Need Refreshing?

This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “When I bring them back from captivity, the people in the land of Judah and in its towns will once again use these words: ‘The Lord bless you, you prosperous city, you sacred mountains.’ People will live together in Judah all its towns–farmers and those who move about with their flocks. I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.” After this I awoke and looked around. My sleep had been pleasant to me. “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will plant the kingdoms of Israel and Judah with the offspring of people and of animals. Just as I watched over them to uproot and tear down and to overthrow, destroy and bring disaster, so I will watch over them to build and to plant,” declares the Lord. “In those days people will no longer say, “The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’ Jeremiah 31: 23-29 NIV (read it all)

It is time for a refreshing–a fresh anointing and filling of Holy Spirit so we can survive the tediousness of the bizarre behavior consistently assaulting us from the White House. Don’t know about others, but I’m taking a break from watching stupidity and those who employ it as a means of communicating.

So, for the next few days, I’ll be reblogging posts since brain cells need time to unload the nonsense that assails every time I turn on a television or even dare to look at social media. When nothing going on around you makes sense, it’s time to step back and analyze the situation from a new perspective and refocus before we can go forward. When attorneys need attorneys–something big is about to go down and all the screaming, tweeting and yelling, is not going to change that, but confession of guilt–will save millions and eliminate the tediousness of watching America erode.

Clarity, Lord, clarity is what I seek to move forward as I prepare for the biggest challenge I’ve ever faced. I’m not intimidated by the foolishness and I will continue exploring the possibility of a run for president in 2020.

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30 Days of Prayer and Praise–6!

How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore. Psalm 133 NIV

Day Six

Lord God our Father,

As we come before You again, with great expectation because of Your love for us, we thank You for giving us a mind to see our world as You desire it to be. That we are–one–in You–one race, one blood, united by our faith in You. Though You have poured into each of us–various gifts–both natural and spiritual–we have but one purpose and that is to please You–united by Love for You are Love!

Thank You for speaking to hearts and the message absorbed in our hearts, navigating to our minds and expressing itself in all we say and do in honor of You.

We thank You for giving us discernment–understanding the difference between just and unjust laws; between righteousness and unrighteousness, between morality and legality, and between love and hate.

We thank You for providing for every person that loves and honors You in the beauty of holiness and in the glory of Your Truth.

We thank You for ordering our steps in Your Word, releasing us from the dictates of man’s laws to follow You and You alone–for who on earth has heaven or hell for us?

We thank You for righting all wrongs by whatever method You deem necessary and for allowing us to be used by You in all that we do to encourage the hearts of many who are fearful and discouraged.

Lord, grant all who are willing to hear You respond in obedience to all You speak to them in order to preserve their faith in You and love for all.

We thank You for giving us hearts of compassion and desire to serve others as a means of promoting Your love.

We thank You for pouring Your wisdom into willing vessels who will acknowledge it is You, and not us, who knows all things, sees all things, and hears all things. And with the wisdom You provide, we are able to speak to others–sharing with them what You have shared with us–not for our glory, but for Yours alone.

Fill us right now and provide a constant refilling of wisdom and love, running down like the oil used to anoint Aaron, seeping into hearts and minds, so that everywhere we go today, wherever our words are heard or seen–people will recognize You as the Author and Finisher of our faith.

We thank You for allowing the mind of Christ to rule in us by day and by night and that we will endeavor to live in unity–loving one another as You love us–all the days of our lives–recognizing that all who have called upon You are indeed our brothers and sisters in Your family. 

We give You all the praise, glory and honor for hearing and answering our prayers because You are the only One worthy of our praise! In Jesus’ name, we pray and thank You, Amen!

 

Shadow Security!

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” If you say, “The LORD is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. Psalm 91:1,2; 9,10 NIV

When the shadows fall over the land, we can either feel security or fear. There are so many stories about our reactions to shadows that one blog post would not do it justice. There are times when shadows have caused people frightening experiences when they did not realize that tree branches and plastic bags caught on branches can give the allusion of something else that is far more sinister than what it is.

And then there are times when dangerous acts have been defeated because of the shadows alerting others of the dangers contrived by those who are evil.

But there is security in the knowledge that those of us who believe that the shadow of the Almighty is with us, daily. We can trust in the security of that shadow knowing that nothing by any means shall harm us when we dwell in His presence.

I started to title this post, shadow boxing–because that is what many of us do when we’re trying to overcome mindsets that keep us from enjoying the benefit of belonging to God. We feel we must always fight back–boxing our imaginary opponent that only exists in our heads–and yet we never win. Though shadow boxing has its benefits for those who are training to be boxers, there is no win since we are actually boxing our own shadow. And every time we move–in the right conditions for shadows to exist–the shadow moves and looms larger than we are.

So, too does God’s shadow–loom so much larger than we are and therefore we can trust Him to protect us. If we truly understood what dwelling in the shadow of His presence meant, we would indeed–fear no evil that conspires against us. We would boldly travel the paths He sets before us and not concern ourselves with the mediocrity that attempts to distract us. His shadow–on every side–because He is Light and where there is Light, His shadow is present.

Remember–when Peter passed by some and those who were enveloped in his shadow were healed. David said though the shadow of death was always present, he would not fear any evil coming upon him.

