Monday, December 29, 2014
Thursday, December 11, 2014
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Friday, September 5, 2014
Saturday, August 30, 2014
Thursday, August 14, 2014
CONFIRMATION OF JUDGMENT ON THE USA
August 14, 2014
I watched Pastor Patrick Winfrey's video titled Destruction of America imminent, get ready NOW!!!! I posted it here a few days ago. In the video he was given a bible verse from the LORD in Jeremiah 11:11 which says Therefore thus says the LORD: "Behold, I will surely bring calamity on them which they will not be able to escape; and though they cry out to Me, I will not listen to them". I was thinking on that verse as I was just about to go to bed and I heard in my spirit: Nahum 1:6. I read the old testament a few times in the past but I didn't recall anything about Nahum so I looked it up. It was confirmation to me that backs up what Pastor Patrick was saying. Here is the verse: Nahum 1:6 Who can stand before His indignation? And who can endure the fierceness of His anger? His fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by Him.
Those bible passages were written for Israel but there are parallels to America today. Americans have been very blessed. The hand of the LORD has been upon this nation as we sent out our missionaries all over the globe to spread the gospel. Although we continue doing the Lord's work till this day, we are also the leader in pornography, abortions, and the gay agenda, which is Satanically inspired, and that has placed on a slippery slope. We are on shaky ground with God.
God only tolerates so much indignation and then He acts. He's been trying to get the attention of America for some time now with remedial judgments meant to bring us to repentance. For He says in 2 Chronicles 7:14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. The Lord does send natural disasters, pestilence, and even other nations to punish those who turn away from Him. When His people do not repent, He sends wicked rulers to rule over them and this is what we are experiencing here and now in America, and yet, we still don't repent and seek Him. Amazing!
God has already done His part when Christ died once and for all for all sin. Now it's up to us to repent, pray, and seek Him. He has brought on this country floods, tornadoes, earthquakes, sink holes, wild fires, and drought to name a few.
Just look at the news, it is replete with graphic horror scenes of violence in the streets. The love of many has truly waxed cold as is states in Matt 24:12. We are there! We are living in the time that Christ warned about. We are in the days of Noah!
So we are faced with a decision. Do we get our spiritual house in order, knowing full well that the watchmen have sounded the alarm that Jesus is coming, or do we roll over and hit the snooze button and enjoy a little more slumber? Haven't we been asleep long enough? Look what has happened while the church was sleeping! A day is coming, and soon, when God will make that decision for us if we don't wake up and do something about the deplorable state we are in. Romans 3:10-12 says "there is none righteous, no not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one". What a sad state to be in and yet that is exactly where we are but no one knows it because we have allowed ourselves to be blinded by the enemy.
No man knows the day or hour of Chirst's return for His bride but we can know the season of His return. Romans 10:9 says that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Period! There is nothing we can do to gain salvation other than to repent, confess, and believe. There is no magic prayer or sequence of words that we must say to be saved, but only to have a repentant (sorrowful) heart, and faith to believe that Jesus, son of the most high God, came to earth to die for our sins (past, present, and future) and He (Jesus) rose to life again. If we believe that and confess with our mouth that He is LORD, we will be spared His wrath that is coming!
We are not promised another moment. Not one of us knows the moment of our death or the rapture of the Bride. Only God knows such things as these. We can however, know where we are going once that moment takes place.
Phillipians 2:10 says that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that ever tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. We are all going to do it. Every one of us, every angel fallen, and not! Not believing does not make you exempt.
As God's special gift, He imparted on us free will. Each of us must make up our own minds to choose for or against Him. I've made my choice. I'm putting all my eggs in the Jesus basket, are you?
I watched Pastor Patrick Winfrey's video titled Destruction of America imminent, get ready NOW!!!! I posted it here a few days ago. In the video he was given a bible verse from the LORD in Jeremiah 11:11 which says Therefore thus says the LORD: "Behold, I will surely bring calamity on them which they will not be able to escape; and though they cry out to Me, I will not listen to them". I was thinking on that verse as I was just about to go to bed and I heard in my spirit: Nahum 1:6. I read the old testament a few times in the past but I didn't recall anything about Nahum so I looked it up. It was confirmation to me that backs up what Pastor Patrick was saying. Here is the verse: Nahum 1:6 Who can stand before His indignation? And who can endure the fierceness of His anger? His fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by Him.
Those bible passages were written for Israel but there are parallels to America today. Americans have been very blessed. The hand of the LORD has been upon this nation as we sent out our missionaries all over the globe to spread the gospel. Although we continue doing the Lord's work till this day, we are also the leader in pornography, abortions, and the gay agenda, which is Satanically inspired, and that has placed on a slippery slope. We are on shaky ground with God.
God only tolerates so much indignation and then He acts. He's been trying to get the attention of America for some time now with remedial judgments meant to bring us to repentance. For He says in 2 Chronicles 7:14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. The Lord does send natural disasters, pestilence, and even other nations to punish those who turn away from Him. When His people do not repent, He sends wicked rulers to rule over them and this is what we are experiencing here and now in America, and yet, we still don't repent and seek Him. Amazing!
God has already done His part when Christ died once and for all for all sin. Now it's up to us to repent, pray, and seek Him. He has brought on this country floods, tornadoes, earthquakes, sink holes, wild fires, and drought to name a few.
Just look at the news, it is replete with graphic horror scenes of violence in the streets. The love of many has truly waxed cold as is states in Matt 24:12. We are there! We are living in the time that Christ warned about. We are in the days of Noah!
So we are faced with a decision. Do we get our spiritual house in order, knowing full well that the watchmen have sounded the alarm that Jesus is coming, or do we roll over and hit the snooze button and enjoy a little more slumber? Haven't we been asleep long enough? Look what has happened while the church was sleeping! A day is coming, and soon, when God will make that decision for us if we don't wake up and do something about the deplorable state we are in. Romans 3:10-12 says "there is none righteous, no not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one". What a sad state to be in and yet that is exactly where we are but no one knows it because we have allowed ourselves to be blinded by the enemy.
