Things my Dogs teach me: Spending time with the Master

I’ve never been much of a morning person. Just ask my family, or an old roomate or my husband. Over the years they would have more than likely said, ”Leave her alone in the morning.” “Don’t even ask her to pass the salt.” “She might bite your head off.” They would be correct. Being a night owl at one time, I found mornings the least favorite time of the day.

However, that was then, some years ago. I don’t know if it has something to do with my body aging or not, but I find, all in all I don’t need as much sleep as I once did. I now find myself waking before the break of dawn. I suppose it may be a selfish thing, but I still like to be left pretty much alone until I actually wake up.

I notice the very first thing Dixie and Dolly do when they wake up, is come to me. They know I stop what I am doing to give them their morning lovings. Not only that, but I get morning lovings from them. When I bend down to pet them, they usually go into an instant submissive stance, rolling over, showing me their little bellies, waiting to be rubbed.  All that matters to the three of us, is that moment.

I think God wants us to be like that towards Him — that we desire Him first and above all. The very first thing we are to think of when we wake up is not the cares of the world, but Him. We are to automatically let Him be in our thoughts, desiring to run to Him, loving Him, receiving His love and yes, even rolling over in an act of submission to Him.

Could there be anything wrong with taking time to worship God in the morning? In the stillness of the morning, before the day begins, should not our first words be, “Not my will, but Yours, Oh God?”

During the activities of my day, my dogs will come to me for affection, attention, etc. I don’t always stop what I am doing, but God is always ready to listen, to spend time with us, to make our path straight, if we acknowledge Him.

Be still, and know that I am God;… Psalm 46:10 –

Please, if anyone finds any leaven in the following, please fell free to tell me.

Kekskruemel14:

Is our forgiveness of others sometimes a selfish act?

But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. — 1 John 2:11 –

Without going into detail, I can tell you I know what it feels like to hate. To hate in such a manner where if that loved one (note: I said loved one) died and went to hell, would have left me apathetic and uncaring. I can say honestly, and God knows, I had never in my life hated so much and so deeply. I did not think it was even possible until certain circumstances began to develop in my private life a few years back. To even think on where I once was, brings not only a chill to my soul, but deep remourse.

I had been wronged, misunderstood. Barely had I time to deal with one attack, when another would come. I became angry, wanting to defend myself, wanting to show my accusers where they were wrong, desiring to fight back. I became more hardened than I ever have in my whole life. It is to my shame that I confess, I reached a point where I just shut down.  Shutting down everything in me that would have allowed me to care for my loved ones. Shutting down any concerns I may have had previously for them. Everything good was shut out and everything bad, was shut in. I had no mercy, I had nothing but disdain and a desire to see them get what they deserved.

The following words, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. — Matthew 6:14,15 –  put a terrible dread in me. I knew I had trespassed against God’s Word in allowing myself, in choosing to defy His Word. But I did not know how to forgive. Worse than that, I did not want to.

I took a sense of pride over the years that I was the eldest. As if that position alone made me any more special than my siblings. I had not seen this pride as sin until all hell began to break lose in my soul. I had tried to the best of my abilities to walk in peace but that peace began to become unglued when our mother died. I made it worse by not responding appropriately towards certain events. Being the Christian who is suppose to know how to act during such times and did not, I take full blame and responsibility for things getting out of control. I should have known better. I should have been the one who should have been able to see Satan at work in our midst trying to destroy our family. But I did not. I came to the conclusion, most of the damage and the breach was being caused by me! By not forgiving, by not caring, by shutting down, by holding grudges in ways in hopes that would bring them to repentence. Not able to see that I needed to repent.

How foolish was I! Many times the words of Peter came to me over and over, “But Lord what about this one?” Jesus more or less told him to mind his own buisness when He said to him, “…what is it to you? You follow Me.”

I really did not know what that looked like. Did it mean that I just passively submit to everything being done? Did it mean I shut my mouth for the sake of a fake peace? The kind of peace that would have led others to believe all is well, when it is not? A peace to me that would have been compromise.

I had been taught over the years that our forgiveness of others was to “make us feel better.” I never bought that. If God is completely UNselfish, then if we Christians who have HIS Spirit in us, should we not too be just as UNselfish? Somehow me forgiving others just to make myself feel better, did not make sense to me. Isn’t it selfish to do anything in hopes of getting something in return? I think so. It is just as selfish to forgive in hopes that it will make us feel better.

A few times over the course of the past couple years when I realized my soul was in prison and I wanted out, I cried out selfishly, “God help me forgive!” But, it never happened. When that didn’t work, I wanted to know WHY I should forgive in the first place. Was it just because God laid some kind of passive condition upon His people? Something that was suppose to make us look good, somehow better than others? If that was the case, I didn’t want it. I didn’t find forgiveness worth my while if it meant it was just to make me feel better. I saw it as selfish and a type of passivity. Not only that, what about when the feel-good feelings for myself ran out, then what? I would have to go around the same old mountain trying to forgive just so I could feel good again! I may as well be a little hamster in one of those little running wheels hoping to reach my destination!

vlanico:

When I began to get my eyes off those who hurt me, it was then that I saw, that I too had wronged others. I was not without blame. For the longest time, I tried to justify it within myself: I had reasons not to forgive, I told myself. God You are suppose to be my defender, where were You? You didn’t defend me, so I had to do it myself. What more can You expect? You expect me to roll over and play dead? Uh uh, ain’t happening, Lord.

One thing I know about God is, you can be real with Him. He knows anyway, so you may as well just be open and honest with Him about everything.

After a few years of me hanging on to my trying to justify myself, God in His mercy began to get through to me. I’m almost certain it would not normally have taken Him years, IF I had been willing. Before I could begin to forgive, He showed me I needed forgiveness from Him for the way I had handled things. I had brought reproach to His truth, to His love, to His kindness, to His mercy. There was no way to get around it. The words of my Lord came to me and said, “If you’ve seen Me, you’ve seen the Father.” All I knew, is compared to Jesus, I looked and acted nothing like Him. There is no way He would have acted the way I did.

I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name’s sake. — 1 John 2:12 –

Forgiveness is NOT about us forgiving so we can feel better. Just as we have been forgiven for His name’s sake, we are to forgive others for the very same reason.

My question is, do we love Jesus enough, that we do what we do for nothing more than for His sake? Is He alone not worthy? Does He not deserve to have that which He suffered for? If He could die a horrible gruesome death and rise from the dead for the likes of one such as I, how much more is He worthy to have the very lives of those who He has put into my life? Who am I not to to extend forgiveness to others when He has forgiven me of so much? Forgiveness is an act of reconciliation between God and man. He desires the souls of man to know that forgiveness through His Son. Let us not be a stumbling block to that by not allowing His forgiveness to flow through us freely.

Things my dogs teach me: Let the Master Touch You

And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”
Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.
— Matthew 8:2,3 –

When our blue-tic Beagle, Jethro, began to get eye infections, I had to put ointment in his eyes. I dreaded it because this dog did not let you touch him if he thought you were checking something out on his body that needed care. He never bit me, but he would try if I somehow didn’t trick him into letting me. When it came time to put ointment in his eyes, I had to think of a way to make it “fun” for him in order to get him to submit to my care. I began by muzzling him. Or at least try. He was not going to have it. But when I grabbed a little can of sausages and let him see me go through the little ritual of opening the can — making sure he got a good wiff — laying the little sausages out, cutting them into pieces, he watched and waited as his slobber drooled on my kitchen floor.

I began to train him with the bits of sausages. Making it a game. He got muzzled, let me put ointment in his eyes and after we were done, he knew he was going to be rewarded. It did not take long for him to not even need the muzzle. He was perfectly content to come to me and let me do what needed to be done. Knowing he had little sausages waiting for him.

I guess in a way you could say, he had his eyes set on the prize before him.

Dolly, my smallest dog sometimes wakes up with an infection in her eyes. The first time it happened, it alarmed me. I didn’t want to have to muzzle this sweet little timid dog. It would confuse her, making her more timid. I never want my little girlies afraid of me.

I decided I would not muzzle her and just see what would happen. As I got the ointment, the dogs being curious little creatures, were under foot, hoping it was to be a treat for them. I got my reading glasses to use as I can’t see up close without them. The whole time speaking in a low soothing voice telling them what good girls they were.

They went to their bed where they followed me, and laid down. Instantly rolling over. Perfect sign of submission. Dolly let me put the ointment in her eye without trying to bite or wiggling out from under me! Dixie on the other hand, seeing what I was doing to/for her little sister, hid the upper part of her body under the bed. As if the master couldn’t see her rear end sticking out!

Aren’t we like this sometimes? We either allow the Master to touch us or we don’t.

We all hurt at some time or another. Either through sicknesses, circumstances or things that have been said or done to us. We have done things to hurt others (intentionally or not) that may may end up being the very thing to come back and bite us. Our human nature — our flesh, tends to go off somewhere and nurse our wounds. We may try to find ways to bring healing to ourselves through things that lead to types of death — physical or/and spirtual. We may go here or there looking for that one thing – one person that can “fix” it. Yet, on the other hand, we may reach the point of not wanting anything or anybody touching us. Eventually we come to a place where we realize there is nothing that can. We even stop running to others, even to other Christians. It is then, we more or less throw in the towel, giving up, perhaps feeling a sense of hopelessness. We find we are not running anymore in seeking that perfect “fix.”

You wonder if you will ever see the light of day, if there is anything good under the sun at all. We realize all our running to – and -fro has done nothing but wear us out. Friend, would you believe me if I told you that is a great place to be!? His desire for you is to bring you into the place He wanted you from the beginning of the moment He began to create you in HIS image. His desire is to make you whole, to heal, to bring restoration, to REDEEM. The Master desires to touch you!

Perhaps you have said “no” in your heart, thinking, “I’m too rotten. I’m unclean, vile before the eyes of a holy God.” I would have to agree with you. Yes, you are. You are rotten and unclean. God already knows. Just as He knows it about me and every other human being on the earth.

