Everything Serves a Purpose!

I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under the heavens. What a heavy burden God has laid on mankind! I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind. What is crooked cannot be straightened; what is lacking cannot be counted. I said to myself, “Look, I have increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.”Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind.For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.  Ecclesiastes 1:13-18 NIV

Some days, no matter how much we want to see the "point" of what we do, it simply escapes us.
After a great start on a rainy day, yesterday, the enemy made himself known and though I retained my composure and restrained from reacting to a situation until I could get a better handle on it, I understand--some things that happen are just meaningless and have no point.

Therefore, I will attempt to search deeper to find the meaning that I am obviously missing since I don't believe that things happen for no reason. Actually, I know exactly why things happened the way they did--it was the written proclamation and exhortation to prayer so we might all see changes in our society.

And just like that--it occurs to me that what I wrote yesterday frightened the enemy into action, hoping to silence me. Well, not a chance!

Thank You, Holy Spirit for revealing understanding even though I thought there was no point in what happened. There is always a point--some meaning--sometimes hidden, but worth seeking.
Hallelujah! I'm on the right track or the enemy wouldn't bother putting obstacles in my way.

Now, I understand and will continue this journey with gladness--no frowns, just smiles, and joy in my heart for the peace I have been given in order to keep moving forward. This just proves that even when we think--the events in our lives are meaningless--when we seek God, He shows us just how relevant everything that happens to us--really is.

My help comes from The Lord and nothing the enemy ever does will stop me from proclaiming God's goodness--from the rooftops and the valleys--in the streets and in the classroom, wherever I go, He goes and when I allow Him to show out--He does! Glory!

No weapon formed against us shall ever prosper and though we may feel defeated for the moment, victory in Jesus is still ours! Looking to Jesus for all we need!

Continual Prayer Changes Lives!

When we see, all around us
The Evidence of ungodliness
Instead of just shaking our heads,
By Faith, We continue, before returning to dust,
To seek God and His righteousness
By praying--never stopping to talk and listen,
Acknowing Him for Who He is,
Thanking Him for creating who We are,
And pleading for changes of many hearts,
For Those from whom His Word have departed.
God, of our fathers and mothers old and new,
Create in all a desire to live for You.

Remove the scales from blinded eyes to truth,
Unstop the ears, making plain the truth to our youth,
So, they will be able to make Godly decisions in life,
No matter what wrongs they see or hear, or all the strife,
One might endure in order to Please You, not others.

Give those of us whose time may be limited to teach,
Your Word, without compromise, or sugarcoating,
To all show Them the better way, of living, Your Plans
For all for a future with hope--no need for ungodliness,
That serves as a rope that chokes out life without Christ,
And mocks all who live in opposition to God, dangling,
Daring the enslaved to break free, influencing death,
Naturally and Spiritually--when Truth is not received.

Help us to Change the Environment in which we live,
Constantly praying, teaching and preaching, as we give,
Our all to save lives and change directions of those who are lost,
Leading to salvation, to God through Jesus who hung on that cross,
Willing to die for all, sacrificing Himself so We all could find,
Peace and joy, health and happiness in Him, and Him alone.

Wickedness and Strange Weather!

Fools mock at making amends for sin, but goodwill is found among the upright. Proverbs 14:9 NIV
The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish. Proverbs 14:11 NIV
There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death. Proverbs 14:12 NIV
The faithless will be fully repaid for their ways, and the good rewarded for theirs. Proverbs 14:14 NIV
The wise fear the LORD and shun evil, but a fool is hotheaded and yet feels secure. Proverbs 14:16 NIV
Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin; whoever builds a high gate invites destruction. Proverbs 17:19 NIV

No matter how many times or how many ways we see in God's Word the warnings about sin, some still tend to ignore the consequences.

In fact, our society has become mockers of sin because they do not believe that sin has consequences simply because they don't believe God. The truth is about to overtake us and many will see what sin achieves.

God is not blind, deaf or forgetful. He does not change His Word or His intent for mankind simply to appease the whim of men's thinking. Everything He called sin, is still sin and no matter what men and women do--sin in God's sight is still sin.

The problem is people tend to mistake lust for love and think God is fooled. God is love and He knows better than any of us what love does and what love does not do. Love is not lust and lust is not love.

Love only wants the best for all involved yet lust only wants to satisfy a feeling for the moment.

Love steers people onto the path of doing the right thing at all times.

Lust steers emotion and physical need along the path of satisfaction at any cost.

The bottom line that many may not want to acknowledge is that in the end, God has the last word and when we refuse to accept correction and get back on the path of righteousness, He removes His hand of protection and we get what we get.

The unusual weather is simply a sign of God's displeasure with our behavior and greed. When making money is more important than preserving resources, we have problems as we see with the effects of global warming.

The disregard for the safety for the vulnerable is about to explode and the courts will be filled with lawsuits, but lives will be changed forever because of a few who chose not to see the danger of not thinking or seeking the wisdom of God.

Whenever we choose to ignore God and do what we want to do, subscribing to that old adage, "If it feels good, do it," we open the door to the evil that is constantly lurking on the other side.

How do we avoid the consequences of sin? That's easy. We seek God and obey His Word and promote His goodness to others. It's not rocket science; it is simply living by faith in His Word.

Things Which Have The Appearance of Wisdom!

Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence. Colossians 2:20-23 NIV

Just yesterday, a poster was circulated on social media proclaiming that knowledge speaks and wisdom listens and it was getting a lot of attention. Whoever originated the poster missed understanding the bible. "Does not wisdom call out? Does not understanding raise her voice?" (Proverbs 8:1) And there are other passages that extol the virtue of hearing wisdom. The thing is that we are told that "wisdom" is the principle thing to obtain and with wisdom, get knowledge. So, it would appear to me that wisdom speaks and knowledge is obtained by listening.

Perhaps, it is this kind of thinking--turning around the words in scripture that has led to our society being deceived by those things that appear to be acts of wisdom.

I'll attempt to break it down this way:

Wisdom (based upon God's intent for mankind) says marriage is between a man and woman in order to perpetuate the continuation of mankind. Man's knowledge claims that people should be whoever they want to be with regardless of what God says.

