Accountability For All!

Dear trump supporters:

I've had a lot to say for the past two years, but this is my first letter directed at you. And yes, I know I didn't capitalize his name, I seldom do. I have no respect for him and I won't pretend that I do. What amazes me is that anyone could have any respect for him, but apparently, some do.

Let me begin with those who voted for him--shortsightedness, frustration, anger, apathy or just plain stupidity guided this shipwreck of a decision and here we are. I really don't care about those who claim to be pro-life when in actuality, they are pro-fetus, not the life of those outside the womb. The proof--the mindless moron just condoned the killing of an American journalist because he can't stand the thought of losing any business (his personal business--it's not about America First) from the Saudis. This is what gets me--he lies and lies, deflects and denies and that same segment of people, keep making excuses for him and justifying his behavior. And for those hoping a Republican court system will prevail against abortions--think again. It won't. If you don't want to have an abortion, don't have one. If you don't want to be married to a person who is the same sex as you are, don't marry them. And before you get your underwear in a bunch, I'm more Christian than any of the dolts who voted for this moron, and I know the most important commandment we have from Jesus is to love--unconditionally, so keep your religious, Phariseetical comments to yourself.

He does not care about America--if he did, the deficit would be decreasing and not increasing. He does not care about our military--if he did the 5800 troops at the border would be home with their families, he would have gone to combat zones before now to visit our troops, and he hasn't done a thing to support our veterans. Anyone with even partial vision and hearing knows by now, he disrespected veterans by not going to the Arlington Cemetery on Veterans Day or the cemetery in France. He met with Putin and was so glad to see him that everyone remarked at the pure joy that showed in his face. Most of the veterans I know and have an affiliation with--are totally po'd with him. They have not been paid benefits for some time now and it's going to cause problems for many. But does he care--not one whit. He disparaged Admiral McRaven--claiming Bin Laden should have taken out sooner than he was. But now, please remember--trump avoided the draft with phony deferments five times to avoid Viet Nam and now, he claims he doesn't want to visit the troops for fear someone will kill him. Amazing how that fear never stopped other presidents from visiting troops in combat zones and yet--he claimed he'd run into a building with an active shooter in a school. More lies. He's afraid of the rain because he can't manage an umbrella.

And then there was the tax cut scam that many are going to soon regret when they realize, they did not gain anything because all the exemptions and deductions will no longer exist when they file their taxes. So some thought getting a few extra dollars in a paycheck was going to make a difference--short term and temporary. The corporations who got all the real breaks, bought back their own stocks, laid off workers and many closed doors, leaving the workers--behind the eight-ball. Right now, GM is cutting their work force by 18K. What are these folks supposed to do? Join the rolls of the unemployed and watch that percentage rise from 3.9% back to 5.1% nationally. It's coming--this is what always happens when Republicans control government--they enrich themselves, cut spending for the poor and then we see a recession. Democrats are the ones always left to clean up the messes and reduce the deficit--by raising taxes--because cutting them led to the increased deficit to start with and the working class, did not benefit the same way the rich did.

He's abused and misused the office of the presidency to the point where America is the laughingstock of the world. We have more lawsuits pending in court than ever before (and we're only 2 years into this fiasco) and now--journalists have been put in danger all over the world with his stupid, mindless, reckless, rhetoric--calling the media the enemy of the people.  The true enemy of the people--is trump--the wanna-be dictator who wanted to prosecute and jail anyone who criticized him and primarily to impede the investigation into the Russian involvement in the 2016 election. I know some will never believe it, but it's true, and not believing--won't change the truth. You know--the way some people say they don't believe in God--they don't have to believe Him--and it doesn't change the truth of who He is.

Further evidence that trump doesn't care about Americans or America is found in the roll-back of all the "consumer protections" that were established to protect us from corporate greed and disregard. Now, corporations can poison the water, the soil and pollute the air. We'll end up with all sorts of diseases from the protections being rolled back and then we'll just die because he doesn't want to provide healthcare for all. I'm guessing how we bury our dead is not a concern to him.

