Loathsome To Reconciled

I quote from Matthew Henry's Commentary On the Whole Bible, page 624. I will expound on his expounding, to glean the glorious that shines diamond bright from within. Psalm 32 is the topic, with the focus being on the pardoning of sin, with all the necessary elements required to establish right relationship with God. Let's go in together, shall we? And I quote:

Sin makes us loathsome in the sight of God and utterly unfit for communion with him and, when conscience is awakened, it makes us loathsome to ourselves too, but, when sin is pardoned, it is covered with the robe of Christ's righteousness, like the coats of skins wherewith God clothed Adam and Eve (an emblem of the remission of sins), so that God is no longer displeased with us, but perfectly reconciled. They are not covered from us (no; My sin is forever before me) nor, covered from God's omniscience, but from the vindictive justice. When he pardons sin he remembers it no more, he casts it behind his back, it shall be sought for and not found, and the sinner being thus reconciled to God, begins to be reconciled to himself. 

1. Sin is loathsome in the sight of God, and he sees our sin. Have you seen someone curl a corner of their top lip in disgust? Imagine God looking at what you are saying and doing, and recoiling from it in repulsion, this makes us;

2. Unfit for communion with God, because he is holy and cannot, will not, keep us company when we are mischievously disobedient.

3. Alas, when conscience is awakened, when we have that first glimpse at our own revolting ways, and the flood gates open with soul sickening remembrances, we suddenly see what God sees, and we cannot stand ourselves: we discover our own loathsomeness. 

4. But, when sin is pardoned, when we repent, there is remission of sins! Christ drapes his robe of righteousness over our drooping with shame shaking shoulders, covering our wretchedness, so that God is no longer displeased with us, but perfectly reconciled. Think with me, about people, your own family, perhaps your own child, sinning with reckless abandon, followed by a dawning of understanding that they have done wrongly, at the expense of relationship, with you and others. Adam and Eve are our first examples of obvious disobedience, despite knowing God and walking with him too. If they needed to repent to reconcile with God, and if they required covering of their sins, it makes perfect sense that we must repent, and ask for God's gracious covering, through Christ, the perfect sinless Man/God. There is no greater comfort and warmth than to have God wrap us in his loving mercy.

5. Our sins are not covered from us, meaning ... the thoughts of them are frequent visitors, many times unwelcome solicitors knocking at our front door. They want in, to remind us of the dirty road we travelled, and the dust we kicked up that wants to cling and saturate our souls, and;

6. Our sins are not covered from God's omniscience either: does this make you reticent, dear one, and desiring to sin no more? God forgives but does not forget, and neither should we, because when we look back and see how much he has forgiven, how far we have travelled away from wickedness, we appreciate the road ahead, and look forward to the next Canaan as we gradually, leave this one behind. 

7. God could give us what we deserve, with divine vindictive justice. Does this startle you to read, that God is entitled to being vindictive? Is this not a just return? Do you recall the expression, Throw the book at him, referring to a criminal that deserved the full extent of punishment, according to the law? Whose laws, I ask you? Look closely at the Book of Deuteronomy: law was established for the Israelites by God, and the very same laws were originally implemented to stave off evil doers in our civilization ... they are now being dismantled rapidly, as proof that the god of this world is preferred over the Omnipotent God of the Universe, the I Am that I Am, Jehovah. God can do as he likes, and that includes forgiving heinous sin, when a contrite soul repents before him. He can also blast you and I right off the face of the earth, because, well, HE IS GOD ALMIGHTY! 

8. The pardoning of sin by God, who remembers it no more, is the gift of grace, which means unmerited favour. God doesn't hold a grudge, and throw our sins in our face; and neither should we hold a grudge, or remind others of their wrongdoings (accept of course to give them insight into their impact, which is helpful for clearing the air). When someone is sincerely sorry for what they have said or done, and even perhaps what they were considering saying and doing, we must be gracious too, and freely forgive. Repentance includes a change of mind, of heart, of soul, that is reflected in behaviour. Those that know how much they have been forgiven, feel deeply inclined to extend the same favour, to those that have injured them in some way. What a wonderful full circle it is we travel, from sinner to saved! 

