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Where Have All the “Ladies” Gone?

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woman sitting on ground

Do you remember a time when men showed respect to women?

They held doors open for her.

Opened the car door and then stayed around to close it after she was settled inside.

Helped her on with her jacket.

Weren’t afraid to give her a compliment when she looked nice and she appreciated it.

Cleaned up their language around her.

Made sure buddies cleaned up their language too, and didn’t tell off-color jokes.

Would never speak disparagingly to her or about her.

Acted like a gentleman in her presence.

Asked her out on dates and paid for it.

Then came the feminist movement . . .

Women asserted that they could open doors and car doors themselves thank you very much. She could struggle into her own jacket, a compliment was sexual harassment, and she could swear and tell dirty jokes with the best of them. And don’t insult her by offering to pay for the date. She could pay her own way! Oh, but she will hookup with you.

And the feminist women got just what they wanted. Men no longer respect them; they treat women as one of the guys. Nothing special. Feminist replaced feminine.

Men aren’t gentlemen anymore and women stopped being ladies.

[Tweet “With the feminist movement men aren’t gentlemen anymore and women stopped being ladies.”]

So we come to today when the women’s soccer team who, whether they like being women or not, represented the United States in the World Cup Championship. They were impressive on the field and repulsive off the field. One of the vocal team members used vile language in interviews and wanted everyone to know she hated the President, the flag, and being a heterosexual woman.

[Tweet “The USA women’s soccer team were impressive on the field and repulsive off the field.”]

And she’s not the only one. Most feminists today are constantly denouncing men, motherhood, conservatives, traditional marriage, and American traditions—even womanhood—especially acting like a lady. Some have decided they’ll try to be a man or at least act like one.

[Tweet “Most feminists today are constantly denouncing men, motherhood, conservatives, traditional marriage, and American traditions—even womanhood.”]

They’ve embraced the liberal agenda that is molding and making them frustrated and angry. How many liberal feminists do you know who aren’t screaming and mad about something? They’re not happy people, even though they got what they thought they wanted—to feel equal to or better than men.

[Tweet “How many liberal feminists do you know who aren’t screaming and mad about something? They’re not happy people!”]

What do you think God’s thoughts are on feminists? Did he make Adam out of Eve’s rib or Eve out of Adam’s rib? Did he say Adam would be Eve’s helpmate or Eve would be Adam’s helpmate?

So Where Are the Mentors Helping Young Women Become Ladies Today?

Remember when young girls followed the Hannah Montana image. I read that Mylie Cyrus said she was done with Hannah Montana after she had her first sexual encounter, and off she went on a radical transformation to smuttiness. So where did that leave the young girls who had idealized Hannah? Mylie felt no responsibility to them.

[Tweet “In today’s culture, I can’t think of one “famous” person I would want my granddaughters imitating. Can you for your daughters or granddaughters?”]

In today’s culture, I can’t think of one “famous” person I would want my granddaughters imitating. Can you for your daughters or granddaughters?

Where are all the ladies?

That puts the responsibility on home and the church to influence our future women. It’s where God has always said one generation should teach and train the next.

Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power. Psalm 145:4 NLT

God inspired Paul to understand the dire need for mentoring when Paul wrote in Titus 2:3-5

3 Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God. They must not slander others or be heavy drinkers.[a] Instead, they should teach others what is good. 4 These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children, 5 to live wisely and be pure, to work in their homes,[b] to do good, and to be submissive to their husbands. Then they will not bring shame on the word of God. (NLT)

Parents and the church cannot let the culture mentor our girls or the lost art of being a kind, respectful, modest, God-honoring lady will be lost forever. How our girls dress, talk, act, date, live . . . is your and my God-directed responsibility.

[Tweet “Parents and the church cannot let the culture mentor our girls or the lost art of being a kind, respectful, modest, God-honoring lady will be lost forever.”]

In my book, Mentoring for All Seasons, I stress the importance of mentoring our young girls as early as pre-teens. We need to take an interest in the girls and young women God puts in our life to help them understand how special it is to be a woman after God’s own heart.

Let’s resurrect lady-likeness and make it fashionable again. It starts with every Christian woman acting like a lady. 

[Tweet “Let’s resurrect lady-likeness and make it fashionable again. It starts with every Christian woman acting like a lady.”]

Let’s have a discussion to help each other be ladies of the 21st Century!  What image does that conjure up to you?

Note: When I ran spell check on this article, it didn’t even recognize “lady” and wanted to change it to “woman.”

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July 15, 2019
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What If God Erased “Offensive” Bible History?

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What if God Erased Offensive Bible History

Every day a part of our rich American history and heritage is torn down, renamed, demolished, disintegrated, and defamed–America’s founders, past presidents, originators of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and Declaration of Independence, warriors who led battles to free America and free the slaves, or someone or something that happens to offend “someone”–erased!

[Tweet “Every day a part of our rich American history and heritage is torn down, renamed, disintegrated, or defamed”]

Even during the 4th of July a former athlete tried to defame Betsy Ross who was a Quaker, twice a widow, who never owned slaves, designed and made an American flag representing the first 13 colonies . . . just because she lived during the time of slavery. He called the flag racist?! BTW, past-President Obama, who is black, displayed the Betsy Ross flag at his 2nd inauguration, but somehow Nike didn’t do their research. They listened to one man, yes one man who identifies as the resistance.

Nike went from patriotic to idiotic!!!

[Tweet “Nike went from patriotic to idiotic!!!”]

Slavery was a horrible abomination in early America. There’s no denying or justifying it, but we can’t change the past we can only learn from it. If the same “purests” eradicating our country’s history looked into the personal lives of every president since Washington, they would need to remove all of them and no one running for president could be elected today.

[Tweet “If these same “purest” eradicating our history were to look into the personal lives of every president since Washington, they would need to remove all of them”]

Every human has flaws, failures, mistakes, and wrong decisions because we’re fallible humans. And the people leading the charge to destroy and whitewash our history, also have baggage that would disqualify them by their own standards. Who is even qualified to set those standards?

[Tweet “We don’t honor people because they were perfect. No one would qualify for a tribute.”]

We don’t honor people because they were perfect. No one would qualify.

There was, and will only be, ONE perfect man who ever walked this earth. None has ever matched Jesus’s perfection, nor will there ever be another like Him, yet the resistance didn’t honor Him, they crucified him.

[Tweet “There was, and will only be, ONE perfect man who ever walked this earth. None has ever matched Jesus’s perfection, nor will there ever be another like Him, yet the resistance crucified him”]

History is always comprised of the good times and the bad times, but today many would tell you it was all bad and we must erase every memory—good and bad—in their biased opinion. Who exactly is making the decision to eradicate history and where are those who should be pushing back?

[Tweet “The Bible is the only Book you can truly believe because it is the inspired Word of God not manipulations by men.”]

