Monday, December 5, 2016
Love Your Enemies: A Short Story Written by my Wife
Note: All the short stories I post will be fiction, the products of an active imagination. For example, I was never bullied or harassed in school. Any resemblance to real people or real places will always be coincidental unless otherwise specified. However, I did have teachers named Mrs. Yamamoto, Mr. Kurtz, and Mr. Waters.
Love Your Enemies
It is often difficult to feel compassion for a bully. Especially one that has harassed and tormented you since the fifth grade. Yet, that is what I have been taught to do: to "pray for those who despitefully use" me.* I know I should try to understand what pains Darcy is going through that cause her to lash out. Yet, because I am her main target, it makes it harder to care about what she's going through and so I focus only on what I have to deal with.
Darcy moved to our town of Remington seven years ago. From the first day we met in Mrs. Yamamoto's class, she made up her mind she did not like me. I had been asked by our teacher to help the new girl feel welcome and help Darcy get acquainted. One look at Darcy and one look at me quickly made our classmates wonder why Mrs. Yamamoto had paired us together. Darcy only wears dark colors often decorated with skulls. She dyes her naturally blonde hair black and reeks of sour body odor. I may not outwardly wear my faith in God by sporting crosses on my clothes, but everyone knows my father is a preacher. I am childishly known as a goody-goody-two-shoes.
As far as I know, I have never done anything to cause Darcy to dislike me. She has judged me solely based on my appearance. Well, that and probably also because of my father's occupation. We are usually products of our environment, after all. Yet after many long years of tripping me so I spilled my lunch tray, refusing to let me into the girls' bathroom, and following me down the hallways shouting, "Smelly Belly is a Jesus Freak," I ceased the to need know her reason. And, no, my name is not Belly, of course, but Belinda.
You may wonder why the school never intervened. Simple, I never complained. Darcy never caused me any physical harm, just a lot of immature pranks at my expense. Humiliation I could somewhat tolerate, but being labeled as a snitch would make things unbearable.
Oh, how I longed to be homeschooled, but my parents had five growing children to feed. My father was a full time minister and part time nursing home janitor, so my mother needed to work outside the home as well.
It was the end of our senior year, but it was not graduation I looked forward to the most, it was leaving Darcy behind forever. Just one week to go, and I would be free. But not yet. God would make sure I learned a lesson that had never taught in any secular school room.
I had Mr. Kurtz for sixth hour psychology. Our final assignment would be worth 30% of our grade. According to Mr. Kurtz, it would cause us to think outside our own selfish little worlds. We would be forced to look at another person we typically never talked to, and see him or her in a whole new light. I should have sensed danger from the word go, but I had foolishly assumed Mr. Kurtz was being his typical melodramatic self . It was not until he started naming off the students he had chosen as teams that I realized he paid attention. He knew which kid had which reputation, and had meticulously matched students based on polar opposites. The rich cheerleader who lived in a mansion was paired with the poor homeless girl who lived with her mother in their car. The football captain was placed with the captain of the chess club. The gothic girl was teamed with the preacher's kid. Wait! What?
He then distributed a set of seven questions we were to ask our partner. After we had each answered all the questions, we had to write an essay on what our preconceptions had been, and how our opinions had changed. I noticed he did not say if our opinions had changed.
Mr. Kurtz wisely understood that if we took this assignment out of the classroom, they would never be completed. He knew his students would either make up the answers, or just refuse to do the assignment. No stuck-up privileged child would ever allow someone living in a trailer park into his or her home. Therefore, we were to spend the time interviewing each other in the classroom. We were to volley questions back and forth rather than individually go through the entire set. We would ask and answer every question to his satisfaction. If he looked over our papers and felt our answers were in anyway lacking, we would be sent back to our partner. We were not limited to the seven questions and could add any of our own at will.
Our desks nosily scraped across the floor as we rearranged ourselves into groups of two. I felt my stomach twist into a roller coaster of knots as I approached Darcy at her desk at the back of the classroom.
I had not expected any pleasant small talk, or any greeting of any sort, so when she began asking the first question before I had even finished sitting down, I was not surprised at her cold tone.
"'What is your full name? Include any nicknames.'"
"Belinda April Carston. My parents and sisters call me either Bel or Lindy," I replied, noticing the smirk on her face as she wrote down my answer. I knew she was thinking of her rude nickname for me as well. I then repeated the first question for her to answer.
"Darcy Suzanne Jenkins. I don't have any nicknames, and you can't include what my dad calls me."
"Why not?" I wondered.
"Because your delicate ears aren't conditioned for swear words," she explained with an abrasive laugh. She moved on to the second question, "'Who do you share your home with?'"
I did not know if we were supposed to be specific, so I vaguely answered, "My two parents and four younger siblings."
"Technically I live with my dad, but he spends more time at the bar than at home," Darcy revealed with a mixture of bitterness and sadness in her tone. She shook it off and read,"'What are your hobbies?'"
