LOVE FROM AFAR

Sometimes in life, we must Love (Agape) people from afar. This usually is the case when they choose to take “the wide gate and broad path that leads to destruction.” Matthew 7:13

God’s Word admonishes us to separate ourselves from those whom we are not equally yoked with. Those who seek or pursue sin and, with a hardened recalcitrant heart, refuse to repent or acknowledge their sinful ways. Even if that person is your spouse, child, parent, sibling, boyfriend/girlfriend or best friend, God requires us to step away from them lest we follow them to our own destruction. “But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.” 1 Corinthians 5:11.

Those who wallow in their sin and unfruitful lives, God expects us to diligently pray for them so that if they are a backslider, that they would seek redemption, deliverance, forgiveness and restoration.

‘If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that “every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.” Matthew 18:15-17

We are all but sinners saved by God’s Grace. Everybody sins. Mature Christians sin, Pastors, Evangelists, Preachers, Priests, Teachers, Spouses, etc. We have seen some fall from Grace publicly, others we bore private witness to their destructive behaviors. The most learned of Bible scholars and anointed servants. There are truly none on earth that are righteous , The Bible says “no! Not one!”

That is the sin nature of man and woman. We are never truly delivered from sin until we are transformed to the Heavenly Spirit realm. Even so, we strive always towards the High Calling of Jesus Christ. We do not give into sin, wallow in it, nor are we to conform to it, pursue it or turn to it as a last resort.

Sin separates us from God! It separates us from one another, which is why we may need, as an act of self-preservation, to Love someone from afar!

We each must choose whom we will serve. Whom we shall follow….Christ or Satan? Good or Evil? The Word or The World?

God’s grace is designed to bring people to repentance so that they can be forgiven and restored to their Maker’s service and to each other.

Often people are not aware of the hurt they cause to others. Certainly the disciples had little idea of the grief they caused the Lord Jesus on occasions (Matthew 8:23-27). Jesus knew that believers needed to have a method of dealing with sin-separation, so He taught the disciples the need to confront sin in Love, looking for recognition of the offence, repentance and the restoration of mutual Love.

Loving from afar means that the door to forgiveness, reconciliation and restoration is and should always be open to the wayward Christian and sinner to walk through. It also means that we must throw their transgressions against us into the Sea of Forgetfulness, just as God did for us when Jesus shed His sin-free blood for us on Calvary.

Loving from afar does not necessarily mean that you restore the person to the same role or position they had had previously, but it does mean that we are to restore the person back into the Body of Christ. From there, God will decide what is next in that’s person personal journey. We have but to pray for them and their souls. Amen 🙏🏽

There are three (3) types of women. There are the females who are capable of mothering but their focus is not on being a nurturer. The call in their spirit does not answer to motherhood. Some never want to be mothers, some get pregnant and abandon or abuse their children and others have no affinity to being called or acting like a mother.

Then their are women who want to be mothers and become mothers. These women love this important role they play. They love being called mother, experiencing childbirth and having children. They parent their children from a worldly perspective and their own life experiences or from the latest parenting guide of the day. These mothers parent by the seat of their pants with little to no spiritual foundation to direct them. They indulge their children and do not hold them accountable for their actions or their responsibilities to others. They waffle between the laws of the world and God’s Word, depending on what situation presents itself. They say they are Lovers and followers of God, but when a test comes, they are led by their own devices and heart, not God. Their faith wains and they encourage their children to listen to them, not God’s Word or voice, especially when it conflicts with their own desires. Their children grow up wanderers between the Word and the world, just as they saw in their mother. Their faith walk is inconsistent because that is what they grew up surrounded by.

Then there are Godly mothers. These women of God can be a biological, adoptive, spiritual or nurturing Godly woman who lives by God’s Word, exhorts His Word, raises her children according to God’s Word and holds them accountable for their actions with God’s Word as their guide. These women both hold their children up and correct them with The Word. They give Godly counsel. They teach their children to do what is right in the sight of The Lord, even if it means they don’t get their way, or that they must uphold their vows and promises. Godly mothers don’t shield their children from their wrongs or mistakes, but stand with them as they face the consequences of their wrongs, even if they may have to go to jail. Godly mothers stand firmly on God’s Word, never cherry 🍒 picking or parsing out what scripture they will abide by so as to model for their children the right way to go to live ALL of God’s Word, even the scriptures that may challenge your true faith and don’t support what you want, but what God expects.

