Educational Idiocy!

There are many things that one can look at in our society and see just how idiotic things are and yet, most do nothing to change it. One specific area of idiocy is the way educational leaders leap without looking into the pits of "educational reform" that do more harm than good.

Specifically--in Michigan--and even more specifically--the demise of the Detroit Public School system--is the result of educational idiocy--the origins of which are yet being determined. The real problem however is in the fact that those in position of authority and supposed leadership have allowed this demise to occur simply because they did not think about the ramifications of the "so-called research" that ignited the changes in how we do education.

Some years ago--approximately twenty years or so--someone had the bright idea that students in Detroit, did not need to be taught grammar skills and as such--teaching grammar was forbidden and rather rigidly enforced. Since I learned grammar the way that works--constant repetition (skill and drill)--I could not understand why anyone in their right mind would ever think that the "whole language theory" would benefit children who were "not raised in environments using Standard English." For those students across the country who were living in environments where Standard English was the rule of the day and not the exception--whole language teaching might have worked. Unfortunately, since college professors all over the land and the business industry have great concerns about college students and employees not knowing how to write, it would appear that "whole language" learning was a bust. 

But now we have "data-driven" theories which subject students to testing to the degree of overkill and then teachers are being subjected to unfair evaluations when the test scores do not improve. How is a teacher supposed to clear the way for improvement in learning (anything) if they never have time to "teach" because they only have time to "test" what has not been taught? The whole process of testing, testing, and never teaching, is total idiocy! No one has ever learned anything by being constantly tested and never taught. Now, I believe Einstein said, "to keep doing things the same way, expecting a different outcome is insanity."

What I don't understand is why--those in positions to make decisions--educational leaders have failed to understand that they did not need to change what worked.  What worked? Repetition--this is how most human beings learn--constant repetition and the addition of new concepts introduced--when learning is evidenced of what had been introduced. To expect students to learn new concepts, when they did not understand what had already been taught, is ludicrous--total idiocy!

We have a number of people who are responsible for the demise of education in the Detroit Public School system: The State Superintendents who did not exercise judicious oversight of what was being represented as "educational reform" simply because of those who developed the research (not everyone with a degree is a credible source of information); and a systematic problem of not having a credible system in place to determine that those teaching--knew what they were teaching; the school board members who only wanted a position on the school board as a step forward in their political ambitions and who had no clue as to how to have oversight of what the superintendents were doing, they hired; the negligible parents who didn't care enough to know anything about who they electing and positioning politicians to govern the educational process; and refuse to stay actively involved in their child's education; the students who come because "socializing" is their priority, not learning--but if their parents had cared enough to teach them how to do school, before they ever started school, this would not be a problem; and last, but not least--the teachers--who did not and do not think that continuous education is important and so they mis-teach information they did not understand and now we have a colossal mess on our hands with people who did not learn what they should have and they keep perpetuating a vicious cycle of illiteracy and idiocy.

How do we climb out of this pit of idiocy? Someone has to have enough nerve to bring the problem to the forefront and confront the idiots in-charge to make changes in how we educate children that will make a difference. Since those in positions of authority have really screwed it up--they should all be fired! In the case of anyone who chooses to accept "new research" as the catalyst that will bring about miracles; they really need to look at who's behind the research and understand their purpose or intent. I believe there has been a conspiracy--to maintain a manual labor force with the students of Detroit--which is why--the idiocy has been allowed to blossom to the nuclear mess we now have.

If people are incapable of critical analysis of anything before forcing others to join the melee, they should be lined up and made to suffer penance for the damage they have inflicted upon others. Where do we start in Detroit? Perhaps with a white male, Mike Lamb who decided that Detroit students did not need to be taught grammar (I'm sure his own children were raised in an environment using Standard English). Where do we stop? Perhaps with Karen Ridgeway and those who hired her since she thinks testing is the only way to get children to learn. And then there are all of those who fit in the middle--some I know by name, some I do not. They know who they are and they should be ashamed of themselves for perpetuating such idiocy in the guise of a quality education. Now that the cover has been pulled off and the idiocy exposed, what are you (especially if you live in Michigan) going to do about it?

I have addressed this issue more extensively in my book, If Parents Cared Enough, Johnny and Juaneshia Could Read (available on amazon.com). My intent is not just to make money or to point fingers at those who caused the problems, but to ignite real change--that will benefit all children. Get involved and change the landscape of idiocy so all children will have a quality education!

Who We Don't Know, Can Hurt Us!

There are a number of people who subscribe to the notion that what we don't know can't hurt us, but as time passes, we discover that adage is not true at all.

When we did not know the harm that nicotine and tobacco could cause--we smoked, destroying our lungs and even causing respiratory problems to those around us from second-hand smoke.

When we did not know the totality of the damage that alcohol causes--liver damage--leading to hopefully finding a liver donor and subsequent deaths because we did not know how important our liver function was. And we certainly cannot forget the deaths and destruction of families who suffered the loss of loved ones at the hands of a drunk driver.

When we did not know or realize that using illegal drugs could cause more damage than a high was worth--we smoked and snorted and shot up--killing brain cells, setting ourselves up for life-time addictions that ruined family relationships--no trust or respect, and physically damaged bodies.

When we did not know the long term effects of living precariously and having sexual indiscriminate sexual encounters with multiple partners--AIDS, Herpes, and other STD's--which could seriously impact unborn children and certainly be transmitted to those we say we love.

When we did not know the truth about the people we chose to have in our lives--the sexual predators and abusers--the end result was dead children, abused and mutilated women, and often they were ended up dying--because we did not know those we brought into our lives.

When we did not know the consequences of having convenient technology--we became lazy, illiterate, and obese--having more health problems and dying early--because we would rather do things the easy way.

When we do not know God--all of the above is what happens to us--and we have no one to blame but ourselves. When we know God--and are willing to live according to His Word--most of us would never know about anything previously mentioned because our relationship with Him, would have put us in position to hear Him, when He steers us clear of the dangers in which we could have been a participant.

I was once foolish--living any way I wanted to live, but have opened myself to the wisdom of God and now can live with some certainty that I am finally on the right track. I chose to get to know Him and to develop a relationship with Him. I chose to walk this life according to His Word. I respect and value every part of my body and I will not allow anyone to disrespect it. I value my ability to think clear, coherent thoughts and I will not do anything to impair that ability. I choose to take the more difficult route with some things because I value my ability to do them and choose not to lose that ability by becoming dependent on conveniences.

If you don't know Him, get to know Him today and choose the path He has planned for you--a plan to prosper you and not harm you.
Don't take my word for what has been said.  Look around you and think about all those you know who did not know Him and even when you did not know Him. Knowing Him is so much better than not knowing Him!

O Give Thanks!

"O give thanks" (the exact phrase) appears in 10 verses of scriptures with explanation as to why we should give thanks.

