Disappointing Joy!

"My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world." (I John 2: 1,2 NIV)

Things that bring great joy
Sometimes allow disappointment to seep
Into our beings, clinging, cloying our minds,
Taking away the good, replaced with evil thoughts,
Designed to lead one into temptation's snares,
Choking back the warnings aired, stifling desire to do right,
Ignited by temptation's blinders, shackled by flesh
Ignoring Spirit's, "Warning, Warning, Danger ahead!"
And then when speckled, stained, tainted memory's dust,
Takes time to see beyond the smeared rainbow bent,
By disobedience, and distrust, joy once known, disappoints
And the nerves once tinkling with anticipation, now dulled
By pain and anguish, frustration and guilt--Not by what's done,
But the warning ignored and disregarded, like so many
Who came before, refusing to heed the signs of the times,
Determined to do things our own way, without clear vision,
Minds clouded by love and lights that falsely portray.
No matter what we do or have done, John reminds us,
Our lives are not about us, but Him, and our missteps,
Forgiven, forgotten when we repent,
Sincerity ballooning our hearts and mouths, as we seek,
Forgiveness of others and forgiving ourselves,
Remembering great joy can be disappointing.

Although we claim the joy of the Lord is our strength, we sometimes forget that it is because of His sacrifice that we are saved from ourselves and that is the joy we have in Him. However, He takes great joy in our success when we obey and then when we are tempted beyond our own ability to resist, we are disappointed with us. When we don't know how to forgive "self" for not heeding warnings, we make matters worse by taking our disappointment out on others.

Let's heed the warning of God's Word and all who have our best interest in mind. He gives us warnings to keep us safe from harm and when we do not heed them, we step into the snare set by enemy to create chaos and confusion. Let's give the devil no place in our lives and kick confusion in the outer realms of Satan's domain, so he is the only one confused.

There is great joy in serving The Lord and derived from our obedience, but we must take care to do all things according to The Word and not attempt to rely upon our own wisdom. Holy Spirit's job is to remind us of those things we have been taught, and show us things to come and when we see danger, we must be diligent to warn those in harm's way. If we see danger and say nothing, the end result is on us; but if we see danger and warn others and they don't pay attention to the warning, the end result is on them. God's Word has not changed and will not change and we must learn to hear Holy Spirit or those to whom He has spoken.

When we do what God would have us to do, we will not know--disappointing joy, but joy to the full in Jesus Christ!

Nothing Hidden From God!

"Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgement, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil." (Ecclesiates 12:1,14 NIV)
Closed doors, under the sheets, in the dark, disguised, cloaked, lies, manipulations, deceptions--nothing can keep anything hidden from God--it all comes to light, eventually.

When we do things we think no one knows about but us, we truly deceive ourselves. Those of us who know God, know He is all seeing, omnipresent, and omniscient. He sees all, He hears all, and knows all--and why not--He's God. For those who don't know Him, or at least won't acknowledge His existence--it doesn't matter--we'll all be judged by the same standards whether we Believe or not.

Think about these things! No child has ever done anything that God didn't know about and eventually parents discovered--even when the child thought no one would ever know. What one of the marvelous attributes about Holy Spirit is that He'll reveal truths to all who are willing to listen so that none of us are taken unaware of the things going on around us that we may not see.

Adulterers and fornicators who think no one knows what they're doing behind closed doors and under the sheets deceive themselves for when God allows them to be exposed, they have no defense. No hidden thing shall remain hidden--God will bring it all to light.

For the politicians who make shady deals with those who are seeking to control others and consumer goods--making sure the rich stay rich--God sees it and that, too will be judged according to God's standards. They have forgotten that God knows the heart and He knows when the poor and needy, and vulnerable are put at a disadvantage--to keep others rich.

For those who commit crimes--cloaking their faces with hoodies and masks--God knows who they are. They cannot hide from Him and eventually, because most criminals are stupid enough to brag about what they do, they'll be exposed and receive the appropriate consequence for their actions. Nothing is hidden with a piece of fabric or plastic from God.

For students who cheat on tests and think they've gotten away with something, God knows and every observant teacher or professor knows, too. I've always laughed to myself when I know people have cheated because they have the same answers--right or wrong--and it's always the students who never take notes or study who try to cheat on those who do. When i grade their papers, I always comment that they're better off using their on brains, in red ink beside the "zero" and then I let them see their paper, but I keep them for my records.

For those who engage in digital misbehavior, there is nothing hidden from God. Emails and text messages are retrieved and the misdeed exposed. Phone conversations are recorded, photos taken and publicly aired so all the world can see, what they thought was hidden. There is nothing hidden from God!

Even conversations held with some "in confidence" find their way to the surface of the subject of the conversation; especially in the heat of anger and frustration. Nothing hidden from God or others, even when we think it is.

Truth--as I stated yesterday--is very liberating. Unfortunately, many don't like hearing truth, when it means they need to reconsider how they do things. I'd rather be found in truth than in a lie so the truth will be exposed and I never have to fear a lie being exposed. There is nothing, absolutely nothing hidden from God!

Truth, Mercy and Love!

"Show me Your ways, Lord, teach me Your paths, Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long. Remember, Lord, Your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to Your love remember me, for You, Lord, are good." (Psalm 25:4-7 NIV)

Sometimes, admitting the truth a matter can be a shock to the system and an ego, but the truth--no matter how much it may hurt--is always liberating. "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall you free." The truth--about so many things that has entangled my time, has shown me that I'm too old to do certain things and must make way for younger people to do them.

The truth of matter is--I'm from the old school--the school that taught us that our word was supposed to mean something and when we commit to doing something, we should honor our commitments.

Apparently--commitment and honoring one's word is not taught much these days and as a result--confusion ensues and chaos thrives when commitment is not honored. I know some would say I'm too old-fashioned, but I like who I am and the values I was taught and would like to think that I still exhibit. When I say I'm going to do something, I try to do just what I say, I'm going to do. Now, unexpected things may occur that would hinder my mission, but attempts are always made to stay focused on the mission.

My focus on trying to make sure an event was a success, proved to be a distraction--not a fatal one, but a distraction none-the-less and made me aware, that one person cannot undertake the responsibility of what requires a small army of committed people. My first mistake was in trusting others to honor their word.

But God is merciful and He has shown me mercy and not allowed things to get so far out of hand, they could cause irreparable damage. That's one of the things I love most about our God--His mercy and love--in spite of us. He never lets us down and in spite of my own shortcomings, the event was successful--as defined by Him, not me. We had absolutely wonderful weather for an outdoor event, sunny skies, and moderate temperatures. People were friendly and most complimentary. I'd like to believe the end result was a testament of His love for me because He knew, I didn't have a clue as to what I was doing, but He made it possible to happen any way.

So, with this event, I've learned some valuable lessons--about me and others. I do not have to accept responsibility for the things that others do or don't do, but I must own my missteps and correct. I cannot expect others to uphold the same standards I have because they are not me and I don't know what they've been taught. I can count on friends and relatives--when all else falls apart--to keep their word. Most of all, I've learned to expect the unexpected and have an appropriate response to it all.

Thanking God this morning for allowing me to see truth about me, be grateful for His mercy, and ecstatic over His love for me. And yeah--facing truth--is very liberating!

Come and See His Great Works!

"Shout for joy to God, all the earth! Sing the glory of His name; make His praise glorious. Say to God, "How awesome are Your deeds! So great is Your power that Your enemies cringe before You. All the earth bows down to You; they sing praise to You, they sing the praises of Your name. Come and see what God has done, His awesome deeds for mankind!" (Psalm 66: 1-5 NIV)

After a sea-tossed night, twisting and turning in bed, trying to remember if everything has been done to assure a successful day, I woke--remembering those things I forgot to do and now must find a way to do before the first session begins. And before I could panic, I remember hearing God say before I fell asleep--"I've got this!"

