Speak To Our Hearts, Lord!

So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place.  The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” And the LORD said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle. At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end. For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God, and he failed to restrain them. Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’ ” I Samuel 3:9-14 NIV

The more carnage we see in the world, the more I wonder--are we listening to God? Or more importantly, is He speaking to us?

Though Eli was instrumental in training Samuel to serve The Lord, his sons acted in completely diabolical ways--even to disrespecting the temple by having sex with prostitutes there. Eli knew what they were doing and yet did not stop them and therefore, God warned him what would happen. His sons were killed and when Eli got the news--he also died.

I sense the death of a nation--spiritually--and though we have been warned, time and time again about not just the behavior of others, but our own, we are yet ignoring God. And when there is a spiritual death--eventually--physical death follows. Perhaps, this is the reason we see what we see across the globe, and especially in America.

Some might say, God is not speaking to "the prophets" any more and they would be on the right track. There are yet some prophets--called by God--to whom He is speaking, but more importantly, we have His Word and His Spirit to guide us in all things. Some of the "prophets" that are speaking into the lives of people are actually entertaining others "in the name of The Lord" and they are responsible for the consequences that will befall them.

What we have to understand about "righteous living" is that God holds each and every person who "claims to know Him" accountable for their own actions. We are not responsible for the actions of others--we are responsible for what God has spoken to our hearts and our obedience to His Word--individually! If every individual--born again Believer--lives The Word--not just in private or in the confines of a building--we have the power to influence others and we should. If after we share the love of God with them and encourage them to serve Him, they choose to go their own way, they are responsible for the consequences that fall upon them--not us.

I cannot speak for others, but I do believe that the time for God to speak to us and we hear and obey, is now--while we have a chance to win others to Christ--not political parties--so that we may know peace and all will receive and share His love. So, that is my prayer--for all Believers--that God will speak to our hearts--and we will hear and obey.

Lord, speak to our hearts, ignite our desire to obey and serve You like never before. Guide us in all that we do, allowing Holy Spirit to keep us on the right path--continuing to share Your Love and the gift we have been given through Jesus Christ--eternal life. Lord, help us to see--not just with our physical eyes, but with our spiritual eyes to know we are honoring You with all we do.

Is Prayer Ever Futile?

Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee. Jeremiah 7:16 KJV

“So do not pray for this people nor offer any plea or petition for them; do not plead with me, for I will not listen to you. Jeremiah 7:16 NIV

Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble. Jeremiah 11:14 KJV

“Do not pray for this people or offer any plea or petition for them, because I will not listen when they call to me in the time of their distress. Jeremiah 11:14 NIV

Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for their good. Jeremiah 14:11 KJV

This is what the LORD says about this people: “They greatly love to wander; they do not restrain their feet. So the LORD does not accept them; he will now remember their wickedness and punish them for their sins.” Then the LORD said to me, “Do not pray for the well-being of this people. Although they fast, I will not listen to their cry; though they offer burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them. Instead, I will destroy them with the sword, famine and plague.”  But I said, “Alas, Sovereign LORD! The prophets keep telling them, ‘You will not see the sword or suffer famine. Indeed, I will give you lasting peace in this place.’ ” Then the LORD said to me, “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds. Jeremiah 14:11-14 NIV

This is what the LORD says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” Jeremiah 29:10-14 NIV

For those who think that the answers is to always pray for some people--think again. There are times when we're told NOT TO PRAY for those who refuse to acknowledge and obey God. That's what Jeremiah's thankless job was as a prophet of God. God's messengers--those He selects--do not always have a message of "pie in the sky" and because those in positions of influencing others--they like to think their message is the only right message. It would have been redundant for me to say everything Jeremiah said to a rebellious nation, but I would encourage every Believer and those who read this blog--to read, with understanding, all Jeremiah said and see with God' Wisdom and insight how that message then-is relevant today.

Is it possible that we are faced with the possibility of captivity (naturally and spiritually) if we continue on this path of blatant disregard for God's Word? Can we trust any religious leader (false prophets) who proclaim messages that do align with God's Word?

Not every person who proclaims their belief in God is telling the truth. We know by what we see and hear them do. Therefore, The Word of Lord tells us how to discern--spiritually those who truly belong to Him. Do they say what God says or they are intertwining personal feelings and opinions into The Word to convince? When we allow our feelings (which are fickle) and opinions to distort the message of The Gospel, we betray God's trust in us. What is the message of The Gospel? "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son (as a sacrifice for all) so whoever believes in Him would not perish but would have everlasting life." John 3:16 (paraphrased)

"This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God's child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister. For this is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another." I John 3:10, 11 

Therefore, if the message is not about LOVE FOR ALL PEOPLE, the message is not from God and the messenger is a liar.

Okay, let me clarify this for those who think this is simply a rant--it is not. If we are not saying what God says and promoting love and not hatred--we are on the path to certain captivity--opening the door to all sorts of depravity--and evil. When we see evil and won't address it--we are condoning it. And for this reason--just like He did with Jeremiah, God is warning us--there's no point in praying for people--either as an individual or a nation--who refuse to obey God. The better prayer is for us to be able to endure until the end.

We see the evidence, daily, at the political rallies that are simply stoking the fires of hatred and then it spills over onto the crowds and people feel empowered to hate others simply because they are different. This is not of God and we have been warned about the consequences in His Word. Now, we have a choice to make and our choice--will lead us into a place where God desires us to be--into captivity to get our attention--or to keep us on the path He has planned for us. It's up to us. Do we listen to God or the false prophets? Will God listen to us or ignore us? When people tell us to pray that God will change a person's heart, we miss the mark. God will not change a person's heart who doesn't want their heart to be changed.