NOTE: Consequences follow actions. We don't always escape from natural consequences after sinning, for example: having sex outside of marriage may very well result in the creation of a babe in the womb, clearly a natural and normal consequence. Perhaps a person has "gotten away" with sex without making a baby, many a time, until that one time ... the baby ought not pay for the sins of its parents. The baby deserves a chance at life and relationship too. Consequences are clearly, unavoidable: what we do within the circumstances we find ourselves, speaks loudly to our inner workings. I will leave it at that. 

9. ... the sinner being thus reconciled to God, begins to be reconciled to himself. 

Dear reader, this is the point of no return, the wondrous moment when we walk and talk, communing with God, and understanding he is for us every step of The Way. We see ourselves as he sees us, first as sinners unworthy of his presence, secondly as ashamed repentants, and finally, as children of God that clothes us in the righteousness of his Son, Jesus Christ, of whom the Father is well pleased! This is the coming clean experience each believer has, when we want to emulate our Lord and Saviour. There is a peace that assuredly surpasses all understanding, because we feel at peace with ourselves, or in the word provided by the Father, reconciled, with our own past, and looking forward to our future with holiness as our burning desire for self and other. 

I sure hope reading this post was a valuable use of your time. I throughly enjoyed sharing. I pray for you to see your sin, repent, sin no more, and have an outstanding incomparably wonderful relationship with the God that lovingly designed and crafted you with his mighty and magnificent hands. 

Jesus Wept

If Jesus wept, what is to stop us from doing similarly? 

Today sad images flood my mind and flow in tears from my eyes. I have seen and heard too many tragedies, and they cannot be contained, controlled, corralled. 

When our Saviour wept, who was it for? I suspect he wept for many reasons, and I conjecture that perhaps, it was for those that bore witness to Jesus calling Lazarus to come out from the grave, that would turn a blind eye to the significance of the event: which is that only God in heaven, and God incarnate, could and would and has, resurrected the dead. 

God foreshadows, and men look away, favouring their own version of reality, based on this life, this fleeting and fading existence. 

I wept yesterday for a sister that has slipped out of the body, her soul no longer residing in the clay God shaped to be uniquely her. I miss her terribly, and while she was a joyful playful type, she also suffered much, never feeling sorry for herself, never ever wanting pity. She was a private person, and didn't tell even her closest friends, what she experienced. She always cheerfully recovered and carried on, perennially interested in people, places, beautiful growing and plantable things. If she could have run wild with horses, that would have been her heaven on earth delight.  

I pleaded with God for her soul before she died. What better place to go than heaven, when the thin invisible veil between the physical and spiritual realms, dissolves to allow passage? Unlike you and me, dear reader, Jesus knows. He knows who will be with him in paradise this very day, and who will not. He knows who will turn away from him for an eternity, and who will receive with gratitude, the gift of grace ... his unmerited favour. 

Lazarus was counted as one of Jesus' friends. Can you image that? How marvellous, how wonderful!  When Jesus commanded him, Lazarus complied:

And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go (John 11:43)

We don't read more about Lazarus after this, because the message isn't about him, it is about the power of God, dear reader, what God is capable of because he has command over life, yours and mine, and over death too. Jesus conquered the grave, can you do that? 

Jesus is called the man of sorrows. He came on a mission, not a pleasure trip for his own entertainment. He came to bring life to the dead and dying, and if you don't know him as your Saviour, you are counted as one of the numbers, one of the dead and dying, already bound hand and foot, your face bound too, with a napkin. What a sad state of affairs if this be so ... love longs to procure, and takes special care and effort to secure what it desires. 

Jesus is love, dear one. He procures souls and with special care and effort, gives us every opportunity to come forth out of the tomb, shake off our graveclothes, and live for him, to glorify him, as the one that speaks truth and life. 

Bible and God bashing

What we see is Bible and God bashing. I implore you to get a King James study Bible. I suggest to you that you listen to sound Bible teachers, such as R. C. Sproul ... learn who God is, and ignore what the world says about him. Stop being a cynical skeptic, and start being child-like in your curiosity and wonder. See Jesus as he is, not as he is portrayed by those that hate him and damn themselves, when they publicly curse the God that made them. 

