For Just A Minute!

He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:  ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ”Then they remembered his words. Luke 24:6-8 NIV

Though many in the world celebrate "Easter," those of us who have a relationship with Christ (not a church organization) understand the real meaning of the celebration--The Resurrection of Jesus Christ. They (the haters who don't understand) are alive and well today, as well and we must remember--so we don't become like them.

He Loved!

They lied on Him.

They beat Him.

They spit on Him.

They crowned Him with thorns.

They nailed Him to a cross.

They mocked Him.

They crucified Him.

They pierced His side with a sword.

He died.

They buried Him.

He Rose.

He Loves!

He Lives!

He is alive and well in the hearts of all who have accepted the sacrifice of His love, all who choose to live the way He wants us to live, and all who know how to love--all others--unconditionally and who defend the rights of the poor and the needy!

He Has Risen!

Celebrate His Resurrection by

Sharing The Love With Others!

Live like Jesus lived--always helping others in need!

The Reason For The Season!

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.  Luke 2:1-11 NIV

Those of us who understand that being a Christian means we follow Christ know why we celebrate this season. We are not concerned with saying, Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays (specifically for the secular segment of society) but in knowing that at some point in time, over 2000 years ago, we were given the greatest gift that could ever be given, and it couldn’t be purchased in a mall for any amount of money. The birth of a Savior, God coming in the likeness of sinful flesh, to save all who choose to believe in Him. Though He made the sacrifice–giving His life for ours almost 34 years later–we still celebrate His birth for without it–there would not have been a crucifixion or a Resurrection–paving the way for us to enter into Heaven.

Today, on the eve of the celebration for many of us–I just wanted to remind people that we do indeed have a reason to celebrate this season for it had not been for The Lord, where would we be?

Fortunately, for us–He loves us enough to respect our choices in doing whatever we do–whether He approves our choices or not–He respects our right to choose–both what we do and the consequences. I really wish–we who proclaim to be Christians–followers of Christ–not people–could get to that same place of understanding. We don’t have to agree or approve what others choose to do, but we should respect their right to choose–just as God does.

Personally, I’m thankful that God allowed me to choose some of the paths I’ve taken in life–though I know He didn’t approve–He allowed me to make the choices and deal with the consequences and in dealing with those consequences, I learned just how much He loves me. Who are we to get in the way of those who will learn from the consequences of their choices, no matter what they are?

I encourage all Christians (true Believers) to think about how we can best encourage (not command or make) others to believe in the Savior we know. The best sermon–as many have said before me–is the one we live, not the one we talk about. If I never utter another word about how good God is–I would hope that everything I do–says it much louder than I could ever hope to say and more people would turn to Him–not me, because of who He is!

This is the time of year we should think even more about the plight of others and make a commitment to help those who are simply not in a position to help themselves. Thoughtfulness, consideration of others–is one way we can live The Word, instead of just talking The Word.

For tomorrow–I’m spending time with family–as I prepare our dinner–doing things that families do. I’m praying for peace in the world and joy in the hearts in every person and for those who feel abandoned in shape or form, know that there is someone praying for you and if I knew who you were, I’d invite you to share our dinner because we always find room and food for more.

Enjoy this day doing your last minute shopping! Stay safe and alert for the enemy would love to steal your joy by destroying hope and faith in Jesus by influencing someone to do a dastardly act. And then spend tomorrow loving others and enjoying life while we live. Luv2LuvU!

The Grace of God Ignites Faith!

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you. Titus 2:11-15 NIV

Remember hearing anyone say, "if not for the grace of God, there go I?"

Usually, this statement is made by people who look upon the tragedies endured by others--homelessness, addiction, loneliness, dissonance, isolationism, all those things that set them apart from the "normalized" view of the world. And it's true, if not for the grace of God, where would I be?

I could have been lost in sin, but Jesus stepped in

Reminded me of His love and why He came from above,

To shoulder all I could not handle on my own,

And not only to me, has His love been shown.

Whenever I see, helplessness and despair in the eyes of others,

I'm reminded to help all my sisters and brothers,

In Christ for if it had not been for His grace,

I could be standing in their place.

I could be as despicable as those who hate,

But in this life, loving others was always my fate.

So, how could I give up or give in to defeat,

When His Grace has my made my triumph complete?

A word of encouragement for all who read and see just how much we have to be thankful for in spite of the greed and corruption we see emanating from the White House and those court jesters in charge.