No man knows the day or hour of Chirst's return for His bride but we can know the season of His return. Romans 10:9 says that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Period! There is nothing we can do to gain salvation other than to repent, confess, and believe. There is no magic prayer or sequence of words that we must say to be saved, but only to have a repentant (sorrowful) heart, and faith to believe that Jesus, son of the most high God, came to earth to die for our sins (past, present, and future) and He (Jesus) rose to life again. If we believe that and confess with our mouth that He is LORD, we will be spared His wrath that is coming!
We are not promised another moment. Not one of us knows the moment of our death or the rapture of the Bride. Only God knows such things as these. We can however, know where we are going once that moment takes place.
Phillipians 2:10 says that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that ever tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. We are all going to do it. Every one of us, every angel fallen, and not! Not believing does not make you exempt.
As God's special gift, He imparted on us free will. Each of us must make up our own minds to choose for or against Him. I've made my choice. I'm putting all my eggs in the Jesus basket, are you?
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Monday, August 4, 2014
Sunday, August 3, 2014
Friday, July 25, 2014
Thursday, July 17, 2014
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Monday, July 7, 2014
Friday, June 20, 2014
Saturday, June 14, 2014
MY REAL MORNING COFFEE!
June 14, 2014
Summer is here and kids are out of school. What a difference that makes. I'm on a good schedule and then BAM! Schedule's blown and now I'm on an entirely different schedule - a new one of my own making, though I marvel at how fast the process takes place and it's hard to get back to the old schedule which was working so well.
I used to send my child off to school and when my house was quiet, I would pray. I like to start the day out right. When I can't pray before leaving the house in the morning, I feel as if something isn't right. It isn't that God is angry with me that I didn't pray, or bad things happen to me throughout the day. It is just that closeness that I crave and feel as if something is amiss when I don't have it. Jesus is my morning coffee!
This morning I opened my eyes and my first thought was to roll out of bed and pray while the house was still quiet but I didn't. I stayed up much later that usual and I was more tired that usual so I rolled over and fell back to sleep again and didn't wake until my six year old came bounding in my bedroom, nagging me like an annoying alarm clock with no snooze button.
Once my day starts, it's busy and I don't have many opportunities to spend with the LORD. Today was no exception. The Holy Spirit was nudging me to go pray and instead I had my coffee and checked emails. Again, He nudged me to go pray but this time it was breakfast that was the pressing issue.
Before I knew it, it was time to get ready for work. I thought (again) that I'd have time to get some prayer time in before heading out the door but my mom called with a request that would require me to leave even earlier than I had planned, leaving me no time to pray. That is always the case when you are busy. Things happen that make you even busier yet, it never fails.
Do you know what one of the biggest lies the enemy tells us? - That we have plenty of time and can "get to it later". Imagine waiting in a doctor's office and you are told "he'll see you eventually. Or your sitting at a red light and it will turn green "one of these days". That kind "of thing doesn't sit well with us. We get so annoyed when the person in front of us doesn't gun the engine the second the light turns green - horns are blaring. Why then, do we do that to God? We start out with good intentions, then He slides to the #2 position and before we know it, we stop reading His word everyday, we stop praying and praising Him, we might even stop going to church. Satan is all happy with this. He whispers lies in our ears that we have nothing to worry about, it's all good. God will always be there for us. We can come to Him anytime we want (just not now). And the sad part is...we buy the lie.
I was being selfish this morning, plain and simple. There is no way around it. It was pure unadulterated selfishness on my part. I wanted to do what I wanted to do and so I did and then felt horrible after that I didn't give God two minutes of my time.
For me it was a lack of praying; for you it may be something else that He is calling you to do and you are dragging your feet, perhaps it's coming to Christ for the first time or after backsliding. Whatever it may be, soon the decision will be made for us, only not by us, but the LORD and Hebrews 10:31 tells us "it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God".
We are told in Isaiah 55:6 seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Next time I will be more in tune to what the Holy Spirit is speaking to my heart - I won't be selfish, and will seek Him early.
Blessings to you all. May God grant you the will to seek Him will all diligence while He may be found.
James 27:14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
Summer is here and kids are out of school. What a difference that makes. I'm on a good schedule and then BAM! Schedule's blown and now I'm on an entirely different schedule - a new one of my own making, though I marvel at how fast the process takes place and it's hard to get back to the old schedule which was working so well.
I used to send my child off to school and when my house was quiet, I would pray. I like to start the day out right. When I can't pray before leaving the house in the morning, I feel as if something isn't right. It isn't that God is angry with me that I didn't pray, or bad things happen to me throughout the day. It is just that closeness that I crave and feel as if something is amiss when I don't have it. Jesus is my morning coffee!
This morning I opened my eyes and my first thought was to roll out of bed and pray while the house was still quiet but I didn't. I stayed up much later that usual and I was more tired that usual so I rolled over and fell back to sleep again and didn't wake until my six year old came bounding in my bedroom, nagging me like an annoying alarm clock with no snooze button.
Once my day starts, it's busy and I don't have many opportunities to spend with the LORD. Today was no exception. The Holy Spirit was nudging me to go pray and instead I had my coffee and checked emails. Again, He nudged me to go pray but this time it was breakfast that was the pressing issue.
Before I knew it, it was time to get ready for work. I thought (again) that I'd have time to get some prayer time in before heading out the door but my mom called with a request that would require me to leave even earlier than I had planned, leaving me no time to pray. That is always the case when you are busy. Things happen that make you even busier yet, it never fails.
Do you know what one of the biggest lies the enemy tells us? - That we have plenty of time and can "get to it later". Imagine waiting in a doctor's office and you are told "he'll see you eventually. Or your sitting at a red light and it will turn green "one of these days". That kind "of thing doesn't sit well with us. We get so annoyed when the person in front of us doesn't gun the engine the second the light turns green - horns are blaring. Why then, do we do that to God? We start out with good intentions, then He slides to the #2 position and before we know it, we stop reading His word everyday, we stop praying and praising Him, we might even stop going to church. Satan is all happy with this. He whispers lies in our ears that we have nothing to worry about, it's all good. God will always be there for us. We can come to Him anytime we want (just not now). And the sad part is...we buy the lie.
I was being selfish this morning, plain and simple. There is no way around it. It was pure unadulterated selfishness on my part. I wanted to do what I wanted to do and so I did and then felt horrible after that I didn't give God two minutes of my time.
