Ignoring The Obvious!

Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them. However, if you do not obey the LORD your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come on you and overtake you: You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country. Your basket and your kneading trough will be cursed. The fruit of your womb will be cursed, and the crops of your land, and the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. You will be cursed when you come in and cursed when you go out. The LORD will send on you curses, confusion and rebuke in everything you put your hand to, until you are destroyed and come to sudden ruin because of the evil you have done in forsaking him. The LORD will plague you with diseases until he has destroyed you from the land you are entering to possess. The LORD will strike you with wasting disease, with fever and inflammation, with scorching heat and drought, with blight and mildew, which will plague you until you perish. The sky over your head will be bronze, the ground beneath you iron. The LORD will turn the rain of your country into dust and powder; it will come down from the skies until you are destroyed. The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies. You will come at them from one direction but flee from them in seven, and you will become a thing of horror to all the kingdoms on earth. Deuteronomy 28:14-25 NIV

When we choose to ignore God, we choose to be the recipients of His Word--whether it is a blessing or a curse; it is our choice that determines what happens to us in life.

For the unbelieving--they won't care because they don't believe and won't believe; God's Word means nothing to them except to be an object of scorn and derision. And Believers--true Believers (not those professing to be Christians but have no demonstrable fruit as proof of who they are), should know we cannot afford to ignore God--and the obvious--the benefits or the consequences. For God's Word was given to man for our benefit that we might stand in righteousness and be a beacon of light and hope for the unbelieving. The problem is--if our behavior and conduct is no different than what the unbelievers do--why would they pay attention to us?

Let's look at the world of the unbelieving--they lie to get what they want, will cheat others, plot conspiracies to destroy reputations, in the corporate world and in communities. People get caught up on wanting titles and positions and status and will do anything to get what they want. Hollywood accentuates the life of the unbelieving as the means to crush the opposition and to control what others do.

In every day life--we see the results of corporate corruption and greed and when greed needs to be fed, everything in its path becomes food to soothe the craving. Big companies swallow up the little ones without regard to the people who must eek out a living--the best they can and when that becomes problematic, the people--turn to whatever is available--drugs, alcohol, bribery, more corruption--just to survive. And if they ever had a conscience, many turn to suicide--not willing to face themselves or what they've done or others and what they've done.

In the church buildings (because many have forgotten they are the church), many end up making the church leaders their god, and will do everything the leader wants them to do in order to maintain an avenue to move forward. Those claiming to be Christians will lie and mislead, promoting untruths to pacify a leader who has turned aside from God. Church leaders have been guilty of predatory behavior, sexually and financially; they have cheated the people they lead and planted the seeds of corruption by convincing others to do what they say and to treat others with disdain. The behavior of the leaders have led to public scrutiny and lawsuits and growing unbelief in the leaders, church and God.

Why is this occurring across the land? We have ignored the obvious--we stopped obeying God and chose to obey the lust of the flesh and to follow the leaders who don't know God. So we should not be amazed that the consequences of our actions are bringing the Word to life in a way that we can no longer ignore God's Word. If we ever plan to see a change in this world, it is time to turn aside--from everything and everyone--from ignoring God. We can no longer afford to not make God a priority in our lives.

But is it too late? Have we already set the stage for the next act that brings about our destruction for all the world to see? We are on the precipice--overlooking a cliff--with a depth we cannot see with our physical eyes, and once we go over--there is no help, no return--no other chance to get things right with God.

God has said in His Word that only a remnant will be saved from the destruction the enemy has plotted for all who ignore God. Are we included in the remnant? Have we maintained a right relationship with God, securing our destination and eternity to live with Him? Or have we ignored the obvious by choosing to make men and women our gods, following them instead of God?

Though The Word of God applies to anyone who Believes it--regardless of nationality or ethnicity--I believe we can see God speaking directly to Americans at this intersection in our history. Which way will we go? Will we continue to follow lying leaders or will we rise up and take a stand to give God His rightful place in our lives and speak up for justice?

It's up to us--we all have to choice to make and I pray our choice is God, not men, and we will stop ignoring the obvious.

