Jesus is Our First Love!

I know I don’t have to remind you that this Wednesday is Valentine’s Day! A day we traditionally show that special someone how much they mean to us. It can also be a difficult time for someone who doesn’t have an object of their affection to dote on or to be the recipient of doting…but it doesn’t need to be a sad day for those who know Jesus as their First Love!

My First Prayer Garden

Almost thirty years ago, I realized that even though I was happily married after being single for 17 years, my love for my husband wasn’t to take priority over my First Love, Jesus Christ. The Scriptures are so clear about this. When we were first married, we vowed to each other that we would always put Jesus at the center of our marriage.

We love each other because he [God] loved us first. 1 John 4:19 NLT

I never wanted Jesus to say about us what He said about the church in Ephesus in Revelations 2:5 NLT “But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first!”

The NIV translation says, “ Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.”

Just as our earthly relationships take time, energy, and nurturing, I knew my spiritual relationship with Jesus required the same attention and devotion or it could become stale and routine. So I decided to approach my devotional time with Jesus each day with the same attitude I would lavish on my earthly love, Dave. I set about finding a special place to spend time with my First Love and I called it my prayer garden.

At that time, we were living in sunny Southern California, so I could have my quiet time outside almost every day. I’ll share with you in a moment how I have this date with Jesus now in our home in Idaho.

Thinking of Jesus as the lover of my soul and the One I love above all others, gave me the idea of creating a romantic atmosphere for my daily “Quiet Time” with Jesus. It needed all the touches of a special date. First, it must be quiet and free of interruptions, so that meant outside. Since my backyard was all cement, I arranged colorful potted plants in a shaded alcove of the patio and hung a hummingbird feeder. Our house overlooked a small lake, so I had a beautiful view. I placed a chair for Jesus and a chair for me with a small table in the center for a romantic fragrant candle. I later added wind chimes, and my son-in-law made a waterfall. Walla, I had a Prayer Garden.

The importance of having the chair for Jesus was to remind me that even on the days when I was rushed and missed our date . . . Jesus was still out there waiting for me. Every time I looked out at that prayer garden, my heart ached because I had neglected my First Love for whatever was happening in my life that day.

My Date Bag is Always Packed

Then I packed a date bag with my Bible, a journal, devotional, highlighters, pens, Post-it notes, current Bible Study, and oh yes, a lighter for the candle. One trip back into the house for something I forgot could be a major distraction.

First thing every morning, I grabbed my cup of coffee, my date bag, a blanket or sweater if it was chilly, and headed out for my date with Jesus in our Prayer Garden. Here is a major key to intimate time with my First Love—I shut the door to ALL interruptions. In those days, we didn’t have cell phones, so I let the answering machine take care of any phone calls and the family knew when I was having my Jesus date, the Do Not Disturb sign was out.

Now I was ready to read God’s love letter to me in my Bible, pray, journal, and work on a current Bible study. Most importantly, I could take time to hear God’s still small voice saying how much He loved me and telling me the plans He had for me.

When our date was finished, I repacked my date bag and put it back in the same spot every time by the patio door so it was ready for tomorrow’s big date. If the weather wasn’t good, Jesus and I curled up together on the couch and I played soft instrumental worship music in the background.

Idaho Dates with Jesus

When we were looking for a new home in Idaho, two things on my priority list were a writing room with an “ah ha” view and a place to have my special Quite Times with my First Love. As we toured homes, I was always looking for both, along with a kitchen with a scenic view, I could see the fireplace, and easily chat with visiting friends and family. In other words, don’t wall me in while I’m cooking!

Praise God we found the perfect home for us. Now that we live in Idaho with its four seasons, my Quiet Time locations change with the season. When the weather is nice, I’m out in the deck swing, and when it’s snowing or cold, I have a Quiet Time chair next to the fireplace with a beautiful forest view from our many windows. I still have my Quiet Time bag packed and ready to go depending on where I’m having my date with Jesus. It’s my most favorite part of the day!

At the end of our date, I sit back close my eyes and linger in conversational prayer being sure to let my First Love talk to me. He always whispers words of love and endearment as He reveals His plans, visions, and goals for us. Often, there are answers to prayers and previous questions. Many times, we just share a sweet silence.

“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” Ps. 46:10 NLT

Like any wonderful date, I hate for it to end, but I know my First Love will be waiting eagerly for our special meeting tomorrow.

To keep romance exciting, it’s good to vary the activities on dates, so I constantly add freshness to my Quiet Time with variety. Each Christmas, I pick out a new devotional for the coming year. Sometimes, I select one with an area for journaling love letters to the Lord. I start my Quiet Time date by praying the armor of God from Ephesians 6:10-18 and would never think of going into my day without this spiritual protection. I alternate working on my small group Bible studies or one I am doing for fun. Some years, I read completely through the Bible, and other times, I leisurely enjoy the Scriptures.

 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Matt. 22:36-39

How about you? Tell me about your dates with Jesus.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Here is a poem I wrote about my California Prayer Garden. Enjoy!

OUR PRAYER GARDEN

You wanted to meet me early in the morning

            In a place that was special to just you and me.

My heart was willing, and I had such a yearning

            To talk and be in your presence daily.

I began to arise just after the sun came up,

            And  searched for a place where we could meet.

It had to be quiet where no one would interrupt,

            For the time that we shared would be so sweet.

I moved from room to room,

            As I tried to find the aura,

For you and me to just commune

            Every day at the same hour.

As we began to spend our time,

            I felt you nudging as I would pray:

“Our get-togethers need fresh air and sunshine.

            Let’s be amongst the beauty of the day.”

Of course, it was there all along.

            The table, the patio, the view—

I had all the makings for a Prayer Garden,

            But flowers were sadly very few.

A “green thumb” I have never been,

            But I knew this was the spot for us.

And it would not be a Prayer Garden,

            Without the ferns, oleanders and hibiscus.

A shopping trip to the nursery was fun,

            Even though I didn’t know what to buy.

Some flowers wanted shade and others liked sun,

            So I just bought what caught my eye.

Soon my garden was worthy of comment.

            The flower beds were colorful and in full blossom,

 And the array of potted plants carpeted the cement.

            The transformation was truly awesome.

One final touch called out to me,

            Wind chimes to catch Your breath in the breeze.

A hummingbird feeder for quiet company,

            In the place where we will meet when ‘er You please.

Jesus, I know now why you sought a garden

            When you went to pray alone that night.

Amongst Your creation God’s presence is sovereign,              

            You just know God’s plans will turn out right.  Janet Thompson 7/17/96

Please leave a comment here to this blog. I always reply and enjoy reading your thoughts.

 I apologize that the link to reply to last week’s blog wasn’t working, but it is now if you would like to leave a comment or haven’t read it yet Respect Your Weapons of Fasting and Prayer!

One more thing. Thinking about those who might be alone on Valentine’s Day, many people in our churches can feel marginalized. I wrote an article for Crosswalk.com that I hope you’ll share with the pastors and ministry leaders in your church. It’s a slideshow if you read it on a computer. 13 Ways to Recognize the Overlooked People in Your Church.

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Breaking Up Is Hard to Do!

I’m sure you’ve broken up with someone in your lifetime. Maybe you found someone you liked better. Or maybe you learned the person wasn’t who you thought they were. Or maybe they were even talking bad about you behind your back. Or just maybe you discovered your values were at odds with theirs and you weren’t willing to compromise on your values and morals.

On different occasions in my life, I’ve broken up for each of those reasons. When we become Christians, the Bible tells us clearly to leave the old life and ways behind and choose to follow Christ in our relationships, words, actions, thoughts, time, and money. It might even mean breaking off a close relationship because that other person is tempting and luring you to return to wicked ways you’ve already asked God to forgive you for and you don’t want to regress. You want to live a new life in Christ.

 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! 2 Cor. 5:17 NLT

For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin. Rom. 6:6

Occasionally, God points out that something or someone has become an idol in our life. God warns us to have no other gods or idols before Him. We may need to break up or break away from anything that becomes more important to us than God or change our perspective and outlook on whatever is getting more of our attention than God is.

“You must not have any other god but me. “You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image of anything in the heavens or on the earth or in the sea.” Ex. 20:3-4 NLT

Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. 1 Cor. 10:14

Breakups are painful. Hard to do. Sometimes freeing. Other times grieving. But often something you know you need to do to honor Jesus and your witness for Him. God may want us to use our breakup as a wakeup call to others. That’s the message I’d like to share in the remainder of this blog.

We’ve all seen the impact consumers can have when the woke agenda attempts to normalize sin and sinful behavior. Before anyone starts calling me names, I proudly identify as a Bible-believing Christian. My identity is in Christ alone. I’m not “homophobic,” I’m sinphobic! I think I coined a new word since spellcheck doesn’t like it. Webster’s Dictionary describes phobic as “having an intolerance or aversion,” and that’s exactly how I feel about sin. Anyone’s sin, including my own. But especially when the media, government, fringe groups, and even some pastors try to tell me I should be “tolerant” of sin, I’m gonna say a resounding, “No Way!”

Jesus was NEVER tolerant of sin. He spent time with sinners with the sole goal and purpose of helping them turn away from their sin and repent, not to celebrate, party, and revel in their sin or impose it on others. Jesus gave His life on the cross to free us from sin, not parade sin in the streets, teach it in schools, or ignore it in churches. He told the woman at the well living in sin with her boyfriend and the woman caught in adultery, “Go and sin no more.” He went to Zacchaeus’ house and even to the Pharisees’ homes to share the truth with them in hopes some would be saved from their sinful, prideful lifestyle.

So that being said, here are a few breakups I’ve experienced with businesses who finance, support, encourage, and promote sin. Maybe you’ll want to break up with them too if you haven’t already. We can make a difference as we saw with what is now termed the “Bud Light” effect when the beer brand decided to make their mascot a lunatic and very sick man impersonating as a woman. Hubby and I don’t drink beer, but we cheered the effective reaction and response from the conservative population who support the way God created us as either a man or a woman and never the two shall exchange bodies!

Here’s Some of My Breakups and the Whys

#1 Breakup with Target-In 2004, the Target retail chain announced a new corporate policy that banned Salvation Army bell ringers and their collection kettles from Target storefronts. Next, they banned employees from saying “Merry Christmas.” Then slyly they stopped having separate areas for little boys’ and girls’ toys and bedding. Their woke agenda continued to get worse with a crescendo this year of placing obscene clothing in the front of their stores and next to the children’s section, even displaying alphabet mafia clothing for babies!!

That’s what happens when you take Christ out of Christmas; it’s a deep dive into hell. Needless, to say we broke up with Target many many years ago and have NEVER missed them!

#2 Breakup with StarbucksMy breakup with Starbucks was brought on by their huge financial support and endorsement of gay marriage. But that was only the beginning. They also support abortion, the alphabet sexual perversion, pronoun reassignment, gender mutilation and castration even of children, and the entire radical liberal agenda.

