Every Morning!

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. I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. Lamentations 3:21-26 NIV

Every morning when I wake
I'm reminded of His Love,
No matter what happened the day before,
A new day and new mercies is what I hope for.

Every morning when I rise,
My sacrifice of praise starts my day,
Even with joints ache with eyes blurred,
I give thanks for strength to endure.

Every morning that I see,
Is another opportunity for me
Spread love, spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ,
Live as a demonstration of a changed life
In Him. Every morning!

No matter what else has happened to us, no matter what disappointments come our way, we can and should start each new day with praise unto Him who is the reason we live and move.

Sometimes, life's difficulties tend to distract from the facts--God is love and His love and mercy endure forever--no matter how often the enemy attacks.

When we know we have received His love into our hearts, nothing the enemy does should tear us apart from knowing the battle is not ours, but His and in Him, we always win. Victory is more than a battle cry, but a lifestyle we can and should live--so we make the enemy quake every morning when we rise.

We cannot change yesterday or even the last minute, and only He knows what the future holds, but when we know He holds our future in His hands, we can live without fear or doubt and move to the rooftops--with a shout--Jesus is Lord and no weapon formed against us shall ever prosper!

It is morning time and time to rise--giving Him praise for the victories we shall know all the day long!

Repentance and Forgiveness!

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 3:9-14 NIV

In order for us to receive forgiveness, we must willing to admit when we're wrong. If a person can never admit being wrong or in need of forgiveness, how can they be forgiven?

Many are those who always cry, "forgive, forgive" but that's only when it pertains to someone else, not them. And the other side of the coin is--the person who keeps doing wrong, never repents of the wrongdoing--never turns away from doing wrong--because they never admit they are wrong. Apologies--it would seem to some--are for losers and therefore--a winner never apologizes for anything--in their mind. So, if there is no admittance or apology, there can be no forgiveness for if there is--it is just a matter of words, not sincerity since true forgiveness, comes with a change of heart.

We are told--in The Word--that from the abundance of the heart--the mouth speaks. From that we can conclude by what we hear--what is in a person's heart. If all we hear is hatred and bigotry, lies and finger-pointing, then what we hear is what's overflowing in their heart.

If we attach a color to every trait or virtue--what color would our hearts be? We've heard of people having a black heart (pure evil), but is that what resides within us? For all those virtues that are positive--love, joy, hope, forgiveness, humility, and sincerity,--let's color them yellow. For all the negative traits--lying, hatred, bigotry, fear-mongering--let's color them black. Now, let's take a look at what appears to be a halo over people--is it light or is it darkness? Darkness does not drive out light, but light certainly drives out darkness so it would benefit all for us to have light in our hearts rather than darkness.

Not one of us--living past the age of seven--can say we've never done anything wrong. And as kids, when we did something wrong we were punished--if we had loving parents. As adults, we have to recognize when our behavior is not conducive to maintaining peace or when infringing upon the rights of others. When we do wrong--we admit it--apologize and seek forgiveness and let it go, not holding grudges.

When we repent--turn away from those things that offend God and turn to Him to stay on the right path, He forgives and never reminds us of all the wrong we've ever done. But the enemy--the prince of darkness--will always seek a way to get into our minds to remind us of what we've done in hopes of keeping us distracted. We don't have to let the enemy influence our thoughts or our deeds. We simply have to remember who it is we serve and serve Him with gladness and joy in our hearts.

However--if we never acknowledge doing wrong--there is no true repentance and therefore forgiveness is not received. For what we do not admit when we're wrong, God cannot forgive us. And if we say we're sorry for doing something when we are not--the lack of sincerity will be revealed in our continued wrongdoing.

Beloved, let's love one another with a sincere heart--allowing the light of hope and joy to override the darkness impelled by fear and hatred. God is love and if we love Him, we can love others for love resides in our hearts in abundance. And if we love, we can forgive when others admit their wrongdoing and we should not hold it against them.

The Path of the Wicked!

 Do you rulers indeed speak justly? Do you judge people with equity? No, in your heart you devise injustice, and your hands mete out violence on the earth. Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward, spreading lies. Their venom is like the venom of a snake, like that of a cobra that has stopped its ears, that will not heed the tune of the charmer, however skillful the enchanter may be. Break the teeth in their mouths, O God; LORD, tear out the fangs of those lions! Let them vanish like water that flows away; when they draw the bow, let their arrows fall short. May they be like a slug that melts away as it moves along, like a stillborn child that never sees the sun. Before your pots can feel the heat of the thorns— whether they be green or dry—the wicked will be swept away. The righteous will be glad when they are avenged, when they dip their feet in the blood of the wicked. Then people will say, “Surely the righteous still are rewarded; surely there is a God who judges the earth.” Psalm 58:1-11 NIV

POLITICS ALERT!

When a person is a sore loser, they snatch at any straw they can find in an attempt to redeem themselves--from falsely promoting an election that is rigged against them to deliberately deceiving the masses by promoting untruths.

Not many people may think about who alerted the media about the letter Director Comey sent to the Republican chairs and the ranking Democrats about the possibility of having pertinent information regarding emails--"connected" to Hillary Clinton's aide. In fact, the director himself provided a misleading missive to those he sent the letter, which was later explained, but too little--too late to keep truth in the forefront. So, the letter had to transmitted to the media by those who sought to re-ignite the embers of a campaign that was burning out with more lies--and the Republicans had more to gain from this information than the Democrats so I'm guessing--the Republicans are responsible for the misinformation promoted.

With a flailing campaign and low poll numbers, the great Deceiver pounced on the breaking news with his own breaking announcement--not waiting for details--but giddy with the idea that his frenzied crowd would be elated and they were with chants of "lock her up" before they knew it wasn't about Hillary. But does that matter in the greater scheme of things with a deceiver? No--mission is accomplished--the die has been cast and the roars of the lion--drowning out truth.