It’s not easy being a Godly mother, it is the road less traveled, that narrow gate that Jesus spoke of in teaching His disciplines. Matthew 7:13-14 says “¹³ “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. ^14 [a]Because narrow is the gate and ^[b]difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

Choose this day which gate you will model consistently for your children, no matter their age or where you are in relationship with them. For we were entrusted by God to be their caretakers. So let’s TAKE CARE to ensure we administer our duties accordingly to God’s Word and not our own. Amen 🙏🏽 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

Father God, guide us oh thou great Jehovah to train up our children — whether young or old — according to Your Holy Word! Let not our maternal instincts shelter, hide, support or condone their sins, but encourage and strengthen our fortitude as mothers who abide in You, to correct our children with Your Words until they depart from their evil ways and align with You and face their responsibilities, obligations and those they have wronged. Godly mothers do not uphold sins or seek ways for their children to be sheltered from their sins or help them compound their sins with yet more sins. How we live is how they will grow to live. Unmask us when we are celebrating and supporting our children when they sin and correct not just the child, but the parent as well as you would not have us to live and continue in sin. Amen 🙏🏽

When my beloved mother transitioned over to be with The Lord, Mother’s Day was lost to me. The joy of having my mother in my daily life had ended. Though a mother myself, it was less meaningful and the joy was diminished in my life.

Now mind you, I rejoiced that I was so highly blessed and favored to have had (and shared with so many) a Proverbs 31 mother. A God-fearing, God-loving, Bible-rearing gentle soul who gave me unconditional love, was nonjudgmental, generous, patient, kind, loving and welcoming to all. She imparted so many things unto me, strength, courage, love, empathy, compassion, forgiveness and a passion for God. She was my first Bible teacher, and, as I grew up, my best best friend!

When she left this earth, some of her remained in my soul, and some of me went with her! As such, the day carried less and less significance for me. Though my son acknowledges me on that day, there is something about the loss of your own mother that affects your soul in a special way.

Today, a Vietnam War Veteran, who is blind, a diabetic and overcame homelessness, drug and alcohol addiction, the death of his teenage daughter to a rare brain cancer, prostate cancer himself and nearly lost his wife and son due to his deep depression, wrote to me to praise me for being an outstanding mother. I was in total shock. He and I became acquainted as I was helping him through my job. I was so encouraged by his life story and his faith walk recognizing how very much he had overcome in his life, and is now a world class, blind power lifter, the best in his class worldwide at that, his thoughtfulness towards me was quite humbling. I never imagined he would include me on his list of mothers to acknowledge.

But today, he took the time out to write to, and encourage me, while wishing me a Happy Mother’s Day!

It was like manna from Heaven. I knew God and my own mother had worked through him to remind me that no matter what I am dealing with in my life, … loss, hurt, illness, abandonment, pain…to keep smiling even when my troubles fall like rain. He further wrote to tell me that the love of a righteous and spiritual mother is the closest thing on earth to God’s Love that any child, man, woman or husband will ever experience.

Today was the day that a blind man taught me how to see the joy, once more, in my Motherless Mother’s Day and I thank God for using him to open my eyes.

Love your mothers while you have them and encourage those whose mothers have crossed over! Know too that God and our mothers in Heaven are still watching over and loving you. Reflect on your late mothers today and feel that joy once more. 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

Isaiah 66:13: “As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you.”

Rita

The Man of Many Gardens

What Garden are you planting in this life?  There was a man of many gardens. Spreading his seed about the land.  This man’s first garden was planted in fertile soul and it brought forth blessings from God above. However, the man was not satisfied and instead of tending to that garden, began to look at others, eventually abandoning that garden to plant another on soil his eyes were pleased with. But the man was fickle and kept moving from garden to garden. In some cases, uprooting the seeds he planted in some gardens before they took root. Then, he fell into another land and planted seed there, tried to uproot it, but it took root and brought forth another blessing. But the foolish man was coveting his neighbors garden and began lusting for that man’s crops, until the man caught him in his garden and drove him out.