Overtaken By His Blessings!

“Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. “And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God: “Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. “Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. “Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. “Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. “The LORD will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways. “The LORD will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you. “The LORD will establish you as a holy people to Himself, just as He has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in His ways. Deuteronomy 28:1-9 NKJV

There is so much more within this passage of scripture--blessings through the 14th verse, but then comes the 15th verse to the end--the curses of disobedience. We know the story of what happened to the Children of Israel in their journeys--when they obeyed God they were blessed; when they didn't, they suffered the curses of their choices.

From the beginning--after Moses met with God--commandments were given and expected to be followed. And then there were added various sundry laws and policies until realistically--God's people--like now--decided it wasn't worth trying to keep up. And this is why when God walked the earth in the person of Jesus Christ--He said--Love Him, and Love Your Neighbor--everything He wanted us to do--summed up in two commandments. Why? Because He is love and He wants us blessed beyond measure!

If we love Him, we desire to please Him, and if we endeavor to please Him at all times, we won't do anything that would create any cracks in our relationship with Him.

If we love each other--we won't do anything that would cause harm to one another or injury or damage of property. If we love each each other--we lift each other up and encourage one another to stay on the path He has established for us. Loving each other doesn't mean we have to agree with one another, but we know how to disagree, agreeably, maintaining the love relationship. That's what God wants from us and when we endeavor to obey, He blesses us--with more love, peace, joy, happiness, self-discipline, and wisdom from on high.

Most of us (I realize not all will feel the same) have a great deal to be thankful for on this day. Some have watched loved ones suffer and leave this life. Some have agonized over the fate of our nation and loved ones abroad. But in the midst of all the turmoil and upheaval, if we look hard enough--we can find a reason to be thankful.

I'm thankful for His love that never abandons me. I'm thankful for the peace within when I know I've been obedient to Him. I'm thankful for my family--a husband who loves me and for my children and grandchildren--who I admit--I've spoiled with love. I'm thankful for the friends who love me as much as I love them--even when we don't agree. I'm thankful for life, health and strength and determination to keep moving forward in His name. I'm thankful for the desire He has placed in me to rise up and speak out against injustice, hate and bigotry everywhere. I'm thankful for the wisdom He keeps pouring into me and directing my thoughts and actions in sharing with others.

I am blessed and highly favored, overtaken by His blessings and will continue on the journey He has established for me. And I pray that anyone and everyone reading this today, will feel the same way--overtaken by blessings.

What God Expects!

“And now, you priests, this warning is for you. If you do not listen, and if you do not resolve to honor my name,” says the LORD Almighty, “I will send a curse on you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have already cursed them, because you have not resolved to honor me. “Because of you I will rebuke your descendants; I will smear on your faces the dung from your festival sacrifices, and you will be carried off with it. And you will know that I have sent you this warning so that my covenant with Levi may continue,” says the LORD Almighty.“My covenant was with him, a covenant of life and peace, and I gave them to him; this called for reverence and he revered me and stood in awe of my name. True instruction was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many from sin. “For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, because he is the messenger of the LORD Almighty and people seek instruction from his mouth. But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble; you have violated the covenant with Levi,” says the LORD Almighty. Malachi 2:1-8 NIV [Read all for clarity]

The most important leadership to whom we should trust is the leadership in the church. From this point forward--all other leaders are measured--by The Word of God.

Simply put--when the church--the body of Christ--corporately, gets its act together, the world will become a better place.  Why? When people are "grounded in The Word" they take what they know and understand into all areas of their lives--from keeping peace, harmony and order in their home to the highest place of government. When we know God, we do what is right at all times, for all people.
With that premise in mind, we can safely conclude (by what we see) that we have strayed far from God's Word in our daily living and as a result--chaos and confusion reign--in the hearts of men/women and all across the land.

When the prophet Malachi was admonishing the priests who had let the temple far into disrepair, he was also warning all who followed--those of us right now--that when we don't do what God expects us to do--He takes a hands-off approach to us. When we do what He expects--we are blessed and when we don't--the curses fall upon us and since God is not a respecter of persons--the blesses fall upon all who obey and the curses fall upon all who disobey. As Children of The Most--Believers should understand when we are blessed, we are to be a blessing to others--for when we are cursed--the curse also falls upon others.