"For the Lord is good and His mercy lasts forever" is why we should give thanks.

Where would we be without His mercy? His mercy that provides us with an avenue to not get what we deserve, but gives us another chance to get living right before Him.

His mercy--covers the guilt-stained messes some of us have made of our lives.
His mercy--gives us chance after chance to get it right.
His mercy--extended to us not because of who we are, but because of Who He is.
His mercy--new every morning, giving us fresh beginnings when we repent.
His mercy--gives us opportunity to rethink our direction the paths we take.
His mercy--allows us to hear Holy Spirit when He speaks--teaching, reminding, and guiding us.

O give thanks to The Lord for His mercy endures forever and ever, and ever! Hallelujah! I will praise You for Your greatness, Your mercy, Your love, Your grace all the days of my life. No matter what happens in this world, You are awesome and there is none like You, anywhere in the earth. If I had the tongues of angels, I could not praise You enough. If I could live forever, I could not praise You enough. Thank You, Lord for being who You are and for being in my life!

Give Him praise and thanks for family, friends, loved ones and even for those you don't know. Pray for those in the midst of chaos and wars, for those who are incapable of thinking right thoughts, for those who refute and refuse God's goodness, for those in your home, in your neighborhood, in your country, all over this world.

God grant you the hindsight and foresight to receive all that He has in store in for you this day. Have a wonderful day celebrating thanksgiving or whatever it is you do! Give Him Glory, because it all belongs to Him!

In This World!

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NIV)

Every time I read John, I get excited! I feel like Jesus is speaking expressly to me and I am listening. "I have told you these things..." What things?

All the problems we see within our society--the persecution for being a follower of Christ, the scorners, the spectators, and the haters of all things right, He's already told us about them. Why are we surprised? We shouldn't be. If we really pay attention to The Word, we'd know that there is truly nothing new under the sun. The alternative lifestyles that refute God's Word about righteous living--lies already foretold. The strange things--in weather and things that don't make sense--foretold. Those in positions of leadership in ministry--openly rebellious against The Word and trying to attempt to make others believe their lives--foretold.

Now He has forewarned us by telling us before things happen so we would know that His Word is true. We need not worry, but simply receive His peace about everything that is happening and know that He has overcome--all the enemy will attempt to use to destroy us.

Hallelujah! He has overcome the world (prince of this world) and so have we because He has given us the means to do so through Holy Spirit! We have no need to fear--Holy Spirit is here--to guide and lead and remind us of all we have been told and to give us insight into those things yet to come.

Don't let the turmoil and unrest in the world dissuade you or discourage you in your walk with God! Know that He has already provided us a way of escape from all the negative things the enemy has planned. Praise Him for His peace and rest in it!

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Grace Teaches!

"It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,"(Titus 2:12 NIV).

One of the most difficult things I try to get across to students is to never start a sentence with "it" unless they can explain what the antecedent is. The antecedent (the noun for which the pronoun is replacing) in this passage of scripture is found in the verse eleven--the Grace of God. The same grace that opens the door to salvation, the same grace that provides us with opportunity to do what is right at all times, the same grace--the favor we receive from God when we could not earn it--teaches us to say, "no" to ungodliness-when we have a teachable spirit!

I have often heard people (men and women) say, they would live right if the temptations were not in the picture. Some have tried to excuse their behavior by saying, "I'm a preacher, but I'm a man first" (D. Haddon from "Preachers of LA") as if this gives them permission to sin. I can only conclude that he forgot that Jesus--the man--was tempted just as he was and did not give into it or make excuses. I'm not judging; I'm simply emphasizing what has been made public. No one is perfect but The Lord, certainly not I, but I don't make excuses for giving into temptation when I fail to do all things well. I repent and thank God for His mercy, giving me another chance to get things right. That is what our attitude should be when we "fall from grace." We should repent and keep seek God's mercy, thanking Him for forgiveness, not bragging about what we do because of our "gender."

If grace teaches us to say no, when we fall from grace--are we listening or do we not have enough of the Word hidden in our hearts so we won't sin against God? Or do we simply make a mockery of grace when we boast about openly living a sinful life?

I am convinced that when we allow The Word to dwell in us richly, that when we "think" we want to do something that does not demonstrate godly behavior, we are convicted in our spirits "before" we "do anything." Now, in order for us to hear our spirits speaking, we must make sure that we have teachable spirits. Perhaps then, the reasons for falls from grace could be that many do not have teachable spirits.

Father, in the name of Jesus, speak to our hearts and soften them to hear You. Help us to set flesh aside and allow our spirits--so entangled with Holy Spirit--we hear and obey--Holy Spirit and not flesh.

2013 NaNoWriMo Winner

I am a winner in the 2013 NaNoWriMo Challenge http://nanowrimo.org/participants/educatormary52/novels  Thank You, Lord!

Rich Word Living Inside!

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord" (Colossians 3:16 NKJV).

Whenever people see or hear those of us who proclaim to have a relationship with God, they should see and hear someone who has rich word living inside of them--always thinking before speaking, allowing Holy Spirit to dictate what we say and do. They should hear and see us teaching and correcting one another through the songs we sing and in every message that God gives us to speak.

What do others see in us, really? I'm inclined to believe that not many who know God, know how to represent that relationship in such a way that it doesn't appear to be one of superiority. When we speak, is every word condemnation or invitation? When we do things is for the glory of self or God? Are we truly compassionate people or are we like those who cross the street to keep from getting involved?

How can we expect God's mercy to overflow in our lives when we cannot show mercy to others? Where would we be if--we had received from God what we deserved--rather that benefit from His mercy? I shudder to think where I'd be without His mercy. Therefore, with the mercies we receive every day, would it really be too difficult to show mercy to others? 

I am inclined to believe that when we are incapable of showing mercy to others, refuse to offer assistance when we are in a position to do so, and cannot love--everyone in spite of who they are or what they do; we do not have rich word living inside of us. Rich Word, the Word of God, the Word of Truth, the Word of Love, the Word of Forgiveness, the Word of Mercy, the Word of Faith, the Word of Grace, the Word of Correction--full of wisdom and more valuable than all the jewels that can be found on earth. This rich Word should be living on the inside, always at the ready when we speak or do anything.

Father, in the name of Jesus, help us to gain insight and understanding into Your Word, so we might partake of it daily, and allow it to dwell richly inside of us so we may know how to treat one another.

Worshipping In Spirit and In Truth!

"God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth” (John 4:24 NIV).

How is it that this conversation that Jesus had with the Samaritan woman is still needed today? Are we still worshipping gods made with the hands of man to the point we do not understand that the God we serve, is self-sufficient and is Spirit?

How do we worship God in Spirit and in truth?

