Better Wisdom Than Riches

Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right. My mouth speaks what is true, for my lips detest wickedness. All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse. To the discerning all of them are right; they are upright to those who have found knowledge. Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her. “I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence; I possess knowledge and discretion." Proverbs 8:6-12 NIV

Whenever we think we are wise--about anything--we need only to go back to the book of Wisdom in Proverbs and read with renewed interest and zeal the words of the Wise One--through Solomon. Once again, I encourage all who read my blogs to read entire passages referenced for there is so much more revelation knowledge to be obtained.

The first thing we have to do is--listen--to what wisdom is saying. We cannot do that if we are not open to hearing from those who are wiser than we are. And the only way we can know we lack wisdom is through the humility of understanding, none of us--know everything. For The Believer in Jesus Christ--our wisdom should only come from above from the only Wise God--not people who think they know. How do we know when we are hearing from God? We find confirmation in His Word--already spoken through those who were willing to hear Him.

Additionally, we need discernment--ability to separate truth from lies, wisdom from foolishness, true believers from those simply using Christianity as a banner. How do we gain discernment to separate fact from fiction? We listen to Holy Spirit who will not tell us anything other than what God has already spoken and what He says, is readily available for confirmation in His Word.

Then we need to determine our priorities--establishing the importance of everything we encounter in our lives. If living according to God's Word is not a priority, we end up grasping for anything to hold onto as we free-fall through life's many challenges. Unfortunately, many grasp onto whatever sounds good rather than what is good. We are deceived through desires to obtain riches rather than wisdom and our pursuit of wealth makes us do foolish things because we have not wisdom. Seeking wisdom is better than seeking riches or wealth for with the wisdom, we discover avenues to wealth that will last a life time rather than for a moment.

When knowledge accompanies wisdom, we walk the path of righteousness, we understand foolishness and we avoid the pitfalls and snares the enemy has planned for us. We know when to speak and when to be quiet. We know how to measure the impact of our words by thinking before we speak. We know how to serve others rather than waiting for others to serve us. We know who belongs to God and can separate them from those who don't, simply because of the love that flows from those who know God. We operate with knowledge and prudence--remembering that God sees and knows all--and He is never deceived by any our attempts to fool others.

If we really take the time to think about all God has to say to us through His Word, we would begin to realize that pursuing riches and wealth--cannot begin to compare to the value of wisdom and knowledge.

Determined by Love!

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. Peace to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love. Ephesians 6:18-20, 23, 24 NIV

After declaring to us--Believers in The Lord Jesus Christ--how to stay dressed--armored up to get through this journey in life, Paul tells to pray--for all "The Lord's people. And then he makes a declaration upon all the brothers and sisters in The Lord for peace and grace to rest upon all who love The Lord.

How do we determine who our brothers and sisters in The Lord are? The Word tells us that we shall each other by our love--visibly demonstrated--for one another. For where there is love, peace and grace abound; where love is not found--only fear and trepidation are known.

Political Alert and Assertion

I have been told that some do not appreciate my support of Hillary Clinton for president because of the Democratic/Progressive Platform. I have also been told that if I do not stand with Republicans and declare myself pro-life, my work will not be supported/promoted through this blog. All this from a "brother in The Lord."

Well, here is my response from a "sister in The Lord." My decisions and my support of Hillary Clinton are based on my communications with The Lord, not people. I have stated before that I do not condone some of the platform on which she is running, but I do know--not just believe--she is the most qualified person to sit in the White House--in spite of shortcomings as a human being. But then, none of us are perfect--are we?

I am PRO-CHOICE--not pro-abortion and there is a difference. God has given us free-will choice since He created us and it began in the garden with Adam and Eve. There are consequences for every choice we make and we have to consider the consequences before we choose to do anything. But I will not interfere with a choice a person makes because I am not the one who has to deal that consequence and I have neither heaven or hell for anyone. What I can do--for anyone having to make a choice about anything--is to pray they receive God's wisdom and obey Him.

As for those who are pro-life, I ask this question of you: If life before presentation (being born) is precious, how can anyone justify taking the life of a person outside the womb? Killing is killing and there is no difference. So, when I look at some of the behavior of those who proclaim to be "pro-life," I do not want to be affiliated with them. And some of these same people--who are pro-life--seem to find justification in racism and bigotry and fear-mongering. If they truly know The Lord--how can this be? For The Word says, through Paul's letter to Timothy--"God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of love, power and a sound mind." Where fear is promoted--that is not of God. We know those who love God because they promote love of all--not just themselves or for those who look and act like them.

