When Wrongs Rise!

A false witness will perish, but a careful listener will testify successfully. The wicked put up a bold front but the upright give thought to their ways. There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord. The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the Lord. Proverbs 21: 28-31 NIV
The greedy stir up conflict, but those who trust in the Lord will prosper. Those who trust in themselves are fools, but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe. Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses. When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding; but when the wicked perish, the righteous thrive. Proverbs 28:25-28 NIV
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. James 3:13-17 NIV

There is no time in history in which wrongs committed did not surface for all to see. Since there is nothing new under the sun, we can expect the wrongs committed now and in the 2016 election to rise to the surface for all to see and understand how we came to be in this place of chaos and disorder.

The Word from James says it best; "where there is envy and selfish ambition, we'll find disorder and every evil practice." Think about that for a moment.

Who has benefitted from the 2016 election? Who is reversing policies that protected the consumer and the poor? Who has installed family members in the White House who are using their positions to enrich their bank accounts? Who hated President Obama so much they are constantly trying to outdo or undo everything President Obama did for the sake of all Americans? Who has stirred up hate and conflict with their rhetoric and promotion of violence? Who has "removed the hate groups" from the terror watch and eased gun restrictions so the hate groups can harm themselves--in readiness for the coup to take over the government, demolishing democracy? Who indeed is about to reap what they have sown?

It is truly unfortunate that people's lives were put at risk when the shooting that occurred in Virginia on yesterday and it's equally unfortunate that the shooter apparently had his sights set on Republicans. I'm not condoning violence in any form and I'm praying for the victims as well as the family of the shooter. But this is the result of frustration--brought about by a lack of trust in the current leadership and those in Congress. None of the policies under discussion will benefit the poor and the needy and in deed will cause them more harm. I don't know if this is the reason the shooter pulled the trigger; this is only speculation on my part. When people are frustrated beyond measure and can get no relief from a government that is supposed to consider all Americans, they take their frustration and desperation out on others--causing even more problems.

I pray the shooting incident will lead to Congressional Accord between the parties and they will work together to solve our nation's problems and come up with solutions that will benefit all, not just the rich. It should not matter which part holds the majority in Congress if they all care about all Americans--compromise should be possible and even mandated to ensure democracy works in this country.

Where there is no clear leadership (as we have seen for the past six months), militia groups rise and thrive creating even more discord as they perpetuate the promotion of fear, hate, and violence. I would hope that we can prevent this from rising to a level of no-return but all of us, must be vigilant and wise in all we do. Leadership in positions of authority is needed to keep this country on the right track and that means we must vote--exercising wisdom.

I'm counting on wisdom from above to guide all in 2020 as I seek the presidency, providing a strong, clear voice that advocates for all Everyday Americans.

When Evil Frustrates!

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. The LORD looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. Do all these evildoers know nothing? They devour my people as though eating bread; they never call on the LORD. But there they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of the righteous. You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor, but the LORD is their refuge.Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the LORD restores his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad! Psalm 14 NIV

Where are the true Patriots in the Republican party in Washington, DC?

Is there one--just one Republican--who speaks truth any more?

Is there one--just one Republican--who cares about the poor and needy?

Is there one--just one Republican--who is more loyal to country than "pledged loyalty to a man" who has no values other than greed and power?

Is there one--just one Republican--who cares more about their constituents than their party agenda?

Is there one--just one Republican--who is bold enough to stand up and speak out against the atrocious policies being implemented that discriminate against the poor and promote hatred?

Is there one--just one Republican--who is courageous enough to convince the party to put an end to this charade of a presidency that has the world laughing at America?

If there is one--then where are they and what's taking them so long to stand up and uphold the oath of office they took or does that oath no longer mean anything?

Have they--succumbed to greed and need for power over doing what is best for the entire country?

Where is the  moral outrage of the so-called christians who voted for all the "negligent, obstructionists" who put evil in the seats of government?

It would appear to me, that everything we say--as Christians and Americans--we value has gone out the window with our current leadership and no one seems to care about the people or what they need. No longer do we see integrity and honor ruling in the hearts of those in position of leadership. No longer do we see patriotism honored by elected leaders who have apparently forgotten--the voters who elected them. No longer do we see those who have publicly taken oaths of office--uphold them.
 

But we--who truly know God and live according to His precepts and are loyal to Him--understand how God will frustrate the plans of those who frustrate the plans of the poor.