Stop using God's name as a byword/in vain ... you make yourself foolish by doing so, and it hurts the ears of those who profess Jesus as our King. We don't like it one bit, it is vulgarity to the soul sensitive amongst you. 

Lastly, weep, let the tears flow, for the sins you have committed, the ones your relatives, friends, co-workers, neighbours, strangers have committed. Weep, and plead with God for mercy and beg for forgiveness for you, for them. Give all your sorrow vent, let people see and hear it, so that perhaps they will be encouraged to repent too. Sin no more, dear one ... you know right from wrong, stop doing the wrong. 

Today may be the day you meet your Maker: What, pray tell, do you anticipate? Will you walk away from the idea, the image, the question, as though it does not concern or pertain to you? 

Death is a guarantee, dear one ... you and I just don't know the when part. 

Rude Awakenings

How are you is the generic question people utilize to initiate conversation. My response these days: My sister died.

I hadn't cried dear reader, for weeks and weeks, but the last couple of days the sadness has been lurking. I haven't wanted to seek it out never mind looking it in the eye, but here it is, and there it was, each time I gave my reply, My sister died. 

My mom uses a refrain, the tongue goes to the sore tooth ~ she says this in Italian ~ and isn't it apropos, in these days of devastating occurrences, to have our thoughts and words go to what is most bothersome?

My background white, or ought I call it grey noise? is this lingering sense of perpetual loss. I carry on, do what I will, do what I ought to do, and there loss hides crouching in pounce readiness, the longer I deny its existence. 

I see her, dear reader, but I can't hear her anymore ... the mute button has been pressed and it is stuck ... 

I feel rude when I give my reply, but I also think that rude was what we lived for years on end when all the pretending kept us from communicating the important life altering news. Rude is ignoring what is happening. Rude is denying the Truth. We are witnessing rude awakenings as the current result, of what we all lived through, namely, that wicked people waved enchanted wands and cast a spell on the populace, luring them to their own demise. 

I miss my sister, but not all the time. I cannot miss her all of the time: I refuse to think of her perpetually, because it won't bring her back for another day, or even a moment. I think of her now because I cannot help myself, she was a part of my history, and who knows our history better than our siblings? She used to do these cute little braids in my hair ... no one can do those little braids like her. 

Anyways ... that's what people say when they need to move on, or dismiss a tough topic ... anyways. Writing is my temporary soul cough syrup, it soothes my spirit as I type. I know I am not alone in my sorrow. I know, dear reader, that there are many of us that are suffering great loss. I feel your pain, and pray for your peace, in Christ Jesus, and the Holy Ghost, known as the Comforter. 

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you (John 14:26)

NOTE: My sister's brilliant smile ... she is on the left. This is from July, 2013. The little lady in the middle is the mumma, and I am on the right. 

Christian Coaching

• I am a Christian
• I work as a self-employed CTI Certified Coach, CPCC, since 2014
• I work as a self-employed Personal Trainer, since 1996
• I read, I write, I pray, amongst other things

God is with me and for me, no matter who is against me: I always feel his presence. Maybe you too, know this about our steadfast God? If you long to find your way, and you know The Way is Jesus Christ, perhaps you will consider working with me as your guide.

My new website will give you an idea about who I am, and my hope is that with or without me walking by your side, you will discover who you are, in Christ Jesus!

lindagracebyers.com

Trained Psychiatrist

I have indulged my desire to be entertained, dear reader, with the foibles, fumbles, and resultant fallouts, of Frasier, the sitcom series of old. 

What strikes me as non comedic are the sexual escapades of all the characters in the show. Fornication with partner after partner is the norm from one episode to the next, and two brothers, Frasier the elder and Niles the younger, happen to have bed the same woman, Frasier's former wife Lilith. Niles and Lilith were intoxicated during their overnight romp, thus making the one time event somehow excusable ~ The Bible calls in-laws brothers and sisters once a marriage has taken place ... did Niles commit the sin of incest, dear reader? ~; alas, is inebriation a valid reason to betray sacred trust, thus permitting in the partaking of urges that ought not to be? 

