Purity – God’s Milk w/o the Additives & Percentages – Matthew 5:8

“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”

 

Pure- (adj.) (1): unmixed with any other matter (2): free from dust, dirt, or taint (3): spotless, stainless b: free from harshness or roughness and being in tune —used of a musical tone: being thus and no other: sheer, unmitigated: free from what vitiates, weakens, or pollutes: containing nothing that does not properly belong: having exactly the talents or skills needed for a particular role

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you see the word pure? With all that have gone on and is still going on since Adam and Eve were removed from the Garden of Eden, do you believe that anything pure exists in this world? Speaking of that-Purity milk is my favorite brand of milk. I was in the grocery store and noticed that there were several kinds of milk, for example, 0 % plus, 1 %, 2%, low fat, reduced fat, fat free, whole, and skim. I don’t know why I never noticed that before until reading this verse before going grocery shopping. Remember that old campaign slogan- “Got Milk?”  

Got Heart? Are we conscious of the fact that God is concerned about our heart? Are you concerned about your heart? One more question- Why would a Holy God want to SEE a filthy heart in His kingdom? (TYHS)

It is my thought that the reason we have so much guilt, murders, hatred, idolatry, false sexual preferences, fake messengers, and fake churches is because of an unclean heart. So much filth comes from an unclean heart. (Mark 7:20-23)

The Word of God is being polluted with additives by those who have an unclean heart.

 

Beloved, we need to become dead serious about the pureness of our hearts. How do we do that? The first step – We must be born again spiritually involving water and the Spirit of God. Read John 3:3-6. Take note of verse 6 “… but the Spirit gives birth to the spirit…” In a physical birth we are an embryo growing in a sac of water awaiting our birth. You are the spirit. God is the Spirit that gives life to you. The Spirit is pure. The second step- We must clean ourselves from the inside, removing all additives and whatever percentage of impurities in the heart that is not in alignment with God. We must walk in the light or as Papaw used to say “…straighten up and fly right and own your flight.”(1 John 1:7)

Now let us go here to Matthew 23:24-27. Jesus spoke of 7 woes in this chapter. I was attentive to these two woes in relationship to the word pure. (TYHS) Now you be attentive to the underlined words when using a dishwasher.

Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.

Ergo the adage, “Beauty is only skin deep.”  😛

 

As Christians, we cannot be full of additives and be 0% plus, 1 %, 2%, low fat, reduced fat, fat- free, nor skim milk drinkers when it comes to the Word of God. We must drink 100% pure whole milk when it comes to His word and our hearts. When God looks at our heart, let our hearts display purity without the additives and the percentages of filth. We must not be like the scribes and Pharisees, who obviously did not know how to wash dishes. We have always been a nation hung upon changing the outside first and trying to change things outside of the human dominion. When will     we get that ALL matters and actions are derivations from the HEART? If the heart was pure, can you imagine how much better this world would be? Let us become wise in knowing that a pure heart is a precondition to being in His presence. A pure heart is needed to see God. (Matthew 5:8)The day that you hear Him, you MUST harden not your heart.

 

Wisdom from the Holy Scriptures:

1 Samuel 16:7 -But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.

Isaiah 52:11-Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord.

James 4:8 -Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Isaiah 1:15-17-And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.

Hebrews 3:7-8– Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:

Psalm 24:3-4– Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.

Proverbs 23:26 -My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.

My 100% advice- Go ahead! Try some Purity – God’s Milk w/o the Additives & Percentages. I always pray Psalm 51 when I am experiencing heart dehydration. You may also incorporate others name in the prayer that may be experiencing heart dehydration. Let thou heart be thus and no other.

Bottoms Up! Alla tua salute! Rathima andu atene! Gan bei! & L’chaim!

 

At One’s Wits’ End? “Seek the Lord and Live.” Amos 5-6

A Dictionary Moment
At one’s wits’ end- to be very worried or upset because you have tried every possible way to solve a problem but cannot do it; at the end of one’s ideas or mental resources; perplexed; utterly confused

Most are familiar with the idiom. Dare I say that most of us have been at our wits’ end? With God as your RESOURCE, you will never be at wits’ end. Let’s take a journey.

Continuing on this Lent journey through the book of Amos I was a bit confused of the message received. I prayed before the study and was ready to hear what words the Lord had for ME. This is MY journey, my heart rending time. But the Spirit of God put someone else on my heart and mind. I asked not why. I was reminded once again that I am not God; I cannot do everything for everyone and that the choices and mistakes that others make are not my boundaries. I hear you Lord. I finally HEAR you I shouted out. I’m not sure if this can be labeled as a lesson learned for me, therefore I’ll just pass on the message received.
The reason most of humanity end up at one’s wits’ end is due in part to a lack of individual preparation and complacency. Yep! C-o-m-p-l-a-c-e-n-c-y!
As you may recall, in Amos 4:12, God warns the house of Israel to “prepare to meet thy God.”
I’ve noticed that when one is at one’s wits’ end, it happens when one is NOT hearing the advice of others that are very close to them. One is stuck in the moment(s) of their doings and fails to recognize crouching sin. Remember what God said to Cain (Genesis 4:6-7) “…sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”  How many times has God said “Hear” in the Holy Bible? How many times has God said to you “Hear”?  Catch these my sweethearts!!!!!  Did you hear (syn. – perceive, receive, get) or did you listen (syn.-eavesdrop, snoop, attend)? ((((((TYHS))))))
So then I ask God, while reading Amos 5 and 6, what do you do when you know someone very dear to you is at their wits’ end? What do you do when you are so spiritually bonded to them, feeling and knowing their every ache without them saying a word? What do you do Lord, please tell me, when they are so broken, words and deeds of others go unnoticed by them? What do you do when that person feels like they have been a burden on those who help them? ((((((JESUS)))))) I looked up from writing my questions down and in the right hand corner of my closet, Tigger was staring at me.  I burst out with laughter.  

In the Winnie the Pooh stories, you know Tigger just bounces everywhere on his tail. Occasionally, you would see him walking through the 100 acre woods. Bouncing on his tail was his signature move. Bounce~~~ bounce~~~bounce!  In bounces the message from the Holy Spirit.

(Read Amos 6)

Yep! C-o-m-p-l-a-c-e-n-c-y! Tigger … a great messaging tool! (TYHS)
Dear readers, whatever situation you have fallen into or when you are at one’s wits’ end, hear this!

You

• Must Prepare yourself to meet thy God
• Must Seek Him and Live
• Must Rend your heart and Repent
• Must Reform self
• Must Put ALL Faith in God for His will to be done in your life

One cannot “HEAR this word” when the Lord is speaking, when one is always bouncing around like Tigger, or never standing still long enough on one’s own two feet to prepare one’s self to live as God intended. I tell ya! Lifesight (my new word) is nothing like hindsight.

