When God sends His people out to speak for Him they may become marked people. In Jeremiah 26 we read Jeremiah became a marked man. After he had delivered the words of God to the people of Judah and Jerusalem to turn from their wicked and evil ways, the priests and the prophets did not like it. Ignoring these warnings meant curses on the cities.
In Jeremiah 26:8, the priest and prophets told Jeremiah he was going to die. At this point, Jeremiah became a marked man. The priests and the prophets conspired to kill him. However, the princes and the people wanted to spare his life. They wanted no part in killing Jeremiah and were willing to repent of their evil and wicked ways.
The same may happen to us. We may become marked people when God sends us out to speak truth to His people. It is usually an unpopular message, but TRUTH. We have to then decide if we will be courageous and stand up for God. Or, will we embrace the things of this world and culture and follow them. Love & Blessings!
Jeremiah 25:30 God tells Jeremiah to tell the people “… The Lord shall roar from on high…” Certainly, that sounds mighty fierce to me. What is this about? Consequently, this is the continuation of the evil God was sending to Jerusalem and Judah. Why? Because earlier we discussed how God was once again angry with them for being stiff neck or hard headed. Regrettably, they are worshipping idol God’s once again.
We, who profess to honor and love God and His son, Jesus, have been shown the way through God’s word, the Bible. It is absolutely fascinating; yet, pathetic, how these people kept turning their backs on both God and Jesus. We have heard the saying God does not send people to hell. It is TRUE. It is truly a choice you make for yourself. Today, everybody seems to want to stand on their truth or MY TRUTH. Well, in Christ there is only one truth and it is the TRUTH OF GOD. This is a heart issue and that is what God searches, THE HEART. Satan wants us to think about MY TRUTH and not about GOD”S TRUTH.
I believe there has to be a balance in our teachings of God’s word. I have heard many church leaders’ teachings on the love and acceptance of God and His son, Jesus Christ. So, no God does not want to condemn us, Satan does. I thank God for His love and long suffering with us. Undoubtedly, it is clearly illustrated in the Bible when you read how God toiled with Israel. He is still doing that with all of us today.
Let us not forgot, God will not be mocked. I feel a need to ring the bell about COVID because I do not hear our religious leaders ringing the bell and ringing it loud enough about COVID. God ROARED through COVID to the world. He was speaking individually, to groups, families, work places, governments, etc. Did you hear what God said to YOU? Love & Blessings!
God sometimes sends us on unpopular assignments. We can see this in many of the characters of the Bible. He even sent His son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. Being a Christian is not for sissies and wimps. It calls for people who have grit and guts to stand up and be used for God’s purposes.
I love how the Bible shares the innermost emotions and feelings of the men and women that risked it for our God. Again, not popular, but in many cases, it is a test of our faith.
In a previous blog, we read how Jeremiah was sent to tell the people of Jerusalem and Judah that God was going to send evil to them… How unpopular is that? In Chapter 20 of Jeremiah, we see him sharing how it made him feel to share God’s word with the people. Verse 7 says he felt deceived by God. He accounted his feelings of derision. He was mocked.
This is clearly a lesson for us. We will sometimes wonder if we are doing and saying the right things by following God. It does not feel comfortable to our flesh sometimes when we boldly proclaim the things of God. You sometimes feel like a fish out of water and floundering.
However, when the spirit of the Lord is upon you, God will find a way to encourage your spirit and your soul. In versus 9, Jeremiah seemed to have a made-up mind. He did not want to speak again for the Lord. But then he recounted. Reflectively, he said he could not do it because God’s words were like fire shut up in His bones. Remarkably, he could not stay away from speaking about God because when the Spirit of God is upon you even if you want to resist talking about Him, you can’t…Amen.
Markedly, the assignments God may send us on may be unpopular. Strikingly, a sure sign of His spirit being upon you is that you cannot keep your mouth shut on what God has proclaimed you to do and say. Sometimes we may have to do it afraid, but He is ALWAYS with us. Love & Blessings!
