Riots Are Not Righteous

Rioting is violence, not protest.  It is not a righteous act!  It is a demonic criminal act - it against the law, therefore not a privilege or a right.  When violence is used to further a cause, it is an intimidation tactic of terriorism that seldom works.  People do not like to be told what to do or they will face harm.  People want blessings, not foul-mouthed cursing and entitlement attitudes.  Instead of complying with the evil, they will stand behind those enforcing the law.   More will speak out and call for a return to calm, to law and order, and also to Christ to save their nation.

Riot definition per The American Heritage Dictionary: A violent disturbance of the public peace by three or more persons assembled for a common purpose.

A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends. 

A violent person entices their neighbor and leads them down a path that is not good. 

- Proverbs 16:28-29 (NIV)

Real change is achieved through prayer and making others understand what is right instead of doing wrong.  Violence and fear are the wrong way to go about encouraging change.  Jesus (the son of God)  brought spiritual change and a real movement towards God, while discouraging violent actions.  So did religious leaders like MLK and Gandhi.   Any so-called prophet, politician or religion that encourages violence is not of God, instead they are showing themselves to be hell fire liars and  followers of Satan.  

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up 

against the knowledge of God, 

and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 

- 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)

Protest & First Amendment via Civic Nation:  The Difference Between Legal and Illegal Protests

It is time again for a new revival and for those of good conscience, patriots, and the church to stand up and lead the return to God! Leadership, wisdom, and judgement are needed by all government officials and church leaders to complete God's mission and plan. 

Point the finger of shame, and three point back

 Too many times recently, we find our so called leaders taking the smallest incident and trying to make it sound like a big deal.  They seem intent on pointing the finger of blame at someone who is trying to do good because they themselves are not working for the good of all.  Why is it bad, corrupt, or self-absorbed  people want to "make an example" of good people who are just trying to help others?  It is as if they never heard of the Native American proverb "The one who points his fingers has three pointing back at him."  Their screaming "Look, look" only results in others looking at what they have done and often their shameful acts are worse than what they are accusing another of.  

Please, Lord, rescue me! Come quickly, Lord, and help me. 
May those who try to destroy me be humiliated and put to shame. 
May those who take delight in my trouble be turned back in disgrace.
Let them be horrified by their shame, for they said, “Aha! We’ve got him now!”
But may all who search for you be filled with joy and gladness in you.
May those who love your salvation repeatedly shout, “The Lord is great!”
- Psalm 40:13-16 (NLT)

Jesus and His disciples had the same problem with false leaders in their day too.  The so-called leaders played politics with the lives of others by triying to shut them up.  They threatened, jailed, and did worse to try to prove they were in-the-right and Christians were wrong.  The more those leaders tried to shame the Christians; the more of God's plan was fulfilled and the more people who defiantly became Christians.  God always wins, so shouting leaders need to beware or they may quickly reveal their own guilt.

For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, 

and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all.  

So pay attention to how you hear. 

To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. 

But for those who are not listening, 

even what they think they understand will be taken away from them.

- Luke 8:17-18 (NLT)  

Nations Should Be Praising God

 Not just America, but many nations are praising God.  Renewal and rivival is moving across the country and the world.  Common sense and truth are once again reiginig in the craziness and evil that has consumed politics for the last few decades.  Just as King David once told his music director, we should all be singing praises to God for his mercy and blessing. 

May God show loving-kindness toward us and bring good to us. 

May He make His face shine upon us.

May Your way be known on the earth, and Your saving power among all nations.

May the people praise You, O God. May all the people praise You.

May the nations be glad and sing for joy.

For You will be fair when You judge the people and rule the nations of the earth. 

May the people praise You, O God. May all the people praise You.

The earth has given its fruit. God, our God, will bring good to us.

God will bring good to us, and all the ends of the earth will fear Him.

