 A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother. Prov. 10:1 Solomon said this. He aught to know. Look at the family he came from. Solomon learned, from observing his older brothers, how not to be, and where you could end up in the end. King David had such sadness with his sons. What a burden they proved to be. King David had only to blame himself for the destructive outcome of his family. For you see, it was all due to the consequences of his own sins. When David took what wasn't his (Bathsheba), and murdered an innocent man (her husband, Uriah), he sealed the fate of his own family. The sword never left his house. Let's take a look at David's family. Amnon rapes Tamar, his half-sister and forever ruins her life. Absalom, his older brother, finds out about it, two years later, and has his brother Amnon killed. Absalom sleeps with his father's concubines in the face of all Israel, in plain sight, and forms a coo against his own father, King David. Adonijah makes several attempts to prevent his younger brother, Solomon, from becoming king. Adonijah was older and normally he would have been next in line for the throne, but God decided differently. God chose Solomon to be king. Solomon had to sternly address his own mother on the issue of her son Adonijah who tried to use her to get the position he so coveted. Solomon saw or knew some things within his own family that was unreal, horrible, and destructive. There was jealousy, envy, evil, and treacherous behavior, crimes, sexual assaults, murder, lies, and deception. What older sibling could he look to for advice let alone godly advice? He saw the character and the lack of integrity his brothers had. Some of us have experienced negative things within our own family that have forever impacted our lives. It does happen, more often than not. Just like God did in David's household, He does for others. In the midst of all the murder and mayhem, God raises up a Solomon! God is grieved when the family structure fails to be what it ought to be. Children are the innocent victims in it all. They are hard pressed to be emotionally, and psychologically whole. When you are born into a severely dysfunctional situation, you're already doomed before you get started. Children growing up in such environments become conditioned, and more than likely will repeat the cycle of dysfunction. Hope can be found in Jesus! He can help us break that cycle! He gives power, real power to escape the chains of a terrible life. You and I are not responsible for what we were born into, after all, we didn't pick our family, but we can certainly do differently. Having Christ in your life makes all the difference! You can now become what God intended you to be. You can rise above it all and lead your family into a new way of thinking and being. Bad Family Blood doesn't have to be what runs through your veins!
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 "Cast your burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be move." Psalm 55:22 God assigns certain trials and situations with our names on it. He has a spiritual purpose in it all. He knows the weight of the burden and how we feel. He sees the affect it’s having on us. So, He sends His grace, that special enabling ingredient, that helps us to bear up under the strain of it all. He sends an encouraging word directly from His lips to our hearts to cheer us along the rough path. Sometimes He allows the tongues of others to spew discouragements, accusations, and negative things as He did with Job. Job’s closest friends began to tell him why he was in the situation he was in. Oh how much that must have hurt. Even Job’s wife put in her personal assessment and request under the circumstances. She felt he needed to turn on God, walk away, and just die. She was bending, buckling, and bowing under the circumstances; understandably so. I reserve criticism for Mrs. Job, because she was in great grief and under great strain. She had lost all of her beautiful children all at once. All of her hopes and dreams for them were dashed, and her future without them was extremely bleak. She was a mother in great pain. She lost all faith in God, and she wanted her husband to do the same. Things can get that tough for us when God chooses to assign trials with our names on them. I know from personal experience how hard it can get as you are trying to hold on to your faith and endure what was sent your way. I too have experienced the harsh criticisms from those looking on. It can add insult to injury, and emotionally handicap you, but God sees it all and knew everything that would happen before he sent that trial your way. God provides everything needed to endure the storm with your faith in tact, while developing more within you. He has a beautiful way of communicating with us during these times, and in those moments when He is silent, He is still speaking, although it’s hard to hear His voice. In those silent times, He wants us to remember His written word to us. There are bible verses that become precious, crucial, and powerful to us when we read and meditate on them. They give off such power, and as a result, we’re able to keep keeping on. God provides resources for us that enable us to persevere and get through the hard times. Job had some of God’s resources too. He had his faith, prayer, and the words of God that he had heard