For me it was a lack of praying; for you it may be something else that He is calling you to do and you are dragging your feet, perhaps it's coming to Christ for the first time or after backsliding. Whatever it may be, soon the decision will be made for us, only not by us, but the LORD and Hebrews 10:31 tells us "it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God".
We are told in Isaiah 55:6 seek the LORD while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near. Next time I will be more in tune to what the Holy Spirit is speaking to my heart - I won't be selfish, and will seek Him early.
Blessings to you all. May God grant you the will to seek Him will all diligence while He may be found.
James 27:14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.
Friday, June 6, 2014
ARISE, WAKE FROM YOUR SLUMBER AND FIGHT!
June 6, 2014
ARISE, WAKE FROM YOUR SLUMBER AND FIGHT!
As I was praying this morning the LORD gave me this word:
Now is not a time for slackness on the part of My people. Wake up, and see the darkness that has come. It surrounds you. Rise up! Take the armor that I give you - be clothed in it and fight the good fight.
My people you are living in dangerous times. You will need My protection, and you shall have it. In this time of worry and strife, you shall have provision at My hand. You are more than conquers in Me. You are heirs in My kingdom; don't let the enemy tell you otherwise, for he is a liar and the father of lies. He roams the earth seeking the weak as his prey. Be strong My people, that he will flee from you. For he will see that you are in Me as I AM in the Father, and he will run from you.
Push back the darkness that creeps into your lives. Don't allow it any access, for it will surely take over if you do.
I have given My people a time of rest to refresh you in body, mind, and spirit, but now I say to you, the time of rest is over. It is time to charge forward and win souls into My kingdom. My great harvest is at hand and I AM sending out the workers to gather in the lost. The enemy knows this - he knows his time is very short indeed and he works tirelessly to interrupt My plans, but he will not succeed.
Pray for those you know who need an outpouring of My grace. Pray for your families, friends, and neighbors who have not yet, accepted Me and My free gift of salvation. Pray for those who are sitting on the fence, who think they know Me but they do not. Pray for the workers going out into the harvest fields that I will refresh them anew with a zeal for the lost that they will be successful in the task that I have set before them.
And pray for yourselves that I will continue to cover you with My precious and holy blood that no harm shall come to you. Be strong in Me and don't waiver in your walk with Me. I will surely do amazing things and bring you safely home.
Ephesians 6:10 -17 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rules of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
Luke 10:2 Then He said to them, "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."
Romans 8:37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
Revelation 12:12 "Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time".
James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Thursday, June 5, 2014
S.O.S.
June 5, 2014
The other day I was sitting at a traffic light when I looked over and saw a tow truck next to me. I've seen a hundred of them but never noticed this one special feature - the part of the tow that goes under the vehicle to lift it up was in the shape of a cross. How ironic that the most important part of a tow truck was shaped like a cross. There there to help us when we break down but who do we call when we break down spiritually, emotionally, or physically? Shouldn't it be JESUS, the One who created us and loves us unconditionally? Why is it that so often when we find ourselves in a tough spot, we look to others around us, or we look to crutches like cigarettes and alcohol to comfort us? Shouldn't our very first thought be to bring our cares to Him? He tells us to do just that - Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:28) Don't we trust Him enough to love us and care for us? Why then do we repeatedly look elsewhere first? Matthew 7:9-11 says: Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! Isn't it interesting that Jesus refers to us as "evil" and yet we give good gifts to our own. How then can a completely Holy God give bad gifts? He is simply incapable!
Just before this verse in Matthew 7:7 Jesus tells us "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. An important observation here is that we are told that EVERYONE who asks receives, not just some people, the absolute righteous perhaps (because we know there is no such person) but everyone. Why then do we ask and not receive? Is there some secret? The key to asking for things is to first make sure it is in alignment with His divine will. God is not going cause us to win the lottery so that we can buy our dream house, because He knows that will ultimately corrupt our walk with Him. Secondly, we must believe that we will receive what we ask Him for. Believing Him for what we don't see yet, is our faith in action. Mark 11:24, Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. So we must first, make sure that what we are asking for isn't going against the will of God and secondly, we need to exercise our faith and BELIEVE that He will provide those things that we are asking for.
Remember: Jesus is way more than just a tow truck driver who is there when we need Him to get us out of a jam. He created us, He loves us, and He seeks a relationship with us. He is always there even when we don't feel His presence, even when we sin against Him - He is faithful to forgive us when we repent and turn back to Him.
The LORD does use other people to bring comfort to us when we need it, but we should never make that person an idol, nor any other thing that steals away our affection and consumes our time.
The other day I was sitting at a traffic light when I looked over and saw a tow truck next to me. I've seen a hundred of them but never noticed this one special feature - the part of the tow that goes under the vehicle to lift it up was in the shape of a cross. How ironic that the most important part of a tow truck was shaped like a cross. There there to help us when we break down but who do we call when we break down spiritually, emotionally, or physically? Shouldn't it be JESUS, the One who created us and loves us unconditionally? Why is it that so often when we find ourselves in a tough spot, we look to others around us, or we look to crutches like cigarettes and alcohol to comfort us? Shouldn't our very first thought be to bring our cares to Him? He tells us to do just that - Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:28) Don't we trust Him enough to love us and care for us? Why then do we repeatedly look elsewhere first? Matthew 7:9-11 says: Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! Isn't it interesting that Jesus refers to us as "evil" and yet we give good gifts to our own. How then can a completely Holy God give bad gifts? He is simply incapable!
Just before this verse in Matthew 7:7 Jesus tells us "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. An important observation here is that we are told that EVERYONE who asks receives, not just some people, the absolute righteous perhaps (because we know there is no such person) but everyone. Why then do we ask and not receive? Is there some secret? The key to asking for things is to first make sure it is in alignment with His divine will. God is not going cause us to win the lottery so that we can buy our dream house, because He knows that will ultimately corrupt our walk with Him. Secondly, we must believe that we will receive what we ask Him for. Believing Him for what we don't see yet, is our faith in action. Mark 11:24, Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. So we must first, make sure that what we are asking for isn't going against the will of God and secondly, we need to exercise our faith and BELIEVE that He will provide those things that we are asking for.