"Reading, singing, hiking with my dog, and..."
"Praying?" she completed my sentence with a sneer.
"No, well, yes, but I was going to say baking and swimming," I replied, taking a slow deep breath. Three questions down. It was too early to get angry yet.
"My hobbies are smoking and listening to heavy metal music."
I started to write down her response, but she stopped me.
"Wait," she insisted, "Don't write that. My real hobbies are playing the trumpet, learning foreign languages, drawing, and I also like to read and go for walks with my dog."
Okay, so I had not expected those answers, and half-wondered if she was telling the truth.
"What kind of dog do you have?" I ventured.
"White trash hound. And you?"
I ignored her sarcasm and said, "He's a mutt from the dog pound. I think he's German shepherd mixed with yellow lab."
"Sounds like a dog with a lot of energy," Darcy remarked, her tone sounding civil for the first time in seven years, "My dog is a Rottweiler mixed with a pit bull."
Again, I did not know if she was being truthful or facetious, but we moved on to the fourth question.
"'What career do you want to have?'"
"I want to go to culinary school and eventually own my own bakery that also sells dog and cat treats," I offered.
She nodded her head as if she approved. "I want to illustrate children's books."
"Who's your favorite author?" I shot, trying to call her bluff. I could not imagine her ever reading for pleasure and did not expect her to know the names of any authors.
"Kate DiCamillo. I would love to illustrate one of her books."
"I love her stories. My favorite is 'Because of Winn Dixie,'" I said a little too enthusiastically.
"Of course it is; it's about a preacher's daughter."
"Yes, but it's also about reaching out to people who are lonely or considered outcasts," I countered.
Her blue eyes glared at me from behind the black eyeliner. "That's why it's called fiction. Real preacher's daughters don't make friends with anyone different from herself. They just roll their eyes and wrinkle their noses at the smell when the teacher asks her to be the new girl's guide."
"Darcy, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."
"I was a scared and lonely young girl who just needed a friend. And instead you became my judge," she accused.
Her stark truth burned right into my heart. All this time I felt like she had been the instigator of our opposition, but in fact, I had been the one who first rejected her. True, it did not excuse her bad behavior, but she was acting out of hurt. I was ashamed of myself.
"Who's your favorite author?" she suddenly blurted, choosing to change the subject back to the previous topic.
"Charles Dickens," I answered, my voice still shaky with remorse.
"He's pretty amazing too," she agreed, then looked back at the assignment to question five. "'Do you think you will get to follow your dreams?'"
"Maybe someday, but not for a while," I said, forcing my mind to focus on the new issue, "The nearest culinary school to Remington is 300 miles away, and I promised my parents I would stay close to home until the younger kids are old enough to help do the cooking and cleaning. The next oldest is only thirteen. I help mama now because she doesn't get home from work until 7:00. I'll make sure I get a job so I'm home when the kids are off school."
"Why don't you just do what you want to do and let your family hire a nanny?" Darcy wondered.
"My family is my top priority, and they can't afford a nanny. After all, they've paid for my upkeep for 18 years, it's the least I can do."
"Noble," she muttered rather sarcastically.
"Your turn to answer the question," I prompted.
"I've already submitted some of my artwork to a literary agent, and she believes I have real talent. I have an appointment to meet with the children's editor at Elgin Publishing in New York City the week after graduation," she reported.
"That's exciting! I bet your dad's proud of you," I said.
She made a noise something like a grunt and went on with the assignment. "'What will you miss the most about high school and what will you miss the least?'"
"I pretty much hate school, so I can't say I'll miss anything. As far as what I'll miss the least?" I paused and locked eyes with her. I wanted to say it was being bullied by her, but I think she got the idea. "I won't miss lunch."
"Why? We have good food here."
"I know, but I always end up sitting alone reading a book. The time kinda drags. I'd rather skip lunch and go home and hour earlier."
She studied me thoughtfully. "I never thought of you as being lonely."
"No one wants to be friends with a square."
"I don't think anyone uses that word anymore."
I sighed. "I guess not. But at least I won't look back at my many years trapped in school with ay regrets."
I hit an unintentional nerve again, and she made another grunting sound. "I will miss my art class. Mr. Waters is the one who encouraged my talent and helped me find an agent," she paused as she thought over her next response, "I also will not miss lunch. I have people to sit with, but the people who party with you are not the same ones who rejoice when you get a meeting in New York. I know I'll never see any of them again."
"I guess I never thought of you as lonely either," I returned.
She nodded, but did not want to dwell on it. "Question seven: 'Is there anything you would like to add?'"
I was uncertain if I wanted to approach the subject again, but figured it would most likely be my last opportunity to do so. "I'm sorry for being so judgmental of you. I hadn't realized until now what I snob I have been. I always thought you didn't like me because I'm a Christian. But that doesn't matter; I still should have been kinder to you. We have a few things in common, we may have even become friends."
