The Truth Leaves Us Naked!

If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. Hebrews 10:26,27 NIV

Going back to the garden of Eden, when Satan manipulated Eve with deception, twisting God's Truth, both Adam and Eve were left aware of their nakedness because of sin. Before the fall, they were naked but not aware of their nakedness because of their obedience--they were pure in heart.
Truth exposes lies--no matter who's telling the lie--when the truth is known--the lie is exposed and they are left feeling naked without their cloak--the lie intentionally meant to cover up truth.

There is no excuse for someone lying to cover up truth--eventually--truth will find its way to the surface and all lies are exposed for all to see. So why bother to lie in the first place?

Many people lie to hide something or to avoid something. The problem--avoidance causes more problems and lies are always uncovered. The Word tells us that Satan is the father of lies, so every time we lie--we proclaim Satan is our father. Who really wants to claim Satan as their spiritual father? Only those who are so deeply influenced by him that they fail to see truth.

Who has been persuaded or influenced by Satan's lies? Anyone who claims that sin is no longer sin lies and the truth is not in them. Anyone who encourages people to live in opposition to God's Word is a liar and they demonstrate the influence of their father. Anyone who lies to make themselves to be something they are not or to promote themselves when they are nothing, demonstrates their lack of integrity and who their father is.

If  a person does not know truth, that's one thing. But when we know truth and continue to perpetuate a lie, we have made a mockery of the Work on the Cross. Jesus is coming back one day, but not to sacrifice Himself again for our sins. When we continue in sin after knowing truth, we have condemned ourselves and we know the penalty of sin--death--first spiritually and then naturally, spending eternity in the lake of fire, prepared for liars.

We who have experienced God for ourselves know Truth and everything we do should demonstrate our knowledge of Truth. We cannot condone lying for any reason nor should we attempt to hide truth with lies perpetuated by others. When we lack integrity--and liars lack integrity--why would anyone trust us for any reason? If people don't trust us, why would they listen to us? If they won't listen to us, how can we convince them of God's goodness? Lying has its consequences and none of it is good.

Instead lying about things, let's just expose ourselves by telling the truth and then the world will know, we can be trusted and heard because we are living examples of Truth and God's Word.

If We Believe Him, Let's Live It!

I lift up my eyes to the mountains--where does my help come from? My help comes from The Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1,2 NIV

We have to remember, when reading this passage of scripture, that when people were deceived and worshipped idols, they created their temples in the mountains, in the midst of the trees and held their secret acts of worship to the things which they created with their own hands. So, the question is--Where does my help come from?

My help comes from The Lord--not the things made by the hands of men, but from Him who created all things and without Him, nothing was ever created!

Now, if we really believe our help comes from The Lord, why don't we live like we know it? When our bodies are wracked with pain, do we call on Him? And this is not to say we shouldn't see doctors, but we should always ask God who we should see. The God of heaven, who walked the earth, healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, and making the lame to walk is the same God we say we believe today. If we believe Him, He can do the same thing He did before! He never changes, but we do. Where is our faith in Him?

Lord, we have doubted too long in Your ability to heal our bodies and to heal the land, but we're taking a step today, to have faith in Your Word and we're calling on You, Lord, to heal our land, and our bodies from head to toe. Lord, we're looking to You to dissolve plaque from brain cells, renewing each one, restoring memories and abilities for all who love and are not ashamed to worship in the beauty of holiness and truth. Lord, we thank You for speaking wisdom to all who are in the position of making decisions for the masses; reveal to them who You are and create in them a heart to receive what You have to say and obey.

Lord, we thank You for being a just God and for giving us peace to accept whatever You desire in our lives. We thank for mercy and grace and forgiveness for all the wrongs we've ever done out of ignorance and disobedience. Lord we thank You for giving us another chance to enjoy Your love and to share our love for You with others that they, too will come to a place of total belief and faith in You. We need Your strength infused in us to keep doing things according to Your Word and we thank You for loving us enough to keep us headed in the right direction, on the path of righteousness.

We're crying out to You, O God for there is no one else who can do the things You do: keeping our angels alert and watchful as we sleep and keeping us from harm. Allowing us to look beyond the faults of others and showing them mercy just as You have done to us. Thank You, for looking beyond our faults and providing our needs so we may continue to live this life, pleasing You.

In Jesus' name we ask and thank You for the abundant blessings You pour out on us daily.

What The Lord Hates!

There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community. Proverbs 6:16-19 NIV

Whenever people don't want to hear or live truth, they always start justifying their behavior and when it comes to living according to The Word, many are quick to say, "Jesus just said love." Well, He did talk about love because He is love and because He loves, He wants the very best for all who love Him. And He said, "If we love Him, we'll keep His commandments"--to love--God and one another.

I guess if we ever stop looking at the Bible as a means of restricting or confining us, we'd understand that God's Word is our protection against things in life in which we have no control. But the enemy has managed to manipulate and deceive people into thinking the Bible is just an ancient book of myths and that people should be able to live any way they want to live. We've always had that choice, but I can say without hesitation that I tried living without The Word and living with The Word guiding my life is so much better.

Living without The Word to guide us will blind our eyes to truth and allow the influence to influence heart and mind--letting us think that God does not see or hear the things we do. But He does and the seven things that He hates are what keep confusion and chaos reigning when people live without The Word.

Haughty Eyes--arrogance revealed in the eyes of those who think they are better than others and will do anything to make people feel inferior.

Lying Tongues--that little member that has no bones, but crushes the mighty and keeps the weak oppressed and suppressed.

Hands That Shed Innocent Blood--those who willfully take lives of innocent people who have never wronged them. The terrorists will discover on judgment day their sentence for taking the lives of innocent people simply because they refuse to accept the fact that people can choose what they believe and should not be subjected to the hatred and disdain of others. This is true of anyone who takes a life outside of war and self-defense.

A Heart That Devises Wicked Schemes--those who do nothing other than think about doing wicked things--those who plot to take lives and destroy hope. Don't forget, the enemy's job is to kill, steal and destroy--all who God loves.

Feet That Are Quick To Rush Into Evil--those who hover and linger around others, just waiting for a snippet of gossip so they can run and tell it. Of course along the way, they mangle truth into twisted lies to make what they have to say more important.

A False Witness Who Pours Out Lies--those who will lie as a witness against someone else in order to benefit from the lie. These are those who knowingly attempt to deflect truth from themselves. And we see this time and time again when silly females lie about being raped simply because someone rejected them. We cannot forget all those who were false witnesses against Jesus Christ, but then we must also understand it was all part of God's plan for our salvation.

A Person Who Stirs Up Conflict In A Community--those who "are always stirring up trouble where no trouble exists." I have heard them called, "pot stirrers" and they will twist truth in order to inflame those listening in order to make themselves appear superior. One of the political candidates seems to be really good at stirring up conflict within many cultural communities and he thinks people are stupid enough to buy into his nonsense. I'm praying that wisdom will envelop all when they head to the voting polls and show this character that not everyone is as stupid as he thinks they are.

All of these seven things warrant a separate post, but I thought about the world's condition and as I was reading this passage today, I was reminded that God does indeed hate--liars in particular--those who claim He didn't mean what He said, stirring up conflict in communities (their place has already been prepared), and those who kill for no reason.

As a Believer--one called by God to teach His Word--I cannot ignore expansion of those things that are designed to destroy mankind by just expanding on the "good stuff" in God's Word in my posts. Teaching Truth--God's Truth--not mine because I don't have any truth to teach is what I will continue to do, no matter what people think of me. Fortunately for me, I know they have nothing to do with my place in eternity and I will not be deterred from teaching God's Truth simply because they "hate" because I Believe.