If I tried to relate all the stupid he's done in just two years, this would be a very long letter. So, let me get to the point of this. There needs to be accountability for every person in an elected office and since there's no one in this administration that has shown any capability of being an adult, the culpability for the stupid falls on the shoulders of every person who voted for the menace in the White House. I didn't vote for him because I knew from listening to him during the campaign that would be the biggest mistake I could ever make. There were at least 65 million of us who saw through all his blather and lies. Strangely, most of that 65 million don't claim to be Christians and I would have thought, that Christians--who are like me--who can hear Holy Spirit when He speaks--would have known better. I guess that's the difference between being religious and being in relationship with Christ. I heard Him speak to my heart and did everything I could to warn people, but the religious folks didn't care. They even lied and said God chose trump to be in the White House. The God of Heaven that I serve is far too wise to have chosen a person who is the antithesis of who He is. If people truly know God--they'd know this. They would also know that according to the bible, if we warn people of impending danger and they ignore us--their blood is on their hands. If they heed the warning, they are safe. But if we don't warn people when we see impending danger and people are harmed, then their blood is on our hands. I didn't and don't want anyone's blood on my hands, so I warned and I am continuing to warn about the menace in the White House. What you do about it, is on you. Not me.

So, whatever happens from this menace being in the White House, if you voted for trump, you're responsible. The lack of assistance and support for those in Puerto Rico, the delay in FEMA action from natural disasters, the death of the journalist (complicity), the veterans, the poor, the educational system, the deaths of millions who will succumb to illness because of the heartless, mindless moron you installed in the White House. This disastrous situation is all on you.
We can only hope--that a Democratic House will finally put a check on the menace and maybe, because of their example, the GOP in the Senate will wake up from the drug induced stupor (probably due to Russian connections and bribery) and uphold their oaths of office--which they haven't done so far.

So knowing all that has transpired in the White House since January 20, 2017, can you look into a mirror and not cringe when you think about how lives have been affected, adversely since his inauguration? If you can look at yourself in the mirror and think he's doing good things for America, then you are just as heartless and mindless as he is and the world would be better off without you. And when you die--I pray you suffer the same indignities that caged children have suffered and every person who has lost a loved one in a mass shooting or died because of a lack of access to healthcare. That's all on you and I won't let you forget it. Count on it.

THERE ARE NO ADULTS IN THE WHITE HOUSE AND NONE IN THE GOP SENATE. WHERE ARE THE ADULTS IN THIS SITUATION THAT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE DIRECTION OUR GREAT NATION IS TAKING?

They're on their way and some have already begun the process to make sure trump is exposed for all the evil he's done and when those in Congress find their spines, they'll do what they need to do. At any rate, 2020 is looking better and better for me (or someone like me) to win the presidential election and start cleaning up the mess made by trump on the national and international levels.
Let's face it--you really blew it this time and almost cost the country its democracy. Happy now?

Sincerely,
Mary Hall-Rayford

Where Are The Watchmen (Part 2)

"Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. 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 for die for their sin and I will hold you accountable for their blood. But if you do warn them 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 33:7-9 NIV

Where are the wicked, O Lord that I might warn them to give up their wickedness? If we believe we are called to be watchmen, this should be our daily cry--where are they so we can warn them and not have to be concerned about their blood being on us.

This one truth I have learned long ago: My job is tell people what God said; I do not have to convince them, they have a right to accept or reject what is said. If I don't tell them what God says, then I put myself in jeopardy, and no one--absolutely no one--is worth me losing my mansion in heaven.

Therefore, I will continue to sing His praises and telling the world--every chance I get--confess, repent, and seek a better relationship with Him. This is especially true of those in the White House. Every day, more information is revealed that there is indeed collusion, coordination, cooperation, participation with Russia and that Russia has been instrumental in installing the current resident.
 Someone needs to sit down with history books, the Constitution, the Declaration of the Independence, and the Bill of Rights, read and understand in order to help this country move forward with a better understanding of what a Patriot really is. A Patriot cares about the country and will stand upright, ready to fight for country, more than aligning themselves with a president.

Here's the Word from God--though paraphrased for contemporary use--for all the GOP including trump and clan.

 

I will keep saying this until the evil is removed from the White House and sanity is restored across the nation. Though wickedness may reign for a moment, its time is coming and all the world shall see how God deals with those who commit wickedness against His people.

Please continue to read Ezekiel 33 for I shall continue with Part 3, another day. Sometimes, we simply need to meditate on segments until they are deeply rooted in our hearts so we'll know how to move forward.

