True Witnesses Have Relationship With God!

“You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me." (Isaiah 43:10 NIV)

There is no one group--who have professed to be the only witnesses--whom God loves more than any other who believe Him because of those things that others have revealed through His Word and His love. When God spoke through the prophets in "that day" they knew exactly what He meant. God showed up and showed out--confusing every group of people who worshipped gods they made with their own hands. What He wanted them to understand is that He, the God of creation, was before any of the gods people erected from the materials that God created.

I've addressed this before, but I fail to understand how anyone could give "power" to inanimate objects created by hands of men and think that object is more powerful than the One who created the materials by which it was created.

Our God--in all of His awesomeness-has no beginning or end. Before time was--He was and after time ends, He will be and for now--He isl Unfortunately for some--they have not figured it out yet.
There are those who think that mere men--who have changed the intent of God's Word to suit their own beliefs--have the only connection with God. This is why when they observe Communion (a sacrament observed by many churches), they only serve the elders with others looking on them. How ridiculous is that? Did they not read and understand that Communion is an event in which all partake? And with all of the flawed logic and theology presented by them which constantly changes, they proclaim they are His true witnesses.

So, who is a true witness? Anyone who in relationship with God, understanding the intent of His Word and does not attempt to use The Word to manipulate people, is a true witness of God. We who know and understand that God is not a respecter of people--we are all the same--we know how He does things and we also know and understand His thoughts are far above our thoughts. We understood the need for Him to come down to earth in the likeness of flesh to reconcile mankind back to Himself and was called Jesus, who upon returning to Heaven, provided us with power through His Spirit--Holy Spirit who dwells upon the inside of all true Believers and Witnesses of the One True God.

If Holy Spirit does not dwell within, how can one say they are "true witnesses" of the Living God who will not tolerate any mocking Him by manipulating others. This particular group states (I say this from personal experience from conversations with their "elders") that their corporate group in New York is led by Holy Spirit, but Holy Spirit is not available to anyone else so they must do what they are mandated to do within their publications.

The devil is a liar! Holy Spirit is available to all who desire Him in their lives and does not discriminate, nor encourage alienation of family members or any other who choose not to believe their foolishness. And now they promote themselves as believers of Jesus when not too long ago, they denied He was the Son of God.

Know God for yourself--Know God's Word for yourself--and know when the devil rises us to deceive and manipulate those who are gullible enough to promote false doctrine. If you know Him because of relationship with Him, you are a true witness of He who created all things and without Him--nothing was created.

Near Enough to Hear and Respond!

"The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth." (Psalm 145:18 NIV)

Depending upon the sleeping arrangements in one's home, most parents hear a child cry because they are near them--especially a baby. And when a parent (mother or father) hears a child cry, they respond immediately--addressing the need--to comfort, to feed, to dry--whatever that need is--they fulfill it.

Even when a child is not near a mother, when a child cries--a mother knows that cry and will rush to their assistance. I remember an incident many years ago when my daughter got away from her aunts and uncles. She was 18 months old at the time and we were in a shopping mall with my stepmother, my two brothers and sisters who were between the ages of 14-18. The girls wanted to take my daughter with them while we were looking around the store. Everyone thought my daughter was with someone else, but when I heard a child cry, before I heard the announcement about a lost child, I knew it was my daughter and ran to retrieve her. She was so upset that it took her years (about twenty-five) to get over being alone or going anywhere alone.

If we, as naturally loving parents, will heed the voice of our children in distress, how much more can we count on God to hear and respond to us? He knows before we cry out what we need and because He loves us--He hears and when we obey--He responds and provides our request. When our cries are wrought out of anguish for living according to His Word (Truth), we can expect an immediate response. If we only cry unto Him because of our disobedience, we won't immediately recognize His response because of our own insincerity.

Let's face it. God is not mocked, nor is He fooled by all the trappings we attempt to use to subvert His Truth. If we think we're fooling anyone, it is only ourselves.

Holy Spirit in us is certainly near us and when we abide by His directions, He hears and responds. If He is not an integral part of our lives, we have no need to expect anything from Him--He is far from those who oppose Him. And further in this passage, He reminds us that He will destroy the wicked.

I don't know about you, but I love it when I know He will hear me when I speak to Him, cry unto Him when I see the world turning upside down and know that no matter what men may do, He is able to preserve me unto Himself until His return. Hallelujah!

So live--according to His truth and know that when you cry unto Him, He's near enough to hear and respond.

Blessed, not Cursed!

"He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” Luke 11:28 NIV)

hile Jesus was teaching, a woman in the crowd (vs. 27) cried out and said to Jesus, "Blessed is the woman who gave you birth and nursed you." She recognized that Jesus had been not just nursed, but nurtured in the way of righteousness from the time He was born. And His response to her was--in essence--the person who hears The Word and obeys it is more blessed than He was.

Something to think about. He knew who He was. The woman thought she knew who He was, and yet, He deferred--to all who hear The Word and obey as being the greater one blessed. If all who hear and obey are blessed, then all who don't hear and won't obey are not blessed. Simple logic for those who understand syllogisms.

Right before He said this, He was discussing the state of a person who had been harboring a demonic spirit and what they did. We have to be careful about what we claim because demonic spirits are looking a place to reside. If we think we have changed for the better and yet do those things that are not of God, our fate is worse than it was before we made any proclamations.