"I wouldn't go that far!" she said with a mocking air, but sincerely added, "Maybe we could have."
"'Is there anything you would like to add?'" I repeated.
I naively expected her to apologize to me as well, but instead she simply said, "No."
"Fair enough," I decided.
The bell then rang and Mr. Kurtz dismissed the class. And just like that, the conversation with my enemy was over. We never spoke again.
All the way home from school that day, all I could think of was that I had never once considered Darcy's home life or her hopes for the future. I had never seen her as anything but my own personal bully. It turned out she was an ambitious young woman about to achieve her dreams. Yet, she was still just a sad and lonely little girl wanting someone to be her friend.
Of all the years I spent in classrooms, the lesson Mr. Kurtz taught stuck with me more than any other. I prayed for Darcy every day after that eye-opening assignment. I also prayed for forgiveness for being so self-centered. I prayed I would never again waste the opportunity to be a friend to someone in need, no matter what she looked like. I never again wanted to squander the opportunity to share the love of Jesus.
I was certain there would be more bullies to face in my life, but I vowed after that day that I would see them through less critical eyes and reach out to them, even if they rejected me. Perhaps next time God placed someone in my life to witness to, I would not drop the ball. I would pray to make up for my past mistakes, and to be transformed into a woman God could use; a woman who could learn to love her enemies.
* "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you." Matthew 5:44
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins
The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins
Matt 25:1-13 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 6 “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. 11 “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ 12 But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
It is very important that God’s children be spiritually
ready for the Lord’s return. Faith alone is not enough to inherit the Kingdom
of God, a person must be born again. The Lord is returning for a bride without
spot or wrinkle. I believe that the Great Tribulation will be a time of
purification for the body of Christ. When people no longer have electricity to
power their televisions or internet, then they may get serious about cleaning
their lives up. Some of the greatest revivals in history have occurred during
times of persecution or distress. Many communist nations have seen these great
revivals spring up from the persecuted home churches. I believe that the time
of the great testing and shaking, will once again bring about true revival. A
true revival, is marked by repentance of sins, and mass conversions.
The counterfeit revivals of today, where people act like
drunks, and fall on the floor laughing, as well as make animal noises, are a
mockery to a holy God. There is no true repentance, or genuine conversions, occurring
in these flesh fests. In fact, most of their revival leaders, have been caught
in sexual immorality. The modern church of today is dyeing spiritually, because
of the grace for everything theology, which produces big tithers. When you tell
people what they want to hear, they will fill the offering plates up. A healthy
church where God’s Spirit is still present will preach holiness (to be set
apart from the sinful world by God’s Spirit).
In the parable of the ten virgins, Christ makes the comment,
“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of
Man is coming.” Christ gives us an analogy of five wise and five foolish
virgins, in order to stress the importance of being prepared for his return.
The five wise virgins were prepared to meet the bridegroom, because they took
oil in their vessels with their lamps. The five foolish virgins took their
lamps, but no oil to keep their lamps burning. As the bridegroom tarried, they
all slept until they heard the midnight cry, “Behold, the bridegroom is coming,
go out to meet him!” The five wise virgins were prepared for the Lord’s return,
because they were the overcomers who kept their light burning until the end.
The oil they took for their lamps, is symbolic of being filled with the Holy
Spirit. It is essential for all Christians, to be baptized in the Holy Spirit,
in order to be prepared for the Lord’s return. The foolish virgins were also
born again Christians, because they are labeled as virgins. However, the
foolish virgins let their lamps grow dark because they were empty vessels.
Christians must remain filled with God’s Holy Spirit (God’s oil), by remaining
faithful to the Lord until the end. To remain faithful to the Lord, is to be
obedient to him, by keeping his commandments and ridding our lives of sin.
Christ said, that those who endure unto the end, shall be saved.
While the foolish
virgins went to buy oil for their lamps, the bridegroom came and those who were
ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. Afterward the
other virgins came also, saying, “Lord,
Lord, open to us!” but he said, “Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.”
Un-repented of sin will lead to spiritual divorce with God; that is why the
Apostle Paul taught that we must cross the finish line in order to receive the
crown of eternal life. 1 Cor 9:24 Do you not know that those who run in a race
all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain
it. 25 And everyone who competes for the
prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown,
but we for an imperishable crown. 26
Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats
the air. 27 But I discipline my body and
bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should
become disqualified.
We need to keep our lamps burning with the oil of God’s
Spirt until the end, to inherit the Kingdom of God. Even Paul said that if he
didn’t discipline his body to bring it into subjection, that after preaching to
others, he could become disqualified. Paul was saying that like a runner in a
race keeps his body in good physical condition, we must also keep our spiritual
body in good condition, so that we might be able to cross the finish line and
win our crown.
Matt 10:22 And you
will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be
saved.