and known at that time. We have the entire word of God in the form of a bible. Only God can sustain what He has gifted to us. Looking back, I can see how the crisis, and trials of the past were ‘gifts’ to me from God. I despised them then, but I cherish them now because I’ve seen the benefit and outcome of going through hard times. We mainly learn in hindsight. Hindsight is 20/20. I have a greater measure of understanding about God and who He is. I’ve tasted of that power that raised Jesus from the dead. I ended us seeing how much He loved me and the intensity of His desire for me to come into the blessings He was holding in His hands for me. This perspective can only be gotten through enduring trials. It’s tough, but it’s worth it all. Hannah became seriously depressed and stopped eating because she was deep in the throws of a trial (1 Samuel 1). David became depressed and wanted to die because he felt that eventually his adversary, King Saul, would kill him. David stops complaining about the problem and begins to pray (Psalm 13). Job, in all of his distress, and physical illness, regrets the day he was born. He is depressed and in great sorrow. He keeps having long discourses with God and eventually, God responds (Job 3; Job 38-41). When God responds to Jobs questions, he comes into a greater knowledge and understanding of God and how He operates. He learns that God's sovereignty (God can do as He so pleases) rules! When life gets really hard packing a punch, it's perfectly okay to cry and to let your emotions go. That's why you were given tears! Cry, cry, and cry some more! You must feel the pain of your circumstances. Never try to dull the pain with anything! You must feel every aspect of your trial. God intends on using all of your trials as a ministry to others! Cast your burden on the Lord and remember this; God collects every tear you cry. "You keep track of my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in the book" (Psalm 56:8)? God records all of our tears and puts them into His bottle. He will crystalize those tears and give them back in the form of pearls! I lie to you not! I have my own set of pearls and I give you the honest side of truth!  I can't recall hearing so many accusations against political figures as I've heard in the past year. When all you hear is account after account of lies being told to the American people, it's terrible, horrible, and repulsive, to say the least! I was in a conversation with someone, when they commented, "Everyone lies"! I looked at them with disdain and surprise and they looked back at me with a look that said, "You don't know this!? It is beyond sad when the world at large has no regard for the truth! But, I really could care less about the world; what concerns me is the community of folk who profess Christianity because they have been called to a higher standard! God is very clear on what He thinks of Lying, Liars, and Lies. So, what are some of the reasons that cause one to lie?
Any way you look at it, lying is a serious problem. I don't care if the whole world finds it okay, God says it is wrong! It is a sin! It is unacceptable, and punishable. Prov. 6:16, 17 says, "These six things does the Lord 'Hate', and seven are an abomination (detestable) to Him. A proud look, a 'Lying Tonge'." Have you ever been lied to or lied on? It's an awful thing. Being lied on can cause pain, and suffering. Being lied to, causes mistrust, and loss of respect. Lies destroy reputation, and it damages the local church body; even the liar gets his or her reputation ruined eventually. What about those individuals who say, "I never lied, I just said", so and so." The truth of it is that although they didn't state the lie outright, it's still a lie because they caused someone to believe something that wasn't true. That is called intentionally deceiving a person! Prov. 12:19 clearly states, "Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment." Lies don't and won't last or prevail. Sooner or later, the truth wins out and the liar is exposed for all to see! So, if you are ever in a situation where you were lied to or lied on, it's only a matter of time for the truth to come out. I have seen this happen. In all actuality, you need to pray for the person who is doing the lying because the judgement of God will fall on them when they least expect it. God will not suffer a liar to persist in what they are doing. And should this liar spread lies on you, remember this; It is God who shuts mouths! He will literally shut them up by exposing them! There's another category of lying out there. It is the habitual liar. They are called 'Pathological Liars' because they chronically lie, and easily lie. Here is the problem with lying. It can become a habit! Once a person takes up lying, and get a PHD in it, it's almost virtually impossible for them to stop. This can be dangerous. This type of liar can cause a person to get killed. Rev. 21:8 says, "All liars shall have their part in the lake of fire." This speaks to pathological, habitual liars. They obviously know not God. What disturbs me deeply is the liar who lies unnecessarily. They fell into a situation that placed their back against the wall, and they consciously chose to lie. That really bothers me. They didn't have to handle the matter that way. They end up loosing their reputation and those who once trusted them, don't anymore. Even their ministry is compromised, and becomes a stumbling block. 