The Bible is the only “history” Book you can truly believe because it is the inspired Word of God not the manipulations of men. God shares evil and good, wrong and right, painful and joyful history since the beginning of time.

 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

A friend recently wrote on Facebook:

“This is why I believe God inspired the Bible. If men had written it, all of their sins would’ve been left out. I see some people and political leaders, and some colleges trying to erase the horrible history of slavery of our nation, but as George Santayana said, ‘Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.’”

Let’s look at what the Bible might look like if God eliminated topics that might offend someone, which erroneously many churches are attempting to do today.

Adam and Eve wouldn’t be created as only two genders–male and female–and wouldn’t have married, establishing that marriage is solely between a man and woman and sex is for the confines of marriage.

The story of Moses leading the Israelite slaves to freedom couldn’t be told because his adopted mother had slaves and he was a murderer. The 10 Commandments that God spoke to Moses convicts and annoys too many people, so the Pentateuch written by Moses (the first five books of the Bible) must be erased.

Noah couldn’t keep the animals cooped up on the ark for 370 days. That offends animal rights groups

Abraham’s wife Sarah had an Egyptian slave, Hagar, so Abraham couldn’t be God’s choice to father the great nation of Israel.

Worshippers of Baal and Molech couldn’t be faulted for sacrificing their children—it was their reproductive right and choice!

David was a man after God’s own heart and a King who loved and served God. David wasn’t inclusive to other gods and he didn’t separate church and state. So gone with every book in the Bible that mentions him and most of the Psalms.

Solomon was too wealthy so exclude Proverbs, the Song of Solomon, and Ecclesiastes.

Paul preached incessantly and persistently about sin, no matter how many times he was imprisoned. He was judgemental.
“Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. 32 Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.” Romans 1:26-32.

So all 14 Books of the New Testament that Paul wrote must be deleted because someone will surely be offended by hearing their choices are sinful.

The Four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, tell the story of Jesus’s life and ministry. But Jesus had the audacity to say that He exclusively, not inclusively, was the only way to salvation, but everyone could be included if they believed that: “I [Jesus] am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

[Tweet “What parts of the Bible would remain if someone thought we shouldn’t know the truth about biblical history, creation, the fall of man?”]

What parts of the Bible would remain if someone thought we shouldn’t know the truth about biblical history, creation, the fall of man, the hope of salvation? The failings of some good people who God still used in mighty ways? And the death of His innocent Son so that everyone who believes in Jesus could be forgiven. The opportunity to learn from past history and the redemptive stories from the Bible help us become godly people who work at making our world a better place.

We can prevent the mistakes of the past from becoming our present and learn how to create a better future for our world and ourselves.

What if man and not God wrote the Bible? Probably the only remaining Book would be Judges where everyone did what was right in their own eyes. Ah yes, now that’s history our culture could identify with today.

Even now, just like with our American heritage, the secularists are trying to eliminate any replica of our Christian heritage. What they’ll never understand is that Jesus doesn’t live in symbols; He lives in a believer’s heart. They could take down every Cross and 10 Commandments and still they could never eliminate Jesus. They can’t erase American or biblical history as long as one generation continues to tell the next generation. One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts. Psalm 145:4

If not, our past mistakes in the world will sadly become our future. You see it right now, with Democrat pundits trying to convince free Americans that slavery to a socialist government is a good thing. Maybe that’s really the motive behind wiping out any memory or reminder of the evils of slavery so those who want control could again enslave free people.

[Tweet “Democrat pundits try to convince free Americans that slavery to a socialist government is a good thing. Maybe that’s really the motive behind wiping out any memory or relic reminder of the evils of slavery so those who want control could enslave free people yet calling it justice.”]

As Christians, we each have a past but we’ve given our lives to Jesus to create our future. We can’t try to whitewash or erase our own life history like it never happened, but we can learn from it and let God use it to help someone else when we share our testimony. We bravely remember where we’ve been, so we can help someone else not make our past their future.

[Tweet “As Christians, we each have a past but we’ve given our lives to Jesus to create our future”]

And that’s why God doesn’t whitewash or erase “offensive” parts of the Bible. It’s all there from Genesis to Revelation. It’s ugly what men and women can do when sin rules in their life, but life is beautiful with Jesus.

You might also enjoy my blog The 4th of July is for Proud Americans.

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July 8, 2019
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The 4th of July Is For Proud Americans

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The 4th of July is for Proud Americans

President Washington’s Prayer for America

Did you ever think we would be living in a time when love of country, respect for the American Flag, and standing for the National Anthem would become controversial? Patriotism booed and considered deplorable? Some schools not allowing children to wear patriotic clothing or even starting their school day with the Pledge of Allegiance? Athletes representing the USA abroad disgracing our country and disgracing themselves?

[Tweet “How did we become a country of ungrateful, unpatriotic citizens? Or are these just the people who yell the loudest and the media covers incessantly with glee.”]

How did we become a country of ungrateful, unpatriotic citizens? Or are these just the people who yell the loudest and the media covers incessantly with glee.

When I watched President Trump’s rally in Florida announcing his candidacy, it was so refreshing to watch a sea of red, white, and blue in the crowd. Flags waving proudly and 20,000 plus people delighting in celebrating the country they love—America.

At all President Trump’s rallies, they play the song “God Bless the USA” by Lee Greenwood, and I sing along with him, especially the lines, “I’m proud to be an American where at least I know I’m free.”

I am proud to be an American, but not proud of all Americans.

[Tweet “I am proud to be an American, but not proud of all Americans.”]

When President Trump speaks or does press conferences here or abroad, there’s always one or more American flags.

At the Democrat debates, I wasn’t the only one who noticed there was not even one American Flag. No patriotism recognizable or spoken. I didn’t watch the debates but did see pictures. This is not our first clue that their loyalty is not to America, but to how far to the socialist, communist, liberal left they can take America to make it a country our forefathers would never recognize as the free country so many gave their lives to defend.

If you’re saying don’t make the 4th of July political—Independence Day marked the initiation of politics!

[Tweet “If you’re saying don’t make the 4th of July political—Independence Day marked the initiation of politics!”]

Have you watched shows where they do a man-on-the-street interview and ask people if they know facts about our country’s history? I wonder how many could answer questions about the 4th of July and why it’s a National holiday.

  • From what country did America fight to win their freedom?
  • Why is July 4th Independence Day?
  • What year was the Declaration of Independence signed and adopted?
  • What is the significance of 13 stripes and 50 stars?
  • Why are our patriotic colors red, white, and blue?
  • What does a national flag represent?
  • Why are caskets of fallen soldiers wrapped in the American flag?
  • Why do we have fireworks on the 4th of July?

How about asking these questions and offering a prize to the one who knows the most answers at your 4th of July gathering.

So many more historical facts are lost in a culture that has forgotten our roots.