Remember: Jesus is way more than just a tow truck driver who is there when we need Him to get us out of a jam. He created us, He loves us, and He seeks a relationship with us. He is always there even when we don't feel His presence, even when we sin against Him - He is faithful to forgive us when we repent and turn back to Him.
The LORD does use other people to bring comfort to us when we need it, but we should never make that person an idol, nor any other thing that steals away our affection and consumes our time.
Sunday, May 18, 2014
THE DESERT, THE OCEAN, AND THE RAPTURE
May 18, 2014
Lately I've been feeling pretty dry in a spiritual sense. We all go through through those dreaded drought periods in our lives when we feel like animal hide that's been baking out in the hot desert sun all day, parched and cracking. We reach for our water canteen only to find it empty and dusty.
These are the times when we start to wonder what the LORD is up to in our lives. Did He forget about us? Is He busy elsewhere? The answer is NO. and NO. He's never too busy for His beloved children and He says in His word that He neither leaves us, nor forsakes us. So what is going on here?
The desert times can leave us feeling anxious, numb, vulnerable, and even alone. It is a time when God wants to draw us closer to Him so He can teach us something. If life constantly goes our way, what learning is there in that? What type of appreciation would have for the things He has given us if we never experience need?
Jesus admonishes us to run the race as to win a prize, to endure to the end, to do all we can, and then stand. As with every race, there is always the occasional hurdle to get over, the noisy crowd on the sidelines, distracting us. Why would He tell us to do all we can and then to stand? What does He know that we don't? He knows that Satan is going to throw all he's got as us to get us off track and make us lose our focus. He's going to trick us, trap us, and trample us underfoot unless we're rooted in Jesus like a tree by the water's edge.
1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
1 Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.
Ephesians 6:13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Jeremiah 17:8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but it's leaf will be green and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.
We are expected to be rooted in Jesus Christ, Who is our living water, and Who nourishes us in times of drought, protects us from the heat, AND we are expected to still bear fruit during those times. In other words: Don't give up!
With that in mind, I prayed last night about my spiritual dryness, begging God to give me some encouragement. He brought to mind the days when my family used to go to the beach for vacation. I would go out shelling for hours looking for that perfect shell for my collection. With every wave of the ocean, I got excited to see what it brought in, never getting distracted by the people on the be each, or the crashing waves. I didn't even feel the scorching heat of the sun beating down on me. It's the same with life, when we are SO focused on Jesus, we won't be distracted by the roar of the worldly crowd, nor the scorching heat of the devils attacks against us. I was encouraged to keep running the race, to keep my focus on Him and to take that same attitude of endurance because the rapture of the Bride is truly just around the corner.
Lately I've been feeling pretty dry in a spiritual sense. We all go through through those dreaded drought periods in our lives when we feel like animal hide that's been baking out in the hot desert sun all day, parched and cracking. We reach for our water canteen only to find it empty and dusty.
These are the times when we start to wonder what the LORD is up to in our lives. Did He forget about us? Is He busy elsewhere? The answer is NO. and NO. He's never too busy for His beloved children and He says in His word that He neither leaves us, nor forsakes us. So what is going on here?
The desert times can leave us feeling anxious, numb, vulnerable, and even alone. It is a time when God wants to draw us closer to Him so He can teach us something. If life constantly goes our way, what learning is there in that? What type of appreciation would have for the things He has given us if we never experience need?
Jesus admonishes us to run the race as to win a prize, to endure to the end, to do all we can, and then stand. As with every race, there is always the occasional hurdle to get over, the noisy crowd on the sidelines, distracting us. Why would He tell us to do all we can and then to stand? What does He know that we don't? He knows that Satan is going to throw all he's got as us to get us off track and make us lose our focus. He's going to trick us, trap us, and trample us underfoot unless we're rooted in Jesus like a tree by the water's edge.
1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
1 Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.
Ephesians 6:13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Jeremiah 17:8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but it's leaf will be green and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.
We are expected to be rooted in Jesus Christ, Who is our living water, and Who nourishes us in times of drought, protects us from the heat, AND we are expected to still bear fruit during those times. In other words: Don't give up!
With that in mind, I prayed last night about my spiritual dryness, begging God to give me some encouragement. He brought to mind the days when my family used to go to the beach for vacation. I would go out shelling for hours looking for that perfect shell for my collection. With every wave of the ocean, I got excited to see what it brought in, never getting distracted by the people on the be each, or the crashing waves. I didn't even feel the scorching heat of the sun beating down on me. It's the same with life, when we are SO focused on Jesus, we won't be distracted by the roar of the worldly crowd, nor the scorching heat of the devils attacks against us. I was encouraged to keep running the race, to keep my focus on Him and to take that same attitude of endurance because the rapture of the Bride is truly just around the corner.
Thursday, May 8, 2014
SOME LESSONS I'VE LEARNED ALONG THE JOURNEY
Lesson #1. JESUS IS ALWAYS THE ANSWER – MY
TESTIMONY -
Remember the cartoons where someone gets a piano or a
refrigerator dropped on their head from a four story building? That is how I learn my spiritual lessons. Some people are quick learners and respond to gentle correction, but not me.....Oh no! Not me! God had to bring out the big stuff to get my attention. And get it, He did! Getting back to the piano falling, God did that for me. I say “for me” because it was the best thing
that He ever did on my behalf – besides dying on the cross. I grew up in a Catholic home, went to church
every Sunday, attended the appropriate catechism classes, etc. I had complete head knowledge of who Jesus
was and that He died for our sins. End
of story. Case closed. Nothing more to look at here folks! Needless to say, that does not make me a
Christian, so as a teenager, I rebelled, drank a lot, smoked, took drugs and
ran with boys. I so longed to be “in”
with the crowd and now I was. I was
having the time of my life. Sin always
looks fun and fashionable on the outside.
It isn’t until you peek beneath that you see the true story. Sadly, for some they never get the chance to
see what is underneath and repent before they die in their sins. I thank God for His never ending love, mercy
and grace.
At the age of 17 after many months of acting like a fool, I
was pregnant for my first child. Earlier
that year, I had slipped on some ice and hurt my back. The full extent of which would not be
revealed until later. As my tummy
expanded, my back started to really pain me.