I'm praying that God's wisdom will be received into the hearts of all who know Him and overflow into the masses and we will know love as God defines love--not us.

Who's Carrying The Vision?

The boy Samuel ministered before the LORD under Eli. In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions. So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.” And the LORD said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle. I Samuel 3:1, 9-11 NIV

The Word of The Lord was rare--God was not speaking to many people who chose to ignore Him after they "crowned" their king so they could be ruled like other nations. But Samuel--given to God to serve Him by a mother who was grateful for the blessing of a child--was destined to speak for The Lord.

Throughout the Old Testament--we see how God removed Himself from a haughty groups of people (tribes) who forgot what He had said through other prophets and we also see the outcome. A nation without God is bound to lead to negative consequences. Under each king--the people either suffered or they prospered--depending upon the leader's attitude towards God. Under good kings--those who remembered God's Word--they prospered and under evil kings--the people were doomed. When God's prophets were ignored in favor of the king's prophets--calamity occurred every time.

Now--who is God speaking to and through today? To whom has He given a vision--that will benefit the people--warning them of the dire consequences that will fall upon them if people ignore it?

We have so many people who claim to be prophets of God and visionaries that it's almost comical. Not one of them have prophesied anything that has come to fruition.

Before I fell asleep last night, I saw in a vision a mist covering the earth and people changing their behavior for the better. There were no arguments, no violence, and everyone treated others with respect and kindness. So, my prayer was--"Let it be, Daddy. Let it be."

I'm not claiming to be a prophet, but that vision made me think about who God can trust to impart a vision to them. God must find us worthy to entrust us with His visions and if we attempt to move forward by our own visions--tragedy is imminent. I know--I've seen it happen. People claim God has given them a vision when in actuality, their vision overtakes them and they never see the end of the matter.

We don't have to wait for a prophet to speak to us--reminding us of God's Word--we have His Word in written format--the bible--and when we submit to Him, Holy Spirit reminds each of us what God has said and shows us those things to come--the good and the bad. Therefore, we who Believe should be trustworthy enough for God to use to build the kingdom to His glory!

Who You Gonna Call?

And it shall come to pass
That whoever calls on the name of the LORD
Shall be saved.
For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance,
As the LORD has said,
Among the remnant whom the LORD calls. Joel 2:32 NKJV

When we hear a small child crying, every mother in the vicinity listens as our ears perk up because every mother knows her child's cry. If the child can talk and we hear, "Mama" we run to save our child from whatever is making them call us. God, our Father, knows the cries of His children and He will respond.

Considering the many gods people worship, I wonder which of them will respond to a plea for help when the people who worship them call on them.

Will Buddha respond to a cry for help?

Will any of the prophets respond to a cry for help?

Will any of the beads, the crosses, the idols that so many worship respond to a cry for help?

Nothing made by the hands of man can respond to a cry for help or anything else. They have no life in them and therefore cannot do anything to save life. The only thing that things can do is what they are manipulated to do by the hands of man.

A car--and so many worship their vehicles--is a non-living entity and can do nothing on its own unless manipulated by a person--someone controlling what it does.

Houses--those structures in which we live and that some people worship--made by the hands of man and have no life of their own--cannot save anyone.

Equipment--made by men and manufactured to save lives--is marvelous when used correctly by men/women and can save lives, but if we simply look at them and call upon them, they will not respond.

When we are in trouble as those were at the time Joel was prophesying as God spoke, we can know there is but One who will respond to our call for help and save us from ourselves--The Lord. And just as a remnant--a handful--were saved then, there will come a time when another remnant--those who refuse to budge from their faith and stance pertaining to The Word of God--will be saved when they call upon the name of The Lord.

Not one person--especially those running for political office has the power to save us--individually or as a nation and they should all stop lying to appease the media and the masses who are gullible enough to believe them.

What this country needs is total reliance and dependence on Jesus Christ--living every day according to The Word of God, seeking His wisdom--constantly and ignoring all the hoopla and loud noises of those who can't save themselves and certainly cannot save others.

Okay--we still have time to seek God and His wisdom in order to put the right person in the White House--someone who cares about all Americans, not just the rich or 1%, but all who live in the land.

Lord,
You said if we called upon You in the time of need You would save us and deliver us from evil. Right now, I'm calling on You to give us direction and wisdom to select the person who knows You and with whom You have an airtight relationship. Thank You for hearing and responding to this plea for help for the nation. In Jesus' name, I pray, Amen!

Enriched and Waiting!

For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge—God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you.  Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. I Corinthians 1:5-7 NIV

What does it mean to be enriched in Him? When we are filled with Holy Spirit and He takes up permanent residence in us, we are enriched with knowledge and wisdom from on high and this is God's confirmation--His continual presence with us.

Since Holy Spirit directs our spirit (when we allow Him to do so), we have access to all spiritual gifts--gift of healing, miracles, tongues and interpretation, wisdom, knowledge, discernment, and prophecy, all working according to the dictates of Holy Spirit's directions.

When Paul wrote this letter to those at the church at Corinth, he acknowledged the gifts that worked within them and within the body of Christ, but he also admonished them for abusing and misusing their gifts--some for profit and others to make them superior to the masses. And while they had access to the gifts of the Spirit, they continued in sin, influenced by the idolatry that reigned and held them in bondage.