 Here’s one of my favorite Tigger quotes.

“Excuse me a moment, but there’s something climbing up your table,” and with one loud Worraworraworraworraworra he jumped at the end of the tablecloth, pulled it to the ground, wrapped himself up in it three times, rolled to the other end of the room, and, after a terrible struggle, got his head into the daylight again, and said cheerfully: “Have I won?”

(With God, you can win, just say YES to Him)

Let this song minister to you- (parts 1 & 2) I love singing this song, very powerful.

Quotes I Love About Respect

Guten Abend Beloved! I shall share a few quick thoughts of mine before presenting the quotes. I decided to research some quotes about RESPECT for one of my workshop presentations. I have learned over many years that RESPECT is a mixture of genuine love and truth and that my life is no more important or less than another persons life. I’ve seen so less of it these last 30 something years and the lack of RESPECT towards God, self, others, and things have become worse. Disrespect is no longer kept on the DL (Down Low) by many Christians.  It can been seen as clear as spilt dark oil upon dark waters and the moon doesn’t even have to be shining upon the waters.  Now that’s very reflective!

A lack of RESPECT appears to be one of the reasons, if not the main reason, that people in the workplace, in church, in families, and in relationships fail to get along, fail to experience joy, fail to prosper and grow, fail to communicate effectively, fail to be on one accordance in loving and doing for one another, and basically fail in life goals planned for one by God Almighty. People avoid even greeting certain people while in church. Over the years, I have witnessed people in a church sanctuary turn 1 aisle into a 4-way emergency pew exit. They will look directly at a person and skedaddle off in another direction to avoid speaking to that person, or start talking to a person closest to them that they normally sit by. And… they even have the audacity to think that it goes unnoticed by others and the avoided person.  It’s a sure sign of disrespect towards others as a Christian while at church. I don’t like reading or seeing such signs of disrespect especially in the church realm.

Let’s go deeper…. A person that does this in church is also showing a lack of reverence for God in a place of worship. Now that’s sad. What’s even more sad, is that people (Christian or Not) inside the church still don’t comprehend that God is watching their actions INSIDE His house of worship. My advice to those who do such an evil deed in church need to realign their heart with God and communicate with the person they are avoiding about any issue(s) that makes them avoid speaking to them. Disrespect among Christians causes ground for Division.  (yeah something similar to that which causes ground for a divorce)  Listen closely….There is only 1 aisle to the Kingdom of  God and it is through Jesus Christ. I know…The Truth Stings and Saves!

What’s that idiom?  A house divided against ITSELF cannot stand… easily translated into Everyone involved must unify and function together or it will not work out.  Beloved, have we not yet learned as humans, that even the apple respects the worm and the cow jumped over the moon while the dish ran away with the spoon?  Think about it!

A Respectful Apple

That’s all that I have to say on the matter, and to back up my thoughts, I ask that you meditate on this bible verse of which you’ll have to figure out with deep thought and conviction on your own why it is referenced. TYHS! 

Genesis 1:28 – Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Learn and Live the Need – RESPECT and know your ROLE  as a COG – Shelia  

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“I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence.” – Frederick Douglass

“If you spend your life sparing people’s feelings and feeding their vanity, you get so you can’t distinguish what should be respected in them.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald

“I’m not concerned with your liking or disliking me… All I ask is that you respect me as a human being.” – Jackie Robinson

“What is the quality of your intent? Certain people have a way of saying things that shake us at the core. Even when the words do not seem harsh or offensive, the impact is shattering. What we could be experiencing is the intent behind the words. When we intend to do good, we do. When we intend to do harm, it happens. What each of us must come to realize is that our intent always comes through. We cannot sugarcoat the feelings in our heart of hearts. The emotion is the energy that motivates. We cannot ignore what we really want to create. We should be honest and do it the way we feel it. What we owe to ourselves and everyone around is to examine the reasons of our true intent. My intent will be evident in the results.” – Thurgood Marshall

“I respect the man who knows distinctly what he wishes. The greater part of all mischief in the world arises from the fact that men do not sufficiently understand their own aims. They have undertaken to build a tower, and spend no more labor on the foundation than would be necessary to erect a hut.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“Above all, don’t lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky

“In my day, we didn’t have self-esteem, we had self-respect, and no more of it than we had earned.” – Jane Haddam

“No one respects a talent that is concealed.” – Desiderius Erasmus

“The tragedy is that so many people look for self-confidence and self-respect everywhere except within themselves, and so they fail in their search.” – Nathaniel Branden

“Respect is love in plain clothes.” – Frankie Byrne

“A test of a people is how it behaves toward the old. It is easy to love children. Even tyrants and dictators make a point of being fond of children. But the affection and care for the old, the incurable, the helpless are the true gold mines of a culture.” – Abraham J. Heschel

“People think we had a love-hate relationship. Well, I did not love him, nor did I hate him. We had mutual respect for each other, even as we both planned each other’s murder.” – Werner Herzog  

“It’s very dramatic when two people come together to work something out. It’s easy to take a gun and annihilate your opposition, but what is really exciting to me is to see people with differing views come together and finally respect each other.” – Fred Rogers

“Don’t rely on someone else for your happiness and self worth. Only you can be responsible for that. If you can’t love and respect yourself – no one else will be able to make that happen. Accept who you are – completely; the good and the bad – and make changes as YOU see fit – not because you think someone else wants you to be different.”- Stacey Charter

“The best thing to give to your enemy is forgiveness; to an opponent, tolerance; to a friend, your heart; to your child, a good example; to a father, deference; to your mother, conduct that will make her proud of you; to yourself, respect; to all men, charity.” – Benjamin Franklin

“For the multiculturalist, white Anglo-Saxon Protestants are prohibited, Italians and Irish get a little respect, blacks are good, native Americans are even better. The further away we go, the more they deserve respect. This is a kind of inverted, patronising respect that puts everyone at a distance.” – Slavoj Žižek

“A youth is to be regarded with respect. How do you know that his future will not be equal to our present?” – Confucius

“Everyone should be respected as an individual, but no one idolized.” – Albert Einstein

“An individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for the law.- Martin Luther King, Jr.