Wisdom says when it comes to acts of nature--women should use the bathroom for women and the men use the bathroom for men--exercising common sense which, regrettably is not so common anymore. Man's knowledge (yielding to the choices of the few) claims, "whatever a person feels they are, that's the bathroom they should use." Considering "feelings are fickle" and change frequently, how could anyone think this is anything more than a ploy of the enemy?

Wisdom says we should get knowledge and understanding of the knowledge we obtain. Man's knowledge (especially those in elected offices) seems to think that education is not important for all and allocate more funding for prisons and wars than education. And then we wonder why other countries outperform our students--hands down--when those countries place education as a priority.

Wisdom says if two people are doing the same job--regardless of gender or race or age--they should receive equal compensation. Man's knowledge--thinking men need more money than women--has managed to keep women underearning in the same position as men. There is no equality when things are obviously unequal.

Wisdom says parents should discipline (part of the training) a child while they are young so when they are older, they will have learned valuable lessons. Man's knowledge--utilizing court systems--has proclaimed that spanking a child leads them to being violent and mentally ill. Using small case studies--compared to the number of people who exercise discipline when needed--so-called researchers have convinced a foolish society that children should not be spanked and then we all sit back and wonder--what's wrong with the kids today.

There are efforts--influenced by the enemy--to change what is right by saying what God has said is wrong, that have an appearance of wisdom, but are not wise at all and in fact--oppose God's Word. So, here's the bottom line, when wisdom speaks, we better listen and then use what we hear to make this world a better place.

Knowing When The Enemy Is Working!

Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Ephesians 6:11-13, 18 NIV

There are some passages of scripture that are relevant and worth repeating for any number of themes or expressions of caution. Paul's admonition to the church of Ephesus is certainly true today.

We live in a society in which a lot of people talk about God, without knowing Him and without being in a relationship with Him. But then that's true of people when it comes to celebrity worship. People talk about celebrities, go into swoons over them, celebrate them no matter what they do, and then mourn them as if they were close relatives. The truth is--they never met them, the celebrities didn't know them, but they talked about them as if they did. Some even emulate them in their manner of behavior and dress. 

The sad part about people talking about God is that they actually think (most of them) that they know God, but refuse to live by His Word. They don't exhibit the same type of worship for Him as they would a celebrity and they certainly don't emulate Him and adopt His ways.

The reality is--they have been fooled, duped, manipulated by the enemy into thinking that just talking about God is good enough. We see that in political candidates, in Supreme Court Justices, and all manner of people in authority--and these are the people the enemy seeks to deceive. After all, his job is to kill, steal, destroy, deceive and lie.

The enemy has convinced people that it's okay for same-sex couples to enjoy marital relationships that God has said was intended for a man and a woman. The enemy has convinced people that it's okay to change their biological genders to pacify flesh. The enemy has convinced people that it's okay for a man--pretending to be a woman--to use the same bathroom in which children and women can become their prey. The enemy has convinced people that God didn't know and still doesn't know what He's doing and therefore, it's okay to change--whatever a person wants to change about themselves--and then expect others to celebrate them for defying God.

And the people that the enemy has convinced--proclaim to know God and they sit in the pews of churches on a regular basis. They sing about God, they dance to the songs about God, they pray to a god (not sure it's the God of heaven), they read God's Word and talk about it, but they refuse to live it.

But this in itself should not surprise us since we know that The Word says, that at the end, some of very elect (chosen by God) would be deceived and see it now. For those of us who know God and have a right relationship with Him, it's time to stand up, speak up, and maintain our stance in promoting living The Word before all mankind.

If we do as God as told us to do, "Preach The Word, whether it's convenient or not," and that means whether people receive it or not. It is not our job to make them receive anything, but we must tell them what God says and warn them about the enemy who so easily deceives. It's time to shut the enemy down by standing on God's Word, fully armored up with God's Truth!

Obedience Changes Lives!

Crowds gathered also from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing their sick and those tormented by impure spirits, and all of them were healed. Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life.” At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people. Acts 5:16-21a NIV

When people are jealous and envious of those who obey The Lord, they concoct all manner of complaints against them. We know because of what happened with Jesus the night He was arrested. That was all part of God's plan--the sacrifice for our sins--by one who had not committed any sin.

Jesus also told us that if people hated Him--the Son of God--they would also hate those who followed Him and loved The Lord with all their heart and soul. Since Jesus could not lie, we should not be amazed at the treatment of Christians today. They were treated horribly by those who did not understand the force of their faith. They were set on fire and used as lights in the night for the games for the cruelest man on earth--Nero. They were wrapped in animal skins and attacked by other vicious animals for sport. They were killed because of their stance--remaining faithful to God--and in obedience to His Word.

Are we worthy of the same hate displayed towards those who came before us? Are we obeying God in all we do so lives will be changed? Has He spoken to us in the middle of night and we arose and obeyed? Are we hated because we refuse to back down from those who choose to follow Satan? Are we tormented because we obey God in all things and teach others to do the same?

What we have to realize is that when Believers obey God, the enemy will hate us and do everything they can to destroy us. With God on our side, nothing the enemy does will matter. No weapon formed against us shall prosper. And even if it seems that all is lost, we must maintain our stance--our faith must be unshakeable--as we move forward in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Satan has tried to stop the move of God for centuries and has never been successful and he won't succeed now. We must remain steadfast, immovable in the face of the persecution, belittling and mockery demonstrated by the ungodly who are actually fearful of us. When there is a possibility that lives will be changed for the better, the enemy is afraid of losing his influence on the masses so he influences those with either weak faith or no faith in God to hate those of us who love God.

Today, just like so many years ago, the unbelieving are jealous of our obedience to God and they hate it when lives are changed for the better because of the faith instilled in them by our teaching God's Word. We need not fear the enemy, but maintain our faith in teaching The Word and let the enemy fear us!

Have We Sought Atonement For Our Sins?

But there are many people here and it is the rainy season; so we cannot stand outside. Besides, this matter cannot be taken care of in a day or two, because we have sinned greatly in this thing. Let our officials act for the whole assembly. Then let everyone in our towns who has married a foreign woman come at a set time, along with the elders and judges of each town, until the fierce anger of our God in this matter is turned away from us.” Ezra 10:13,14 NIV

When the people (exiled groups) were assembled in order to determine why God was angry, the conclusion they came to was that there were so many "foreign" women in their midst. Now, the reference here is not about being a stranger in a strange land, but about someone who does not know God or worship Him as the Israelites had been taught to do. I'm clarifying this for a reason since we know--under Grace--not under The Law--we are still discouraged from being "unequally yoked" with unbelievers.

