Monday, January 15, 2018

Closing This Door to Open Another

Hello to all the readers we have had in the past 5+ years. We are not only beginning a new chapter in our ministry, but a new book, so to speak. The blog will be archived so that it can still be accessed, but our focus is now on one blog, with a different theme, and an updated message. Click on the picture below to read our first post from the new blog and, if you would like to follow us there, that would be wonderful. Thank you all for making our little ministry blog a part of your reading material.


Tuesday, August 2, 2016

The Decision to be Disobedient



What do we do when we realize we have been disobedient? Where do we go when we have rejected our calling? Who do we ask to take the weight of our grief when God withdraws His Spirit from us? We are left like a house abandoned, with our doors broken down and our windows busted out. All we are fit for then is a rodent haven or other vermin. We realize that there is no longer any joy within our walls, and any sound made is just the wind rushing through our empty rooms. The only shelter we can provide anyone is the transient that needs a quick shelter to get out of the rain. And, the worst part of all is that, in our pain and grief, we realize that we made a decision to go against God's instructions, and the result is our own doing.

I have heard people say that God is a God of second chances. I know this to be true, because He has dealt with me many times when I was reluctant to do what He asked, or put down what He told me to put down. But, sometime in our life, we will be faced with a decision--something that may seem unimportant to us, in our way of thinking. But, there are times when we get only one chance to say "yes" to His request. And, our response to Him will determine whether we are worthy to move to the next stage of our calling. If not, then we stop at that point. There is nowhere to sit and rest from the emptiness. It fills and consumes us, and we are left with no direction and no purpose.


How do we get past our blatant disobedience? Is there ever any hope of our relationship with God being built back? Have enough decay set in that our walls are falling down, and we become nothing more than a relic for people to wonder about, and create an eyesore in our neighborhood?


We know that Scripture is filled with life-lessons that should be heeded, and disobedience has a few examples written in to help answer some of the heart wrenching questions that we must ask ourselves  when our disobedience tears our life apart. 

One of the reasons for disobedience comes from us thinking too highly of ourselves, in whatever talent, skill or training that we have. Paul, in 2 Corinthians 10, verses 4 and 5 says: The weapons of our warfare are not according to the flesh, but of the power of God, and by it we bring under control rebellious strongholds within us, and we pull down our own imaginations and everything that is raised up against the knowledge of God, and we take all thoughts prisoner to the obedience of The Messiah.  

This is one of the first places we make a mess of things. We have our own idea how God should be, based on denomination, doctrine, and/or what the pastor says, instead of relying on God Himself through His word, and through His communication with us. (Yes, God does still speak to His people! He has not changed! If anyone is not hearing Him, then that person should give his/her spiritual house a thorough cleaning to see what has the sound muffled.)

Paul goes on to says, verses 7 and 12: Do you look at things only as they appear in front of your face? If a man trusts upon himself that he is of The Messiah, let him know this from his soul, that as he is of The Messiah, so also are we....For we are not bold to number or compare ourselves with some of those who flaunt themselves. But, they themselves, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves with themselves, are without understanding.   

And, here again, we find the attitude that will quickly bring on disobedience. As soon as God asks us to do something that we are uncomfortable with because of our own way of thinking, then we have already invited the enemy into the discussion. If we already put God in a denominational box, the enemy will do whatever it takes to keep Him there. Those things will probably look like whispers of pride and arrogance running through our brains that makes us question what we are learning. Something important to remember: If our measuring stick is broken or has been tampered with to show imprecise delineations, the outcome will not be correct.

There are a few characters in Scripture that had "one shot" to get it right, but different things got in the way. The first one was Esau. And it did not happen to him once, but twice. Genesis 25:29-34: Jacob boiled stew. Esau came in from the field, and he was famished. Esau said to Jacob, "Please feed me with that same red stew, for I am famished." Therefore his name was called Edom. Jacob said, "First, sell me your birthright." Esau said, "Behold, I am about to die. What good is the birthright to me?" Jacob said, "Swear to me first." He swore to him. He sold his birthright to Jacob. Jacob gave Esau bread and stew of lentils. He ate and drank, rose up, and went his way. So Esau despised his birthright.

Genesis 27:38-40 Esau said to his father, "Have you but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, my father." Esau lifted up his voice, and wept. Isaac his father answered him, "Behold, of the fatness of the earth will be your dwelling, and of the dew of the sky from above. By your sword will you live, and you will serve your brother. It will happen, when you will break loose, that you shall shake his yoke from off your neck."

Hebrews 12: 14-17Follow after peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no man will see the Lord, looking carefully lest there be any man who falls short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and many be defiled by it; lest there be any sexually immoral person, or profane person, like Esau, who sold his birthright for one meal. For you know that even when he afterward desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for a change of mind though he sought it diligently with bitter tears.