There is only One who makes clean. Jesus Christ, the perfect sacrifice.

Or perhaps you have thought, “But you don’t know the things done against me.” You would be right. I do not. But God knows. Isn’t it enough that He knows?

He sees us trying to hide. I think we probably look ridiculous to Him when we do that. Just as goofy as Dixie with her butt stuck out from under the bed. I, as Dixie’s master, did not come up behind her and kick her. Nor did I reprimand her harshly, trying to force her out from under the bed. For one thing, she was not the one who needed the ointment. If she had, I would have found a tender way to deal with her. I don’t want my girlies hiding from me when I aim to do them good.

God does not want you trying to hide from Him, either. You can’t. So you may as well come out in the open with Him anyway and admit you need HIS touch. Not those whom you may have been running to. Not that one special prayer that Christians sometimes look for in their time of need. Not that one person who we have run to on occassion. Not that one new book which you hope has all the answers. Not that one revival meeting. Not that one conference some may say you need to attend.

God is jealous over you. Not in a bad way that some people like to portray, but in a good way. He wants you to know HE is the one who heals, HE is the repairer of the breach, HE is the one who redeems. Not because He is some selfish God who needs us to know these things for His sake. But because of who He is. A loving God, a merciful God, a kind God. He knows the only way you can be safe in your soul, is if you submit every hurt, pain and suffering to Him. To trust in anything else is idolatry. That is sin.

Whatever you are facing, whatever your circumstance, take it to the Cross. Be willing to die. You are not alone. He will show you how as He is right there with you. He is willing to touch you in spite of any foul and festering wounds. Let the Master touch you.

Counting it all Rubbish

Sometimes I believe the American church think we are somehow more special than those around the world. We trust more in our politics to change the world than we do the Gospel. While our politics do affect the whole world, what about our brand of gospel? That too has affected the whole world. I think just about every false teaching, every abomination, every lie, every deception was birthed out of America. Which if even remotely true –and I think so — would make us nothing but garbage.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. — Mark 13:31 –

I’ve come to see that everything I have put my focus on over the past few years, is garbage – dung, if you will. The things of this world will pass away and as much as I would like, there is not one thing I can do to hold back the abomnible filth and lies I see invading every aspect of our culture, politics, government and even within what is called The Church. I have come to an end of myself and have no other recourse but to focus on that which is eternal. I’m certain this will bore some people and will cause them to move on, and yet, with others it is something of great relief.

But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. — Phillipians 3:7-11 – 

Those within the world who speak great swelling words who appeal to man’s pride, his abilities, his accomplishments are nothing more than noise to me anymore. Man’s opinions and agendas, grow less and less important to me each passing day. Men are building their kingdoms here on this earth. Both within and outside of the church.

If you are familiar with this blog, it is no big secret how I have had such hatred and rage in me about the things that has had my attention. If Jesus Himself would have told me 10 years ago it would come upon me, I would have thought it impossible. But, He did tell me and I did not take heed:

And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.                 — Matthew 24:12,13 –

That word “love” is not some touchy feely watered down sugary definition of love. It is Agape love. It is God love. I have not had it. Even now, I can only say:

Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. — Phillipians 7-14 –

When I found the video below, not able to understand the language, I was reminded of how America is NOT somehow God’s chosen or special nation. America is NOT somehow His favorite nation. The church of America is certainly not his favorite! God has His children spread throughout the world. Most of them whom I am not worthy to loosen their boot straps!

Do you sense a tugging somewhere deep within you? Is there a sense you need to do let go of some things? Oh, Bride of Christ, can you hear the Kingdom of God calling you to come out of the kingdoms of man?

That is the same Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, – Romans 8:14 – 16 –

“My kingdom is not of this world.” — Jesus

faiwsu:

Things my dogs teach me: how to receive the blessings of God

Note: This is not about us doing this or that to receive the blessings of God. There are plenty of people who will tell you they have the perfect little wrapped up package of merchandise that will tell you how — you just have to buy it. No, this has nothing to do with that. So if that is what you are looking for, you will be disappointed.

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We got Dixie and Dolly when they were barely 8 weeks old. Dixie weighed 2 and a half pounds and Dolly — the runt of the litter – weighed 1 and a half pounds.

After having Jethro, our blue-tick beagle, who was rambunctious and a mind of his own, I decided early that I would try to train the new pups in ways I had not with Jethro.

Jethro would never come when called. Instead, he would look at you and then run off barking that obnoxious hound dog bark. Even though he was a house dog — twice, we received letters from some secret disgruntled neighbor complaining about his barking.

Not wanting to go through that again, I began teaching the pups at a very early age to come to me when called.

Another thing I wanted to teach them, was not allowing them to run ahead of me. Especially when it came to stairs. I had already had my fill of that with Jethro. It was clear he was alpha in the household and one of the ways he showed it, would be just about knocking me down a flight of stairs as we both were using them.

I wanted to train the new puppies to either walk beside me or behind me. Especially on steps.

They have learned well. They even watch my foot steps, turning their little heads, looking to see when their master moves, and will wait for me to take a step before they do. They rarely overstep their bounds.

However…

When I walk up the steps with treats in my hand, Dixie, the biggest one will walk right beside me. Never in front, never behind, but right beside me, like the little lady she is. Dolly, the little one however, runs excitedly ahead of me waiting for me at the top of the stairs. It is the only time she runs ahead of me. I don’t discipline her for it. She is excited and I can not take that away from her. She knows I have something good to give her. She can not wait for me to get to the top of the stairs. But, she still has to wait for me to get there before she gets the cookie.

One night I saw something – this is sometimes how we have received the blessings of God. There are times when we have walked right along beside Him. Step – by – step, patiently, keeping the very same pace as our Master.

Other times, we may try and and run on ahead at our pace. I don’t know if it is disobediant or not. I guess it depends upon what one does when they get to the place where they think God is going. In Dolly’s case, there is nothing more for her to do, but wait for me, tail wagging, full of expectation.

It’s too bad sometimes, that I am not a dog when it comes to receiving the Master’s blessings. Because unlike Dolly, who will run on ahead and wait, I sometimes decide to run on ahead and bless myself any way I see fit. Some examples of that over the years has been grabbing an alcoholic drink after working hours in the yard. After all, I deserve it.

No longer able to physically work hours in the yard like ten, twenty years ago — I do good to go at it for 15 – 20 minutes at a time — I come in and collapse in a chair. My reward now is simply being able to tell the Lord, “Thank you, God, for helping me get that done and not letting me drop dead out there.”

Other examples of blessing myself have been getting a chore done and then mindlessly veg out in front of the TV. All the while telling myself, After all, I deserve it. Why anyone feels they deserve hours of some TV marathon while there are things to be done, is beyond me.

One particular way I blessed myself, was get all my work done and then sit down and work a jigsaw puzzle.  After all, I deserve it. I would not do anything else until that puzzle was done. No cleaning, no ironing, no doing laundry, no dish washing, nothing. You have any idea how long it takes to put together a puzzle of 500, 1000 pieces? Long enough where everything around you starts piling up and the place starts to look like you have pigs living with you.

One of the worst ways I blessed myself some years back, was playing a computer game. I finally came to realize it had actually began a process of re-wiring my brain! I dared not even say it outloud back then because at the time it was much too embarrassing. Who would even believe such a thing, but I tell you it is true.

Having our brains re-wired for anything but the Word of God, just will not do, my friends.

The Word of God says to be transformed — changed — by the renewing of our minds.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. — Romans 12:2 –

I was not blessing myself, instead I was allowing myself to come under the influence of something that ended up cursing me.

I know we are to be like Jesus in all things and God knows my heart when I say this: If I could be more like my dogs in receiving the blessings of God, that would still be an improvement over where my impulsives have led me over the years.

Impulsives, for the most part are sin. If something is not under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, then it is sin. I didn’t have that right to bless myself. Not only is it self-centered and selfish, it made me a robber, a thief. I stole that from My Father who wanted to be THE ONE to bless me, however, whenever He saw best.

Are you using ways to bless yourself in ways that God has not desired? Please know, they ultimately lead to bondage. You become addicted to the very thing you run to to bless yourself. Some people end up being alcoholics and drug addicts for rewarding themselves. Others go in debt because they spend, spend, spend, trying to bless themselves. Some, like I, end up having our brains re-wired. It is a curse we bring on ourselves. It is sin.

If you too have stolen from God, you must know, you are a thief. It is God who desires to bless you. It is not your place. Your way will lead to bondage and death. His blessings lead to freedom and life.

Help me not to forget, Oh God!

A couple or so weeks ago, my husband called me as he was leaving work to tell me he was on his way to Immediate Care center. “Now, don’t be alarmed, I’m ok.” I don’t know what it is about those particular words, but they never work. I thought my heart was going to stop. I tried to stay calm. I invisioned him on the side of the road, car turned over, bloody and all broken up, waiting for the ambulance.

He went on to say he had felt some discomfort in his chest and he was going to have it checked out. After hanging up, I prayed and continued to wait by the phone. I could not think, focus or move from room to room without a terrible dread. After seeing him clutch his chest a few nights before, I wondered if we were about to go through one big trial.

Had it not been for that previous incident, I may not have felt such awful dread. He ended up in the hospital, stayed one night, had some tests ran and tests came back good. However, they did attribute his discomfort as possible angina and sent him home with nitroglycerian. We both are very grateful that it was nothing worse.

While my husband was gone, I experienced such lonliness. My sadness was so great that no human being could touch it. Lonliness I have gotten used to, but not the kind I had that night. My very best earthly friend was not with me. The one who I have shared almost every single thought, desire, hope, heart break and disappointment for almost 25 years. A man who is able to listen, who understands me better than anyone on the earth, who can somehow find it within himself to put up with me, who has never abused me in any way, always kind, patient, never once raised his voice to me, a man who is such a complete opposite of me that it balances us both in a way that is both beautiful and practical for the two of us.

