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It’s Holy Week and Our God Still Reigns!

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It was difficult deciding what to write as we start Holy Week before Easter with such sadness and turmoil in our world. But as I prayed about whether I should focus on the evil we’re all watching take place or the God whose only Son went to the Cross under evil circumstances to offer us a way out of personal sin and guilt, I quickly knew the answer when God gave me several clues as He always does.

First, as I posted on Facebook the pictures of those six precious innocent Chrisitan children and adults at The Covenant School in Nashville, Tenn. gunned down by a mentally ill suicidal transgender woman who looked into the eyes of those three children, a substitute teacher, the custodian, and the head of the school. . . then pulled the trigger . . . I saw the epitome of evil.

Evil begets evil!

There is an evil belief system infecting our culture that people can play God and become their own gods. Doctors who should be helping troubled gender dysphoria patients receive treatment to learn how to live in the bodies God gave them are instead lying to them that they can become the opposite gender by being pumped with hormones and sterilizing drugs and mutilated with irreplaceable castration, hysterectomies, and mastectomies at ages when children often think they can fly too.

Those doctors, medical professionals, and facilities are as evil as the ones killing unborn babies. Instead of offering redemptive healthcare, which they take an oath to perform, they’re participating in child abuse and infant genocide. And as evidenced by the militant attitude of the trans movement and pro-abortion advocates, no one is happy or successful in trying to play God.

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

As I changed my Facebook cover photo to the pictures of those six who were mercilessly gunned down, God prompted me to also change my profile picture to the opening picture of this blog. He was guiding my hurt, heartbreak, pain, anger, and frustration back to focus on Him, the One and Only true God.

Then the title of this morning’s (3/31/23) Our Daily Bread was “Rest Assured in God” with the verse from Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Karen Pimpo wrote in the accompanying article, “When our world is troubled, how can we find rest? The Bible’s clear: there’s peace for those who trust in God, regardless of their circumstances.”

While browsing through Facebook before I sat down to write to you, I came across a post from Fox & Friends on their Faith & Friends concert series of a performance with Phil Wickham of his new song “This is Our God.” I’d seen that post several times, but this morning I opened it up weeping as I listened to the timely words of the song. I hope you’ll go to the link and worship too.

It was clear God was reminding me that our only hope is belief in our Comforter and Savior, Jesus Christ, and nothing should distract us from this truth. With so many being lied to and even murdered because of Satan’s lies, our mission is to tell everyone of God’s overriding truths. The families burying their loved ones this Holy Week will mourn the loss of their loved ones while celebrating that they are in the arms of Jesus. Heavenly joy, but earthly sorrow for now.

“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32

“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” 1 Cor. 15:55

Good Begets Good and Our God is a Good God!

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Is. 53:5-6

Isaiah 53:5-6 is the message of Easter we can’t ever overlook in the tragedies and unjustness of our culture. J. J. Packer said, “We are cruel to ourselves if we try to live in this world without knowing about the God whose world it is and who runs it.”

What is happening in our world doesn’t distract Jesus. He cares about what is happening in our heart!

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.—Ezekiel 36:26

What should we do this Holy Week to prepare our hearts for an Easter celebration?

1. Fill your mind with Words from the Lord and not from the media.

Let’s take a break from the biased media and focus our minds on the reason our Lord and Savior went to the cross—to offer us eternal life regardless of what happens in this life. We don’t want to die, but if Jesus is in our heart, we have the assurance that we will be alive with Jesus for eternity. That should calm our hearts and comfort those who have lost loved ones or maybe just received an unwanted diagnosis.

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

I heard Pastor Greg Laurie say once in a Palm Sunday message, “There are five gospels . . . you’re the 5th! You are the temple of God.” Read the four Gospels, Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John. Get to know Jesus up close and personal. Walk with Him in His shoes; listen to His words and stories.

  • What was He trying to get people to understand?
  • What does He want you to understand?
  • Look for His personal message to your generation and how to influence the next generation for Christ.
  • What does He want you to do during the crises in our country? In our world?

If you were giving the sermon this Easter, what would you include?

2. Tell people what Jesus means to you. Why you love Him. That even while you were a sinner, He still loved you enough to die for you!

Our church has a Cowboy Breakfast as an outreach for the community on Easter Sunday, and Facebook just reminded me that I was the speaker 10 years ago. It was my privilege to share the Gospel and I didn’t worry what faith or lack of faith in those attending. Easter is about salvation through belief in Christ Jesus and that was my message.

My then 6-year-old granddaughter, Katelyn, shared the microphone with me to recite John 3:16. I was so proud of her! The next year she told me, “Grammie, I want to share John 3:16 at the Cowboy Breakfast again.” Since I wasn’t the speaker, she didn’t get that opportunity, but I pray she never hesitates to share the Gospel message.

God blessed Katelyn and me with a boldness that Easter morning to share the Gospel unashamed of our Savior with gratitude for His sacrifice and rejoicing at His resurrection. Here’s what one attendee wrote to me later:

I wanted to let you know how much I appreciated your message at the Cowboy Breakfast. It was clearly presented and probably the best explanation that I have heard so that people are not confused about making a commitment to Christ. So often people are afraid to say what is needed because they are concerned about offending their audience. It was important that you were clear on what sin is and how to make a personal commitment. I also received feedback from members of our Vineyard Home Study Group that were pleased that the truth could be so clearly spoken.

Thanks again for the time and effort that you put into preparation for those who needed to hear this message.

Other years, members of our church share their testimony with friends and neighbors who attend the breakfast. My husband Dave gave his testimony one year.

When is the last time you told someone your testimony of surrendering your life to Christ? It’s hands down the most important and meaningful day in your life. Yes, it’s greater than the day you married, gave birth, bought your dream house, or signed that important contract. Your rebirth in Christ should top them all!

Yet, we eagerly tell the story of these less significant events in our life, but often are reticent to tell the story of Jesus coming into our life.

We know He is with us every day, but do we give Him the credit and the glory for the things we know He has done and is doing in our life?

This week ask yourself why you don’t talk more about Jesus?!

Then share your salvation story with someone! Reflect back on the day the death and resurrection of Jesus really meant something to you. Tell people why it still does.

There is no greater witness to God’s goodness than sharing what he has done in your life. No one can question your testimony because it’s your personal experience.

Your story becomes your testimony when the focus is on God, not on you.

Your testimony simply shares your life before Jesus. How he changed your heart and spiritually, maybe literally, saved your life.

God has given you a story to share, so seize every opportunity to tell it.

Sometimes, God redeems your testimony by surrounding you with people who need to hear your past so it doesn’t become their future.

Who needs to hear this Easter what Christ has done for you and could do for them?

At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.—Titus 3:3-7

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.—1 John 5:11-12

You might also enjoy an article I wrote for Crosswalk, 5 Refreshing Ways to Welcome Renewal Beyond Easter.

Have a blessed Easter the way the Lord leads you to celebrate this glorious day and honor the sacrifice He made for each of us who believe in Him to have eternal life forever!

No matter what happens in our world, remember that Our God Reigns!

Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Rev. 19:6

If you received this blog in your email, please leave a comment here. I reply to all comments.

Also, if you don’t receive my monthly newsletter you can sign up on my website. Here’s the link to the March Newsletter with the opening article, “Are Your Women’s Ministries and Your Hearts Open to Teens?” I would appreciate receiving your response.

I also want to make you aware of a free e-book to share with parents and grandparents by Brandon Showalter and Jeff Meyers, Exposing the Gender Lie: How to Protect Children and Teens from the Transgender Industry’s False Ideology.

April 3, 2023
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What Our Culture Doesn’t Understand about Christ’s Love!

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My first career was as a Registered Dietitian. I went to college for four years at Cal Poly University and then another year of internship at the VA Hospital and UCLA in Santa Monica. I had grandiose visions of being the Florence Nightingale of dietetics! I would devote myself to helping people learn how to experience a healthy nutritional way of life. Maybe even save lives by teaching them how to eliminate foods contributing to their illnesses and replace them with foods that their body needed to heal and stay well. In my altruistic vision, they would be so grateful that I was part of their medical team working to restore their health and help them remain in good health.

Then I went out into the real world of hospital dietetics and my idealistic aspirations met resistance reality. Instead of welcoming my guidance in food restrictions and replacements that could possibly save their life, they would rather take a pill and hope for the best. How could I expect them to sacrifice their favorite foods they “loved,” almost more than life?! They were angry, disgruntled, or dismissed me for even thinking they would make lifestyle changes to give them a better quality of life.

When I tried to engage wives to help their husbands, they also resisted that I was asking them to remove foods he “loved”! I could see in her eyes as she shook her head that she wasn’t about to tackle changing her husband’s diet. It wasn’t worth the battle and often her way of showing love was to make all the foods he loved. I literally watched wives love their husbands to death rather than love them enough to learn how to nutritiously lengthen their lives by changing their diet.

I wasn’t trying to ruin these people’s lives; I was trying to save their lives. I didn’t hate them. I loved my fellow men and women enough to help them fight for their life, often as I watched the same patients return with the same health and diet-related issues.

Eventually, the rejection and frustration became more than I could envision for the rest of my life, and I changed careers. But once a Dietitian, always a Dietitian and I practice good eating habits for my family and myself. I try to get my husband to limit his intake of “junk food” and keep his weight down, not because I hate him, but because I love him!

I want my husband to be healthy and live a long life. There are certain foods I know will harm him. I want him putting into his God-given body foods that will build him up and not tear him down. I’m not always successful in convincing him, but I love him enough to keep trying.

This is exactly the same love that Christ shows to us! He doesn’t tell us to avoid sinful actions and thoughts that will harm us because he hates us; it’s because He loves us! He wants the best for us. God sent His only Son to die on the cross to give us an opportunity to turn from our sinful ways not to revel in them.

16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. 18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. 19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. John 3:16-19 NLT

There’s a false argument that lovers of sin try to use against Christians: “God loves me just like I am.” That’s Satan’s lie. Jesus never said that. Jesus does love everyone, and He accepts us where He finds us, BUT he loves us so much, He doesn’t want to leave us how He found us . . . sinning. Like the woman at the well, He tells us to go and sin no more!

Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. Gal. 6:7-8 NLT

There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. 2 After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.” 3 Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again,[a] you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” John 3:1-3 NLT

Paul cautioned the church in Corinth:

18 Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. 19 Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. 1 Cor. 6:18-20 NLT

Paul didn’t hate the Corinthians or any of the churches when he told them that homosexuality and sexual immorality was an abomination to God and detrimental to their own bodies. Paul loved them and that’s why he was warning them to repent from their sins.

Peter told those who repented of their sins and asked God’s forgiveness that they would receive the Holy Spirit to help them live a life pleasing to God.

Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38

The World’s Futile Attempt to Redefine “Love”!

Today’s culture has tried to twist the truth into attacks on anyone who doesn’t go along with abortion, LGBQT, sexual immorality, transgenderism, or now the next level of perversion is brainwashing young children into believing God made them wrong and they can be whatever gender they choose.

Liberals or “progressives” try to bully us calling us haters or not good Christians when we don’t agree to their lifestyle choices, but it’s the exact opposite. It’s out of love and wanting people to experience eternity someday and God’s plan for their life while they’re here on earth that we refuse to agree with sin or be pressured into the world’s decadent mold.

Often, they try and use God’s Word against us, especially this verse: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:30-31. What they don’t realize is Christians are experiencing the joy and peace of repenting from our sins and receiving the forgiving love of Jesus in our life and we want it for them too. That’s truly loving your neighbor.

Parents who love their children try to protect them from harm and now the culture is even attacking parents who will not acquiesce to the world’s perversion. Schools used to be a safe and trusted place, now every day we see videos of liberal school boards and teachers trying to confuse and indoctrinate young children with harmful evil beliefs and values.

Parents tell children “No” often as they’re growing up and sometimes the children resist and might even yell, “I hate you.” That’s hard to hear as a parent, but we know it’s a childish reaction when we’re stopping them from doing something harmful or sinful. They may later thank us for loving them enough to protect them from harm or evil.

Parents who are championing or tolerating their children’s waywardness are not helping them. That’s not love, especially when we know it will lead to heartache and maybe even a separation from God. Defending evil just because our children might be indulging in it is the furthest thing from love. As I wrote in Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter, we love our children unconditionally, but it doesn’t mean we love everything they do or try to justify wrongful behavior, just because our child is doing it.

God doesn’t rewrite the 10 Commandments when His children break them. He doesn’t change His views on sexual immorality, even when a government wrongfully legalizes it. He doesn’t decide that He made a mistake creating a little girl or a little boy or that He shouldn’t have designed sex and marriage to be between a woman and a man.

No matter how distorted our culture becomes God always stays the same. The Bible is His timeless guide for life until He returns to rescue us because He loves us and wants everyone to be with Him in heaven.

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

It’s God’s will and His ways that should guide our life and that we should relentlessly defend regardless of those who bully us, call us names, or try to intimidate us. Our response should always be that we didn’t make up how God wants us to live our lives, God did, and He wrote it all down in the Bible.

I was so impressed with the Philadelphia Flyers hockey defenseman Ivan Provorov, who stood firm by his Russian Orthodox faith, and declined to participate in a “gay pride” event where the players wore gay pride jerseys with gay flags wrapped around their hockey sticks. The media went crazy and bullied him, many saying he was “hiding behind his religion.” He wasn’t hiding; he was staying steadfastly true to his beliefs.

Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov recently infuriated sports journalists when he refused to wear a rainbow jersey for warmups during “Pride Night,” citing his Russian Orthodox faith. “I respect everybody and I respect everybody’s choices. My choice is to stay true to myself and my religion.”

I wonder how many Christian players succumbed to pressure and chose culture over Christ.

We’ll all have to answer to God for our actions someday and there will be no excuses or any people we acquiesce to now present then to defend us.

Jesus said Christians should be glad when we’re tormented and called names for our beliefs because the world hated Him, and they’ll hate us for being His followers. In today’s world, we should wear it as a badge of honor.

Not agreeing with someone’s sin does not mean we hate them; we love them enough to want them to turn to Jesus and not the world. Those calling us “haters” are actually haters of Jesus.

16 You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. 17 This is my command: Love each other.

The World’s Hatred

18 “If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. 19 The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. 20 . . . Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you. And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you. 21 They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the one who sent me. 22 They would not be guilty if I had not come and spoken to them. But now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Anyone who hates me also hates my Father. 24 If I hadn’t done such miraculous signs among them that no one else could do, they would not be guilty. But as it is, they have seen everything I did, yet they still hate me and my Father. 25 This fulfills what is written in their Scriptures[a]: ‘They hated me without cause.’ John 15:16-25

I often say that being an evangelist is a lot like being a Dietitian. God does have a sense of humor since He didn’t let me get away from sharing a message that isn’t always popular or appreciated. But now God is asking me to help people have a healthy spiritual life and relationship with Jesus that will lead to eternal life in heaven instead of eternal life in hell. That’s what love does, and that’s what I’ll do as long as I have breath. I hope many of you will join me. The eternal life of someone dear to you could depend on it!

12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you. 13 Instead, be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it is revealed to all the world. 14 If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. 1 Peter 4:12-14 NLT

13 Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? 14 But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. 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. 1 Peter 3:13-15 NLT

You’re going to find that there will be times when people will have no stomach for solid teaching, but will fill up on spiritual junk food—catchy opinions that tickle their fancy. They’ll turn their backs on truth and chase mirages. But you—keep your eye on what you’re doing; accept the hard times along with the good; keep the Message alive; do a thorough job as God’s servant. 2 Tim. 4:3-5 The Message

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January 23, 2023
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Democracy Is Alive When You Freely Vote On Your Ballot!

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You’ve undoubtedly heard Biden and the liberal media pundits falsely lamenting, “Democracy is on the ballot.” Or “Democracy will die and autocracy begin if you don’t vote for Democrats.” That’s not true. They need to go back to civics 101.

Democracy is not on the ballot; democracy is the ballot. The right we still have as Americans to vote in fair and free elections for whomever we want to govern our country, states, and cities is democracy alive and well.

However, attempts at autocracy started January 20, 2021, when Biden sat in front of a stack of executive orders and one by one with the stroke of a pen, started the destruction of America along with many lives, jobs, and the freedoms we had enjoyed under a democracy. He is a Democrat President with a Democrat controlled Congress and Senate and together they set out to “transition” democracy in America into Marxism where the rights and concerns of ALL Americans are NOT represented, only those the elite liberal woke left determine are worthy.

On Biden’s first day in office, the White House made insane decisions to stop oil production in America when we were energy dependent for the first time in history. Open up our borders to change the profile of our country. Worship earth instead of God and act as if they could control the climate forcing gas prices to skyrocket, diesel and baby formula to become sparse, the cost of everything to explode causing average Americans to have trouble feeding their families as elder Americans on fixed incomes watch their retirement funds vanish. Many Americans will freeze or use their life savings just to stay warm this winter.

The Democrats created a woke culture to promote and endorse drag queens and queers over hardworking families and protecting our children from pedophiles, grooming, and evil ideology. They fabricated the illusion of multiple genders to confuse children while telling you to follow the science and get an experimental drug or lose your job or right to attend school, and criminalize anyone who speaks out against the insanity.

I could go on but you’re living in this autocratic takeover, more specifically dictatorship, right now and they desperately want to retain their undemocratic power so they lie, intimidate, and infiltrate the judicial system.

Have you ever been in a situation where the other side accuses you of exactly what they’re doing but you never would’ve thought of doing? That’s called hypocrisy or gas lighting. The left assumes Republicans must be thinking of doing the atrocities they accuse us of because it’s what they’re doing. We have an autocracy/dictatorship at this very moment and Biden has the audacity to say if he loses any power at all in the Congress or Senate that we’re going to become the very autocracy he’s created and forced on an unwilling population.

As he ridicules and even jails the election deniers, he should just look in the mirror because claiming that he won the presidency is the biggest election denial of all!! A man who sat in his basement the entire campaign knew he didn’t have to extend any effort because the machine was already in operation to assure he won at any cost, even fraud and deceit.

Horrifically the conservative patriotic producers of the movie 2000 mules, True the Vote founder Catherine Engelbrecht and colleague Gregg Phillips were both arrested last week for not revealing their sources. How often does the mainstream media get away with “anonymous sources” and even impeach a president using them and yet these two people investigating the 2020 election are arrested right before the next election! They’re both honest patriotic Christian conservatives that do not deserve this treatment. I’ve heard them both speak on Flashpoint and Tucker Carlson who reported last Friday on their unjust incarceration.

Just tonight as I prepared to post this blog, I received and update that Catherine and Gregg were released from prison. Praise God! Our church prayed for them this morning. Tonight, Catherine wrote, “Those who thought that imprisoning Gregg and I would weaken our resolve have gravely miscalculated. It is stronger than ever. The right to free and fair elections without interference is more important than our discomforts and even this detention, now reversed by a higher court. We are profoundly grateful for that. We will continue to protect and defend those who do the vital work of election integrity, and we will make sure that their findings become a matter of public record.”

Do Not Be Fooled

I want you to read a portion of a statement made this past weekend that completely encapsulates what’s happening in our country and finally a Democrat Senator is saying what we all know. In case you didn’t see this article, here’s part of it.

Sen. Joe Manchin Saturday demanded President Biden apologize for saying coal plants “all across America” will be shut down, in a scathing statement just days before crucial midterm elections. 

“President Biden’s comments are not only outrageous and divorced from reality, they ignore the severe economic pain the American people are feeling because of rising energy costs,” Manchin, D-W.Va., said. “Comments like these are the reason the American people are losing trust in President Biden and instead believes he does not understand the need to have an all in energy policy that would keep our nation totally energy independent and secure.”

Manchin added: “It seems his positions change depending on the audience and the politics of the day. Politicizing our nation’s energy policies would only bring higher prices and more pain for the American people.”

“Let me be clear, this is something the President has never said to me,” Manchin said of the Biden comments. “Being cavalier about the loss of coal jobs for men and women in West Virginia and across the country who literally put their lives on the line to help build and power this country is offensive and disgusting.

“The President owes these incredible workers an immediate and public apology and it is time he learn a lesson that his words matter and have consequences,” Manchin said. 