I had been telling people all week, "God's got this" no matter what happens--what people do or don't do. So, His reminder again this morning set me straight and got me going--energized and ready for the day--so I can say, "Come and See His Great Works!"

Because of vandalism to one of our banners, I now have to "re-do" some work, but I will and it will all work together--for the good of the event that raises funds to support our band.

This week has not just been about preparation for our fundraiser, but the experience has taught me lessons--life lessons--that I won't quickly forget.

Trust God--not people for people will let you down.

Prepare for the worst, but always expect the best--when we belong to Him--His best is always better than our best.

Stay focused on what He can do, not yourself--no matter how much we know, our knowledge is limited, while His is infinite.

Start early--doing whatever needs to be done--from the planning to the preparation to the actual doing. Late starts result in confusion and something being left undone.

Give thanks and sing His praises no matter what happens.

Breathe--deeply--and know that He who created our very beings, knows how to settle us and calm us before the enemy has time to plant his seeds of doubt.

Know that God loves us and His love will sustain us when we remember that all we do--is all about Him and bringing Him glory, not ourselves.

This list could go on--but I'm getting an early start for final checks and getting ready to see what Great Works He does throughout this day!

Our Help!

"On my bed I remember You; I think of You through the watches of the night, Because You are my help, I sing in the shadows of Your wings. I cling to You; Your right hand upholds me." (Psalms 63:6-8 NIV)

Whenever we think that we are in a situation or a challenge alone, we must remember we're never alone, for He is always with us and will be with us when all others forsake us.

This is one of those times when I really needed this reminder. All week long, I've been battling Murphy's law--trying to keep my head up, my faith in tact and my temper under control.
Whenever I felt like lashing out, Holy Spirit quickly checked me and reminded me I am not alone. Even though so many things have happened at the last minute to threaten the success of a major fundraiser for which I'm chairing--I can move forward--slightly disheveled and lighter in weight--but still smiling, still expectantly waiting to see what great things The Lord has in store for us.

Throughout life, no matter how carefully we think we plan an event, we must always be ready to respond to the unexpected--the changes that appear to thwart our success, but are actually there to test our mettle--how do we respond to irksome situations over which we have absolutely no control.

In every situation, we learn from experience that we must have a contingency plan (hearing God every step of the way). I'll admit, sometimes we get so caught up in trying to make sure that every thing turns out right that we get distracted and miss pertinent instruction because of the "noise" of distraction.

No matter how many times the enemy has attempted to speak to my mind and stir up doubt--I have moved forward with tenacity--determined to see this event through to the end and no matter what else happens, I will be thankful for the opportunity and grateful to God for seeing me through it--He is my help--when I can count on no one else--He gives me insight and direction and strength to keep going. Through the pain of an afflicted body and through the tears shed when no one is looking, I hold onto His love and know that He'll never let me down. And though I seek success based upon how I define success--the end result will be all that God intends it to be--all to His glory.

Our help--comes from the Lord! It is He who divinely inspires us to keep going. It is He who strengthens tired bodies and minds, and it is He who speaks to the hearts of others and stirs them to want to help. It is He who gives us joy and a song to sing in praise of Him. It is He who provides what we need in spite of naysayers and doubters. O Give Thanks to The Lord--Our Help in times of need.

I'm thanking God for all the people who are hearing Him speak to their hearts and obeying His voice. Our Help--from the generosity of donations of goods, to the volunteers streaming in to help us--are all a direct result of prayer and faith in Him who knows all things and does all things well. Hallelujah!

What God Has Prepared!

"We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we declare God's wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived"--the things God has prepared for those who love him--these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit." (1 Corinthians 2:6-10 NIV)

Every time I get discouraged (and I do--momentarily) about the things I see, I ask God to speak to my heart and show me the way I should go. For those who understand hearing Holy Spirit and understand that Holy Spirit will only speak those things that God speaks, we know--no matter what things look like--God has prepared something great for those who love Him. 

What has He prepared for you? Only Holy Spirit can reveal God's truth and wisdom to those willing to hear and obey.

And when we are in the midst of doing things and challenges arise, we must be mindful--at all times--of the wisdom we have access through Holy Spirit. We do not have to know how to do all things, but we if we are willing to listen, He can guide us in all things. When others attempt to advise us with their limited "human wisdom" we can go straight to the throne of God, and get wisdom from above--and sit back and watch how amazed others are or will be by the things God accomplishes through us.

Knowing that it is He who accomplishes our success is key. Without God, I could do nothing--worthwhile--for I am totally dependent upon Him. When I need answers and cannot rely upon others to provide them, I ask God and He shows me what to do. Through His wisdom, I have achieved success in areas that amazed me and left others shaking their heads. But when God speaks to us and we see the end results of our obedience, we must not allow our accomplishments to go to our heads, thinking we know anything. I freely admit--I know nothing but God's love and I know His love will see me through anything and because I am willing to hear Him, I can say with confidence--"I can do all things through Him who loves me" and I know, "Nothing is impossible with God". Having this mindset--keeps me moving forward--with great expectation--ready to see and receive what He has prepared for me.

Though the naysayers and doubters would rather complain than believe and trust in God, I will stand firmly, immovable, in my faith in God and my willingness to hear Him. We must be careful when we must interact with others because their lack of faith can creep into our spirits and cause us to miss what God has prepared for us, when we are distracted by the "noise" of unbelief and doubt.

Human wisdom is totally lacking when it comes to understanding the things of the Spirit. Those without benefit of Holy Spirit's guidance will never understand those who operate with Holy Spirit guiding them--every step of the way. Remember, no one has heard or seen nor can they imagine all the good things God has prepared for those who love Him!

When God Pours Out His Spirit!

"In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams, Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Acts 2:17,18, 21 NIV)

When Peter was preaching to the crowd--who heard those who were speaking and understanding their languages other than their own culture, he had to tell them the people were not drunk as with wine since it was only nine in the morning, but they were responding to the outpouring of God's Spirit and functioning in His realm. As a reminder, Peter told them what the prophet Joel had already predicted--what would happen in the last days when God poured out His Spirit upon all--men and women--indiscriminately.

There is so much that can be said about this particular passage of scripture that it would take more than one posting, but I'll try to stick with one primary theme--God is not biased and holds no one in greater esteem than another. In spite of continuing conflict within the Body of Christ as to the roles of men and women--particularly women--in ministry, we see a clear picture of God's view of who can speak on His behalf and that would be-anyone upon whom God has poured His Spirit and they have received it.

Since Peter reiterated what Joel had said, we can infer that women were present at the time of the outpouring of God's on the day of Pentecost and we know--there were women in the room from previous accounts as recorded in Acts. If the women were not functioning under the unction of the Holy Spirit--there would have been no need for Peter to remind those listening of what had been said by Joel. But he did and so we can accurately conclude that the women were speaking and ministering to the those in the crowd.

That was then and nothing has changed--in spite of male tendency to think that God will not use women in ministry, God knows who He will use and He doesn't need permission or approval of any man.  I cannot begin to recount the number of times I was told that, "God don't call women to preach." I remember clearly when God woke me to tell me that I was to teach His Word at three o'clock in the morning and I lay in bed, arguing with Him---because I did not see myself worthy or knowledgeable. Later than morning, while in church service, He poured out His Spirit and I received Him with the evidence of speaking in  tongues, with discernment and interpretation. Imagine that! God pouring out His Spirit on me, who knew all the wrongs I had done, but He forgave me and moved me into position to accomplish His plans for my life.

Looking back on where I was and where I am today--I understand that God's plans--those He purposed to accomplish great things to His glory--will come to pass; even if He has to wait on us to acknowledge Him. His plans never change, but He will not force us to do anything and will always honor our choices--to receive or reject, believe or not believe."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 hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29.11).