[Tweet “Liberal politicians want to erase our heritage as if it never happened and turn a Democracy of freedoms into a country of government controls.”]

Liberal politicians want to erase our heritage as if it never happened and turn a Democracy of freedoms into a country of government controls. In their zeal to get the vote from those who can’t answer the above questions, they make it sound like the freedom of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness isn’t as valuable as the carrots they dangle of free healthcare, free college, free immigration free… free…which the naïve embrace without realizing nothing is free. They will pay the price with the loss of sovereignty and personal freedoms that so many brave soldiers gave their life to grant each of us. It will cost us dearly in taxes, independence, and quality of life.

For example, under socialism people will soon discover that “free” healthcare doesn’t mean the best medical treatment you need when you need it. The government will decide who, when, and to what extent you’re worthy of the healthcare they deem you can have or even whether they’ll let you have tests to receive a diagnosis. You won’t just pick up the phone and make a doctor’s appointment. You’ll go through legal red tape, waiting lines, and a bureaucrat in Washington deciding whether your life is worth healing or saving.

There will always be a cost. For those politicians touting Medicare-for-all, Medicare is not free. There’s a monthly premium, and everyone pays another premium for a supplement plan to pick up what Medicare doesn’t pay. And many of us have a prescription plan we pay extra for, but still have copays for prescriptions. Bernie Sanders admits there will be large increases in taxes, even to the middle class, while he tries to convince you it will be offset by no out-of-pocket. Lies! Lies! Lies!

[Tweet “Since the majority of Democrat presidential hopefuls say they’ll give illegal immigrants free health insurance, how good to you think that healthcare will be?”]

Since the majority of Democrat presidential hopefuls say they’ll give illegal immigrants free health insurance, how good do you think that healthcare will be when it’s stretched to the limits with no money to back it and millions of extra people getting it for “free.” That’s why none of the politicians have given specifics of how they would achieve this. They’re just pandering with what they think people want to hear and no one is pressing them on details, or they won’t give interviews to those who will.

[Tweet “What Americans need to remember is that the entire point of July 4th is that we don’t want to be like other nations!”]

Some politicians have said we’re the only major country without socialized healthcare. What Americans need to remember is that the entire point of July 4th is that we don’t want to be like other nations! Other nations come to America for medical treatment. People are not migrating to other countries; they want to come to America because we aren’t like other nations. They come to America for a better life.

No other country was founded on Judeo Christian values, where Presidents still say “God Bless America.” And as hard as the liberal left is trying to move our country away from God, we need to stand in the gap and keep America a blessed nation under God. Where our currency still says “In God We Trust” not “In the government we trust.”

The 4th of July celebrates the fight for freedom to be different from other countries. A Democracy of the people, by the people, and for the people.

[Tweet “The 4th of July celebrates the fight for freedom to be different from other countries. A Democracy of the people, by the people, and for the people.”]

As you plan your festivities—parades, BBQs, fireworks, pool parties, trips to the beach—how about starting those events with the Pledge of Allegiance, singing the National Anthem, and a prayer thanking God for our great nation. Remind the children at the gatherings why you’re celebrating this holiday. Our generation must pass down to the next generation our country’s history and why our freedom is so precious.

The 4th of July is for Proud Americans

Young puppeteers proud of the American Flag!

If anyone who refuses to stand for the National Anthem, honor our flag, respectfully represent the USA abroad and at home dares to celebrate the 4th of July . . . might I say they are hypocrites who either have no idea what July 4th represents, or they have no idea what they’re protesting.

God has allowed each of us to live in the greatest nation in the world. Have you ever woke up in the morning and said thank you God I’m an American? If we take God, freedom, and patriotism out of America, we won’t be able to say that anymore.

Have you noticed how both sides of the political arena are always saying, “The American people want to know.” “The American people deserve to know.” I don’t know about you, but they didn’t ask me. Let’s use our voices and our votes to tell them what the American people really want and deserve—

A country that honors God, honors our flag, honors those who have gone before us and fought for our freedoms, and honors the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States of America!

#ProudAmerican

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The 4th of July is For Proud Americans

Let the Statue of Liberty remind us how great our God is! That’s my hubby proudly singing!

The 4th of July is For Proud Americans

The American flag is always proudly waving at Crouch Community Church!

The 4th of July is for Proud Americans

Remembering that true freedom is found in Christ alone!

 

 

 

July 1, 2019
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Who Cares What the Critics Think?

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Who

If you read the news or listen to it at all, there’s one common theme: negativity.

[Tweet “If you read the news or listen to it at all, there’s one common theme: negativity.”]

It struck me while browsing headlines that so many of them used the word “criticize.” One person criticizes what someone else did or said. Most of the time, you don’t even know the critic nor do you care to know them or what their opinion is: Why should I care what they think? They don’t represent my values, my opinion, or me. Why should it matter to me what they have to say about something or someone?

But for some reason the media thinks posting other people’s criticism will catch our attention. We’ll want to read the critique or criticism from someone who means nothing to us and then they’ll get more readers or viewers?!

Naught! I bet you’re with me: I’ll form my own opinion about what someone did or said and it doesn’t matter to me what some obscure person, or even famous personality, thinks about it.

In the political arena today, you’ll hear or see reports on what one candidate says about another candidate’s words or opinions or choices or life. Or someone else chimes in just to make news.

[Tweet “Form your own opinion about your candidate and don’t get caught up in the political rhetoric and mudslinging.”]

Form your own opinion about your candidate and don’t get caught up in the political rhetoric and mudslinging.

Recently an author friend had a well-known newspaper review her new book. A live media source wanted to interview her before they found out the article was positive, then there was no rush. If it’s not a mean, vengeful, misrepresentation that you have to defend, it’s not newsworthy.

[Tweet “Underneath all the media negativity is an underlying principle: Joyful, happy, good news that builds you up doesn’t sell.”]

Underneath all this negativity is an underlying principle: Joyful, happy, good news that builds you up doesn’t sell. News isn’t relevant unless it’s filled with drama, personal attacks, negative opinions, belittling, and criticism. Otherwise, today’s media doesn’t bother to report it. Or if they even try, there’s always another newspaper, media, or vocal person that’s ready to rip that reporter or person to shreds for being a Pollyanna, too nice, too religious, too respectful, too kind, too positive, too out of touch with reality . . . .

[Tweet “Have we become conditioned to only being interested in bad, traumatic, critical, negative, drama news?”]

And what about us their audience? Have we become conditioned to only being interested in bad, traumatic, critical, negative, drama news? On our social media do we share positive strides in areas that we care about or do we only read and share articles that will get crying, angry face emoji’s?

It’s All About Mind Control

[Tweet “Let’s not let negativity influence or control our minds.”]

My point is let’s not let negativity influence or control our minds. As you know, I’m the first one to be an advocate for speaking out against immoral issues and the wrongs of today, and I will listen to those who are constructively fighting for the same causes and denouncing those who are doing evil. But I’m not interested in the opinion or criticism of someone I don’t respect.