2 Cor. 8:21 says, "Provide things honest before God and man." Not only are we to be honest before God, we are to be honest and have honest dealings with all men; and that means everyone. Ps. 31:18 states, "Let lying lips be put to silence, for with pride and contempt they speak arrogantly against the righteous." This verse tells us that the liar will be silenced eventually. The lies they take pleasure in speaking, is causing pain and sorrow as they express deep hatred and disapproval for the person they are lying on. God plans on shutting their mouth! I will end with this verse. "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches."! Lying does matter! It matters a great deal to God! NO ONE RESPECTS A LIAR!   As the year comes to a close, I find myself in reflective mode, as usual. There was a tremendous amount of stuff to ponder. It was important to take a trip down memory lane. I, in no way, want to take away from all the wonderful grandfathers out there! They are most valuable and have served as wonderful examples for the next generation to follow. Of course, I don't speak in absolutes, but many have done an outstanding job and have earned the title, 'Grandfather'. There are things that are distinctly different when it comes to 'Grandmothers'. Although they have raised children, they somehow have the where withal to give to the next generation. They muster up the energy that's needed. I'm speaking of mental energy, and the psychological energy to see what needs tending to in the family structure. They quietly pitch in, while reserving their judgement for prayer and sometimes fasting. Grandparents are God's gift to the less experienced parent, and the buffer for the children. Think about it for a moment. They have learned from experience what the more excellent way is. The mistakes they may have made in the past with their own children, has tempered them, softened them, and made them more empathetic and patient. I have found that perspective is everything! Sometimes as a parent, your discernment and judgement works off of your own childhood experiences, be it good or bad. You use good ole common sense, right from wrong, and simply, 'Because I said so'. When you become a grandparent, you operate a little differently. Although you see things the same as before, you now see them in a more balanced way. Age has a way of bringing together experience and patience. The patience we may not have had with our own children, somehow kick in with our very first grandchild. It's a phenomenal thing to see and to experience. I chuckle as I write this blog because only God knows how that happens. I would like to focus a little on 'Grandmothers' and their prayers. God so graciously used my grandmother's prayers. I had no idea. I am living off of many of her prayers today, and will until the day I die or until I am translated into heaven. I now know what some of her prayer requests were on my behalf. All I have to do is take a look at all of the good choices I've made in life. Even the bad ones that resulted in a good end speak to the specific, well defined prayers she spoke to God as she brought me before Him day after day. You see, a grandmother's prayers are so uniquely designed to take in all possible detours and the disobedience of an erring child. Grandmothers know the ins and outs of all the situations young ones can get themselves into. We'd be amazed if we eaves dropped on their conversations with God. Blessed is every woman who takes her grand parenting seriously, with a spiritual twist! As a woman, grandma can enter into the things that a male cannot. God has designed her heart to be intuitive, intense, discerning, and sincere. They are the nurturers and the grand - nurturer who never slumbers or sleeps. What a tremendous virtue little ones and the older ones have when they spend time with her. Grandchildren have no idea that when they go to grandma's house, it's so much more than candy, cake, and ice-cream. They have now come in contact with pure wisdom, power, and love at its best! Add to that, the prayers she sends up, and it's on! There are many who are grandparents who may have failed at parenting, who try to do better with the next generation. Some are successful with it while others repeat the same mistakes of the past. This is sadly unfortunate. If you have had a grandmother who was an overall solid good mother to her children, you are blessed! Learn from her, value and appreciate her if she is still living. Ponder, and remember her if she is gone. Follow her example. We know that our grandparents weren't perfect, but many were righteous, God fearing people. They have left you and I a legacy of faith with a host of other valuables we can draw from. Take a little time, as the year is on its way out, and take a trip down memory lane; see the many jewels you have been left, take it in, and turn and praise the Lord for His mercy, His wisdom, and His wonderful love towards you!  I can only imagine the disappointment and displeasure God has experienced due to the breach in relationships among His people. He is grieved. He is angered by it, especially when it goes on for years and years, because it limits His hand of blessing upon the individuals who are at fault. The local church becomes hindered as well.