I love this man who God led me to. We are growing old together. He still compliments my looks, even when I am at my worse — He grins when I tell him he needs to get new glasses. He will eat some of the most awful slop I manage to create in the kitchen, when I will not touch it. He tells me it is good and I tell him he only says so because he’s too cheap to throw the stuff out. He is honest with me and will tell me I’m a little kooky at times, helping me to see I really am kooky. He likes to tell people his “wife is an artist.” Though I would differ on that. He’s not easily intimidated by me, like most men I’ve known. He knows my bark is much worse than my bite. Though he will take great pleasure in telling his friends I am his little bull dog. He unashamedly will tell other men, “she’s the mechanic in the family.”

Through him, I have been able to see that yes, gentleness is true strength. He is the one good with numbers and paying the bills, when my attention span is that of a gnat. He has been dedicated to the Lord since day one of our marraige, always faithful to rise early and spend time with Him in the Word. He’s calm, practical, logical, reserved, quiet, when for the most part I am none of those. He is as stable as a rock. People who know us both, know my husband is a wonderful man and they see how well matched we are in spite of being so different from one another.

I was lost the night my husband was gone. I went to bed that night without him by my side. Wondering if he would be with me soon or if the coming days would bring us stays in the hospital. Or if he would even come home at all. Our marriage from day one had been spent dealing with sick and aged loved ones. Starting with my father who had surgery after surgery, sometimes year after year. Then there were other family members. Some with Altzimers. Then his mother, then my mother. It had been an ongoing thing. Barely a reprieve until the next crisis would develop. My mother was the last. It has been about four years now that we have not had to deal with any such major events.

Laying in bed that night, I began to question my strength, my abilities, my stamina, my resources should we have to begin dealing with another what has always been to me, a life-stopping event. Already weak in many areas, I felt I was about to be pounded in the ground. Not able to rise above what might be needed if my husband were not well. I began to remember things that I would fuss about with him. ”Don’t set that there, put it in the sink.” ” “What do you think this is, a barn? Shut the door.” “Hey, you got the ketchup out. How about putting it up?” “Whatta ya think I am, your maid? Pick up after yourself.” “You want to live in a pig sty? Fine!”

The one thing that I was remembering though was the constant kicking, jerking he does in his sleep. I looked over at his pillow and thought, “Oh dear God. Please bring him home to me. I won’t ever again kick him back.” I meant it — for the time, anyway.

Something within me cried out, “Help me not to forget, oh God, what this feels like!” As painful as it was, as lonely as it was … I did not want to forget. In the past, I would run to and fro doing my best to forget the pain and suffering that was in my midst. Yet, as hard as I would try, I could never escape it. It was always there reminding me of how miserable life was at the time. My trying to forget even made things worse. And there I was, asking, begging God to let me not forget this lonliness, this pain? Somehow it did not make sense to me.

Dear husband is home with me now and life has continued peacefully without any incidences. I’ve given it a lot of thought as to exactly what I was asking of God. I’ve not forgotten that particlar affliction of lonliness and pain. I’ve not tried to run from it. I guess in some strange unexplainable way, I have embraced it.

It is not a bad thing.

Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
For I believe Your commandments.
Before I was afflicted I went astray,
But now I keep Your word.
You are good, and do good;
Teach me Your statutes. — Psalm 119:66-68 –

You see, I had gone astray in my heart towards my husband. No, it wasn’t like I was committing adultery going out being with other men.  Nothing like that at all. It was the cares of the world, the darkness that has taken over the whole world had taken over me. I could not enjoy one minute with my dear husband because I was much too busy focusing on all the bad things. Yet, it was a type of adultery. So I will call it what it is — sin.

If a sinful woman can feel this kind of thing pertaining to just one night of being alone without her husband, should not the Bride of Christ feel so much more towards her Groom?

Are you apart from the Bridegroom doing your own thing? Have you let other things come between you and your Husband? If so, He wants you to know He still desires to have you back. His love for His Bride is forever.

The Stench of Man verses the Fragrance of God

For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. — 2 Corinthians 2:15,16 –

The things of man are like a rotting corpse. Ever been to a funeral and watched as people pass by the dead body and say things like, “She/He looks good”? I suppose it is the polite thing to do. I am certainly not judging anyone during a time of grief. I just find it odd that we pay so much attention to something that is dead, something that had to be prepared for viewing, usually new clothes had to be bought. People stand, grieving, looking down at their loved one in hopes they look similar to what they remember. Almost like hoping, the dead body will give some kind of comfort. But it never will. It lays there — dead. It can not rise up and give you one last kiss or embrace. There is nothing comforting about a dead body no matter how much outward work is put into it.

Too many times what man calls pleasing, what man esteems, what man lifts up — much like a rotting corpse – is nothing more than a stench to the nostrils of a holy God. Today, there are many dead things trying to exalt themselves over that which is alive. I’ve heard them on TV. I hear them on radio, I have seen it in the pulpits. I’ve even seen it and smelled it in Christian bookstores over the years.

I’ve come to the point where it is grating to my ears and it sounds like noise. Irritating, grinding, useless, vain empty chatter. It means very little, if anything to me.

Too many times I have touched and clung to, that which is unclean, rotting, dead. All the while still, hoping in that passage of He who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it. But, if we allow ourselves to take on a dead thing, then that dead thing will take us on. We have to let go of the dead things and embrace that which brings life, if we want to be alive in Jesus. There is no other way.

The stench of man, no matter how great the fire that kindles it, no matter how long it has been rotting, will never win over the fragrance of God. No, not ever.

The stench of man always points back to self. Self is the one to be adored, worshipped, trusted and esteemed. Stench camps all over the place. Don’t believe me? Look at government, look at those in politics, look at some of the ministries you may support, look in your own church! Look and see what kingdoms they try to build here on earth. Look and see how they wish to enslave you, making you subserviant not to the One True God, but to them, causing you to cling to the dead things!

Are the things you cling to releasing the fragrance of God in your life, or is there a stench? I know. I know what that stench smells like because I have had it all over me! It is even within this blog! I know from where it came! It came from clinging to dead things. Hoping somehow they could rise up and embrace me and make me feel better, lead me to a sense of safety. That in and of itself is idolatry! But I did not know, I did not know. Still, it made me guilty! Guilty of trusting in worthless idols!

God over and over has told me to stop doing this or that, but no, I, in my rebellion –  in sin, have done the other! We know we should do what God tell us, but we say in our hearts: ”I will not. I am justified for feeling the way I feel.” Ok. But be ready to accept the consequences of such an act. It brings death. You can try and dress it up, you can try and get around it, you can even try to make up for it (as if we can) by thinking we can somehow fake God off by doing some good work. The fact remains — you are dead. Completely dead and your works, your trying is nothing but a stench before the nostrils of God.

So how is the fragrance of God realeased? I think it begins when you find yourself getting sick of the stench around you. When you finally notice that you have picked up the stench and it resides on you, that too is probably a good indication, that it is about time to have the fragrance of God released in your life.

If you are one who has become sick of the stench of the world, run to Him! Do not wait, lest the dead things continue to defile you. If you already have the stench of the dead upon you, do not be embarrased or afraid to run to the Father. He already knows you stink and He is probably more than likely the only One who has been able to put up with your foul smell.

Let the sweet smelling aroma of a perfect holy living sacrifice arise in you!

Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma. — Ephesians 5:1,2 –

Giving away the blessings prematurely

But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. — 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 –

We had a peach tree and an apple tree in our backyard when I was little. Dad tried his best to get fruit from those trees, but they barely put out. But, one year they did. We had peaches galore. Some neighbors lived behind us who were friends with my parents. One day, after the fruit had begun falling from the tree, I picked some up and went to the back fence and began giving them the peaches. They stood at the fence while I kept running back and forth with handfull of peaches. When I ran out of those on the ground, I began picking them from the tree and ran back to the fence to give them another hand load.  Oh, I was so excited. I was making them smile! It felt good to give.

Then I heard my mother call me from the back door. I ran to her and she asked me, “What on earth are you doing?”

“Giving them peaches!” I happily exclaimed.

“Well, save some for us. I was going to make a peach cobbler. Don’t be giving them anymore.”

I didn’t much care for peach cobbler, but I obeyed anyway. That was not my reason for giving them away. To this day, I can still see the smiles of my neighbor. As a child, I thought that was a good thing. But, looking back, I think they were taking advantage of a small girl. Not once did they ask, “Is it ok with your mother? You better go ask her.”

Deep down, I thought my mother was being selfish. But, she wasn’t. Being a child, I had not known all the care and work my father had put in that tree to get the crop he got that year. And there I was, giving it all away!

The peaches were not mine to give away. But, because they were in my backyard, at the moment I was giving them over, I thought they were mine. But they were not.

I’m sure if I had gone to my parents first and asked if I could have given some away, they would not have only said yes, but they would have told me how many, as we were not raised to be selfish children.

For some reason, I’ve been thinking about that incident lately. It reminds me of other times in my life when I have given here or there. Not tooting a horn here — but, one of the gifts God has given me is the gift of giving. I love to give. Oh how I love to give.

But I have come to the conclusion that I have to grow up in that area. The gifts of God, if not used correctly, if not used under His timing and service, are indeed vain. I’ve come to realize that everytime I wanted to bless, God was not always in it.

I’ve had to take a good look at why I have given over the years. Was it so I would be accepted? Was it to be loved? Or was it to because I truly wanted God to bless others? The way to test it? If the later, then you have set no conditions upon your giving and you are free to not give it another thought. But, if the first reasons, then you will find yourself thinking about it time to time wondering why you still don’t feel accepted or loved.

If we believe: Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights… James 1:17 –

then shouldn’t we believe if we have what we think is a good gift to begin with, then it did not come from us? Just like those peaches I gave away did not belong to me. They belonged to my father. He was the one who cared for the tree, not I. The same is with God.

Everything we have that can and does bless others, is not from our own hand. It is from God. Who are we to haphazardly give away what God has entrusted us with? Or better yet, who are we to give away what is not ours? Those peaches were not mine.

