Happy Mother's Day!!!

 

I hope you all have an amazing day and a wonderful Sabbath!

Much love to you!💗

Easter Wishes!

Yes, it has been quite a while since my last post. Because of some personal trials that I've dealt with over the past while (health and emotional), I felt impressed to share a revised post from last year. Or was it two year . . . Sorry, memory loss is sometimes my companion now:-)

I have re-learned many things over the past year - things that the Lord has impressed upon my spirit, ensuring that I will NEVER forget the lessons.

1. If the Lord commands me to do something, I can accomplish it, no matter how hard or impossible it may seem. And believe me, the changes that have come into my life as a result of those commands have been both challenging and wondrous!

2. To never lean on the arm of flesh. His is the only sure arm, one that will never weaken or let me fall. His arms embrace and lead the way, and I will always follow.

3. To never fear man more than God. 

4. That when it comes to the gospel of Christ, I am SUPPOSED to go deeper, because as I do,

He will in turn deepen my understanding. Sometimes retaining things is a struggle, but he helps me retain what is important - namely things that lead me to Him.

5. I can do without so many things that I once put importance on, but I can NEVER do without my Savior. Emphasis on NEVER.

6. That there will always be voices of deceit, but as long as I stay close to Him, He will help me discern what is real and what isn't. And He strengthens that discernment constantly, because I always ask Him to.

7. That His warrior angels are present, watching over me 24/7 because I am constantly praying for assistance. The Lord knows I need His strength and He provides it, especially during those moments when my soul is so weighed down by adversity.

8. That no matter what, His plan for me is still in force, pointing me in directions I would never have thought to go.

9. That no matter what is going on in the world around me, He is God, and when I allow Him to, He will lead me exactly where He wants me. And I boldly and joyfully go, regardless of what anyone thinks.

10. And finally, to always be grateful. The importance of our gratitude to God is beyond description. Ingratitude and pride are two weakness we must shun with everything in us. Spiritual warfare is relentless, but keeping our focus on gratitude to the Lord in times of adversity will help us win the battle we fight. For me, it's a daily battle, and sometimes I'm so weary, I cry day and night to my Savior for His comfort. And He always gives it when I need it most.

The Lord overcame the world, and because of Him, so can we. He did it all for us. That is
definitely an act worth our never-ending gratitude.

Wishing you all a blessed Easter!

Happy Sabbath!

 “Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.” ~Matthew 13.30

 With all the deceptions taking place in the world at this time, I'm so grateful to know that the Lord is

always anxious to provide the truth of all things to all who earnestly seek it. Have an amazing week!

My Christmas Wish

 Other than wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas, I only have one other Christmas wish, and that wish is to truly come to know my Savior - to know Him as well as He knows me. This is what I wish for beyond all else. Having that privilege would see me through any and all trials that come to me.

How amazing would that be?!

Merry Christmas!

When the Choices of Others Hurt

Because of the misguided choices of others, I am suffering. But it doesn't make me angry, just sad.

For a long while now, I have dealt with the painful consequences of the actions of the deceived. This
statement is not spoken in judgment, it's just a fact.

But the Lord is with me. He sees and feels my pain and suffering, and He is carrying me through these trials being brought upon me and so many others by evil men in their secret combinations with Satan - combinations used to deceive and harm us, taking away our right to choose, and placing us in complete tyranny, all in the name of medicine and science.

Personal revelation is a beautiful thing and we are all entitled to guidance from the Lord pertaining to ourselves. My God guides me in the ways He would have me go, and I strive to follow that guidance with an open mind and heart, regardless of what the world thinks.

I pray that we can all let the Lord guide us in every area of our lives, that we will live without fear, but live with faith in Him.

 This is my prayer 24/7.

Have a great night!

More thoughts on Trials

 Over the years, I have learned that trials and adversity bring me closer to becoming the person I should be
- the person I long to be. This process has been brutal at times, but so worth it, because of the lessons learned.

I know no one likes trials, however, we are commanded to be like God and His Son. How can we expect that to happen if we don't experience trials? How can we grow if everything is smooth in our lives? How can we become like the Savior if we don't experience both the bitter and the sweet?

