DON'T TELL ME!

PRAYER JOURNAL 6/20/19

Matthew 24:13 But he who endures to the end will be saved.

DON’T TELL ME YOU CAN’T LOSE WEIGHT!

Today it is officially ONE MONTH of eating KETO-STYLE.  Seriously, I wanted to lose a few pounds but my main reason for giving in and hopping on the Keto-Train was to help Steve.  He wanted to try Keto and I was too lazy to shop for two different food plans, prepare two different menus and stock my house with foods that might tempt each other…SO KETO IT IS!

1 month and -12.5 pounds later, I am sold.  WAS IT EASY? No!  DID IT TAKE PLANNING? Yes!  DID I GET HUNGRY? TEMPTED? WANT TO QUIT?  Yes, Yes and Yes!  BUT….I made a 2 month commitment to myself and to Steve.

During this month, we celebrated our 43^rd Wedding Anniversary; spent 3 nights sleeping in our recently sold office building, without means of cooking, so we could pack it up; went to see our kids in Northern Michigan (road trips can be killers); celebrated Caleb’s Birthday; and took a surprise trip to Florida to celebrate with our friends at their 40^th Wedding Anniversary Gala…can you say Wedding Cake and Filipino food and Wedding Cake!  We preached in Florida and were treated to many restaurant meals and lots of fellowship which means lots of food….SO, DON’T TELL ME YOU CAN’T LOSE WEIGHT!

DON’T TELL ME YOU CAN’T STAY MARRIED!

In May, Steve and I celebrated a Honeymoon that has lasted 43 years. 2 Boys, 2 Daughters-in-law, 7 Grandkids and 13 houses later…NO REGRETS….STILL COMMITTED!

HAS IT BEEN PERFECT?   Pretty much….except for a few little bumps in the road….We got married at 18; Steve didn’t have a full-time job and was going to college; both boys were born by the time we were 21; moved away from all family and friends by the age of 27; learned how to manage on pennies, sometimes returning pop bottles for the kids lunch money; few vacations, old vehicles, no designer clothes, few restaurant dates; lived in my dream home and lived in a little apartment on the back of a church; had a “few” disagreements, sometimes yelled, sometimes sulked…but always made up, because we MADE A COMMITMENT for better or worse… SO, DON’T TELL ME YOUR CAN’T STAY MARRIED!

DON’T TELL ME YOU CAN’T BE FAITHFUL TO GOD!

In October, I will celebrate my 53^rd Spiritual Birthday and I’ve found that JESUS GROWS SWEETER EVERY DAY.  I couldn’t imagine what my life would have been without His Spirit leading, guiding, comforting and encouraging me along the Journey we call Life.

Has it been a Bed of Roses in Paradise?  Have there been Temptations?  Have I said, “Is it really worth it?”  YES, YES, and YES!  BUT…when I COMMITTED my life to Jesus, I MEAN’T IT!

There have been sleepless nights when confusion replaced much needed rest.  I have spent mornings on my knees, weeping and begging God to “fix” me.  I have been laughed at, yelled at, shunned, and even had fingers stuck in ears so my singing and playing couldn’t be heard.  

I’ve been ignored and passed over because we no longer pastored a church; I’ve been overlooked and relegated to the back row because the church we did pastor was small…smaller than 50; smaller than 25. We’ve been kicked out of Pastorates, had to close down start-up churches because the entire congregation moved on to a bigger and better church, sold dream houses and moved hundreds of miles (at our own expense) to follow the Call of God.  

We’ve been removed from organizations and shunned by former friends and acquaintances because we refused to compromise our beliefs.  And even lived in areas where there was no established church that believed and obeyed the Revelation of God’s Word we have been given.  BUT…I’M STILL STANDING!  I’M STILL HOLDING ON TO JESUS!  I STILL BELIEVE THE WORD OF GOD!  I’M STILL COMMITTED…SO, DON’T TELL ME YOU CAN’T BE FAITHFUL TO GOD!

It’s not about STARTING…It’s not about FEELING GOOD….It’s not even about RESULTS or SUCCESS…It’s about COMMITMENT…It’s about FINISHING… It’s about ENDURING!

YOU CAN BECOME HEALTHY!

YOU CAN STAY MARRIED!

YOU CAN BE FAITHFUL TO GOD!

SEEK THE LORD

PRAYER JOURNAL 6/18/19

Isaiah 55:6-13 Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near.  Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.

I have many dreams every night; some are sweet, involving people dear to me and some are confusing and all mixed up, involving people I haven’t thought of in years or people and places I don’t even recognize. Then there are those dreams which are so real and at times so horrifying that you instantly wake with all the vivid details permanently impressed in your mind…that is when you know God has sent you a message and it is time to pray.