“This world of ours… must avoid becoming a community of dreadful fear and hate, and be, instead, a proud confederation of mutual trust and respect.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower

“Regard your good name as the richest jewel you can possibly be possessed of — for credit is like fire; when once you have kindled it you may easily preserve it, but if you once extinguish it, you will find it an arduous task to rekindle it again. The way to a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear.” – Socrates

“RESPECT THE ROLL” – Cottonelle Tissue Advertisement

Proverbs

He who wants a rose must respect the thorn.- Persian Proverb

When we show our respect for other living things, they respond with respect for us. – Native American Proverb

Should even one’s enemy arrive at the doorstep, he should be attended upon with respect. A tree does not withdraw its cooling shade even from the one who has come to cut it. – Mahabharata 12.146.5

The way to overcome the angry man is with gentleness, the evil man with goodness, the miser with generosity and the liar with truth.– Indian Proverb

Respect out of fear is never genuine; reverence out of respect is never false. – Chinese Proverb

African Proverbs  

It is unwise for one to think that a hen will ever be accorded respect in the land of the hawks.

Negotiate with your enemy whilst you are a strong and formidable force, and he will always fear and respect you, but negotiate at the brink of defeat, and he will trample you down.

The Holy Bible

Leviticus 19:32– ‘You shall rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man, and fear your God: I am the Lord.

Philippians 2:3  – Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

1 Samuel 2:30– Therefore the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever.’ But now the Lord says: ‘Far be it from Me; for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.

Titus 2:7 – in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing integrity, reverence, incorruptibility,

Philippians 2:3 – Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.

1 Thessalonians 5:12-13– And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. Be at peace among yourselves.

Matthew 7: 10-12 – Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

I LOVE YOU (Ich liebe dich)

LOVE COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SINS

The Mentality and Emotions of A Temporal (Time-Based) Life and Death

Opening-

v  Genesis 1:26-27(KJV) – The Plan

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

 v  Genesis 2:7(KJV)- The Plan In Fruition

 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

 v  Genesis 3:16-19(NKJV)- The Plan’s Temporal Result

To the woman He said: “I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your conception; In pain you shall bring forth children; Your desire shall be for your husband, And he shall rule over you.” Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’: “Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return.”

The day of birth sets our life in motion unto death. Even if we think it’s unfair, death must come, whether it be by a spiritual or a physical death. Is it not a written or given law since the demise of Adam?  All things, humans, plants, and animals alike that are given life will eventually die…. excluding God’s hand- picked few.  When we read the word of God, we know that both life and death are temporal events until He sends His son Jesus back to lay a final claim on those cemented in Him, to give us another life eternal, not life temporal, and no death.

v  Proverbs 14:12(NKJV) There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.

v  Ecclesiastes 9:5 (NKJV)- For the living know that they will die; But the dead know nothing, And they have no more reward, For the memory of them is forgotten.

We come into the world prepared for life unto (not for) death. We are equipped to deal circumspectly via our mentality and emotions with both events during our life stage.  We are even caught off guard in some cases as well of both events, namely unplanned pregnancies, terminal illnesses, incarcerated death sentences, suicide, and accidental deaths. Still we are equipped to deal with those things in our own way. Thank You Heavenly Father! You know, I was thinking profoundly that neither of these events, life nor death, are physical choices we as the person make. Question Point –  Did you make the choice to be born just so you could die?  I think not!

Life is our opening and Death is our closing on this earth. Thank you Adam! God is our Alpha and Omega. Upon His return, Jesus is and will be THE ONLY WAY to get Life eternally since, Death will cease to exist. Thank you Jesus! Do we fully grasp THAT belief with our mentality and emotions?  Jesus IS the ONLY WAY. We will be equipped for death via salvation IF we leave this earthly place with our mind, our heart and our soul fortified in Jesus. In Him, we will never be put to shame.  Read Romans 10:9-13, in your bibles please. This post is long enough already.

                                                    **************Note – Mt.  Kangchenjunga**************

When you look at the fatality rates on the world’s most dangerous mountains, you’ll see that most decrease as time goes on. One notable exception is Kangchenjunga, the third highest peak in the world. Death rates have reached as high as 22% in recent years, a reflection of the avalanche and weather hazards that plague this dangerous mountain.  Trekking the Mt. Kangchenjunga Circuit in Nepal. Read more at http://matadornetwork.com/trips/11-most-dangerous-mountains-in-the-world-for-climbers/#GhHqFXwETybPFLBm.99

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Hiking now! When a baby is born, most everyone (family and friends) involved in the newborn’s life have a natural feeling of elation, joy, happiness, excitement, hugs, kisses, nice compliments, laughter, and genuine smiles. It is a grand display of our mentality and emotions. LOVE! It’s a natural temperament, even amongst animals. Animals lick and cuddle their newborns.  In most lives of the newborn animal, several females assist in the caring of for a specified time. Have you ever seen a cheetah smile?  

LOVE! A newborn is also welcomed into the world with open arms and open hearts from most people who come into contact with him or her. Our countenance is that of joy and happiness. This grand display of mentality and emotions are also natural feelings for the life of a newborn that even come from strangers outside of the family and friends realm, i.e. doctors, nurses, hospital staff, and others when you’re out and about with a newborn. Everyone, even those born with “disabilities” or become disabled, celebrates life throughout its various stages due to their mentality and emotions. Some of us are envious of the way others live their life.  Some of us are happy with how we live our life. Some of us are dissatisfied with the life we live. We are full of emotions. Did I not say earlier, we are equipped to deal with life? I don’t know, did I? Anyway, our mentality and emotions are our equipment. The equipment source is, yep, you guessed it!  Our Heart! At least that is my thought.  In life, we are able to use the source to guide us in the life making decision process, be it bad or good.

Hmm, prepared to death? I’m sure I said that earlier too. In death, there is nothing according to Koheleth.  Have you figured out who he is yet? The normal celebratory ritual for death is mourning.  Our countenance differs from that of when one is born. We don’t feel elated, nor do we experience laughter and joy when a person dies. We are left in such sorrow, especially if it is a child of ours. There is clearly no excitement stage. Though we (some of us) are not mentally and emotionally prepared to die, nor prepared to see others close to us die, we are still equipped to deal with the death of others and self. How so? Because we KNOW in our hearts that death is coming. It is the curse of Adam set in motion for the preparation for our new bodies to come.  Death is just another prepared mountain we’ll have to climb for those who are in Christ to receive our glorified bodies.

When anyone or anything (pet and plants included) we love or care deeply for dies, like it or not, our mentality and emotions kick in again. These too are natural feelings that the living have when someone or something dies. It is also a natural feeling when some famous person dies we care about, that we’ve never spoken to or have seen face to face.  It is by far a rarity amongst us that a living person would want to take the place of a loved or unloved one who is dying. Jesus did it for us all. Thank you God! Here lies the difference in our current life and death versus Jesus’ life and death. God prepared Jesus for both life and death and Jesus knew that both had to happen. We knew not when we were going to be given life before we were born, but rest assuredly at some point in our life we all learn that we are going to die.