Why does God not want Believers and unbelievers joined in matrimony? It is a simple matter and one in which most of us would shy away from expressing--aloud. Remember Eve's influence over Adam in the garden? Instead of him influencing her--she enticed him to eat the forbidden fruit. Since that time--it would appear--women have held enormous influence over men, especially in the area of disobeying God. Even sadder is the fact that gullible men allow themselves to be led into disobedience and open the door for sin to reign.

When Ezra brought the people together they decided that the officials should determine what to do--the men who had not been influenced by the strange women--and it was determined that the men who had married the strange women needed to send them away so they could seek atonement from God for their sin.

Is there anyone who can officiate over such an assembly today--one who would hear from God and inform the people that in order to turn God's wrath from them, they would need to turn from sin and separate themselves from those who enticed them away from doing God's Will?

None of us are perfect and without sin in our lives, but that's why grace is ours today. Jesus has made atonement for our sins and we choose--just as they did in the days of old--whether we obey God or not. We cannot blame anyone--especially not women--for the decisions we make because Holy Spirit is available to all. Whether it is a woman or man who leads anyone astray from the path God has established, we need to separate ourselves from them and seek God's forgiveness so we can get back on the right path.

It is truly unfortunate that we do not allow those who have been entrusted in positions of leadership to hear from God and inform the people. Instead, we employ secular mechanisms to make decisions and usually end up going astray, and when things go wrong, we wonder what happened. Have we learned to seek atonement for our sin or do we keep heading in the wrong direction, led by our fleshly desires?

Until we learn to do things God's way, we will never experience a time when His wrath is turned from us. It is time for us to repent and turn away from doing things our way and choose to do what He would have us to do.

Moving Forward With Greater Determination!

The fifth time, Sanballat’s servant came with an open letter in his hand, and this is what it said: “There is a rumor among the surrounding nations, and Geshem tells me it is true, that you and the Jews are planning to rebel and that is why you are building the wall. According to his reports, you plan to be their king. He also reports that you have appointed prophets in Jerusalem to proclaim about you, ‘Look! There is a king in Judah!’ “You can be very sure that this report will get back to the king, so I suggest that you come and talk it over with me.” I replied, “There is no truth in any part of your story. You are making up the whole thing.” They were just trying to intimidate us, imagining that they could discourage us and stop the work. So I continued the work with even greater determination. Nehemiah 6:5-9 NLT

Most Believers know the story--Saballat's envy and deceptive ploys to stop Nehemiah from building the wall. And for those who don't know--any good translation of the Bible will reveal the plot to deceive and thwart, but when God has put something on our hearts to do--nothing the enemy does, will matter. When Nehemiah, the king's cupbearer, prayed and repented for the people, he went before the king with his request to rebuild the wall in Jerusalem. "And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the king granted my requests." Nehemiah 2:8 NIV.

The first chapter of Nehemiah contains his prayer and why he was praying. The second chapter reveals his requests and the king's response. After that--the story unfolds as the challenges, the belittling and persecution those who were working on restoring the wall endured. And when Sanballat conspired to stop the rebuilding, God strengthened all the workers involved and by His spirit--kept Nehemiah encouraged and determined to complete the mission.

Perhaps, there are some people today who want to have something restored in their lives and need the courage to complete the mission--regardless of the challenges set before them. Perhaps, there are some already in the process of completing a mission and need encouragement to keep going to finish the task.

Perhaps, what is getting in their way, is the lack of repentance and submission to God's Will. Prayer--for all involved in the task--and repentance is in order. When we speak to God in sincerity, recognizing our shortcomings and the wrong paths we've taken, He is faithful and just and will hear and honor our requests.

Now, we have a job to do. God has put on our hearts a variety  tasks that only we can do and those tasks vary for every individual. Hear God and know what He wants done in your life and then--be determined to move forward. When obstacles get in the way, pray--asking God for strength to endure and move forward with greater determination to get the job done to the glory of God.

Gather your courage, pray for endurance, and keep moving forward with greater determination to do all God has put on your heart to do!

For Those Who Are Special!

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Galatians 6:7-10 NIV

Because God created us in His image, we are wonderfully, uniquely endowed with attributes of His character and constructed faithfully so we could accomplish all He desires of us. In other words--we who believe God are special, indeed.

Since we are special--to Him--and He's the only one who matters, it is incumbent upon us to do all we can to please Him in all we do. Even though situations occur that tempt us to react in the flesh, we must remain obedient--willing to hear Holy Spirit at all times--especially when others trigger a fleshly reaction.

Many may be deceived by the influence of the enemy, but God is never deceived and He knows our thoughts from far off and the condition of our hearts--some are far from Him. When we make decisions based upon fleshly desires and passions, excluding the wisdom of God, we can only receive what we have sown. We cannot plant corn expecting to get green beans. If we plant confusion, we can only get chaos. If we plant peace and integrity we can only get peace and honor. God knows what we're doing, even though many may not see what we're doing--He sees!

 But no matter how people treat us--whether in reaction to flesh or response to Holy Spirit, we are to do good with every opportunity that presents itself and not get tired of doing what is right--especially when it comes to those who believe as we do--the household of faith.

Now the household faith includes all who believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that He was born of a virgin, and after ministering to the needs of the people for three and half years, was wrongfully arrested, illegally tried and convicted. He was crucified, died, and buried, but rose again with all power in His hands and because He loves--has handed that power over to all who Believe and guided by Holy Spirit--to live according to The Word of God. We are special!

We Can Say, "No" To Ungodliness!

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you. Titus 2:11-15 NIV

When people make excuses for living in opposition to God's Word, it is because they have either not been taught how to live The Word of God or they simply choose not to do so.

If  parents live an ungodly life before their children and all the children ever see is ungodliness around them, there is a great likelihood that the child will think that ungodliness is normal. We tend to think what we've have seen is all there is and unfortunately, for some children, ungodliness is all they will ever see. And for these we pray--that some day soon--they will see others live Godly lives and want to change their ways.





