Tag: #NOTPoliticallyCorrect

Help us, O LORD

GOD is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1 ESV


What have we done, fellow Christians? In just a few days, our country will be headed by people who approve of, and support, killing our children. Abortion is exactly that. This is no time to be squeamish or to waver in our beliefs. Whether it is 2 weeks after conception or the day of birth, killing babies is wrong. These new “leaders” also approve of marriage between other than a man and a woman, they want to legalize paedophilia, and take away our right to free speech (yes, Facebook and Twitter really are deleting and banning conservatives). That’s the First Amendment that we are losing! These so-called leaders want to eliminate the Second Amendment as well, and they are determined to drastically change the America we know and love.

Currently, across our country, many churches have been banned from holding services. This is America! We are being inundated with False Prophets. God and the Bible have been banned from schools….. but the Koran is okay to be there. Our Police are being denied the ability to do their job of keeping our citizens and property safe. Our history is being rewritten, historic names and statues are removed and replaced with….. with what? Foriegn nations have our politicians in their pockets. Christians are being persecuted, right here in these United States. What else can you call it when we aren’t allowed to worship as we see fit any longer?

I am blessed to live in the middle of the country, in the “Bible Belt”, because we aren’t as regulated and oppressed as parts of the country….. yet. What are we to do?

What can we do? There is only one answer. Turn to GOD. We have to be in constant prayer. Even so, I don’t see these circumstances changing for the better. We have to be prepared for them to get worse. Are your convictions strong enough to stand against evil? I can’t judge you. If I am told that in order to get basic food and medical care for me and my family I am required to have certain vaccinations, would I do it?

It’s sounding a lot like parts of the Revelations of John, doesn’t it?

I don’t have the answers. Only God knows. I will do my best to stand on the principles that I have, and be very careful not to judge anyone else for what they do. That is God’s job. I pray for our country, the outgoing leaders in Washington and in our states, and I pray that those coming into power will not abuse it. God bless America, because the enemy is here.



Do You Hear It?

DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR?

Said the night wind to the little lamb:
“Do you see what I see?
Way up in the sky, little lamb
Do you see what I see?
A star, a star, dancing in the night
With a tail as big as a kite
With a tail as big as a kite”

Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy:
“Do you hear what I hear?
Ringing through the sky, shepherd boy
Do you hear what I hear?
A song, a song, high above the trees
With a voice as big as the sea
With a voice as big as the sea”

Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king:
“Do you know what I know?
In your palace warm, mighty king
Do you know what I know?
A Child, a Child shivers in the cold
Let us bring Him silver and gold
Let us bring Him silver and gold”

Said the king to the people everywhere:
“Listen to what I say!
Pray for peace, people everywhere!
Listen to what I say!
The Child, the Child, sleeping in the night
He will bring us goodness and light
He will bring us goodness and light”

– 1962, Noël Regney and Gloria Shayne Baker

Are you listening? JESUS is the answer; the only answer to all of the trials and tribulations and troubles we are dealing with – yesterday, today, and tomorrow. The Child Who left His Throne wants to give you peace. We still have to live in this sinful world, but we have a choice. Live in worry and fearful anticipation of what might happen, or be at peace in your heart.

I have troubles, and I would love to be able to see past them. I have concerns about where my country is headed (the phrase “to hell in a hand basket” comes to mind….) No matter what, I know that no matter what happens, my God is in control. If I should die tomorrow, or in the next 5 minutes, I’m not afraid, because I know where I’m going, and it’ll be FANTABULOUS.

Do you hear what I hear? The Glorious sound of the celebration of my Saviour’s birth, Who came to die and cover our sins with His blood; Who was resurrected on the third day, and returned to heaven to prepare a place for me! Can you say it for yourself?

The angels and all of Creation are joining in the song!!

Patriots and Christians

As Christians, and as Americans, we have been through many trials over this past year. If President Trump isn’t confirmed as president for the next term, we will be facing even more trials. Here’s the question from my devotional this morning that really stood out to me.

“Can [GOD] trust that when your life doesn’t go as planned you’re still going to honor Him and trust Him and live for Him? Don’t make the mistake of thinking your trials are wasted seasons. When you’re living a life to honor God, nothing is wasted. Every trial you go through has significance when the Savior is involved.”

My life hasn’t gone as I had it planned for years. I haven’t honored Him, or trusted Him as I know I should. It’s time I trust in the LORD. If we stand our ground, and defend our rights that are being trampled left and right, we will face even greater trials over the next 4 years. In WWII there was a saying “Praise the LORD and pass the ammunition.”

It may come to that again in order to preserve our freedom to worship as we believe. Are you ready?

“And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope…..” Romans 5:3‭-‬4 NASB1995

What does LOVE Require of Me?