Niles has a love interest in Daphne from the moment he lays eyes on her, while he is married to Maris; and while Daphne is engaged to another man. Roz, the hot-to-trot radio producer for the Dr. Frasier Crane show, is portrayed as a slut, and eventually, she has sex with her boss. The clever repartee coupled with the presentation of elegance of the main psychiatric characters (you did not misread what I wrote ... Frasier and Niles are quick witted self-absorbed stranglings that snobbishly seek higher social status ground at every possible turn ... they are quintessential worldlings), camouflage the obvious reprobate minds they perpetually seek to affirm and feed. The you can have it all, and have all people too messaging is blatant. Swapping out partners, enjoying the flavour of the day or month, is normalized in this show, and and ... this situation comedy has been watched by millions of TV viewers, and continues to be a popular series in re-runs, with a sequel Frasier now available. 

I knew someone many years ago that shared with me how disturbed and shocked she was regarding the carryings on at a conference for mental health care providers: psychiatrists, psychologists, counsellors. Two things she told me ~ plus one add on ~ have remained as grotesque thoughts and images in my mind, lodged there uncomfortably:

1. When psychiatrists spoke of the side-effects for the drugs they prescribed to their patients, they understood that some would die as a result of taking the medicine suggested. There was a death percentage that was deemed "acceptable", and I wonder, if it was your son, or daughter, some family member or friend that was a part of the unfortunate percentage that dropped dead from the "treatment", would you be okay with the doctors random acceptance of their fate?

2. At this conference, alcohol consumption was high. There were a whole lot of drunken mental health workers, and it just so happens, there were also a lot of trysts, with these professionals having a good old time with one another sexual. Within this story was an appalling confessional from one of the therapists: she confessed that she had trained her dog to service her ... using peanut butter as a lure to her private parts. 

Now, I ask you dear reader, is Frasier true to life or is life true to the characterizations in the show labelled Frasier? I am nearing the end of the series, and homosexual partners have been introduced as acceptable. An unsuspecting populace has been groomed and then convinced, that sex with anyone anytime for any reason, is valid as a choice. Do you agree? Is it really? 

What sickness, what disgusting vulgar vileness, has soaked into the psyche of TV viewers? Make no mistake, the producers know what they are doing in their manipulations of the public. Wicked people love bad company; they delight in corrupting minds so that people collude with them in their sinfulness. If everyone is doing it, it makes it easier to hide in the crowd, and not feel the sting of guilt and shame for committing shameful acts. 

I watched a recent interview of Kelsey Graham, forever known as his TV character, Frasier Crane. I wonder if the two are one and the same, interchangeably confused? Kelsey spoke about being rich, but not as rich as Oprah. Imagine that, two actors wealthy almost beyond comparison, while pretending to be wise, making their millions off the backs of faithful followers that fawn over them as success icons. 

How very vapid. 

NOTE: Roz being portrayed as a slut, because she is easy, does not translate to the easiness of the other characters that are willing to bed stangers randomly when they are feeling randy. If you have watched the show, recall the episode where the crew goes on skiing vacation, and everyone is looking to have sex with someone. 

I leave you with a question, a suggestion, an observation with a challenge, followed by scripture.  

❓How have you been influenced by what you have seen and heard?

🔥 Watch TV, and question the messaging dressed up as entertainment.

🔥 We influence and we have been influenced. Measuring messaging against godly standards is possible and recommended. 

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21)

A Reversal : An Inversion

It is popular to criticize and accuse God, to suggest that he is cruel, condemning, and ought to be ashamed of himself for all the horrendous occurrences he doesn't stop from happening. Cursing God is common too: and why not? he is not considered real, powerful, almighty ... God is impotent and has lost his zeal along the way, or so it seems, and so some think.

God is the Law

God is the Judge

God is the Government

God makes the rules

God implements punishment

God remands into custody and; 

God releases the prisoner too, when and if he sees fit, even when they deserve to rot in a stinking hell hole of a cell for the rest of their days, our days, your days, my days. 

This is personal, dear reader. God is personal and relational. The sins of the fathers now visit the generations that have followed. Our parents not that long ago revered the living God, but we presently see that the masses have accustomed themselves to eliminating him from their thoughts, from their choices, and lastly from their lives entirely. The reversal and inversion is the great delusion that we see and suffer: God dethroned, debunked, deboned. The god of this world has managed to usurp the God of eternity in the minds, hearts, souls, and very beings that God handcrafted.