We are not called to save the world, but we are admonished to emulate The Savior in every area of our lives. Enduring through adversity with our focus on Christ insures that we are enduring well.

This is my prayer for all of us.

Not Peace But a Sword

 "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against the daughter in law, and the daughter in law against the mother in law." ~Matthew 10:34, Luke 12:53

The true gospel of Christ divides. His truths divide, and it is meant to be that way. We are either for Him or against Him. Contrary to popular belief, there can be no middle ground.

This is the time to choose - not tomorrow or next week or next year.

NOW!

A Time to Be Silent

 Dear Friends,

I know it has been a while since my last blog post. I've always tried to listen to the spirit and wait for the Lord's inspiration and guidance. He has always helped me know what message to give.

Lately, I have waited for that to happen.

It hasn't.

Last night the thought came to me that maybe I have said all there is to say and now it is time

to be silent. This morning that was confirmed. I am literally being silenced now, and indeed, everything the Lord needed me to say has been said.

So, I will continue to share uplifting and meaningful quotes and thoughts, but it looks like silence will now reign, as unsettling as that is. I will never stop proclaiming my love for Heavenly Father and my Savior. No one and nothing can - or will - ever remove my testimony of Them from me. The Lord shows me every day that He is aware of me and I matter to Him - that my life matters, just as yours does.

Again, I tell you we are at war. A spiritual battle is being waged and it is brutal. I can testify of this with absolute certainty, because of the attacks I have undergone this past while. The warfare has been far worse than at any other time in my life, and believe me, I've experienced plenty. The only way I have been able to make it through is by holding to the promise the Lord made to me that He will carry me through and never abandon me. He never has, and the tender mercies that flow into my life each day are a priceless part of that promise.

Now, I have been prompted to compile some of the latest posts in a little booklet, and share the messages the Lord encourages me to include, the ones that are most urgent. I will send each of you a copy of that ebooklet this week. Some of the post will be re-edited and revised. I hope the booklet will be useful and bring needed comfort.

Thank you all so much for your friendship and continued support. It means so much to me.

Glory to God!

Have a great night!

P.S. Below is a video I felt prompted to share because of the truths spoken in it.

The Clock is Ticking

 The spiritual war we are fighting is growing more brutal by the day, and many of us are going through
our own personal garden of Gethsemane. With the gradual stripping away of our agency and constitutional right to choose, we are dealing with the painful stripping away of personal opinion (spoken and unspoken) that is being heaped upon us by others. We would rather have this cup pass us by but are willing to let the Lord's will be done. It hurts being the Deceiver's victims, but we can take heart in knowing we are never alone in this battle against the unseen evil surrounding us, as well as those who are influenced by it.

This the Matrix in which we live, and instead of ingesting the red pill and opening our minds to the deceptions making up our world, many snatch the blue pill and gulp it down quickly, choosing to stay in their fog of oblivion, unwilling to delve deep below the surface and make the hard decisions.

I have come to the point in my life that what people think of me doesn't matter in the least. Though my heart is filled with love and compassion for my fellow man, I could not care less about the opinions of others. The only things that matter to me are my God, my Savior, my family, the gospel of Christ, sharing that gospel and His truths with others, knowing what is real and true, and my own personal salvation. Beyond that, nothing else in this world bears much importance.

The Lord needs an awake people. He needs our whole heart. He needs us to relinquish every part of ourselves, and He wants to be present in every aspect of our lives - to be present and help us to see through the fog of deceit that presses in upon us each day so that the enemy cannot destroy us, nor allow us to destroy ourselves.

And in return, He will give us all of Himself.

In fact, He already has.

This is my prayer for all.

The Purging of Pride

 God is always faithful, and despite our weaknesses and failures, He will not fail us. He could never
forget His promises to us, and He will always provide for our every need and bless us with the righteous desires of our hearts.

Sometimes we grow impatient waiting for God to move in our behalf, but we need to trust in Him, and trust that He knows us personally. He only asks that we surrender ourselves to Him, and know with absolute surety that He knows what's best for each and every one of us.

Father and His Son know me completely, and I will continue to strive to know Them better with each passing day.