This morning about 5:00, my eyes flew open, wide awake from a horrifying dream.  A feeling of fear and dread and a need to intercede surrounded me…Prayer for searching friends and loved ones; prayer for those who have embraced a false philosophy; prayer for those who have chosen to “do it their way;” and prayer for our Country and our Leaders.

THE DREAM….

I cannot pinpoint the exact location we were in, except it was a building with many rooms.  I was in a large communal room with people; some friends and acquaintances; others were pleasant strangers.  Everyone was sitting and chatting; I was straightening and putting things back in place.  Suddenly, a woman came into the room, looked at me and harshly said, “you are late, come now.”  I replied, “Just let me finish this and I’ll be there.”  The other individual impatiently ordered, “NO NOW!”  I followed them into another room where my husband, other friends and strangers were gathered and it seemed being interrogated.

The next scene I remember is that I was once again in the communal room, with the same scenario and people as before but this time I held a bag of garbage and was gathering trash.  Again an individual entered the room, dressed as an Islamic extremist.  This time, he looked at me and held up a piece of paper and said, “We will have to kill (name), this was in his possession and it is a crime.”  Looking more closely at the scrap of paper, I recognized the tear-off sheet that comes on the top of a book of new checks.  It depicted a familiar American scene from 2001 of two tall buildings on fire.

“But, I argued, that is not his; he didn’t create or even request that picture; he just bought the checks.”  Nothing I said mattered because judgment had already been decided.

“IT WAS JUST A DREAM,” some may say.  YES, IT WAS JUST A DREAM!  But, I believe it was a DREAM WITH A WARNING!

In America, a country built on Biblical principles, faith and freedom; we have become complacent; distracted by its bounty and blind to its transgressions.  A few years ago, President Obama declared, “America is NOT a Christian nation” and the Followers of Christ; the Christians, did nothing.  We said, “Let them have their beliefs we will have ours and we believe in FREEDOM OF RELIGION.”

Then they made laws, legislating those things that are abominations; abhorrent and sickening; a stench in the nostrils of God and we did nothing.  We said, “It is their choice, we will make our, God created us all with free-will.” 

Then it became alright to kill the children, not only preborn but newborn and we said, “It’s their body; their choice, we will take care of OUR babies; the Constitution protects their “right” to choose.” 

Public opinion and loud voices have distorted the sacred covenants and institutions ordained by God to reflect His own love and sacrifice for His Bride and we said, “Don’t ask; don’t tell…We don’t want to know.”  We didn’t ask, but they told and they wrote laws and the violators of their humanistic laws are being prosecuted and we say nothing because we are distracted by the mess or the success or just the rut of the daily routine in our own life.

GOD’S PATIENCE IS WEARING THIN; AMERICA AND ITS PEOPLE WILL NOT ESCAPE.

Often times Biblical Judgment was the result of God allowing the Nation of Israel to have exactly what they asked for, although it would lead them away from the Presence and blessing of God.  Oh they were blessed for a period of time but then the enemy would begin to change laws and demand servitude and worship.  Finally, the Nation would remember Jehovah, call upon His Name and return to Him.

DO NOT MISTAKE ABUNDANT BLESSING FOR ABUNDANT APPROVAL.

America has been ABUNDANTLY BLESSED but we are no longer APPROVED.  As a nation we have “thumbed our noses,” at God.  We have flaunted our sin, saying, “See, God loves me; I am still blessed.” 

GOD WILL NEVER BLESS SIN.

We have opened the doors wide and invited judgment to enter…the Satanic Forces have surrounded our nations; our families and we are walking around trying to straighten up the room, carrying a bag of trash and picking up the pieces.

IT IS TIME TO CALL UPON THE LORD….Seek Him; Repent and Forsake our evil ways, while He may be found.

IT IS TIME TO INTERCEDE FOR OUR LOVED ONES…While He is near.

IT IS TIME TO PRAY FOR OUR COUNTRY…While there is still time.

A LIGHT STILL SHINES IN THE DARKNESS.

God’s mercy is still flowing and He will abundantly pardon….IF WE REPENT AND TURN TO HIM!

THE EXPECTATION CALL

PRAYER JOURNAL 6/12/19

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Recently, Jonathan Morris, a popular, beloved Catholic Priest from New York was interviewed regarding his decision to leave the priesthood.  He said that even in Seminary, he felt this was not what God wanted him to do, but he didn’t want to disappoint and let everyone down…he stayed because of EXPECTATIONS.

Later, before his ordination, after sinning, he wrote a letter to his superiors, confessing and begging to be allowed to leave.  The men over his order told him, “forget about it; it didn’t happen” and he stayed because of EXPECTATIONS.

Finally, at 47, although he loved ministry, he could no longer stay in a calling that God never placed him in merely because of the EXPECTATIONS of friends, family and overseers.

How many of us have stayed in a calling that was placed on us by someone other than God because of EXPECTATIONS?

