God Still Heals

 "Fear not for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my right hand." Isaiah 41:10

I have read this verse many times over the years and it has been my go-to when life slapped me upside my head. It speaks many things to me, such as healing when I'm sick, never letting me go when I am doubting God's presence in my life, etc. For Christmas, I needed physical healing.

On December 23rd, I woke up with intense pain in my mouth and facial/neck glands. I thought it was another gland infection. I've had them before. I just take mucinex, drink lots of water, and vitamins. It does go away in a few days. 

But by the next day, I felt so sick and beat myself up for not calling a dentist the day before. At night the gland pain would hit harder. But during this time, I gave it over to the Lord because I know that He has always taken care of me.

When I got my lower wisdom teeth extracted, the Lord told me He would take care of me and He did. It was a tough road to recovery, but I made it with His grace. When my right kidney was experiencing pain and infections, I asked the Lord for help and He was with me when four huge kidney stones crumbled out of my kidney more than a week later. God was also with me when my gall bladder was at its worst. I was able to expel the stones with God's help. So, knowing this, I called on the Lord again and surrendered all this to Him and Isaiah 41:10 says it all. 

When we are at our weakest and call on the Lord, He holds our hand and walks us through our trial. He wants to take care of us. He wants us to lean on Him like we would our parents. It's about a relationship with the Lord - that is what this life is all about - a relationship with God through the sacrifice on the cross by Jesus. And this relationship is supposed to grow each day if we keep at it.

What gets me through times like this is praising God. Not just when things are good, but also when things go bad. Praising God in the midst of a storm is a sacrifice. Even though we are sick and can't get out of bed because of weakness, we sacrifice that little bit of strength to praise God for the blessings He's given us. That's what has gotten me through this life.

I made it through Christmas and found a doctor the next day. As of December 29, the swelling is down and I'm feeling better. 

God is amazing people and He still comforts His people and gives the right amount of healing to boost our faith in Him. Keep looking up and keep praying. That is the backbone of your walk with the Lord. Keep talking to Him. He wants to hear from you. 

Don't Give Up On Hope

NOTE: Written in October. It's still relevant. Trump is still in a fight and the Lord needs His people praying for him and for the heart of this country. That's what is still at stake - The Heart of this Nation. 

I am also in awe at the message God gave me here. He kept His word and never stopped telling me that Trump would win. But it's up to us, church, to keep praying for our leaders - and I believe both foreign and domestic. God is still on His throne and is still in control.

Don't Give Up On Hope

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 ESV

[7] So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. [8] Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. [9] But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. [10] For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 

I woke up today discouraged and depressed. I felt stuck in a hole that I couldn't get out of. Like something pressing in on me. I just wanted to give up. Thoughts going through my head crying out, "failure".  Because I haven't been able to do anything lately. 

The Lord encouraged me to read His word. But I couldn't shake this feeling. I can't describe it other than a heavy depression. I didn't know if I was still grieving for my dad since October 31st will mark a year that he's been gone. 

So I began to pray and rebuke the enemy because I've learned that sometimes when we feel this low, its the spirit of witchcraft or some kind of demonic attack. And lately, we know there is a spiritual battle taking place with this election coming up. It has been so fierce that it's escalating into the natural world and we can see it all around us. The thought came to mind that with November 5 being so close, this could be escalating into a full-on spiritual assault on the church. Designed to make us give up.

So I began to read my Bible. The Book of Revelation. The Lord knows that I will find something to study and it will lead me away from dwelling on how I'm feeling. Then I heard the Lord say:

IT IS AT THAT MOMENT (at the moment we're feeling attacked with discouragement and depression or just feel like giving up) YOU NEED TO READ MY WORD AND PRAISE ME FOR I'M THE ONE WHO SUSTAINS YOU.

Then I played this song.