The bottom line for me is this--when we did not claim to know God or understand His purpose in coming to earth, we were better off than if we claim to know Him and understand His purpose and yet live in opposition to His Word. If we live in opposition to His Word after claiming to know Him, we very simply, lie to ourselves.

And like everything else--we can go to The Word for understanding and Truth--if we hear The Word and obey--we're blessed and if we don't, we aren't.

Today, we need more than ever for people to hear The Word and obey it because if they don't, what we think has been calamity will seem like a walk in the park on a warm, sunny day, when God removes His hand from the nation. I don't know about you, but I'm going to obey His Word and promote His truth, no matter what a Supreme Court says about anything that opposes God's Word. I'd rather be found on the side of right than the side of might--when it opposes God.

Cultural Ignorance! Part I

The diversity of people should be celebrated instead of being used as a benchmark to divide and segregate. What happens when people are ignorant—have no knowledge of anything—is that we create even greater divides—an ever-widening gap—between people when we should be coming together as one race—the human race. And then we wonder why we can’t get along with one another.

If we took the time—and it will take time—to review history and to cultivate our knowledge of each other and the ills of the past in order to keep them from resurfacing, then and only then will we understand the need to stop blaming one group of people for the demise of things and get ourselves together to build instead of tearing down. When we think that the world’s ills are because of one group of people, we deceive ourselves. The problems of our world are not problems caused by White people, Black people, Red people, Brown people or Yellow people. The problems in our world are caused by greedy, needy, and lazy people. And many of the greedy, needy, and lazy use religious banners to justify what they do—in error—or they use what they think is their superiority over others.

Here’s a newsflash—there is no superior race or religion—there are simply people who have chosen to think they are superior by the very nature of their birth or affiliation with others who think they are superior. And while there is no superior group of people, there is also no inferior group of people. We are all in the same boat—living on planet earth—an environment that desperately needs to be overhauled so this planet—the only one in which know has life—can continue to support life for future generations.

Instead of hating one another because of skin color or religious beliefs or nonbelief, why can’t we take the time to get to know one another, share what we know and help one another to grow—increasing awareness of need and perspective based upon how we all view life through the lenses that have been a part of our growth?

For the most part—many Black people do not understand how to amass wealth because we are too busy spending money rather than investing money—in our children and in our futures. We’d rather spend two hundred dollars for a pair of gym shoes than ten dollars for a book. We’d rather look good—spending tons of money beyond our means—than in reading and expanding our knowledge on how the world really works. We’d rather complain about minimum wage jobs than to continue our education in order to obtain the skills we need to live the lives we want. We know nothing about volunteerism because we think we should be paid for every little thing we do. We have our children grow up thinking that someone owes them something, when the reality is no one other than their parents owe them anything, but the parents haven’t figured that out yet and we know this by those who still think, everything they want—should be handed to them.

We complain about White people and how they do things, but we don’t understand that it’s not about how White people do things to accomplish goals, but about people understanding that without goals and purposes and work to accomplish them, nothing ever happens or changes. A quality education makes a huge difference in the perspectives people have in life—knowing that nothing worthwhile is ever simply handed to anyone, but must be earned.

On the other hand—many White people think that Black people are lazy, good-for-nothing, trouble-makers. There are just as many white people who are lazy and good-for-nothing trouble makers as any other group of people. The problem is the perception of any group of people is colored by media coverage—the news, the movies, and the music. If we bothered to take the time to get to know one another, we might discover that underneath the surface lies the same color blood, bone, tissue, marrow, and muscle. Our hearts have the same rhythm (for the most part) and the blood flows in the same direction, carrying oxygen to our brains—allowing us to “think” before we act.  We simply choose to have differing opinions and likes and dislikes which should be respected, not abhorred or demeaned. If God had wanted clones—He could have managed that, but He chose to create us uniquely, wonderful, individuals with a purpose designed by Him, not people.

Getting Back to The Foundation of His Truth!

"But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband."(I Corinthians 7:2 NIV)

No matter how hard we try--at least some of us--we cannot get away from the fact that the bible addresses every aspect of our living right before God. Through Paul, God's purpose for us is emphasized in a number of chapters--how husbands and wives should treat each other, how to raise children, how to conduct ourselves in worship services, and how to establish order in the church. Whatever question we could possibly have, the answer--is in there.

The problem for many in accepting what is in there is the fact that whenever a person or persons choose to dispute the information or instruction in the bible, they do so selectively, without understanding, totally missing what is being said because they choose to take things out of context. This verse of scripture is one of those people "prefer to ignore" because Paul said and not Jesus (it's not written in red).

It's amazing how people can "discount" the value of what is being said based upon who said it. They do so because they did not read further--"all scripture is written by inspiration of God" no matter who He uses to say it.

Moving along--when the early churches had questions regarding behaviors that were once considered "okay" based upon the environment in which one found themselves, Paul addressed them. There had been "temple prostitutes" and many other unsavory behaviors operating because of unbelief. Adultery and fornication were the status quo and because some dared to seek truth, Paul spoke it as it pertains to sexual activity. Here it is very clear--sexual activity should be reserved for those who are married and then the married should have only sex with their "own husbands" and "their own wives."

When we choose to ignore righteous instruction because of fleshly dictates, we set ourselves for disaster and until we can right the wrong, nothing will change the devastating course of events that will be the result of sin. If we claim to accept one part of the bible as God's truth, then we must claim it all--with understanding and keeping all of it in context of God's purposes for mankind.

