The Christmas Hug

 The holidays are a time where you wax just a tad sentimental. The traditions and habits you had are a do- over as each season rounds and no matter how many times you have seen Bing Crosby  sing "White Christmas" or watched Clarence get his wings on "Its a wonderful life"  or  in the movie " A Christmas Story"  You rejoiced that the tacky leg lamp got  broken and the kid got his  trusty red rider b b gun, ( and  as well did indeed nearly put his eye out)  or  have seen yet once more how that poor little Charlie Brown relished his straggly limb of a Christmas tree, still  after the millionth time,you add it to your MUST Do lists for the following year.


I don't know why tradition holds us so much, but there is both  beauty and pain in it- when you are forced to leave some of  it behind due to a divorce or loss of a family member,  or when you have moved  many thousands of miles away from your children and loved ones part of those things nearly sacred -morph, and though you still watch a movie or two, still bake eggnog  cookies and still make up a batch of ginger bread waffles without those smiling faces  surrounding you  it takes on a less fulfilling air.Tradition is something that doesn't necessarily fade then but because time marches on the traditions we have do change with the times.

 I remember when my children were small, (Anjoli was about 9 I believe, Steven was then about 6 and Ben a feisty 4 year old boy)  the kids were not as chipper and were moping more about the house, because there father was working over seas during the Christmas holiday. But what they did not know is that he was due to  come home just two days before Christmas Eve, and because it was so close we had planned a wonderful surprise that  included a little mangling of truth to keep inquisitive minds from being in the know.


Now I am not big on Santa, being a Christian I have only emphasized the Lord as being what Christmas was about but the kids knew of Santa, and since he gave out Candy canes  in the mall they weren't opposed to running into him. The plan unfolded... we winded down a snowy mountain, commenting on the beauty of the hills, and excited about the break from being snowbound.
I bought the kids a treat, and made the excuse of dropping off a bag of bedding  I had said I was returning for a friend in the mall.  So I planted them in a nearbye eatery,  told them to stay put, and I would return in a minute to do something fun. A quickly as possible I turned the corner, and dissapeared into a hotel linked to the mall, passing a waiting husband my bag of Goods.

I  took a econd to explain that there was also candycanes  in the  "Bedding" bag which was really his Santa gear. "Candy canes ?" he asked, *"Dave," I said sarcastically, "You can't go in the mall dressed as Santa and not hand out Candy canes, what will the little kids think?" "Oh.. Good thinking" he replied... The clerks at the reception counter grinned from ear to ear, watching the plan unfold. I turned and ran back into the connecting Mall, afraid to leave the kids for very long.

     We walked around the mall looking at odds and ends, oohing and ahhing at toys and treats, and the beautiful decorations, when at last Santa arrived. I laughed to myself, because he had put on the costume, but had neglected getting a pillow or some means of fluffing himself, and was the scrawniest Santa I do believe I have ever seen, but , the kids didn't notice that, I believe their stares were on the sack laden with candy canes, as "Santa " greeted them.

He spoke in a makeshift voice and held out his hands as though to enclose them in an embrace . For a moment they all studied Him, until finally little Ben ran and gave him a hug in warm reception , Steven was a bit more shy and felt a little more reserved, being  to grown up and all for Santa, but even so he  didn't want to be rude either so he finally conceded to a side ward hug and a nod.

Anjoli was neither cautious nor reserved she just stepped forward dutifully and listened to what Santa was saying as he leaned in slightly sidewards for a hug, just around the shoulders, with a slight crunch.. something about that jolted her.. Anjoli looked  up into the eyes fluffed in gossamer  and stood staring into the face swathed in a beard lost in tufts of white-and said,"Dad?"  in awe and shock..within moments, hugs were warmly abounding and joyful squeals bubbling out of my children's mouths.  What a wonderful surprise! What a sweet Christmas memory, something my children will recall all their lives I am sure.

As I thought of this memory over the holidays I considered this  a story that goes beyond simply a  happy memory, it to is a tradition. How so,? Well beloved, whenever you celebrate the Love of God, whenever you lean into his warmth with a smile of recognition, whenever you realize that your daddy is there for you when you least expected him to be  God almighty does indeed hold you. Whenever you feel the closeness of his love and the peace of his heart the holiday , rekindles.
God holds you beloved in a way recognizable to your spirit- you may not recognize his means , but you will recognize his touch. In that just right needed moment- in that hour when you need to feel him most, he will lean down  scrunch your shoulders, and let you know in some way discernable to only you and He, Your loving Father is near.
Be blessed, be Scrunched in the arms of God, be Merry.....

* Fictional name

Turkey Tale: A Thanksgiving Memory

I remember the thanksgiving my parents came down ( or is that up?) to Wyoming from California. I had not been able to spend a holiday with them in many years and I was excited to have my family around once again. The fixings prepared in a small kitchen caused us to bustle and bump into one another in non stop fashion, and my mom's ability to still " Mother me" in how to cook various recipes was getting a little, well, unnerving.

Mind you I had cooked everything for many years without her but now that she was here I needed to clip my thoughts and just be happy I had family to fuss at. I opted to give her the pumpkin pie, it is for sure not my specialty and a good way to keep her busy in something she professed to be good at. Ok, mission accomplished!

I began to season the turkey to put it in the oven when my mother peered over and just happened to mention, "Well, are you going to put it in a basting bag or anything?" I shrugged and told her no, I didn't have any and that I had always just cooked my turkeys in tinfoil.

"Oh No! You can even cook turkey in a paper bag, it keeps the moisture in." A paper bag mom? I don' t know... "Yes, I always have." Something about this boded ill.

My mother is a curious woman so I cautiously listen to her at times. Cooking has long been a thing we have (my sister and I) teased her on, Saying she would put hot sauce in vanilla pudding etc. In truth, that just might happen. But one thing she is not, in her wiry little 5 foot 2 frame, is someone easily argued with.

I watched worriedly as she put my beautiful Bird in a brown paper sack and sealed its doom.

I hurried about the house picking up, cleaning china, cutting vegi's. Mom mixed her pumpkin goo and moaned from the kitchen,"hmm, this is not solidifying, it always has before." I eyed the liquid substance in a ginormous bowl, knowing we weren't going to be having pumpkin pie this year. " We'll maybe if I put it in the crust , and stick it in the fridge..." I left the room , poor pumpkin soup pie.
Suddenly I heard a scream from the kitchen, " OH NO!!!!" I entered just in time to see my mom running from the stove, hopping back and forth with a flaming turkey mitted between her baking gloves" Oh ! Oh! Oh! she kept saying, not knowing what to do as she shifted the pan away from here and bounced back and forth trying to avoid heat and flame. I opened the back porch meaning for her to set it down, so that we could throw water on it, but instead she tossed it pan and all across the deck where it slid across the iced porch and dangled precariously near the edge. I ran over and threw snow on it and wafts of smoke poured from the remaining fragments of paper bag. I looked at mom, she looked at me, eyes as big as saucers.