When I played this song in the past, I'm telling you I could see a glimpse of heaven and my depression lifted off of me. I praised God while listening to this song. I thought of all Gods people and how they must be under attack also and prayed for them. I prayed for a breakthrough for us, for this election, and surrendered this battle to the Lord.

Then the Lord spoke to me as the song was ending:

I WILL GO BEFORE YOU, I WILL FIGHT THIS BATTLE. YOUR VOTE WILL COUNT, YOUR VOICE WILL BE HEARD. TRUMP WILL WIN AND WILL BE BACK IN THE WHITEHOUSE. I WILL STRIKE DOWN THE ENEMY AND THEY WILL KNOW THAT I AM THE ONE WHO FIGHTS THIS BATTLE.

I was reminded of how the Lord made a way through the wilderness for Moses and the Israelites. He appeared as a pillar of cloud during the day and by night, a pillar of fire. They saw the physical manifestation of God walking before them, clearing the way to the promised land. Just because we don't see God working like this, doesn't mean He's not doing anything. He is still there. He still works miracles in people's lives and He still answers prayer. 

Sometimes when the battle is gaining momentum and all hope seems lost, praising God is what is needed. Because when we praise God, we are making a sacrifice. We are choosing to focus on God's glory and power instead of the battle going on around us. That is when God acts. 

Don't give up on hope. God knows it's been hard. God hears His people crying out to Him. Keep your eyes on the Lord and praise Him even when you don't feel like it. Play the song I linked above as a start. Give everything over to Him so He can take over. 

God loves you and wants to see you succeed in what He gave you to do. He wants to tell you things you don't know and show you things you've never seen. 

Don't give up church. God is there in the storm. AND KEEP PRAYING FOR TRUMP. He is in the fight of his life and so are all those on the front lines exposing Kamala and the other democrats ... exposing their lies and their plans to destroy us and tear down everything God and our forefathers gave us. Keep praying. Keep giving God all the glory and honor because He is worthy of it. 

How To Deal With Anger

NOTE: I wrote this before election night and after the hurricanes. But it is still relevant. God is still dealing with things in our hearts so we can be free and draw closer to Him. 

How to Deal with Anger

I am angry and I’m not alone. In fact, the frustration is so bad that just trying to type “Anger” took me several times because I couldn’t type it out without mistakes. So I beat on… each… letter. But I’m not alone. As I watched this whole debacle play out with FEMA denying hurricane victims resources, supplies, and Starlink receivers, my anxiety hit the roof. Panic set in. And I began to pray in my anger. Several times I could feel the Holy Spirit holding my words back, and only a few words got out. I had taken Benadryl and it dried me out so much that I couldn’t even cry like I wanted to. So, as I laid in bed last night exhausted from my outburst, God spoke to me.

He told me for the second time that I needed to do something about my anger. “ I love you. I love the hurricane victims. I am there. I am taking care of them.” In fact, this morning He spoke to me again about it. “Work on your anger. Don’t pray when you’re angry. It holds you back from what I have for you. I can’t bless you when you’re angry.”

How many of you are so angry with this situation or maybe there’s a storm in your life that has you seeing red. It’s a natural reaction. But when we team anger up with helplessness, frustration, anxiety, it becomes a storm around us and unless we seek the Lord, it will blind us. We will say things we will regret later on. And with politics, that happens way too much.

So how do we deal with anger? How do we pray when we’re angry? Especially when the situation seems hopeless? Or when we know we can’t help the situation get better, how do we deal with all these strong emotions biblically?

“When all hope seems lost, that’s when I will act.” That small voice we call the Holy Spirit spoke that today. I have been seeing examples of this all day. I shared a link to a video earlier in which an older man shared his testimony of how the Lord worked miracles through him. God’s words resonated all through this video. It was amazing. And if we read Zechariah, when it seems there is no hope for Israel, Jesus steps down onto the Mount of Olives and saves His people.  (Zechariah 14:1-4).