God's plans for my life are continually unfolding and even though I don't know what all of them entail, I am willing to trust Him and know that He only wants the best for me--as He does with all of His Children. For all who call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved and adopted into the family! Hallelujah!

The Dead Have No Light To Shed!

"When someone tells you to consult mediums and spiritists, who whisper and mutter, should not a people inquire of their God? Why consult the dead on behalf of the living? Consult God's instructions and the testimony of warning. If anyone does not speak according to this Word, they have no light of dawn." (Isaiah 8:19,20 NIV)

Consulting psychics through "whatever medium" they advertise is a waste of time and money. Why do people believe other people more than they believe God? Human nature has a tendency to only believe what they can see, touch, or smell--use of their five senses, but we have another avenue to journey through the guidance and direction of Holy Spirit who knows all things. And that is the problem for some--they think people know more than God and when they act on what they think, they ignore what is right before them--God's Word.

Now, there may be some people who have been gifted with discernment and unfortunately, they choose to use God's gift-given to promote Him, to promote them. We know that God's gifts are without repentance--He won't take them back once given, but we will suffer the consequences of our actions when we misuse or misrepresent Him and the gifts He has given.

When people "supposedly" consult those who are dead for any reason, we can tell they didn't understand God's Word because we are told, "the dead know nothing."

At the same time, those who claim to be "seers" or capable of predicting the future are simply trying to bring glory and honor to themselves because if they could predict the future, they would be in a better position in life so they wouldn't have to "fleece" people with their lies.

I've never understood anyone calling 800 numbers to speak to a psychic when they could open their Bible and consult God's Word. I've never understood how anyone could have faith in "tea leaves" and any patterns they form when they settle in the bottom of a cup. I've never understood how the lines in a person's hands or face could represent anything other than what they are--skin cell formations. And I certainly have never understood how "Tarot" cards could do anything, but perpetuate more nonsense in superstitious environments.

If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we must let go of all the darkness and dark things that keep us living in the light. The dead have no light to shed upon anyone or in any situation. The dead cannot speak, hear, see, or smell. They cannot advise us--who are yet living--about anything pertaining to life--lived in the light.

The truth of the matter is that some people would rather hold onto their superstitious traditions that to allow Holy Spirit to guide them. These are the people who do not know or understand how God the Father, came down to earth in the person of God the Son, and after being resurrected, sent His spirit back as God Holy Spirit so we would never be without wise counsel, comfort, and guidance in all things. It's sad when unbelievers don't understand this, but even sadder when Believers engage in superstitious nonsense--thinking the dead have any power. God's not dead--He's yet alive and He lives in the heart of every Born Again Believer who trusts Him.

So when I see people promoting "psychic" engagement to Believers--I know they are simply preying on human nature's fallible need to have hope in something other than themselves. But God will have the last word in everyone's life--judging their deeds based upon what their mouths confess. We cannot profess to Believe God and believe we can consult the dead or "psychics" about anything pertaining to holiness and righteous living. If we do, then we are truly living in darkness and not in the light of day.

Holy Spirit Control!

"Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:29-32 NKJV)

Whenever we hear foul-mouthed conversations in which every other word is profanity, we know Holy Spirit is not governing the person using the profanity. Whenever we see the end results of raging tempers--violence and death--we know Holy Spirit is not governing the person or persons involved. And usually, when one person demonstrates a lack of self-control, they engage or ignite the same type of reaction in others. The problem--people are too reliant upon their own self-control instead of allowing Holy Spirit to control what they say and do.

Submitting our thought-life and our tongues to Holy Spirit is not easy, but it is definitely a better path to take than depending upon our ability to control anything. What does it mean to submit our thought-life? It means that we stop thinking the thoughts that lead us astray. If the enemy tries to plant a thought in our minds that is not honoring God, we submit our response to Holy Spirit and allow Him to replace those thoughts with thoughts of righteousness.

Since most of us are fighting a constant battle with self-control, we are yet a work-in-progress. We have buttons that can be pushed and when we allow others to push them, we forget who we are and whose we are--to let others know, we are not a doormat. But do we really have to let others know anything other than we belong to God?

When we're attacked--verbally--we don't need to respond, but under stressful situations when frustration and agitation get in the way, we engage and the heat rises, sparking fires that sometimes rage out of control.

When we're attacked--physically--we have a right to defend ourselves (though some would argue this) and our families. We do not have a right to instigate foolishness that embroils others into "never-ending feuds" that do nothing but create hostile environments for all. This is especially true for kids who tend to get caught up in stupidity. If a brother or sister starts a fight with someone else--let them handle on their own. If more than one person attacks a sibling, then by all means, we should do our best to protect them.

However, when people do stupid--no matter who it is--family, friends and neighbors should stay out of the fray. I've seen entire neighborhoods destroyed because of stupid people who thought they had a right to treat people any way they wanted to treat them and then expect no response by those who are harmed. Those attacked call in reinforcements to counter the action and the feud mushrooms--out of control until someone ends up dead.

When Holy Spirit is "allowed" to control our thoughts--we don't think stupid-we think pleasing God. When our thought-life is controlled by Holy Spirit, then our tongues speak those things that build, encourage, and edify others. But Holy Spirit has to be allowed to control--He will not force us to do anything, and will allow us to think, say, or do anything we want to do. Of course when we do things that grieve Him, most of us know we need to repent, back up and give Him control so we don't bring shame upon ourselves and displease God.

Life would be so much better for everyone, all over the world, if we would just allow Holy Spirit to be in control of our lives.

These Things Teach!

"These are the things you are to teach and insist on. If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, THEY ARE CONCEITED AND UNDERSTAND NOTHING. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions, and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain." (1 Timothy 6:2c-5 NIV)

One of the reasons we have so many denominations and varying doctrines that "supposedly" govern the various churches, is because somewhere along the way, people chose to develop their own interpretation of God's Word--usually taking a passage of Scripture out of context. When followers don't have any understanding of The Word and are gullible in their trust of those who are leading them, they perpetuate a continuation of their truths and not God's.

For instance, one denomination teaches a "Jesus Only" doctrine which we who know The Word, know that this is impossible. There is no Jesus without God and Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the resurrected Jesus Christ--They are (the three) the divinity that should govern our hearts because THEY WILL ALWAYS AGREE. Then another denomination teaches sprinkling water as a method of baptism rather than submersion "under the water" as a symbolic act of being buried with Christ. I've never heard of anyone being "buried" on the surface. And then there are those who would dispute the actual words of a baptism, ignoring what Jesus said. Another denomination doesn't allow music to be played in the sanctuary because they didn't understand Psalm 150 or ignored it.

If we teach anything other than what is said or implied (and substantiated) by other passages of Scripture aligning with historical events, we lie and the truth is not in us. If we lie, then we are children of Satan because he is the father of liars.

To avoid misrepresenting anything God said, we must know what He said and why--understanding the events that occurred at the time something was said. We must know that historical events directed the writing of the Old Testament by those who were inclined to hear God speak. With any good history books, we can align the events to the biblical record and how God responded to people during those times.

We know that for a span of time--most believe it was four hundred years--that no one spoke for God to the people and that's because they were too busy doing their own thing to hear Him. We are headed in the same direction where people will think that God is not speaking to anyone because so many are listening to the the enemy's lies they cannot see or hear Truth. If we're not willing to hear truth, we set ourselves up to be lead down a merry path of destruction and oppression. When people misuse The Word of God to control others, they are dictators and manipulators and have no place in the kingdom of God.

We are no longer under The Law, but under grace--God's unmerited, undeserved favor--and we only need to open our hearts to hear Him, not men, who are constantly changing their minds about everything. If our bodies are the temple where the Holy Spirit lives--He will speak to us, lead us, counsel us and guide us in all truths and we have no need to be under the bondage of man's fickleness.

Being a Body That's Busy, Not Busybodies!

