"Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech…"
This Memorial Day is to honor those who have served faithfully our great country and given their lives in many cases – yet they get one day of remembrance, along with 4th of July, Veteran’s Day, President’s Day and any day especially having to do with the greatness of our Country; and we now will be subjected to an entire month of pride – why? – we have fallen so far from our Judeo-Christian foundations.
Prov 11:2 “When pride comes, then comes disgrace..”
Prov 13:10 “Where there is strife, there is pride…”
Prov. 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”
I think we often feel there is little we Christians can do except pray against the devil’s schemes and of course prayer is very powerful, but we also can take a stand by running for local offices, especially speaking out against the pornography and transgender books that are making their way into school and public libraries.
But we can take a stand against evil through our buying power. You may have heard how Bud Light and other Anheuser-Busch products having a transgender spokesperson has backfired for them.
In the same vein I would urge you to boycott Target and never set foot in their stores again. They have been pushing the lgbtq agenda for years and have a pride collection featuring, among other items, women’s bathing suits with a section to tuck private parts. Now they have a clothing line for babies and children with transgender friendly slogans.
Most recently they have promoted clothes designed by a transgender satanist who looks like a he but is a she who is wearing goats horns on her head and happily wearing a t-shirt that says satan respects pronouns. There are many other disgusting and evil images and sayings on the clothes such as the image of an occult being called baphomet; a human male/female torso, with a goat’s head and horns and wings.
They sell pins that say trans witches for abortion – witches and wizards love transpeople, etc.
There has been a strong backlash against all of this but they have just moved displays to different parts of the store and all of it is online.
Target partners with an organization with the letters GLSEN which pushes for kids’ genders to be secretly changed in schools without parental consent. As Christians we can NOT be ignorant of these things though the fake news will never tell the truth. You need to find other sources of information such as on the Truth Social app.
Christians can take their buying power elsewhere – be creative – buy local, support small businesses. For school supplies go to any store with Dollar in it, Staples, Office Max, etc. BTW Walmart is worse than Target.
This may be where we suffer a bit by having to pay more or giving up convenient one stop shopping but we need to make a choice about taking a stand. Target and Walmart among others have chosen evil and darkness.
Jesus overturned money changers tables, he called out the Pharisees and Sadducees as a den of vipers and hypocrites. He stood against evil.
Prov. 8:13 “To fear the Lord is to hate evil,”
Amos 5:15 “Hate evil, love good;”
Psalm 45:7 “You love righteousness and hate wickedness;”
Psalm 97:10 “Let those who love the Lord hate evil;”
John 10:10 “ The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;
We certainly are supposed to love and pray for our enemies but that does not mean we compromise what we know is good and right and true to God’s teachings. Many have chosen darkness and evil has filled their souls – we can certainly pray for the sinner but still be against the sin.
Though things look bleak, it’s always darkest before the dawn and we serve a God Who is bigger than any evil plot or plan satan has up his sleeve. We need to dress in our godly armor (Eph.6) and stand our ground, pushing back against the spiritual darkness. We need to cling to our powerful God Who has overcome the world.
— Presented by Patricia Gunther
Above article posted with permission of the author Pat Gunther
I was hoping the above link would take you directly to the article. Excerpts follow : Please visit The Western Journal to read the full article:
excerpt from Warner Todd Huston article May 31, 2023 at 5:02pm in The Western Journal
“National clothing brand Hollister has also jumped into the world of ultra-woke products, but even worse, they are openly donating to a group whose sole purpose is to target children.”National clothing brand Hollister has also jumped into the world of ultra-woke products, but even worse, they are openly donating to a group whose sole purpose is to target children.
“..it (Hollister) was always part of the national clothing chain, Abercrombie & Fitch Co.
“This year, Hollister was proud to announce on its pride collection website that its 2023 line was “co-created” by the radical, child grooming activist group GLSEN. The company also proudly posted tweet after tweet in support of GLSEN and its goals and has donated $250,000 to the group. In one recent tweet the clothing brand noted that it has been a GLSEN partner since 2017.
“As you can see, Hollister doesn’t simply sell a few stray LGBT-themed shirts to placate the gay movement. It is a full, donating partner with them.”
.….Please visit The Western Journal for the complete article, information and updates, and seriously consider a subscription to The Western Journal… – M. LaClair
Very short post today: Yet, I feel it is urgent
The words ‘show no mercy’ were a loud whisper in my mind at 3:00 a.m. this morning. So I decided to see if they could be found in the Holy Scriptures. Here is what I am finding; and here is my current prayer for an America in need
My Prayer for America:
Ps 59:1-5
Deliver me from my enemies, O God;
protect me from those who rise up against me.