This is not the only passage of scripture that is often refuted in the church world. Many in the church have disputed women's roles within the church because they overlooked what Joel said. Many have claimed that people of color are the result of the curse on Ham, lacking understanding that the first man, Adam--was a man of color--a fact simply deduced by looking at where God formed him and how. People use the bible to promote hatred and superiority because of a lack of understanding. God has no respect of persons and He sees us all as equals--no male or female, Jew or Gentile, all one in Christ Jesus.

But we don't see us as God sees us and as a result, we tend to overlook passages that go against our flesh. This is why there is confusion, hate, and unrest in the land--we allow our flesh to dictate what we want and when others don't agree, we rise up and promote hatred--either with the bible or refuting it. Either way--God is not pleased and when He is not pleased, none of us has peace.

The sooner we see things the way God sees them (and we can if we truly develop a relationship with Him), the sooner we'll see peace in the land. We have no excuse--His written instructions--given to and by all who desired to please Him--provide us the foundation of His Truth. It's time we got back to that foundation, rather than attempting to build one that is bound to crumble and fall.

Momentary Anger, But Enduring Favor!

"For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning." (Psalm 30:5 NIV)

What is a moment in God's timing? If a thousand years is as a day then a moment could be hundreds of years. At least it could be about 400 if we estimate timing accurately between the time the last prophet spoke to the children of Israel and His appearance on earth as Jesus.

But that's another discussion. As a grandparent who is parenting, again, I often get upset with my grandson--a teenager--going through puberty. I can only imagine how many reading this can relate, but at rate, this is trying time for both of us. We both get angry and sometimes, I have to remove myself from the moment so I won't say something I will regret. Fortunately, for him, I don't stay upset. Within a couple of hours, if he hasn't done too much that's foolish, I'm over my anger. He holds onto his anger a little longer, but for the most part, it doesn't last long.

When I think about how we all must transition through stages of life, I'm really glad that God's anger doesn't last--if it did, where would some of us be? I know I can look back on my life and shake my head--thinking about all the foolish things I did and know that some of them had to anger Him, but He kept me--even in my foolishness--from any lasting harm because of His plans for me. Today, I am thankful for His plans for my life since they have brought me to a place where not only have I acknowledged His great mercy and love, but have accepted Him as Lord of my life and I'm living please Him.

Because of His favor, I am able to live my dream--teaching English and writing to my heart's content, exercising the gifts He's given. Because of His favor, I have been able to make an impact in the lives of others by being who He wants me to be and not who I was without Him in my life. Because of His favor--doors have opened that none can shut and doors have closed than none can open.
Because of His favor, I walk with my head held high, knowing who I am and who I serve and know nothing by any means shall harm me. Because of His favor--shown towards me--I can show favor--towards my grandson, knowing that the phase of life he's in shall soon pass.

Thank You, Lord for favor and a desire to do all things to please You. Thank You for new mercies showered upon every day and because of the new mercy, we can continue to show mercy to others. What a wonderful thing to know that Your anger only lasts for a moment--not in our timing, but in Yours--and we can rejoice when we wake.

What Songs Are We Singing?

"About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them." (Acts 16:25 NIV)

For anyone who pays attention to time--as we know it--it is always darkest at midnight, which is really the indicator of a new day. Think about it. We usually see the dawning of a new day when the sun rises in the east and we see it settling into its end at sunset in the west. Whether it is dark or light, time keeps moving forward to get to the next day.

If we were to view the challenges and problems in our lives as simply a moment in time, then we would be able to arise above the "feelings" of defeat, knowing that a new day is dawning and with it, new opportunities to achieve the success God has promised us. "Whatever you put your hands to, out of obedience, you will have good success." What He said to Joshua still applies to us. When we are obedient, we must do something, not dwell in pity and caterwauling. 

Paul was obedient in promoting the Gospel and doing everything he knew was by unction of Holy Spirit. And because he was obedient, the naysayers--the arrogant and envious, and the greedy--found fault with him and he and Silas were beaten and thrown into jail. Now, they could have had a pity party and sat there singing "woe is me" songs and the other prisoners would have heard that, too. Instead, they sang songs of praise to God and prayed, believing they would be delivered, doubting nothing.

So, when the earthquake freed them from their chains, they could have taken off in the midst of confusion, but they chose to stay where they were. As a result of their decision, the jailer and all his household, chose to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and were saved.

Would the other prisoners have seen the power of God at work had they been singing sad songs? Had they muttered and grumbled, would their shackles have been broken? When we face challenges and trouble seems to know our address by heart, what songs are we singing? Are our lips and tongue saying what aligns with The Word or what aligns with the moment--our feelings?

Our reaction to challenges and troubles will determine whether we see the new day dawning with a new attitude and new mercies or whether we sink deeper into despair, not realizing that time moves forward whether it is dark or light outside. A new day, a new opportunity, new mercies each morning--thinking on the promises of God, not the darkness, creates an inner light within us and we know we can get to the next day.

What are we doing in the midnight hours of our life? Are shackles being broken or are the depths of despair shoveling deeper, preparing to bury us alive? Make sure our song and communication align with The Word and even in our midnights--hope in Jesus Christ will sustain us and because others will hear and see what we do, they will understand the power of God and believe.