" Paper bag mom" I said. " well I have done it a million times, that's never happened. "mmmm."

Peeling the charred bag off the turkey, I was amazed to see a still edible bird hiding within..Thank GOD!

Many times in our lives, disaster strikes,and hard times hit. stuff happens, and we forget that through all the stress and all the trouble, the moments we oft times remember the most, and are even fondest of are those times when we thought we were in the absolute worst possible situation. Mom and I had been so stressed worrying and fussing over the thanksgiving meal that the crazy inferno reprieve hit us both at the same time. And we began to laugh so hardily tears streamed down our eyes... we laughed until are stomachs hurt and we were babbling out what had happened our husbands shaking their heads and shrugging when they left the room still blissfully unaware of the bag basted bird now simmering in tinfoil in the oven.

Listen lovies, these are the moments to cherish those where families gather, memories are made, enjoy them, don't forget your blessings! Learn how to laugh a little in the stress, find the humor in the craziness of life it has always been there, God has it stored in the crevices of your heart. Find them, enjoy them, cherish them.

And the turkey by the way was fabulous, and had a lovely smoked flavor you just couldn't put your finger on. We went pumpkin pie less that year, turkey tax apparently.

Be blessed and have a wonderful Thank filled holiday!

I have felt that to.....

Today was a hard day, but to be honest it has been one of many hard days in  the past few months or for that matter the past few years. I have brought many things on my heart before the lap of my father, with no little weight behind them.
Work has been scarce.Ministry has been sparse and in my thinking, shallow in terms of limiting my ability.
  I had thought the doors would open wide when I moved to Tennessee, God had showed me a vision, and because of it, I had thought the receiving hearts would be vast and that in some way God would use me through Him to inspire and to touch peoples lives .. Instead I have ministered in odd situations and in limited ways, either being asked to sing, or asked to testify, but not so much to preach.
 Disappointment and discouragement are not a good trade in for leaving family and friends I loved  nor for struggling greatly in finances, and nither are battling disaproval or being treated poorly by loved peers and lost friends.
Ever been so hurt by words said about you inflicted by those you love and trust that you just want to let go,give up, and leave them to the wreckage their verbal battery has caused?......" Yeah, I know I have felt that to."
Ever felt so tired of being verbally crushed, stepped on, walked over, treated abusively by those you loved and trusted, that you just want to give up on folks and call it quits in believing there is any worth in trusting another living soul?...."' Yeah, I know, I have felt that to".
Ever  been cast aside, rejected, ignored, or treated  as "less than" By your peers? "Yeah,  I know I have felt that to."
 There are times when this stuff hits you like a ton of bricks, and no matter how sturdy this Ole girls hide is, its not by any means, impenetrable. I have a heart and those shards of mean nasty do poke through and get to me.    If I could count the times  this past year I have wanted to just completely walk away, lick my wounds and head back to California, or even Wyoming( which I don't particularly care for its so ccccold!). it might just be shocking..lol, yet here I am.
 I have already given all I can think to give for ministry, leaving my family in Wyoming, traveling to new territory, being rejected, feeling many many times like an outcast and one with a fatal catchy disease ( womapreacheritus, be careful not to get any on you!)
 When I hear stories of my kids having  birthday parties or events,  and  missing the expressions of my little grandchildren while experiencing them, my heart aches tremendously, and I shake in these boots, and ask God again, WHY am I Here? When my son goes through heartbreaking circumstances, and I haven't the funds to get home to comfort him, I am devistated, and all my motherly instincts to protect and comfort, have to be shut down or self destruct... its a high Cost.
 I can fathom my Savior thinking along those lines while he prayed " Father,if its is your will let this cup pass from me"  This cup, a cup of bitterness, a cup of pain,  loss, and rejection, a cup of tears and great cost, a cup of death.
I can fathom his loneliness at not having a single friend who would pray with him in an hour he desperately needed that comfort,that peace, that good  counsel..and encountering silence.Tears so deep felt and  hurt so unfathomable that it ran down his cheeks in blood. I have wept very hard at the rejection I have felt, very deeply hurt at the rumors I have encountered,the unchangeable opinions that I endured, the abuse and the loneliness since setting my feet on Tennessee soil,, but not a single drop tinged red.
I can fathom walking lonely roads, to face a certain end, and looking side to side for those you love, and seeing no one. Yes, I can fathom that. But I cannot count it on my cross the same. because Jesus., my beautiful, beautiful Jesus, bore it unto death. Not because of loss, because of Love.
That is harder for me to get...  That even while those dear friends he has spent countless hours with left him to a lonely Golgathan road. Even while he pulled the last wisps of air from his lungs to tell a thief he would see heaven, Love saw past the crosses weight, past those hurts, past those disappointments, and saw me- and because of that kind of love I serve in a place where I am not well received- because HE is Amazing to me, I stay.
You see, It is not so much the cost of familiarity and family and friends, those things I knew would be hard-, its the struggle of all the stuff that disappoints, hurts, crushes, and maligns you, that I had not expected.. and yet he responds, " Yeah, I know I have felt that to"... When I run to him, weeping with this incredible heart break inside, and I say Jesus, it hurts, it aches, it has used me, abused me, crushed me, struck me down, sought my ruin, He  again answers,  " Yeah, I know I have felt that to"
Not once does the Lord say the cross of sacrifice will be lifted from those who have chosen to carry it, no rather you have a better understanding of the weight of souls because of sacrifice.. a better glimpse of love than some have it is this pivotal place, this compelling love, that makes you stay, when you want to run..but the arms of your comforter are still there to enfold you, and the words of his love still surround you in His grasp, soothing your soul and speaking, "Yes baby, I know,I  have felt that to...

No Greater Love has any man than this, to Give HIS life, for a friend...Amen.

I have other fish to fry! A story of love, commission and fulfillment.