Throughout biblical accounts of history we see how entire nations either rose to greatness or fell in despair because of the leadership--those in positions of authority and entrusted to guide the people according to God's Ways, and not their own. When the leadership was obedient--all the people were blessed and rejoiced and when the leadership ignored God--all the people suffered and wailed in despair and hopelessness.

We have to know God in order to hear God and when we hear God, we must obey God--not those who have agendas that do not lead to a nation being blessed.

This is what God expects from those who are in leadership positions!

How We're Overtaken With Blessings!

“Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth.“And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God: Deuteronomy 28: 1,2 NKJV

In order to "fully" (NIV) understand how we are blessed by our obedience, we need to "fully" read God's Word and obey it--completely. What appears to be a stumbling block for many people is their misunderstanding of God's Word--thinking we are obligated to the letter of the Law instead of the "spirit" of the Law. The Pharisees knew The Law and all of its various postscripts (one has to know what was said in the first five books) and they couldn't keep it or wouldn't keep it.

To be honest, it was too much remember, but Jesus came and said two commandments I give you, "Love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind and to love your neighbor as yourself." How easy is that too remember? Love God, Love others! Obedience brings into play blessings that will overtake us when we observe (do daily) what He says. Verses 3-14 in Deuteronomy list how we'll be blessed and we need to go back and review the blessings when we think we are tiring of being obedient.

Blessed in the city and in the country--everywhere we go--we'll be blessed.

Our children will be blessed and everything and everyone we influence will be blessed.

Whatever we produce with the work of our hands will be blessed.

When we come into places and leave them, we will be blessed.

We will be victorious over our enemies every time they attack.

We will be blessed in whatever place or condition we find ourselves.

We will be established--known to all--as God's Holy people.

All the people in the earth will revere and respect us as God's people when they see us.

We will be blessed with prosperity in all areas of our lives.

We will never know drought of any kind.

We will be the head and not the tail of every venture we attempt, always at the top and never at the bottom.

All these blessings will overtake us--if we completely and fully obey God--living to please Him only.

So, if we're not experiencing being overtaken by His blessings, perhaps it is because we have not fully executed obedience--living to please Him, rather than others and loving others even when they are unlovable. Something to ponder and rethink what we do.

I don't know about you, but I am waiting to be overtaken by all the blessings He has for me and if others don't want their blessings--I'll take them, too. Loving to love you all today!

Praise The Lord and Be Blessed!

"Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord who minister by night in the house of the Lord. Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord. May the Lord bless you from Zion, He who is the Maker of heaven and earth." (Psalm 134)

Who are the servants of The Lord?

All those who proclaim to accept the Work on the Cross as a means of reconciliation to God through Jesus Christ are the servants of The Lord--those who are obedient to His Word--proclaiming what He says to all. If then, we are servants of The Lord--giving Him rulership over our lives, why do we find it so difficult to obey--Our Lord--one who governs?

The simple answer is most people don't understand how Lordship functions as it once did in England and in other nations. It certainly doesn't have a place in the United States because we won't allow anyone to be "Lord over our lives" and we certainly won't allow Holy Spirit to govern us. When a person was "the Lord" over property (a region, however designated by a king), he was the authority in the lives of those who lived on his land. Here, in America, we seem to forget that when we accept The Word on the Cross, and Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we give Him authority over our lives. A relationship with Jesus is a matter of the heart, not the head (or mind) and we allow Him to govern when we accept His Lordship; if we don't allow Him to be Lord, all we've done is to be religious and ritualistic.

I'll be the first to admit than granting someone else authority over my life is challenging and almost impossible when it comes to mere mortals. Yes, I obey the laws of the land when they don't conflict with my relationship with God. But I will not obey the laws of the land when they are in opposition to God's Word. That's settled in heaven for me. But when we cannot obey God's Word because we are more concerned about what people think or being politically correct, then we are not servants of The Lord because Jesus is not our Lord and we therefore lie--if we say He is.