His Delight To The Faithful!

"For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory. Let his faithful people rejoice in this honor and sing for joy on their beds." (Psalm 149:4,5 NIV)

When does the Lord delight in His people? In the beginning, the children of Israel were His chosen, but since all Believers have been adopted into the family, we are all His children. Now the "delight" referenced in scripture is really about our efforts to please God and when we please Him, He gives us the desires of our heart.

How do we please God? We please Him when we honor Him with our obedience in all things. When we love anyone, most of us want to please the object of our affection. If we love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and love each other, we please Him. If we truly love self and others, we will not cause harm to them or see them harmed.

When we truly love, we can forgive and let go of those things that happened in our pasts and keep moving forward in the marvelous light of Jesus Christ.

When we truly love, we can see the good in people and caution them against opposing God with loving kindness.

When we truly love, we seek the best in everyone's life around us and certainly promoting the Gospel will lead them to receiving God's best.

When we truly love, what we do is not so much about us as it is about others as we stay in position to hear God and obey what He would have us to do for them.

When we truly love God, we acknowledge our imperfections and flaws openly and allow Him to transform us, no longer concerned with conforming to the world's way of living, but living life according to God's plan.

This is what happens when we love God and He is pleased with what we do (His faithful people)--He crowns the humble (not the boastful and arrogant) with victory in everything they do. He makes us glad and when we're glad, we praise Him and honor Him from sunrise to sunset--no matter what happens in between.

Let's take some time today to remember that our living is not about us, but when it is about Him, He makes sure the world knows we function in His favor!

Holding Hands!

"For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." (Isaiah 41:13 NIV)

Remember when...
After we crawled or scooted to move
From place to place until we found
The courage to wobble and hold onto
Whatever was sound, pulling up into a stand,
Getting ready to take that first step, but
First, someone--mom, dad, sibling--held our hand,
Or both, with our arms raised, hands held high,
We held them tight, afraid to let go, and we heard,
"Don't worry, I've got you, keep going."

From the cradle to the grave,
We've had to move from one point to the other,
Sometimes, fearful--but moving to go forward,
Building our courage and hope in God,
Once we know Him, we know we have no need to fear,
Following His instructions, obeying His voice,
Keeping our focus on Him and using the gifts He gives,
Plotting the path for our success and then we hear,
"Don't worry, I've got you. Keep going."

And then sometimes in our golden years,
When bones and muscles tend to yield
To aches of aging and we rely
Upon canes, wheelchairs, and sometimes,
Those who are younger and stronger,
Holding our hands as we cross a street,
And when unable to do so on our own,
Pulling us up, holding our hands, to our feet,
And we hear--if we can--
"Don't be afraid. I've got you. Keep going."

Remember when...
We first held hands with that special someone in our lives,
Taking that fearful step into romance, standing side by side.
When we first realized that God is always holding our hand,
With the greatest love anyone could offer and then we hear,
"Don't worry. I've got you. Keep going."

Every once in a while, we need to hold someone's hand,
Bringing them comfort, reminding them, they're loved,
And when they're afraid of life's events, we can say,
"Don't worry. I've got you. Keep going."

Grab a hand and hold it--don't let go,
Someone needs to know today,
They're not alone and someone cares,
Enough to stand with them, side-by-side,
Reminding them they have no reason to fear,
For perfect, unconditional love, makes no room
For fear or doubt or unbelief, in Him who says,
"I am The Lord, Your God, I've got your hand,
Don't be afraid, I'm here to help you."

Only By His Spirit!

"So he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty." (Zechariah 4:6 NIV)

Whenever I hear people talk about how they weak they are or I smile and thank God, for in our weakness--He is made strong. Hallelujah! If we would just remember, nothing that challenges us is a battle we must fight alone, for the battle is the Lord's and He will be victorious!

The battle against sin won't be won in courtrooms--it will be won in the Spirit, by those with unwavering faith, consistently communicating with God and promoting Godliness in all they do and say. That is not to say we who believe God should become doormats and do nothing. We should exercise our faith by standing firm in our beliefs and whenever possible, letting our voices be heard and making sure we're saying what God says.

Writing letters and petitions to change the environment for good is an exercise of faith. If we do nothing, we demonstrate a lack of faith. God told Joshua that, "whatever we put our hands to would prosper and we would have good success."

The battles are not won by promoting hate, but by demonstrating love.

The battles are not won by acts of superiority, but by demonstrating kindness. "With loving kindness have I drawn you."

The battles of war are not won by the might and power of anyone's military might, but by those who have confidence in God to deliver and set free all those who belong to Him and they are always walking in the Spirit, seeking His wisdom and direction.

If all the military strategists would seek God's wisdom and act accordingly, wars would cease.

If all government leaders would seek God's wisdom and act accordingly, there would be peace in the land.

If all parents would seek God's wisdom and act accordingly, there would be peace in homes.

If everyone seeking a mate would seek God's wisdom and act accordingly, there would be no divorces.

If everyone married would seek God's wisdom and act accordingly, there would be no domestic abuse.

If everyone would simply seek God's wisdom and act accordingly, there would no need for prisons, we would live healthier lives, and none would be at a disadvantage.

"If" we would just understand that we don't have the power to do anything, and depend on Him, all would have access to living the abundant life we're promised.