It ran down my leg and made my foot numb. An appointment with the physical therapist
revealed that I had two broken discs in my back. Being pregnant at the time, there were no
pain killers I could take, only Tylenol, which was like air in a pill. All I could do was lie in bed with one
heating pad for my back and one for my leg…..and cry – I did a lot of
that. To get around, I needed a wheel
chair and required assistance from my parents just to make it to the bathroom. Having your parents lift you on to a toilet
and in and out of a bath tub doesn’t do much for your ego. There’s no modesty left in that situation.
This one day in July of 1988, for some strange reason, my
mom asked me if I had accepted Jesus as my savior. I must have looked at her as if she had two
heads. I knew who Jesus was, why would
she ask me such a silly question? She
said, “Maybe you should talk to Him”.
When she left my room, I thought about what she said and realized that I
had been chasing my own will for far too long and it was not working out –
especially now. I decided to give it a
shot. I told Him (in my head) how sorry
I was for my sins and asked forgiveness.
I told Him that I wanted Him to be in charge of my life from now on.
At that very moment (and I do mean instantly) I felt a
tremendous heat coarse through my body.
It began in my head and worked its way down to my feet. When the heat left my body, it took with it
about 75% of my pain. For the first time
in months I was able to stand up on my own and walk short distances. What no doctor could do for me, Jesus did!
Luke 11:9 “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given
to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new
creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His
righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
#2 GOD FORGIVES OUR SINS, THE CONSEQUENCES WE OWN
I wasn’t raised in the woods by a pack of wild animals so as
soon as I received the news that I was pregnant, I immediately cut out
cigarettes, drugs, and alcohol.
Unfortunately it was one month down the line and the damage was
done. I had no prior knowledge that
anything was wrong with my child. I went
for the ultrasound and was given a clean bill of health. I had found a woman who has a healing
ministry. When she sings, people are
healed. He traveled the New England area
of the US with her band. On Friday and
Saturday nights, she would come to different towns and rent a venue at a local
school or conference room at a motel. I
started going for healing for the remainder of my pain that didn’t leave. After the singing, talk, and offering part of
the service, people are invited to come forward if they want prayer. At the very first service that I attended, I
went forward with the others and stood in a line. She came down the line, laid hands on
people. Some fell on the floor, others
walked away after prayer. I wasn’t sure
to expect for me. When she got to me,
she smiled at me and said nothing but laid her hands on my round tummy and
prayed earnestly for my baby-to-be.
“That’s sweet” I thought, but what about me. She did lay hands on me and I felt light headed
and fell back into a seat. Little did I
know then that God spoke to that woman about my child. When he was born and check out I was told he
was a perfectly healthy little boy but as the day and night wore on, he was
turning blue and I knew something wasn’t right.
By morning, the pediatrician came to make the rounds and I was told that
my child had a heart murmur and it was nothing to worry about as most babies
outgrow it. And hour later a team of
specialists were summoned from a bigger hospital and hour and a half away. My child was taken by ambulance to a
pediatric hospital. When I arrived there
the following day, there he lay with wires and tubes and a big old IV stuck in
his forehead. I was given the news that
his heart condition was multifaceted and would require open heart surgery to
fix. That same child is 25 now and he’s
had ten surgeries so far and counting. I
found out much later that a child’s heart is the first thing to form in the
womb in only 30 days. I didn’t know I
was pregnant the first month and continued on my debauchery rampage. By the time I quit (and I did not do it alone
by the way – God removed all addictions from me and I had no withdrawal
symptoms) it was too late. I sometimes
think back to that day of prayer and wonder if my child would even be alive today,
had God not intervened. So you see, the
sin was forgiven, but my prior actions, which hurt another (namely, my son) I
have to live with for the rest of my life, as God has not chosen to
supernaturally heal him yet.
Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for
whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.
Lesson #3. GOD’S WAYS ARE ALWAYS BETTER
I had been very active in my church choir for many
years. I loved the people I sang with, I
loved my choir director, I loved the priest, and even the physical building was
pleasant to look at. I took no issue
with anyone. One day out of the clear
blue, the Holy Spirit began to speak to my heart. He was telling me that my time in the
Catholic Church was over. I began to
wonder if it was really God who was laying this on my heart so I prayed about
it. I stayed at my church for a year,
while I told no one but continued to pray.
He was telling me that loving my choir was not a valid reason for
staying. I asked Him for confirmation if
this was really His will for me.
Confirmation came.
Out of nowhere a woman joined our choir.
She sat behind me and for some reason, she didn’t like me. It was as if I had a bull’s eye on my
back. This woman clearly didn’t like me
and made no bones about her distaste for me.
Even my sweater draped over the back of my chair bothered her and I was
told to remove it. It was getting very
annoying. One day she stood up and gave
us all a talk about the “contention” in our choir (something none of us were
every aware of as we thought of ourselves as a family).
It was then that I realized this woman (whomever she was)
was sent by God to irritate me to show me that even my close circle of choir
friends, whom I loved so much, can change just like that. I left the church and as soon as I made my
decision, that woman also left and no one has ever seen her again. Of course my friends didn’t understand when I
told them that this was God’s will for my life.
They hounded me to return but in the mean time I was given a dream (as a
second confirmation) and at the end of the dream I heard God say “they will not
accept you anymore”. I called the office
to withdraw my membership and the attitude from the office manager was so cold,
I bet you keep ice cream cold in her office (confirmation #3). I love how God never gives just one
confirmation but doubles up on them so as to remove all doubt that it is from
Him.
Isaiah 55: 8-9 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are
your ways My ways,” says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the
earth, so are My ways higher than you’re your ways, and My thoughts higher than
your thoughts.
Lesson #4. WHEN GOD SAYS WALK IN HUMILITY, HE MEANS IT –
THIS ONE HURT A LOT!
Fast forward to 2011; I have now been at a Presbyterian church for a
year, when God decided that this would be a good time to give me a lesson in humility
(never a fun experience). May I say
here, that God’s patience just amazes me.
He let me go all those years with a stubborn spirit of pride before He
had had enough from me. My lesson began
at church – how appropriate. I have a
little boy who LOVES to run more than anything. Okay, so he LOVES attention more, but running is a close second. After sitting for an hour in Sunday school,
he is ready to run a marathon down the hallway.
