Most people know the biblical account of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego being placed into the fiery furnace because they refused King Nebuchadnezzar’s national decree to worship the image of gold. Let me first say that I don’t like calling them by their Babylonian names. Their real names were Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.

The king commanded that when the designated ‘national’ music played that everyone stopped what they were doing and worship the image. This was a ‘national’ decree, and everyone under his authority stopped and worshiped the image.

As you will read below, the three young men refused to do so.
Daniel 3:1-18 (NKJV)

3 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was ^[a]sixty cubits and its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. ² And King Nebuchadnezzar sent word to gather together the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. ³ So the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered together for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. ⁴ Then a herald cried ^[b]aloud: “To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, ⁵ that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up; ⁶ and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.”

⁷ So at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, harp, and lyre, in symphony with all kinds of music, all the people, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the gold image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

Daniel’s Friends Disobey the King

⁸ Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and accused the Jews. ⁹ They spoke and said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! ¹⁰ You, O king, have made a decree that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, shall fall down and worship the gold image; ¹¹ and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. ¹² There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king, have not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up.”
¹³ Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king. ¹⁴ Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up? ¹⁵ Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who isthe god who will deliver you from my hands?”
¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. ¹⁷ If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. ¹⁸ But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”

Does this sound familiar? Many people in America today are considered unpatriotic if they don’t submit to the expected behavior. When the music plays (The National Anthem) you are expected to stop what you are doing, stand, place your hand on your heart or salute.

Some people feel, just as the three Hebrew young men did, that the designated behavior goes beyond showing respect, but is actually an act of worshiping an object.

There are plenty of examples in the bible of Jesus rebuking people for placing their expected traditions before what God has commanded.
Mark 7:9 (NKJV)
⁹ He said to them, “All too well you ^[a]reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.

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So here’s my question. If that were today, would Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego be considered unpatriotic?

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If that were today, would they be criticized for their behavior?

Do you see the similarities?

Do you feel obligated to prove how these two situations are not the same?

Are you more committed to The Constitution, our laws, traditions and policies than you are to the word of God?

We must be very careful that we don’t place our dedication, devotion, commitment and passion to our country, our race or our traditions before God.

The bible tells us that the things it records were given for our example…

1 Corinthians 10:11 (NKJV)
¹¹ Now ^[a]all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our ^[b]admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
Romans 15:4 (NKJV)
⁴ For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the ^[a]patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

Just because someone feels they are disobeying God to respect a tradition or commandment of man does not mean they don’t love their country or respect its icons, symbols and traditions.

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If we are’t careful, we can even find ourselves worshiping the cross rather than respecting it.

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Some people are willing to kill to protect their traditions. GOD IS NOT IN THAT.

Many times we criticize the antagonists of God’s people in the bible, but when we’re honest with ourselves, our attitudes, what we do or don’t do in similar situations today proves how we would have behaved back then.

There is a thin line between respect and worship.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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This is a fun little article FOR MARRIED COUPLES ONLY:-)

It’s amazing how life can come back around full circle. Many of you may be able to relate to this memory…

Remember when you were dating and living at home with your parent(s)…

You’re boyfriend or girlfriend calls you on the phone and says, “Hey, my parent(s), mom, dad, sisters, brothers are all gone and WE HAVE THE HOUSE TO OURSELVES…come on over!” It’s time for romance!

It was a real treat for a young couple who was young and in love with no place of their own to ‘get the house to themselves’.

Fast forward to being a married couple with young children. Your children are your new chaperones. Romance has to be well-planned, and having the house to yourself is not happening.

When your children become teenagers, you are wanting them to go somewhere and they are wanting you to go somewhere…everyone is wanting the house to themselves.

Plus, today many young adults are choosing to stay home with their parents longer while working or going to school to save money for a place of their own. Again…having the house to yourself is a treat.

So, for the married couples who can relate to this scenario, when you finally have an opportunity to get the house to yourself, it’s time for bedroom-door-open and unlocked, walk-through-the-house butt-naked, make as much noise as you want to romance!🥰 It is not the time for, “I’m not in the mood”, or “No”. It’s time for LOVE!😉

So, just as God taught us through the Apostle Paul, be very careful not to HOLD OUT ON YOUR SPOUSE!:-)

1 Corinthians 7:3-5  (NKJV)

³ Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. ⁴ The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. ⁵ Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

When you finally have the house to yourselves, it’s time for love!

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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Most of us have heard the account of Jacob and Esau. Esau sold his birthright to Jacob, his twin brother. Later Jacob, along with the help of their mother, deceived Isaac, their father, to steal Esau’s blessing of the firstborn (Esau came from the womb first).

Esau was devastated when he discovered his father had been manipulated to give his blessing to Jacob. Not only was he pissed off at his brother for lying, but he was angry at his father for not having another blessing for him.

So, to spite Isaac, Esau married a woman that he knew would be displeasing to his father…

Genesis 28:6-9  (NKJV)

⁶ Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Padan Aram to take himself a wife from there, and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, “You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan,” ⁷ and that Jacob had obeyed his father and his mother and had gone to Padan Aram. ⁸ Also Esau saw that the daughters of Canaan did not please his father Isaac. ⁹ So Esau went to Ishmael and took Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, the sister of Nebajoth, to be his wife in addition to the wives he had.

This is a scenario most, if not all, parents can relate to. You have forbidden your child to do something, and they do exactly what you told them NOT to do, or something even worse.

As a parent, it first hurts then it makes you extremely angry. This happens both when the child is your dependent and when they are adults.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

Before you do anything… Before you discipline your younger children, or before you write your older children out of your will (Lol) there is one thing you should ALWAYS do….