What do children see that is not of God? They see parents engrossed in all types of negative behaviors--watching porn on television, leaving bedroom doors open so the kids see all they should not see. They see parents getting high on drugs and selling drugs, and dealing in illegal activities--openly. They see parents start fights and brawls over trivial matters and they see parents set fires to home simply because they were evicted. They see parents cuss at anyone who dares to cross them or disagree with them. They hear parents when they lie and know when they are lying. And all of the ungodliness they see--becomes a part of their lives when they become adults and the cycle begins again.

If we understand the behavioral cycles that have led to the demise of respect and peace in our communications, we will see the need to teach better behaviors. There is but one simple rule to govern what we do--LOVE--and if we love--self and others--we can say, "No" to all ungodliness. If we teach children to respect others by showing them how we respect others, we can eliminate a lot of the violence in our society. Much of it is caused by a lack of respect--for self and others--especially when people think they have a right to infringe upon the rights of others--without consequences.
We are told in The Word that whatever we sow (plant), that is all we can expect to see. If we plant the seeds of ungodly behavior in our children, then all we can expect is ungodly behavior. If we plant Godliness (nurturing it our own behavior as a living testimony), then we'll see Godliness in our children.

We have to remember that children are not stupid nor blind. They see much more than we think they see and they imitate what they see. So before we get upset with our children and others around, we need to reflect upon our own behavior. Are we saying, "No" to ungodliness or have we deceived ourselves into thinking there is nothing wrong with us?
 
Getting into The Word on a daily basis and seeking God's Wisdom, puts us on the right path to living Godly lives before Him and others--alleviating any need to be ashamed of what we do--in the eye of the public or in our private lives. Please God--not man--and say no, to all ungodliness!

Think First, Then Do!

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8,9 NIV

Yesterday, I shared a photo (below) with Donald Duck pondering, "I wonder if common sense will ever make a comeback." Common sense seems to have disappeared when we look at how things unfold in the media. It makes one wonder if common sense even exists anymore.

Yet, here we read Paul's admonition-having been around for centuries, but not many heed what he says. "Think" about the right and good things and then whatever we learn, put it into practice. When will the God of peace be with us? The God of peace will be with us when we think about doing good and right things. This is why there is so much violence and hatred in the land because no one is thinking about the good and right things. If people are not willing to think, common sense won't have a chance to survive.

Since I've already written extensively about this passage of scripture, I won't repeat myself, but I do encourage all reading today to check out the link  myBook.to/ThinkingOnThings .


Of course, there will be those who have a differing opinion about how to solve our societal dilemmas, but I'm a strong proponent of doing things God's way! If we learn to think first--before we do anything--and think beyond the moment, we could change the atmosphere of violence and hatred and know peace in the land.

                             

I believe in miracles and I want to see peace in the land!

Praying Women Who Obey!

Now, you women, hear the word of the LORD; open your ears to the words of his mouth. Teach your daughters how to wail; teach one another a lament. Death has climbed in through our windows and has entered our fortresses; it has removed the children from the streets and the young men from the public squares. Say, “This is what the LORD declares: “ ‘Dead bodies will lie like dung on the open field, like cut grain behind the reaper, with no one to gather them.’ ” This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,”  declares The Lord! Jeremiah 9:20-24 NIV

In spite of what many may say about women in service to The Lord, God knows the heart of each of us and He knows who will hear and obey.

Who are some of the notable women mentioned in the Bible? There are far too many to include in this blog today, but I'll mention a few. Deborah was the wise consultant that led armies to victory. Hannah prayed and changed the fate of Kings through Samuel. Esther stayed before Lord, fasting, waiting to hear and then saved her people from total destruction. And we cannot ignore Mary--no matter how hard some may try--the vessel by whom our Savior was born--pure, undefiled, blessed. Then Paul makes mention of women by name--acknowledging their role in ministry.

Let's face it--when we go into almost any church across the land, we tend to see more women in the building than men. Grandmothers have prayed for grandchildren so they would stay out of harm's way. Mothers have prayed for children to find success and happiness. Wives have prayed for husbands to hear what God says. Sisters (both biologically and spiritually) have prayed for nations and peace in the land. Praying women have always made a difference and we shall continue to pray and make a difference.

Wise women always turn to God and seek His direction. And when God speaks to them, they are usually quick to hear and obey. Even though men have for centuries dominated the land in positions of power, the real power lies in the heart of every woman praying for them.

Therefore, no man should ever belittle women and what they can and have accomplished. When men belittle women, they do so out of insecurities--fearful they may be outshone by a woman. Real men honor and respect all women--knowing they have strength and courage beyond anything they could ever imagine. After all, it was women who carried the men--before they were born--and many carry them long afterward in life--always praying for them. This is true for the Godly women--regardless of ethnicity or religious preference.

Today, I encourage all women to seek God and His wisdom, praying and fasting, until we can turn this nation around--seeing an end to violence and hatred.

Seeing Beyond The Moment!

In the shelter of your presence you hide them from all human intrigues; you keep them safe in your dwelling from accusing tongues. Praise be to the LORD, for he showed me the wonders of his love when I was in a city under siege. In my alarm I said, “I am cut off from your sight!” Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help.  Love the LORD, all his faithful people! The LORD preserves those who are true to him, but the proud he pays back in full. Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD. Psalm 31:20-24 NIV

I can only imagine how some people may feel when they make "unpopular" but right decisions.
Today, I want to encourage all those who know The Lord to maintain your stance in righteousness and trust Him to fight all the battles that are looming before you.

With God going before you, He is more than the world against you. And that includes: The bullying celebrities, the bullying corporations, and the all the rest of the ungodly who promote living in opposition to God's Word.

Remember that doing the right thing--even when it goes against the grain of what society thinks is right--is better than caving to popular opinion and going against God.

I have no idea of what the relationship with God is for those who are in positions to make "right decisions" for the majority and are facing ridicule and scorn. I pray they are seeking God's wisdom in all they do and know that as long as they do the right thing, they can count on Him to provide for their every need.

For the bullies: "Shame on you on making a punitive decision for the masses in order to support the few." I pray the bullies will gain understanding of how illogical their move was and see how they are creating divides that may never close because of the anger resulting from their bullying.

When we know that God is our source--of prosperity, wealth, and health--we can survive the enemy's tactics and thrive in his presence. Hold fast, be very courageous and do all that honors God, not man.

Great is our God and greatly to be praised! He is in our midst and no weapon or threat by bullies against righteousness will prevail against those who love The Lord!