While some of us have been gifted to do great things for The Lord, can we say that we are using our gifts to His glory or our profit? This is not to say that some natural gifts--gifts that are honed by experience and practice cannot be used for profit--but the spiritual gifts are for the benefit of the Body and if we are misusing those gifts--and some are--we bring no honor and glory to God, but instead condemnation from others when truth is revealed.

The most misused gift--is the gift of prophecy--and we know because we have so many prophelying to the masses in an attempt to bring glory to themselves. How is this manifested? In the horoscopes, astrological chartings, the psychics and seers who lie to people all the time and many believe them. Then we have the "Christian Prophets" who are some of the worst liars on the planets. They don't speak as God speaks to them, but they speak in attempt to appease people and make themselves to be more than they are. They know who they are--and they perpetrate the lie by wearing the title "prophet." A "true prophet" speaks what God says and they have no need to bring attention to themselves. The false prophet exercises no discernment at all because they're too busy trying to make a name for themselves and what they say, seldom manifests.

Although there are those who move ahead of God, there are also those of us who simply wait--and while we wait--we seek God's direction for our lives--exercising the gifts He has given to promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ and not ourselves. When Jesus returns and we are standing before the Judgment Throne, how will we defend ourselves and the use of the gifts He gave us to use?

I've often heard people say, they don't know what gifts they have. I would suggest that all Believers spend time in The Word, understanding how all the spiritual gifts operate and then seeking God for understanding of the gifts He has given to all. When we ask of Him, believing all that He is, He will respond and keep our focus on Him and not fame and fortune. Serving Him with sincerity is all He requires of us--having faith in Him alone. Knowing we shall reap the reward of our faith in Him, makes waiting for Him, worthwhile.

Hold Onto The Word--No Matter How It's Obtained!

"So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word." (2 Thessalonians 2:15-17 NIV)

In the days of the prophets--those used by God specifically to speak what God wanted them to say, they encouraged the Children of Israel to hold onto God's Word and obey.

Beyond the prophets of old--Jesus and those who followed Him--said the same thing--hold onto the Word and obey.

Near Paul's end, he encouraged all--not just those in Thessalonica, but all who would believe and obey the Word--whether they heard it directly from Timothy or others sent to them or by the letters he wrote to them.

Today, there is no excuse for anyone to claim they have no access to The Word. The Word is being preached on television, preached in churches on just about every corner, taught in bible studies in homes across America, and streamed on the Internet. Bloggers who are faithful Believers are constantly explicating The Word in order to break it down so all who read can and will understand. Bible apps are available for every type of digital technology, anyone could own. And yet--so many either won't believe or obey The Word of God.

For those of us who will continue to proclaim God's Word--we know and understand the consequences of our actions. People may not like us or follow us on social media, but God is pleased and our goal--to please God is obtained.

I'm always amazed at some who follow me on Twitter--especially when my profile clearly identifies me as a Believer and Follower of Jesus Christ. I guess some don't bother to read the profiles or the posts before deciding to follow me and then quickly unfollow me when I post something that contradicts what they believe or rather--reveals the foolishness of unbelief in the Most High God.

The unfollows don't bother me--I simply shake my head and smile. But no matter how many people unfollow me--I will hold fast to The Word and continue to explicate it as God directs me. If something is said that convicts others of sin and wrongdoing, Amen! The Word--if taught correctly--should convict all of sin and encourage us to live to please God, and that includes the one who writes the blog. I know what I've written has often hit me over the head and made me realize just how much growing in grace I have yet to do. And that's okay--The Word--sharper than a two-edged sword--cuts going in and out. What He gives me to say is not just for those who read it, but for the one who writes it. Ouch! I'm not immune to convicting power of The Word.

Now, even though I study The Word and profess it, gladly with the least provocation--I realize just how much I have to learn. I don't think I could live long enough to reach a place where I could legitimately think--I've learned it all. So, even though what I write may sting others, it has found it's mark in me, but I will hold onto The Word, no matter how it's obtained and allow The Word to wash me, thoroughly cleansing and igniting desire to know more.

This day, I am encouraging all to study The Word, hold onto The Word and obey and get ready to receive God's promises, fulfilled in your lifetime.

Church Leaders--Pay Attention!

"Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!" declares the Lord. Both prophet and priest are godless; even in my temple I find their wickedness," declares the Lord." (Jeremiah 23:1, 11 NIV)

There is so much that can be said about this entire chapter of Jeremiah--if I spent time expounding on each verse, it would take me over a month to complete it. But when I woke up this morning before 6:00 a.m., these are the verses of scripture that were playing over and over in my head and in particular, verse one.

Though many would attempt to deny that what was said to the prophet Jeremiah applies to us today, they would be wrong. Since some of those same folks constantly reference Jeremiah 29:11 (including me), we must understand that we cannot selectively determine which passages are applicable whenever it's convenient. ALL SCRIPTURE is there for our learning, good for reproof, and direction, if we would just seek God for understanding.

Yesterday, my husband and I witnessed (in a video) a pastor pouring bleach, water and detergent over the heads of people--"washing away their sins." How abominably ignorant of him and his followers to risk physical injury to eyes, ears, or other regions of their bodies. We are cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ--shed on the Cross--and nothing that man can do will ever wash away our sins.

In a number of churches, the church leaders are gay and promoting a lifestyle that is opposition to living according to the Word. In one such church, the pastor is a woman and her wife is the first lady. I'm praying for them to see the need for repentance and to stop misleading God's flock. And herein lies the problem--many church leaders see their congregation as their flock, not God's.