Pray and ask God to forgive them even when they are still being disrespectful.

We all know what God demands of children in regard to their relationship with parents…

Exodus 20:12  (NKJV)

¹² “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

Ephesians 6  (NKJV)

6 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ² “Honor your father and mother,” which is the first commandment with promise: ³ “that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.”

When your child disrespects you in any kind of way, the very first thing you need to do is PRAY FOR GOD TO FORGIVE THEM OF THEIR SIN AGAINST YOU!

Notice that when the Prodigal Son disrespected his father by asking for and squandering his inheritance, the father had a forgiving heart the entire time and kept his arms wide open to welcome his son’s return and repentance (Luke 15:11-32). No doubt, he was praying for his son the entire time.

God often gives parents an opportunity to empathize with Him. He often gives parents a horizontal example (parent/child) of our vertical relationship with Him. So, when our children do things to spite us, disrespect us, disobey us as parents, sometimes even putting us to open shame, we can understand how God feels when we as His children do things to spite, disrespect, disobey and put Him to open shame.

We must do the same thing that God does. Be ready to forgive, and always be there when we need Him.

WHEN YOUR CHILD MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’RE A BAD PARENT…

WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR ADULT CHILDREN DON’T APPRECIATE YOU…

WHEN GOD’S CHILDREN GET ANGRY AT HIM…

WHAT GOD MAY BE TRYING TO TEACH YOU WHEN YOUR CHILDREN ARE DISOBEDIENT OR DISRESPECTFUL…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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When you think about it dysfunction is the norm. There’s no perfect marriage, family, relationship. There will always be issues on your job and in your career. There will always be selfishness, dishonesty and favoritism is local, state, national, business and even church politics.

Look at the people in the bible. Every person that God used was far from perfect. Every family featured in the bible was dysfunctional.

God has always carried out His perfect will through imperfect people.

But, the dysfunction around you doesn’t prevent you from changing your world, today.

How?

If no one else changes but you, your world and the world around you will charge.

A more accountable you.

A more loving you.

A more joyful you.

A more peaceful you.

A more patient you.

A more kind you.

A more kind.

A more faithful you.

A more gentle you.

A more controlled you.

A more disciplined you.

Sometimes a more medicated you.

A more ________________ you. (You know how you need to change).

A better you will make the world around you better.

Galatians 5:22-23 (NKJV)

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

A new you!

Colossians 3:9-10 (NKJV)

⁹ Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, ¹⁰ and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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We all know that God hates pride.

Proverbs 6:16-17  (NKJV)

¹⁶ These six things the Lord hates,
Yes, seven are an abomination to ^[a]Him:
¹⁷ A^[b] proud look,
A lying tongue,
Hands that shed innocent blood,

And, there are so many other sins that are a result of pride…

Hate…

Jealousy…

Envy…

Racism…

Conceit…

Arrogance…

Just to name a few. We all are plagued with pride sometimes, that’s why God’s grace and mercy are priceless.

So, here’s a quick test to tell you you have too much pride….

We all need help sometimes….

If you need help, and someone else has the ability, talent, resources or anointing to help you…

And they are willing to help you…

But, you refuse to ask them for help or advice because ____________. (You fill in the blank).

Then you may have too much pride.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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• 

The older I get the more I pray for the wisdom of when to speak and when to be silent.

In an age of social media, mean-spirited politics and instant gratification people feel the need to always let you know how they feel..

To speak their mind…

To give their opinion…

To argue…

To insult…

To complain…

To respond!

Most of the time the response is a result of our emotions, and not well-thought out or thought out at all.

The Apostle Peter was known for his emotional responses…

Matthew 26:35 (NKJV)

³⁵ Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!”

And so said all the disciples.

Matthew 17:4  (NKJV)

⁴ Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, ^[a]let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

Can you think of a time when you opened your mouth and you wish you had held it in? Do you have words that you wish you could have back? Are you living through the consequences of something you said?

Some people wish they had remained silent when they said, “I do”. (Not me:-)

Our Lord and Savior, Yeshua, the Messiah knew when to speak, and when to be silent…

Isaiah 53:7  (NKJV)

⁷ He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He opened not His mouth;
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,
And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
So He opened not His mouth.

Matthew 27:13-14  (NKJV)

¹³ Then Pilate said to Him, “Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?” ¹⁴ But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.

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Never underestimate the incredible power, authority and mystery of silence, or even a pause before you do speak.

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The fact is that if you are trying desperately to hear something, even a whisper is too loud.

At a moment when it’s best to remain silent, even a whisper is still too loud!

Sometimes you don’t owe someone an answer or explanation…sometimes you owe them silence.

Pray for wisdom and exercise restraint…You don’t have to say it, type it, write it, or repeat it.

Even though this song is from the 80’s, and it may not be your genre of choice, but the lyrics do a great job of punctuating my point.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Think about this, God made all of us. We are all His creation. He gave us all strengths, abilities, talents, gifts and virtues to advance His kingdom and to sustain our lives…

2 Peter 1:3  (NKJV)

³ as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,

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However, if we are born with innate strengths, we are also born with innate weaknesses, inabilities, and vices. No matter how hard we try, there are some things we just can’t do, or naturally can’t help without the help of God or one another.

I think God does this to create interdependence and balance among those created in His image.

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Some people are physically stronger than others.

Some people are ‘smarter’ than others in certain areas, but everyone is ‘smart’ in something. For example, some people are great at math, but horrible and writing, and vice versa. (My wife was a math teacher, I used to tease her by saying, ‘get a respectable job’ because math is my weakness, while she’s not fond of writing, and concedes that it’s her weakness.)