Nothing we do in our own strength or wisdom matters--we must depend upon Him and His wisdom, hear and obey and then we shall see change for the best in the land--Only By His Spirit!

Lord, help us to seek You while You may be found, receiving Your Wisdom in all things and acting accordingly so that all we do, glorifies You!

Set Free!

"To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:31,32 NIV)

The first-partakers of the Son's grace--the Jews--who believed Him and then to "whoever believes" (adopted children), were told that if they held to His teaching, they were His disciples (followers). What did He teach? To obey the Father in all things and to love one another. What truth will they know? They will know the truth of God's purpose for living (what He proclaims as sin) and be set free from it.

Some of those listening to Jesus didn't understand Him and challenged Him because they thought He was referencing slavery--control and ownership by man--when He was referencing sin. They didn't get it and many still don't get it. In order to understand what Jesus is saying about freedom from sin, one must acknowledge they have sinned or are living in sin.

The reason many still are bound, enslaved to sin is because they have allowed others to teach them a "truth" that is their truth and not God's truth. God's truth never changes, but man's truth constantly changes. Why? The more God allows us to know--about anything--the more some people begin to think they know more than God. If they think they know than God, they begin to proclaim their own truths--negating God's truth--and remain enslaved to sin.

People are destroying the temple where the Holy Spirit would live by creating an environment within
themselves that grieves Holy Spirit and He will not dwell in an unclean place. Legalizing drugs which alter the chemical make-up of brains--is not God's truth; it is man's because they want to appease flesh. And look how often man has changed this truth-from making drugs a crime to justifying its use.

The same is true for so many other events in our lives--pertaining to family and marriage, discipline and abuse, etc. When parents are told they cannot discipline their children, we end up with a society where chaos and confusion and violence run rampant because God said, "if we spare the rod, we spoil the child" (the rod of correction not beating them). When we attempt to force people to deny their faith in God, we open the door for Satan and his minions to govern and create havoc.

Look around us today! There is no peace because we have allowed our love for God to grow cold, heating up hatred and bigotry for any reason. Freedom of speech for some means they say anything that comes to mind--never thinking of how words impact and change the course of history. When our thoughts are not of God, then the behavior that follows is certainly not of Him.

If we really want to be set free--from sin--we have to acknowledge, repent of it, and receive His mercy and grace to move forward, determined never to be enslaved to sin again. While we yet have breath in our bodies and can speak, it's not too late. Allow Him to loose the shackles that hold you hostage to sin and be set free, receiving His truth.

"Best Seller" Hour Reminder

ON YOUR MARCH, GET READY, GO!  myBook.to/TNT  Between 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. every sale matters!

The first 5-star review for this book:

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5Worth the wait- would love to see a series!

ByTammy DreamWriteron April 19, 2015

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

This is the first book I've ever read by this author, and I'm so glad I bought it! There were a few minor spelling and formatting errors, but nothing that really made me want to stop reading.

I loved how the author used humor to replace swearing, and thought it was a very clever idea. The plot flowed at a snappy place- so snappy that I couldn't put this book down until it was finished.

Here's hoping that there will be more books to come!

Love to love you!

The Push for "Best Seller" Hour!

I am so excited about the release of my latest book! I've already had a 5-star review and it was just released Saturday! My God is awesome!

At any rate, I'm pushing to make the best seller list for sales in one hour--from 6:00 p.m. -7:00 p.m. EST tonight. The book is selling for .99 and if you would join me in this quest, I'd appreciate it. This is the preliminary announcement of tonight's event. I'll send out a reminder around 5:30 EST.

While you're waiting, go ahead and a look at the preview (Inside on Amazon) myBook.to/TNT

Not too long ago, my husband and I asked God for one million plus readers reading my books. Whatever I write, I have Him in mind--the romances, the mysteries, the fantasies, my blogs, everything. Now, I can see His response to our request coming to pass. If you're reading them--thank you. If you're not, God blessings upon you anyway :).
Gotta run to get on with my day. Don't forget!

To Know Him Is To Know Them!

"Then they asked him, “Where is your father?” “You do not know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” (John 8:19 NIV)

Knowing how to answer everyone who has a question about The Word with The Word is how we convince and what we say, will sometimes convict.

In this passage of Scripture, Jesus is teaching in the temple courts and He is being questioned by the Pharisees--those religious folks who claim to know God, but only so they can feel superior to others. When Jesus told them that He and His Father were witnesses of who He was, they challenged Him based on the Law--human standards which is all religious people have. The question--where is your father was about His human father (not understanding who He was) and when Jesus responded, the way He did, I can only imagine how their jaws may have dropped. They didn't get it.

But then again, there are those in the 21st Century who still don't get it. We cannot have a rational conversation--based upon spiritual truths--about Jesus or God, without referencing the other. They are One in purpose--without God--there is no Jesus and without Jesus--there is no access to God. Why people don't understand this is because they fail to understand the first fourteen verses in the first chapter of John and the first chapter of Genesis. God is a spirit and He came down to earth in the likeness of man, wrapped in flesh, born of a woman, who named Him--Jesus--out of obedience.

If anyone knows what God said and meant--it would be Jesus--who did not come to change the course of mankind by changing the law (which man could not keep), but to make sure mankind would have access to all God has planned--the abundant life--a result of obedience to His Word and fulfilled by the work on The Cross.