In the meantime, I shall continue laying the foundation--alerting the masses that I'm running for president and seeking their support. I believe as an Everyday American, with no Russian ties, no political baggage and no celebrity status that I can and will serve Americans well.

Whose Wisdom--God's or Man's?

My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God's power. We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him—these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. 1 Corinthians 2:4-13 NIV

ATTENTION ALL CHRISTIANS:

Stop taking The Word of God out of context and teach His Word with the power of His Spirit behind it--who has no biases or intent to deceive.

Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile. So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God. 1 Corinthians 3:18-23 NIV

In order to be a "Christian" one must be a follower of Christ--doing things the way He did them, not the rulers. For He did what His Father directed Him to do. Yes, there were many watching Him and they became envious of Him because He did not rely upon their "wisdom" but the wisdom of the One who sent Him. Since they "the rulers" did not understand this, they conspired and plotted against Jesus out of their own insecurities.

When people are insecure--they began to feel insignificant and jealousy arises in them and takes over every thing they do. It is their insecurities that feed the need for greed of money, power and control over people when God does not want "mere mortals" controlling anyone. He prefers all submit to Holy Spirit control. Notice--I said "He prefers" not He forces--still leaving the choice left up to the individual.

Now--hate me all you want--I don't really care--no one reading this blog has a heaven or hell for me and I refuse to back down or back away from the mission--my assignment--to keep people warned of the falsehoods and blatant lies, so-called Christians--the pseudo-christians are telling and lying on God. GOD DID NOT CHOOSE TRUMP TO BE PRESIDENT! CHURCH LEADERS WHO SAY OTHERWISE ARE LYING AND GOD WILL DEAL WITH THEM.

Unless a person is totally inept at understanding The Word, the scriptural passages above confirm that people chose Trump, not God--and the church leadership pushed him as God's choice out of greed--for power, money, and control of the masses--so they could "take away" choice for many. The God of Heaven is a Pro-Choice God--He has always honored our choices, but He has never forced us to do anything. 

The end result of all these "pseudo-church leaders" is that many people are being turned off--not only from churches, but their faith in God, because their faith in people has led them astray.

Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace. For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand. And I hope that, as you have understood us in part, you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus. 2 Corinthians 1:12-14 NIV

Let me boast in The Lord for a moment! I am so humbled and honored that He chose me to be a Watchman--one who will warn the people of danger when I see it coming--whether I understand it or not. I write as He directs and I know that my opinion--is worthless--if it does not align with His Word (all of it, not selectively--within the context He intended). 

Therefore, Bruce R. Mills--God's Man Forever--your opinion of what I write--matters not since you have shown your true colors--or rather that your true faith resides in the liars who lied on God. It is not me who needs to understand God's Word--as it pertains to "honoring authority" but you and all those like you who have made a mockery of being a Christian with your support of a lunatic. Do you not recognize tyranny when you see it? Did you not know how fascism begins in the heart of one who does not know God? Are you so blinded by loyalty to a party that you have lost sight of God's plans for the lives of all who Believe? I suggest you take a sabbatical and spend some time in God's Word, away from those you hold in high esteem, so you can truly hear God speak to your heart as you seek understanding. I am confident that when you recognize God's Wisdom, you'll recognize the lie that you helped to promote.

For those who read my blog on a regular basis--please allow this one instance of personal attention so that there is no misunderstanding in future blog posts. I love Bruce with the Love of The Lord, but he has been influenced by the god of this world and thinks he needs to correct me or admonish me on a consistent basis and this needs to stop. I have not heretofore referenced him in any blog post before this one and I will not do so again, but the foolishness has to stop and since I am the one who writes these blogs--the buck stops here. I am totally accountable and responsible for what I write whether people agree with it or not and as long as I know I hear Holy Spirit when He speaks, I will continue to write--encouraging, inspiring, and warning people of the dangers of those who profess to know Christ when their actions tell another story.

May The Lord bless all you do that honors Him, to His glory!

30 Days of Prayer and Praise--10!

Day Ten

O Lord,

If the meadows and valleys can shout for joy and sing, surely Your children, those You have chosen as messengers and Watchmen can do no less.

You are the God of our salvation and we have no need to fear what the enemy might do, for You have prepared us in more ways than one to stand firm on Your Word and never waver, never doubt Your faithfulness towards us and to always walk embraced by love and mercy.