We have an opportunity to change the landscape and our fate by voting out those who are abdicating their constitutional responsibility and electing those who care about all people and will uphold the constitution--no matter what. Congressional representations should not be shackled with party partisanship, but bonded to serve all Americans--no matter who voted for them. That's what it means to be a true Patriot.

 

With this in mind, I still implore those who will to support my impending run for president in 2020. The foundation is being laid and more information will be updated on a regular basis as need warrants, but for now, I am encouraged and inspired by the Grace of God to move forward in the face of immeasurable odds.

Courage is the discovery that you may not win, and trying when you know you can lose. - Tom Krause

I will not allow any negative thoughts or dastardly deeds by others to deter me. I will continue to fight the good fight of faith and prepare to enter the White House in 2021 as the next president of the people. Hope you'll join me in this venture so we can all celebrate the victory and triumph of being Everyday Americans!

Finishing The Race!

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. 2 Timothy 4:1-8 NIV

No one ever said that living a life of righteousness would be easy. In fact, most people are warned about the traps of temptation that Satan would set the moment a person accepts the love of Christ in their hearts. To avoid the pitfalls, one must always keep their eyes on the prize that can only be obtained if we stay in the race.

In the midst of hardships, turmoil and chaos, confusion, stress and doubt--we must never lose sight of our purpose--whatever that purpose is for we will not achieve our goal, if we quit before we reach the end.

Think of a marathon--any kind of marathon--the goal or purpose is to finish and we all know--there can only be a limited number of winners--those who finish ahead of all the rest. But most people who enter a marathon are not doing so to win, but to finish--for them the finish is a win--and no matter how difficult the course becomes, no matter how tired they get or much muscles ache, their determination to finish is their reward.

This is the determination we must all have in life--to finish--whatever it is we start that is honorable in God's sight--by staying in the race. Though we may get tired from all the obstacles put in our path, we must keep our eyes and hope on the end--when we'll see the fruits of our labor and know we were on the right side of history.

And this is what The Resistance is all about--staying in the race--the goal to see wrongs righted in our society and force truth to surface by any means possible--at the end, to see all treated with equality and ability to live in peace and harmony.

No matter what each day brings--especially when it seems that efforts are wasted--we don't give up; that's just the trick of the enemy to create doubt in the minds of those who are determined to stay the course.

We continue the fight for justice against tyranny by keeping one another encouraged.

When we feel overwhelmed by news reports that appear to take a turn; we back up, rest and refuel the drive that led us here in the first place--ready for the next fight.

Wisdom is the principal thing and with all our getting--we must get understanding of all we read, hear, and see that could alter the direction of our fight. We cannot be deterred by minor setbacks and lies yet uncovered or by those who refuse to speak truth when asked. We must believe that there are others who will uncover all truth and even if the truth uncovered is not what we expect, we must be prepared to accept--the whole truth and nothing but the truth--no sugarcoated lies, no half truths, no white lies, no little lies and certainly--no alternative facts.

Though there may be many battles and all not won--we can rest assured that in the end--the war against tyranny, hatred and bigotry--will be won with Jesus on our side. We just have to stay in the race--no matter what!

I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all. Ecclesiastes  9:11 NIV

30 Days of Prayer and Praise--24!

The LORD reigns, he is robed in majesty; the LORD is robed in majesty and armed with strength; indeed, the world is established, firm and secure. Your throne was established long ago; you are from all eternity. The seas have lifted up, LORD, the seas have lifted up their voice; the seas have lifted up their pounding waves. Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea— the LORD on high is mighty. Your statutes, LORD, stand firm; holiness adorns your house for endless days. Psalm 93 NIV

Day Twenty-Four

Lord Jesus,

Thank You for speaking to Your servant David, inspiring encouragement for all when needed.
Lord, we who know You, know that You and You alone have the power to turn night into day, and mourning into laughter. We also know that the darkness where evil ferments in the hearts of the wicked can only be dispelled by the light of Your love. Help us to show love to all, whether we agree with them or not, but love enough to speak truth and not allow them to live a lie.

Lord, as we journey forth this day, prepare the hearts of those in authority to hear from You through those of us who are willing to be used by You. Encourage the heart of every person who is standing up and speaking up for justice for all and never allow our hearts to fail because of rejection. Give us another path and another until we find the one that leads us to the hearts of those who are in position to make decisions for millions of people--so they'll put country before party agenda.