“Here are six things God hates, and one more that he loathes with a passion: eyes that are arrogant, a tongue that lies, hands that murder the innocent, a heart that hatches evil plots, feet that race down a wicked track, a mouth that lies under oath, a troublemaker in the family.” Proverbs 6:16‭-‬19 MSG

Haughty eyes,

A lying tongue,

And hands that shed innocent blood, 

A heart that devises wicked plans,

Feet that run rapidly to evil, 

A false witness who utters lies,

And one who spreads strife among brothers. (NASB1995)

Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. James 4:7 NASB1995

Jesus’s new, all-encompassing, inescapably simple command is this: We are to do unto others as our heavenly Father, through Christ, has done unto us. When we submit ourselves to God, when we open our eyes and our hearts to Him, the enemy can’t stay. When we fill our hearts with the Love of Jesus, there isn’t room for hate. All those things that God hates are overcome by His Love; real love. It’s not emotional or sexual, it’s knowledge and choice.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. John 13:34 NASB1995

Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. 1 Corinthians 13:8 NASB1995

There’s a whole lot of hate being spewed by a lot of people in our country. My country. I don’t like how this presidential election is being handled. Politicians and “celebrities” are publicly lying and hating on the American people. My job, commanded to me by God, is to love these people, and to pray for these people. If the media is correct in calling the election (and I’m not at all convinced that they are correct), the we, the people of these United States, are in deep trouble. All of the things that God hates are embodied in the Democratic party’s candidates….. and yet, as Christians, we are to love them and pray for them.

God help us.

This Season

Standing outside this morning, breathing in the deliciously cool Fall air and seeing the stars covering the sky like a carpet, I wonder how anyone can profess that God doesn’t exist. The sheer majesty of the heavens with the perfect placement of the stars and the constellations; the moon moving through it’s phases; the interaction with the sun, the tides, the seasons…. Lord, O Lord, How Majestic is Your Name, O LORD!

“This is what the LORD says, He Who made the earth, the LORD Who formed it and established it—the LORD is His Name: ‘Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’ ” Jeremiah 33:2-3

We live in a great nation; a nation founded under God, for the people and by the people. A Republic, not a Democracy. Look up the difference. Pay attention to what is going on around you. It is a scary time, but I am reassured by God’s Words.

“Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6 NASB

Christians, we have a huge responsibility coming into this election season. I beg of you, look at the candidates. Look at their actions; don’t listen to the rhetoric.

Prayer. Do You Need It?

Jesus said: “So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. “Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [ For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’ ] For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.” Matthew 6:8‭-‬15 NASB

Do you remember Jeremiah, the “Weeping Prophet”? When the Hebrews were taken prisoner and moved from Jerusalem to Babylon, most of their prophets were telling them not to worry, this would be a very short captivity and then they would be able to return home. God had other plans, and He chose Jeremiah to give them the real plan….. and they considered him to be full of doom and gloom! I think we do that, too. When we don’t get the answer we want, we tend to be “Oh, woe is me!” We need to concentrate more on the Word and the positive that God is telling us.

“For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.’ ” Jeremiah 29:11‭-‬14 NASB

Most of us are not in physical exile like the Hebrews were, but we may feel trapped in a job or a relationship. God doesn’t create chaos; we do that through the exercise of our own free will and by neglecting to listen to the LORD. He allows us to do these things, but if we will turn back to Him, we can sometimes remove ourselves/be removed from the bad situation, and other times we learn to be content in it. Remember, bloom where you are planted. I know; much easier said than done sometimes!

“If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”
Daniel 3:17‭-‬18 NASB

• Pray for peace, and for prosperity for the place God has placed you.

• Pray for the economy, citizen safety, wisdom and integrity of our leaders/politics, and for prosperity of the community and the country.

• Beware of false Teachers and Prophets! Biblical prosperity does not resemble health and wealth. It is Peace with God.

• Trust God’s plan. The long term, not necessarily the immediate.

“For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:17‭-‬18 NASB

• Finally, receive God’s blessing.

Don’t be IN or OF the community, but FOR the community you are in. Society today is not pro Christian, nor does it favor Christians. Wherever you are, be ALL there. Seek peace, practice practical loving. A community cannot be at peace, TRUE peace, until they are at peace with God through Jesus Christ. Pray for what you care about.

“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” Philippians 4:8 NASB

Tempted? Ah, This Isn’t Anything Bad….

“Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.” James 1:13 NASB

Sin. What is it, anyway? I’m good. I haven’t done anything horrible. It’s just a white lie. Everybody else is going…. doing it. It’s not so bad. It’s nothing compared to so-and-so.

We are so good at justifying our thoughts and behaviors and actions! Mention sin and see how people around you respond. It doesn’t exist. That’s an old fashioned idea; an antiquated thought. Nobody believes in sin anymore. Just be a good person and you’ll be okay. I’m okay, you’re okay, we’re all okay!

“Beware that your hearts are not deceived, and that you do not turn away and serve other gods and worship them.” Deuteronomy 11:16 NASB

Oh people, we have allowed ourselves to be fooled by the enemy. There’s an alphabet soup of aberrant behavior that is not just tolerated, but condoned and celebrated. Whether it is murdering unborn babies, or accepting pedophilia as ‘normal’ behavior; selling your body, living together outside of marriage…. these should be easy for Christians to identify as sin. But what about these? Overeating and gluttony? Abusing the prescription your doctor gave you by not following the instructions? Watching and listening to things that exploit the bodies of young men and/or women; of children. Discrimination, both covert and overt.