Those who promote being fearful, and encourage disrespecting others, and demonstrate mental instability, are not flowing in the love of God. They do not belong to Him. If they are not part of the family, I have no obligation to them.

For those who promote hope in the midst of crises, have proven their worth in public service helping others, and who rise above the fray to encourage others--I see them as part of the family because they are demonstrating The Word by their actions.

On this blog--though I usually attempt to expound scripture and the practical application of The Word in our lives--my tag for this blog is, "Writing About Life" and politics is part of our lives. Therefore, I will address a number of issues that may not be palatable for a number of people, but I will always do so demonstrating application of The Word.

So, for the remainder of this political cycle--since it is not my intent to offend anyone--if those who are offended by my political stance--which is not contrary to my faith in God--choose to not follow this blog--Godspeed. I respect your right to choose what you read. I will continue to pray for you and love you, but I will not allow anyone--to deter me from acting in love--for the benefit of all--as Holy Spirit leads me.

May The Lord continue to reveal His Truth to all who are willing to receive that we may live in peace and harmony, knowing how to love all-unconditionally.

Moving Forward!

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained. Philippians 3:13-16 NIV

No matter what anyone says about Hillary Clinton, no one can deny that she has overcome obstacles--privately and publicly--revealed her humanity in service to and for others--no matter what was going on in her private life and doggedly fought to attain a historic place that no one else can claim--the first woman nominated to be President of the United States. I have determined--that though I disagree with two aspects of the party's platform-- I will diligently seek to help her enter the White House as President in January 2017.

Now, I know many (Christians) won't agree with my stance and I'm okay with that because I know--without a doubt in my being--that God wants a person leading all who understands people and knows how to love--regardless of their lifestyle, skin color or religion! How do I know? Because of God's love towards all mankind--regardless of our failings and imperfections--He still loves us and we are commanded to love others as we love ourselves. Since I would not hate myself or make fun of myself in a detrimental manner, I cannot and will not do that to others or support those who do.

I have lived long enough to see history made repeatedly--especially as it pertains to those responsible for leading this country. And I am proud to be an American--born and raised right here in the USA and I can only imagine how proud most who come here--voluntarily--they are of who we are as a nation and how we are represented to the rest of the world.

In an online commentary yesterday, someone asked me if I wanted to appear in the history books--after I reminded that person that every person coming to this land from Europe was an immigrant. This land--on this continent--was inhabited by the natives of the land and Africans were brought here, forcibly in chains, forced to build this country and then denied access to the benefits derived from its success. Then the land was taken--forcibly--from the natives of the land by those who came here--not born here--and yet they want to claim superiority over the rest of us.

Let me move on--I responded to the inquiry about being in the history books by saying, I'd love to see an accurate portrayal of history that includes everyone's story. And since my ancestry includes the natives of the land, migrants from Asia and Europe and slaves from Africa, I'd want to see their history in the books--as the true Americans. This is not a diatribe about those who have lied to the world--though they did--this is about bringing to the forefront that "white people" were not the first in this land and they should never attempt to claim superiority over any who were already here or brought by force.


That being said, please note--I have no hatred in me for anyone--I'm long past that and if I wanted to hold onto mistreatment at the hands of white people--I could, but it serves no purpose. I've been around a long time and was raised in an environment where Jim Crow laws reigned and there was nothing anyone could do about it, but I survived as did many others.

And now--moving forward--on November 8, 2016, I will be part of history that elects this country's first woman president and be proud of it. I look forward to living in a country where all people--no matter what their skin color, ethnicity, or religion--can live in peace and harmony, having received God's love and knowing how to share it with others!

Glory Hallelujah--Love trumps hates!

Mature Disagreement!

Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. But we must hold on to the progress we have already made. Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example. For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. Philippians 3:15-18 NIV

As much as I'm tempted to preach this message, Paul has already done a better job than I'll ever do because if we who profess to believe God, do The Word, there is no other example for us to follow other than Him.

The concept is applicable to any situation we encounter--in our homes, in our communities, in our churches, in our government--no matter where we are--we must learn to disagree, agreeably--without hatred governing our thoughts or our deeds, but we simply acknowledge the points of disagreement--open the door for discussion and find solutions to problems--we don't create problems because of our disagreement.

Disagreement doesn't mean that we ignite or fuel hatred to draw others to our side by name-calling or taunting chants--that really only emphasize insecurity and immaturity.

While we have riled up hatred for one candidate by chanting erroneous thoughts of "lock her up" we have seen a deluge of defamatory literature, logos, and other paraphernalia demonstrating a "huge" lack of maturity of the part of anyone participating in the malaise of insanity.