When people are not aware of their responsibility as a church leader or are just interested in the position as a status symbol, they veer away from the Word in order to make themselves special. They are special alright--in need of special prayer.

If God has ordained and anointed a person for leadership in a church--the development of the church is dependent upon God, not them. They should be in constant prayer, ready to hear God speak and ready to obey what He says. The people who come into the church do not belong to the pastor or church leader--they belong to God. When we abuse or misuse that which does not belong to us there is a penalty to pay and in this passage of Scripture (read all of it), we see God is not playing around with His proclamation against those who mislead His children.

In fact, most of the churches or religious institutions do not exist because God ordained them--they are cults, established by narcissistic persons who have a need to seen and thought important. They are encouraged in their own eyes by their ability to influence people into doing foolish things--we've seen the evidence in Texas, Oklahoma, Illinois, and in other places--where people died led by those narcissists. Jim Jones, David Koresh, and so many more. There are other cults around that have not reached notoriety as yet, but I'm sure we'll see them soon.

How do we know a religious groups is a cult? They are easily identifiable; they esteem themselves more highly than the Word of God and in many cases, they go beyond the Word in their interpretation and begin to think they are equal to God. Whenever a person thinks they are a god, there is a problem. Whenever a person thinks they can foretell the date and hour of Jesus' return, there is a problem. Whenever a person encourages and promotes living in opposition to God's Word, there is a problem. God has already prepared their final dwelling for all eternity--the lake of fire, if they do not repent.

I'm sure there will be some who think I'm bashing preachers, but I'm not. I'm warning church leaders--everywhere--do not forget that God is the same--yesterday, today and forever. His purposes and intent for mankind have not changed, and when anyone changes what God has said for their own purposes--to mislead and encourage living in sin, they are going to judged by God, not me--for misleading God's flock.

What's Growing In Your Garden?

“I am against you,” declares the LORD Almighty. “I will lift your skirts over your face. I will show the nations your nakedness and the kingdoms your shame." (Nahum 3:5 NIV)

Who is the Lord against? The inhabitants of Ninevah who were living in opposition to God's Will.
Jonah was sent to Ninevah to warn them they were about to face the wrath of God and the people repented, but later turned back to the ways of evil and the city was destroyed.

That was then, this is now. Is there a place or people to whom the Lord is saying, "I am against you?"
Before I answer this question, let me explore how history is repeating itself. Many have warned the nations against their wicked ways, but most have refused to listen. Throughout man's history, whenever flesh dictated reason, people lived outside the will of God. Many were the prophets who spoke what God gave them and though some heard them, many did not and because the prophets spoke against evil and wickedness, many of them were killed. They were killed by those in authority who did not wish to stop wickedness--primarily that of worshipping idol gods which included sexual immorality and sacrificing of children.

Small wonder these practices continued since those in charge were evil incarnate. Moving to the 21st century, do we not have those in authority who are more concerned about appeasing man's fleshly appetites for evil than God's Will? Absolutely! Not much has changed when fleshly dictates override the spirit--the constant war between flesh and spirit--good and evil--and those who promote evil--living in opposition to God, will have much to answer for in the end.

Now, back to the question as to whether or not God is saying He is against some.  Yes, He is and we who know The Word--have a right relationship with Him--know this and are warning the nations, but once again, not many are listening. And once again, we shall see the wrath of God--His removal of His hand of protection--from all who are against Him--and He knows those who are His Children. All we need to do is go back and review history--not just the Bible, but remember the bible is a summary of the history of man.

Either we are for God--living according to His Word or we are against Him--living in opposition to His Word. God knows where we stand and so do we--if we're honest with ourselves. Of course, those who are influenced by the god of this world--are blinded to the Truth of God's Word and they have managed to spread evil like wind-blown seed into high places, planting more evil everywhere the seed lands.

It is time for the gardeners--to pluck up the weeds of evil--and plant the seeds of goodness, righteousness, and love for God and His people. Wherever we see the seeds of evil sprouting, we pluck them up and replace them with God's Truth for His love is shed abroad in our hearts and because we love Him, we obey Him.

Now, who do you think God will be against? The gardeners of righteousness or those who deliberately plant seeds of evil? We do have a choice and it's time to make the right one if we plan to reign with Jesus. Today, not tomorrow, is the time for change in what we plant.

God Still Has True Prophets Speaking His Truth!

"They have chosen their own ways, and they delight in their abominations; so I also will choose harsh treatment for them and will bring on them what they dread. For when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, no one listened. They did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me.” (Isaiah 66:3b,4 NIV)

When the prophet spoke to the those who were willing to listen, he revealed God's thoughts and declarations and promises. And this is the role of a prophet--to hear God and speak what God says--not what they want to say.

One of the reasons the children of Israel did not want to listen to any of God's prophets is because they spoke God's Truth rather than tell the people what they wanted to hear. It's not always easy telling people the truth; especially when they choose to not hear it and then get angry because someone dared to speak truth. When the king had enough of Isaiah prophesying against all the evil they were doing, he ordered Isaiah to be cut in half--like they cut up the bulls for sacrifice.

In the face of all this persecution and ultimate death, not many people wanted to tell the people what God said out of fear. That was then and it is still true. People would rather pacify others than speak God's Truth out of fear of persecution from those in leadership positions. We who know God, hear God and love Him have no need to fear anyone else. They can only kill the body, not our souls or keep us from receiving our just rewards from God.