When we lived in California back in 2008, voters voted in Proposition 8, which “provides that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.” It passed 52% to 48%, by a margin of about 600,000 votes. The Protect Marriage campaign supporting Proposition 8 constantly invoked the “far-reaching consequences” of legal gay marriage, particularly the implication that school curriculums would be required to teach that gay marriage is “the same as traditional marriage.”

Pollster David Fleischer, in his analysis of the election results, found that the greatest shift toward “Yes” among undecided voters was “among parents with children under 18 living at home—many of them white Democrats,” who feared the effects of legal gay marriage on their children’s public education. Evangelicals and Republicans formed the core of Proposition 8’s support. Sadly, the people’s will was overturned and gay marriage was legalized.

What these parents feared most has become our reality today. The Biden Administration labels parents who protest the sexual/pornographic indoctrination of their children as domestic terrorists. Many Evangelicals and Republicans today seem defeated and fear speaking out against the cultural demise.

When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, Starbucks announced it would reimburse travel expenses for employees who “need” abortions and cannot get them within 100 miles of their homes. They also provide insurance coverage for mislabeled “gender-affirming care,” which is actually gender annihilation, and cover travel expenses for employees who don’t have access to this horrible atrocity near their homes.

One article said, “Starbuck’s customers and workers tend to be more liberal.”

I’ve been laughed and scoffed at when I compare Starbuck’s logo signs with Asherah poles from the Old Testament. But after my breakup with Starbucks, that’s how I see them. Like an idol, the Starbuck’s logo sign used to magnetically draw me to pay an insane price for a calorie-ridden cup of coffee! Now I see that sign and pray for everyone still deceived into throwing money at a company whose values are the opposite of God’s.

The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight. They forgot about the Lord their God, and they served the images of Baal and the Asherah poles. Judges 3:7 NLT

Dear children, keep yourselves from idols. 1 John 5:21

#3 Breakup with Disney—I remember going to Disneyland as a child not long after it opened. I was so excited to take my daughter and then later her children to enjoy the “happiest place on earth!” Tragically, they’ve become the wokest place on earth with their corporate executives caught on video saying their goal is to include as much of the DEI and satanic agenda as possible by rewriting beloved children’s movies to depict gay, trans, morally sick people.

“Diversity” is a word you hear repeatedly along with “inclusive” and yet they now exclude conservatives, Christians, and godly values in all their movies and disgusting remakes of old favorites.

Diverse has become perverse!

#4 Breakup with Kohl’s—I was never much of a Kohl’s shopper, but like Target, they support the alphabet sexual agenda, especially during June.

#5 Breakup with Bed Bath and Beyond—I enjoyed this store because it didn’t matter how old the coupon, they would take it. Then they showed their true liberal loyalty by canceling Mike Lindell’s line of My Pillow because he was questioning the 2020 election. We stopped shopping at BB&B and threw away the coupons.

#6 Breakup with Maybelline— When they had a bearded man as a model for their makeup!

#7 Breakup with Fred Meyer/KrogerOf all our breakups, this one is by far the hardest. We live in the mountains of Idaho over an hour away from major shopping. So, when we go down the hill to Boise, we appreciate one-stop shopping where we can get most of our needs from food to housewares, pharmacy and clothes. For twelve years, Fred Meyer was that store for us. We took advantage of their digital coupons, savings on gas, first Tuesday of the month and every Tuesday in December savings for seniors, and savings for Veterans on the 3rd Thursday of the month.

This is an extremely painful breakup for both of us. Here’s why we’re parting ways with our treasured Fred Meyer and all Kroger products, since Kroger merged with Fred Meyer. You may have a Kroger store with a different name than Fred Meyer.

The gay, trans, alphabet “pride parade” and “celebration” of their sinful and perverted way of life not only dominated the month of June in Boise, Idaho’s Capitol, but because of Covid last year, they moved their parade and festival to the second weekend in September. When I got home from our church Women’s Retreat that same weekend, my daughter told me what took place in Boise. First, she sent a picture of the Fred Meyer float with children on it, then the heartbreaking photo that Fred Meyer not only participated in the parade, they also actually put it on!

This year’s parade title was “The 2023 Fred Meyer Pride Parade.” The parade was at 9:30 Sunday morning, I imagine so Christians would be in church and not protesting this debauchery.

Mad and grieving, I dashed off two emails to Fred Meyer corporate. The only response was an automatic form email confirming they had received my “valued customer” comments. I don’t feel like a valued customer. I feel like a betrayed ex-customer!

#9 Breakup with Walmart, Albertsons, and Wells Fargo—We seldom shop at Walmart, but they were a sponsor of the Boise pride parade as was Wells Fargo where we had already closed my ministry account many years ago when they went liberal woke. I don’t shop at Albertsons, but they also had a float in the parade.

What Does a Breakup Accomplish?

When God told Abraham that He was going to destroy his nephew Lot’s town of Sodom and Gomorrah because of their horrible sin, Abraham asked God if He would spare it if there were 10 righteous men. God said He would. But the night before Sodom and Gomorrah was destroyed, two male angels came to Lot’s house and a group of despicable men surrounded the house demanding Lot send those men outside so they could have sex with them. Do you remember that? Sexual perverted sin has been going on since the beginning of time, but never in my lifetime was sin celebrated in the streets until now.

The picture opening this blog is not when Obama lit up the White House for the legalization of gay marriage. No, it’s the Boise Capitol during the September Fred Meyer pride event on Friday night September 8th and Saturday September 9th. Since it was illegal to have the lights on government property, they solicited donner money to set up lights across the street and shine them on our beautiful Capitol. That should’ve been illegal too!

My blood pressure is rising and tears flowing just writing about this. We must have more than 10 righteous people in Boise because God has allowed us to remain a red conservative state, but how long Lord will You wait for those righteous people to take a stand against this evil? People used to try to hide their sin, but the current culture wants to flaunt their sin and force people to accept and embrace it. Indoctrinate our children.

Gay marriage was only the beginning and would never be enough. When Satan gets a foothold, he never stops.

Why do you boast about your crimes, great warrior? Don’t you realize God’s justice continues forever? All day long you plot destruction. Your tongue cuts like a sharp razor; you’re an expert at telling lies. You love evil more than good and lies more than truth. Ps. 52:1-3 NLT

I want you all to remember what the Bible says in Romans 1:24-28 NLT

24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.

You may think I’m being too extreme, but God is watching where we spend our money and what we’re supporting. We can’t tithe on Sunday, proudly give to missionaries, and then throw money at businesses whose values are the opposite of ours because it’s more convenient or we like the products. That goes for our investments too! We must be good stewards of what God gives us. He’s watching. He knows. Do we speak one thing and do another?

As a cohesive likeminded group, we can make a difference. Many of the companies I listed, and others, are either going bankrupt or losing billions of dollars from conservative consumer pushback. When a restaurant in Boise was having drag brunches, I wrote about it and even stood up in church and told the congregation what was happening at this Italian restaurant. That restaurant is now closed.

If you’re thinking these breakups are unloving, 1 Corinthians 13:6 reminds us, “Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.” When we know the truth, we have no excuse for not living it. God will keep us accountable.

Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. Phil. 2:1-2 NLT

Please leave a comment here. I reply to all comments.

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Three Lessons Beyond the Story of His Only Son!

Last week, Hubby Dave and I saw the latest movie from Angel Studios, His Only Son. I was thrilled that just like Jesus Revolution, this new Christian movie stayed in theaters long after its Pre-Easter release and the five day expected showing. That’s because many Christians poured into theaters to support His Only Son.

When I looked over at Dave during the movie to see if the sounds he was making meant he was falling asleep, I discovered to the contrary, he was crying. The story of Abraham, Sarah, and Isaac brought my tenderhearted husband to tears more than once.

If you haven’t seen the movie, I don’t want to give away too many details, but it’s the familiar story of God asking Abraham to sacrifice his long-awaited son, Isaac, born to elderly parents. The son that God had told Abraham would bring descendants outnumbering the stars in the sky. It’s a beautifully filmed movie with superb acting as it brings the Bible story of Genesis 22 to life. If you haven’t seen it and it’s still in your theaters, I encourage you to go, enjoy, and maybe cry at a father’s love for his son, but his even greater love for the Father in Heaven who Abraham trusted and obeyed, even when asked to perform a seemingly impossible sacrifice.

Interwoven into the story was a brief glimpse of Sarah’s servant Hagar when Abraham and Sarah attempted to go ahead of God. In today’s blog, I want to fill in some of the blanks with lessons from the story of Hagar and Ishmael, discussed in conversation during the movie if you listen closely, but not depicted.

We can learn from the consequences of Abraham and Sarah’s poor decision about using Hagar to circumvent God’s plan. Consequences still felt in the Middle East today.

Who Was Hagar?

When we first meet Hagar in the Bible, she’s an Egyptian maidservant to Sarai (later called Sarah), the wife of Abram (later called Abraham). Sarai was infertile and desperately wanted a child. God had told Abram that he would have an heir, a son, and yet as time passed the aging couple still didn’t have a baby (Gen. 15:2-5).

Mistakenly, Sarai thought the Lord had kept her from having a baby so she came up with her own plan to give Abram a family. (Gen. 16:2) In those days, a maidservant had no rights and was required to comply with whatever her owners told her to do. When her barren and desperate mistress Sarai decides to use Hagar as a surrogate to provide her husband Abram with a child, Hagar has no option but to obey. Abram agreed and slept with Hagar and she became pregnant.

The movie alludes to this, but tastefully never shows Abram and Hagar in any sexual scenes, not even an embrace. This seems like an odd practice to us today, but it was actually an ancient custom in biblical times to ensure the birth of a male heir.

What Happened Next to Hagar?

When Hagar learned she was carrying Abram’s child, she felt superior to Sarai and the Bible says she “began to despise her mistress” (Gen. 16:4). Maybe Hagar was upset that her mistress forced her husband on her, or she felt rejected that Abram didn’t treat her as a wife, and she took her frustration out on Sarai. Whatever the reason, she wrongly thought that her pregnancy empowered her to treat Sarai with contempt.

When the relationship between the two women deteriorated and became hostile, Sarai complained to her husband. Abram told her that this had been Sarai’s idea in the first place and Hagar was hers to do with what she wanted. He wasn’t going to get involved with their dispute. Sarai took that as permission to mistreat Hagar, so pregnant Hagar ran away into the desert. But what she didn’t expect was an encounter with God, which we don’t see in the movie.

The angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. And he said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I’m running away from my mistress Sarai,” she answered. Then the angel of the Lord told her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.” Gen. 16:7-9

The angel of the Lord also told her she would have a son and name him, “Ishmael, for the Lord has heard of your misery.” (Gen. 16:11)

So obediently, Hagar returned, gave birth to her son, and stayed on as Sarai’s maidservant. Sixteen years later, Sarai, renamed by God, Sarah, finally had her own miracle son as God had promised, but like any older brother, Ishmael started teasing his little toddler half-brother Isaac. Sarah was having none of this and demanded that her husband, now called Abraham, send Hagar and her son away . . . this time permanently. The movie eludes during a conversation that this took place, but we don’t see it happening. We hear about Ishmael, but never see him.

The child [Isaac] grew and was weaned, and on the day Isaac was weaned Abraham held a great feast. But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, 10 and she said to Abraham, “Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac.” (Gen. 21:8-10)

Abraham, now the father of both sons, protested but to his surprise, God intervened and incredulously told him to let them go. Listen in the movie for when Abraham discusses why he let them both go.

11 The matter distressed Abraham greatly because it concerned his son. 12 But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your slave woman. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring[a] will be reckoned. 13 I will make the son of the slave into a nation also, because he is your offspring.” (Gen. 21:11-13)

Reluctantly, Abraham agreed and sent Hagar and Ishmael out into the desert with food and water.

14 Early the next morning Abraham took some food and a skin of water and gave them to Hagar. He set them on her shoulders and then sent her off with the boy. She went on her way and wandered in the Desert of Beersheba. (Gen. 21:14)

God has lessons for us to learn from every biblical story and He tells us the story of Hagar in the Bible so we can apply what she learned to our own lives. Here are three important life application lessons.

Lesson #1: God Never Rejects Us

Hagar must have lamented her painful mistreatment and abandonment. Why was all this happening to her? When her hurt and despair sent her fleeing into the desert the first time, she was surprised but also very relieved and blessed when God met her there. She realized that even in her lowly position in life, she was important to God and He hadn’t rejected or forgotten her.

It was hard to hear God wanted her to go back to Sarai and endure abuse, but then God gave her a name for her son, Ishmael. God said He would even multiply Ishmael’s descendants. Wow, that was quite a promise, which God did fulfill in later years.

Hagar agreed to God’s plan and called the Lord, “The God who sees me, for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” (Gen. 16:13)

God heard her cries of affliction. Amazingly, a slave girl was the first recorded appearance of God face to face in Scripture. Others had heard His voice or seen visions, but here was God in person.

Like Hagar, when it seems like others are rejecting you, God sees and hears you. Don’t let rejection define you; allow it to refine you. Hagar had the confidence and security in God to humbly return to Sarai and Abram and fulfill her role in biblical history.

Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me! (Ps. 66:20)

The Lord will not reject his people; he will not abandon his special possession. (Ps. 94:14 NLT)

Lesson #2 God is Near to the Brokenhearted

When Abraham sent Hagar and her son Ismael into the desert, it looked like they would surely die when the supplies Abraham had given them were exhausted. Now her precious son who God had given her and even named would starve to death. It was too much for her to bear. She couldn’t watch as he curled up in a fetal positon under a tree, but she couldn’t block out his starving moans and wails.

15 When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there, she[b] began to sob. (Gen. 21:15-16)

But, what was she hearing now? Could it be a second encounter with God?! Yes, He had heard the cries of her son and asked her what was wrong? The Angel of the Lord spoke to this distressed mother yet again and reassured her not to be full of fear or sadness. Just as He had promised, God reaffirmed that her son’s legacy would be a great nation.  

17 God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. 18 Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” (Gen. 21:17-18)

When we’re in deep despair, our tendency often is to shut out the world, and sometimes that includes shutting out God. But God is the one who understands our distress like no human can. Sometimes He will put people in our life and speak through them to comfort us, but what He longs for us to do is bend our ear towards Him and listen. Let His presence comfort you with the hope that He’s going through this with you and He always has a plan if we open our eyes to see our opportunities and listen to the wisdom He whispers in our prayer time.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. (Ps. 34:18)

Lesson #3 God’s Plan Is Always the Best One to Follow

When Hagar opened crying eyes, to her astonishment there was a well of water in the middle of the desert. Only God! She ran to fill her wineskin and gave her thirsty son a refreshing drink.

19 Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. (Gen. 21:19)

Bravely, Hagar believed God and trusted that even as a single mom rejected and stranded in the middle of nowhere, if God said it was so, then she would trust Him and obey again. God was faithful to His promise.

20 God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer. 21 While he was living in the Desert of Paran, his mother got a wife for him from Egypt. (Gen 21:20-21)

While we often focus on Abraham and Sarah, God has a powerful lesson in the story of Hagar. Through no fault of her own, she became entrenched in the couple’s contrived plan to fulfill God’s promise themselves instead of waiting for God’s perfect timing and plan. We can’t outsmart or outdo God. His plans always are for good and will prevail, but we’ll pay a price when our impetuous and prideful thinking is that we know best.

22 The Scriptures say that Abraham had two sons, one from his slave wife and one from his freeborn wife.[a] 23 The son of the slave wife was born in a human attempt to bring about the fulfillment of God’s promise. But the son of the freeborn wife was born as God’s own fulfillment of his promise. (Gal. 4:22-23)

Just as God promised, Ishmael became a great nation but to this day, his descendants continue to be in conflict with the nation founded by his half-brother Isaac.

Everyday Brave Hagar

I include Hagar in Everyday Brave: Living Courageously as a Woman of Faith because she didn’t let the hard life that she encountered defeat her. She had a personal experience with God and He protected and provided for her. She courageously understood that God was the One she could depend on and trust. He would make a way when circumstances seemed impossible.

Even when we don’t see God face-to-face like Hagar did, or maybe have trouble feeling His presence, our faith assures us of the truth that we’re never alone. God has promised to never leave or forsake us even when others disappoint or even abandon us. God is always just a prayer away.

God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Heb. 13:5b)

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Words Do Matter! Go to THE WORD for Wisdom!

Over the years, various professional groups have changed their “acceptable” terminology. For example, I remember when flight attendants were referred to as Stewardesses, but they prefer “flight attendant,” so we all changed our terminology to accommodate them.

Hairdressers now prefer to be called hairstylists. Beauty parlors are now hair salons.

Those were easy adjustments for us all to accommodate and respect the changes.

I’m old enough to remember when “black” was not an acceptable word to describe ethnicity. Until they started calling themselves black and it became an acceptable term. But even today, you see people struggling with using black and will instead say “people of color” or “African American.” I’ve heard some blacks offended by that last term protesting they weren’t from Africa they’re simply Americans.

Sadly, we’re often denoted and divided today by the color of our skin instead of our integrity and character. That’s racism. God and the Constitution say we’re all equal. Not equity, but equal!

Queer became an offensive word for that community who decided they were “gay.” But now, they’ve started calling themselves queer so it seems to be acceptable again along with letters of the alphabet they’ve adopted and terms they’ve created like “transgender” for cross dressers and a myriad of different gender terms, none of which you’ll find God using in the Bible.

The woke word police have bumped up vocabulary changes to the point that people can lose their jobs or be socially attacked if they use the wrong term or pronoun.

There was no universal agreement that certain people groups could change our language to the point where a minority of the population holds the majority hostage to their grammar and vocabulary rules because “someone” might be offended.

And for a reason I can’t quite understand, the majority are not speaking out that they’re offended by the woke word police. As a Christian, we should all be offended by any acceptance of actions or terminology that goes against God’s plan for men and women and adamantly offended when this tyranny is inflicted on our children.

You may have heard of Stanford University IT’s attempt to label words like “American” and “Hispanic” as harmful. After great pushback, they did remove American from their harmful list, but this means that students going to this university will come out brainwashed in woke permissible language and philosophy.

According to a report, “the list is a product of the “Elimination of Harmful Language Initiative,” which aims to “eliminate” words that may be deemed “racist, violent, and biased,” the document reads. The index lists a wide variety of words — some of which are commonly used — and provides an alternative word and an explanation of why the language may be harmful. There are ten “harmful language” sections outlined in the document including: ablest, ageism, colonialism, culturally appropriate, gender-based, and biased (e.g., disability bias, ethnic bias, ethnic slurs, gender bias, implicit bias, sexual bias) language. Stanford University Attempts To Ban ‘Harmful’ Words, List Includes ‘American’ | The Daily Caller

USC prohibits the use of the word “field” calling it racist.

The CDC has even come up with Preferred Terms for Select Population Groups & Communities. Where it might’ve been a one word description, they’ve written a paragraph for categories like, Criminals, Disability, Drug/Substance Use, Healthcare Access & Access to Services and Resources, Homelessness, Lower Socioeconomic Status, Mental Health/Behavioral Health, Non-U.S.-born Persons / Immigration Status, Race & Ethnicity (instead of Caucasian they want “white person”), Rural, Elderly, Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity (you can only imagine the long list there including pronouns).

How Do We Respond as Christians?

In July 2022, I wrote a blog titled, We’re In A War of Words with the Devil! That war is escalating and every day we’re challenged to take up our cross and defend our faith in new ways.

The woke agenda is not biblical; it’s political and diabolical and designed to force us into a mold of their making, whoever they are whether it’s the liberal universities or the Marxist government. We need to resist for as long as we have free speech guaranteed under the First Amendment.

For example, the Bible does not use the terms “gay” or “transgender” or alphabet initials, it uses homosexual, immoral, perverted, abdominal to describe anything other than God’s plan for only two genders, male and female, to have married sexual relations with each other! They reproduce baby girls and boys exclusively. No variations! So why would we verbally indulge the Devil’s work by using his terminology to acknowledge behavior and words we know are wrong.

God says,

 “Do not practice homosexuality, having sex with another man as with a woman. It is a detestable sin.” Leviticus 18:22 NLT

Instead, you yourselves are the ones who do wrong and cheat even your fellow believers.[a]

Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10 or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. 1 Cor. 6:8-10 NLT

For the law was not intended for people who do what is right. It is for people who are lawless and rebellious, who are ungodly and sinful, who consider nothing sacred and defile what is holy, who kill their father or mother or commit other murders. 10 The law is for people who are sexually immoral, or who practice homosexuality, or are slave traders,[a] liars, promise breakers, or who do anything else that contradicts the wholesome teaching 11 that comes from the glorious Good News entrusted to me by our blessed God. 1 Tim. 1:9-11 NLT

There is nothing “gay” or expressing “pride” about sexual sin in any of those verses. Gay pride is not to be celebrated, yet we have an entire month in America dedicated to this sin!?

Why would we let the liberal government or Marxist woke groups dictate, even legislate, terms and words? As Christians we remain kind and respectful, but we shouldn’t be manipulated, coerced, or forced into reciting from a script we reject. Because trust me, when we do acquiesce, it will never be enough.