Matt 24: 12 And
because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be
saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom
will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the
end will come.
Rev 2: 4 Nevertheless
I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Remember therefore from where you have
fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and
remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent.
Rev 3:1 “And to the
angel of the church in Sardis write, ‘These things says He who has the seven
Spirits of God and the seven stars: “I know your works, that you have a name
that you are alive, but you are dead. 2
Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for
I have not found your works perfect before God.
3 Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and
repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and
you will not know what hour I will come upon you.
Monday, November 21, 2016
Halleluiah Jesus is Coming!
Halleluiah Jesus is Coming!
On Saturday, the Lord gave me a vision. I saw an opened
magazine and both the pages were black, with a picture of Donald Trump in the
upper right hand corner. I saw a profile of Trump’s face turned to the right,
facing the edge of the magazine. Trump had a fierce countenance and appeared
very stern. Above Trump’s head, was a full, very dark red, blood moon. I also heard a female voice singing,
“Halleluiah, Jesus is coming!”
This vision indicates that President-Elect Trump, will play
a major part, in end time events. The black pages of the magazine, indicate a
time of both spiritual, as well as, physical darkness. The two black pages, may
also represent, two terms in office, or possibly the start of the Great
Tribulation. The dark red, blood moon, probably indicates the great war to
come. Trump’s profile, was facing the edge of the right side of the magazine,
this may indicate that, Trump will be America’s final president. I am going to
pray more for the interpretation of this vision. The good news is that Jesus is
coming back immediately after the Great Tribulation! Those who endure unto the
end, will be given the crown of everlasting life!
NKJV Matt 24:29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Monday, November 14, 2016
Clay for the Potter's Hand
Clay for the Potter’s Hand
Romans 9:20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against
God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me
like this?" 21 Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same
lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?
If you belong to Christ, you are an ambassador for the
Kingdom of Heaven, and your life should be a living testimony to those around
you. We are not all called to be pastors or evangelists, but there are many members
to the body of Christ, and we are called to be faithful to the ministry that
God has placed us in. God is the potter and we are the clay, if we will allow
His Spirit to have His perfect work in us, then we will be vessels of honor
that He may work through. A potter is an artist that molds, and shapes vessels
into many forms, for many different uses. It is the work of the Holy Spirit to
refine us or set us apart from the world, so that we may be usable for the
Kingdom of Heaven. If we live a sinful lifestyle, then we will be vessels of
dishonor, to be destroyed, by the potter. For the wages of sin is death, but
there is forgiveness through Christ, if we repent and turn from sin. The Bible
also gives us examples of people who were vessels of dishonor, like pharaoh
king of Egypt, whose heart, was hardened by the Lord, so that God could show
the world His miraculous power. Through His foreknowledge, God knows who will
be vessels of honor or dishonor, however we still have a freewill. We must
choose this day, whom we will serve.
If you do not know where you fit into the body of Christ, I
suggest that you pray, as well as fast, for an answer. When a person goes on a
fast, they are showing God that they desire heavenly food, more than earthly
food. When you seek after God, as well as, put his Kingdom first, He will
reveal his plan for your life. God’s timing is perfect, but we sometimes get
impatient waiting upon the Lord to open doors to ministry. A Christian
preparing for a ministry, does not need a theological degree, or any training
from man- made institutions. However, we are to study God’s Word to show
ourselves approved, a workman who is not ashamed. We need to get alone with
God, and allow his Holy Spirit to teach us the ways of the Kingdom of Heaven. I
refer to this time of Spirit led training, as the wilderness experience.
There are many
examples in God’s Word, of holy men who left their home towns, and spent time
in wilderness locations, or foreign lands, being taught by God’s Spirit. After
being water baptized, the Spirit led Christ into the wilderness, to be tested,
and tried, by the devil for forty days and nights. Christ fasted during this
time of testing, and fought off the devil, by quoting scripture. After this
time of preparation, Christ began his ministry. We are not above our master, if
Christ, was tested, and tried by Satan, we will also, most surely be tested.
When Moses was forty years old, he fled pharaoh, and dwelled in the land of
Midian for another forty years, before beginning his ministry at the age of
eighty. During his forty years in the wilderness, God was purging Moses of his
former life in Egypt, and preparing him to be a vessel of honor that he might
work through. The wilderness experience is a time, when the potter molds and shapes
his vessel into the object that he desires. Joseph is another example of a man
who was hand crafted by God for a great purpose. When Joseph was seventeen
years old, he was sold into slavery, by his brothers. After the incident with
Potiphar’s wife, he was thrown into prison, for thirteen years, until the day
he was brought before Pharaoh. This time of preparation for leadership was
necessary, for Joseph to be the humble man, useable for God’s purpose. When
Joseph’s wilderness experience was concluded, Pharaoh made him governor over
all of Egypt, and he prepared for the time of famine.