As the days unfold, one by one and we see the events revealed that demonstrate the lack of love for You and our brothers and sisters, we can still look to You--our hope and our help--for with You all things are possible and we will know victory in every area of our lives.

For those who are discouraged--encourage their hearts, Lord by speaking to them and reminding them how much loved they are. Give them a desire to keep going and to allow the love of Holy Spirit to flow through their bodies and into their minds, giving them courage and boldness to speak up and stand up for righteousness and to fight against the evil that attempts to overtake us.

Lord, remind those who think they are superior to other human beings that You created one man, one woman and commanded them to multiply and cover the face of the earth as one human race. Though our tongues speak many languages and our skin tones are many hues, we are yet one--one race, one blood, one of Your Children for whom You have prepared a place for us in heaven.

Lord, catheterize every heart and drain all hate from it replacing every void with love, peace, mercy and kindness, with joy overflowing into the lives of all who are around us.

Thank You for granting us an opportunity to spend time with You--allowing You to nurture our souls and replenish our hope and joy as events of the day attempt to drain us. Thank You for loving us enough to use us for good and not evil. Thank You for molding and shaping us to be more like You every morning we rise.

Because of You, O Lord, we can hold our heads high, knowing who we are and what we have in You. Because of You, we can sing out loud our praise for You and never fear what others may think or say. Because of You, we can move forward--desiring nothing more than to see peace and love overflow in the earth so all may come to know You and be glad about it.

Thank You, Lord for one more day to give You praise and to see the marvelous works we know will result in our obedience to You. In Jesus' name we pray and thank You, Amen!

The Work of Lies!

Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed? Job 11:3 KJV

Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God. But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value. O that ye would altogether hold your peace! and it should be your wisdom. Job 13:3-5 KJV

And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. Psalm 40:3,4 KJV

They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah. My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. Psalm 62:4-6 KJV

A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies. Proverbs 14:25 KJV

A false witness shall not be unpunished, and he that speaketh lies shall not escape. Proverbs 19:5 KJV

If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials become wicked. Proverbs 29:12 NIV

Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness. None calleth for justice, nor any pleadeth for truth: they trust in vanity, and speak lies; they conceive mischief, and bring forth iniquity. Isaiah 59:1-5 KJV

You have profaned me among my people for a few handfuls of barley and scraps of bread. By lying to my people, who listen to lies, you have killed those who should not have died and have spared those who should not live. “ ‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against your magic charms with which you ensnare people like birds and I will tear them from your arms; I will set free the people that you ensnare like birds. I will tear off your veils and save my people from your hands, and they will no longer fall prey to your power. Then you will know that I am the LORD.  Because you disheartened the righteous with your lies, when I had brought them no grief, and because you encouraged the wicked not to turn from their evil ways and so save their lives, therefore you will no longer see false visions or practice divination. I will save my people from your hands. And then you will know that I am the LORD.’ ” Ezekiel 13:19-23 NIV

If the truth shall make us free, what then does a lie do? There are many benefits The Lord has for us and then there are consequences--our just reward--whether we do right or we do wrong. This is how our Sovereign God works--faithful to His Word--not ours.

Though I know many will be unsettled for a while with the election recounts--the hope is that truth will prevail and all will know it--whatever it is. But recounting ballots--will only offer half of the truth for if people were kept from voting--there is nothing to recount for them and voter suppression (rigging the election) ran rampant across the nation.

Voter suppression--the act of keeping someone from voting by deceptive means or practices, is a strategy to influence the outcome of an election by discouraging or preventing people from exercising the right to vote. Those seeking to influence the outcome have used various means of keeping people from voting and they include: Lying about election dates, polling precincts, using robocalls or chatbots on Twitter promoting false information, collecting data through social media profiles and sending false news articles, threatening people with arrests with lies about laws, telling people not to vote or closing polls early with people standing in line because the outcome has been called before all the votes are counted. And of course, we cannot ignore the influence of Russian operatives and the hacking of systems across the country. 

For the most part--voter suppression is achieved when others believe the lies they hear. And they will either not vote or vote for the other candidate.

There is a storehouse of lies promoted by one side--either the campaign team or superpacs on their behalf that have certainly influenced the outcome of the 2016 Election. And whether people want to believe the truth or not--the truth reveals all the lies told.