Some people are not mechanically inclined and need help screwing in a light bulb, but may be a genius at technology.

Some people are unfortunately born disabled.

Some people naturally have a bad temper that was even evident when they were infants or toddlers. They didn’t ask for it…it’s a weakness.

Some people naturally have trouble managing money and resources, while others are excellent at it.

Some people are born naturally predisposed to get high blood pressure or even born with chronic ailments.

Some people naturally have trouble focusing, which limits their ability to learn.

Some people have an insatiable sexual appetite…like Solomon the son of David and wisest man to ever live (1 Kings 11:1).

Now, I know this is going to mess up some peoples’ theology, but I believe that some people did not ask to be or choose to be attracted to people of his or her own sex.  Just because I don’t have that particular weakness, it’s wrong for me to declare, that someone else chose it. It’s a weakness they are ‘born with’; that is no different than a heterosexual person who’s unquenchable sexual desire leads them to be promiscuous…we are all born with weaknesses and lusts that we didn’t ask for (Psalm 51:5).

Some people are naturally flirtatious. Even when they are married the find that they continue to love attention that could lead to emotional and physical intimacy. It doesn’t automatically go away if they get married. It doesn’t mean they don’t want to be married. It doesn’t mean they don’t love their spouse. It just means that they have to depend on God with the help of His Holy Spirit to fight those weaknesses. As much as God can deliver us from our weaknesses, and lusts, He would much rather we deny our flesh out of love for Him and resist our weaknesses…

Matthew 16:24  (NKJV)

²⁴ Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

Some weaknesses may never go away, you have to overcome them just like Paul…

 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 (NKJV)

⁸ Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. ⁹ And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness. ”Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ¹⁰ Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

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So, here’s the good news. God does not hold us hostage to the weaknesses that He gave us, He just expects us to be responsible with them, which in turn is designed to enhance our relationships with Him.

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Whether it be physical, mental or even spiritual God has made provision for our weaknesses through faith and relationship in Him and through His Holy Spirit…

Romans 8:26 (NKJV)

²⁶ Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession ^[a]for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

When we deny the works of the flesh, which the enemy uses to exploit our weaknesses, we grow stronger and closer to God.

Galatians 5:16-21 (NKJV)

¹⁶ I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: ^[a]adultery, ^[b]fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, ²¹ envy, ^[c]murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

God is able snatch us out of the consequences of our bad decisions and weakness, for example someone who is very poor with managing money can be blessed with success beyond their ability or education…even if He connects them with the right people. Or, God is able to pair a person who is ‘sexually weak’ with a spouse strong enough to patiently see them through their weakness with which they sincerely struggle…sometimes for a lifetime. How are you the designated strong person in your various relationships?

But check this out, God is also able to deliver us from the temptation…

2 Peter 2:9  (NKJV)

⁹ then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment,

But, He would prefer that we resist the enemy and willingly put forth every effort to ‘set aside’ those weaknesses of both FLESH AND SPIRIT that can come between us and Him if we allow them.

2 Corinthians 7:1 (NKJV)

7 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Hebrews 12:1  (NKJV)

12 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

He wants us to do this out of the same love for Him, as we want those we love to choose NOT to do things to hurt us. Not only because of the consequences of losing possibly relationship with us, but out of genuine love, concern and the desire not to hurt us.

God has equipped us to resist the enemy with a promise…

James 4:7  (NKJV)

⁷ Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

And, given us the tools and resources of prayer and His Holy Spirit to help us, even when we don’t know what to say (Romans 8:26). 

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God doesn’t hold us hostage to our weakness. He doesn’t condemn us for our weaknesses. He gives us power over them.

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Romans 8:1-10 (NKJV)

8 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who^[a] do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. ² For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. ³ For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, ⁴ that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. ⁵ For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. ⁶ For to be ^[b]carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. ⁷ Because the ^[c]carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. ⁸ So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

⁹ But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. ¹⁰ And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

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So be responsible with your weaknesses and lusts. Being born with them is not an excuse or necessarily a curse…

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For more on this read…

JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE’S ‘BORN THAT WAY’ DOESN’T MAKE IT OKAY…

And remember…

GOD IS GREATER THAN THE WEAKNESSES THAT HE GAVE YOU…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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When marriage seems a little bland (and it will) maybe it has a ‘sweet tooth’ that hasn’t been satisfied.🤔

MUSIC MAKES MARRIAGE MUCH SWEETER!

Make a memory dancing CHEEK-TO-CHERK to a beautiful ballad dressed in your best.

Spend an evening lying CHEEK-TO-CHEEK undressed while losing yourselves in a romantic playlist.

Dance away the stress and calories of the day in your family room.

Sing together and just be silly.

Worship together with a song that makes the two of you one with God.

Music puts ‘icing on the cake’ to every memory you make.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

It comes so easily off our lips, but as spiritually noble as that sounds, there are some instances when you should not say, “I’ll pray for you”…

When?

When you won’t do it…

How many times have you told someone you prayed for them, and whether you meant to or not, you didn’t do it. I find the best practice is to go ahead and pray right then and there.

When you don’t mean it…

How many times have you said I’ll pray for you because it was (SP) spiritually correct, but you never meant to do it. You weren’t being malicious, you just used it as a kind spiritual platitude…a nice cliché…it was right for the moment.

When you say it to belittle or insult someone…

Yep it happens, I have to admit that I have done it. Have you? When someone does something you don’t like, and it’s your way of saying, “I think you’re pitiful’.

NEVER LET YOUR “GOD BLESS YOU” REALLY MEAN “F*** YOU”…

When it offends them…

An unbeliever or someone weaker in the faith could be offended when you say, “I’m praying for you”. It may only push them off and harden their heart. Use discernment.