And then--there is the "call" for foreign powers to conduct espionage against a political candidate that sounds like treason to me. The fact that Trump made the statement (and later back-pedaled with a lame excuse) is enough to make many wonder what he will do with the security briefings he'll sit in on. Will he sell what he learns to the highest bidder? Someone needs to get a muzzle for this man before he has missiles pointing at us from all directions.

I haven't strayed from my point of mature disagreement; I'm simply making a point as to why we must look at the level of maturity of any candidate attempting to do anything. I'm not alone in my assessment of the situation and though my sphere of influence is limited, I have to speak to issues that bear no resemblance to a person knowing Jesus Christ and certainly not having a relationship with Him. "Out of the abundance of the heart (whatever resides inside a person) the mouth speaks!"

I pray that no one (in their right mind) will ever consider Donald Trump an example as to how we should live or treat people. Trump is not a savior and he cannot fix anything--he cannot even fix his impulses to say foolish things.

I'm not in total agreement  (there are some points of disagreement) with Hillary Clinton or the progressive movement, but I'd rather see her in the White House--someone who cares about people--rather than a self-deluded person--who only thinks about himself, leading this country.

Everyone has a choice to make and I would urge all to exercise maturity and wisdom in deciding who can best handle being the leader of this country--caring about all Americans!

Sometimes, It's Best To Be Quiet!

The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly. Proverbs 15:14 NIV

I'm sure most of us have had opportunities in which we have listened to someone talking, trying to make a point, but strayed so far from the point, people who were listening forgot why they were listening.

When I've encountered this situation (and I have a lot lately), I often wonder if people are listening to themselves.

First of all, The Word tells us, "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks," (Matthew 12:34), if a person's mouth keeps speaking do we not see what's in their heart?

Then there are those who love the sound of their voice and forget that others are not that crazy about "their voice" but they're so wrapped up in themselves, they don't recognize when people start squirming and looking at watches.

Moving onto those who--when speaking to a new audience--make certain erroneous assumptions about the crowd to whom they're speaking. This is where the rubber meets the road and the speaker is found guilty of presuming--having no knowledge--thinking they are the only one "in the know."

Personally, based upon my experience in various environments, I've learned that any time a person has to tell me they are, "God-fearing" or a "Christian" they are not telling the whole truth. I'm more convinced by a person's actions as to who they are than I am by their words. And if your actions don't demonstrate what your words say--I'm not interested in anything else you have to say.

Okay, I won't bore you any longer with this diatribe, but I wanted to remind anyone interested--when speaking before people you've never met--don't try to impress them with a lot of talking,--just get to the point and sit down. Let your audience lead your speaking with their questions.

The Lord Will Not Ignore Us!

But the LORD reigns forever,
executing judgment from his throne.
He will judge the world with justice
and rule the nations with fairness.
The LORD is a shelter for the oppressed,
a refuge in times of trouble.
Those who know your name trust in you,
for you, O LORD, do not abandon those who search for you.
Sing praises to the LORD who reigns in Jerusalem.
Tell the world about his unforgettable deeds.
For he who avenges murder cares for the helpless.
He does not ignore the cries of those who suffer. Psalm 9:7-12 NIV

Every morning when I rise,
His goodness is seen through my eyes,
His love is felt in all I see
His mercy, forever there for me.

Not  for me alone does He reign
But in every heart where His love remains,
Full to overflowing, onto all who will receive,
And share with others, praying on their knees,
Knowing He never abandons,
Never forgets or ignores,
Those who are His, Those He adores.

We praise for His might acts,
For His love, mercy, and grace,
Seeking wisdom, finding Him in His place,
High above the heavens, waiting for us!

What we need, He knows and provides,
From our despair, He'll never hide,
But through His Word, we have a guide
To get through this journey called life,
Without anger, hatred or strife.

What Are You Wearing?

But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Colossians 3:8-14 NIV

Styles--what we wear--in clothes, shoes, and other apparel--often change as rapidly as we can blink our eyes. But whether we follow the trendiness of all these changes doesn't matter. It's not the clothes who make us who we are--it is who we are that makes a difference in what we wear--not only materially, but spiritually.

I know some people can hardly wait for the new fashion seasons to start and those with money--big money--have a "must-have" mentality and will go anywhere and pay any amount to have what they want to wear--to make sure people pay attention to them. We know this because "red carpet" events always emphasize what people are wearing--on the outside. But what resides on the inside of the person? That's what usually comes out and determines the character of the person.

If a person looks good on the outside, but nothing worth having resides on the inside--bitterness, anger, unforgiveness, rage, jealousy, bigotry and hatred--nothing they put on the shell of the body will make a difference in the greater scheme of things. Why? Because God looks upon the heart--not the outside--of anyone.