Yes words do matter especially when you read the Press Secretary’s response to Manchin’s long overdue reprimand of Biden. Notice her last line.

Jean-Puerre responded: “The President’s remarks yesterday have been twisted to suggest a meaning that was not intended; he regrets it if anyone hearing these remarks took offense. The President was commenting on a fact of economics and technology:  as it has been from its earliest days as an energy superpower, America is once again in the midst of an energy transition.”

There’s that word transition again. None of us voted for or asked for an “energy transition” and definitely not a transition into Marxism! But that’s why they’re pushing electric cars, reduction of fracking, coal, and fuel production. Biden lied about all of this when he was running and said he would never do it.

This is an extreme transition ideology from the woke liberal left. We the people did not ask for, vote for, or want!! That’s what’s on the ballot.

The only way we’re going to stop this trajectory transition they’ve fabricated and forced on Americans is to take back the Senate and Congress and prevent more craziness until we can take back the White House and transition back to a free, fair, and energy independent country again.

Finally, someone in his own party has called Biden out but it would take hours and hours for Biden to apologize for all his outrageous comments and lies! I heard someone on TV say what I’ve been saying all along, “Biden is a pathological liar.” I’ve known one personally and I spotted it in Biden from the beginning, and those types of liars believe their own lies. It’s not just the dementia or senility; he’s been a liar since he first entered politics!

Just like Machin said, he says what fits the audience and concocts a story that’s all about himself for the moment. The media writes them off as “Joe stories” or gaffs but they’re lies. Words matter and lies shatter!

On November 8, We’re Voting to Take Our Country Back and Replace Woke Autocracy with Common Sense Democracy!

Here’s an example of how the Democrat machine works. They don’t care if a candidate can talk, hear, or respond without a stenographer and large screen by his side; they just want a body that will always vote their way. Yes, it’s sad that Fetterman running against Oz in Pennsylvania had a stroke, but it was early in the election process and the party and his wife should’ve pulled him out of the race. Just like Jill Biden knew that Joe had dementia and was not capable of the highest office in the nation, she wanted the power and Fetterman’s wife does also. She’s outgoing, attractive, and very vocal and is actually the candidate behind the candidate who won’t be able to hear or understand anything happening on the Senate floor. But that doesn’t matter to the Democrats, they just want his thumbs up or down however they command.

Why would Oprah speak in Fetterman’s support at the last minute, when she is the one who introduced Dr. Oz to the world? Because Oz is his own man and didn’t follow the liberal Democrat party line, he chose to run as a respectable conservative Republican candidate. Oprah couldn’t have that; after all she’s the one who also introduced the world to Obama. Yes, she helped push him on an unsuspecting country and I’m sure she would’ve done the same for Oz if only he capitulated to the Democrat’s agenda. That alone should tell Pennsylvanians why they should vote for Oz. He’s his own man not influenced by intense pressure from the opposition; he’ll do what he’s promised for his constituents.

Oprah while hosting a virtual conversation on voting said before going on to urge listeners to vote for Democrats running for governor and Senate in various states. “I said it was up to the citizens of Pennsylvania and of course, but I will tell you all this, if I lived in Pennsylvania, I would have already cast my vote for John Fetterman for many reasons.”

What are those “many reasons” Oprah would vote for Fetterman? Could it be that he is a further left socialist than Bernie Sanders. That he wants to release 1/3 of all Pennsylvania prisoners, including murderers and violent criminals and eliminate cash bail. Supports Philly being a sanctuary city or else you’re xenophobia. Endorsed the excessive spending that led to inflation. Supported cancelling Keystone Pipeline and banning fracking. Even though he blatantly lied in the debate and kept repeating that he’s always supported fracking. He’s behind raising taxes. Oh yes and wants to codify Roe v Wade and abortion up until the day of birth.

So, Oprah, were those the “many reasons” you support Fetterman or now the clearly radical Beto O’Rourke in Texas? Please do not be persuaded by these liberal Democrat progressive celebrities who do not share our values or beliefs.

Some of you will have abortion on the ballot or candidates saying it’s a woman’s human right, completely ignoring the human right of the precious baby. As a Christian you cannot vote or support abortion. That we would choose to kill our own children never entered God’s mind!

They have built pagan shrines to Baal, and there they burn their sons as sacrifices to Baal. I have never commanded such a horrible deed; it never even crossed my mind to command such a thing! Jer. 19:5 NLT
They built high places for Baal in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to sacrifice their sons and daughters to Molek, though I never commanded—nor did it enter my mind—that they should do such a detestable thing and so make Judah sin. Jer. 32:35

Let’s Pray Together

Let me pray for you before you go out and vote this Tuesday, November 8th! Remember this is God’s country and we should consider voting as a sacred trust the Lord conveys to His followers.

Lord, I pray that every man and woman reading this blog would pray and vote what You want for America. Let us know what’s on Your mind. Flood the polling centers with people using their pen or pencil and filling out a ballot for who they think is the best person to serve with integrity, dignity, righteousness, honesty, and Your will Lord.

Fill their minds with wisdom and I pray they won’t be influenced by commercials, campaigns, celebrities, or commentary but only by You Lord. You gave us the opportunity to live in this amazing country, Lord, please let us vote for people who will put You and Your values back into the public square. Give us courage, tenacity, and desire to not only vote, but pray for each candidate who is willing to serve America, not destroy America. Thank you for loving us enough to give us life and help us live it to the fullest as men and women, brothers and sisters in Christ. Amen.

Psalm 51:1-12 The Message

Listen, God! Please, pay attention! Can you make sense of these ramblings, my groans and cries? King-God, I need your help. Every morning you’ll hear me at it again.
Every morning I lay out the pieces of my life on your altar and watch for fire to descend.

You don’t socialize with Wicked, or invite Evil over as your houseguest. Hot-Air-Boaster collapses in front of you; you shake your head over Mischief-Maker. God destroys Lie-Speaker; Blood-Thirsty and Truth-Bender disgust you.

And here I am, your invited guest—it’s incredible! I enter your house; here I am, prostrate in your inner sanctum. Waiting for directions to get me safely through enemy lines.

Every word they speak is a land mine; their lungs breathe out poison gas. Their throats are gaping graves, their tongues slick as mudslides. Pile on the guilt, God! Let their so-called wisdom wreck them. Kick them out! They’ve had their chance.

But you’ll welcome us with open arms when we run for cover to you. Let the party last all night! Stand guard over our celebration. You are famous, God, for welcoming God-seekers, for decking us out in delight. Psalm 5:1-12 The Message

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November 7, 2022
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You Can Use Your Vote to Combat Evil!

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I’m not going to mince words this week. As Christians, it’s our civic duty, obligation, right, and responsibility to vote for candidates that reflect our values. We may not like how they look. They certainly won’t be perfect, but no one is perfect except Jesus.

However, today we have politicians running our country whose policies are immoral, irrational, and evil. Their agenda is to destroy our American democracy and rebuild it as a Marxist/Communist secular country where the government controls everything and the people obey or face the consequences.

This midterm election might actually be the only way we can salvage our free country and I’m not the only one who thinks that.

Of course, you pray before you vote, do your research, and consider what has happened to our country in less than two years since the Democrats took control of the Senate, Congress, and White House. On day one of Biden’s presidency, he signed a stack of executive orders to undo and obliterate our civil liberties, freedoms, and destroy the great American way of life. Here are just a few of the ensuing dire consequences of that election!

  • The National School Board and teacher’s union kept our schools closed
  • Vaccine mandates or lose your job!
  • Transgenderism forced into schools, sports, military, and jobs
  • Skyrocketing unprecedented inflation and recession
  • Energy production halted when we were energy dependent and still have plenty of natural fuel to support not only our country but could help others
  • Gas prices doubling and tripling with no relief in sight
  • Retirement funds disappearing
  • Equity replaces equality
  • “Inclusion” includes immorality and unjustness
  • Partisan two-tiered biased justice system favoring Democrats
  • Crime terrorizing our streets
  • Defund the police and the military
  • Millions of illegals flood our boarders unchecked and unvetted
  • Drugs flowing into every state from open border drug cartels
  • Sex trafficking of women, men, and young children coming across the border
  • Critical Race Theory and racism taught in schools, which the last president banned
  • Sex and perverted explicit pornographic sex taught in school as young as kindergarten
  • Men in women’s sports, locker rooms, and bathrooms. Again, banned by Trump
  • “Misgendering” can cost your job or get you expelled from school
  • Denial of scientific biological sexes: male and female
  • Concerned parents targeted as terrorists
  • Funded drag queens in Ecuador with a $20,000 grant from our tax money to brainwash minors with the transgender ideology
  • Threat of a nuclear war and millions spent in the Ukrainian/Russia war
  • Despicable retreat from Afghanistan with tragic loss of eleven military lives and numbers injured
  • Disastrous and dangerous foreign policy
  • 89,000 new armed IRS agents added to an already overstaffed agency
  • Use of the justice department and FBI to attack political adversaries. I hesitate to even call it a justice system.
  • War on women (unable to define) and motherhood
  • Promoting the murder of babies
  • Genital mutilation, castration, mastectomies, hysterectomies, and puberty blockers of young children with some states allowing without parental consent
  • Worship of the earth and not the Creator of earth, God.

I’m crying as I make this list. Regardless of what you think of the former Republican President’s personality, none of this happened or would’ve happened during his watch. Even though he was under constant attack from the left, he took measures to prevent, curtail, or stop every item on the list. These are all Democrat despicable policies inflicted on our country in less than two years!

Many are afraid to speak out against the atrocities happening under the current Democrat led administration that tries to silence any opposition with intimidation and threats. But when you vote, it’s just between you and the paper you’re voting on. No one can entice you or force you to vote against your will, conscience, or beliefs.

Please Take the Time to Research Before You Vote!

I’ve covered many of the issues I listed above in previous blogs. I do my research before I write and I’m hoping when I give you a link to follow, you go to it to substantiate what I’m saying. If we can take back the House and the Senate for now, with the Lord’s help, we can put a halt to future destruction under the current administration, especially of our children.

Controlling our children is the goal of Marxism/Communism, which no one denies the Democrat party has become. We are no longer a country with two different political parties; we’re literally a country trying to survive a Communist attack on our republic. There’s such an emphasis now on the Democrats trying to prevent parental rights because if they can control the children, they control the next generation coming into power in our beloved country.