Remember this…

God holds us accountable for every idle word we say…

Matthew 12:36 (NKJV)

³⁶ But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.

Especially if we are speaking or acting on His behalf or as intercessors…

Matthew 7:22-23 (NKJV)

²² Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’²³ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Never turn, “I’ll pray for you” into a lie an insult or empty words.

Update: Here’s a similar post from another blogger…

https://lightenough.wordpress.com/2017/08/10/ill-pray-for-you-oh-really-3/

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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A

Never take for granted Yahweh’s precious gift of being justified by and through our Lord and Savior, Yeshua, Christ Jesus!

Remember, justification simply means being counted as or pronounced as righteous in spite of our sin and filth.

Acts 13:38-39 (NKJV)

³⁸ Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this Man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; ³⁹ and byHim everyone who believes is justified from all things from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.

Isaiah 64:6 (NKJV)

⁶ But we are all like an unclean thing,
And all our righteousnesses are like ^[a]filthy rags;
We all fade as a leaf,
And our iniquities, like the wind,
Have taken us away.

This means that looking at us through the sacrifice of Christ and repentant hearts, God doesn’t see how nasty we are. He only sees His righteousness.

Think of it like this. Think of how nasty we as humans are at any given time. No matter how much we clean up or dress…

No matter how good we smell on the outside, at any given time during the day…on the inside our bodies have within them:

Mucus…

Feces…

Urine…

Bile…

Blood…

And other fluids that I won’t mention:-)

Yep, that’s nasty, but that’s us. All of us. No matter how rich, poor, influential or spiritual.  When you see someone in their ‘SONday Best’, you can’t see the filth that is actually inside them. All you see is what is pleasing to the eye. All you smell is what is aromatic to the nose.

2 Corinthians 2:15 (NKJV)

¹⁵ For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.

So the next time you get dressed, take a shower or use the bathroom…

You know, getting rid of your NASTINESS…

Stop, and tell God “THANK YOU!” for His precious gift of justification.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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THIS IS A TRUE STORY…

One day an older widow was preparing roasted chickens for a fellowship dinner at her church. They LOVED her cooking at the church, so she was sending two roasted chickens by her grandson, and she was coming to church later.

As he got out of the car and walked across the parking lot…OOOPPPS!!!!, he dropped the chickens, they fell out of the pans and rolled across the asphalt!

He thought, “I can’t go back and tell my grandmother that I dropped those chickens.” He looked at them on the ground and noticed that the asphalt on the chickens looked like peppers and seasonings. Soooo, he put them pack in the pan, situated them nicely and took them in and presented them to the ladies in charge of the kitchen. Her grandson noticed them putting his grandmothers chickens back, separate from the other food. They loved her food so much that sometimes they would save it for themselves after everyone else had eaten.

Later that day, as he went through the buffet he noticed the fact that he didn’t see his grandmother’s chickens.

Hmmmmm. The people working in the kitchen must have saved those chickens he dropped that had rolled in the asphalt for themselves.

He thought, “Oh well if they got sick, it was their own ASPHALT!”

OKAY! Sooo… the grandson was me!

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

Most of the good you do will go…

Unnoticed…

Unappreciated…

Unreciprocated…

Undeserved…

And, MISUNDERSTOOD!

Remember, you’ve got to be cool with that.

John 1:11  (NKJV)

¹¹ He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.

1 Corinthians 10:34 (NKJV)

³³ just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

Have you ever stopped and realized that someone was trying to…

Use you?

Manipulate you?

Take advantage of your kindness, your resources, your love?

Many times they will think that you are naive because you are allowing them to use you.

Many times others will think you’re weak because from the outside looking in, they think you’re allowing yourself to be taken advantage of.

But, if you are fully aware that someone is ‘using you’ but you’re using their manipulation for your purpose to help them, to help someone else, to give them time to grow, to exercise godly patience, kindness, love, or self control…then they really aren’t using you.

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If someone thinks you’re naive when you’re aware of what’s going on, does that make them naive themselves?

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Think about it. When God continues to lavish us with His love, provision, protection, grace, mercy and forgiveness when HE ALREADY KNOWS we will hurt Him again, is He allowing us to USE Him?

When Yeshua demanded that we continue to forgive someone 77 times if they continue to hurt you and ask for forgiveness…is that allowing yourself to be used? (Matthew 18:21-22).

When Yeshua taught us to turn your face to allow them to strike you on the other cheek…is that teaching us to be used? (Matthew 5:39)

When Yeshua teaches us to loan looking for nothing in return… is that exposing us to be used financially? (Luke 6:35)

Look at how God Himself used Assyria to punish His disobedient people and then dealt with them later. He used their arrogance, ambition and pride for His purpose…

Isaiah 10:5-7  (ERV)

⁵ The Lord says, “I will use Assyria like a stick. In my anger I will use Assyria to punish Israel. ⁶ I will send Assyria to fight against the people who do evil. I am angry with them, and I will command Assyria to fight against them. Assyria will defeat them and take their wealth. Israel will be like dirt for Assyria to walk on in the streets.

⁷ “But Assyria does not understand that I will use him. He does not think of himself as my tool. He only wants to destroy other people. He only plans to destroy many nations.

Isaiah 10:5-7  (NKJV)

⁵ “Woe to Assyria, the rod of My anger
And the staff in whose hand is My indignation.
⁶ I will send him against an ungodly nation,
And against the people of My wrath
I will give him charge,
To seize the spoil, to take the prey,
And to tread them down like the mire of the streets.
⁷ Yet he does not mean so,
Nor does his heart think so;
But it is in his heart to destroy,
And cut off not a few nations.