Learning From Creature Wisdom!

Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. Proverbs 6:6-8 NIV

In the early morning on a spring day, when the air has a little chill in it, but the sun is shining, I love to sit outside, bundled in warmth, with a hot cup of coffee and watch nature at work. Every time I do, I marvel at God's Wisdom and how it functions in the "lower species" the insects and animals.

Chasing each other along the electric lines and phones high in the air, the squirrels put on an amazing balancing act; I have never seen one fall, while watching their antics.

Then I listen to the birds singing their songs and I believe they are songs of praise and everyone once in a while, I hear a woodpecker though I have yet to see it.

When the rabbits dare to leave their burrows (and a number of them are in my back yard), the hop through the yard, nibbling here and there,  pausing occasionally to look at me and I just smile and talk to them.

But the ant is best observed in the summer months when they are scurrying about every where, gathering their food and marching in columns that would rival any military regime. I have watched them carry pieces of food so much larger than they are, but they do it as a team, knowing that working together they can accomplish much more than trying to do something on their own. Why don't we see them in cooler months? They were innately programmed with God's Wisdom to do as God intended them to do-for their survival--they gather in the warm months when food is available and store it so they don't have to forage for food in the cold months. While conditions are good--food is available--they gather and store for future use. 

How many of us can say that we have gathered what we need, while conditions are good, and stored what we need for future use? If we were as smart as the ants--we'd never know hunger, poverty, or hatred. We'd know how to work as a team and we wouldn't wait for someone else to lord it over us--inciting us to do something.

Think about it! Most of us are annoyed with ants when they find their way into our homes and do what we can to get rid of them. But outside in the yards and crevices of the sidewalk we see the mounds of dirt they tunnel through when leaving or going back to their abodes. What tiny creatures they are and I can imagine their brains--are not nearly large enough to store the wisdom they have because God intended them to be so.

What did God intend for us? He intended for us to use the brains He gave us to seek Him and know Wisdom in order to survive the attacks of the enemy and the poverty most experience when they do not know how to avoid it. God has given us all a measure of faith, eyes to see and ears to hear and hearts for compassion, and hands to work, but do we have the wisdom of the ants?

Instead of looking for others to take care of our needs, we should learn from the ant--how to work together for the survival of all and to gather and store what's needed while it's available, for future use. 

I'm waiting to see how long it will take for me to marvel at how human beings work together, towards the survival for all, gathering and storing what we need for the benefit of all.

What Laziness and Complaining Earn!

Those who control their tongue will have a long life;
opening your mouth can ruin everything. Lazy people want much but get little,
but those who work hard will prosper. It’s better to live alone in the desert
than with a quarrelsome, complaining wife.  Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble.  Proverbs 13:3,4; 21:19,23 NLT

In the Bible (NLT) the word "lazy" occurs 25 times in 24 verses and "complaining" 10 times in 10 verses. In the environment in which we live--how often do we see the lazy and hear the complainers? Far too many times!

Whenever there is work to be done--those who love their beds more will seldom rise to get any accomplished before noon and then wonder why they don't have time to get everything finished that they need to do. After waking late, they move slowly, and always easily distracted from the task at hand. When the day rolls away (time stops for no one), they complain they didn't have time! Imagine that!

Procrastinators--those who keep putting things off are part of the lazy group. They always think they have more time than they have and put things off until the very last minute--sometimes missing important deadlines--and then they have the nerve to complain.

My favorite complaints are:
"I'm late because I missed my bus."
"I didn't do my homework because I couldn't find my book."
"I can't get to work because I take the bus."
"The dog ate my homework."
"I got up late and didn't have time to finish."
"The store was closed by the time I got there."
"These people get on my nerves. Why is this line so slow?"

Here's what I've learned in the course of living. When I get up early, I have more time to do the things I need to do. When I go to bed early, I can get up early without complaining. On a day like today, with snow falling throughout the night--I got up earlier than my usual 5:30 a.m. to check to see if schools were closed and how much snow has to be moved. Today, schools are closed so my grandson gets to sleep in, but we will have to move snow once it stops. There have been days when we both got up and shoveled snow, got dressed and headed out because the schools were not closed.

Getting an early start on things--usually ends up with better results. I've never waited until the last minute to write a paper for a class and usually irritated classmates (with group projects) by starting as soon as the assignment is made. I usually make it to work at least 20 minutes to an hour before I have to be there because I hate rushing in at the last minute. I plan my day like I plan the novels I write--there is a strategy and when I keep to the strategy, things work. The old adage about "the early bird gets the worms" is true. The earlier I start a project, the greater the likelihood I'll be pleased with the outcome.

There is one area in my life in which I wish I started earlier--living according to The Word--but then, I wouldn't have learned some very valuable lessons that make me appreciate where I am today. God doesn't have a problem with us making mistakes; He has a problem with us not learning from them. So, because of my early mistakes--and I have learned from them--I have a testimony about how good God is and how much He loves us.

It is because of my love for Him that I rise early every morning, get into His Word, talk to Him and write my blogs. It is because of Him that I can move out earlier enough to arrive before I need to be anywhere. It is because of Him that early-made-plans usually succeed beyond my expectations and it is because of Him, that I can say--I have no reason to complain.

I'm looking forward to the reward I've earned by controlling my tongue, getting an early start to complete any task and not complaining in the process. Those who are lazy and complain--will also get their just reward, but I don't think they're going to like it.

We all have a choice to make and I choose not to be: a doubting Dolly, a naysayer Nellie, or a last-minute Lolly. I choose to do all things--decently and in order--all to His glory!

Open Our Eyes, Lord!

Open my eyes to see
the wonderful truths in your instructions. Psalm 119:18 NLT

In truth, sometimes the blind

See more though their natural eyes

Are seemingly shuttered--from all

Things beautiful and ugly--protecting

Their judgment and promoting imagination

Discerning truth from deep within.

It is amazing--no astounding--how so many people who see with their natural eyes are blinded to truth because of their emotional unrest. When emotions blind us to truth and we proceed based upon the lie built from chemical imbalance--that coating of brain cells that keeps us from connecting truth to the obvious--we create situations that don't to be.

Throughout the bible, for those of us who read with understanding, we see God's Truth constantly being ignored by those who were supposed to know Him, yet promoted a truth of their own--which was a lie. Any time we change truth we can see to a truth we misunderstand--we lie. We cannot change God's Truth in favor of our own truth when His Truth is written and available for all to see--who wish to see.

By the same protocol of assessing truth, we can apply this to any other areas of our lives in which written information is accessible to all, but unfortunately, not all have adequate reading comprehension. And because they lack appropriate comprehension skills, they change the written truth--observed by all--into their own truth and then become antagonistic when their truth is revealed--a lie.

I've tried to be optimistic about a situation in which I'm involved as a volunteer, but it's getting really hard to continue this course. When people allow their misguided emotions to govern in every area of their life and refuse to hear and acknowledge truth from others--the only thing that results from it is drama. I watch scripted drama on television--selectively and I refuse to live drama when there is no need for it. So this morning when I prayed, I asked The Lord to reveal to me in His Word how to proceed. The above-referenced scripture is His answer to me--we must be willing for Him to open our eyes to see the wonderful truths in His instructions and instructions from other venues.