I was standing in a group of people after service (one of them being a
very handsome single man who I liked by the way – I am single also). The
assistant pastor’s wife was there and she is always so friendly to people. I often wondered how nice it must be for
those of her inner circle of friends to say they know the asst. pastor’s
wife. It was while she had an audience
that she proceeded to give me lesson in proper parenting. That didn’t go over well with me. I was like a snow covered volcano just
waiting to “nuclear” on her.
On the way home and all the next day… AND the next, I
replayed the same movie in my head over and over, recounting the embarrassing
encounter and what I “should have said” to her, etc. etc. I wasn’t even aware at the time that again
God used a woman from my church a vessel to get my attention about something He
wanted to change. I’m just wallowing in
self pity over the whole ordeal, busy taking the spec out of her eye and
totally missing the log in my own.
Once I put my temper on ice, I began to pray. At first my prayers were not very nice (if
you could call them prayers) but as I pressed in and inquired of God as to why
that happened and what He wanted to show me, my heart softened and I began to
look at the possibility that I was wrong to feel angry with her.
One of the elders called me when he noticed I had not been
coming to Sunday service in over a month.
We talked and I finally told him what happed and “who dunnit”. Once he realized it was the asst. pastor’s
wife, he immediately told her how hurt I felt. I had no idea that this woman didn’t realize
her words were so cutting. I was
thinking she was a mean, stuck up, church elitist, child hater.
The following Saturday, I was at home, cleaning toilets,
when the doorbell rang. It was her
(insert scary background song here). She
was standing in my hallway with her cute exercise outfit on as she just got
done at the gym. . I know this because she apologized for being in those
clothes and explained she just came from the gym. Not a hair was out of place, by the way. Her make up was perfect as if she was the
cover model for a Sports and Fitness magazine.
I on the other hand, was wearing NO make up what so ever (is that
screaming I heard?). My hair looked like
a bird had been nesting in it, and I’m donning my best toilet scrubbing clothes. I looked like I slept in a dumpster for the
night.
There we stood the two of us so polar opposite. She came to apologize. By this time, God had shown me that I had a
wicked spirit of pride welling up in me, so I had repented of that bad boy. He also showed me that my humiliation at
church was necessary to open my spiritual eyes to that fact, so I knew that
this woman was sent by God to “help” teach me something important. I explained the whole situation to her about
my pride and repentance, and on and on I went.
In the mean time, my little sprinter (the one who LOVES
attention) decides to run between us in the hallway, making as much noise as he
possibly can, thus proving her point that I have an out of control child and I
need to step up the discipline (as she suggested). Well, he wasn’t getting anywhere with that
tactic so he took it to a whole new level and stripped naked, dropping his
diaper on the floor in front of her, and proceeding to run and laugh right in
front of her. At that point, I stepped
in (as I felt my lesson in humiliation was now complete). We parted on friendly terms and I went back
to church for a time until that same familiar feeling came over me and it was
time to move again.
Daniel 4:37 c And those who
walk in pride He is able to put down
Lesson #5. SUBMISSION IS NECESSARY FOR BLESSING
I started a new job in January of 2014. I love my job, I love the guests that I serve
(food service) and I love the staff…..all but one that is. Everyone at my work is very grown up and
polite. The managers know how to ask for
things to get done in a friendly manner.
One supervisor though, has a difficult time with this concept. She doesn’t ask, she tells (and it a
not-so-nice manner). This really upsets
me like a stick in a bee hive. I stewed
about her behavior and again, played that tape over and over in my head, until
I decided to bring it before the LORD (why don’t I save myself a lot of trouble
and seek Him first?).
He showed me that I need to learn to submit to her authority
(love those lessons). “Okay, LORD, I’ll
do it”! I decided that I was going to
1. Pray for her and not judge her (I
don’t know her personal life and that could be an underlying cause for her
grumpiness), and 2. Be polite, nice and submit to her
authority. Once I started doing that, and
getting quite good at it, I noticed she was hardly on the schedule the same
days that I was. God needed her (again,
a woman – at work this time) to help me learn yet another lesson. To be honest, I’m much happier now that I was
ever was. I can’t change the actions and
words of those around me, I can only change how I am going to deal with them –
and the answer is LOVE! You would think
that after all these lessons, I’d be just about finished but no….there’s
more….The world is God’s classroom (for me anyway).
1 Timothy 5:5 “Likewise you younger people, submit
yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for
God resists the proud, but gives grace to
the humble.”
Lesson #6 DON’T BE SO
QUICK TO COMPLAIN (BETTER YET, DON'T COMPLAIN AT ALL)
This is a short one (THANK GOD). I must be getting proficient at learning my
lessons because the duration is getting less - Gotta love that! Part of my job description is to bus tables
after guests leave. Some people tip and
others don’t because it is a self-serve buffet.
I come by and take plates and cups, etc. constantly then bus the table
when they leave. It’s kind of like a
child’s toy car that winds up and runs on a circular track – that’s me! I keep doing my rounds over and over again. This one day, I had a large party of eight
people (always more difficult than the smaller groups). They had small children (God have mercy, they
are the messiest eaters!). My party left
the table so I went over to clear it and wipe it down. I noticed as I was clearing the table that
there was no tip. Here it comes – Mr. Ugly
Anger, because I thought I gave them good service throughout their meal and
“deserved” a little reward. Immediately,
the Holy Spirit convicted me and reminded me that I have the wrong attitude. Fearing an attitude alignment coming from on
high, I repented of my thoughts on the spot and asked Jesus to change them for
me, as well as giving me a servant’s heart.
I realized that although the tips are great and they pay the bills, if I
am to be a follower of Jesus Christ then I need to be the lowest and servant of
all. It CAN NOT be about the money (that
would be an idol). As I picked up the
last plate to put on my tray, there on the table was a $10.00 tip. That was the most I had ever gotten. God showed me! It wasn’t until I repented though and laid
down my greed that God revealed the money.
Humility first, blessing later!
Proverbs 22:4 By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches and honor and life.