The fact is that life as a disciple of Christ will set you up ‘to be used’. Real, unconditional love sets you up to be ‘used’ sometimes.

But, an emotionally intelligent, godly minded person who is walking in the Spirit of God (Galatians 5:22-23) know how to make the most of every opportunity to share God’s love and leave behind a testimony…

Ephesians 5:16 (NIV)

Making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.

THE BLESSING IN WHEN SOMEONE IS TRYING TO ‘USE YOU’…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

To many people pets are just like one of the family. And, just like any other family member that you love, any good pet owner wants the best for their pet.

Just like a child, a pet must be nurtured and taken care of, so many people spare no expense on what they feed their pet and for their medical care.

Even though pets don’t have an eternal soul, they do have a spirit. They do have a nonphysical force within them to give them consciousness, that makes them alive.

If you believe in God, then you also believe in the adversary, and if you believe in the adversary you believe in demons, (also called evil and unclean spirits), those fallen angels who are constantly trying to negatively influence the lives of human beings.

And, if you believe in the bible as the word of God, you know that demons can live inside of humans…coming and going, influencing their behavior…

Matthew 12:43-45  (NKJV)

⁴³ “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. ⁴⁴ Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order. ⁴⁵ Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation.”

Mark 9:17-18  (NKJV)

¹⁷ Then one of the crowd answered and said, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. ¹⁸ And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not.”

The ‘house’ mentioned above in Matthew Chapter 12 is a LIVING host.

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But, if demons can get into people, including children can they also get into our pets?

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Can that explain the behavior sometimes of when pets misbehave? Should we be careful of stray animals we encounter because of what they’ve been exposed to? Can a demon use an animal as a vehicle to get access to a person whom they are seeking to influence or occupy?

Are there examples of demons in the bible? Well, in the very first book of the bible the chief of demons (I don’t capitalize his title or name) satan, entered and worked through a serpent, before it was demoted to crawl on the ground…

Genesis 3:1-15  (NKJV)

3 Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”

² And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; ³ but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ”

⁴ Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. ⁵ For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

⁶ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was ^[a]pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. ⁷ Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves ^[b]coverings.

⁸ And they heard the ^[c]sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the ^[d]cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

⁹ Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?”

¹⁰ So he said, “I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself.”

¹¹ And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you that you should not eat?”

¹² Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.”

¹³ And the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?”

The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

¹⁴ So the Lord God said to the serpent:

“Because you have done this,
You are cursed more than all cattle,
And more than every beast of the field;
On your belly you shall go,
And you shall eat dust
All the days of your life.
¹⁵ And I will put enmity
Between you and the woman,
And between your seed and her Seed;
He shall bruise your head,
And you shall bruise His heel.”

And, don’t forget the time that the demons who were possessing a man begged Yeshua to allow them to enter a herd of pigs…

Matthew 8:28-34 (NASB)

²⁸ When He came to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed met Him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way. ²⁹ And they cried out, saying, “^[a]What business do we have with each other, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before ^[b]the time?” ³⁰ Now there was a herd of many swine feeding at a distance from them. ³¹ The demons began to entreat Him, saying, “If You are going to cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.” ³² And He said to them, “Go!” And they came out and went into the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the waters. ³³ The herdsmen ran away, and went to the city and reported everything, ^[c]including what had happened to the demoniacs. ³⁴ And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they implored Him to leave their region.

Yes there is biblical evidence that demons can occupy animals. Now if you don’t believe the bible this isn’t for you, but if you do, then you can’t ignore it.

So we don’t only have to be careful of what evil we expose ourselves and our families to, we also have to be careful of what evil we expose our pets to as well. It’s okay to rescue animals, but if you are a believer, make sure you ask God in the Name of Yeshua the Messiah, (Jesus Christ) to cast our any unclean spirits and command they never return, just as Christ said in Mark Chapter 9…

Mark 9:25 (NASB)

²⁵ When Jesus saw that a crowd was ^[a]rapidly gathering, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You deaf and mute spirit, I ^[b]command you, come out of him and do not enter him ^[c]again.”

Check out the scene above from the movie FALLEN staring Denzel Washington, and look where the ‘evil spirit’ in that movie finds a ‘host’. Even though it’s just for entertainment, I thought it brought great context to the subject.

7

THINGS YOU CAN DO TO PISS THE DEVIL OFF TODAY…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

• 

TBT:
I miss this kitchen, and every meal that came from it.

I miss the hands that prepared those meals with love.

I miss the aroma of yeast on Saturday mornings as she prepared her light, fluffy yeast rolls (we never had biscuits).

I miss the voice, the humming that provided the soundtrack of my childhood.

These thoughts are therapy for me, peaceful escapes to priceless memories

I will always cherish. All this took place in a kitchen, in a house, on a hill, on the south side of Lexington TN. I love you Dorothy M. Johnson!

My maternal grandmother wouldn’t let me take one bite from that kitchen without giving thanks to God. She introduced me to true worship.

2 Timothy 1:5  (NKJV)

⁵ when I call to remembrance the ^[a]genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

What is the beginning? When did everything ‘start’?

Genesis 1:1  (NKJV)

1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

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Time/tīm/noun (Oxford Online Dictionary)

1. 1.the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole.”travel through space and time”
2. 2.a point of time as measured in hours and minutes past midnight or noon.”the time is 9:30″

If you are a parent who believes in the the Lord God of Israel from Everlasting to Everlasting through our Lord and Savior Yeshua the Messiah (Jesus the Christ) you have heard this question in some form…

“Where did God come from?”

“When was God born?”

“Who created God?”