A word of caution to those who love truth--expect the enemy to blind the minds of those who have an agenda other than doing what should be done to promote the betterment of anything in which we're involved. Stand firm on the truth and provide documentation for the stance you take and never allow the enemy to change who you are. Even when ugliness raises its head, combat the ugliness of lies and emotional impairment with truth--straight up without a chaser. It will sting and sometimes, truth will cause people to run in the other direction sounding false alarms, but stand on truth anyway--knowing The Lord is your shield against the fiery darts of the enemy.

Father, in the name of Jesus, cast the scales from our eyes so we may see truth and all of its many benefits and help us to stand firm on truth, no matter what the enemy does to deter us. Guide and direct us to seek assistance for those areas in our lives in which we lack skills and aptitude so we may glorify You in all we do--with a goal of excellence--laced with Your Truth.

Are My Feet Too Small?

The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD,
And He delights in his way. Psalm 37:23 NKJV

When a baby is born watchful parents take note of its growth--they watch how fast their feet grow, how much weight they gain and much longer they get. It's really a little difficult to miss the growth of a baby since they need new clothes often and especially shoes by the time they start walking.

Sometimes, silly parents--of which I am one--when playing with children compare their hand size and feet size to them. Yes, I know, but it's a fun game and kids get a kick out of it, watching how big their hands and feet get--compared to their parents.

However, there are some parents who take the game farther--sometimes out of reach of the child when they expect their children to keep up with them--either walking or in their endeavors in life. I hate seeing a mother dragging a toddler along, expecting them to keep up with when the child's feet are too small and their stride too short to keep up with the mother. As they get older and parent gets more demanding--they expect things of a child that they are either too small to do or too immature to know how to do. This is especially true of parents (or grandparents) who expect a lot from teenagers. The frontal lobe of our brains are not fully developed until we're about 23-25 years old. So, when we yell at teenagers about doing stupid things, it's because they don't know better in many cases. After all, we're judging their actions by our experiences--experiences they have not had.

So, since God has ordered the steps of the righteous and delights in us--when we stumble and fall by the wayside is it because our feet are too small to stay on the path He has established? Or is it that--the steps He's ordered are way too big for us to navigate? Either way, I think we can take an object lesson from looking at who He is and His expectations of us and how we treat kids. The physiology of a person may interfere with their maturity on a physical and moral level, but how long does it take us to develop into spiritually mature Believers? Do we make it  at 25 years-old and or is it much older? Some never make it because once they look at the size of their feet--and realize their feet may be too small--they take another path--one that usually leads to destruction.

God's expectations of us are not too great--after all--He created us and He knows exactly when our feet will fit the path He's established. The problem is--most of us don't and so we sit back and complain, angry with God and the world because we have not realized what size our feet are.

I've often threatened my children and my students (figuratively) to put my size 10s up their hind parts if they didn't get their act together and move towards succeeding in life. I've always been teased about having big feet, but when I realize just how awesome the path is that God wants me to travel, I know my feet need to grow some. My prayer for spiritual maturity is constant because every time I think I've made some progress, a challenge arises and I know, I haven't made it yet.

God knows my foot size and the path He has established fits--I just have to figure out how to plant my feet firmly and not be moved by circumstances in order to continue the journey. How about you? Are your feet too small?

Why We Must Look Forward!

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. 2 Peter 3:9, 13,14 NIV

Whatever God has promised us--we will receive when we obey and stay in position to receive. Sometimes, our own frustration and lack of patience lead us to believe that He is slow--but then His definition of slow or fast--is not ours. After all, according to His Word, a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years as a day. So we cannot measure time the way He does.

How do we apply this passage of scripture to our daily lives? Though Peter is primarily talking about the promise of heaven and our looking forward to getting there, we can also look forward--in all aspects of our lives for if we keep looking backwards, there will be no forward movement. This is why we focus on things ahead and forget about those things behind us because we cannot go back in time and change anything.

If we dare to look at the things we have done compared to the preparation of things to come, most of us see that "if" sometimes keeps us from moving forward. Let's face it, in life, we don't get "do-overs" as the kids do in games. We cannot stop or pause life and start over. When we recognize the misguided steps we've made, we learn from them and keep looking forward, our eyes on the prize or goals we established for ourselves.

How tough is that? For a person who chooses to dwell in the past and sink into the trials of doing so, this is very tough. With Jesus on our side, we are empowered with His strength when our own strength is sapped by pointless regrets. None of us are perfect and most of us have made more than one mistake in our lives, but we don't have to dwell on the past. We look at what happened, understand why it happened and make every effort to make sure we move forward in God's Wisdom, not our own--so we don't repeat those mistakes. 

Let's face it--if we walk backwards--afraid to face the future, we usually end up stumbling over some obstacle or challenge we could not see. And if we're backing up instead of moving forward, we also demonstrate a lack of trust in God. We have no need to fear the future and every reason to embrace the future--especially when we keep on our armor to fight the battles we know we'll have.

If we dwell on past events, we lose hope in our future and never plan to have a better ending than the one we already know. Here's the plan--we take off the blinders that keep us from seeing the bright future God has planned for us, cast off the past as though it was a smelly garment no longer wearable and look forward--to seeing all the great things God has for us.

When We're Set Free!

So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36 NIV

What is freedom that many are willing to fight and die for?

Why is true freedom just beyond our reach--on earth?

Why do we need to be liberated.

Why are there visible and invisible barriers keeping us in place?

The freedom and liberation that have cost so many lives in countries where small-minded people and dictators attempt to keep people in bondage to them is worth the fight--for those who fight it.

The freedom to be treated with equality--like human beings--without restrictions of movement, to enjoy a healthy environment without pollutants making lives hazardous, having access to a quality education, and the ability to provide for family and self is hindered by bigotry and hatred because of skin color, nationality, or religion--perpetuated by classicism--the Haves hoping to keep the have-nots from ever achieving what they have. But remember these are the small-minded people who have no relationship with God who want to keep people in bondage.

However not all restrictions to freedom are perpetuated by people--many people are in bondage to addictions, insecurities, low-esteem, and an inability to see beyond the moment. These are the people who are drawn to abusers--involved in domestic abuse, shackled to substances that control what they do and how they think, some end up behind bars that are visible and some are kept jailed by bars that no one can see, but them.

The freedom fight for equality as human beings--free to live where one wants, to vote, to have access to information regardless of station in life--shall continue as long as we have small-minded people who think only a handful should rule the masses.

Unfortunately, the fight for freedom to be loosed from invisible shackles is not a fight that many can win on their own--but they can if they're willing to embrace the love God has for them.

God's love shines forth and destroys darkness and yokes of bondage like no pill ever could. God's love does not penalize, but rewards those who receive it. God's love does not abuse those who receive it and embracing His love--knowing that He died for us so we could be free from sin--sets us free to enjoy all of His many benefits.

The only barrier or restriction that keeps us from being free to enjoy His love is our willful determination to live in opposition to His Word. So, if you've not received His love by accepting the work on the cross--Jesus willingly dying for us to set us free--today is a good day to liberate yourself. Get into His Word and allow His Word to get into your heart and seek His wisdom and direction daily and obey. When we're truly free--we can say what God says and live how He wants us to live without concern about what others think or say. That's how we embrace His love and know true freedom!

Why We Can Depend On The Rock!

As for God, his way is perfect: The LORD’s word is flawless; he shields all who take refuge in him. For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God?It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure.  He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights. Psalm 18:30-33 NIV

The more interactions I have with people, the more I learn to trust God--our Rock--who is immovable, never flinching, and always dependable.

People? Not so much. That is not to say that everyone I encounter is not trustworthy, but I have met so many who cannot be trusted that it makes it difficult to trust anyone. The biggest problem in working with other people is getting a handle on their true selves--not just their public selves, but the person they really are.