When we die, our equipment  source dies with us. We can no longer use this source in death. We lose our mentality and emotions. The Good News! But, and it’s a faithful “but”, the equipment source, our heart will beat again in a perfect life with a new body as incorruptible. We will become immortal through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. I speak only of those who are in Christ Jesus.  Once we go through this death coming, we… you and I, will receive a perfected mentality and have perfected emotions prepared for us, never to be caught off guard again. Pure Love! Just thinking about it makes my heart smile….Pure Love for God, Jesus, The Holy Spirit, One Another, and Self! Jesus said, He has prepared a place for us, and I will always believe so. Since He has prepared it, we know it will be the perfect place. Do you believe?

 Amen.

 

Closing –

v  1 Corinthians 15:51-57(NKJV) – The Plan’s Destination  🙂

 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.  So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”    “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

v  1 Thessalonians 4:13-18(NKJV)

But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.  For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.  For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.  Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Now wasn’t that was a nice hike up and down Mt. Kangchenjunga? We made it! Our present mentality and emotions in this temporal life need lots of work. Folks, we’ve got more mountains to climb. We need to be prepared for Jesus’ return, by getting our old mentality and emotions focused solely on and in Him, so that we can receive eternal life through and in Him. Come Lord Jesus so that we may shine in our glorious bodies.

 

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LOVE COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SINS

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Happy June 1 to All!

•  Fake- adj.- Having a false or misleading appearance; fraudulent; v.tr.  To contrive and present as genuine; counterfeit.

The Story.

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Genesis 18:16-33

When the men got up to leave, they looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them on their way.  Then the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?  Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.”  Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.”

The men turned away and went toward Sodom, but Abraham remained standing before the Lord. Then Abraham approached him and said: “Will you sweep away the righteous with the wicked?  What if there are fifty righteous people in the city? Will you really sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous people in it?  Far be it from you to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, treating the righteous and the wicked alike. Far be it from you! Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?”  The Lord said, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake.” 

Then Abraham spoke up again: “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, though I am nothing but dust and ashes, what if the number of the righteous is five less than fifty? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five people?” If I find forty-five there,” he said, “I will not destroy it.”  Once again he spoke to him, “What if only forty are found there?” He said, “For the sake of forty, I will not do it.”

Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak. What if only thirty can be found there?” He answered, “I will not do it if I find thirty there.”  Abraham said, “Now that I have been so bold as to speak to the Lord, what if only twenty can be found there?” He said, “For the sake of twenty, I will not destroy it.”

Then he said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak just once more. What if only ten can be found there?” He answered, “For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it.”  When the Lord had finished speaking with Abraham, he left, and Abraham returned home.

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Don’t leave. Stay with me on this please. Finding Fake in the Church.

How’d she do that?

 

I place no focus on any particularly named church. I’m speaking of the Christian Church as a whole.  I’m sure to make some hot about my thoughts, and that’s cool.  The Christian Church is NOT perfect. The Lord said he wishes the church was one or the other, just not lukewarm. (Revelation 3:15-16-  I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!  So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.)

I was reading about Sodom and Gomorrah this great evening and the title of this blog flew out from the pages with a few run-ins with the Book of Revelation. So let me get this right. The cities were destroyed anyway, and there were less than ten who were found righteous in the eyes of the Lord.  I wonder why Abraham didn’t ask for the sake of four. That Abraham sure knew how to count by fives and tens. Amazing how the Lord started out with a head count of fifty and the count dwindled.

What I found shooting at me is that God told Abraham, “I will know.”  That has never stuck out to me before while reading those verses until now. We forget sometimes that God knows whatever it is we do in and for the church that appears as work in the Lord to others. We forget sometimes that God knows what we say, think, and feel about others in the church, it is no secret to Him, nor a few of its church members, i.e. GOSSIP.  What the church is doing today with its fake members is an outcry that has reached God and He knows.  The signs are upon us. If a head count of fifty were to be done in the church you attend, how many do you think would end up on the “found righteous” list? Would you be on the list?  Are we trying to pass plexiglass off as a diamond in the church? God loves working with things and people that His light can shine through. See the difference below in being like plexiglass (Fake) and being like a diamond.  

***Note (Courtesy of EHow) – Plexiglass is a clear type of acrylic most commonly used in place of glass. It  is considered a “soft acrylic”, meaning it has a higher sensitivity to heat than  harder acrylic materials. Plexiglass is prone to some melting (smearing) and  chipping on the edge that is being cut.

Diamonds are the hardest natural substance known that resists scratching. They  are used for their durability to cut through many solid materials, including  other diamonds. The beauty of how light passes through and shines upon a diamond  has made it the favorite choice for jewelry and most popular gem around the  world.***

Since the beginning of the Christian church through the present,(reference the New Testament), there were/are those committed to the Lord and then there are those who were/are committed to running things their way and putting a fake plexiglass spin on how the church  and its member should be.  Ask self from within your heart… Self what is the reason the Christian Church exist?

What’s shocking to me is that most of us can still Find Fake in certain churches of which we attended as a child. Too many church members are participants of a fake group. It’s like a bad gene that passes from generation to generation within the church. There are children who need discipline in church when it comes to being attentive and respectful during worship service or bible study classes. There are members in our choir stands, behind our pulpits,  in front of the pulpit( the pews), teaching, serving on church boards, and over various programs within the church who have fake-I-tis.  And we wonder why some churches don’t prosper in the name of Jesus. Hmmph! Here’s why…God doesn’t like fake, especially when it comes to His people.

Take a look around…The church is neither hot nor cold, fluctuating here and there, where its members cater to the body called self and to appointed positions within the church while proclaiming to be a child of God. Some church staffers cater to older namesakes of the church they attend, or to those they think have a status in the community or with their job, and that is sad.  There are members who think they own the church they attend.  Has anyone ever asked to look at the deed for your church? 🙂 

The church have always had ministers or other church leaders throughout the ages that were afraid to speak up the truth for fear of losing their place in the church. What about losing your place with God? The church also had and currently have ministers and church leaders who were/are not afraid to speak up the truth , rebuke and discipline certain members within their congregations. Jesus didn’t fake it, he said what was needed to be said, never losing His place, and kept on spreading the truth.  People need to realize that FAKE actions feed division in the church. Division in the church does not allow the church to multiply in the name of Jesus.  I don’t do fake, simply because of  life and death situations I’ve gone through. We all go through things that should stop us from being fake. Time is not a joke.  It is real and it is short.  I repeat, I’m speaking of the Christian Church as a whole.