The saddest part of this whole situation is that not one person seems to understand how deliberately this information was handled--designed to create more distrust of Hillary because the other candidate hates to lose. He has gone from cries of "foul play" to igniting insurrection by his followers and on more than one occasion has encouraged others to "take her out." One man has already "inferred" that since he is a patriot, if Hillary wins, he will kill her. That's how dangerous this candidate is--in promoting that kind of hatred in this country, in which no dictator reigns.

How anyone can continue to believe that this character--who falsely claims any knowledge of God, and we can see it in his actions--is beyond me. He is a con man of the foulest magnitude! Supporting him as president of the United States is inviting poison to spread throughout the country and watching it seep into the core of the earth.

Fortunately, for those of us who know Truth and Trust God--his endeavors will not get far, for the righteous know how to pray and expect God to act on behalf of those who truly love Him. No weapon--especially not the lies promoted by hatred--will prosper against those who love The Lord and seek to please Him, only.

A half-truth (cherry-picking details) is a whole lie! And we know where liars will end up for their eternity has already been prepared for them.

"By the end of a day that brought stinging criticism of Mr. Comey from both Democrats and Republicans, he appeared on the defensive, saying in an internal email to bureau employees that he had felt obligated to inform Congress, and “we don’t know the significance of this newly discovered collection of emails.’’NYT

Is There A Noah In The Earth?

The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So the LORD said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. Genesis 6:5-9 NIV

Only the physically blind and physically deaf would not know about all the wickedness in the land, residing in the hearts of people--determined to do evil. This is not the first time this has happened and it probably won't be the last, but when there is at least one--who has found favor with God, there is yet hope for humanity.

We know because of God's Word that He has already determined there is a remnant who will be saved, but do we know how to be part of that remnant? Is there a Noah--someone who is righteous, blameless among the people, and walking faithfully with God? Have we strayed so far from God that none can hold back God's wrath?

Whenever we read The Word, we must open our hearts to hear God speak to us and know that nothing that occurs in our world that surprises God.

God is not surprised by the legalization of living in opposition to His Word. He's had a remedy for that before now, and it's written in His Word.

He's not surprised by the political contamination that promotes bigotry and hatred and the abuse of women. He's dealt with that before now.

He's not surprised by children turning against parents and parents killing their own children. He's addressed that in His Word.

Whatever happens in our lifetime, has already been addressed and when we know The Lord and have a relationship with Him, we will hear Him when He warns us; we will find favor with God.

With all of the animosity generated by a political campaign, I'm praying for wisdom to be poured out into the hearts of all so sanity and peace will reside in the land. I'm praying for those who know God to continue to seek Him in all we do and all that is being done to glorify Him, not man or woman.

Whenever we forsake God and His Word, we create an environment for evil to creep in and take over those who do not know God. As long as there are people who refuse to acknowledge God and live according to His Word, we will always be subjected to the rise of wickedness in the land. I have faith--in God and mankind--and that we shall find favor with God and He will use those of us who know Him to be the remedy that establishes a safety zone for all who believe.

We should all be Noahs--walking blamelessly before God, living righteously, and finding favor in His sight. Are we, can we, shall we be the Noahs that God showers us with favor?

Faith Makes The Difference!

In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!” “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:20-24 NIV
Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” 2 Chronicles 20:20 NIV
The head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is only Remaliah's son. If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.' ” Isaiah 7:9 NIV
Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”; Matthew 9:29 NIV
And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith. Matthew 13:58 NIV
“Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.” Luke 8:25 NIV

Faith and fear should not exist side by side,
Where there is faith, in God, only love abides.
Where there is fear, there is no love,
Where there is love--hope and faith reside.

Consider all of the negativity that exists in the atmosphere--ignited by fear and drenched in doubt by those whose faith no longer exist in God, but in man or woman, mere mortals who are imperfect and full of flaws. When our hope is in man, we leave God out of the equation and since our faith is misplaced, God has no obligation to respond to our pleas to Him.

When our faith exists solely in God, we have no need to fear whatever the enemy is doing and we can stand firm--facing down the enemy--assured that our God is faithful and whatever He has promised to do for us, He will do.

Whenever we allow the enemy to cause us to doubt God, we give the enemy power over us and that power--fear--drains our faith and when we lack faith, we become fearful of everything and everyone.  
We only see the dark side of every event because fear creates an illusion that light does not exist.
If fear is reigning in our lives, we must be willing to examine what is truly going on within us. 
Perfect love casts out fear--our love for God and others--boots fear out of our hearts and where love is--the light of hope shines brightly, guiding us towards God, not away from Him. In darkness, we cannot see where we're headed and at every turn--with every decision we make--we doubt ourselves because we have been blinded by the darkness and we cannot move forward in darkness, without stumbling and falling.

Brothers and Sisters in The Lord--we have no need to fear when our faith is in God--and what we do aligns with His Word. We are not responsible for what others do, but if we are the examples--a living demonstration of The Word of God in action, others will know--our faith is in God and they, too will not fear the evil that exists in the atmosphere.

Remember--without faith--it is impossible to please God, but with faith in God, we can do all things through Him who strengthens us and keeps us focused on Him. Stand firm on your faith in Him, no matter what the evil reports have to say, for the report of the Lord is all we need and believe His report, found in His Word.  Faith in Him makes all the difference in every aspect of our lives.

Stirring Conflict!