This is telling us we need to have the faith to be patient and wait on the Lord. We also need to recognize and remember this lesson. When desperation hits us and we feel hopeless, we need to cry out to the Lord.  It doesn’t end there. We also need to give God our anger. Let go of it. It’s useless to us, especially when ministering to others who feel the same way. And learning patience isn't something that can be done in one day. Sometimes it takes people a lifetime to achieve this. That's why we need the Lord to help us to live out His word.

James 1:19-20 ESV

[19]  Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; [20] for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 

Ephesians 4:26-27 ESV

[26] Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, [27] and give no opportunity to the devil. 

Romans 12:17-21 ESV

[17] Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. [18] If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. [19] Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” [20] To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” [21] Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

These verses speak volumes. Especially this last one. God said to me I needed to give Him my anger. Vengeance belongs to Him because God is not just a loving Father, but a Righteous Judge. He has to be. This world is too evil and victims cry out for justice every day. This is where the Lord reassures me, “All hope is not lost. I am fighting for you.” 

When you look at this heated political season, the attempts on Trump’s life, and now the government holding back aid from those in North Carolina, it all makes sense. We are in the most heated spiritual war I have ever seen. I’m 53 years old and I have never seen anything like this….EVER! And I know God is fighting for Trump by how hard that man is getting hit by the enemy. 

God’s whole message to me and you is this, “Anger will destroy you. Rest assured. I have the situation.” 

Sometimes in these massive storms, when the ship is moving side to side, being tossed around like an empty box. When the waves come barreling down on us and the ship is about to be sunk down by the pummeling waves…. Maybe, instead of getting angry and yelling out meaningless words, or posting comments against our enemies. Maybe the best course of action is to give the anger over and pray that the Holy Spirit teaches us how to handle these feelings. 

Take comfort in knowing that God is on the throne. That He is aware of the bad situation. That maybe He has already called people to intervene. Or maybe, just maybe, He’s opening the eyes of those who have refused to see the truth for years. And those people are the ones that can do something about it. 

We don’t know the mind of God. And we sure can’t say what He’s going to do. But take that anger and give it to Him so He can fill you with peace and hope and give you a different perspective on the situation. 

And if you have spoken or prayed in anger, repent. Give it over to the Lord. Ask Him to teach you how to manage your anger. Look up Bible verses on it and meditate on them - study them. Give yourself grace and move on. God wants to bless you, not hold this over your head. That’s why He gave us Jesus. All you have to do is ask. Call on the name of Jesus and you will be saved. That’s how much the Lord loves us. How much He loves you. Just ask Him to show you. 

Faith like a mustard seed (Matthew 17:20), that is all we need. And God does the rest. Trust Him. That’s all He asks of us. To trust Him in whatever situation we are in. 

Has God been trying to talk to you? Have you been called or think you’ve been called to accept Jesus? Pray this prayer and let me know. I’d love to pray for you and your family. 

Lord, I have sinned. Forgive me. I need you Lord and I need Jesus in my life. Please come in and renew me. Take this life of mine and clean it up so I can shine for you. So that others around me can see that change is possible and they can have Jesus in their lives. I surrender my anger and pride over to you. I surrender my life to you. Lord, thank you for sending Jesus and for saving me. Let your will be done in my life and others. In Jesus name, amen.

Back to January 2021

 I’ve been thinking much about what the Lord told me in the last blog post. If you haven’t read it, please do so. So I rummaged through my spare room and found my journal from 2021. Specifically, the entry from January 21, 2021. The day before, Biden and Harris were sworn in. If you follow me on Facebook or X you've probably have read my posts. I have strong political opinions, especially when they pertain to the last election. So when I watched this unfold, it was with resentment and anger.

In that journal entry for January 21, 2021, I wrote:

“Watch and see what I will do.”

“As my husband and I watched the fake coronation, I heard, “Watch and see what I will do.” So I watched, expecting to see something happen, expecting Biden not to be able to go through with the oath. But nothing. I watched them both take their oaths. And as the camera panned over those presented there with Biden, I heard, “I will shake them. I will judge them. The moment they took their oath, they sealed their fate. Keep your eyes on me. I will get you through it. All these churches represented, I will judge.”