I am learning not to be led by emotions or being manipulated into giving where God either says, “wait,” or “no.” His reasons, I do not question. Sometimes we are too willing to let our giving be a source of salvation to someone else when God wants them to know HE is their source of salvation in a circumstance. They can not know that if we, who are led by emotion too many times, are too quick to jump to their aid. Do not get me wrong: I am not saying we are never to help another. I simply say we are to be led by God. His leading is pure. It will never point back to self. Nor will it enable others to be lazy, not doing for themselves. It will always point to the goodness of God and the recepient will know.

I’ve learned to not only turn to God when I see a need arise, but to also trust my husband’s judgement. My husband and I are different as man and woman, as are most couples. Yet, we balance one another. I know this is going to sound like a sexist statement, and perhaps it is, but we women tend to be led by emotion more so than a man. A woman is very blessed indeed if she has a husband who not only can hear her heart, but able to help her discern the full picture. I have such a husband. For that I am very grateful.

Yes, God loves a cheerful giver. This is not to be confused with being led by emotion or led by the manipulation of others. That little girl running back and forth from the peach tree to the fence was being led by both.But it does not have to be that way. If you see yourself giving only for reasons of emotion and manipulation, it is sin. You are looking to man for something that should only come from God. What an awful yoke you have put on yourself. You will never the know the true freedom of giving as God intends.

My mother did not punish me that day. She could have, I suppose, but she did not and she never said another word about the situation. How much greater is God? Man always wants you to prove something to him. Sometimes by how much you give to his ministry, his programs, his service. In fact, in a lot of churches if you aren’t giving the way the preacher or the man wants you, then they have no use for it. You can work yourself ragged trying to gain their approval. But with God, you do not. He already knows what is in your heart. If you are one who loves to give, He sees that. Just make sure it is what He wants, and not you. You might find yourself running back and forth between the peace tree and the fence until all the resources have been used up on something other than what God intended.

Things my dogs teach me: adoration

I suppose the title sounds a little hokey. But dog owners all through the world will tell you the very same thing: They adore us.

I had a terrible fear of dogs. My mother told me it started at an early age. I don’t remember, but she told me a big black dog used to come around and I would love all over him. But one day, for some reason, that dog snapped at me and then the fear set in.

After that all I remember is being afraid of them.

A new girl moved in down the street from me. One day, seeing the neighborhood girls playing, I went down to join them. I was extremely shy back then. I liked playing with other kids and was flexible on what we played. That particular day, when I went to join them, they mocked me and ridiculed me. For what, I do not remember. Kids can sometimes be cruel for no apparent reasons. Especially girls. So as I stood out in the street merely watching them have fun together, she sicked her dogs on me. They began running after me, barking, teeth showing. I ran home as fast as I could as the girls laughed.

Years later as I was walking home from work, a Doberman came up to me and bit me on the leg. I tried to stay calm and managed to get myself to a nearby firehouse where the firemen came out and shooed him away.

I was leary of any and all dogs, until…

My husband and I got our first dog — a bluetick Beagle – Jethro — who lived almost 15 years. He was a faithful old dog. I like to say he was the dog for our youth, when we were younger, as he took lots of energy and stamina. After he died the grief was so terrible, we both said we would never get another dog. But…

We got Dixie and Dolly four years ago. These little dogs — part Beagle and part King Charles Cavalier are the perfect breed for us at this stage in our life. They are such sweet timid little creatures. Not an aggressive bone in them. My dogs and I spend a lot of time together. It does not matter to them what we do, just as long as we are together.

They follow me wherever I go. If I lay down through the day, they too go lay down in their little bed next to ours. If I go sit in the living room or the TV room, they come and sit with me. When I am in my writing room, they lay on a little bed I have made for them. If I am eating, they are right there. Waiting to get their after dinner “cookie.”

It does not matter to them if I have been out in the yard working like a horse coming in smelling like a pig. They are as excited as I just to sit with me when I finally give my body a rest. They do not care if my hair is combed or if I have on no make-up. They do not care if I am dressed like a slob sitting in front of the computer. Simply put — they love me.

Why, I will never know. I’m not some exciting master who is able to entertain them or take them on long walks. Their daddy (my husband) does that for them. I don’t play fetch with them as neither of them have learned to bring me back the ball. They want me to chase them and I’m not going to run all around the backyard chasing something with four legs who can run much faster!

So why do they love me? I suppose it is because I’m the one who feeds them. I give them fresh water and the treats. Not to say, they are stuck with me as I hardly ever leave the house.

I’ve heard it said that the closest thing to God’s love on earth, is a mother. I disagree. No insult to my mother or any mothers out there, but I disagree. Please do not get this mixed up with some kind of Pantheism, but I think when God created dogs, He put something of His nature in them. They are our friend no matter what. They adore us and just as they adore us, can we not adore the Master even greater? My little dogs have put me to shame when I compare their adoration of me to how I adore the One True God — Jesus.

Adore: to worship or honor as a deity or as divine, to regard with loving admiration and devotion, to be very fond of

The cares of this world can easily sweep me away. In so doing, I fail to adore, worship, to be very fond of the One who loves me. The One who for the most part just desires me to know He is there in the midst of everything. Still on the throne, still in control, still not forsaken me, still will feed me and give me drink. Who desires greater than anything, that I acknowledge His presence in my life desiring we spend time together.

The picture above was taken when Dixie — the biggest, and Dolly — the little one, were just a couple months or so old. They were driving me crazy, chasing me around the house nipping at my feet, chewing on the legs of the dining room table, all the while me trying to potty train them. I put them outside for a while hoping they would like to play. But I was wrong. They remained at the door whimpering wanting back in. I happen to see them in this cute little pose, ran and grabbed my camera, hoping they had not changed position, and they had not. I snapped the picture and then let them back in.

If you have shut God out of your life somehow, if somehow the cares of the world have caused you to forget to adore Him, you don’t have to be afraid of Him. This is what Jesus says:  ”Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” — Revelation 3:20 –

Crumbs from the Master’s Table

But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table… — Luke 16:20,21 –

I’ve been out of Church = building now for a few years. My reasons are many and for the most part, those reasons can be seen elsewhere all through this blog. So, I will not go in full detail right now. I am addressing the accusation that many of us hear when we are told:  ”You are forsaking the assembly” by not going to church = building.

I suppose my greatest issue of “church” has been when a Christian finds something amiss and begins to sound a warning, they are dismissed. We walk away only to be accused we are forsaking the assembly, when in truth it has been the leaders who have forsaken us with their apathetic attitude of what one was trying to bring to the table.

That being said, we move on. We learn to feed ourselves, trusting not in man, but in the God who is meeting us in our time of aloneness . God is faithful and He still supplies our needs.

We find a crumb here, a crumb there and to our amazement we find it not only delicious, but it full fills something very deep within us for the time! Sometimes a crumb can even be better than a whole feast. Think about it. A feast will leave you feeling stuffed, bloated and sleepy. But a small portion at the right time will energize just enough to get you up and going.

I’ve partaken of many “crumbs” over the past few years, and have to admit, I would much rather feast on a crumb here or there than to have a whole feast set before me.

Below are some of my favorite sites for some choice crumbs = morsels that have fed me over the years. May you be fed also.

http://mkayla.wordpress.com/

http://ianvincent.wordpress.com/

http://thenface2face.wordpress.com/

http://thewordonthewordoffaithinfoblog.com/

http://seekinggod1st.blogspot.com/

http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/

http://www.ravenhill.org/

http://www.suspiciousberean.blogspot.com/

http://www.goodnewsarticles.com/default.htm

http://www.wickedshepherds.com/

Worship in Spirit and Truth

My father grew up in a little log cabin in Kentucky. He was a country boy who went to a little country church. There were only a couple of churches where he lived. One, his mother took him to. The other, a holy-roller church, as he called it. His mother was a godly woman, who read her children scripture every night by the light from a lantern. Dad told me once he managed to skip church in order to go fishing. On his way home, he passed by the holy -roller church. He peeked in the window and ran home to tell his mother what he witnessed. He hit the porch laughing, barged in and said, “Ma, guess what I saw?”  She asked him what and he went on to tell her he saw the congregation standing up, hooping and hollering, one woman looked over at the woman next to her and said, “Hold my baby! I gotta shout!” The other woman said, “Hold your own baby, I gotta shout too!” Dad thought that was hilarious. His mother did not find it amusing and told him, “Son, never make fun of how someone worships God.”

Worship to her could be sitting on her front porch, stringing beans or shucking corn while singing the Old Rugged Cross. Simple and pure. I believe if my grandmother were alive today, she would be aghast at what is called “worship” today.

What are we to think about some of the so-called worship of the God we serve? Where do we draw the line and how?

Jesus has this to say:

But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. — John 4:23,24 –

Spirit and truth are the two priorities.

I am reminded of how we have been taught how “David danced naked before the Lord.” But unless someone is using a different Bible than the one I use, I do not see the word “naked” anywhere in that part of scripture.

Then David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod. — 2 Samuel6:14 –

From what I gather after reading the whole chapter, it appears his wife Michal who happened to be the daughter of Saul was put out with him. Perhaps it had more to do with jealousy on her part, than it did with his dancing.

We (women especially) have been taught not to judge worship or else we will be cursed in one way or the other. Even to the point of … Shock … not having children, such in Michal’s case. Too many times in the past when my dear sweet balanced stable husband was not acting the dancing fool in church, or allowing himself to be thrown about like a sack of potatos by manipulating over-zealous preachers, while other men were (who I happened to know some treated their wives like dirt) being tossed to – and fro, running around, my husband stood quietly, his hands clasped before him, eyes closed, worshipping God just as my grandmother did. As his wife (me) stood next to him judging him, wondering why he would not worship like the other men. After all, didn’t David dance naked? Is it a little too much to ask that your husband get with the program? It is a good thing that I was the one in the wrong, or else I still would be waiting for my husband to be some kind of dancing machine.

Was I cursed for judging my husband? No. In Michal’s case, it was her husband who decided not to allow her to have children. But I had not known that, because we women were taught differently. Talk about a spirit of control. It is becasue of this spirit now, that any and all things are called worship.

