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Are We Going to Surrender to Christ or the Culture?

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If you watched Tucker Carlson’s interview last week with Kanye West, you heard a man who has become a Christian yet is still struggling with the lures of fame and fortune. Professing to be a believer in the liberal world of his music and fashion businesses is courageous but the atheists consider him “crazy” and a threat. He’s viciously pelted with criticism, lost his family, and is a target for the political left who find it offensive that a black man would wear a tee shirt proclaiming, “White Lives Matter.” The left will try to cancel and censor anyone who says, “All Lives Matter,” which they do to God and should to everyone. Both slogans are an affront to the BLM scam and how dare a black man be bold enough to point that out.

I’m not a fan of West or rapper music, but I do see a brother-in-Christ struggling to live in two worlds. The Bible tells us we must live logistically in the world, but we’re not to succumb to the world’s ways spiritually, ethically, or morally. (John 15:18-19; 17:14-15)

“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.” Matt. 6:24 NLT

Give me an eagerness for your laws rather than a love for money! Ps. 119:36 NLT

I especially appreciated Jason Whitlock’s commentary right after Tucker’s interview. Whitlock is a born-again Jesus follower and always laces his comments on any topic from a Christian perspective. The next day, he wrote in his column in The Blaze, Kanye West remains dangerous, disgusting, and harmful to demonic leftists. “Kanye West is not as confusing as he often sounds. His outlook on life stems from a defined set of values spelled out in the Bible. His actions and words often conflict with his outlook . . . He produces an album titled “Jesus Is King” and then collaborates with Lil Nas X on the song and video “Industry Baby,” which depicts gay prison sex.”

“He’s normal. Every human being struggles to align their values and deeds. The difference between West and most human beings is the transparency of his failures . . . We’re in a battle of good vs. evil. Kanye is one of the good guys. He’s trying to be on the right side of God rather than the history left-wing atheists plan to write.”

It’s Not Easy Letting ‘Jesus Take the Wheel’ In Our Lives!

In the Tucker Carlson interview, West said he performs for an audience of One, God. I truly believe that is his sincere desire and goal, but like all of us, he often falls short by trying to remain relevant rather than reverent.

The popular adage, ‘Jesus take the wheel,’ originated with a song written by Brett James, Hillary Lindsey, and Gordie Sampson recorded by Carrie Underwood. The ballad tells of a mother deep in thought about her difficult year while driving too fast on a snowy Christmas Eve when the car spins out on black ice. Unable to control the car, she throws her hands in the air and cries out for Jesus to take the wheel and help her and her baby in the backseat. When the car finally rests on the side of the rode, she ultimately realizes she needs to restore her faith and let Jesus take control of all her life.

The song Jesus Take the Wheel resonated with many who have tried to live their life on their own terms, often with devastating results. Maybe they had never given their heart to Jesus, or at one time knew the comfort of surrendering to Jesus then snatched back control to navigate life themselves. Traveling through life on our own terms will always end in a crash either emotionally, physically, or mentally, but always spiritually.

The true Christian life is one of constant submission of our ways to the Lord’s ways. It’s often a tug-of-war between letting Jesus take the wheel and wrestling it away from Him thinking we know better than He does what’s best for us. We know there can only be one person in the driver’s seat, but we’re not always willing to let that person be Jesus. We’re often backseat drivers trying to argue with Jesus or we push Him completely out of our life and take over the wheel on our terms.

The struggle for my husband during his two knee replacement surgery recoveries was letting me drive without repeatedly giving his opinion and directions from the passenger seat. We had many discussions that he had to relax and just let me drive. I was the only one who could safely get us to our destination. I needed his confidence, encouragement, and prayers. He literally had to surrender the wheel and trust me with his life.

 It’s just as hard for us to trust Jesus to safely get us to our destinations in life, as Kanye West and many others find when they’re not quite ready to surrender every area of life to Christ. Yet, that’s the only true place of peace and security in this world, regardless of what the world tells you.

How Do We Surrender to Christ in a Culture That Calls Us the Enemy?

Just like my husband continually struggled with giving up control to me every time we got in the car, giving up control to Jesus is a lifetime daily struggle. It doesn’t come easy and it’s not instant the moment we become Christians. Being a Christian and living by biblical principles is a continuous evolving process as our faith matures and we learn to trust that God wants the best for us, even when we can’t visibly see or even sense it and the culture is working against us.

Jesus knew our humanness would make it difficult to surrender our lives completely to Him when we couldn’t see Him visibly and faced opposition, so He made sure we had ways to communicate with Him in our Spirit.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Heb. 11:1 NLT

  • Establishing a Daily Prayer Life is Essential

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jer. 29:11-13 [emphasis added]

Jeremiah 29:11-13 outlines exactly how to know what God’s plans are for us so we can trust that He’s looking out for our best interests when He’s at the wheel navigating us through a world that doesn’t want or understand Him as Savior or us as His followers. God says call on me, come and pray to me then you’ll find me. But He also adds that we must be sincerely searching for Him with all our heart, not holding anything back, even fortune, fame, and success as West is still learning.

A daily time with Jesus is essential to Christian life. That means setting everything aside like phones, computers, TV, and noise. Even getting away from people to a quiet place where you can commune with Jesus with no distractions so you can hear His answers to your prayers. I create a special Jesus spot in our home. I’m distracted easily, so I have my quiet time out on our deck in nice weather or in the winter, my prayer closet is the loft outside my office. I also love to talk with the Lord on a morning walk or even in the shower!

Maybe for you it means getting up earlier than the family or before you get ready for the day. Establish a place and time where you can be alone with your Lord and prayerfully ask Him questions and be still to listen while He answers.

  • Studying the Bible

 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

Jesus speaks to us through His Word, the Bible. It’s impossible to be a faithful Christian and not read your Bible. If we clocked the hours we spend browsing social media or the internet, we would probably be astounded and alarmed at how much time we devote to taking in the world’s words instead of the Lord’s Words.

Do we want the world or Jesus to take the wheel? We would probably say we want Jesus, but does our life reflect that answer? It will if we soak in His wisdom and guidance by reading His Love Letter and following His Road Map every day.

  • Mentoring

 You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others. 2 Tim. 2:2 NLT

Sometimes we’re sidelined in our spiritual life by thinking we don’t need anyone else. We can handle everything life throws at us by ourselves. But we’re made for community. God said in the first Book in the Bible that it’s not good for man to be alone. (Gen. 2:18)

When we need help with our car or around the house, we seek expert advice or at least we should. We need to do the same with our spiritual life. We can’t go it alone and expect to grow and mature spiritually. We need to talk with others who have gone before us in the faith and have experienced life. A mentor with wisdom and spiritual maturity can guide and direct us and someday we can be a mentor to others.

Every Christian is in a continual process of learning and growing in the knowledge of Christ. But until that day we meet Him face-to-face, we who are further along in our walk with the Lord or have navigated a curvy and bumpy road through a life season, must be willing to intentionally share with others what we do know and what the Lord has done in our lives when we let Him take the wheel.

I sign my book Mentoring for All Seasons with ‘Be a mentor, find a mentor.’

Let Go and Let God!

We hear this saying often in sermons and read in blogs and articles and it seems so easy in theory, but we all know how difficult it is when life happens. We want to do something, anything, to feel like we’re making a difference. Do what we want to do. Yet, we stand in church on Sunday morning singing, “Jesus, I surrender all!”

It’s exhausting trying to always be in control. Jesus wants us to rest in the assurance that He has everything under control. God is our hope and promise. He is concerned about our daily needs, as well as our problems and the condition of our culture today. He sees the big picture and the road ahead and knows what’s best for us in our daily lives, but also how we can contribute to changing our culture. We need to rest in Him, obey Him, and seek His will daily. We need to give up our tight grip and let Jesus take the wheel.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matt. 11:28

20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Phil. 3:20-21

In closing, I want to share with you three encouraging stories that show we the people can make a difference when we take a stand and pushback against the evil so prevalent in our culture today. They all have hyperlinks. I hope you’ll read the full articles.

Story #1 A state refuses to abide by evil federal mandates, even under the threat of losing federal funding. Attorney General of Alabama, Steve Marshall writes, Biden administration demands Alabama embrace genderless schools or else, but we aren’t giving in. Alabama’s federal funding could be stripped away by Biden administration over trans bathroom demands. I encourage you to read and pray for their success in this legal battle between good and evil for the protection of our children.

Here’s a quote. “Undeterred by repeated losses, the Biden administration’s war on red states and our “Neanderthal thinking” rages on. This month, my colleagues and I are fighting Biden and his comrades at the United States Department of Agriculture in court to protect the right of states to run their public schools as they see fit. This time, the fight isn’t over curriculum or masking — it’s whether states still possess the paltry authority to require boys to use the boys’ bathroom at school. The United States Constitution leaves no doubt as to the states’ broad authority over their own public schools, but the Biden administration supposes that everything — even schoolchildren — has a price. 

The Biden administration’s actions seeking to impose the left’s gender identity agenda on schoolchildren are illegal and unconstitutional. But even if they were not, and federal funding was at risk, the duty of state leaders is not to dollars. We are meant to serve the interests of the people of our states — and the people of Alabama have clearly spoken, through their elected representatives, that they do not wish for sexual politics to be thrust on their children by the far-left in Washington. While I hope to preserve every penny of federal funding being threatened by this administration, Alabama’s sovereignty is not for sale.“

Story #2 Parents and communities take a stand for a Christian biology teacher who refused to succumb to evil mandates, even at the threat of losing his job!