"We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat. And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good." (2 Thessalonians 3:11-13 NIV)

For a person who lacks sufficient comprehension skills, Paul's instructions almost seem to contradict themselves. But the difference between being a Body (or a body) that's busy and not a busybody is the end result. A Body (or body) that's busy gets things accomplished, busybodies create destructive and chaotic environments.

Let's look at The Body of Christ--are we who we claim to Believe and follow Jesus Christ busy doing what He has asked us to do? Are looking after the needs of others--or are we turning up our noses at those in need?

Looking after the needs of others doesn't necessarily mean we go into our pockets every time someone approaches us on the street corners or even those who are sitting by roadsides. In all things we must exercise wisdom--seeking Him to determine who we give a hand-out because every hand-out is not a hand-up and the goal of the Believer should be to provide a hand-up. I've been in situations in which Holy Spirit spoke to my heart about helping people and even when I thought I couldn't afford (financially) to do so, I did what I was told to do. I believe that when we obey, God always takes care of our needs. I do not give money to every person who asks for it, but when someone says they are hungry, if there is a restaurant nearby, I'll take them in and buy them whatever they want. On a number of occasions, I was told to give money and I did, but what I noticed is that those to whom I gave money, were working people and they didn't ask me for anything.

Are we ministering to the needs of those who are either locked up or locked in? Those who are in prisons may be locked up, but that doesn't mean they should be locked out of hearing the gospel. And the same is true for those who are locked into the own sense of nothingness and need someone to guide them in the right direction.

This is what a busy Body (or body) does, but the busybody--is always getting into other people's business. This group or person seldom accomplishes anything other than chaos and bitterness. They ask questions that don't need to be asked, they try to give advice when they don't have a clue as to how to govern their own lives, and they always carry the latest tidbit of gossip, expanding what they hear for the sake of sensationalism--blowing things out of proportion. That's the busybody.

If we look around at the world today, we see the busybodies--in the church and outside the church, but we tend to ignore the busy Body (or body) that is actually doing all they can to do what Jesus says to do. If Believers are ever going to make a difference in our society, we must practice being busy--accomplishing good things that honor God--and not being busybodies that only ignite confusion and destruction because the only thing they're busy doing is trying to find ways to create chaos.

Now, we all have a decision to make and our decision will determine who we hear. Are we a Body of people that are busy or are we idle busybodies exercising our tongues instead of our hands?

Our Hope Anchored in Jesus!

"Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtains, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become the high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." (Hebrews 6:17-20 NIV)

In order to understand much of what is said in the book of Hebrews, one must understand the directives given to the priests in the Old Testament, and the procedure used for entering the temple. Moving from the outer court, into the inner court, into the holy of holies was ritualistic and solemn. The priests who entered, had a rope tied around them with bells on it in case they were slain for not honoring God in the way God prescribed and they could be dragged out, since not all could enter.. If obedience and honor was a precursor now for anyone entering into "the temple" or church buildings today, not many would have leaders who could pass the test of living a holy life.

Jesus is now our high priest and all who have their hope anchored in Him, will never be disappointed nor need to fear when entering into His presence. While many attend church buildings to be in His presence, they have overlooked the fact that our bodies are the temple where the Holy Spirit dwells and He is always with us. Therefore, our conduct should always be pleasing to Him at all times and when we miss it--we confess and repent and we are still--never left alone.

Far too many people--Christians--place their hope in people or things. They develop relationships with others hoping the networking will make a difference in their lives. Sometimes, the networking may make a difference, but if the hope of having a difference made is in the people and not in Jesus, the hope is misdirected and misdirected hope usually leads to disappointment.

Our hope should not be in the pastor, the deacons, the choir, the ushers or anyone else in the building; our hope should be in Jesus alone and His righteousness in order to see our desires fulfilled on this side of heaven. People disappoint and things disappoint, but when our hope is grounded--anchored--knowing nothing shall move us from our stance in Him, we can weather any storm and the winds die down, and water recedes, we are still standing--praising His name.

Chairing the upcoming event for our high school band has helped me to realize that it is not about me, but about Jesus, who can and will do great things on my behalf to make this event successful. He has been speaking to hearts and those to whom He has spoken, have yielded to Him and they are making things happen so disappointment will not be known by any who participate in the 21st Annual Band-O-Rama! I am declaring it done--to His Glory--in Jesus' name.

And when it is over--I will praise His name and give thanks for all He has done--recognizing all He used in making it happen. This is what we do when our hope is anchored in Jesus!

Discipline Saves From Death!

"Discipline your children, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to their death. Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise." (Proverbs 19:18, 20 NIV)

Considering how the government attempts to intervene when parents discipline their children, it's no wonder we see foolishness that leads to violence and death--the death of children and of others.

We see such stupidity as the "knock-out" activity--where gangs of idiotic males find vulnerable older citizens to just "knock them out" just because. When young people have no respect for the elderly, it is a strong indicator that no discipline was ever employed in their homes. If they don't respect their parents, they are certainly not going to respect others. And every time the idiots are caught--their parents try to defend their action and the worst excuse in the world is--there was no father in the home.

Why was there no father in the home? Because someone forgot to discipline them when they were younger and many are locked behind bars or in morgues or cemeteries. The lack of discipline has a domino effect on many in our society and it tends to be a generational problem. However, even if a father is not in the home, mothers can and have been strong leaders in the home, when they care enough to teach their children right from wrong and live it as an example in front of them.

But there is another reason why discipline is lacking in so many homes. Many parents are afraid to discipline their children because of laws pertaining to corporal punishment. Children have been encouraged to "report" any act of corporal punishment because we have adult idiots who decided that if we spank a child, we damage their "emotional growth". Well, I'm against child abuse, but I'm a strong advocate for corporal punishment--as prescribed by God--using the rod (figuratively) of correction when needed.

There is a difference between beating a child and abusing them--breaking bones, putting them hospitals and causing death. I would never advocate abuse as a method of discipline. And I would never advocate using any method of scarring a child or doing anything that leads to death or disfigurement--ESPECIALLY WITH CHILDREN UNDER THREE YEARS-OLD. Tapping a child's hand lightly when they're doing something wrong usually gets their attention. But before anyone can try to discipline a child, they must take the time to teach the child--if after being taught right from wrong a child persists on doing wrong, then disciplinary measures must be established and used repeatedly to deter the negative behavior.

Generally speaking, most children who are disciplined at home before they start school, are wiser academically and never cause a teacher a problem (except for the transition years of puberty). When schools are limited in doling out consequences for misbehavior, students tend to try to rule the schools, and when they are tossed out the door, drop-out rates increase and the potential for poverty-stricken individuals increases. More poverty, more crime--more crime more jails and the cycle never ends--and it won't until we understand the necessity for appropriate discipline.

The wages of sin--the payment and end result is death. Though we don't often call misbehavior in kids, sin, it is and we should treat it as such, disciplining them to keep them from experiencing--unnecessary deaths.

We must teach them to accept responsibility for their actions and accept the consequences that ensue so they might live and others won't have to fear for their lives at the hands of undisciplined, out-of-control, people in this society. When we learn to obey God, we are wise; if we don't--we set ourselves up for failure.

God loves us enough to provide us instruction and consequences for actions. We need to love kids enough to provide them with sound, Godly instruction, and consequences for their actions and see them live to the full potential God has designed for them.

"My heart, O God, is steadfast; I will sing and make music with all my soul. Awake, harp and lyre! I will awaken the dawn. I will praise you, Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, higher than the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth." (Psalm 108:1-5 NIV)

This psalm is a reflection of my thoughts and my emotions are running high! But I have to remember that no matter what happens in any given day, no matter how many challenges rise to deter me from my course, that I can and will sing--to The Lord, thanking Him for being who He is, praising Him for the victories won on a daily basis, and for His faithfulness towards us. I can and will sing at any given opportunity, whether I sound like a choir of angels or a pond of croaking frogs; whether I can sing loud enough to be heard a block away or whisper a melody that only God can hear--I will sing!