Look at every Communist takeover and it starts with indoctrination of the children. It’s happening right now in the schools with Critical Race Theory and sexualizing young children. Soon Christian schools will not receive accreditation if they don’t agree to comply with the demands of the National School Board, which donates to the Democrat party. This government run organization and the teacher’s union have overtly controlled schools to favor the liberal ideology.

Let’s Just Look at a Couple Items on the List: The Transgender Degradation of Women and Exploitation of Children

In Senator Ted Cruz’s new book, Justice Corrupted: How the Left Weaponized Our Legal System, he opens with the story of the father who went to a schoolboard meeting to protest his daughter being raped in the girl’s bathroom by a boy wearing a skirt. That father was jailed. The school first denied it happened, then admitted it and transferred the boy in a skirt to another school where he raped another girl. Cruz also discusses how the justice department has been weaponized, corrupted, and politicized.

A brave 14 year-old freshman volleyball player in Vermont, Blake Allen, and her father appeared on Tucker Carlson tonight with their attorney to tell their story of Blake being uncomfortable when a boy identifying as a girl was allowed in their school locker room. She left and complained to the school authorities who suspended her for 5 days because she wouldn’t write an apology to the boy! Her father was fired from his job as soccer coach at the same school because he wrote about it on social media and “misgendered” the boy impersonating a girl.

A school in North Carolina announced it would forfeit all games against teams allowing “transgender” players after one of their own players was injured in the head by a spike from a boy player on the other “girls” team. Here’s a short quote from this article “In June, the Biden administration proposed an updated rule for the enforcement of Title IX, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in educational settings. The proposed regulation would expand the definition of sex to include gender identity and sexual orientation, raising concerns that schools would be required to allow transgender athletes to compete as women.”

Transgender is a fabricated term for a genetic boy with a fetish or genuine mental gender dysphoria disorder dressing or simply “identifying” as a girl and demanding acceptance that he’s a girl/woman! Which, Biden fully supports since he spent time in the oval office with a grown man, Dylan Mulvaney, who identifies as a young girl and obviously has a fetish for dressing up and pretending he’s a girl. With all that’s going on in our world, Biden doesn’t have time to speak with reporters, but he sits with this man dressed like a girl who makes tic toc videos demeaning women while he’s portraying to be one.

It’s disgusting! But Biden actually tells this man that it’s immoral to not affirm his audacious behavior or to not allow small children, who for a moment might wonder what it’s like to be the other gender, to be surgically and medically mutilated/castrated for life. Tucker Carlson talks about this Biden interview with Riley Gains who lost her swimming championship title to a boy going by the name of Lia Thomas but is still genetically and physically a boy! Riley is Co-chair of Nine Pac supporting politicians who will defend Title IX allowing only biological women to compete against each other in sports!

Have you noticed it’s the males who are primarily trying to invade the true female gender? How often do you hear of a woman pretending to be a man and invading men’s space?

These men obviously have issues and need mental and spiritual help not affirmation in hurting women and misguiding children.

Which leads me to two more issues I want to address.

Last week, the Lord led me to write a blog Woke is Just a Euphemism for Demonic. I want you to read two articles that the Lord revealed to me why He’s asking me to call out Satan by name. You cannot deny any longer that what’s happening on the left is satanic and demonic.

God is giving us a chance to fight against Satan with our vote, but it demands courage, bravery, and trust to support journalists, politicians, candidates, and citizens who are fighting too!

If you thought I was overemphasizing the Drag movement last week, please read Christopher Rufo’s article below. There are schools allowing Drag shows to take place in the classrooms and not letting parents know or opt out their children from the debauchery. If you think Drag queen story hours and brunches are innocent family friendly, you’re deceived.

The history and purpose is to sexualize and normalize pedophilia and they’ve been given full reign in the school system under this liberal administration. This is a slow slide into the tolerance of adults having sex with little children. When’s the last time you heard anyone arrested because they had child porn on their computer? Now porn is being introduced into schools as “tolerant” “inclusive” “good education” and entertainment for children.

Christopher F. Rufo is a journalist who has been drawing attention to the sexualization of children. In his article below, he outlines the history and purpose of the new Drag Queen phenomena, which has received no pushback from this administration but is instead included as acceptable by the Democrat controlled National School Board. I hope you’ll read the whole article, here’s a snippet.

Drag Queen Story Hour’s radical origins and the subversive sexualization of our kids: Advocates describe Drag Queen Story Hour as family-friendly but an underlying and serious message about childhood sexuality is being conveyed. Rufo explains:

“Having begun with voluntary programs at public libraries, Drag Queen Story Hour has been remarkably successful, sparking a trend of state-subsidized drag readings, dances, and performances across the country. Advocates of Drag Queen Story Hour might reply that these are outlier cases and that many of the child-oriented events feature drag queens reading books and talking about gender, not engaging in sexualized performances.”

“But the spirit of drag is predicated on the transgressive sexual element, the ideology of queer theory, and the goal of elevating those at the bottom of the sexual hierarchy—including pedophiles—which cannot be erased by switching the context and softening the language.”

“When parents, voters, and political leaders understand the true nature of Drag Queen Story Hour and the ideology that drives it, they will work quickly to restore the limits that have been temporarily—and recklessly—abandoned. They will draw a bright line between adult sexuality and childhood innocence and send the perversions of queer theory back to the margins, where they belong.”

We need to vote the liberal progressive Democrats out of office to protect our children in so many ways and this is just another one on the list. The current administration will not draw a line because they’re promoting it under the elusive “inclusion” ideology. Inclusion should never include evil perversion, which the liberals refuse to denounce.

This next story should appall you if nothing else does!

Andrew Mark Miller wrote an article titled: Left-wing activists harass conservative reading Bible, steal book and rip it up, protester eats pages | Fox News Leftist protesters were spotted outside a speaking event by a conservative commentator surrounding and shouting down a man reading Bible passages before they snatched the Bible, ripped it up, and one protester ate the pages!

In the video posted by Young America’s Foundation earlier this week, a man reading Bible passages on a loudspeaker outside a screening of conservative commentator Matt Walsh’s “What is a Woman?” documentary in Madison, Wisconsin was accosted by screaming leftist protesters. One of the protesters can be seen banging on a can next to the Christian man’s face while another blared a siren next to him.

“The leftists’ attempts to silence a student reading the Bible demonstrate their utter contempt for the Judeo-Christian values upon which America was founded,” Nick Baker, a spokesperson for Young America’s Foundation, told Fox News Digital in a statement.

“Well, you can be on the side that eats the Bible and castrates children, or you can be on literally any side but that one,” [Matt] Walsh posted on Twitter along with the video. “Your choice, America.”

Walsh also posted a photo of a notice posted by the University of Wisconsin-Madison warning students of the event and calling it “harmful towards our trans community.” The protesters also reportedly vandalized multiple buildings on campus including a veteran’s memorial.

Even a transgender activist, Buck Angel, a “transsexual man,” believes the transgender movement has “gone too far” by encouraging minors to use drugs and surgery to transition to the opposite sex. In an article and interview with Gabrielle Reyes of Fox News, Buck admitted, “We do show that there is a lot of trauma not being addressed before going to medical and why we are having a large population of detransitioners that the transgender community is trying to hide,” Angel said. Angel also said he “does not believe children should medical transition.”

 “Mental health needs to be the priority,” he continued. “Not affirmation therapy but actual therapy.” “We do not have enough research to show that this will alleviate the gender dysphoria,” he told Fox News.

The article described, “Gender dysphoria is a “marked incongruence” between a person’s “experienced or expressed gender and the one they were assigned at birth,” as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. https://www.foxnews.com/us/transsexual-activist-criticizes-trans-movement-accelerating-far-fast

We’re not “assigned a gender at birth.” We are the gender at birth that God created us as either a baby boy or girl. Whoever wrote that definition of gender dysphoria in the manual needs some mental and spiritual help themselves.

Have You Heard Enough?

I could go on, but I want to close with three Republican Conservative candidates who aren’t afraid to say they’re Christians and God is who they depend on and work for, along with serving the American people. I hope and pray you have candidates like this running in your state and local elections and you do your American duty to defend our country and our children by voting in this election. We have friends who went three hours out of their way to be sure they voted before they took a road trip out of Idaho.

Herschel Walker reacts to Obama attacking him as a ‘celebrity’ politician: ‘I’m a warrior for God’ | Fox News

‘The news is a LIE, the Bible is the TRUTH’: Kari Lake debunks rumors about her faith – TheBlaze

Ron DeSantis Florida proceeds with ban on puberty blockers and sex reassignment surgeries for minors | Fox News

Christians let’s do this! Let’s turn our beloved America back to God! Pray, Vote, and Keep Praying. “For the Christian, voting is more than a privilege. It is a responsibility before God . . . we are to be stewards over all the gifts God has given us–including the right to vote.” Hal Lindsey

Let’s make this election such a landslide for good against evil that no amount of cheating from the left could alter the outcome. Vote like your life and the life of your family depends on it, because it does!

Here are two sites I recommend to research information about your local ballot.

iVoterguide.com

My Faith Votes | Home

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October 31, 2022
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Who Is the Real Threat to the Soul of Our Nation?

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This past week, I’ve felt a sense of oppression that I couldn’t shake. I woke up with it every morning as I prayed asking God to reveal the source and why I was functioning each day under a dark cloud. I now think that it was the Lord awakening me to a heightened discernment of prevalent evil. I honestly wish I could walk away from this awareness and avoid dealing with it. But I know God has a purpose. He knows I will use the gifts He’s given me to awaken others too, so here I go.

The soul of America is God. The heart of America is God. The foundation of America is God.

Socialism replaces God with government and freedom with tyranny and we’re watching the deterioration of our beloved America right now with the current Administration removing God and His ways from every area of life.

In Biden’s “enemies of the state speech,” he looked and sounded like a dictator vilifying half the country who love God, family, and America but don’t happen to agree with his socialist policies. He called us evil, semi-fascists, and said we were a threat to the nation and destroying its soul. As he projected onto conservative Republicans everything he and his party are doing, he gave no specific examples of how we’re doing the country harm with traditional values and morality.