Pennsylvania biology teacher suspended for refusing to follow pronoun policy, reinstated after backlash. Last month, Virginia parents and teachers sued their school district over its mandatory pronoun policy. Pennsylvania teacher Daren Cusato of the South Side Area School District was suspended last week after he reportedly told school officials that he would not follow a new district mandate requiring teachers address students by their preferred pronouns, because it violated his religious beliefs. A Pittsburgh-area school district reversed course after receiving backlash from the community and students for suspending the high school biology and anatomy teacher who refused to comply with the school’s preferred pronoun policy. 

Story #3 BREAKING: Oklahoma Gov. Just Signed Bill And It’s BLOWING UP

Governor Kevin Stitt signed SB 3XX which blocks funding to prevent gender transition services for minors at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital at OU Health. The bill went into effect immediately upon the governor’s signature.

Pray for the boldness and courage of more Governors to protect the children of their state from this child abuse and mutilation.

If you received this blog by email, please leave a comment here.

I apologize last week’s blog had a glitch getting to everyone on Monday. I had to resend it on Tuesday and some may have received it twice! Praying everything works this week correctly. There will NOT be a blog Monday October 17, but I’ll be back God willing October 24.

October 9, 2022
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When Did Bible-Believing Christians Start Being Labeled “Right Wing”?

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The title of my September AHW Ministries newsletter’s opening article is “Lord, Bring Our Prodigals Home!” I wrote that article because of the recent interest and activity around a book I wrote almost fifteen years ago as a memoir of being a prodigal mom raising a prodigal daughter, Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter: Hope, Help & Encouragement for Hurting Parents. My daughter Kim shares her journey during that time too and each chapter also includes the story of other moms with a prodigal daughter and some of those daughters share their story.

The key to praying for my prodigal I discovered was praying and personalizing Scripture. Praying God’s Word back to Him for my daughter. Instead of just praying my will, I prayed for His will in her life. The back of the book has a section 40 Days of Praying Scripture for Your Daughter and this can also be applied to prodigal sons or grandchildren.

In the past few months, the Lord has brought Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter to my attention in a variety of ways. One of the contributing mothers in the book sent me a praise for her daughter’s return to the Lord and to her family after 10 years of praying. A few days later, another mother emailed me that she had just read the book and it was helping her in communicating with her daughter. Sales on the book have suddenly increased noticeably. A couple who has a podcast, “It’s Not How You Start But How You Finish,” contacted me for an interview on the book, which you can listen to here.

Again, I hope you’ll read the full article in my AHW Ministries newsletter of what God is doing with this book and listen to the podcast because I don’t want to repeat it all here for those of you who already read my newsletter. If you don’t receive my newsletter, you can sign up on my website or let me know and we’ll sign you up.

But here’s what I do want to talk about in this blog. Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter has been out since January 2008, so I hadn’t looked for a long time at the comments on Amazon. I’m not an author that is always checking my reviews because I’m usually on to writing the next book or article, but with all the activity lately, I decided to take a look. God wanted me to see a comment which was right on top.

At first, I chuckled, but then I was sad for the mother. It was the best “worst” review I’d ever had.

The reviewer returned the book, gave me only 1 star, and headed her comment “This book is for the deeply and devoted right wing Christians.” This was startling since it was my first time being referred to as a “right-wing” Christian. I’m always clear that I’m a Bible-believing Christian and in today’s culture that can set you apart because anyone can say they’re a Christian, but fewer and fewer people are connecting Christianity with the Bible and that’s a real travesty.

Here’s the first paragraph of the reader’s comment. I would encourage you to go to the page on Amazon if you want to read the remainder because it makes it even clearer why she thought my book was only for the deeply devout Christian and yet I ask: how can you be a Christian and not be devout?

“I have no judgment for the author or the tone of this book. For Christians who are devoted to God and extreme in their beliefs, this book is for them. My own struggles with my prodigal daughter led me to buy the book with hope to help guide me through my pain. However, the book is not so much about daughters coming home to their family as it is daughters coming home to Jesus. Over and over again, the dilemma was about the prodigal daughter coming back to Jesus and religion.”

I was elated that she got my point in the book that the answer to any prodigal’s life-changing return is first their return to Jesus! But I was deflated that she rejected this truth as too “right wing.” She added the term “religion,” but I talk about a relationship with Jesus NOT a religion.

My Thoughts on Being Called Right-Wing Christians

I don’t receive or acknowledge “right wing” as an acceptable term for Christians. I find it offensive to make it sound like we’re eccentric or on the edge to be extremely in love with Jesus and the inerrant Word of God, the Bible!

I don’t accept “Cultural Christian” or “Progressive Christian” as a description for any Christian because you’re either with the culture or with Christ. There’s no in between. The Bible is clear that we will have to be in the world while we’re alive, but we must not become of the world. Christ came to change the culture and turn people away from sin, not embrace sin as acceptable because it makes them feel good.

Christ came to make us holy NOT happy! What so many don’t understand is that when you let go of the secular culture and grab the hand of Jesus, you will be happy for eternity.

14 I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. 15 I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. 16 They do not belong to this world any more than I do. 17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. John 17:14-17 NLT

I had a Facebook “conversation” where someone told me God did not create her or the climate. So I asked well then who did? She said that I needed to study biology instead of the Bible, which she referred to as “fantasy.” I said, well one thing the Bible and biology both agree on is that we’re all going to die and I know where I’m going to spend eternity. Do you know where you’re going when you die? The conversation ended.

The Bible tells us this world is but a bleep in the big picture of our life. Attempting to be a Christian who thinks that Jesus died on the Cross so that we could keep on sinning because He loves us so much or that the Bible doesn’t apply to today’s world is left-wing, wrong-wing, believing Satan-infused-demonic wing progressive lies and rationalizations.

Every Christian must make the decision to remain Christ-like and be a Bible-Believer no matter what names they call you. In fact, if someone isn’t calling you a name in today’s culture, you might not be wearing Jesus on your sleeve, and I’m not talking about a t-shirt.

Christians are not left wing or right wing, we’re under Jesus’s wing!

He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. Ps. 91:4 NLT

In Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter, my daughter, Kim, came to the realization that being a Christian cannot be inherited or passed down through your family. Living in a Christian family doesn’t make you a Christian. It educates you and certainly wraps you in Christian love, but choosing Christ as your Lord and Savior is an individual decision only you can make.

Kim wrote about an experience she had in the Bible-based premarital course Dave and I gave her and Toby as an engagement gift, which they didn’t appreciate, but that is where they were both saved!

“Pastor Pete made it clear we couldn’t get to heaven on our parents’ faith—something I had been counting on—it had to be our own personal decision and relationships with Christ. That really got us thinking. I know that because we committed our lives to Christ, God has blessed our marriage.”

You’re either Holy Spirit-filled, or you’re not. I think God is putting the pressure on currently for the true Bible-believing Christians to step forward. The words I wrote in Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter, still ring true today because they were based on the premise that Jesus is the Only way, a truth that never changes.

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. Phil. 1:9-11

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Hebrews 13:8

Note: Dave and I saw the movie SuperSpreader about worship leader Sean Feucht’s journey in starting the ministry Let Us Worship during a time when Covid was closing churches and not allowing people to sing in church. A powerful movie only in theaters until 10/6 so I hope you’ll find out where it’s playing in your area. Sean lives out Isaiah 6:8

Then I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?”

I said, “Here I am. Send me.” (NLT)

My book Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter is also available on my website signed and personalized.

If you received this blog by email, please leave a comment here.

I apologize if you receive an email of this blog twice, but we’re having problems with MailChimp our delivery mechanism and it didn’t send out the blog to the majority of our mailing list the day it posted so we’re reposting it again.

October 3, 2022
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Time is Short! We Need to Live Like We Believe It!

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First, I apologize that last week the link to leave a comment was not working on the blog Who Is the Real Threat to the Soul of Our Country. If you weren’t able to leave a comment or didn’t get a chance to read the blog, just click on the link above and it should work fine. I do thank those of you who did find a way to leave a comment or emailed a response. The blog resonated with many.

This week’s blog is focusing on our personal souls and the souls of those who don’t yet know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. We recently attended the memorial of an extended family member who might’ve not been saved. My grief was mixed with guilt that I could’ve tried harder and put more effort into sharing the gospel. Why didn’t I visit more? We don’t live near, but we could’ve made more of an effort when we were in the area to spend time with her? Even just sit and read the Bible as her mind wandered.

We prayed for her throughout her illness, but we could’ve done more.

Have you been where I’m at right now? Are those same nagging feelings tormenting you? We can’t go back and change things and we know that God gives free will to everyone to make their own decision about their faith. But maybe reading this might bring to mind someone God wants you to visit now before it’s too late. The pastor’s closing prayer in the memorial will haunt me for a long time. Referring to the deceased he said, “Wherever you are now.” He didn’t know and I don’t know. Only God knows.

We know that guilt is not from God; it’s Satan’s way of keeping us feeling bad about ourselves. Yes, we could’ve done things differently and maybe better but we can’t go back, only forward. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. 1 Peter 5:7 NLT

And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” Is. 6:7 ESV

God wants us to ask Him what we should learn from our mistakes or mishaps and how we can do better next time. Then do it!

For example, we’ve all experienced sadness and sympathy for others and compassionately said or posted on social media, “I’ll pray for you,” when we hear of someone’s traumatic or devastating event or loss in their life. Maybe it’s a death, diagnosis, divorce, job loss, illness, surgery, prodigal children, financial loss, consequences of inflation, and the rising cost of essentials. Many people are hurting today and suicide is at an all time high.

Yes, countless things to pray about and we know that we should, but then we struggle with what and when to pray. We don’t always follow through on our offer to pray, which the other person receives as a promise to pray for them. It’s not intentional, in fact, we have good intentions to pray or visit or call, but then we don’t.