Then the man fell into a terrible state and found himself unable to move, work or even think about planting seed. God made it so that the man had to look at his life, the many gardens he left unattended, due to his covetousness, abandonment and neglect. The man was overcome with great remorse. He had been brought to humility and disgrace. The life he had led did not glorify God, but his own desires. He sought God’s forgiveness, repented and promised God that he would lead a life dedicated to service to God and by His Word.

Slowly God began to restore him. His mind, spirit and flesh were renewed, and his body began to heal.  Then God blessed him with a new fertile land, cultivated by God and said, “Go, plant your seed. And from this Garden I shall get Glory out of your harvest.”  The man blessed God and started to plant, nourish, cultivate and grow both in The Word and his garden began to flourish.

Then satan came, that old devil, who had studied this man from the day of his entrance into the world. The devil dispatched his minions and a spirit of wickedness fell over the man and he found himself backsliding into his old ways that God had delivered him from.  Soon the man was overtaken, and his covetousness returned. His hands began dipping into other gardens not meant for him. The land God had given him, he left unattended and abandoned. God dispatched saints to caution him, whisper Words of correction to help him see the error of his ways and get aligned back with God’s Word. However, his heart was hardened, and eyes blinded by sin. He was left outside of God’s will and protection to his own foolish desires.

In the 29 Chapter of the Book of Jeremiah, God had given his prophet Jeremiah a message for the children of Israel that they were to remain in the land God had placed them in, build their houses, plant gardens so that they would have food to eat, be content and obey those who had rule over them. But the people, much like the man of many gardens, were disobedient and ungrateful for what God had done for them.  They were sinful, but because of His Love for them, God still made a way for them in a land that He had them in and was protecting them, despite their sinful ways.

Today, we find ourselves in a similar situation. Quarantined, each nation and its people made to remain where they are for their own protection, subjected to the rule of those over them, required to shelter in place and tend to our own gardens.  These gardens being our families and, if we had the foresight to do so, our own literal gardens. But like the people of Israel, there are those among us who are recalcitrant, unwilling to obey, not just God, but those who have ordered we remain in place. Whining and crying about the lose of personal rights and freedoms. And those who continue in disobedience will suffer just as the disobedient Israelites did.

Let us be obedient. Let us tend to our gardens that God has blessed us with. Invest time in your marriage, in your children, they are both the garden God gifted you with. Don’t abandon them. God has given you this period to nurture, grow and strengthen them so that He might bless and keep you during this pandemic. Listen to the advice to stay at home, observe social distancing, wear a face mask and gloves and wash your hands for at least 20 seconds throughout the day.  God will step in and end this purge. You are only asked to pray for His divine intervention and be obedient to His Word and the directions of those over you.

You see, there is nothing new under the sun. What happened before, is happening again, how we respond – whether with obedience or disobedience – will determine if we and our loved ones are spared or if we are responsible for unnecessary grief, loss and a dying garden.  Amen

HOODWINKED!
Be Careful Where, Or In Whom, You Place Your Trust Or Give Your Heart Or Pearls!!!
Focus Scriptures: 2 Timothy 3:1-10

In these last days of wickedness on the earth, evil and sin will abound so much that if you aren’t truly prayed up, you will fall prey to the workers of iniquities. They are clever and cunning with a rap sheet of destruction and broken promises and lives that spans nearly their entire existence.

The ravenous wolves hiding among the sheep spew scriptures like golden, sweet honey, but their lives wreak of rotten eggs. Like satan, who was once God’s praise and worship leader, recorded as being the most beautiful of God’s angels, they are masters of deception, self-seeking, inglorious demons who are neither aligned with, or Lovers of God’s Word. Their followers or victims have been hoodwinked and lied to, used and abused, tortured and raped, and deceived by these wicked beings.

This season is ripe with satanic acts, demons and those who are under the influence of demons run amok. Lovers of flesh, money, power and prestige, they thirst after the blood of the innocent to kill and destroy them.