Yet, if he would only look in the mirror, he would see clearly the real threat to the soul of America.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. James 1:23-24

When God is Removed the Nation Suffers

Here are just a few observable signs . . .

1. Measurable increase in crime and lawlessness

A mommy goes out for her usual morning jog and is kidnapped, raped, and killed by a man let out of prison early. A child sleeping in the back of the family car at a gas station or sleeping in his bed is shot and killed by random shooters. Another man released from jail early goes on a killing spree and videotapes his carnage on social media. Carjacking and robberies of stores and persons is rampant. Criminals are arrested and let back on the streets by progressive DA’s, judges, and the elimination of cash bond policies.

2. Open Borders

The Constitution and border laws are disregarded while unvetted and unvaccinated illegals from over a hundred countries are allowed to inhumanly flood our borders where drug Cartels and sex trafficking are prolific and horrific.

3. The Fantasy of Multiple Genders

Liberals cannot define a woman, fabricate multiple genders, and deny that there are scientifically and biologically only two genders, male and female.

4. Child Abuse

Young children are given dangerous hormones, puberty blockers, castrated, given mastectomies, and genitalia mutilated by physicians, as an acceptable medical practice even in “Children’s Hospitals.”

5. Parents Parental Rights Threatened

Schools are encouraged to transcend the parent / child relationship and sexualize young children. Parents are called domestic terrorists when they question what their children are being taught about CRT and perverted pornographic sex practices.

6. Compulsory Inoculation

People forced to take potentially dangerous vaccinations to attend schools, remain in the military, or keep their job.

7. Police are vilified and defunded.

8. Drag shows for children are normalized as “artistic expression.”

9. Abortion

Women consider it their “constitutional right” to kill their babies up until birth and sometimes after while calling it “healthcare.”

10. Woke overtakes morality and sensibility.

11. Diversity and equity replace all men and women are created equal.

12. Biological men allowed in women’s sports, showers, and locker rooms.

13. Marriage is no longer between a man and a woman.

14. Gay, transgender, and drag rights outweigh citizen rights.

15. Censorship is acceptable.

The Real Threat to the Soul of Our Nation

You may think that I’m leading up to calling Biden and the progressive Democrats the threat to the soul of our country and that’s partially true because they’ve sold their soul to the one who is the real threat: Satan.

You think that’s an overstatement? Joe Biden appointed as White House National Monkeypox Response Deputy Coordinator a gay doctor who has been pictured touting his tattoos of the official symbol of the Church of Satan: The Pentagram. It seems like Joe Biden could have a Satanist working in the White House. Monkeypox is transmitted by gay men having sex with each other, something you seldom hear mentioned.

More and more I see Conservative commentators not afraid to point out the obvious. Jason Whitlock on Tucker Carlson Tonight said, “The Democrats are so busy calling us names why don’t we call them out on what they REALLY are a Satanic Cult!”

Only Satan could be behind what we’re watching happen in our country today. And Satan is not a respecter of red and blue states. Satan knows no boundaries!

When the Threat is Close to Home!

I and many of my fellow Idahoans were shocked that last weekend in Boise, Idaho, traditionally a Conservative red state, the gay community held a Boise Pride parade and weekend “festival” that originally was advertised to feature a Drag Kids Show on stage for kids 11-18 and a Drag Story Time!

Many local businesses supported and sponsored this event. They too have been deceived by this gay pride movement just like they were with the BLM scam that received thousands from businesses and then BLM exploited the money and did nothing to help the black community.

News of the Boise Gay Pride weekend traveled to California! Pastor Jack Hibbs posted on Facebook an urgent call to attention. Here’s part of it.

“To my dear fellow Watchmen in Idaho, I’m sorry, but for many of you, I’ve not yet had a chance to meet, and sorry again for this topic of urgency. Even down here in Chino Hills, California, we’ve heard about the City of Boise hosting a “Drag Kids” event at its pride celebration this Friday-Sunday. (THIS WEEKEND) We need to urgently gather as many Calvary Chapel pastors who are willing (and we may be joined by a number of LDS Ward/Stake presidents) to visit current Sheriff Matthew Clifford. [I later learned he refused to meet with the pastors]

We need to encourage him (and he is willing but must hear from the public first for him to act) to make an announcement that he is planning to arrest any organizer that contributes to the delinquency of minors and any persons who commit lewd acts in public especially if there are children present.

I need you, dear pastor, and your church to take a firm stand, or Idaho might become California in short order.”

Awaiting His Return!

Pastor Jack Hibbs Calvary Chapel Chino Hills

Many of us got busy and started contacting the sheriff and the sponsoring businesses of this event, and to their credit, I know of five that rescinded support when they heard about the children’s grooming events. I hope there were more. By Thursday, the Gay Pride group had canceled or “postponed” the Kid’s Drag Show.

It was confirming that when we join together peacefully and politely and let our voices be heard to pushback against evil, we can make a difference. Even though the pride group is now fabricating talking points that we’re “the extremist” threatening the children. As Calvary Church Star, Idaho points out, “that is the furthest thing WE AS A CHURCH BODY are guilty of. Don’t be freaked out- Satan-the great deceiver has always been after the next generation. We are FOR these children and our hearts should break for the confusion and hurt they are being taken thru…but being groomed into a life of DRAG is NOT the answer.” Amen

This church hosted a prayer vigil on the steps of the Capitol on Saturday during the pride event.

I also joined the Values Advocacy Council group http://boise.vacmail.org to do my part in saving Idaho! No matter where you live, we all need to heed Pastor Hibb’s warning about Idaho, or your state, turning into California. Many of us moved to Idaho because it was a conservative red state, but we need to work to keep it that way.

An entire month of “Pride” in June wasn’t enough. On 9/11, a day where satanic evil killed 3000 innocent lives and we should all be reverently commemorating the tragedy not celebrating evil, a pride parade took place right here in Boise trying to exploit young children!! It’s as if Satan is laughing at us.

I think Satan knows his time is short and he’s not holding back. He’s testing how much he can get away with and will we try to stop him? And yes, I do believe he’s invaded the core of the Democrats in Washington and Democrat run states who would see nothing wrong with the gay pride event or the 15 items I listed above. In fact, they vote for championing and legalizing this evil.

Even as Biden calls Conservatives and those who believe in biblical moral principles evil and “extreme,” there’s currently a demonized mind set in his administration. They don’t even realize they’ve become Satan’s captives doing his dirty work for him. When you open the door to the demonic, you welcome Satan into your house, including the White House!

Let God arise and may His enemies be scattered.

Let God’s people arise and may their enemies be scattered.

The one whose walk is blameless is kept safe, but the one whose ways are perverse will fall into the pit. Pr. 28:18

What Do We Do as Christians?

Yes, my heart is heavy for the soul of our country, my birth state California, and now my home state Idaho, and family members who don’t know Jesus. Blatant evil is so prevalent today and it weighs heavy on me. I know the Lord won’t lift that burden because He wants me to continue taking action to shed the light of Jesus as far and wide as I can.

It was a joy to partner with other conservative groups and friends on Facebook as we worked together to challenge the local businesses to do the right thing and protect as many children as we could from this horrific exploitation, but there were parents who were going to allow their children to be a part of this evil.

Deception. Spiritual Blindness. Media Propaganda.

We pray and we act where God leads us to help put God back into the soul of America. Without that, we stumble and fall as a nation, but with God at the helm, we will soar to victory.

If they then say, ‘Come, let us worship other gods’—gods you have not known before— 3 do not listen to them. The Lord your God is testing you to see if you truly love him with all your heart and soul. 4 Serve only the Lord your God and fear him alone. Obey his commands, listen to his voice, and cling to him. Deut. 13:2-4 NLT

But we are not like those who turn away from God to their own destruction. We are the faithful ones, whose souls will be saved. Heb. 10:39 NLT

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September 11, 2022
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Our Forever Valentine: Jesus, Our First Love!

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Since my Monday Morning Blog is posting on Valentine’s Day, I thought it was only appropriate that we talk about love. Typically, we think about romantic love on this day, but there are so many different aspects to love.

Remember in grammar school sharing Valentine’s cards with classmates. You might’ve had a crush on one of them, but mostly you were trying to collect as many cards as you could that day. I’m not even sure kids still are allowed to share Valentines today but it’s a fun memory for many of us. It wasn’t about love, but more about friendship and camaraderie.

February is the month of valentines, but it’s also National Heart Health month, and a good time to reflect on your diet and exercise regime. At least, be sure if you’re eating chocolates today, it’s dark chocolate! At our house, we’re hoping the snow will start melting and there will be glimpses of spring and warmer weather.

When I think about true love, my mind always goes to Jesus. Yes, my husband and I make plans to do something special to celebrate our love on Valentine’s Day, but we both know that Jesus is our First Love. We wouldn’t have made it these twenty-nine years through the stresses and trials of a blended family and other devastating life issues if we hadn’t put Jesus at the center of our marriage, but most importantly, at the center of each of our lives. We don’t want to ever forget that Jesus Christ is our First Love!

In Revelations 2:2-4, Jesus admonishes the church in Ephesus that even though they were a dutiful church following all the religious rules and ceremonies, they had forgotten who they were serving and why they were even a church. They weren’t showing or exemplifying the love of Jesus.

 I [Jesus] know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3 You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.

4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

Removing the lampstand meant they would stop being an effective church. And if we’re not careful, the same thing could happen to us in our personal lives too! When we forget the love of Jesus that burned in our heart when we first gave our life to Him, Jesus says . . . no matter how many Bible studies we attend, how perfect our attendance is at church, or how much we volunteer and tithe. . . none of it matters if we’re motivated by duty and not love.

A pastor once asked the children how we know Jesus is alive today. Their answer was He lives in each of our hearts. That’s true love!

So whether you’re single or married, I want to share three important points about what love has to do with our witness for Jesus, especially as we look at the tumultuous times we live in today.

Christians Need to Love Each Other

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other. John 15:16-17

Jesus was talking to his disciples here and we are Jesus’s disciples now. God chose us to bear fruit and we can’t have a message of love if we don’t love each other. We can’t have dissention in the church or among church members. Sadly, Satan has used the current political and pandemic unrest to pit brothers and sisters in Christ against each other. In the Bible, there are no Democrats, Republicans, Progressives, Liberals, Conservatives, vaxxers or anti-vaxxer, maskers or anti-maskers.