For this reason--there is fear and anxiety--overcoming reason and logic by those who plot evil or won't stand against it.

For this reason--instability and anger--rests upon those who do not know God and will not obey Him.

For this reason--many Republicans--are afraid to face their constituents and hide from them.

For this reason--the American people--will seek those who care about them and change the political landscape from the red of anger and frustration and greed to the blue of hope and integrity and honor.

The frustration felt by those who have been ignored will result in a tsunami of blue waves that wash across this country in upcoming elections--no matter how much money--the Republicans spend--unless they have chosen to "rig more elections" like 2016.

God knows and He's watching and His purposes and plans will not be frustrated by evil, for He has overcome evil and evil will be overthrown and cast into the pit of darkness, never to be seen or heard from again. Watch for it!

Not Easily Manipulated!

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do. James 1:2-8 NIV

When trouble comes--for many--they discover their vulnerabilities-- and then others take advantage of the situation, manipulating those who are vulnerable and not thinking clearly. For the Believer, we are told that when events occur in our life that test our mettle--we should welcome it--and discover just how strong we are and incapable of being manipulated by those who would attempt to do it.

How do we recognize the manipulators? That's easy--they smile in our face, telling us anything we want to hear, attempt to explain away any negatives about them or a current situation, and then they convince us--for a price--they can make things better. The price they exact from the vulnerable depends upon the situation at hand.

For those who proclaim they have great business acumen--listen carefully and then do your research. Are they that great and who is saying so? Is it just them or does the entire business community confirm their greatness? How did they achieve their wealth? Were they born into it or did they work--using sweat equity--to accomplish their achievements? Did they take advantage of legal loopholes to get out of paying debts--leaving others destitute and broken? Are they selling a bill of goods or do they live by what they proclaim? Is there any documented proof of what they claim?

The double-minded--who can't make up their minds about what they believe or what they want--are unstable in all their ways. How do we know? When a person proclaims one thing--one minute and then ten minutes later--change their position, they demonstrate their instability because they have not determined one course of action, but are easily influenced to travel any path that appears to get them where they want to go. And as they go--down one merry path into another--they are always plotting--ready to manipulate any losers who dare to believe them.

The greatest losers at the hand of a master manipulator are those who buy into the rhetoric of greatness and hope for things that are literally not possible. Many women have been seduced into relationships by master manipulators to discover later, they were manipulated into a situation because of their own vulnerability.

We divulge our vulnerabilities when we are needy, desperate, and frustrated with our lot in life--without Jesus in our lives. When a smooth-talker comes along who appears to understand us and offer us false hope--we grab at it--thinking we've finally found what we need. Unfortunately, by the time we've paid the price--giving into what the manipulator wants us to do--it's too late and the time cannot be recovered nor the trust we misplaced in people.

How do we avoid being manipulated? We trust in the Lord and seek Him for wisdom in all we do. We don't listen to the smooth talkers, the ones who can read us like a transparent book cover--we investigate and research--before placing our trust in any person. We dare to look at ourselves and see us for who we really are and plan to change our lives based upon the guidance of The Lord. If we need an education to get the job we want--we go back to school--shedding the anger and frustration from past lost opportunities and make the most of the new ones.

We don't allow anyone to play on our weaknesses because we work not to display them, so others won't know, by drawing strength from our loving God. With Jesus on our side--He will alert us to anyone attempting to manipulate us.

Blinded!

Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 2 Corinthians 4:1-4 NIV

There are so many things that cause blindness--other than physiological reasons--and unfortunately, those who are blinded by the tricks of the enemy--seldom realize their predicament.

Being blinded by the enemy's distortions of truth is nothing new. All we need to do is go back to the garden to see how he blinded Eve with his distortion of truth. And he hasn't changed his MO; he's still distorting God's truth to keep people out of the will of God. The distortions--about truth--are not just used by those who are influenced by the enemy about The Word--they are used to confound and confuse about issues--prevalent in our society--to sway opinions.

We see this on a daily basis in the political arena. Some are using "smidgens" of truth and blowing that out of proportion to make themselves look better than another. Quite frankly, the more people attack others on issues that have no bearing on the competence of someone to run the country, the more disgruntled I get with the entire process. It is amazing to me how political candidates will use every possible avenue to destroy another's character when their own character leaves much to be desired.