When we're in a worship service--who are we praising--God or man? Do we lift our hands in praise because we really want to honor God or we simply obeying the dictates of others who have tell us what to do?

Even if we're not willing to admit where we are in our relationship with God--He knows--He knows our heart. And He knows if we only lift our hands because someone else directed us to to do so, our hearts don't belong to Him.

I can lift my hands wherever I am--and often do so when I think about just how good He is. I don't need anyone to prompt me to lift my hands or raise my voice in praise of the God who loved me enough, to come down from heaven, hang on a cross and die for me--in spite of me--and still loves me.

O that men and women and children would really understand how wonderful it is to be loved when we are not worthy! O that those who proclaim to love Jesus would be more obedient to His Love! O that all would begin to worship Him in spirit and in truth! What a wonderful, blessed world this would be if all would honor Him as Lord, obey, and love! Give Him praise and be blessed!

Why Jesus Said, "The Spirit of Truth Will Remind You!"

"But when the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will glorify me because it is from that he will receive what he will make known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you." (John 16:13-15 NIV)

The promise of Holy Spirit, our Advocate, Comforter, and Counselor--to those who follow Christ was not just for the disciples of that day, but for all who believe Him because of them. At the time Jesus was telling them about the role of Holy Spirit, He did so because He knew His time here on earth was just about up, but He didn't want His disciples to be discouraged in His physical absence. A number of things led up to this conversation, but what makes it worthwhile is knowing, we also have access to all Jesus promised through Holy Spirit. But this is why He said it.

John 16:7-12

v. 7 But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you.

v.8 When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment:

v.9 about sin, because people do not believe in me;

v.10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer;

v.11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

v.12 I have much more to say to you, more than you can bear."

The time was now at hand which the prophets predicted. Jesus was about to submit Himself for the ultimate sacrifice for sin and it was time for Him to return to heaven. But He wanted His disciples to know, they would not be left without benefit of His continued guidance in all things.

Everything He had told them about sin--Holy Spirit would bring back to their remembrance and they would see the results of sin because people did not believe Him. What most people do not understand about what Jesus said about sin was He included all sin, not the variations of sin. When the religious leaders brought the woman who was supposedly caught in the act of adultery, He told her to go and SIN no more. He did not make a distinction between fornication, or other sexual immorality or anything else. He did not say, don't commit any more SINS, He said SIN no more. Don't do anything that is a sin according to God's Word! For those who know His purpose in being here, we know that's what He meant. And that is why He said, there would be this continuous debate about sin, because people don't believe Him. If we love Him, we'll obey Him.

He said Holy Spirit would guide all who believe Him in righteousness--not self-righteousness-but leading all to be in right-standing with God. In order to be in right standing with God, one must know what God has said and be willing to stand on His Word for all times--no matter what current trends may abound. In fact, Paul tells us we are not to conform to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds in Christ Jesus. Paul understood that the enemy first attacks and influences the minds of people and then behavior follows the thoughts of their minds. If we have the mind of Christ--through relationship with Him, then we stand on God's Word and will not fall prey to the enemy's deceptions.

Then, as for judgment--judgment has already made against the prince of this world--the god of this world, Satan, the prince of darkness (always influencing people to try to hide their wrong-doing), the devil--by whatever name he is known, the lake of fire has already been prepared for him and now he seeks to influence others so he won't burn alone.

Because He understood that He had given His disciples much to think about and He knew they did not fully understand, He decided not to overwhelm them with more teachings, but assured them that Holy Spirit would continue to teach them and remind them of all they had been taught and show them things to come.

I can imagine that every person who has ever read the Bible in its entirety, more than once--has been overwhelmed by the abundance of information. And most people have their own method of reading and reading in order to get the most out of it the content and understanding the intent. All of the sins--as God gave them--are enumerated in Deuteronomy 28--which I refer to as the book of blessings and curses. Of course they are explained in detailed throughout Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers, as well as the rest of Deuteronomy. But as I said, there is much than can overwhelm
and simplicity usually leaves its mark.