It won't matter how much money a person spends to make themselves look good on the outside if the inside--the spirit person--is need of cleansing and renewal. What happens in the "renewal process" of the sinner to the saint--cannot be purchased for any amount of money--we either submit to God's leading or we don't.

So, if we think we are something when we are nothing--we only fool ourselves and the real "us" will be seen in how we treat others. Time to change clothes yet?

If we ever expect to see unity--of all mankind--determined to be submitted to Holy Spirit and do things out of obedience--we must learn to wear love as tightly knit garment to hold in the virtues of compassion, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, peace, humility, and righteousness--keeping out all of the old stuff--belonging to the un-regenerated person.

Now, what are you wearing?

Let's Build Bridges!

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. This is my command: Love each other. John 15:12-14, 17 NIV

Instead of building walls that isolate
Let's build bridges that reciprocate
Integrity, honor, and respect,
Giving to get what we expect.

What makes it so difficult for us love?
Did we not receive it from Him above?
Are our hearts not filled from within,
Enough love and respect for all men?

God's love flows continuously from Him to all,
Not hindered by hate or discriminating wall,
With the message of love preached and all receive,
The world will know--In Him, We Believe!

Is Your Foundation Intact!

When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?” The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD is on his heavenly throne. He observes everyone on earth; his eyes examine them. The LORD examines the righteous, but the wicked, those who love violence, he hates with a passion. On the wicked he will rain fiery coals and burning sulfur; a scorching wind will be their lot. For the LORD is righteous, he loves justice; the upright will see his face. Psalm 11:3-7 NIV

If we don't build on solid foundations,
Of love, hope, and respect for all
We set the stage for destruction of nations,
Both far and near, within, without not hearing the call,
Of God's Word to relieve oppression for all generations.

We need to fill the cracks, restoring foundations,
Building bridges, cementing partnerships, not building a wall,
Promoting hatred, distrust, fear and division, in all relations--
Ignoring the one truth we seem to have forgotten,
God knows when we we're good and He knows when we're rotten.

We are One Blood, One Nation, One Race--All His Creation!

A Black American by Smokey Robinson - Def Poetry Jam

He's Watching!

The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. Proverbs 15:3 KJV

God sees and He knows
We cannot hide our hearts
Our thoughts, our deeds;
Before we think them, He knows!

Judgment Coming For Whom?

Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you. Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near. Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door! James 5:1-9 NIV

On the surface it would appear that James has a problem with those who are rich. Since--we who Believe we are children of God--we know that can't be the problem since James wrote as The Lord spoke to him. The issue here is not in the riches, but in those who are materially wealthy, but spiritually poor.

If our only pursuit in life was in attaining "things" to the point where the things have us, then we have a problem. The purpose of being blessed by God is so we can be a blessing to others. Now we know some are filthy rich and claim their achievement was because of what they did. This is an example of a spiritually poor person and if we look closely enough--we see these people all the time. We can't help but see them if we pay attention to any media. They like to be seen and flaunt their material wealth and actually think, their material wealth entitles them to do anything they want to do. I could at this juncture provide a list of the those who think this way, but why bother. God knows who they are and in the end, He will have the last say over their lives.

However, the important take-away from this passage of scripture is in understanding that as brothers and sisters in The Lord, we should not condemn or belittle one another, but encourage one another to be patient while waiting for The Lord. God is not deaf or blind. He sees all the injustices and wrongs committed against those who are His and in His own timing, He will judge the matter.

Once again, a commenter on a thread called themselves chastising me--without knowing me or who I serve--by invoking the name of Jesus into the commentary. His attempt was to belittle me, while making a claim to follow Jesus. I had to remind him that his behavior was not a good example of an ambassador for Jesus--especially since he thought he was the only person who had a right to speak his mind and everyone else needed to "shut up."

What I see--especially in this political cycle--is difficulty in determining who the Believers really are from those who say they are Christians. "Christians" are loudly proclaiming their desire to "execute" and put people on the "firing line" promoting the worst kind of hate! Is this what Christians truly believe and how they act towards others? If this is the new "Christian" mantra, then I respectfully decline from acknowledging myself as a "Christian" but loudly proclaim that I am a TRUE BELIEVER IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND ALL HE DESIRES US TO DO!

Now, judgment is coming for all--saved and sinner alike--and our eternal resting place will depend upon the judgment rendered by God--not people.