Lord, lead others to the fold, in which plans are established to protect the rights of the poor and needy--regardless of skin color, ethnicity, gender or any other thing that the small-minded feel makes any people inferior.

Thank You for visiting our hearts and energizing our spirits to get the job done--not just today, but every day.

Thank You for all those who diligently worked to see a reversal of events with our Congressional leaders. Bless them mightily for their perseverance and dedication and love for all.

As we continue on this journey, to encourage our lawmakers to do what is right, help us to find a way to demonstrate, You are still on the throne, and You see all and hear all and know the plans and plots of the wicked.

We give You praise O God! We magnify Your name and lift You up--as our banner and standard in the battles that are ahead of us. But we know, with You going before us, the battle is already won.

In Jesus' name we pray and thank You, Amen!

Listen From Within!

Listen to me, you islands; hear this, you distant nations: Before I was born the LORD called me; from my mother’s womb he has spoken my name.He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in his quiver. He said to me, “You are my servant, Israel, in whom I will display my splendor.”But I said, “I have labored in vain; I have spent my strength for nothing at all. Yet what is due me is in the LORD’s hand, and my reward is with my God.”And now the LORD says— he who formed me in the womb to be his servant to bring Jacob back to him and gather Israel to himself, for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD and my God has been my strength—he says: “It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”This is what the LORD says— the Redeemer and Holy One of Israel— to him who was despised and abhorred by the nation, to the servant of rulers: “Kings will see you and stand up, princes will see and bow down, because of the LORD, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”This is what the LORD says: “In the time of my favor I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you; I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land and to reassign its desolate inheritances, to say to the captives, ‘Come out,’ and to those in darkness, ‘Be free!’ “They will feed beside the roads and find pasture on every barren hill.They will neither hunger nor thirst, nor will the desert heat or the sun beat down on them. He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water. I will turn all my mountains into roads, and my highways will be raised up. See, they will come from afar— some from the north, some from the west, some from the region of Aswan. Shout for joy, you heavens; rejoice, you earth; burst into song, you mountains! For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones. Isaiah 49:1-13 NIV

Many people "hear" things and other people, but how many people "listen" from within--blocking out all the noise around them?

There is noise all around us--the sound of hate and bigotry, the sound of war and anger, the sound of pride and arrogance, the clanging, the whistling, the shouts, the moans and groans, the sounds of victory and defeat, the sounds--bombarding us, sometimes, making us cover our ears because of the deafening loudness. We hear all the noise from the outside that keeps us from hearing The Lord speak to our hearts--when we are unable to listen!

In times past--hundreds of years ago--the chosen prophets were the messengers of God and now--for all who are filled with Holy Spirit--and listen to Him, we are the messengers of God. But what message are we providing to the people? Is it our message or His message? If we are hearing the outside noises to the degree we cannot listen to Him, the message we deliver may not be His, but ours.

How do we know when we are delivering God's message and not our own? If what we are saying is based upon His Word and we have spent time with Him--in a position to hear and listen to Him, we can be assured that the message He has given us to share --is indeed, His message and not our own.

If we learn to listen--to Him--and tune out all the noise around us--we will always know the message is one of God's truths, not our own and the message will encourage all to seek Him and develop a right relationship with Him, not people. For if our relationship with God is right, He will give us favor with men and when we demonstrate the love He has poured into us with others, we will generate an environment of love--not hate, peace--not war, joy--not sadness; if we learn to listen from within!

Lord,
Unstop our spiritual ears that we may hear You above the noise and listen--intently to all You have to say and then stir up our hearts, renew our courage and boldness to obey You in all things whether others understand it or not. For it is to You and You alone we give glory and honor, for You are the only One worthy of our praise. Thank You for hearing and answering our call--always and for guiding us in doing the right thing at all times. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen!

A Word of Encouragement!

Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:6,8 NIV

We know why Moses had to encourage the children of Israel. They were afraid of change and Moses was no longer going to be with them. But he reminded them that The Lord would always be with them and they were not to be afraid.

Those words ring very true today. We need to be strong--strengthened daily by Holy Spirit, determined to move forward knowing that God is going before us and He will never leave us.

Whatever the challenge or obstacle that attempts to get in our way of obeying God and promoting the Gospel, confront it--head on--with love and know that whatever The Lord has put on our hearts to do, He is faithful to see it completed.

So move out--in faith--very courageous and determined--to get it done.

Practicing Contentment In The Midst of Need!