For the life of me, I do not understand why humans would rather feed and nurture a riff rather than heal it. God gives clear instructions on how to mend fences and how to effectively get along despite our differences. He knew we would clash every now and again, so He gives healthy, godly solutions in order to work out our differences with respect. If a person has offended you, you have a leg to stand on, and you have every right to confront them, to help them see where they have wronged you. For the person who runs to others, to complain about someone, I scarcely doubt they were the offended party at all. It may just be that they have an issue that doesn't qualify as an offense. God desires that there be healing in broken relationships. The problem comes in when individuals refuse to do their part in the healing process. Mind you, not every quarrel or disagreement is an offense. God is not interested in our worship of Him, until we go and make things right with our brother or sister. "Leave your sacrifice there at the altar. First go and be reconciled to that person, then come and offer your sacrifice to God" (Matt. 5:24). Scripture tells us to confess our sins to God. He also tells us to confess the wrong we've done, to each other. This is the part many fail to do. No one should know that there was a breach between you and another person. It must remain between you and that person alone. It does not involve others. When you bring others into it, you have now sown discord among the Lord's people. This is an abomination to God. He detests this type of thing, yet we do it time and time again. You can always tell who knows what, by the way they are now responding to you, or reacting to you. It is one of the worst things that saints can do. It impacts the entire church. It should be the desire of individuals to resolve their issues. It should never go on for months, let alone years. God gives a time span for the fault to be rectified. Don't let Sunday come and you have an unresolved issue with your brother. That is the time span. There are seven days to a week and which ever day the offense occurred, that's the amount of time, before Sunday, that it should be resolved. I have found that when persons have a desire to honor and please the Lord, these matters get ironed out quickly. When they don't, it leaves room for speculation. It shows a lack of spirituality, and an unwillingness to be obedient. It also shows a lack of true love on the part of the person resisting. Sometimes both parties are resistant to do what needs to be done. Failure to work out offenses causes the matter to grow and fester, thereby infecting others. It doesn't matter how much we may try to cover this sin, we will not prosper. "He who conceals his sins will not prosper" (Prov. 28:13). HERE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS WE DO WHEN WE ARE TRYING TO HIDE A SIN AGAINST OUR BROTHER:
In some cases, the party isn't offended at all by the negative action on our part. They simply have been forewarned by our behavior, and have decided to step back and limit their dealings with us. Some of us have it twisted. We think that just because a person is a Christian, that we can get away with taking them for granted, and that they should always give us what we want when we come to them. I don't read that anywhere in the Bible. But I have read where it clearly states, "Whatsoever a man sows, that he shall also reap" (Gal. 6:7), "A brother offended, is harder to be won than a strong city", (Prov. 18:19). In other words, when we choose to treat a person a certain way, for whatever reasons, we must be prepared for the outcome of such treatment. Once a person sees our character and manner of handling them, they wisely pull back. We are not to take advantage of one another or take each other for granted. Many blessings have been lost because we don't handle one another properly. We should be enjoying all that we have with one another, but instead, we ruin relationships among the Lord's people, and we refuse to make things right. We've pretty much come to the end of another year. Let's examine ourselves. Let's not let the next year roll in with old issues that are unresolved. Confess your fault to God, and then go and confess it to your brother or sister while there is still time.  The world loves to sing the praises of those who are world renown, or of celebrity status. Rightfully so; they have earned their props. They have proven that they have mastered their craft. The end result is success and accolades, with notoriety. But who are they working for? To whom do they praise? The applause from the world, awards, and money is as best as it will get for them on this earth. God is most concerned with what has Eternal Value. When He saved you and me, He expected us to produce to the best of our ability. He, the Lord God, portioned out ability and giftedness according to what He knew each individual could successfully bring to past. He gave each of us what was right up our alley, and what we were good at naturally. He said to tweak it, develop it, nurture it, and use it for His honor and glory upon the earth. There is Eternal Value connected to all that God has given to us. Unfortunately, not all have taken seriously what God has so graciously bestowed upon them, and how sad is that. The gifted preacher, or minister of the word, behind closed doors, must be prayed up, and in the word reading and