A troublemaker and a villain, who goes about with a corrupt mouth, who winks maliciously with his eye, signals with his feet and motions with his fingers, who plots evil with deceit in his heart— he always stirs up conflict.Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant; he will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy. Proverbs 6:12-15 NIV

Listening to all the "arguments" from political candidates--both nationally and locally--reminds me of a number of things, but mostly it reminds me of Judas Iscariot and Haman's plot to rid himself of Mordecai.

While walking with Jesus, Judas stole money from what they collected from people on their travels, and because his heart was hardened against anything good thing that Jesus attempted to move forward, he looked for opportunities to give himself an advantage. The one advantage--betraying Jesus for the 30 pieces of silver--led to the arrest of Jesus, the insufferable beating, and crucifixion. But more importantly, the greed that drove Judas to the betrayal also led to his death.

Before Judas Iscariot was, Haman plotted to rid himself of the Jews--and greed, position, status drove his thinking and eventual demise. And his plot to get rid of the Jews--backfired when the king allowed the Jews to defend themselves against any attack.

This is what happens to people--then and now--when we plot to do evil, incite hatred and bigotry. Whenever we think we can outwit God--who is never surprised by anything that happens and indeed--knows exactly what we'll do, long before we ever do it. It is He who has planned our lives and any time--evil comes against those He loves and those who love Him--He is the standard bearer who will avenge all the wrongdoing.

So, why do we stir up conflict--deliberately lying--to make something out of nothing? The same driving force that led to the death of Judas and Haman--is still residing in the hearts of many people today. The desire to have more than they deserve--greed, pushes their need to wrangling for position and status. In that unchecked desire to achieve what they do not rightly deserve, people lie and then they lie about the lies that have already been told. And in order to make the lie believable--at least to themselves--they repeat lies that have already been exposed in hopes of making the repetition lead people to believe the repeated lies.

A perfect example of repeated lies is the attempt to negate the legitimacy of President Barack Obama by repeating the lie that he wasn't born in this country. Another repeated lie--that has been exposed--is having a plan to replace the Affordable Healthcare Act or that cutting taxes will reduce the national debt. Economists--those with experience in tackling the issue--have repeatedly said, cutting taxes will not reduce the national debt.

Of course the ultimate stirring of conflict has been in demeaning women or any other minority or those with disabilities. When a person does not exercise discipline over their own mouth, how can anyone expect them to exercise right governance of a nation?

The natural remedy to avoid the conflicts is simply this--tell the truth at all times, even if it hurts or one has to admit being wrong; stay focused on the task at hand, and build bridges, not walls--to cement relationships and garner support to achieve all goals. Reaching out, not blocking out, opens the door for better outcomes, alleviates the need to stir up conflict and controversies, and sets the stage for the ultimate success of all one desires to accomplish.

Forever With Us!

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Genesis 1:1
And the glory of the LORD abode upon mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called unto Moses out of the midst of the cloud.  Exodus 24:16
Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, making a noise with psalteries and harps. I Chronicles 15:28
And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them. Matthew 21:14
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. John 14:26
Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Matthew 28:20
Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. Hebrews 13:5
And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. Revelation 21:6
And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. Revelation 22:12,20

From the beginning when He created all things and without Him, nothing was ever created, He has been with us.

From the mouths of those who were willing to be used, He has spoken to us.

From the clouds to the pillars into the ark of the covenant, His Spirit has never left us.

From heaven into the earth in form and likeness of man, He lived among us.

From the time of His death, burial and resurrection to His return to Heaven, Holy Spirit has remained with us.

From the time we accepted Him as Lord and received His Spirit as our comforter and guide, He has lived within us.

And when He returns for those who are His--He'll take us to live with Him, forevermore.
He has been and will always be with us!

No matter what is happening or has happened in the earth, our hope is in Him, our faith is in Him, and we can say with confidence and no fear, "Come quickly, Lord!"

Redemption

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD tell their story— those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south.Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle.  They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle.Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. Psalm 107:1-9 NIV

Who will do all things for us when we cannot do for ourselves?
The Lord--mighty and loving in all His ways,
Never ceases to counsel, guide and forgive us,
Never willing to let us be defeated by thought or deed,
Always whispering truth and filling our hearts with love,
We have been redeemed through His Son from above.

Giving thanks to The Lord for all He has done and is doing in the lives of all who love Him. For I know that without Him in our lives, we would not be able to accomplish anything worthwhile. And though the immediate future seems uncertain and dark, my complete faith and trust is in Him, not man or woman--for I know whoever is willing to hear Him speak will obey and do all things to His glory.

The glory of The Lord covers us like a veil when we are walking the path He establishes for us and when we stray--even for a moment--we can count on His loving arms to pull us back--so nothing the enemy plans for us will ever prosper.

No, there is not one perfect human being among us, but even though we are flawed, when we are willing to obey His Word and live it on a daily basis as a demonstration of who He is and not who we are, we remain in the shelter of His love.

There is none like Him--none who carries our burdens when we give them to Him; none who loves us even when we are unlovable and none who forgives us for our waywardness, giving us chance after chance to get things right with Him.

If we have never received His love, now would be a good time--to turn to Him and away from all those things that keep us from receiving His many benefits. When we are filled with His love, we don't have room for hate in our hearts. When we are filled with His love, compassion for others drives us to do whatever we can to help our neighbors and others in need. When we are filled with His love, we do not seek fame and glory or recognition for the things we do for we know whatever we do--He sees and rewards.

There is no need for us to wallow in self-pity or fear or unbelief. We simply need to be reminded that we have a Savior and Redeemer and His name is Jesus. Let the Redeemed of the Lord, say so! I am redeemed!

The Only Truth, Is His Truth!