And does it not make perfect sense that Satan is taking his throne, here on earth? Isn't it fitting that his law, his judgment, his government ought to be firmly established, while his rules, his punishments, his imprisoning of the public, becomes a firmly entrenched organizational outfit? I say yes, yes indeed, all is right in the world. We were warned what would happen, just like the ancient Israelites were warned, but alas, humans are walking talking doing ignoramuses that like to belly ache when they are subject to consequences for wrong doing. Do whatever you want when you want for as long as you want with whomever you want now, but then accuse God of being a mean pie in the sky task master, when awful happens and the mess your life has become seems impossible to clean up or rectify. 

It wasn't that long ago that as a professing Christian, I made some really idiotic decisions. I absolutely cringe when I think of them now: one of those magic erasers would be fabulous to eradicate the smudges I still see clearly marking my soul! Ha, I grin as I write because I know God, how much he loves me, and how needy I am of his hand at the small of my back, leading me in the right direction. I am not a fool, nor am I fooled as easily as I once was, by my own naughty inclinations, or anyone else's version of truth. The Bible says God is love, and I say, To know him is to love him. The Bible calls Satan God's enemy and the enemy of the saints ... Inversion suggests the exact opposite, and the reversal is what is known in my mind as insanity. 

And that, dear one, is the goal. Make everyone believe the opposite of Truth so that lies prevail. Make God the bad guy and humans the ones that call the shots, literally call the shots, and voila, there we have it, numbers upon numbers of people have gone crazy, our society degenerates, falling in a heap, and our souls are left in shambles as we watch our fellow man become more and more deluded, deceived, and ultimately, damned. 

In a nutshell, we are witnessing the timely demise of the human race as they go up in flames ... hell fire flames of disobedient and riotous craziness that seems contagious. As long as we are here, souls need a savin' and at the very same time, that ugly cup of iniquity keeps on a fillin'. Man alive, imagine all the bloody sin that has helped us along on the continuum to the end of times, dear reader. God truly is long suffering, and since he will leave the ninety-nine to go after that one lost sheep, I ask you this:

Is it you, he is tracking to save?

Do you hear him calling your name?

Will you continue on, without him?

Will you turn toward, and lamb like, gleefully prance to heel at his side?

God is love

God loves you

God wants none to be lost

Does any of this mean anything to you?

I grinned during most of the writing of this piece. I know there are many people seeking God, because they can actually hear him calling them by name. More and more people are talking about God and The Bible, and it is thrilling for those of us that want to serve and glorify Our Father, who art in heaven. We want so much for the herd to be added to, One more Lord, One more, is our bleating plea. 

Satan is the Father of lies and clearly, very clearly, the ruler of this world

God is the Father of heavenly lights, the giver of all good and perfect gifts

Satan hates God and humanity

God hates sin and loves humans that honour and obey him

Can you see the difference? Is it as clear to you as it is to me? What must it take for you to fall on your knees at the throne of Jesus and confess your sins and ask for absolution? Maybe now is your time to come clean before the living God of the universe. He, God Almighty, erases and eradicates soul stains, miraculously, with the blood of the Lamb that was slain for the sins of the world. 

That, dear one, is the Law fulfilled. Matthew 5:17-20

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 

Bottomless Pit

Imagine backing up one too many steps, and having the earth beneath your feet dissolve and disappear, replaced by ... nothing ... nothingness ... nowhere to plant your piedi. 

Imagine the falling, falling, falling, the perpetual drop, your weight never hitting solid ground. For how long? When will this end, you ask yourself. How can this be, what is happening to me? 

Now imagine you see glimpses of brilliance, shining signs in the gloomy pit darkness. Are those words, letters spelling out a message, or just images? Are there walls in this dropping tunnel, or do the communiques hang in space as I continue to fall? 

Might I suggest you adjust your eyes in the pit, the tunnel, the hole you find yourself in? May I recommend you pay attention to the notes that dangle conveniently for you, minus obvious fastenings, and that you read and reckon with them too?