No matter how hard we try, we cannot escape The Cross and what it means. Nothing we mere humans say can change what God intended and when we attempt to manipulate His Word and His Love, we deceive ourselves if we think for a moment that He is not aware of how we've been deceived. No cross, no salvation; no salvation no hope for eternal life, no Jesus, no peace.

When we understand the spiritual, the natural will fall into place and we will have peace in the land. It's all about being in a right relationship with Them--and living according to Their purposes and not our own. Trying to understand God with our natural, limited minds only leads to confusion. We need to communicate with Him on a spiritual realm, so our natural mind can accept who He is and how He wants us to live.

As so many people have said, "going to church doesn't make a person a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes them a car." To be a Christian means to follow, represent and emulate Christ. When we emulate Christ, we acknowledge The Father and try to please Him. If we please one, we please both. To Know Him, is to know Them!

Watch Your Conduct!

"Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel" (Philippians 1:27 NIV)

I've seen on more than one occasion a Tweet or poster on Facebook that people would rather see a sermon than hear one. Now, this doesn't mean that we should not hear The Gospel, but when we see people living the Gospel, it is far more effective in convincing others to hear what we have to say. And then there are those who know how to "talk the talk, but fail to walk the walk."

One of the reasons that we are unable to convince people that God is real and salvation is ours, is the fact that what they hear from us and what they see us do is contradictory. We become hypocrites--doing what we urge others not to do.

Most of us--disdain the use of profanity when we hear it from others and are quick to correct or show our disdain, but when we're upset--are we using the same language we abhor hearing from others? Are they hearing us, too?

We talk about sin and how our lives should be sin-free, but are we living sin-free lives? If we attempt to justify our own sinful behavior, or won't recognize our behavior is sinful, are we not hypocrites?

Sometimes, if we cannot live the life we proclaim has been given to us--as new creations in Christ Jesus, we should just be quiet and work on ourselves, before we try to work on others. If we were honest with ourselves, the world--those unbelieving and hating Christians, would be thrilled since none of us have reached perfection.

But God would not want us to be silent (even if we aren't perfect), He would want us to be aware of what we do and make every effort to represent Him in a way that draws others to Him, not drive them away.

Can we do it? We can if our goal is to please Him and not man (family, friends, co-workers, etc.). Watch your conduct--language and behavior--and remember, it is not just what we do in the presence of others that matter, God hears and sees it all.

Father, in the name of Jesus, I humbly ask forgiveness for every incident in which I did not represent You in the presence of others. Lead me by Your Spirit to know at every turn on a daily basis--to know what to say and what to do so others will want to come to know You. Thank You for hearing and answering prayer and loving us enough to give us chance after chance to get living right, for You!

Acknowledge The Work!

"Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you.Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other." (I Thessalonians 5: 12,13 NIV)

Many of us have often felt that the work we do in promoting the Gospel, encouraging others to live for the Lord, and warning and admonishing others when we see them out of the Will of God is a waste of time. We are criticized by unbelievers, isolated by some Believers who don't want to live right, and ostracized if we dare to speak God's Truth (not our own) and called hatemongers and belittled for our faith.

No one ever said that being a Believer would be easy--at least I hope they didn't. It is not easy, but it is rewarding. Once we make a decision to truly live for the Lord, we find out who our friends really are. If we say what God says and live the way God wants us to say, many of those who proclaimed to be friends are convicted by our lifestyles and when we speak truth according to God's Word. They think we are belittling them when all we are trying to do is to encourage them to be in position to receive God's best.

None of us are perfect and until the end comes (however it comes) we won't reach perfection. That truth does not mean we cannot continue to strive for perfection in our personal lives and certainly as an example for those we love. How can we say we love others if we don't warn them when they're headed in the wrong direction? This is what the "fair-weather Christians" don't understand. They are Christians when it is convenient or expedient as a status that uplifts them, but they either don't know what God said or don't want to know because admitting knowledge means they should change their course. These Christians only believe what they want to believe, when they want to believe and will go along-to-get-along as long as it makes them feel good about themselves.

That's the problem with most of society--the doing anything that makes them feel good. True Believers do what must be done--encouraging and correcting, and most of the time, what we do, doesn't feel good, but we act out of out obedience to Him who saved us, not those who scorn us.
Those on the outside of His love have no idea what life is like when on the inside of His love. We are His children and with Him, we can accomplish all things, to His glory!

For those who are as determined as I am to do what God puts on our hearts to do, know you are not alone and the reward that He has for us is greater than anything we could receive from people who don't know Him. Stay focused, determined and convinced of His love and His protection from all evil, doing all He has spoken to you. God loves you and only wants the best for you and all of our confidence should be in Him, not man (or woman) who has neither hell or heaven for us.

Let's continue to love and obey so peace will reign in our lives!

Our Hope In Him!

"Hope in the LORD and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it." (Psalm 37:34 NIV)
How many times do we hear people say, "I hope?" How many times do we say it? Considering the climate in our culture--the intensity of hate, violence, and ever-changing downward slide of our economy, we all hope to see the end of negativity, chaos, and confusion. But where is our hope in Him?

No matter how many times we say, "I hope" nothing will ever change until we realize that our hope--for change in anything, has to be in Him and Him alone.

Hope that people will exercise wisdom in elections is pointless unless they all know The Lord.

Hope for peace in the land is pointless when world leaders don't know The Lord.