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. Colossians 2:6-10 NIV
Whoever speaks on their own does so to gain personal glory, but he who seeks the glory of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him. John 7:18 NIV
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32 NIV

I've spent quite a bit a time--meditating on God's Word and listening to all the political rhetoric, gauging all the hate levied towards the opposing candidates and those who dare to speak in support of either one. And while I listened and read the various accounts of differing perspectives, I kept hearing in my spirit--"only what we do for Christ will last."

What can we do for Christ? Promote the Gospel as He intended, not as we have parsed and cherry-picked to promote our own agenda. For me this is really simple. We testify of His goodness by how we treat people and the love we share, igniting desire in them--by our actions--to want to know Him, not us.

Who we choose through our own method of deliberations to govern this country--won't get us into heaven or keep us out of hell (at least for eternity). I've watched how many people get so angry with others because they cannot sway them to vote their way, they become belligerent and immovable--choosing instead to hate rather than love. Is this the love of God that is supposed to constrain us? I've watched how people attempt to belittle and demean those who are supporting a candidate they despise. I've watched people publish misleading information--designed by those who are influenced by dark spirits--in hopes of convincing others to hate the other candidate. And with all the false information and pronouncements made--many fail to look at the forces behind them. There is a spirit that wants us to hate and belittle and that spirit is not of God.

I've listened to radio-hate-talk hosts--ignite and fuel hatred against Hillary Clinton and claim she is the devil, while trying to convince the masses of their audience they are Christians. There is no love in their rhetoric and without love, we cannot belong to God for God is love and all who belong to Him--know how to walk in love. 

I've read the hate-fueled websites and news outlets. I've learned how to distinguish the difference from those written by true journalists versus those who are simply promoting a hateful agenda.

People have paid for the production of false and misleading videos and those who don't want to know truth--believe it and promote it as truth--even when truth is put right in front of them. With so much hate in the atmosphere, it is a wonder that any of us are hearing from God. But since I took the time to deliberately--without bias--to hear from all sides of the issue and to seek Him for truth--I'm thankful for the opportunity to know the truth--about the situation and in recognizing those who truly belong to God.

Until we realize that there is no Republican or Democrat heaven or hell, there is no Black or White, Hispanic or Asian, rich or poor, male or female compartmentalization in heaven,  we're all doomed to succumb to the dictates of our flesh and miss the entry into the presence of God.

The Word tells us--"we shall know one another by our love for one another." Where there is no love--and we can disagree and still love--there is not a brother or sister in Christ. That's God's truth, not mine. And if we are willing to walk in His Truth, then we shall be free--to love--all, unconditionally, whether we agree with everything they say or do or not. This is the essence of knowing and walking in His Truth--we don't have to agree with one another in order to love each other!

I'm grateful for the time spent in seeking truth and direction and will continue to write as He gives me guidance--revealing all that is not like Him, so we will all know truth and be set free to serve Him and not people. "Where the Spirit of The Lord is, there is liberty," not hate or enslavement or degradation.

Three Days Later!

About that time Hezekiah became deathly ill, and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to visit him. He gave the king this message: “This is what the LORD says: Set your affairs in order, for you are going to die. You will not recover from this illness.” When Hezekiah heard this, he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, “Remember, O LORD, how I have always been faithful to you and have served you single-mindedly, always doing what pleases you.” Then he broke down and wept bitterly. But before Isaiah had left the middle courtyard,[fn] this message came to him from the LORD: “Go back to Hezekiah, the leader of my people. Tell him, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of your ancestor David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will heal you, and three days from now you will get out of bed and go to the Temple of the LORD. I will add fifteen years to your life, and I will rescue you and this city from the king of Assyria. I will defend this city for my own honor and for the sake of my servant David.’” 2 Kings 20:1-6 NLT

For those of us who know how The Lord does things, we know that nothing that ever happens is a surprise to Him and we also know, that if we seek Him, he will alert us to those things to come. That's Holy Spirit's job--to remind us of all we have been taught to show us things to come.

God has alerted all those who are truly watchmen--those who stand ready to sound the alarm for the benefit of the people and the alarm has been sounded, but not many are willing to hear and respond because--they're not the ones sounding it.

Today, is a good day to meditate on God's Word--seeking a better understanding of His character, and determining to make a change in our own. If we are willing to seek God and Him alone--not the news outlets or radio talk shows--God can and will reveal to us those things to come and how we should conduct ourselves--as ambassadors of Jesus Christ.

And in three days--God will do as He has done before--establish a sure path for us all to see His miracles--changed hearts, changed behaviors, and changed mindsets--determined to serve Him.

I'll return to my regular blogging in three days and I pray, while I'm praying for a miracle, that whoever reads this, will also pray for me--to act upon the courage I know God will instill in me to do as He says to do.

Write It Down!

I will stand my watch
And set myself on the rampart,
And watch to see what He will say to me,
And what I will answer when I am corrected.
Then the LORD answered me and said:

“Write the vision
And make it plain on tablets,
That he may run who reads it.
For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
Though it tarries, wait for it;
Because it will surely come,
It will not tarry.
“Behold the proud,
His soul is not upright in him;
But the just shall live by his faith. Habakkuk 2:1-5 NKJV

The Lord is yet revealing Himself to others--just like He did with the prophets of old. If we learn to receive, hear and listen, we might be surprised at what we are told.

People are still creating bucket lists--those desires they wish to achieve before they die or at least by a specific time in their lives. A goal is always a good thing, especially when the goal is for the good of others more than just self. And while having a goal is good, few goals are ever achieved without a plan to get there.

The plan--the step-by-step approach or strategy to get to the finish line, must be doable and must lead in the direction in which a person wants to go. Not having a plan, often leads to people doing random acts--that lead nowhere and then they wonder why they have not moved closer to their goal.

Perhaps the easiest way to reach goals is to have several short-term goals that lead to the larger goal--to complete the big picture.