He sat at the sea shore, peering out at the weary fishermen sitting in a near-bye boat pulling in their nets.  They were oblivious to the blaze of a warm fire he had kindled and unaware of the fish on his man made spit.
He surveyed the tired slump of their shoulders as their voices echoed across the sea, barking orders back and forth at one another, sometimes joking and jostling one another in the boat to cut the tension that was among them. It had been a long night and they were discouraged to go home and have nothing to sell and nothing to offer at the dinner table..
"Cast it to the other side" the man  called out from the shore. They turned to the voice, eyes surveyed the intruder from a distance, almost mockingly they responded..."We have fished all night and caught nothing..."  " Cast it to the other side" the man called again. The men looked at one another, a couple of them snickered under a weary breath, a few others murmured, more than ready to go home, and the few remaining shrugged, pulled up the weight of the heavy linked net, and threw it to the opposite side of the boat, and waited.
 The buoys sunk bobbing once, then twice and then suddenly entirely submerging. Shocked they hurried to the edge of the boat and began pulling in the nets, fish were flopping about in a frenzy to be released, as they tugged the boat shifted from the weight.Incredulous, they looked at one another in in wide eyed shock, this was more fish than they had seen in any catch! A massive bounty that  just kept coming, it seemed to be impossible  since they had been fishing in that exact same spot all night to now catch fish that had been apparently just avoiding the nets- it was as though God himself had suddenly blessed them .. Recognition hit them with a sudden rush of understanding- It was the Master!
Peters eyes immediately teared up, he peered in the distance, it was Jesus! almost without thought he threw on his cloak and tightened it snugly on his waist, and jumped over  the wobbling boat. and swam to shore...
 Drenched and chilled a  re-energized Peter stood before Christ and embraced Him. Something so amazing could barely be fathomed, it was almost a dream to Peter, it WAS Jesus, truly! He had died, breathed his last, and Peter had  shamefully slunk into the shadows and watched..and now he was ushering Peter towards the warmth of the fire and the crisp enticing aroma of fresh fish..the reality of the fish so long labored for, and uncaught , and the fish offered to him so readily, dimmed in comparison to the miracle of the Savior now standing before Him.
 Drip,drip, drip, Jesus pulled Peter towards a large rock  nearest the fire and spoke to him.
"Peter, Do you love me, (sacrificially, and fully )?"Yes Lord, you know I do" Peter said without hesitation.
Jesus threw a stick towards the fire. "Feed my sheep"
Peter recalled the lessons Christ taught to the 5 thousand, waiting on a mountainside hungry, as the  sunset began to fade, a crowd of boisterous voices stirred the atmosphere as the  passing baskets of fish and bread were distributed. Miracles are what Christ did,  and he had seen so many... Drip, Drip, drip.
"Peter, Do you Love me( sacrificially and truly?)" Peter looked in Jesus eyes confused that he had asked him the same exact question yet again. Frustration tinged with a little guilt were laced in his response " Yes Lord, you know I do". The glance of two close friends passed between them, and moments of silence filled with tension  now crackled in the air. Drip, drip, drip..
Peter remembered as story after story, parable after parable began to fill his mind, so many lessons, so much restoration, so much depth and intensity. healing, and joy and then the deepest sorrow of the last day he had seen Jesus alive, again the tears brimmed and wet his eyelashes, forcibly restrained. He quickly ducked his head and turned from view, not wishing to face the eyes that looked at him with such love and forgiveness.. Drip, drip, drip...After all the promises Peter had made to never leave Christ's side, he had left him at the cross, denied he even knew him, he stifled the sob that that was in his throat, straightened his back, leaned towards the fire and tried to ease the discomfort of the long silence between them. He remembered the day Jesus called him the Rock,.. he was anything but a rock right now, anything but strong..
"Feed my sheep" Jesus said in a voice almost inaudible.
Peter glanced at Jesus, it was all he could bare at the moment, but he had to know, was Christ angry, dissapointed, hurt?  The eyes of peace stared back at him as they always had, as they had before he had denied him, ...
Jesus had long called the people he had touched and ministered to the sheep, even gentiles..but, he did more than talk, he touched them, healed them, broke bread with them, knew them, stayed in their homes, laughed at their stories, played with the children in the meadow nearbye, he spoke of promise, and rebuked their staunch religious thinking that had caused them to not help one another,  he was very much like a shepherd, who at night watched over the flocks, kept the wolves at bay, willing to give even his own life to pro..tec..t.. them  Clarity... ...Drip, drip, drip....
"Peter , do you Love me, as your God? " Peter looked into the face of Christ, radiantly bathed in the last rays of sunlight, absolute love, absolute peace stood before him,  Peter recalled Jesus saying "I will make you fishers of men", but today, Peter was anything but a fisher of men, in fact he was Not the rock Christ had told him he would be- Not the foundation for a church, and he was Not the Disciple, because he had walked away in fear and loss, and He was not a Fisher of men either, because right now as he sat dripping before his Savior, he had been fishing, for fish, not people. And yet, he had the audacity to say HE loved Christ, He had the nerve to sit in his dripping clothes, and say. You know I love you-  but if loving meant serving Him as God...He had fallen  horribly short.
Tears  fell   streaming down his cheeks  in unchecked abandon, his voice trembled and was broken as he  spoke, this time with conviction-"yes Lord, You know I love you!"
Sobs of remorse and understanding,  racked his body,  he was facing himself as he had failed to do anytime before,  and thoughts ran through his head in rapid fire.Words are easy God, he thought, but faith is hard, I have given you words, not action, I have made your promises, but walked away, I have said I would never leave or betray you, but left you at the cross, and in the job you told me to accomplish I abandoned ship on it, and went fishing instead. Back to my old life, my old ways, my old thoughts..... I have fed no-one....Drip, drip ,drip....
 Jesus stooped nearby, and poked the fire, then lifted Peter to his feet, in a gentle response he laid his hand on Peters trembling shoulders and said "Feed my sheep."
He pulled at the tunic Peter was wearing and pointed to a low hanging branch near the fire, Peter knowingly responded, and Jesus handed him his own cloak, saying "When you were a boy, you dressed yourself,  you cinched your own garment tightly to yourself, ( Peter recalled doing that very thing just before he dove off the boat, with a rye smile he realized God had spoken to him, without his even knowing it in that action, for he was already in his loin cloth on the water, it would have been much easier for him to not have put on his cloak to jump in, but he had, and now Jesus was looking at  his face with a half smile of amusement, tugging the  garment snugger around Peters waste,  and adding " but when you are old, someone else will dress you and care for you, and guide you"he said with a final glance and  nod of approval.
 Peter looked at his warm dry garment,  and back into the masters eyes, and allowed fresh tears to fall, this time because he comprehended he was forgiven , and restored. Christ was not done with him yet! Yes Lord, I will follow you, I will die to myself and allow what you want to be fulfilled in me, I will let you be my provision, and my covering and my caretaker.  I have been foolish and wandered long enough on my own, immature and lost without you, But Messiah I will learn to lead,and tend the sheep as you teach me to do, in your love, and with your grace, and  because I know who to follow.
 I love you Lord, I will Feed your Sheep.

This is a work of fiction, based on the  Biblical story of Peter and Christ in John 21. It is meant not to be taken literally, but to increase your understanding, of traditions of Jesus era,  to encourage your sense of  purposing, of forgiveness, and of the great commission, and the value of souls to Christ. I pray it blesses and encourages you, For even though we are as faulted and broken as Peter, we can draw near to Christ, and let him lead us, direct us, and enlighten us, so that we can touch the lives of others more effectively!