I know most of you already know this, but please humor me so I can make my point. Besides, even the Apostle Peter let us know that we sometimes have to be reminded of what we already know…

2 Peter 1:12-13 (NKJV)

¹² For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you always of these things, though you know and are established in the present truth. ¹³ Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this ^[a]tent, to stir you up by reminding you,

God introduced Himself to the world of many beliefs and many ‘gods’ through the perspective of a people He raised up to create a faith. FAITH, NOT RACE…

He created this people through a man named Abram, later changing his name to Abraham…

Genesis 12:1-3  (NKJV)

“Get out of your country,
From your family
And from your father’s house,
To a land that I will show you.
² I will make you a great nation;
I will bless you
And make your name great;
And you shall be a blessing.
³ I will bless those who bless you,
And I will curse him who curses you;
And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

I love the way that the bible refers to God as “The Lord God of Israel from Everlasting to Everlasting” in so many places. Yes, it’s a mouthful. Yes, it’s a lot to type, but it is exactly who He is…

Psalm 41:13  (NKJV)

¹³ Blessed be the Lord God of Israel
From everlasting to everlasting!
Amen and Amen.

Psalm 106:48 (NKJV)

⁴⁸ Blessed be the Lord God of Israel
From everlasting to everlasting!
And let all the people say, “Amen!”

Praise the Lord!

That is the New King James Version but, look at how the Complete Jewish Bible says it…

Psalm 41:14  (CJB)

^14 (13) Blessed be Adonai the God of Isra’el
from eternity past to eternity future.

I love that…“from eternity past to eternity future”. The thought of eternity past infers that there was NO BEGINNING.

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God does not require a beginning. He does not require a birth. He does not require an origin. Why?

Because He exists outside of time.

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God, Adonai, our Elohim is an eternal being that was never created. He has consciousness, emotions, feelings and the ability to communicate…but no recognizable form that our eyes can understand. GOD IS NOT ‘THE UNIVERSE’ & THE ‘UNIVERSE’ IS NOT GOD…

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God created TIME for our benefit. So we can measure and have context to our lives, history and the future.

Galatians 4:4-7 (CJB)

⁴ but when the APPOINTED TIME arrived (IN THE FULLNESS OF TIME), God sent forth his Son. He was born from a woman, born into a culture in which legalistic perversion of the Torah was the norm, ⁵ so that he might redeem those in subjection to this legalism and thus enable us to be made God’s sons. ⁶ Now because you are sons, God has sent forth into our hearts the Spirit of his Son, the Spirit who cries out, “Abba!” (that is, “Dear Father!”). ⁷ So through God you are no longer a slave but a son, and if you are a son you are also an heir.

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Think about it. Even when scientists who say the universe BEGAN with a BIG BANG, you can ask, “Okay, what was there before the BIG BANG?”. One could very easily reason that when God said, “Let there be…” there was a noise and physical manifestation.

Some things are difficult for even the ‘greatest’ scientific minds to understand, and one of those things is TIME. After all, I think of science as our attempt to give a physical explanation to a spiritual world.

IF YOU BELIEVE IN SCIENCE, YOU CAN BELIEVE IN GOD (HERE’S A PERFECT EXAMPLE)…

THE THINGS THAT SCIENCE CAN NEVER EXPLAIN (From my archives)…

FAITH VS. SCIENCE…

WHEN SCRIPTURE & SCIENCE AGREE…

The fact is there are some things we won’t understand until Yeshua returns and we share in His eternal kingdom.

Look at the mess we’ve made of the world. Look at the mess we’ve made of time. Just think of how bad it would be if God gave us the ability to understand eternity.

God doesn’t need a beginning because He IS the beginning.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

• 

I know I’m not the only one who does this…

You’re trying to hear something on television, on your phone, on the radio, or whatever and someone keeps talking loud…

One of your favorite songs comes on, or something’s being said that you really want to hear…

You want them to be quiet, but you don’t want to tell them to be quiet…

So what do you do? To give a subtle HINT, you lean into what you’re TRYING to hear and SQUINT.

Someone is talking to you but they aren’t talking loud enough. It’s becoming annoying, so what do you find yourself doing…Leaning in and squinting your eyes.🤣

If you want to REALLY make someone listen…whisper.

Squinting your eyes says, “I can’t hear you!”

Squinting your eyes is saying nonverbally, “I’M TRYING TO LISTEN!”

1 Kings 19:11-12  (NKJV)

¹¹ Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; ¹² and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire ^[a]a still small voice.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

When we’ve been hurt really bad, I mean REALLY BAD, forgiveness can be very difficult. Sometimes we don’t even want to see them.

When and if they feel godly sorrow for what they’ve done and want to ask us for forgiveness, we sometimes find ourselves not wanting to hear them out.

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We have all been on both sides of this situation. We have both had to give and seek forgiveness.

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When we are the one who has been wronged, it takes great humility and strength to put aside the pain of how we’ve been hurt to grant forgiveness to the one who has hurt us, but remember this…

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IT TAKES JUST AS MUCH STRENGTH AND HUMILITY TO ASK FOR FORGIVENESS AS IT TAKES TO GIVE FORGIVENESS.

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Asking forgiveness involves admitting we are wrong, swallowing our pride, and dealing with the pain that we have caused to the person we are asking forgiveness.

It’s easier to forgive, when we remember how it feels to be the one who needs forgiveness.

Colossians 3:13 (ESV)

Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

ADMITTING TO YOURSELF THAT YOU ARE STILL BITTER, BUT BETTER…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

When it comes to sex, married couples aren’t in the mood at the same time.

“I have a headache.”

“I’m tired.”

I’m mad.”