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:12,13 NIV)

In this letter to the church at Philippi, Paul encourages those who are trying do what is right for all concerned. In the midst of their own challenges, they sought to provide him with those things he needed while he was imprisoned. Remember this, when people were imprisoned in those days, they were dependent upon others for food since their jailers were not necessarily interested in attending their needs. But Paul, understanding their own plight and needs, encourages them by telling them how he's learned to be content in whatever situation he's found himself because of Jesus.

Whenever we find ourselves in situations that cause us to cringe and perhaps re-think what we're doing because everything is not coming together we way we expected it to  come together, pause and think about others who are in situations worse than ours and be grateful for what we have.

With every negative event occurring in America right now and the exposure of corruption at every level of government and --we can still exercise our right to vote by getting our feet moving in the right direction without fear of being persecuted for daring to vote.

Though some criticize Believers for their faith in God, we still have the right to worship Him, whenever we want to do so.

Even though there are hundreds of people starving everyday--in America--most of us still exercise "choice" in what we eat and how often we eat.

In spite of the "oversight" of government through surveillance at every corner, it's all for our good.

Though we may not have the car of our dreams, if we're driving anything that moves, we should be content.

If children are not wearing the most expensive gym shoes or the latest designer clothes, if they have clothes on their back and shoes on their feet that protect them from the elements, they should be content.

If we have not arrived at the place of success we desire, we learn to be content with what we have and in His strength, keep moving forward, keeping our eyes on the prize.

When life does not provide us with all we want, we should practice contentment and joy in the strength of the Lord so when we continue our journey, we are ready for all we will receive.

If we are bitter through the times of lack, we'll not be better when we have more than enough; we'll just grumble over not having more.

With whatever we have--we should learn to be content--still looking to Jesus, expecting His best in our lives--and praising Him while we wait. As long as we're alive, breathing on our own, we yet have opportunity to do good--for others and teach them by example how to wait to see the promises of God.

Instead of crying the blues over everything that doesn't go our way and being bitter, let's be better and sing songs of praise, seeking His wisdom, assuring ourselves that we will have a great day, every day!

"Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."

How often do we have an opportunity to do good? As often as we wake up, we have opportunity to do good--even if it is something as simple as smiling and offering an encouraging word to someone else.

Therefore, let's look for opportunity to do good--always, for all people, but especially for those of the household of faith--those followers of Jesus Christ who will not back down from standing firm on God's Word.

We can encourage our children.

We can encourage our spouses.

We can encourage our neighbors.

We can watch out for our senior citizens and make sure no one is taking advantage of them or we can do some of those things they have difficulty doing--yard work, driving, shopping, etc.

We can get involved as a volunteer in our school districts, our churches, our communities--doing whatever we can do to help make life a little easier for someone else.
Sometimes, a phone call is all that is necessary to let someone know we are thinking about them, care about them and to see if they need anything.

I'm not saying that Believers should be doormats or used indiscriminately. We should always be wise as a serpent, but gentle as a dove, doing all things to please God, not us or to impress people.

Whenever we question our own motives for the things we do, we should ask ourselves, "Would this please God or do I have a hidden agenda?" We need to be honest with ourselves. If love is not our motive for doing the things we do, we should not do them.

When we know what we do pleases God, it becomes easier to do and we keep looking for opportunities to do good.

What God Reveals By His Spirit!

"However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him—these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God." (I Corinthians 2:9,10 NIV)

When we run into people who say our faith in God is pointless, what do we do? Do we argue to no avail or do we simply stand firm on The Word?

When they say there is no God, we don't have to argue the point, but remember this passage of Scripture. For those who say our existence is all about science, they have forgotten that God speaks to the heart of all who listen and even some of the scientists admit they don't have an explanation for everything. Now, here's the beauty of what some of them have come to realize--science does not create--it attempts to explain that which already exists and in some instances--scientists will develop something from that which already existed. Development is not creation. This is not to undermine what scientists do, but to point out that the scientists would have nothing to develop if
God had not already created--all that was created.

Have we seen all of God's Wisdom implemented in the earth? No, not yet. Will we ever? That depends upon us and how well we listen when He speaks. The deeper things this passage references have not been seen or heard of, but are yet to come.

Out of this passage of scripture, we get two things--hope and encouragement. No matter how bad things may appear, we haven't seen the end of the matter because God is yet speaking, by His Spirit, to all who will hear. We are encouraged by The Word, knowing that there are still things we have not even thought about that will come to pass on our behalf. God knows what we need and He knows our heart's desires. When we please Him, He responds by giving us the desires of our hearts.