I’ve seen and heard a lot of fake things going on in the Lord’s house since I was as they say….knee high to a grasshopper.  I too, have specks in my eye, but they are not fake specks. The Holy Spirit can show you a lot of things while sitting in church and anywhere else.  It pays to be very aware of your spiritual surroundings and people around you, no matter where you are. Yes, we all sin. Yes there are those who work towards being more like Christ. Here’s your sign.  Revelation 3:14-22. Read about the Church in Laodicea.  We CANNOT fool God. Those in this type of communion with others every Wednesday, Saturday, or Sunday need not only to be in prayer for those who fake it, but give rebuke and discipline out of love, and repentance should follow. 

Here’s our sign again!….Church of Laodicea. Being lukewarm, i.e. being insincere will cause us to be spit out of the mouth of God. Faking it with others is the same as being insincere, i.e. two-faced, that’s my opinion.  I never did like that aphorism…..“Fake it till you make it!” 

 Acknowledging and rebuking FAKE-I-TIS works when you do it out of love for Jesus and the person in question.  Jesus said so to this type church “Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with them, and they with me. To those who are victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.”

Each of us, who are Christians that attend a church of our choice, belong to one of the seven types of churches mentioned in the book of Revelation. It is within us individually to use our God-given power to work together to end the act of being fake in our churches. Prayer works. But Jesus said rebuke and discipline works even better for those He loves. So if we claim to love those in our congregations that we KNOW are faking it, should we not rebuke and discipline as well?  There is nothing wrong with a person being called to the side in confidence about their ungodly action(s) or behavior. If most of us were to be called out in front of the church today, there would be some empty pews and pulpits.

Rebuke is just a stronger form of encouragement when done out of love. Most of us get mad when rebuked and disciplined by others, because we lack wisdom and/or we are “set in our ways”.

Side Note:- Proverbs 28:23 (NIV)

 Whoever rebukes a person will in the end gain favor rather than one who has a flattering tongue.

There is nothing wrong with encouraging others, just don’t put ice in a cup with boiling water, to make it lukewarm. We’ve got to bring fire to get fired up in the Lord so we won’t be put in the ever-burning fire.  We have got to bring fire to overcome the fire that’s a coming per the book of Revelation…. let us prepare ourselves. Being fake will not help us overcome. With that being said, that takes me back to the story above about Sodom and Gomorrah. The cities were destroyed by fire. When Jesus returns for His REAL Body, the Christian Church, make sure you are not one of those amongst the fake lukewarm body of believers.  Those who are still sitting up in the church faking it and not repenting upon His return will be destroyed by the ever-burning fire. Don’t proclaim that you love everybody in the church when your actions show otherwise. There is no way in the world that a fake person can be considered a righteous person. You have to serve the Lord with everything REAL.

Being fake my beloved prohibits the Body of Christ, i.e., the Christian Church, from becoming earnest and repentant. Being fake especially in His house grieves Him and does not glorify Him.  It was obvious to me that the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah did not glorify the Lord. Check out this  State of the Cities address the Lord gave to Abraham—- Then the LORD said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous that I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me. If not, I will know.”   What state will your church be in before His return? Will the Lord find it filled with FAKE members?

I’ll say it again…. We cannot fool God.  God said, ” I will know.” Beloved ones, there WILL BE NO FAKING IT  TILL WE MAKE IT. 

Now, I do like this aphorism….Keep it Real!   Let’s us all be earnest and repentant ( Keep it Real) so that we may be well-disciplined in Him upon His return. I am speaking to self as well via the Holy Spirit. Let us get our churches on fire and in order for the Lord by being on one REAL accord when we worship Him wholeheartedly together. Let us pray to become a diamond in our lives and in the church. Kudos and blessings to those who are keeping it real in the church. Jesus is the reason for every season, not just the Christmas season.

I am through shooting off my thoughts. Ahem! You may now start firing the darts or water gun.

I LOVE YOU

LOVE COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SINS

Closing Note: Psalm 141:5 (NIV)

 Let a righteous man strike me—that is a kindness; let him rebuke me—that is oil on my head. My head will not refuse it,     for my prayer will still be against the deeds of evildoers.

A Place Called Life- A Place Called Death- My Thoughts

These past two months back to back, week to week, I’ve experienced once again on a personal level death among several close family members and friends. Allow me to refresh our memories with definitions.

 Life-(n)- (1)the condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic objects and dead organisms, being manifested by growth through metabolism, reproduction, and the power of adaptation to environment through changes originating internally. (2) a corresponding state, existence, or principle of existence conceived of as belonging to the soul: eternal life.
 Death-(n)-(1)the act of dying; the end of life; the total and permanent cessation of all the vital functions of an organism. (2) extinction; destruction

While practically living at the hospital and nursing home these past months, I was reminded of several things. There are lots of women, young and older bringing children into the world without the male parent present. Life is funny, they obviously where there during the seeding.  😦   There are lots of elderly or disabled people lying in hospital beds, nursing homes and even their homes, without family members being present or any family at all. While the birth of my two grand gifts (grandkids)in January and April brought joy, it also brought sadness because I know of the heartache and pain they will eventually experience right along with others who have been given a place in life.

I think I cried for most of April because I just felt the sadness, disappointment, and pain of others. I cry when people do wrong even after I’ve spoken my peace.(not piece)  I cry when I am overblown with anger of wrongdoing to others. This is why sometimes I try hard to stay away from people because I get tuned into their spirit. It’s draining and it’s weird sometimes, because I can’t prevent them from experiencing heartaches and death and can’t make them heed advice. I can only give of self and time and pray for a healing for all, and even that at times becomes draining. Thank you Jesus! Thank you Holy Spirit!

When my aunt’s days in this place of life were dwindling down and she was hospitalized, family members started telling me a whole lot of things I was not prepared to hear and expected me to put people in their place. I made sure they knew it was not my job and that I was not God, and reminded them that God knows it all and He will take care of the issues. It was very saddening to hear a lot of those things. All I can say is this…if you have parent(s) that have been a true parent to you, don’t ever neglect them or show disrespect towards them while they have been given a place in life.

It was saddening to me to find out that there are elderly and disabled people that receive care and visits only from staffed members. I was in awe, to learn that even family members did not spend quality time visiting with their relatives in the hospital and nursing homes. Where oh where have we gone wrong in this world, in this place of Life, with compassion, respect, and love for others? Let me be honest, it actually made me more angry than sad.

How do I know this you may ask? I’m nosey when I see a need not being met or an absence of love being felt. Most of the times, I just feel the presence. Whenever I would walk down the halls of the hospital or nursing home, I’d see patients just lying there in their beds looking lifeless or their mind seems to be elsewhere and they were lying there or eating alone. I started praying as I walked the halls and peeping in rooms for the Holy Spirit to be with and help these people. I don’t know what wrong they may have done to others during their life and I don’t and didn’t care. What mattered each time I saw this, was that the individuals needed prayer and to be shown someone cared and to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives me great insight into the pain and need of others and boy did it hurt. The biggest thing I felt inside is that though these people are breathing, they are actually dead in a sense in the place of  life and most  are awaiting death without any hope or faith. It’s so sad. Some were under the delusion that somebody in their family was “coming to get me” and “coming to see me”.  😦  😦
These things reminded me of something I read in the Book of Isaiah 43: 7-13 and Ephesians 2: 7-13 about why we are given or have life. This is just my thought, you may think otherwise.