[Tweet “The Bible gives us guidelines for what we should take into our mind and it’s good to remember in all our communication.”]

As always, the Word gives us guidelines for what we should take into our mind and it’s good to remember in all our communication.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:5-7

And here’s a good guideline for how we should respond to those we don’t agree with or to criticism of our opinions:

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29

 Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone. Colossians 4:6 NLT

What are your thoughts on the use of criticism by the media or the reporting of other people’s criticism?

You might also want to read my blog post a year ago, When Did We Become So Uncivil?

How Should We Respond to Verbal Attacks?

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June 24, 2019
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Has the Church Focused too Much on God’s Love and Not the Fear of God?

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Is the Church Focusing to Much on the Love of God and Not the Fear of God

“God is love. He doesn’t care,” she continued.

Those are the words of a “gospel singer” who left her husband to enter into a lesbian relationship. I couldn’t help but think this woman has sung many songs about God over the years and certainly heard as many or more sermons. So how did she conclude that because God loves us He doesn’t care when we sin? He’s fine with it?!

You can tell that she knows this is wrong or why try to justify this relationship?

Then there’s the gay Democrat presidential contender, Pete Buttigieg, who explains his homosexual relationship/marriage, “At a recent fundraiser, he said of his same-sex “marriage”: “[it] has made me a better man [and]…moved me closer to God. If being gay was a choice, it was a choice that was made far above my pay grade.”

He then added, “That’s the thing I wish the Mike Pence’s of the world would understand, that if you have a problem with who I am, your problem is not with me. Your quarrel, sir, is with my creator.”

“The reality, of course, is that the mayor’s quarrel isn’t with Mike Pence. His quarrel is with the clear texts of Scripture that both identify what marriage is and what it is for, as well as how homosexual behavior is sinful. His quarrel is with natural law, reflected in the biological roles our bodies play and the universally embraced connection of marriage and procreation, even by societies not influenced by Christian morality. And of course, his quarrel is with 2,000 years of unanimous Christian witness on marriage and sexual morality.”–The False God of Feelings: Mayor Buttigieg’s Pro-Gay Christianity

Buttigieg is rationalizing that how we live is God’s fault because He created us with the ability to make choices. Yes, it’s true God gave us free will, but we’re accountable for how we use it. We can’t blame God for the bad things we do or the sinful way we choose to live and then say He’s ok when I sin. Naught!

God made Adam and Eve too and He gave them a choice to follow His commands. And we know how their choice turned out. Following the politician and singer’s rational, it would be God’s fault for Adam and Eve’s bad choice so God was Okay with it. Again, naught!

[Tweet “Death and hell became realities when Adam and Eve chose the Devil’s ways and since the day God kicked them out of the Garden of Eden, we all have the propensity to sin, but God is not okay when we make that choice.”]

Death and hell became realities when Adam and Eve chose the Devil’s ways and since the day God kicked them out of the Garden of Eden, we all have the propensity to sin, but God is not okay when we make that choice. The Bible proclaims just the opposite. God is never OK when we give in to Satan’s evil wiles.

But the singer and “Mayor Pete’s” comments are worthy of our discussion because there are many today, even in the church, who agree that our feelings and what we want to do, even sin, is fine with God because He’s a God of love. However, they conveniently overlook the fact that just because He gave us feelings and choices, He also gave us commands and Scriptures to guide us in making the right choices and avoiding the wrong ones.

[Tweet “To say that God endorses sin of any kind in his creation is blasphemy, even when said by those who should know better in the church.”]

To say that God endorses sin of any kind in His creation is blasphemy, even when said by those who should know better in the church.

Satan knows how to twist Scripture and tempt with, “Did God really say_______?” Fill in the blank with any sin. It’s not just the homosexual lifestyle. Last week I wrote about Abortion: The Crime of Passion.

It can be cheating on your taxes, lying, stealing, coveting, taking the Lord’s name in vain, adultery, abuse, and so many more sins of choice.

Scripture is “Inclusive”

A popular word in today’s culture is “inclusive,” which can be used as a weapon for forcing people to accept precepts that go against their faith and beliefs. The Bible also uses inclusive words, but in a different  context. Everyone is born with potential to do many wrong things and we’ve all sinned. Absolutely everyone. Not just the singer or the politician, everyone. “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23 NLT). That’s pretty inclusive. We all have sin in common.

But God doesn’t want us to stay in that degenerate place of sinning. “If you love me,” Jesus says in John 14:15, “you will keep my commandments.”

[Tweet “Sadly, Satan makes evil look good and blinds to the Gospel.”]

Sadly, Satan makes evil look good and blinds to the Gospel. When he turns hearts away from Jesus, we become just as we’re born, selfish and self-determining. “Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me” (Psalm 51:5).

We want what we want and think a loving God would want that for us too.

Wrong!

Yes, God made us with the potential to do many things, but He doesn’t say everything is right. He doesn’t want us to stay sinful.

“No one is righteous—
not even one.
11 No one is truly wise;
no one is seeking God.
12 All have turned away;
all have become useless.
No one does good,
not a single one.”[b]
13 “Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave.
Their tongues are filled with lies.”
“Snake venom drips from their lips.”[c]
14     “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”[d]
15 “They rush to commit murder.
16     Destruction and misery always follow them.
17 They don’t know where to find peace.”[e]
18     “They have no fear of God at all.” Romans 3:9:18 NLT

There is an answer to our sinful nature: ask and accept God’s grace and forgiveness. 

All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.

4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, 5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) Ephesians 2:3-5 NLT

Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? Romans 6:1-2

Buttigieg may feel that his same-sex relationship has somehow brought him closer to God, but if so he would know and honor God’s commandments and sense the Spirit’s conviction.

The singer might think because God is love, he’s ok with her sinning. He is not. He loved her so much John 3:16 says  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, so she could be forgiven to go and sin no more.

What Does It Mean to Fear God?

[Tweet “Have we forgotten how to fear God, but have turned Him into some fake God who loves us so much He has no problem with our sin.”]

Have we forgotten how to fear God, but have turned Him into some fake God who loves us so much He has no problem with our sin? My mom used to say, “Remember God is watching what you do.” That’s a good thing to remember. We’re not getting away with anything. God knows everything.

We always know our parents love us, but there should also be a healthy fear of them catching us doing something wrong because they’re going to discipline us. Not because they hate us, but because they love us. If they let us do anything we wanted from childhood, we would probably err on the side of selfishness and self-serving. That’s why they gave us boundaries and guidelines for life. And if we love our children, we should do the same.

That’s what the Bible is for Christians: a guide in how to live a life pleasing to God. And when we choose to live differently, it saddens Him because He knows we know better. But He will let us live with the consequences of our sinful choices. “Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts.” Romans 1:18-32 describes God’s anger at sin. Don’t think that those words don’t apply to all of us.