After his road to
Damascus encounter with the risen Christ, the Apostle Paul also had his time of
preparation for ministry. Paul did not confer with any man, nor did he go
immediately to Jerusalem to see the apostles. Instead, Paul went into Arabia
for three years, to be taught by God’s Spirit, before going back to
Jerusalem. When he returned to
Jerusalem, he stayed with Peter for fifteen days, and also met with James the
brother of Christ. Then Paul went into Syria and Cilicia, for another fourteen
years, before he presented himself to the churches in Judea. It was by revelation from God’s Spirit, that
Paul knew when it was time to present himself to the Judean church. A true
vessel that God can work through, is taught, and led by God, not man, nor man-
made institutions. Man- made theology stifles the Spirit, as well as shuts
people out of the Kingdom of Heaven.
Galatians 1:15 But when it was the good pleasure of God, who
separated me, even from my mother's womb, and called me through his grace, 16
to reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles;
straightway I conferred not with flesh and blood: 17 neither went I up to
Jerusalem to them that were apostles before me: but I went away into Arabia;
and again I returned unto Damascus. 18 Then after three years I went up to
Jerusalem to visit Cephas, and tarried with him fifteen days. 19 But other of
the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord's brother. 20 Now touching the
things which I write unto you, behold, before God, I lie not. 21 Then I came
unto the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And I was still unknown by face unto
the churches of Judaea which were in Christ: 23 but they only heard say, He
that once persecuted us now preacheth the faith of which he once made havoc; 24
and they glorified God in me. Galatians 2:1 Then after the space of fourteen
years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus also with me. 2
And I went up by revelation; and I laid before them the gospel which I preach
among the Gentiles but privately before them who were of repute, lest by any
means I should be running, or had run, in vain.
Thursday, November 10, 2016
Prophecy Fulfilled: Donald Trump Will be the New President
Prophecy Fulfilled: Donald Trump Will be the New President
On March 15, I posted a prophecy
that contained a vision, word, as well as a dream about President Trump. Here
is a link to that posting. https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=559755244196072&id=182428131928787&substory_index=0 When I posted this prophecy, it looked very doubtful
that Trump would win the Republican nomination. Everyone said that Trump would
self-destruct, and all of the polls reflected this until election day. The news
media claimed that Hillary Clinton had an 89% chance of winning the presidency
on Monday. In spite of all of the polls and predictions made by the media, the
Word of the Lord has been fulfilled, and Trump will be our next president.
Trump is a vessel of
dishonor, who has been raised up for this very hour, and he will take America
down. Donald Trump is America’s Ahab, and he will walk in the same immoral ways
as Obama. I have had the same vision twice, of Trump’s eyes shut very tightly.
The Lord says that Trump’s eyes are closed tightly to all things spiritual and
Godly. Trump played the religious right, like a smart business man, in order to
secure the votes he needed to get into office. Trump’s advisors informed him
that without the votes from the religious community, he would not be elected to
office. Trump then followed their advice, and established an advisory panel of
religious leaders. Trump even prayed to accept Christ, in order fulfill his
agenda. Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is the unforgivable sin according to
Christ. Donald Trump is not a Christian; his only god is himself! The blind
religious leaders of this land are making comments, that Trump will turn this
nation around for God. This nation has gone the way of Sodom and Gomorrah, and Trump
has vowed to support gay marriage, as well as transgender bathroom rights. This
immoral man, has been accused of groping
a number of women. He has also, flip flopped on abortion rights several
times, proving that he will say anything to get votes. Mike Pence claims to
also know Christ, but he buckled under pressure, and now he supports homosexual
issues. A true Christian would be a person of integrity, and would stand firm
in his beliefs, and would not be a flip flopper on issues.
In a recent dream, I saw a large crowd celebrating Hillary’s
anticipated victory. Then I was standing in the Oval Office, as Trump and his
family walked in. I noticed that one, or more of Trump’s sons, as well as his
daughter Ivanka, was with him, and they were all dressed in red. This may
indicate that Trump will appoint some of his children to cabinet positions, or
possibly, jobs within the White House. Although red is the color of the
Republican Party, it is also the color of communism. I am not saying that our
country will embrace communism. But, if you have read my posting entitled, “Visions
and Dreams of Soviet America,” then you know that America is well, on it’s, way
to becoming a police state, similar to the old Soviet Union. The Lord has
showed me, that we will continue to lose our freedoms, under the Trump administration,
and a new America is being formed.
Thursday, October 20, 2016
God's Timing on End Time Preparation
God's Timing on End Time Preparation
I have been praying, in regard to how long we have to make preparations for the coming tribulation. I feel that the Lord has shown me that we have 5 to 10 years to prepare. However, it is wise to begin preparing as soon as possible, and not to wait to the last minute. If a person procrastinates too long, they may find themselves stranded in the wrong location, when everything goes down. It is ideal to be relocated within five years, but this may not be possible for many, but after ten years, it will be impossible.