I pray this has been inspiring to you. We all deal with our flesh screaming at us
for worldly pleasures whether it’s to argue with someone we feel wronged us, or
refusing to submit to authority, or greed perhaps. Satan attacks us in many ways and we need to
be aware of his tactics and have discernment so as to not fall into the traps
he lays for us. God has equipped us to
handle these situations but we need to not lose our focus on Jesus and bring
all things to Him. For He alone has the
power to heal our brokenness and grant us the strength and endurance to keep
going. None of us are perfect – no, not
one, but God and Christ alone! Praise
God that He has humbled Himself and came as a man, to be tempted in every way
so that He understands our flesh nature.
His grace is sufficient for ALL!
Friday, May 2, 2014
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Monday, April 21, 2014
Saturday, April 19, 2014
HE IS RISEN!
Wishing you all a glorious and beautiful Easter Sunday. I'm aware that there are those who insist on calling it "Resurrection Day" and not Easter as that title was borrowed from the goddess Ishtar; however, our God is able to see far beyond words and into the depths of our hearts. He knows if we stand before Him with pure hearts, and to argue over words is to dishonor the God we are celebrating.
Once we have repented of our sins and have been covered under the Blood of Christ, are we not ALL one body in Christ? The bible says we are.
This year, I choose to focus on the gift - Salvation - and the great magnitude of what Jesus accomplished on the cross for our redemption, and to rise again!
The part I love most is when He told His disciples that He was going back to the Father to prepare a place of us, and that He would return and take us to be with Him. John 14:3.
Imagine that, God wants to be with us! A God who is so powerful that He spoke all things into existence without exerting Himself and He, that same God, wants to be with us! What more could we want in this life than to be with Him? What a love story!
As this world waxes cold and grows darker by the day, we as Christians, have a bright and beautiful future ahead of us when Christ comes back for His bride. Maranatha LORD Jesus, Come!
Once we have repented of our sins and have been covered under the Blood of Christ, are we not ALL one body in Christ? The bible says we are.
This year, I choose to focus on the gift - Salvation - and the great magnitude of what Jesus accomplished on the cross for our redemption, and to rise again!
The part I love most is when He told His disciples that He was going back to the Father to prepare a place of us, and that He would return and take us to be with Him. John 14:3.
Imagine that, God wants to be with us! A God who is so powerful that He spoke all things into existence without exerting Himself and He, that same God, wants to be with us! What more could we want in this life than to be with Him? What a love story!
As this world waxes cold and grows darker by the day, we as Christians, have a bright and beautiful future ahead of us when Christ comes back for His bride. Maranatha LORD Jesus, Come!
Friday, April 18, 2014
Sunday, April 13, 2014
Thursday, April 10, 2014
April 10, 2014
Early this morning I dreamed that I was standing in a field in America. I believe it to be in the New England area (five states in the northern east coast region). It was spring time and afternoon. As I was walking a giant shadow appeared. I looked up to see what was blocking the sunlight, when I saw a huge airplane which looked non military but more like a Boeing passenger jet, but very big. It flew over and shot out a an object that was cylindrical. It was white and had engines of it's own. It shot off away from the plane. As I continued watching, the plane swooped down as if to make a landing but there was no where to land. I was scared and started to run. It was then that I woke and realized the nature of the dream. The plane was launching Beast technology that will be used during the Tribulation. This will track all people who are here on earth during that time and have taken the RFID mark of the Beast spoken of in Revelation 13. I could sense the evil in the act and knew it was not something for our benefit.
I believe we are moving at rapid pace towards this technology and that it is already here but the PTB (Powers That Be) need to get all people to willingly accept this new invasive technology. The only way to do that is to package it with a pretty bow and sell it to the public as something "good". Isaiah 5:20 says "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil...". Isn't that exactly what we are doing today? We are saying that Christian values that honor God are bad and homosexuality, and debauchery are touted as something good.
We are slowly being desensitized to the idea that tracking our every move and making our most personal information such as medical records, bank accounts, etc. is wrong. We are told it is for our own good - to protect our identity, when in fact the only one who can protect our identity is us! Last year, Disney launched a new program called "Magic Bands" in which the Disney guest, whether staying in one of their hotels, or an annual pass holder will be required to wear a wrist band with that person's info on it. It has an RFID chip that will allow them to track individuals anywhere in the park. It is linked to that person's hotel room and credit card info. Convenient, isn't it? You don't need to carry around a hotel key card which might get lost or stolen. You don't need to swipe a credit card each time a purchase is made. They are even making it more appealing now in 2014 by allowing the wearer to design their own bands. Who wouldn't want a piece of that pie? http://entertainment.time.com/2014/01/02/disney-nsa-style-magic-bands-theme-park/
Only those who are truly awake can see the road signs saying that we are entering dangerous territory here. We can not be asleep at the wheel! It is coming. It is coming like a run away freight train and we need to be vigilant and seeking the LORD daily for wisdom and discernment. Hosea 4:6 says: "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge". We are admonished by God to come to Him and seek knowledge and wisdom so we will not be destroyed along with those who don't have knowledge and rush head long into the on coming traffic because they didn't see the signs. Time is short and God will not offer His mercy much longer to an unrepentant world that tries desperately to remove every trace of Him from society. With that in mind, how ought we live our lives in these finals days? The KING is coming!!!!!!!!
Saturday, April 5, 2014
Thursday, April 3, 2014
Saturday, March 22, 2014
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Thursday, February 27, 2014
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Friday, February 21, 2014
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Monday, February 10, 2014
Thursday, February 6, 2014
Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Saturday, February 1, 2014
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
What's In A Name?
January 14, 2014
It's funny sometimes how the LORD speaks to us. For me it's usually when I'm doing every day things like dishes or taking a shower. I suppose those are times when I'm not focused on a million other things and God can get my attention much easier.
This morning was one of those times. As I was taking my shower this morning, The LORD brought the Titanic to mind. We all know how the story goes that an official from the White Star Line openly made the statement "God Himself couldn't sink the Titanic". And so He did.
I was thinking that it would be cruel for God to allow such a tragedy since innocent people died that fateful night, many were Christians. Then the bible verse in which Paul is speaking to the Philippians in which he states "To live is Christ, to die is gain". (Phil 1:21) Gain what? Gain Christ of course, and heavenly rewards for our service to Him. It's never cruel of God to take His children home with Him, where they live far and beyond what this lowly world has to offer them. We only think of it as a cruel because we have an earthly perspective, not a heavenly one.