studying it at all times in order to be a vessel ready to be used at the right time. The same goes for any ministry area, be it Sunday school work, outreach endeavors, music ministry, teachers of the word, etc. No one is exempt from the spiritual responsibilities that come with being a mouth piece for God. We should take a lesson from the world in this regard. The world is good at what they do. Why aren't we? Have you and I taken what God has placed in our hands and developed it to its fullest potential? Have we nurtured and cultivated everything that we know how to do as far as service for God goes? Have we focused our energy on those things in order to be effective and efficient with them? Is This where you are? 1. Failure to study, train or learn more about what you have a level of skill in. 2. Where you were five or ten years ago is where you still are with it. 3. The skill has diminished. 4. Opportunities aren't coming. 5. Not where you ought to be with it. 6. Frustrated. God expects you and I to be: Dedicated Efficient Thorough Perfect/Complete in know how Consistent Polished Dynamic Diligent Unwavering Capable Reliable Faithful Available Effective Passionate, Strong belief and conviction Are you driven with 'Passion' or have you settled for where you find yourself? It takes 'Passion' to accomplish things for God. Passion is what keeps a person seeking and pursuing. It gets them up each day engaged in the skill they've been given. They never rest, they are always learning new things and new ways to use that thing for God. Without passion, you will be hard pressed to grow, and improve, or even master what you've been given. The amount of time we invest in a thing speaks to where we're at with it, and the level of result we can expect from it. There are some skills that cannot be recovered once neglected. If God gave a person physical strength to serve Him, he'd better start as early as possible in all seriousness, because physical strength will diminish with age and lack of good health. Perhaps he gave some the gift of music, that too will diminish with age and lack of health. These things cannot be recovered if years of neglect set in. In order to be Ambassadors for Christ, we must be effective. God has given us everything to be powerful upon the earth, right where He has placed us. We must not neglect our calling! Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might!  James 1:20 "For the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God."
The world at large has become angry! This anger has been growing over centuries for different reasons. What has erupted in our present day, is deeply rooted in events that took place long ago. There seems to be no healing, and no help. So, as a nation, and as a world, we are self destructing. The fabric of society, as we know it, has been frayed, and we all know what happens to a garment that has been worn out. What is really behind all of the anger? Anger is a response to the feeling of threat. Mankind has become corrupt with no sympathy, let alone, empathy. It is every man for himself. Even the poor are oppressing the poor. What an abomination! The enemy of men's souls have done a thorough, and a great job at stirring up strife, and hatred, using human against human. Mankind has given the devil, satan, Lucifer, all the ammunition needed to turn this world upside down. It started in the Garden of Eden, actually. It was there, satan used Adam and Eve to thwart the authority of God. The rest is history. Why are we humans feeling threatened? Is the answer to this not rooted in the 'The lust of the eye' 'The lust of the flesh', and the 'Pride of life'? Every problem in life seems to flow out of these three things. You see, satan never tries any new tactics. He always sticks with what works because we, the people, have proven to him that his strategy in turning us against God, dividing homes, prejudice, and hate is working. While the entire country spirals down into the abyss, every man trying to fight for his or her rights, the farther and deeper we seem to fall. No one seems to have the solutions for the problems we are experiencing. There are some who blame God or a 'so called' God for the trouble they see. Others who don't believe that any god exists, are fighting the earthly powers that be. Prejudice, and its many faces have ruled the day. Corruption at the top of government, police brutality, race wars in our communities, hatred that oppresses the poor, the disenfranchised, and our most precious commodity, our children, continue to rise with horrid, and disgusting fumes that consume the nostrils of the True and Living God! When will it all end? It won't. It will continue to get worse. The answer alone cannot be found in electing anyone into office. The answer with solutions can only be found in God's word. So where does that leave me as a believer in this world? I have the awesome responsibility to stand for what is right, just, and all that God approves of. I am not to go along with anything that corrupts, oppresses the poor, prejudices itself against any race, or violates any mans civil liberties. It is, however, important to know how to take a stand and fight against these things. God gives wisdom. We need His wisdom, His strength, His know how, to voice what is right. After all, we are the creatures of His hands. He is watching all of us. We cannot, and should not just react to injustices, we need