We all have a public persona and a private persona--differences in how we present ourselves in a public arena or in private. However, when a person attempts to hide their true selves--eventually--that real person will surface and in many cases--it's not a pretty sight. In fact, when people have worked so hard to present one image of themselves for public consumption they don't even recognize themselves when the real person surfaces.

I'm a little perturbed this morning about a situation in which I'm involved. There appears to be a contradictory spirit reigning in our midst and that spirit is causing controversy and confusion. What I'm discovering is that when pettiness and immaturity are overriding character traits in a person, the end result can only be chaotic.

I am saddened that the situation has resulted in the possible deterrent to others getting involved in an event because of poor, ineffective leadership--who is doing more to tear down the organization than to build it. And this is why people have to know who it is they are placing in leadership positions to prevent this type of disaster.

While I'm saddened by the possible outcome, I'm confident that God will fill us with wisdom and direction in resolving all issues to His glory. After all, no devil on earth or in people can stop what God has planned. Our Rock--is not moved by tears of ignorance and feigned imagined injustices. Our Rock--knows all and when the truth is uncovered--He is a shield against the barrage of lies and excuses people make for creating chaos. Our Rock--gives us boldness to stand tall and courageously look the devil in the face and call him out. Our Rock--strengthens our resolve to make lemonade out of the lemons who attempt to sour success because they're not involved in the process. Oh Yes, Our Rock can withstand every attempt to tear down, by building and strengthening the foundational core of those determined to move forward.

Of course, our ultimate weapon against fraudulent practices and negligent attitudes is prayer. We can pray that God will speak to their hearts and they will hear, but we can also pray that God will guide us every step of the way because those of us who love Him, will hear Him, and obey.

Lord, Thank You for being Our Rock!

Why Doing Good Is Better!

LORD, do good to those who are good, to those who are upright in heart. Psalm 125:4 NIV

Who is evil and who is good?

Do all people act as they should?

Is it right or is it wrong,

To follow good or evil throngs?

In this simple communication with God, asking Him to do good to those who are good, those whose hearts are right, we see there are more benefits for being good than being evil, although it appears that evil abounds.

No matter how many people do wrong, it will never be right or good in God's sight. So, simply following the crowd in doing evil is not going to accomplish much, other than reaping the consequences of following the crowd.

Have you noticed that the people who do good--just do good--whether there is a crowd to follow them or them going it alone? Good people--those whose hearts are right with God and they only seek to do what is right, don't need to be crowd-pleasers or crowd followers. They do good because doing good is what's right. And they do what is right because their goal is to please The Lord, not people.

When our ways please The Lord, He makes even our enemy our footstool. Are we concerned if our ways please God or not? If we're not concerned about pleasing God, then we must be more concerned about appeasing the enemy and his plots. There is a reward and many benefits from pleasing God. If we delight ourselves in pleasing Him, He says, He will give us the desires of our hearts. If our hearts desire to do evil, then we are wasting our time, but for all the good we can do, we should do--as unto The Lord--and not unto men.

How do we know when we're doing the right and good thing? When we know The Word and we live our lives aligned with The Word, we have no fear of doing what is wrong. Instead of seeking counsel from others, we seek God's counsel and His wisdom and knowledge and know without a doubt we cannot go wrong. 

And if we don't know The Word, then our hearts should be as a child's--who only wants to please his/her parents. Children will inherently do good unless they have been taught to do evil. Therefore, if we never teach anyone to do evil, they won't. If we teach them to do good, they will. If we remember that all behavior is learned--and not attributable to osmosis, we would be more careful about what we do in front of our children and others.

Let's determine in our hearts that we will only do what is good--seeking to please God rather than man and know we'll receive the rewards of being good rather than the consequences for being evil.

He Gives, He Holds, He Guards!

For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds success in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, and for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. Proverbs 2:6-8 NIV

Why anyone would not want to serve a God that is loving, giving, and caring is beyond me, but there are a number of people who yet deny His existence. I can only imagine what their lives are like without Him in it to guide them.

All the wisdom, knowledge and understanding is given by Him by those who are willing to receive. Though some scientists think they have innate knowledge, many have come to realize they are yet unable to explain our existence without resorting to understanding Creationism. But with all the scientists are able to accomplish, I give thanks to God who has given them the wisdom, knowledge and understanding of how to do things, where to look, and the ability to explain their findings to others. Whether they acknowledge the presence of God in their lives and what they do or not--it is the gift of God that allows them to discover what He has created.

Our God holds success in store for the upright--those who are determined to live according to His Word--no matter what. In the 21st Century, as in times past, trying to live according to God's Word becomes more difficult when those appointed to uphold laws simply change them to go along with the status quo or popular opinion. When people call good evil and evil, good--we know we are in for a rocky ride for the rest of our days. But for those who dare to defy--popular opinion and laws opposed to God's Word--He holds their success in store for them and nothing the enemy has planned will succeed against them.

He guards the way of the just and protects the way of the faithful from every evil plot of the enemy. He is just and all His ways are good and when we are faithful to obey Him at all times, even in the midst of chaos and confusion of political rhetoric and correctness, He will protect us.

There are groups of people--many of them--with multiple names and so-called causes in support of the marginalized, but all influenced by the enemy's desire to destroy mankind. the real problem is they don't even understand what force is behind their causes--especially when their causes are to support people living in opposition to God's Word. It doesn't take a genius to figure this out--whenever a group of people choose not to live according to God's Word and cannot get attention--they cry foul and those who think they are fighting for the rights of someone are actually fighting for the rights of people to live in opposition to God. They can choose to live any way they want to live, but it doesn't mean they have a right to change what God has said is wrong. They can say it, but they can't change the consequences and God is faithful to His Word.

So, why wouldn't we Believe God? I can't answer that question for anyone but me. I Believe and Obey and am determined to live according to His Word, not the dictates of man. He gives--and I receive all the knowledge, understanding and wisdom He wants to give. I patiently wait for the success I know He holds for me because of my obedience and I will not fear--anyone or anything--as I stay on the path of faithfulness--honoring Him in all I do.

Love That Remains!

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV

Ten years ago today, my husband and I embarked upon a new chapter in our lives--we got married!

Big deal, you say? Yes, for us it was a very big deal. This was not the first for either of us and with grown children and grandchildren on both sides of the aisle, some smiling, some frowning, and some looking on in total disbelief, we stood before family and friends and pledged the rest of our love and determination to see the next forty years together. Since we're not youngsters, this pledge was an act of faith.

Within in the first two weeks, my husband had a stroke but he survived. Later in the first year of our marriage, he ended up in the hospital again and needed surgery--he survived. Two years later, I had a stroke, but I survived. Three years ago, he was diagnosed with prostrate cancer--but he survived. We are survivors in Jesus' name!

In the midst of various illnesses, he had back surgery and retired sooner than anticipated. In the midst of uncertainty and chaos with the school district where I worked, I retired sooner than I had anticipated. We've made major changes in our lifestyles, moving from one location to another, taking on new challenges, starting a podcast on BlogTalk Radio and we broadcast every week--no matter what (it's our time together) and for the most part--just enjoying life and each other.

We have strong faith in God and believe we receive all of His promises--no matter what the enemy throw our way. Our hope is in Him and our love for the Lord and each other has managed to overcome the obstacles that attempted to snare us and drive us apart. We have survived the last ten years by praying and loving--no matter what. We are looking forward to the next 30 years with the same determination and love because after all--the first 10 years were the toughest!