For instance--if a student desires to improve grades and obtain a specific grade-point-average, they might want to start with a targeted study plan. For some that goal may include specific hours dedicated to study and preparing for daily class work and testing. This goal would include working on smaller portions of information for a longer time period (one segment 15 minutes a night), rather than trying to cram a great deal of information into an overnight, stress-filled approach.

If a person has a desire to be used in ministry, by God--the first step would be to develop a right relationship with Him and then to get into His Word and study--researching all that is unknown or not clearly understood. Reaching this particular goal takes time and there are no short cuts although some have attempted to circumvent the obvious. We must study to show ourselves approved unto God--willing to work to understand His Word so we might rightly--present it to others. Some have claimed a calling upon their lives by God and presented themselves to a local church leader and that leader has set them up to fail by simply allowing them to present a "trial sermon"and then giving them leeway (without sufficient evidence of study or relationship) to run and misrepresent the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

If there is anything we want to achieve and God has given us the vision, we need to write it down, along with the plan to get there--step-by-step. When the vision is truly from God, it will be attained and nothing any man or woman attempts to do to hinder it, will matter. God's plans will always prevail over anything we may plan to do--that is not of or from Him.

So if God has given you a vision--write it down and seek His wisdom to map out the plans to achieve and no matter--stick with the plan--inching your way, if necessary, to cross that finish line--according to His timetable. Remember--"the race is given to the strong or the swift, but the one who endures to the end."

Overwhelming Prevarications!

these six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. Proverbs 6:16-19 KJV

POLITIC ALERT!

If you're like me, you are so tired of all the blatant lies and contemptuousness spewed continuously by one particular candidate!

Now, I know people say Hillary has lied about certain events and I would strongly suggest that whoever is saying it--would look into the truth of the matter about Benghazi, the Clinton Foundation, and her emails (and not just get their information from Fox News or Breitbart.com, or manipulated videos)  She has accepted responsibility for using the personal server--and yet there is no proof that she was hacked. With all of the investigations conducted by a Republican committee--no wrong doing has surfaced about the loss of life at the embassy, "Benghazi" and if people want to be outraged--they should be outraged with the Republicans for not providing adequate resources for those at the embassy. And as far as the Clinton Foundation is concerned, I'd strongly suggest that people take the time to research what the Foundation does and pay more attention to that than the source of the donations. For the bible says, "the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just." (A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.Proverbs 13:22)

On the other hand, Trump's dismissive and contemptuous attitude towards those women alleging his misconduct is deplorable. His wife's acceptance of his actions is even more deplorable. He is not "a boy" and if that's her excuse for 59 year-old behavior, then she should keep her "boy" in check and discipline him. As far as why the women are just coming forth with their stories--it's very simple. The tape was just recently aired--on a Friday and then on Sunday, Trump say he had never done what he bragged about on the tape. The women have said,"his lie angered them" and that is why they are just coming forth.  This is not a coordinated conspiracy with the media and the Clinton campaign. Trump opened the door for this when he brought those women to the debate and now he can't handle the fall-out. He apparently didn't read the book of Esther to know about the Hamanesque effect.

We do not need a boy in the White House trying to make decisions for Americans.  We need an adult in the White House who understands the difference between acting like an adult and being a boy. And for her to further insult--anyone who has heard the tape--by saying, "he was egged on to say what he say," is absolutely ludicrous. He initiated the exchange heard and if Billy Bush can lose his job for the part he played in the fiasco, Trump  should certainly not be allowed to sit in the White House in the highest office of the land.

I am so tired of the lies and negativity that my prayer has been, "nevertheless, Lord--come quickly." I'm ready for this election to be over so maybe, just maybe, the adults in the situation can begin the process of healing and restoring sanity.

I have a great deal of faith in the American people to see truth in the midst of all the smokescreens and do the right thing in this election, but I have more faith in God--and know that whatever happens--it will be according to His Will and His plans.

Recognizing Love!

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. I Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV

Not only do we know how to recognize love, we know that in the absence of love--hate reigns and consumes and devours--eats away desire for compassion, common sense and logic and drowns the soul in bile and venom; hate blinds to truth and integrity and hope.

Love attempts to see the best in everyone and ignites hope in the hopeless, not despair.

Love soothes hurt feelings and seeks forgiveness for any perceived wrongs committed against others.

Love is consumed with doing what is best for all people.

Love is considerate and patient--does push itself on people, but waits for acceptance and even when love is not returned, love keeps loving.

Love does not brag about self, but will boast about the accomplishments of others and credit all their own achievements to God who led them in all they do.

Love embraces wisdom from God and knows all good things come from Him.

Love is thoughtful and disciplined; it is not thin-skinned and easily angered.

In the absence of love--hate opens doors for evil to walk in and then is amazed that they too are ensconced in the evil planned for others.

In the absence of love--self is the center of attention and no one else matters for no one else is considered worthy.

In the absence of love--one thinks their brain is so great they don't need to listen to anyone else and certainly not God.

In the absence of love--hunger for power to destroy exists and delights in hurting others.

In the absence of love--there is no hope; only despair, hatred, and bigotry and fear.

In the absence of love--there is no light to see truth, only darkness.

In the absence of love--hate--like a fungus grows in the dark places--the voids where love should be--waiting for someone to take the first bite and be poisoned for life.

LOVE never fails! Perfect love--the ability to love all unconditionally--casts aside fear and embraces truth, honor, integrity.

When we know how to recognize love and know by what we see and hear when love is absent, we know who has received the love of God into their hearts and who has not.