Here is a link to my posting on end time preparation. http://twelfthhourendtimeministries.blogspot.com/…/war-fami…
I have been praying, in regard to how long we have to make preparations for the coming tribulation. I feel that the Lord has shown me that we have 5 to 10 years to prepare. However, it is wise to begin preparing as soon as possible, and not to wait to the last minute. If a person procrastinates too long, they may find themselves stranded in the wrong location, when everything goes down. It is ideal to be relocated within five years, but this may not be possible for many, but after ten years, it will be impossible.
Here is a link to my posting on end time preparation. http://twelfthhourendtimeministries.blogspot.com/…/war-fami…
Tuesday, October 11, 2016
The Power of Forgiveness
The Power of Forgiveness
Relationships with family, friends, co-workers, or
schoolmates can quite often be difficult. Daily, we interact with many
different personality types and that will sometimes lead to conflicts. In this
life, you don’t have to look for trouble, for trouble to find you, but God’s
Word teaches us how to respond to others. Forgiving others their trespasses, is
sometimes a very hard thing to do. The Lord is still working on me in this
area, so this lesson is as much for me, as others. The golden law is, “Do unto
others as you would have them do unto you.” God’s Word teaches us, that if we
forgive others their trespasses against us, the Lord will also forgive us our
trespasses (Matt 6:14). Also, if we show mercy to others, then the Lord will
show mercy to us. God’s Word is clear, that the Lord will judge each of us,
based on how we treat our fellow man.
Matt 5:22-24, says
that if we are angry with our brother without a cause we shall be in danger of
the judgment, if we call him Raca (dumb head, or idiot), we shall be in danger
of the council, and if we call him a fool, we shall be in danger of hell fire.
God expects his children to pursue peace with all men, and name calling, which
results from anger, is forbidden with God. God’s Word also says, that it is
possible to be angry and not sin, but we are not to let the sun go down upon
our wrath. In other words, we are to make peace, as soon as possible with the
trespasser. If they refuse to make peace, we are to still forgive them in our
heart before the day is ended. Bitterness dries up the bones according to God’s
Word. It is also a medical fact, that people who are angry and bitter a lot,
are candidates for cancer, heart attacks, strokes, as well as other diseases. The
root of bitterness will lead to hate, which is the same, as the sin of murder
according to Christ. In verses 23 and 24, Christ said, that when you bring your
gift to the alter, and then remember that your brother has something against
you, go and be reconciled with your brother then come and offer your gift. This
passage shows that grudges against others, will hurt your relationship with the
Lord, as well as cut you off from his blessings. Quiet often, not forgiving
others will also block a person from healings, as well as, hinder their prayers
from being answered.
Matt 18:21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often
shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” 22
Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy
times seven. In this passage, Christ was telling Peter that we are to forgive
our brothers sins against us, countless times. We are to have the mind of
Christ, and follow in his footsteps. When Christ died upon the cross, to make
atonement for our sins, he wiped out all
of our sins that we have repented of. As he was dying upon the cross, Christ
said, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Christ was a man
of sorrows, acquainted with grief, despised and rejected by men, according to
scripture. Even though he was taunted, spit upon, as well as rejected by his
generation, he still was willing to forgive the sins of all who would come to
him, to be born again. If we belong to Christ, we should have the same
compassion as he did, for our fellow mankind. Since Christ gives us grace, we
should also extend grace to our fellow man, who is also created in God’s image.
Matt 18:23-35, Is the parable of the unforgiving servant.
Christ said, that the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who had a
servant who owed him ten thousand talents. The servant pleaded with the king to
have mercy on him, and not to sell him and his family. The king chose to have
mercy upon this servant, and to release him, as well as forgive his debt. This
servant then went to one of his fellow servants who owed him money, and grabbed
him by the throat, and demanded to be paid in full. This servant fell at his
feet and begged him to have patience, but he refused to have mercy upon this
servant. Instead, he had his fellow servant thrown in jail, until he could be
paid in full. Then the king had this wicked servant delivered to the tortures
because he refused to have compassion upon his fellow servant. Verse 35 states,
“So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does
not forgive his brother his trespasses.” The greatest commandment is to love
the Lord our God, as well as love our neighbor as our self. If we have this
Christ like love for one another, then we fulfill the law and the prophets.
I ask the Lord
continually, to help me to look beyond the faults of others and see the need.
There are many cruel and malicious people in the world, and there is a reason
why they are that way. Many people are suffering in their bodies from cancer,
pain, sickness, mental illness etc. Others, have experienced the deaths of
loved ones, divorce, or unemployment . Quite often people take out their pain
upon others. If we keep this in mind when encountering malicious people, then
we can have compassion for them, instead of contempt. Christ tells us to pray
for those who persecute or mistreat us. If you will pray for those who are
offensive to you, then the Lord will open your eyes to their need. If a person
is struggling with feelings of anger towards another, it is best to not talk
about the situation. The more we talk about the person who made us angry, the
more likely we are to add fuel to the flame. Silence is golden if you need to
be released from anger. To sum this up, we need to to forgive others, in the
same way that Christ has forgiven us.