Hope for confusion to end in the minds of others--those with poor parenting skills, gender issues, right and wrong, good and evil--all hope for change is pointless if people don't know The Lord.

When our hope is in Him, we know how He wants us to live and we live to please Him, according to His Word and His Will, not our own.

When we exalt Him by how we live before others, He will exalt us and not allow the wicked or evil to reign in our lives. When we do what He says to do, we can be assured of peace, joy and happiness, and know He reigns in our lives. When we don't succumb to wickedness, He destroys wickedness around us and He does it in His timing, no matter how matter how often we try to "hope" it away.

For real change in our society, let's change our focus and place all of our hope in Him who can and will keep us in times of trouble and confusion.

Father, in the name of Jesus, we look to You and You alone for change in the land that honors You and all You are to those who love You. We know You can speak to the hearts of all who are willing to hear and change things in an instant. We give You praise for all things and declare the enemy's infuence--ended--none of his plans shall succeed in our lives, and it is done!

Praying For You!

"For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better." (Ephesians 1:15-17 NIV)

Many of us often receive prayer requests for various reasons--someone is having surgery, a child is missing, a life has been lost, someone has lost a job, and for those who are ill and suffering. When I pray for anyone, based upon a prayer request, I ask for the reason I'm praying since I don't really like "generic prayers" for anyone. We have an awesome God who responds to our faith, about the specific details of our lives, so I like to pray specific prayers.

But for those who profess a faith and belief in God as indicated in their response to something I've said in a blog or by following me on Twitter or any other social media, I pray the type of prayer Paul discusses in this passage.

I always thank God for the connection with other like-minded Believers and with those who have shared interest in writing, the arts, literacy, and education. I pray for wisdom for all--those in authority and those who are governed by those in authority. I pray for wisdom for parents in guiding their children in knowing how to live a life that glorifies God. I pray God's wisdom for spouses that their love will grow and cement their commitment to each other. I pray healing for all--from the crowns of heads to the soles of their feet and every organ, bone, muscle, and tissue in between. I pray God's wisdom in all decision-making for everyone faced with tough choices. I pray for all to accept God's love so we may have peace in our homes,  in communities,  in the nation, and in the world--with no hatred or violence against anyone. I pray for strength and courage for all who are tempted to succumb to depression and doubt and for those who stand firm in their faith, never wavering. I pray for all to come to a place where they accept the work on the cross and Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

And when I've finished these requests, I praise God and thank Him for hearing and responding to my requests and for speaking to the hearts of all who need to hear from Him in all things. I know that it is done in Jesus' name.

Someone wrote a song indicating they understood someone--maybe someone they didn't even know, had prayed for them--"Somebody prayed for me and I'm so glad they prayed." I know some of the people who prayed for me when I was living my life for me and I'm so glad they prayed, I'm so glad they prayed for me! So, I do not hesitate to pray for others, whether I know them or not, God knows every need, and I expect, with great anticipation, that He will respond to those needs. Hallelujah!

Be encouraged, I'm praying for you!

Great Is He!

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit." (Psalm 147:3-5 NIV)

For those who have heard the disdain in the voices (or the printed words) of those who don't understand God, take heart! No matter how many times or how many ways, the unbelieving attempt to undermine our faith, we know--Our God is great!

If having a broken heart from a broken relationship or the loss of loved ones led to our deaths (naturally), the world's population would be at a deficit--for all who are compassionate. When we feel as though our hearts are shattered, He comes in like a flood, washing away all the hurt and pain, and overwhelming us with His love (if we allow Him to do it). Sometimes, people are so hurt behind the death of a loved one, especially a child or parent, they feel they simply cannot go on. But we can continue to move forward, appreciating life and the time we have on earth to do great things--in memory of those we have lost.

When we incur injuries that need to be bound to contain blood lost, the tighter the binding--bandage, wraps, whatever it takes, the greater the likelihood, we stem the flow of blood until we can get medical attention. God does the same thing for our emotional wounds that others cannot see. He binds them tightly, stemming the flow of anguish and bitterness until His love seals the wound and makes us whole again. 

Since we know He cares enough about the stars to know their number and names, how much more can we expect Him to care about us? He knows our thoughts before we think them, He knows our desires before we speak them, the very hairs on our head are numbered by Him, and He cares about everything that will keep our focus off Him. His love is amazing and His mercy endures beyond our individual lifespans from generation to generation.

When He delights in us--there are no limits to what we can do when we do all to glorify Him. He is our Father and like any loving parent, He only wants what is best for us. And since that is the case, sometimes, He has to deny our requests that will distract us or harm us. So, when we don't always get what we want, we must remember--He knows best, and He will always provide our needs.

Great is He who loves us beyond measure!

Has That Day Come?

"In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the LORD, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”

Looking at all of the natural disasters--those caused by human error, and demonic influence--most people are wondering if God is even paying attention to us. I can imagine people living in some countries where man's greed and arrogance is causing uproar and chaos are having a difficult time believing God cares. I can imagine that families who have lost children to abductors and tragic accidents cannot believe a loving, caring God still exists. I can imagine that loved ones lost due to the depression of others who for a moment, controlled their environment are not happy with God--how could they be, when such tragedies occur?

In the midst of every tragic situation--our God still reigns. It is not that He cannot keep the tragedy from occurring; everything in life is part of a plan and God will not control what other people do, unless He's invited to do so. This is what we're missing--God must be invited to situations and everyone must submit to His will before we will see any lasting change in our world. Are we there yet? Does sin still reign in the minds of those who will not submit to God?