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Isaiah
 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him. Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears. Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth. Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no saviour. I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, that I am God. Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it?

Ephesians
That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

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And now, with that being my scriptural documentation and belief, let me almost finish this up. We, even us who call ourselves Christians, have bouts of forgetfulness of what God requires of us. We either don’t have time or make time, we don’t know or don’t want to know about the lack of love and care given to others, we don’t want to take on the burdens of others when it is clear they have family available, we have lost the true meaning of compassion and what it means to truly and wholeheartedly give to others via the Holy Spirit and in the name of Jesus and might I add, in the eyes of God in this place we call Life.

Since the Holy Spirit lives within us as Christians as our Helper and Comforter, whom the Father sent to us in Jesus’ place for a set time in this place called life,  should we not share and give of that help and comfort to others?

The church of today which is the Body of Christ that includes you and I as a Christian, place way too much focus on financial stewardship via financial giving so much so, that members are forgetting that giving of time and self to others is hiding and buried under the last row of pews in the church crying to be heard and done. We forget that giving of self, time, and helping others is also a form of stewardship. Wake Up! What did the verse above in Ephesians say?
WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS UNTO GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD HATH BEFORE ORDAINED THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM.

I ask self and I ask you…Are we as Christians really walking in the way that God ordained that we should walk in this place called life? Jesus was given life by God to live on this earth for a set time. Per our bible studies, what is the one thing that stands out about Jesus’ life to you and God? We are also given a set time on this earth, what is the one thing that stands out to others, self and God about our being? If we call ourselves Christians, Followers of Christ Jesus, and/or Children of God…Folks we KNOW, without a doubt what should be or could be done to walk in His ways. We have been given a place in life to do such. We have been created for His glory. God said so. When we are in the place of death, we can do NOTHING in His ways.

Let us be reminded, we are God’s witnesses per Isaiah’s verse above. He and only He is our Deliverer. Satan has NO power over your place in life or in death. He is not the deliverer of your soul of the place in death, nor is he the one who has given you a place in life. See how weak he is? God is ALWAYS in control and in charge in the place of life and death.
Recognize and Remember..…GOD IS….He told Moses in the Book of Exodus 3:14, so Moses told us via the scriptures,

“I AM WHO I AM, tell them I AM sent you”. He also told Moses that “I AM” is his name to be “called from generation to generation.”
 So the next time somebody try to shut you down, do wrong against others or self, or speak ill will, you tell them – The God who is I AM is listening and watching everything you say and do.
He told John in the Book of Revelation to relay the message to us in the first chapter, after the introduction “I AM THE ALPHA AND OMEGA, SAYS THE LORD GOD, WHO IS, AND WHO WAS, AND WHO IS TO COME, THE ALMIGHTY.” And if that wasn’t enough as a reminder, He reminds us again in Revelation 22, the final chapter of the bible.

Lookie Here Folks!

 “I AM THE ALPHA AND THE OMEGA, THE FIRST AND THE LAST, THE BEGINNING AND THE END.”

Doesn’t that prove He and only He is over the place of life and the place of death?
And then there is the place called Death. What can we do in the place called Death? We can’t reach out to others. We can’t cry for others. We can’t give to or love others. We can’t show good works in the place called Death. We can’t even gossip anymore in this place.  We can’t even go shopping.  🙂  Everything we need to do as children of God should be done in the place called Life. Jesus took care of and paid for our biggest burden through His place in death.  The least we can do is partake of this same act (easing a burden) for those who are in this place called life in His name before we are given over to the place called death.

I don’t recall who said “find a hurt and heal it”, but I beg of you all to find one and began the healing process for yourself and for others. Don’t fret over end times and signs, be watchful, believe in the Lord and have faith in His will as the Lord says, but do not fret. It is my opinion, that if you fret, you lose sight of His will and eventually lose faith in Him. We know the outcome. Those who are in Christ will overcome. Stay in Christ while in this place called Life. Do what needs to be done in the name of Jesus while we are in this place called Life before being given over to the place called Death.
His will shall be and will be done regardless. Be absolutely sure that you have done well for and with others in the name of Jesus in the place called Life before reaching the place called Death. Thank You Holy Spirit!

 

 

LOVE COVERS A MULTITUDE OF SINS

An Act of Humility- Helping Others

 

The bible gives us many examples and instructions on helping others in need.  This was an uplifting act of love and humility I found this morning while browsing the ether.   It made me remember the following portion of the letter Paul wrote to the Philippians reminding them that they could do great things through and in the name of Jesus.

Philippians 2 (NKJV)

2 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, ² fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. ³ Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. ⁴ Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

 

 

http://www.takepart.com/video/changemakers-mama-hills-help?cmpid=tp-ad-outbrain-general

We CAN do ALL things  through Christ who strengthens us.

 

I Love YOU

Love Covers A Multitude of Sins

An Act of Foolishness Made Out of Fear and Lost Faith

This morning I was reading about Asa in 2 Chronicles:14-16 and in 1 Kings:15. Brief mentions of him can be found in 1 Chronicles 3:10, Jeremiah 41:9; and Matthew 1:7-8. As always, I love to share with you what lesson I learn or am reminded of from these great stories in the bible.  However, your perception and lesson may be of a different meaning to you.

From The Comprehensive Analysis Of The Bible, Montgomery F. Essig, 1922

Asa – a form of Hebrew word meaning “a physician” or “healing”.  The name of the third king of Judah, who reigned forty-one years from 955-914 B.C. He was noted as a very good monarch. He rooted out the various idolatries and placed his kingdom on a first-class military basis.  He waged many successful wars and won the love of his people.  Toward the latter of his reign he met with some reverses.

 

Allow me to share the lineage of Asa beginning in order left to right. Interesting fact, this is also the lineage of which our Messiah came.  Asa is also the great, great, great, great, great, great, great grandfather of King Hezekiah of whom my other learning  from others post was about.

Abraham	Isaac	Jacob
Judah	Perez	Hezron
Ram	Amminadab	Nahshon
Salmon	Boaz	Obed
Jesse	King David	King Solomon
Rehoboam	Abijah	Asa

As you read about Asa in those books, you will find that he did good and right in the eyes of God. He removed all the idols. He booted his own mother Maachah from her throne. Maachah, however, practiced paganism. How many of us would boot our mother from a high position in any aspect of our lives, regardless of what she practices? How many of us would tear down or get rid of things our father or forefathers constructed in the name of other gods or anything? We are a people who like to keep things in remembrance of others regardless of its meaning to others. For most, historic family items are of great importance to us. Who knows, sometimes we keep things, regardless of what it represents, just waiting on a moment to sell to some antique collector. We believe in keepsakes and have a habit of holding on to THINGS.