God wastes nothing. When we see repetitive words, phrases, stories, in the Bible, it is God’s way of getting our attention. It is as if He is saying, “Pay attention,” or “warning,” or “take heed.” Because of our nature, we have to hear things more than once before it starts sinking into our souls and spirit.
In culture and how the world teaches things, they make us think we are dumb or not too smart if we do not get things the first time around. That is Satan attacking our self-esteem and who we are. God has given each of us a measure of gifts and talents. We all do not get the same, nor capacity or measure.
Fortunately, God has given each of us what we need individually to do what He destines us to do on the Earth while we are here. Additionally, it amplifies our purpose. Ultimately, we are here to magnify and glorify His name… Amen! Love & Blessings!
The Bible is filled with repetition. I know this to be true with New Testament accounts of Jesus’ birth and miracles. It is retold in the Gospels by the disciples as they are share their firsthand accounts. Warnings and blessings are also repetitive, too throughout the Bible. However, another discovery I have made is the Old Testament stories are retold in different books of the Old Testament, too.
As I am being obedient to God and reading the whole Bible from cover to cover, I am currently reading Isaiah 36. Historically, this story is about the king of Assyria coming against King Hezekiah and the children of Israel. I am thinking to myself, this story is sounding very familiar. This isn’t the only time I am having this impression as I have been reading the Old Testament. However, this time I am deciding to dive deeper and investigate. So, I am starting flipping back the pages in my Bible. Immediately, God is taking me to where I read this same story in II King: 18. When I am looking at the top heading of my Bible, and perhaps yours to if you are reading King James Version, it reads in both locations, “Rab-shakeh’s blasphemy.”
Unfortunately, we have a tendency to forget things, experiences, and encounters. Brilliantly, it is another reason why God repeats things in the Bible! God is weeding out those things we no longer have to be held captive by. Invariably, through His kindness and mercy to us He will send voices of repetitiveness through the Bible and through the people in our lives. Notoriously, Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy the life-giving messages God has for our lives. Thank you, God, for the gift of repetitiveness you have given us in our lives! Love & Blessings!
There is this mystery of what we speak with our lips and what are hearts are revealing to God. More often when you look at this world that we live in, you see professed Christians taking on the beliefs of the world and culture. Some of them do it without even knowing it or thinking about it. To this point, I heard a TV minister say about abortion rights everything is not black and white and there are crisis type situations in the world.
Well, isn’t the Bible full of crisis situations, from Noah, Job, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, Daniel, Paul, and the Disciples? I can go on and on where people were in crisis situations. Courageously and confidently, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refused to bow to the king and his idols. They boldly stated we know that our God is able to deliver us, but even if He doesn’t we will not bow.
Why do you think these stories are put in the Bible? They were put there for US. We need guts and grit and to Christians. Because we know all of us will face crisis type situations, life is not easy. It is hard and it is difficult. It can be complicated and messy. But through it all we have a God who loves us with an everlasting love. Invariably, He will give us strength to do His will. Additionally, the Bible states on more than one occasion that people died because of their faith. Furthermore, this is still going on today in some parts of the world. So, I ask you, where is your heart? Are you willing to serve Christ no matter the cost? Love & Blessings!
Isaiah 29:13 is a striking scripture. God was speaking. He was saying these people honor me with their lips. Yet, their hearts are far from me and their fear of me is what has been taught to them by men.
Similarly, Jesus is speaking this same ideology. In Mathew 15:8, he says these people serve me with their lips yet their hearts are far from me. Undoubtedly, one could say Jesus had the same sentiments of our Father God. Invariably, they are one.
There is this mystery of what we speak with our lips and what are hearts are revealing to God. Introspectively, when we look at this world that we live in we see professing Christians taking on the beliefs of the world and culture. Unsuspectingly, some of them are doing it without even knowing or thinking about it.