2 Deliver me from evildoers
and save me from bloodthirsty men.
3 See how they lie in wait for me!
Fierce men conspire against me
for no offense or sin of mine, O LORD .
4 I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me.
Arise to help me; look on my plight!
5 O LORD God Almighty, the God of Israel,
rouse yourself to punish all the nations;Show no mercy to wicked traitors.NIV
Pray God’s Word back to Him. This is a good idea to do. Remind Him. Partner with Him in this by agreeing with His Word.
Application:
Deliver us from America's enemies, O God'
protect us from those who rise up against us.
Deliver us from evildoers
and save us from bloodthirsty men.
See how they lie in wait for us !
Fierce men conspire against us
for no offense or sin of ours, O LORD
We have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack us.
.....can we really say that we have no sin or done no wrong? OUCH !
Arise to help us; look on our plight!
O LORD God Almighty, the God of Israel
rouse Yourself to punish all the nations;
Show no mercy to America's wicked traitors.
Reading the whole of Psalm 59 is good; along with the whole of Psalm 37; along with the whole of Psalm 125.
See for yourself…
P.S. Isaiah 26:10
Isa 26:10
Though grace is shown to the wicked,
they do not learn righteousness;
even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil
and regard not the majesty of the LORD .” NIV
Matt 7:6
6 "Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces. NKJV
Is not grace a pearl?
The Living Bible puts it this way:
Isa 26:10-11
Your kindness to the wicked doesn't make them good; they keep on doing wrong and take no notice of your majesty. They do not listen when you threaten; they will not look to see your upraised fist. Show them how much you love your people. Perhaps then they will be ashamed! Yes, let them be burned up by the fire reserved for your enemies. TLB
SELAH… SHOW US YOUR GLORY, O MIGHTY LORD
.... let no mercy be shown to wicked traitors, by You or by our Nation, O Lord....
- END -
Happiness is seeing the stars and knowing Who to thank. In the wee hours before dawn during the meteor shower of 9/18/01, the very magnitude of the heavens made me realize once again the very magnitude of our Creator! I am glad I knew Who to thank.
Like lovers apart looking at the same moon, the awesome realization that people all over were seeing the same stars in the same heavens mesmerized me.
The Scriptures tell us that the returning of the Lord will be seen by all peoples. The whole world will see Him at His coming. I was suddenly electrified with the realization that it would not be the way the world saw the imploding of a World Trade Center tower – through television; but that it would be the way I was watching the actual meteor shower with the rest of the world that morning.
I thrilled at the mind’s eye picture of the Lord standing with His feet on the horizon, in full color, His face appearing in the places where meteors travel, and His body filling the heavens!
Would we float up to Him on lofty rays of light radiating from His hands?
Are you watching for His return?
Ever notice when you smile at someone they inevitably smile back at you?
When was the last time you smiled at God?
When was the last time you remember us as a Nation smile at God?
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, in his first inaugural address, July 2, 1932 said,
“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself…We face arduous days that lie before us in the warm courage of national unity; with the clear consciousness of seeking old and precious moral values… In this dedication of a nation we humbly ask the blessing of God. May He protect each and every one of us! May He guide me in the days to come.” FDR
Now that we have the warm courage of National unity, have we yet ‘consciously sought old and precious moral values’ as F.D.R. and others state, or do we still consciously seek to erase them by calling them intolerant and unconstitutional? Many strive for a clear conscience; yet see where F.D.R. tells us one is to be found?
Historical papers (Proposed First Amendment from the Virginia Ratifying Convention June 27, 1788) actually openly acknowledge and state:
“That religion, or the duty which we owe to our Creator, and the manner of discharging it…”
Have we lost hold of the concept that we may actually have a duty to our Creator? …and a responsibility to discharge it in proper order?
Do you know for sure whether the Lord will be smiling back at you when He returns?
Are you smiling at Him?
This thanksgiving season, let us have a renewed idea of those things for which we owe Him thanksgiving; if our conscience whispers we may be just a little off track; let the survivors of the Attack on America remind us. They were suddenly thankful for their spouses, their children, their neighbors. They were reminded that relationships were suddenly more important than things.
“Heavenly Father, we thank you for showing us the value in each of our relationships, both old, present and yet to come. We ask you to fill voids where relationships may be missing; in ourselves and others fill them first with a fresh knowledge of Yourself through a personal relationship with You, then may you add the human element; so keeping all relationships in proper order. May we live by the Golden Rule treating others the way we wish to be treated ourselves. May we see our family and friends in a fresh and valued way and know Who to thank. Help us to learn from our mistakes and set our feet on straight paths. Thank you magnificent Father!”