When our hearts are heavy with the burdens we carry, an uplifting song will ease those burdens away. If we can't remember all the lyrics of a published songs, we can change the words to suit our heart's desire and sing anyway. At the craziest moments--a song has risen in my heart that no one else has ever heard before, but the Lord provides me the melody and the lyrics and when the moment is over--I seldom remember the words or the melody, but God knows.

One of my favorite songs is--"I've got the victory, Hallelujah; I've got victory, Hallelujah, I've got the victory, Hallelujah. Every knee shall bow and every heart confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord, Every knee shall bow and every heart confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. 2) The devil is liar--Hallelujah!  3) Enemies are defeated, Hallelujah!

Another includes the words; "Can't stop praising His Name, I just can't stop praising His Name, I just can't stop praising His Name, Jesus--Hallelujah Jesus!

I could go on and on as I'm sure many could, but the point of this is encourage all to sing a song of praise, of worship, with joy overflowing, remembering that nothing--no weapon--shall ever deter us from accomplish our goals as long as we have song in hearts to keep us focused on God's goodness. I feel a song coming on.

No matter what I do this day,
No matter how I feel,
I close my eyes and feel His presence,
His love overflowing, wiping away my tears,
I feel Him holding me close, making whole and healed,
And I listen to His voice, "Within My arms, there's no fear."
I open my eyes, looking towards heaven, waiting for that day,
When all pain is washed away, and with Him, I'll always stay.
I see the bright blue sky, the sun's light brightly shining over all He's made,
And I know, I can make it because of who He is,
And I know, I can make it because of who He is.
And I know, I can make it because of who He is,
My everything, all I'll ever need--is Him in my life!  (choose a melody for yourself)

Glory Hallelujah! Thank You, Jesus for speaking to my heart and reminding me all is well with my soul and there's nothing I cannot accomplish with You going before me--preparing hearts to receive all You have to tell them, clearing out obstacles so that You alone get all the glory. Oh Yes, I will sing and tell all who listen--How great The Lord Is--mighty Savior is He. I will sing--through the tears and pain, the heartache and the rain, I will sing!

O Give Thanks!

"Oh, give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works!" (Psalm 105:1,2 NKJV)

Sometimes, just because we cannot see all that God is doing, we tend to get frustrated and discouraged and forget all the good things He has done. What He has done before, He'll do again and again and again. We don't have to see what He's doing, we just have to believe that He is doing. And with that thought, I have a praise report!

My grandson is in his high school band and I'm a member of the Band Boosters organization--we have to raise money to supplement the band's needs which are not covered by the school's budget. Every year, for the past twenty years (this will be year twenty-one), the Band Boosters hosts a Band-O-Rama--a performance by a number of area bands who are using this event as a "dress rehearsal" of sorts for the Band Festival where the bands will be ranked by a panel of judges.

Because of on-going conflict between the out-going president (when they lost the election) and the newly-elected executive board, things had not been shaping up well. Some of the schools we invited, were turning us down for various reasons, but Holy Spirit revealed that they were not pleased with how they were treated last year. This year, I'm chairing this enormous event and discouragement keeps trying to seep in and get in my way, but I know the power of prayer and I believe that my Daddy loves me so much, that He'll never let me down.

Instead of moping about what is not being done, I just jumped in and started doing whatever I could to make things work. We knew we were running a risk--financially--but we're determined to move forward. Did I mention that I'm also the new treasurer? I'm looking at the dollars and cents dwindle as I write checks and "I don't see" how we're going to make it happen--a positive memorable event, but I didn't see God working until yesterday.

After a meeting with the food service director seeking their assistance, I went home, determined to keep a stiff upper lip. About five minutes after I got home, I received a phone call from the director and what he tells me leaves me speechless. His boss had decided that not only would they donate items they had given in the past, but the school district had decided to pick up the tab for the items we had purchased from them. I could hardly believe it! This meant a considerable savings to us with our food concession.

I love to praise God and give Him glory for all He does and I did. By the time I got off phone, the director was laughing and calling me "crazy lady." Yes, Lord, I'm crazy about my Daddy and how good He is! Hallelujah! I quickly emailed the executive board and the band director to let them know and I have a "bear hug" reserved for the business manager.

Glory to God! O give thanks! Wonderful Savior! He is good all the time and all the time, He's God--all by Himself!

Not to be greedy, we still need donations of a few more items--a couple of tents and a cot, but I'm sure God will provide and as I lay in my bed this morning, thinking of His goodness and thanking Him for speaking to the hearts of people who can help, tears rolled--the magnitude of His love--is always amazing and fills my heart with joy!

O Give Thanks to The Lord For All He Has Done--for the victories He's already won!

Just in case you're interested, this year's Band-O-Rama is Saturday, September 26, 2015 at the Harper Woods High School Football Field in Michigan. If you live in the area, please join us for this all day event and if you don't, please keeping thanking God for the success of the event so we can continue to support our high school band.

Living Life's Blessings!

"How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity! It's like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the head, running down on Aaron's beard, down on the collar of his robe. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore." (Psalm 133:1-3 NIV)

What happens when people are living in unity?

Peace, sweet peace--no violence, no rudeness, no killing, no wars, no rumors of wars, just calmness, clarity of communication, and sustaining respect--one for another.

People look after each other--making sure everyone's needs are met. There is no poverty, no lack, for anyone.

Politicians take their jobs seriously and work to find the means to protect and serve the needs of all the people.

Pastors and preachers teach The Word of God and not their own messages, attempting to deceive or manipulate God's children.

Parents take care of their children--teaching and guiding them in the right way of doing things and disciplining their children when necessary.

What happens when people are living in unity?

There is no need for complaints and grumbling about anything because logic and common sense prevail.

Communication is on-going so there is no need for misunderstandings and everyone's opinion is respected.

Fear is not option because no one would be afraid to walk in the light of day or the darkness of night--free to come and go without concern about who might harm them.

Love overflows onto all and no one is hated because of differences of skin color, religion, ethnicity, gender or anything else.

Why can't we live live unity?

Whenever there is a group of people--regardless of nationality or any other distinction, who think they are superior to others who are not like them--they belittle and manipulate others--to feel good about themselves.

Controlling others becomes a lifetime effort and any time people discover they don't like being controlled, they rebel. When rebellion occurs there is no more peace.

So the answer my friends is listening to those who have experienced God's blessings and learning to hear God when He speaks. When we love ourselves, we can love others. When we love God, He makes our paths straight and keeps us on the straight and narrow one--blessing us because of our obedience.

His anointing--like the oil used to indicate a new king or the priests as part of the protocol--flows down our heads onto our shoulders into our hearts--His Spirit--interconnected to our spirit--and we know that we can unite in goals for peace and prosperity--basic human needs provided--for all.

And just like the dew that glistens in the early morning sun, our love will shine and glisten--covering the earth, soaking the roots of discouragement with encouragement; the roots of hate with love, and roots of hopelessness with hope.

We can do all things together better, with each other, when we respect and love one another. Let's give it a try and watch how God pours on the anointing so all will be blessed beyond measure.

Don't Just Listen, Do!

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." (James 1:19-22 NIV)

We know from reading The Word that faith comes by hearing and hearing by The Word of God--says, Paul to us. Now, James tells us, don't just listen to The Word, do it! If our faith in God is going to be sustained, then we must do what we hear and read from The Word--and not just people.

The Messengers of God are worth hearing when they are speaking God's message. When they veer off into their own imaginations and opinions that are based on nothing--especially not The Word--no one is obligated to hear or do what they say, yet so many people do.