Out of the ash bin, Christ restoring love out of sin and regret

I am a people watcher, it's an inherit trait I'm afraid. My Dad used to take me to coffee at Denny's as a teen. We would sit and watch people walk in and out of the coffee shop, carrying their life baggage of trouble, disheveled clothing, morning swagger, a thousand little details most would miss, and we watched. You could really see when a life was worn down by hardships. Crease lines on their faces, wrinkles deep around the eyes and above the brows set in a face long worn by ache said it all. Or, there were those who's creases of life, showed in their smile lines, but there definitely was a distinctive marking that personified one persons life walk over another's.


There is as well, a demeanor to someone not straddled to the baggage of their lives, shoulders are not slumped as though carrying a burden, voices are lighter, tones are more expressive and views more positive. It is not that they have not seen troubles or felt of heartache. It is more that they chose to not carry it.  Then there are those, who are so overwhelmed by unrepentant sin they have DE-sensitized themselves to the cost of it, as an example:
A  weary man sat in a clinic awaiting his testing, disgruntled that the doctors were putting his life on hold. He ignored the fact that their were requirements made of him to fast, the hours previous to his operation,  opting  to eat in the middle of the night. He ignored the fact that his paperwork clearly stated to not take any medications prior to his operation and took what he always did with a chaser of vodka and two pills more than prescribed. In this state of medicated numbness he has had to miss a thousand precious moments with family, playing with grandchildren, dinners and family planned activities. Birthdays and holidays are all a haze, while family members ache at the loss of a person they have watched die to the known real world, staring at a soul they love who rarely comes out from the haze of addiction. He is bound, so much so that he cannot even admit to himself he abuses what is given him. He is drowning out the known world for a medicated stupor that desensitizes his memory and numbs out his emotions. It all breaks down to this, Regret and Sin. 


We all have baggage lovies, all of us. Hurts that were spoken into us as children, abuses done to us, incidents that have scarred our inner man that no one will ever see or know. We have buried them but they speak out in emotional spurts of anger, depression, aggression or emotional and physical abuse. They are hidden in our use of drugs or our alcoholism. They are repressed and cause to be cold, withdrawn and bitter. The baggage is still there and whether we acknowledge it or not, everyone CAN see what your carrying. Some have handed the heaviness over to God knowing there is no way to carry our lives of hurt around without being burdened by its weight.  It takes a strong strong soul to confess they need Gods hand to recover. 


It reminds me of when Jonah came to Nineveh. He didn't want to go anywhere near that wretched place, nor speak to those vile sinful people. God had to virtually swallow up Jonah's pride to restore him. What a hard lesson to learn on humility! I guarantee his time sitting and thinking in the pitch black of acid waste was a wake up call like no other! "You cannot run from me Jonah! Fulfill your purpose!, was the voice of Gods reasoning to Jonahs resistance. The  realities that he faced were real. Death, slow and agonizing, completely alone stared him in the eye. No one would know what had become of him. None would realize the gravity and despair of his heart since he had walked away from Gods will. Then he caught hold of it, that WAS Nineveh! That was the people God had wanted him to talk to. Lost without knowing where they were headed! Nothing can touch our hearts as radically as identifying with others pain via experiencing it ourselves! When Jonah came into agreement with God he was spit onto the dry land of his resistance. He faced those he wanted to hate but no longer could. Can you imagine what the radical preaching a man saved from his own destruction would be like? Passionate words spilled into a people as absolutely lost as Jonah was in the whale, and like wildfire the reality of God sent sparks of revelation from soul to soul to soul! Until at last it met its peak in the kings ear. 


How amazing is it that the city spoke to the King, and not Jonah? That the city showed a King what restoration looked like and in turn he to was fueled towards repentance! Covering himself in sack cloth and ashes, he plunked himself in the lowest place a man of his position could ever get to, the trash heap! Reducing himself and his pride and his stature to the place of utter and total submission. He encountered the truest form of understanding, the fullness of Grace. WOW!


Perhaps there is an area you can identify with in this. That Like Jonah you may be sitting in the dark acidic, putrid belly of poor decisions made in disobedience to God. And in that you also can see how it would immobilize you. Lets admit it, if you cannot face God with where you are, in the whale of disobedience, you wont be able to see where you are headed either. Time to hit dry land!


See the king never had a knowledge or understanding of who God was, but what he did have is the smarts to realize he needed to be in the right place, and to do the right thing! His did not consider his pride more important than getting right before God. And baby that is where we need to be to. It is not worth it to stay hidden when it is eating us alive. We need to come out and face the son again. We need to lay ourselves smack dab in the pile of ashes and mess we have made of things, and say Enough!!! If there is more of God to be had then, I want more! I will not let anything of me remain. I wont allow pride to sway me, sin to delay me, or my emotions to waylay me. The time to allow God to make something beautiful of my life, is NOW! Come out of the ash bin of your Nineveh, out of the Belly of disappointment, disillusionment and disobedience. Come into the one and only flame of Christ that can turn your ash bin into something of beauty! Lovies, allow God to change your repentance into restoration!


Father, I pray for those who read this, Jesus love on us, lavishly, settle today in our hearts and minds and Spirits the need to know you more. Father I pray nothing of selfish pride will keep us from you. Jesus, kindle the flame and burn away that old sinful man. Mighty God, make us a beautiful soul restored by your Grace. Tender us by your mercies and strengthen us by your love. Renew our walks to a more genuine stance, able to admit fault and walk fully in your amazing restorative power. Touch us oh Lord, in a mighty, healing and powerful way! AMEN

Just some random Alien thoughts from a spaced out Ragamuffin girl....

This is not my body! How did it get like this?
It's like  I woke up and had slept wrong or something..I got up achy, tired looking ,added a few more wrinkles, and noticed I jiggle more. Jiggling, is soooo not good. I have not seen the body I had as a teen in a coons age-so I can't even hope to obtain that stance again,( I like  that saying by the way, "In a coons age" I don't know why, Coons must live a long long time which really isn't my objective.OK random, moving on)
My body is the one I had about two yrs back, not skinny mini, but not queen of jiggly bits either. Queen of jiggly bits crept in on me unaware. I really believe that aliens have taken over our bodies.Think about it -We had ones we liked once, then poof,alien body take over and  we transformed into living jello molds!  ( And for that matter they have not yet gotten to the skinny minis remaining, so, Be afraid be very afraid!)
 I used to say it was my mission to have everyone gain a tremendous amount of weight,so that I will LOOK skinny when I hang out with you, it was a diabolical plan, but unfortunately I can't resist the brownies any better than you can, and therefore I jiggle at the same rate as you do..Well some of you anyway( Incidentally I am having sign twirlers arrive at ALL the skinny peoples homes I know, so the aliens can easily find you as part of my New evil plan! Bwahaha) ( Yeah yeah I know, move on-)