Isa 66:1
“Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool:”
Matt 5:35
“Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: “
Acts 7:49
“Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: “ KJV
Ever notice the Ten Commandments deal most entirely with actions, until the end when it deals with thoughts? “Thou shalt not covet”? To covet is a thought –
In this life on earth, actions primarily define a person, while thoughts may be the primary defining element in the after-life. Perhaps this is why the devil likes to put bad thoughts in our minds, he tries to contaminate our spirits, that part of us which lives on.
As a child, I can remember hearing my Grand-Mother uttering the words: “Lord, perish the thought”.
God can be, and is, quite displeased with the thoughts we allow to stay in our minds…which we allow to stay in our minds…which we allow to stay in our minds.
Ezek 8:12
“Then the Lord said to me: “Son of dust, have you seen what the elders of Israel are doing in their minds? For they say, ‘The Lord doesn’t see us; he has gone away!'” TLB
Ezek 8:12
“And he said unto me, Hast thou seen, son of man, what the elders of the house of Israel do in the dark, every one in his chambers of imagery? for they say, Jehovah seeth us not; Jehovah hath forsaken the land.” Darby
Ezekiel 8:12 (my paraphrase) ‘Mortal man, have you seen what the church leaders (..and church members using My Name..) are doing in their minds?’
…. For it is to the CHURCH God says … turn from your wicked ways,…and He will heal our land.
Rev. 2:23 “…and all the churches shall know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts.”
In heaven. Our physical bodies will be gone but our spirits will live on – we will communicate using our thoughts. Other people, including Jesus, will hear our thoughts. So if this is true we should do our best to clean up our thoughts while here on earth, with the additional side effect of healing our land. Let us ALL do our part and see for ourselves how important our thoughts are to God, either pleasing or displeasing:
In the NIV, there may be found 57 references to the word THOUGHTS and 37 references to the word MIND.
So that the Lord may work with each reader individually, the partial lists may be found here. “search me O God, and see if there be any wicked way in me”
Ps 139:23-24
“Examine me, O God, and know my mind;test me, and discover my thoughts. Find out if there is any evil in me and guide me in the everlasting way. ” GNT (Good News Translation)
…is a good prayer to say before reviewing this list. It may be different for everyone. Good luck and may The Lord open the heart and mind of God to each of us.
“IF my people who are called by My Name….will turn from their wicked ways…I will heal their land.”
The healing of our land, the land allotted to the righteous, depends upon God’s people being righteous and turning from the ways which God considers wicked, and it begins with our thoughts.
Let’s see what He says:
57 references to ‘thoughts’ :
Genesis 6:5
5 The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.6 The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. 7 So the Lord said, “I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earth — men and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the air — for I am grieved that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. NIV
1 Chronicles 28:9
9 “And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. 10 Consider now, for the Lord has chosen you to build a temple as a sanctuary. Be strong and do the work.” NIV
Psalms 10:4 In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God. NIV
Psalms 13:2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me NIV
Psalms 55:2 hear me and answer me. My thoughts trouble me and I am distraught
Psalms 92:5 How great are your works, O Lord, how profound your thoughts!
Psalms 94:11 1 The Lord knows the thoughts of man; he knows that they are futile.
Psalms 139:2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
Psalms 139:17 How precious tome are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! (Ask God to give you His thoughts)
Psalms 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. NIV
Proverbs 1:23 If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you. NIV
Proverbs 15:26 The Lord detests the thoughts of the wicked, but those of the pure are pleasing to him. NIV
Ecclesiastes 10:20 Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird of the air may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say.
Isaiah 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
Isaiah 59:7 Their feet rush into sin; they are swift to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are evil thoughts; ruin and destruction mark their ways. NIV
Jeremiah 4:14 O Jerusalem, wash the evil from your heart and be saved. How long will you harbor wicked thoughts? NIV
Now, let’s see what Jesus and the New Testament say about our thoughts. Are our thoughts really all that important? Let’s see for ourselves if the New Testament confirms the Old Testament on this issue:
Matthew 9:4 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? 5 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 6 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. . . .” Then he said to the paralytic, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” 7 And the man got up and went home. 8 When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men.
Matthew 12:25 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28 But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
Matthew 15:19 “Are you still so dull?” Jesus asked them. 17 “Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? 18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean.’19 For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. 20 These are what make a man ‘unclean‘; but eating with unwashed hands does not make him ‘unclean.'”