[Tweet “the consequences on judgement day will be a horrible fate for those who have spent their lives trying to make God the Deity they want Him to be: trying to make God in their own sorry sin-loving image. “]

It’s tough love and the consequences on judgement day will be a horrible fate for those who have spent their lives trying to make God the Deity they want Him to be: trying to make God in their own sorry sin-loving image.

[Tweet “Never doubt there will be a judgement day and how we have lived on earth will define our eternity.”]

Never doubt there will be a judgement day and how we have lived on earth will define our eternity. “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” (Galatians 6:7)

That’s not fear, that’s fact.

Many try to describe the fear of God as simply meaning to be in awe of Him. That’s certainly one meaning, but the meaning of fear more prevalent in the Bible is reverent, respect, honoring, cherishing, fear of disappointing our Great God by doing wrong in His sight.

Just like we never stop being our parents children even when we hurt them by doing wrong, Christians will always be God’s children, but He will never be “ok” with our sin.

Dr. Jeremiah summarizes this contrast between the love of God and the fear of God in his book What Are You Afraid of?

“On many occasions throughout my forty years of ministry, people have questioned me about the subject of God’s judgement. Often they say something like this: “My God would never send anybody to hell or punish someone for doing evil. My God is a God of love.”

I usually answer by telling them that their God does not exist. There is a God to love and there is a God to fear, and He is one and the same! Did He not judge His own Son as a demonstration of His love for the world? And did He not then show His love for the Son he judged by raising Him from the dead? How silly to think that if He is a loving God, He cannot also be a fearsome God. The two attributes complement each other.”

I’m sure you’ve heard many sermons on the love of God, but when is the last time you heard a sermon on the fear of God? 

Don’t wait to hear it from the pulpit, read it for yourself in your Bible. You won’t be held accountable on judgement day for what your pastor did or didn’t preach. No, you’ll be held accountable for how you loved God enough to respect and fear Him by obeying His commands.

For the honor of your name, O Lord,
forgive my many, many sins.
12 Who are those who fear the Lord?
He will show them the path they should choose.
13 They will live in prosperity,
and their children will inherit the land.
14 The Lord is a friend to those who fear him.
He teaches them his covenant. Psalm 25:11-14

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Photo by Tyler Nix on Unsplash

June 10, 2019
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Abortion: A Crime of Passion

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With all the discussion lately about abortion, the focus has been on the depravity of late term abortion now legalized in some states, and the life-saving efforts of other states to eliminate abortion completely. But what I haven’t heard in the public discourse is what leads to abortion in the first place: sex!

No one seems to want to touch the underlying cause of 59+ million babies murdered since Roe vs Wade became law at a time of sexual revolution with the advent of birth control pills and the availability of abortion to anyone who wanted it, regardless of age or reason. Though, originally abortion was supposed to be safe and rare, with the advent of Planned Parenthood it became another form of birth control and frequent. Approximately 20% of pregnancies end by abortion!

Boys and girls, men and women, felt the freedom to have sex with whomever they wanted whenever they wanted because if they got pregnant, all they had to do was find the money to get an abortion. And many girls and women have stories that they didn’t stop having indiscriminate unprotected sex after their first abortion. No, they did it again and maybe again…

Feminist actress Alyssa Milano by her own admission wanted women to go on a sex strike when Georgia passed a law prohibiting abortion after a detected heartbeat. She said women couldn’t afford to get pregnant because they couldn’t have an abortion. In other words, abortion, not protection, is your failsafe way to deal with the product of conception: a baby! “Our reproductive rights are being erased. Until women have legal control over our own bodies we just cannot risk pregnancy. Join me by not having sex until we get bodily autonomy back.” So says Alyssa Milano.

What she and many others fail to address is that a few moments of sexual passion and pleasure can lead to a lifetime of living with the murder of their own babies. Today, you hear women, especially liberal actresses and politicians, celebrating the death of their babies, but I surmise that they’re actually angry, hurt, and anguished over what they’ve done. If they can get a group together with similar feelings, they can live in denial knowing they’re not alone. They find comfort in commonality. Like the old adage, “misery loves company.”

[Tweet “Today, you hear women, especially liberal actresses and politicians, actually celebrating the death of their babies, but they’re actually angry, hurt, and anguished over what they’ve done”]

My friend Patti Smith wrote a blog about the devastation of her own abortions: Nobody Told Me the Truth. Maybe that’s you and you were misled or misinformed. Patti learned that God is the God of forgiveness as she learned the truth. I’ve heard good things about Project Rachel: Hope After Abortion. After your own healing, like Patti, God may use your past to help another woman not let it become her future.

[Tweet “Before ultrasounds and heartbeat monitoring, women bought into the lie they were told that it’s just a blob of cells that can’t feel pain.”]

Before ultrasounds and heartbeat monitoring, women bought into the lie they were told that it’s just a blob of cells that can’t feel pain. But now, we know none of that is true. We can see the baby developing and hear the heartbeat at six weeks. We know, without a doubt, that life begins at conception. Yet there are still many lobbying for killing that human being, even after it takes its first breath! Inhuman barbaric depravity is actually celebrated in Congress and some state governments.

[Tweet “The Devil tries to seduce with deception by calling the baby a “fetus,” which sounds clinical and not like a human being.”]

The Devil tries to seduce with deception by calling the baby a “fetus,” which sounds clinical and not like a human being. But I’ve never heard a woman say she’s pregnant with a fetus or a blob of cells. She says she’s going to have a baby: a precious, fragile, defenseless human being that she can “choose” to murder or let live.

Liberals and abortion advocates try to couch the killing of babies by using terms like: A woman’s right to choose. Reproductive rights. Control over our own bodies. Healthcare. A decision between the woman and her doctor. Prochoice. A war on women.

Even a SCOTUS said you can’t call a pregnant woman a “mother”!  A woman who exercises her constitutionally protected right to terminate a pregnancy is not a mother” – Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. If she’s not a mother what is she?

Read a father’s reply to Ginsburg’s outrageous statement as he discusses that even babies who die in miscarriage still have a mommy and daddy.

[Tweet “Abortion is not a constitutional right.”]

Abortion is not a constitutional right. The Constitution says everyone has a right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and that includes everyone with a beating heart. You would think a Supreme Court Judge would know that. But that’s how delusional some people have become. Another sly deception is to confuse by denying biology that every baby has both a mother and a father.

Let’s look at some common deceptions.