And just as our love for each other has remained steadfast and true--God's love for all of us is even greater and His commitment to us, never changing.

So, the rest of this day will be spent celebrating with my hubby and enjoying what we do most--eating good food at our favorite restaurant and praising The Lord that we can enjoy it.

When My Help Is Near!

On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your right hand upholds me. Psalm 63:6-8 NIV

When I lay down, no matter how tired, I remember how I made it through the day and thank God for being with me all day. When I wake up in the morning, no matter how often I have restless sleep, I thank God for waking me.

He is my help--always near--always watching over me--always speaking to my heart (when I'm listening, I obey), and always ready to propel me into the next challenge.

Who am I that God cares so much? I am His child, His very special daughter, created to praise Him and do great things in His name. I am the child who the enemy attempted to destroy so many times--before I reached a place of understanding who He is and what He means to me--afterwards to keep me silent and not promote the Gospel.

But here I am and no matter what happens, I will proclaim the name of The Lord to any and all who will hear as long as I can breathe on my own. And even when I'm gone, my books shall continue to speak a word of encouragement to the reader and lead them to The Word. Some days are tougher than others, but there has yet to be a sunrise or breaking day in which I didn't give Him praise for loving me and keeping me.

When I depended upon others, I was disappointed; but when I depend on God, He always sends the right person into my life--one He has spoken to and is obedient. My help--is God speaking what He desires into existence and He always uses people to accomplish what He wants. It's not that we should depend upon people, but our trust and dependence should be on God who will then speak to others on our behalf. What a wonderful God He is!

So when we get frustrated and upset about who is not coming to our assistance we need to realize that it is not people--especially those we think will help--but those to whom God speaks who will help.  
Our focus at all times should be on God, hearing and obeying--especially when He speaks to us to help someone else--because He will speak to us to help, just like He'll speak to others to help us. Are we listening?

When we hear God speak to us to be a help to others, we should respond just as quickly as we would want others to respond to our needs. God is not a respecter of persons, so He'll use us to help others as well as using others to help us. We are all His Children and we are joint-heirs with Jesus Christ so we all have access to His goodness through our obedience to Him. This is what happens when my Help is near--what about yours?

Where Was Jesus When...?

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5 NIV

Whenever there is a problem in the world and we see tragedy after tragedy, confusion on top of confusion, the doubters and naysayers always question the faith of the Believer by asking, "Where was Jesus when...?"

It's a legitimate question, one deserving an answer and the answer can be found in The Word, but many don't remember to reference The Word because they don't know how to justify using it or submitting to its authority. With my limited wisdom, submitting to the Wisdom of God, I will attempt to answer this question, but not before I ask some additional questions--to provoke thought.

Where was Jesus when a young female child was sexually molested at the age of four and began stammering, having difficulty talking and repressing the memory until she was grown? He was right there beside her, holding her through the pain and removing the memory so she could survive until she was able to handle it.

Where was Jesus when the young man who was so frustrated with life that he turned to drugs and almost died from an overdose in an abandoned house? He was right there, watching over him until help arrived, willing him to live so others would hear his testimony?

Where was Jesus in the midst of the turmoil in riots and other uproars that cost people their lives? He was right there in the midst shielding those who believed in Him so they would have time to share how they were saved.

Where was  Jesus when a pregnant woman, with no visible means of support, decided she couldn't have a baby that she couldn't care for sufficiently? He was right there, His heart aching with hers, holding her hand and receiving that child unto Himself.

When the prostitute conducted business in the back seat of a car, in a public bathroom, or motel room, Jesus was right there, with His heart breaking over her choices.

When the married man or woman sneaked off to be with someone else, Jesus was right there, praying on their behalf.

When the promiscuous refused to change their ways and slept with everybody they thought they wanted, man-to-man, woman-to-woman, man-woman, He was right there, praying they would turn to Him to fill the void in their lives.

There are so many instances that could be listed in which those who Believe in Jesus have never been forsaken, even if they died--He was right there because He said, He'd never leave us or forsake us. And to this--again the naysayers would respond--well, if He loved everyone why would He allow people to suffer?

God has never forced anyone to make the right choices and because people choose to do the wrong thing, He allows it and the consequences of those choices expose who Believes and who doesn't. When children are at risk at the hands of others, it is the others who choose, not the children, but since He knows how much we can handle and who can and who can't, sometimes He simply takes the children unto Himself so they suffer no more.

There are many who will never accept The Word as the final authority in their lives and that is their choice. When we stand before God, Jesus will be right there, advocating for some and hearing the final judgment for all.

When we Believe, Jesus is always right there--in the midst of whatever we're going through--waiting for us to turn it all over to Him, but He won't take the problems from us. There is no need for anyone to be depressed, oppressed, or suppressed by circumstances or situations beyond their control. Jesus is the answer to all of our problems and He's always within our hearts--if we choose to listen and obey. Until all come into the knowledge of The Word and the authority of Jesus' Love, many will continue to ask this question, "Where was Jesus when...?"

Love's Seal!

Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy  unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame.Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away. If one were to give all the wealth of one’s house for love, it would be utterly scorned. Song of Solomon 8:6,7 NIV

No matter how many love songs are produced and poems written and stories told, there is none like the love demonstrated in the Song of Solomon--explanation of love.

How many of us can say we wear love like a seal over our hearts and arms?

How strong is our love for others?

Does love only burn in our hearts in lust or does it burn with desire to serve all?

When love is sealed within our spirits--no escape hatch--water cannot stop it, rivers cannot carry it away from the object of our affections.

And though we love as we are told,
There are many mysteries of love to unfold,
Showering all we meet and greet sincerely,
With no holds barred, sealing love completely.
This love we have received from others,
Freely we give to all sisters and brothers,
In Christ and out--loving unconditionally
Remembering His Love for us, sentimentally.
Love has shown us, with great sacrifice made,
Obedient to Love, With His Life He paid,
The price to seal us with Love, so we can love!

Remember that "love" is not just about two people who connect with chemical appeal, but it's about the love He gives us and how we respond to others whether they know Him or not, we are commanded to love (not lust after) all.

Today--a day that many set aside for special celebrations with the object of their affection, without remembering the ma--Valentine-- who dared to defy a law established by Claudius to not marry young men (since marriage interfered with ability to soldier) and married young couples in secret and lost his life for doing so. That's what real love--for mankind--does. Love sacrifices and seals its purpose within its actions.

Is your heart sealed with love? Show someone you don't even know, a little love today!

Why Listening Matters!

My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you,turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding—indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding,and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure,then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you. Proverbs 2:1-5, 10, 11 NIV

There is so much more to be said about this passage, but space limitations in order to engage others must be considered. I encourage all to read and re-read, and re-read Proverbs--at any time, at all times because wisdom for all situations resides within these pages.

However, if we choose not to be wise then our fate is determined by our actions and choices. A person would have to be a complete fool to misunderstand what Solomon is saying--void of any desire to succeed according to the knowledge of God.

Not that most of us have not been foolish at one time or another. Like the time we didn't listen to parents because we thought they were simply being mean--not understanding that their rules were established to protect us. Or the time we ignored the teachers who were trying to guide us in accessing information that would help us later in life. Or the true friends who tried to warn us about an affiliation with those who were headed in the wrong direction and like lint clinging to wool--we clung to our rebellion and landed in the pits of despair. And don't forget the preacher--who may not have been living right, but preached The Word--and because we could see through them by looking at their lives--we chose not to listen.