Mark 7:21 He went on: “What comes out of a man is what makes him ‘unclean.’ 21 For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22 greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. 23 All these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean.'”
Luke 1:51 He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts
Luke 2:35 The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, 35 so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
Luke 9:47An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. 47 Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. 48 Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For he who is least among you all — he is the greatest.”
Luke 11:17Jesus knew their thoughtsand said to them: “Any kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and a house divided against itself will fall. 18 If Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? I say this because you claim that I drive out demons by Beelzebub. 19 Now if I drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your followers drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 20 But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you.
Comment: Jesus knows our thoughts in this life; how much more in the afterlife…!
Romans 2:15 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. 14 (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, 15 since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.) 16 This will take place on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.
1 Corinthians 2:11 The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man’s spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.c 14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment:
1 Corinthians 3:20 Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a “fool” so that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”;a 20 and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.”
Ephesians 2:3 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2 in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3 All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7 in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Hebrews 3:1 Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.2 He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house.
Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
Some select Scriptures sorted by using the word MIND.
Deuteronomy 11:18 Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. 17 Then the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and he will shut the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the Lord is giving you. 18 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 20 Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates, 21 so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land that the Lord swore to give your forefathers, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth. NIV
Psalms 7:9 O righteous God,who searches minds and hearts,bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure. NIV
Comment: Let us pray this Psalm 7:9 for our Nation. Search hearts and minds, O Lord, and put and end to the violence and thoughts of the wicked and make the righteous secure. Thank you Lord, because with clean hearts and minds, we pray this according to Your will, as stated in the Scriptures.
Psalms 73:7 From their callous hearts comes iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits. NIV
Proverbs 12:8 A man is praised according to his wisdom, but men with warped minds are despised. NIV
Isaiah 44:18 They know nothing, they understand nothing; their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see, and their minds closed so they cannot understand. NIV
Jeremiah 14:14 Then the Lord said to me, “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatriesaand the delusions of their own minds…. I will pour out on them the calamity they deserve. NIV
Jeremiah 31:33 “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. NIV
Luke 24:38 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” NIV
Luke 24:45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” NIV
Comment: Oh, Lord, we ask that you open the minds of your readers here, to understand the Scriptures…. Thank you, Holy Spirit
Acts 14:2At Iconium Paul and Barnabas went as usual into the Jewish synagogue. There they spoke so effectively that a great number of Jews and Gentiles believed. 2 But the Jews who refused to believe stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 3 So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders.
Comment: Oh, Lord, don’t let our minds be poisoned…
Romans 8:5 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind of sinful mane is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; 7 the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. NIV
Romans 16:18 I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. 18For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. 19Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. NIV
2 Corinthians 3:14 Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. 13 We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to keep the Israelites from gazing at it while the radiance was fading away. 14 But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. 15 Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. 16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. NIV
2 Corinthians 11:3 But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
Comment: Protect our minds, O Lord, that we not be led astray.
Ephesians 4:23 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. NIV
Philippians 4:7 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. NIV
Phil 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. RSV
1 Peter 1:13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. 14As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”NIV
Revelation 2:23 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. 21 I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. 24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets (I will not impose any other burden on you): 25 Only hold on to what you have until I come. NIV
–end–
P.S. Dr. Tony Evans has an excellent sermon on ordering our thinking. This is a sermon which is Part 2 of Overcoming Emotional Strongholds.
If you like Part 2, you may find Part 1 and other messages from Dr. Evans by googling his name: also on Alexa by saying: “play Dr. Tony Evans The Alternative from One Place”
May you, dear readers, conquer the negative and become an over-comer through Christ Jesus and His Holy Spirit…to become your best you.
This was published two years ago on 3/9/18, it is being re-posted again here now, two years later, because the need for the knowledge of its content still seems to exist
— Mary A. LaClair
2 Chron 7:14-15
if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, thenI will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. RSV (emphasis mine)
Because our land needs healing, let’s unpack this often quoted verse to its fullest. This verse is often heard with emphasis on the words “pray”. But that is not all this verse is saying. Not to be overlooked or diminished, which I think is happening, is the equally important phrase, “and turn from their wicked ways”.
How many times have we heard that part emphasized recently? The emphasis has been mostly on the word “pray”.
What happens if we do in fact pray, but do not in fact turn from our wicked ways?
Is God obligated to fulfill His part of the bargain …….if we do not meet or fulfill the ‘and’ words?
pray …AND seek… AND turn ….They are verbs – action words, if you will.