I — thank — God that he finally was able to get through to me that my husband was not a puppet. Yet, there are women all throughout the church who look upon other men and wish their husbands could be just like them. This is idolatry. Such as was in my case.

The video below is one of a Jesuit dancing. I find it wrong on many accounts. He mixes Hinduism with the Gospel. Is this not leaven that Jesus warned us about?

The church needs to be very careful what we call worship. I don’t like to take scripture out of context, but the message is still clear:

They have provoked Me to jealousy by what is not God; they have moved Me to anger by their foolish idols…. — Deuteronomy 32:21 –

Satan is a thief. He comes to steal. When he can not completely steal something, he hangs around and corrupts things is his image. This is done in the video below.

Exactly what is spirit and truth? I am far from a Bible scholar, I’m not some great theologian, but shouldn’t worship point straight to Jesus? Some would say the below does. Really? What kind of Jesus?

I know for a fact it is not the Jesus I worship.

I do not believe it is the same Jesus my grandmother worshipped, nor do I believe it is the same Jesus I have seen my husband worship.

God does not need worship so badly that He would allow incorporation of false religions to muck up His purity and His Truth! That would make Him a harlot!

NationalJesuitNews:

Who are the Children of God?

I cringe whenever I hear anyone refer to the whole human race as the children of God. Such as the snippet below taken from here:

http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/16/world/europe/vatican-new-pope/?hpt=hp_t2

The new pope concluded the audience — which did not include questions — with a blessing for all the journalists present and their families.

He acknowledged that not all those present were Catholic, saying he gave them his blessing “knowing that you are of different religions, because all of you are children of God.”

—————————————————————————————————-

Why should it bother me so? Because it is not true. Not all are the children of God. There is a distinction. But most people do not want to see it. After all, it feels good to passively sit back and believe you are a child of God, that He is your Father, when in fact, you may not be. This mind set is a lie, it is false assurance and will lead many to hell.

Jesus Himself clearly saw a distinction when He spoke to the religious Jews of His day. He told them:

Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God.” — John 842-47

Image if you will, someone knocking on your front door and telling you, “Hey there, I’m your family. Let me in.” You are to automatically believe they are family members because they say so? Who would be so stupid to allow them in? Yet, that is exactly what Christians do when they allow any force/teaching, both from without and from within, make them feel/think/believe they have to accept everything on the basis of common peace/acceptance/tolerance.

To say that all are children of God is a lie. God is Creator of all, but that does not make Him Father of all.

For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. — Romans 8:15 

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. — 1 John3:1,3 –

In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother. — 1 John 3:10 –

Notice that Jesus even went as far as to call some, “the children of the devil.” He is our plumbline by which we look to. Not a pope, nor anyone else who would twist the Word of God.

This kind of mindset, that we all are one, that we all could hold hands and somehow sing Kumbaya as one big happy family, is a lie.

The Church is going to have to stand her ground in not accepting this New Age doctrine. Not everyone is God’s child. If Jesus made a distinction, then who is man or any other institution to teach differently? Now it does not mean, that we as Christians are to shun those who as of yet, to become children of God. God forbid. But neither are we to give anyone the false notion that they are ok with God as His child, when they are not. It is clear that some people live like devils. They talk like devils, they lie like devils, they walk like devils, they run about to and fro planning evil and deceptions. Don’t believe me? Just look at those in government. They would have us to believe they are children of the Most High, when they speak great smooth swelling words that tickle the ears of their followers. We are to say these are children of God? What about those who appear good on the outside; moral people, who happen to be decent and honest individuals. Does this automatically make them children of God? No. They are no more the children of God than the devils running amuck. The key is this:

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. — John 1:12,13 –

It is a spirit of anti-christ to make people believe/feel/think that all are God’s children. Satan is a liar, there is no truth in him. He is a thief. He desires to steal everything that is good and corrupt it into his image. That is especially true for the Word of God — the truth.

Bride of Christ, if you can not discern who is a real child of God or not, if you go along with the flow of seeing the whole human race as your brother and sister, if you are willing to hold hands and sing some cutesy ditty that gives you have the warm fuzzies, if you look to any pope/man/institution to lay the ground work of what you believe, instead of the Word of God, there will come a day when you just may find yourself caught up in the newest and latest thing. Which will be on the level of a one world religion where everyone worships the same thing. But it will not be the One True God.

take heed to yourself, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it be a snare in your midst. — Exodus 34:12 –

But know that the Lord has set apart for Himself him who is godly; … — Psalm 4:3 –

Got Pus in Your Life?

I have had the tremendous pleasure (said sarcastically) of dealing with a nasty boil. It started off as a little thing and then grew into about an inch in diameter.

I made the awful mistake of ignoring it. I don’t know what I was thinking. I should have been on it the moment I finally came to realize what it was.  It was not going away on it’s own.

Over the years, I have prided myself in not being squeamish. As a young girl, I wanted to be a nurse. The sight of blood and other icky stuff did not bother me. Quick to roll up my sleeves, I met any real emergencies with maturity and a sense of know how doing what needed to be done. But that was then, not now. The older I get, the more squeamish I become. At this stage in my life, I believe I would have never made a good nurse.

Being a diabetic, there are things, one should know. Like skin eruptions. They are not to be taken lightly. Denial is not a river in Egypt, but a lot of us live day to day in states of denial. We pretend to ourselves things do not exist, we tell our selves if we ignore something, it will just go away. But they do not.

For instance, that awful boil. My husband told me to get to the doctor in a day or so if it had not gotten better. I didn’t even want to hear that much and my insides were screaming, “Just go away!” to both him and the boil.

I made the mistake of going to youtube to see if I could find a natural cure for it. Instead, the first things I saw were these hideous disgusting boils being lanced. Uh uh, not going there, I told myself. I shut down youtube real fast. And la la la, went about my merry way.

By the next day it had gotten bigger. So I went back online to see if I could find an ointment or something to bring the putrid little fellow to a head. I read Vick’s sav was good, so hubby went out and got me some. I put it on and bandaged it and la la la once again went about my merry way, thinking to myself it would all be over soon.

Got up the next morning and the thing had gotten bigger and redder! At this point I started to panic a little bit, invisioning the horrible procedure of having to have it lanced. Finally, after realizing my denial was not going to make it magically disappear, I began to pray. I prayed I would not see a red streak running across to my heart. That would mean blood poisoning. I went back online again to see if there was different ointment and there was. For anyone who suffers with boils, it is called Ichthammol Ointment and it works. Stinks to high heaven, but it works.

I once again cleansed the area, used the ointment and bandaged. Twice a day. The next morning I got up and it had burst. I was glad to see it had, but now came the sickening job of dealing with it. The sight of it made me wretch, making me weak in my knees and had to go eat a little something just to have the strength to deal with it while trying to pretend the thing did not exist !

Later as I was dressing it, the thoughts came to me, how many other kinds of pus do we have lying dormant in us that is waiting for the chance to come to the surface and burst all over the place.  We ignore these infectious putrid little things in hopes they will just go away. Things like resentment, bitterness, unforgiveness, etc. can grow into one heck of a boil if not immediatedly given attention. If we do not deal with the little things when they start to invade our thoughts, we can expect the following to follow:

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. — Galatians 5:19 -21 –

All of the above start with an unclean thought. Sometimes someone wrongs us or misunderstand us, we dwell on it and it grows from a hurt to something greater. What we should have done was go to the Lord the very instant we had an injustice done to us. But no, we nurse it the best we know how, by running from it, putting our own filthy bandages on it and letting it go from unforgiveness to one of anger, to hate. That is just one example. There are many others.

While we are busy trying to ignore the issues of the heart, the Great Physician is waiting patiently for us to run to Him for First Aid.

… He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” — Mark 2:17 –

The sight of that boil made me sick. So sick, that I did not want anyone to see it or seek help. If this type of infection/thing can look so awful and sicken us, then why are we not as sickened by the things that dwell hidden in the heart? Shouldn’t they make us every bit as grossed out as a common boil? I think so. I believe the difference is the issues of the heart can sometimes be so well hidden, that we can become complacent in dealing with them, and like I with that boil, we just hope they go away. So we continue to run from the very things that have us suffering and in pain, hoping all along no one notices.

But God sees.

…For He knows the secrets of the heart. — Psalm 41:21 –

The Lord knows the thoughts of man, that they are futile. — Psalm 94:11 –

What are we to do? I know you know. Just as I know. But, I did not deal with that boil until I was forced to. This is not the way. We deal with it, not by hiding and letting the things fester and grow. We run to the Friend of our Soul. Though others may not understand, He always understands. Though others may forsake us, He will never leave us. With Jesus, there is never anything to be embarrassed about. He not only sees us at our very worst, but He understand the whys and hows we got to a certain place. He just wants us to come to Him and let Him cleanse and bind the wounds.

So without wanting to gross you out, I ask, got pus in your life? Then run, run right now to the very One who sees and knows. He is the One who brings true healing. His desire for you is complete freedom in all things.

Is “the Bible” Series ratings really divine?

I don’t sit in front of the TV and watch for the sake of watching. I’m picky about what I give my attention to. Frankly, if it does not interest me, I go on. I’m more interested in a series that shows what it would might be like if some kind of weird virus plaqued the whole world. That would be the Walking Dead. I don’t like it for the gore. But for the writing, the plots, the sub – plots, the characters who each are very unique — not flat — like in a lot of shows. You may know the kind… the kind that come on every Christmas season and the characters are boring, dry and flat. And the plots? They are old, worn and too common. You can more or less guess how it is going to go. No, I don’t spend my time watching/reading anything that can not hold my interest. I just can not sit still long enough for it. Even if they are suppose to be inspirational.

I’ve not watched The Bible series. Some would say, well, then you have no right to judge it. Perhaps, I don’t. However, I can go by what I heard on talk radio the other day endorsing it. Roma Downey was the guest to a Catholic host. She sounded sweet enough, sincere enough, just as the host did. But sweet and sincere does not cut it.