- Psalm 67: 1-7 (NLV)

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When the Devil Comes to Steal Your Blessing and Testimony

Have you noticed that when things are going good, the devil comes along and tries to steal your blessing? Some may say it is just self-doubt, but I truly believe it is the devil just wispering lies into our minds.  He wants to steal your blessing, your joy, your courage, and your faith.  Do not let him get a way with it!  Claim the promise that God gave you and thow it back at the devil.  God promises he will flee when confronted.  

But He gives greater grace. Therefore it says, 
“God opposes the proud, but He gives grace to the humble.” 
So submit to God. 
But resist the devil and he will flee from you. - James 4:6-7 (NET)

Last week, I was blessed with a healing.  This week several times when I was out on my daily walk, I might feel a weakness, tiredness, or small twitch in my shoulder.  Immediately the devil would try to tell me the pain was going to come back and I was not really healed.  So I shut him up quickly by saying "Yes, Jesus healed my shoulder completely.  I feel no pain.  I know He healed me and so do you. So shut up and move along, you are wrong.  I am healed and I know it."  Maybe it does not sound humble, but I would instantly feel better and the nudging to deny my healing would be gone.  We have to keep our faith by claiming the truth.  The devil does not like truth and he will run the other way to avoid it.  

When Honestly Judging Others Is Required

One of the most overused and misused King James scripture is Matthew 7:1  "Judge not, that ye be not judged." It is often used by sinners to make Christians feel guilty for saying something about the wrongness of what they may be doing.  (Even though those same sins are listed by God plainly in the Bible, it may be more prudent to pray for them, point them to salvation through Jesus, and to reading scripture rather than  trying to change them with self-righteous, angry, or condescending words.) This is not what Jesus meant.  He was saying we should not hold others to account for something we ourselves would not be willing to be accountable for.  Another way to say it is to apply the golden rule towards everyone first before calling out any preconceptions about right verses wrong.  

To reject the law is to praise the wicked; to obey the law is to fight them. 

Evil people don’t understand justice, but those who follow the Lord 

understand completely. - Proverbs 28:4-5 (NLT)

There are times when judgement must occur, especially if people have been elected to or appointed to be a judge of the law.  Judges have a grave responsibility to the law and to the people who come before them, both the innocent and the guilty. 

Here are some further sayings of the wise: 

It is wrong to show favoritism when passing judgment. 

A judge who says to the wicked, “You are innocent,” 

will be cursed by many people and denounced by the nations. 

But it will go well for those who convict the guilty; 

rich blessings will be showered on them.- Proverbs 24:23-25 (NLT)

With that judgement responsibility comes accountability to "We the People," the nation's law, and to God. In this world, we will see wise judges and corrupted ones.  Corrupt judges who lie, who take bribes, or provide false information to juries will eventually be punished by either the government  whose laws they broke or by God when eternal judgement comes.  There is no hiding their corruption.  Alterternately, their excellence and commitment to the truth will also be seen, accepted, and rewarded.

Do Not Be Lukewarm Anymore!

Jesus tells Christians they should NOT be lukewarm.  Instead it is better to be hot (seasoned believer fervantly working for Christ) or cold (potentially useful if wanting to grow in Christ).  So what is meant by lukewarm?  Lukewarms are wishy-washy people who straddle the fence between stagnant faith and desiring wordly things.  Some churches may define this as a moderate person or a modern believer, however Jesus would not agree.

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!  

So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.  

- Revelation 3:15-16 (NIV)

How do you know if you have become lukewarm?  Would you answer YES to these questions?  

• Do you just attend church as part of your religion and listen without really hearing the message?
• Do you feel it is okay to indulge in "little" sins as long as you are not hurting anyone else?

How do you move from being lukewarm to an acceptable temperature?  

• Spend more time with God each day by praying and reading your Bible.
• Socialize with fellow Christians that will help you to grow in your faith.
• Get involved with your Church and learn how to share God with others.

Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will do this: 

He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.