“This administration will not stand. They will fall. Like all the others, they will fall hard.”

Compared to what the Lord told me from the last blog post.

“I will tear it down and they will know that I am the Lord. Tear down the walls that divide you from me. Tear down the walls that divide the people from freedom. The enemy will not be able to stand nor will he be able to see what is coming to him. I have declared and thus I will do this, declares the Lord.”

So, is what the Lord told me back in 2021 coming to pass now? And does it correspond to the word I heard on October 4th? I believe so. God is unveiling our enemies and opening eyes. 

As I edit this, hurricane Milton is hitting Florida. The Lord and I have had many conversations in the last two weeks. He’s fighting for us - fighting for Trump to get back in. I’ve been praying for Trump and Florida whenever they enter my mind. 

I was reminded of Democrats that I watched from a video on YouTube. I can’t remember the title or who uploaded it, but a guy was questioning Democrats about Kamala and how she was allowing illegals in, etc. These people denied everything. They didn’t want to think about these allegations against Kamala. 

So, I thought about the last hurricane and went to Kamala’s X account. I found a post after Helene hit. After FEMA said there was no money to give the victims. After denying people help and resources. Anyway, this post said she was now giving Lebanon money. The people replying were angry and frustrated. So was I. She’s pure evil. 

I’m sensing God is finally opening the eyes of some of these die-hard Democrats through Kamala and FEMA’s lack of hurricane response. He’s uniting the people against these tyrants. I do believe God is also judging these people. And He’s judging the churches that have fallen away. Too many things are being uncovered about corrupt pastors, politicians, Biden dropping truth bombs about Kamala’s role, etc. The veil is thinning people. I can see the spiritual war taking place behind the drama on multiple fronts. It just amazes me. 

He continues to tell me to watch. Even though it’s hard for me to watch hurricane updates, I do it anyway. I’m impressed with what DeSantis has achieved - especially the fuel trucks filling people’s gas tanks on the freeway. God told me not to worry. That He had the storm and the people. I need to trust Him more - we all do. 

I’m working on another blog post about my anger issue and again the Lord spoke to me there. There's so much I want to write about. God is doing an awesome work. These are the days that He is working miracles. Keep your eyes on Him. Keep praying. Keep sharing His word. And keep the faith. Never give up on hope. Jesus is coming soon. 

I Heard A Word From The Lord Concerning Kamala and God's Justice

The Lord and I have been talking for years. This is a word I heard from the Lord yesterday. Please pray about this and ask for confirmation. 

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God,  and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.  1 John 4:1-3

The Lord said: Kamala is not who she seems to be. Everything about her is fake. Her background, her family - Everything! She is meant to be a diversion while the left destroys the country with its policies.

Walz is evil. They make a good pair. He backs up everything she says and she gives him handouts like a dog. Empty promises and lies bind them together.

I will open your eyes to it and you will see.

She's (Kamala's) not running the country. A fake leader. Others are running the country. Evil leaders exploiting America to its evil agenda.

I will tear it down and they will know that I am the Lord. Tear down the walls that divide you from me. Tear down  the walls that divide the people from freedom. The enemy will not be able to stand nor will he be able to see what is coming to him. I have declared and thus I will do this, declares the Lord.

A lot of this has been coming out on social media, youtube, mainstream news, etc. 

Candace Owens has been searching out Kamala's family tree. I recommend you go to her channel and check out the livestreams tab. From episode #70 on up she goes into detail on how Kamala's family doesn't make sense. But it's interesting. Janet Jackson came out and said that Kamala's father was white. 

Walz panicked during the VP debate and wrote notes like crazy while Vance pointed out things about this man's evil policies. For instance, his abortion policy gives doctors the right to allow a baby, still alive after a botched abortion, to lay there and die. To torture a baby like this is inhuman. 