Is there anyone out there who God is speaking to but afraid to say what God says? Are we yet willing to hear, but don't want to upset the apple cart or care too much about what others will think of us? Is there anybody left on the planet who is as bold and courageous as the devil, willing to speak up when they hear God?

There are a few people who are bold enough to say what God says--no matter what others may think. I see them what they have to say on Twitter without anonymous profile pictures. I see them on Facebook, and Tumblr, and Google. We are here to stay and we have no fear of those who choose to live in opposition to God's Word and we don't care what their title is or what their position in government is--WE WILL SAY WHAT GOD SAYS AND BE JUDGED BY HIM AND HIM ALONE!

Every morning, the first thing I do is to read what God has said and then He speaks to my heart and I respond by writing an explanation, exegesis, poem, analysis, or whatever anyone wants to call my blogs. This is the will of God for me and I will continue to do it as long as I have life since my life belongs to Him. When people choose to live outside the will of God, they choose the consequences for disobedience and when they will not hear or heed God's people warning them, their just reward is all they can get. Those of us who love God, love people enough to tell them the truth, and not just what they want to hear.  And we will keep saying what God says, whether people want to hear it or not!

Spiritual Israel!

"So the LORD will cut off from Israel both head and tail, both palm branch and reed in a single day; the elders and dignitaries are the head, the prophets who teach lies are the tail. Those who guide this people mislead them, and those who are guided are led astray" (Isaiah 9:14-16 NIV).

Sometimes, when trying to understand the events of the day, we have to look at the events of the past and know that the same God who allowed things to happen then, is the same God of today and tomorrow. When God is angered due to our disobedience and refusal to heed those who warn us, His wrath falls--upon everyone--until a remnant returns to Him.

God has always used the few to save the multitudes. He had Gideon cut down the size of his army from thousands to mere hundreds. He saw the faith of Joshua and Caleb who were bold enough to speak out of faith rather than fear.. He used Elijah to cut down false prophets. There has always been a few--faithful and committed to pleasing God--who turned to Him and He heard their pleas and honored them.

We are Spiritual Israel--every Believer has been adopted into the family and are spiritual descendants of Abraham. So, whatever happened to Israel in the past, is recurring today and as long as the multitudes defy the Living God, tragedies will continue to happen, until God chooses to hear the remnant, again.

There are some days when I only want to write "positive, uplifting, encouraging" words, but when I know that God is speaking to my heart, I have to be a voice--speaking what He says, reminding people that He is yet alive and sees all that is happening in our midst and for the most part, He is not pleased.

Therefore, I will remind the leaders--of all nations--that God is watching everything that happens and He is not pleased with those who deliberately mislead and cause the people to follow evil and wickedness. This includes elected officials, dictators, church leaders, and heads of households. Anyone in a leadership position that is not leading the masses per God's instructions shall incur His wrath. Those of us who know God and how He sees things must be the remnant to seek God's wisdom and intercede on behalf of the masses.

We are His people--called by His name--and we shall continue to pray--that all will hear and obey and seek His face and do all things according to His wisdom. He will hear us when those in leadership repent and confess their error in misleading people and then, He will heal the land and we shall abide in His peace! Glory Hallelujah! For all who are Spiritual Israel and know what we must do in this time--for all of Israel. For whatever happens in Israel shall happen to the world.

If we don't turn to God we shall see His wrath unfold in even greater events that lead to destruction of the masses for He will not allow His chosen to suffer long. Spiritual Israel--The remnant that knows--it is time to seek Him, turn from our wicked ways, and obey Him, only!

Never Silent!

"I have posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. You who call on the LORD, give yourselves no rest," (Isaiah 62:6 NIV)

During those ancient years when a city was built with high walls surrounding it and a tower, watchmen were assigned to keep guard over the city and when they saw danger coming (an attack by the enemy), they were to warn the residents of the city so they would prepare for battle to defend it.
When they saw the enemy coming, they were to sound an alarm--usually a loud blast from a trumpet or other horn. This assignment was important since lives could be lost and entire cities captured.

Today, there are still watchmen assigned to sound the alarm when they see coming danger of an attack by the enemy. Since there are no more "cities with high walls" per se (but the walls of hearts), the alarm must be sounded through whatever venue is available in order to save lives and to keep people from being captured and held in bondage by the enemy. The problem is--not many are listening to the watchmen who have indeed sounded the alarm--warning people of the dangers of being captured by the enemy of man--Satan--and being held bondage to sin. We, who are watchmen, observing the times and aligning them with The Word, will not be held accountable for people not listening when we speak God's Truth. If they choose to ignore us, their blood will be on their hands.

"But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes someone's life, that person's life will be taken because of their sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for their blood. When I say to the wicked, ‘You wicked person, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade them from their ways, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. But if you do warn the wicked person to turn from their ways and they do not do so, they will die for their sin, though you yourself will be saved."(Ezekiel 33:6,8,9 NIV--Best understood if entire chapters are read)

This is "The Word of The Lord" and woe unto to us if we do not hear and obey!

So though there may be those who would prefer seeing a "feel-good, sugar-coated" message, I am appointed to warn and I will never stay silent about God says or how He wants us to live. I love encouraging people to seek Him, love Him, obey Him, and receive all the benefits He has for us, but when I see the destruction the enemy has planned, I must also warn people not to be deceived by those trying to changing the intent of God's Word. All Believers must study The Word for themselves and understand God's intent for inspiring men to write what He wanted us to know. There are many who are hearing God, and warning people about the impending dangers of being influenced by Satan. However, not many are heeding the warning because their flesh speaks louder.