When I think about the wind that we cannot see, but can see the effects of the wind, I know that God must be in the plans of man. Not that I can "visibly see" Him, but I can see the effects of what He does.  The majesty of the mountains is God's handiwork. The beauty and the magnificence of the oceans and seas are God's handiwork. The blueness of the sky, the brilliance of the sun, the twinkling of the stars, the mystery of the moon, all God's handiwork. When I look at the animals and how they worship God--their songs, their play, their ability to do exactly what they were intended to do, I see God's handiwork.

When I look at my life--the past to the present--I know that God has had a hand in what I do; and when I think about the future, I am convinced that His plans for my life will be fulfilled. So, when I worship Him in spirit, giving Him praise for all He has done, is doing, and will do, I worship Him from the deep recesses of my inner being and not just as a physical manifestation such as singing, shouting, clapping or even writing. If I had no voice, I could worship Him. If I had no hands, I could worship Him. If I had no keyboard, I could still worship Him. My spirit and His spirit are intertwined so that He knows, even if I don't say a word, that He is my God and I am His child.

Because I know His Word is Truth, I have no problem accepting it and living according to His Truth. Does this mean I am perfect? Far from it! What it means is that I know how He expects me to live and how to treat others, but there are times when I blow it, but I am quick to acknowledge my shortcomings and depend on Him to correct and guide me. Sometimes, I deliberately ignore what He is saying because it is not what I want to do, but He knows His child and He knows that eventually, I will do what He asks me to do.

We worship God in Spirit and in Truth by living according to His Word. Our lives should be a praise and worship unto Him.

Are we there, yet?

Lord, help us to become true worshippers of Who You are and not just offer You lip service or live a life that does not bring glory and honor to You. Help us to acknowledge that we need You in every aspect of our lives and we owe everything to You. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen!

Time to De-Stress!

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" (Philippians 4:6 NIV).

Most of the time when we become anxious (stressful, fearful) we make decisions that are truly not advantageous to us or others around us. Fear--the tendency to move/act without wisdom (thoughtful deliberation)--creates havoc in lives, in our society, and throughout the world.

If we only operated in love--being more concerned about the welfare of others--we would not have time to fear (perfect love casts out fear and doubt). But then again, we have to remember that fear--like love--is a learned behavior. When people experience things that make them anxious or fearful, the behavior or response to the experience becomes habit.

When people learn to hate--and it is a learned behavior--they pass that experience and their reaction on to others and it becomes a perpetual cycle until someone has the courage to break it. The same is true for those who become over-anxious about things. These are the people who make foolish decisions because they do not know how to think things through before a decision is made. People who commit suicide couldn't think beyond the moment. People who kill other people won't think beyond the moment. People who plot and conspire to kill and destroy have been influenced by Satan and are incapable of thinking right thoughts for themselves because they lack wisdom.

The response to all the fear, anxiety and hatred is to relax, de-stress and turn it all over to God. We cannot do anything about people on our own, but Paul reminds us that we can communicate our concerns to Him. And then--we have to be like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego--if God changes the circumstances or not--He's still God and we should learn to stand on our faith in Him. 

So, today--whatever your circumstances might be that have attempted to make you anxious--look them in the face and say, "I have presented my requests to God over you and I will not be anxious about the outcome because God has this covered." Now, relax--take a deep breath--count to ten and have a praise party all by yourself. He's worthy!

De-stressed and giving Him praise! Works every time! Hallelujah!

Facing Reality!

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6).

Sometimes, we miss the simple truth of this verse of scripture. Parents must train children to deal with the realities of life and not just allow them to think they will have everything they want; unless, of course, the parents have absolutely everything they want and obtained it through legal and moral means.

This a good article and unfortunately, not the first time it has been brought to the forefront. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/Mickey-goodman/are-we-raising-a-generati_b_1249706.html If parents are not allowing their children to take responsibility for their actions, when will they learn--When they are sitting behind bars serving time or lying in a morgue? Hard work, integrity, and having morals have never harmed anyone. Allowing children to think that these attributes are not important, has harmed many.

The bottom line for me is very simple. Parents have to learn to parent before they can raise responsible children. Giving a child everything they want (not need) is not good parenting. If they "earn" rewards, give it to them. If they don't, don't give in to their demands. Who is a child anyway that they can "demand" anything? Are they paying for the roof over their heads and all the bills that sustain them? Who gave birth to whom? I have never understood parents who allow children to "run their houses" and then cower in fear of them.

Some may think that I'm a horrible parent when I  say that no child lives in my house who cannot abide by my rules (I have put children out of my house). I make the rules, not them. If they can't handle it, they must leave and some have left. Children don't learn by osmosis; they must be taught--everything. They must be taught about personal hygiene, organizational skills, the importance of good grades, respect for others and their property, self-respect (and so much more) and knowing how to think--about the consequences for the actions--the good and the bad.

Many parents cannot teach their children to think because they never learned to think first before doing anything. When I look at a number of teenage mothers, inevitably we discover their mother was also a teenage mother and so was the great-grandmother. One would think (at least, I would think) that someone would have figured out that being a teenage mother, with no education or job skills, would discourage others from following in their footsteps; that would make sense to me. Encouraging stupidity has never made sense to me and it is stupid to keep having children when you know you cannot take care of them, but keep expecting a state welfare system to do it for you.

The pattern I see--people dropped the ball in training the children in what they should do to become productive, respectable citizens. If they were not trained, they nothing to hold onto when they become older.

Please stop and think before it's too late--train the children in behaviors that are responsible, legal and moral and pray their training sustains them throughout life.

Having a Goal!

"My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ," (Colossians 2:2 NIV)

How thoughtful of Paul! In sending this letter to the church at Colosse, he reminded them of his goal--to encourage and to unite in love so they would be in position to receive a clearer knowledge of God.

Like so many people who have a heart for God's people, Paul is reminding them that should not be fooled by those who would teach false doctrine or bind them to human rules and policies--forsaking the opportunity to allow Holy Spirit to rule in their lives.

That was then--who is trying to encourage hearts and unite people in love, reminding them of God's love for them and the many blessings He has for them, now? Think about what is heard in churches, on television, on the radio, and seen on the Internet! Is there an encouraging word to comfort hearts coming from those in "positions of authority" or is it all smoke and mirrors--the great pretenders, who are in charge?

Those to whom God has spoken will only speak those things that God has said and those things can be confirmed in His Word. Whenever someone--no matter who it is--attempts to change God's Word to promote their own agenda, know that their goal is to enslave others in opposition of The Word. Did you not know that Satan has a goal? Satan's goal is to steal your joy, kill your spirit and destroy all that God loves. Don' t be a willing participant by helping him to achieve his goals.

Instead, get into the Word, know what God has said pertaining you. Develop a right relationship with God so He can instruct, correct, and guide you into all truths! God has a goal and it is found throughout the Word, but clearly expressed in Jeremiah 29:11."For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord. "Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."