Something that I was reminded of in this study, is that, no one, not even family should come before God. Another thing I am reminded of is that you must do both good and right in the eyes of the Lord when it comes to making decisions and have faith in the Lord. Sometimes we work on doing something good, but it’s not always the right thing to do. Sometimes we act out of fear to do what seems right to us, but it’s not always a good thing to do. Have I confused you? Ruminate on it. I am going to start checking myself before taking action by asking myself 3 questions:  Is it good?  Is it right?  Did I consult with the Lord in faith? If one or either of the answers is no, I will pray to let all answers be a true yes.

We as Christians need to rely on God at ALL times, even during periods of rest from our problems. Our friends, our family, our church members, and even our enemies cannot be relied on at ALL times. Now we all know or should know that Satan can NEVER be relied on to do what is right or good in the eyes of God.

Forty one years? Too reign that long of a period and to rely on God during that reign, surely one had enough time, experience, faith, and knowledge to know what is good and works right to please God? How could one go wrong?  Well folks, we’re about to see how an ACT of FOOLISHNESS MADE OUT OF FEAR and LOST FAITH can take precedence in our lives.

For about a period of ten years there was peace in the land during the beginning of Asa’s reign due to his father’s victories. For a period of fifteen years Asa was the king operating in both a good and right way. The bible tells us in verse 6 – And he built fortified cities in Judah for the land had rest; he had no war in those years, because the Lord had given him rest.

Fortified cities? Gated communities are what we call them now. Wow a fort! He built walls around these cities with towers, gates, and bars and prospered because in his mind he was able to do so for one simple reason in verse 7 –“because we have sought the Lord our God; we have sought Him and He has given us rest on every side.”

Asa’s army consisted of “mighty men of valor” from two tribes; 300,000 from Judah and 280,000 from Benjamin. Math time coming up! For some odd reason Zerah the Ethiopian came up against them with a million man army along with 300 chariots in the Valley of Zaphathah. How many more men did Zerah have than Asa? How many more mighty men of valor did Asa have? As we know Asa won the battle for one reason and one reason only. Let’s read.

2 Chronicles 14:11

And Asa cried out to the Lord his God, and said, “Lord, it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power; help us, O Lord our God, for we rest on You, and in Your name we go against this multitude. O Lord, You are our God; do not let man prevail against You!”

I love that, let’s say it together “Lord, it is NOTHING(with emphasis and a smile) for You to help.”  🙂

I gather, after that battle that the Lord felt Asa needed a bit of reforming, so His Spirit was sent to Azariah to give a message to Asa as a reminder. Fighting any battle can take a lot out of you. When you find rest, you just swim in it and forget about the battles. I love it when the Lord sends another in His name to tell you something face to face.  You know that second set of ears, that second pair of lips, and that second set of eyes. He still does that to us today. Amen. Azariah tells Asa  “But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded.”  During the fifteenth year of Asa’s reign, he and his people entered into a covenant to seek the Lord God of their fathers with all their heart and soul;  and whoever would not seek the Lord God of Israel was to be put to death, whether great or small, whether man or woman-(2Chr 15:12-13) Read 2 Chr 15 for more detail to this great story.  So far, Asa still has faith.

Moving on…..In Chronicles 16, we read about Asa’s thirty-sixth year and issues with King Baasha of Israel. Please read your bible for the full story in case I left out something or am in error. As you read this, do you see the first mistake Asa makes after making the covenant years earlier with the Lord slap you dead on the lips with a gasp? First mistake…..He seems to have forgotten about what the Lord had done.  Asa, out of fear from resting too long(my opinion)seeing King Baasha building up around his fort, takes it upon himself to consult and buys protection assistance from Ben-Hadad(his act of foolishness- bribery), King of Syria, who may I add worshipped a false god. He had to have lost faith, why else would he make a pact(place faith) with one who he knows worships a false god?

Sooooooooooooo….Asa had given Ben-Hadad items he had previously dedicated to the house of God as a sign of a treaty between the two for Ben-Hadad to cut off his alliance with King Baasha. Isn’t this the way the world operates today amongst nations? I do this, you do that, you break this treaty, sign this deal and I’ll give you this. Hit a nail?  In reading this, I believe King Baasha was really not that big of a deal to Asa as the Ethiopian army was.  Baasha was just trying to control who got into Judah and how they got there.  The Ethiopian Army was much larger and was trying to completely eliminate and take rule, if I’m not mistaken. 

Now after seeing this lack of faith, again the Lord sends another prophet to rebuke Asa. His name was Hanani. Let’s have a little fun with name game here.  Can you say hanani, nani, fo fani, fee fi fo fani, HANANI!

 

Hanani On The Soapbox

The main points (some improvised) I want to pull out of this chapter is the conversation between Hanani and Asa are:

• Because you have relied on another and not God, you will lose
• When you relied on the Lord, He delivered
• The Lord show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are loyal to Him, did your heart rest too long in peace?
• Bribing another man for protection is an act of foolishness which causes downfalls. What were you thinking taking things you dedicated to the Lord and giving it to man? Man don’t you know the law of giving of your first fruits to God and what happens to those who take from the house of God?
• Regardless of the problem, if you see the problem being a smaller one than before, you still need to consult the Lord. God does not fret at the size of your problem, big or small.
• Did you forget that you cried out to the Lord before and you told Him “Lord it is nothing for You to help, whether with many or with those who have no power……”
• Asa, why have you behaved foolishly and where was your faith?

Why I ask….did he not consult with the Lord as he had done on previous occasions? Same reason we do at times, we try to handle what we perceive as small problems on our own and we forget what He has done for us in the past. I’ve realized for a while that no matter what the problem may be to us or how different it appears to us than before, God is bigger and better and can handle any problem.

This lesson on Asa was a reminder to me of what I realized in the past because of things He has brought me and mine through. We tend to have a mindset of forgetting what and WHO got us through and over the problem. We have to program in or hearts, pray(consult with the Lord) and have faith when something just pops up or we see or feel trouble coming. Speaking from experience I know that the Lord will send you a reminder via a messenger of where your faith was before and where it needs to be.

Psychosomatically to us, no matter what a problem is, when it comes in a different format or the same as before, we have a weak predisposition of failing to recall how we overcame, we FORGET WHO and what steps it took to overcome. Proof of this evidence- The Israelites and The hamster with its wheel. Need I say more? Yep.  🙂

 We also have the mentality of reacting hastily to a small problem, setting off that alarming need to rely on self or another person. Some of us even pray to God about it, and still try to control the issue.