  1. “A woman’s right to choose.” In 99.9% of situations, a woman does have a right to choose . . . if she’s going to have sex or not. That’s her choice.
  2. “Reproductive rights” start with the right to say yes or no to sex. Sex leads to reproduction. A scientific and biological fact and a right God gave to every man and woman who chooses to have sex.
  3. “Healthcare.” There’s nothing healthy for a woman to have a baby poisoned, burned, dismembered, or sucked out of her womb.
  4. “It’s my body.” It’s not her own body. She didn’t create herself. God did by her parents having sex to create her. Then she used her body to have sex and create a body separate from hers with its own heartbeat, eyes, ears, mouth, nose, brain, organs, skin, arms, legs, sensitivity to pain, and cry.
  5. “Bodily autonomy is a human right.” Autonomy does allow a woman to choose to have sex with her body, but when she creates another body, that little body has autonomy and a human right also.
  6. “Abortion is morally good.” When murder becomes morally good and justified, we’ve definitely regressed to barbarism and savagery. Promiscuous sex is morally wrong. Two wrongs do not make a right.
  7. “It’s a decision between a woman and her doctor.” When a girl or woman goes into Planned Parenthood, they don’t see the doctor until they’re in stirrups and he’s killing her baby. And often it’s not even a doctor performing the abortion.
  8. “Prochoice.” The argument is between prolife and prodeath advocates! That’s something no one wants to say.
  9. “A war on women.” Hmm. How about we stop the war on babies, both male and female.

Abortion is a crime of passion

Why is the Movie Industry so Pro Abortion?

That answer is clear: money. Sex sells. Sex leads to unwanted pregnancy, which often leads to abortion. So Planned Parenthood, Hollywood, elites, and liberals are in the Devil’s circle.

[Tweet “Sex sells. Sex leads to unwanted pregnancy, which often leads to abortion. So Planned Parenthood, Hollywood, elites, and liberals are in the Devil’s circle.”]

Almost every movie and most TV programs show couples going on a date and having sex. Maybe not even the date first. Entertainment exploits explicit sex. Everyone sleeps together, hook ups, casual promiscuous sex is presented as the norm, and sadly, it’s become the norm. You don’t see women saying no or concerned with pregnancy.

[Tweet “Virginity is only said with respect at Christmas with the “Virgin Mary.””]

Virginity is only said with respect at Christmas with the “Virgin Mary.” Young people often don’t even know what virgin stands for today. Girls and women who’ve had multiple sex partners are still married in white, maybe pregnant or carrying their baby and no one blinks at it. I saw a program with girls picking out wedding dresses and one of them laughed, “Maybe I’m pregnant.” It was funny, not remorseful. I applaud the women who choose to keep their babies, I just wish they had also chosen to save God’s gift of virginity for the man they want to spend the rest of their life with because you can only give the gift of virginity away once.

[Tweet “Today’s culture considers abstinence until marriage archaic and laughable and scoffs at anyone who dares to suggest it, or chooses to live by God’s moral principles.”]

Today’s culture considers abstinence until marriage archaic and laughable and scoffs at anyone who dares to suggest it, or chooses to live by God’s moral principles.

And that brings us to a place those of us who have lived a while would never have expected possible in America: infanticide.

Abortion has become the accepted crime of unbridled passion and lust. Sex for murder.

[Tweet “Abortion has become the accepted crime of unbridled passion and lust. Sex for murder.”]

There’s only one entity who could bring us to this despicable time in history: Satan.

[Tweet “No matter how anyone tries to twist God’s Word, he designed sex to be between a married man and woman. That’s it! No exceptions.  “]

No matter how anyone tries to twist God’s Word, he designed sex to be between a married man and woman. That’s it! No exceptions. Everyone who is having sex any other way is sinning. I didn’t make that rule, God did. Many today try to make God into their own image the way they want to live, but you’ll always be going against God’s will for you.

God spoke: “Let us make human beings in our image, make them
reflecting our nature . . . Reflecting God’s nature.
He created them male and female.
God blessed them: “Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge!” Gen. 1:27-28 The Message

There’s no right way to do the wrong thing. There’s no justification for having sex and killing a baby because the sex was convenient, but the baby is inconvenient.

So what can you do about these atrocities?

  •  Let your voice be heard in your state’s legislature.
  • Be a voice for the voiceless. Boldly and unashamedly stand for prolife as an abolitionist.
  • Mentor women who are having indiscriminate sex, considering an abortion, or had an abortion. I give ideas about how to do this in my book Mentoring for All Seasons.
  • If you’re having sex outside of marriage, stop now!

[Tweet “Our culture today is playing God by choosing who can live and who should die. That’s not going to end well.”]

Our culture today is playing God by choosing who can live and who should die. That’s not going to end well.

Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people. 7 He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.”

8 A second angel followed and said, “‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great,’[a] which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.”

9 A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand,10 they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.”

12 This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.

Revelation 14:6-12

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June 3, 2019
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Eat Your Way to Health by Susan Neal

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I hope you had a blessed Memorial Day weekend as we honor and remember the veterans who died fighting for our freedoms that we enjoy today. We must continue to pray that no one takes away from us those freedoms of life, liberty, justice, and the pursuit of happiness for ALL human beings from the day of conception until the day we depart this earth for our eternal life. For Christians, that means Heaven; for those who have not made Jesus their Lord and Savior, it means an eternity of separation from Jesus. None of us want that for ourselves or anyone we know.

Since I hoped you would all be enjoying the holiday Monday and not on your computers or phones, I saved this informative blog to go out on Tuesday this week rather than my typical Monday Morning Blog.

Susan Neal is our guest blogger today as she gives us tips and reminders of how God designed our bodies to eat the food He created, not food man created in a factory. I know you’ll appreciate her personal testimony of how what we eat can maintain and restore health or destroy it.

You Can Eat Your Way to a Healthy Body

Are you living life to its fullest? Is your health or weight impeding you from serving God to the best of your ability?

[Tweet “Over 50 percent of Americans live with a chronic illness and 40 percent suffer from obesity.”]

Over 50 percent of Americans live with a chronic illness and 40 percent suffer from obesity. Jesus told us, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10 NASB).

[Tweet “The decline in the health of Americans correlates with the food we eat.”]

The decline in the health of Americans correlates with the food we eat. Processed and fast foods are loaded with calories but lack nutrients. Often, we eat foods created by food manufacturers versus created by God.

Eat God’s Food

Let’s check out what God told us to eat.

“Then God said, ‘Look! I have given you every seed-bearing plant throughout the earth and all the fruit trees for your food’” (Genesis 1:29 NLT). A seed-bearing plant produces seeds we can plant again, such as grains and vegetables.

Fruits are so delicious they’re like God’s candy.

Instead of eating a dish of ice cream, eat a juicy strawberry, tangy green apple, or crunchy pomegranate. Fruits are not just juicy and sweet, but also provide the body with nutrients our bodies need to be healthy.

[Tweet “God created over a hundred different vegetables because the human body needs various nutrients.”]

God created over a hundred different vegetables because the human body needs various nutrients.