Lord Jesus, pour out--in abundance--more love from on high; fill our hearts to overflowing so we will have more than enough to share with others in all we do and will know how to resist the evil from without, never giving any place in our hearts for hate to exist. Remove the scales from the eyes of those blinded by bitterness, despair and hopelessness and fill them with the joy of The Lord, restoring hope and trust in You!

When Evil Is Plotted!

You who practice deceit, your tongue plots destruction; it is like a sharpened razor. Psalm 52:2 NIV
A troublemaker and a villain, who goes about with a corrupt mouth, who winks maliciously with his eye, signals with his feet and motions with his fingers,who plots evil with deceit in his heart— he always stirs up conflict.Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant; he will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy. Proverbs 6:12-15 NIV
A scoundrel plots evil, and on their lips it is like a scorching fire. Proverbs 16:27
Whoever plots evil will be known as a schemer. Proverbs 24:8 NIV

Whenever anyone plots to do evil against another person, they risk a Hamanesque result in the process.

Some would say, karma--has a boomerang effect.

Others might say--if you dig a hole for someone, you just might be the one who falls into it.

I'm saying, never start a fire you're not prepared to extinguish.

And of course, when Haman plotted evil to get rid of Mordecai, the gallows he constructed for Mordecai, became his final gasp for breath.

Plotting to do evil always has dire consequences for the person doing the plotting, thereby igniting the Hamanesque result.

We cannot be foolish enough to think that God does not know the evil that lurks in our hearts when we plot for the destruction of others. When our actions--whatever they are--attempt to undermine or destroy others--we open the door for a turn-around effect--especially when we have lied about our own behavior and yet attempt to manipulate truth to destroy others. God is not mocked and His Word is true.

The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly. Proverbs 15:4 NIV

“If you play the fool and exalt yourself, or if you plan evil, clap your hand over your mouth! Proverbs 30:32 NIV

A dream comes when there are many cares, and many words mark the speech of a fool.Ecclesiastes 5:3 NIV

Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding. Proverbs 17:28 KJV

Eloquent lips are unsuited to a godless fool— how much worse lying lips to a ruler! Proverbs 17:7 NIV

There is so much more that could be said, but if we allow Holy Spirit to fill our hearts, then whatever is in our hearts will be heard when we speak.

If evil fills our heart, then that will be heard when we speak as well.

We all have choices to make in life and I prefer making my choices align with the Word of God rather than in opposition to it. For if we support a fool and his foolish ways, what does that say about us? Are we, too, plotting evil? If we are, then we put ourselves in a position for our plots to turn on us.

If we must plot to do anything--let's plot to spread love and promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ wherever we go, with whoever we meet. That is the only plot, I'd love to see turn back on us--the circle of love, rather than a continuum of hate, bigotry, and evil.

What goes around, will come back around and if we are the ones who start a fire without an extinguisher, we're bound to get burned.

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you!

Sitting In Darkness!

This is what God the LORD says— the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: “I, the LORD, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness. “I am the LORD; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols. Isaiah 42:5-8 NIV

Darkness--a void--without light or hope
Understanding only what is told--to fear,
Keeping the scales in place over eyes,
Undermining what was once held dear.

Darkness has no power to drive out light,
But light reveals what's held in darkness,
Whether it attitudes or skeletons in closets,
When light is shown upon self, then others,
Or others shining light for all to see--
What really are the hidden discrepancies,
 Keeping us from seeing, knowing Truth.

While in darkness we once walked,
Committing sin, living ungodly lives,
When The Light entered our hearts,
He changed our minds and how we talked.

The Light, the Bright Morning Star,
Looked down through the years and saw
Our struggles in life with sin, He determined,
Thinking back and from afar, that love and light,
Expels darkness and sinful desires, beating flesh
Into submission, igniting faith and desire to please
Him and only Him, so darkness would not prevail.

Come out of the darkness--that dark hold of despair,
Into The Marvelous Light and do what Jesus does,
Love and in His Love, there is none who compare.

It's Time To Repent!

Then the word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, these men have set up idols in their hearts and put wicked stumbling blocks before their faces. Should I let them inquire of me at all? Therefore speak to them and tell them, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: When any of the Israelites set up idols in their hearts and put a wicked stumbling block before their faces and then go to a prophet, I the LORD will answer them myself in keeping with their great idolatry. I will do this to recapture the hearts of the people of Israel, who have all deserted me for their idols.’ “Therefore say to the people of Israel, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Repent! Turn from your idols and renounce all your detestable practices! Ezekiel 14:2-6 NIV

The Word of The Lord!

If we keep our focus on Him--the Sovereign Lord--and worship only Him, we would not need to repent of detestable practices, but since we don't--we need to repent!

But many will say, "Repent of what? I've done nothing wrong."

When men and women see themselves as the only authority in their lives, then there is a need to inspect what they do, measure it against The Word, and see if what they're doing is based upon The
Word or their own desires. Once they realize--how out of order they are, they need to repent--turning away from whatever they're doing that is not like God and turn to God and do things God's way.

So, here's the list of things we need to repent from:

We need to repent from lying and spreading falsehoods just to make a point.

We need to repent from supporting, endorsing, and enabling those who are doing ungodly things.

We need to repent from promoting fear, hatred, and bigotry to win people's hearts with an ungodly strategy.

We need to repent from worshiping people.

We need to repent from doing ungodly things.

We need to repent from trusting people more than we trust God.

We need to repent from seeking the news media outlets for truth rather than seeking God's Wisdom and His Truth in His Word.

Once we repent from doing all the things that we know are not like God, and ask Him to forgive us, then we will see restoration--of civility, and the promotion of love and the establishment of peace.

Without repentance--totally turning away from ungodliness and a complete turn to God--there is no forgiveness. God knows our hearts and insincerity has no place in our lives when we are seeking God to guide us.