wisdom along with gentleness. James 1:20 says, "Because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires." My anger, and your anger has to walk hand in hand with the righteous life that God desires. Be angry and sin not, the scriptures command. Righteous indignation over the absence of justice is appropriate as long as we control our emotions and not allow them to cause us to commit any crime or violate another. Fellow believers, seek God for His direction, for you personally, when it comes to the unique and powerful way you are to have a voice in the midst of the madness. God will make sure your voice is heard, I do believe that. He will show you which podium to stand on and He will give you the right bull horn to use to do it. In so doing, don't fail or forget to be salt and light. That is a powerful medium, if I can use that term, to effect some change. Change begins within the heart of man. Seeking to be heard effectively won't work without the salt and light factor. As we await the return of the one who loved us, and gave Himself for us, let us encourage one another while we can. Let us strengthen one another in the faith. Let us join together in unity for all that pleases the heart of God.  1 Peter 4:10 "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace." What a beautiful thing God has designed for the believer! He has so graciously given to every Christian a 'Spiritual Gift'! You and I received at least one or more the moment we accepted Christ as our personal savior. This gift was something that we did not have prior to our personal encounter with the Lord. We may have had abilities, before we got saved that are still valuable and useful, but nothing compares to the 'Spiritual Gift' that God has bestowed upon us! There is a difference between a 'Talent' and a 'Spiritual Gift'. A talent/s were things we had the ability to do before we got saved, such as: anything associated with the arts, cooking, sewing, building things, etc... There are many skills that individuals possess. God gave spiritual gifts for the purpose of building up the Christian body of Christ. Every believer that we come in contact with should be benefitting from our spiritual gift. They should be able to identify what that gift is. We, on the other hand should be using it, as well as looking for every opportunity to utilize it! The local church is not the place to show off what we think we can do. It isn't the place to put our abilities on display for the attention we may receive as a result. That would be selfish use of what has been given to us; neither is it appropriate to use the church to work out any lack of affirmation, or the lack of self esteem. Those are personal matters we should be working on with the Lord when we are daily sitting at His feet. Spiritual Gifts:
In 2 Timothy 1:6, 7, Timothy was told to "Stir up the gift that is in you." In other words, revive it, and rekindle it. "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." Timothy was told not to be timid and afraid to use what he had been given for he had been given the spiritual grace (enablement) for his ministry work. He was given a spirit of power and not one of fear. God's power accompanies our spiritual gift! The Holy Spirit that you and I were sealed with, imparts power to us. This power works in conjunction with our spiritual gift, resulting in effectiveness. This same spirit of love will move our heart to testify of Christ (using our gift), as well as help us to do it in love towards others. The motivation behind our use of any spiritual gift has to be 'Love', other than that, we are using it for self and it won't be effective! We have been given a spirit of sound mind, this means that the Spirit of God transmits what is sensible and true. The Spirit of God reveals thoughts that are sensible, and true. When we are using our gift/s, people will be drawn to God. Always keep yourself in good standing with God. Sin hinders and leaves us ineffective. Walk in obedience to God and let Him use you mightily among His people!  Judges 21 'Consequences of decisions made without considering the possible fall out' We live in a world where 'Right' is wrong and 'Wrong' has become right. Let's face it folks, this is not going to change! The scriptures don't lie! As I watch the catastrophic fall of America, and how those in power seem only to be concerned with their own agendas, I am reminded of what God's word says to God's people...Let not your heart be troubled....I have a place prepared for you! I can rejoice because this place, PLANET EARTH, is not my home. I have made an investment in my ultimate dwelling place called, Heaven. In the mean time, my request of God has been to 'Rule In The Affairs of Men', so that His people can live a peaceful and quiet life marked by godliness and dignity here on the earth (1 Tim.2:2). It is disturbing to see the great moral decline of our world, let alone the entire country. It is deplorable that men who lack integrity, and respect for human beings are praised and given positions of power and authority. It is mind boggling how so many go along with what seems to be blatantly wrong. But again, I am reminded of the Words of My Lord which clearly outline for us what we can expect while living in the last days of 'The Last Days'. As I read through the entire book of Judges, It is clear that although things have changed, things remain the same. There were decisions made