There have been times in my life that I have read the story of Esau and wept at what he must have felt in his rejection from the one who loved him most. If we are willing to give up our Godly position for a fleshly desire, then how can we be trusted to carry out any thing that God gives us to do? If we think that God plays favorites in the same way we humans do, and bet that against the calling He has given us, we will lose. And, no matter how much we regret those actions, or the thoughts that caused the actions, there are times when we just get one chance. Because once is all it takes for our true colors to show through, and God wants loyalty, not rebellion.

Another one-shot-deal was Saul. 1 Samuel 15:10-11,16-19, 24-29,34-35: Then the word of Yahweh came to Samuel, saying, "It grieves me that I have set up Saul to be king; for he is turned back from following me, and has not performed my commandments." Samuel was angry; and he cried to Yahweh all night....

Then Samuel said to Saul, "Stay, and I will tell you what Yahweh has said to me last night." He said to him, "Say on." Samuel said, "Though you were little in your own sight, weren't you made the head of the tribes of Israel? Yahweh anointed you king over Israel; and Yahweh sent you on a journey, and said, 'Go, and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.' Why then didn't you obey the voice of Yahweh, but took the spoils, and did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh?"...

Saul said to Samuel, "I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of Yahweh, and your words, because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice. Now therefore, please pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship Yahweh." Samuel said to Saul, "I will not return with you; for you have rejected the word of Yahweh, and Yahweh has rejected you from being king over Israel." As Samuel turned about to go away, Saul grabbed the skirt of his robe, and it tore. Samuel said to him, "Yahweh has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you. Also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent."...

Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house to Gibeah of Saul. Samuel came no more to see Saul until the day of his death; for Samuel mourned for Saul: and Yahweh grieved that he had made Saul king over Israel.

It's a little harder to feel pity for Saul, than for Esau, because his disobedience was further reaching in some ways. Although he did not stop being king, the Spirit of God removed itself from him, and he no longer had God's favor or blessing. The extent of his disobedience was acting on blatant disregard for God's instruction, and fear of the people. Those two attributes of the enemy are ingredients that, if let run rampant, will destroy our loyalty to God in a moment. If we find ourselves in the place of Saul, we might not lose our earthly or physical position in life, but we will know no peace until we leave this world, just as Saul didn't.

The best way to not fall into a trap of the enemy cheating us out of our blessing, favor and joy, is to remain humble before God, read what happened to different characters in Scripture, and learn from their experience. That which has been is that which shall be; and that which has been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun. Ecclesiastes 1:9 We might live in a different time, a different culture, and on a different continent, but heartache is still heartache, pain is still pain, and joy is still joy, in all peoples, at any time, past, present or future,

This writing stems from my heartache after ministering to a woman suffering the emotional pain of a traumatic and abusive past, almost every day for the last nine months. Not just through texts or phone calls, but visits that lasted most of the day several times a week. She became my friend, and in a lot of ways, became like a sister. But, just a few days ago, she decided that the calling that God was placing on her life was not worth the sacrifice of what He was asking her to give up. She ultimately did not want to give up her pain, her victim status, or pride in her own accomplishments that, in her eyes, outweighed God's blessing....When we women have children, there is a lot of pain and suffering, but a crying baby at the end of it all makes the pain worthwhile. But, some women go through all of the pain and agony of having a child, only for it to be stillborn. God wants us to be rid of the pain from our past, and will plant a seed in us that will grow into something wonderful that will bless us for the rest of our lives. But, others go through the process of having that seed planted, feel it develop, decide to be disobedient, and then have nothing to show for all the pain they have been through.

I beseech all who read this to go through your spiritual inventory, and see where obedience is needed, and do whatever it is that God is asking. You will never get back less than whatever it is He is asking you to give up or do. It might be the only chance you get. Eve had to take only one bite.....

Saturday, May 16, 2015

Series: It Is Written~Find a Space to Call Your Own


written cover.png

When we write, we are putting down on paper the words we would say if we were speaking. And, paper is meant both literally and metaphorically. This ‘paper’ I am typing on is on the computer screen. So, whether you use real paper, or electronic paper, the key is to write!

I have found that I write better when there are no distractions; no TV, people milling around, or other things like that. And, I know we all have lives that are busy and take up the bulk of our time. But, here are a few little things to do during your day that will help you keep track of your writing project.

  • Put a notepad and pencil on your bedside table. I usually have some project idea or reference to what I’m working on come to me after I’ve gone to bed.
  • Use your phone to record a note to yourself for later use, or to send yourself an email, when you are out and about and an idea comes to you. 
  • Talk about your project with other people, and get their feedback.
  • Keep a positive attitude about your project, even if everyday life tries to get in the way. 