The lies have several origins--Alex Jones, Sean Hannity, FaceBook False News, Chatbots on Twitter bombarding people with propaganda.

Some of the lies that I've discovered include: the situation in Haiti and the Clinton Foundation--the lies were recorded in Clinton Cash (both the book and the video) and promoted throughout the Internet Community faster than wildfire in a drought.

The lie: the Clinton Foundation is not a legal foundation and takes other people's money to enrich themselves. According to Charity Watch--the Clinton Foundation has a comparable rating to American Red Cross and all the money donated is used to help others.

The lie: Hillary Clinton wants to approve abortions up to 8 months and 8 days. Abortions after 20 weeks are illegal and the 36 week (Boycott36) lie promoted is just that. At 36 weeks--it's a delivery, not an abortion.

The lie: Hillary Clinton and President Obama are devils and smell like sulfur. Though a lie--it was effective for those who choose not to research truth for themselves.

The lie: The Clintons stole furniture from the White House. Every president can borrow furniture (from other government institutions) upon approval to move into the White House--government property with oversight--and those in charge keep inventory of everything that belongs to the government. They did not steal furniture from the White House--it was taken back to the institution from which it came.

The lie: Hillary Clinton wants to take our guns! She never said this and is only concerned about keeping guns out of the hands of people who commit mass atrocities; she has advocated for "common-sense" gun laws, not taking guns from people.

The email situation--after all the investigation by the House--and all the money spent for the investigation--did not yield anything worth prosecuting, but some folks just won't let it go.
This could go on for awhile, but the fact-checkers have already determined what is truth and what is a lie, but I guess most people don't want to hear truth, after believing a lie.

Even though the other candidate--drumpf--lied about just about everything he ever opened his mouth to say, people who had angst regarding the Clintons chose to believe his lies--which are unraveling on a daily basis.

Here's the thing about the Clintons that I've concluded: After being under a microscope for over 30 years, I doubt they are foolish enough to do something illegal or stupid enough to do something that would certainly be reported as soon as known. That's my take on things.

Of course, the other benefit of being an educator and understanding the value of research is also determining the credibility of the source.

Those who lie will reap their just reward, but those who promote the lies also put themselves in a position to be likened unto the one who told the lie in the first place--just to get the result they want.

So, by December 13th, when the recounting of votes is complete--we shall all know the truth and hopefully, those who have promoted lies will have their consciences seared and they will repent as openly as they lied or promoted the lies.

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.’“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. 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 33:6-9 NIV

I do what I do when I hear The Lord speak to my heart--standing up and speaking out for what is right and just in His sight--not man's.

When Leaders Mislead!

“Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!” declares the LORD. Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds who tend my people: “Because you have scattered my flock and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done,” declares the LORD. “I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture, where they will be fruitful and increase in number.I will place shepherds over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid or terrified, nor will any be missing,” declares the LORD.  “Both prophet and priest are godless; even in my temple I find their wickedness," declares the LORD. “Therefore their path will become slippery; they will be banished to darkness and there they will fall. I will bring disaster on them in the year they are punished,” declares the LORD Jeremiah 23:1-4, 11,12. NIV

When I finally understood God's calling upon my life, this passage of scripture took on a life of its own, rising up in me every time I opened my mouth to speak. It is a constant reminder that when I teach God's Word, I teach what He says, rightly dividing, analyzing and explaining for the benefit of all who belong to Him. This keeps me honest before Him in all that I do because I am an ambassador of Truth, not seeking to make my name great, but to make His name great.

As an ambassador of Truth (God's truth, not mine or man's), I know I must hear Him speak to me before I speak to others. I also know that many will disagree with what I say, but God has reminded me time and time again, it is not me they are rejecting or disagreeing with, but Him. If I taught my opinion, then I would be in a position to receive the just punishment for ignoring God. "Woe" would be my destiny.

But since I do not teach my opinion (and I certainly have one) as it relates to living a righteous life, I have no fear of what destiny holds for me, for my destination is heaven and I will not allow anyone to become an obstacle in reaching my destination--either by believing a lie or teaching one.

Observing what other "leaders" in the Body of Christ are doing--I can only hang my head in shame--for them--for they will receive the just punishment for misleading God's children. Whenever man (mankind) gets beyond himself and thinks that man is right and God is wrong, there is only thing we can expect--desolation in the land. And when we deliberately mislead others in order to gain favor or control of others--then "woe" is all we can expect.