Matt 6:12 And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our
debtors.
Matt 6:14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your
heavenly Father will also forgive you.
15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your
Father forgive your trespasses.
Matt 5:22 But I say to you that whoever is angry with his
brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to
his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You
fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.
23 Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember
that your brother has something against you,
24 leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be
reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
Matt 18:21 Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often
shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” 22
Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy
times seven. 23 Therefore the kingdom of
heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his
servants. 24 And when he had begun to
settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. 25 But as he was not able to pay, his master
commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and
that payment be made. 26 The servant
therefore fell down before him, saying, ‘Master, have patience with me, and I
will pay you all.’ 27 Then the master of
that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.
28 “But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him
a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying,
‘Pay me what you owe!’ 29 So his fellow
servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me,
and I will pay you all.’ 30 And he would
not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt. 31 So when his fellow servants saw what had
been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had
been done. 32 Then his master, after he
had called him, said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt
because you begged me. 33 Should you not
also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on
you?’ 34 And his master was angry, and
delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. 35
“So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does
not forgive his brother his trespasses.”
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
The Power of the Tongue
The Power of the Tongue
James 3:1-12 My brethren, let not many of you become
teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. 2 For we all stumble in many things. If
anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the
whole body. 3 Indeed, we put bits in
horses’ mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. 4 Look also at ships: although they are so
large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder
wherever the pilot desires. 5 Even so
the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a
little fire kindles! 6 And the tongue is
a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it
defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on
fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast
and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by
mankind. 8 But no man can tame the
tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our God and Father, and
with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and
cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and
bitter from the same opening? 12 Can a
fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring
yields both salt water and fresh.
The tongue of man is capable of great evil, as well as of
great kindness. Verse two, says that we all stumble in many things, and if
anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the
whole body. At times, I can be outspoken, and I often remind myself of this
teaching of James. The control of the tongue is a very difficult thing to be
mastered. James compares the small tongue who boasts of great things, with bits
put into horses mouths, as well as a rudder on ships, in order to show how the
tongue steers the direction of the body. It is very true, that relationships
are both formed, as well as, destroyed by our words. As ambassadors for Christ
in this fallen world, it is important for us to reflect his light to others.
You may be the only lifeline to Heaven that someone has in their life, and your
words may lead them to Christ.
James also compares
the tongue to a little fire capable of starting a forest fire, as well as an
unruly evil, full of deadly poison. I have met many people that consider
Christians to be offensive, because of words they spoke, that reflected vanity,
arrogance, or cynicism. I have also known people who claimed to know Christ,
but used all forms of swearing, as well as profanity, and that will most
certainly push people away from Christ. God’s Word speaks against filthy talk,
course jesting, and swearing. James states that bitter water cannot come from
the same spring that produces fresh water. God’s Word also states that out of
the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Even in jesting, many people
reveal how they really feel about someone, and have damaged relationships.
The Lord gave me a
dream recently, about those who claim to know Christ, but swear like a sailor. I
dreamed that I was standing in an office building lobby, and there were around
a dozen elevators that led to Heaven, but only two were in use. There was a man
standing there that was using God’s name in vain, as well as, cussing like a
sailor. He walked away and then was replaced by a lady, who represented the
modern church. I told the lady, that if this guy does not repent of his
swearing he will go to hell. She said, that this man was saved, and his
salvation was secure, but his swearing would cut him off from the Holy Spirit.
I told the lady that the grace message that is being taught by most churches,
is way out of bounds, and does not line up with the Word of God. I also told
her, that holiness preaching has been replaced, by a lukewarm message. As I walked
away from her, she exclaimed in a loud voice, “ Thank you Lord for your grace!”
and she repeated herself several times. I then was walking through the lobby in
a large crowd of people, who were following a famous evangelist, who has been
preaching the eternal security doctrine for many decades. The large crowd of
people refused to take the two elevators that led to Heaven, and were content
to follow this evangelist to Hell. Although there were twelve elevators, the
two that were functional, were symbolic of the few churches left that preach
holiness. There is grace for those who repent of their sins, as well as turn
from them, but grace is not automatic. The Lord has given me many dreams, as
well as visions, concerning how serious sin is in the life of the Christian.
The Lord shows me people wearing clothes covered with spots and wrinkles, as
well as their skin covered in layers of dirt. The Lord then tells me to
instruct people to take a spiritual shower and get their lives in order.
Without holiness, no man will see the Father.