I have a friend who actually writes a sympathy prayer in the comments on social media. Instead of saying she’ll pray, she does it in the moment. Others of you might do the same or in person. My husband is good about doing that and I’ll often walk into the room and hear him praying over the phone for someone who he knows is hurting or needs prayer.

What Other Actions Can We Take?

Become Comfortable with Expressing Sympathy!

Maybe we’re not comfortable with the word sympathy because we associate it with pity or only applicable when there’s been a death, but there is a plethora of synonyms for sympathy that we often find used in the Bible such as, comfort, support, encouragement, compassion, kindness, tenderness, tender-heatedness, concern, caring, warmth.

Sometimes we don’t say anything because we don’t know what to say but the Bible instructs us: Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters] Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. 1 Peter 3:8 NLT

Other times, we so closely empathize with those who are hurting that we cry with them, and that’s okay. The Bible tells us in Romans 12:15 to “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who mourn.” It lets them know we understand their pain and we care. When people saw Jesus crying, “Then the Jews said, ‘See how he loved him!’” (John 11:36)

Don’t be Hesitant to Share Your Testimony!

When Jesus revealed to the Samaritan woman at the well that He was the living water and she would never thirst again, and revealed to her that He was the Messiah she ran into town and told everyone, “Come see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could this be the Messiah?”

The Bible says the Samaritan men followed her to see this Messiah because of her testimony and the change they saw in her. She believed, and she didn’t care who knew. Because of her brave, bold sharing of her newfound faith in Jesus Christ the Bible says that many more in her town came to hear and believe that this really was the “Savior of the World!”

I tell my testimony often of rededicating my life to the Lord at a Harvest Crusade when Pastor Greg Laurie asked if we were ready to die tonight. I knew I wasn’t and surrendered my life totally to the Lord that night which led to God using me in full time ministry.

Be Open About Your Faith

While browsing through clothes at COSTCO, a woman came up and commented about the pretty colors of the shirts in the display where I was looking. We started chatting and then I noticed her cross necklace so I did what I often do, I asked if she was a Christian. “Absolutely!” was her response. We talked for a while about the status of our country and were we getting close to the rapture. Even though we were perfect strangers, I gave her a hug as we parted. She looked a little surprised but we were sisters in Christ.

4 Prayers for Someone Who is Hurting or Needs to Know Jesus Loves Them

Here are 4 prayers to help guide you in praying for specific situations, or if you’re in this situation, please personalize and pray them for yourself. Pray for whomever God brings to mind. I hope they help.

In Dear God, They Say It’s Cancer: A Companion Guide for Women on the Breast Cancer Journey and Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter: Hope, Help & Encouragement for Hurting Parents, I encourage the reader to personalize Scripture as if God wrote it just for them. We can do the same when we pray for someone who is hurting or who might not know Jesus. We don’t always need to come up with the perfect words to say to someone because God already has. You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry. (Ps. 10:17)

People don’t need us to fix things for them or give ideas they haven’t thought of before. When they’re hurting, they want a shoulder to cry on, an arm around their shoulder, and our company in the darkness of their soul. There might be a time later when we can sit down over a cup of coffee and help them work through details of their situation, but for the moment, they just need to feel God’s closeness and comfort in and through us.

#1 Prayer for Death of a Loved One

Father, we pray for those suffering the loss of a loved one or someone close to their heart. The hurt runs so deep and grief so all encompassing, their mourning is palpable, especially if they’re not sure where their loved one will spend eternity. They’re inconsolable: “You have taken away my companions and loved ones. Darkness is my closest friend.” (Ps. 88:18 NLT)

While they may celebrate the life of this loved one, they’re left here alone wondering how life can go on without this precious person. Sadness and regret seems all consuming. Only you Lord can bring light back into their life and wipe away the tears. “You light a lamp for me. The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness.” (Ps. 18:28 NLT)

You promise that someday mourning will turn to dancing again when those of us who know you as our Lord and Savior will all dance together before your thrown. We know Lord that only you can fill the void left in a broken heart. Only you understand the depth of grief and pain. Only you can help the grieving ever smile again.

Father, please flood their mind and heart with sweet memories when thoughts wander into hopelessness and the pain seems overwhelming, especially on birthdays and holidays.

Remind the grief-stricken that Psalm 116:15 (NLT) assures them “The Lord cares deeply when his loved ones die.” And you, Lord, care deeply when we’re sad. “You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle You have recorded each one in your book.” (Ps. 56:8 NLT) Amen

#2 Prayer for When Disaster Hits

Heavenly Father, you promise that “The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.” (Ps. 9:9) You know the trouble that surrounds anyone experiencing a disaster when everything seems so bleak. Help them trust that you will show a way out of this dark hole when there seems to be no visible way. Guide the many decisions, show the paths to take in moving forward when they just want to sit down in despair and cry or turn to drugs, alcohol, or harmful behavior.

You knew hard times would come and you will use this disaster to accomplish your perfect will in their life. Give them courage not to fear the future with you by their side. Help them to remember, “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam, let the mountains tremble as the waters surge!” (Ps. 46:1-3 NLT)

Bring those to their side who will help in the areas where they’re so needy by showing your love in tangible ways that expresses, “My heart is torn within me, and my compassion overflows.” (Hosea 11:8 NLT) Amen

#3 Prayer for Illness

Dear Lord, let our hearts hurt and cringe with those who have received a harsh diagnosis or are in the throes of a painful illness. Remove platitudes and trite comments from our mouth and give us an ear to hear and feel their pain. Father, even if we’ve had a similar illness ourselves, we can’t fully understand their experience. Give us a kind, caring, and loving presence to let them pour out their heart.

Father, you promise in Joshua 1:5 that you will never leave or forsake any of us, so we pray your presence surrounds anyone with an illness whether in the doctor’s office, the hospital, or the sick bed at home. Provide friends or family to hear their cries of pain and soothe their trembling body from fear or illness symptoms.

We pray Lord for all the physicians and medical professionals they’ll encounter in their journey who will be a healing balm for this time of sorrow and pain. We thank you in advance for providing the human comfort as well as the Holy Spirit’s constant soothing for physical, emotional, and spiritual pain.

You, Lord, are the great healer the Great Jehovah Rapha. Only you can ease pain. Healing comes from your power working through doctors, treatments, and medication, but we pray Lord that you will not give anyone more than they can bear.

Provide the suffering with your constant comfort and peace knowing, “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” (Is. 41:10 NLT) Amen

#4 Prayer for Loss of a Job or Provision

Lord, it’s devastating not being able to provide financially for family or loves ones. Fear of the unknown of where to turn or what to do next to find a new job is overwhelming. Many find themselves in this position today and it can be paralyzing and depressing.

Father, we pray that doors would open maybe in a different profession. This loss might be a time to pursue new opportunities. Lord please provide the wisdom, direction, courage, and humbleness to reach out for help in the interim and let others be responsive. “If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?” (1 John 3:17)

You tell us to be aware of those who are in need, that the body of Christ is benevolent and ready to help our fellow brother and sisters so please surround those in economic loss with others who have extra to share. “If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord—and he will repay you!” (Pr. 19:17 NLT)

Please guide all who find themselves in this position to seek help even though it’s humbling, you love when we are humble. “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.” (James 4:10 NLT) Provide employment, replace lost possessions, and help families pull together not be pulled apart.

Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them. (Ps. 10:17 NLT)

Jesus is the Answer!

We all need prayers sometime in our life, and when we see those prayers answered, God wants us to reach back and help others who are going through something similar. Today we pray for those who are hurting and someday we hope that others will pray for us. It’s God’s way and plan for his people.

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. (2 Cor. 1:3-4 NLT)

We never know if God is going to heal our hurting here or in our heavenly home, but He does promise for all who believe in Him as their Lord and Savior that . . .

And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Rev. 21:3-4

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September 18, 2022
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Balancing Work and Life on Labor Day and Everyday!

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I’ve always looked at Memorial Day and Labor Day as the bookends of summer. Both are now three-day weekend holidays that also commemorate the end of one school year and the beginning of the next—although today’s schools don’t stick as closely to that schedule anymore.

You probably have memories of Labor Day picnics, family reunions, and barbecues as the official end of summer; but beyond that, few stop to think about why we even have the day off. What is Labor Day anyway?

History of Labor Day

In 1894, Grover Cleveland made Labor Day a federal holiday after a failed attempt to break up a railroad strike. Observed on the first Monday in September, Labor Day pays tribute to the contributions and achievements of American workers.

Traditionally, all stores closed on Labor Day so workers could celebrate the holiday. Today, most stores are having Labor Day sales and their workforce is hard at work on a day dedicated to resting from work. Many people work on Labor Day without realizing: Hey, I’m a worker that has contributed to my company and I should have a day of rest!

Pray for Those Who Can’t Take the Day Off

Not every worker can take the day off and rest today. Those employed in the service industries often find holidays their busiest time: firemen, first responders, hospital employees, police, restaurant workers, gas stations, and now we can’t seem to go a day without a grocery store open. Seems like we could stock up on Saturday!

My father was a California Highway Patrolman and he took his turn at working every holiday. Labor Day is notoriously a heavy traffic day as travelers return from the three-day weekend and officially the last summer holiday. If you have to be on the road, drive carefully, courteously, and obey the speed limits. 

Pray for every police officer you see. They have a family keeping a plate of ribs or a hamburger warm for the end of their shift.

Work or Rest?

The Crosswalk.com article, Labor Day: Your Need for Both Work and Rest by Nick Batzig, caught my attention. It started out …

“As we come to celebrate another Labor Day, it may be beneficial for us to step back for a moment and consider what Scripture has to say about the rhythm of work and rest—i.e. the cyclical configuration by which all the events of our lives occur.”