Besides the "plandemic" that is being perpetrated upon the masses, there is an overwhelming epidemic of fear and despair in the world today. There is also an epidemic of pride, and some lord this pride over others. Each time we allow our pride to divide us (and many us us guard and hold onto our pride with an insane jealousy that is indescribable) we place a wedge between us and the Lord, which is the very last thing we want right now. This is the time we want Him even closer - to feel Him near at all times.

Today is the day to rid ourselves of all ungodliness.  It's the day to let go of pride, unrighteous judgments, the tendency to prop ourselves above others, the tendency to believe we are right and others are wrong, and the self-centered belief that personal revelation is irrelevant . . . unless it coincides and validates our own point of view. This is the epitome of pride.

The gathering season is fast coming to a close and the need to eliminate the gods and idols of this world is vital to our personal salvation. It's a time of urgency, and the Lord is still giving us every opportunity in this remaining small window of time to purge this gross sin from our hearts and replace it with the Savior. We must grasp how important it is look to Him in all things

This is my hope and prayer for all of us.

Either We Believe Him or We Don't!

And whosoever among you are sick and have not faith to be healed, but believe, shall be
nourished with all tenderness, with herbs and mild food, and that not by the hand of an enemy. ~D&C 42:43

The Lord is the king of necessary repetition.

When parents raise children, we teach them by repetition. It is how they learn and grow. When they do wrong, we chasten and counsel them, and we forgive them, hoping they have learned their lesson well enough not to repeat it.

So it is with all of us. Over and over in the scriptures, we are told that when we keep the Lord's commandments, we will be blessed. When we don't, we are turning away from God in disobedience, and there will be consequences - we can't escape those. Obedience to the commandments and putting the Lord first in ALL things also increases our discernment and helps us to avoid being deceived. Putting the Lord first helps us to know what is of God and what isn't. With this, we can also utilize the spiritual gifts He has given us, and use them accordingly.

When our children were young and my husband and I were homeschooling them, there were two things that I told them over and over:

1. "We teach you at home so you will hopefully learn our values and not the world's ideals."

2. "We do this so you will think for yourself instead of allowing others to think for you."

Now, are they perfect at these things? No. But they are constantly trying just as we are.

So, why do we , as God's children, continue to make the same vital mistakes over and over? Why do we look to others for validation? Why do we not utilize the gift of personal revelation from the Lord?

Why do we purposely allow ourselves be deceived?

Is it because it's easier to push aside earnest prayer and critical thinking in favor of being a follower, to be commanded in all things? Is it because it's easier to be told what is best for us, shirking our responsibility of going to God to know His will?

We have been counseled repeatedly to come to know the Savior's voice. So, where is our faith? True faith in the Lord unlocks His power, allowing us to claim that power. This is supposed to be a time of repentance, spiritual growth, and increased devotion to our Savior, not leaning on our own arm, but His.

So, now I'm going to be repetitive. These are the last days and conspiracies abound.

There are so many examples in the scriptures of conspiracies. And it is the same with us today, only the conspirators are far more sinister. And why wouldn’t they be? After all, the king of these conspiracies is a soul harvester who never likes to play by the rules. Regardless, he does have rules that he must adhere to as well, and he offers incentives for your allegiance and obedience to him. But the payoff is always a trap. Because of deceit, many others are taken along for the ride, some going willingly, because it's easier. Again, for many, it's easier to be told what's best for us, acquitting us of responsibility and the consequences. But that excuse will never fly with the Lord.

In the end, we can only ask ourselves, "Do I trust the Lord? Do I believe Him enough to place my life in His hands?"

My personal answer is an ecstatic "Yes!!!"

I pray your answer will be the same, and that we will all look to Him first, always, and that we will allow His will to be done in our lives. I pray that we will pray for increased discernment and increased purification, that we may truly become a sanctified people.

Have a great evening!

Preparation for What is to Come

 

The Crippling War of Deception

 There are so many forms of deception going on today that it is almost impossible to keep count. And
the bigger the deception, the harder it is to accept the truth, particularly when the deception has been so carefully and lullingly orchestrated to the point that discovering the truth can leave us with broken pride and open eyes that have been tightly-closed for so long. Since Satan is the master of deception, he is brilliant at his craft, which is exactly why he is the momentary god of this world. He only tells truths to perpetuate lies, and today, his numerous lies abound, and his cunning is more effective than at any other time in the history of this world. Despite God placing us (the strongest spirits) on the earth at this time, the satanic programs are in place that pit man's views and philosophies against God's truths, lulling us into Gadianton's camp, blinding us to age-old secret combinations. However, where some of us are lulled, others go willingly, and no matter how many times the Lord exposes the truth, the natural man in us still chooses to lean on the arm of flesh instead of the arm of God - the very thing we have been counseled over and over NOT to do!