I HAVE….

I knew this was not where God had called me; this was not one of the gifts He had placed inside of me but I WAS EXPECTED to serve in this capacity.  I didn’t want to disappoint; I didn’t want people to think I wasn’t the example of a “good Christian;” and I was riddled with guilt and resentment.  I dreaded every Sunday because of what was expected.  I didn’t put much time into preparation because I hated what I was doing.  Waking up sick was a blessing because it meant I had an excuse to stay home and not perform…

THAT IS NOT SERVING GOD; IT IS LIVING IN CONDEMNATION.

At a conference, the preacher told a story about a miraculous “raising from the dead” experience and he asked, “If you would like to go to that level in the Spirit, stand to your feet.  Now, I’m not asking everyone to stand, just those who really want to be used in this way.  Don’t just stand because you feel it is EXPECTED and everyone around you is standing; stand only if you really feel it.”

THEN TO FROST THE CAKE WITH A LITTLE GUILT….

He continued, “For you who are still seated, ask yourself… “Why don’t I want to be used by the Spirit?  “What is keeping me from desiring to go deeper in God?”  “Wouldn’t I want some poor drug addict to live again?”

TALK ABOUT A CONDEMNATION SANDWICH!

And most of the audience rose to their feet…wouldn’t you?  I mean do you want to be the one who doesn’t care; do you want everyone to think that you are happy with just a shallow, surface relationship with God?

Turning 60 has its benefits…I have determined that the ONLY EXPECTATIONS I will live up to, from now on, are the EXPECTATIONS spoken to me by God, in prayer.  I will not raise my hand and agree to perform just because the Pastor asked the audience and I don’t want everyone to think I don’t care.  I will no longer pretend to be called to do a ministry in which God has not placed me.  I will no longer participate out of GUILT AND CONDEMNATION! 

Answering an EXPECTATION CALL blocks the work God desires to do through you.  It wastes the gifts that God has placed in you.  AND…the guilt, condemnation and resentment will only produce rotten, wormy fruit.

It’ll take a LOT OF PRAYER; it may mean pushing away from the table and FASTING a few days; you will have to SEEK GOD and LISTEN to His voice but…OH THE JOY of following the leading of the Spirit and losing the condemnation of following the flesh.

HE KNOWS THE WAY

PRAYER JOURNAL 6/10/19

Job 23:8-10 Look I go forward, but He is not there and backward but I cannot perceive Him.  When He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him; when He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him.  But HE KNOWS the way I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.

Those times when you are walking down the road, you aren’t sure exactly where it is leading you, when it will end, what you will find, or why you are even on this road but you know Whom you are following.

THEN SUDDENLY…

The path starts to climb, there are obstacles to navigate and a fog settles in…you no longer can see the path or the One you’ve been following.  Confusion, uncertainty and panic threaten to overtake your clear thinking.  Do you stand still?  Shuffle along?  What do you do?

THERE IS A REMEDY…

Push away from the table, close down the kitchen, lock the refrigerator door and turn off the distractions….BE STILL AND KNOW THAT HE IS GOD!

His GPS is working perfectly: He has never failed to lead and clear the path.  Spend some time with your Heavenly Navigator and His Road Map and soon the fog will clear, the road signs will appear and you can start walking again.

I’ll be “standing still” for the next couple of days.

PENTECOST SUNDAY PRAYER JOURNAL 6/9/2019

Acts 2:39 For the Promise is unto you and to your children and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

Have you ever felt left out? Ignored? Overlooked? Or perhaps, you were just outright shunned.  Everyone else was invited to the dance, but not you.  Everyone else posted group pictures on Face book, but you were missing from theirs and you had none to post.

GOOD NEWS….

TODAY IS YOUR DAY AND YOU ARE INVITED TO THE DANCE.

The Holy Spirit; The Promise, that was poured out on the Apostles in the Upper Room is YOURS for the asking.

AND IT IS A PROMISE WITH BENEFITS…

Accompanying this Gift is A BRAND NEW LANGUAGE; the language of Heaven.  God breathes His breath into you and speaks His language through you. He will speak mysteries and powerful prayers through you in this new language that Hell can’t understand.

You will receive the KEYS THAT UNLOCK THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, giving you access to the Throne Room of God.  There, before the King of Kings, you can make your petition known and receive His Divine answer.

You will receive SUPERNATURAL POWER; power to overcome lusts and desires that have held you to chains that have kept you bound and the heavy load of past sins and mistakes you carry, that you are powerless to stop from repeating over and over.

AND, you will GLOW WITH THE LIGHT OF GOD.  The Glow of the Spirit will overcome the darkness inside of you and begin to shine through you illuminating the darkness in the world around you.  The Spirit that is within you will clearly light the path you are to follow, revealing obstacles and walls that must be avoided in the Maze of Life.