- Psalm 37:5-6 (NIV)

Stop straddling the fence between what Jesus wants for you and your own sinful desires.  Do not be lukewarm anymore, instead grow and develop into what Christ wants you to be so that you may gain everlasting life.  While your at it, try to take some others with you to Heaven.

The Strength of His People

Times are hard.  Unfair or horrible things may be happening all around.  Christians and non-beleviers both feel the pain of uncertainty for today and the future. Although the people of God may feel weak or disheartened, they can find strength and courage through their relationship with God.  God's people know if they ask for His help, He will answer to their benefit as long as they remain faithful and righteous. God will provide leadership to move His people  forward, so they may grow and flourish.

The Lord is the strength of His people; 

He is the saving refuge of His anointed. 

Oh, save your people and bless your heritage! 

Be their shepherd and carry them forever. - Psalm 28:8-9 (ESV) 

Christians will be lifted up from their pain and receive the promises of God; with prayer, supplication, and praise.  Knowing who God is and what He can do should be enough to move forward in faith.  God will save and lead His people.  Pray that God will continually direct leaders in the way that all should go - guide them with the consideration of the people along with God's will in every decision and action.  Recognize who God is for His people and be thankful for His blessings always.

Catching Blessings

A few months before our pastor retired, he would have us reach out our hands and he would pray a blessing over us.  Once I opened my eyes to see if others were holding their hands the same way I was.  Some had their arms slightly raised with the palms either facing up or toward the pulpit, almost as if they were waiting to catch a fast ball in their hands.  Many had their arms near or slightly above the waist-line with their palms up.  Some had their fingers spread as if waiting for something big to fall into them.  Others had their fingers tightly together as if trying to prevent the blessing from slipping through their fingers.  It was interesting that everyone was anticipating their blessings in different ways. Did you ever think about that - being ready to receive your gifts from God? 

"Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father,

who created all the lights in the heavens.  He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.

He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. 

And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession." - James 1:17-18 (NLT)

After our pastors retirement, a visiting preacher wanted to pray a blessing for us individually and as a church. He showed us how he wanted us to turn our palms upward and hold our hands out from the side of our bodies in a posture ready to receive the gifts God had for us.  This posture made me think of a small child playing ball with a parent.  The child opens their arms outward, turns his hands up, and usually spreads their fingers out too.  They make their catching area as big as they possibly can to increase their chances of catching the ball.  Then once they get the ball, they pull it tightly to their chest.  Then in their excitement of receiving the ball they either giddily giggle or smile really big.  The child knows the joy of expecting the ball and they are cofidnet in their heart that their parent is willing to keep tossing it to them. 

"But blessed are those who trust in the Lord 

and have made the Lord their hope and confidence." - Jeremiah 17:7 (NLT)

Are you genuinely expecting your blessings from God?  Like a child, is your heart and you arms wide open and ready to catch them?  You should understand God is there for you anytime and will continue to give you His very best gifts.  Knowing that could make you burst out laughing or at least smile happily at this not-so-secret truth.  If you do not feel blessed and joyful, maybe you are looking at the wrong things in life rather than the good and perfect-for-you gifts God has already provided or wants to give.

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Why Attack Now? Terrorism is NOT Religion of God!

    

"The violence of the wicked 
will drag them away,
for they refuse to do what is right."
- Proverbs 21:7 (NIV) 

After years of peace, people are wondering why did international terrorist attack Israel/Jews now?  Back on 9/11/2001 in America and long afterwards, people wondered the same thing about so-called religious extremist and domestic terrorism.  How can one group of people hate another group so much they advocate murder?  How can anyone kill others in the name of religion or claim violence as social justice? After the truth of the holocaust came out after World War II, people wondered that  same thing.  Now we add, how can so many people march in support of or as part of terrorist groups?  The secular answer is that we no longer teach truth about history.  There may be some truth in that, however it may be more that we no longer teach morality and respect for others.  There should be no doubt that  terrorist organizations are evil, no matter what propaganda phrase they adopt to convince us otherwise.