Though it may not look like He is listening, He hears. Though it may not look like He is working on our behalf, He is. Remember this, we have not heard or seen all of the good things He has in store for us, but they will come and when we see them and hear them, we'll know--it was all Him.

Don't despair over what the naysayers have to say and don't listen to the voices of those spirits who despise Him. Our God is awesome and He is more than enough! When He speaks to others by His Spirit, things begin to change for our good!

Acknowledge The Work!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Anointed Truth!

"But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth." (I John 2:20,21 NIV)

One of the reasons that I love John's passages to us is because they are so personal. In the Gospel of John, he reveals to us the person of Christ and all of attributes. In his continued letters, he constantly reminds us that we are loved and because of His love towards us, we walk in His anointing and in Truth.

If we are filled with Holy Spirit--the Spirit of Jesus Christ--then we walk in Truth since He is Truth. When we allow Holy Spirit to guide us in all things, we speak only what He speaks and do only what He wants us to do.

Are we perfect people? Not hardly! We are people who love the Lord and want to please Him, so we are growing in grace and in the confidence of His Word in our ability to know when Holy Spirit speaks beyond what we understand and are open to the revelation!

This is why John tells us, we know the truth and there is no lie in truth. Now, this is where some people miss this. There is no lie in truth. A half-truth is a whole lie. There are no white lies, red lies, black lies are any other kind of lies that have any kind of relationship with Truth. Paul tells us to speak the truth, in love. Love the person to whom you're telling the truth,, but tell the truth, confidently, not harshly.

One of the reasons the Body of Christ is in the shape it is in is because no one really wants to hear truth from the pulpit so preachers--sugarcoat truth--to maintain a congregation. I'd rather hear Truth, according to God's Word (not man) and be convicted of wrong doing than to hear a sugar-coated message that makes allowances for sin. Yes, God forgives our sin, but repentance means we have turned away from doing those things that sever a relationship with God.

God is not mocked! He is not fooled by the preachings, dripping with syrupy meanings and rhyming rhythms that do nothing but entertain the flesh. The only person who is fooled by this is the one who does not know the Word.

I encourage every Believer to walk in the anointing of Truth and tell no lies--even if it means no other mortal walks with you, you are never alone!

Comforted To Comfort!

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God." (2 Corinthians 1:3,4 NIV)

In the midst of being persecuted and treated badly, Paul writes to the Church at Corinth, praising God for being the God of all comfort, for comforting those in chains with him, so they could comfort others in times of trouble!

The best way to "wait on The Lord to learn patience" is to take our focus off our own problems and concentrate on others who are going through trials. If we cannot see the solution to our problems, we should help others and while we're helping others, God reveals the solution to those problems we face and sometimes, He works it out and we simply see the problem solved. Glory Hallelujah!

There have been so many times in years past that I did not know what to do about situations that arose because of car accidents and mountains of bills piling up. I've been rear-ended twice and both accidents totaled cars, but I am yet alive to testify of God's goodness. The first accident was caused by a sleeping driver and the second accident caused by a drunk driver. I was "in front of them" and they crashed into me from behind. I saw them coming--both times, but had nowhere to go before being hit. Waiting for resolution--in particular behind the last accident--I was in pain, could not see well and could not work. The first attorney supposedly working on my behalf was only interested in amassing as much as he could. I fired him. The second attorney resolved the issue as quickly as he could and warned me that I did not have to take what was offered in a settlement, but it would take years to get what I deserved. This was three years after the accident. I realistically could not wait years, trying to get more, so I settled.

In the three years I waited, I did not work, but God had a plan I knew nothing about. He arranged for my bills to be paid through the kindness of others, who wanted nothing in return. During this time, I encouraged others by helping them do whatever I could. Sometimes, that was simply being available to talk to them over the phone. I assisted children by tutoring them, I did whatever I could to help others because I could not help myself through this ordeal. But God could.

While we're going through--take heart and be encouraged--help someone else in their time of need and watch God handle your business like no one else can! He is a comfort to us so we can comfort others!

What His Must Do!

Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.” (2 Timothy 2:19 NIV)

Instead of getting into tireless conversations about what others must do, perhaps it's way past time for us to concentrate on what we--who are His--must do. After all, if we truly His, He knows and if we confess to be Christians, there should be no reports of wickedness or evil doing ever made on us.