AND IT CAN ALL BE YOURS TODAY!

In Acts 2, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is PROMISED.  But not only to you, to your Family; to your Neighbors; to your Friends; to your Co-workers and even to your Enemies; who through the power of the Holy Spirit will become your Friends.

AND… the invitation to receive The Promise doesn’t stop with your little “Now World,” it has been extended to your Unborn Children, Their Children, all Future Generations and as Many As the Lord Will Call…UNLIMITED INVITATIONS ARE GOING OUT!

THE TABLE IS SET; YOUR PLACE IS WAITING…YOU ARE INVITED TO THE HOLY GHOST DANCE!

SIGNS SHALL FOLLOW

PRAYER JOURNAL 6/8/2019

Mark 16:17-18 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

I have heard this verse preached my entire life and except for the serpents and the deadly drink, I have witnessed these events and experienced many. Some have made “careers” out of the occurrence of “signs and wonders” and others have claimed to hold “title” to their performance, held crusades and written books.

Pastors, FB posters, Saints in the pew sometimes go chasing after the manifestation of the power of God, flying from location to location, become discouraged and ask, “Why are we not seeing signs and wonders in our church?”

I believe the answer to the question is found in the above verse…. “These signs shall FOLLOW those who believe.”

Perhaps the reason we are not seeing the things Mark spoke of is because we are LOOKING instead of ALLOWING GOD TO DO.

We keep searching for the signs and wonders when they are supposed to be FOLLOWING US!

After the Day of Pentecost, the Apostles went about spreading the Good News of the Holy Spirit. The needs popped up as they went about their normal day, prayer was made, they believed, the Holy Ghost moved and the Apostles continued on with the task ahead. There were no Crusades set up, no one proclaimed they were a Healer, no books were written and promoted…they didn’t need big arenas with sold out crowds, the Holy Ghost was drawing people and the Apostles were the conduit through which the power flowed.

If you want to see signs and wonders, STOP LOOKING AND START DOING! Once you start allowing the power of the Holy Spirit to lead you to the need and then work through you, glance back every now and then…something powerful may be FOLLOWING YOU!

OBEYING THE DOCTRINE OF THE BIBLE

PRAYER JOURNAL 6/4/19

Well of course the Book of Acts Church baptized in the Name of Jesus. Any other name or “names” would mean….

Apostle Peter preached false doctrine,

Acts 2:37-38 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the Apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”  Then Peter said to them, “Repent and let every one of you be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit. (nkjv)

AND…

Apostle Paul led the Colossians astray,

Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father through Him. (kjv)

ALSO…

Anyone who baptized believers in the Book of Acts should be accused of heresy and indicted,

Acts 8:16 For as yet He was fallen on none of them; only they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus. (kjv)

Acts 19:5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus. (kjv)

NOW…

Are we to believe that the other instances of Baptism in Acts were done differently; do you really think that after the experience they had received on the Day of Pentecost and the message Peter preached, the Apostles would have baptized anyone using any other name but the Name of Jesus?

Acts 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. (kjv)… Gladly receive; gladly obeyed.

Act 8:12 But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God and the Name of Jesus, they were baptized both men and women. (kjv)….they heard, they believed they obeyed.

Acts 8:13 Then Simon himself believed also; and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done. (kjv)…The same Philip that preached the Name of Jesus…baptism, miracles, and signs in one Name; Jesus.

Acts 8:35-36, 38 Then Philip opened his mouth and began at the same scripture and preached unto him, Jesus. 36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water; and the eunuch said, “See, here is water, what doth hinder me to be baptized?” 38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still; and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. (kjv) …Same Philip, same message, same act of obedience.

Acts 9:17-18 And Ananias went his way and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, “Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou came, hath sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost. 18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales; and he received his sight forthwith, and arose and was baptized. (kjv)….Saul whose name was changed to Paul who wrote to the Colossians to do everything in the Name of Jesus.

Acts 10:46-48 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then answered Peter, 47 “Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the Name of the Lord, then prayed for them to tarry certain days. (kjv)...Peter preached the same message to the Gentiles as he preached to the Jews on the Day of Pentecost.

Acts 16:14-15 And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us; whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended to the things which were spoken of Paul. 15 And when she was baptized and her household…. (kjv)… The same message was for Women, also, given by the same Apostle Paul who wrote to the Colossians to do everything in the Name of Jesus.

We can just “throw out” the Book of Acts or at least “black out” the verses that contradict our beliefs and practices.  We can choose to believe a doctrine that was established in 325A.D. by a powerful coalition of self-professed theologians after the death of the Apostles…

 OR…

We could OBEY the Word of God and the doctrine that was ESTABLISHED by God on the Day of Pentecost, as PREACHED by Peter and PRACTICED by the other Apostles.