There is a bottomless pit described in Revelation, the very last book of The Bible. The last book, dear reader, opens up our imagination in wild ways that we cannot grasp nor comprehend, because we have yet to experience the end of our earthly time. The warnings are great, and even the stoutest of heart, trembles at the thought of what is to come. We are witnessing the signs and wonders of the terminal, as we humans have overstayed our welcome, and become very rude guests in the world God has blessed us with. Sin is accumulating in a grotesque fashion, and it is only a matter of time before that cup of iniquity, the one we have all contributed to, is filled to the brim: it is a wonder God has tolerated us thus far, but alas, he truly is merciful, long suffering, and wants none to be lost in eternity. 

As I see it, self-deception is the single most soul-sucking detrimental habit. The Bible says, The truth shall make you free, but before this, it says, And ye shall know the truth ... the thing with truth is, no matter how you slice and try to dice it, it always reconfigures itself: it cannot be tampered with to accommodate our personal and often twisted, point of view! 

Let us go back to the drop you met with at the top of this page. If you are in a free fall, those notes flashing at you in the darkness, are invitations to reach out and grab hold, to stop your cascading downward. They blink the concepts integrity, honesty, fidelity, loyalty, truthfulness, righteousness, honour, ethics, morals, straightforwardness: All that is good and godly, can be gripped and then embraced tightly, to keep you from the course that pulls you down further into the pit of bottomless despair. 

Am I giving you advice, dear reader? I sure am! I know not all will take my suggestions seriously, and that is their prerogative, but those that do, will feel what I have felt ... solid ground beneath my feet, without fear, worry or doubt, that each step I take is toward heaven, and not the alternative. Make no mistakes, there are only two directions we can travel in this life and the next, and they are backing away from God with a drop just behind us, or walking toward him and the glorious eternity he has in store for us if we are wise enough to heed the warnings, read the signs of the times, and do as he wills, his way. 

I am happy to leave you now with the hope that you walk forward toward the Light of Christ, grasping hold of the wonder and mystery of faith, through Christ our Lord, Amen. 

Tail or Tongue Wag

Today I was grievously reminded of tongue ownership! I wag my tongue, and have wielded it weapon like, drawing invisible blood from those I have condemned in my mind and heart, and man alive, Matthew Henry brought me to the point of suffering for my shameful sin this morning. God owns all souls, and tongues too. Jesus could have used his tongue to speak devastating words of destruction to literally cut and slash his accusers, mockers, and usurpers, while hanging from the cross, but alas, he spoke mercy instead:

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots (Luke 23:34)

Jesus is the King of glory. The gates of heaven were open when the Lamb was slain for the sake of sinners. His pure blood was shed, so ours does not have to be spilled, and yet, we do not live as though we owe him our lives, our being. 

Do you have a dog, dear reader? I had two up until last year. One of the things I appreciate about dogs is the tail wag of delight. If you are their master, and they see you after you have somehow disappeared from their perpetual and vigilant watching over you, they will wag their tail end until it hits their sides ... the occasional whimper lets you know too, that your presence was missed. I have often wondered, how wonderful it would be, if we all greeted each other similarly!

Okay, I admit, I have greeted people this way in the past, people that make me very happy, people that I can't believe I get to hang out with, people that make me feel like I am in a personal private heaven, just me and them. It is an adoring feeling, a mutual appreciation ... I may be their pet, or they may be mine ... it is a sweetness to have affinity, isn't that so?

What then, when aversion is present, when there is dissimilitude, dislike, and antipathy? What do we do with these sentiments? I am learning what I must not do, and I am learning what I would really like to do and who I want to be like ... I would like to be just like Jesus, interceding on behalf of wrong doers, enemies of Christ, enemies of his people. Today in my broken state, I prayed in earnest for wisdom and then, miracle of miracles, I prayed in earnest for all those that I do not want to be damned that have done me harm! Phew, Jesus answers prayers I tell you. Saints cannot stand their own sin, whether it is ancient history, or yesterday's debacles: it pains us to no end to know we have insulted our Father in heaven. 