But then--the followers of one are so blinded that they only see the truth--distorted as it is--that the candidate wants them to see. I really don't understand how some people are blinded by the lies--but I'm also not frustrated by bias against any who don't agree with. I am capable of discerning truth--aside from the efforts by those attempting to distort it. For any who are filled with Holy Spirit and are willing to heed His guidance--truth should never be distorted for us. We have "insight" that the average person may never understand, but will we use what we are given to make a stand for righteousness or will we cave to popular opinion and leave the door wide open for the nation's destruction?

I'm not promoting one candidate over another--I'm encouraging people to take off the blinders, shed the scales that keep truth distorted, and allow Holy Spirit to show all that needs to be seen. Stop allowing frustrations and personal biases to interfere with ability to see truth. Listen to the candidates--carefully--not the media or their opponents--listen to them and ask Holy Spirit to allow a glimpse of their heart. Are they truly interested in serving the needs of the people--all Americans--or do they have an agenda to serve self? These are not hard questions and the answers are easily seen--when one is not blinded by frustration, confusion and bigotry.

Remember this--a lie is a lie and there is no little lie, no black lies or white lies. God hates all liars and when we speak those things that are not true--we are liars. 

Let's stick with the facts and leave our opinions out of the equation since opinions are like other body exits--everyone has one and whether we agree or not, there is never any justification for disrespecting others for expressing their opinion about anything.

Why Are We Weeping?

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. “Where have you laid him?” he asked. “Come and see, Lord,” they replied. Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” (John 11:33-36 NIV)

There are number of reasons why people cry--creating pools of sorrow or joy--when we weep, but sometimes, we could avoid the sodden cheeks and salty trails if we would just obey. There is a reason for everything that occurs in our lives--some things we can control--others we can't. Even though Jesus wept when He realized Lazarus had died, His tears were not just out of sadness, but out of realization that some things must happen, in order for others to get right with God.

The moment the criticizing, waffling Jewish leaders saw Him weep, they were amazed at how much He must have loved Lazarus, but then they started bickering, "If He is so great, why didn't He save Him," they started murmuring. They didn't understand what was about to happen, but Jesus knew, Lazarus' death was for such a time as it occurred, so God would be glorified.

There are many people weeping today. They are weeping over the loss of children who are dead before they had a chance to explore life and live. They are weeping over the senseless acts of violence that destroy lives--the victim's and the perpetrator's--and all the families involved. They are weeping over the mistreatment and abuse of others at the hands of zealots who don't know God, but claim their actions are directed by God. And they are right--the god of this world--Satan directs the destruction of lives, hoping to see humanity cease to exist. People are weeping over negligent governments who because of their greed and corrupt spirits are destroying the lives of people on all levels, but especially the aged and vulnerable.

Some weep with bitterness and regret over lost opportunities or poor choices that leave them with no hope, frustrated and angry. And these are those whose lives are ruined, set out to destroy the lives of others, not understanding their choices are what put them where they are.

Then there are those who weep with joy with the birth of new family member, a promotion of a job, a hard-earned accomplishment, a bride's beauty, the beauty of a moment, or seeing a soul saved and lives transformed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

When we weep at funerals or home-goings of those we cherish, sometimes it is for us, in our self-pity, and sometimes it is genuine feeling of loss for those we won't have a chance to serve again. There is a belief among some that we should rejoice when people die and cry when they are born. For those who understand the trials and challenges of living--this is true. For those who don't--they haven't lived long enough to understand it.

When God looks upon us--is He smiling or weeping? I can imagine with the condition of the world today, He's probably saddened by the corruption, greed and waywardness of those who deliberately choose to live in opposition to His Word. But for the remnant--the few who will do everything they can to please Him, He's smiling--rejoicing in His children's obedience to Him.

Now--look inwardly, not at others and determine if God is smiling over what we do or if He is crying and why.

Deceptive Storms Excerpt 6

When Paul finished talking to the principal, he left his car in the school’s parking lot and decided to take a stroll around the building.  He checked every nook and crevice he thought a student could hide, but he couldn’t find Vernon.  He finally went back to his car and drove towards the bridge where he knew all sorts of things took place.  Sure enough, he spotted Vernon talking with a guy who looked pretty seedy; he sat in the car watching and then decided to take a picture when he saw them make an exchange.   When Paul got out of his car, the guy he didn’t know ran in the other direction.  Vernon looked up to see why the guy ran and saw Paul and readied himself for the lecture, he knew was coming.