The bottom line is this--God has a blueprint for our living--designed to put us in a position to prosper, not harm us so we would have a future and our children's children would have a great future as well. We were meant to have generational blessings, but for those who won't obey, they have been destined for generational curses. It's time to break the curses, but it can only be done out of obedience to God's Word, not political correctness, or succumbing to Satan's agenda.
Holy Spirit is here--to remind us, to guide us, to comfort us and to be our Advocate when we need Him.

More about what Jesus said and why, next time.

What The Righteous Can Anticipate For Obeying God!

"Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever.They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the LORD. Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes." (Psalm 112:6-8 NIV)

What can the righteous--those in right-standing with God expect? The first verse begins the expectations for the righteous. "Blessed is the man who fears (reverently respects) the Lord and delights in keeping His commands." And then, the blessings are enumerated along with the curses for those who do not reverently respect The Lord or delight in His commands.

The righteous shall never be moved or ruffled by current events--not wars, nor rumors of war, not the foolishness of politicians or the ungodliness of judges. They shall not be moved the obvious influences of Satan that lead to the deaths of innocents or plots to overthrow. The righteous shall be remembered forever for their attempts to live a life that pleases God and not man.

The righteous shall have not fear or be moved by all the bad news in the world. They will--with every event--look to the Lord for comfort and solace and keep praising Him for His goodness. With every newscast that broadcasts events that cause others to shudder and quake, the righteous will continue to pray, and not be overly concerned about what they see on the surface, for they know The Word and the times in which we live. The righteous understand that certain events must take place as the final revelation unfolds for all the world to see. The righteous are not concerned about their end for they know, their final destination is to spend eternity with Jesus.

As we get closer to seeing those things that must come--we know the end is not yet--but we are getting closer. Satan's influence in the minds of people can be see in every aspect of our daily lives. He is the author of confusion and chaos and where ever he reigns, we can see the results. When men and women are distraught over who God intended them to be and change to please themselves, it is confusion that ignites the change and chaos that ensues. Throughout history--if one would care to investigate--every time man rises up against God and His intent for our being, tragedy occurs on every front, leaving some shaking their heads, confused because they do not realize we were created for His good pleasure and not our own.

Finally, when the end comes--the righteous will have opportunity to see the look amazement on the faces of all those who attempted to belittle and persecute those who trust in The Lord. For when The Lord returns to claim those who are His, the rest will have only a fiery lake to anticipate--their eternity for unbelief and disobedience.

Of course, there will remain those who continue to pacify flesh instead of seeking God's wisdom and obeying Him. They will be without excuse for their final outcome for the righteous--those in right-standing with God--have ever continued to point them in the right direction and they refused to see the benefit of obeying our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Their Mocking Results in Blessings!

“God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers." (Matthew 5:11 NLT)

I've never really experienced "mocking" the way I am through "digital technology" and perhaps, never will again. There is something about the ability to remain anonymous that really brings out the worst in people; especially those who claim they do not believe in God. Or maybe I've just been fortunate enough to live in communities where people were respected for their beliefs whether they agreed or not. At any rate, I've come to know more about what this particular passage of scripture means through my voyage in using social media.

The worst offenders through the anonymity of digital technology have been on Huffington Post. Not that long ago, I would find myself responding "to articles" written on the Christian page and then I would be "attacked" on a personal level because of my belief. For a while, it was amusing and I simply stood my ground on my beliefs. When people became too obnoxious, I ignored them. When they became downright hateful with the racial attacks as well as the religious ones, I decided enough was enough and only commented to the articles and never again to those who plagued the Believers.

What I discovered from those attacks was fuel to use in writing my books and in my blogs. For me--those attacks have resulted in me being blessed with ammunition to keep writing and to keep encouraging other believers to stand on God's Word, no matter what other people may say.
I am strengthened, daily by Holy Spirit to keep writing and encouraging. I have been blessed by those who "choose" to follow me on a number of social media, and in book sales. I am empowered by the comments being made to keep moving forward, always listening to God and saying what He says--to me in my blogs.