Do you have a goal? "If you fail to plan a course of success, you plan to fail and will not achieve anything worthwhile."

Know He's Always There!

"Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand Against the wrath of my enemies, And Your right hand will save me " (Psalm 138:7 NKJV).

When we get into situations that are beyond our control, we have no need to panic, as some of us do. If we would simply remember that God knows--before anything ever happens--what our reaction will be and He has prepared a way of escape. We have to know that He is always right there, in the midst of every one of our situations and He will bring us out.

How do we get to a place in our knowledge of God and in our faith and trust in Him to allow Him to be God and we just obey? Know His Word and trust the relationship with Him.

No one has ever said that life would be easy. And if they did, they lied. Life is full of twists and turns, light places and dark places, smooth places and bumpy places, all of which God has designed to perfect in us--trust and faith in Him.

So, don't upset with the way things unfold in our lives (I know--real biggy here); just remember that God's got it and He's allowing it to happen to make us a better person when we begin to function with the mind of Christ, instead of reacting the way the enemy would have us to act.

There's no need to fear--God is always there--in the thick of things right beside us. Know His Word--rely upon His Word--Trust in your relationship with Him, and have more faith in Him than in yourself! He's always there.

Seeing Joy

"He shall pray to God, and He will delight in him,  He shall see His face with joy, For He restores to man His righteousness" (Job 33:26 NKJV).

From the oldest book in the bible, we see the testimony of one, who God allowed to be tested. Think about this, God allowed Satan to throw Job in the turbulence of loss--things, children, and almost lost his faith in God by listening to others. And in this verse--a pronouncement is made by Elihu to others about what to do in turbulent times--pray, God will delight him, and man shall see His face with joy!

When we think things are getting too much for us handle; don't lose sight of those things that God has already done for others; He will do them for us since He is not a respecter of persons. When we pray, with sincerity and not doubt, God delights in us and answers our prayers. Sometimes, the answer is not what we expected, but it is what we need.

Righteousness has been restored to mankind through the blood of Jesus, but not many understand this and think they are righteous of themselves. We have no righteousness for there is none righteous, other than God. But when He takes pleasure in us, He puts us into right standing with Him, restoring broken fellowship with Him and giving us access to boldly come before Him with our prayer petitions.

Don't get discouraged when life is not always what you want it to be! Get ignited and stirred up enough to seek God and what He wants your life to be. God has a plan for our lives, and when we seek Him, He delights in our faith in Him, responds to our prayers, shows us the life He desires for us and when we are obedient to Him, we receive all we have asked for according to His Word.

Hallelujah! We shall see His face with joy when we behold Him on that great day! I'm looking forward to that great day, with great anticipation of hearing "well done" and seeing the joy in His face because of His delight in me.

Are you looking forward to that day?

Never Tired or Asleep!

"Behold, He who keeps Israel, Shall neither slumber nor sleep" (Psalm 121:4 NKJV).

How comforting these words are! I can only imagine how the Israelites must have felt during those times--knowing that God would never all asleep on them--always alert.

This morning, after having a restless night of sleep; awake at 1:27 a.m., 3:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m., I did not hear my phone alarm at 5:30 a.m. Subsequently, we woke up late, running to make sure my grandson was on time for school. I hate waking up late. It tends to do something to my day that is usually not very productive. But I'm really thankful for my husband and God. My husband because he woke up at 6:35 a.m. and alerted me that I was sleeping late and to God for allowing me to get up at all!

Have we gotten tired of doing what God has told us to do? Have we fallen asleep at the wheel of obedience? I was tired until I read this verse of scripture. Just knowing that God is never tired or asleep, gives me the energy I need to go about my day and make sure that it is productive in every way.

What I realize from this morning is that none of us are exempt from getting a little tired now and then, or having a restless night. The enemy wants us tired, too tired to put on our war clothes and battle on. Well, I've got my war clothes on this morning, even though this blog is late being posted, I'm ready--my mind is made up, my heart and spirit are aligned with the Word of God, and I've been infused with renewed power by Holy Spirit and I'm ready for the fight! Are you?

Don't get tired and weary and sleep through all that God has planned for you. It's never too late to get started--trust Him--who never gets tired or sleeps--He's watching over us at all times.

Speak Boldly!

"Therefore, since we have such hope, we use great boldness of speech—" (2 Corinthians 3:12 NKJV).

In the beginning of this passage of scripture Paul is making a case for how people felt when they looked upon Moses saw the glory on his face. Now, the glory that Moses had, ceased to exist with his death, but the glory of the Spirit, that lives within us, never passes away, never ceases to exist whether we remain or not. The Spirit of the Lord is in the earth realm, abiding in whoever will receive Him and as such, we have no need to be shy or doubtful when we speak The Word of God!

Speak The Word boldly wherever you go, whenever a need arises, never doubting or being fearful of what others may think. Speak what God has already said, knowing all glory belongs to Him and not us. Speak with clarity, demonstrating both a relationship with God and understanding of what He has said. Speak as the Holy Spirit urges to speak, whether it is convenient or not; whether people want to hear it or not, speak The Word of God boldly!

When the enemy rises up with false doctrine, speak the truth boldly, countering every word the enemy speaks with God's truth. Speak the Word boldly--in the face of ignorance and wilful disobedience. Speak the Word boldly--to preachers who have backed down from preaching God's Word and into preaching their own doctrine. Speak the Word boldly to the lost so they might be saved. Speak the Word boldly to those who are trying to understand, but are yet flailing in a sea of doubt. Speak the Word as boldly as the enemy attempts to dilute, pollute, and convolute God's intent of the Word.

After praying and asking for God to give you boldness, get up and get out and Speak The Word, boldly so that none will doubt your sincerity as a follower of Christ. Don't back down, don't turn around, look forward and speak boldly--God's Truth--knowing that we will be judged for all that we either do or don't do.

Soul Lifting!

"Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God" (Psalm 42:11 NKJV).

What happens to us when our souls are cast down? You know, that inner man/woman, that will be judged for all eternity. Why should we be concerned about the troubles of the world and allow those troubles to change our attitudes and the looks on our faces? The answer quite simply is, we should never allow the world's troubles to cause us to look like we have lost hope in God.

When things get so chaotic that you allow the frustrations to get you down, remind your soul--Soul, Soul, our hope is in God and there is nothing that He cannot fix.

When children/grandchildren get out of hand, remind your soul--Soul, Soul our hope is in God and in His strength I will be the Godly parent or grandparent I need to be.

When a doctor brings you a negative report and your countenance falls, remind your soul--Soul, Soul- our hope and trust is in God and our entire body is healed by His stripes and nothing shall by any means, harm us.