So, I'm distancing myself from those who proclaim to know God in His infinite mercy, goodness and grace and unconditional love and yet they are incapable of demonstrating it. It is not our place to fuel frenzied conduct by the masses, inciting hatred and bigotry and I will not participate in that arena.

I will continue to write as The Lord gives me direction and for any who choose to ignore or disagree, I respect that. But I will not tolerate anyone attempting to tell me that I should condemn anyone when I have been redeemed by a loving Savior.

Lord, I pray you'll speak to hearts all over the land so violence will not erupt and leave this country mourning like we've never mourned before. In Jesus' name I ask and thank You, Amen!

Lessons Learned!

Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults; whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse. Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you; rebuke the wise and they will love you. Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. For through wisdom your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you; if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer. Proverbs 9:7-12 NIV

#Politics Alert
For the past two days, I have--as per my habit--scrolled through various media articles and commented on those I thought warranted a comment. It is always my intent to simply comment "to the article" and I never comment on what another poster has said--unless they reply to me directly.
Herein lies the challenge--for them and me. It would appear that many who post to Internet articles feel they are the only ones entitled to an opinion and they repeatedly end up calling people names when asked to produce verification of what they said. Here's an example to a comment I wrote regarding the use of the song, "We Are The Champions" on CNN 7/19/16.

Mary Hall-RayfordNot surprising--he thinks he can get away with anything. After all, he hijacked the GOP in order to pursue his own attention-getting agenda that's all about him!

Tony GuidrozWell Hilary knows that she will get away with everything, including murder, illegally sending classified information, and perjury. You let me know when Donald gets on that level.

Mary Hall-RayfordTony Guidroz Who did Hillary murder? I must have missed that trial!

Tony GuidrozThose are FACTS.

Mary Hall-RayfordTony Guidroz You didn't provide any facts--just more speculation and obscure biased opinion. Who did she murder and when was the trial held? Just the facts, please!

Tony GuidrozLet me guess you are denying all those others or no? I gave you all facts that you can look up yourself. You seem pretty lazy not wanting to do any research for yourself. Typical.

Mary Hall-RayfordTony Guidroz Actually, you gave me NO FACTS--just innuendo--there is a difference. I usually research information before I proffer an opinion--about anything. Who did she murder and when was the trial? That is factual information and unless you can prove it--with documentation--you might want to take a nap and then wake up from your delusional world.

Tony GuidrozI told you. Where are your factual rebuttals for the FACT that she is a thief, that she sent classified information illegally, and that she committed perjury? All things that are on video. As for the murderer part, she didn't pull the trigger, but she may as well have. Oh and she was investigated for it. She's not in prison for the same reason that she's not in prison for the email scandal. She is apparently above the law.

Tony GuidrozShe sat there and lied to Congress on 2 separate occasions, about 2 separate cases. So sad that you defend a woman who takes money and sympathizes with the very people that view women as property. She belittled and berated women that were sexually abused by her sex crazed husband. She calls black men super predators, yet she has your support. Lmao. Who's the delusional one?

 

Marvel Amber John If she was this bad she should be behind bars. She's not.. Your point? No wait! Don't tell me.

Mary Hall-Rayford Tony Guidroz I didn't say one word about anything other than your allegation that she had committed murder. None of what you just spewed provides any factual information of your allegation. But I won't belabor the point that you keep straying away from. You're entitled to your delusions and as for the other allegations that I'm defending her--where did I say that or did you just assume that? Not much for facts are you? Just spewing bigotry, I guess--is a way to spend your time. Have a wonderful day!

My point to titling this post, "Lessons Learned" is that even though I tried to end the conversation with calm, it escalated into something far more sinister than needed to be.

While I realize every person on the planet has already concluded who their political candidate is, I am extremely cautious about making accusations about anyone--without concrete evidence. I have to admit, I seldom experience the kind of hatred for one person that I've seen lately about Hillary (in the past about Obama simply because of his skin color). People have criticized everything about the woman--from the clothes she wears to her husbands past indiscretions and everything in between and beyond.

Who has never committed a stupid act in their life? Who has never made mistakes? As I pointed out to several people on that thread yesterday, I usually research information before I speak on it and can and have provided links to support what I say. But the lesson I have learned is that no matter what you say to some people--they go into attack mode and never recover from it. At that point--it is wiser to stop talking to them--even though they won't stop.

I'm not afraid of controversy and I don't back down from anyone attempting to bully or intimidate me--I know who I am and don't have to prove that to anyone. I am concerned about the level of hate that people don't have a problem displaying and how all that hatred impacts the challenges we see on a daily basis.