Watchmen, Watchmen--Sound The Alarm and Let it be known--Danger approaches and lives will be lost--if the warning is not heeded--change is coming and no man will able to stem the tide of devastation we will experience, if we don't turn from our wicked ways and seek The Lord to forgive us and live as He desires!

Settling The Matter!

“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land;but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” (Isaiah 1:18-20 NIV)

When The Lord speaks through His messenger--whoever it is--people should listen. If they did, they would save themselves a great deal of time and heartache. But just like then, people choose not to hear what The Lord says--through any medium (bible, prophet, pastor, evangelist, teacher) and then declare--what God said then, doesn't matter now.

I know the most popular approach to clarifying or encouraging people to believe is to not discuss sin as sin. If we're going to be true to God and the role He has given us, we cannot discuss His goodness without discussing sin. It is because of sin (and His great love for us)--that He came down from heaven in the likeness of sinful flesh--to redeem us (save us) from ourselves.

Through the prophet Isaiah, He spoke--"though our sins are like scarlet or red as crimson, they shall be (after He comes) as white as snow or soft as wool" (both symbolic of purity), but there is a caveat--"If we are willing to hear from Him and obey Him" then we'll have all the good stuff, but if we don't--we can expect all the bad stuff. I've stated this as simply as I can so even a child can understand. If children obey parents, they can expect a reward, if they don't, they can expect a penalty or punishment of disobedience. Why is this concept--started by God--so difficult for us to understand today?

We have allowed the unbelieving to dictate what we do, by caving to their claims that God is not concerned about sin any more. HERE'S A NEWSFLASH! He is just as concerned about sin today as He was before. If He wasn't, all of us who proclaim the Gospel, forgiveness of sin and grace--are wasting our time and we should have translated out of here, the moment we believed!

He's still concerned about sinful behavior and He wants those of us who know and believe that His Word never changes to continue the good fight of faith--sharing His love with all who will hear and obey. For any who say His Word doesn't mean what it says, we would have to conclude they either do not understand or do not have a relationship with Him, so He can speak to their hearts and they hear. This settles the matter for me. Now, what about you?

Set Apart!

"Know that the LORD has set apart his faithful servant for himself; the LORD hears when I call to him." (Psalm 4:3 NIV)

Believers--who are faithful to God--have been set apart to do His bidding in all manner of settings. Most think that it is the "church" who has been set apart and if we understand that the Body of Believers is "the church" then that would be true. However, many people confuse the Body of Believers with the "physical building" which can do nothing apart from those who work within.

But let's beyond that. Every individual Believer has indeed been set apart by God to do a specific work and the work is different for everyone. Some have been set apart to be prophets, apostles, evangelists, pastors or teachers. Some have been set apart to be worshippers. Some are set apart to be praisers. Some are set apart to show compassion and consideration to all. Some are set apart to serve--in whatever capacity there is a need. And some--have been set apart--to learn and live before others--their faith, without doubting.

We've all been set apart to do something that promotes the Gospel of Jesus Christ. No position within the building is more important than another and the sooner, church leaders understand this, the sooner we'll see growth in attendance--when people know--all are important and respected.

We are not set apart to lord who we are over others. We are set apart to be the key used to bring them into the kingdom of God, not our own personal kingdoms where we reign and not God.

What have you been set apart to do? The calling on my life to pastor and teach His Word is ever-present, no matter where I go. I preach and teach online, as well as pray and counsel, and live my faith daily. No, I'm not perfect, but I'm open to hearing Holy Spirit when He speaks. I acknowledge my faults (impatience, primarily) and strive to do better. As long as He is working on me to get things right, I know I am loved and valued by Him.

I am set apart--to bring others into the knowledge of the Most High God, His great love for us, demonstrated by the work on the cross, and the hope we have in Him for all eternity.

The Promise of Authority!

"To all who are victorious, who obey me to the very end, To them I will give authority over all the nations." (Revelation 2:26 NLT)

While in the spirit, John received the messages from Jesus to share with the churches--specifically named then--but to include all that exist, now!

With this particular segment, many have erroneously concluded and proclaimed that "Jezebel was a harlot" and in doing so, made every female who wore make-up or attempted to "look better" feel inferior when attending church. What must be understood is that "Jezebel" is a spirit of manipulation and deception. This spirit then can and does inhabit both male and female and it has nothing to do with what person does to "look better" but everything to do with their seductive, manipulative  attitudes.

Why then does Jesus call this spirit--she? This is a reminder of who she was and what she did as recorded in the Old Testament. She manipulated her husband, sought to kill Elijah (I Kings) who killed the false prophets that she had established to deceive the people and was later killed because she would not repent, and scorned God. The dogs licked her blood against the wall in Jezreel.

Are there not still false prophets--people who are intentionally deceiving the nations and manipulating God's Truth, encouraging others to live in opposition to God's Word? Yes, there are and God's response is that He will cut them off so that not one--not even the descendants of such behavior--shall live.

All who have an ear to hear what the Spirit of The Lord says, hear and obey! Repent and turn from wickedness!

But for those who remain faithful to God, victorious in obedience, to them will He give authority over nations! Hallelujah! This is the promise of authority that we can look forward to receiving when we "stay in The Word" and faithful in our obedience to Him, not man! What a mighty God we serve!

What Can Your God Do?

"I am doing this so all who see this miracle will understand what it means—that it is the LORD who has done this, the Holy One of Israel who created it. “Present the case for your idols,” says the LORD. “Let them show what they can do,” says the King of Israel" (Isaiah 41:20,21 NLT--Read entire chapter for context).