Life and time add up on a body, like mile markers,at 20- I was thin, had a baby, another baby, and yet another baby and would swear that snack packs, oreos and spaghettios were survival foods, and that sleeping almost standing up was normal- in the 30's I put a few pounds on, but I dont know how( alien infusion?something like reversed lipo) Housework and homework and screaming at baseball fields about teamwork, and corn dogs and anything with cheese took over. Marriage blues and  way to much stress took me under, and learning to run in multiple directions at once,made me gumby mom! Still I had my little jigglies..
In the 40's  I tried to change the tide, and I did for a little bit, Walking a crazy route on top of rocks, through trees, across marshes and through wooded areas,but then I moved away from the 20 acre woods and farm lands I  loved to hike through,and so I  pretty much stopped walking.( Tennessee woods scare me, big snakes, hunters in suspenders and no shirts, tics as big as Texas, I  NO like. And I have this desire to want to see nature better than it can see me!) I  drink wayyyyyyyyyy to much coffee ( Never surrender never say Die! Coffee and I are tight like that) and  the last year I have taken to a genuine love affair with ice cream. I Divorced in the 40's, man is that ever a harsh weight loss plan!  Lost all my baby weight, and even the oreo weight and later remarried to a man who loves brownies as much as I do, and gained it back with love handles besides, I tell you I think that's alien karma.

OK, so  I can't really blame everything on aliens.And No, I don't believe in them. Although I have met some very strange folks who honestly believe some very odd things. they kind of remind me of aliens, outer worldly and all,  Some more so than others. ( I remember some guys in my highschool who ran around saying bleep, bleep, bleep in school with tinfoil antenna caps on their head, Okey dokey!  More than likely they are devastatingly handsome and as wealthy as Donald ( I  need to get a new hairstyle)Trump, but originally they were the fellows with the taped up glasses and plaid pants that you scooted away from in school, not because they were viral or smelly, just because they were really, really, weird! Another rabbit trail, sorry : / )

 For instance a thought process I find odd is this, Why people think angels are so amazing? No seriously, ( Not that they aren't amazing, don't get your feathers in a twist) but I know people who have a gazillian angel figurines lying all over their house and they read all the angel stories they can get their hands on, total angel freaks, yet they adore a creation more than they do a creator even saying something along the lines of, "Well I don't really believe in God " "WHAT? you believe in angels but ya don't believe in God? hello, thunk thunk is anybody in there? (Why do I hear twilight zone music?) Are ya not realizing or soaking in the fact that it is God who sends angels to help?
They don't work by their own design their commissioned,  When I hear those inspiring stories of angels, I don't think wow, what amazing angels, I think WOW what an amazing God, who would love me and others enough to send protection, healing, salvation or words of Hope and rescue- via messengers. How cool..You make no sense my little space cadet. Can you not see there is a truly loving God, who adores you enough to be real to you in a thousand ways both miraculous and simple? He is a whole lot more awesome than the fat little cherub you bought at the dollar store.
And why do people think its cool to wear a cross on their neck and then say a whole lot of words about God  that make you wanna run with your fingers in your ears- screaming LA LA LA I don't hear you! ( OK maybe that's just me) See to me wearing a cross is about loving  the beautiful King who died on it, understanding the gift in it- are ya hearing me? It's a symbol of love, beauty, transparency, hope, restoration, salvation, and its a story of victory. Your missing it! How sad.
And why do people always come up with the reason they don't come to church is because there are to many hypocrites in it, OK, so your the perfect representation of sainthood then? No ? hmm, Well if a hypocrites ever gonna get fixed don't ya think it should be in a place that might help them get the fixing? And while your at it, unless your really do lead a perfect life, no sin, spankin white .. Well baby, you belong with the rest of us..eh hem., 2nd pew from the back, I will scoot right over!
And why do people follow after the weirdest mindsets in cults about becoming a God or like God,Are you for real? Dude have you seen yourself in the morning? You got drool on your chin and whilst it is a possibility you could in a fell swoop kill a whole lot of people without lifting a finger ( yeah, its called morning breath)that's about all the power ya got,oh  that and that not so stealthy armpit thing ya got going there.
So I'm thinking No.Your not really gonna go there oh high priest of twinkie town are ya? Oh Goddess of tarot and palm reading (Who joined arms with, oh whats her name again, one of the Jacksons sisters...drat I cant remember!  Well that's the lasting imprint she left on me..Zzz) hey  lady... Talk to the hand girl, cuz I aint coming anywhere near your rule of drool!

And why do we believe in the church today that ready acceptance is better than repentance? If we accept all sinful behavior in FEAR of dealing with their fruits, we really are not far from being rotten fruit ourselves, and believe me if this is the pot of new wine every ones raving about, NO THANKS its rancid with stuff I don't want to drink!!!

And why do we teach, preach and talk about the gifts in the body of Christ and then refuse to relinquish control long enough to let anyone use them, isn't that a tad weird? Kinda like saying wow look at my present, and 20 yrs later still having it sit on the shelf unwrapped..Hellooooo.... No wonder we are stagnant and dusty, no wonder the church is groaning instead of growing, and there is more growth than in numbers, try this thought on for size, GROWING PEOPLE SPIRITUALLY ( Can we do that? mmm yeah , its perfectly acceptable to count fruits more than heads!) (Watch out for those old prunes though, they don't like new growth much, stickn to the old ways is better, yup, almost as good as dying on the vine) Listen the way to grow is to let the move of God, MOVE!  To encourage , to lift, to counsel, to promote growth and maturity in Christ!  No wonder the fields are ripe and their are no laborers, we refuse to teach and enable and then follow through and do something with the giftings. Good Grief, that's just bizarre!

Hunny what is alien to me is all the stuff we accept into our hearts and minds, about God, about sin, about each other, and about whats right and wrong, because I believe, its a few planets off from the SON.
 I don't ever want to come to a place where the things of God and the heart of God are far from me, its far more important to me to take my jiggly bits and Run to Him, (in essence becoming more and more an alien to the WORLD) than it it is to gain favor, climb up the ladder, be infamous, or gain a fortune,or improve my title-All  of which are things we have made more valuable and more sought after,than relationship with Christ and with one another..
Shes an Alien an Alien I know....I actually can handle that, as long as its about HIM I will gladly take a ride on the God side. Hows about you, Rocket man? Ready to step away from all the junk and head into a whole new world?
Hey , I want to go where No generation has gone before- full throttle, and Unashamed for Jesus! Nothing holding me back, not even a few pounds, speaking of which- does that tractor beam have the ability to slice me down a couple of sizes? No huh? Figures...( Dang it worked in Galaxy quest to..that's so not right.....) OK ,Grab the oreo's and the coffee bro, Roll your Jiggly self ova, and we will keep our eyes to the skies! Beam US up Scotty!