I'm thinking particularly about a pastor--somewhere--who poured bleach over the heads of his congregants to "wash them clean" because of erroneous understanding of The Word. The Word tells us that the blood Jesus shed on the cross is what washes us clean--not bleach or anything else we attempt to do. The psalmist mentions being washed by The Word--not the literal word--but as representing what Jesus would accomplish since He is The Word.

Getting back to hearing and not doing--many people claim to listen to their pastor on a Sunday morning and praise their messages, but when asked what they said--they develop amnesia. "I don't know, but it sure was good." Apparently, they were not the good ground into which The Word was supposed to be sown.

Then there are those who wouldn't miss church for the world--uh uh--no siree, they're not missing church. They are there every time the doors open and listen intently to every word heard, but then their lives don't demonstrate what they heard (unless they heard a message that opposes God's Word). From their actions, one can tell, they didn't hear about loving one's neighbor as themselves because the minute they got into the parking lot, they started cussing out everyone in their way. They get home and talk about everyone who attended church--they talk about the pastor and his wife; they talk about the noisy children; they talk about the ushers who are too slow; they talk about the soloist and how they could see better than they did; they talk about the choir director who, "couldn't direct traffic." They talk about everyone and since they "saw" so much going on, how on earth did they hear any Word?

We can hear without listening and when we pretend to listen the only person we fool is us. God is not mocked. He knows our hearts and He knows when we're pretending to pay attention and so does everyone else when we are not doing The Word.

We "do The Word" when we obey The Word and people know we have either read with understanding or at listened to God's messengers because they see it in our conduct. We who "do" The Word don't live in opposition to The Word, but strive to obey God in all things and that obedience starts with knowing how to love others and God.

Today would be a good day to start--not just listening, but in doing The Word--loving all we meet and greet and making the devil cringe because we even woke up--with desire in our hearts to please God!

Destruction!

"You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.  But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other." (Galatians 5:13-15 NIV)

We are a family of human beings--we are all created uniquely individual, designed to socialize--needful of one another, so why is there so much animosity between us?

Forget for a moment that Paul is specifically speaking to Believers and let's broaden the outlook to all people--from all nations--across the globe. If mankind originated from one man and woman--Adam and Eve, then all human beings are related in one way or another. We all need to eat and breathe to live and we all need clean air and drinkable water to survive all of the toxins created by man's inventiveness. So, if we need one another--wouldn't it make sense for us to be considerate of one another--at all times?

Who is our neighbor that we should love them? Anyone with whom we know as fellow Believers--for starters. But that doesn't mean we cannot love those who do not believe as we do. We can and should love all--even those with whom we disagree. For if we are incapable of loving others; especially those who are not like-minded, we create a void that needs to be filled and if not filled with love, it will be filled with hate. Either we allow Holy Spirit to influence us to love or Satan to influence us to hate. How do we know Satan's influence is running rampant in the earth? Just look at all the hate!

Satan's entire mission is to destroy mankind because God loves us. In order to achieve his goal to destroy, he instigates superiority in one group of people over another--making them feel everyone else is wrong and they're the only ones who are right. He stirs up hatred and division to keep us from socializing and communicating like civilized persons. He feeds our bitterness, frustration and disappointments with negativity and distrust--guiding us to an abyss where he can leave us to drop into the hate-filled void of darkness with no way out. Soon, because people do not recognize Satan's influence in their lives, they kill each other for little or reason, wiping out humanity until all is lost and there is no one left, but the spirit of darkness and doom.

However, there is hope and the hope is our faith and belief that we are "the light set upon a hill" so others can and will know love because of the love we show to all. Where there is love and light--hate and darkness cannot abide. If darkness is dispelled by the light and love of those who love Christ, destruction can be deterred and the enemy will slither away, biding his time until the next round. And there will be a next round by the enemy to destroy, but we can let the love of God overwhelm us and flow onto all we meet and see that where there is love, we defeat destructive forces.

We can change what is happening in our society--one person at a time by dispensing love as freely as the air we breathe. With love, there is no destruction--on construction of loving relationships, determined to sustain humanity until He comes to take us home.

Defeating Grace!

"What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that ALL of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life" (Romans 6:1-4 NIV).

What shall we say--about sin and the grace given to us--when we didn't deserve it--giving us another chance to get living right for God? What shall we say about God's mercy--that kept us from receiving what we did deserve--when we knowingly opted to live in sin and yet, He loves us so much He was not willing to let us lay in the muck and mire we created for ourselves? Do we really understand that when we deliberately keep sinning--after all He's done for us--we defeat the entire purpose of grace?

There are many--who profess to love The Lord--who have no idea of the purpose of grace--they tend to get grace mixed up with forgiveness and that God will forgive us for what we do--so they keep living in sin--attempting to justify it, by saying, "God forgives!"

Oh yes, He does forgive us when we repent--turn away from doing all things that dishonor Him. But if people are simply mouthing a request to Him to forgive their sin when there has been no change of heart or turning away from what brought them into position to seek forgiveness--they waste their time. God is not deceived and He knows when they open their mouths, hearts have not been renewed in Him.

And this is what we see in our society's celebration of sin--against God--not man and the tragedy is that they refuse to see the sin; they justify it, and celebrate it, and see no need to repent. Without repentance--there is no forgiveness of sin. No court in the land on earth can ever determine what is sin and what is not. They may legalize  what God has called sin, but they can never redefine sin. And what mere mortals have forgotten is that no matter how many times they change what is legal or what is not--God never changes. Since He is the only person who can determine our place of eternity, I'd rather look to His instructions than man's.

For by grace--God's favor towards us--unmerited, unearned--have we been saved by the finished work on the cross. There is no more need for God to come down to offer Himself a sacrifice for us--that was completed over a long time ago--on the Old Rugged Cross, where He gave His life--took on sin so we would not have to suffer the consequence for sin--death. For the wages--the payment, final consequence of sin--is death. Accepting the finished work on the cross in the person of Jesus Christ, puts us into a position to develop a right relationship with Him and to know and understand more about how He wants us to live our lives--sin-free--honoring the grace He has given.

To continue to live in sin and celebrate it as a lifestyle defeats the grace given and we make a mockery of the finished work on the cross. Jesus sacrificed Himself in vain for some since they do not recognize the benefit of His sacrifice. For all who will not repent, they have only the lake of fire to expect as their eternal resting place. What a shame!

But for those of us who understand, let's move forward, maintaining our faith in Him and living to please Him so He will give us the desires of our hearts and stamp our names on our mansions in heaven--the place prepared for those who obey God. We accept the grace given and will not allow its purpose to be defeated in our lives. Hallelujah!

What Makes Us Spiritually Blind?

"Jesus said, 'For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.' Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked,"What? Are we blind, too?" Jesus said, "If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains." (John 9:39-41 NIV)

If what I say today sounds redundant, please forgive the heart that desires everyone to know truth. Jesus had a conversation with the man He had healed from blindness after the Pharisees threw him (the man no longer blind) out of the temple. Jesus understood the heart of the Pharisees--that they declared themselves to be righteous above all others and though they claimed to have knowledge of God, they did not do as God wanted them to do.

We have the same problem with people in church leadership today and with those who aren't. Here's the crux of the matter. If we claim to know and understand God and will not obey His Word, then we are spiritually blind. Those who claim to not know God, once they have experienced His mercy and will still not obey are also spiritually blind. However those who never knew God, but experienced His mercy and understood who He is and how He wants us to live--those--He opened their eyes and they could see--spiritually--all that He desired them to see.

I can imagine--haven't died and gone to heaven and come back--so my imagination will have to do--that when we stand before God on that day--the day sinner and saved alike will be judged, that many people are going to be surprised by who makes it in and who didn't. Picture this: We're all waiting to hear what God has to say about the lives we lived on earth and He opens the Book of Life, calling us one by one. Within the Book--He has noted when we acknowledged Him and attempted to live as He would have us to live. Noted, I said--attempted--for there is no perfect person on earth. Then He pronounces our judgment--it will either be, "Well done" or "Depart from me, I never knew you."