The other lesson to learn for us all is that no matter what your position is on this earth, be it, a president, a preacher, a deacon, a leader, teacher, just being you, or a follower. If your claim is that you are a Christian, and you hold one of these positions, regardless of what you think, God ALWAYS sends or puts someone in your presence to give you a message, now whether or not you heed it, is up to you. The Lord also gives you the power of discernment, so you will know that it is indeed a message from Him. Not to mention, less we forget it too, we now have the Holy Spirit as a guide and comforter.

You can become angry like Asa when hearing the truth of how you should handle a situation, or ignore the person giving you instruction, and be miserable the rest of your days due to being unrepentant and operate out of fear until you go to your grave. You know this is a bad habit of ours. We hate receiving instruction from others, especially when we see ourselves as overseers of others.

Let’s come back down to planet Humble from behind the pulpit, out from our castles and gated communities, and out of human appointed positions. The holiest and/or the most righteous of the human race among us have/had imperfections…BUT GOD’S GRACE. Not only do we see this in our day to day lives; the stories in the bible give us various examples of the imperfections of the human race, even when one “did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord.” Look at Asa’s story.

The saddest thing I read in this story is that when Asa became ill, it tells us that “yet in his disease he did not seek the Lord, but the physicians….and he died in the forty-first year of his reign.” It leaves me to tears knowing the ways and thoughts of men who do/did “good and right in the eyes of the Lord” that relied on and relies on the Lord today can lose faith, act out of fear and behave foolishly. I suppose if one is of this world, no matter what, one has the mindset to act in a foolish worldly manner. We cannot bribe or make others do right in the name of protection of self and others. It’s not in our control as much as we’d like to believe so.

My papa told me more than once while growing up when I think he felt my raging temper was afloat, “young child in Christ, sometimes a 1 minute action can take a lifetime to correct if you don’t ask God to take care of it before acting. You can’t make people do what is right or what you think is right.” My response to papa was that “God will be alive to correct it when I’m old then and you will be too old to remember what I did.”   🙂   As I have aged, I understand clearly what he meant and I am so grateful to the Lord for my papa’s odd ways of teaching me about the Lord as a child.

Be Blessed and a Blessing to Many Beloved Ones!

Love Covers A Multitude of Sins

I Love You

 

Countenance-Your Appearance In God’s Eyes-My Thoughts

As I opened by bible today for a brief break earlier while at work, the pages fell open to Genesis 4. I began reading and boing! I was reading something I really had paid little attention to in the past.
Chapter 4 discusses the seeding of Cain and Abel, and momentous events in their lives. Later on in the chapter it mentions the seeding of Seth. We know the story, Abel became a keeper of flocks and Cain worked the soil. They both brought offerings to the Lord. Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil and Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The story goes on to state that the Lord looked with favor upon Abel and his offering, but had no favor upon Cain and his offering. Why? I asked self as I have done many times before when reading this chapter. I arrived at a conclusion  a while back, that my answer and God’s favor hid in the wording that I have bolded above.
Ages ago, I use to catch an attitude about God’s actions when reading this because I was thinking, how could God not show favor to Cain ?..…he gave an offering from things he grew in the soil, but most importantly he gave to God. We all know gardening is not a simple task and most of us put our heart into it. However……..Thank you Holy Spirit for providing the understanding through the years.

Cain just brought some and appeared to have given little thought about whether it was the FIRST fruit or last to give to God. Abel gave some of his FIRST born flock.  Non acceptance from God of Cain’s offering led Cain to become angry and his face became downcast. I thought his behavior normal, because as humans that is our behavioral  pattern when rejected, misled, disappointed and shown no favor when we think ,(not taking into account what the receiver may think )we’ve done well by our actions.
Before I go any further, let’s scan over the words below.

• Angry- cross, annoyed, irritated, irate, mad, livid
• Downcast- sad, depressed, disappointed, discouraged, disheartened
• Countenance-n- appearance, especially the look or expression of the face 
• Sin-n- transgression of divine law; any reprehensible or regrettable action, behavior, lapse, etc.; great fault or offense

The new lighting I found after removing the lamp shade is in the verses below:

Genesis 4:6-7
Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”
There’s my “boing”!  Did you see it? I have always loved how God asks a question and then gives an answer. How did I ever miss that God said “sin is crouching at your door”? Pull out your bibles and read the rest of the story in Genesis 4. We will discover within this chapter that Cain eventually, did not rule over that “crouching” sin, he was cursed by God and became a “restless wanderer”.
The other thing I want to make note of is how our countenance gives away what is truly on the mind and heart. I’m a great expressions watcher. It’s almost like a natural second job to me, but doesn’t pay the bills, (but God) allows me to own that gracious gift. Some of us probably wish that we could walk around with a face eraser to erase most of the expressions that show. Not happening! even with a mask on.  The eyes can still be read along with body positioning.
How many times folks have we done something half-heartedly? How many times have we been shamed because we saw others giving someone else a gift, and we didn’t give…. then run out to buy a gift because you saw someone else give?

Besides, we are told in Ephesians 5:11- Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
So back to Cain’s countenance we go. The lessons I learned from verses 6-7 are:
1. Doing right in the eyes of God is acceptable and that we should give to God from the heart.
2. Doing wrong in the eyes of God is not acceptable and has consequences. (Have you ever watched the Truth or Consequences game show? For those who are younger than I, here’s a tidbit about the show- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truth_or_Consequences )
3. Sin is right at your door waiting for the right opening moment to jump in. The longer sin crouches, the more cramps it gets and can’t jump as quickly. This will allow you more time to practice taking control of the “crouching” sin.  🙂
4. Sin’s desire and Satan’s ultimate goal is to rule over the children of God.
5. We as children of God, heirs of His promise, “MUST rule over” sin in order to be in line with His will.
6. Sin is a thing. Don’t let THINGS rule over you that are not good for the Body of Christ.

Visualize This As Being Sin’s Position

Here’s one of my favorite reminders to self when sin tries to rule over me and change my countenance from being joyful in the Lord. I like sharing these verses with people whose countenance becomes downtrodden for whatever reason sometimes unbeknownst to me. It’s a great pick me upper and it pays to remember who you are in Christ.

Ephesians 5:8-10 – For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of the light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. 

Sticky Note—When you appear before the Lord while living on this earth, make sure you have your countenance in check. Remember that He is watching us at all times. Henceforth, whatever you do, make sure that it is from the heart, that it is right, and that it is pleasing to God, to recieve His favor.

 

Love Covers A Multitude of Sins