These people come in many forms — wicked world leaders who put personal profit over people, “religious “ leaders and ‘proclaimers’ of The Gospel, who publicly espouse God’s Word from the pulpit, in their writings and out of their mouths, but privately are hypocrites who honor the devil and not God! They are Reprobates who flourish in number, adulterers, fornicators, murderers and idol worshippers who try to mask their sins with lies. These evil ones bear false witness against those who use scriptures, (in a vain attempt) to attempt to correct them. Or claim ‘fake news’ or ‘conspiracy’ to any who rise up against them.

Their victims are those who are long-suffering, patient, generous, loving, trusting and kind souls who Love the Lord and seek to see the good in all and convert those who do not know Jesus, or backslid. Yet these unrepentant souls seek only the destruction of those around them and the good works they do or did. These wicked, maniacal, manipulative, egocentric, megalomaniacs will soon be cut down and exposed for the frauds and hypocrites they are.

So, do not be discouraged, or feel foolish or harbor anger towards these reprobates! The book is not yet finished my friends!

You Shall Reap, If You Faint Not
Focus Scriptures 2 Timothy 3:10-17

“10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.
12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the (wo)man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Timothy 3:10-17

For those who were bamboozled by government leaders, hoodwinked by their false promises; for those who fell victim to demonic schemes, mistreatment, use and abuse, betrayals by loved ones, just remain focused on God. Continue to live according to God’s Word. Don’t be discouraged or disheartened by the evildoers for their days are numbered.

God has seen your pain, felt your heartache, witnessed their deception and He will recompense their evil 7-fold on them. For He sits high and looks low. And The Kingdom of God is at hand! Hallelujah Amen 🙏🏽 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽

Looking Forward, Never Backwards!

“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14

There are many misinformed and misguided people who believe that this season of COVID19 is temporary and soon life will return to what it was pre-COVID19.

Not so!

Sometimes in life, God won’t move that ‘mountain’ or remove that test or pestilence or trial because He is doing something new, moving us into a new season!

You see, God expects us, who should be waxed strong in The Word, to exercise our faith, that mustard seed sized faith within us to stand on His Word!

As Christians, our trust in God is our blessed assurance that no matter what happens in this world, He is with us and He goes BEFORE us, not behind us! Our job is to keep on pressing forward towards Him, undaunted by world events, deadly viruses, biological weapons, foolish leaders, wars and rumors of war!

We fail our faith and Jesus when we, like Lot’s wife, look behind to the past and long for that life that God is delivering us from. Think about it…when has the entire world been universally brought to its knees? Made to stand still and contemplate life and death? When has man feared to breathe in the very air around him needed to support his existence? Or, the rich humbled by the fact that the privilege of their wealth which afforded them a higher level of medical care, are now faced with the reality that COVID19 leveled the playing field and no amount of money can procure a cure or insulate them from an unseen evil?

The saved and the unsaved are and will continue to perish. However, the Good News that we Christians can hold onto is that we have a home and the promise of life eternal beyond physical death! So whom, or what should we fear?

Doesn’t The Word state that “yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear NO EVIL, for thou art WITH me…” That scripture speaks to this very season we find ourselves in!

These my friends, are the promises of God that strengthens and gives us courage as we propel forward into the unknown. We rest comfortably in the knowledge that He is THE light in these dark days.

No one knows the day nor the hour when God will call us home. But we do know that unto every man there is “A time to be born and a time to die…” Ecclesiastics 3:2. Will our death be from this virus or from crossing the street? Only God knows! Our only job is to be ready.

So we cannot be conformed to this world and the fear, anxiety and worldwide panic. We must, in faith, be transformed daily by a renewing of our mind by reading The Word.

We must continue to walk towards the high calling on all our lives to share God’s Word. We must continue to convert souls to Christ. Help the less fortunate. Abide in The Word. Model Christ in our interactions. Forgive those who trespass against us. And NEVER long for days past, for God is doing a new thing in the earth, in His church, in our lives and in us.

There is still much work to be done. Keep pressing forward my friends.