It’s a given couples won’t be on the same page sexually all the time, but the bible gives some sound advice and a good reason (warning) why in 1 Corinthians Chapter 7…

1 Corinthians 7:3-5  (NKJV)

³ Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. ⁴ The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. ⁵ Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

Hey! Don’t kill the messenger:-)

Notice I did say, “sometimes”. Of course you should always talk to you spouse and consider how he or she feels.

Marriage is work!

BE BLESSTIFIED!

TOUGH LOVE. We want to make sure we aren’t ENABLING their dysfunction. We can’t let the dysfunction and evil of some bring us down with them…can’t let their issues infect our home.

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Many times we’ll say, you have to let some people hit ROCK BOTTOM as the PRODIGAL SON (Luke 15:11-32) did and COME TO THEMSELVES.

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But we must pray for wisdom and discernment and realize that the ROCK BOTTOM scenario may be a case-by-case basis.

Some people are STRONGER IN THEIR WEAKNESSES than others. For every PRODIGAL who CAME TO THEMSELVES, there are also those who never did.

ROCK BOTTOM didn’t shock them to their senses.

ROCK BOTTOM wasn’t a wake up call.

ROCK BOTTOM didn’t turn them around.

Everyone may not be equipped to handle ROCK BOTTOM.

Do you know anyone who died out there in their HOG PEN?

We must pray for wisdom and discernment when dealing with our challenged loved ones. Sometimes we have loved ones who are good people with a good heart, but they just can’t get it together. Sometimes we have loved ones that have been so HURT by the world, that it may have critically damaged their abilities to cope. We must ask for God’s guidance in which ones we must LET GO, and which we must BEAR THE INFIRMITIES and FAILINGS of the WEAK.

BE BLESSTIFIED!

• 

We have all been hurt, wronged, betrayed, mistreated, let down, disappointed. used and abused. It’s a part of life. Sometimes we feel we have been wronged when the other person of people actually meant no real harm. Sometimes we feel we were wronged when the other person or persons was actually doing something for our own good. Sometimes it’s us who was in the wrong.

In many situations we can’t change how we are treated, but we can always control how we react to when we are treated badly….ALWAYS.

So, I have a quick reminder for you. God expects to not only forgive, but have an attitude of forgiveness, even when the other person doesn’t seem as though they are sorry.

Have you ever had a person apologize to you and you weren’t ready to hear it? You want to remain angry…

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YOU’RE HOLDING A GRUDGE, AND GOD AIN’T HAVING THAT!

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Leviticus 19:18 (NKJV)

¹⁸ You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.

Ephesians 4:32 (ESV)

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Romans 12:17-21 (ESV)

Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

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GRUDGE (Oxford Online Dictionary)

Noun: A persistent feeling of ill will or resentment resulting from a past insult or injury.‘she held a grudge against her former boss’.

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Grudges birthed from pride. Grudges require huge amounts of mental, emotional and spiritual bandwidth. You can’t be grateful, thankful, forgiving, joyous, kind, or love the way God requires while holding a grudge. Grudges our a spiritual drain and they ruin your testimony. It is impossible to move forward while you hold a grudge. The fact is…

THAT GRUDGE THAT YOU ARE HOLDING IS ACTUALLY HOLDING YOU!

How many blessings is God trying to put into your hand, but He can’t because you’re holding tightly to a grudge?

Please, let it go.

HOW TO MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT AN APOLOGY…

ARE YOU EASY TO APOLOGIZE TO…?

WHY WE SHOULD STOP SAYING, “FORGIVENESS ISN’T FOR THEM, IT’S FOR YOU…”

BE BLESSTIFIED!

Let me first say that God never gives us a license to lie.

Wisdom and discernment are gifts of God. Discernment is an aspect of Godly wisdom.

We also know that the truth is always the truth, but we must be sensitive to God’s timing of when and how it should be revealed…of what we should say and of what we should not say…of what we should conceal and what we should reveal…but not for the sake of deception.

God protects us through wisdom and discernment…

Proverbs 4:5-6  (NKJV)

⁴ He also taught me, and said to me:
“Let your heart retain my words;
Keep my commands, and live.
⁵ Get wisdom! Get understanding!
Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.

Yes, even the truth has to be handled with wisdom and discernment.

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DOES GOD SOMETIMES PROTECT US THROUGH THE DISCERNMENT OF WHEN TO USE ‘DECEPTION’?

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The spies that Joshua sent to Jericho were protected by Rahab’s deception…

Joshua 2:4-7  (NKJV)

⁴ Then the woman took the two men and hid them. So she said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. ⁵ And it happened as the gate was being shut, when it was dark, that the men went out. Where the men went I do not know; pursue them quickly, for you may overtake them.” ⁶ (But she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order on the roof.) ⁷ Then the men pursued them by the road to the Jordan, to the fords. And as soon as those who pursued them had gone out, they shut the gate.

As David fled from Saul, he was protected by pretending to be crazy…

1 Samuel 21:10-14 (NKJV)

¹⁰ Then David arose and fled that day from before Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath. ¹¹ And the servants of Achish said to him, “Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing of him to one another in dances, saying:

‘Saul has slain his thousands,
And David his ten thousands’?”

¹² Now David took these words ^[a]to heart, and was very much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. ¹³ So he changed his behavior before them, pretended ^[b]madness in their hands, ^[c]scratched on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva fall down on his beard. ¹⁴ Then Achish said to his servants, “Look, you see the man is insane. Why have you brought him to me?

Mary could not reveal who her Holy Son really was until the time…

Luke 2:16-19  (NKJV)

¹⁶ And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. ¹⁷ Now when they had seen Him, they made widely^[a] known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. ¹⁸ And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. ¹⁹ But Mary KEPT ALL THESE THINGS and PONDERED them IN HER HEART.