Throughout Proverbs Solomon pleads for us to listen, hear and obey God's Word. If we dare to listen and obey--we'll see the kind of success that God has designed for us and stay away from those who only want to see us fail.

We have to learn to tune-out the naysayers and doubters and the frustrated and rebellious. They are bitter because they would not listen to Wisdom when they heard it and don't want us to listen either. It's time we cleaned out our ears--both physically and spiritually--and listen (not just hear) to what The Lord has to say to us. Are we listening yet?

Throughout Proverbs we are warned about wickedness, rebellion, adulterous behavior and laziness and encouraged to reap the benefits of listening to Wisdom and accepting the knowledge of God, understanding how He wants us to live. Will we heed the warnings and reap all the Good or will we ignore Wisdom and sink to the depths of wicked? The choice is ours and we must make it now for tomorrow is not promised and we may never get another chance to re-do anything!

Watching The Snares And Pitfalls!

In the paths of the wicked are snares and pitfalls, but those who would preserve their life stay far from them. Proverbs 22:5 NIV

All along our journey in life, we encounter moments when we must make decisions and every decision we make, could take us off the path that God has designed for us. When we make the wrong decision, we must be prepared for the snares and pitfalls that await us, but when exercising wisdom, according to God's Word, we can avoid those snares and pitfalls, steering clear of them.

Let's face it--most of us have turned the wrong corner at some point in our lives and that wrong turn cost us something. The cost varies depending upon why or how we made the wrong decision. Making decisions out of anger and frustration, not thinking things through carefully, halts our forward progress and sometimes knocks us backwards, making the forward movement even longer. We've heard people say and may have even heard these words come out of our own mouths,"Every time I get ahead two steps, I get knocked back four." For many of us--that's how life seems to treat us.

The promise from Jesus was not that we would never encounter challenges in life, but that we would, but with the promise also came the assurance that He has overcome the world. So how far back we get knocked depends upon our response to life's challenges. If we stay on the path--our destined path--we can count on Him to be there to keep us from being entrapped by the snares or from falling into the pits. We must remember that the snares and pitfalls were destined for the wicked, not the righteous.

However, the enemy desires to sift us as wheat--leaving us scarred and confused and within the confusion, blinds us to truth and leads us along the path of the wicked, making us feel that there is no way of escape. The escape plan has already been put into action, but we must heed The Word of God, skirting around all the plans of the enemy and succeeding in the plan God has for us--plans for our success.

The path we choose in life will determine how soon or how long we'll reach our destination, according to God's plan. If we obey, we'll stay the course--knowing He will always be there to keep us safe. If we choose to ignore the wisdom of God and disobey, we align ourselves with the plans of the enemy and we can only achieve what disobedience gets us.

We always have a choice--we do not have to succumb to the wiles of the enemy. When we learn to handle frustration and disappointment seeking God's wisdom, we never have to turn to drugs, alcohol, feelings of worthlessness or depression, or any other wickedness that cuts our lives short and decreases our potential for achieving the success God plans for us. All we really have to do is to watch out for the snares and pitfalls by guarding our hearts and hearing God and know who puts them in our path.

Why Looks Don't Tell The Whole Story!

Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion. Proverbs 11:22 NIV

What purpose does it serve to waste a gold ring to put through a pig's snout? Does the gold ring make the pig more desirable or more precious? When a man sees a beautiful woman who exercises no discretion at all--with everything exposed--does she become more desirable or more distasteful?

If all we have to offer anyone is our looks--then we are indeed in sad shape. Not everything that looks good--is good and by the same benchmark--not everything that is unappealing is bad. What should really matter is the inner person--their character--not their looks.

I've met some rather plain-looking people and some who were physically unattractive, but were the most beautiful people I've ever met. I've also met some really good-looking people--on the outside--but so hateful and full of themselves that I could hardly wait to get away from them.  That adage about not judging a book by its cover is applicable to much of what we do in life--especially in seeking a wife or husband.

But the truth of the matter is-no matter how a person dresses up their outside--with make-up, surgical procedures, etc. --if there is no character development on the inside they are still without much value. Dressing up the pig won't change what it is--and neither will any other procedure change what a person really is.

I've been appalled by the number of stories I've read in which a person was brutally beaten or killed by another (usually a man) because the victim was masquerading as a woman and when the man discovered the true identity--they felt betrayed and humiliated and reacted to the situation without thinking. This happens far too often and the simplest solution is for people to stop trying to be something they are not--misleading with their looks--inviting anger directed at them.

There are some things we can realistically prevent--and I'm not promoting brutally for betrayal--I'm simply encouraging people to stop trying to fool people. When we parade ourselves as one thing when we're another--we're setting ourselves up to be attacked--physically and spiritually!

And so too are pretentious Christians--who carry their big bible, wear the biggest crosses, mouth more, "Hallelujahs" and "Praise The Lords" than most of us can count and yet--they'll cuss someone out at the drop of a pin. They never pray for anyone and are always asking others to pray for them. They never help anyone and always expect someone to help them. They go to church, but not to hear a word, but to spout words against everyone who walks into the building--they are always complaining and never happy about anything.

On the other hand, the ones who quietly see to the needs of others even when they don't have all of their needs met, always smiling encouragement, always have a hug or light touch trying to comfort others when they need to be comforted--this is the real Christian and they don't have to shout it or try to parade it. Most of us know who they are.

So--what do our looks tell people? Do they tell our whole story or is it just a facade--and we're hoping no one will ever see the real person behind the facade?

How To Live Without Fear!

But all who listen to me will live in peace,
untroubled by fear of harm.” Proverbs 1:33 NIV

Remember when, as children, we didn't necessarily listen to all the lectures of our parents? We heard, but didn't hear and usually sat waiting, wanting them to hurry up and finish. Now, why did we have to hear the lecture?

When at first we don't obey,trouble will get in our way, then those voices loud and clear, will repeat what they have to say.

Has anything changed? When we got into trouble as kids, we dreaded what was coming next and if we heard our parents call us by our full names, we knew we were in trouble. Have we heard God calling us by our names--trying to get our attention? From the looks of the condition of this world, we should have.

I would have to conclude that the world's condition is what it is because those of us who know to do right, haven't been listening for His voice--to guide us. This is why many people are living in fear from one moment to the next. We're fearful of the terrorists; we're fearful of our neighbors; we're fearful for our freedom as Americans; we're fearful for our safety in the streets, but no one seems to reverence God's Word--careful to do as He says--fearful of the final consequences.

The Word reminds us that, "perfect love casts out fear." So where there is fear, love does not reign. The perfect love--love of God and keeping His commandments and love of our neighbors--never conspiring to do harm--is unconditional regardless of race, gender or faith.

We can learn to live without fear when we listen and obey God's Word. But as long as we choose not to heed His Word, we will continue to live in fear--never knowing when the final nail is tapped--signaling the end of our lives as we know it.

We've lived in fear long enough. It's time to take back our peace and not be fearful of turning the next corner--expecting harm to come upon us. Let's love--being wise until the time we know has come when all will love. The Word also tells us to be wise as serpents, but gentle as doves. Loving others doesn't mean we have to be foolish--expecting others to behave as we do. After all, many people have too much to unlearn--before they can really say they love. They have to unlearn hate and distrust, dishonesty and conspiracy, bigotry and injustice--but when they do--we can all live in peace, no longer fearful of what may happen next.

Ready to get our love fest started? We must listen to the voice of Holy Spirit and allow Him to guide our every move. He will direct our steps as we move out to show love on an unsuspecting society--navigating our journey without fear, ready to live in peace. God is calling us by our full names and it's time we responded to Him!