As I have said many times (and I will keep saying it) nothing done in the dark is ever hidden from God's eyes. The Lord longs to open the eyes of the blind, unstop the ears of the deaf, enrich the minds that are impaired, and shine the light of truth into both the deceived and self-deceived hearts. Knowing the truth is vital, because that truth will indeed make us free.

May we all pray for strengthened and increased spiritual discernment. May we fix our eyes on the Savior, that we may know Him, that He may open our eyes to Satan's deceptions and strengthen our armor for the battle we are now fighting against the surrounding powers of darkness, as well as the battles looming ahead.

A Letter to My Savior

 Dear Lord,

It's always a blessing to share my thoughts with you. I know You know what is in my
heart at all times, but You still like hearing from me.

Lord, as You know, there are a great many things weighing on my heart these days - most of it to do with my family and the world.

Lord, I know You've probably been here to this earth covertly more times than I can count. I know You sorrow over what You've witnessed going on here, seeing things we can only imagine - and I don't even WANT to. Just viewing the tragedies I've already seen in my little finite world is sometimes more than I can bear. But then again I never bear them alone because You are here carrying me through, shouldering the burdens for me. And the fact that You do it so willingly will always be amazing to me.

Lord, with everything being afflicted upon man these days and all the prophecies being fulfilled, it is clear  that Your return in glory is very, very soon, and You are even at the doors. You have given us every opportunity to surrender our hearts and turn them to You, yet pride and the vain things of the world stand in the way, and because we choose the things of this world over You, we turn away from the blessings that You are waiting to bestow upon us.

You have given us opportunity after opportunity to prepare ourselves for Your coming, both temporally and spiritually. You hear the prayerful hearts as well as the cursing hearts, and You see inside them all. While some of us pray to have fear purged from our hearts and have faith fill them, others give in to the fear and let that fear rule in almost every area of their lives. While I and other pray to be cleansed of despair and doubt and to be filled with hope, some are too weak and the despair only grows.

Even I have moments of weakness, Lord, and You are aware of those weakness when they strike. You try to help me keep the sorrows at bay, specifically when it comes to myself. The sorrows I feel for others, You allow me to experience them in full before comfort comes. We are supposed to sorrow for others, and Lord, sometimes my heart is too full of those sorrows, yet You are there to catch the overflow, because You already fully drank of that bitter cup long ago.

Why can we not keep our eyes fixed on You, Lord? Why do we let the natural man take over? Why are ears stopped, eyes blinded, and hearts continually hardened to the truth? Why are material things more important than fellow human beings? Why are the world's ideals widely accepted, and why are the philosophies of man continuously being touted as truth? Why do so many of us fear man more than You and Father? Why is the world's spiritual predicament still being ignored by so many of us? Why can we not see that all is NOT well in Zion?

And why does it hurt so much to witness it all?

Lord, I know You and Father are aware of the storms raging here at the hands of the adversary. You are aware of everything, and that knowledge bring me and others comfort.

Still, Lord, I'm so tired this morning, just as are many others who have a heart for You. I've been so tired the past few days, darkness has threatened to overwhelm me. But I know You understand, and You have stood ready to do battle against the encroaching darkness, filling my surroundings with Your light. I thank You for that, Lord. I thank You with all my heart. Because of Your continuous light, I have made it through the days, just as I will make it through this day, and the next, and the days after that, until You bring me to where You are, understanding that You will always meet me where I am.

My wish is that each of us could know how much we are loved by You and Father. I hope and pray that You will help each of us get our houses of the heart in order, that we may anxiously wait for Your glorious return.

I will never stop watching and waiting, Lord.

Thank You for being my Lord and Savior. Thank You for loving me that much.

I love You.