Looking Out For Others In Christ!

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. Philippians 2:1-4 NIV

From what we see--surrounding us--within churches, families, and especially politicians, the only interest some people have is what will make them "somebody" in the eyes of others. When the interest is self-centered, and not Christ-centered, then we recognize, by their actions, who is and who is not--united with Christ.

Being Christ-centered does not mean we don't make mistakes, but we recognize our mistakes and missteps, apologize and correct, seeking forgiveness where needed and repenting of the behavior.  
Those who are self-centered--never recognize themselves from one moment to another when they make missteps and certainly won't apologize to anyone, because in their eyes, they are always right.

Christ-centered people understand how we are to treat others and we know how to put our ambitions aside for the sake of helping others accomplish their goals. That does not mean we shouldn't have goals, but when we see others--in Christ--struggle to achieve and we can help--we should.

Self-centered people are only interested in what they can accomplish and will walk on and over people to reach their goals, never caring about who they hurt and certainly never caring enough to help another.

Considering the time in which we live--there is a great need for those of us who know Jesus to step up and assist others in need. That assistance can be material, as well as spiritual--offering support to those who have taken a stand for righteousness--and are not caving to political correctness. We can make our support known through social media, open letters to media outlets, and by praying for wisdom and endurance to maintain stances against evil.

It is the responsibility of every Believer to defend the rights of the poor and needy, not the rich and greedy. What are we waiting for? Let's take care of those who are united in Christ!

Obtaining Happiness and Keeping It!

If people are bound with chains and trapped by the cords of affliction, God tells them what they have done and how arrogantly they have transgressed. He opens their ears  to correction and insists they repent from iniquity. If they serve Him obediently, they will end their days in prosperity and their years in happiness. Job 36:8-11 HCSB

People are looking for happiness--in all the wrong places--and when they find what they think is happiness, it is short-lived and leaves them frustrated and oppressed. When most are asked what makes them happy, the first words that come out of their mouths is having money, then love.

If people need money and love to make them happy, we can get a better understanding as to why there are so many miserable people in the world.

Factual understanding: 1% of all Americans hold the wealth of country. These are the big businesses that rake in money hand over fist, pay minimum wages, and often ship manufacturing jobs overseas. This is the Wall Street Gang and in many cases--upon close inspection and looking at their lifestyles--they are not happy because they are obsessed with obtaining more money. They think living lavishly makes them somebody and when in actuality, they are somebody without the frills.

On the other hand--there are many people who have little money, but have learned to be happy with what they have and they are generous to a fault, compassion always reigning in their hearts, and they know how to enjoy the little things in life.

When it comes to love--far too many people have confused lust with love and when feelings wane--and there is no more interest in the person--the lust having been satisfied and now they turn to other people who are looking for lust--not love--and start the cycle all over again.

At the same time, there are people who understand that real love begins with loving self, loving God, receiving His love and loving others. They don't need someone hanging onto to them to know love, they are loving to all--considering what's best for all they meet. They know how to nurture relationships, listen to others and genuinely care. True happiness is a mindset that is developed from loving self.

Now, getting back to Job and his situation in life. Although he had lost everything (materially) as well as his children, he never gave up on God--even when his so-called friends and wife encouraged him to do so. His reward for obedience and steadfast faith in God? Restoration of all he had lost and even more. He may have experienced some sad moments as we all do, but he was able to keep moving forward to receive from God.

No matter what happens to us in life, if we are open to correction, repent of anything that harms others or self, and obey God, He will keep His Word and we can end our days with prosperity and live our years (however many we have) being happy.

"Because I'm happy" is a popular refrain in a song, but it also needs to be a deeply-rooted attitude in the hearts of all Believers because we have love and we know that God is always more faithful to us than we might be to Him, so we can count on Him to provide our every need. And when we take the time to please Him, He gives us the desires of our hearts.

Sound Like Any Group You Know?

And in vain they worship Me,
Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. “For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men—the washing of pitchers and cups, and many other such things you do.” He said to them, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.  Mark 7:7-9 NKJV

How many groups of people, who claim to be "religious" or have an affiliation with God, forget about God's Word in order to control people with their own traditions?

When people have established rules that forbid men and women to marry in order to serve God, how do they justify what they say? Surely, it cannot be The Word of God since Peter was married and we know this because Jesus healed his mother-in-law.

When people have established rules that forbid women to minister The Gospel as an ordained pastor, teacher, preacher, evangelist, etc. how do they justify what they say? Who are they that they should question God's call on a person's life? Did they not understand that Paul wrote explaining that with God--"there is neither male or female, Jew or Greek, free or bond" since He is not concerned about a person's gender or race. That is man discriminating, not God. Perhaps, it is because they took another passage of scripture written by Paul and tried to make a doctrine of it, not knowing that when Paul said, "women should be silent in the church,"

Perhaps, it is because they took another passage of scripture written by Paul and tried to make a doctrine of it, not knowing that when Paul said, "women should be silent in the church," he was referring to their constant interruptions when asking questions of the men who worshipped in separate areas. A study of customs at that time would go a long way in dissolving some of the mistaken doctrines men have adopted as commandments from God. 

And speaking of commandments, when Jesus was speaking in this passage of scripture, He mentioned "commandment" singular--not plural. And why is that? The greatest commandment is for us to "love" and if we know how to love, we will not commit sin against man or God.

And then there is a group that forbids family members from associating with other family who are not members of their group. Really? Where did God say we should ignore family in favor of a group of people who obviously do not understand God's plan for man? And this same group--over the past decades--has changed its doctrine so many times that many people don't even know what their teaching was from the beginning. I know this group well. At one point in their religious establishment, they disavowed the divinity of Jesus, but now they call themselves, Christians.

Before I start rambling, let me get to the point I was going to make. If anyone is teaching any doctrine other that what is in God's Word--accurately interpreted--it is the doctrine of men and not of God. God doesn't care how we dress in a building as long as it is respectful and does not distract from the worship service. Modest apparel covers all necessary parts and does not expose oneself in a seducing manner.

If we simply obey The Word and allow Holy Spirit to guide in all we do, we would never stray from The Word in order to make man-made rules take precedence of God's Word.

When We Reach Our Haven!

Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind. Psalm 107:28-31 NIV

How many times have we cried out to The Lord and He responded--knowing it would not be the last time we would reach out to Him when we get into trouble?