God is a God of life, not death. Every unborn baby is its own separate life. No mother has the right to kill that baby. EVERY LIFE IS PRECIOUS TO THE LORD. So many women who have had abortions are coming to the Lord for forgiveness and He is resurrecting them. Bringing their lives back to life. When one gets an abortion, their womb becomes a grave. And many women over the years have felt called to the Lord for this very purpose. To repent. It's amazing what the Lord is doing in people's lives. He litterally brings them back to life. 

Pray that you can see what the Lord is trying to show people and pray for the wisdom and discernment to understand it. 

Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. Jeremiah 33:3

The last part is what shocked me.. God will tear down walls of division. And the enemy won't see what's coming to them. They'll be so absorbed in what they're doing to destroy us they will be blinsided. 

I believe we are in the time of the Red horse of Revelation. The time of war. Remember, Israel is at the center of end-times prophecy. That's how I see everything by where Israel is and what they do. 

Right now God is hearing those crying out for justice and He is bringing it in the form of judgment.  I know I've been crying out for justice on behalf of people who have been wronged or ignored. Especially by the government. An interesting video to watch on this is:  Iran Strikes - Israel At War, by Pastor Cioccolanti on YouTube. It goes into how we are in the time of war and how God is using war to bring about justice. Very interesting video. 

I hope all of this makes sense. I wanted to tell you exactly what the Lord told me and then give you my opinion as I have watched things come out online. I would love to read your comments on this. Once again pray about this. 

Now is the time to get right with the Lord. And to the church, judgment comes to the house of God first. 

For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 1 Peter 4:17

If you don't know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, reach out to Him now while you still can. There is no purgatory, no way to accept Him once you are gone from this earth. And God doesn't want anyone to have to go to hell when they die. He wants everyone to repent. That's why He says many are called, but few are accepted (Matthew 22:14). If you feel you're being led to accept Christ, please pray this prayer.

Dear Lord,

Thank you for bringing Jesus to this earth and having Him die for my sins. Thank you, Lord that Jesus rose from the dead and is alive in heaven. Please forgive me for my many sins. And I pray that you take over my heart, and my life, and guide my steps Holy Spirit. I want you, Lord, and no one else to be with me. You are my God. You are my King. You are my Father. I give you everything in me, everything you have given me, back over to you. Guide me, Lord. Let your will be done in my life so I can lead others back to you. Thank you, again, Lord for what you have done for me. For you alone deserve all the glory and honor. Amen. 

If you have prayed this prayer, then angels are celebrating in heaven.

Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents. Luke 15:10

If you are still doubting that God is real or doubting that you need Jesus, I challenge you to ask God himself your questions. He will answer you. 

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Psalm 34:8

The Lord does love you and because of this, Jesus was sent into this world and remains the only true hope that we have. The only true way to heaven.

"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6

"If I had not spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin." John 15:22

An Answer to Prayer - UPDATE

 In another blog post ( My Struggle is Getting Overwhelming ), I spoke of my struggles after losing my dad. I prayed hard to get out of my depression but it held me down hard. Last week I woke up with a desire to get out of the house and into the sunshine. It was a miracle for me. God answered my prayer! 

My husband and I started cleaning up the vines that have plauged us for years. I planted the flowers that I bought a few weeks ago. Mowed the lawn, played with the dogs, planted more veggie plants in our raised beds (kiddie pools), and I sat there praising God for the energy and renewed mindset. 

I still cry when I think of my dad, but it's different. 

Before my dad died, he began to change...a lot. He began to praise God more, to give my mom and I compliments, talk about the Lord more to the hospital staff around him and neighbors. God was getting dad ready for home. So I began praying that God would change my husband and I like that - to get us ready for heaven. I've been studying the topic, listening to podcasts, and watching videos on youtube from people who have seen heaven in a near-death experience. Just the thought of dancing in the streets paved with transparent gold and singing to the Lord consumed me to want to live life better. To devote it to doing God's will everyday. 