There is only One timeless Word of God.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Heb. 13:8

There is also only one kind of Christian: “Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” John 3:3

As born-again Bible-Believing Christians, we’re appointed to go out and bear testimony to the world together. We should unite as one front! Whatever allows us to share the Good News that Jesus saves, we’re for; whatever prohibits that freedom or tries to silence us, we’re against.

Whatever upholds the teachings of the Bible, we’re for; whatever prohibits or alters those teachings, we’re against.

We stand together for the sanctity of human life, marriage between a man and a woman, God creating us as men and women, and we’re not afraid to lovingly bear that fruit for Jesus.

Anything separating us on those issues isn’t from God!

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. 1 Peter 1:22

Christ Loves Us with a Never-Ending Love

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom. 8:38-39

Sadly, we see divided churches, families, friends . . . all proclaiming to be Christians yet separated by issues where there should be unity, and Satan wins because our witness is compromised. That’s a shame! There is a lost world that really needs to see the love of Christ displayed through a body of Christ that shows the love of Christ and agrees on what it means to be a Christian. But we know today that’s not the case. The good news is that nothing we do can ever separate us from the love of God for those who have truly accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

I had a man on Facebook tell me once that he had been a Christian for 50 years, read the Bible numerous times, been to church, talked to pastors, attended Bible study groups, but now has decided Christianity is a farce, doesn’t work for him anymore, and told me I needed to know that Jesus is not returning. Two things came to mind: (a) You can leave Jesus, but He will never leave you. (b) You can be a Christian in name only, but never have experienced the saving grace of Jesus Christ, your First Love, which I wrote about in last week’s blog, A Society Crumbles That Doesn’t Recognize Sin. His words were so harsh I fear he was in the latter group.

I remember singing a song as a little girl, maybe you remember it too: “I have the love of Jesus love of Jesus down in my heart. Where? Down in my heart to stay.”

How Much Love Do You Have to Give?

“This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. Anyone who trusts in him is acquitted; anyone who refuses to trust him has long since been under the death sentence without knowing it. And why? Because of that person’s failure to believe in the one-of-a-kind Son of God when introduced to him. John 3:16-18 The Message

Do You Love Jesus Enough to Share Him with Others Or Are You Keeping All the Love To Yourself?

Another woman on Facebook wrote this:

FB woman: There are many other religions who do not make Jesus/Satan part of their belief system. All destined to damnation? It’s a big world out there and much of it overcomes the negative.

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

FB woman: Written by John a century later, an evangelist trying to convert the world to his new religion. PBS and History Channel do wonderful educational shows on the origins of the Bible. Check them out. I have read the Bible extensively Janet, I just haven’t drawn the same dark conclusions. And the shows I mentioned are created by scientists and historians with no agenda but discovery. I wouldn’t want to rest my eternity on what someone else says.

This woman was very confused, but I was able to talk with her a little and point out that John was actually with Jesus during His ministry, not a century later, and she was resting her eternity on what scientists and television said rather than letting God speak to her through the Bible. Maybe I made some headway. My heart breaks for those misled by the liberal progressive godless agenda with their many “belief systems,” and for Christians who have forgotten their First Love.

Love says we will take the time to share the truth, wherever and whenever we have the opportunity.

I often have to remind myself that Jesus died for the liberal mainstream media and the godless radical progressives. It’s my job to let them know the gospel in a loving way. It’s up to them to make the choice. I don’t try to convince them, because you can’t reason with someone blinded by evil.

If they’re not following God, they’re following Satan. Those are the only two roads; there is no middle path. But now they’re accountable for knowing there is another way and maybe someone else will share a little more love down the road. Who knows, they just might decide that heavy load of anger, bitterness, revenge, meanness, bullying, lies . . . whatever has turned their heart so hard . . . just isn’t worth carrying around anymore.

No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced,
    but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others.

4 Show me the right path, O Lord;
    point out the road for me to follow.
5 Lead me by your truth and teach me,
    for you are the God who saves me.
    All day long I put my hope in you. Psalm 25:3-5 NLT

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 1 Cor. 13:4-5

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You might also enjoy another blog How to Have a Date with Jesus!

February 14, 2022
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What Will It Take for God to Heal Our Land?

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I seriously did not know what to write about this week with so much going on in our world! I prayed for the Lord to give me clarity of vision. Usually, as I’m praying for His direction, as I’ve explained in the past, I see a pattern evolving in things I hear and read. Three have emerged:

1. The lack of wise leadership in our country.

2. The cry for God to heal our land.

3. The need for God’s people to be in fervent prayer.

In God’s perfect way, all three issues rely on each other so I’ll do my best to tie them together.

The Lack of Wise Leadership in Our Country

Our Couples’ Bible Study Group met last week for a time of fellowship and prayer. My husband Dave took notes of the prayer requests/praises and asked me to review before he sent them out to the group. I noticed that he had forgotten the prayers for Afghanistan so I added this to his prayer list:

Pray for the crisis in Afghanistan and the families of the military men, women, and civilians killed and injured. Also for the lack of wise leadership in our country right now that there would be godly capable men and women who will rise up out of the chaos.

I pondered at the second sentence wondering where that thought came from because it wasn’t actually something we had mentioned during group. Then the next night, Dave and I were listening to the Flashpoint program (which I mentioned in last week‘s blog) and one of the prophetic participants this week said the good that God will bring out of the ashes of this crisis is the raising up of godly leaders at all levels of government including local school boards.

I told Dave that was just what God led me to add to our prayer and praise list! It was one of those confirmations I often tell you that God blesses me with when I’m writing.

I’m already watching, I’m sure you are too, mothers and fathers rising up and speaking out in school board meetings against Critical Race Theory and the mandating of masks for children in schools. My daughter and granddaughter were among thousands of parents who wrapped around the school district building filing forms to allow their children to opt out of mask requirements. One or more of those parents I’m sure will replace the current school board members who couldn’t make a definitive decision.

Our two Idaho Senators shocked our conservative state when they were part of the 19 Republicans who voted for the Democrat socialist infrastructure bill. Soon we’ll have an opportunity for voters to replace them in the 2022 election with Senators who actually represent the Idaho populace.

While the Federal government has failed in efficiently, effectively, and safely removing abandoned Americans, Christians, and Afghan Nationals who helped us, others have stepped into the gap and taken action:

  • Samaritan’s Purse joined by Tim Tebow is helping with the evacuations and then bringing supplies, food, and necessities to the refugees who weren’t even allowed to bring a suitcase. God’s people doing the right thing.

I know there are probably other humanitarian efforts and many with contacts in Afghanistan are working around the clock to save lives.

We need to celebrate the good while we grieve the bad!

To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair. In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks that the Lord has planted for his own glory. Is. 61:3 NLT

The Cry for God to Heal Our Land!

Every night at dinner my husband prays, “Lord, please heal our land.”

The Biden Administration’s failed military departure from Afghanistan is a reflection of the failed culture we’re living in right now.

For months, wise men with the voice of experience from serving heroically in our military have been calling out the current woke focus of diversity, equity, racism, CRT, and progressive socialist liberalism in our military leadership, government, and intelligence services rather than focusing on their sole purpose of defending our country against outside/inside threats.

Now we’re watching weakness and incompetence play out on the national stage resulting in the death of innocent people and America losing its credibility and position as a strong world power and leader.

Additionally, Marxists godless Antifa and BLM are celebrated by the media and current administration, rather than condemned for their violence and threat to innocent law-abiding citizens. Police are thwarted in their efforts to maintain law and order. Leftist Governors have turned into dictators in their states. Sexual deviation is exploited and encouraged while Christians and conservatives are called domestic terrorists.

Employees, including hospital/medical staff, are being fired if they don’t succumb to vaccine mandates and forfeit their health rights creating a staffing shortage during an expected rise in Covid variants and flu season.

I could go on, but as I write this it reminds me of the Israelites who repeatedly chose to go against everything God said would lead to a healthy prosperous life by following His commandments!

I don’t know what it will take for God to heal our land or what it will even look like or how long it will take. But as we look at the destruction to our nation in the last seven months by an ungodly administration, I have to think that God is letting us decline for as long as it takes for enough people with strong will and determination to turn our country back to Him.

Maybe we have to hurt deeply before we can be healed divinely!

When the wicked are in authority, sin flourishes, but the godly will live to see their downfall. Pr. 29:16 NLT

The Urgent Need for God’s People to be in Fervent Prayer

I saw a succinct Facebook post, “Who we can’t vote out, we can pray out!”

Do you believe that? I do and we could add to that sentence anything we’re frustrated with right now that is going against God’s will. The fervent prayers of God’s people are powerful and answered in God’s timing and in His way.

I know many of you, like us, prayed for a different outcome to the last election but maybe the corruption, deceit, ineptness, complete and utter failure of the current administration needed to be revealed for both parties to come together and realize evil is amongst them and needs to be flushed out. Perhaps it wouldn’t happen any other way.

This is not the time for Christians to lose heart or give up. Just the opposite! We all need a reset and recharge of our own prayer life and dependence on God not the government!

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

America, Land of the Free Because of the Brave!

I receive updates from MyFaithVotes and on August 26, I received an online free prayer guide for Praying for Afghanistan, which you can access also. The email said, “I want to urge you to pray for the situation in Afghanistan. Pray for the protection of everyone on the ground, that the Gospel would spread, and that leaders would make wise decisions.” Again, the same message the Lord had given to me for the need of wise leaders.

 MyFaithVotes is also calling for a prayer vigil on Wednesday, Sept. 1 with this admonition “The Body of Christ needs to wage spiritual war against the plans of the enemy seeking only to kill and destroy.”

With all our nation’s faults, the 13 military men and women who died in Kabul on August 26, as well as every soldier and officer in our military, feel America is worth dying for—you and I are worth dying for. That’s breathtaking!

As Christians, we know that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ died for us but how often do we consider that fellow Americans are willing to do the same.

Jesus died to save souls; US soldiers died to save lives.