No matter what happens, remind your soul that while all the stuff going on around you is out of your control, it is within God's control and you can praise Him, smile, and laugh at the devil who wanted you to cry and pout! Laugh out Loud! Praise God! Hallelujah, Glory to God! God is able! No weapon formed against me shall prosper! I can do all things through Him who loves me! There is nothing to hard for God, absolutely nothing! I am a child of the most High King and I am all that He has said I am! I am never defeated because of His love! I am always victorious in all things! God is my shield and my banner, in Him will I trust!

Sing a lively praise song, loud and long, whenever things in life attempt to get you down! Don't know any! Turn up the radio to contemporary Gospel and sing-a-along! Can't sing? Dance to the music! 

Lift up your heads, O you servants of the Lord, and sing His praises loud enough for the sound to reach the heavens and see God smiling at you!

Feel like dancing yet? I do! Hallelujah for our risen Savior!

And remember this, "When nothing else would help, Love lifted me!"

God loves us and only wants the best for us--receive and act like you have everything you need!

He's My Hero!

A true hero saves us from ourselves and others

A true hero delivers us from the hands of enemies

A true hero does not discriminate, showing compassion to all

A true hero leaves behind a legacy for all

To establish and validate the virtues of what it takes

To be a hero—for all mankind.

H e came, He saw, He Healed, He Delivered and Saved

E stablishing His Kingdom forever when He

R ose from the dead, victorious--Hallelujah Jesus!

O vercoming the enemy, once and for all!

Who's your hero!

NaNoWriMo 2013 Completed Goal!

For the past 14 days, I have been writing furiously, trying to make sure I meet the deadline. The book that I'm writing has practically been writing itself--Holy Spirit Roll-Out! Today, at approximately 2:20 p.m. I validated 50,322 words! Hallelujah! God is good all the time and all the time, He is good! Bless the name of The Lord! The title of the book, synopsis and excerpt are available right now on http://nanowrimo.org/participants/educatormary52/novels  The final copy should be available before the end of December. Pray for me as I attempt to finish it, revise and edit it and publish on smashwords.com.

A Gift For All!

"The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles" (Acts 10:45).

After Peter preached to the crowd who had gathered about who Jesus is and what He came to do, the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out on all who received the message. But in this verse, we see that those who were "circumcised" (Jews by birth and faith, who were converted and became the first Christians) were astonished for they felt the "gift" was for them only.

There is a great deal that could said about the infilling/indwelling of the Holy Spirit, but it would take more room and time than I have. However, this point must be made. There are no superior groups of people in Christ Jesus. His gift is available for all who believe and receive. And those who operate with the guidance of Holy Spirit are not superior; they are gifted which is very different. All can be gifted if they would just believe and receive.

The point is that none of us should think we are more special in God's sight than any other. If we belong to Him, we are all members of the same family, no matter what denominational banner we carry. If all Christians, Buddhists, Muslims, and anyone else believing in our Creator God, would ever get to this one truth, the world would be a better place in which to live.

Instead of thinking any of us are superior over another group, we should work on developing our relationship with God, understanding what it is He wants us to do that will bring honor and glory to Him, and then receive the gift of Holy Spirit, allowing Him to guide us in all truth.

Are you ready to receive the gift? Humbling yourself and acknowledging the need for guidance other than your own, is the first step. Believe in He who was sent to redeem us and receive the gift of promise--Holy Spirit--who will lead us and guide us in all things and empower us to do all things well, to the glory of God.

What Did Jesus Say?

"...She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more" (John 8:11)

Jesus, in this verse, is speaking to the woman brought to Him by the Scribes and Pharisees (the religious leaders) who "claimed" the woman was caught in the "very act" of adultery. Under "the law" given by Moses, both the man and woman guilty of adultery should have stoned to death. But they (the religious ones) only brought the woman. If she had been caught in the act, and if they had a right relationship with God, they would have brought the man as well.

Jesus understood what they were doing, which is why he ignored them for a spell as He wrote on the ground. I believe (some could argue) that He was writing the list of sins for which man had been guilty which is why He told them, that whoever had no sin, let him cast the first stone. When they saw what he had written, they all went home. But notice, He told the woman, "go and sin no more"; He did not say, don't commit adultery again. What He said, included all sin--if we remember who He is, The Son of God, He who was with God from the very beginning--we would have to know that Jesus knew exactly what He meant. Anything The Father had already said was sin, He included in this statement to the woman. All "sin" references were included in His comment to her.

So, when the false prophets, preachers, and other religious folk (without relationship with God) say that, "Jesus said nothing about homosexuality," they have either been deceived or they are influenced by their true father, Satan and they lie.

"For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect" (Matthew 24:15 NIV) Though this scripture pertains to those falsely predicting Christ's return, it is appropriate to use in this instance, since all scripture is apt for teaching God's truths.

The label, "homosexual" or "homosexuality" does not appear in most translations; however the graphic description of the act does appear and only a fool could be misled into believing that the Bible does not address the issue. It is addressed in both Old and New Testament and a person would have to be paid to misunderstand it.

But then there are other words or "labels" that don't appear in the Bible, but acts are described. Does that mean that those acts are not sin either? It is amazing to me, the lengths that people will go to, trying to justify their acts or beliefs when they know, they are lying to themselves and then influence others to believe them.

God will judge them as He will judge us all. But the ones who deliberately influence people into believing a lie; especially turning the truth of God's Word into a lie; that person will be judged even more harshly. Don't take my word for it. Read the Bible with understanding and then develop a right relationship with God and ask Him for yourself, but believe what He says. It will line up with His Word. Jesus said, "He can only say what The Father has said."

And before anyone gets their underwear bunched into knots, I'm not gay-bashing nor am I homophobic. I simply believe God's Word to be His truth. If you have a problem with that, then it's your problem. I am simply tired of hearing people lie on Jesus to justify their unwillingness to abide by God's Word. Every one of us chooses our final destination--we choose--based upon our conduct and obedience or disobedience. I know where I'm bound and no devil in hell will change or deter me from God's Truth.

If this message was too much for you today, I suggest you take two aspirin, read God's Word and pray that I learn to be more tactful in the future.

Father, help us to stand firm in the knowledge of Your Word, knowing Your intent so we will not believe a lie or perpetuate one. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen!

Follow The Leader!

"Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith" (Hebrews 13:7).

In today's society it is often difficult to find a truly "Godly leader" in any venue. When we see no hint of godly righteousness displayed by political leaders, business leaders, church leaders, or parents, why are we surprised or stunned by what we see on the news?

Now we know that all leaders should be example for others to follow. All leaders should be mindful of the influence and impact they have on others. And everyone is supposed to be praying for anyone in a position of authority. Is everyone on track? Are leaders leading by the precepts of God? Are parents teaching by the precepts of God? Are church leaders leading by The Word of God? Are we praying for those in positions of leadership?