The article discussed God’s original plan for work and how that all changed when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit and why God wants us to have times of rest and refreshment. Batzig listed several changes over the years that have resulted in work being motivated by prestige, self-esteem, peer pressure, fear, anxiety, and lack of purpose outside of work, rather than simply providing for our family. The following point resonated with what I see happening in families today:

“Whereas traditional societies said that you got your meaning in life through your family, and through basically fulfilling a fairly prescribed social role—either as a mother or father, or a brother or sister, or husband or wife, or a son or a daughter…You just needed to find a way to make a living because family was what everything was about. But we’re the first culture in history that says, ‘You define yourself by defining what you want to be and by attaining it—and then you have significance.’ There’s never been more psychological and social and emotional pressure on work to be either fulfilling or at least lucrative. There’s never been a culture like that.

Learning to Balance Work and Life

Work has taken on such a priority in our culture that businesses are paying female employees to get an abortion or fly to a state that offers abortions rather than giving them time off to have their baby. I’ve heard it said by liberals with twisted values that instead of women taking maternity leave or quitting work to raise their children, abortion is better for the economy. Encouraging women to murder their babies so they won’t miss a day of work. That’s sick!

The companies, politicians, and economists subscribing to keeping women in the workforce rather than letting them experience motherhood, obviously value work over family. But the company isn’t going to be there for her when she ages, quits, is laid off, or becomes ill. The company doesn’t carry on her legacy or DNA. The company doesn’t love her like only a child can.

Family is the future of America. It’s how God designed us to live.

So God created mankind in his own image,  in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Gen 1:27-28

Making work a god that’s worshipped is evil.  “You must not have any other god but me. 4 “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

Valuing work more than family is also from the evil one.

I’ll admit that I’m a recovering workaholic. The only way I’m able to balance work and rest is to prioritize the things that are the most important to me—serving God and my family. My ministry is About His Work Ministries, so I’m fortunate to serve God through my work of writing and speaking. I also make sure to schedule times of rest with my hubby, and we often plan those times into speaking event travels and trips to see our grandkids.

We also serve in ministry together as Dave assists me with About His Work Ministries, travels with me when I speak, and we co-lead a couples Bible study. But when I’m spending time with my family—my husband, children, and grandchildren—I set aside “work,” even ministry work, and focus on family.

That doesn’t leave much time in my schedule for “extra” activities, and so I’ve had to learn to say no to some good things. Before I say “yes,” and find myself with no time to rest and refresh, I’m trying to remember to do two things:

1. Pray and ask God if it’s something He wants me to do. Does it have Kingdom value?

2. Assess if I have the time and energy to add this activity to my calendar, and if so, what should it replace?

If I sense God telling me to go for it, I know I must remove something from my calendar, or I’ll become unbalanced trying to get all the work done and rest will suffer. If you want to study more about what the Bible has to say about living a balanced life, you might enjoy my Bible study, Face to Face with Priscilla and Aquila: Balancing Life and Ministry.

What do you do to find times of rest and refreshment in a world that values work over rest and family?

Finding rest on Labor Day
https://womantowomanmentoring.com/publications/bible-studies/#Balance

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September 4, 2022
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Only Jesus Can Cancel the Debt that Saves Your Life!

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Biden has created quite an uproar, and rightly so, by claiming he has the power to cancel college loan debts to the tune of 500 billion dollars by charging taxpayers, many who either have paid off their own college loans or never accrued them. He’s not even going full socialist by taking from the rich to give to the poor; he’s going true communist by taking from everyday Americans and in some cases giving to the rich who could pay off their own loans.

The timing is obvious as his poll approval is in the tank and this is a last-ditch effort to buy votes before the November elections. But so many people are enraged at this political ploy, that I’m sure it will backfire with lost votes because it doesn’t matter what political party you support, the 89,000 armed new IRS agents are coming for you and your money. It’s estimated this college loan forgiveness sham will cost every American family $2000. I wonder if that includes the students receiving the loan payoff since they’re taxpayers too!

I had already decided to write on a similar topic, when Biden just confirmed I was on the track God wanted me on.

Originally, I was going to write on cancel culture and how God isn’t worried about it because He was the originator of cancel when He sent His Son Jesus Christ to the Cross to cancel our sin debt. But there’s one important stipulation—you must believe that Jesus not only died on the Cross, He also arose three days later and returned to Heaven to prepare a place for all who would believe and follow Him.

There is no charge to you.

There is no charge to anyone else.

There is no price you must pay for forgiveness of your sin debt.

Your slate is wiped clean! You’re free to live a life honoring Jesus as your Lord and Savior.

Such a hard concept for many to grasp and yet so many need to hear this Good News.

For those who are foolishly comparing corrupt Biden unjustly wiping away college debt to Jesus Christ being nailed to a cross in a bloody gruesome death to justly wipe away our sin, I say blasphemy. Anyone who would even try to compare the two is not a Christian and knows nothing about becoming a Christian, but this is certainly an opportunity to inform them of the biblical facts of salvation.

Going to college and incurring enormous loan debt is a choice. It was not forced or imposed on students. It was a life choice, a commitment, and a responsibility they accepted and willingly agreed to pay back.

Jesus went to the cross willingly to offer everyone the choice of accepting Him as their Lord and Savior without imposition or coercion. It’s a choice with no payback. You cannot pay for or earn salvation by good works or effort. You simply trade in your sin-filled life by surrendering your heart to Christ to receive the gift of eternal salvation and eternal life. It’s a commitment. It’s free. It’s available to everyone!

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Rom. 6:23 ESV

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” Eph. 2:8-9 ESV

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

“Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Rom 10:9 ESV

For those who make the life-saving, life-changing choice, Jesus has already paid the price. No one can make the choice for you or wipe away your sin debt, only Jesus.

“Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. Is. 1:18

Why Has College Become So Expensive in the First Place?

One of the things I’ve said about this ridiculous and unrighteous attempt to make innocent people pay for the college debts of others is that the Biden Administration loves to talk about getting to the “root cause” of issues like the outrageous onslaught of people flooding over our borders from other countries. The obvious root cause: Biden is inviting them here!

Why don’t the liberals investigate the root cause of exorbitant fees to attend colleges? Why don’t they investigate the tuitions that require college loans? Many colleges are already receiving federal subsidies. Who holds them accountable for what they’re charging students? These same over-priced institutions are the beneficiaries of all this government bailout and will only be encouraged to raise the tuitions even higher. The root cause: College administrators are also usually large Democrat donors with a huge liberal lobby.

The Biden Administration thinks they’ll win favor with the public by just throwing money at the problem and appeasing their donors and college lobbyists. Sad that college has now become a political tool and students and their families the political football. And we the taxpayers are being tackled and squeezed to pay for debts we didn’t incur.

What Are Others Saying?

I was interested to read what Christian financial expert Dave Ramsey had to say about this latest maneuver from the White House. Here are some of his comments.

“This is so intellectually dishonest.”

He added, “If [student loans] are so bad that you have to cancel them, then why are you continuing to make them? You should at least stop making them before we start forgiving them,” he added of student debt arrangements.

“It’s an obvious political ploy.”

He called the student loan industry “predatory.”

“If you are a $10,000 student loan person and you make less than $125,000, and [your loan] is getting ready to be forgiven — we’re happy for you. We want good things for you,” he said, referencing the notion of getting out of debt as quickly as possible. However, he said, “we’re also simultaneously angry on behalf of the people who paid off their loans and feel screwed — and you know why they feel screwed? Because they got screwed. That’s why.”

So, everyone out there “just paid off all of these other people’s student loan debt, and your grandkids paid them off.”

“This slide toward socialism … is out of control. This is a failed presidency,” he said.

Ramsey also said of the student loan handout, “What about the guy who takes out a student loan next week? What [is Washington] going to do to help him?”

Dave Ramsey reacts to Biden’s student loan handout: ‘Obvious political ploy’ | Fox Business

Former Secretary of Education William Bennet told FOX Business host Maria Bartiromo . . .

“This is a terrible, terrible, idiotic idea.”

“College charges and university charges have gone up so much higher than the rate of inflation — and we will see another increase now by the people who run these institutions.”

Bennett added, “We just keep chasing our tail. Keep increasing the grants, the loans — and they will keep increasing the charges. As soon as the money’s there, they will find a way to charge you for it.”

“The people who paid down their debt — they get nothing out of this. The people who never had debt — they get nothing out of this. The welders, the hairdressers, so many others — they get nothing.”

“So here you are, making a move that’s very bad for the economy, in terms of inflation,” said Bennett. 

“You’re favoring an already advantaged class over others,” he said. 

“You’re violating a basic contract agreement and obligation — when you take on debt, you should pay it back. You signed the paper — you took it on. And you’re not helping people who did the honorable thing.”

The “moral hazard here is pretty obvious,”

And “the only reason we can think that a person would advance this,” Bennett said, “would be for political purposes. They’re hoping that the people who get this [loan handout] will vote for Biden. That’s the only conclusion you can draw.” William Bennett on Biden’s student loan handout plan: ‘Terrible, idiotic idea’ | Fox News

Susan Rice’s response to those who have paid off their debt: “Yes, those who have paid their loans back deserve to be credited, that’s fantastic. That’s to their credit.” What a tone-deaf statement. Is she talking about crediting them back all the money they paid to fulfill their contract? No, I didn’t think so!

While Pelosi admits their going to selectively “relieve people of their obligation.”

How Will God Use This for Good?

The Democrat party has become godless and evil. But let me encourage you that God is bigger than all of this! He sees everything.