Why Wisdom Calls From The Wall!

Out in the open wisdom calls aloud, she raises her voice in the public square; on top of the wall she cries out, at the city gate she makes her speech: “How long will you who are simple love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge? Repent at my rebuke! Then I will pour out my thoughts to you, I will make known to you my teachings." Proverbs 1:20-23 NIV

When people do evil deeds--behind the scenes--and think they will never be discovered, their hidden agenda is exposed and known to all. But Wisdom calls aloud--openly for all to hear so there is no mistake about what she says and when wisdom is ignored, chaos and confusion usually abound.

The walled cities of old were built with space for those who were watching over the city to alert of any dangers to walk around the entire city--on top of the walls. The elevation of course was a means for sound to carry far and for the watchmen to see danger coming from a distance. This is one of the reasons why we are told about the watchman through Ezekiel--and God holding the watchman responsible for not alerting the people to danger when they saw danger coming. Basically the way it reads is this: If we are warned of danger and ignore the warning, then our calamity (bloodshed) is on our hands. If we are not warned of impending danger, then the calamity (bloodshed) is on the watchman's hands.

Have we been warned of calamity by those given watch over us who know The Word and see the impending danger? Are we heeding the warnings or are we ignoring them? Do we even know who the watchman is in our lives?

The watchmen--all who give warnings about impending dangers based upon The Word--are those who spread The Word and the warnings about living in opposition to The Word. Most people look to their pastors or church leaders to be their watchman, but unfortunately, too many church leaders are ignoring the danger and actually succumbing to popular opinion and political correctness--in lieu of obeying The Word. The calamity that falls upon all who listen to them will be on their hands.

But all is not lost! There are many watchmen--in cyberspace and other physical places who are not afraid to speak God's Truth and will warn and have warned of the dangers of succumbing to popular opinion and political correctness that does not align with God's Word. When people ignore those telling the truth, the calamity they are bound to experience is on them, not those who sounded the alarm.

And this is why wisdom speaks openly from the top of the wall--to be heard--not ignored, not ashamed of speaking truth--sounding the alarm when impending danger is sighted. But fools and mockers ignore wisdom in order to enjoy their folly and they are caught in their own snares, they call for help, but no help is near.

When we choose to ignore warnings of impending danger and do what we want to do instead of obeying God, He will not hear us--unless we repent of our wayward behavior. Wisdom is on the wall, speaking openly, not hiding like those who plan evil. Listen and obey!

How Many Woes Will We Suffer?

Woe to those who draw sin along with cords of deceit, and wickedness as with cart ropes, to those who say, “Let God hurry; let him hasten his work so we may see it. The plan of the Holy One of Israel— let it approach, let it come into view, so we may know it.” Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight. Isaiah 5:18-21 NIV

Grievous destruction, prolonged trouble is the expectation one can have when we promote sin and deceit, call evil good and good evil, who prefer to keep people in darkness rather than light, who deceive others by exchanging bitterness for sweetness and sweetness for bitterness and for those who wise in their own eyes (thinking they are wiser than God) and clever in their own sight (thinking their inventions are more clever than God's creation).

There is so much that can be said about the woes of the Bible that many are going to experience in the 21st Century because we have outsmarted ourselves. But prolonged trouble and grievous destruction will be seen and felt by many.

We see greed overshadow need and then harm is caused to many by a few.

We see injustice after injustice when evil is called good and good people penalized for their faith in God and stance on His Word.

We see appointed judges thinking they are wiser than God in their decision-making that opposes God's ordinance for mankind. We have yet to see the abominations that will result from those decisions.

We see problems with air quality and water quality because we think we are clever with our inventions and ignore the value of God's creation--and man's cleverness because of his greed is destroying the very atmosphere and yet we will not concede pursuing greed over need.

We have need to breathe clean air, but those who are only interested in making money don't understand until it affects their loved ones and then we hear the outcry. We have need to have clean water, but again the need for greed overrides the need for safety and health.

Until we change our attitude about God and learn to live according to His Word, we shall have the woes shadow us until the end of time--oppressing all those who had nothing to do with the choices of their forefathers--suffering trouble and grievous destruction.

Woe unto us if we don't heed the need for protecting the vulnerable and needy, and stop proceeding with plans that will only benefit the greedy.

Convenience has made most of us lazy--physically, mentally, and emotionally because of our dependence on all those things others invented--that are now destroying us and our environment. Our brains are becoming atrophied like the muscles in our bodies because we don't exercise brain or body and we allow the dictates of fools to encourage us in relationships--family and otherwise.

It is time for us to retreat--back up into the safety of God's arms and learn to live for Him, instead of everything else. The only way we can escape the woes--is to get into the of God's Word, know it and live it.

Why Healing Is Delayed!

Anyone who is among the living has hope—even a live dog is better off than a dead lion! For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even their name is forgotten. Their love, their hate and their jealousy have long since vanished; never again will they have a part in anything that happens under the sun. Ecclesiastes 9:4-6 NIV

Being fully acquainted with having loved ones in my life die, I understand the hurt--the grief that accompanies that occurrence--especially when a life is taken through a meaningless, spiteful act. I know only too well what that feels like.

However, I also understand that we are born to die. Before we are ever conceived, our days have been numbered and even though we don't like to think about it--it is a reality of life. Perhaps, just perhaps, if we approached life with the realistic expectation of knowing we're not here to stay, we'd live better lives. And perhaps, if we understood that death is a part of living, we would be able to accept the inevitable and move on, without reopening wounds of grief--never allowing them to heal--with constant reminders to self and others that someone we loved, has died.

Before anyone thinks that I am totally dispassionate about the loss of loved ones, let me assure you that I am not. Every year, whether I am consciously thinking about family members or not or friends who have died, I remember them on their birthdays. When they died is not a special memory to me since I'd like to forget that, but I always remember their birth and the role they played in my life. That's my choice of course as it is with everyone else, but what I discovered is that with each passing year, when I don't agonize over their deaths, healing becomes more complete.

I know there are people agonizing over the deaths of someone they loved and they want others--who didn't even know them--to agonize with them. How do I know? They are constantly reminding everyone they can on social media about when someone died. And every time they openly agonize with their posts and tweets--they reopen wounds and delay healing. At what point in the lives of the living will the stench of death seep into their lives and accelerate their own death?

Open wounds stink and if not treated, they become infected and spread poison through our bodies. Constant grieving and mourning leads to depression and other health issues that can be alleviated if we understood how to remember those who died without opening wounds--the hurt and agony.

Instead of remembering their deaths with constant notifications to others and the RIP's, we should instead remember their living--how they caused us to laugh or the lessons we learned from them. That is a celebration of their lives--not a continuing mourning--remembering the good and the bad, but thankful for the opportunity to have had them in our lives.

Since we are reminded in God's Word through Solomon that the dead know nothing, why are we spending time at grave sites talking to them? They cannot hear us and if they could, I'd like to imagine they would say--"Go and live your life before your time comes."

When my youngest brother died from a gunshot wound inflicted upon him by my mother, I refused to go to the grave site for the burial. But then one day, I decided I had to have one last conversation with him and walked five miles to the cemetery. After finding his spot, I talked, laughed and cried, and left and never returned. It took me a while to realize, he was not there--just the remains--a skeleton of who he was, but I would always have the memories of his living within me.

We have the memories of their living--whether good or bad--lingering with us and hopefully those memories will help us to live our lives to the fullest--allowing healing to take place and not delaying it.

This is the day The Lord has made so let's rejoice and live it to His Glory!