Jesus taught us: “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Those thirteen brave men and women didn’t know you and me personally, or even the Afghans they were trying to save, but they had a job to do and that’s all that mattered to them.

Americans owe our fallen heroes, their families, and those wounded a debt we can never personally repay. But while we cannot pay it back, we can pay it forward.

Dr. Jim Dennison wrote in an article on MyFaithVotes, “US soldiers killed in Kabul airport attack: How to make this a nation worth dying for” . . .


In a culture that is more antagonistic to biblical truth and morality than ever before in our history, making America a nation worth dying for will require steadfast courage on our part. However, when we remember our Savior’s sacrifice for us, we are empowered and encouraged to emulate his sacrifice in serving those we influence.

Closing

One of the spokesmen for the Nazarene Fund group rescuing Christians and missionaries from Afghanistan made the comment that some of them were choosing to stay and minister to the Taliban! Your first thought might be like mine, that’s a suicide mission. It probably will be. But they understood that the Gospel needs to be shared with the lost, even though they might be our enemies, just like the Apostle Paul was the enemy when he was slaying Christians before his road to Damascus encounter with God.

The most important service we can give back to God is to share the Gospel wherever the Lord plants us. So I want to share with you three prayer points on the MyFaithVotes prayer guide under the heading “PRAY that the Gospel would spread throughout the land!” Ask God how He wants you to not only pray, but apply these prayers in your life.

1. Pray for the thousands of people left without hope and living in fear. Pray that the Gospel, which is good news and hope to the weary, would spread throughout the land.

2. Pray for fellow believers to stand up in spite of the opposition and speak the Gospel with the boldness of those like Peter, Stephen, and Paul.

3. Pray that the ears of the people would be opened and many would come to know Christ.

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

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If you don’t receive my monthly newsletter, here is the link to the August edition with the opening article “What Do You Believe Is the Most Essential Belief of Born Again Christians? You can sign up for my free newsletter on my website http://www.womantowomanmentoring.com.

August 30, 2021
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4 Hope-Filled Promises From Jesus, Our First Love

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Yesterday, was Valentine’s Day where you might have celebrated with a special dinner, gifts, cards, flowers, or candy, but most importantly, time spent together with your loved one. Dave and I had a lovely dinner out on Sunday. Our church had a special dinner Saturday night, but we were snowed in and couldn’t attend!

While our focus and attention is rightfully on our earthly love on this annual universally recognized day of love, we know that we don’t just love the object of our affection one day a year, but every day.

We make promises to each other that we have great intentions of fulfilling, but can’t always honor. “I promise I’ll be home by 6:00!” Many unexpected things could prevent you from keeping that promise.

Other promises are a sincere commitment, but aren’t always honored, “I’ll love you for as long as I live!”

Jesus’ promises to us are sincere commitments that He always keeps! We can count on it. We can trust that Jesus will fulfill all His promises in the Bible.

Scripture delineates over 7000 promises of God that provide the answers to all our cries for help for things like our provision, problems, decisions, crises, spiritual questions, and just daily life.

You’ve probably sang worship songs in church with lyrics like “standing on the promises of God.” Have you ever wondered what those promises were and how you could stand firmly on them? Do we just take it for granted that God promises us everything we want or desire . . . or is He more specific about what He will and won’t do for us?

How Do I Know If Jesus Hears My Cry for Help?

Jesus always hears our cries and pleas, but sometimes he adds the qualifier “if” and asks us to do something first.

For example, Jesus promises forgiveness and salvation to everyone who asks and repents, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

2 Chronicles 7:14 is a verse we’ve used a lot lately as we cry out for God to heal our land. It’s a promise from God, but there’s a big “If,” “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.”

God is saying that if we, His people—Christians—humbly pray and repent from our sins, then He will forgive us personally and heal our land. God wants us to live righteous and upright lives and He promises to help us be that kind of person . . . that kind of country.

We know it’s fair to say that the whole country isn’t going to repent and God isn’t expecting that, but God does expect His people will repent. That’s daunting. The pressure is on us to comply with His “If.”

How Do I Know If Jesus Will Help Me?

Like parents when their children ask for things, God answers and provides for us what He knows is best at the right time, not just for the moment, but also in the future.

‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’ Jer. 33:3

Rest assured that “my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19).

Most of us can look back on our lives and know that Jesus was there helping us navigate through struggles, confusion, decision-making, hurts, and likewise, celebrating with us during triumphs, joys, accomplishments, and good times.

It’s easy to forget our victories with Jesus in the past, when we face a new problem. But if we take a moment to pray and ask God to help us remember how His presence intertwined through all our life experiences, we’ll have confidence that He will be there for us now. A testimony to His faithfulness to all generations.

God doesn’t promise a life of ease, but he does promise always to be with us in all circumstances. God’s character is unchanging and He cannot lie. He assures us, “The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm” (Ex. 14:14 NLT). Relax and count on it.

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)

Here are four hope-filled promises for trials where Jesus can help you make it through.

1. Jesus Help Me Believe in You

It’s God’s desire that all would come to a saving grace by believing in his One and only Son, Jesus Christ: “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

What an amazing promise! One that every believer cherishes.

You might think that you’ve done too many bad things in your life for God to ever forgive you, but the Apostle Paul had persecuted Christians before he became a believer and an avid evangelist.

“Even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus.” (1 Tim. 13-14 NLT)

Notice that Paul admitted that he didn’t initially understand about the saving grace of Jesus. It wasn’t until he believed and had faith that Jesus was who he said he was that his eyes were open to receive the love and forgiveness of Jesus.

The Bible is the inspired Word of God. So to understand about Jesus we need to read the Bible. When you have questions talk to your pastor or a mentor who can help you understand how to change your life to adapt to the Bible not change the Bible to adapt to your life.

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. (James 1:5 NLT)

And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Acts 2:21

Jesus wants to have a relationship with you. It’s always two-way where you can talk to him through prayer and He talks to you through His Word, the Bible.

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! 1 John 3:1

2. Jesus Help Me Overcome My Doubts

Maybe you identify with the father who asked Jesus to help his son tormented by demons, but he added the qualifier, “Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.” (Mark 9:22 NLT)

Jesus replied with a promise, “What do you mean, ‘If I can’?” Jesus asked. “Anything is possible if a person believes.” (Mark 9:23 NLT)

The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24 NLT)

It is possible to be a Christian but have moments of questioning when things don’t go the way we think they should or we’re not sure God can, or will, truly help us. In the case of the father, Jesus did give him a visible tangible miracle and healed his son. But what if we don’t get our miracle? How can we come through with our faith still intact?

Hebrews 11:1 reminds us, “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

Faith requires believing in things we cannot see because we don’t see the whole picture like our Sovereign God does. There are things we must accept as believers because, “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Rom. 8:28)

For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as firmly as when we first believed, we will share in all that belongs to Christ. (Heb. 3:14 NLT)

3. Jesus Help Me Overcome My Fear

Fears are a natural part of life. Fear is an honest, real emotion. Our heart races. We tremble. There’s a sinking fluttering sensation in our stomach. We’re terrified. Sometimes even frozen to the spot—we can’t move.

We’ve all experienced fear. Often, it’s a healthy reaction to a dangerous situation. Other times, it’s rooted in past or recent trauma or chronic worry. Letting Jesus help you conquer a fear can offer a world of new opportunities and accomplishments you might have previously avoided.

Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you. (Deut. 31:8 NLT)

In Everyday Brave, I remark that faith is the opposite of fear. So the antidote to fear, worry, and anxiety is to trust God. Don’t doubt Him. Realize and internalize the fact that God’s got this and He is way ahead of us.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Josh. 1:9)

When I’m encountering a particularly difficult time in my life, I recite the 23rd Psalm, especially the promise in verse 4:

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

4. Jesus Help Me When I’m Lonely

When asked to share a time when they were lonely, some responses were grief, living alone, singleness, misunderstood, moving, spiritual emptiness, illness, unemployment, financial loss, and you can probably think of more. Sometimes loneliness is short-lived and other times it is ongoing, even chronic.

We long for someone or something to fill the ache in our heart for companionship or relief from the feeling that no one understands us or has time for us. But God does!

God wants to be our everlasting friend, but this is another one of those “if” promises. “You are my friends if you do what I command” (John 15:14). And what was that command? “This is my command: Love each other” (John 15:17).

Jesus is saying that He wants us to reach out to others. Extend the hand of friendship or make an effort to take action to overcome the source of our loneliness knowing that Jesus will be right by our side giving us encouragement and confidence.

He promises that “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Heb. 13:5). Those were such comforting words to me when I lost my father at an early age, but accepted Jesus as my Heavenly Father. His promise proved true that He was, “A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling” (Ps. 68:5).

God’s promises provide the help we seek and an answer to all our needs and problems. We just need to find them in the Scriptures, pray over them, claim them, and rest in the assurance that God is always faithful, He is omnipresent in our lives, and He loves us with a never-ending love.

The destination will be worth the journey. Refuse to get discouraged!

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Cor. 15:57)

A Prayer to Ask: Jesus, Help Me

A wonderful promise when we need help or are anxious about anything is when the Lord tells us to pray and He will bring upon our hearts and minds the peace that we so desperately seek.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4-6-7)

So let’s pray.

Lord Jesus, I’m crying out to You because I need Your help. Help that I cannot achieve on my own. I surrender to You all my attempts to try to solve my problems. I am so grateful for all the promises You give to me to personally claim and the solutions they offer. Help me to trust and obey the times You ask me to do my part in applying Your promises to my life. I know each one will improve and enhance my relationship with You and with others.

Lord, when I falter or forget Your faithfulness to me, please remind me that You’re only a prayer away! Amen

Parts of this blog appeared in my Crosswalk blog on 6/25/2020.

You might enjoy reading my recent Crosswalk article 5 Calming Prayers for Serenity During Stressful Times. We certainly are living in stressful times, but I read a great quote “Worry is a fruitless attempt to make things better. You must seek peace and pursue it by believing that I [God] hear and answer prayer.” Marsha Burns

A blog I wrote on February 9, 2015 has been trending on my website How to Have a Date With Jesus.

February 15, 2021
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Have We Willingly Forfeited Our Privacy and Freedom to Big Tech?