If the show is making people actually crack open their Bibles and turning to the living God, in repentence, then it might be said all is well and good. But, too many times, these kind of things are nothing but fluff and entertainment.

A caller called in and commented how the show was not accurate in some areas. The host — a good practicing Catholic, mind you –immediatedly poo pooed the man and made his comment of little value.

Now, don’t get me completely wrong: I know that it would be and is almost impossible to present The Bible in some kind of movie media and have it perfect. I know that. For one thing, Hollywood is out to sell. Truth rarely sells. No one wants to buy the truth. For the truth always pricks the heart of the hearer. And that, just does not feel good. It is rare to find people who really want the truth.

The following article talks about how weird things happened on the set. As if the events in and of themself actually mean something. Well, guess what? The making of The Exorist brought some weird things too.

What this kind of mindset does is prepare people to be of one mind: Oooooh, did you hear weird things happened with the making of The Bible series? If you dare question such superstition you might be branded as negative, rebellious, and even worse, shock… a blasphemer. So therefore, some people do not even stop to think for themself. They go along to get along.

It also is preparing the way for a mass delusion. I know I keep saying it over and over, but it is the truth. The sheeple mentality is one of following the herd. It rarely thinks on it’s own.

Just as Mel Gibson’s Passion of the Christ some years ago, began to make big headlines as being the thing to draw people to the Truth, it never happened. The Church made a big mistake: they wanted a movie to do what they either did not want to do or could not do, and that was to be a witness to the Truth. Yeah, yeah, it got people talking. But it didn’t last. There is only One thing that is eternal, and that is the Eternal Word of God. Nothing else will do. If that offends, then so be it. It is still the truth.

So I suspect after all the hoopla, there will be thousands of The Bible DVD’s set to go on sale. People will buy them up and park their families down in front of the TV, and never once opening their Bibles, will use this as the thing that teaches them all they think they need to know about the Word of God. Never once leading them to repentance, never once leading them to the Cross.

http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/03/06/mark-burnett-bible-set/

Mark Burnett says ‘weird things happened’ on ‘The Bible’ set

Last Sunday, the first installment of History’s five-part miniseries The Bible beat everything on television with a massive 13.1 million viewers, making it cable’s most-watched entertainment telecast this year.

For producer Mark Burnett, who worked on the ten-hour special with wife Roma Downey, the success of The Bible isn’t all that surprising. “It will be, over the next 40 or 50 years, the most watched thing that Roma and I have ever made,” he told EW, quite confidently, back in January.

At the time, Burnett gushed about shooting the series. “I really believe what I’m going to tell you right now,” he said. “The hand of God was on this…. the edit came together perfectly, the actors came together perfectly, it just comes to life.” But Burnett wasn’t just speaking about how well the practicalities of production had gone. “Weird things happened during filming,” he said. “Everybody would look at each other like, “Whoa.”

Here are a few of the “weird things” he was talking about:

A mighty desert wind
“There’s a scene with Jesus and Nicodemus, when Nicodemus comes to Jesus in the night. It’s a very still night, not a breath of wind, and we’re on the edge of the Sahara desert in a palm grove in an oasis… Jesus says, ‘The Holy Spirit is like the wind.’ At that moment, a wind, like as if a 747 was taking off, blew his hair, almost blew the set over and sustained for 20 seconds across the desert, and the actors didn’t break — they kept going. And everything stopped. Everyone just looked at everyone like, ‘What just happened?’”

The missing frock
“We had hundreds of craftsmen working [on making costumes], and the most important costume was Jesus’ costume. Every time, at the end of the day, the costume’s got to be taken away to be maintained. So when we were doing the baptism scenes, it’s completely immersed in water. During it, a portion of the costume came away. We shot this in a giant reservoir on the edge of the Sahara desert, so we’re never going to find this again. It’s really bad. Every time you lose something, you’ve got five months ahead, and you can’t replicate these costumes. Four days later, a kid showed up from many, many, many miles away, who had been seeking us through the desert to return this to us. He didn’t know what it was why he should seek us, but he felt he had to return it.”

Cobras at the cross
“We had a snake wrangler every day on the set. I mean, we’ve got a couple hundred people shooting, and we can’t afford to have people getting bitten by snakes. Every day, this guy would find a snake or maybe two snakes, and remove them. On the day of the crucifixion, a lot of people prayed. The cross was a huge thing. They prayed [for safety], ‘Imagine if this cross fell. The actor playing Jesus could be killed or badly injured.’ The snake man came to work that day — he’d gotten there early on the mountain playing Golgotha, and the bag of snakes [he was carrying] was the biggest bag I’d ever seen. He came to my wife and said, ‘Miss Roma, there were 48 snakes.’ He found 48 cobras and vipers hidden within the rocks around the cross.”

Whether or not you believe these were on-set miracles or just mere coincidences, one thing is certain — The Bible’s ratings are , in fact, pretty divine.

God Makes No Mistakes

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you;…” Jeremiah 1:5 –

Life sometimes deals us a hand that takes us off guard. We think things are going to go one way, when they actually go another. Such is life. We make plans for this and that, and then such and such happens. John Lennon said it best, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”

It usually takes us by surprise and we either spend time trying to get out of it by throwing in the cards, or we grasp hold of the cards dealt to us seeing it as a challenge and play our hand.

The following video I found while doing a search on a rare disorder that has touched a very precious little one dear to our family. As I present the video to you, hoping to bring awareness to this syndrome/disorder, I also want to encourage all who have been affected by circumstances beyond your control: Nothing has and never will be able to touch your life until it first has been filtered through the loving hands of a good and merciful God.

The first thing we usually ask ourselves when presented with challenges is “Why?” Well, we can’t possible know the reasons as to why certain things happen. My own personal experience is one of first somehow blaming myself. Not able to have children, that is what I did for years. God is punishing me for something, therefore He does not want me to be a mother. 

Some would say God didn’t create imperfection, that Satan does. Therefore, these people would have us to believe that any and all who are born with a syndrome or a disorder was somehow made by the hand of Satan? Uh, I — don’t — think — so.

Who are we to decide what is perfect or not? If God is the Creator — and He is — then isn’t He perfect in everything? Each of us are made in God’s image. He decides what we look like: dimples, the color of our eyes and hair, the size of our nose, our stature, etc. He decides how and what we will be blessed in. Some are blessed with a sense of humor, some prone to music, art, mechanical ability, creative ability, some with great scientific minds, some are blessed with a reserved nature, others with a stronger more passionate one, etc. Hopefully you get the picture.

I do not believe God has some kind of assembly line of babies and just tosses them down to earth to be born. I believe that when a man and woman come together in love desiring to make their family, He sees every little detail, every single trait in everyone, and His perfection puts the perfect baby together with the perfect parents — for that parent and for that baby.

That little life will grow one day. God has already ordained what lives he or she will touch, what lives he or she will bless. Just by being themself. God has already decided who that little babies playmates will be, who will understand him and love him. Some are already in his life.

We have a tendency to look upon our own ability, our own strength … but God wants us to look upon His. As in Moses’s case.

God wanted Moses to speak to Israel. Moses had this to say:

Then Moses said to the Lord, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”

So the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the Lord? Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.” — Exodus 4:10-12 –

You see, Moses was looking at his personal weakness. Ok, so he couldn’t talk all that well. So what? No big deal to God. God wanted Moses to know that it was HE who created him. I don’t know what Moses thought at that moment, but if it had been me, I probably would have said something like, “Well, gee, God thanks a lot.” But God had other plans for Moses.

I believe our weaknesses or/and challenges are meant for one thing and one thing only: I believe they are for us to see the glory of God come alive in our circumstances. The same goes for little babies born a little differently than the next baby. So, if you are dealing with something that is going to be a challenge down the road, know this: God does not make mistakes. He sees, He knows every little detail. He put you and that baby together for a wonderful reason. Parent and child are meant to compliment one another, and you will. You see, it does not take God by surprise. He loves you and your baby. He has so many things for you to learn that otherwise you would have never known. There is a special kind of joy awaiting for you both and it is God who is going to lead you into that joy. You just wait and see.

kyliebewley: This is a video that i made (with a little help from my sister in law) about my brave little boy…
I would like to raise awareness of TRISOMY 8 MOSAIC syndrome as I believe that there is not enough knowledge and too many children go under the radar….

Did God allow the shootings at Sandy Hook because He’s not welcomed in schools?

To any nasty (note: I said nasty) atheists: Do not come here and spout off about my God in this matter. If you don’t believe in Him, then you can hardly blame Him. So don’t be a hypocrite, you don’t get to have it both ways here.

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This article is written to the Christian. For those who believe in God. It is not up for debate as to God’s existence or not. The topic at hand is a painful one for many. I will not allow the discussion to go where I may simply have no answers. Nor is it open for attacks on the Christian belief.

I’m almost certain I will get reprimanded or something for this one, however, I will speak.

The man below (which I am new to) says that God allowed the shooting because He is not allowed in schools. True or not?

Many Christians will jump on the band wagon and say, “Yes! Yes! It is true!” I have to ask then, is God omnipresent or not? Is He everywhere or not? If so, (and as believers, we believe so) then why even play with the idea He wasn’t there that day?

To paint a picture of God like this paints Him as sitting back, arms folded, saying, “Hmpfh. You all didn’t want me in there, now your children are getting shot and I’m not going in.”

Does it or does it not? Is not that image that has been created? I believe so and I think it is wrong, wrong, wrong.

Christian parent, do not get caught up in thinking that if somehow if schools just allowed prayer to come back in school, everything would be hunky dorey. Think about this – those of you who can see and are aware of the heresies running rampant in the churches, do you really want just any christian leading your child in prayer? What if they don’t pray like you or in the way you want your children to be taught? Then what? Form some kind of committees to make sure it is done to your liking? Pleeeease.