I could go all the way back to all those who cried out to The Lord in the Old Testament to illustrate this point, but there's no need. Every time a disaster hits--whether it is acts of terrorism, storms, earthquakes, undisciplined spouses, disrespectful children, the chaos and confusion amidst all the violence or the calamities of hatred, we continue to call upon The Lord. And sometimes, in the midst of our personal storms--we make rash promises to God--and though we are sincere in the moment--God knows--we won't keep the promises. So He waits--until the next time.

What is most amazing is how quickly we develop amnesia when it comes to remembering what we said to God.
 
"God, if you'll just heal my mama, I'll go to church."
"God, if you'll just find my children and keep them safe, I'll serve you."
"God, if you just make my husband leave me alone, I'll get right with you."
And some people are saying,"God, if you just let me win the lottery, I'll give my ten percent."

The list could go on for a few days and many of us either know someone who has prayed like this or we have actually said it ourselves. While we wait to hear from God, some of us actually do better--I guess that's our attempt to convince God we meant what we said and as soon as we get what we want, we go right back to being who we were and doing what we did, forgetting about that conversation with God.

In His infinite mercy and grace--and knowing us from the beginning--He still responds to our cries because that's what a loving Father does.He takes care of His Children.

So in the midst of our next storm, and we cry out to Him, He'll hear us, but maybe, just maybe He won't be so quick to respond since He knows--we won't change our ways for the duration. When He does respond and guides us to our safe haven--professional counselors, doctors, or whoever it might be--we need to take the time to thank Him for His mercy and grace--always extended to us--even though He may not respond as quickly as we'd like.

Lord, have mercy upon us--Your wayward children--and create in us a clean heart and hearing ears so we'll respond quickly to You in obedience to all You tell us to do.

Where We Are In America?

But these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts; they have turned aside and gone away. They do not say to themselves, ‘Let us fear the LORD our God, who gives autumn and spring rains in season, who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.’ Your wrongdoings have kept these away; your sins have deprived you of good. “Among my people are the wicked who lie in wait like men who snare birds and like those who set traps to catch people. Like cages full of birds, their houses are full of deceit; they have become rich and powerful and have grown fat and sleek. Their evil deeds have no limit; they do not seek justice. They do not promote the case of the fatherless; they do not defend the just cause of the poor Should I not punish them for this?” declares the LORD. “Should I not avenge myself on such a nation as this? “A horrible and shocking thing has happened in the land: The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way. But what will you do in the end? Jeremiah 5:23:31 NIV

While I don't consider myself a prophet, I cannot help but see the similiarities between then, when Jeremiah tried to warn the people, and now--when propheliars are deceiving the people.
We know from The Word that God hates a liar and for all those who had planned to develop businesses in North Carolina and are not backing away from it because of the rights of the masses--not the few--they are liars.

What's amazing in this country is that when celebrities and the rich speak--even though their hearts are far from God, governments cave to their bullying. And make no mistake--when people threaten to withold anything promised because of differences of opinion--that is the ultimate in bullying!

What the bullies have overlooked in their tactics is that some people are courageous enough to stand up for what is right and for the protection of those who are vulnerable when it comes to keeping the masses safe. If states make laws allowing "those who prefer to dress like the gender of their preference" to use any bathroom of their choice--what happens when the "pretenders" impose their sick acts upon others and violate the innocent? Who's protecting the rights of the innocent who are bound to become victims of sick, depraved minds?

I fully support the rights of states to uphold Godliness in whatever endeavor and I submit that when they stand for righteousness, God will make a way for all to be well. His resources are not limited to the handful of bulllies who think they can intimidate people into doing what they want.

As far as discriminating against people because of sexual orientation goes, if people kept their orientation to themselves there wouldn't be a problem. No one needs to wave a flag or have a parade every time they enter a business promoting their sexual orientation. Quite frankly, I've had enough of the outrage from the minority on this issue because it's their business what they do, not mine.

And if I knew that someone "hated" me, I wouldn't want to do business with them anyway. I certainly wouldn't want them serving me any food. There are plenty of places people can go to obtain whatever service they need without all the fanfare.

Just so people won't misunderstand me, I'm sick and tired of people comparing being black as the same as being gay. I do not have to announce my skin color when i walk into a place of business; it is obvious for all who can see. PEOPLE ARE BORN WITH THEIR SKIN COLOR WITH ABSOLUTELY NO CHOICE IN THE MATTER; they are not born gay. All active, deliberate behavior is a choice whether to be heterosexual or homosexual, bi-sexual, or transgender--THE ACTS OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR ARE A CHOICE--PEOPLE DO HAVE CONTROL OVER WHAT THEY DO!

Now, we are living in the days in which we'll see God remove His hand from the nonsense and all--who promote and condone living in opposition to His Word-- will suffer the consequences. No one has to take my word for it; one only needs to read His Word and see--He's the same--yesterday, today, and forever!

Is This America?

But your iniquities have built barriers

between you and your God,

and your sins have made Him hide His face from you

so that He does not listen.

For your hands are defiled with blood

and your fingers, with iniquity;

your lips have spoken lies,

and your tongues mutter injustice.

No one makes claims justly;

no one pleads honestly.

They trust in empty and worthless words;

they conceive trouble and give birth to iniquity.

They hatch viper’s eggs

and weave spider’s webs.

Whoever eats their eggs will die;

crack one open, and a viper is hatched.

Their webs cannot become clothing,

and they cannot cover themselves with their works.

Their works are sinful works,

and violent acts are in their hands.

Their feet run after evil,

and they rush to shed innocent blood.

Their thoughts are sinful thoughts;

ruin and wretchedness are in their paths.

They have not known the path of peace,

and there is no justice in their ways.

They have made their roads crooked;

no one who walks on them will know peace.

Therefore justice is far from us,

and righteousness does not reach us.

We hope for light, but there is darkness;

for brightness, but we live in the night.

We grope along a wall like the blind;

we grope like those without eyes.

We stumble at noon as though it were twilight;

we are like the dead among those who are healthy.

We all growl like bears

and moan like doves.

We hope for justice, but there is none;

for salvation, but it is far from us.

For our transgressions have multiplied before You,

and our sins testify against us.