I'm not foolish enough to think that everyone who follows me via "any" of the social media agrees with everything I say, but they are at least respectful enough to either not say anything or to disagree--agreeably. That is a tremendous blessing to me and I would not have known how many people really do love The Lord, if I had not kept writing--in spite of the verbal attacks. Praise God for victory in digital media--even though there are those who yet hide behind anonymity.

What I've come to understand from my experience using social media is this--Satan still uses people and tries to hide his hand with the anonymity of "egg photos, cute animals," or anything they can find other than their face. There are some believers who are hiding as well--perhaps it is because of their experiences with nastiness on social media. I choose to let the world know who I am and that I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and I will promote Him, every chance I get, to whoever is willing to read and understand or hear (I'm just as vocal in public)--it is all to His glory!  Hallelujah!

So, go ahead and mock me so I can continue to be blessed by God in all I say that glorifies Him! I am blessed and highly favored and every time someone is nasty to me or has a hateful comment, God counters it with another blessing. Now, this is what the psalmist meant when he said, "He has prepared a table for me in the midst of my enemies" and now my enemies can  watch me devour the fullness of God in my life and be a blessing to others!

Somewhere Out There!

Somewhere out there in the universe is the pathway to seeing all of God's promises fulfilled in this lifetime.

"We must work, while it is day because when night comes--no one can see enough to get anything done." (Paraphrased)

If we do not do everything while we have an opportunity to do it--while we yet have breathe in our bodies and the use of our limbs, when we are dead--our darkness has come--it will be too late.
Since death does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, or ethnicity, none of us are exempt from leaving here--the planet earth--at any time. Even though I plan to live until I'm ninety-five; I have no idea what God's plans for me are--as to when He'll call me home. So, I've made up my mind, that no matter what happens, there is an avenue by which I can reach all of my goals and fulfill God's plans (with ministry) before it's time for me to go. Somewhere out there-on planet earth, there are people who are in position to do what must be done--God is speaking to hearts and I pray that those He is speaking to are listening.

None of us were intended to live a life in isolation and we are all supposed to help one another ("Be helpers of one another"); especially those in the body of Christ. So, I'll wait to hear from those He has spoken to on my behalf.  I know you're out there--somewhere. But don't wait too long to respond to His voice. Tomorrow is not promised to anyone and if I'm sure you don't want to miss being a blessing to others.

God bless you richly for being obedient and doing all He puts upon your heart to do--for whoever He says to do it for or with. He is also speaking to someone on your behalf and I pray all are listening and willing to do--because somewhere out there--there are those who hold the keys to blessings meant to overflow and overtake all who are in need.

Choices and Consequences!

"This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live..."(Deuteronomy 30:19 NIV).

To be blessed or be cursed--is a choice we make--based upon our decisions.
We either choose life--being obedient in all that God says, or we choose death, being cursed--when we disobey.

In the life of a true believer--the choice is simple. We understand the blessings of obedience and the consequences of disobedience. When we know God through our relationship with Him--nothing that happens in life is a surprise. We know we are either blessed or cursed and we know we are the ones who choose whether we are blessed or cursed.

Today, a decision has to be made that will affect the rest of our lives and the lives of our children. We must exercise wisdom in all things and know that God has established a credible witness (Holy Spirit) who will testify to what He sees and hears. We cannot fool God--we can only fool people and that for only a short period of time. The truth will always be revealed--when we least expect it--the lies shall be uncovered for all the world to see. Shed the cloak of deception and drape the garment of righteousness around you and those you love--choose life and be blessed!

Leave no room--in your heart or mind--for the enemy to continue to influence your thoughts and what you do. Time is not manipulated by us, but controlled by God. We have been given another chance to get it right--let's do it, today!

Father, in the name of Jesus, help us to understand that we must obey Your Word, even when it goes against the grain of popular opinion or political correctness. It is Your Word that gives us life and puts us into position to be blessed by You. Give us the strength to stand against the winds of adversity--fully focused on doing Your Will and not our own. We declare all works of the enemy void and powerless in our lives and it is done! Amen!

Happy New Year!