The words that we speak, will also reflect the level of
faith that is in our lives. The old saying that misery loves company is very
true. I have known people that are continually pessimistic, and their words
reflect the fear that consumes them. God’s Word says that perfect love will
cast out all fear. Even when we feel faithless, we need to speak words of
faith, as well as stand upon the promises that are in God’s Word. Regardless of
how we feel, or what we are going through, God’s promises for us will remain
true. When we are under spiritual attack, we need to quote scripture with
faith, because God’s Word is the sword of the Spirit. I have entered homes
after family members have quarreled, and you can feel a tense atmosphere within
the home. An evil tongue that attacks others, is an open door to demonic
spirits. I have also entered homes with anointed praise and worship music
playing, and you can feel the presence of the Lord, for the Lord inhabits the
praises of his people. If a person needs a breakthrough from the Lord, or is in
need of healing, speak words of faith, combined with scripture. Don’t claim your illness or distress, because words
produced from fear are the opposite of faith. Fear will empower the enemy in
your life, but faith will move the hand of God.
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
Understanding Spiritual Warfare
Understanding Spiritual Warfare
Ephesians 6:10-12
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the
power of His might. 11 Put on the whole
armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the
devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against
flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers
of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the
heavenly places.
It is very important for the Christian to understand
spiritual warfare, since we have an adversary seeking our destruction. God’s
Word tells us that Satan is like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
Satan is also referred to as, the thief who comes to steal, kill, and destroy.
One of Satan’s tactics is to stir people up in anger towards God. Many people
blame God for the problems that they experience in this life, and they are
oblivious to the fact, that there are two opposing kingdoms at work in the
earth. Ephesians 6:12 states that we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but
against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of darkness of this
age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. The truth is
that we live in a war zone, and the battle is over the souls of men. If you
belong to Christ, then you are in the Lord’s army, and Satan’s kingdom has
declared all out war against you. But, the good news is, greater is he that is
within you than he that is in the world, and if you remain in Christ until the
end, you will inherit eternal life. If you have received the baptism in the
Holy Spirit, then you have the power to live an overcoming life, as well as the
authority to put the devil to flight. In these last days, it is crucial that
all Christians receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit, in order to be able to
stand firm in Christ, against the many snares of the devil.
Ephesians 6:13-18
13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be
able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand
therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate
of righteousness, 15 and having shod
your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 above all, taking the shield of faith with
which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the
sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being
watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints
In order to survive spiritual warfare, we must be clothed
with the full armor of God. Verses 14-18 states that we are to stand, having girded
our waist with truth. According to God’s Word, no liar shall inherit the
kingdom of Heaven. In regard, to the swearing of oaths, Christ said that our
yes should mean yes, and our no should mean no, and anything else comes from
the evil one. God holds the truth in high regard and so should we. Next, we are
told, to put on the breastplate of righteousness. Righteousness does not mean
perfection, but it does mean that we are to live right, and this is a reference
to sanctification (being purified by God’s Spirit, as well as set apart from
the sinful world). The breastplate is the most important part of the warrior’s
armor because it guards the heart, lungs, as well as other vital organs. God’s
Word teaches us, that without holiness no man shall see the Father. Satan’s desire
is to morally corrupt a person, in order to give a spiritual death blow to the
Christian, that is why the breastplate of righteousness is the most vital piece
of armor for our survival. We are also, told to have our feet shod with the
preparation of the gospel of peace. God’s Word says, blessed are the feet of
those who bring the good news. If you belong to Christ, then you are
commissioned to share your faith with others. It is very important to have our
theology straight, before sharing our faith, because we are held responsible by
God for what we teach. That is why we need to not only read God’s Word, but to
study it, to show ourselves approved. Christ made peace, between us and the
Father through his death upon the cross, and we are to share this gospel of
peace with others.
We are also, told to
take the shield of faith to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. Fear
is the opposite of faith and fear can quite often empower Satan’s attacks
against us. That is why faith is vital for our protection against the many on
slots and snares of the evil one. In battle, the shield repelled the blows of
the enemies weapons, and the same is also true in spiritual warfare, it is the
shield of faith that stops the attacks. If we have faith that our Lord is
bigger, as well as stronger than any of our enemies, then our prayers will be
answered, and victory will be the result. Faith is the key for many
breakthroughs in the Christian walk. Healings, deliverance from demonic
activity, as well as everyday life situations, require faith to get results. We
are also, told to wear the helmet of salvation. Paul was saying that we must
remain in Christ, and continue to keep the helmet of salvation on, because it
is possible to fall away from Christ, because we have a free will. We are also,
told that the sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. God’s Word is our weapon
against the enemy of our souls. When the enemy attacks, we are to lift our
shield of faith, and stand on God’s Word to stop the attacks. When the enemy
attacks me, I quote scriptures with faith in response. If you rebuke the enemy
in Christ’s name, as well as quote Bible verses with faith, you will put the
enemy to flight.
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