For example, the baker in Colorado who won his case that went all the way to the Supreme Court when he refused to make a cake for a homosexual wedding, is now back in court because he won’t make a cake for a gender change party. You know they’re taunting and harassing his faith and Christian beliefs.

Satan never gives up. He’s never satisfied until we comply and bend to his will; but Christians follow God’s will exclusively! At least we should, no matter the cost or pressure. We don’t bend and we don’t break! And when Satan whispers in our ear like he did to Eve, “Did God really say that?” we boldly confirm, “Yes He did!”

Please pray for baker Jack Phillips as he faces yet another legal battle to honor his faith and morals.

The Only Way to Know God’s Will is to Stay in THE WORD!

27 As he was speaking, a woman in the crowd called out, “God bless your mother—the womb from which you came, and the breasts that nursed you!”

28 Jesus replied, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.” Luke 11:27-28

If you’re not in your Bible daily, yes I mean daily, you’re going to be battered and bruised by the culture and the world. It will be hard, maybe impossible, to stay true to your faith and your Heavenly Father unless you talk to Him every day and listen to Him talk to you through His written Word and His still small voice. The voice that the culture wants to drown out with the noise and chatter of a world gone woke and wild.

It takes discipline to read your Bible daily, but you’ll be devoured by this world if you don’t. There are so many Bible-reading plans available. Maybe you don’t think you can read the Bible in a year, so just read a chapter or two a day. Or even just a single Scripture that accompanies a devotional you might even receive online. Find a way. I’ve used YouVersion, CBN.com, Our Daily Bread, and Daily Walk.

A friend emailed me just this morning “As I read the New Testament, I see God’s hand all over those lovely scriptures . . . I was a bit down and not until I immersed myself in study later in the morning did I feel the grayness go away . . . it happens to us all . . . but we can feel the Savior’s love through prayer and study and help lift us up in joy.”

Isn’t that beautiful! My friend experienced the world falling away as God’s Word filled her heart and mind.

Having a Word to Guide You Helps Too!

If you’ve followed me for a while, you know that every New Year, I pray for God to give me a word of His choosing to guide me through the coming year. A dear friend and I compare notes and then remind each other throughout the year of how God is using our word in our lives. There’s always confirmation from the Lord and a verse to memorize.

As I prayed and read my Bible asking God to give me a word for 2023, I saw “wisdom” everywhere. As you can imagine, when I searched for wisdom in the Bible there are 219 references listed. But what finally confirmed that it was my 2023 word, was a small plaque that our son’s family gave me for Christmas with Psalm 90:12, Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. [opening picture]

When I opened that present, I knew God was telling me I would need wisdom in the coming year. Wisdom would be my 2023 word and Psalm 90:12 would be my verse!

You and I don’t know how many days the Lord has allotted us, but we do know they’re not infinite. Much of what we do and say during our lifetime may be forgotten by many, but may it be said of each of us is that we loved the Lord with all our heart, mind, soul, and words.

If you don’t receive my monthly newsletter, here is a link to the January issue. My opening article “God Will Save Our Children, But we Must Do our Part!” encourages that the next generation is going to be the generation of revival. We need to pour our words and love into them. You can sign up for my monthly newsletter and to receive this weekly blog at my website www.womantowomanmentoring.com or send me your email and we’ll add you to the email list.

Following are some previous blogs I’ve written about my annual “word” and the importance of not allowing Satan or the government to hijack our godly words, thoughts, or actions.

2022 Trust  In a Word: TRUST God! — https://womantowomanmentoring.com

2021 Resilience (didn’t blog about this word)

2020 Glorify  God Wants a Word with You! — https://womantowomanmentoring.com

2019 Joy (mentioned in other blogs)

2018 Calm  How Can A Word Change Your Life — https://womantowomanmentoring.com

2017 Hope https://womantowomanmentoring.com/2017/05/i-didnt-see-this-coming/

PS We went with our seventeen year-old granddaughter this weekend to see Left Behind—The Rise of the Antichrist. I highly recommend this updated version, which is so applicable to today!

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Woke is Just a Euphemism for Demonic!

First, I want to say that Satan doesn’t want you reading this blog or me writing it. How do I know that? Well, I turned on my computer to warm up while I ate my bowl of oatmeal on a rainy Saturday morning and both screens were black, as in blank. I tried a few things and then called on my computer genius hubby for help and it took almost two hours to bring the screens back to life but there was no logical or technical reason for the blackout. Then when I went to complete the post after church the next day, it took us almost two hours again to get the computer screens aligned and working.

Saturday morning, while Dave was working on it still in his robe and slippers, I couldn’t hold back the tears. I went out on the deck and cried out to God asking Him why writing for Him had to be so hard??!! I even said, “Satan is winning?!” I woke up with ideas about what I wanted to write and then felt defeat overtaking me as my mind emptied of all I planned to share.

But here’s what I do know: I will not be defeated. I might cry and be frustrated, but as long as I have breath and a means to communicate the thoughts the Lord gives me, I will not stop. I claim Psalm 16:8!
I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. Psalm 16:8 NLT

 And a huge praise for my husband’s willingness to persevere until we had some measure of victory.

So that being said, let me get into the meat of what I wanted to talk about this week, and brace yourself, it’s not pleasant but it is urgent.

When “Inclusive” is Abusive It’s Satanic!

If something in our life or culture is not from God, it’s from Satan!

Think about that for a minute. There are only two forces working in our world today, spiritual and satanic. Read the Bible for yourself. There’s either good or evil. Today’s culture and the liberal progressive Democrats have created a social and political agenda that discards and devalues God’s good and invites Satan’s evil to overtake America!

How can this happen in a nation with 210 million Christians? Because the church and many Christians are allowing it! Yes, God is in control, but we are His hands and feet on earth. My ministry is “About His Work!” Where I hope to be until He takes me home. Christians should all be about our Father’s work.

People have been bought, bribed, and paid to undermine our democracy. Whatever they don’t agree with is deemed racism as they denounce America as a failure. But the sole purpose of this fabricated race war and “inclusive” wokeism is to distract from their actual war on God.

Jason Whitlock who hosts “Fearless” spelled it out on Tucker Carlson. I hope you’ll take a moment to listen and think deeply about what he says here. FULL CLIP Tucker Carlson & Jason Whitlock This Is An Attack On God & Democrats Are Baiting Us Into.. – Bing video

A paraphrase of Jason’s comments is that America is the only country founded on biblical principles, almost as God’s experiment, and up until this administration, it’s been a success. But the atheist and people hostile to God want to end this biblical experiment so they’re waging an internal war to tear it down. That’s the real nuclear weapon!

Wokeness is a smokescreen and attack on God and believers regardless of skin color. We need to wake up and watch what they’re doing. They’re attacking God! Whitlock explains, “If you think they’re attacking you, they’re not. They’re attacking God and attacking a country founded on biblical principles! It’s the only biblical experiment that’s ever been tried by a nation and the results are better than any other country.”

“This is satanic what they’re doing!”

Which I’ve been saying almost every week in my blogs! Satan is real and he hates God’s people!

Yet, how many pastors or church leaders do you hear denouncing our country’s quick slide into the gates of hell?

When has your pastor from the pulpit, or you as a Jesus follower, taken action or even mentioned Satan unless talking about the Garden of Eden? I applaud your pastor and you if you’ve done more than just complain about how bad things are or how they’re effecting you personally. But many believers are doing nothing to speak out against the evil or tell their pastor that the congregation needs tools to stop the satanic overtaking of America, our families, our children.

Sadly, NC Pastor John Amanchukwu said about his fellow pastors, “The modern-day pastor today is more like a whimp than like a watchman because they won’t address Critical Race Theory.”

Pastor Mark Burns at a Flashpoint rally in Phoenix reminded us that the government should rest on the shoulders of the people not crush the people. CRT, racism, transgender agenda, and all wokeism is a war against Bible-believing Christians . . . ultimately against God.

Both of those pastors BTW are black!

The church was silent during the 50 years of Roe v Wade and many were silent when it was overturned?! How hard did anyone fight against same sex marriage, taking the Bible and prayers out of schools? Satan has watched our lethargy and apathy and taken advantage to go full speed ahead to attack all Christian values in America.

How many pastors are addressing the following issues destroying our culture, our families, our children?

  •   Desensitizing children with radical sex ed in the classroom—as young as elementary school.
  • Grooming young children to “explore their sexual identity” and “embrace alternative lifestyles” as part of classroom exercises.
  • Forcing affirmation of pronouns that destroy the biblical definition of gender as exclusively male and female.
  • Allowing boys in girls’ bathrooms, and vice versa.
  • Demeaning girls by letting boys who “identify” as transgender take over girls’ sports.
  • Indoctrinating children through teachers describing their own radical sexual identity and lifestyle choices in the classroom.
  • Confusing children by teaching them Critical Race Theory (CRT), woke history (with all kinds of politically correct rewriting), and often blatantly anti-American propaganda.
  • Labeling concerned parents as “domestic terrorists.

Satan is Coming to Your Town

Maybe you’ve watched the disgusting degenerate flaunting of men dressed up as women sexually and explicitly gyrating in front of children as they’ve moved out of the libraries and into restaurants for “Drag brunches,” which are of course on Sunday morning. Playing music during this sex performance that is so sexual, vile, explicit, and pornographic that when clips are shown on TV programs willing to expose this depraved behavior, they can’t even play the background music because it’s so X-rated. Yet little ears and eyes are sitting in these brunches watching and hearing all of this filth. These drag perverts get money thrown at them like strippers and even have websites where you can contribute to their satanic evil. It’s all for money!

Video of all-ages drag show in front of children ignites outrage: ‘This is clear child abuse’ | Fox News

You say to yourself what kind of parents would take their children to something like this and that’s a good question. Parents are threatened with legal action if they don’t let a minor mutilate their body, but there’s no problem with them taking their children to see live porn!

What kind of city or restaurant or local legislators would allow this pornography and child abuse? Your city and my city!!

A restaurant in our town, Asiago’s in downtown Boise is having drag Sunday brunches with children welcome! I’ve called and expressed my disdain and put their phone number on my social media and announced in church that this evil is happening in our Capitol city!

Matt Walsh with the Daily Wire is a brave man exposing the attack on our children. I implore you to watch this video of his podcast. It’s short, just click on it here. A Convicted Pedophile Grooms A 11 Year Old Drag Queen (Video) – Gospel News Network

Walsh also exposed that Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, Tenn. was promoting and performing sex change mutilation on young children. There was even an admission caught on a “hot mic” that now that revenue has been lost from abortions, performing theses sex change operations on children would be an ongoing source of revenue because these poor children as they grow will need to keep returning for medical or psychological care for the rest of their lives!!!

Vanderbilt even put out a sick commercial telling parents they should “support” their young children’s desire to change their gender. Those in this abhorrent satanic “industry,” consider it a profitable business, just like the murder of innocent babies in abortions.