Under the broom tree

I like Elijah,  I can almost picture his white beard flowing in the style of his time but a tad less groomed than his peers, after all most prophets tended to be a bit nomadic ,so my guess they were heavy on the visionary side of things light on the appearance side. Tents and desert wanderings were not at all unfamiliar to him but certainly the pomp of royalty that he had come to bring this message to were in stark contrast to his humble stance.
 Oh we like to believe that prophets  of yesteryear were much like we know today.A self proclaimed toot my own horn vanity in double breasted suits ( or for the prophets back in the day- gold lined tunics) we have certainly grown used to a prophets messages of today being more of seeking fortune- for telling your fortune, then simply giving a message of reform and restoration as the prophets of old did, we prefer warm and fuzzy to life changing and convicting.  The Holy men of old weren't about being worldy eye candy,they were about bringing Gods message and giving him Glory.
 No, good old  Elijah walked out his life  from a much more simplistic and humble standing.
 I don't believe his demeanor portrayed any Spiritual weakness, he was strong in a sound inner knowledge. Which made him a highly esteemed peer and a very respectable man- a gentle talker with weathered lines of wisdom and laughter etched on his face. A man people listened to because the manner in which he carried himself demanded respect without uttering a word, it was simply who he was..
I believe he carried his calling with such humility that guards nearby simply kept him in a tentative view relaxing their grip on swords and eyeing him almost mockingly.( Like were not afraid of the big bad Elijah) A thousand Godly priests before him  had already came and died for their faith, But Elijah stood  unwavering- with the God given assurance he walked in Holy authority, and the powers of hell shrank back in acknowledgement and  fear.
 Elijah,  clears his voice- and speaks in low somber tones of  a challenge that his adversaries could not resist, "Let us both pray to our God, and the God who is real will  bring the fire for a burnt  offering.".( paraphrased ) Well they couldn't very well shrink back from such an offer, to do so would be paramount to saying their Gods did not exist and Jezebel wasn't having it! After all  temples were erected in honor of her Gods and she herself had commissioned statues and idols cast in Gold and laden in jewels in their images.
She had already made a mockery of Elijah's God and his worshippers. Pursuing the priest, mocking and then as a last testimony of cruelty viciously murdering them for their faith. What audacity this man Elijah had! Of course they would take the challenge-  her responses tinged with poison, this vile harlot of idolatry in every way mocked Gods sovereignty.
Along came solemn processions of chanting priests covered in ash and waling loudly before their Gods. Thrashing about in a mad conglomeration of wreathing sacrificial abandon.Hissing and screaming in fevered adoration and fervent prayers they  circled the offering pensively, cutting their flesh and taring their garments, hour after hour of maddening contortion and clamor, the incessant screaming stilled until one by one finally fell exhausted to the wayside, notably silent.
Not even a puff of smoke.How odd..
Elijah offered some closing ideas.."Perhaps they are sleeping? "( with all that noise? really?!) Wake them, get a little louder, scream , dance, hop on one foot maybe? (No, he didn't really say that last bit, that was from me, active imagination this..). I think though he did have a little fun at their expense while he was waiting.Human nature you know..
After hours of travail with no action, angry and exhausted they dejectedly led Elijah to the offering.

 Elijah lined up servants and had them to one after another fill their water jars and pour container after container over the offering, dousing any shred of dryness until there could be no doubt to anyone seeing,  to light this offering up it was going to take an extra special God.
Water dripped into the caverns of the offering  and settled in puddles over  the side, and poured out to the wading feet of Gods prophet. One can almost picture the soft swoosh of his sandals as they hit the wet ground as he stood and addressed the waiting crowds.
And then.. he prayed, not in a fervor of excited wales nor in  the scuffle of  barbaric dance and demonically shrieked prayers but in a strength and  assurance not  his own . He prayed and presence and power hit the walls and surroundings in waves of electric current -filling the courtyards with a sense of electricity so acute prickles of heat coursed over their bodies and covered them in a fearful thoroughly drenched sweat.
 The atmosphere was charged with the imprint of God almighty! And when it at last felt it would com bust from tangible presence!and then it happened...
 His spirit came down in a bolt of swift fire expanding over the entire circumference of the offering, heads turned from the massive body of heat but peered out of the corners of their eyes in awe.Coursing intense light fell in streaks of red, blue, orange and yellow with such an intensity that the  flame forced the crowds to further back up at already fifty feet away . transfixed they stood watching  as this massive body of flame incinerated the offering, in a tornado of heat, it exited vacuuming up ash and char, and licked up the residue leaving only trails of mist-  and the tsss tsss sound as heat hit water and extinguished it into vapor.
The remaining  waft of smoke was strangely scented, not of the animals left on the offering, but of ? of? What was that smell?   Slowly recognition hit them- the thick essence of burial  perfumes permeated the air in the scent of myrrh and frankincense. An uneasiness settled over the crowd. In stunned silence people stood transfixed. Time ticked by in those moments heavy with  fear- then  the tide of faces started slowly shifting from a nervous murmur into a somber slow muddled cry- until entire throngs lay face down weeping in anguish and remorse to the one true God  in a plead for mercy..

Of course for the better part, I can only imagine these images, but it is mostly how the story goes.

So it is hard for most of us to imagine, when that same man who faced fierce warriors sent to kill Gods priests, and that  exact same man who  mocked a kings Gods and  put his sopping footprints on the backside of an evil queens pride,  the same exact guy who would stand boldly and make a proclamation with absolute assurance that His God would meet him there, had suddenly turned tails and ran in fear. How can that be? now that's REALLY odd!