Jewel

The Weaponizing of the Phrase "Conspiracy Theory"

When it comes to looking up the meaning of different words and phrases, there are two main
sources we look to: the Merriam Webster’s Dictionary and Wikipedia, the latter being the most popular these days. Despite new nonsensical words being added each year, for the most part, I find Webster’s Dictionary a more reliable source. And I don’t know about you, but when it comes to the things that really matter, much pondering and prayer go into discovering and discerning the truth. To me, truth is anything that increases my testimony of the Savior and leads me to discern what is of Him and what is of the adversary.

In the 1913 Webster’s, the meaning of conspiracy is:

The act of conspiring together. An agreement between two or more persons to commit a crime, or an act of treason. A plot. A combination of people for an evil plot.

Legal Dictionary:

An agreement between two or more persons to do an unlawful act, or an act which may become by the combination injurious to others.

Wikipedia:

A secret plan or agreement between persons (called conspirers or conspirators) for an unlawful OR harmful purpose, such as murder or treason, especially with political motivation, while keeping their agreement secret from the public or from other people affected by it.

While Webster’s has been around for ages, Wikipedia was created in 2001 and is sometimes a source of selective disinformation. However, I think their definition of conspiracy at the moment is very accurate. (Of course, their content is always subject to change).

Then there is the term, conspiracy theory and the label, “conspiracy theorist.”

Webster’s definition:

A theory that explains an event or situation as the result of a secret plan by usually powerful people or groups.

Now, here’s the thing; not all conspiracy theories are valid. They are just that, theories. A theory is not automatically true, just as conspiracy theorists aren’t automatically credible. Many theories are pushed as part of a disinformation agenda, pulling people in so many directions, they had no idea what is true, so they discard anything with “conspiracy” attached. NOT a smart idea, because many, many so-called theories turn out to be facts.

All through the holy scriptures, conspiracies abound. Some of those conspiracies are:

*The secret oaths and combinations Cain entered into with Satan when he conspired with the evil one to murder his righteous brother, Abel. The act stemmed from jealousy, greed covetousness, and a lust for power – the very things driving our world today.

*Because of pride and jealousy, Joseph’s brothers conspired to remove him from their lives by throwing him into a pit and selling him off as a slave.

*Because of jealousy and fear of losing his power and popularity (and to insure his son Jonathan would inherit his throne), King Saul conspired to kill the young David.

*Adonijah conspired with his younger brothers and the chief officials of the kingdom, to have himself crowned king while his father, King David, was on his deathbed. Full of greed and possessing a covetous heart, Adonijah attempted to claim a throne that was never meant for him, but for his brother, Solomon, whom he hated. Adonijah’s plan was foiled when the prophet Nathan warned David through Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, of what was transpiring.

*The biggest conspiracy in the scriptures was the secret combinations Judas participated in with the Jewish elders when he betrayed our Lord and Savior, selling him for 30 pieces of silver. After this traitorous act, Judas killed himself, demonstrating that Satan will destroy those who give him the opportunity.

There are so many more examples in the scriptures of conspiracies. The important thing to understand is each person who conspired with Satan was driven by hatred, greed, and the need to retain their power by getting righteous men out of their way.

And it is the same with us today, only the conspiritors are far more sinister. And why wouldn’t they be? After all, the king of these conspiracies is a soul harvester who never likes to play by the rules. Regardless, he does have rules that he must adhere to as well, and he offers incentives for your allegiance and obedience to him. But the payoff is always a trap.

All the conspiracies I have spoken of were not “theories,” they were conspiracy facts! To keep us off kilter, Satan intermingles the two, however, “we the people” tend to dwell on theories more than facts. Many refuse to believe the facts – even when the proof is either right in front of them or is readily available with just a little effort, no deep digging necessary. The playbook is always there, and occasionally, it is left wide open because the naysayers will always shout their denials louder. Those same people prefer to stay in the “ignorance is bliss camp,” because they CANNOT be wrong. Then it turns into an “us versus them” game, clinging to the mindset of, “I can’t possibly be wrong, it’s you that is deceived.” Or the ,”I know what I know and you are wrong,” mentality.