"For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness; 
with you, evil people are not welcome. 
The arrogant cannot stand in your presence. 
You hate all who do wrong;  you destroy those who tell lies. 
The bloodthirsty and deceitful you, Lord, detest." - Psalm 5:4-6 (NIV)

Now, it seems to be all about loving oneself and doing whatever you desire including inciting hate for others.  Sexual perversion is not really rampant among everyone, but we are told it must be allowed for the brainwashed mentally-ill few.  Most people want law and order, but we are told that infringes on the rights of the criminals who choose to embrace violence or take from others who are weaker than themselves.  The Bible warned this would happen as people of faith no longer raise their children in God's ways but instead allow schools and others to lead, thus allowing the devil to begin convincing new generations that evil is good through indoctrination masquerading as eduction.

"The wicked become a ransom for the righteous, 
and the unfaithful for the upright." - Proverbs 21:18 (NIV) 

So what happened to the no bullying and anti-racism programs that have now become more guided by selective or political persecution?  Is the golden rule no longer relevant in society today? We have gone too far, it is now time to choose a side.  Whose side are you on?  What attitude will you adopt? Which path will you choose?  Pick the right way, instead of continuing down the wrong path.  

"Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with malice. 

Their throat is an open grave; with their tongues they tell lies. 
Declare them guilty, O God! Let their intrigues be their downfall. 
Banish them for their many sins, for they have rebelled against you." 
Pslams 5:9-10 (NIV)

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Terrorim is not a religion based on a loving God, instead it actually is a tool of the devil to spread fear and division.  For more on Islam and what it means, view free full video at https://www.prageru.com/dearinfidels.  See trailer below.

Twelve Minutes with God

Feeling alone or abandoned?  Wondering how you can possibly survive with all the evil around today?  Are you thinking nothing can be done to improve your situation? 

It is time to reprogram your brain and renew your spirit.  How? Consider spending at least twelve minutes each day with God in prayer.  Forget the persistent "God knows" excuses for not praying - how I feel, what I need, when things are bad, where i need to go, who can help, why we need Him.  He wants you to talk to Him!  So ask for what you need, give God praise, trust Him, listen for His voice, and feel God's love.

Forget the excuse of "I don't have time to pray" - everyone has time to do something they value.  Do you value God?  Jesus believed prayer was important, you should too!  A relationship with God means more than time spent sitting in church or reading a devotional and then meditating on it.  Prayer is real communication with God and it leads to real spiritual growth.

"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. 

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, 

whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, 

whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." 

- Philippians 4:6-8 (NIV) 

“It has been found that 12 minutes of daily focused prayer over an 8 week period can change the brain to such an extent that it can be measured on a brain scan. This type of prayer increases activity in brain areas associated with social interaction compassion and sensitivity to others. It also increases frontal lobe activity as focus and intentionality increase." - Dr. Caroline Leaf, neuroscience PhD  + author of Switch On Your Brain and books on stress.  For more about how prayer changes the brain and body, visit Renewing All Things blog.

Personally, I have been doing this for a few months and am amazed at how much it has improved my attitude about things and increased my faith.  I walk daily for exercise and I spend the first 12-15 minutes of my walk praying and praising God.  I try not to ask for anything, instead I  use the time to acknowledge who He is and what He means to me.  I feel reassured that my awesome God has got this, He will take care of everything, He holds me and those I care about safely in his strong but loving hands.  Nothing is impossible for my God!  Indeed no thing is too small for Him to care about or too big for Him to conquer!

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Do your best and God will do the rest

My pastor has explained to us there are three steps we must take to reduce our stress and find happiness with our own little successes in life.  These steps can easily be summed up with "Do your best and God will do the rest."  The first step is what can humanly be done, the other two steps rely on what God can do.  

1 - Do what you can do.
2 - Give God what you CANNOT do.
3 - Trust God no matter what.