If your child said at any age that they wanted to fly, would you take them to a rooftop and say go for it? Parents are to be the protectors of their children not supporters of crazy dangerous ideas that are wrong and can cause permanent damage to them for the rest of their lives. Children aren’t allowed to vote, own a gun, drink, even get into an R rated movie without their parents and yet the Biden administration is supporting young children changing their gender preference without even consulting parents!! Or in some states, the children can be removed from parents who don’t go along with this insanity.

So called “gender reassignment” surgery, a synonym for child mutilation and castration, is also occurring for children under eighteen right here in red state Boise, Idaho at St. Luke’s Hospital! Hospital in Boise Offers ‘Gender Reassignment’ Surgery – Idaho Dispatch

Gender reassignment is an evil myth. You may try surgically or hormonally to change who God made you, but the gender you were at birth is the gender you are for life no matter how many attempts to manipulate your body parts that God fearfully and wonderfully gifted to you. It’s a dangerous fad and a result of our sick society that allows these confused children to be damaged for the rest of their life. It should be outlawed, but instead it’s protected and promoted by laws.

We need to teach our children to believe what God says about each one of His creations: I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalm 139:14

You cannot be a Christian and support any of this satanic behavior even if it’s happening in your own family or with people you know. How do I know it’s satanic because it’s nothing God would ever support. He’s not saying, ‘Oh you’re right I really meant to make Johnny a Sally or Sally a Johnny. What was I thinking when I wonderfully created them in their mother’s womb? Ooops let’s change all of that!’ NO!!! He says instead, “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.” Jer. 1:5 NLT

God never makes a mistake. Only Satan is the author of confusion, which we’re observing right now and the culture for the most part is going right along with it.

Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should or that it’s right.

The premise of BLM and Marxism/Communism is to destroy the church, its values, and the family. We’re watching this happen right before our eyes and too many in the church are afraid to speak the truth. As a consequence, the next generation…our children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren…are suffering.

What Can Be Done?

Please don’t just passively read this blog and say to yourself it’s really terrible what’s happening in our society. Take action. Do something about it! We aren’t to be just hearers of the Word but doers. Once you’ve heard the truth, and if you’ve read to this point, you’re now quite aware of Satan’s attack on our society and you can make a choice to do more than simply put a “like” on a social media post or even comment to me, you can make a decision to do something right here, right now!

Pray: First pray asking God what difference can you make wherever He has planted you? Where does He want you to be bold, brave, courageous, and a responsible citizen and Christian? “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

Take Action: Whatever you hear the Lord telling you to do, do it. Just do it! Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. James 1:22

Vote: Both parties are surprised how many nonpoliticians who are Conservative Republicans, and many are Christians, have heard the call to run for office. As Jason Whitlock would say, they want to keep our great American biblical experiment succeeding by putting God and His principles back into legislation and ousting out of office the woke, demonic, progressive, devious politicians who want to inclusively destroy America!

It’s disgraceful how many Christians don’t vote; don’t be one of them. God gave us this country and He gave you the freedom to protect it as an American citizen. It’s shameful, lazy, and cowardly not to try and make your voice heard with your vote.

A sweet elderly lady in church who has had a stroke, her husband’s blind and deaf, came up to me last Sunday at church. She said she liked the things I often share in church. Would I please help them research who to vote for as Conservative Republicans. They don’t want mail in, they want to go fill out their ballots in person like they always have.

Don’t let this little lady shame you. Get out and vote like your life, your country, your family, the future of America depended on it, because it does! For those who say you don’t want to get involved in politics, politics will get involved with you!

THESE are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives everything its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated. Thomas Paine, Dec 23, 1776

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Only God Decides the End of the World!

When a politician, or a former bartender turned politician, or a radical climate zealot predicts “We’re all going to die! We only have so many years to live on earth unless you listen to me,” I think, or sometimes say aloud, “You’re not God. Only God knows the last day of this earth. God will decide when the world ends!”

In 2019, AOC a young freshman progressive liberal Congresswoman with no scientific or climate expertise absurdly proclaimed that climate change would “destroy the planet” by the year 2031 if people fail to address a generational challenge she likened to “Word War II.”

“Millennials and people, you know, Gen Z and all these folks that will come after us are looking up and we’re like: ‘The world is gonna end in 12 years if we don’t address climate change and your biggest issue is how are we gonna pay for it?’” Ocasio-Cortez told interviewer Tanehisi Coates at an “MLK Now” event in New York. Ocasio Cortez: ‘The World is Going to End In Twelve Years If We Don’t Address Climate Change’ (yahoo.com)

Failed presidential candidate, Beto O’Rourke echoed her crazy foolishness even though scientists and climate experts quickly debunked her wild baseless prediction. Neither of them ever retracted their hysterical proclamations.

AOC and Bernie Sanders, another socialist climate zealot politician, were proposing the New Green Deal to eliminate cow flatulence and gas fueled cars, while using wind and solar power exclusively, and discontinuing the use of Fossil Fuels, which was making America energy independent for the first time in history.

While AOC appeared arrogantly confident, no one but climate cult activists took her seriously. Others had tried to play God before with always the same outcome: the world did not end! Maybe you remember some of these failed predictions.

1. In 1967, Famine 1975! America’s Decision: Who Will Survive? predicted mass starvation around the developing world due to increasing population. “Today’s crisis can move in only one direction – toward catastrophe,” it warned.

2. In 1970, Sen. Gaylord Nelson, D-Wisc., – often considered the “father of Earth Day” – cited the secretary of the Smithsonian, who “believes that in 25 years, somewhere between 75 and 80 percent of all the species of living animals will be extinct.”

3. Global cooling was once a worry to many. In 1975, British science writer Nigel Calder warned in International Wildlife magazine, “The threat of a new ice age must now stand alongside nuclear war as a likely source of wholesale death and misery for mankind.” University of California at Davis professor Kenneth Watt agreed that present trends would make the world “eleven degrees colder in the year 2000 … about twice what it would take to put us into an ice age.”

4. In 1982, U.N. official Mostafa Tolba, executive director of the UN Environment Program, warned: “By the turn of the century, [2000] an environmental catastrophe will witness devastation as complete, as irreversible, as any nuclear holocaust.”

5. In 1989, since the proclaimed climate ice age threat never occurred, climate activists turned to predict the opposite: global warming! A senior U.N. environmental official, Noel Brown, director of the New York office of the U.N. Environment Program, said entire nations could be wiped off the face of the Earth by rising sea levels if the global warming trend is not reversed by the year 2000. “Shifting climate patterns would bring back 1930s Dust Bowl conditions to Canadian and U.S. wheatlands.” Instead, U.S. and global farm production rose, and more than 1 billion people worldwide rose out of extreme poverty due to economic growth.

Brown also claimed: “the most conservative scientific estimate [is] that the Earth’s temperature will rise 1 to 7 degrees in the next 30 years.” But looking back from 2019, the temperature rose about half of a degree Celsius since 1989, according to NASA.

6. Scientist Harrison Brown predicted in Scientific American that lead, zinc, tin, gold and silver deposits would be fully depleted before 1990.

7. In 2006, while promoting his movie “An Inconvenient Truth,” Al Gore said that humanity had only 10 years left before the world would reach a point of no return.

Then came along AOC, Bernie Sanders, and Beto O’Rourke!

What Is the Motivation of Climate Extremists and Environmental Alarmists?

Revealingly, economist Walter E. Williams says environmentalists have occasionally tipped their hand about what motivates their predictions. “We have to offer up scary scenarios, make simplified, dramatic statements, and make little mention of any doubts we might have.”

Williams also cites Sen. Timothy Wirth, a Democrat from Colorado, who said in 1988: “We’ve got to … try to ride the global warming issue. Even if the theory of global warming is wrong … we will be doing the right thing anyway in terms of economic policy and environmental policy.”

Stephen Schneider, a professor of Biology at Stanford University, said to Discover magazine in 1989. “Each of us has to decide what the right balance is between being effective and being honest.

George Mason University economist Walter E. Williams argues that there are so many apocalyptic predictions because “they have an agenda for more government control … fear about the environment is a way to gain government control,” Williams told Fox News.

“Communism and socialism have lost respectability, so it’s been repackaged as environmentalism,” he added. “It’s like watermelons — green on the outside, red on the inside.”

The above research came from: 10 times ‘experts’ predicted the world would end by now | Fox News

What do all of the above predictions have in common besides they didn’t happen? They were all trying to create government policies to control nature and people. In a naked grab for power, they use unsubstantiated scare tactics to instill fear in those who believe them. Especially vulnerable are adolescents who keep hearing the world is going to end and they’re going to die if we don’t go green!

Just like many have tried to predict the day Jesus will return, end of the world alarmists will always be wrong. Only God knows those days and anyone trying to play God will always fail.

“However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.” Matt. 24:36 NLT

So think about it. When’s the last time you heard AOC declare more of her scaremongering that by now the world will end in nine years? Well, she hasn’t had to do that because when Biden came into office and the Democrats took over Congress and a close majority in the Senate, they’ve been gradually trying to slip their New Green Deal into policies and bills like the current big spending bill that it seems only Joe Manchin can prevent. Manchin’s one vote derailed Biden’s Build Back Better fiasco bill.

Here’s why Manchin hopefully will nix the new bill: “Hopes for a quick deal were cut short, however, this week. Manchin informed Schumer and other members of the Democratic leadership that he could not support including tax hikes and climate change subsidies within the package until the nation’s economic picture became clearer.” 

Pray for Manchin to stand strong against the pressure he’s receiving to cave by Democrats like socialist Bernie Sanders who admits this bill is all about climate change, which he calls “an existential threat to humanity!” Radical ideologs love that word “existential” don’t they!

God is in control of the climate no matter how hard the government tries to convince us that they are in charge. They’re only using climate control as a scare tactic to force you to obey and conform to government control. Communism!

The liberals don’t really care about the future of the planet. They’re bowing to the Environmentalist Extremist Lobby and they’re using Biden to achieve their goals. His first day in office, Biden started the war on fossil fuels, which immediately put people out of work and started raising the price of gas, diesel for trucks, and fertilizer which is a product of petroleum. It’s the environmentalists and the Biden administration causing the food shortages and high prices at the pump and grocery counter!

With the stroke of a pen, Biden took us from complete energy independence from the Trump era to begging from our enemies for energy. The hypocrisy and insanity is that none of these elitists crippling American energy thinks anything of jumping in their private planes and limos.

We’ve seen what’s happened in Europe when they decided to radically implement the environmental extremists’ green agenda. Now Germany is dependent on Russia for energy because they shut down their own energy independence. Biden just flew 7000 miles on Air Force One to Saudi Arabia to beg for oil. Plus transporting all their large gas-guzzling vehicles! What kind of carbon footprint did that create when he could have called Texas, Alaska, Pennsylvania, and Oklahoma and told them to start drilling again!