Biden doesn’t have the authority to cancel college debt with the stroke of a pen on an executive order. He’s not a king. He’s a President that must follow the Constitution and present this proposal to Congress, which he’s choosing to bypass. So far, they’re letting him, but we can only hope there are soon legal challenges to this obvious pay-for-votes bribery scheme. The Bible warns . . .

The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender. Pr. 22:7

Jesus Christ, the Lord of Lords and King of Kings does have authority to cancel our sin debt and just like I did in this article, the discussion about this unjust extortion by the Biden Administration opens the door for us to discuss the free salvation available through a relationship with Jesus.

We simply turn the conversation to sharing our testimony and the Gospel with those who haven’t yet asked Jesus to forgive their sin debt.

We present the living Word, Jesus Christ, to a dying world.

“For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Rom. 10:13

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August 28, 2022
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Are They Coming for You Next?

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When I was writing last week’s blog regarding the left labeling Conservative Patriotic Christians as “Christian Nationalists,” They Called Jesus and His Followers Names Too, the thought entered my mind that this was a setup to dissuade and intimidate support of President Trump should he plan on running again in 2024 or frankly any Republican candidate. I didn’t include that thought in the post to not politicize it and I know there are probably readers who don’t favor President Trump. But the unprecedented raid on his home by the Justice Department and FBI, confirmed my assertions.

Whatever you think of President Trump, like him or not, the invasive raid, never before assailed against a former President in history, raises many questions about the overreach and politicization of the Justice Department and the FBI. These are not unfounded concerns with what we saw take place with the FBI and DOJ lying and falsifying documents in Russiagate along with the theatrical raids on Trump’s associates. Even the head of Project Veritas, journalist James O’Keefe, was unjustly raided by the FBI looking for the Biden family’s lost diary!

In case you didn’t know, James O’Keefe established Project Veritas in 2011 as a non-profit journalism enterprise to continue his undercover reporting work. Today, Project Veritas investigates and exposes corruption, dishonesty, self-dealing, waste, fraud, and other misconduct in both public and private institutions to achieve a more ethical and transparent society. Overview | Project Veritas

Then last Friday, House Democrats passed an Orwellian $739 billion climate change, tax hike, and healthcare bill. A bill that will fund the IRS with 80 billion more taxpayer dollars and double the agency by adding 87,000 new IRS armed and willing to use lethal force agents!! Under the Obama Administration, the IRS was caught targeting Conservatives and nonprofits. What will happen this time and why do they need an arsenal of guns and agents willing to use them against taxpayers?

Democrats claim that by investing in the Internal Revenue Service they can save an additional $124 billion. Where do you think they’re going to get that money? From hardworking American citizens. They’ve made no excuses that their plan to fund this bill and raise the additional $124 million is with higher taxes and finding something you overlooked in filing your taxes. As some have joked: They’ll look for the change in your couch! But it’s not funny.

Of that $750 billion, $369 billion is slated to go to climate change subsidies to try to help reach Biden’s goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions 40% by 2030. A further $64 billion will go to expanding ObamaCare subsidies. The rest of the new revenue, more than $300 billion, they claim will go to paying down the deficit they’ve inflated.

So whether or not you agree with their Green New Deal, you’re going to pay for it by force.

We Are A Nation in Trouble!

People need to know the Lord. Many are afraid and justly concerned that the safe and secure America we’ve enjoyed in the past is systematically being destroyed. Now, more than ever, we need to remember and share with everyone we know that our hope and security comes from Jesus Christ not politicians or the government that’s currently shredding our Constitution.

Even though they can make our earthly life miserable, God is still who we trust with our eternal life.

 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Gen. 50:20 NKJV

My husband heard that the Rev. Franklin Graham, the president of Samaritan’s Purse, was on Eric Bolling’s Newsmax show on Thursday, August 11 and I’m so glad we watched it. Franklin admitted that he too is fearful of what this nefarious government is capable of doing to anyone who disagrees with them, just like in Communist countries. But praise God Christians know the Lord as our Savior and He will use all of this for good. And yes, He will use us to do His good work.

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Eph. 2:10 NLT

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Phil. 1:6

I noticed that Rev. Graham, who usually appears in interviews smiling and relaxed, this time was unusually serious and somber as he told Bolling that after recent events the United States is entering a “very frightening time” and needs to find God again.

By recent events, Graham was referring to the FBI raid on President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence and the then proposed congressional Democrats doubling the IRS’ staff. Graham shared his organization’s experience with the Obama Administration IRS.

”During the Obama administration, because I was not supportive of their policies, we got audited at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association … the next day Samaritan’s Purse was notified, and we were audited.”

”We have nothing to hide but they will use the IRS to go after people that don’t support their agenda,” he continued. ”And I think you see when they’re going to be armed and things like this. This is very frightening — and we’re really going to turn into what we saw in Communist countries. Very Very frightening!”

That was hard to hear and a bit shocking that Franklin Graham was fearful watching this administration using Communist-style tactics against their political enemies and the very people they are charged to govern fairly regardless of party affiliation.

Next, Graham did what he always takes the opportunity to do; he turned the conversation to God. “Our only hope for this nation is God, and we as a nation we’ve turned our back on God. We’ve left Him behind. We support abortion and same sex marriage. These are things that are against God’s standards and God’s laws. We celebrate sin instead of being ashamed of sin . . . our politicians are celebrating sin.”

Then he shared with the viewers the saving grace of Jesus Christ and the Gospel. His solutions to solving the current crises are for Americans to stop celebrating sins such as abortion and same-sex marriage and turn back to God so as not to be under God’s judgment.

“We need to be repentant and turn from those sins and ask for God’s forgiveness and put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ, His Son who died for our sins on the cross and God raised to life. And if we’re willing to repent from our sins and put our faith in Jesus Christ, God will forgive our sins,” he proclaimed.

”But we as a nation are in trouble, and we’re getting probably what we deserve.” Rev. Graham to Newsmax: US in Trouble After Trump Search, Proposed IRS Growth | Newsmax.com

God Is Our Only Hope and Refuge and He’s Coming for You!

I find it interesting that Biden put out a statement Saturday after the brutal stabbing of author Salman Rushdie: “Salman Rushdie—with his insight into humanity with his unmatched sense for story, with his refusal to be intimidated or silenced—stands for essential, universal ideals. Truth. Courage. Resilience. The ability to share ideas without fear. These are the building blocks of any free and open society. And today, we reaffirm our commitment to those deeply American values in solidarity with Rushdie and all those who stand for freedom of expression,” he added.

It’s hard to read those words attributed to Biden and believe him. The hypocrisy of that statement is deafening! Yes, that is what America used to stand for, yet Biden’s administration has already tried to enforce a federal Ministry of Truth, with a Truth Czar who would determine misinformation and squelch freedom of expression. Censor what the government didn’t consider “truth,” which Twitter and Facebook already does. They’ve created a culture where people are canceled, fired, or kicked out of school if they don’t agree with the woke trajectory that’s sending America into the abyss.

 A deep, spiritual sickness is strangling the soul of our nation. Our culture, and far too many of our institutions, have not only turned away from God like Franklin Graham lamented, but they’re becoming actively hostile to Him.

Lt. Col. Allen West wrote: “The Founders of this nation didn’t just create America because they thought it would be cool. Most believed they were fulfilling their duty to God, and that America was in many ways the result of the intervention of Divine Providence. We must continue that fight today, because if we allow America’s light to go out the entire world will be swallowed up by evil.”

Don’t let Ezekial 22:30 be true of us: “I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.”

Let God find us faithfully standing in the gap through prayer, petition, action, and our voice.

We soon will have an opportunity to change the direction of our country with our vote, but only God can spiritually deliver people with eyes that refuse to see and ears that refuse to hear. So, we pray for those blinded by the evil one, whose ears are tickled by lies. When we look at our own testimonies, and that of the apostle Paul who was killing Christians before his encounter with God, we know that God can and will change lives, even the life of a country.

As much as we should encourage people to get out and vote this November, we need to remember that our focus as Christians is to draw others to Christ in all circumstances. I always appreciate that Franklin Graham, like his father Rev. Billy Graham, never misses an opportunity to share the Gospel, because regardless of the curse our nation is bringing on itself, our job is to be sure that everyone we know is saved.

At any moment, God could say enough chances. There are many who feel God’s not done with America yet, but we should still feel urgency to be sure our family and friends know Jesus as their personal Savior.

You and I are going to encounter people who are fearful of what’s happening to our nation. Maybe that’s you. Fear seems to have been the dominating emotion since Covid and political corruption has touched every life. But God wants Jesus to touch every life, even those politicians who seem to be going against everything godly!

None of us can predict the future for America, or how this will personally affect us, but if you know Jesus Christ as your Savior, you know who holds your future. He’s got it all figured out and we’re each part of His plan to draw others to the hope found in a relationship with Jesus, while there’s still time.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jer. 29:11 NKJV

It’s God who’s coming for you and me! As Jesus told his disciples and He says to His disciples today . . .

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Amen!

You might enjoy reading my recent Crosswalk article. What Is the Truth Behind Biblical Gender Roles?

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No blog next Monday, 8/22 but I should be back on 8/29, the Lord willing. Also, we’ve been having trouble with the email distribution which is why you’ve seen the past few weeks the blog coming maybe on a different day or time, but it’s always on my website by 4:00 AM, MT on Monday morning. I appreciate all you faithful readers!

August 15, 2022
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They Called Jesus and His Followers Names Too!

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In my last two blogs, I’ve talked about the goal of the left, especially the left-leaning media, to create words and redefine others and the latest assault is “Christian Nationalism.” Oh, and they usually put “white” in front of that slur so they can somehow tie it to “white supremacy.” I’ve also mentioned that the goal of Marxism is to destroy the family and the church to ultimately destroy and control the country.