Here's what we know for sure. There are two reigning spirits in the atmosphere, influencing and controlling what we do. We are either influenced by God or Satan. Now, some believe there some people who simply do what they want to do and are guided by a spirit of self.  If we understand that "self" is only concerned with doing what pleases self's flesh, then we are still seeing the influence of Satan who would love it if all people were only concerned with self.

Why? Selfish people never do anything for anyone else. They are not kind or compassionate, they are evil and greedy and will run over anyone who gets in their way--literally and figuratively. Remember the battle in heaven and Satan being thrown out? He selfishly thought he was superior to God and wanted to take over heaven. His influence led to one-third of the angels who foolishly followed him, being thrown out, too. And now we deal with them in the earth realm.

Selfless people are guided by the Spirit of God to assist others in need and are not concerned about their own needs. Selfless people know that God will provide for them and they use their provisions to helps others in all kinds of situations. This is why we have missionaries in other countries, those who are determined to help others, even to the point of endangering their own lives. Selfless people promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ no matter how many times they are ridiculed and scorned; they pray for those who hate them and they continue to be obedient to God whether they understand why God wants them to do things or not.

This is what His must do! All who proclaim the name of the Lord and say they are "Christians" have a job to do and the first task is to turn away from the influence of wickedness and stand firm in the knowledge that He knows who we are. If we are His, We must obey His Word and not allow ourselves to be duped by the enemy and his minions. We must follow Christ in the fullness of His life--in Truth--and in love, obeying The Father in all things.

Never Forgotten!

On Sunday, February 15, 2015, the area in which I live, experienced a major service outage for those who have AT&T UVerse. We had no television, no phone, and no wireless access. Fortunately, our cell phones were working and we were able to maintain communication with the "outside" world.

With no Internet or television to distract me, I was able to complete tasks much faster and sooner than I might have normally completed them. I had time to read, to talk with my grandson and husband, time to think and time to pray. At first, I was irritated that I could not post my daily blog, but while I sat, thinking, I remembered how I could use the time. I thought about all those who "follow" my blogs and my inability to remind them I was thinking about them and praying for them and then I prayed.

Father, in the name of Jesus,

Look upon all who love You and respond to every need.

For those who need healing in their bodies, heal them from the crowns of their heads to the souls of their feet and every bone, organ, muscle, tissue, cartilage, and joint in between.

For those who need a financial blessing, pour out wisdom from on high to obtain and maintain financial security.

For those who are lonely, speak to their hearts and remind them they are never alone because You are always there.

For those who feel unloved, encourage them to turn to Your Word and see Love in every page and be filled with the love You pour onto us.

For those who are confused and living in doubt, break the shackles of uncertainty and confusion from their minds so they can think clearly, with the mind of Christ.

For those who are haughty and high-minded, thinking they do not need You, bring them to the end of themselves so they will acknowledge Your greatness.

For those who feel weak in their own strength, strengthen them by the power of Your love and infilling of Holy Spirit.

For those who have been out in severe weather, protect them and  keep them all harm, keeping them safe until they can reach shelter from the winds and elements that could kill.

For those who are determined to minister to Your people by any means necessary, keep them diligent and focused, and safe, blessing all they put their hands to in honor of You!

Whatever the need is, Lord, You can respond to it like no one else and we give You all the praise and glory because You are the only one worthy of it.

All of this we ask and thank You for doing in Jesus' name. In this moment, we declare it done! Amen!

Though I may not be able to communicate my love for you, know that I am always thinking and praying for God's best in the lives of all who love Him and are willing to obey His Word. You are never forgotten by me!

Wait For It!

"I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD." (Psalm 27:13,14 NIV)

How many times have we heard the phrase--wait for it? Usually, the phrase has more to do with some spectacular event about to unfold and because it was spectacular, we're never disappointed. And we won't be disappointed as we wait to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living--this side of heaven.

How will we see the goodness of The Lord? When every born-again believer truly walks in their calling--whatever that might be and do the greater works that Jesus said we would do--the entire world will see the goodness of The Lord in everything we do!

Are we not created in His image? Are we not His children? Are we not able to do all He has put on our hearts to do, to His glory? When we become living epistles, read of men, others will see The 
Lord in us because we won't be able to hide the light of His love under a bush, but we shall shine brightly, as a beacon, drawing all the lost to The Lord by the love we show them.

Showing others love does not mean we compromise The Word of God by condoning sin in any matter. We must encourage people to live according to The Word, not in opposition to The Word.