"I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of contentment in every situation, whether it be a full stomach or hunger, plenty or want; for I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power." - Philippians 4:12-13 (TLB)

A different perspective (via Gospel 24/7 blog using other Bible scriptures) is to flip the order of the steps by letting God do what He will first and that reduces your stress and allows you to rest upon Him.  Get into God's Word and see what He leads you to do! 

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Make the Choice to Choose Life!

With the overturning of Roe vs. Wade and the the decisions about abortion law returning to states, there will be new Pro-life battles closer to home now.  Christians must stand on the right side of this life and death issue and continue to work against the sacrifice of babies to Satan's desires.  For a moment, breath and know that the angels and the unborn children are singing with joy that they have been saved. Then get ready to continue working against wickedness and immorality. 

Today I am giving you a choice of two ways. And I ask heaven and earth to be witnesses of your choice. You can choose life or death. The first choice will bring a blessing. The other choice will bring a curse. So choose life! Then you and your children will live. - Deuteronomy 30:19 (ERV)

Additional Notes: For more related Bible verses regarding this topic, see 20 Bible Verses About Abortion and What The Bible Says.  For quotes from other people regarding abortion, see 15 Christian Quotes Against Abortion.  For a list of related music see 8 Songs About The Horror Of Abortion From Various Perspectives. For more rhymes, see 28 Sad Poems on Grieving with Abortion Pain.

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The God Who Sees Me!

When you are really sad or feeling mistreated, do you wonder where God is?  Does He see what is happening to you?  Will He intervene? Does He not care abut this?

Have you ever heard God called El Roi?  It means the God who sees me.  GOD as in the ALL knowing, ALL seeing, ALL powerful one.  He sees ME!  ME in I, myself, and mine.  Which also means He sees YOU and Yours too.   

"You are the God who sees me, ... I have now seen the One who sees me." 
- Genesis 16:13 (NIV)

We find "El Roi" name for God used by in the desert by a lonely Hagar, the handmaid of Sarah and Abraham.  Hagar is greatly mistreated and feels cheated roe than once in the book of Genesis.  Yet, she and her son are recognized by God and given comfort of their own promises rom Him.  

You may be going through a trial by God or through a horrible test of faith like the devil inflicted on Job.  You may be encounting wrong treatment by people around you or you may be reaping something you may have brought upon yourself through loss of faith.  

"Yet you know me, Lord; you see me and test my thoughts about you..." 
- Jeremiah 12:3 (NIV)

The prophet Jeremiah understood how it felt to have people try to harm him verbally and physically.  Yet, he realized his God was with him and had a plan for his life.   He may have been discouraged and his attitude was not always good, but he knew his God.   However, his faith in his calling was stronger than his weaknesses.  Jeremiah put his trust in the Lord to keep him safe and help him to deliver the words God wanted him to share.

Rest assured, God sees and recognizes you too. He has a good plan for you too.  No matter what is going on in your life right now, remember He sees you and He wants the best for you.  It may take some time. but you will come out of whatever is going on in your life.  Look for your best attitude in every situation that tempts your faith. Will you come out closer to the God who sees?  Will you recognize His love and help when it comes?  Rise in His glory and stand on your faith.  

God Isn't Into Instant

Everyone is in such a hurry to go somewhere or get something immediately.  We live a fast-food life with drive-thrus and microwaves.  We can look up almost any topic on the internet and quickly find a viewpoint we can instantly agree or argue with.  We do not want to wait for anything, even if waiting may be the best option for us.  We want instant gratification and quick solutions!

"For the revelation pertains to an appointed time— it speaks truthfully about the end. Though it delays, wait for it, because it will surely come about— it will not be late!" 
- Habakkuk 2:3 (ISV)

With that attitude, it is no wonder we expect God to react to our every wish and whim.   We want healing now. We want peace now.  We want justice now.  We want prosperity now.  We want blessings now.  We want ... whatever NOW!  