They’re attacking the family through the LGBTQABC and transgender movement invading our schools. The DOJ calls parents domestic terrorists for wanting to stop their children’s indoctrination with racism and sex grooming. The left wants to eliminate parents from knowing what’s happening without their permission in the schools.

The church is also under siege. The left has tried to use the racism card but when that failed, they’ve come up with calling us names like labeling patriotic Christians who love God, family, and country as “Christian Nationalists” and then equating that term with the Taliban! Notice a theme here. You fall into this category by their definition if you maintain that America was founded on Judeo Christian principles and profess there’s nothing in the Constitution or Bill of Rights that says there should be a separation of church and state.

Do you see how they’re also subtly trying to silence teaching American history and sharing the Gospel with these outlandish claims?

Liberals who haven’t accepted that abortion is NOT a right given in the Constitution have now segued to the absurd accusation that the conservative majority in the Supreme Court that led to the overturn of Roe v Wade is a result of the “Christian nationalist movement!”

If you want to know what they mean by “Christian nationalism,” Katherine Stewart, author of The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism conveys the following radical propaganda: “The term ‘Christian nationalism’ is not a word game . . . It is descriptive of an ideology as well as a political movement engaged in an organized quest for power.”

Absurd! Deceived! Demonic! Name-calling! Yes, Word Games!

They want to force us to denounce our flag and patriotic views! To be afraid to say what we all know is true that the further our country moves away from God, the closer we get to destruction. To put blinders onto the moral deprivation, lawlessness, and decay of our culture we can all see for ourselves as God was removed from our schools and our government. Silence us from saying our country was founded on Judeo Christian values for fear of being called a “Christian nationalist.”

It won’t work! They can’t intimidate us! We already have the power of the Holy Spirit living in us. We’ll keep singing songs like “Proud to be An American” by Lee Greenwood and “Same Power” by Jeremy Camp. I love both those songs!!

We’ll also sing God Bless America because God cares about our country just like He cared about giving the Israelites the Promised Land. In Deuteronomy 26:15, Moses told the people to pray “Look down from heaven, your holy dwelling place, and bless your people Israel and the land you have given us as you promised on oath to our ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey.”

But Moses also warned them not to forget the Lord’s ways, “Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors.” Deut. 8:1

Just like America has forgotten God, the Israelites failed. So, God told them what they needed to do. It’s the same thing our nation needs to do now as I wrote about in Forsaken God? Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten.

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chr. 7:14

Calling us Racist Didn’t Work and This Latest Name-Calling Attack Won’t Either.

Dr. Robert Jeffress, senior pastor of First Baptist Dallas, addressed this issue in a recent sermon where he said he wasn’t a “Christian nationalist, but insisted the United States was founded as a ‘Christian nation’.” He pointed out that a perversion of the Constitution by progressives, atheists, and others has led to the creation of a secular nation now defined by a culture that is both tragic and decadent.

He pointed out that, “Today, over 10 million teenagers in the U.S. drink alcohol regularly; 20 percent engage in binge drinking; 2,800 children die each year as a result of gun violence; another 14,300 are injured. Nearly 1 million babies were murdered in the womb last year, and one in four women in the U.S. will have aborted at least one of their children by age 45. On and on and on it goes. Are these tragedies just a coincidence?” he asked.

“Now, just consider the warning that God gave to His own people Israel. In Hosea 4:6, He said, ‘My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you from being My priest.’ Listen to this: ‘Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children,‘ Jeffress said.

“He’s given us so much. You can see His hand in the founding of our country. But in the final analysis, God is no respecter of people or nations. Any nation that reverences God will be blessed by God, and any nation, including the United States, that rejects God will be rejected by God,” he rightly emphasized.

“America was founded predominantly … by Christians who wanted to build this Christian nation on the foundation of God’s will,” he said. “And furthermore, these men believed that the future success of our country depended upon our fidelity to the Christian beliefs. And that’s why we can say, though it’s politically incorrect to do so, we say without hesitation or apology that America was founded as a Christian nation, and our future success depends upon our country being faithful to those eternal truths of God’s Word.”
Robert Jeffress rejects ‘Christian nationalist’ label | Church & Ministries News (christianpost.com)

I hope you, like me, agree with Pastor Jeffress and those beliefs alone can now get you labeled as a “Christian Nationalist,” a “threat to democracy.” I’ve been thinking of appropriate responses.

1. Like Dr. Jeffress, we reject this label’s definition and evil connotation, but adamantly and vocally stand by our Christian beliefs and patriotism.

2. We remember our first allegiance is to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, not a government, an official, a president, or people calling us names!

3. We ignore the slanderers and continue living our lives as honorable Bible-believing, born-again Christian American citizens.

15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. 16 But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. 1 Peter 3:15-16 NLT

Their Goal is to Divide and Weaken the Church

And it’s working. There’s even a group called Christians Against Christian Nationalism that completely distorts and insinuates being a Christian who loves Jesus, the Bible, and country is somehow a power grab and evil?!

I see confusion and misunderstanding all over social media. It broke my heart to read a comment on Facebook that the writer who had been a Christian for many years was now afraid to refer to herself as a Christian because “Christians are giving Christianity a bad reputation.” This is exactly what the devil and the Marxists hope will happen. That Christianity will become so distorted and tainted that the core TRUTH of the Gospel and the Cross will fall under the weight of slander and misrepresentation . . . eventually silenced.

Here’s just one example of how this confusion is generated in the public arena.

Rep. Adam Kinzinger, who calls himself a Christian, accused his Republican colleague and sister in the faith Rep. Lauren Boebert of advocating for “the Christian Taliban, after she spoke in a church and said she is “tired of this separation of Church and state junk.”

Boebert, a born-again Christian, argued that the principle of separation of Church and state is not in the Constitution and was only in a letter that “means nothing like they say it does.” Boebert was likely referencing an 1802 letter from President Thomas Jefferson to the Danbury Baptist Church Association in Connecticut stating that the First Amendment has “a wall of separation between Church and State.”

In context, Jefferson was referring to the fact that the government can’t establish a universal religion or interfere in the church. The Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution “prohibits the government from making any law respecting an establishment of religion” and “government actions that unduly favor one religion over another.” It also prohibits the government from “unduly preferring religion over non-religion, or non-religion over religion.”

The purpose was always to keep the government out of the church, like they unconstitutionally did in forcing churches to close during the pandemic, not to keep the church out of government. Say that truth today and you’re labeled Christian Taliban.

As opponents often use the term “Christian Taliban” or even “Christo Fascists” to demean conservative Christian policy stances, conservative radio host Larry O’Connor reminded Kinzinger that he, too, was once branded as “Christian Taliban” before he was elected to Congress in 2010.

“All of us at Breitbart helped you win in 2010 when the protesters in the streets were calling YOU Christian Taliban and Nazi. Remember all the posters of you and Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin with swastikas?” O’Connor noted. “You’ve become the very people we fought against to help you get elected.” Adam Kinzinger slams Boebert’s call for Church to direct gov’t | Politics News (christianpost.com)

Names the Government and Religious Leaders Called Jesus

The Pharisees were the religious government of the day and they even accused Jesus of doing miracles in the name of Satan. They labeled Him a blasphemer and demonic.

Jesus climbed into a boat and went back across the lake to his own town. 2 Some people brought to him a paralyzed man on a mat. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Be encouraged, my child! Your sins are forgiven.” 3But some of the teachers of religious law said to themselves, “That’s blasphemy! Does he think he’s God?”

32 When they left, a demon-possessed man who couldn’t speak was brought to Jesus. 33 So Jesus cast out the demon, and then the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed. “Nothing like this has ever happened in Israel!” they exclaimed. 34 But the Pharisees said, “He can cast out demons because he is empowered by the prince of demons.” Matt. 9 1-3; 32-34

When He called them out for their hypocrisy, they tried to trap Him.

But the Pharisee, noticing that Jesus did not first wash before the meal, was surprised. Then the Lord said to him, ‘Now then you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? But give what is inside the dish to the poor, and everything will be clean for you’….

One of the experts of the law (Scribes who were mostly Pharisees) answered him, ‘Teacher, when you say these things you insult us also.’ Jesus replied, ‘And you experts of the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them’….When Jesus left there, the Pharisees and teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions, waiting to catch him in something he might say.” Luke 11:37-41, 45-46, 54

As followers of Christ, none of the attacks on Christianity should come as a surprise or discourage us. They only come after us because we represent a formidable and effective threat to tyrannical control of our country and attempts to destroy our culture. I heard a pastor (who BTW is black) say, and I agree, that his biggest sorrow is that his children and grandchildren are not enjoying the America he knew growing up. One that never would’ve allowed the degradation of morals and cultural demise we’re watching today, much of what I’ve written about in previous blogs.

Who could’ve imagined men would be allowed to participate in women’s sports, locker rooms, showers, and bathrooms; pronouns we learned in English now discarded with new ones made up every day; children encouraged to change to 101 different genders; the definition of marriage between a man and a woman discarded, and on and on.

We must not adapt to this immoral society. As Bible-believing Christians, we live unequivocally by God’s Word and set examples for the next generation to follow. Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. 1 Cor. 11:1

The world didn’t accept Jesus and His followers either, so let’s not be naïve and think everyone is going to accept Christ-followers. But the only acceptance we seek is that of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We remember that this world is not our permanent home; we’re just passing through. But while we’re here, we seek to fulfill the purpose God has for each of us to be About His Work! We occupy and stay engaged until Christ returns for us.