We do not have to fear shadows–unless we are in the wrong place for all the wrong reasons. Living in God’s shadow–we are fully protected and have no need to fear.

Anointed Truth!

“But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth.” (I John 2:20,21 NIV)

One of the reasons that I love John’s passages to us is because they are so personal. In the Gospel of John, he reveals to us the person of Christ and all of attributes. In his continued letters, he constantly reminds us that we are loved and because of His love towards us, we walk in His anointing and in Truth.

If we are filled with Holy Spirit–the Spirit of Jesus Christ–then we walk in Truth since He is Truth. When we allow Holy Spirit to guide us in all things, we speak only what He speaks and do only what He wants us to do.

Are we perfect people? Not hardly! We are people who love the Lord and want to please Him, so we are growing in grace and in the confidence of His Word in our ability to know when Holy Spirit speaks beyond what we understand and are open to the revelation!

This is why John tells us, we know the truth and there is no lie in truth. Now, this is where some people miss this. There is no lie in truth. A half-truth is a whole lie. There are no white lies, red lies, black lies are any other kind of lies that have any kind of relationship with Truth. Paul tells us to speak the truth, in love. Love the person to whom you’re telling the truth,, but tell the truth, confidently, not harshly.

One of the reasons the Body of Christ is in the shape it is in is because no one really wants to hear truth from the pulpit so preachers–sugarcoat truth–to maintain a congregation. I’d rather hear Truth, according to God’s Word (not man) and be convicted of wrong doing than to hear a sugar-coated message that makes allowances for sin. Yes, God forgives our sin, but repentance means we have turned away from doing those things that sever a relationship with God.

God is not mocked! He is not fooled by the preachings, dripping with syrupy meanings and rhyming rhythms that do nothing but entertain the flesh. The only person who is fooled by this is the one who does not know the Word.

I encourage every Believer to walk in the anointing of Truth and tell no lies–even if it means no other mortal walks with you, you are never alone!

Can You Hear Me Now?

“But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear” (Isaiah 59:2 NIV).

Are we listening to God through His Word, when His spirit speaks to us or are we bombarded by the chaos that reigns in the midst of confusion and disobedience? I can only imagine what  God might be thinking about what is happening in the land, He created for our good.

“Good morning, children,” God said.

“I have much to say to you concerning this world.”

“On this planet, I had devised the means for your survival and even for you to prosper in it.”

“On this planet, I had determined my purposes for your lives if you would surrender your all to me.”

“Over and over again, I have sustained a remnant of people who will obey and do what I have asked them to do.”

“Throughout the generations, I have loved you, warned you, and even sacrificed myself for you, yet you do not hear me.”

“You have not heeded my warnings or learned from your past mistakes, and even when I attempt to correct you, you turn from me.”

“You have defiled yourselves in all manner of abominations and turned what I have said is evil to good–for your own selfish purposes–to appease your flesh.”

“You have ignored my teachings so your children will be upstanding, productive people and now instead they are whore-mongers, warmongers, and haters of self and parents, and me.”

“You care more about what people think that what I have said and you constantly change your views to adapt to people, but you constantly ignore what I have said that does not change.”

“You attempt to talk to me when things go south and then you expect me to act on your behalf as though I am a magician.”

“You refuse to obey me, but you get angry when the consequences of your actions are made known to all.”

“When I am attempting to talk to you about your behavior, you tune-me out or try to justify your actions.”

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? I Am God and I change not, nor do my purposes for you change.”

“Nevertheless, since you insist on doing things your way, I will abide by my word and remove my hand from your lives and allow the consequences to fall upon the just and the unjust.”

“There is no more need to seek me for direction, when you refuse to hear me.  I will not hear you because you do not listen to those I have appointed and anointed for such a time as this.”

“And when you hear the sounds of war knocking at your borders, do not wonder why.  You know why.  Do not point fingers at others until you have realized your part in all of the world’s undoing.”

“Know that I love you, but I will not tolerate your blatant disregard of my people, my Word, or those I purposed to serve your needs.”

“Since you love the praise of men more than your relationship with me, and will praise others more than you praise me, I will leave you to serve what you desire and you will hear from me–no more!”

“C A N   Y O U   H E A R   M E   N O W?”

What is your response? O God, I hear and ask for Your abiding love to sustain us against evil and that You will create in us a heart to hear, a will to do, the courage to speak out against evil and a determination to get it all done, to Your glory! Cut away everything in our lives that keeps us from true repentance, so that we may honor You with our lives!

The Lord Knows

You O Lord, who know the hearts of people

You know the depth of our thoughts and our being

You know the ins and outs of everything we have ever done

You know the pain we feel when we cannot help those we love

You know the frustration that sets upon us when we cannot see or understand

The depth of Your love is far beyond anything we can imagine

You know our desires and our hurts

You know when we live for You or against us–

You know when the end will come and how it will come.

You know–when we don’t–just how much we can bear and more importantly,

You know when we’ll reach the end of ourselves and totally depend upon You!

We do not have to know the end of the matter because You do and we can trust in Your knowledge.

The Lord knows what we can handle and what we cannot handle–He is right there with us–holding us up or in His arms when we cannot continue under our own steam.  But because of His love for us, He will set us upright–upon solid ground–and anoint us anew to be courageous no matter what.  We win because The Lord Knows!  Hallelujah!