Within the next few weeks, I am re-distributing a book on Amazon that will sound an alarm in the hearts of many and be a wake-up call to the Body of Christ. Some will hate the book (and probably me), some will love it, and some will be wary of the intent. The intent of the book, quite simply is to remind all of God's Word, what He has said about sin, and our what our response should be to those who propose to promote sin rather than godliness. And we can do this--showing love--not displeasing God in order to win people to us.

Our ability to win souls should never be about winning someone to be in our cheering section, or church, but encouraging them to repent, be forgiven, and develop a right relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Are you ready? Okay, just wait for it and wait for The Lord to see His goodness--through us--to overwhelm the land!

Your Precious Thoughts!

"How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, you are still with me!" (Psalm 139:17,18 NLT)

How can I not know how much I mean to You?
How can I not show You how much You mean to me?
With every breath I take and every move I make,
I know  I am able to do so, because You never stop thinking about me
Or how much You love me!
You never stop showering me with love!
You never stop forgiving me when I mess up!
You never stop speaking to me, even when I disappoint You!
You never give up on me, always bringing me back into the safety of Your arms, if I stray!
How do I know all this? Because I am still here and You are still with me--each morning I wake!
You O Lord, are the reason I can hold my head high,
You O Lord are the reason I can see heaven beyond the sky,
You O Lord are everything I need and could ever desire,
You O Lord, give my life meaning and makes it worth while.
How do I know You love me? You gave Your life that I might live,
And I will live my life so all will know, just how much I love You!
Thank You, O Lord for Your Love, Your Life and my own,
And for being with me every step of this journey on earth,
Until You return to take me to be with You, forever--Amen!

Our Tasks!

“I, the LORD, have called you to demonstrate my righteousness. I will take you by the hand and guard you, and I will give you to my people, Israel, as a symbol of my covenant with them. And you will be a light to guide the nations. You will open the eyes of the blind. You will free the captives from prison, releasing those who sit in dark dungeons." (Isaiah 42:6,7 NLT)

Anyone who proclaims the name of Jesus as their Lord and Savior has a job to do. We are called--to be true representatives of Him--who called us--to demonstrate His righteousness (not our own). We are to be a light, guiding nations. We are responsible for making sure the eyes of the blind (spiritually) are opened and those who are held captive by the darkness of their minds are set free. And we do all of this-in the name of the Lord, giving Him the glory for all things accomplished.

Every time the enemy raises his ugly head with lies and half-truths (which are actually whole lies), we must be in position to declare God's Truth. In order to do this, we must stay in The Word and be ready with an answer for anyone who questions our faith--based on The Word.

The enemy's strategy is to create scales on the eyes of those who say they believe, but are actually weak in their faith walk. We know these people when we see them because they waver--wobbling between God's Truth and man's political correctness in making decisions. They have been blinded to the Truth and then they promote--what they cannot fully see--the Truth of God's Word over the "constantly changing" landscape of political correctness. It is our job--our task--to keep telling God's Truth until the scales drop and they can see clearly how the enemy has manipulated them.

One of the reasons people find themselves in the darkness of depressed minds is because the enemy has planted seeds of doubt in their minds--causing them to doubt their own self-worth and doubt whether they are loved or not. The enemy plants seeds of negativity in the minds of all who waver--not understanding that their lack of total faith in God--has opened the door for Satan to enter.

The Word says, through John, "You shall know the Truth and the Truth shall set you free." We must keep telling, and keep telling, and keep telling until we can tell no more--the Truth of God's Word so we can see captive minds set free--and the seeds of doubt are replaced by seeds of Love--His Love and ours--leading them to a path of His plan.

We have tasks to complete before He returns. The world is turning dark as it succumbs to the enemy's manipulations and we are the only ones who can be a beacon of light in the midst of all the darkness. Are you up for the task? Then let's get busy--promoting God's Truth like never before--to His glory by allowing Holy Spirit free reign in our lives!

He Will Do It!

"The LORD rescues the godly; he is their fortress in times of trouble.The LORD helps them, rescuing them from the wicked. He saves them, and they find shelter in him." (Psalm 37:39,40 NLT)

We are instructed in The Word to pray for one another, believe we receive that for which we have asked, and to give thanks for all things.

Father,

We seek You, the only Wise God, for understanding and deliverance from all things that are not of You.

We know You love us and want only the best for us, but we also know You desire a deeper relationship with each of us.