Why There Is Power In These Seven!

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing,in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. I Thessalonians 5:16-22 NKJV

I have seen a number of blog posts, articles, essays dealing with numbers and or promoting numbered steps to achieve anything. Usually, I avoid these simply because each numbered step may or may not work for everyone. But as I read this passage of scripture today, I realized there is indeed a methodology to seeing the power of God at work in our lives.

Rejoice always--the phrase, "don't worry, be happy" comes to mind. No matter what happens in our lives-the good, the bad, the happy, the sad, we can find something to rejoice about if we think about it. There are a number of jokes out there that would be applicable, but I want to bring this point with clarity. When someone loses a house in a fire or storm, we can rejoice when there is no loss of life. Things can be replaced--people cannot. Job managed to find peace within himself until he started listening to his friends. He had lost much. When we don't get the job we want--we can rejoice in the knowledge that there is something better waiting for us. We have to be like the battery bunny--know how to keep going, and going, and going.

Pray without ceasing--continuing to talk to God no matter what happens. This does not mean we keep saying the same thing over and over again; it means we keep communicating with Him who can change our circumstances in an instant. Most people only talk to God with they're in need, but we should always talk to Him and listen to Him on a daily basis. Prayer is not just asking--or petitioning God--it is communicating--talking to Him like we talk to one another. Think about it--if we're saying the same thing to people every time we talk to them, soon we stop listening because it becomes boring to hear. What makes us think that God doesn't hear what we say the first time? He's not forgetful and He's certainly not deaf.

In everything give thanks--for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for us. We need to thank God for the opportunities we have to learn from our mistakes and not just for the things we do well or what we receive. In sickness--give thanks for the strength to endure to the end. In poverty--give thanks for the will to rise above it. In turmoil--give thanks for His peace residing within. Now, notice this scripture says, "in everything" not for everything. There is a difference. When people do not know how to "rightly divide" The Word, they often lead people astray. In all of our circumstances we give thanks to God in whom we can count on to bring us out.

Do not quench the spirit--the Spirit of the Living God who resides within us, speaks to us--when we're willing to hear Him, guiding us at all times. Hear Him! Don't try to squelch His commands in order to fulfill the lust of the flesh. Heed what He has to say at all times!
Do not despise prophecies--from those we can ascertain are speaking God's Truth because we know God's Truth. When we know The Word, we know when someone who purports to being a prophet is actually hearing from God for what they say, will line up with The Word.

Test all things, holding fast to that which is good--by exercising the spirit of discernment we can determine if something is right or wrong for us. When things we do or want are not in opposition to God's Word, we maintain our integrity to keeping God's Word. If a person proclaims to be something and yet there is no evidence of it, disregard what they say. If the evidence is present, they have proven their credibility. This is almost like testing water temperature before we step into it. Water too hot will scald and too cold will chill.

Abstain from every form of evil--keeping away from all things that could be construed as evil or out of the will of God. This covers so much territory that I cannot begin to enumerate all of the facets of evil to which this would apply. There is an adage, "Birds of a feather flock together" that applies. If we hang out with the wrong folks, people will assume we are like the people with whom we associate. If they are liars, we'll be labeled a liar. If they are thieves, we'll be labeled a thief. This is why we should be careful in our associations with people.

IF--we can do these seven things--always keeping them in the forefront of our thinking, we will see the power of God working in our lives like never before and we can rest in His peace.

How We're Overtaken With Blessings!

“Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth.“And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God: Deuteronomy 28: 1,2 NKJV

In order to "fully" (NIV) understand how we are blessed by our obedience, we need to "fully" read God's Word and obey it--completely. What appears to be a stumbling block for many people is their misunderstanding of God's Word--thinking we are obligated to the letter of the Law instead of the "spirit" of the Law. The Pharisees knew The Law and all of its various postscripts (one has to know what was said in the first five books) and they couldn't keep it or wouldn't keep it.

To be honest, it was too much remember, but Jesus came and said two commandments I give you, "Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind and to love your neighbor as yourself." How easy is that too remember? Love God, Love others! Obedience brings into play blessings that will overtake us when we observe (do daily) what He says. Verses 3-14 in Deuteronomy list how we'll be blessed and we need to go back and review the blessings when we think we are tiring of being obedient.

Blessed in the city and in the country--everywhere we go--we'll be blessed.

Our children will be blessed and everything and everyone we influence will be blessed.

Whatever we produce with the work of our hands will be blessed.

When we come into places and leave them, we will be blessed.

We will be victorious over our enemies every time they attack.

We will be blessed in whatever place or condition we find ourselves.

We will be established--known to all--as God's Holy people.

All the people in the earth will revere and respect us as God's people when they see us.

We will be blessed with prosperity in all areas of our lives.

We will never know drought of any kind.

We will be the head and not the tail of every venture we attempt, always at the top and never at the bottom.

All these blessings will overtake us--if we completely and fully obey God--living to please Him only.

So, if we're not experiencing being overtaken by His blessings, perhaps it is because we have not fully executed obedience--living to please Him, rather than others and loving others even when they are unlovable. Something to ponder and rethink what we do.

I don't know about you, but I am waiting to be overtaken by all the blessings He has for me and if others don't want their blessings--I'll take them, too. Loving to love you all today!

But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who long for your saving help always say, “The LORD is great!” Psalm 40:16 NIV

How can anyone say anything about someone they don't know? A surface knowledge of anyone is not enough knowledge to judge anyone or make any determinations about them. Getting to know people on more than a passing greeting, level is how we determine our level of knowledge of others.

Although some may read a bible, go to church on a regular basis, sing in the choir, usher on the usher board, serve on the trustee or deacon board or pulpit committee or even preach in the pulpit--unless there is a thoroughly, intimate knowledge of God and how He wants us to live, we can't say much about Him and tell the truth.

When I listen to some people talk about Jesus and then every other word falling from their lips is profanity, I have to wonder--do they really know Him? I've even witnessed people do all manner of evil and then say, "Thank You, Jesus!" I'm confused. Why would anyone thank Jesus for them not getting caught in doing evil? People can do this because they don't know Him. If they really knew Him, they would be ashamed of the evil they do.

And then there are those who think they know Him because of their parents' relationship or affiliation with a church. Really? They think affiliation with a church or well-known pastor makes them know Him. They think their association puts them in a position to say, "I know the Lord!"

What I've learned through the years is that no matter which church I attend, what role I played in the church, or how many messages I preach--none of that puts me into a right relationship with God. It is having an experience with God--one in which He makes Himself known, leaving no doubt as to who He is and what I mean to Him--that brought me into a personal, intimate relationship with God. So when I say, "The Lord is great," it's because I have seen Him working on my behalf. I have known Him to move mountains out of my way and I have heard Him speak to me--on a consistent basis--guiding me along the path He established for me. Oh yes, I know Him!

Because of His love for me, I discovered who I am in Him and do all I can to live for Him, since He loved me enough to die for me. He loved me before I was born and the discovery of Him praying for me in the Garden of Gethsemane changed my life and my attitude about living a life to please Him. How great is our God! He didn't wait for me to put in an appearance to love me, or me to shout and dance in church; He loved me before my mother and father, before their parents and before their parents--from the beginning of time--He loved me, and no demon on earth or principality in the air, will ever make me doubt Him.

Now, how many people can truly say, based upon their personal knowledge and experience, "The Lord is great?" Where are they who can truly proclaim His goodness and promote others to live for Him? Now is the time for every born-again Believer to make themselves know and make His greatness known so others can say, "The Lord is Great!"