I claim no greatness when it comes to teaching God's Word, but I diligently study and seek understanding from Him and I know when He speaks to my heart. That is my claim to greatness--hearing Him speak and obeying. I am a watchman--and as such, I must sound the alarm when danger approaches and when I do--my job is done. Either people will heed the warning or they will not. Whatever they do--is not my responsibility--as long as I know--I've completed the task given to me. Therefore, I thank Him daily, that I do not have to worry about the end because He is my beginning, and I can do absolutely nothing worthwhile without Him.

It is to You O Lord, I give the glory! It is to You I give the praise. For You have done so much for me and I will bless Your Holy Name. It is to You, Holy Father, and no one else I give Honor, and all the days of my life--I will bless Your Name!

Forewarned Accountability!

"Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to the wicked person, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, 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 and they do not turn from their wickedness or from their evil ways, they will die for their sin; but you will have saved yourself." Ezekiel 3:17-19 NIV

The role of watchman--to warn people to change before they are consumed by their own acts--is the same today as it was then. God is yet speaking to people, warning them to tell others to "change course" and seek Him and when we do not speak as God speaks, He will hold us accountable for what happens to others. When we do speak what He speaks and people ignore us, they are responsible and held accountable for their actions, not us for forewarning them.

When loving parents instruct, guide, and set boundaries for their children, it is to keep them safe from harm. But if the children ignore the instructions and do what they want to do, they are responsible for the consequences of their actions. However, if children come to harm and parents have never provided them with any guidance, it is the parents who are responsible and should be held accountable for their negligence.

For it is negligent--on the part of anyone--to see a dangerous situation and not warn others. It is negligent to know that ignoring instruction and rules could lead to other problems. It is negligent to know truth and allow people to believe a lie, without warning them of the consequences of their actions.

We live in a society where many are afraid to speak truth--about any situation--because they do not want to offend others or get on their wrong side. That's amazing to me. People are more concerned about offending mere mortals than they are about offending God. When we do wrong, no matter what the wrong is--we must be willing to accept the consequences for our actions.
Whether it is the president of the United States or the president of another entity; whether it is the justices of the Supreme Court or the judges in the lower courts; whether it is the pastor of the church or the congregants of the church--wrong is wrong--and God makes no distinctions between sin or those who commit the sin.

Lying is sin. Circumventing authority is sin. Being a pot-stirrer--always trying to stir up emotions in people in a negative way is sin. Having respect of persons is sin. We tend to pay more attention to sexual sin than other sin, but sin is sin and there are consequences for it all.

If we only concerned with pleasing God, the likelihood of our being held accountable for what others do significantly decreases, but their accountability remains the same. We are accountable for what we do and don't do--especially when we are forewarned and refuse to speak what God tells us to say.

Reading some of my fellow-bloggers lets me know that they understand the role of accountability and I count it a joy to be found in that number--a watchman not afraid to speak God's Truth as He reveals it to me. I pray more people will realize the importance of speaking God's Truth instead of trying to promote our own as it pertains the end results for all. I certainly don't want the blood of anyone else on my hands.

A Stronghold in Times of Trouble!

"The Lord reigns forever; He has established His throne for judgment. He rules the world in righteousness and judges the peoples with equity. The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know Your name trust in You, for You, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek You." (Psalm 9:7-10 NIV).

If the Lord reigns--not just in the atmosphere--but in our hearts, the world will know peace. Where there is no peace, we do not acknowledge who He is and do not allow Him to govern our lives. If He is not governing our lives--we fall prey to the influence of the enemy and allow his influence to reign in our lives.

But we don't have to. The Word tells us to "give no place for the devil" and we should heed the Word. But what does that mean?

It means that when we know certain situations or people can open the door for the devil to step in--we should avoid them. Now, there The Word tells us there is no temptation that can confront us that He has not made a way of escape. The escape route that many ignore--is the wisdom to avoid the situation in the first place. If we do not place ourselves or allow others to put us in a position where we can be tempted, we effectively keep the devil's influence out of our lives.