Who needs to take these actions? We need to know to whom this is addressed. Is it addressed to all people in general? Is it to God’s people? Who are God’s people? It tells us who they are. The ones ‘called by His Name’. The ones claiming to be ‘Christian’.
Can you see that we are the ones who carry the power to get our land healed? Wow! What power with God!
Why, then, is our land not being healed faster than it is?
We can pray, but unconfessed sin is a hindrance to our being heard. Three translations put the same verse this way:
Ps 66:18 “If I had ignored my sins, the Lord would not have listened to me.” TEV
Ps 66:18-19 “He would not have listened if I had not confessed my sins. But he listened! He heard my prayer! He paid attention to it! ” TLB
Ps 66:18 :…the Lord would not have listened; if I cherished sin in my heart.” NIV
This seems to deal with thoughts.
Ps 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” NIV
Jer 23:24 “Can anyone hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? says the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? says the Lord. ” AMP
Do church leaders need to strain at gnats and swallow camels ?
No. I believe there are large camels of sin in our churches. Where does one start? Well, because of all the sexual harassment claims, let’s start with lust. It is big in the world today and has even crossed lines into the churches. Several high profile pastors have admitted they have been delivered from pornography, many more probably have not; and it is not limited to pastors. Anyone who wants answers to prayers needs to consider themselves. Getting pornography removed from the internet would go a long way to curbing these sins in the Nation and in the church. In view of much sexual misconduct in Congress ; and in view of disrespect for human life via numerous mass murders, whether by vehicle, bombs, guns, or infanticide (abortion at birth), now would be a good time to express the need to respect life. I suggest this may be done by re-criminalizing BOTH porn AND abortion. We did not have these problems when those laws were in effect.
Now may be the time to cite some causes for these national problems and correct them: lack of respect for women and for human life . These are problems for which this Nation should find solutions, and as Christians we should be able to offer them those solutions, but not just for benefit of the church, for the benefit of our government and our country. In solving their problems we might just also be solving our own.
Teaching proper respect for ourselves and for the opposite sex would go a long way, but the Lord says the action itself needs to start with us.
God can’t clean up the world until He first cleans up His church. There are secret sins and not-so-secret-sins hidden within the church.
According to the opening Scripture, which holds a promise: We need to get rid of these sins in God’s people if our prayers are to be answered. Will it start with you and me? If it does, maybe then God can clean up the world a little faster. And God knows we need it. Our prayers won’t get ready answers until we first clean up the church. We can’t expect the world to be cleaner than the church.
1 Peter 3:7 “Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. ” NIV
———————————————————————
WORK ON THE SOLUTION ! ……..
Ps 19:12-14
Who can discern his errors?Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins;may they not rule over me.Then will I be blameless,innocent of great transgression. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heartbe pleasing in your sight,O Lord , my Rock and my Redeemer. NIV
Pastors:
Encourage your flock to ask God to reveal to each individual any unconfessed and unknown sins which may be hindering their prayers. We should encourage repentance of sins while avoiding condemnation or even public confession. Blanket forgiveness of active sins without repentance is not God’s way. Jesus preached repentance. God can identify sin in those who ask, without producing excessive guilt. Repentance still needs to be preached today. Jesus is able to identify sin and convict individuals without condemnation. Let Him do it — but do encourage God’s lambs and sheep to seek God’s help in identifying their sin. Then, when you have cleansed yourself, pray for others to find the same courage of self examination and repentance.
Rom 8:13-14
Blessings upon all!
“…but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” NIV
One final word:
Phil 2:13 “For God is at work within you, helping you want to obey him, and then helping you do what he wants.” TLB
Is God in you? Pray the sinners prayer, admit sin, ask for His help, ask Jesus into your heart then seek His Holy Spirit more fully.
“Lord Jesus, I admit I’m a sinner, I need your forgiveness, please include my sins with those sins for which you died. Come into my life, help me to be all that you want me to be, come into my heart and let my spirit be born again into Your Holy Spirit, put my feet on the straight path and always guide me in thought word and deed. Thank you Jesus.”
If you prayed that prayer with sincerity, you may now claim the Scripture:
Phil 2:13 “For God is at work within you, helping you want to obey him, and then helping you do what he wants.” TLB
What do you say Pastors: will you preach self-examination and repentance to our church families?
Individuals: are we ready to seek God’s help in this?
God’s blessings be upon us as we work through things with Jesus!