For our transgressions are with us,

and we know our iniquities:

transgression and deception against the LORD,

turning away from following our God,

speaking oppression and revolt,

conceiving and uttering lying words from the heart.

Justice is turned back,

and righteousness stands far off.

For truth has stumbled in the public square,

and honesty cannot enter.

Truth is missing,

and whoever turns from evil is plundered.

The LORD saw that there was no justice,

and He was offended.

Today's scripture reading is from Isaiah 59:2-15 HCSB

There is nothing left for me to say other than please read the entire chapter and then pause, and think about what it says.

May The Lord have mercy upon us and wash our hearts thoroughly with His Word, creating in us a desire to please Him, more than man!

Before We Were, God Was and Is!

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1 NIV
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.John 1:1,2 NIV
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

Sometimes, when the world appears to be spiralling out of control, we need to step back from the drama and remember--from the beginning--God was and is still with us!

Even though there are still scoffers and scorners who refuse to believe God--that is their prerogative, but for the Believers--if we just keep in mind that God created all that was created and nothing was created without Him--we'll still be here to point the way to Him. But we must also remember that God will not force anyone to act against their will. We must submit to God and allow Holy Spirit control over our lives if we want to see any real change in our society and in the world abroad.

Though observant and mindful of everything going on around us, we cannot control the outcome of anything but what we do. Therefore, we must pay attention to all that is going on in the world so we'll know how to pray--seeking God's wisdom to know what we can and must do to change the atmosphere around us.

When we don't agree with how people live--we put them on our prayer list and pray God's wisdom will seep into their hearts and they will want to please Him, not us.

When the foolish continue to act like fools--we put them on our prayer list and continue to promote God's Word.

 When un-believers  continue to live in sin--we put them on our prayer list and pray that God will remove the blinders from their eyes.

When people are dissatisfied with the bodies God gave them--we put them on our prayer list and pray they will find joy in The Lord and love themselves as they were from the beginning.

When lawmakers are lax in doing their jobs--we put them and the voters on our prayer list and pray that wisdom in electing public officials will reign in the heart of every voter.

In the beginning, God created the universe and all within it and I'm sure He knew what He was doing when He created man and woman--putting everything in place where He wanted it to be for His purposes, not ours.

We are fearfully and wonderfully made--unique in every way--whether we were born alone or with others (twins, etc.), we are who God intended us to be.

I am convinced that most of the confusion experienced by many about their gender identification is a result of them not loving themselves from the beginning. If we don't learn how to love self (not be in love with self, selfishly), we'll never be happy or able to  love others. I'm also astute enough to know that our environment plays a big part in how we look at ourselves and in our expectations of self. So, if in fact a person's desire to forsake their beginning is the result of externalities over which they had no control, we pray for them to forgive anyone who influenced their self-hatred and that they will allow God to guide them in life.

We must remember--Before we were, God was and is!

Recognizing The Bullies In The Pulpit!

For an overseer, as God’s administrator, must be blameless, not arrogant, not hot-tempered, not addicted to wine, not a bully, not greedy for money, but hospitable, loving what is good, sensible, righteous, holy, self-controlled, holding to the faithful message as taught, so that he will be able both to encourage with sound teaching and to refute those who contradict it. To the pure, everything is pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; in fact, both their mind and conscience are defiled. They profess to know God, but they deny Him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, and disqualified for any good work.Titus 1:7-9, 15,16 HCSB (Holman Christian Standard Bible)

If we look around us and pay attention to how people act towards others we can see how some people attempt to bully those who are weaker and smaller than they are. We see people who think because of their "material wealth" they have a right to bully others into accommodating them. And now, more than ever, we see people attempting to bully others through the judicial system. Every time someone wants to draw attention to themselves and make people accept them--they take someone else into court. There are probably more frivolous lawsuits filed in recent years than ever before.

Bullies are arrogant and overbearing and will threaten others, promoting violence, when people don't cave to their demands. We see them in schools, on playgrounds, on the streets, in our homes, in all of society and in our churches. The bullies are those who are quick-tempered, undisciplined, and narcissistic--because they only care about what they want, not what is best for others.

If we don't recognize them for who they are and stand up to them--they continue to bluster their way through life--until they meet the one person who forces them to back down--not by violence as is their method, but by sheer determination to not be intimidated by the bully.

We encourage children in schools to stand up to the bullies and to report them and we also encourage students not to become bullies. The sooner they recognize their behavior, the sooner it can be overcome. We encourage parents not to become bullies with their children but to learn to listen and discuss what is appropriate and what is not. We encourage spouses to learn the art of compromise so homes can run smoothly and no one resorts to domestic violence. But what do we do with the bully in the pulpit?

Any time a leader--in any venue--has to resort to bullying tactics they reveal their own insecurities within themselves and in their position. True, Godly leaders never have to resort to bullying because they act on The Word of God. However, if they do not know The Word, they cannot act on The Word and this is how we discern who is in the pulpit.

When the man or woman of God entreats others to help them accomplish something, they know how to explain why something needs to be done--the advantages and disadvantages of the task and the end result. They don't browbeat people into doing anything and they certainly don't threaten (and I've seen it all) people into doing what they want.  There are a number of issues that could be addressed when it comes to recognizing bullies, but the point I really want to make is this--when we are secure in the knowledge of who we are, what God has called us to do, and know we operate with God's wisdom in all things, we will not succumb to the bullying tactics used by others to coerce us into doing what they want rather than doing what God wants us to do.

Know the bullies when you see them and stand up to them with Holy Spirit guiding your every move.

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Why Patience Is Needed!

You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.  Titus 1:1-5 NIV

Patience is mentioned 34 times in the New Testament and patient mentioned 9 times in the Bible (once in Old Testament in Ecclesiastes). I've concluded--speculatively--that patience was not a strong character trait in many before Christ made an appearance. I base this speculation on the fact that the Children of Israel were so impatient with God, that they moved away from His guidance in an effort to more like other nations (needing a king,etc).

Here--in Paul's instructions to Titus--we see a reason for patience and that reason is to teach others how to walk in the light of God's love. If we really want to others to learn something well, we must be willing to patiently teach them--expecting them to make mistakes, but will be quick to hear correction.

This then may explain why some people are not good teachers--spiritually or naturally. If we get angry or frustrated with those we attempt to teach--we actually inhibit their desire to learn. One of the reasons we tend to get impatient with people is because we forget the road we traveled to get where we are. Someone had to have patience with us in order for us to know what we know. Even if much of what we know was through an inquisitive nature where we sought information on our own, we still had to exercise patience with ourselves.