Believers know or should know the heart of God and His desire for all to love and live in peace. It's time for us to repent of any wrongdoing--according to God's Word--and do things God's way. We are His ambassadors--the example of who He Is--but if we are living in opposition to His Word--the world will never know who He Is and how much He loves all who come to Him.

Beware The Gallows We Build...

Then Haman told them of his great riches, the multitude of his children, everything in which the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and servants of the king. Moreover Haman said, “Besides, Queen Esther invited no one but me to come in with the king to the banquet that she prepared; and tomorrow I am again invited by her, along with the king. “Yet all this avails me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, “Let a gallows be made, fifty cubits high, and in the morning suggest to the king that Mordecai be hanged on it; then go merrily with the king to the banquet.” And the thing pleased Haman; so he had the gallows made. Esther 5:11-14 NKJV

And Esther said, “The adversary and enemy is this wicked Haman!” So Haman was terrified before the king and queen. Then the king arose in his wrath from the banquet of wine and went into the palace garden; but Haman stood before Queen Esther, pleading for his life, for he saw that evil was determined against him by the king. When the king returned from the palace garden to the place of the banquet of wine, Haman had fallen across the couch where Esther was. Then the king said, “Will he also assault the queen while I am in the house?” As the word left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. Now Harbonah, one of the eunuchs, said to the king, “Look! The gallows, fifty cubits high, which Haman made for Mordecai, who spoke good on the king’s behalf, is standing at the house of Haman.” Then the king said, “Hang him on it!” So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king’s wrath subsided. Esther 7:6-10 NKJV

The evil we plan to do for others,
Will reach the heart of The King,
And whatever we devise for them,
Will be what is done to us.
Be it a digging a ditch with a wide hole
Or a gallows on which to they could hang
Or a plot to disgrace and cause an uproar
Thinking we can intimidate or bully to control
The outcome of what God has already planned,
Nothing we do can thwart the fate that awaits,
Our own plan to do evil and cause others to hate.

Believers, it is time to take a stand against all the forces of evil so we might enjoy the peace of God and not incur His wrath by encouraging the falsehoods that are lies and promoting hatred and bigotry simply because others don't agree with us. It is time for us to act like we are Children of the Most High God--defending the rights of the poor and the needy, not helping the corrupt and the greedy--giving them license to do whatever they want--abusing, misusing others at a whim--stealing the joy of others because of their celebrity.

Yes, God is good, merciful and forgiving, but before forgiveness is granted, there must be repentance, a complete change of heart--turning from the evil that so easily besets us when we do not want to concede--without Him in our lives, we are absolutely nothing.
 
Choosing to live for The Lord up above and living the life He has outlined in His Word ere below, is a demonstration for all to see just how much we love Him, who loves us for all eternity. 

We should never get caught up with pointing fingers at others without cause or alleging anything that cannot be proven with credible evidence. For if we do, we must remember that though we point one finger at others, there are three pointing back at us.

Don't dig a ditch or build that gallows before reflecting upon your own life and what may happen if your life is exposed for all the world to see.

When We Learn!

But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the LORD, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression, to Israel his sin. Hear this, you leaders of Jacob, you rulers of Israel, who despise justice and distort all that is right; who build Zion with bloodshed, and Jerusalem with wickedness. Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets tell fortunes for money. Yet they look for the LORD’s support and say, “Is not the LORD among us? No disaster will come upon us.” Micah 3:8-11 NIV

In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and peoples will stream to it. Many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.” The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He will judge between many peoples and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore. All the nations may walk in the name of their gods, but we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever.Micah 4:1-3, 5 NIV

How quickly we seem to forget The Word of The Lord through the Prophets of Old

How soon we remember when brought to our knees by the evil that lurks

Reigning, abounding in the hearts of those who will not learn from history.

There is nothing new under the sun, nothing unknown to God, nothing He cannot see

Before we think--anything--He knows it; whatever we mutter He hears

For He knows our thoughts from  afar, He knows what's in our hearts

And from the abundance of whatever lies within, the mouth speaks for all to hear.

If we think we can fool God, we do not know God; nor can we fool man for long

For whatever is hidden shall be exposed--for all the world to see,

By those with a heart and desire to serve The One True God--His messengers.

Waffling like a wave on the sea, roiling back and forth, revealing instability,

Promoting fear and hate and bigotry, trying to make nothing be something,

And ignoring what is--the reality of truth versus the delusion of lies,

Fed from within and believed by those who can see through the smokescreen,

The emperor has no clothes and the dictator no power, just gruff and anger.

But all hope is not destroyed, though there be many who try to kill it,

When we learn to trust in The Lord and live His Word, Hope remains

Love turns the tide for all who were in despair for fear and hate cannot abide,

In the nooks and crannies where love will thrive and joy survives.

No matter what things look like--God is yet in the business of taking care

Of His children, everywhere--no matter their skin tone or beliefs, their gender

Or economic status--He is One God--Who Created All, without Him, Nothing would exist.

Though there are some who will persist--hate rules the day and evil in others,

Projection--allowing things from within to color what we see in others,

And Delusion makes us believe our own lies to the point where we cannot see truth,

But truth and love will save the day, when we learn to do things God's way.

God Uses Those Who Are Willing!

Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein. Hosea 14:9 KJV
Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have. 2 Corinthians 8:11,12 NIV

POLITICS ALERT!

Ron Kenoly wrote a song and I danced to it, "If You Can Use Anything, You Can Use Me" was a line in the lyrics. Every time I heard that song, and danced to it, I was moved to want to do more for God. There is yet a willingness in my heart to be used by God and I will.

I read a comment this morning about "God can use anyone" (in reference in Trump) ignited by a CNN commentator and there were many comments refuting this claim and supporting it. God can and will use anyone who is willing to be used. He always has and He always will, but the person has to be "willing" to be used by God.