Truthfully, in our humanity we do not like everything God is asking us to do. Unquestionably, there is some tough stuff He asks us to do. If we are constantly getting upset on what God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are asking us to do, maybe we are serving God with our lips. As a result, maybe our heart is far away from Him… Go DEEPER! Love & Blessings!
The Trinity is a mystery. God in three persons as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So we know Jesus, the Son, was God. On the Earth, in Jesus’ humanity goes through many trials and tribulations. Ultimately, he is murdered by religious leaders who did not get him; they did not understand him. However, Jesus knows it is in God’s plan that he must die to save the world from our sins.
In Jesus’ humanity He does not want to do it. He asks the Father God three times if this cup could pass; nevertheless, not my will, but thine be done. Folks, that’s enough to shout about! He serves as an example for us.
Jesus studied the scriptures. This happens as a boy and in His hidden years before He starts His ministry. Ultimately, He is preparing himself for His ending task. Once Jesus starts His ministry He will often quote scripture from the Old Testament. He skillfully uses it against Satan when he attacks Him in the wilderness, which by the way, the Holy Spirit leads Him into.
Currently, the ladies I am ministering to are in a program called, Nurture Block. Surely, this is just what is says. Volunteers come in to share the gospel, nurture, encourage, and inspire inmates. Now, for those of you who have read my book, Where Is God, you know I have a journal section in the back of the book. Wonderfully, journaling is a beautiful way for us to cultivate our relationship with God. As an example, I have demonstrated journaling to the ladies each week by bringing my personal journal specifically for this ministry into the jail with me and share my entries each week. It is a reflection of our meetings, and the impressions God has given me as to what He next wants me to share with the ladies.
The ladies love the transparency. They enjoy me sharing my journal entries. I have encouraged them to start journaling. I have challenged them to write their strategy and plan of what they will do differently once they are no longer in jail. They are to identify people, places, and things that are triggers for them that causes them to make poor choices and that inevitably led them to jail. I inspire them to look forward to their NEW BEGINNINGS and inject some excitement about that for them. The journal is also used for them to document their prayers, requests, growth, and progress.
After 12 weeks, the ladies graduate from the program. They have a graduation ceremony with lunch from an outside vendor and cake! So, it is a special occasion for them. The ladies have an opportunity to share their testimonies. It is another step closer to their release date and to face the world once again. I see my role as also arming the ladies with their spiritual weapons and pointing them to the light of Jesus Christ.
Please continue to pray for these ladies as they have many challenges before them. But God… He is our help in ALL things! Prayers are need for all inmates, jails, prisons and staff. The recidivism rate is high among inmates. Let our prayer be that these men and women who participate in jail ministries across the world will become the example of how God can change and transform lives.
I love David’s professions to God in the Psalms. Psalm 143 really shows his confidence in God and his intimacy with Him. Boldly, he once again cries out to the Lord for Him to hear his prayer and asks not to be judged because no man can stand before our God and be justified in His sight. Astonishingly, he spews on his enemies and how they are treating him. Afterward, this causes David to feel overwhelmed and his heart is desolate. Admittedly, I have felt that way when the enemy has come after me. I can relate… Can you?
I have had moments where I felt I had been squashed by the enemy. As a result, it was all I can do to push and move forward even though I did not have the desire to. Subsequently, it forced me to make a choice. Am I going to let the enemy break my spirit or will I continue to focus on the goodness of the Lord? Amazingly, meditating and remember the things of God gives us the confidence, like David, to push on and to move forward. Undoubtedly, we serve a God of progress! Satan wants to kill, steal, and destroy. Contrarily, he hates progress.
David finds his strength in the Lord. Emphatically, he reaches out his hands. He searches for God’s lovingkindness. David decides to trust in God. He delivers his soul unto the Lord and asks for deliverance. There are more requests for God to cut off his enemies and destroy them… Wow! We see David’s humanity and boldness. We, too, can use David’s display and example of expressing our confidence in God. Love & Blessings!