This article was first published here in 2012. It is being re-run here, with some updated information. Updates are found in italics
In the 1960’s, progressives advocated that married couples limit offspring to three; two to replace themselves with only one to grow on, or as a spare. This is the thinking which I believe set the stage for decriminalizing abortion and homosexuality, anything went as long as we didn’t multiply ourselves. We couldn’t risk becoming an over populated country like China, or like India with their opium dens. (popular at that time). Coat hangers are their montra in 2018
The fear-mongering, counter-culture activists in the 1960’s once spread the poison idea that normal and natural reproduction would create a population explosion that our land could not handle.
They claimed there wouldn’t be enough trees to clean the air and provide fuel, or enough pasture land to feed the cattle and grow crops necessary to feed our growing masses.
The results are in. Illegal immigration brings into our country, foreign speaking people with no regard for legalities; and in numbers rapidly equaling exceeding that required to replace our own aborted Americans.
And guess what? There ARE still enough trees to clean the air, wood to burn, and there IS enough pasture land to feed cattle and grow crops.
The fear-mongering activists were wrong. And we believed them.
A group called Californians for Population Stabilization, (www.cap-s.org) (no longer found) which contends that high levels of immigration are ruining the quality of life in that state, released a report with studies that estimated there are from 20 million to 38 million illegal immigrants in the United States. THAT was back in 2012.
“While various sources place the number of abortions anywhere between 40-48 million, the centers for Disease Control and Prevention would approximate the number of abortions performed since 1973 to be 40,944,029.” (1973-2012) Source; Centers for Disease Control and prevention: Abortion Surveillance – United State 2003 Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report Vol 55, o.ss-11 November 24, 2006.
Lessons that should be learned? Beware of activists, even politicians, who cry ‘no more status quo’, and beware the ‘counter culture’, even those who peddle ‘hope’, thus implying there is no current hope. Will we believe hype again? Beware the unknown or we may become exiles in our own land because we once again believed a lie (the many lies).
How much longer can we murder Americans and favor illegals?
SOMETIMES GOD SPEAKS TO US IN THE SIMPLEST OF THINGS
By — Ruth Anderson
( It is with great pleasure that Ruth Anderson has granted permission to have this article posted here. Ruth is a teacher, has long been active on church ministerial teams and church leadership. I appreciate being able to share her wisdom with you, my readers. )
I attended an event this past Sunday. In my heart of hearts I really believed that there would be a move of God on that day. I reached out to churches and groups and church leaders and those with giftings and abilities to attend the event with me. I was hurt and bewildered why some with a calling on their life couldn’t see the potential in this opportunity to reach thousands of people and hundreds of children. Church leaders and evangelists and Prophets all told me this was for me. I didn’t understand at the time.
At the event there was a bear, a living breathing creation of God. The Game Commission had trapped it. This bear, when it was brought out of the trap had a problem. It had mange. Now mange is a little mite that gets on the bear and causes the bear some problems. For this bear the little mite had caused it to lose hair on the bear’s face and shoulder. It also caused the bear to be underweight for its age. Because of the mite the Game Commission would not let anyone touch the bear so that this mite would not spread to people.
As I look back on that day, I am reflecting on what I learned. I believe it was a day that the Holy Spirit would have something to say. Perhaps He did and I was there to get the message.
As I looked on the bear, God’s creation, it brought tears to my eyes. To look at one of the creatures the Lord put here on the earth. As I looked at the body of the bear, I could see its claws, I could see its shape, its fur, its eyes, since it was sedated I was unable to see its strength but I know a bear can be powerful. Yet I could see the effects of the mange, how one little thing could affect the whole bear and since the bears own body was fighting against the little mite, the appearance of the bear showed the battle.
As I think about the body of the bear I reflect on the body of Christ, the church. Are we as strong as we could be? Are we as full grown as we ought to be? Are we as powerful as we should be? What battles are we fighting? Are we fighting the things that are in us and on us that are preventing us from growing into the powerful body the Lord has called us to be?
Reflect on this a little and consider what the Lord might speak to you through this.
A PASTOR’S REPLY – name withheld
Ruth ,
the truth will not set us free? it is the truth that we know , Jesus said the truth you know shall set you free . Until you know truth, that truth cannot set you free. Below are just three examples of that truth.
Regarding the bear , it is symbolic of the church. See the church has been shot with a dart from the devil, just like the tranquilizer. Why was the bear shot ? Because he was sick.
THE CHURCH TODAY IS SICK. It HAS LET, PERMITTED, THE LIES, AND FALSE TEACHINGS TO CREEP IN AND GIVE GROUND TO THE ENEMY.