For example, spinach contains vitamins A and K, whereas broccoli is full of vitamin E. God gave us a variety to choose from to ensure we get the proper amounts of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Grains provide carbohydrates the body uses for energy.

We have an assortment of grains to choose from amaranth, barley, buckwheat, millet, oats, quinoa, rice, rye, wheat, and wild rice. Two grains I do not recommend are white rice and wheat, because of today’s processing methods with the nutrients stripped away; all others are beneficial.

Nuts are excellent sources of protein.

Again, God created numerous varieties to choose from including almond, Brazil, cashew, chestnut, hazelnut, macadamia, pecan, pistachio, pine, and walnut. Be sure to buy raw nuts because they contain more nutrition in their natural, raw form instead of roasted, salted, or sugar coated. Nuts are full of omega 3 oils, which are essential for brain function.

After the flood, God introduced meat into the human diet—another source of protein.

Seeds are full of trace minerals the human body needs, but in small amounts. God gave us chia, flax, hemp, poppy, pumpkin, sesame, and sunflower seeds.

[Tweet “Since God made us, he knows what our bodies require, and he provides it in different ways.”]

Since God made us, he knows what our bodies require, and he provides it in different ways. Today, many consume “food-like” substances packaged in colorful boxes and bags and laced with ingredients that get us hooked on tantalizing flavors.

[Tweet “Have you succumbed to eating the standard American diet?”]

Have you succumbed to eating the standard American diet?

Eight years ago, I lost my health. I could not serve God well. I fought nutritionally to get my health back and my weight under control. Did you know that you could improve your well-being simply by changing the foods you eat? I did and so can you.

Eat Your Way into a God healthy Body

Change Your Mindset

[Tweet “Changing your lifestyle begins with changing your mindset.”]

Changing your lifestyle begins with changing your mindset. Gain knowledge to understand that processed foods stripped of their God-given nutrients and enriched with synthetic vitamins, are not healthy for the human body. This includes all foods made from white flour.

Every time you sit down to eat, evaluate whether God created the food, like a baked potato, or a manufacturer created it, like potato chips. When you consume foods God created, your body and mind may heal from numerous ailments—mine did.

[Tweet “God knew what he was doing when he created nutrient-rich foods for us to consume.”]

God knew what he was doing when he created nutrient-rich foods for us to consume. They not only provide what our body needs, but they are delicious to enjoy as well.

[Tweet “When you take care of your body by eating God’s natural foods, as close to harvest as possible, you’re happier and healthier.”]

Jesus wants us to live an abundant life. When you take care of your body by eating God’s natural foods, as close to harvest as possible, you’re happier and healthier.

What is one change you can make to improve your eating habits?

 Susan Neal Bio

Susan Neal RN, MBA, MHS, lives her life with a passion to help others improve their health so they can serve God better. She is a Certified Health and Wellness Coach with the American Association of Christian Counselors. Her mission is to improve the health of the body of Christ. She is the author of six healthy living books including Healthy Living Journal and Healthy Living Series: 3 Books in 1. Her best-seller 7 Steps to Get Off Sugar and Carbohydrates, a Selah award winner, sold over 5000 copies in its first thirteen months. You can find her on SusanUNeal.com.

Janet’s Note: You might also enjoy my blog post on reading labels. I read every label of food I’m not buying fresh. If you don’t recognize an ingredient, or you do and know it’s not good for you, don’t put it in your temple.

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May 28, 2019
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Stepping Out in Faith to Mentor

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Stepping out in faith to mentor

Stepping out in faith to mentor

You might have noticed there wasn’t a Monday Morning Blog last week. That was operator error. I had a guest blogger, but I didn’t hit “schedule” and so it only went out on social media but not to my email followers. It was such a great post that I wanted to resend it to all of you.

The reason I had scheduled a guest blogger was because last weekend I was speaking at First Baptist Church Riverview, Florida on the topic of Stepping Out in Faith. You can see me speaking and some of the ladies in attendance in the opening pictures, and Tammy Keene the founder of the Glory Conference and me finally meeting after two years of planning this conference, which was so blessed by the Lord. I told the story of how I stepped out in faith to start Woman to Woman Mentoring and then offered 10 Steps to Know You’re Stepping Out in Faith with God. I’ll share those 10 steps in a future blog.

But for today, I’d like you to read Andrea Chatelain’s post below because she talks about some of the reasons we might not think we’re equipped to mentor and how to overcome those insecurities.

Throw Out Insecurity and Cast Your Net

By Andrea Chatelain

I was a shell of a woman. Broken over miscarriages and lonely in faith, I called the one friend I had and asked her to gather some gals. We bought the shortest Bible study available, and strangers gathered in my living room. I had no idea what I was doing. Why had God prompted me to open my house and my heart to others when I felt so unqualified, imperfect, and weary? Truth is, He can work great things out of our vulnerability if we’ll be bold enough to follow.

[Tweet “God can work great things out of our vulnerability if we’ll be bold enough to follow.”]

Being a mentor starts with this motto: Throw out insecurity and cast your net.

Before Jesus’ disciples followed Him, many were fishermen. They spent their days casting out a net because they knew there were fish in the water–even if they weren’t biting. Some days the disciples hauled in so many fish the boat was overflowing, other times there wasn’t much to show for their efforts.

But they kept throwing their nets.

Then Jesus invited them to catch something better. “And He said to them, follow Me and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19 ESV

To do the important work of mentoring others, bringing them up in love and truth, we have to believe two things: 1. God chose us fully aware of our shortcomings. 2. The outcome is in His control as we follow His lead.

If we examine the first disciples, Christ didn’t always choose the most qualified. He called those willing to follow and throw their net. And the same is true of us.

[Tweet “God has chosen each of us to cast our nets right where we are and mentor others in love and truth not because we are awesome, but because He is awesome.”]

God has chosen each of us to cast our nets right where we are and mentor others in love and truth not because we are awesome, but because He is awesome. Believing that perfection isn’t required to lead others emboldens us to step out of our comfort zone and do the sometimes intimidating job of mentoring. So we throw off insecurity and say yes to every crazy idea God gives us knowing it’s not about what we have to give, but about trusting the One who’s leading us.

[Tweet “To boldly say yes when God calls us to mentor or disciple others, we must also trust Him with the outcome.”]

To boldly say yes when God calls us to mentor or disciple others, we must also trust Him with the outcome. In the past, I didn’t open myself up to mentoring because I was simply afraid no one would show up, or that the group wouldn’t be successful. I believed the outcome of my leadership was all on me. And that left me paralyzed.

I was frozen in fear and insecurity thinking it was necessary to possess all the answers for the women I mentored. But when I changed my mindset, having faith God called me to that post, He provided me with strength and wisdom through His Holy Spirit, and the pressure subsided. And even if it didn’t turn out the way I expected, I learned to trust that was part of God’s plan too.