I encourage substantive discussion about issues I care strongly about, but I refuse to be embroiled in stupidity--where what we say, matters not. While I can respect a differing opinion by anyone, that courtesy is not often reciprocated, but it won't stop me.

When The Lord speaks to my heart, I will respond and obey. It does not matter if people accept what is said; what matters is my obedience and therefore, I will continue to obey God for He is the only one who deserves my praise. Politicians--come and go--and in the end, only what we do for Christ will have any lasting impact in our society.

Praise Him Anyhow!

Praise the LORD.Praise the LORD from the heavens; praise him in the heights above. Praise him, all his angels; praise him, all his heavenly hosts.Praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you shining stars. Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies. Let them praise the name of the LORD, for at his command they were created,and he established them for ever and ever— he issued a decree that will never pass away.  Psalm 148:1-6 NIV

If we can look around and see--all that God created--and understand how they (the non-human creations) praise Him, we should be able to praise Him no matter what happens.

There are things that will happen in the earth, upon the earth and around the earth that we may never understand, but we can still praise The Lord!

There are phenomena that occur--all around us and within us--that we simply cannot explain, but we can still praise The Lord!

There are situations--that on the surface--seem self-evident and are not, but we can still praise The Lord!

No matter what happens or who it happens to or through--we can still praise The Lord for His goodness and mercy are everlasting--and nothing and nobody can ever change that!

Yes, this is a time for praying as is always, but when we stop praying--talking to Him and listening--we can praise Him for the solution that only He has. And though we may not see it--He has already worked it out!

So, praise Him anyhow!

Through the press of heartache and prayer--Praise Him!

Through the valleys of despair--Praise Him!

When it seems like hope is gone--Praise Him!

If everyone abandons us, and we're left alone--Praise Him!

The sun doesn't rise on a new day until the darkness of night has passed away--Praise Him!

Weeping--watching the tears flow like a river--will soon run dry--Praise Him!

Grief--enough to break a heart into--will pass and we'll laugh again--Praise Him!

If we have use of our limbs and can use the bathroom on our own--Praise Him!

In the middle of the battle--in the mind or in actuality--there is one reality--we can do our victory dance in the midst of our praises--no weapon formed against us shall ever prosper!

No lies or liars, no despot or dictator, no narcissist or egomaniac, no fear-monger or hatemonger, no bigot or back-pedaller, no politician or polluter--nothing and no one shall ever suppress our praises to You, O Lord!

Our hope is in Jesus and our faith will never waver no matter how dreary life may seem, we will Praise Him Anyhow!

Is This You?

I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. Revelation 2:2-7 NIV

This letter to the church at Ephesus was also written for the benefit 21st Century Believers as were the other six letters. Why? God loves us so much that He is unwilling to allow any of us to fall by the wayside. It was true then and it is true now. However, have we lost the love we had for Him when we first believed?

Do you remember when--your eyes were first opened and your heart was receptive to the love of God and His Word ministered to your soul? Do you remember how you wanted to share with everyone you met--the enlightening experience you had so all would know it, too? Do you remember the light of love that shone so brightly people knew something great had happened to you?

Does the light of God's love still shine brightly and people know who we are without telling them? Or has the darkness--the dark deeds of the enemy distracted us and caused us to allow fear to reign in our spirits and we've closed our hearts to hearing God because of what we see in others?

Every once in a while, when we feel ourselves getting weary of the nonsense that perpetuates the atmosphere, we need to take time to reflect upon how we first loved and then muster enough of that love--to energize us so we can keep going.

If you're like me--you've stopped watching the news because it is so disheartening and if we allow all the negativity to embed itself in our spirit, we'll start looking like the walking dead--still here, but wandering--trying to determine which way to go.

We know we cannot encourage anyone to practice a faith in anything or anyone other than God. This is what the Nicolaitans did--encouraged people to worship idols and false doctrine which included sexual immorality.  When people worship money and people above God, we have allowed the enemy to reign. We must remember God's love for us and know that nothing we do--unless we turn from Him--can cause Him to abandon us. He promised He would never leave us alone.

This is why it is important for us to stay in The Word and to keep our spiritual ears open and our hearts receptive to hearing from God. We must not allow others to influence us to do anything in opposition to God's Word and that includes all that we must consider on a daily basis. The Word must lead us--all the way through our journey on this side of heaven--not people.

The reason we should not follow people is because people are imperfect, fallible beings and if they are not following the precepts outlined in The Word, they are not worthy of our time and attention. Therefore, we must seek The Lord and His wisdom, only!

Now, is this you? Are you following people more than God? If so, step back and take a good look at where this may lead you and know--God's love for us never changes, but we often get tired and weary and lose sight of our first love for Him.