If we truly want to see change in the world, we must pray for the leaders to be led by God. We must pray that the leaders are receptive to hearing the Word of God. We must pray for those who look to their leadership in churches, to follow those who follow Christ.

If the leadership is not following God, we are not obligated to honor them in any way. How will we know if they are following God? Their actions will align with The Word of God. Of course, if we don't know the Word of God for ourselves, we won't be able to determine whether the leaders are doing what they are supposed to be doing.

Here's the solution to the world's problems: everyone needs to know and live the Word of God, everyone needs to pray for the leaders to receive and live the Word of God, and everyone should only support and honor those who demonstrate they are living the Word of God. Simple solutions, but many won't even try. As for me and my house, we will follow those who follow Christ--to the letter--of The Word of God and another, we will not serve.

Father, in the name of Jesus, help us to embed The Word in our hearts so we will recognize others living by it. Help us to know when to follow and when to not follow any person in a position of leadership who is not following You. Help us all to be better in whatever position we have so that You are glorified and not us. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen!

Lip Service!

"The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught" (Isaiah 29:13 NIV).

How insightful is the Word of God that what was spoken hundreds of years ago, is still relevant today! Isaiah was speaking to the children of Israel in an attempt to get them to understand obeying God and hearing what God has to say was more important than what the men of tradition had been teaching them.

Are we "these people" who will hear, cannot understand, and only worship with our mouths?

We must be careful that we are not guilty of making the Word of God of no effect because we love our traditions more than we love living The Word.

It's check-up time--for all to examine self. Are we fair-weather Christians--those who only talk about being a Christian, but have no idea how we're supposed to be living, but we go to church on Sundays? Are we convenient Christians--we do only what Christians are supposed to do when others are paying attention. Are we bench-warmer Christians--those who go to church to keep a seat warm, but do nothing else?  Are we "look-at-me" Christians--those who do everything they can in church to draw attention to themselves? Are we still like the Israelites--saying all the right things--singing, shouting, and praying empty prayers, and yet have no room for God in our hearts since we do not know His Word? David said, "Your Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against You!" Do we have God's Word hidden in our innermost parts so we won't sin against Him?

If our hearts are right with God, our lips need not say much because our actions will speak for us!

Lord, search us and see if we are everything You need us to be. If we are not, give us a clean heart, a heart with room enough to receive all You have for us and to live a life that pleases You. In Jesus' Name, I pray, Amen!

Who Called You?

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28 NIV).

"Johnny, take out the garbage!"

"Carlos, go find your brother!"

Remember when you heard someone calling you; especially your mother? You could tell by her tone what mood she was in. And God help us if we were called by our 'full names'. We knew we were in trouble. But mothers are not the only ones who call us to do something.

God calls us to do specific things in life and when we do what He wants us to do, He honors our efforts and good things happen. What has He called us to do? That depends. Every believer is called to promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but some have been gifted to operate in specific offices of ministry. "He gave gifts for some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and some teachers (of The Word)" (Ephesians 4:11). Here's something to think about God's gifts--they are without repentance. In other words, whether we live right or not, the gifts He has given, will not be taken from us; they simply won't be as effective as they could be.

When God "has called us" into a ministry office, it does not matter what others think since we should only be concerned about pleasing God. If God is pleased, nothing and no one else matters.
The real problem with ministry in the church is when "other people call someone" into an office. Some fathers call their sons into ministry; some mothers call their sons into ministry; some pastors call their children into ministry; some showing favoritism call people into ministry that God has never even considered. When this happens, the gifts are counterfeit and the anointing is manipulated to make it appear as though God had a hand in it. How do we know?

Listen to those with "counterfeit gifts" and see if what they say aligns with The Word. Can we find anywhere in The Word of God, preachers condemning people for how they dress or other such nonsense? Can we find the preachers of the bible, lining people up to give an offering based on the amount for which "they" are asking and then belittling those who have nothing to give? Can we find preachers in the Bible who promote dancing and shouting over hearing The Word, so by the time they stop dancing and shouting, they are too  tired to hear The Word? Can we find preachers in the Bible who promote worldliness over godliness? Can we find preachers in the Bible who always "have a word of wisdom" for the people they know, but never have anything to say about those they don't know? This list could go on and on, but there is not enough space or time to continue. Do you get the point?

God knows those He has called--He knows what gifts they have been anointed with to help move the body of Christ forward; not backwards. Those who God has called may not pastor a mega-church, but they have mega-influence over all who know them. Those who God has called, always give God credit for everything they accomplish in life. Those who God has called, understand the importance of only saying or teaching what God has already said. Those who God has called, "Study the Word so they can rightly divide (explain) it to others". This is how we recognize the difference between those who God has called, from those who others have called.

Who called you? Or better yet, who called the person to whom you're listening and following?

Father, grant us all the gift of discernment this day so we will not make a mockery of the gifts You have given us, to promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I Belong!

"If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Galatians 3:29 NIV).

A number of years ago, American Express used the marketing phrase, "Membership has privileges" (at least I think it was them), at any rate, the phrase is very true for those who "belong to Jesus". If we belong to Christ, we receive the benefits and promises given to Abraham because we are the "spiritual seed of Abraham" in this life.

What are the benefits? While in the earth realm--power to get wealth, long life when we honor authority, healed of sickness and disease, power to be peacemakers and helpers to many who will receive, through Holy Spirit--power to forgive, love, and have insight to those things to come. For all eternity, we have access to heaven and we will rule with Jesus.

While some may doubt the authenticity of Paul's letters (and his life), when we have received Holy Spirit to guide us, He guides us into all truth. So the truth here is that Paul was writing under the direction of Holy Spirit, just as many of us do today. Whether Paul was truly a changed man or not, should not be an issue for any who were once sinners and have been given a second chance--through mercy and grace. Without that mercy and grace, where would we be?

Accepting the fact that Paul's letters were written by direction of Holy Spirit and receiving what he had to say as truth, anyone--regardless of race, gender, creed, faith, who makes a decision to belong to Christ, gets the same benefits. It does not matter when a person comes to Christ--whether a long time ago or recently, the benefits remain the same. The difference is how long a person may enjoy the benefits, not that they are not the same.

If you have not known the privilege of membership with Christ Jesus, today is a good day to make that decision. Grace and mercy abound towards all who will freely come and receive of His goodness. If you do know the value of belonging to Jesus Christ, I am honored to call you brother or sister. We are all in this life together and membership with Christ, makes it all worthwhile. Love to love you!

Spirit Truths!

"The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15 NIV).

Which spirit is governing your life today?