If a person has not demonstrated any knowledge of God--especially in this election cycle--there is little chance that they have offered themselves, "willingly" to be used by God. And I know there are scores of people ready to defend Trump's race to the White House, but I have to ask again--"How do they justify support of a man who obviously does not know God?"

I know God used harlots in the old testament to save the spies--they were willing to be used and understood The God these men served. Trump--has pretended a conversion, but there is no external evidence of a conversion of his heart and nothing anyone says--no matter what their position in a church or anything else --will ever convince me that God is using Trump against his will. I know how God operates and He does not make anyone do anything against their will. I believe that those evangelical organizations who are promoting this lie do so at their own peril and I will not support it or be a part of it.

For those who think I can intimidated--guess again. The Lord is the only one who guides what I do and nothing you think or do will deter me from doing what God has put on my heart to do. Support of Donald Trump means support of hatemongering, fearmongering, bigotry, misogyny. And for those who think supporting a pro-choice stance is a problem with God--you don't know God since He gives us choice and we have to deal with the consequences of our choices.

The argument about who Supreme Court Justices "might be" is a smokescreen to support discrimination against those who have been discriminated against for centuries and a fearmongering tactic.

And since I believe God uses anyone willing to be used, I'm going to trust God to speak to the heart of Hillary Clinton and guide her in all she has to do.

Calling Hillary a liar and attempting to convict her of things already litigated is a sign of complete blindness refutation of the justice system. If people cannot see the lies that Trump tells--consistently, on a daily basis, about anything and everything (proven to be lies by videos)--it is because they choose to be blind.

I am neither blind or foolish and as long as I have breath in my body and can hear Holy Spirit when He speaks, I will not concede to the dictates of foolishness and ungodliness in supporting someone who acts in total opposition to God's Word.

For anyone reading this who disagrees with what I've written, it is your choice and I respect your choice, but I will not allow your choices to deter or influence me. I have to stand before God and give an account for myself, not others and that I will do with a confident heart in hearing, "Well done, daughter" since that is truly all I want to hear from God.

The Purpose of Counselling!

Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. Proverbs 11:14 KJV
For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers. Proverbs 11:14 NIV
Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but whoever hates correction is stupid. Good people obtain favor from the LORD, but he condemns those who devise wicked schemes. Proverbs 12:1,2 NIV
The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good. Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed. Proverbs 15:3,22
Surely you need guidance to wage war, and victory is won through many advisers. Proverbs 24:6 NIV

The first counselors present in our lives are our parents and when we have Godly parents, we get good advice and if we follow their good advice, we encounter fewer problems, but when we do encounter problems, we know how to address them.

At a point in time--at that time varies for all people--when we have been influenced by righteousness, we reach a time when we understand the need for God in our lives and receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. When we receive Him and are filled with Holy Spirit--we have the greatest counselor living within us and if we hear and obey, we avoid many problems in life.

In a secular setting--those who journey through life without the guidance of Holy Spirit--there are counselors that are trained to give good advice so our lives can be balanced and more complete. If people heed their advice, many are able to overcome problems that could otherwise devastate them.
Having access to good counseling/advisors appears to be important to God since it is mentioned so many times along with "wisdom" and being "wise." There are those who do not seek wise counsel and end up doing foolish things and being exposed for their foolishness.

How do we know who is a wise counselor? We know Holy Spirit is the wisest counselor we could ever have, but absent His presence, we need to look at the people who are trying to advise us. What does their life look like? Is there evidence that wisdom was exercised in all they do? Is there evidence that they know God, hear and obey? Are they doing the same thing the person they're counseling is doing and yet think they can advise others?

To simplify matters and for the sake of clarity--let me explain further. A person who has never known success in marriage cannot offer any advice about anyone having a successful marriage. A person who does not exemplify Godly behavior in all they do, cannot advise anyone else about how God wants them to act. A person whose life is filled with past, unrepentant sin, cannot advise anyone else about how to live a Godly life or even a life that is above reproach. For The Word of God says, "The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them. “But if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die." Ezekiel 18:20,21 NIV

Therefore, if anyone tells us that we will be held accountable for the actions of others--they lie and the truth is not in them. God holds us--individually--accountable for what we do, not for the actions of others. And quite frankly, I'm tired of people promoting this lie. I am responsible for the things I say and the things I do--no one else--and I cannot blame poor counseling or negative influence--I alone am responsible. But since I hear Holy Spirit when He speaks, I do not live my life concerned with committing sin--if I even think of the wrong thing--He checks me. When I'm writing my blog posts or even commenting on other online forums, He leads me in all I say. Even when others attack what I say and resort to name-calling; though my flesh may rise and want to counter the attack, He won't let me. As a result--Glory to God--many people who follow the same articles I do have commented on my patience with others in how I respond to them. It is not me, but Holy Spirit in me, that keeps me from making a fool of myself in a public forum. This is the evidence of wise, sound counseling, serving its purpose--that we don't make a fool of ourselves for all the world to see.

People can say whatever they want to say about me--I have a thick skin and Holy Spirit to guide me when I'm tempted to react. I realize I cannot control what people think or say; I can only allow Holy Spirit to control me so I do what I do--knowing if I ever take the wrong path, Holy Spirit will put me back on the right path.

The purpose of counseling is to keep us safe and avoid negative situations that could cause more grief-- from political campaign implosions and unnecessary wars (egos and nations).

I'm praying for people everywhere (specifically in this election cycle) to hear wise counsel--especially when there is a multitude of counselors--giving good advice. For in the multitude of counselors--Holy Spirit will reside in at least one of the people--giving advice.