Some of us can’t emotionally handle the truth. Some recognize the truth but choose to immerse themselves in the Matrix, and these same people persecute those who break free from the Borg hive mind, which enables them to critically think. Sadly, we have been plugged into the World Matrix for so long, the art of using common sense is indeed a lost one. And the longer we let the “Collective Media Hive” mold our thinking, the harder it will be to break free.

As I have said many, many times, nothing done in darkness is hidden from God, and eventually, those dark secret oaths are exposed, even if only a little at a time. The more we seek the truth, the more truth is revealed. We only need to change our mindset, rid ourselves of damming pride, and allow God to illuminate our surroundings – to shine His light in the darkness encroaching us, then open our eyes that we may truly see past the façade Satan always places at the forefront, blinding us from what is real, and deceiving us by making good look evil and evil look good. As for the latter, the evil one has truly outdone himself.

The conspiracies going on today are vast, and because of the damage control done whenever dark oaths are exposed (disinformation campaigns through mind-numbing media – it’s called television programming for a reason), the few who, with the Lord’s help, have broken the programming, and are aware of the evils being perpetrated among the human race, are quickly discredited, and thus, the deceit continues.

The Lord does not want a judgmental people. He doesn’t want an oblivious people. He doesn’t want a people who, through manipulation, cling to their version of truths with such stubbornness that they disregard, bully, ostracize, and persecute anyone who does not agree with them, whether it be in person or over social media platforms. And many do this with the pretense of concern for the welfare of others when in actuality, it is prompted by pride, and we know who the author of pride is. Each and every time we blatantly (or snidely) place ourselves in the judgement seat, pointing our “royal” scepter at others for what we deem to be wrong in their character, we are wrapping ourselves in the dark robe of the evil one – a robe made of flaxen cords disguised as inviting velvet.

The Lord also does not appreciate blind obedience. He does not want us blindly following and clinging to the arm of flesh. That fleshy arm has human weaknesses, as do all human lives. The Lord’s is the only arm that is perfectly-strong and will never weaken, no matter the weight placed upon it. The ultimate bodybuilder, His biceps are perfectly toned and capable of holding aloft the weight of the world. His hands are always there, pointing us to the truth. But that’s just it, He can only point and guide. If we stubbornly refuse to move off our own proverbial petard, all he can do is leave us there to suffer the consequences.

Contrary to popular belief, not everything is as it seems, and no matter the race or religion, there are always wolves among the flock disguised as sheep. Some don’t recognize the wolf within while others embrace the inner wolf and slyly move among the flock, destroying one life at a time. If the shepherds aren't carefully watching, the damage can be catastrophic. There may even be wolves among the shepherds, so we must all be watchful.

The bottom line is this: we are all in danger of the prideful, the asleep, and the self-righteous hearts. But the Lord is ever at our defense should we take His name upon ourselves and look to Him for help in uncovering all that Satan is working so hard (through evil men and organizations) to keep hidden.

My heartfelt prayer is that we will all pray earnestly for help to see through the deceptions and then open our minds and hearts so the Lord can expose these dark deceptions a little at a time. Oh, the blessings we will receive when we set aside our own willful thoughts and feelings and allow His will to be done in our hearts.

Happy Sabbath!

This is War!

"Some of the greatest battles will be fought within the silent chambers of your own soul." ~Ezra Taft
Benson 

This is a post I put off writing for a long time, but I couldn't delay it any longer. Maybe I will get placed in Facebook jail because of it, and if that's the case, then it is well with me, as long as I have my Savior in my corner.

Contrary to popular belief, we are at war, and that war is growing deadlier by the day. The spiritual war we are fighting is far more important than any physical war, with soul-damaging consequences. The battle is raging in hearts and homes.

Satan is always the instigator of war and he leaves a path of destruction that is unmistakable. He is literally breaking through all godly barriers.

He is breaking down families.

He is breaking down marriages.

He is breaking down people.

He has weaponized words that are used to deceive and come between spouses and siblings, and between God's sons and daughters.

Satan has taken a country and a people who were once so full of faith and wrapped us in a blanket of misery and fear. He has weakened and dulled our minds to the point that the art of critical thinking is lost, and pride and apathy rule, and the author of sin has been accepted as the god of this world, adopted by "we the people." We have replaced the God of all creation with the god of lies, deceit, and all wickedness.