I don't think it was as odd as one might consider. He had spent likely a good deal of time in fasting and prayer before this meeting. He had focused so strongly on Gods power and purposing for this tension filled event that his focus had little time to consider any other possibilities or remaining threats. This guy was undeniably purpose driven. 
And just like us when the event we have worked towards for months is through, and we suddenly face the after math with the resources we have left,were wiped out- spiritually speaking I believe poor old Elijah was just out and out.. exhausted.
 He had faced demonic encounters and without even realizing how they dissipate energy he had tapped out.  Suddenly he faced an angry pride filled woman, who's Gods had not only been mocked they had been obliterated, and watched as an army mounted up in pursuit of his life, he was tired , defense,less, and riding on fumes..
 We do that We fight the good fight, we stand and travail .We pray and weep before God in intercession and  usually come out exhausted, and that's without the added effects of demonic warfare! Throw that in for Good measure and you might just find yourself  right about where Elijah did, running for your life, in the solace of the desert and praying for a swift end beneath a broom tree.
I have only had a couple of encounters with a Spiritual foe in this capacity but I know enough to say, it left me physically exhausted in the extreme, it left me entirely drained in the Spiritual sense ,and yes, even praying God would take me home.
Not so much from fear of the advisory, no not really, merely from desire to be done with the battle and  longing to be left to rest.
 Elijah felt alone in this place because in terms of humanness, well, he was alone.  The friends and peers he respected had to his knowledge all died, and mourning hit him like a ton of bricks. He, as it seemed  was all that was left,  he was despised ,sought after, and  thought no-one that he grown to know or love, remained.
Like the Lord on Damascus road  he walked the loneliest mile through a desert, and all he had known and loved was no where in sight. Like the Lord he had followed Gods plan, and well, felt a bit like having the cup pass him by, easy way out in this scenario for Elijah, was to call it quits and head on Home to the big guy in the sky, that's  almost sensible. Well if your beyond exhausted and heartbroke it seems sensible anyway.
 You know what is more unusual to me in this scenario? That  God  waited for Elijah to rest, in fact, parallel to most Christians ways of thinking, He did not call Elijah a failure for seeking solace ( which is what we most often do when a person having gone through fierce hardship  begins to weep and beg God for mercy in the Broom tree places of our lives. )  Gods rational is not like mans, He knows we need rest from battle, He knows he will overcome the circumstance but He allows for the vehicles he uses, i. e . "US" - to take a solace, to have a breakdown moment or two and to rest our weary souls under a temporary shade..
Ever seen a broom tree? Not much for cool rest to depend on there. Again its a temporary place to be  under the broom tree, its for resting weary bones after long battles and rejuvenating souls, not to build a residence in. However a lot of times when we have been under hardship, heartache, disappointment, discouragement, loss and the draining force of spiritual battle, we oft times want to just stay under the one teeny tiny remnant of shade we can find, have ourselves a good long standing pity party there, curl up in a chubby ball( well in my case chubby) and call it done.
I know for me, the broom tree has come and gone a few times, what I have noted is, its not a comfy place for very long, in the heat of retreat it offers only temporary shade and only temporary comfort, because the real resting place, is where ever Gods Will for us resides. Staying under the broom tree to long makes us restless and sunburned.  and, is pretty boring really.
 Not that I like battle to much either, that's exhausting, but you know what I do like?
I like it when I know the undeniable hand of God is resting on me in powerful ways and that only happens when I am motivated to move back out from under the covering and head back into the war-
I like facing Goliaths in God and walking away victorious.
I like it when I have faced the spiritual realm and have called on a mighty God, and watched as his Spirit MOVED with Fire!
I like it that when the adversary comes to kill steal and destroy the voice of God within me,and then  God SPEAKS with certainty and moves with power before me and on my behalf.
I like it when I can see it happen, and I know I can't see it - if I am playing patty cake to long under the broom tree.

Hang in there People of God, rest in HIM. but keep in mind, its just a break- you still gotta get ready for the good stuff!  and the Good stuff will always be where we can See him move in power, right back out in the battlefield we took solace from.
If we are real honest we will have to admit we would far rather be in the thick of Gods movement fighting and praying like mad, then in the pitiful,lonely, weary shade of the broom tree.
So beloved, where ever you are in the Lord, whether the thick of battle or the thin wisps of the broom tree, Just KNOW God is still there, that He is not leaving you alone, (  and Yes, there are others saints in battle and you need to find them!) Your not the only warrior, going through the only battlefield all by yourself, your not abandoned, your not powerless, a Mighty God enables you day by day to take rest, to fight another day, Hang in there..and when its time, come out from under your broom tree refreshed and prepared to  kick some demonic booty!
Amen? and Amen! Go get em' Tiger!

Whats NOT to be Excited about? Experiencing God, unplugged!

Many times I have heard fellow believers speaking on seeking after God almost like a great adventure, as if He is lost and we have to find Him ,they seek him out in revival meetings, in churches focusing on special speakers, they seek Him out in coliseums and football fields, and I wonder, why isn’t He at home? Why is He not being found in our church, in our town, in our circumstances? Why do we have to leave and find him elsewhere? Hmm. Good question.

I remember the teens coming back from camp and from weekend conferences, and being so intensely fired up that you would think someone lit them up with matches, but over time, the zeal dwindled down to day to day, and sometimes they even completely walked away.. I remember how their zeal re- stoked the church, excited voices and excited emotions mingled in with corporate praise and lit a room with expectation.. ah that’s the word, EXPECTATION.

We have let our expectations of God, become traditions of man, hunny they aren’t even in the same realm! We have allowed agenda and bulletins and programs surpass Presence. We watch our watches and the minute it passes 20 minutes of praise and worship( or less) we shuffle our Bible into place and push the pulpit forward. I am not saying its wrong to have the Word of God, but the Word should be enhancing the praise and visa versa, but, in most cases we have become so stagnantly committed to program that we entirely dismiss further pursuing presence. Can someone Please tell me why that is?

I can tell you what I believe it is, but your not gonna like it. I believe we think that Gods spirit needs our help. We believe that if we don’t fill those moments with our words God won’t be known. We believe that what we have prepared and felt from God wont be told to others if we let Go and let him take over, And yet we profess to believe his Spirit can convict , change, renew, awaken and modify above and beyond anything we can do. So, which is it? Can God handle service on His own, or does he need us? Mind you, I am not saying the Word of God is not important or relevant,( Gods Word is pivotal!) but what I am saying is, His words can and should mingle with presence, and perhaps, mind you , just perhaps, He will STILL speak them without them being from the pulpit.

Expectancy- that’s a beautiful word, indeed a beautiful expression of what our hearts should be doing when we gather together in praise, Why have we stepped away from it?
I believe over all, we have let agenda and time allotments, and programs rule our thinking. We have in essence tied our own hands with normality and are no longer looking for an outpouring or rejuvenation. While balance is important in the body, so is comprehending that God in all ways and by all means should be Glorified. That his name and exalting him should never take a back seat to a bulletin, nor to hand shaking and pot luck.
We have a lot of times made church far more of a social hour, and a get together than a place to corporately raise God in praise. Which explains why we love concerts and conferences and retreats so much, it takes us from standard church as usual, and puts us into an air of expectancy, we go there desiring a shift and change in our lives,

And oft times we do find it there. What a shame ! Because in truth we should be finding it, well, everywhere. But Particularly in our church, and I cannot fathom why we can turn up the music full blast in our cars and homes and dance like idiots to footloose, or scream bloody murder to a football hero who just fumbled in outfield, and we cannot let go and let God ROCK HIS HOUSE> His earthly house, his portable house and any other house God wants to rock.mmm, mmm, mmm, TRUTH.

 I want to challenge you saints, you ministers of God, set the atmosphere for expectancy. Change your agendas, change your programs, change you Mind. Who said it had to be church as usual? Haven’t you yourself been craving more? Well commit to more!