Then I started thinking about what brought this whole thing to pass. It was the remark, mocking God that He isn't "powerful enough" to sink a man made vessel. What an audacious claim! A claim of such magnitude deserves a response, don't you think? And that's what they got. They got God's attention.
In the old testament, there are plenty of stories about God defending His Holy name. In Ezekiel, He says "I had concern for My Holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where they went. Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name's sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD". (Ezekiel 36:21-23) God felt it was important enough to include it in the ten commandments, and to not only include it but put it third in the line up, right after not having any other God's but Him and not worshiping Idols (false gods). It's definitely something He expects His children to follow.
Clearly God does not tolerate anyone trying to discredit His Great and Holy name. Israel was punished. God brought war to their doorstep. He handed them over to their enemies. Is that where we are today as a nation? I think we've crossed over a threshold years ago when we lost our fear of God. Remember: "Fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom". (Psalm 111:10 & Proverbs 9:10). When we stop fearing God, we become egocentric, thinking we are something special. We bring God down in our minds, and build ourselves up. This is a recipe for disaster as an individual or as a nation.
When the nation of Israel (God's chosen people) did it, He brought war. Are we in America headed for war on our own doorstep? Many would present the argument that "yes we are on the brink something major happening here at home". I don't know for sure but I do know that God protects His name. His name is Holy, His name alone stands above all names. In speaking of Jesus, God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth." (Philippeans 2:9-10).
With all this knowledge, yet we still give God doublespeak. We call on His power to heal us, protect us, and deliver us, in His Holy Name, then we turn around and use His exact same name as a cuss word. We don't give it another thought. Because God doesn't go around striking us down with bolts of lightning the minute we sin, we are lulled into a comfortable delusion that we are "okay" with what we are doing and that it mus be "cool" with God as well.
We serve a mighty and powerful God. Just because we are living in the age of grace and God has poured out His spirit on us and doesn't go around punishing us at the drop of a hat, does not give us the right to misuse His name. If the bible says Fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, then we must be counted as fools because we have clearly lost that somewhere along the way.
In closing, lets try to keep in mind that God is a Holy God, therefore His name is a holy name. What an awesome New Year's resolution that would be to keep Holy the name of the LORD in all that we speak. How can we expect to lead others to Christ if we ourselves are not setting ourselves apart from the world. As Christians we are held to higher standards, not to be self righteous, as some were in bible days and got chastised by Jesus, but if we truly love God as we say we do, then this should be an easy task for us to keep His name Holy and preserve it, as He has commanded us to.
May the LORD God watch over you this day, bless you and provide all you need, keep you safe, and guide you in His infinite wisdom. AMEN
It's funny sometimes how the LORD speaks to us. For me it's usually when I'm doing every day things like dishes or taking a shower. I suppose those are times when I'm not focused on a million other things and God can get my attention much easier.
This morning was one of those times. As I was taking my shower this morning, The LORD brought the Titanic to mind. We all know how the story goes that an official from the White Star Line openly made the statement "God Himself couldn't sink the Titanic". And so He did.
I was thinking that it would be cruel for God to allow such a tragedy since innocent people died that fateful night, many were Christians. Then the bible verse in which Paul is speaking to the Philippians in which he states "To live is Christ, to die is gain". (Phil 1:21) Gain what? Gain Christ of course, and heavenly rewards for our service to Him. It's never cruel of God to take His children home with Him, where they live far and beyond what this lowly world has to offer them. We only think of it as a cruel because we have an earthly perspective, not a heavenly one.
Then I started thinking about what brought this whole thing to pass. It was the remark, mocking God that He isn't "powerful enough" to sink a man made vessel. What an audacious claim! A claim of such magnitude deserves a response, don't you think? And that's what they got. They got God's attention.
In the old testament, there are plenty of stories about God defending His Holy name. In Ezekiel, He says "I had concern for My Holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where they went. Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name's sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went. And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD". (Ezekiel 36:21-23) God felt it was important enough to include it in the ten commandments, and to not only include it but put it third in the line up, right after not having any other God's but Him and not worshiping Idols (false gods). It's definitely something He expects His children to follow.
Clearly God does not tolerate anyone trying to discredit His Great and Holy name. Israel was punished. God brought war to their doorstep. He handed them over to their enemies. Is that where we are today as a nation? I think we've crossed over a threshold years ago when we lost our fear of God. Remember: "Fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom". (Psalm 111:10 & Proverbs 9:10). When we stop fearing God, we become egocentric, thinking we are something special. We bring God down in our minds, and build ourselves up. This is a recipe for disaster as an individual or as a nation.
When the nation of Israel (God's chosen people) did it, He brought war. Are we in America headed for war on our own doorstep? Many would present the argument that "yes we are on the brink something major happening here at home". I don't know for sure but I do know that God protects His name. His name is Holy, His name alone stands above all names. In speaking of Jesus, God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth." (Philippeans 2:9-10).
With all this knowledge, yet we still give God doublespeak. We call on His power to heal us, protect us, and deliver us, in His Holy Name, then we turn around and use His exact same name as a cuss word. We don't give it another thought. Because God doesn't go around striking us down with bolts of lightning the minute we sin, we are lulled into a comfortable delusion that we are "okay" with what we are doing and that it mus be "cool" with God as well.
We serve a mighty and powerful God. Just because we are living in the age of grace and God has poured out His spirit on us and doesn't go around punishing us at the drop of a hat, does not give us the right to misuse His name. If the bible says Fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, then we must be counted as fools because we have clearly lost that somewhere along the way.
In closing, lets try to keep in mind that God is a Holy God, therefore His name is a holy name. What an awesome New Year's resolution that would be to keep Holy the name of the LORD in all that we speak. How can we expect to lead others to Christ if we ourselves are not setting ourselves apart from the world. As Christians we are held to higher standards, not to be self righteous, as some were in bible days and got chastised by Jesus, but if we truly love God as we say we do, then this should be an easy task for us to keep His name Holy and preserve it, as He has commanded us to.
May the LORD God watch over you this day, bless you and provide all you need, keep you safe, and guide you in His infinite wisdom. AMEN
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