Who will hear, "Well done?" All those who eyes were opened, spiritually--after coming into knowledge of Him and developing a relationship with Him and doing the will of the Father.

Who will hear, "Depart from me, I never knew you?" All those who claimed to know God, yet would not live in obedience to His Word and changed it--selectively--to they could live in sin and still claim to have a relationship with God.

And there remains another group of people and I have no idea what they will hear, but I have a feeling I know where they'll spend eternity. This group of people will be those who denied God's existence so they would not have to obey Him and encouraged others to do as they did. And they continued to deny His existence after repeatedly being exposed to the Truth of God's Word, in total rebellion--not wanting anyone to have any authority over their lives. Unfortunately, they didn't realize when they chose to deny God, they also chose to be influenced by Satan--who also rebelled against God and was thrown out of heaven when he wanted to be the one in authority--over God. Imagine that--an angel that God created, wanted to have authority over the creator!

There are still people who are spiritually blind--those who think their knowledge is greater than God's, their wisdom wiser, and their strength greater. They believe that they can do any and everything without God and have. They fail to realize that without God, nothing we do will matter.

So, today--once again--I encourage all to get to into God's Word, develop a relationship with Him, and live life pleasing Him, rather than attempting to please man. Allow God to open spiritually blinded eyes, bringing all into the family so all will hear, "Well done!"

Insight Into The Mystery of Christ Jesus!

"Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to people in other generations as it has not been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets. This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together in the promise of Christ Jesus." (Ephesians 3:2-6 NIV)

What is a mystery? By definition--anything that is kept secret, unexplained, or unknown. Here Paul tells us that the mystery--the unknown has been explained to him by the Spirit of God because of the grace--unearned, unmerited favor given to him.

If the mystery of the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been explained, then why is it that some are still left in the dark, shaking their heads either in amazement or unbelief?

The answer is quite simply this: For those who do not have the Spirit of God living within them, they cannot understand the spiritual wisdom given to those who are totally dependent upon His teaching and are always listening to Him who knows more than any mere man will ever know.

Though some of us have experienced spiritual revelation about God's Word, we will never know the totality of God's Word because if we did, we'd be arrogant enough to think we are gods. Even without the revelation experience, there are some individuals who think they are gods and attempt to corrupt and manipulate The Word to control others. In an effort to appear "spiritually deep" some people have caused others much anguish and pain, they eventually turn away from the One true God because their little gods treated them so miserably.

Who are these little gods? Anyone who thinks they are the only ones who have rightly interpreted the Bible and misuse their interpretation for a variety of reasons that include appeasing flesh. One such group is those who "reinvented God's Word" to justify practicing sin--the "Rainbow Bible" which has eliminated any reference to homosexuality. Then there is the New World translation which eliminates any references to hell, and any translation that denies the divinity of Jesus Christ, and the Godhead totally. Let's face it--there are so many translations which eliminate gender reference that many are confused.

God is a spirit--and Jesus called Him Father, therefore, He is a male archetype of what men should be--and He shall ever be a He, not a she or an it. Those of us who have Holy Spirit living within us know this because truth is only revealed to those operating in the spirit and others will not understand for they cannot understand.  Therefore, the mystery of the Gospel will remain a mystery for those who refuse to accept spiritual revelation.

But for those of us who have received the indwelling power of Holy Spirit, He can reveal to us--all the Father directs Him to give us. Notice that Holy Spirit will not say anything the Father has not said, or until the Father directs Him to speak to us. This is why we must receive the indwelling of Holy Spirit, so we can have access to revelation knowledge (revealed by Holy Spirit) and share what we've been given to others so they will also have access and insight to the mystery of Jesus Christ.  None of what we receive from Holy Spirit is intended for us to keep to ourselves, but to share the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ so all will come into the knowledge of God's Truth. We are not responsible for whether people receive the information; we are only responsible for sharing it.

So pray in the spirit, study God's Word, seek Him about everything and receive the revealed Truth to share with others, not to manipulate them as so many have attempted to do.

Great Is Your Faithfulness!

"I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail, they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:19-23 NIV)

This sounds like a passage of scripture we all could have written. Remembering those days when---we lived any way we wanted to live and reaped the consequences for our rebellion and opposition. When we caved to peer pressure and engaged in all sorts of illicit or immoral behavior. When we thought we were grown enough to do whatever we wanted to do. When our present was more important than our future because we gave no thought to our future. When people tried to tell us we were heading in the wrong direction and we would not listen and actually scorned those who tried to warn us.

And in spite of ourselves and our lack of wisdom and knowledge, God in His infinite mercy and love--showed us compassion when we were not able to show compassion to others and kept us for Himself and His purposes. Hallelujah for our compassionate and merciful and loving God. How great is He! Faithful to those who did not understand faithfulness. Loving those who did not understand how to love self and certainly no one else. Great is Your faithfulness, Lord to those of us who really didn't deserve it.

Never would we have found the courage to live a life pleasing to Him unless someone had prayed for us, had us on their minds, and God responded as only He can--with outstretched arms, willing and ready to forgive us, putting us on the right path, introducing us to His Son and His purpose in our lives.

I know there may be some reading this who cannot relate because they have lived perfect lives all of their lives--well this isn't for them. It's for the rest of us who had to find our way, through the muck and pits--having reached the end of ourselves so we would understand that without God--we have no existence worth living! We rejoice in His love and saving grace, for He didn't have to do it, but He did.

What He did for us--then and now--He'll do for others. It is His faithfulness towards mankind that will save them, just like it saved us. He will wait--until those who choose to live in opposition to Him reach the end of themselves and understand there is no live worth having without God in it and leading it. Though it appears that the world is headed for the lake of fire, God has a plan and His plan will succeed for all who are willing to heed the warnings and know His love.

God's faithfulness surpasses any human being's faithfulness because He doesn't keep a record of our wrongs, but keeps strengthening us to be strong in the Holy Spirit, who is always whispering in our ears and speaking to our hearts, God's Word, spoken to the faithful men of old, so we have continue to have hope, even when it seems like there is no hope for the lost.

Thank You for the mercies that are new every morning! Thank You for the love You keep shedding abroad in our hearts! Thank for the grace we receive to keep hope alive in every situation. Great is Your faithfulness, Lord unto to us! Keep praying for those on the wrong path!

Live Godly Lives!

"Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." (1 Peter 2:11-12 NIV).

Though there are many unbelievers and naysayers about the foundational beliefs of this country, those of us who know God's Word, know the Constitution of the United States paraphrases the very Word of God with the intent to provide order and justice so all can live in peace and harmony.

And though founding fathers supported the practice of slavery [as used by the sinners to influence how Black Americans think], they did so out of ignorance of the inhumanities that would be employed by other human beings and to support an economy of free labor. I do not support the practice of slavery of any kind, but I do understand that people are enslaved--and not just by other people--but carnal desires--sex, drugs, and greed.

Although America is supposedly the "land of the free" where liberty and justice can be found for all, that does not appear to be the case for Believers--who understand our foundational beginnings and uphold the Word of God as a blueprint for living--establishing order and peace for all. Believers everywhere are now--the "foreigners" in the land even though it was because of a desire to worship God--separate from government control--that led to the establishment of this country.

But we should not think our beliefs are as foreign as those who were responsible for "taking over" the land from the Native (those born here originally) Americans. We changed their names and stripped them of their dignity, forcing them to comply with our traditions because we were afraid of theirs--and restricted where they could live--all so we could make ourselves look better than them.
That same spirit--that "take over mentality" now exists in the mindsets of gay-advocate groups all over the land. They are determined to take-over and vilify every Believer who dares to speak out against sin. It is a plot of the enemy to destroy mankind and they who have been influenced, don't even see it.