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I remember well attending a writer’s conference with a friend in the mid-nineties and the speaker said he would periodically check his email to take a break from writing.

I naively asked my friend, “Why does anyone need email? Who has time to sit and read it?”

She looked at me incredulously and said something to the effect that once you have it, you’ll love it.

She was instrumental in helping me set up my first email account and then sent me emails nonstop. At first, I looked at them as an intrusion in my life. This was before IPhones and my computer was upstairs so it wasn’t convenient or important for me to run up and down the stairs to see if anyone had sent an email.

My friend and I used to talk a lot on the phone or in person, but then our mode of communication became almost exclusively email. I also learned that our words could be misconstrued and misunderstood on the computer screen and our first disagreement came via an email message.

Next, came Facebook which again seemed like a major intrusion in my life but when my daughter moved from California to Idaho and she set up a Facebook account, we became “Facebook friends” so I could see what was going on with her and the young grandchildren.

And hey, it was free as opposed to long-distance phone calls, even though I still preferred hearing her voice and seeing the hard copy pictures she sent in the mail.

Soon, I was Facebook friends with many people I recognized and many I didn’t! It was a fun way to stay in contact and connected. But again, it meant climbing the stairs and sitting at the computer a big chunk of time.

Later, as my writing and speaking ministry was flourishing, I attended another writer’s conference where I took a workshop on how to use “Twitter.” That seemed much more complicated and had a number of steps to actually set it up and use effectively. Maybe I’d work on it later.

I progressed to a Blackberry and a laptop so I no longer had to climb the stairs to my office to engage in email and social media. It was accessible 24/7!

Book publishers expected authors to have a social media presence and it was advantageous to have numerous followers.

Social media began to consume a big part of my waking hours.

I long sometimes for the days when I asked my friend, “Who has time for this?”

We’ve Lost Our Privacy

Like many of you, I’ve begun to see social media acting like Big Brother. If I Google or look on a website for an item, I suddenly see ads for it popping up on Facebook. It almost seems that if I even just say I might need something, ads appear for it.

Just yesterday, I was talking face-to-face with someone in the privacy of my home asking about carpet cleaners in our area. Last night, while scrolling through Facebook, there was an advertisement for a local carpet cleaner!!

Coincidence or is Facebook somehow listening to my conversations if my IPhone is near?!

No, we don’t have Alexa. I’ve read Alexa does listen in on conversations in your home.

Years ago, my daughter told me, “Mom, just Google anything you want to know. It’s all there.”

She’s right and actually it’s quite helpful when I’m doing research for a book, even if I’m looking for a Scripture on a topic.

But there’s a downside to all this “free” technology that we’ve ignored.

Big Tech knows way too much about us and we’ve let them.

Big Tech knows where we are, where we live, where we go, what we buy, and maybe what we say and think.

Big Tech has all generations addicted to electronic devices, which have become a necessity rather than a luxury. We’re hooked!

And we’ve ignored Big Tech’s personal invasion into our lives.

Now Big Tech has us just where they want us so they can control what we see, read, and think.

We’ve Lost Our Freedom of Speech

There is no question that Facebook, Twitter, and Google are biased and loyal to the liberal left. Their goal in this election, and universally, is to squelch and censor any communication that does not fit the Democrat and liberal talking points and agenda.

Our President, his campaign, the White House, conservatives, Republicans, and Christians are having their social media accounts censored, locked, and closed, including by YouTube owned by Google.

Even though Congress and the Senate have themselves been censored if they’re on the wrong side politically of Big Tech, they’ve done nothing to stop this communist type censorship.

We’ve heard the stories of China and Russia censoring what people can say and hear in their countries and we said this could never happen in America, yet here we are.

It’s not Russia interfering with the election. It’s the Big Tech conglomerates who can shutdown anything that doesn’t support their liberal platform, beliefs, and candidates.

And we let it happen. We’re sacrificing our freedoms for what they dangle in front of us as free convenient communication while they censor and control us!

I’ve watched Congress and Senate bring the heads of each of the Big 3 into question them, and things only get worse. After the election, next month the Senate is questioning Facebook’s Zuckerberg and Twitter’s Dorsey on alleged censorship, but the damage is already done for this election.

Will they be held accountable? Will anything change? I’m doubtful.

When I saw many in China forced to wear masks and locked into their homes, I thought that would never happen in America. But it did!

Would you have ever thought schools would be closed in America?

Churches closed?

Neighbors encouraged to snitch on each other?

Support for defunding the police and the Pentagon?

Socialism/Marxism/Communism on the ballot?

There are substitutes for Facebook available, but none are very effective.

I’m speaking to myself when I muse whether God is telling us to use the time we spend on social media to instead communicate with Him through His Word, not the world’s ways and words.

I’m going to write more about that last thought next week.

Social media definitely has its rightful place in our society. It can be used for good.

I’m just considering how it’s also being used to manipulate and distract us from good.

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8

As you prepare to cast your vote in a week, consider which party supports freedom of speech?

  • Which party is using Big Tech to control what you hear and say?
  • Why don’t they want you to know and share the truth?
    What would America look like if they won?

Can unjust leaders claim that God is on their side—
    leaders whose decrees permit injustice?
21 They gang up against the righteous
    and condemn the innocent to death.
22 But the Lord is my fortress;
    my God is the mighty rock where I hide.
23 God will turn the sins of evil people back on them.
    He will destroy them for their sins.
    The Lord our God will destroy them. Psalm 94:20-23


I would enjoy hearing your thoughts.

October 26, 2020
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Vote Your Values for America

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We’re three weeks away from Election Day. Maybe you’re voting by mail, or you’ve already voted, or like us, you’re exerting your right to vote in person. Some have said this is the most important election in history!

I’m sure there were previous elections where voters felt the same urgency, but what we see in this election is literally the difference between remaining a free nation under God and converting to a Socialist/Marxist/Communist controlled nation excluding God.

That’s definitely important and worth taking a moment to discuss and it’s why I’m writing on this topic now.

First, I want to address those who think that the church should stay out of politics. Like never before that fallacy is refuted as we see politicians invading the church using their power to close churches and synagogues.

I won’t repeat here what I’ve said in numerous past blogs regarding the oppression from mostly Democrat run states on declaring the church nonessential and the need for the church to speak up and take a stand for justice.

I encourage you to listen to this short video from Los Angeles Pastor John MacArthur who I agree with completely.

If your church is still closed, share that video with your pastor.

If you’re OK with your church being closed, Pastor MacArthur has a word to challenge you too.

The argument that church and state should stay separate has been debunked. It was to protect the church from governmental overreach not to prevent the church from having a voice in government.

Personally, I’m so glad that VP Mike Pence, a devoted born-again Christian, went into politics and stands up in government for our constitutional rights and the right to life. He and President Trump have been stronger proponents of saving the lives of the unborn than any presidential team in our history.

President Trump’s pro-life agenda alone should make the voting decision for every Bible-believing Christian. He not only promised to be pro-life, he has lived up to his promises. If you think the abortion issue is not a strong enough reason, then I hope you will read my blog Babie’s Lives Are Important, But . . .

You might question if the Democrat Party is actually socialist when you see Joe Biden professing to be a moderate. Maybe he used to be but with the manifesto agreement he signed with Bernie Sanders to get their socialist votes and endorsement, he sold away the American dream to the liberal progressives who have actually said as much.

Please take a moment to read this article Progressives, including ‘Squad,’ release agenda to push Biden to the Left. Here’s a quote:

The progressives acknowledge Biden wasn’t their top choice, but they make the case he’s far better than President Trump and they have a better shot of mobilizing pressure on him to adopt their agenda if he wins office. The People’s Charter is the vehicle to organize for the election, to activate the base and hold Biden accountable if he wins, organizers say,

“We’ve always said that electing Joe Biden was a doorway, not a destination,” said Working Families Party National Director Maurice Mitchell in a statement. 

Is that the America you’re voting for? Are those your values? Is progressive socialism/communism what you want to leave to future generations? I don’t!

The Democrats will not denounce the Marxist organization behind Black Lives Matter, or ANTIFA, and in fact, support them and try to convince us that we’re not actually seeing the rioting in the streets of their cities.

I feel as Christians, we should vote for the America we want for our children and the generations to follow.

That means we don’t look at the personalities of the two candidates or whether we “like” them, we look at their vision and platform for America. Those values should line up with our Christian beliefs.

The Democrats refuse to reveal a list of Supreme Court Justice recommendations probably because they know they would be too radical.

Neither Bidden nor Harris will deny that they would pack the Supreme Court, which would make it another political branch and cancel government checks and balances.

They say publically that they don’t support the New Green Deal and yet their website says they do! Harris was an original supporter of it and both are on record saying they would eliminate fracking and yet now deny it.

Biden claims to be a “practicing” Catholic but is denied the sacraments because he supports abortion until delivery, maybe even after, something in the past he denounced.

He’ll say and do what he must to get power, and if he wins, he’ll say and do what he’s told. Not what we the people tell him but what the liberals have planned for him and for us.

Do you see a pattern here?

You may have seen this chart before but I think a visual says it best.

Please don’t listen to the biased media propaganda. Do your own homework.

It’s also important that you look carefully at those you’re voting for at local levels. We’ve seen the power of mayors and governors as many liberals ignore the looting, burning, and rioting destroying their cities while keeping their constituents in tyrannical lockdowns.

Vote carefully for your school board members because they control the curriculum for your children.

I recommend before you vote, go to My Faith Votes. You can see the two party platforms and learn about your local and federal candidates and determine which agree with biblical values for America.

Don’t just listen to me and definitely don’t rely on the media to make such crucial decisions. Pray for God’s wisdom and guidance.

Vote!

Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position. 2 Peter 3:13

Pray!

Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths. Ps. 25:4

Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn away from them. Pr. 4:5

I wrote a blog similar to today’s prior to the 2016 election that I would encourage you to read, God Does Tell Us How to Vote!

I like this quote I read recently: “I’m not voting for a man . . . I’m voting for what God can do through a man!”

Regardless of the outcome of the election, nothing will change in our personal worship and dependence on our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He is enough. He will sustain us. He will show us the way we should go.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Pr. 3:5-6

“But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15

October 12, 2020
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