The chaos in Sri Lanka and the Netherlands right now with people starving and rioting in the streets is because they bought the lie DAVOS fed them and with extreme and hasty actions on climate . . . they destroyed their economy, farming dried up, and their country is in turmoil. The same disaster is being repeated throughout Europe and now the USA!

To quote Lance Wallnau, “The environmentalists are crazy. They are more fanatic than Al-Qaeda! Environmentalists are under control of demons and the politicians are under control of them, and they’re trying to now control us.”

What Does God Say About the Environment?

When you open your Bible to Genesis, the first thing you read about is God creating the environment by speaking into existence the earth, moon, sun, oceans, land, trees, plants, fish, birds, animals. Then God said, “It was very good!”

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Gen. 1:1

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. Gen. 1:26

Regarding populating the earth, “And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Gen. 1:28

A Psalm of David. The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. Ps. 24:1-2 ESV

The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them. Ps. 89:11 ESV

God is in control of the world and all that’s in it. No attempt of environmentalists, politicians, or crazy climate activist alarmists will ever change the climate or when God decides it’s time to end this world and start the new one!

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Col. 1:16-17 ESV

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with themHe will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” Rev. 21:1-4 NLT

The climate activists and extremists have created their own cult and religion worshipping the environment they think they can control and not worshipping the Creator who is in control of everything. God told us how to live on the earth He created for us.

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” Rev. 4:11 ESV

 “You are the Lord, you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and you preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you. Neh. 9:6 ESV

 “If you walk in my statutes and observe my commandments and do them, then I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its increase, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. Lev. 26:3-4

For “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.” 1 Cor. 10:26

Man didn’t create the world and he can’t end the world! Only God controls the end time for the earth and our earthly life, but we can spend eternity with Him in Paradise if we only believe in His Son, Jesus Christ.

 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. 27 God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’[b] As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’[c]

29 “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. 30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.” Acts 17:24-31

Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. 90 Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures. Ps. 119:89-90

If you received this article by email, leave a comment here. And please share, especially to those who are living in fear of the world ending!

If you haven’t read last week’s blog, here it is. Don’t Look to Headlines, Look to God!

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America Needs Truth Not Tolerance

You might’ve noticed that I took a little longer to resume Monday Morning Blogs after Memorial Day break. I came down with a distressfully messy cold over Memorial Day, then a scratch on my cornea so I was trying to limit screen time while it healed. As hard as we tried to protect Dave from the cold, a week later he started coughing and sneezing too. A summer cold is not fun, and we take so many preventative supplements and eat so clean and healthy, I don’t know how it snuck through, but we’re both on the road to recovery now.

As always, the Lord has put a message on my heart to share that cannot be ignored, especially as we’re living in times that seem to resemble Sodom and Gomorrah and yet few are pushing back. Even many Christians and churches have decided to take the “safe” stance of tolerance as our children are being taught to believe that sin is normal and acceptable.

I mentioned to you previously that Dave and I enjoy watching Flashpoint on the Victory Channel and have shared it with many who become followers of this program that addresses current events with a biblical view of how Christians should respond to and engage in the culture. A recent show caught my attention, and God grabbed me with the assignment to share it because I knew what was being said was so true. I took notes as fast as I could and will present some of them here for you to consider.

Why Must Every Christian Know and Honor Biblical Truth?

Brenda Keesee, the author of Fight Like Heaven: A Cultural Guide to Living on Guard, responded to the Flashpoint host Gene Baily’s question about what pastors can do to help fight the spiritual warfare now going after our children, specifically trying to indoctrinate them in the “LGBTQ” lifestyle. She pointed out that the last generation was indoctrinated with abortion and the “women’s movement” and now that the enemy’s socialist/Marxist agenda has successfully normalized the gay way of life, it is now accelerating efforts to normalize transgenderism and gender confusion. When you give Satan a successful foothold, he moves on to the next victory!

You might’ve seen the disgusting clips of parents in Texas actually taking their children to a drag bar for a “Pride event” and having the young kids participate in perverse acts. What kind of parent would do that? Maybe a parent thinking they need to raise their children to be “tolerant” of all lifestyles. That’s what the liberal agenda and media drill into us that we’re prejudiced and intolerant when we don’t accept perversion instead of protecting our children and telling them the truth. Not wanting to be called names like “intolerant” or “homophobic” or worse, we cave to an immoral culture. This can happen even among Christians who would rather be woke tolerant than bold truth tellers.

New York City has paid $200,000 of taxpayer money to bring drag queen story hours into 34 public schools for children as young as three-years old! The events involve cross-dressed drag performers reading to schoolchildren at public schools, libraries and other LGBTQ centers, but have expanded to include coloring activities. Photos show drag performers instructing children in classrooms how to apply drag makeup. 

According to a reading list the non-profit shared online, performers read a variety of books ranging from classics like “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” and “The Rainbow Fish,” which discuss topics like growth, acceptance and diversity, to others that more overtly discuss gender identity, such as “The Hips on the Drag Queen Go Swish Swish Swish” and “The Dragtivity Book.”

Sometimes the parents were informed other times not.

Where is the outrage in the pulpit? Where are the pastors teaching the truth of what the Bible says about sinful living from the Bible not tolerance and acceptance from the culture?

Sadly, many are quiet and give the devil just the victory he’s celebrating today. You might have seen that abortion activists stood up in the middle of Joel Olsteen’s church while he was preaching and undressed shouting obscenities. That’s demonic. Something you would see demon-possessed women do in the Bible. But if Joel Olsteen has never spoken out against abortion, he left his door wide open for Satan. Even as this was occurring, he didn’t address it. He missed a perfect opportunity to say why abortion is biblically wrong and he didn’t take it.

Here are some shocking statistics:
1 out of 2 Christians don’t believe in absolute truth.

2 out of 3 Christians believe that absolute moral truth is determined by whether it furthers my beliefs.

There’s no definitive right and wrong. No moral consensus or compass. No reliance on biblical truth.

Does that shock you like it does me?!

Let’s Look at What the Bible Says About Truth Versus Tolerance

Before we look at God’s truth, it’s important we’re all understanding the terminology and definition of truth. I came across and amazing article and I’m going to share parts of it in this blog as well as next week when we look at the shocking realization that America is a Republic and NOT a Democracy, which the Democrats keep trying to tell us it is.

Let’s agree on some definitions of truth, fact, positive knowledge, and opinion.

Truth is defined as: “the body of real things, events, and facts.”  Simply said, truth is something real, a fact.  

Fact is defined as: “something that has actual existence,” or, “an actual occurrence.” It defines “in fact” as: “in truth.” Therefore, fact is truth, truth is fact, both are real, and one supports the other. 

Positive is defined as: “real, unqualified, and incontestable.” 

Knowledge is defined as: “the condition of apprehending truth or fact through reasoning.” 

Therefore, positive knowledge would be real, unqualified, and incontestable truth or fact. 

Incontestable means “indisputable” and “unquestionable.” In other words, BEYOND ANY SHADOW OF A DOUBT.   

Contrast those with the definition of opinion: “a view formed in the mind,” and, “a belief stronger than impression and LESS STRONG than positive knowledge.” Opinion, then, is LESS STRONG than either truth or fact which are both positive knowledge, meaning, opinion is not only “in the mind,” it’s make-believe and fantasy.

Fact and truth are real. Opinion is make-believe. 

Fact and truth are undebatable. An opinion is debatable. A fact or truth is something that really happened and is shown with unbiased words. An opinion is a perception of something that is expressed with biased words. A fact or truth can change opinion, but opinion cannot change either fact or truth. 

The only time fact or truth won’t change an opinion is when the person holding that opinion is either incapable of logical thought or behaving irrationally, or, in the case of a psychopathic mindset, lying, meaning, someone who might be mentally ill. Article IV Section 4 – Reclaim Our Republic Because Truth Matters

So when we speak biblical truth it is God’s irrefutable, undebatable, undeniable fact and not simply an opinion!

We determine truth by what does the Word of God say. Whether it’s popular or not, if God says it, we go with it! And that’s a fact. You can listen to different opinions, but we don’t tolerate or accept them as truth if they’re contrary to God’s Word, the Bible. The only infallible truth.

We’re not left to wonder and come up with our own definition of truth, Jesus is the Truth. Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

The Belt of Truth is the absolute truth that holds all the other parts of the armor of God together. When we don’t operate out of God’s Truth, we’re conceding to losing the spiritual battle. Truth is more than information. God’s Word is the sword of the Spirit, but without the Belt of Truth, our sword falls at our side useless. (Eph. 6:10-18)

Love speaks God’s truth. Not in a mean-spirited argumentative way or beating someone over the head with the Scriptures, but when Satan in the desert or demons in His ministry confronted Jesus, the only response He gave was to quote Scripture.

God’s Word is a weapon that the Holy Spirit will use to give life to the world, but we must know our Bible to use it and live by it effectively. Polls show that there are 28 million less Bible readers than a year ago!! I pray that doesn’t include you.

72% of Pastors don’t think the Bible is absolute.

1 in 6 Christians can’t identify current events with Scripture.

Many Christians base their faith on soundbites like: God is love. God loves everyone. Love the sinner not the sin. They’ve let this misconception of “theology” slide into “tolerance of sin” without realizing that when someone chooses to keep on sinning and not separate from that behavior, it becomes who they are!

God hates sin. He sent His One and Only Son Jesus to the cross to provide a way out of sin not to live in sin.

Love without truth is not love. We hurt people when we don’t share the truth. If I love someone, I need to bring the truth to him or her so that they can be free from the wages of sin, eternal death.

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31

If there’s no truth, there’s no conviction, no repentance, no salvation.

You will never read in the Bible about God or Jesus tolerating sin and God was very specific in Romans 1:18-32 to outline exactly what is sin. He also said that for those who choose to keep on sinning, He will turn them over to the life they’ve chosen and the resulting consequences. He did NOT say it’s OK to keep on sinning and I’ll tolerate it.

God’s Wrath Against Sinful Humanity

18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. 32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

There are six things the Lord hates—
    no, seven things he detests:
17 haughty eyes,
    a lying tongue,
    hands that kill the innocent,
18 a heart that plots evil,
    feet that race to do wrong,
19 a false witness who pours out lies,
    a person who sows discord in a family. Pr. 6:16-20 NLT

Jesus Is Love but He Never Compromises on the Truth!

Let me close with an example of how Jesus lovingly shared the truth with a Samaritan woman living in sin.

Jesus first found common ground with her in asking for a drink of water while she was at the well, even though He a male Jew traditionally wouldn’t be talking to a Samaritan woman.

Then He intrigued her curiosity by suggesting she ask Him for living water and an opportunity for eternal life.