But when we don't--heed wise instruction and warnings--the devil's influence does not creep in--it walks into a situation because we have opened the door. When the devil does what the devil does--influencing others to do what is wrong--who is the guilty party? Is it the one who succumbed to the influence or the one who created the situation by opening the door?

People who have overcome addictions of all types, have nothing to prove to others and especially those who are trying to influence their judgment and behavior. It is not all right for anyone who suffers from addiction to put themselves in harm's way, nor should they put themselves into a position to be influenced by others to do so. When we do things that we know are contrary to Holy Spirit's influence, we cannot say, "this is just a test." No, that is just foolishness.

We would not put a known thief in a room full of valuables and leave them alone, expecting them not to take anything. That's not faith, it's foolishness. The same is true of anything we value--respect, integrity, honor--all should be more valuable than things, and yet we risk allowing the enemy to influence what we do, when we think we know more than God.

The Bible tells us that no one should say when they are tempted, they are tempted by God, but understand we are tempted by our own lusts. We are tempted because of pride and egos and when we allow pride and ego to get in the way of wisdom and making wise decisions, we have no one to blame, but ourselves.

And when temptation wins--the least we can do is to acknowledge how wrong we were in allowing the situation to exist in the first place and not blame others. This is not to say we should condone wrong, but we must accept responsibility for any wrong that occurs and set things right.

Human beings are not God and cannot know everything, but when we allow Holy Spirit to lead us in all things, we limit the opportunities for the devil's influence to operate and manage to maintain peace in our lives. The Lord is a stronghold in times of trouble and when we see trouble coming--we must cry out a warning and seek the refuge of God. If we don't heed the warnings--the stain of guilt is on us--and we need to get right with God while we have the opportunity to do so.

No Holy Spirit guidance--no peace in homes or lives or nations. With Him--as our counselor and comforter--allowing Him to speak into our lives--we have peace with all we meet.

Disappointing Joy!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Are We There, Yet?

"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come" (2 Timothy 3:1).

Paul's warning to Timothy lists the things we would be able to see (and have seen) announcing the last days.  THIS IS NOT AN ANNOUNCEMENT BUT CONTINUED WARNING! In several verses, he told Timothy what would happen. Men (mankind) would become:

Lovers of themselves (forgetting about God and the natural love towards others)

Covetous (allow their envy to always keep them seeking ways to "take" what others have-by force or deception)

Boasters (always bragging about themselves and what they have done)

Proud (arrogant--thinking they know everything)

Blasphemers (Deny the power of Holy Spirit or lie on what He has said or done)

Disobedient to parents (children thinking they should tell parents what to do and attempt to run their parents' homes, never respecting authority).

Unthankful (never able to show gratitude to anyone)

Unholy (seeking to appease flesh without regard to right-living)

Without natural affection (seeking to do those things with others that should not be done with--children, members of the same-sex, incest, etc.)

Truce-breakers (cannot keep their word or will not keep their word)

False accusers (will lie to save their own behinds, without regard to how their lie will affect the lives of others)

Incontinent (lack of self-control--emotionally and physically)

Fierce (always ready to mow down anyone who gets in their way)

Despisers of those who do good (hate seeing people do what is right)

Traitors (will turn on people and country in a heartbeat)

Heady/Highminded (never consider themselves wrong and they more than anyone else)

Lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God (always seeking ways to please themselves and flesh more than they seek God's direction)

Having a "form of godliness" but denying the power thereof (religious without relationship with God and denounce the Power of God's Word as if it doesn't exist).

With the list of things that we will see when the last days are upon us, Paul tells us that we should "turn away" from these types of people when we see them doing these things. Basically, we are to have no fellowship with people who refuse to live as God as designed or reject God.

Of course, many people understand we have seen the hallmarks of everything Paul has said, generation after generation--the time simply gets closer. When will people begin to understand that civilizations have ceased to exist because of disobedience to God? When will true Christians, those in relationship with God (not just readers of The Word), understand that it is our job to be a "watchman on the wall" and warn people about their behavior and the impending dangers if the behaviors do not change?

We can praise God for His goodness and His abundant blessings and know that His desire for us is to have abundant life, but we cannot have what he has promised if we do not fulfill our role--all of it. It's not just about praying.  It's not just about preaching.  It's not just about teaching.  It's not just about praising and singing and worshiping. It also includes "warning the people" when they stray from God's Word. Are we doing it? Are these indeed the last days?