I don't want to waste anymore time with things that are distracting me. I'm tired of it. I want to live my life with a better purpose. Death does do strange things to our lives. Some people end up self-destructing and others learn from it and strive to change for the better. Isn't that just wierd?

Thank you Jesus for everthing you have done for us and for taking care of those we love. And thank you guys for your prayers. My husband and I are doing much better. And I'm praying for all of you as well. 

Do You Feel the Restlessness?

 There's a restlessness in the world. The animals sense it. People sense it. It's causing the earth to react with more earthquakes, sinkholes, and weird storms and flooding. Animals running for higher ground in national parks and acting erratic. People go insane, losing sleep, committing murders, and lawlessness in the land as the restlessness grows. The souls of the dead are patiently waiting for judgment.

Demons are itching in the bodies they possess for the Holy Spirit to leave. They know that soon there will be nothing holding them back from slaughtering those left behind. 

With each portal opened by CERN, covens, and fallen angels, hell is expanding into our physical world. Events happening are a result of thousands of years of spiritual warfare between God's angels and those who rebelled. Even now, the world waits for their antichrist to arrive. But is he already here?

As old empires forge back together, new ways to destroy nations and people are developed and carried out. Thus more sacrifices for the coming antichrist. This in turn opens hell up even more.

As the days grow darker, where is the church? Why is there only a remnant doing the work of the whole body? 

Martyrs are being made as people shoot up churches, and burn them down. All day long people are dying for their faith in foreign countries. Evil desperately trying to finish what Hitler started with the Jews. "First the Jew and then the Gentile."

A cry goes up to the Lord and is heard. Do you hear it?

Christians walking away, perhaps overwhelmed with serving 2 masters, or maybe struggling because they don't know who they are in Christ. Or even worse, were too weak to begin with and fell under the strain of trying to please the world, helping those who preyed upon their vulnerability. 

Jesus' words being taken out of the Bible. Churches not preaching what Jesus preached for fear of being shut down or out of distrust of God. Raising a corrupt generation of so-called "Christians" who have a form of godliness but are stumbling on splinters. They can't see the road to hell ahead because no one warns them. And when they hear the warnings, they cling to a false faith. 

The new Christianity is being gutted so it can fit in with the coexist movement. So others won't be offended and thus they are being destroyed for lack of knowledge about a Savior whose sacrifice and way of life could save them from hellfire. Do you hear the cries?

People walking blind, falling off of cliffs and into the abyss. The walking dead, spiritually, are not aware that their rebellion and sins are leading them to a place of torment. They live in constant torment and upheaval just to die and be tormented in hell. There they regret turning God away and not accepting Jesus WHEN THEY HAD THE CHANCE.

And here you are. Reading this. What is making you restless? You need peace and that only comes from repentance and trust Jesus as your Lord and Savior. HE IS THE ONLY WAY TO HEAVEN.

I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes through the father except by me. (find verse)

You may ignore this fact right now, at this moment, but later on it may haunt you for eternity. Let's stop this habit today.

You were told about Jesus and warned about your sins for a reason. Given Bible verses and prayed for. God is trying to reach you. 

Don't you see the surrounding signs? Can't you sense something isn't right? Do you know that something bad may be coming but you can't put your finger on it? 

This is the reason God is trying to get your attention. Don't ignore him. Repent, Believe in your heart that Jesus came to this world to die for your sins, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven preparing a place for us in paradise. That he loves you no matter what you've done. You can come to him openly. This is your call for a clean slate and a new life.

Read the Bible, and study it. It is your life. Pray to the Lord - this is your peace. Tell others - this is your calling. The more we grow closer to the Lord, the better able we will be when the reckoning comes. We are more than conquerors with Jesus. Able to stand up to help and protect our families, friends, and neighbors. Able to understand what's coming and how to prepare for it. Equipped to help others, teaching them the Word of God and praying for them along the way.