Parents, it is YOUR responsibility to pray with your child. Not the teachers and certainly not school. It is up to YOU to raise them as you see best. What is stopping YOU from praying WITH your child before they leave for school? Please do not use the excuse, “Oh, we are just so busy, time doesn’t allow.” Yet, you would want — in some cases, in your heart of hearts, may be demanding the school to do what you yourself will not do? Hypocrite. Your child pays the price for your unwillingness and is sent to fight battles that he/she has not been trained to do. It is no one’s place but your own to teach your child to pray.

Don’t get me wrong, I KNOW the public school system is one big battle ground for the soul of your childern. All the reason more that YOU take responsibility instead of WASTING time in hopes that somehow a secualar humanistic school system is going to just roll over and give you your right to prayer. All the time some Christians spend in trying to get this passed and that passed, could be used in schooling your child in spiritual matters at home before they even walk out the door for school.

Prayer can be anywhere at anytime. You do not need man’s permission or sanctions from ANY government. You want to pray? Then do so, but do not look for the secular world to give you permission. You already have that permission from God.

You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. — Deuteronoomy 11:19 –

People want the Ten Commandments put back in school. So, then what? Do you think there is some kind of magical power in that? As if, that would keep the evil out? NO! I dare say, that it almost akin to witchcraft. Still, there would be parents, both non-christian AND Christian at home living like the devil and some of you know who you are. If you want your child to know about the Ten Commandments, then teach them at home. Let them see what it looks like through your life, because they certainly are not going to see it at school. Even if the Commandments were posted in every single classroom, it would not matter. God is Spirit. He does not need trinkets, plaques, statues or any other thing to be worshipped or taught about.

God was there that day. I don’t know why He didn’t intervene any sooner than He did. It happened because of evil. You can listen to all the garbage about mental health and blah, blah, blah. I really do not think that is going to make one parent feel any better about what happened that day. My personal heart felt opinion? Who gives a rat’s rear end about whether the so-called shooter was crazy or not? I don’t. I do not care one iota. I happen to believe there is good and evil in the world and an ungodly evil abounded that day.

I wonder if there were any parents that day, who prayed with their child before they went to school. And no, in no way am I blaming the parent and in no way am I saying, if they had, their child would have been exempt from the horror. Having no children, it is just something I think about. Bad things happen all the time. Horrific bad things sometimes unable to understand and grasp. The closest I get to actually understand such evil is knowing that just as God exists, so do devils.

I am not a great scholar, nor am I the brightest crayon in the box. But one thing I do know: God WAS there that day. He WAS in that school in spite of what is being said by those in the Christian community. He was NOT outside, arms folded, pouting, as if it were His way of getting even. So instead of the Christian community trying to use this as some kind of opportunity to advance their cause in a secular world, teach your child now. And even more so, as you see the evil abounding. Teach him/her now to call upon the name of the Lord. Teach your child there is good and evil in the world and the God you serve as a family is THE God that sees all and knows all. Teach them all your finite mind can give them. Do not give over your responsibilty to government or schools or anyone else to raise your child in the way you desire them to go. Believe me, the secular world would love to have your children and if you don’t want the responsibility, then they will be all too glad to relieve you from it.

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.– Proverbs 22:6 –

reallynotuagain:

Hunker Down with Jesus: The Boat that Floats!

NOTE: This was originally written three years ago. I offer it again at this time.

Saints, some awful times are pressing in on us. Such as the world has not seen. Take all the evil men and wrap them up together as one, and it still will not compare what will take place one day. Satan is building his government on this earth. He is using vile wicked men and women in high places of power — evil people who call good evil and evil good.

But we are not to be taken by surprise. For the Word of God has already told us these things would happen.

I suspect they will want to kill us one day. But this too, should be no surprise. Jesus has told us many times we would be hated for His Name sake.

I know we all have heard the teaching when Jesus and his disciples were on the boat in the sea. A raging storm developed while Jesus was asleep. The disciples scared out of their minds, began crying out to him, “Don’t you care we are about to die!” Now remember, these were probably tough burley men. Surely they were used to storms. It probably was not the first time they were in one. Many times before they depended upon their own strength to man the sails and button down the hatches — so to speak.

So what was so different from this storm? The difference was Satan himself was in the middle of it, trying to kill them all!

I can imagine those strong men doing everything in their physical strength to get control of the boat! I can hear the shouting over the raging sea. I can see the activity of man power at work. I can almost smell the salt sea in my nostrils. I can feel the violent rocking of the boat and the waves of water violently hitting me in the face. I can imagine all of these things.

But to imagine someone asleep? Nope, only Jesus could sleep through something like that! He was comfy too. Because it says he was sleeping with a pillow.

Why were they in the boat to begin with? Jesus had just gotten done preaching to the multitudes and even had worked miracles.

So the storm hits them and what is the first thing the disciples do, besides panic? They forget the miracles they had previously seen. A leper being healed, a paraplegic healed, Peter’s mother-in-law healed from a fever, demons cast out. It says He healed ALL who were sick.

So I imagine Jesus in his physical body was tired. No sin in being tired now, is there? So if it is was no sin for Jesus, then do not be hard on yourselves in the days to come. Lay down, get comfy, hunker down with Jesus in that place of rest between just you and Him. Let Him be more than enough.

So the disciples run to Him in terror crying out, “Don’t you care we are about to die!?” In other words, “Why aren’t you up with us helping us man the sails?! We could use you about now!”

Isn’t that just like we are sometimes? I am SO guilty of this. We see all hell breaking lose all around us and we want everybody else to see it too. Never mind they are all comfy on their pillow. Oh yes, some ARE asleep and apathetic and those need to be waken up.

But others just might be hunkering down with Jesus and that is a good thing. So may God give us all discernment on who is sleeping and who is resting with Jesus.

But when we panic, what we are really doing is wanting someone to come to our rescue. We are wanting someone to man the sails with us.

And yes, there is a time and place for that. But if Jesus is in the boat, there is no excuse for panic. (I speak to myself right now.) In fact He is not only IN the boat, He is THE boat that floats!

Hollywood has shown movies of Jesus getting up and standing and rebuking the sea. But I’m not so certain it happened that way. Who knows? He may have just rolled over and rebuked it right then and there. No theatrics, no drama. Just plain old Holy Ghost power that did not need any special music in the background, did not need the fanfare of men, did not need an audience. Just simple Holy Ghost power that said, “Peace, be still!”

We have that very same annointing in us, Church. So we needn’t go looking here or there to get it or to receive it. We already have it. Who is man that I have to go tramping off after his annointing or power when the same Spirit that is in Christ Jesus dwells in me? That is an insult to God Himself! I will not do it. Especially now. We have to know Jesus has got to be more than enough in ALL things now.

And then he rebuked his disciples saying, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”

Let us be careful going around rebuking anyone for what some may consider a lack of faith during these last days. Unless you yourself are parting seas and oceans and able to stop a storm, actually healing the sick besides putting on a show, then do not dare speak about someone else lacking faith. Jesus is the ONLY One who can get by with saying those words. He is perfectly capable of speaking to his children at any time.

Dare not say them to me. Because you too, may find yourself trembling at some point with the attitude, “Don’t you care we are about to die!” I will show you mercy.

One thing is for sure, it STILL made the disciples question who He was. They fearfully asked, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

Who was He? He was and is Almighty God! He is the One who takes the weak and makes them strong! He is the One who brings peace in the midst of the storm! He is the One who is more than able to keep us!

Romans 8:37-39 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Getting comfy with Jesus may be no small task. Vile dark things are coming out in the news everyday. We will begin experiencing things we never experienced before. Some of us will be tested in many different ways. But it is important to take that time out and get comfy with Him in the midst of the storm.

Let His Word wash over you. When you have no words to say because your heart is overwhelmed, He has given us Psalms. Speak them out.  Tell Him exactly how you think and feel. Even though, He already knows, talk to Him. Talk to Him as if He were sitting right in front of you. He is you know? You just can not see Him. And He cares about every single thing that is on Your heart. He will never leave you nor forsake you.

Church, there is a storm a brewing. Oh it’s coming like never before. Find that secret place of the Most High and dwell there. He will never leave us nor forsake us. We are gonna have to ride this storm out one way or another. So get in the boat with Jesus. He IS THE boat that floats!

Is the Lord preparing to set you in a broad place?

I called on the LORD in distress; The LORD answered me and set me in a broad place. — Psalm 118:4-6 –

He also brought me out into a broad place;He delivered me because He delighted in me. –2 Samuel 22:20 –

Anyone who has been visiting this blog for some time, know by now what I’ve been about. You’ve known I have hated lies, deceptions, darkness, etc. — both within the church and in political/social matters.

So much so, that it has greatly vexed my soul at times to see and know what all is going on in these areas. I stopped watching all news network well over a year ago. I’ve gotten my news sources online for the most part. Day after day, week after week, month after month, for a couple of years now, I have witnessed nothing but debauchery and deception in what is called “the church” and in the social/political arenas. It had made my soul sick.

Blessedly, the Lord spoke through a dear sister a little while back telling me: “you spend a lot of time exposing things with a negative slant. You should take a step back, because it affects the way you see even the good things going on.”

I was not offended. I know her heart for me is for good and not of evil. I took her words as coming from God to speak to something in me. So I did as she said: I backed off for a bit.

By doing so, I was able to see that the vileness of the things I hate had actually become part of me. Yes, it is right to hate evil. Yes, it is right to speak the truth at all times. Yes, it is right to never compromise. May God help me to always stand for what is right now and forever –  both publicly and in my personal life. However — as an ambassador of God — I have failed miserably in presenting the truth at times. Perhaps, I have hurt a little lost sheep in search of truth. For that I am sorry. Truly sorry. I never want to hurt the sheep.

(Don’t misunderstand me: I still believe there are times to kick devil butt when he comes as a deceiver. And I just do not see that changing in me. So I am sorry if any have gotten your hopes up in creating an image of me that is not exactly accurate.) 