We often get confused with the discussion of The Spirit (depends on who is referencing this), Holy Spirit, and spirits to the point where we have an entire subculture of people engaged in the study of the paranormal and ghosts. From a biblical perspective--we all have a spirit, a soul, and a physical body which houses our spirit. The bible--God's Word--tells that our spirit and flesh often battle against knowledge and instruction by Holy Spirit. When we die a physical death--our spirit goes back to God from which it came. The soul of a person which must be saved--our thoughts and actions comprise our soul--will be judged for eternity's selection. The physical body--goes back to the dust from which it came. That's for our bodies.

In the earth realm, there are spirits--demonic spirits--directed by Lucifer himself--who engage the minds of people and influence their behavior and that behavior is contrary to everything God has said. How do we know? The evil that exists in the land did not "suddenly appear" as some would believe. It was planned by the one who knows evil intimately and hates God and everything that God loves. And anyone who doubts God, disbelieves in God, or is in opposition to God, is subject to be influenced by the enemy. However, they are not necessarily the targets; Lucifer (Satan) already has them enlisted in his army. The targets are those who profess a belief in God, try to live godly lives as God would have us to do, but are just vulnerable enough to believe a lie if it is couched in enough truth, to make it appear true. 

Look at the conversations Satan had with Jesus--and he knew who He was. "If you are..." And Satan will make promises that he cannot fulfill, but he will also set us up to fail and then laugh at us and our stupidity.

Spirits do influence us--whether we realize it or not--but to make sure we are not being influence by demons; make sure what your thinking aligns with God's Word in totality, not just a superficial understanding that leaves out the core of truth.

When we have received Holy Spirit--we no longer have to be afraid, and we are not subject to being enslaved by the demonic spirits that seek our destruction and eventual death. It is Holy Spirit's role to guide us into all truth, to bring back to our remembrance of all we have been taught (pertaining to righteousness), and to show us things to come.  He authors (by permission of the One who sent Him) our visions and creativity and encourages us to run this race with patience--keeping our eyes on the prize--living with Jesus at our end.

For God has said, "I have not given you the spirit of fear, but of love, power and a sound mind." So, when people are afraid--what spirit is at work? When people cannot love--what spirit is at work? When people lack the inner strength to keep moving forward because of who He is, not us--what spirit is at work? When people are incapable of thinking rational thoughts--what spirit is at work?

A person doesn't need to be an Albert Einstein or rocket scientist to draw accurate conclusions with this. We simply need "to know" The Word so we can never be deceived by the demons who plot our destruction. If what is happening around does not align with God's Word, know who is at work, influencing the behavior you see.

Give us understanding today, O God, that we are never again deceived by the spirits at work in our land. Open our hearts to receive Holy Spirit and all that He will do to keep us focused on You and Your Word.

We Can Ask Anything?

"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us" (I John 5:14 NIV).

I just came to a conclusion about expounding upon scriptures, verse by verse. If I wrote about any "one" scripture a day, I would probably not live long enough to address all of them. Therefore, I try to explicate those that encourage confidence in our belief and promotion of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, remind of instructions given and rewards for obedience, and warn of the consequences of disobedience.

Verse twelve and thirteen of this same passage provide us with a foundation for our beliefs. John says that "whoever has the Son of God has life (hope for eternal life) and whoever does not have Him, does not" and then he explains why he's writing to the churches.

If we believe that we have Jesus in our lives, and we have given Him authority over our lives, we have access to heaven and our mansions. If we don't believe, we won't have. But with the belief comes the confidence that we can go to God, on our own, and ask Him anything, and we know He hears us. If He hears us, will He not respond to us?

There are many who do not believe in God, and certainly don't have conversations with Him, but for those of us, who do--we know-we can talk to Him any time, expect Him to hear us and respond to our requests. When we ask of Him anything that aligns with His Word (His Word is His will), we can expect to receive it. John knew there were those who scorned believers and tried to make them feel foolish because of their beliefs and he wrote to them to remind them--they knew Truth and they could count on Truth to do all He said He would do.

So, go ahead, ask God--anything--in Jesus' name--and see for yourself that He will respond. For believers, you know what I mean.

For scorners who don't believe--don't believe! Asking God for anything foolish or evil will not happen, but then if you don't believe, why ask Him anything?

Father, in the name of Jesus, I ask You to strengthen the faith of believers everywhere so they will develop confidence in You and know that whatever we ask of You in Your Son's name, will be given. Amen!

He Knows!

"Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely" (Psalm 139:4 NIV).

When we say, we have a relationship with God, we have no excuse to do those things or say them that are contrary to His Word.

Psalm 94:11 tells us that He knows our thoughts, and in this verse, He knows what we will say before we say it. Whatever is in our hearts, usually comes up and makes itself known when we speak.

If evil is in our heart, this is what others will see. If righteousness is in our hearts, this is what others will see.

Changing how we think and what we think, will change what others think of us and we will be more effective in promoting the Gospel.

If we have a filthy mouth, it is because our thoughts are filthy.

If we only think of lust, we will only speak of lustful things and ideas.

If we think about unconditional love and what that means, we will speak and promote love.

Whatever we think about the most, is what we'll become and do. We cannot fool God at any time, and we can only fool man for a moment. Our thoughts become our deeds and deeds our ways and before we say anything, God already knows what is in our hearts and what will come out of our mouths.

God knows, we cannot hide from Him. The psalmist goes on to ask a question in verse seven: "Where can we go that God will not be there?" There is no running away, but we can run into His arms and know we are safe from the enemy. However, it is our choice and before we can even say anything to justify our choices, God knows.

My Mansion!

"In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you" (John 14:2).

There is so much that I could say about the entire Gospel of John, but there would not be room enough for me to write it. The most personal account of Jesus we have, from one who was closer to Him than any other; reveals His persona, character, and promises that we can hold onto for all eternity.

But let me move on to what I wanted to say about this verse. This has always inspired to live right before man and God because I do not want to lose my mansion--it already has my name on it! Now, some would debate whether this was meant to be taken literally or figuratively, but it really doesn't matter. What matters is that I know, a place in heaven has been reserved for me and I have determined not to allow anyone to cheat me out of it!

And because I have a very vivid imagination, I see the front door with my platinum nameplate on it--inscribed in calligraphy, the staircase leading to my upper room, and everything glows softly against a pale background of gold and silver. I would tell you the rest, but I pray you can envision your own mansion.

The bottom line for me in this passage of scripture, is that it is a promise that I know has been kept. Because I love people indiscriminately, I pray all I know and those I don't, have come into knowledge as to who He is, what He has done for us, have accepted Jesus into their hearts, are determined to live for Him, and will know that their place in heaven has been reserved, just for them. 

By the way, my mansion is not a particularly large one, but it's sized just right for me. Big mansions need a lot of maintenance and trust me, my Father knows my limitations with housework.

Have a wonderfully blessed day in the Lord!

Standing In The Gap!

There are so many people who have yet to experience the goodness of God and all that He wants us to have because of either lack of knowledge or doubt about His Word.

"If" you would today, receive the Good News and accept that Jesus is the Son of God, walked with us in the earth realm, obeyed His Father unto death for our sins, died, rose, and is now sitting at the right hand of the Father, interceding on our behalf, then today, I stand in the gap, praying for all of God's blessings to be poured onto you in abundance so your experience with Him, will not be in vain.

Father,

Your Word declares through Your Son, that if we would believe without doubting, whatever we asked for in Your Son's name, would be given. There is no doubt in my heart or mind and I know how faithful You are in keeping Your Word. Therefore, I boldly come to You, on behalf of any and all who have needs that have not been met before this day, asking You to bless them mightily so they will know that it is You who has provided every need.

For those who need a financial blessing that will help them move forward with wisdom, bless them. For those who need healing in their bodies, remove all traces of sickness and disease and make them whole. For those who feel unloved and abandoned, remind them they are loved and that You will never leave them alone. For those who are experiencing depression, speak to their hearts and minds and guide them into Your rest and peace. For those who are fearful, remind them that perfect love casts out all fear and that they are more than conquerors, victorious in all things. For those who do not believe, provide them with an experience that will bring them into knowledge of You and dispel their unbelief.

All of this I ask of You, in Jesus' name and I thank You for hearing and responding to this prayer. It is done, to Your glory, Amen!

For Long Life, Peace, and Prosperity!

"My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in your heart,for they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity" (Proverbs 3:1,2 NIV).

"Do not forget my teaching"--what teaching was Solomon referencing? His teaching about all He knew about God and living a life that pleases God. I have often had my children's friends come back to me when they become adults and remind me of the things I taught them. One young lady in particular, almost had an accident during a snowstorm, but she remembered what I had said about driving on slippery roads and avoided an accident. Many of them still remember bible study at my house and the things they learned when they were kids.

"Keep my commands in your heart"--why? If we hold fast to our instructions in righteousness, we will not disobey or disappoint. Whatever is in the heart of man (or woman) will surely come to light. Perhaps, this is why scripture tells us that God is not concerned with the external trappings of man, but looks at our hearts.

"For they will prolong your life many years and bring you peace and prosperity"--what will? Keeping the commands/instructions given (obedience) we were given. Imagine that!
Let's look at how that might work in our society.

"Look both ways before crossing the street" --won't get run-down by a car.

"Don't spend every dime you get, save money (learn to invest)"--if we save, we'll have money when we need it.

"Treat people the way you want to be treated" --unless there is something seriously wrong with a person, most want to be treated with courtesy and kindness. If we do this, we effect peace where we are.

"Learn to respect self, others and the property of others"--when we respect others, there is no need for strife and we will not kill, steal, or destroy.

"Eat your vegetables"--proven to have not just nutritional value, but can thwart the growth of cancer cells.

"Stay away from drugs and alcohol"--drugs change the chemical production in our brains and cause us to be delusional and eventually erodes any sense of rational thinking and so can alcohol, when misused. When we destroy brain cells, we destroy our ability to function at maximum potential.

There are so many other things I could say, but this is not the appropriate forum. Perhaps, I'll expound more in a book, specifically dedicated to a reflection about Proverbs 3.

So, if we want long life, peace and prosperity, we need to be obedient--not just to parents, but to God and those in position of authority (teachers, laws of the land, etc.). (Please read the rest of this passage to the end--very powerful and pertains to our lives today.)

Now, just to look at things in a balanced perspective--if we don't do all the things that Solomon was advising us to do, we won't have long life, peace or prosperity. Could it be that this is the reason the world is in the shape it is in today? Hmmm. Something to think about!

What a novel concept! Disobedience leading to shortened lives, unrest, and poverty! This should not be a surprise to anyone if we understood that the act of disobedience is what caused man's fall from God's favor in the beginning with Adam and Eve. Nothing new under the sun--just recycled stupidity and foolishness when people refuse to listen and obey. We cannot keep doing things the same way, expecting to get different results (Einstein's definition of insanity), it just won't happen. We need to wake up, acknowledge where we are, and make some changes in what we do and how we do them. The first step is in seeking God and His wisdom to guide us in all things.

Lord, help us today to see the truth of Your Word and how it applies to every area of our lives.  Pour into us Your wisdom so we can get living right according to Your Word and then be in position to receive all that You have promised.

The Enemy Is After The Man - Bishop T.D. Jakes at Word Explosion '04 full

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Simpleton or Fool?

“How long will you who are simple love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?" (Proverbs 1:22 NIV)

Though many may think the Proverbs have no relevance for us today in contemporary society, they are rich in wisdom and only a fool would ignore the implications. The same snares and pitfalls that doomed men and women during Solomon's time are still snaring and dooming people today.

From the beginning, God uses Solomon to guide us-with nuggets of wisdom that are relevant for any era. Why Solomon? When Solomon became King of Israel, God granted him anything he asked for and Solomon asked for "wisdom" to govern the people. God was so pleased with Solomon's request that He granted him wisdom and gave him riches because he demonstrated that material wealth was not his primary concern.

There are some who say that many of the Proverbs are Chinese in origin and the writers of the bible are in error. Here's a thought. If wisdom is wisdom--no matter the source--should we refute or negate it's importance? I think not. Wisdom is the key to creativity and it is not restricted by any types of limits--we simply have to "receive" it. Everything that mankind has made is the result of the wisdom endowed by God that stirs up the creativity that resides within all of us. Some of use the gift more than others, but that is a choice we all make.

So who are the simple? Those who have closed minds and are foolish (according to Strong's translation from the Hebrew). They have no desire to seek wisdom because they are happy with what little they have. (Hence the origin of the expression--"Ignorance is bliss.")

The fools (and this has been repeated through the Proverbs) scorn wisdom and knowledge and make fun of people who demonstrate having knowledge and exercising wisdom in all things. When people do not understand certain things, their immediate reaction is to refute or negate its relevance or importance. If they cannot handle the fact that others have more knowledge than they or exercise wisdom before making decisions when they don't, they tend to get upset with the other person--simply because they do not understand.

I believe (you don't have to believe the same) that one of the reasons James tells us that if we lack wisdom, we should ask God for wisdom and He gives liberally (in abundance), without condemnation or chastisement. I'm sure James remembered what happened with Solomon and understood the importance of our exercising our faith--tempered with wisdom.

If a person chooses to be a simpleton or a fool--that is their prerogative--let them remain in that state. However, if that position is a choice, please stop putting down others for making the choice to be wise--gathering knowledge and learning how to use it to the glory of God.

We choose what we do with what God has given us. He has given us all the same opportunity to do great things if we would simply obey His Word and become "doers of The Word and not just hearers of The Word."

Lord, help us today to always seek You first in all that we do so that You get the glory and we have a testimony about how good You are.