“Grace lets us live as godly, loving Christians, even when politics fails!” Pastor Brian Smith

18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. John 15:18-19

14 For this world is not our home; we are looking forward to our everlasting home in heaven. 15 With Jesus’ help we will continually offer our sacrifice of praise to God by telling others of the glory of his name. 16 Don’t forget to do good and to share what you have with those in need, for such sacrifices are very pleasing to him. Heb. 13:14-16 Living Bible

The very essence of your words is truth; all your just regulations will stand forever. Ps. 119:160 NLT

The last two blogs I referenced in the opening paragraph are:

We’re in a War of Words with the Devil

It’s Not Easy Being Me, But I’m So Glad God Chose Me to Be About His Work!

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August 8, 2022
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It’s Not Easy Being Me, but I’m So Glad God Chose Me to Be About His Work!

5

If you follow me regularly, you know I blog every Monday Morning, unless I announce I’m taking some time off. If you’ve signed up to have the blog come into your email, it’s there waiting for you when you turn on your computer, IPad, or phone on Monday mornings. But not last Monday!

I did everything as usual to post the blog, but it didn’t transfer from WordPress to Mail Chimp, which sends it out to my email list?! We put out an SOS to my sweet angel web designer, who has since retired from designing but graciously comes to our rescue when we encounter a problem we can’t troubleshoot. But Holly had COVID and was in that stage where you can’t think clearly and have no energy, but she said she would try to help us when she felt better.

Let me back up to the wee hours of the morning that the blog was supposed to post to email. I always program the blog to post on WordPress at 3:30 AM, and then it goes to Mail Chimp at 4:00 AM and out to all who receive it by email. At exactly 3:30 AM, I awoke from a sound sleep and immediately felt a sense of oppression and anxiety. I knew it was coming from Satan, but I couldn’t pray away the heaviness. I also knew, and almost expected, retaliation from Satan because the title of the blog was We’re in a War of Words with the Devil and I hit him hard!

My apprehension was confirmed when I saw that the blog didn’t go out to email and there was nothing my husband or I could do about it. I want to clarify I wasn’t canceled because it posted to my website, Facebook, and Twitter. No, this was something else. A sinister force trying to show me he thought he was in charge . . . Satan.

Even though I know Jesus who lives in me is greater than he that is in the world, I couldn’t shake the oppression all day Monday that I had felt during those early morning hours. 4 But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. 1 John 4:4 NLT

I was confident that I would eventually be victorious, yet still I began to question if it was time to stop blogging? Was anyone being helped by my words? Was I just preaching to the choir who already knows everything I’m writing about? Are any lives being changed by me spending my weekends researching and writing blogs? And on it went!

I know you’ve been where I was. Maybe you’re there now. Perhaps you thought I’ve never had those moments of doubt or despair, but I do just like you. I’ve learned that I just need to address them head on with something you’ve heard me write and speak about many times, the armor of God found in Ephesians 6:10-18. I prayerfully put on my spiritual armor every morning, and I’ve often commented I would probably be dead by now if I didn’t! I take it that seriously. Our pastor just finished a series on the armor of God, and he discussed a separate piece of armor each Sunday. I appreciated that he gave it the same significance in our Christian life as Dave and I do.

So suited up in my Spiritual Armor, I did just what the Scripture says, I took a stand against the enemy, prayed, and did everything I could to network the blog on social media. People were finding it, reading, and commenting on the blog at my website.

10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we[a] 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. 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. Eph. 6:10-12, 18 NLT

I knew I had hit the enemy’s vulnerable weak spot with my David-like stone, a blog, and I wouldn’t be shaken. I had actually written in the blog that I wouldn’t succumb to the cancel culture tyranny, and I certainly wasn’t going to let Satan sideline me.

On Friday, Holly started feeling better and within 10 minutes had the blog emailed out to all of you who receive it by email. Holly discovered that a “pause” had been placed on the blog in Mail Chimp?! Neither Dave or I had even been in Mail Chimp! When I asked Holly how that could’ve happened, her response was “I have no idea, but I suspect it’s the enemy!” Meaning you know who, the devil.

Yes, the devil is real. I try to never ever forget that but sometimes I guess the Lord thinks I need a reminder.

I’ve had so many encouraging comments and emails about the sidetracked blog. Many came from strong Christians like Kathy telling me how she needed the reminder of how the culture is trying to change the meaning of words through intimidation. Kathy wrote, “We absolutely agree with your assessment and perspective. A year ago, I knew nothing about all of this. I’m sure there are still many who are uninformed like I was, and you are helping to enlighten.” The Lord used Kathy’s comment in particular to remind me that as He opens my eyes, I’m opening the eyes of fellow believers, as well as those who might be seeking, uninformed, or confused.

Even as I was struggling to get the blog out that unveiled the satanic Marxist manipulation of our language, the Biden administration was trying to do another word churn to redefine recession to cover up their sheer incompetence. As if they could gaslight all of us who are living through this inflation/recession nightmare!

An article reviewing this “word churning” referenced a Washington Post columnist Megan McCardle. Considering the Washington Post is left leaning, she hit the target! “The Biden administration has spent a lot of energy trying to manage perceptions of the economy,” the columnist observed. As an example, she reminded readers, “Remember when inflation was going to be ‘temporary?'”

 “You can’t message people out of thinking their economic circumstances have gotten worse — or out of worrying that this portends ill for the future.” She concluded, “So all the spin efforts are likely to come to naught.” The columnist added “it’s emblematic of a dangerous tendency on the left to believe they can control reality by controlling the words we use to describe it.” She then elaborated on “the left’s full-time obsession” with semantics. “It is the left that has put us on a never-ending euphemism treadmill, transforming ‘illegal alien’ into ‘illegal immigrant’ and therefrom to ‘undocumented worker’ and so on,” McArdle cited as one example.

McArdle wrapped up the column by offering this advice to Democrats, “Sure, you can’t really blame the Biden administration for trying to put a positive spin on things. But the rest of us — and Democrats especially — would be better off if the left spent less time looking for better phrasing and more time finding solutions.” Recession ‘word churn’ from Democrats is not working, warns Washington Post columnist | Fox News

Ya think?! They can’t fool us who are living through the mayhem and crises created by this administration.

The Christian Life is A Wild Adventure Today!

While I said in the title of this blog that it’s hard being me, and sometimes it is, I’m so glad to be a servant for Christ devoting my life to ministry and wherever the Lord leads for the time He’s given me here on earth.

I, like many of you, feel the Lord is using the current worldly turmoil to sift out who will succumb and submit to the enemy’s tactics and who will stand against the attack on the church and Christians. We each have a God-given purpose and God has a plan for our life. It’s not to cower in fear and trepidation, but to stand firm with courage and boldness sharing the saving Gospel and exemplifying a life lived intentionally for Christ.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Rom. 8:28 NLT

We need to encourage each other. What we’re experiencing is nothing new. The early church was always vacillating between revival or riots, and nothing has changed. Jesus is the same yesterday, today, tomorrow, and always, yet Satan has not yet lost his power and he’s trying to use it with a heavy hand against any blinded by his darkness or not firm in their faith. Until his final demise, he’s not going down without a fight.

But as believers, Jesus told us, “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.” Matt. 5:14 NLT

We bring light to the darkness if we’re willing to be aware and awake (not woke) with a fire burning intensely for God in our spirit. The crises we’ve been in from the pandemic to the current financial catastrophe, the border invasion, and political lunacy has allowed us to see who will stand and do what God calls them to do. Who will not fear man or the enemy? It’s true, that when you stand up for Christ, you’ll probably pay a price, but it seems a minor consequence when you’re doing it for the Lord.

I want to give a shoutout to Christian soccer player Jaelene Daniels who sat out her game because she chose not to wear a “gay pride” jersey. She also turned down an offer to play on the US national team in 2017 because again she refused to wear a pride jersey. This time her team Courage was actually sponsoring a “Pride Festival” before kickoff. Daniels said, “I remain committed to my faith and my desire for people to know that my love for them isn’t based on their belief system or sexuality,” she wrote. ” I pray and firmly believe that my teammates know how much I cherish them, respect them, and love them.”  NWSL player Jaelene Daniels sits out over refusal to wear pride jersey | Fox News [Jaelene is featured in the opening picture]

I love this quote from Eric Metaxas who cautioned that some have been living in a Christian bubble, but “The Lord in his mercy shoves us out to uncomfortable places where you believe, but now you have to live your faith.” Christ puts us in a place where we have to exhibit the kind of faith that shows we really do trust the Lord. Just like Daniels and me, we’re all being shoved into that place right now. Every believer is being tested in a world that’s going against everything we believe. Will we succumb to pressure to conform, or will we stay strong with the Lord’s courage?

 I was shoved into that uncomfortable place twenty-seven years ago when I clearly heard the Lord tell me to “feed my sheep.” I soon learned the call initially meant starting the Woman to Woman Mentoring Ministry, which continues to bless women in churches around the world. Then it was feeding his sheep through my About His Work Ministries writing books and speaking, and today I feel my call is a willingness to discuss the hard issues (even sadly many pastors avoid) to prepare and ready the church for eternity. Yes, ready!

That we would not to be found cowering in fear and compromised faith, but boldly proclaiming my Savior lives and I can face tomorrow because He lives within my heart!

Revelation 21:7-8 NLT is clear that in eternity we won’t be accountable to the media, the trolls, politicians, or those groups that oppose us, we will only be accountable to Jesus. Let’s live our lives today like we believe this to be true!
7 All who are victorious will inherit all these blessings, and I will be their God, and they will be my children. 8 “But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

We will put into practice Romans 12:21 NLT, Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

We will pray to God, Guide my steps by your word, so I will not be overcome by evil. Ps. 119:133 NLT

We will remember that, Good comes to those who lend money generously and conduct their business fairly. 6 Such people will not be overcome by evil. Those who are righteous will be long remembered. 7 They do not fear bad news; they confidently trust the Lord to care for them. Ps. 112:5-7 NLT

7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. 2 Tim. 1:7 NLT

God honors those who honor Him! Let none of us be found lacking when the trumpet calls.