“Vernon!  Hold on a minute!  I’ve been looking for you,” Paul told him.

“Yeah, well you found me.  What up?”

“I was just at the school making arrangements for an assembly and I wanted to ask you and some other young people to participate.  I got a chance to talk to Ronald and Stephanie last night, but you left before I could get to you.  So, how about it? Would you be interested in participating?”

“Nah.  I ain’t got time for that assembly crap.  That’s for the nerds—Ronald and Stephanie would be perfect.”

By now Paul was standing directly in front of him and looked at him closely.   Vernon’s eyes were glassy and red.  He refused to look directly at Paul and kept fingering something in his pocket.

“Okay, Vernon.  Since when did a school assembly classify as “crap” and why do you call Ronald and Stephanie nerds?  I thought you all were friends.”

“We was, but you know, things change,” Vernon responded sullenly.  “I don’t need no assembly in school trying to tell me anything.  Those things are always so lame.”

“Look at me, Vernon.  Look at me!” He was close enough to Vernon to reach out and grab him, but he didn’t.  “What is going on with you?  You’re skipping school, your grades are failing, and you’re standing here high as a helium-filled balloon.” 

“Man, I don’t know what you talking about,” Vernon started, but Paul interrupted him.

“Don’t even try to deny it.  I know the symptoms and signs.  Working at the rehab center with kids for the last nine years has taught me a great deal.  I do know how to recognize the signs when someone is using.  So, what are you using?  And like I said, don’t try to deny it.”

Vernon gave him a dirty look and then shrugged his shoulders.  “What’s it to you?  I ain’t bothering you none?”

“What…are…you…using?” Paul repeated, firmly stating each word.

“Okay, okay!  It’s no big deal.  I’m just smoking a little weed, that’s all!” Vernon shouted, angrily.  “Man, get off my back, you not my father.”

“No, I’m not your father.  I came looking for you because I wanted to talk to you before I talked to your father.  And the weed—it is a big deal.  I almost lost my life after smoking some weed—my little indiscretion cost my parents a fortune and me a scholarship.  So, don’t tell me, ‘a little weed is no big deal’.  Any weed at all is a big deal, the sale and use of it is illegal and you are too young to get strung out on it.” He watched him fidgeting with his hand in his pocket.  “What’s in your pocket that has you more interested in it than in what I’m saying?”

“Ain’t none of your business what’s in my pocket!”  Vernon pulled his hand out of his pocket and was clenching his fist.

“Oh, I’m making it my business.  And what’s next…?—I see your balled up fist.  You think you can take me on?”  Now, Paul did grab Vernon by his collar, pushing him back against the pillar of the bridge.

Vernon was choking and couldn’t breathe and he tried to pry Paul’s hands from around his neck, but couldn’t.  Paul relaxed his hold on him, but didn’t completely let him go.

“Now, I’ll ask you again. What’s in your pocket?”

“Come on man.  I told you.  A little weed,” Vernon wheezed his response.

“Pull it out your pocket!”

Vernon hesitated and Paul tightened his grip.

“Okay, okay, here!” Vernon held up the bag in his hand.  What he had was not “a little weed, but enough for him to sell and make some serious money. 

Paul let Vernon go and snatched the bag out of his hand. When he opened it, he discovered 15 tiny zip-lock packets of weed.  He was still blocking Vernon’s escape so he just looked at him disgustedly. 

“Do you know how you’re messing up your life with this garbage? Do you?  I should just throw it in the river, but I really wouldn’t want to destroy the fish.  Not like you’re destroying your life.  And your father—what would he say about this?”

“Man, leave my father out of this.  He’s got enough problems of his own.”

“Vernon, I can’t leave your father out of this.  He has to be told.  Now the question is—who’s going to tell him, me or you?”

“I ain’t telling him nothing and he won’t believe you!”

“He will when I provide him with the evidence.  I took a picture of you and the guy that ran off.  Just what do you think he’ll make of that?”

Now, Vernon was scared.  With his father’s temper and all of that secret stuff going on with him, he knew he was in trouble, but his immaturity and lack of real bravado wouldn’t let him back down.

“Go ahead!  Tell him.  Show him all the pictures you want to.  He’ll listen to me and then blame everything on you.  Try him!”