The prophet outlines for the Children of Israel what God will do for them and then tells them why--"The Lord has done this" and then--he tells them the false prophets to "present the case for their idols" --false gods.

For those of us who know and have experienced the miracles of God--healed when sick, raised from the pits and lifted to greatness, understand how the poor are fed when all hope appears to be lost, we know that it is The Creator God who is capable of making a way out of no way.

But there are those who "worship idols"--athletes, celebrities, spouses, jobs, all manner of things and people who have not "created" from nothing--anything. They have not created mountains, oceans, the sun or moon, or anything else that we can see--from total nothingness. There are some who have manufactured things from the things already here, but they have "created nothing" and people worship them as gods.

They have no case to present because the case--before God--would be flawed and full of holes so wide a person could fall through them. Mortal man--demonstrates foolishness at the highest level--when they worship things created by the hands of man, giving them more power than Creator God. 

I don't know about your god, but my God is awesome!  He can move mountains, hide me in the rain, shelter me in the valley, heal me when I'm broken, deliver me from the desires of the flesh and lift me when I'm down for the count and raise me to greater heights than I could have ever imagined. He can open doors, no man can shut, and close doors no man can open. He gives sight to blind and makes the lame to walk. He provides whatever I need when there is no provision and He never leaves me alone--He is always with me! Hallelujah!

Now, what can your god do? 

If your worship and praise is reserved for the idols of this world because of their fame or fortune--how will you present your case to the Living God who will judge all we do, one day?

He Has Made Us Great!

"O LORD, you have made our nation great;
yes, you have made us great.
You have extended our borders,
and we give you the glory!" (Isaiah 26:15 NLT)

In the midst of all the chaos reigning in the land, we who know how awesome our God is, have to stand firm in the knowledge of His Word and His Power!

No matter what things look like, we need to say, "You have made us great and we give You the glory!"

No matter what others do, contrary to His Word, our constant affirmation has to be, "You have made us great and we give You the glory!"

No matter how foolish and ungodly other nations act, our stance is, "You have made us great and we give You the glory!"

We cannot control or change people--only people who see the need for change can change what they do, but we can intercede on behalf of people, acknowledging God's goodness and maintaining our position, "You have made us great and we give You the glory!"

If we are tired of the violence--we need to take a stand against it and give God all the glory due Him!

If we are tired of political agendas that oppose God's Word--we need to take a stand against it and God all the glory due Him!

If we are tired of disease robbing us of our loved ones--we need to take a stand against all the enemy would use to destroy our faith in our God and give Our God the praise and glory due Him!

He has made us peacemakers, not peace-breakers!

He has made us the head, not the tail!

He has healed our bodies of all sickness and disease with the stripes He received on the cross!

He has poured His love into us so we may have love to shed abroad to others who do not know Him!

He has made us victorious in the midst of the enemy trying to make us accept victimization!

He has set a table for us--providing all we need--in the face of the enemy who would have us think, our hope is gone.

Our faith--without doubting for a moment--is in Him--the One who created all things and without whom, nothing was ever created!

He has made us great and we will give Him the glory due Him!

Hallelujah to our God--and an Awesome God is He!

Has He Spoken to You?

"On that day I will gather you together
and bring you home again.
I will give you a good name, a name of distinction,
among all the nations of the earth,
as I restore your fortunes before their very eyes.
I, the LORD, have spoken!” (Zephaniah 3:20 NIV)

The true prophets spent a great deal of time encouraging, admonishing, and attempting to motivate the Children of Israel--always ready to speak what God spoke to (and through) them. When we understand the role of a prophet--we know that a prophet does not speak according to their flesh, but according to The Word of God as God speaks it. And we know--that God's Word is true and whatever He says, will come to pass--in His timing, not ours.

That was then. Now, we can hear directly from God through Holy Spirit and confirm that it is Him speaking when we know the Word. God is yet speaking to the hearts of His children and when we are in relationship with Him, we know it is Him speaking and we can count on whatever He tells us--it will happen--when He has designed it to happen.

Don't despair over the timing of things that God has spoken to your heart. He will do it and we know this because He is not a man that He should lie.

At the same time--don't listen to every person proclaiming to be a prophet. Many speak according to their flesh based upon the situation--they lie--attempting to convince and will say whatever they think someone wants to hear. And even though they attempt to manipulate The Word to make what they "sound" good, if what they say doesn't line up with The Word--don't listen. When a prophet speaks what God says (and He is still using some as prophets today) and it can be confirmed and aligned with The Word--meditate on what they say and go directly to the throne of God for yourself--before doing anything! When we hear a prophetic Word that is meant for us, it should be confirmation of something He has already spoken to us--not something new. strange, or bizarre.

Knowing The Word for ourselves will save us time and aggravation--and puts us in position not to be misled by those who would seek to misguide by their ability to manipulate the Word and prey upon a person's emotions. Know when God is speaking to you. If He has not spoken to you yet, keep listening and keep studying The Word. Chances are-He has spoken and you may not have known that it was Him!

Speak Lord--Your children are listening and ready to obey!

Prophecies!

I know why the prophets sighed
Seeing future events unfold
Knowing, yet hesitant to tell
Of dark days and bright nights
Rising from earth, the hell
Unleashed on scorners from
All corners of life. No respect
For titles, position or wealth,
The gray, the lean, and in-between
Must now accept deed's fate
Foretold hundreds of years ago,
By one who dared to speak
The Truth, yet remained not long
For fruit to bear its burden,
Sickness, disease, calamities
For truth's tale felled prophets galore,
Until they would not speak much more,
But silently watched truth awake,
The skies,  and the earth, while they just sighed.