10 Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens,

“It has come at last—
    salvation and power
and the Kingdom of our God,
    and the authority of his Christ.[a]
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters[b]
    has been thrown down to earth—
the one who accuses them
    before our God day and night.
11 And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb
    and by their testimony.
And they did not love their lives so much
    that they were afraid to die.
12 Therefore, rejoice, O heavens!
    And you who live in the heavens, rejoice!
But terror will come on the earth and the sea,
    for the devil has come down to you in great anger,
    knowing that he has little time.” Rev. 12:10-12 NLT

6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. Phil. 1:6

PS If you haven’t read last week’s blog that set Satan on the warpath, here it is. We’re in a War of Words with the Devil.

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August 1, 2022
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We’re In a War of Words with the Devil

14

Have you noticed how many new words and terms suddenly and slyly invaded our cultural vocabulary? Most do not reflect conservative or Christian values and yet we find ourselves using them because the left has done a very good job of normalizing them.

I heard a statement recently that jarred my thinking: “Marxists makeup words and their own definition to create a narrative, then those words become mainstream!” Yes, mainstream even among Christians. Marxism attempts to brainwash the population into subconsciously accepting their terms and narrative.

George Orwell said, “The best way to control a society is to control its language first!”

Think about some of the words and narratives introduced into everyday conversation and given new meaning. Here are just a few:

Abortion, the killing of unborn babies in the womb, is redefined as “healthcare.”

Marxists’ goal is depopulation. Fewer babies born, less people to have to worry about converting and controlling. The Old Testament describes evil enemy invaders opening up the bellies of pregnant women to kill their babies. Today with modern science, they just kill the baby in the womb. The Marxists have convinced enough people that this is a good thing, that they’re rioting and protesting in the streets that unborn babies must be killed!

Anarchists are vandalizing and attacking pregnancy centers devoted to helping mothers carry and deliver their babies, even with Socialist members of Congress like Senator Liz Warren incredulously demanding that pro-life pregnancy centers should all be destroyed! Don’t let babies be born and their mothers cared for after birth, but only give women a choice to kill their babies! How barbaric and yet revealing of the progressive left’s agenda.

The Marxist narrative around abortion has led to terms like “Pro Choice,” which should actually be “Pro Murder” because the baby certainly has no choice to live. Pro Choice makes murder sound righteous. Marxists are anti-family and killing the next generation of babies certainly reduces the number of families and the population.

We counter Pro Choice with “Pro Life,” but we should actually say “Pro Babies” or “Pro Babies’ Life.” Or Pro-family! We need to clearly articulate what lives we’re talking about and why they must be saved from slaughter.

Black Lives Matter or BLM came into prominence during George Floyd’s death. A criminal and drug addict was suddenly immortalized with statues and because of the bad acts of several policemen, all police were demonized. BLM is a self-described Marxist organization that professes in their manifesto that they want to dismantle the traditional family and what better way to gain control than to eliminate law and order. Large corporations and private citizens blindly contributed to this Marxist organization. You were criticized if you said the reality that All Lives Matter or pointed out that BLM has done nothing for the black community!

How did a Marxist group get so much power in America? Brainwashed Americans gave it to them.

Defund the Police and reimagine the police became the motto of left liberals and radical activists. When did you ever think you would hear that being a battle cry? What happens when there are no police? Crime escalates while domestic terrorists like ANTIFA and BLM rule the streets in a Marxist takeover of society.

Woke wasn’t a real word until 2017 when it was actually added to the dictionary meaning a slang word for social justice, another Marxist term. Both concepts came from the BLM movement. Woke is now mainstream indicating politically left-leaning ideology.

Stay woke has become words of action. Woke activists call on others to stay woke. Wokeness has now invaded every area of our life, starting with the White House and throughout government, the media, corporations, and education.

Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Systemic Racism theorists erroneously argue that American social life, political structures, and economic systems are founded upon race, which (in their view) is a social construct. Systemic racism, in the eyes of critical race theorists, stems from the dominance of race in American life. https://criticalrace.org › what-is-critical-race-theory

In announcing a legal coalition, Conservative Chris Rufo rightly explained that “Critical race theory is a grave threat to the American way of life. It divides Americans by race and traffics in the pernicious concepts of race essentialism, racial stereotyping, and race-based segregation—all under a false pursuit of ‘social justice.‘” He continued: “Critical race theory training programs have become commonplace in academia, government, and corporate life, where they have sought to advance the ideology through cult-like indoctrination, intimidation, and harassment.” What is critical race theory? | Fox News

CRT or racism is also invading the military and being taught to our children in schools that some are the oppressed and others are the oppressors, determined by the color of your skin. What better way to take over a population than to divide them by race and have them attack each other.

What does God say? There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Gal. 3:28

Transition is a new favorite word from the left. They never clearly articulate what we’re transitioning to but it’s clear by their actions that they’re attempting to transition America from a democratic Republic to tyrannical Marxism.

Then we come to the homosexual movement, which is not only being normalized, but also legalized and accepted. Sadly, many Christians are okay with that. Well God isn’t! You won’t find any of the following terms in the Bible, but He does give His thoughts on homosexuality.

Gay and Gay Marriage–never sanctioned or intended by God. We even let them hijack our blessed rainbow.

4 “Haven’t you read,” he [Jesus] replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? Matt. 19:4-5

Gay pride—God hates pride, especially when you’re proud of your sin.

Transgender, cisgender, binary and whatever else they come up with—God made two genders, male and female that’s it. Everything else is concocted by man’s confusion or evil desires.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Gen. 1:27 ESV

Drag Queen Crossdressers—there’s even a verse in the Bible against this demented practice, which is now also being used to groom young children.

A woman must not wear men’s clothing, nor a man wear women’s clothing, for the Lord your God detests anyone who does this. Deut. 22:5

As if it wasn’t enough that this ungodly movement has been normalized in our society, they’re now invading our schools teaching sinful lifestyles to small children. We can’t teach the Bible in schools, but the left is eager to teach Satan’s sexual perversion to impressionable children.

Are you seeing a theme here? When my grandson was only nine-years-old, he said it was obvious that we were not supposed to be homosexuals because how would we repopulate the earth?! He knew that it takes a male and female to have babies, even though the crazy liberals would have you believe that men could get pregnant.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 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. 1:27-28 ESV

The homosexual agenda and all its variants are designed by Satan to create confusion and normalize demonic practices and policies to destroy the American Family and the population.

For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. 1 Cor. 14:33

Notice the new plague Monkey Pox is transmitted through homosexual men having sex with each other, especially those with multiple partners. That’s exactly how AIDS was first transmitted. Do you think God is trying to get our attention that our society is blindly falling into Satan’s web?

What’s a Christian to Do and Say?

Another new term that stops many people from speaking the truth is cancel culture. If you mention any of the points I made above, you risk being canceled, maybe from social media (another new term) or from your liberal friends or family, but other times your job may actually be at risk if you refuse to accept the craziness or use the wrong pronouns.

I was alarmed that so few Christians and churches were celebrating the overturn of Roe v Wade! Were they afraid to actually admit that they were opposed to murdering babies? We should’ve heard an eruption of praise and joy that reached the heavenlies, yet I didn’t even see many professing this amazing act of God among my Christian friends on social media. Does Facebook and Twitter hold so much power that we don’t speak openly for fear of being canceled? If you follow me, you know I won’t succumb to that kind of tyranny. None of us should!

We have a choice as Christians. Do we tolerate this insanity, or do we refuse to be indoctrinated and dominated by satanic demonic ways of life? Do we go along to get along or do we boldly stand for truth and what we believe, even when it’s uncomfortable and yes even when it’s with family members. Their eternal life depends on it.

We all have different styles of communication and God will give us the words and the timing if we let Him.

I recently heard this interesting quote, “Nice is not a fruit of the Spirit!” If you were facing Satan face to face, you wouldn’t conform and be nice to him. You wouldn’t nicely give him an audience, so he could try to tempt you like he did Eve or intimidate you from speaking truth.

As Bible-believing followers of Christ, we aren’t mean or unkind, but we are unashamedly bold and brave! We don’t back down from speaking and standing up for God’s truth! If not us, then who?!

6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 1 Cor. 13:6

The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help.
16 But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil; he will erase their memory from the earth. Ps. 34:15-16 NLT

Jesus was not nice to demons and did not tolerate sin or evil. He boldly spoke the truth and called the Pharisees just what they were, vipers.  

34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. 35 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. Matt. 12:34-35

33 “You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? Matt. 23:33

And Paul wrote in Romans 1:24-27 to those who wanted to live intentionally sinful lives.

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.

And for those who are championing the murder and sexualization of children, Jesus didn’t hold back.

“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Matt. 18:6

God couldn’t be any more direct: Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Is. 5:20

I’m writing a blog for Crosswalk “What Is the Biblical Truth Behind Gender Roles.” When it posts, I’ll share it with you. But for now, pray about what God wants you to do in this rapidly changing social environment.

In summary, let’s stop using Satan’s words and ideologies and just call it what it is, evil. Another writer asked me once if they could reprint a blog I’d written about abortion murdering babies in the womb, but she asked if she could change the word murder because it might offend some. You can imagine my response was that the article needs to stay as written or don’t use it.

That’s exactly my point: Don’t be so afraid of offending others that you stop opposing evil!

So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders. Acts 14:3

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July 25, 2022
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Only God Decides the End of the World!

7

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. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 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 them 4 He 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!

July 18, 2022
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