Not to long ago, a person who observed my teaching a class told me that I had the patience of job with my students. I was amazed at her assessment because I do not always think I'm very patient with students when I've repeated myself--ad nauseum. At any rate, I realized that she was referring to my ability to give them time to think about a question before providing them with an answer. In fact, I seldom provide answers to questions when reviewing information--I simply wait until someone comes up with the right answer and I confirm. Teaching is not about trying to pour information into someone's head, but about giving them the tools they can use to draw conclusions on their own.

Think about it! How long did it take us to realize that the answers we needed were found in Jesus Christ.  Questions about life and direction--found in Jesus. The voids we felt in our lives--filled with Jesus. And with me--He was very patient until I honed in what life really meant.

So, with patience--with self and others--will we move forward in teaching others about how to live the life God wants for us.

But Jesus!

I've faltered at many intersections
Shaking my head, wondering why
Some seem to get all the breaks
And some--just never get any.

Continuing on this journey in life
Making wrong turns, taking bad advice,
Wondering when the nightmare will end
And I can see clearly the road that I take.

I'm no different from anyone else,
Like them, I've made my share of mistakes--
Some that could have cost me my life,
Some that could have ended another's
While I foolishly rebelled, doing everything wrong,
But Jesus--came into my life--and chased away
The Blues, forgiving all my wrongs, giving me a new song,
One that I sing, when I rise,  and all through the day,
I have a Savior, Who loves me in spite of me,
And I'm grateful For His Intervention, showing me The Way!

If you're like I once was, here's a bit of advice,
Don't let the enemy cheat you out of receiving God's Best
By falling for his deceptions and listening to his lies,
God's love for you began before you were and like me,
One day  soon You'll be able to say, "But Jesus!"

The Devil--Cloaked With Deceptive Devices!

Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 2 Corinthians 4:1-5 NIV

Disclaimer--I am a devout Believer in Jesus Christ and claim no denominational ties or affiliations, I am ordained by God and man to teach God's Truth, no matter what the circumstances or who it may expose. I'm not particularly impressed with any politician because I know they all lie, but when it comes to mocking a practice that is pivotal to our faith, I tend to get a bit incensed.


Your thoughts are welcomed!

I am unable to attach the link I wanted to reference, but please check on YouTube and search for "Donald Trump Meets With Religious leaders." Here it is https://youtu.be/Uk4c2uoOF3o

Please note that this video posted in September 2015. Much has been revealed about the man, by himself, since then.

I'm praying even the more for God to pour out His Wisdom upon all flesh, that blinders will be removed and ears unstopped so they will receive Truth.

What Fools Don't Understand!

For you make me glad by your deeds, LORD; I sing for joy at what your hands have done. How great are your works, LORD, how profound your thoughts! Senseless people do not know, fools do not understand, that though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be destroyed forever. But you, LORD, are forever exalted. Psalm 92:4-8 NIV

How many times must we be told that fools lack understanding of most things because they are so wise in their own sight, they won't listen to wise instruction?

Even if it look like the foolish are progressing in their ways, we don't have to concern ourselves--they are being set up by the enemy who has influenced them to fall because they have not realized that the devil doesn't care about people--even those who follow his leading. When the captain only things of himself, others have no value to him, but then--that's a poor foolish captain. And the devil is a foolish captain. He has yet to realize he has been defeated and will stay defeated until that time arrives when he spends eternity in the lake of fire--along with all those who refused to listen to wise instruction.

We are told that, "the fool has said in his heart there is no God," and when others are convinced that there is no God, they do expose themselves as fools. Now, why would the devil convince people there is no God? If he can convince others there is no God, he can also convince people that he doesn't exist and if he doesn't exist, he can run rampant--creating all types of chaos and the fools will be deceived.

Those of us who know The Lord and His Word understand that if God acknowledges the works of Satan because He created him, then we should be wise enough to heed The Word and recognize when he is at work. "Submit to God, resist the devil and he will flee!"

All the unrest, instability in nations, the hatred, the bigotry, all of it--are a result of the enemy's influence in the mind and hearts of people who refuse to repent and acknowledge God. But no matter how many evildoers arise, they shall be cut down and stomped on and cast aside, making room for those who understand peace and love. For The Lord reigns forever in the hearts of all who love Him and we will be victorious in Jesus!

Will the prating fool--the one always running his/her mouth, boasting of themselves, bullying others and spouting empty threats ever understand that all the world, sees them as a fool with no wisdom and no value?

It is better to be quiet and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and be known a fool! Will the fool understand this?

Our God Reigns, Our God Reigns, Our God Reigns Forevermore!

What's Hanging Around Your Neck?

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.They are a garland to grace your head and a chain to adorn your neck. Proverbs 1:7-9 NIV

In teaching the role of words in a sentence and in understanding word usage, it is important to note that a pronoun can never be used without an antecedent (the noun it is replacing). Looking at verse 9 in this passage--"They" is referencing instructions and teaching. If obey the instructions and teaching received from parents becomes grace on our heads and adornments around our necks, how on earth did we get to the place in which so much sin abides in the world?

By deductive reasoning we can conclude that since there is so much sin in the world that one of two things have happened: either parents are not instructing and teaching children how to do what's right or the children have deliberately disobeyed and ignored the instruction and teaching of the parents.
On a natural level--the interaction between a parent and child most people can relate to this.
However, on a spiritual level, most have apparently missed the intent--God is our Father and we are His children--therefore, we should obey His instruction and honor His teaching.

When we ignore and disobey His instruction and teaching our heads explode with delusional thinking--we can get away with it and even entice others to ignore and disobey, not realizing what we have set ourselves up for with the consequences. "We should never be a stumbling block to others."When we're exposed our heads hang in shame and guilt, while our necks strain from the weight of our hanging heads. The foolish can never hold their heads high--unashamed of their deeds because there is no pride in being foolish.

Given this thought--about instructions and teaching--what's hanging around your neck? Is it pride in honoring God's Word or shame and guilt from ignoring it?

Lord, help us to develop and maintain reverential fear of You in obedience to Your Word so all might see wisdom enacted in our lives as we honor Your instruction and teachings.