Just Do The Word!

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. 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. And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.  I Thessalonians 5:11-18 NIV

We don't need to carry big bibles, wear crosses so large they cause us to bend from the weight, or "just talk about" being a Believer. Following Jesus Christ and doing what He has told us to do--is not limited to a political party--as much as some would have us to think. There are Believers in the world who are affiliated with all sorts of political systems and some are not even worthy of mention. The truth of the matter is--Jesus said, people would recognize us by our love for one another. Love, inspired by God, transcends politics.

Today and everyday, our time should be spent in The Word, praying one for the other, and doing what The Word says to do. Though we are to encourage those who are living according to The Word, we are also to admonish and correct those who are not--if they claim  to follow Jesus. For those with whom it is evident that Jesus Christ is not their Lord, we simply pray that He will reveal Himself to them in an awesome way. And we must remember this--The Word was written for the benefit of The Believers for the unbelievers won't care!

And when we caution others about following the dictates of men, we do so with the authority given us by Jesus Christ through Holy Spirit. For those who allow Holy Spirit to guide them in all things, will not speak anything Holy Spirit has not given them to say.

What is amazing to me is that there are those who truly feel that they have a right to direct--moral conscience--in others, when what they really end up revealing is their lack of trust in God. Not one of us--is the only person to whom God speaks. I pray He is speaking to all of His children and all of His children are listening. But I also recognize that not every person who proclaims to be a Christian, actually is--they just use the banner to entice others into foolishness.

Prayer changes things and people when they are receptive to hearing God's voice. Pray for peace in the land, unity through Holy Spirit, and joy in the heart of every person who loves The Lord. Pray for the exposure of those who are disguising themselves to be Christians, but are manipulating the masses for their own purposes. Pray for the end of bigotry and hatred in the hearts of those who have grown cold from the lack of love in the hearts for The Lord. Pray that all who have lost loved ones will allow God to comfort their hearts and fill the void with His Love. Thank God for all who have received His love and are constantly seeking Him for direction in all things as we continue this journey called life.

We can still change things in the world, but we first learn The Word and then just do The Word!

Emptiness!

How deserted lies the city, once so full of people! How like a widow is she, who once was great among the nations! She who was queen among the provinces has now become a slave. Bitterly she weeps at night, tears are on her cheeks. Among all her lovers there is no one to comfort her. All her friends have betrayed her; they have become her enemies. Lamentations 1:1,2 NIV (read the entire chapter)

Many of us know how we feel when we reach the end of a drink and there is nothing more to replenish it. Remember when kids--who emptied the bottle of pop or juice--after the last swallow-- would turn it upside down and shake it--disappointed by its emptiness.

How many people remember a piece of cake or pie--the last piece--and they thought they would have an opportunity to eat it, but when they went to get it--it was gone; someone else had those same thoughts. And because our taste buds were ready for that--something--nothing else will pacify it.

When I look around our society, I feel the emptiness--the void--that keeps encroaching and widening by hatred and bigotry, divisive because love has left the scene and the emptiness it leaves is felt by the multitudes.

Dare I look into a person's face walking the street and see the emptiness in their eyes where hope no longer has a place to hide deep in their soul. Blank stares are met with wonder--how did we get to this place?

"Where am I and what am I doing here and does anyone care that I am empty and need to be filled beyond capacity with love--God's love--overflowing so light can be seen again, dispelling the darkness that pervades my soul?"

There is more than one person, wandering aimlessly in our midst--trying to figure out what happened and why they have no joy or peace. The answer is really quite simple. Our soul longs for the direction and instructions from God because apart from Him, there is no joy or peace. When the love of God ceases to exist within, other foul spirits take up residence and cloud our minds and soul, keeping us from the inviting light of love, leading us to think the darkness is how it should be, but oh how empty it leaves us!

So, in our midst are multitudes of people who thought that ignoring God's Word and rejecting His love would bring them a measure of happiness, but when they gave into the fleshly dictates--discovered just how empty they were.

When people are empty--they try anything to fill the void--they turn to drugs and alcohol, arrogance and deceit, manipulation and lies, bigotry and hate, perversion and subversion--anything--to make them feel whole again, except--a visit to the fountain. At the fountain of love where Jesus waits--to fill us so we'll want no more--there is peace and joy and we can have our fill and return again and again, never having to know emptiness again, but will we go?

What the soul craves is not the dictates of this world, but the promise of eternity and how to enjoy life where we are. Come to the fountain and be filled! Come to Jesus, right now, repent of everything that's not like Him, and allow to Him to replace all the earthiness--desires of the flesh--with Love!