We're not there yet, but many are on their way. We realize that everything we do, influences the outcome of how we live and what we are able to do for others. We have submitted and we do all we can to encourage others to seek Him and submit to Him, so we can watch the devil flee. For as long as the enemy can influence the thoughts of those who have not submitted to God, evil will exist and create havoc in the lives of many.

But on that day, when we see people turning their lives over to God in total submission, we will see the hand of The Lord, settle the minds of people and peace will reign over all the earth. On that day, we will thank Him for all He is doing and will do on behalf of all who love Him. On that day, we will stand proudly, proclaiming our trust in Him. On that day, we will rejoice in the God of our salvation--who saves to the utmost!

Until we get to that day, those of us who know the power of prayer must continue our vigil, interceding on behalf of all who have yet to submit to Him, so we can see change and peace for all of God's people.

Father, in the name of Jesus, help us to understand the urgency of the times, seek You for direction and wisdom in all things, and submit to Your will in everything we do.

What Type Union?

"And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: “I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people." (2 Corinthians 6:16 NIV)

The case presented by Paul as to why we should be careful about the connections we make or the unions we establish is pretty clear. He makes a strong case as to why Believers and Unbelievers won't make a solid union. This one verse--could not possibly say it all, so I encourage everyone to read the entire chapter for clarity.

Paul cautions us to not establish unions between good and evil, light and darkness, idolaters and Believers. While some have in the past attempted to make a case for segregation of races because of skin color or ethnicity, this is not what he's saying. He's warning us about intimate involvement when those who don't know God or establish policies that are in opposition to God's Word. By intimate involvement, I mean close ties or relationships with those of dissimilar beliefs. This is not a reference to sexual relationships of any kind.

Why do we need to be wary about those with whom we associate and have close ties? The old adage, "birds of a feather flock together," comes to mind. We develop bad habits faster than we develop good habits and when we're around people who have "bad habits" we tend to emulate them rather than them emulating us. Why? Some people will do whatever they have to do to "get along" with others, not having the backbone to stand firm on what they know is right.

This is how gangs operate in neighborhoods and schools. It is our politicians function--they say anything to get a vote, but then do whatever is popular with their cohorts, not willing to cause waves, even when decisions are made that are contrary to their beliefs. This is how the insecure function in our society--they simply go along to get along in order not to be alone. This is how abusers keep their victims under control, but if the victims understood their own worth, they would not have been involved with the one who abused.

Anyone who uses intimidation to control or manipulate others is a tool of evil. There is no light in them, so why would anyone walking in the light and love of God have a relationship with them? They shouldn't. When we, who are walking in the light and love of God, walk into a situation, evil should run and hide like roaches when a light switch is turned on to dispel the darkness.

Remember, manipulation is what Satan does, not God. Deception is what Satan uses to convince, not God. Destruction--tearing down is what Satan does, while construction--building up is what God does. And there is no union possible with the works of Satan and the works of God.

So, why we would even attempt to be in any type of union with the unbelieving? We shouldn't, for God has said every man's work will be tried by fire and only those works that are firmly established in Him and by Him, shall withstand the heat. We want to avoid the stain of evil that spreads like wildfire when we unite with it.  

Not every one we meet is good for us, nor do they have our best interest at heart, so move cautiously in determining who will be close enough to persuade or influence who you are and not who they are.

He Didn't Change A Thing!

"If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love."

When Jesus was teaching His disciples, He let them know, He had kept His Father's commands--to love Him and obey His Word; and He encouraged them to keep His commands--to love God and obey and to love one another. The sum total of Father's commands.

Since His disciples were all familiar with the Mosaic Law, Jesus had no need to "reiterate it in its entirety, He simply summarized the primary parts--love and obedience.

Whenever people want to say that Jesus didn't say anything about specific sins, it is because they do not understand that Jesus and God are One. Jesus is not going to say anything or do anything that God the Father would not say or do. Since God the Father had already said everything that needed to be said, what was left for God the Son to say?

This is the real issue for some Believers and all non-Believers. They do not understand the Father, Son, Holy Spirit role. Until this is understand, there will continue to be debates over what God said to through Moses and what They (Father and Son) said to His disciples.

Not understanding the importance of knowing the Old Testament is the reason most don't understand why God had to come down in the likeness of sinful flesh (though He did not sin) in order to restore man's relationship to Him.

Many people don't like reading the Old Testament, especially the Kings James Version because of the difficulty of the language, the horror stories of incest, prostitution, and all other sexual sins, murder, tribal wars and the misuse of women and children. The Bible, is simply an abbreviated history of how man has treated one another in various situations at various times. If we aligned the events in the Bible with a good history book, we would see it.

If we understand it, then we can stop blaming God for the atrocities that man committed and still commits. God has not forced anyone to do anything and He never will. He has always given man(kind) the freedom of choice and what we do--we choose, not Him.

So, while talking to His disciples, notice Jesus said, "If"... It was a reminder, not an introduction to anything new. Jesus didn't change a thing when He walked the earth and He is not changing anything, now. What God said from the beginning, stands true for all eternity--we choose to love and obey Him; He does not demand any behavior from us, but He has established consequences for disobedience and that is still our choice.

Hear Him, love and obey, and reap the benefits of His love!