Whatever you have a passion for, set aside some time to devote to it, even if it is just half an hour once a week. If your project has been given to you by God, to share with others, then the enemy will surely try to hinder your progress. If that happens, don’t let the enemy win! Press on for God, and He will see you through! A space to write should be just as personal and private as times of prayer. Find a place that makes you comfortable, and grab a coffee, and give God a few minutes on paper.

top photo courtesy of john levanen via Flickr | License/cropped











Monday, April 13, 2015

Series: It Is Written~Are You Called To Write?


I know what you are thinking: I can’t write! Well, with that attitude, you won’t! But, if God is calling you, He will give you what you need. Moses told God that he stuttered. Did God go find someone else to lead His people? No. He gave him Aaron, to do the talking for him. So, pick up a pen, or a pencil, pull out some paper, and jot down a few thoughts.

1) What lesson have you learned on your Godly journey that you want to share with others? 2) Who is your target audience? Teens? Single mothers? Older women? Widows? The terminally ill? The homeless? 3) What is the main point you want to convey?

Your story should have a beginning, a middle, and an end. If what you are writing about is a particular painful part of your life, pray about your subject matter, and let God lead you to say the “write” words. Look for pictures to help convey your message. Maybe you have some old memories tucked away in a shoebox or photo album. Or, maybe you need something fresh. If so, then look for pictures that have a Creative Commons license, that you can use in your article, without worrying about copyright infringement. God has told a lot of people to write. If He is telling you, then take a look in Scripture at who He also called to write. Here are a few:

  • Besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs with great care. The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth. The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. Ecc. 12:9-11

  • Write in a book all the words that I have spoken to you. For behold, days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will restore the fortunes of my people, Israel and Judah, says the LORD, and I will bring them back to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall take possession of it. Jeremiah 30:2

  • Now it shall come about when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself a copy of this law on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. It shall be with him and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, by carefully observing all the words of this law and these statutes, that his heart may not be lifted up above his countrymen and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or the left, so that he and his sons may continue long in his kingdom in the midst of Israel. Deut. 17:18-20

What words are passing through your heart, and making their way to your fingers? What encouragement does God want you to share? What have you lived through, that your experience might change the direction of someone else? Pull out the notepad, and jot down your thoughts. Your story is worth the read. If God has been dealing with you to open up your life in this way, don’t hold back. Can you imagine how the Scriptures would read if there were no Psalms or Proverbs? The words of David, and others writers, all those hundreds of years ago are still just as encouraging and powerful now as they were when the ink was fresh.


Tuesday, October 7, 2014

A New Me, A New Venture, and A New Outlook!

For anyone who has been following my blogs knows that I have not published anything in roughly a year. Well, it seems that I am BACK! 

This last year has been very hard emotionally, and we have lived under some of the worst stress in this Christian walk. But, God has seen fit to bring us through, and now that the "old me" that needed dissolving has finally been dealt with, He is introducing some new ideas into our lives.   

I have been taking pictures of our home life, for ministry, and travels for over six years now. Unfortunately, almost all of the pictures from the house we gave up over four years ago were lost when my computer crashed, except for a precious few I had submitted to Google Earth, and a few albums on Facebook.  I have learned that, when God wants you to turn loose of the past, He will take away the reminders, so that it makes us less likely to return there. That is a good thing if some of those memories bring pain that He wants us to  turn loose forever. Finally, I feel that has been accomplished. No one could be more thankful than my husband.  God bless him for all he has gone through with me, and for me.

So, with all those pictures, and a lot of them used in *ministry, I had a lot of "extra" pictures left over. And, some of them are very good. So, God moved me about a month ago, to come up with my own logo as a "photographer". I built a small website to show off the best photos. And, now it has developed into a concept called "photomanipulation", and I now have art that I have created from my photos for sale on fineartamerica.com; a website where literally millions of people display, and sell, their artwork. It is an avenue that I had never considered before just a few weeks ago, and even though it could be listed as a "hobby", I know God will use it to minister to someone-or many someones-in the future. 

I have always loved to "create". When my kids were small, I made all of their clothing (and most of my own).  I had my own landscaping business until the economy tanked a few years ago. I designed many gardens, and built many from "the ground up".  Pun intended.

With this picture taking in the midst of God's creation, I realize that God is an artist,  a designer, a gardener, a CREATOR, in a more meaningful way than I ever learned in Sunday School lessons. To see a snippet of who God is, look closely at the center of a daisy, or the wings of a dragonfly, or the web of a spider. All these things make wonderful images on paper, or on the computer screen.  But, there is wonder and amazement in the arrangement of God's creation.  And, if He has fashioned the flowers, birds and bees with such diversity and uniqueness, then imagine how He has fashioned us. No wonder that David said that "we are fearfully and wonderfully made." 

(How Proclamation & Prayer came about is featured in my blog Favoring Joseph.)