Next, he tactfully, called out her sin of living with a man who wasn’t her husband, which she admitted. Then He told her . . .

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”
25 The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”

28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29 “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” 30 They came out of the town and made their way toward him.

39 Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41 And because of his words many more became believers.

42 They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.” John 4:4-42

Jesus didn’t tolerate her sin, He confronted it. He showed her love by leading her out of her sinful life. He offered her eternal life, and she shared her faith with others who became believers! Who do you know living in sin who needs to be loved with the Truth? Tolerance hurts, Truth loves.

Let the Word of God guide you, not the culture.

Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. Matt. 18:2-4 NLT

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Christmas Isn’t About a Tree; It’s About God’s Love

You may have read the title to this blog and said, “Of course, I know that!”

I love having my grandchildren help us decorate our Christmas tree and I especially enjoy the lights. Hubby puts the lights on a timer so they come on in the morning before I wake up and go off at night after I’m in bed. I wake up to our beautiful lit tree and enjoy it until I put my head on the pillow at night.

So this blog is not a discussion of whether or not Christians should have Christmas trees. As long as we’re not worshipping our tree but instead worshipping our Lord, Christmas trees bring joy and beauty to our festive celebration of the birth of Jesus.

What I do want to talk about is the recent trend by evil deranged people burning down Christmas trees. Several well-meaning media reporters equated the burning of the trees as an attack on Christians because Christmas is a Christian holiday. I think it’s a stretch to think the arsonists were going after Christianity, but I did appreciate that the newscasters were emphasizing that Christmas is a Christian celebration.

But at the same time, there was a subtle implication that Christmas trees signify a Christian Christmas. Burning down a Christmas tree is a sick twisted even satanic crime, but a decorated tree doesn’t represent our faith. Our faith is in the birth, death, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

The Christmas I went through radiation for breast cancer, we didn’t have a Christmas tree. I didn’t have the energy to put one up, but we did set up a mini manger scene. A friend brought us some hay from the feed store, we laid a baby doll wrapped in a blanket on top of it and put stuffed animals all around. That’s where we placed our presents.

For years after, we set up the manger scene along with a Christmas tree. It helped display the real meaning of Christmas to the grandchildren and anyone who visited us.

Make no mistake, Christianity is under attack by the liberal secular cult of “wokeness,” and that is something we do need to be aware of and resist. It doesn’t usually present itself in the form of burning flames that we can visually see but in a new religion of man-made “social justice” rules founded on various groups’ definition of how we should live, not on how God and the Bible designed for us to live.

If we’re not careful, their “statement of woke faith” can begin to creep into our own thinking as we start using their language, terms, and subjecting ourselves to their atheistic beliefs, which oppose and reject God.

In an article “Where ‘woke’ came from and why marketers should think twice before jumping on the social activism bandwagon,” Andrew Sullivan was quoted on what he wrote about woke social awareness as an equal but opposing position to Evangelical Christianity:

And so the young adherents of the Great Awokening exhibit the zeal of the Great Awakening […] they punish heresy by banishing sinners from society or coercing them to public demonstrations of shame […] We have the cult of social justice on the left, a religion whose followers show the same zeal as any born-again Evangelical.

In an article by Jose Gomez, How Should Christians Respond to the Challenge of Wokeness, Gomez wrote, “secularization means ‘de-Christianization.’ For years now, there has been a deliberate effort in Europe and America to erase the Christian roots of society and to suppress any remaining Christian influences.

“In your program for this Congress, you allude to ‘cancel culture’ and ‘political correctness.’ And we recognize that often what is being cancelled and corrected are perspectives rooted in Christian beliefs — about human life and the human person, about marriage, the family, and more.

“In your society and mine, the ‘space’ that the Church and believing Christians are permitted to occupy is shrinking. Church institutions and Christian-owned businesses are increasingly challenged and harassed. The same is true for Christians working in education, health care, government, and other sectors. Holding certain Christian beliefs is said to be a threat to the freedoms, and even to the safety, of other groups in our societies.”

What Can Christians Do to Avoid Wokeness

1. Don’t use their terminology.

I heard Mario Murillo speaking on how Satan is using wokeness to infiltrate our language. The example he used was “transgender.” This is not a word or a concept we would find in the Bible, and we know it’s unbiblical because God only made male and female. He does not create anyone trans or gay. I would add fabricated terms like “gender fluidity” “gender identity” “nonbinary ” “gender confusion” again are words and concepts with no legitimate substance or credible meaning because our Creator God is not the God of confusion. If anyone is confused, where do we as Christians know they should turn? To God and the Bible.

Yet, we as Christians probably find ourselves falling into the trap of using the same language as the woke cult instead of confirming what we know to be true. Why would we do this when they certainly do not use our language in fact their mission is to destroy Christianity because we are anti everything they are for.­­­­

2. Share the Truth in Love

Christmas is a perfect time of year for Christians to proclaim loud and clear what we believe and know to be true: Jesus came into the world as a baby to be our Savior from the sin that so easily entangles us in this world. He came to call sinners, which is everyone, to repentance. He came to seek and save the lost and give His life as a ransom for all who would believe in Him.

With love and joy we can share that Good News. We pray for those who are lost because we know that all things are possible with God. We don’t enable sin but help the broken and broken-hearted to find healing.

We’re never ashamed of what we believe, we don’t compromise or succumb to the world’s ways or give credence to their misconceptions and misguidedness. We pray that God will give us wisdom to live for Him in every area of our life. When people encounter us, they should see the pure love of God. Our every action, thought, and response motivated by love because God is love and God lives in us.

We celebrate CHRISTmas boldly, bravely, and broadly whether or not we put up a Christmas tree. We love our neighbor, praise God for forgiving our sins, and prepare for the imminent Day of His return. Christmas is God’s answer to the Fall. Christmas is redemption. Jesus came to earth to show us the way of love. The Devil can’t manifest in the presence of God’s love.

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 1 John 4:7-12, 17

Here is another interesting article about Christians and wokeness. How Should Christians Think About “Wokeness”? (frc.org)

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How Does God Define Evil Vs. Good? How Do You?

In last week’s blog, Take the Spiritual Battle Seriously Don’t Become a Casualty, I had this line: “It’s the battle between good and evil, Jesus and Satan, which will continue until the time of Jesus’ return.”

I talk often about the battle between good and evil and assumed that we would all have similar thoughts on what is evil. I was wrong!

Let me back up a bit. On Facebook, I saw a meme that caught my eye and I was going to ask permission to use it in last week’s blog. It said something to the effect that “We’re Way Beyond Democrats vs Republicans or Liberals vs Conservatives, It’s Good vs Evil.” I thought yes, I agree and went to the page of the meme creator and discovered that person didn’t see evil through the same lens that I do. Obviously, I didn’t use the meme.

But it started me thinking that there’s no longer a universal view of evil. When I mentioned this to my pastor, he said yes because we’re now in the era of what was once evil is now considered good and good is evil. God knew this would happen in the world.

What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil, that dark is light and light is dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter. Is 5:20 NLT

The Bible tells us “The Lord is watching everywhere, keeping his eye on both the evil and the good” (Prov. 15:3).

So that raises the question: What does God consider evil?

Evil Was Not in God’s Original Plan for Us

We first learn of God differentiating good and evil during the creation of the earth: The Lord God made all sorts of trees grow up from the ground—trees that were beautiful and that produced delicious fruit. In the middle of the garden he placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Gen. 2:9 NLT

Then God set boundaries for his first human creation, Adam. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” Gen. 2:16-17

But as we know, the serpent Satan tempted Eve to eat from the tree anyway, “God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil.” Gen. 3:5

Sure enough, after Eve and Adam gave into the temptation from Satan and ate from the tree, “And the Lord God said, ‘The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil.’” Gen. 3:22

Sadly, people chose to do more evil than good. “The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. Gen. 6:5-6

So next, we have the story of Noah building the ark and God wiping everyone but Noah’s family off the face of the earth with the flood. Something God said He would never do again, even though the Israelites did tempt Him, “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood.” Gen. 8:21

And there it is. We’re born knowing how to be evil and have to learn how to be good. God gave us godly rules to follow in how to live a good life pleasing to Him in the 10 Commandments. (Ex. 20:2-17) But seeing that people couldn’t even live by these ten simple instructions, God went silent for 400 hundred years.

Then Came Jesus!

God sent His one and only Son to die for our sins so that we could receive undeserved forgiveness and redemption from our inevitable evil sins, with one stipulation: You must ask God for forgiveness, repent, and accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Then the Holy Spirit will enter your heart to guide and lead you to do good and not evil. (Acts 2:36-38)

Evil still tries to invade the lives of those saved by grace. Satan will always try to tempt us, just like he did with Jesus in the desert. But like Jesus, by faith and the Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, we can resist. Sadly, some may give in momentarily to the sin, but a believer always knows in his or her heart that they’re sinning.

Just as I wrote in last week’s blog, from the beginning of time, the source of all evil is Satan. The Bible often refers to him as the “evil one.” When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. Matt. 13:19

Jesus goes on to help define for us evil in Matt. 15:18-19: 18 But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. 19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. Evil.

Moral evil can exist even without external action. Murder is an evil action, but it has its start with the moral evil of hatred in the heart (Matthew 5:21-22). Committing adultery is evil, but so is the moral evil of lust in the heart (Matthew 5:27-28).

As Christian philosopher J. P. Moreland said, “Evil is a lack of goodness. It is goodness spoiled. You can have good without evil, but you cannot have evil without good.”

Anything that contradicts the holiness of God  (Psalm 51:4) or anything committed against God i.e. unbelief, idolatry, blasphemy, is evil.

 As God’s children, we are to live by this command: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).

But people often make up their own definition of evil based on personal opinions that might be contrary to yours. When I went to that Facebook timeline that I mentioned earlier, I saw that my conservative beliefs were considered evil by that person. But the Bible tells us this will happen:

Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Luke 6:22

It’s a Choice: Jesus or Satan

Here’s a hard truth but it’s real: anyone not following Jesus is following Satan. They are the only two spiritual forces in this world. It doesn’t mean unbelievers are satanic but they are influenced in thought, mind, and actions by Satan and they need our prayers for an awakening.

I know you’re thinking: But I know some really “good” people who aren’t Christians. If Jesus doesn’t have their heart, than Satan does. I’m not saying this, Jesus did about those who reject Him: This is the verdict: Light [Jesus] has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.” John 3:19

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

Paul emphasized, But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth [Jesus] and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. Rom. 2:8

Job’s introduction in Job 1:1 describes whether he is a follower of God or Satan, the only two options then and now. Not how he looked physically but his spiritual persuasion: “There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was blameless—a man of complete integrity. He feared God and stayed away from evil.” (NLT)

21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of[a] your evil behavior. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— 23 if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant. Col. 1:21-23

God wants all of His creation to turn from evil to good, but He doesn’t force it. Even Jesus didn’t make a mandate that all should be saved. It’s a choice.