What I Have Learned!

"He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you" (John 16:14 NIV).

When Jesus was speaking to His disciples, just before He returned to His Father, He was reminding them of the role of the Holy Spirit (His Spirit) who would remain in the earth realm to guide, reveal, remind, and instruct.

The Holy Spirit will guide us through tumultuous times--economic downturns, chaos and confusion across the land, and in the midst of a disturbance of our peace, He reminds us that God's peace surpasses all understanding. I've learned that if I rest in His peace, what is happening all around me, won't disturb me, but gives me purpose in prayer.

By His spirit, we will receive insight to things to come and when we are totally submitted and committed, He will create in us the spirit of "a watchman", warning the people.  If we warn them and they do not heed the warning, their blood is on their own hands.  If we do not warn them of impending danger, their blood when disaster strikes will be on our hands.  I've learned some people will never listen because they think they know everything.

Perhaps, more importantly, the role of the Holy Spirit is to remind us of The Word when we need it in a moment, and to instruct us in our behavior towards others--exercising discernment and wisdom. I've learned that no matter what I do or say, I'll never please everyone, so I concentrate on pleasing God.  If I please Him and others are pleased as a by-product--amen.  If they are not pleased as I please Him--oh well!

I've learned how to live holy, maintaining my relationship with God, seeking always to please Him and expecting to see fulfillment of His promises towards me. Some may think I'm being arrogant in my faith in God's promises, but I am simply being confident in Him, who cannot lie and will bring to pass every promise, and complete everything He ignites in us to do. I've learned to love--even those who appear to not care at all, but I love any way.  Again, their disdain gives my prayer purpose.  In fact, everything that I know I cannot control, gives my prayer purpose.

And when I pray, my communication with God is a two-way conversation.  While I talk, He listens and when He speaks, I listen. I pray with confidence, knowing He will respond. I always thank God for the desired result and because I pray in alignment with His Word, He will respond favorably.

Looking back over my life, I realize I have learned a great deal and still have much more to learn. What have you learned?

Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank You for keeping my heart and spirit tuned-in to You so I may know how to proceed on a daily basis and for loving me enough to keep teaching me! Amen!

A New Heart!

When God spoke to His people through Ezekiel, He told them that He would "give them a new heart and a new spirit and replace the heart of stone with a heart of flesh" (Ezekiel 36:26 paraphrased).  To get a better understanding of the conditions that existed when Ezekiel was talking, read how the prophet tried repeatedly to warn the people and how God used him.  My favorite passage in Ezekiel is when God admonishes him to do his job as a watchman.  "When you see danger approaching, warn the people.  If they do not heed your warning, their blood is on their own hands.  If you do not warn them, their blood I will require at your hands" (33:6). 

You see part of the problem with the people of the land is that they wanted to live any way they wanted to live, with no one guiding them in righteous living.  Most of the prophets of God were detested by the people because they kept reminding them of their ungodly ways. But those who knew and understood God, kept warning and kept dealing with the disrespect of the people.  Through all of that, Ezekiel still spoke what God gave him, reminding the people that obedience to God would put them into a better position to "receive" from God. 

Think about this for a moment.  A promise of a new heart and a new spirit, replacement of a heart of stone for a heart of flesh, has to mean that the hearts within man were corrupted and hard-hearted and their spirit too easily influenced with evil. Are we in the same place today? Have our hearts become so hardened that we cannot see the needs of others?  Are we so afraid of what people will think about us we will not warn them when we see danger approaching?  Are our spirits so weak that we allow evil to control what we do and how we think?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, we are in need of a heart transplant--a total replacement in order to do what God has designed for us to do. Consider this:  We should all be "watchmen on the walls" if we say we are Christians. Anytime there is danger lurking to destroy hope and faith in God, we should be able to loudly proclaim God's truths.  If we are more concerned with political correctness than Godly righteousness, we are in need of a new heart--a heart that is molded and shaped by God to hear Him.

Create in us O God, a new heart, a heart willing to hear You and a spirit strengthened by Your Word to defeat the evil that attempts to influence.  Grant us courage to speak as You speak to us and through Your Word that we might snatch some from the fires of hell. Thank You for giving us a heart of flesh, molded and shaped by You.  We will give You praise for all things as we continue this journey with You and our new heart.