In this new year, we have another chance to get things right with God. God is doing a new thing--right now--giving us opportunity to receive the blessings He has already prepared for us.  Surrender your mind to Christ so the enemy will have nothing to use against you. All of our thoughts and actions will be directed by God--to benefit all of mankind--when we surrender our all to Him. Don't look back if looking back becomes an anchor that keeps you from moving forward. Keep your head up, your heart filled with God's love that overflows onto all you meet and then sit back and reap the benefits of having an awesome God for a Father--who takes care of His children!

Happy New Year!

This Is My Prayer!

Father,

I ask You to look upon this world and all of its inhabitants and
Touch hearts that need emotional healing,
Touch bodies that need physical healing,
Touch minds that need mental healing, and
Touch finances in such a way that all are blessed to be a blessing.
Speak to the hearts of those who govern others so we may know peace in the land.
Speak to the hearts of those who hate others for no reason so love can overflow.
Speak to mothers and fathers and guide them in being the parents You want them to be.
Speak to children and give them instruction in how to be obedient and respectful to all.
Speak to teachers and show them how to teach.
Speak to students and open their minds to learning and being the best they can.
Speak to leaders in every venue--businesses, government, school, churches, and homes and remind them to conduct themselves as representatives of who You are--seeking to defend the rights of the poor and needy, wherever we find them.
Look upon those who are lost--not having known You and put one of Your children along their path, so they will come to know You.
Look upon all those who serve You and grant them favor everywhere they go with everyone they meet.
Examine each and every one of us--show us where we need to improve in our relationship with You and with others.
Remind us of Your Word through the Holy Spirit who guides and teaches all who will receive. 
Thank You for hearing and answering this prayer.
Pour out a special blessing for all who agree with it and share it with others--loving like Jesus, unconditionally.

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

Are You The One?

"Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers" (Psalm 1: 1-3 NIV).

Are you the one who is blessed?

Are you out-of-step with the wicked (not going along with everything the wicked--those who never knew God-- do)?

Are you standing on the other side of the street (figuratively speaking)--away from the sinners (those who once knew God, but turned away)?

Are you sitting far away from those who mock (not joining in) those who believe God?

Are you taking pleasure in God's commandment of loving, unconditionally?

Are you reading and meditating on the Word throughout the day?

If you are doing all these things--then The Word says--you shall be like a tree planted by streams of water--always being watered by the Word--establishing deep, strong roots (foundation for living God's way) and you will have good success at whatever you do (everything you do, prospers).

Are you the one?

When we do what God tells us to do we can expect to receive what He says we will get. When we don't--there is still an expectation--though not a pleasant one--we will receive the consequence of our actions.

God help us to be the one who lives according to Your Word so we may blessed with all spiritual and natural blessings in all we do. Remind us on a daily basis to share the love You have poured into our hearts and convince others to seek You for themselves by our conduct and in being a living testimony of Your goodness. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen!

For All Our Tomorrows!

Father, in the name of Jesus,
Look upon us kindly, correcting us, guiding us and loving us.
Have mercy upon all who have yet to acknowledge You.
Don't remove from Your Spirit from this place, but keep us mindful of Your presence.
Create in us a desire to please You and to be a model to others in doing so.
Help us to understand Your plans--plans to prosper us and not to harm any--and to live according to Your Word.
Keep us prayerful--always looking to You for answers and solutions--always considerate of others.
As our number in age increases--grant us increased wisdom and knowledge in abundance.
Help us O God to not judge matters that only You can judge since we have neither heaven or hell for anyone.
Help us to keep our minds stayed on You, no matter what our circumstances may be.
Speak to our hearts, Lord and help us to understand that loving You and loving others is the only way we can affect change in our lives.
We look to You, the only Wise God of all creation, for everything we need and desire and we thank You for keeping us in position to receive every blessing our eyes have not seen because of our obedience to You and Your love towards us.
Never let us forget to proclaim just how awesome You are!
Amen!

Run Me Over!

"And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you if you obey The Lord, your God" (Deuteronomy 28:2). 