We come before You today, recognizing our shortcomings and expecting great things from You as we submit our thought life to You.

Look upon our hearts and cleanse us now from any thoughts of living in opposition to You.

Keep our minds focused on You and all those things You would have us do, helping and loving others.

Forgive us for being arrogant and pompous in thinking we can live our lives without You or Your direction.

Guide us daily into Your Word and give us clear understanding.

Help us to be bold enough to say what You say about all things--especially those things that oppose You and Your intent for all mankind.

Help us to receive the healing for our bodies--from the crowns of our heads to the soles of our feet and every muscle, tendon, nerve and organ in between.

Keep our angels alert and mindful of all dangers we can see and those we cannot see.

Touch the hearts of all people who know You--and those who don't--who teach, preach, lead, and guide others. Let everything we do, glorify You and not us.

Help us to understand the gifts You have given and lead us in refining, exercising them for the benefit of all people.

Develop in us O, Lord--a desire to please You in all things so we may spend eternity with You.

Show us--how to promote goodness and godliness in all things and then dissolve all religious thinking that allows us think that anyone is superior to another.

Have mercy on all who have taken lives because of religious superiority and show them the way of Truth in You.

Provide us with clear vision and understanding as to how we can fulfill the dreams already given, to Your glory.

Encourage our hearts in the midst of all the chaos and surround us with peace within and without our homes, community, and nations.

Thank You for loving us and providing all we need so we can be a blessing to others.

Thank You hearing and responding to this prayer so all may that You and You alone are God and there is none like You, who will do it!

In Jesus' name, we pray and receive all we believe You will do.

Amen!

They Tell Lies!

This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let your prophets and fortune-tellers who are with you in the land of Babylon trick you. Do not listen to their dreams, because they are telling you lies in my name. I have not sent them,” says the LORD.(Jeremiah 29:8,9 NLT)

Who was Jeremiah talking to then and does it apply, today?

Jeremiah, God's chosen prophet, was talking to the children of Israel who had been taken captive by their enemies. He was warning them and encouraging them as we can see if we continue reading this chapter. If we really think about current events and all those who "falsely" prophesy anything, we can most assuredly say, what was said then, applies now.

While I know there are many people who believe in fortune-tellers, astrological charts, luck and the counterfeit prophets, I stand firmly in the wisdom of God--knowing that "luck" has nothing to do with God. We are warned to stay away from fortune-tellers because many simply manipulate others with false hope (as seen in ACTS). Those who profess to "read tea leaves" play on the vulnerabilities of those who are seeking answers, but from the wrong person. And the counterfeit prophets--there are so many out there I cannot begin to count. Wise people know better than to believe in "a horoscope" that seldom changes and is usually written by people on a whim, who have no knowledge of astrology, but consider themselves expert in reading the stars and making predictions.

Now, I will be the first to admit that when God gives people gifts (as outlined in 1 Corinthians 12), He does not take them back, even when we do foolish things with them. And some are doing foolish things with the gifts God intended to be used by the Body of Christ, for carnal profit. Even though the gift remains theirs, so too is the reward they will receive for misusing His gifts.

Those who try to make themselves something when they are not, lie! The fortune-tellers lie; the false prophets lie, the horoscopes lie, the tea-readers lie and anyone who claims "good or bad luck" lies because there is no "luck" with God. We are either blessed or cursed.

How do we recognize the liars? Easily! When we know The Word, we can spot a liar about The Word because what they say, won't align with The Word. Now, some are clever! They will use just enough of The Word to make some believe they know what they're talking about, but it is deception--cleverly devised to deceive and know it is from the devil--that master of deception.

Don't believe the hype when "prophets" tell you things that God has not spoken to your heart. If you have a heart to hear God, He'll speak to you and confirm through others who don't even know you. Those prophets chosen by God speak truth whether it is warning or encouragement and what they say, aligns with The Word.

Don't believe the "horoscopes" like some have and become so addicted to them, they won't leave home without reading them. Read The Word--therein lies the truth! Horoscopes are mass-produced with slight changes--designed to convince and they are so vague and general, what is said could apply to anyone, born at any time.

Don't believe the "tea-readers" who can fool only the foolish who believe that tea leaves forming a certain pattern in liquid means anything.

Believe The Word--because God is not a man that He should lie and since He hates liars--He will not oppose Himself who is Truth.

Got problems and need answers? Seek Him early while He may be found and know the Truth. The others--tell lies!