To God Be The Glory! Amen 🙏🏽

Grocery shopping during our COVID19 days!
For those of us who pushed past the advice to avoid grocery stores because your attempts at online shopping were futile, I know the reasons why you did.

Online shopping-exorbitant prices, gauging and waiting 2-3 hours in a virtual queue to be allowed 20 minutes to shop only to get to the virtual “checkout “ and not be able to complete your purchase because all available time slots over the next 3 weeks are taken and all the available pick-up in person time slots for the next 3 weeks are taken…I get it. No amount of money can alter the fact that it ain’t happening folks. You would have to be online 24/7, scouring all grocers near you and pray that your fingers and ‘timing’ is so perfect that you are fortunate enough to get it done! That’s a long shot bet I won’t take. So, face masks, gloves, outer layers of protective coverings and hand wipes in tow, you head out to “bring home the bacon!”

Welcome to our new normal for the unforeseeable future.

In the store you will look for and not find toilet paper, spaghetti and other types of pasta, eggs, milk, bread, paper towels, bleach, Lysol, soap powder and a plethora of “Limit 2” products that aren’t the staples of your pantry along with ‘limit 2’ of what remains in the meat, fowl and seafood sections. Most people whiz by you as if you are the virus, the younger people with no masks or gloves, the older ones dazed at all the empty shelves and the arrogant who refuse to stay back 6 feet from others.

You then wait in long lines, looking around you at the others who broke the directive and ventured out to shop and pause to say “Lord Have Mercy.” You think of the elderly, the poor, those without the resources or transportation to even attempt this once rote task and say “Lord Have Mercy!”

You try not to hoard of the few necessities you can locate on the barren shelves and inside your soul cries out “Lord Have Mercy!”

These Days of Our COVID19 Lives remind us all how we couldn’t make it without The Lord! 🙏🏽

Rejoice in this Holy Week. I plead the Blood of Jesus over your fears, anxieties, confusion, depression, sickness, finances, health, children and relationships. Jesus is near! Let no man, no woman, no virus, no situation cause you to take your eyes off God! Plead the blood 🩸! Glory Hallelujah Amen 🙏🏽 Let us Rejoice! Rejoice I say, rejoice!

God Will Hear Me by ropheka  Sharing a very good post by a WordPress blogger called Ropheka. But I will call on God and the Lord will rescue me. Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress,  and the Lord hears my voice.  He ransoms me and keeps me safe from the battle waged against me,  though many still oppose me.  God, who has ruled forever, will hear me and humble them. For my enemies refuse to change their ways;  they do not fear God. Psalm 55:16-19   The Holy Bible The New Living Translation: “So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? Luke 6:46, The Holy Bible New Living Translation. There is someone in my life that is using me and being abusive towards me even though they claim to be a Christian. Recently my Beloved has directed me to have a formal relationship with them.                                                               This morning I asked the Lord for confirmation if this is the path He desires for me to take. The first verse spoke to me about my calling out to Him because of the abuse inflicted upon me and the second was about how the one afflicting me is suffering numerous physical ailments.  Take heart dear children. Jehovah loves us and walks with us during our tribulations.But, He is also a God of justice and will punish our offenders in the appropriate manner in His way and in His Time.The second verse informs me that whether I like it or not, I am to be obedient unto my King’s direction in this life of service towards Him. Jesus is not just my Savior, but He is also my King. That means I put His will above mine. ~~Joseph a son of Jehovah Prayer: Thank you Jehovah El Gemuwal (Jeremiah 51:56 The LORD GOD of Recompenses) for blessing me with the knowledge that those who abuse me shall receive seven times worse in Your court of justice. Thank you Jesus Ha-Melech (Psalms 98:6 The LORD the King) for the honour of being Your humble servant. May I always be a faithful and true servant to You. I praise You in Your majestic name, Amen. The gift of love, the gift of joy, the gift of peace, these are the greatest gifts that can be given. They are given in abundance to all those in Christ’s family by our Heavenly loving  Father. May you be blessed with plentiful opportunities to share these with those around you today. Joseph a son of JehovahPhoto and article @ Joseph a son of Jehovah 2020