(c) 2002 Mary M. Hall-Rayford

What The Lord Requires!

"He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God"(Micah 6:8 NIV).

Whenever God is getting ready to do something extraordinary, He finds those who are willing to hear Him and speak what He says. Through the prophets of old and those who "speak" as God speaks to them now, He never does anything without giving us fair warning. The problem is--like those of old who went into captivity--we choose not to hear those God is using to warn us and when calamity hits--we blame God.

Listen to the prophet Micah! God has shown us what is good and acceptable in His sight--those things that we mere mortals can do and what we receive from obedience. What does the Lord require of us? To act justly--without bias due to disagreement, to love mercy--willing to forgive those who have violated a trust or committed a wrong against us, and to walk humbly before God--not thinking we are better than any other human being.

Are we listening? Do we understand what the Lord requires? Based upon my observations--especially on social medias--we have not heard, we are not listening, and we are certainly not doing what the Lord requires. There is such hatred spread in cyberspace for those with whom people disagree--by those who claim to be Christians. The fact that they can hate so openly, exposes them for the liars they are and who their daddy is--Satan. Where is the justice we show to those who disagree with us? Our opinions of them are bias and we allow that bias to grow into disdain and hate. The very words we write and the "cartoons" we use to depict our growing disdain reveals our true inner selves. Where is the mercy? There is little displayed towards those in elected positions--the leaders in authority. Were we not told to pray for those in authority so we might live a peaceful life? Obviously, we are not praying for those in authority because we're spending too much time, denigrating those in authority--unable to mask the hatred that dwells within in our hearts.

Then we dare to attempt to think ourselves better than others--claiming the name of Jesus, but actually demoralizing who Jesus is with our behavior. Jesus commanded us to "love one another" as He loves us. We cannot love someone and spew hate about them at the same time. Doing so makes us hypocritical and a liar. We cannot serve God and Satan at the same time--we either magnify and honor one or the other with our deeds, but we cannot honor both.

Micah and the rest of the prophets had a great deal to say--warning the people of impending disaster, but people didn't listen then and they are certainly not listening now. When God was silent for over 400 years, the people were miserable--because they chose not to heed those speaking--and refused to change their behavior.

God is yet warning, yet requiring us to act with justice, mercy and humility. Are we hearing Him? Will we ever do what He says in order to see what He has promised us as a nation or will we just complain and undermine the authority of leaders by promoting hatred? God help us all!

Father, in the name of Jesus, we pray for leadership all over the world. We ask You to speak to their hearts, giving them a word of wisdom and direction so all may live in peace and honor You. Fill them with love overflowing and stop the mouths of those who promote hatred against them. Lord, Your will be done in the lives of all--preparing us to reap what we have sown in the earth. Forgive us for our foolish and rebellious attitudes and help us to see You in Your glory so all we do, magnifies You and not us. Thank You for giving us chance after chance to get it right. Amen!

Today Is Your Appointed Time!

"See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant” (Jeremiah 1:10 NIV).

Everyday, most of us have scheduled appointments we have either written down on a calendar, in a planner or programmed into our phones. This is how we manage and budget out time so we can get things done. But notice I said, this is how "we" manage our time. Have we thought about what our appointments would be if we allowed God to manage our time?

Imagine how Jeremiah must have felt when The Lord spoke to him! The Lord reminded Jeremiah that before he was formed in the womb, He had plans for him. He also told him that he had no need to fear what others might say or think of him and that he would never be alone. Before Jeremiah could open his mouth to say anything, The Lord spoke and told him not to make excuses about not doing what He told him. And then, He told Jeremiah, "today, I have appointed you over nations and kingdoms" to expose all that is not right, tear it down and rebuild per my specifications (slightly paraphrased). Although Jeremiah had his doubts, he eventually fulfilled his role in God's plan for his life.

What about us? Have we heard God speak to our hearts and know without a doubt that He has plans for us--an appointed time--for which we must do what He tells us to do? Are we making excuses for not doing what we know we have heard Him say? When we know we are to speak God's Word to people, do we shy away from doing so because we think we are incapable of speaking or too young, or too old, too short, too fat, too thin, too tall, too ignorant, too knowledgeable about science to speak God's Word? What are the excuses that we're making?

In the 21st Century, we have an advantage that Jeremiah didn't have--technology. We have an avenue through cyberspace to speak God's Word through social mediums, blogging, emailing, texting, and even with the advantage, some are still making excuses. "I can't spell; I can't write; I don't know these people; they won't follow/fan me if I talk about God, etc." Excuses to be disobedient--now find reasons to obey, this day!

Since God is no respecter of persons, He will use anyone who is willing to be used to get what He wants done. With Him, "there is no male or female, Jew or Gentile," just willing people--who hear and obey. This day, right now, determine within yourself that you are going to hear what God says and obey. You are not going to make any more excuses; you are going to do what you have been appointed to do, without any regard to how people will think of you or what they might say. And if you feel as though you'll be persecuted for doing what is right--you're not alone and you're not the first.

Now get up and get ready--open your heart to hear God speak and then allow Him to give you the words to speak to others in order to expose evil--from the highest to the lowest in the nation, tear it down and prepare to rebuild with the values and presence of The Lord. This day--you have been appointed, gifted and anointed to do all the things God has given you to do! Today--let's get it done!