We are all survivors of what the world and the enemy threw at us. And God can use that to strengthen others in their walk. I pray you will make the wiser choice and repent today. I would love to know that you have the peace of God instead of restlessness; and joy instead of fear.

So what will you choose?

My Dads Service

 

I wanted to share the message that a pastor gave at my dad's funeral service. It was a good one and summed up my dad's life. 

I couldn't make it, so my older brother recorded the service and typed the message. It was a military service. My dad served in the navy and was very proud of this. He also rode his motorcycle with the other veterans for charity. He loved us kids and was very proud of us. 

This will be images of the message. You may have to zoom in to read it. Enjoy!

Getting Rid of Distractions

Psalm 135:15-18 ESV‬

[15] " The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands. [16] They have mouths, but do not speak; they have eyes, but do not see; [17] they have ears, but do not hear, nor is there any breath in their mouths. [18] Those who make them become like them, so do all who trust in them."

This passage speaks volumes as to why people refuse to listen to the Word of God and why they walk away when they hear the name of Jesus. They are so into their idols (cell phones, electronics, pornography, music apps, social media, jobs/money, gambling, online games, AI social apps, friends/family, YouTube/online entertainment services, food, drugs, alcohol, etc.), that they deny accepting Jesus into their lives. The desires of the eyes and the pride of life is what their minds and hearts crave. Therefore, they run to it. This is sin nature - they don't know what the other side of life is like so they ignore it thinking there are more ways to heaven and more time on earth.

They also can't see that the path they are walking is leading to destruction, to hellfire.

You see, God created us with a spirit that gets energized from reading His word and spending time with other believers. Studying his word, constant prayer, and seeking to have a character like Christ is what feeds our spirit - brings us back to life with a renewed purpose and plan for our existence (Jeremiah 29:11 ). This is why Christians will die with their faith in Christ because they know the difference between their new lives and their old ones. They can sense the change and would rather die preaching Jesus than die without Him and spend eternity burning in hell for that one mistake. It would be devastating.

This is also why, for over 2000 years, believers have given their lives to Jesus. And the movement has never died out. No matter how many Christians lose their lives, people are being saved and take their place over history. You would think people would take notice that this is a movement from God. But sin nature, together with our desires, blind us to this truth and to the voices out there that have seen heaven and hell and came back to warn the living ( Acts 5:34-40 ). They're out there - just look it up on YouTube.

I got on Tik Tok one day, and spent time watching videos just to see what all the hype was about. I went from one video to another, a constant scrolling and I noticed how mesmerized my eyes were to the screen. I couldn't pry my eyes away. When I did, hours had passed. Hours that could have been spent helping others, helping my husband, or writing for the Lord. Instead, I allowed this app to distract me and waste precious time.

Modern idols dull our minds and corrupt our spirits. We don't sense anything. Its frightening for me to think about. Not how I want to navigate life. I ended up repenting and deleting the app. I am struggling with other idols also that God is revealing to me. It is a struggle, but a good one. Addictions are hard to break, but with Jesus in our lives we know it has to be done. And we can lean on the Lord for help by crying out to Him. If we truly want to be set free, Jesus will carry us through the process. 

If we honor the Lord, the Lord will honor us

I pray this post has hit home with you. What do you struggle with? Do you need prayer? Let me know and I will pray for you. It's a burden God has placed on my heart - to pray for those around me. 

My Verse For Trusting God This Year

 I had a dream one night. In it, I saw an open barn, hay on the floor, and a sparrow on the ground. The sparrow had a broken wing and was trying to get away. He fluttered its wings but couldn't fly away. Then an old man came into the barn with a cardboard box and gently tried to coax the sparrow into it. But the bird tried to fight the old man by snapping at him with its beak. 

"Don't fight me." A voice said as the dream ended and I woke up.

