essential oils stimulates the olfactory system, the part of the brain connected to smell, including the nose. Through your sense of smell you can change your entire mood. Just as your natural nose can decipher the flavor of food before you even taste it, your spiritual nose discerns what is best for you.  Jesus, as  Wayshower , was always sniffing out opportunities to love.  He was able to discern when people were sincere about healing their bodies and changing their lives. Jesus also knew when people like the Pharisees and...

  “I have called upon you, for you will hear me, O God: incline your ear unto me, and hear my speech.” Psalms 17:6   Denial  – Spirit does not have physical ears. Affirmation  – My ears are the ears of God.  Hearing is a physical activity. If you  do not  have any challenges with your ear drums, you will hear sounds. Listening requires not only the hearing of your ears but the engagement of your mind and your heart. When your soul is in alignment with your Spirit ,  your ears become the ears of God and you do more than just hear sounds, you listen to people.  Jesus, our  Wayshower ,  was a great listener.  He listened not only with his physical ears but his spiritual ears. He heard the cries of people’s heart and the feelings beneath their words. People felt comfortable enough in his presence to share things that they had never shared with anyone else. Jesus listened without condemnation and his ears were the ears of love....

  “ Judge not according to the appearance but judge righteous judgment  (John 7:24).” Affirmation  – Our eyes are the eyes of God.  In addition to your two natural eyes, God has given you spiritual insight and intuition which many people refer to as the third eye or the sixth sense. Your spiritual insight empowers you to walk by faith and not by human sight (II Corinthians 5:7). Through the eyes of faith, you see beyond your natural limitations to supernatural possibilities.  Jesus, our  Wayshower , saw people through his Christ eyes. His perspective of people was different from those who were only seeing others through natural eyes. Jesus even saw potential in people that they did not see in themselves. Despite physical appearances, he saw their capacity for health, harmony in all relationships and wealth. When your soul is in alignment with your Spirit, it impacts your perception of people, places, and things. You see people from a divine perspective. Reg...

“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15  Denial – Spirit does not have physical feet. Affirmation – My feet are the feet of God.  Your feet are your major vehicle for transportation. Although your feet may sometimes be taken for granted, without them you are not able to get from one place to another. Even use of a bicycle or driving a car requires your feet to be a part of the process. To get on a plane, train or bus, your feet take you there. Our feet have been holding us up throughout our life’s journey.  Jesus, our  Wayshower , walked dusty roads to preach and teach the gospel of the Kingdom to the people of various towns and villages in his area.  Occasionally, he rode a donkey or a horse to get to his destination so that a person could be healed or receive a miracle. He was aware that his feet were God’s feet and the only way for the gospel to spread was for him to physically take it to a specific person or place.  T...

“I will praise you for I AM fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are your works and that my soul knows very well (Psalm 139:14).” We were created in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:26-28). We were created by Jehovah who is Divine Intelligence. God created systems within our bodies so that the body can function, heal and reproduce itself. Sickness, pain, disease, dysfunction and discomfort were never meant to be permanent human conditions. These are temporary experiences that pass through the body when the body is operating according to the Divine Order in which it was created. When these challenges appear to be chronic, debilitating and even fatal, it is an indication that we need to heal ourselves of deeper unresolved issues  that have manifested in a physical form.  Much of the instruction that we have received in relationship to COVID-19 has been external precautions such as disinfecting areas, handwashing, using sanitizing wipes and social distancing.  W...