Evil is disbelief in God. OR belief in God but rejecting Him. OR a believer trying to justify ungodly thoughts and actions. We’re watching all of this take place in our culture openly today.

28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. Rom. 1:28-31

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. Ps. 14:1

BLM and Antifa are blatant self-described atheists, therefore motivated by Satan’s evil, not God’s good, but look at all the people, including misguided Christians, supporting them and their violence.

What about the ungodly laws being passed and supported not only by many in government, but by constituents, even some Christians. There is no way to legitimize the murder of babies in the womb as “good.” But many do. Evil. Satanic.

A deceived Minneapolis DFL called the evil burning of a police precinct “an act of pure righteousness.”

Mutilating the bodies of children in the name of “gender identity.” Evil. God created each of us in the image of God, male or female and He doesn’t make mistakes. (Gen. 1:27)

CRT is evil. Many school boards are calling it “good.” God looks at our heart for goodness and character, not the color of our skin that He gave each of us. “The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” 1 Sam. 16:7

Child and sex trafficking, smuggling of drugs across the border. Evil. But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea. Matt. 18:6 NLT

I could go on, but I hope I’ve prompted you to not just look at issues politically or emotionally, but spiritually. What’s in the hearts, motivations, and actions of those promoting issues and ideas? Then prayerfully ask God what He sees as “good.” What does He want you to encourage and support. How does He want you to live.

 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Eph. 5:15-17

Finally, dear brothers and sisters,[a] we ask you to pray for us. Pray that the Lord’s message will spread rapidly and be honored wherever it goes, just as when it came to you. Pray, too, that we will be rescued from wicked and evil people, for not everyone is a believer. But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one. 2 Thess. 3:1-3 NLT

Note: There was an error in last week’s blog link to Dr. Charles Stanley’s “Dressing in Your Spiritual Wardrobe.” It is corrected now (and here), but I was surprised that my husband was the only person to alert me to the mistake. If ever a link doesn’t work or you see a typo, please contact me so I can correct it.

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Take the Spiritual Battle Seriously Don’t Become a Casualty!

When my prayer warrior hubby, Dave, hears about a Christian going through a tough time, he always asks, “I wonder if they’re prayerfully putting on the armor of God everyday?”

Anyone who knows us well knows that Dave and I have prayed the armor of God found in Ephesians 6:10-18 daily since the beginning of our twenty-eight years of marriage. We know that spiritual warfare is real; it’s not a myth! It’s a reality that the Lord speaks of clearly and often in the Bible. Yet, many Christians don’t realize that not only is this spiritual battle going on in our world, it’s also going on in our personal lives. It’s the battle between good and evil, Jesus and Satan, which will continue until the time of Jesus’ return.

When we take that first step of faith as believers, we automatically enter into the battle raging in the heavenlies and become Satan’s target. Satan hates Christians and the influence we can have on the culture so he does everything in his power to neutralize our influence and the role we allow God to play in our lives.

I’ve said many times that Satan wants our children and grandchildren, and we’re watching how openly and aggressively he’s going after them in the schools today. He knows his time is short, but he can do a lot of damage during whatever time he has left if we don’t stand in his way!

We shouldn’t let him intimidate us. Don’t succumb to his crafty wiles. Never give up or give in! Instead we take up the spiritual weapons our Great God has provided and implores us to use in victory over the enemy. Yes, you and I have assignments in God’s battle plan!

Praying the Armor of God

In Ephesians 6:10-18, the apostle Paul penned a prayer of protection known as the armor of God. Dave and I pray these verses every morning, which by now we have memorized, because we know that as Christians the enemy is going to put obstacles in our way and try to take us down. You’ve surely experienced some of those obstacles yourself, but verses ten to eleven encourage us to Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.” (NLT)

Ephesians 6:12 reminds us of something we often forget: “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.” (NLT)

The good news for every believer is that we have access to a hedge of protection against Satan’s schemes, “Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” (Verse 17 NLT)

God assures us that we can trust him to fight the spiritual battle for and with us, we just need to engage and do our part and not be passive bystanders or victims.

Rather than trying to solve problems ourselves or find ways to combat what we might be experiencing in the earthly realm, our role is to call on God. “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” (Verse 18 NLT)

When we’re feeling fearful, worried, threatened, or stressed, we can prayerfully search the Scriptures to discover that God has already provided a safety hedge or shield of protection around those who trust and believe in him. It doesn’t mean the enemy won’t try to weasel into our life, but we know how to prevent his feeble attempts from penetrating our mind, heart, and soul.

Imagine yourself with a hedge of spiritual swords pointed up and surrounding you against any attempts of the enemy as you open your Bible to read God’s Word and pray each day.

Here are four hedge-of-protection prayers and sword-of-the-Spirit Scriptures to fend off and shield us from Satan’s schemes. Remember that verse 18 instructs us to “pray for all believers everywhere,” not just for ourselves.

1. A Prayer for a Hedge of Protection around Your Thoughts

Lord, you know how my mind wanders with what-ifs and should-ofs. These nagging thoughts keep me awake at night worrying and wondering about circumstances over which I have no control. I’m often angry and frustrated with world events and find myself brooding or depressed.

Father, please help me to focus on things that are lovely and beautiful. Let me see the good in people and not corrupt my mind with the discourse and divisive voices on social media or the news. Guard me against spiraling into the abyss of sinful harmful thoughts.

In your name, Lord Jesus, I prayerfully secure over my mind the “helmet of salvation” from Ephesians 6:17 and claim a hedge of protection against any lies, thoughts, and/or emotions inserted in me by Satan or his followers. Let me be exclusively open to your voice and available to do your will alone.

Guide me in seeking the mental hedge of protection from the Holy Spirit as he fills my mind with peace, joy, righteousness, compassion, and love. Amen

When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer. Psalm 94:19 NLT

Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield. Psalm 5:12

2. A Prayer for a Hedge of Protection around Your Actions

Oh Lord, I want my actions to be pleasing to you. My desire is to reflect the Holy Spirit residing in my heart. But I regret to admit that I don’t always think clearly and rationally before I act. When I rethink what I’ve done rashly, impetuously, or selfishly, I want a redo, but it’s too late. I can’t rewind or erase my actions.

I admit that my wrong actions are actually a sin against you Lord. I pray you will have mercy on me as you did on King David and teach me to walk in your ways so that I can say of you as David did in Psalm 62:6 (NLT), “He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.”

Lord, I pray that I would consider how my actions appear to others, especially the ones who look to me for direction and wisdom. Do they see you in me or is my pride and self-absorption more evident? I desperately want your light to shine through me. So Lord when I’m about to act in a way that is not loving or respectful, I beg you to give me a check in my spirit.

Protect me Father from temptation and falling into old patterns of behavior. Surround me with a hedge of caring people who will lovingly point out when I’m acting in a way unbecoming a Christian. Remind me that I am a new creation in Christ and place barriers to prohibit me from acting in a way that would grieve you. Amen

Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your decrees! Psalm 119:5 NLT

The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. Psalm 121:5 NLT

3. A Prayer for a Hedge of Protection around Your Speech

Father, I want my words always to be pleasing to you, but I know when I speak impetuously or sharply you are not pleased. Oh, Lord, I need you to guard my tongue, even though James 3:8 (NLT) warns, “No one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison.”

I know what James says is true Father. I often seem to lack control over what comes out of my mouth. Only you can place a sentinel around my tongue to guard what I say and when I say it.

Lord, you gave me the gift of speech, which I watch brighten a face when I choose my words wisely, but I also see it bruise an unsuspecting victim when it cuts like a knife.

Your Word says that what comes out of my mouth, forms first in my heart so I need a hedge of protection to filter what’s allowed to take residence in my heart. Give me patience not to speak impetuously and wisdom to speak appropriately.

Weed out of my vocabulary ungodly words filled with poisonous vengeance, anger, meanness, harm, or pride. Fill me with grace, kindness, compassion, understanding, and love. Help me choose words and intonation worthy of being a Jesus-follower. Amen

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Avoid all perverse talk; stay away from corrupt speech. Proverbs 4:23-24 NLT

But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. Psalm 5:11

4. A Prayer for a Hedge of Protection around Your Circumstances

Father, our universe is changing rapidly. Everyday circumstances subject us to what feels like an unstable insecure environment. We deal with issues we could’ve never imagined even six months ago. It seems like the world, and thus my life, is spiraling completely out of control. Each morning presents new calls for restrictions that would separate us from each other and the stability and freedoms we once knew.

Lord of Creation, I want to be brave and courageous, especially for those who depend on me to be strong and dependable, but I admit that I am fearful watching the norms I once took for granted crumble into chaos.

Help me find solace in turning each new day over to you. Remind me that nothing catches you by surprise. Just as your eye is on the sparrow, you watch over my loved ones and me. I know that you might not remove me from uncomfortable circumstances, but you will go through them with me. You promise to always be holding onto me with your righteous right hand and shielding me. Even as I walk through the darkest valley, your rod and your staff will protect and comfort me.

How fortunate I am to have a God who loves me beyond my expectations and imagination. Open my eyes Lord to visualize your spiritual hedge of protection like a solid wall surrounding me that Satan cannot penetrate or destroy in any situation or circumstance.

With you at my side and on my side, what can man do to me? Why should I fear? Thank you Lord for being my Rock, my Shield, my Refuge, my Hiding Place, my Fortress, my Protector, my Savior! Amen

The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. Psalm 121:5 NLT

The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. Psalm 18:2 NLT

Be Not Afraid

God stands ready to protect us against what the Bible calls the world: a culture, way of thinking, and world system controlled by Satan. Since we must live in this world, we continually ask God to protect us from the way the world thinks, speaks, acts, and the ensuing circumstances of an evil culture.

It’s a continual process of separating God’s ways from the world’s way. We can never let down our guard or spiritual hedge, but when we trust omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent almighty God, he will lead, guide, and direct us. God stands ready with a spiritual hedge of protection to shield us from the world and to keep us from letting the world seep into our life.

How great is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear you. You lavish it on those who come to you for protection, blessing them before the watching world. Psalm 31:19 NLT

“May the Lord bless you and protect you. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord show you his favor and give you his peace.” Numbers 6:24–26 NLT

For the Lord is our judge, our lawgiver, and our king. He will care for us and save us. Is. 33:22 NLT

Note: Dr. Charles Stanley wrote a daily prayer, Dressing in Your Spiritual Armor, you might want to print out and incorporate into your daily quiet time.

Portions of this blog appear in a Crosswalk.com article I wrote August 5, 2020 4 Powerful Ways to Pray for a Hedge of Protection

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