"Don’t forget this fact, dear friends: With the Lord a single day is like a thousand years, 
and a thousand years are like a single day. The Lord is not slow about his promise, 
as some people understand slowness, but is being patient with you. 
He does not want anyone to perish, but everyone to find room for repentance."
- 2 Peter 3:8-9 (ISV)

God's timing is not the same as humans.  God knows what is best for us and when we are ready to receive it.  That is not to say, that He ignores us when we ask for things.  We should continue to pray/ask and if our desire is within His will and the time is right, we can expect to get what we need.  What we need may or may not be the same as what we ask.  We need to recognize when He answers prayers, whether the answer is "instant" or requires we have patience to wait for His perfect timing.  

Got Worries? Give Them to God

As Christians, why do we have worries?  What do we have to feel anxious about?  How can we get past our concerns?  

"If you will humble yourselves 
under the mighty hand of God, 
in his good time he will lift you up. 
Let him have all your worries and cares, 
for he is always thinking about you 
and watching everything that concerns you."
 - 1 Peter 5:6-7 (TLB)

We have to remember that God is in charge of our lives.  He has plans for  each of us.  When we go outside of His plan and try to do things on our own or rely on others instead of God, things can and will go awry. When this happens, we must turn back to God and trust Him for aid and direction.  We do this through prayer to God and gratitude for all He has done for us and will do for us.  We are His children, so He always wants what is best for us.  

Overcoming Negative Emotions

In the world today, there is so much focus on negative emotions we inflict upon ourselves or force onto others (sometime knowingly and often unknowingly).  Modern marketing tells us we will be happy if we can just get a little more of something.  We are bombarded with psychological and societal methods for improving the way we feel.  If a method works,  it is only for a short time.  The emotions return and too often are more intense with time.  There is no better emotion-shifter than having a relationship with God.  

"But He gives more grace. Therefore it says, 

'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'  

Submit yourselves therefore to God. 

Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 

Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. 

Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, 

you double-minded."- James 4:6-8 (ESV)

This does not mean we will no longer experience negative feelings of anger, fear, loneliness, or sadness.  Instead, we will have a power to call on our God to will help us overcome the negativity in our lives.  He can replace: anger with composure, fear with determination, loneliness with His presence, and sadness with contentment.  Deciding to accept a relationship with God (instead of continuing in wordly indecision) is no guarantee that life will always be tranquil. However, we will know and experience the true promise of God's love. 

Is It Time for an Attitude Adjustment?

Does it seem like more good things are happening for bad people?  Are you really only experiencing the worse in life?  Does it seem like evil is winning the day?  Why do you feel you are losing out?  Do you think you are suffering tight now?  Does the problem or appear impossible to you? Does it seem like God has closed His eyes to what is happening?

When I thought to know this, 

it was too painful for me;  

Until I went into the sanctuary of God; 

then understood ..." - Psalms 73:16-17 (KJV)

Recently, my pastor (sermon video) covered parts of Psalms 73 as a necessary attitude adjustment  for Christians.  Pastor suggested we replace "Israel" in the first verse with our own names to personalize the thoughts and behaviors as we read through the chapter.  In the first half of that chapter, we are lamenting how evil people prosper.  We may be falling for the the lies and propaganda of the devil.  Just as Asaph exaggerated what he saw, we may also wonder about who appears to be in charge of what is going on around us. Are we feeling sorry for ourselves?  Are we wondering where the Church fits in the current situation?  Just as Asaph did, we must remember who is charge of our life and what we have to look forward to.  We must recognize God is in charge and our attitude will change for the better just as it did for Asaph in the 2nd half of the chapter.

"But it is good for me to draw near to God: 

I have put my trust in the Lord God, 

that I may declare all Thy works.." - Psalms 73:28

Are you falling into the trap of self-pity?  Time to change your attitude by remembering who you belong to.  Look to God's word for encouragement , pry for guidance, and remember who really is in charge!  It is not man or satan.  God is on your side!  Your all--powerful, everlasting God always wins!