All that is good in this world, Satan hijacks and carefully molds mankind, recruiting more soldiers for his army, and waging a war that he will never win. He may have sway in homes and individual lives, but even then, we can turn the tide. That turning will happen when we open our eyes and learn to recognize the adversary's tricks. Satan will use whatever is at his disposal to turn our hearts from our true Captain and Master, Jesus Christ.

Words are a powerful tool, and depending on which master we serve, they can uplift, bring us closer to the Savior, or tear us down and draw us away from the Lord, leading us further into Satan's camp, and in many cases, trapping us there. The following words or phrases have been weaponized by the prince of darkness in one form or another, and are used to deceive and divide us:

*Tolerence

*Racist

*Sexist

*Privilege

*Inclusion

*Safe space

*Freedom (Not the same as liberty).

*Self-esteem

*Self-worth

*Unconditional love

*Identify

*Prepper (Think "wise virgins")

*Social media

*Propaganda

*Disinformation

*Censorship

*Hate speech

*Political correctness

*"Good global citizens" (I'm sure this one will trigger and I am prepared to catch flack over it).

*And many, many more . . .

These words and phrases represent fear and intimidation. In fact, a few of these words were created specifically to instill fear and to intimidate. The rest have been simply altered and changed to fit a Gadianton agenda. And these are phrases I never, ever use because of how Satan uses them.

We literally have to be on guard every minute of the day, praying for discernment to know what is of God and what is not, which means staying as close as we can to the Savior so we won't be deceived.

This is my prayer for all of us.

Happy Sabbath!

 

"A hurt of the heart is as indescribable as verbally painting a picture of a sunset for a person who has never seen color." ~The McKade Saga

When I wrote that statement for a book I published years ago, I didn't understand it nearly as much as I do now. C.S. Lewis said, "Experience: that most brutal of teachers. But you learn."

Sometimes in the classroom of life, we think we have a handle on the lesson material. We study and try to make sure we're ready. Then the big test comes and we realize that we aren't as prepared as we thought. Sometimes it isn't the questions we've prepared for that stump  us, but the additional curveball bonus ones that we never saw coming. Those are the ones that trip us up, and they are the ones that affect our final grade the most. It's a good thing God's lesson plans include a grace period with a guaranteed do-over. 

Pain of the heart really is brutal, but I take comfort in the promise that it won't be forever. The Lord holds each life in the palm of His hand, and no heartache is too big for Him to carry, no hurt too brutal for Him to heal. One way or another, the hurting does end, and if we keep our attention fixed on the Teacher and do our best, we won't fail.

This is my hope and my prayer, for each and every one of us.

It's on Us

 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own
selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;" ~2 Timothy 3: 1-4

In one way or another, every human life on this earth has been touched by CV-19.

However, there are many plagues/epidemics existing today that are far more dangerous, doing far more damage than we can even grasp. And no country is immune to these ever-growing sicknesses. The list of some of the plagues/epidemics that have spread - and continue to spread - over the earth today are:

*The plague of pride

*The plague of hatred

*The plague of willful ignorance

*Contentious hearts

*Deceit

*Apathy

*Discriminating ideals

*Blind obedience

*Lack of common sense

*Belief that our individual opinion is the only one that counts

*Putting ourselves above others

*Dark hearts

*Unrighteous use of agency

*Unrighteous judgement

*Unrighteous dominion over others

*Selfishness

*Idol worship (This mean making idols of things and people).

*Leaning on the arm of flesh

*Fearing man more than God

*Placing other gods before "The God" (Money, power, prestige, material possessions, etc.).

*Acceptance of sin (Not naming a particular sin because sin is sin).

*Placing our own will ahead of the Lord's

And many more . . .

If we give it some serious thought, we will come to understand that every plague listed above has been brought about by one of two things: fear and unbelief. And it is fear and unbelief that morph these plagues into full-blown pandemics.

True faith in God crowds out fear and shifts our focus. Concentrating on the Lord and His power diminishes Satan's power, because we will no longer be giving him that power over us.

The Lord is our protection and our strength, and only He can truly heal us and help us through whatever will come.

May we all be continually prayerful, that we may no longer take part in any of the plagues assailing the children of God.

Happy Sabbath!