Maybe there are others who have just had it with all they see and hear going on in areas of life. Maybe the drama of family members have gotten you down so much you don’t know if you are coming or going. Maybe you have fretted over this or that, day after day, week after week — even unto years and you are just worn out. You feel like you may be reaching the end, yet something on you keeps telling you “hang on.” Hang on to what? Hang on to a hope that things may get better? Friend, it may never get better. It may get worse. So why hang on? Even hanging on, can be a form of works.

Jesus said, “Come unto Me, all you who are heavy laden. For my yoke is easy and my burden light.” I don’t believe He ever once said, “hang on” did He? (If I’m wrong, someone correct me, please.)

No, we are to be still and know He is God. The moment we let the Lord make us still, is the moment God begins to change things. He may not change that circumstance; that loved one that gives you fits — still may give you fits, that job you are wanting — you may never get, that house payment still may be late, that unsaved family member still may walk in outright rebellion toward God. Whatever these things may be for each and every one of us, they may never change. BUT, God’s desire is to bring us into a broad place away from those things.

I believe He prepares us to bring us into such a place. Because if we knew He was going to do it, no doubt a lot of us would go kicking and screaming yelling, “No, no, I don’t want to go, Lord! Don’t you see how hard I’m trying?! Why all the empty space over there, it’s too much God. There ain’t one thing going on over there that interests me, don’t you know?!” That is probably what I would have said. However, in my case, I didn’t see it coming. His preparation was merely letting me get so sick and tired of everything. I saw myself with the enemies of my soul on every side. How I abhored it. And there was not one thing I could do about it. Not one thing.

It was the mercy of God that reached out to me, when one day, I finally saw that in spite of the rotteness going on that I hate, I was not in the middle of it anymore! It even felt empty all around me. As if there were miles and miles between the things that vexed my soul and me.   

I believe with all my heart God is wanting to prepare His remnant by getting us away from the things that vex our soul. Not to say that we will never have to deal with things — because we will alway have to deal with life. But it does not have to have a stronghold on us. 

See, it is His desire to deliver us. He delights in us, even though we think/know/feel we have failed. He loves us so much He has ways of operating on us even when we don’t know it! How cool is that?! –that the awesome God of the universe can go where no man can go and do what no man can do?!

So precious Bride of Christ, if you are finding you are getting sick and tired, do not hang on. Take the Lord’s hand and let Him lead you to that broad place where there is freedom. He cares for you!

He who the Son sets free is free indeed!

No more, will I ask God to bless America

If I ever hear “God bless America” again, I will vomit. The truth is, we have become a damned nation. Anything that remotely looks like a blessing is the mercy of God — not a blessing. 

How can I or anyone called by the name of Jesus, ask God to bless America? This is a sincere question and I ask it to all those who call themselves Christian. How can you?

Has He not blessed this nation over and over, decade after decade, for well over two centuries? Have we not been the most free nation on earth? Have we not been the most blessed of peoples? Have we not had the finest of luxeries? And we DARE to sing and cry out “God bless America.” The thought of it anymore sickens me.

Before I loose half, if not all the readers, let me explain. Then if you feel you need to move on, then so be it. But, I will not back down or compromise on this.

It was a few years ago when it first began to bug me to hear the song “God Bless America.” I began to think to myself, American has been blessed. Yet, she cries out for more? When does America begin blessing God? Shouldn’t we be singing America, bless God?

There was a time when it meant something to sing that song. There was a time when Kate Smith and her wonderful voice belting out the old song would send shivers down my spine. But those days are over, my friends. They are over.   

What does God get in return for His blessings on this nation? Rebellion. Ungodliness. Idolatry. Men and women cursing the very existence of Him. A generation that could care less about Him as they go out and tatto their bodies like heathens from some aztec civilization. Not only the young, but a revivalist (Tod Bentley) who LIES and says God told him to do it! The majority within the church either believes him or closes a blind eye to it! And we think God is going to just wink at this stuff and continue to bless America?! I think not!

When I heard the other day that tax dollars WILL be funding abortion, I wept for the greater part of a day and a half. I wept with tears of sorrow that babies would be MURDERED more frequently because an ungodly nation chose an ungodly man to rule over them! I wept with rage that a government would FORCE their citizens to fund human sacrifice! I wept for the many babies that would continue to brutally die all because women everywhere think they have the right to be whores by having sex with anyone they darn well choose! If that offends anyone, I will not apologise. It is what it is: If you have sex outside of marriage you are either one of two things; a slut who gives it away or a whore who is getting paid for it in some way or the other. GOD FORBIDS this behavior! The one who pays the price for such promiscuity is a baby! If you can not see that, then your conscience has become so seared that you very well may be on your way to hell.  

God bless America? NEVER! Never again will I speak those words and if I even hear it remotely through the radio, TV or any church I will get up and walk out of the joint! The thought of going to a tea party protest and hearing it, sickens me! Do the patriots and church people of this nation actually think that God will continue to bless this nation?! If so, you are fools. Fools indeed, because you do not see the judgement and wrath coming to this nation.

When a nation offers up human sacrifice, you can expect God to damn it! We are damned. We are a damned nation and people. No longer are we the light on the hill. Were we ever? Truly, were we ever?

You abortionists, if you do not turn from your murderous ways, you will burn in hell. It matters not to me whether you believe in God or not. It does not matter if you find yourself an outstanding citizen or if you are applauded as such. You are a murderer. God WILL judge you for it.

Those of you who stand behind this human sacrifice will also stand before God and answer for it.

God bless America? Never again will I ask for His blessings on this ungodly wicked nation led by ungodly wicked leaders. Instead I cry out, “Mercy, Oh God. Have mercy!”

Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.

–Proverbs 14:34 —

Surviving the days to come

I originally began to write this for a survival video that I have yet to put up. But I sensed the Lord telling me to make it seperate from the video. So here it is:

I’ve talked to a number of people this past year on what I believe is coming to the earth. Telling them we need to prepare for hard times. Meaning: get out of debt, store food and supplies, find out what your specialty or trade is and plan on using it for bartering, build a network of trusted individuals, try to prepare your mind “what if” — meaning just think what would you do if there were no water, no food, no electricity, etc. Most importantly; seek God and get in His Word. I know that is the most important any of us can do. For without Him we can do NOTHING.

Oddly enough, some of the worst rejections and responses I have gotten, are from Christians. Their attitude?

“I work, I don’t have time to know what’s going on in the world.” Sorry, not an excuse. 

“I can barely make ends meet now, let alone save for tomorrow.” Well, then stop spending money on stuff you don’t need and will end up not having any use for. 

“I don’t want to think about it.” Well you better think about it. Because the day is coming if you have not thought about it, you just may be a hindrance on someone who DID think about it. 

“I’m not going to live in fear.” Uh, who told you that lie: that it is fear to plan for bad times? 

My all time favorite one is this: “I’m just going to trust God.” Really? Like those of us who are seeing what is coming and doing our best to prepare are not trusting God?

The I’m just gonna trust God thing sounds so sanctimonious. Really it does. For what it is saying is, I will depend upon YOUR resources. For if they were trusting God, they would know that He, as our Source would have us to be a blessing to others. Can’t bless someone if you yourself do not have the resources available.  

Some of you pastors and preachers out there will be a hindrance upon your flock if you do not prepare. Do you actually think any parent is going to take food out of the mouths of their own babies to give to you? Why should they? Would you take it out of the mouths of your babies and give to another? I doubt it very much.

Some of you will continue to give to false ministries who could give a royal rip about you — instead they make merchandise of you. Are they warning you of the things to come? Or are they pointing you back to their ministry; give to me and God will bless you? Buy my books and my CD’s and get God’s special annointing on your life! These are hirelings! Because if they have one ounce of discernment or any sense, they would be able to see what is coming upon the world — yet they find ways to manipulate you to get your resources.

Then again, perhaps they DO see what is coming and they just want to make sure they milk you of everything you have so they can live high on the hog while you and your family suffer the consequences of an economic collapse.

It is not fear to think about the future and how to prepare. I know, I know, Jesus tells us, “whoever desires to save his life will lose it.” But I do not believe Jesus meant for His children to sit on their butts and wait for someone to come rescue them. If we are to be the light of the world, then should we at least have the mindset that if something bad happens, then we should have enough to give to those whoever God sends to our door? And yeah, that even means liberals and obama supporters. (SIGH) Even if I’m not real crazy about them, I don’t want them to have to resort to taking some kind of chip and loose their very soul. God forbid that I stand before Him one day and He say, “I sent that obama supporter to you and you held back your can of soup, they went around the corner, got that chip and lost their soul.”

(Yet, I’ll still be real honest about that. I’m not there yet. It will take an act of God to change some things in me. I suspect He will have His way with me because His word says, He who began a good work in me, is faithful to complete it. But for now…well, I can’t make myself FEEL something that just does not exist.)

I am NOT in the prosperity gospel as many of you well know, however, for the life of me, I can not see myself being a beggar at the mercy of man. I would much rather have something to give away in time of need to a neighbor or stranger than have to take something from another. Which brings me to this promise of God: 

Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the LORD upholds him with His hand. I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Nor his descendants begging bread. He is ever merciful, and lends; And his descendants are blessed. — PSALM 37:24-27 –

This is His promise to us.

I do not take lightly that there are those who may find it hard to prepare physically. But there must be something special in you — something God put in you for His children and for the world. You are not without, if God is your Father. What is it you would have to offer? A song, an ability to lead worship, the ability to lead in prayer, are you able to extend mercy? That is needed! Are you one who is not squeamish at the sight of blood and could lend first-aid to the wounded? You will be needed. Are you able to lift up the feeble hands among you? You will be needed, my sister and my brother!  Maybe you have the knack of calming others. Or perhaps your thing is staying up all night standing guard. Just think of the smorgasborg of abilities, talents, gifts and resources He has put in us and will do through us! I get excited thinking about it! I hope and pray God will set me among my brothers and sisters. I want to see the Father’s glory at work in each and every one of us!     

If we acknowledge the Lord in all our ways, He will make our path straight. He will show us all what is to come and prepare us inside and outside. I have no doubt about it. That’s the kind of God we serve! One who will never forsake us and equips us for battle!