So no, I’ve never been a perfect leader, and I doubt I ever will be, but God showed up each week to that Bible study as I committed to love and serve others. As I continue to cast my net despite my fears and insecurities, God has built friendships, grown my faith, and healed my heart.

Who is God calling you to reach out to? What fear is holding you back?

[Tweet “Trust that God knows exactly who you are, your weakness and strengths, and wants to use you to encourage and mentor others.”]

Trust that God knows exactly who you are, your weakness and strengths, and wants to use you to encourage and mentor others. He will be glorified as you faithfully say yes!

If you’re looking at the following picture and wondering why I have stuffed animal sheep on the stage with me, read a little about my Feed My Sheep Story and my testimony.

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May 13, 2019
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An Easter Morning Testimony

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IMG_4102

I thought you would enjoy a flashback with me. Our church puts on an Easter Sunrise Cowboy Breakfast down at the river behind our church for the community. It’s a great outreach.

I love that in Idaho, Sunrise Service starts at 8:00 am! When we lived in California the sun rose at 6:00 am.

My husband, Dave Thompson, was asked to give his testimony one year and he allowed me to share it with you today. Enjoy and be blessed.

Dave’s Easter Testimony

I learned about God and Jesus in my teens, but in my early adult years – I became a self-made man.

Robert Ringer’s book Looking Out For Number One became my motto – in his book he talks about don’t let anyone take your marbles, so I walked over and through everyone or anyone in my way to achieve my goals.

I was a successful corporate executive married with a young family with a large home in an influential community. I had it made, so I thought, until it all came crashing down! I was eventually divorced, my family split up.

It was then I began a real relationship with Christ.

I dedicated my life to Jesus and reversed my motto, and let the only Real #1 look out for me. He does so much better than I could ever do.

When you think about it . . . who could better look out for you than the One who is:

Omnipresent – always with you

Omnipotent – all powerful

Omniscient – seeing all and everything ahead goes before you preparing the way.

So you ask: What has Christ meant in my life? Everything!

He has taken me with all my sins and prideful ways, and made me His child, an adopted heir. He loves me more than anyone else could, or I could ever love myself.

[Tweet “[Christ has taken me with all my sins and prideful ways, and made me His child, an adopted heir. He loves me more than anyone else could, or I could ever love myself.”]

Further, I would have never met the love of my life, my beautiful wife, Janet, if it were not for my relationship with Christ. You see, we met in a church small group at Saddleback Church and have grown together in a true marriage triangle relationship with Christ at the apex.

My wife, Janet’s writing and speaking ministry, About His Work Ministries, was born out of our love for Christ and His church.  Many lives have been changed by Him using her, us, and our experiences, challenges, and trials as vessels to help others.

[Tweet “When you give your life and your time to Christ and make yourself available, He molds you and makes you into who He wants you to be and uses you and the gifts He has given you to help others.”]

When you give your life and your time to Christ and make yourself available, He molds you and makes you into who He wants you to be and uses you and the gifts He has given you to help others.  In fact, our ministry tagline “Sharing life experiences and God’s faithfulness” defines our life in Christ.

[Tweet “If you are a self-made man or woman stop playing king of the mountain, give up your fight to stay on top and let the only one who belongs there take your place.”]

So if you are a self-made man or woman stop playing king of the mountain, give up your fight to stay on top and let the only one who belongs there take your place. He will give to you more abundantly than you could ever imagine. He will not only renew your mind, but He will change your heart.

Happy Easter and God bless you all!

We hope you had a blessed Easter and a chance to tell someone, or many someones, that Jesus is Alive!

Testimony originally given on Easter April 1, 2013

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April 22, 2019
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Remembering the Reason for the Easter Season

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Easter cross

My Easter post is coming to you a little early, but since I blog on Mondays, next Monday will be too late so hopefully you’ll have a week to ponder on the thoughts I share with you today.

A common aphorism at Christmas time is “Remember the Reason for the Season.” It’s a great reminder that Jesus, Our Savior, was born on Christmas day to come into the world as a baby to die as a man on a cross and resurrect three days later on Easter. So at Easter season, why don’t we say: “Remember the Reason for the Easter Season”?

[Tweet “At Easter season, why don’t we say: “Remember the Reason for the Easter Season””]

I don’t recall ever hearing that slogan used at Easter. Do you? It’s not on flags, banners, buttons we wear, or even Easter cards or mentioned in Easter sermons. I wonder why not?

[Tweet “The “Easter season” has similar distractions as Christmas that can take our focus off Jesus”]

Easter commemorates the foundation of our Christian faith. Without Easter, there would be no hope. And yet most sermons about the joy of Easter are relegated to Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. Why don’t we talk about such a glorious day all year long?

[Tweet “Easter commemorates the foundation of our Christian faith. Without Easter, there would be no hope.”]

Easter is the reason we have forgiveness for our sins and the assurance of eternal life. As the apostle Paul reminded the Corinthians:

Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place.

I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.—1 Cor. 15:1-4

In my book Forsaken God?:Remembering the Goodness of God Our Culture Has Forgotten, in the chapter on Remembering His Sacrifice, I wrote:

As Christians, we understand the extreme sacrifice God and Jesus endured: God gave his One and only Son who became the last sacrificial lamb dying in atonement for our sins. Jesus died a painful and horrific death on a cross for you and for me. At Easter, we celebrate Jesus’s resurrection three days later, and he lives today at the right hand of God—preparing a place for his followers who will someday join him in eternity. And he lives within the hearts of believers.

How could we ever forget such a sacrifice, but we do.

crucifixion

The “Easter season” has similar distractions as Christmas that can take our focus off Jesus and His sacrifice for you and for me. Our focus can turn to church services, performances, cantatas, pageants, new clothes, brunch, family gatherings, special dinners, decorating, egg hunts, Easter baskets . . . all good things. But before we know it . . . one of the most meaningful days of the year is over.

We probably went to church, said a prayer before meals, maybe even read some Bible passages about the Last Supper, Gethsemane, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection. But did we take time to solemnly remember and praise God for the ultimate sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ . . .

39 lashes

A crown of thorns

Hands and feet nailed to a cross

The 10,000 angels he could have called to rescue him

The world’s sins he took on himself

Feeling forsaken

The torn veil

Shed blood

The final cry, “It is finished!” (Pg. 217, Forsaken God?)

[Tweet “I pray this Easter season finds you refreshed and renewed in your relationship with Christ”]

I pray this Easter season finds you refreshed and renewed in your relationship with Christ, and the purpose He has given each of us to keep the memory of Easter alive and vibrant, every day in our hearts, speech, and actions. Let us never forget:

“You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.” Colossians 2:13-14 (NLT)

Hallelujah!

Happy Resurrection Day!

Janet

Other Easter Posts:

What Does the Moon Have to Do with Easter?

Share the Good News of Easter

How to Share the Easter Message with You Children and Grandchildren

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April 15, 2019
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