THE CHURCH ” SHOULD BE ” big like bear, strong, bold, and beautiful……………………… now it has let a little leaven, leaven the whole lump………………..the leaven of the Pharisees has crept in, little by little lie after lie………………….
why do people accept lies , strain at gnats, while swallowing camel loads of sin. that bear is symbolic of the state of the church today , it needs to be healed , arise in its strength, and prepare for what is about to happen. Why were there so few that supported the event? that is the issue with the church today. They just want to support themselves, i , me , and mine. ME my four and no more! they will say they want to support others, but all the while they just want to steal from other ministries…………….. or because of the fear of someone stealing theirs they do not support others. The church like the bear is sick right now and needs a great awakening.
thanks for thinking of me, I hope this helps ……………. this is what came to me exactly as I read it from you !
if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, thenI will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. RSV (emphasis mine)
Because our land needs healing, let’s unpack this often quoted verse to its fullest. This verse is often heard with emphasis on the words “pray”. But that is not all this verse is saying. Not to be overlooked or diminished, which I think is happening, is the equally important phrase, “and turn from their wicked ways”.
How many times have we heard that part emphasized recently? The emphasis has been mostly on the word “pray”.
What happens if we do in fact pray, but do not in fact turn from our wicked ways?
Is God obligated to fulfill His part of the bargain …….if we do not meet or fulfill the ‘and’ words?
pray …AND seek… AND turn ….They are verbs – action words, if you will.
Who needs to take these actions? We need to know to whom this is addressed. Is it addressed to all people in general? Is it to God’s people? Who are God’s people? It tells us who they are. The ones ‘called by His Name’. The ones claiming to be ‘Christian’.
Can you see that we are the ones who carry the power to get our land healed? Wow! What power with God!
Why, then, is our land not being healed faster than it is?
We can pray, but unconfessed sin is a hindrance to our being heard. Three translations put the same verse this way:
Ps 66:18 “If I had ignored my sins, the Lord would not have listened to me.” TEV
Ps 66:18-19 “He would not have listened if I had not confessed my sins. But he listened! He heard my prayer! He paid attention to it! ” TLB
Ps 66:18 :…the Lord would not have listened; if I cherished sin in my heart.” NIV
This seems to deal with thoughts.
Ps 139:23-24 “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” NIV
Jer 23:24 “Can anyone hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? says the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? says the Lord. ” AMP
Do church leaders need to strain at gnats and swallow camels ?
No. I believe there are large camels of sin in our churches. Where does one start? Well, because of all the sexual harassment claims, let’s start with lust. It is big in the world today and has even crossed lines into the churches. Several high profile pastors have admitted they have been delivered from pornography, many more probably have not; and it is not limited to pastors. Anyone who wants answers to prayers needs to consider themselves. Getting pornography removed from the internet would go a long way to curbing these sins in the Nation and in the church. In view of much sexual misconduct in Congress ; and in view of disrespect for human life via numerous mass murders, whether by vehicle, bombs, guns, or infanticide (abortion at birth), now would be a good time to express the need to respect life. I suggest this may be done by re-criminalizing BOTH porn AND abortion. We did not have these problems when those laws were in effect.
Now may be the time to cite some causes for these national problems and correct them: lack of respect for women and for human life . These are problems for which this Nation should find solutions, and as Christians we should be able to offer them those solutions, but not just for benefit of the church, for the benefit of our government and our country. In solving their problems we might just also be solving our own.
Teaching proper respect for ourselves and for the opposite sex would go a long way, but the Lord says the action itself needs to start with us.
God can’t clean up the world until He first cleans up His church. There are secret sins and not-so-secret-sins hidden within the church.
According to the opening Scripture, which holds a promise: We need to get rid of these sins in God’s people if our prayers are to be answered. Will it start with you and me? If it does, maybe then God can clean up the world a little faster. And God knows we need it. Our prayers won’t get ready answers until we first clean up the church. We can’t expect the world to be cleaner than the church.
1 Peter 3:7 “Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers. ” NIV
———————————————————————
WORK ON THE SOLUTION ! ……..
Ps 19:12-14
Who can discern his errors?Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins;may they not rule over me.Then will I be blameless,innocent of great transgression. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heartbe pleasing in your sight,O Lord , my Rock and my Redeemer. NIV
Pastors:
Encourage your flock to ask God to reveal to each individual any unconfessed and unknown sins which may be hindering their prayers. We should encourage repentance of sins while avoiding condemnation or even public confession. Blanket forgiveness of active sins without repentance is not God’s way. Jesus preached repentance. God can identify sin in those who ask, without producing excessive guilt. Repentance still needs to be preached today. Jesus is able to identify sin and convict individuals without condemnation. Let Him do it — but do encourage God’s lambs and sheep to seek God’s help in identifying their sin. Then, when you have cleansed yourself, pray for others to find the same courage of self examination and repentance.