Whenever I think of this passage of scripture, I think about an 18-wheeler, running me down and overtaking me on the highway and being left standing, more blessed than I could handle.  You may not have the imagination I have when you read this, but just think about it for a minute.  If we just obey God, His blessings will come upon us and overtake us! Wow!

Now, what are the blessings?  All those listed throughout the next 11 verses, are our blessings to expect when we are obedient.  His promises to us:  we'll be blessed no matter where we live, our children will be blessed and anything we produce will be blessed, whatever we put our hands to (constructively) will be blessed, we'll be blessed going into places and coming out of places, our enemies will be defeated in front of us, people will know we belong to the Lord by our actions and welcome us into their presence, we will be blessed with abundant prosperity, we'll be the head and not the tail (start businesses and not just be the last hired)--if we pay attention to what The Lord has said and are not deterred by what men say, God will bless everything we do when we are obedient to Him.

When we don't obey or just ignore His commands and become more concerned about what man has said, we open ourselves to the curses--a much longer list in the same passage of scripture.  Beat down by curses or run over with blessings? It is our choice.

I don't know about you, but I want God's blessings to run me over and never stop!  Now, I have something to do. 

Lord, keep me focused on what You have said and help me to obey and to remind others of Your goodness, daily.  In Jesus' name, I pray and thank You, Amen!

Blessed or Cursed?

"This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live" (Deuteronomy 30:19 NIV). 

Many people do not like to be reminded of what is said in Old Testament scriptures and actually attempt to discredit much of which is said.  While I will not enter into a debate about it, I will point some things out that have come to pass, just as The Word said it would. 

I have always considered Deuteronomy 28 to be the book of blesses and curses, simply because the first 14 verses talk about how God will bless us.  And then from verse 15 through 68, we are told how we become cursed--through disobedience.  Notice there are far more scriptures relating to how we'll be cursed than how we are blessed. 

And then are those people who would attempt to discredit a person's ability to "choose" to believe God.  We see in this verse--that we have always had a choice--to be obedient or disobedient.  We choose life or death; blessings or curses by our obedience or disobedience to God's Word.  Now for those who don't believe God exists, that's a choice, too. But for those of us who profess an unwavering belief in God and His Word, we are accountable for what we do--we should all be walking in the blessings of the Lord. 

The bottom line for me is simply this:  If I am obedient to God in "all" He says (love Him and love others), I will be blessed and everything I put my hands to shall prosper.  If I choose to disobey (hold hatred against others and create chaos and confusion by my words or acts), then I can expect my efforts not to do much of anything, but be cursed. I get it!

I choose life and prosperity and being blessed over being cursed.  What about you?

Getting Rich!

"The blessing of the LORD, it make one rich, and he adds no sorrow with it" (Proverbs 10:22 paraphrased).

For everyone who has ever tried a "get-rich-quick scheme" and failed, there is a way to assure riches and that way only comes from God through His blessings.  Solomon understands that the blessing of being obedient results in abundant wealth.  Just look at his life!

When Solomon had an opportunity to receive great wealth from God, he asked for wisdom.  And because he did not ask for wealth, and because he was obedient, he received great wisdom and abundant wealth, until he was influenced by his flesh instead of his faith in God.

But The Word reminds us that God has given us "power to get wealth" through the Holy Spirit.  When we allow the Holy Spirit to reign in our lives, we can expect to see the promise made to Joshua (fulfilled in our lives) when God told him that "whatever he put his hands would prosper" when he was obedient."

When God blesses a person, He does not add any sorrow (regret) to the blessing, but sometimes we end up with sorrow and regret because we did not know (had no wisdom) how to handle the blessing. We see this in those who have won large jackpots in lotteries and still end up miserable and broke.  For many, who do not understand, the blessings of the Lord are not just material things, but happiness, joy, peace and good health.  When we can appreciate these things and are willing to hear and obey God, we have access to receiving great riches.

If we want great riches, we must hear and obey and have faith in His Word.  Lord, give us wisdom in how to receive all that You desire to give us and in what to do with that knowledge and wealth so we can to help eliminate the struggles of others.