Set the air of your church by putting the fragrance of praise in the air before the doors to the sanctuary are opened, have the worship teams pray and get in the spirit before their feet hit the floors of the stage, have the atmosphere around them as welcoming to the spirit and untie their hands so they can move with where God is going. Allow your church to have a better understanding of corporate praise by setting their minds to it, inform them of changes and begin to move away from stoic programming and catapulting into a Presence first mentality.- its not hard to wrap your minds around these theories, when you consider this thought, David wasn’t a man after Gods heart because of anything he did to impress God,( we tend to think temples, and services, and alters and ceremonies are impressive) the temples didn’t thrill God, the stoic priests did not charm his ears, but David laying himself entirely real, entirely bare, dancing and singing, and Loving God full throttle,now that got Gods attention!

Beloved heaven wont be about sermons laced with a thousand rabbit trailed stories,(and FYI we wont enlighten God with what we disclose about him up there,he  not only wrote the book HE IS THE BOOK) but we WILL be praising Him ( Yeah, even the ones with bolders weighing ten tons who cant manage to lift a hand in praise, yep, you guys will be waving those hands in the air and praising like you just don’t care- up there!) So I say we might as well get the hang of it now, LET Go, Let God be the most exciting thing you have experienced in Church and in life, because,( Hellllloooooo) HE IS the most exciting thing you can experience.

Beautiful father God take out my man agendas, and my small thinking and expand my territories and my tents of praise- because I want to experience you God, I want to undo my sandals and walk on Holy ground, I want to walk in your midst until your face is shining off me, I want to radiate, I want to dance like David, I want to sing til' my throat gets scratchy,( and I get that real cool Carly Simmon voice) I want to give you Glory Lord, because YOUR worthy ! AMEN.

People of distinction

When we speak on end times, we get a wide array of opinions and thoughts on when the last moments will tally up. My impression in the Lord is it will be sooner than we think. The reason I say that, is not only the signs,(for indeed their have been signs throughout the centuries) but never the less there seems to be a fell swoop of signs pointing towards change in the last year alone. Does it mean tomorrow, well, maybe not, but see it doesn't matter if its tomorrow or next year or five years hence.

It matters a great deal that YOUR where you need to be and that your mind and thoughts are not slipping into a lazy stance, because this is where deception finds an easy and sure footing. Church, we have no discipline, we have allowed all manner of lies and half truths to infiltrate the body. False teachers, false prophets, and false movements abound.. And we accept them, shaking off the fears and instincts God gave us to satisfy whatever carnal desire it is we have for MORE.

Regarding false prophets who ask to get for what they give. Is it maybe just that we want more money, or stuff, or fluffy promises of a brighter tomorrow? We stand in lines and pay someone hundreds or even thousands of dollars to receive more. Now mind you all they are giving us is a prayer, (which most saints will give you with tons of faith added in at no charge, and sprinkles of hugs included as love tax, but we prefer to pay our way from a man with a self imposed title of prophet to get prayer rather than receive one from our tried and true Sis- little grey haired Mary Anne's heartfelt one, (the names been changed to protect a thousand beautiful saints who pray radically for people daily, Bless your beautiful hearts!)  Oh but there will be a souvenir stand just outside the door where you can buy reminders of your warm fuzzy at trumped up prices for a pen flashlight that says "BAM, you've been shmoozed for God!"

You get what you pay for, a good show, lively entertainment, and less money in your pocket. Now part of what you got from this guy were some nice words, made you feel good, very inspiring, but did your soul change, did your world shift, did you go full circle and cause revival, touch souls? Did you become a radical? was your world turned upside down?  No,? just specially for you eh? OK lovely, think on this, the Prophets of old purposing was to change, rebuke, and cause revival in the kingdom. They were messengers for a purpose. If it doesn't change a Kingdom, (even if its your own Kingdom) its a word, not a prophetic ministry, a word. You paid for a warm fuzzy. But today, prophets oft times come with threats, rebukes, and subtle remarks that don't chastise you to change, they chastise you to pay up. So really you got a cold and nasty right before you got your warm fuzzy.
Where as back in the day of the old prophets when a vision or word was given, it brought your view TO God, but now, the view is on you. Hmm, Interesting..


How can any man who professes to honor God, speak down to, threaten, and claim ill over another believer.?.think hard, is that how JESUS responded to others? No baby it is not, neither did he charge them, but he did,change them and he did offer good to them, but never ever do you find anywhere where the prophet of all prophets, Jesus Christ - Charged them..  Gonna make a point here your probably NOT going to want to hear. See you've come into agreement with such things not because there aren't warning bells going off, but because we shut off the alarm system..and why do we do that? Well, because we WANT something, usually we want a green something..Plain and simple we are selfish. So gonna ask you this.. Do You worship GOD or MAMMON? (money) Jesus called money filthy, the root of evil, etc. Do we honor God when we give to get? better get real beloved..that's a NO.

False teachings also abound, ideas passed down from generations of folk who because it was told to them by someone in authority simply believe it. Ironically this reminds me of the old saying if your friends jumped off the Cliff would you? The answer alot of times is the church saying emphatically, "Where's the cliff?" I encourage,(better yet beg you!) to check everything you learn or hear, with the word of God, and not only that ..but, look into the history, read the entire chapter, not just the verse referred to, read the history that went with the situations, read the after, the before, the middle, read the footnotes, read the Hebrew meaning, or the Greek- find the intent behind the content, because we are passing down stuff and nonsense that is a "believed" thing, and not an UNDERSTOOD one. Don't follow anyone just because they are a leader, if bad words or thoughts come out of that man or woman consistently  (we can all make a mistake now and then, but I am saying error after error) Then get yourself to a new place and teaching!!

False movements, oh yes beloved there are oodles of those..My firm belief is that every false movement in God was preceded by someone who had something genuine, but the minute it goes global, the minute it spills out into the church and becomes a fad, or popular thing to do we are beginning to move in learned behaviors and not the spirit. Learned behaviors are bad because they falsify the genuine, they drum up experience and heighten it to dramatic proportions and then when it plummets, it carries a tsunami of people crashing down with it, leaving people hungering for real, or falling for anything that brings the false atmosphere back, or causing them to completely leave the body forever, because they sense the false and believe all things God are untrue. Step away from fads, popular sayings, popular quotes, popular theologies, if they have become faddish and a tag to your faith - Remember the word of God is fresh, new, powerful and multifaceted, the move of God is life changing, it doesn't need our drummed up responses to make it more legitimate, God can stand on his own.

God is calling a people out, they are strong and determined in the Lord, they use the word of God as a meter and a balance , they seek God hungry and will NOT be denied, they follow passionately and without allowing nonsense to dictate their common sense, they stand out from the crowds and are not intimidated into conforming, they are willing to speak up when there is falseness or evil intent. They are warriors prepared for battle, their lamps are full, they know the Word and yield it with truth and compassion, strong, righteous, ready, a People of distinction. Are you going to be one of them?