Not long ago I got kicked off of LinkedIn, for the second time. I knew I had pushed the community limits, and I also knew that I could not continue engaging in what was a fruitless endeavour, of which is trying to convince worldly people that they are caught in the snare Satan has set for them. Only God can detangle, and cut a person loose from their state of stupor. I am no match for the wiles of the devil, AND God Almighty is the power, the might, the fight we need to do battle for us daily. Getting ousted from LinkedIn freed my mind to focus on what is valuable to God, and I really don't take too much notice anymore, of what the wicked are up to. They are the naughty children I do not want to play with ... no tongue or tail wagging for them! 

I will always see the evil, and I will always grieve it too. In my Bible studying, in my prayers, in my weeping, I will petition for souls, that, dear reader, is the work of saints; we have been given a ministry of reconciliation, and those whom God will save are those whom God will save. We know not who or when, but then again, that is none of our business!

I tell you this: the more time I spend with God, learning who he is and how much he loves us, the more I am at peace. Grieving isn't a sign of peace-less-ness, it is a signal that we understand the gravity of our circumstances, and that we feel the suffering all around us, and wish somehow we could/can alleviate it. We can't, but God can, and that, dear reader, is why we pray. 

It matters not to me what someone has done. What matters to me is that people go to God. I don't think I write amiss when I say, that as long as we admit to our sins, confess them to God, repent and trust in Jesus as the gate through which we enter heaven, that we can have the peace that surpasses all understanding while we wait for the joy of eternity with God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost. 

Sinners saved, that is the ultimate goal, to the glory of God, through Christ our Lord. 

Amen 💖

NOTE: If you look closely, my dog Dot is curled on top of my feet, and my dog Cesar is looking up at me hoping I will drop some food ... if only humans loved with doggie trust and devotion! 

Tainted

Would you consider your body to be an alarm system, dear reader? Think with me: if there is smoke, there is fire, and if there is fire near a smoke detector that has a working battery installed in the device, then it makes sense, that a beeping alarm will sound to warn a body, or many somebodies, that danger ensues. 

I recall the first time I inhaled smoke on purpose. That initial hall on a cigarette made me cough. Determination and stupidity had me going back for more, because I wanted to be a smoker. Same thing with the deliciousness of alcohol. One sip burned, but out of sheer persistent desire to finish the job, I consumed, and each tip of the glass got a little easier with the liquid smoothly, almost unnoticed, passing my lips and tongue and eventually, warming my innards. Funny how we can anaesthetize ourselves, turn off warning signals, mute alarm bells and beeping. 

I don't smoke, or drink very much either, because both activities make me so sick, I can't even cope! This makes me very, very happy, dear reader. My body has always been a detector for what is harmful, but overriding the system was something I did out of rebellion, against God. Self-harm seems a common everyday event for the masses, and I am ever so grateful that each human has a built in conscience: mine shames me mercilessly when I sin, and it is my punisher when I deviate from God's will ... when people do what they ought not do, over and over and over again, they effectively take the batteries out of their internal smoke alarms, or cover their ears to block out the sounding off warnings. Do you, do this, dear reader?

Over time, a person can taint themselves to the point of living an endangered existence, where the voice of reason is no longer heard, and the soul cares not what is done to the body, and visa versa. The Bible describes this as a seared conscience. This verse is taken from 1 Timothy 4:2

Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron

A person can lock in their own juices, and whatever marinates in the mind, in the heart, in the soul, will eventually, leak out and coat that very same person with whatever yuck was previously, perhaps privately, contained. Sin is insidious: 

● Do you know someone you recognize, but they are not at all the person you met and liked years ago? 

● Is it odd to you, that what comes out of their mouth, or how they behave, is foreign to you in its distastefulness, and yet you have to deal with them daily, as though you are trapped in a cage of your own making?

● Have you often thought, I wish I could just get away, or they would somehow leave? What if I told you, they are thinking the exact same things?!

Can two walk together, except they be agreed? Amos 3:3 

Divergence is that crossroads moment in time, when you go your way, and I go mine, because we cannot walk side-by-side in agreement. This can be a painful experience, a grievous experience, a change your life forever experience. 

● Perhaps you dismissed the warning, or withdrew those alarm batteries, ignoring the DON'T DO it messages you were getting, and now you have consequences to deal with. 