Well! I’m certainly not guilty of any of those things!

Oh, but you are. I am. We all are.

“He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion.” Proverbs 28:13 NASB

“If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:8‭-‬9 NASB

Thank God for the gift of the LORD Jesus Christ!

“How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered! How blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit! When I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away Through my groaning all day long.” Psalms 32:1‭-‬3 NASB

“I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I did not hide; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD’; And You forgave the guilt of my sin. Selah.” Psalms 32:5 NASB

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.” John 5:24 NASB

“And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, JESUS the SON OF GOD, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the Throne of Grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:13‭-‬16 NASB

Friends, draw near to the Throne of Grace! We, the children of the Most High GOD need to be on our knees, praying for our country, our leaders, our communities. It doesn’t matter if you are a Republican or a Democrat or an Independent; man, woman, or child; Baptist, Catholic, Church of whatever. As Christians we are called to prayer. It’s the only way to save our home here.

The LORD said this to Solomon. I believe it is relevant to us, today, too.

“…… and [if] My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14 NASB

Dogs, Cats, Horses, Cows

Dogs. They come in just about every color, shape, and size; tiny teacup Chihuahuas to the mighty Great Dane that can be 3 feet tall, and the 130 pound Bull Mastiff, but we still call them all dogs.

Cats are the same. They range from the tiny Singapura as small as 4.5 pounds, to the large Maine Coone at almost 4 feet tall, from hairless to silky thick long hair, in every color you can imagine….. and we call them all cats.

Cows. Have you ever been to a fair or a farm or a dairy? Milk cows and beef cattle, miniatures and the mighty Longhorns. The variety in size and shape and color is outstanding in all of the different breeds, yet we still call them all cows.

Horse. Ah, the Horse. I’m convinced that God created the horse as a gift just for us women. They can be tiny or huge, dainty or muscle bound, and range between almost every color of the rainbow. From the (up to) 2400 pound, 17 hands tall draft breeds, to the tiny miniature horse at 34 inches tall. All beautiful. We still call them all horses, despite their differences.

Last, I want to look at HUMANS. We come in every size, color, and shape imaginable. Just like the animals I’ve talked about, God has allowed us to breed ourselves into a huge variety….. BUT….. and the is an important BUT….. we are all HUMAN. One race. Undivided. ALL are created in the image of GOD.

Every color. Every shape. Every size. Red and yellow, black and white, and every color in between, Jesus loves us. Every life matters. Black, white, yellow, red, blue, orange…. every life, born or unborn, mentally or physically challenged, sinner and saint* (the saint* doesn’t exist, because we are all sinners).

JESUS LOVES US. ALL OF US.

John 3:16 “For GOD so loved the world, He gave His Only Son….” Think about it. God is our Father. He created humanity; the human race. One race, and He allowed us to develop into different cultures and ethnicities. We are all brothers and sisters. No matter how white or black you think you are, that person in front of you is family. You are all my brothers and sisters from another mother. We share the Glorious, Amazing, Beautiful FATHER OF ALL.

Think about that.

ALL LIVES MATTER

For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5:13‭-‬14 NASB

I’m so tired of seeing my nation, my world, being divided by color of skin. We are Americans. Not African or Irish or Chinese or Mexican or Italian or any other country. We can’t let politicians, who are really only interested in themselves, divide us! Seriously, people! If you hold dual citizenship with another country, then by all means identity with it! Any British-Americans? German-American? Guyana-Americans? See what I mean? I honestly don’t understand why someone wants to self identify as part of a country other than the one they were born in, unless they want to move to that country to live. African-American is very widely used and claimed by hundreds of thousands of Americans. Why? Are they or their parents from Africa? Besides which, Africa isn’t even a country. It’s a continent. I know, we Americans have appropriated the name of the continent we are on as the name of our country, but understand that the world also refers to citizens of the United States as Americans. Are people from Ethiopia considered African, or Ethiopian? Kenyan, or African? Ugandan, or African? See the question?

Racism is promoted and perpetuated by the insistence of some people to identify as anything other than as Americans. I really don’t understand. I was actually polled the other night (a first!) and when asked what race I was, I answered “American.” I know it’s not a race, but neither is African-American. I should have answered “human”, because there is only one race. Sure, we have thousands of cultures and as many colors, but there is only one race, human. It would behoove us all to grasp onto that fact.

I love my country and the melting pot that it is. I will continue to pray for my country and that somehow, people will see through all this “racial” divisiveness, and I will do everything in my power to defend my country from our enemies, both within and without. Celebrate the diversity of all of our beautiful skin colors and cultural differences, but, please, don’t fight over them!

Jesus is the answer. The only answer. Come to Him today. Jesus said:

“I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” John 14:6 NASB