So, in the sense that Believers "appear" to be losing ground in the face of enemy's agenda, we are admonished in the Word, to live Godly lives in the presence of the unbelieving, so that our good deeds are seen. In other words, we are to live as God wants us to live--in spite of the turmoil and chaos that has infected the land--from those who have been bitten with the venom of sin to those in the Supreme Court who have allowed the poison to infect their judgment--creating confusion in the masses and we know--God is not the author of confusion so that leaves only one spiritual force who is--Satan.

We know that the chaos, confusion, and turmoil in the earth is caused by Satan because those who are influenced by him, deny the existence of any spiritual forces. If people deny Satan's existence, they can easily convince themselves that God--who is Spirit and must be worshipped in spirit and in truth--doesn't exist either.

But we who know--that spiritual forces do exist in the atmosphere, should be mindful that we are submitted to Holy Spirit and will give the demonic spirits no place in our lives. As ambassadors for Jesus Christ, we must say what He says and represent all that He is in our own conduct. We do not have to resort to name-calling, using profanity, or any other method of ridicule as those who follow Satan do, to live the life that God wants us to live.

Indeed, our response to the negativity shown towards us should simply be to promote the Gospel, share God's love and keep it moving. And while we are promoting the Gospel for the sake of those who have not acknowledged Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, we should also support those who are willing to stand firm in their beliefs and faith in God. There are many more Kim Davises in the world--and they should all have our prayers and support in their endeavor to live Godly lives, no matter how many fiery darts the enemy launches against them. Live to please God and not man and receive God's reward of eternal life with Him.

Exercising Wisdom in The Spirit!

"This is what we speak, not in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for, "who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ." (1 Corinthians 2:13-16 NIV)

For all the critics of Believers--the atheists, the unbelieving, the judgmental Christian-haters--know this: There is no way anyone who does not have the Spirit of God living within them can ever understand those who do! Therefore, criticisms of those operating in the Spirit and exercising wisdom that only comes from the Spirit are vain and have no value at all.

However, those who exercise spiritual wisdom, based upon what the Spirit of God speaks to them can and do judge all matters--with spiritual criteria--not understood by those who deliberately reject the work on the Cross. And this is why, there are those who continually ridicule and denigrate those of us who understand spiritual matters--they feel left out.

When people don't understand things--they make fun of it and are derisive--because they hate not knowing. Though many claim that Christians are judgmental, they are far more judgmental and hypocritical since many attempt to use "scripted" rebuttals from the Bible when they have no knowledge of the intent of the Bible.

I alluded this a few days ago regarding a comment I made about Kim Davis. Here's the comment to a news article: "When one person's beliefs are not honored, none should be. She should not be in jail for standing up for her beliefs."

What followed was a torrent of venom from those who don't have a clue, but these are some of the responses:

Samantha Swol YOU DO NOT GET TO PICK AND CHOOSE WHICH PARTS TO FOLLOW AND JESUS WOULD BE APPALLED WITH YOUR SORRY A** FOR PREACHING HATE WHICH HE NEVER WOULD

Jeska Taylor Mary do you have children, and if so did you murder them after they disobeyed?

Jeska Taylor Mary do you ever speak in church??

Jeska Taylor Speaking in church is a sin for you. "Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law.”

Mary Hall-Rayford Jeska Taylor, I've heard this argument before and I would encourage people to seek God and if you're going to say any part of the Bible is right--then all of it is right. The difference is--I understand who was talking to whom and when and why Jesus had to come to get us reconciled to God. Have you accepted Jesus as your personal Savior? If so, you should understand that if those of us who have are ambassadors for Christ, we can say or do nothing that He didn't say or do. And before you try to convince anyone He didn't say anything about homosexuality, I'd encourage you to understand all of the Gospel of John, pray for reading and seeking His Wisdom. He only taught what His Father--God taught. "Go and sin no more" not go and commit no more sins. There is a difference--all is included in what He said, not just adultery. No speaking in a church is not sin for me since Paul was referencing those women who were interrupting services to ask their husbands question. If you're going to do Bible with me, you might want to get an understanding about what was going on at the time things were said. Another verse of scripture proclaims in Galatians 5--there is no male or female In Christ; underscoring we all have the same rights and privileges. Check it out or get someone you respect to explain it to you.

And this went on and on for over an hour with over 179 comments. The best one was from Crystal Williams:

Crystal Williams Mary, MEN wrote the Bible. GOD wrote the Ten Commandments. Do you know what would happen TODAY if a person (man or woman) said they spoke to God and He actually told them things? They would have a one way ticket to the asylum. The "Christians" would be calling them false prophets, and the rational people would be calling them crazy. How do you KNOW the men that claimed to have Gods ear weren't a bubble off dead center and just trying to push their wants onto their fellow men?

It is clear that most of the commenters--and some of whom were really nasty, resorting to using profanity, do not understand the Spirit of God and cannot understand those of us who do. Therefore, their only recourse is to attack.

This is how I determined that the only thing I can say to them is to let them know--God loves them and so do I--and pray for them to receive the finished work of the Cross.

Keep On, Keeping On!

"Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have show hospitality to angels without knowing it. Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering." (Hebrews 13: 1-3 NIV)

How simple are these instructions? Keep on loving, keep showing hospitality to strangers, keep remembering those in prison and keep remembering those who are mistreated! Who are our brothers and sisters? Who are the strangers we should be nice to? Who do we know in prisons? Who is being mistreated?

Our brothers and sisters are everyone in the Body of Christ--no matter what denominationalism is recognized and honored, all Believers--are joint-heirs with Christ, we are the spiritual seed of Abraham, and children of the Most High God. If then, we are all children then we are all brothers and sisters in The Lord! I love meeting my brothers and sisters who I've never met--at car rentals (had a great time of fellowship at Enterprise once with two brothers in The Lord upon our first meeting), in supermarkets, at the park, in parking lots, at phone stores, online, in restaurants--everywhere I venture, I meet a new brother or sister and we just rejoice like we've known each for all our lives. In the spirit--we have--which is why we have no problem loving one another.

Showing hospitality to strangers should never be a problem for those of us who Believe since we never know who it is we're treating right. And it shouldn't matter. If we treat all we know the way we would be want to be treated, they will know who we are. And I don't mean we should treat people who are celebrities or politicians with more respect than any other person with whom we have no relationship. The beggar on the street deserves our respect just as much as any other person of any type of status. I'm not advocating being foolish, but in exercising the wisdom God has so abundantly given us, in all things. I realize that sometimes, we can not, avoiding certain people is an exercise of using wisdom rather than putting ourselves in danger. We must be wise as a serpent, but gentle as a dove--not being hateful, but mindful of our safety and staying out of harm's way. The enemy is a master of deception and some of his demons will try to use this instruction to worm their way into our lives and destroy everything we've worked to accomplish.

Remembering those in prison means so much more than just empathizing with those locked behind bars a prison cell. Some people are prisoners of their mind because they don't have the mind of Christ are constantly at odds with themselves. Some people are prisoners of their addictions and don't know how to break loose. And some are prisoners of spouses, parents, or children--locked into situations they cannot escape. We must continue to pray for them and those who are locked up in prisons--for standing for justice and holiness.

There are so many people who are mistreated that this space is not room enough to enumerate them. But there are people who are persecuted for their faith in God; parents are mistreating children, and children are mistreating parents and grandparents; spouses are mistreating each other, governments are mistreating the people and total strangers are abusing and mistreating those they encounter. Lord help us all to seek You for wisdom in all situations! For anyone who mistreats someone else, they demonstrate they have not received the love of God, are incapable of loving themselves and therefore, cannot love others. We cannot give or demonstrate what we do not have!

Lord, help us to keep looking to You to know how we are to do all You have asked us to do. Help us to keep on keeping on, doing all that pleases You, mindful of the fact that You know our hearts and see all we do.