● Perhaps you were hoodwinked by a master manipulator, and innocently did what they recommended, and got burned. 

I don't know what your circumstances are, but I do know that integrity can and will, save your soul. Integrity is that honest and wholesome part of you that wants nothing more than for you to speak and live the truth. Truth makes us free, from our own wayward inclinations and ways, because the conscience is given full permission to speak godly wisdom to our very spirit, and when we listen and abide, God's will is done.

Can two walk together, except they be agreed? Amos 3:3

We can walk together, dear reader, when we are agreed. Agreed on what, you ask? Everything God commands and lovingly dictates. He doesn't ask, he tells. He isn't looking for our casual commitment, he is looking for, Yes Father, obedience. We can't just go about our business and pretend we haven't been warned, when we have been told over and over again, to sin not, to repent, to turn from our wicked ways, and to believe in the One whom God hath sent! 

Come on now, walk with me, with Jesus leading The Way 💖

If you find yourself forced by circumstance (and we have all been there at one point or another), to walk with someone that has a completely different gait, start earnestly praying for God to change said circumstances, to match his will for you and the other person too. You will be astounded by the incremental changes that occur, over time. 

Here is the command that helps me immensely:

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6-7)

Pray for God's will

Supplicate earnestly and humbly beg and ask

Be thankful for a God that loves and hears you, and generously provides

AND

The peace of God, which is beyond understanding, shall keep your heart and mind through the Prince of Peace, Christ Jesus 💖

Beauty for Ashes

Isaiah 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.

I read today, "God's Gospel church is called the Israel of God", can anything be more marvellous, dear reader? How better to be marked as God's people, than to be known as those that mourn in Zion? And what more satisfaction can we possibly ask for, than to have our ashes become beautiful, our mourning become the oil of joy, our laden grievous spirit to become garments of praise, so that we might be called trees of righteousness, planted of the LORD, that he might be glorified?!

In 2017, my life lay in ruins. It didn't show on the outside ~ I didn't share what was happening in my life with many people, I carried on, business as usual ~ but there were times when I lay face to the floor, plastered there, sobbing and begging God for redemption, a hint of healing, a drop of hope for the changes that were necessary for my family to be rebuilt and restored to his will, his way. God does not ignore the repentant, he will not refuse those that plead for forgiveness, and restoration, and a return to his family. I knew I had to confess my sins, understand the sins of those that had come before me through blood lines, and those of my former husband too ... the cumulative sin was noxious, and the sins of the fathers, and mothers that we call ancestors, really do, impact offspring, mine included. 

When I look back, I see myself prostrate but it is only now, that I recognize no matter where I wept, face down and unseeing, Jesus was standing before me. Bit by daily bit, incremental change occurred. I was a half-ling, a semblance of my former confident and perhaps cocky self, and God gave me insights into my flawed character, where I had relied solely on my own strength and sometimes silly beliefs, and he filled me with a hunger and thirst to be holy, as he is holy. As long as I live, I will desire this type of food and drink more than anything else in this lovely world. The Holy Spirit satisfies the soul, and as my good friend Lanie spoke to me just yesterday, he is redeeming my ashes for beauty. 

While I share in writing, dear reader, I remain a rather private person. I will not divulge who and what and how, people in my life have been transformed through the power of prayer. Those closest to me already know my story, and prayed as only the saints can do in time of turmoil and trouble. I am glad to be called a family member of the Gospel Church, known as the Israel of God. He saved me long before I drew my first earthly breath; saved me and my family in 2017, and saves me still, from one day to the next ... and it is prayer, humble, meek, seeking, finding, grateful for all the blessings prayer, that is a gift from God that I will always treasure and cherish. 

Are you troubled? Does it seem as though the tide has turned on you, and as the water rises, you have no escape, and will simply drown in your sorrow? Have the circumstances gotten to the point that you have exhausted all your emotional and even physical resources, and you are so spent as to not want to get up off your face from that floor? Pray, dear one, pray. Get out your Bible, read it, soak it up, and feel the rush of certain hope, knowing God loves a repentant and pleading child and that he will exchange your ashes for beauty too. It may not look like you had planned, but your life will be better than you anticipated, all for the glory of our God, through Christ our Lord.

Amen