I prayed about it. I knew it was about me, but I wanted to be sure. So the Lord answered and said that I was an uncut diamond with a fiery spirit. I needed direction. I needed patience, I'm stubborn, and I needed to be tamed. This "fiery spirit" analogy made me think of an untamed horse. 

And just like the sparrow with the broken wing, I constantly wrestled with the Lord as He was trying to put me into a box of protection so He could take care of me. 

When a shepherd has a lamb that constantly runs away, gets distracted from the group, etc. He goes after it and breaks the leg. Not out of meanness, but out of love and compassion. He then lives with that lamb, feeding it, taking care of it, and carrying it around his neck as he directs the rest of the herd. God is doing that to me and probably you too. How many people can relate?

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and He will make straight your paths." Proverbs 3:5-6

Reading over these verses the following questions hit me:

1. How do I trust in the Lord with all my heart? Like the lamb with the broken leg, I need to look to the Lord for everything because He is the one who sustains me.  He is the One who gives me the words to write and the drive to write them. 

"Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs on your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows." Luke 12:6-7

If God can take care of the sparrows, He can take care of us. 

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Matthew 6:25-26

2. What does "lean not on your own understanding" mean? To forget what you know. When God is telling me to trust Him when life hits, sometimes I overthink things. Thoughts swirl around about what to do to remedy a situation when all God wants me to do is to stop and be at peace knowing He is the one I should be focusing on. So I give it all over to Him and thank the Lord in advance for answering the prayer. This is a form of trusting Him with the situation.  

3. What does acknowledging God mean? It means recognizing that He is God and acknowledging His authority over our lives and what we are doing. So, when I'm writing this blog post I'm acknowledging God's authority over my words and letting Him direct me to finish it. The same with this verse. If we acknowledge His authority over whatever He gave us to do, the Holy Spirit will direct us to finish the task. 

4. What does "submit to the Lord" mean? It simply means to listen, obey, and follow Him. When thinking in terms of our daily lives it can also mean giving everything we are, we have, we struggle with, our family, friends, work, etc. over to the Lord and believing He will take care of things.  It is believing His promises are true and that God will never leave us, never abandon us with our troubles. It is being at peace with what we have and knowing our path is in God's hands. 

5. What does "make straight our paths" mean? This is a promise from God that whatever we are doing for Him, he will bring it to completion. He will make successful our path. 

"The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps." Proverbs 16:9

"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand." Proverbs 19:21

6. Putting it all together - Give the Lord All of your heart and put away your idols that are leading you away from Him. And don't overthink stressful situations. Give them over to God and thank Him in advance for answering prayer. In all of your ways listen, obey, and follow Him, and He will direct you in whatever He gave you to do to completion. 

7. So What is the Lord telling me personally in this verse? Just like the dream of the sparrow, the Lord wants me to look to Him to take care of my husband and me. He wants me to stop wrestling with Him and worrying about life. With work scaling down hours I will panic about paying the bills. God wants me to give Him  everything and let go of the things that take away from my writing time - Youtube, games... He also wants to move me forward and build on this foundation of my craft to move me to another level - speaking. And speaking to crowds frightens me, so I'm curious how the Lord is going to work in my life in this area. 

"For I know the plans for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" Jeremiah 29:11

Is the Lord trying to move you also from the place you are right now? Maybe you're not serious about your walk with the Lord or in reading His word and He wants to fix that. Or you're struggling with finances like me and God wants to be the One who sustains you and your family. Don't be afraid. Take everything and give it to Him. Talk to Him about it. The Lord and I have been talking for years. I know He will answer you. He wants to take care of all of us and He loves you too much to let you struggle. 

Building our spirit up requires prayer, reading God's word, studying it to be approved by Him, and submitting our plans to the Lord because maybe His plans are better. 

Here's to an exciting year as the Lord works in all our lives! I pray God will bless you as you are being built up in His word. And whatever plans He has for you will come to completion and leave you in awe at how powerful our God is!