Sometimes it’s best not to tell someone what was said about them…

Proverbs 17:9  (NKJV)

⁹ He who covers a transgression seeks love,
But he who repeats a matter separates friends.

 Proverbs 11:13  (NKJV)

¹³ A talebearer reveals secrets,
But he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter.

Proverbs 25:2  (NKJV)

² It is the glory of God to conceal a matter,
But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

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God gives us the wisdom and discernment to exercise emotional labor. Which is managing our feelings and emotions in order to effectively do a job – such as when a waiter or waitress can’t let his or her customer know how irritated they are at the customers’ rudeness.

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Sometimes you can’t tell your boss how you really feel about him/her.

Sometimes you can’t tell your spouse how you feel about his or her parents.

Sometimes you can’t let those closest to you how discouraged, depressed, upset, or tired you really are.

Sometimes it’s not the right time to let people know how disappointed you are in them.

Sometimes it’s not best to reveal what’s really on your mind.

In the last days…even God Himself will send ‘deception’ only to be recognized by those who are truly connected to Him and in His in His word.

2 Thessalonians 2:9-12  (NKJV)

⁹ The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, ¹⁰ and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. ¹¹ And for this reason GOD WILL SEND THEM STRONG DELUSION, THAT THEY SHOULD BELIEVE THE LIE, ¹² that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

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God never gives us the license to lie.

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But, our Heavenly Father does use everything for His purpose, even how we manage the truth. We should always handle it with the spirit of discernment, not the spirit of deception.

THE LIES WE DON’T INTEND TO TELL (MOST OF THE TIME)…

BE BLESSTIFIED!

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If you weren’t aware of the allegations against R&B singer/songwriter/musician R. Kelly, then you probably are now after the Lifetime Network documentary, “Surviving R. Kelly”.

The show went into great detail through interviews to confirm that allegations of sexual abuse, predatory behavior and pedophilia are very serious.

There’s no question that R. Kelly had intimate relationships with many women. He admits that himself. And, it’s no question that his lust for women has gotten him in trouble. His problem is that many of these women have been underage. He’s accused of summoning women to his ‘palace’ and abusing his power to influence them and take advantage of them. Some of the women’s families have accused him of brainwashing their daughters. The women interviewed stated that R. Kelly abused his ‘power’ and influence to control them.

But, there is another man in history who had a love for and quite frankly, lust for many women. The bible lets us know that he was intimate with numerous women. This man was even identified as a man after God’s own heart…King David.

Acts 13:22  (NKJV)

²² And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’

But, even though he was a man after God’s own heart, he wasn’t perfect. None of us are.

King David was also a singer/songwriter/musician.

As he was relaxing on the roof of His palace he saw a woman bathing outside. This woman, Bathsheba, wasn’t only another man’s wife, but she was the wife of a man, Uriah, who was devoted and loyal to David. Uriah was one of the soldiers in his army. David was attracted to her and abused his power as king to summon her to his palace. In fact, David summoned many women to become his wives. I’m sure she felt pressured to please the king, just as many of the women said they felt pressured to please R. Kelly.

After King David was intimate with Bathsheba, she became pregnant and to make a long story short, after the scheming and manipulating to hide the pregnancy didn’t work, he had Uriah killed. He then he took Bathsheba to be his wife.

We see that David and R. Kelly had some things in common,

But there was one big difference in David and R. Kelly.

As of the time that the documentary aired, R. Kelly hadn’t acknowledged or repented of doing anything wrong.

After being confronted with his sin, David repented…

2 Samuel 12:13 (NKJV)

¹³ So David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.”

And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die.

Psalm 51:4  (NKJV)

⁴ Against You, You only, have I sinned,
And done this evil in Your sight—
That You may be found just ^[a]when You speak,
And blameless when You judge.

David’s repentance is what confirms he was a man after God’s own heart.

R. Kelly has a huge library of music and some of his songs are even spiritual and sung in churches. However, there are many people today who refuse to listen to R. Kelly’s music anymore. Radio stations all over the world are refusing to play his music. There are those who are demanding to ‘Mute R. Kelly’.  Again, Mr. Kelly has not yet acknowledged or repented of any wrong doing.

We all know that David, under the inspiration of God, wrote most of the Psalms which of course are songs. They teach us how to worship, pray, praise, celebrate and even lament.

If David was living today, even though he repented, there would be many people who would refuse to listen to or sing many of the Psalms. There would be people wanting to ‘Mute David’ because of his serious sins. But, here’s the difference…again, David repented.

Both David and R. Kelly’s sins were revealed and made public.

We all have something in common with both of them…

Everyone of us has had dark moments. Moments of which we are very ashamed.

Our shameful moments maybe not to the extreme of David and R. Kelly, but nevertheless, moments that we don’t want anyone to know about. Take a moment to think about some of the most shameful things you have done (or are still doing) and thank God for allowing them to remain secret.

AREN’T YOU GLAD GOD ALLOWED SOME THINGS IN YOUR LIFE TO REMAIN SECRET?

If you haven’t already stopped that behavior, stop it now and repent, just like King David did.

And remember this, the same forgiveness that was available to King David is available to both R. Kelly and to all of us.

Because just like King David, you can be a man or woman after God’s own heart, too.

I know there will be some people who will be critical of me comparing R. Kelly to David. But, God let’s us know that everything in the bible, especially the Old Testament, was written for our example…

1 Corinthians 10:11 (NKJV)

¹¹ Now ^[a]all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our ^[b]admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

BE BLESSTIFIED!