Rom 8:13-14
Blessings upon all!
“…but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” NIV
One final word:
Phil 2:13 “For God is at work within you, helping you want to obey him, and then helping you do what he wants.” TLB
Is God in you? Pray the sinners prayer, admit sin, ask for His help, ask Jesus into your heart then seek His Holy Spirit more fully.
“Lord Jesus, I admit I’m a sinner, I need your forgiveness, please include my sins with those sins for which you died. Come into my life, help me to be all that you want me to be, come into my heart and let my spirit be born again into Your Holy Spirit, put my feet on the straight path and always guide me in thought word and deed. Thank you Jesus.”
If you prayed that prayer with sincerity, you may now claim the Scripture:
Phil 2:13 “For God is at work within you, helping you want to obey him, and then helping you do what he wants.” TLB
What do you say Pastors: will you preach self-examination and repentance to our church families?
Individuals: are we ready to seek God’s help in this?
God’s blessings be upon us as we work through things with Jesus!
Ever hear of the saying, “If it ‘ain’t broke, don’t fix it”?
Remember when our schools were a safe place and were NOT broken?
In case some can’t remember, it was when prayer and the Ten Commandments were present daily in our schools.
There is nothing wrong with having THOU SHALT NOT MURDER posted in our classrooms.
If they were there when the young perpetrator attended school, perhaps things would have been different.
There is nothing wrong with asking God’s protection “upon us, our teachers, our parents and our Nation”
Then, someone purported to ‘be offended’. Others purported to be ‘holier than thou’ by not offending – and removed God.
They ‘fixed’ what wasn’t broke, by taking prayer and the Ten Commandments out of the schools, and now it is broken. Yet, many wonder why.
Removing something leaves a space to be filled with something else. And that has happened. It is time to ‘reclaim’ our schools for God.
It Went From This To This
We Need To Go Back To This
GOD is a Supreme Being – Creator of all things. He is not owned by a denomination. The prayer was objected to on the grounds of ‘separation of Church and State’.
Humbug…. In case it isn’t easy to notice: God is NOT a CHURCH. See if you see church or denomination in this, the prayer which was removed:
“Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers and our Country.“
GOD is the Supreme Being, Creator of all things, as such, we do ourselves and our school children a favor by acknowledging God as the Supreme Being and asking His blessing and asking His protection.
It is no longer speculation. The proof is in. The choice is obvious.
Jer 6:16
16This is what the Lord says:
“Stand at the crossroads and look;
ask for the ancient paths,
ask where the good way is, and walk in it,
and you will find rest for your souls.
But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ NIV
Let US, in the USA, indeed walk in it… and let others who want to be here fully assimilate and accept; otherwise they are not welcome here.
America, it seems, has jumped out of the Lord’s arms; it is time for us to return to His loving care.
If you have a moment you may wish to take the time to click on these links, or read the additional article below: “The Devil Smiled.” by Todd Starnes
They are NOT after Judge Roy Moore, what they are really after is THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
Judge Moore is the one who put the monument of THE TEN COMMANDMENTS in the rotunda of the Court House. Liberals caused it to be removed to a back room with a black cloth over it; making people request to see it.
Not soon thereafter, Moore was forcefully removed from office for standing up for proper moral convictions and God, and that of his people; in spite of that, Moore was elected to a better post by the electorate of his district.
No, it is not Moore they are after, it IS the TEN COMMANDMENTS and morality and God that they are after. Are they actually wishing to see how the right might try to justify any conceived immorality in order to clear themselves?
But then, as Bill Clinton once said when being questioned in court in the Lewinski matter:
“It all depends on what the meaning of IS, is.”
Or are they asking, how dare we claim to accept the Apostle Paul of the Bible when in his younger days — as Saul — Paul killed people. Does that disqualify his ministry?
I am surprised at Fox News for not picking this up in a proper manner.
How soon the press forgets the good. May we all remember.
Moore has proven that he knows the importance of THE TEN COMMANDMENTS and morality and God.
THAT is what the left fears.
THAT is what the left is trying hard to eradicate.
fur, its eyes, since it was sedated I was unable to see its strength but I know a bear can be powerful. Yet I could see the effects of the mange, how one little thing could affect the whole bear and since the bears own body was fighting against the little mite, the appearance of the bear showed the battle.
To This
Not soon thereafter, Moore was forcefully removed from office for standing up for proper moral convictions and God, and that of his people; in spite of that, Moore was elected to a better post by the electorate of his district.
The Proverbs 1:20 Column 