by Israel, whose fall out they later regretted because they simply didn't think things through. They failed to take into consideration what would happen as a result, and the outcome for all. So here we are. There is a tremendous price to be paid for willful acts. The things we do in our youth do follow us, be it good or bad. Never get it twisted! There is a consequence for every action that a man takes. It may not appear to be so, or vividly seen by the naked eye, but God's Word tells me it is so, and I believe it. We, as a nation, will reap the rewards of all bad decisions made by those in power. We are going to see the spill out like never before. Things are going to get so bad, that many will fear and tremble. It's coming sooner than we think. So, I say to all those who profess to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, 'Cast not away thy confidence'! God's promises are sure and true. It's all going to go down just the way God said it would. We know how the story ends. If you have been slack with your walk with God, indifferent, or carnal, now is the time to get up and mean business with God! Don't take Him for granted. Don't trample on the Grace of God. Remember this, judgement will begin with His people! Let us hold fast to His promises. Let us look to Him from whence cometh our help. Let us keep the faith no matter what. Let us be the best representative for Him on the face of this earth! WE ARE UNDER GOD'S UMBRELLA! WHAT BETTER PLACE TO BE?  The amount of things that compete for our attention daily are increasing! The numerous distractions like our phones, online occupation, and the insatiable need to keep up with everything that is going on socially and politically, is incredible.
I have noticed for quite some time now, how the movie industry has cornered the market on writing and rewriting our destiny. There is the ideology that says that we can create our own destinies, and even change it to make it what we want it to be. There are movies that suggest the possibility that the earth will pose great competitiveness when it comes to one's survival. If you pay close attention to the story line, you will get the messages that are being fed to the masses about life, love, identity, and the future, but where is the hope?? That's a subject for another blog. I can remember a time when entertainment was a treat. It wasn't something that we engaged in on the regular. Grant it, there weren't as many things to watch on television or live shows to go to. Today is a whole other story. Entertainment is not all bad, but the amount of time it eats out of our daily and weekly life can pose a problem. There is a constant flood and flow of business and movement. One wonders if we are able to spend profitable time doing the things that are necessary for us to do. Each of us are in control of the activities we get involved with. What about the time that is needed to develop what God has given us? Can we even hear His voice midst the hustle and bustle of life? How much time are we investing in sitting quietly in His presence? Every individual needs a healthy dose of 'Down Time' that allows you to relax, and exhale from all the business. You and I need a certain amount of 'Quietness' in order to hear ourselves think and process the important stuff. We also need to hush our spirit to hear God's voice. We need to be able to distinguish His voice from all the other voices including our own. I can no longer just drive along the highway or the street and focus on my thoughts. There are billboards with tantalizing ads and reminders of upcoming events, that distract me from the last thing that I was pondering or thinking about. The next thing I know, I'm entertaining some other thought, all because of a billboard. I realize that I cannot control the 'Entertainment' world, but I can certainly control myself and what I decide to participate in. I can control my television, and my computer, my phone, and other events that require my money. Quiet moments, each day, is a valuable thing to find ourselves doing. Sitting still, requires that we shut everything else out, at least for a reasonable period of time. Quietness helps us to evaluate whether or not we should continue in certain relationships or not. It helps us to think about the areas of our life that need fixing. Quietness affords us the beauty of connecting with our inner selves, which has become a loss art. When you allow yourself to be quiet, you begin to see some of the things you are doing wrong. There is so much I can say about studying to be quiet. If you have a husband or children, you'll be able to hear them more fully and take notice of the things that require your much needed attention. Business and distractions keep us from fulfilling our God given abilities. It hinders our spiritual growth and shuts down the voice of the Lord God. There is no wonder that God has to step in at times with an attention getter in order for us to stop and think. Try practicing quietness. Here is a list of ways to get some quietness in each day.
We can practice being quiet. You will be surprised at what you can accomplish with less distractions in your life! |
AuthorAs a writer, I enjoy giving you the honest side of truth! As an artist, I create what doesn't exist. Each day I look for new and creative ways to use every ability God has so graciously given me. Categories |
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