There is no one like Jesus who can fill us till we want no more and never have to thirst again or know emptiness that debilitates and destroys. Hallelujah!

Know Who To Trust!

Let those who fear the LORD say: “His love endures forever.” When hard pressed, I cried to the LORD; he brought me into a spacious place. The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? The LORD is with me; he is my helper. I look in triumph on my enemies. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in humans. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes. Psalm 118:4-8 NIV

For those who truly reverence The Lord and stand in awe of His goodness and mercy, we can say, "His love endures forever." For those who don't know, it's time they understand what it means. "Fear" in this passage does not mean to be scared or afraid of--it means to hold in high esteem--reverence--The Lord. There is no need for anyone to be afraid of God, but there is a need to know and understand how He will allow negative consequences to fall upon us when we choose to ignore Him.

Though there are those who indignantly proclaim that the bible is simply an ancient book of myths, those who believe God--know better. The bible is a blueprint for living.  In it we find records of God's interactions with the people He loves and instructions to keep us from falling into the pits and snares set by the evil one. If people want to believe the bible has no significance, they have every right to believe just that. They also have every right to receive the consequences of their unbelief.

Throughout history--as recorded in "the history books" that people trust, we see how The Word of God aligns with the events recorded by others. There is no mystery or magic involved with the bible. It simply provides a historical perspective from another view. That's what history is--a record of events as reported from the perspective of those recording it. Historical accounts of anything will vary based upon perspective and the ability to publicize the account. It's like a police officer getting accounts of an event by witnesses who were positioned in various locations of the event. Their account will vary, but the primary tenets of the event will be the same. Although some might say, someone lied; they didn't lie--they simply told what "they saw" from their vantage point.

In spite of all the media attempts to persuade us about--anything--we must learn to trust our relationship with God for--everything. The rescue we need in our society won't come from mere mortals who perpetuate violence and hatred. It will come from The Lord when we decide enough is enough and repent of our evil ways and seek His direction in all things. God is able to provide us with clear insight and direction, but are we willing to trust our relationship with Him to obey?

I am praying and have been praying for the bigotry and hatred to cease, but it won't stop until people are willing to look into their hearts and acknowledge what's there. "For out of the abundance of the heart--the mouth speaks" (Matthew 12:24). Is there hatred or love overflowing our hearts? Will we be acquitted by the words we speak or condemned by the words we speak?

Bridle our tongues, Lord that we may only speak what we hear You say!

Transform Us, Lord!

Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge.  Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:1-10 NIV [Please read it all for insight into  David's heart after he committed adultery with Bathsheba]

Before we can expect to see any change in any of us, we must be willing to admit where we have fallen short and then seek God's forgiveness. If we think we have never done anything wrong, we close the door on the transformation that only God can achieve in us.

None of us are perfect--though we strive for perfection as God defines it--not us, so there are areas in us we need to submit to God.

The first area in our lives that we need to submit to God is our "stinking thinking" so we can stop holding our noses. Yes, our thought life is what gets us into trouble and until we submit our thoughts to God, nothing will change in our lives. Why? Whatever we think about--extensively--is what we'll act upon.

David's adulterous act occurred first, in his thoughts--when he watched Bathsheba bathe on the roof top--had he been out with his army, he never would have been tempted. But then, he created a bigger mess having her husband killed. When the prophet Nathan pointed out to him that his deeds were not hidden from God, David repented and we are told that God saw David as a man after His own heart. In other words--when David acknowledged his sins and sought forgiveness--God was pleased. However, that does not mean that we should commit sin and repent in order to please God, but we do have an advocate when we fall short and He is always available to us. Our deeds are not hidden from God!

The second area in our lives that we need to submit to God is our tongue. We must watch what we say at all times. If we think first, then speak--chances are we'll not say things we need to retract or back pedal later. We are admonished to be quick to listen and slow to speak. James warns us that the tongue--the little member--can ignite fires and wars--simply because we will not control it.

The final area--that should be first--is our heart. If we submit our heart to God and allow His love to saturate our being, we'll focus our thoughts on Him, and we'll hear Him when He corrects us, and we'll learn to speak what He speaks. If we never submit our hearts to God, we'll never focus on the things He would have us to focus upon and if our thoughts are not aligned with His, we'll never speak what He speaks because we won't hear Him. We are in need of transformation and this psalm is a perfect--transformational prayer.

Lord, we are in need of help, forgive us for all the wrong we've done and lead us to the path where You want us--submitting to Your will in all things. Transform us, Lord so we'll be more like You--knowing how to love unconditionally all of Your children--without bias or fear or retribution from others. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen!