Category: Bread & Butter Morsels

Following the Holy Spirit

On By Ashley GatewoodIn Bread & Butter MorselsLeave a comment

Learning the Way of the Spirit

Countless books have been written on the subject of following the Spirit of God. We are constantly trying to figure out if we are hearing from Him, if the light we are following is the Holy Spirit or some other spirit, if it is just our own whims that pull us around, and whether we’ve correctly chosen the path of Life and not Death.

It’s all rather overwhelming. Add to that the fact that Satan is a lying deceiver, can masquerade as an angel of light to distort our perceptions, steal our peace and blind us, and very quickly the signal can get dicey. Then we have our own carnal desires to content with. Add all this up and we’ve got the elements of a boundless Lord of the Rings style war on our hands that all starts in the mind and if not conquered there, manifests outwardly potentially creating a lot of chaos.

The Battlefield of the Mind

If we look at all of these crazy winds blowing around us we can easily get distracted and frightened. What’s worse, the devil can bring every good (that’s right, good) opportunity to our doorstep and keep us so busy with doing good things that we end up off our purpose in God. Remember, even Paul was forbidden to enter Asia with the gospel of Christ. And that was a good intention, even a commandment of Christ to go into all the world and preach the good news.

Had Paul not been open and receptive to the voice of the Spirit, he would have continued on his journey in the wrong direction.

The Devil Masquerades as an Angel of Light

Satan tries to deceive us constantly and keep our understanding of spiritual matters cloaked in darkness. He’ll even try to pluck up truths we’ve come to rely upon. (Luke 8.12) He mimics Christ’s light in order to sway humans off the path of Life. This fake light can come in any number of shapes and sizes and he will fit these wares according to our human nature: distractions, busyness, urgency, good deeds (yes, even those), sin itself, glory from man, praise, wealth, spiritual enlightenment (New Age, Eastern Religions) the list goes on and on.

What makes it difficult is that even though some of these things appear worthwhile endeavors, Satan can twist them into actual traps which if acted upon will snare us and cease our journey forward.

All things require balance and proving.

Sin Does Not Lead to Growth

This is one key to knowing the path of Life and if you’re following the Spirit: are you growing in Christ? Are you getting spiritually fed and progressing in your knowledge with God? When you apply what you’re learning from a particular individual, principle or revelation, is your life getting better and are you improving as a whole? Then this is God.

Because sin cannot produce life or truth. It might show up as something glorious but in a very short time the spirit behind it will reveal itself because it lacks the capability to improve you. Sin binds, is laden with burdens, and confuses our direction. This could take a few months to determine, although the more discerning you are and the more you read the word of God the quicker you’ll realize it.

Look for growth and life. Whatever isn’t producing these results for you, it could be a snare. Even good things can be twisted by satan, look at what he does continually with the word of God. So be mindful that he’ll take something good and try to corrupt it. Know who you are in Christ and know God’s word. Jesus never had a conversation with the devil, He simply told him what to do: get behind Me!

The Key to Know Which Light is the Holy Spirit

When we are plotting our way forward having correctly placed the Kingdom of God as first priority, we can rest assured we are walking the path of Life. We may need to recalibrate and realign, but that is to be expected. The key is putting Him first. If we put anything else at the top, even good deeds in the first position above God, then the very deeds themselves become our idols.

If we follow the Spirit then the good works follow us and the foundation of the hierarchy is properly set. In the midst of the hierarchy, other people show up with whom we get to share the journey; some for extended periods of time, some for only a brief moment. These individuals can bring us breakthrough, profound truth and help us on our way. And that’s as it should be. We are the Body of Christ and we cannot go without each other, or divide from each other. And it is God who will refine His Body, purify His Bride and present Her to Himself. (Eph 5.25-27)

All will go together whether at arms length or separated by lands and oceans. We advance together upon the earth. There is no distance in the Spirit. If we are in the Spirit we are together. Paul made this clear as well.

Take Confidence in a Properly Aligned Hierarchy of Worship

Sometimes we find ourselves following and learning from an individual or even a particular church organization and they change their direction in a way that doesn’t line up with God or the word. But because we haven’t placed the individual(s) at the top of our hierarchy, (thus replacing God and our identity with an idol), we aren’t following the individual but following the Holy Spirit. This shields us from dismay and possible derailment of our progress in God. Paul said, follow me as I follow Christ, right – this equips us with all the wisdom we need: when they stop following biblical truth, stop following them.

Now we are free to learn, to move and have our being without the fear of losing who we are in Christ. Always identify with Him first, then explore as you feel led. The Israelites followed Moses into redemption as Moses followed God.

And sometimes following God sets you against the direction of the crowds, and that’s okay. You know the story of Gideon’s Army, right? God is not mainstream. Understand this. We are in the worldly system, not of it.

I fear for those in the Body of Christ who identify more with religious formalities, religious figures, online influencers or anything at all more than they identify with Christ. This is the act of adding garments over or under the garment of Christ and shadows idolatry. (But that’s another post, perhaps forthcoming.)

Be Aware of the Spiritual Realm and Test the Spirits

God will prove our connections. I’ve said this before – if we choose our own companions without listening for the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we can be led astray. He will choose and then prove those who will go with us in our journey. Then God will anoint them – which is a seal, an understanding of the purpose. You won’t be pulled in opposite directions.

Remember the solemn Council of Elrond which determined the Company of the Ring Bearer in LOTR? According to lore that meeting took 70 days before reaching an accord among them. It was as much an intellectual endeavor as it was spiritual and emotional exploration and battle. Seventy days, and that was a fictional accord. We take less time making decisions about the directions of our lives in God than we do what movie we’re going to watch after dinner tonight.

Unity Brings the Body Together Even When Separated

There are times when we go separate ways, but it is to fulfill the ultimate purpose of God which should be in our hearts the same and it should unify us both now and in the future. Times and seasons are important on the earth, when God says, ‘Not yet,’ it doesn’t mean never. It just means the time isn’t right today. So be vigilant and don’t let satan pluck up your destiny, or compel you forward and over the edge.

The devil uses time to talk you out of what is yours. ~Christian Harfouche

Be aware; satan is always roaming about like a lion seeking whom he may devour. Remember the rift between Paul and Barnabas concerning John Mark? It split Paul and Barnabas. I’m not sure who was right, but if Paul was the leader, Barnabas should have acquiesced. If Paul wanted Mark to follow, then Barnabas should have conceded his point. In this case it was the reverse, and Barnabas still should have followed Paul’s instruction which would have been leaving Mark behind for this particular trip.

Our Life is a Walk of Faith

If we are following God then everything God has for us we will encounter along that divine path. We will miss nothing. And all things God gives to us as we walk this path will be good. We just can’t replace Him with any of it. We can’t want anything God gives us more than we want Him. This is how we plot our way correctly.

Remember, have confidence in God’s choices for your life. Not today doesn’t mean never. Learn to rest in His timing, knowing that our timing – as limited creatures – is skewed because we cannot see all things at once. Placing our lives in His hands, an all-knowing all-seeing God gives us ultimate advantage against all the devil’s wiles.

“The basis of the highest form of faith is the decision to accept the proposition that whatever happens, if you live in truth, is by definition the best thing that can possibly happen despite your inability as a consequence of your limitations to have the wisdom to see that. That is a statement of faith, because there is no way of demonstrating the validity of that proposition before enacting the hypothesis. You have to commit to it.”

Jordan Peterson

Have a wonder-filled week and may you burn brightly for the Kingdom of God~

Nostalgia: Days, Years, Blades of Grass

On By Ashley GatewoodIn Bread & Butter MorselsLeave a comment

Nostalgia is not my favorite past time. It slams into me sometimes, like a wake up call to get busy, get on with it, time is short and very few things in life are worth it. Everything our flesh desires is temporal and fades away. All the riches of this earth are never certain, things rot, burn, fade and disappear. For me, the ultimate essence of a life well-lived is how successfully we align ourselves to become vessels used by God for His purpose on this earth. The battle between my will and His will is no joke. But He is all that I am at the end of it all. Without Him I would surely pass away, my spirit could not handle remaining in this body if its Savior were to pull away. People can come and go, time can pass away, but if He leaves, I’ll leave with Him. Thank God He promises He will never leave us nor forsake us. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere God isn’t.

If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol (the nether world, the place of the dead), behold, You are there.

(Psalm 139.8)

What we misunderstand about the tapestry of life; some threads are woven in as accents to brighten an area of our life we couldn’t otherwise discern. Some threads start at the beginning and remain. Humans are strange and dangerous, here we are striving to birth a child savior in AI and we don’t have a clue what we’re dealing with. We’re lonely and aching for something or someone to belong to, yet out of pride we refuse our Maker and choose to make another in our own fallen image. It will be a catastrophe.

God Knows All Things

I remember several years ago, my father was still alive, it was 2022. I had found a decent amount of success after resigning from a corporate job that plagued my creative life, (as those 9-to-5’s always do), but my financial timeline wasn’t limitless. Through some meager successes I had added another year to the creative journey I’d embarked upon, but I was still nervous about it. And it was the height of covid B.S. and DEI insanity. I had caught on to the fact that for the most part, anyone white was being discriminated against, even if they were already established, much less if they were looking for a door of opportunity as a beginner. I was trying to break into the sci-fi publication corner. (There couldn’t have been a worse time to try.)

But on this morning in late Spring, I was floating in the strange sleep state of half awake, half asleep and a powerful vision unfolded before me. A golden sun hovered several hours above the horizon, the sky still blue but just below the glowing sphere emerged the pink and orange hues of twilight. I could feel His presence. Then I heard, as if audibly, a voice say,

‘The sun will not fall below your horizon.’

I awakened immediately, sitting up in my bed, in awe. Every part of my body felt it, that’s the best way I know how to describe it. I didn’t just hear the words, I felt them. I knew everything was going to work out and a sense of peace was tangibly present. It was the Holy Spirit because faith was also immediately available.

But like everything in life, especially as one gets older, there is no win without some other aspect of our lives being tempered. As blades of grass, my father passed away within a few months, hurricanes demolished the coast of Florida, and people can hate you not because of you, but because of envy, or lack of control over you, or just because they choose to be hateful. The massive amount of complications life can throw at us is sometimes unbearable to contemplate. The treasures of this world never last.

Covid Era Polarization

The years between 2020 and 2024 were nothing short of a preemptive horror show. I’ve said it before but I felt like one of the bizarre psychics in the conscious mind-pool of the movie Minority Report. I could see what was coming, the beast slithering its tentacles into the infrastructure of mankind and wrestling us to the ground, bound and shackled. I think what could be the most difficult part about the beast is that it perhaps won’t be a figure, a person or a point on a map with a location. It’s going to be an infrastructure, a thought pattern that becomes the final snare for mankind. I can barely think of it without having to break the vision. It’s too overwhelming.

For me, the only way to face something like this is through prayer. And not the daily prayer that keeps us in communion with God. A deeper, dedicated prayer life, one as a monk perhaps would have. There’s no other way to prepare the vessel for use by the Holy Spirit than to dedicate the whole self to Him. And I’m in a position to do that. I’d have to let go of a lot of things. Trust in God would be paramount.

A Strangely Mapped Landscape

People are difficult. I’m difficult. I’ve found the post-covid era demarkation lines to be quite brutal. I never knew just how liberal the majority of my friend base was. It didn’t matter because it wasn’t seen, and what isn’t seen can’t be mapped or known. Now with social media, things are getting mapped quickly and with great definition.

With a few of my friends, we hardly have anything to talk about outside of events and other people’s lives. And since I generally don’t get into these things, I don’t have anything to talk about with them anymore. It was the art scene that was the main draw, people love to associate with artists. (Just not conservative, God-fearing, anti-woke/esg/dei artists, I’ve come to understand.) These are friends I’ve had in my life for decades. But if they aren’t excited and curious and living for God, what do we have in common? The Lord is gently closing doors, and I must remember what I know about the tapestry…

Art Has Become A Conundrum For Me

It was my art. I realize that now. There are no better supporters of art than liberal minded people. And I had far less worldview problems pre-covid. Or maybe it was pre-Trump era. And though we all have much love for each other, the underlying hate and rage for anything Christian, Conservative and/or anti-woke was too much of a gap to bridge. You can feel it simmering under the surface, your friend loves you but loathes something about you too – even they are struggling to understand it. And God forbid anyone brings up the subject of politics while out to lunch. I’ve learned to not keep my mouth shut, whereas before I would have tolerated disrespect against my values and worldview, no more.

I once had a friend say to my face, after telling them how I was going to vote, ‘Yeah no, I can’t respect anyone who votes like that.’

Wow….and now they wonder why they don’t see me much anymore.

I’m Not Sure If Art Is Worth It, Nor Politics

On social media, I still find myself restraining my tongue. For various reasons, mainly on FB because this is where my friends and family are and my community. Why disrupt things? Then they just attack whatever I’ve posted. People follow me for my art. And the minute I express my views on political matters, my posts are ignored, or attacked or they stop supporting my art. And I totally get it, I do the same. This has got to be one of the most hostile environments we’ve had throughout all of history. Was the scare of ‘Communists among us’ back in the 1940’s-50s ever this bad? Maybe, but since I wasn’t alive then, it seems pretty damn bad now.

Almost once a month I’m seeing a post from someone who has lost a near lifelong friend over religion or politics. I love to see stories when Christians come together, crossing denominational lines and acting as one Body of Christ – as we should be acting! This is why any church that claims they are the only one going to heaven draws my fierce indignation.

Let Go Of Offense

There is a huge shift coming, I can feel it and have known it for years. The old movement of God is passing into the history books. I was on the end of that movement and believe me, when you move on and away from them, they will despise you. Offense is one of the worst sins one can commit against the self. If you find yourself despising someone outwardly, check that you aren’t inwardly offended. I always bear in mind what happens to those who remain in offense:

Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: the blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

(Matthew 11.4-6)

And the result of John’s offense towards Jesus was nothing short of deadly:

The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted and had John beheaded in the prison. His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother.

(Matthew 14.9-11)

Jesus, upon hearing this immediately withdrew from the crowds to be alone. It shook Him deeply what had happened to John. It could have been averted, but John could not get past Jesus leaving him in prison, thinking surely He would have come to his rescue if He was the true Messiah. What a terrible thing to succumb to. “If you loved me you would have…..”

Stay out of offense, sweet people of God. It will behead your life and cease any forward movement in God. It’s not worth it, no one is worth that.

Pastors Need To Learn To Let People Go When God Calls Them Away: Pastors are Shepherds, Not Dictators, Not Wardens

It took me awhile to sort out what was happening, why some people were so against me for refusing to promote their sacredly held beliefs. Once you have a revelation about a previously accepted view and God shows you the error in it, you can’t ‘play church’ anymore. One must move on where the Spirit is beckoning. When God moves, you move with Him and those stuck in their own idea of what God is get left behind, grabbing at your coattails and calling you the bad one….let them be. Pray for them that they don’t drown in their offense, but don’t let God out of your sight.

They couldn’t learn from their mistakes and so they are being shut down. Not losing their salvation as individuals, but losing the Spirit of God and their compass. Whenever the old passes away, behold the new is arriving! Indeed, it’s already here. Now this is exciting to me:) Very little interests me outside of God. And it will be through prayer that fortitude and endurance is established over our lives. I still feel good about these coming four years of change. If I can get my act together, perhaps whenever the darkness comes up from the sea again, I’ll be prepared next time to rise from my dwelling and unsheath my sword.

It’s good to be prepared, in season and out of season, for the work of God.

Social Media is Getting Old, Or God is Trying to Tell Me Something

So this brings me back around to social media in general and the art of managing time. The absolutely useless arguments that we can get wrapped up in. I’m losing patience, especially with myself. Some discussions are interesting and worthwhile. Others are just time-drains. Now that things are looking a bit brighter out there, this might be the perfect time to draw nearer to God in an even deeper way. I will not allow myself to be caught unaware with only a half-filled oil lamp.

I feel as though whatever books I want to write, whatever paintings I may paint, they are hidden in Him. And unless I seek Him, I won’t find what I’m looking for. What sense is it for me to write a book? I’m not that interesting or good. But the book that is in Him, that’s the book I seek to write. I can feel it. And there is no chance I will find it or write it without first pressing into Him. This will take prayer, fasting and reading His word.

Not just for a few minutes a day. I believe this is going to be my career, if you will, for the next several months if not years. I just have to overcome my whole self. Simple enough, right?

I’m angry. I just hope I can turn it into a fervor that cannot stop me from drawing closer to God. Satan will do anything to keep us from entering into the presence of the Almighty. Because the devil knows, when we get our motives out of the way, God’s power through us to change and heal the world for good will be limitless. The sun will not set on us, my brothers and sisters. We have a great work to do in this earth still.

The Days are Coming

God will have His way in the earth. And it will be executed through a consecrated Body of Christ, His people. But the tempering must occur first, the price must be paid in prayer and fasting. And if you think this is an easily accessible goal, try to live even for a few weeks in a fasted, prayerful state. You’ll have so many doors of opportunity open to you that you won’t know which to open first. People knocking, events beckoning, distractions glaring…..

because……the devil knows us….he knows us all too well.

It’s difficult when we don’t just have an enemy in the devil, but we also have our own flesh to contend with and crucify daily. Time is tangible and adds up, it’s fleeting and adds insult to injury. We are third dimensional creatures with many things ticking outside and inside against us. If anyone thinks they can do it alone, they are sorely mistaken. God is our only hope, the Body of Christ our community of faithful believers. He will bring to us everything and everyone we need to make this life a beautiful consecration to Him, one that counts, one that lays up treasures in heaven where nothing and no one can destroy it, and that changes the world systems bringing heaven to earth; His government rests on our shoulders, the Body of Christ. Or didn’t you know that wherever you go, you present in the spiritual realm as an Ambassador of God’s Kingdom? His Body is going to shift worldly systems and bring salvation to billions of lost people.

This is what I’m aiming for, and a time of preparation will be necessary to fulfill it.

Featured Image by Mayur Deshpande 

Dreams and Patterns

On By Ashley GatewoodIn Bread & Butter MorselsLeave a comment

Two Consecutive Dreams

Last Monday night I had a dream which was unlike my typical meandering mazes. It was a story laid out in three scenes, each highly detailed and I knew nearly everyone in the dream, either personally or I knew of them in the general public.

I have considered and prayed about sharing this dream but I do not feel a release from the Holy Spirit to do so publicly. However, I do feel led to share a few components of it and maybe I’ll eventually get it interpreted in full. I can look up all the symbolism online but dreams are highly contextual and the dreamer’s emotions about objects and people are of utmost importance. One hundred people can dream of a bucket and each could have its own interpretation within the context of the dreamer’s mind.

On the following Tuesday night, after the narrative dream, I had another very detailed dream more in line with my typical dreaming pattern. I will share this dream as it was not as intricately symbolic or involving known figures as the first dream. It stands in stark contrast to the ordered, linear dream with a continuing narrative.

Some Questions About A Few Elements In The First Dream

Symbolism of the Unconscious Mind

Can you enter someone else’s unconscious mind in your own dream? Is the unconscious represented by water? I know sexuality is represented by water but the context didn’t necessary indicate this, not overtly anyway. The sides of the stream had luminescent vegetation and small creatures like fireflies. And what could it mean if you follow someone into the calm stream of water that is clear but dark because it’s nighttime and the figure leading has no problem with you following them in, nor are they disturbed or uncomfortable by it, but you grow increasingly uncomfortable to the point you clammer for the edge and they assist you out, only to turn and calmly continue their journey down the stream, disappearing into the darkness? And if it was my sub/unconscious then why was I ready to get out but they were completely not afraid of it?

The Meaning of Clothing, Exchange of Clothing

What does a coat represent, especially if someone asks for assistance to remove it and then you find yourself wearing it? You didn’t put it on and they didn’t put it on you, but more as if the result was assumed. Or maybe entrusted with it, as if care would be taken in handling it. And it remains a key feature for the entire length of the dream through all three scenes. So it doesn’t seem to be an arbitrary inconsequential event. Does clothing in general represent identity? There was not necessarily an overt feeling of protection, as if it was needed to shield or cover something…but the exact opposite, perhaps contextually like uncovering something previously unknown by enveloping oneself in it.

Apparitions

And there appeared, after so many other strange events, an unknown, unrecognizable person that was also a creature that revealed itself in the last scene. Can figures representing one idea then vanish and reemerge as wholly different archetypes? It was as if there were others transforming or events happening within the dream ‘off stage’ if you will, the dreamer not privy to those transformations or how they occurred. Or maybe, an apparition standing-in as another person’s thought.

And woods or forests – do they also represent the unconscious? Chaos even, as if crossing from civilization to wilderness, and all at night where things tend to vanish, and the night becomes a character in and of itself. The Lord will work this out perhaps one day for me. I do not know if the dream was in anyway events that have happened, are happening, will happen, or simply my mind creating stories for my own amusement. This is not my typical dream by any stretch, which you will see below.

Regardless, I will go on and share the second dream. Whether having the first narrative dream and the second more typical dream consecutively had anything to do with each other, I do not know. I’m inclined to say no. The peculiar timing of each may have been a prompting for me to take a closer look and even led me to share as much as I felt comfortable. I wasn’t thinking of posting anything about any of it and then sought the Lord as to how to proceed. I dream often. But it was the narrative dream that has me curious and searching. Strange, deeply intriguing me, and so many unknowns.

Dream One: My Typical Dream and its Patterns

The Ship

I find myself on a large ship. So large I cannot see all sides of it at once, even if I walk to find the other side, it simply opens up and the ship expands the area of my walk into other parts, corners, doors and floors under my feet. I have my own room and there are many other people also residing on the vessel. We are here for various reasons, I am here as part of a business trip. I have someplace to be but I’m not sure exactly how to get there, so I explore the ship.

This leads me to many different compartments throughout the inner workings of the ship. Sometimes I find myself outside with the sky always blue, sometimes I’m walking through a series of doors and steps and larger rooms I must walk across to get to other doors. Maybe I ascend up and maybe down but I find my way to the outside and perhaps to one end of the ship because I can see three corners.

Three Corners Lay Themselves Out

One corner is the open sea, the other corner is a vast, jumbled formation of rocks pressed right against the ships bow, the third side (or third as I’m counting but in the dream it was simply another side that was visible to me) were people convening, talking, enjoying each other on a more level surface of sand which spilled up onto the deck forming a ramp, so it was easily accessed if I wanted to walk towards them.

The rocks were separate and apart from the ship and I felt a good deal of anxiety looking in that direction; they were imposing and took up nearly my whole plane of view. What was the space between me standing on the deck and the surface of the rocks? Why were they so close and were they going to move? Was I supposed to attempt to scale them, leaving the ship behind me? They remained stationary and though the feeling wasn’t immediate danger, I was disturbed at their proximity to the ship, their height and the unknown that lay between.

I made my way back to one side of the deck where an acquaintance who was rather large in weight was sitting on an asymmetrically shaped object in the middle of the deck, maybe a quadrilateral. So I carefully sat down on the opposite edge but my fears were correct and the object deflated with my extra weight, so I abruptly stood up and she regained her seating beneath her. I made my way over to a door, now trying to find an exit off this portion of the ship but instead of leading me back to the main interior decks, the door opened to reveal a messy room with a woman and a child in it. I had walked into someone’s private quarters.

I closed the door and walked across the deck to the sand side but it had morphed into a series of stairs and ladders spread out over the sand and merging with the sea. I had somewhere to be but not sure where that was or how to get there. As I moved toward the sand, it changed into the boat again and I was climbing up objects, square metal panels, and other things on the ship to get to where I was going. Who knows where that was.

This dream then concluded.

A Final Thought

Maybe I’ll find a solution to understanding the narrative dream, or maybe I never will. God gives dreams and visions to us for a reason – but though I believe this, I also believe that at times, the mind can simply be working out its own patterns and the patterns of the world it encounters and there is no deeper spiritual meaning or foreshadowing to it. I do think our dreams can see into how others are functioning, like tapping into what our subconscious is picking up in our daily interactions that we may not be able to bring up and perceive outright. Intentions of others, for example, are extremely hard to know consciously, during normal interactions, but the subconscious can readily map such subtle indicators.

For now, I bid you farewell. And until next time, sweet dreams, beautiful people~

God Knows Your Limit, And Everyone’s Limit Is Different

On By Ashley GatewoodIn Bread & Butter MorselsLeave a comment

God’s Word Will Rearrange Your Life to Align with His

There’s a spiritual aspect and a physical aspect. We want more of God and to journey with Him as far as we can go. This journey is limited for humans – though the limit is far beyond what many have reached and different for each individual. This striving for more of God also rearranges our physical lives. And this is why we so often hit our limits early. We are connected to other people, and to what extent determines how far we will go.

We All Have A Purpose In God to Fulfill

The gift of the discernment of spirits works upon my life – which can be difficult to bear. It is exacting and carries a great responsibility.

Discernment is an extremely sharp, but not always welcome ability. This is the price I pay from a human standpoint.

All that being said, I have my own path to walk. All are welcome here and on any of my platforms, but it’s not my responsibility to control another’s choices. I can compel no one to read what I post on my own platform discussions or other random platforms online.

What I say, if one is listening and implementing, will transform one’s life, and that’s exactly it – don’t expect to listen and have nothing change. Change is uncomfortable, frightening and to many people unbearable. I’m like anyone else and feel the same about change, it is a difficult thing that cannot always be accomplished in one’s life.

People are human and flawed, we walk as far as we can with God but we all have our limit. If you find yourself at your limit and what I’ve written throughout these pages is making you miserable, then I’d say stop listening to me, because the Spirit of God will continue to call through my words.

And above all, try to refrain from blaming God that your life is being shaken – the word of God is a two-edged sword that is living and active in the hearer’s life, the double-edge means I too receive judgement as I wield it. He will prune away everything that we are willing to let go of. This is a personal matter.

This walk is no joke, and nothing to play with. This is why joy and peace and love are all so important.

God’s Word Will Transform Your Life, But Use Wisdom

Sometimes we can’t see that we’re habitually reaching into the fire that perhaps once transformed us but now feels like it’s burning away too much. The discerning of spirits gift is like that burning fire. Most people don’t need this ministry continually in their lives. But those interested in my teachings have to understand, this is my gift from God. It’s not for me to stop, but for them to leave. I’m very serious about this, the gift is given without repentance – it works in and through me always. Perhaps there is a more favorable season at a later time. Use wisdom and above all, love.

If my words or this ministerial gift bother you, maybe it’s not a good idea for you to be here or on any of my platforms looking through my posts. You’re welcome to be here, don’t get me wrong, but know that God is no respecter of persons and the working of His gift through me will affect every aspect of your life.

I’ll say it like this; God can speak to you directly through anything I say and break the chains off your life and destroy the yokes around your neck, and I will have no idea what He is accomplishing in your life or what is transpiring. It’s HIS word, He is the one performing the action – living and active – not I. I am the vessel. You’re approaching a living force in the words I speak when I’m hearing from God properly.

This Walk is Not Easy, There is a Price to Pay

His word will not fall short of His purpose to lead you into the fulness of Christ. And this changes everything around you. Our human hearts can’t always bear it, our shoes must come off, and sometimes, we can’t finish the conversation with God due to fear, crippling thoughts of inadequacy, or sheer lack of ability to allow change. We all feel this. It’s a heart matter that is personal to each child of God. We are all called to do what we don’t want to do in order to follow Christ fully. (This mind you, has nothing to do with salvation.)

This is why the limits are different for each individual, why some are called and few are chosen, why some go far and some remain within the bounds of everyday life. We are all different with different circumstances to manage, some more, some less.

Every gift is for a reason, a purpose, and a time. That’s why the Spirit gave multiple gifts to mankind. The shepherd tends to the sheep (pastor), and shearing is a necessary part of the maintenance of health (prophet). But so is grazing by the waters and feeding in lush fields of grass.

“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.” Psalm 23.2

Make sure your attention is ultimately on God, (not me or any other minister), and that you take care of yourself as well. No sheep needs to be sheared constantly – and I can’t make this decision for anyone. If I am a fire, so-to-speak, you have the choice to approach or go lay in the grass and enjoy a reprieve. We all need rest dear brothers and sisters.

May God bless you and yours on your journey, people of God.

Featured Image by Chris Klein

Stuff To Do: Your Talents and Purpose

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Journeyed out with friends for a hike this past weekend. Nature has a stillness and peace that calms the soul. Red River Gorge is beautiful in Autumn but can get insanely crowded during peak season. We rose up early and carpooled into the mountains. There were very few people on the trail and we had the perfect view to watch the mist clear from the canopy in the valley.

Princess Arch, Red River Gorge Ky

These Next Four Years

I’ve been thinking about the election and I do believe God has heard the prayer of His saints. The prophecy Kim Clement gave will be fulfilled and Trump will serve the remainder of his two terms. I don’t think it will be a quiet four years, but it will hold us back from the edge. I have a lot to do, scared as I am, and these four years will have to be the window. Then anything beyond that I will count as a blessing.

If censorship is already upon us, how much longer can we hold out? I’m still wondering what the best way is to preserve the word that is spoken since even YouTube is notorious for censoring. At some point, the edict will come down that all Christian related content be removed from all international platforms.

But perhaps this isn’t what should concern me – I’m just going to share what God puts on my heart and He can handle the rest.

Something New:)

I purchased an interesting piece of equipment and received it in the mail last week. Nothing fancy or professional, but it will be fun to play. It’s a midi keyboard. When I pulled it out of the box, I smiled.

Have you ever had a hobby you enjoyed and just let it go in all the busyness of life? It might be a gift or talent that God gave you. Making music is a ton of fun and a huge stress release for me – I get lost for hours harmonizing and laying down tracks. The last time I did anything like this was in the early 2000’s. I own a keyboard and even took piano lessons, but it’s been awhile since I laid down tracks with voice, drums, bass, strings…..I’m excited.

Talents that we let go get rusty. I think that’s part of the ‘taking of unused talents and giving them to others who will do something with them’ truth. It is slowwwww going on the learning curve – I’m not 25 anymore and technology isn’t the same either – but the more we stick to what we don’t know, the more we learn about it. And since it’s fun, I don’t lose interest.

Time Is Short

I hope you are leaning into your talents and pressing into God in pursuit of your purpose. He knows the way. I would only say this; life is so busy, so distracting and the dangers so close that we often forget to take time with loved ones and do the things we enjoy. I know there are many matters that press us, deadlines to be made, obligations and duties – for some this may be a level of pressure beyond the average, affecting many people – but please, take time to relax and allow your body to rest, let yourself enjoy those around you who love you.

Love is the Most Powerful Force in the Universe

We need it like food and sleep. Why do we forsake it? Why do we leave so little time to be with others whose company nourishes our soul? Spend time with God, put Him first, strive to be called a Friend by Him.

If we put Him first, all else will fall into its proper order.

We can get lost in the mayhem of everyday life. Make a decision today not to do that. Love those who are with you now and support those you love that they might fulfill God’s purpose on their life. This is what creates a bond that cannot be broken because God Himself will honor it. He loves us that much. Serve others in the capacity of a support role that they might become all God has purposed for them to be.

If you want to lead, you must first serve. Start with those closest to you. Pass the tests, be genuine in your affection for Him and others and He will see to it that you also are exalted in due time.

When we make it about others, we ourselves are set free of inwardly focused condemnation and introspection. And that’s a beautiful attribute of God’s love.

Have a great week all you talented people and carry on in your purpose in God, many blessings~

Don’t Cause A Brother To Stumble

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So you found a new friend who’s pretty cool. He’s full of fun ideas, infinitely curious and easily keeps pace with you. You’re having fun examining some strange bug you caught and his parents call him inside. Bummer. You both head home but later you realize he didn’t come back outside.

So missing him, after you finish lunch you run over and knock on his window, ‘Come back out’. He doesn’t tell you that he isn’t allowed to, maybe he’s ashamed of that or doesn’t want you to know why, or maybe it’s because he really does want to play outside and if he told you he couldn’t you’d leave, and he doesn’t want that either. So, he hops out the window and all seems good.

Then when his parents find out he’s no longer there, they call him in again. But this time he doesn’t just get called in, he gets disciplined. And maybe this happens a few times before you realize your friend keeps getting in trouble. You’re not sure what happened but you know it wasn’t good for him.

To love your brother is to not go back and knock on the window.

And he may miss you not knocking, or he may be sad, or even angry. Though it’s not necessarily about you, (if it wasn’t you, it would be another friend in the neighborhood) the Word says if one is hurting then the whole Body hurts, and when one rejoices the whole Body rejoices. Ask Simon who was picked out of a crowd and ordered by the Roman soldiers to bear Christ’s Cross in the street. It’s about bearing one another’s burdens when the load gets too heavy. And it’s about the maturing of the Body of Christ as a whole, God expects us to do the right thing by each other. You may miss your friend, but the loving thing to do is to stop knocking.

“You Do Not Understand Now, But Afterward You Will Understand”

Sometimes we can’t understand everything, but when God says, ‘Not now,’ it doesn’t mean never again. We might think it’s not like God to say yes, then no, then yes but I’ll give you the perfect example of this. Christ says, ‘Go out into all the world and preach the good news.’

Then in Acts 16.6-7 we get this seemingly contradictory shift with Paul and his men,

“Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them.”

Interesting, no? Jesus didn’t give the disciples any extra instruction, simply ‘go into all the world.’ No restrictions, no set timeline. This is another reason why it’s important to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Timing is everything.

Love isn’t always an easy thing, to love your brother isn’t always easy, it takes a great deal of maturity to fully embody the attributes of love. Agape love is impossible without God. If He is love, then one can’t have Agape without Him. He is made strong in our weaknesses. And Paul’s instruction to us in Romans 14 regarding stumbling means God expects us also to help each other.

One other simple example is this: if you’re having lunch with a friend and you know he struggles with alcohol, you don’t order a drink while you’re dining with him because you get to go home, go to sleep and carry on with tomorrow’s activities.

Meanwhile, he stops by the liquor store (since he poured out all the liquor he had, struggling to get well), and he falls dreadfully into sin and maybe doesn’t stop drinking for a week, missing work, forgetting obligations, etc.

Maintaining strength is important, God’s seasons are important and it’s important to do the right thing for your brother’s sake. God is faithful.

Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. Romans 14:13-23

“So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil.” I like this line. To some, a particular action or connection is considered evil even though we know no sin has been committed. But for the sake of good, you protect and take responsibility for your brothers or sisters who may be struggling. Even though the Spirit forbade Paul from moving into those regions he wanted to journey, didn’t mean the people there were forsaken or that God didn’t love them. It was because there was a more favorable season at a later time.

Love endures all things.

Have a blessed week, all you beautiful people~

Featured Image by Robert Collins

Opposing Forces Forms The Vessel

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The Storm Draws Nigh

Another huge hurricane is bearing down on the west coast of Florida and most haven’t rebuilt from Ian two years ago. I’m watching four live video cameras pointed at the Gulf of Mexico from Key West up the coast to Tampa Bay as I’m drinking my morning coffee and wondering to myself, ‘why do we hate adversity so much’?

A Lump of Potential

I think of how the artist presses their hands into the clay on the turning wheel and how without the skillful hands of the creator pulling, stretching and reconstituting, the potential would remain a lump of clay unusable and of little desirability.

But when our Creator works with us, part of the process that shapes our being is adversity. God sees unlimited potential in our useless lump of clay. We feel comfortable in our untamed lumpiness, no one notices us, we can’t be knocked over or shattered and we are familiar with our original elements and constitution. We don’t have to dare to be anything.

Adversity comes in many forms, sometimes one fiery trial at a time and sometimes multiple adversities hit at once. This is what happened to Jesus. It was one at a time and then all at once. These adversities in life are opportunities to ‘level up’, to be hewn, to be shaped and formed into something greater than we are today. And though the process can be frightening, bring sadness, seem daunting, God knows what He is doing. The final shaped vessel has to be fired in order to set the work, right? We fail continually sometimes, but God doesn’t stop giving us chances as long as we remain contrite.

God’s Acts are Meaningful, Never Trivial

I take comfort in knowing that I’m not assailed by the devil without reason or without gain. He’s a tool – puns welcomed – in shaping my vessel into a quality usable work in the Kingdom of God. Opposing force forms the vessel. If the devil wasn’t so prideful he could have slithered away out of sight and possibly preserved himself. But it is his pride that continues to dig his own fiery grave because every sin he commits against the Kingdom of God and it’s inhabitants (that’s you and me by the way) God turns for good – as difficult for us as it may seem, just check in with Job – God will turn the tide and deliver the spoil.

God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Being Purposeful About My Activity

Speaking of tides, I got a little gadget and installed a digital art software to play should I find myself waiting: in lines, in cars, at airports or just relaxing at home, etc. I can’t carry my physical art supplies with me everywhere and I’m hoping I’ll spend more time tinkering on this device making art than roaming around social media listening to everyone argue.

I’ve been working on the drawing below, learning the programs features and brushes, while listening to all the dreadful hurricane updates. No one wants it to hit them directly, but that means someone else gets hit directly – go north, go south – even local newscasters catch themselves when they say ‘it would be much better for Tampa if this goes South, well that means Sarasota gets hit but it would be awful for Tampa to get hit’…..

Well, it would be awful for Sarasota to get hit, no? I’ve been praying along with many others that the wind sheer brings the intensity down to a 2 or low 3. God can do anything, we’ll see what happens. Because even King David, with all his prayer and supplication could not save the first born. God is sovereign, I remain humble in this understanding.

Ian cost me a great amount of money, but it cost others their memories, their happiness and even their lives. I have to keep my sense of victimhood in check. At least I have options, most people all they have is in the path of this dreadful storm – God may Your opposing wind buffer this monster’s strength to minimal impact.

The Time is Short, Make the Most of It

Making use of our gifts affords us opportunity and advancement. It also keeps what we have been gifted from being taken away and given to someone else willing to make use of it. So to put this truth into practice in my own life, maybe I’ll start making my own thumbnails on my Youtube channel, it’s a good investment of my talent, as feeble as it is. I’d rather use it than lose it.

Yes, I’m playing around with a channel and trying to figure out what direction God’s wind is blowing. It’s fun, it’s funny and altogether a bit annoying but as I’ve said before, as much as I hate the idea of doing a thing, I hate the idea of a whale lurking with its mouth open wide just beneath the surface of my complacency and fear.

Is there something under the water here?….is that why all the little houses are taking such a fright? I need to add a sea creature under there….maybe I should just put two glowing eyes peering up from the deep.

Featured Image by yours truly, and may the trials you’re facing right now not be for naught but instead transform your life by the skillful work of the Master’s hand. Allow and welcome opposing forces to form you vessel into a work of art for the Kingdom of God. Let’s stay surrendered to Him, let’s stay humble so that we might learn and grow and ultimately flourish for His glory.

Through Broken Walls

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A Nuanced Tone

I read a verse in scripture this morning where God is being sarcastic. I’ve never really noticed it before. Maybe it’s my own mood this morning but, it does seem to qualify for sarcasm. And it made me laugh even in the midst of such a chilling address by the Lord.

It’s Amos 4.1-5. This passage is quite terrifying because whatever God speaks accomplishes that which it’s sent to accomplish…and it prospers in its purpose. Gives me chills…

God doesn’t play around y’all.

There’s another verse that really moved me which I’ll get to in a moment. But the sarcasm is found in verses 4 and 5 where God uses a nuanced tone with them and says in essence, ‘Come on to Bethel and transgress! Bring those sacrifices every morning, proclaim and announce your offerings, go right ahead! Because this is who you are and this is what you love!”

Whewwww~ NOBODY wants God speaking sarcastically to them, oh my goodness…

Evildoers Miss the Straight Path

He’s addressing the land of Bashan in Samaria here. I don’t know all the history but one of my favorite lines in this section is as follows:

“You will go out through broken walls..”

No hint of sarcasm there. This is an amazing imagery and description of an exit of power, or a driving out of evil from a place it once inhabited but is being rejected from the land. The scripture says the Lord will make our paths straight. Our path is made easy when we choose God’s way. We may not think this is true, because life is strenuous and confusing at times. But the Lord always makes a way where there seems to be no way. Isaiah 43.16, God made a way through a sea, He made a way through transporting in the belly of a whale, He made a way from death to life for Christ and all of us. There is no path, not even the path through the heart of evil, that God cannot make a way for us to walk out on dry land – a straight path.

But those who are evil, well their way is out through broken crumbled walls, falling debris, stumbling and even dying of their wounds just trying to get away from whatever is pursuing them. It is their own sin that has crumbled the walls of their life and existence. The word of God is tremendous. I like that wording very much, it’s concise and deadly.

God Delivers Us, But Evildoers are Delivered to Their Fate

In Amos 3.11 He speaks another powerful word:

“An adversary shall be all around the land; He shall sap your strength from you, and your palaces shall be plundered.”

Our enemies don’t stand a change against God. However, against us alone…well that’s a different story. But, alas!, we are not alone! We don’t have to deliver ourselves all the time. If we can’t admit we need help, then the issue is far deeper than just trying to act strong. The strongest are able to receive help willingly.

Evil never slips out of the snare – there will always be a final snare that never lets them go. God will see to that. We don’t see to it, God sees to it.

Vengeance is Mine, and recompense;
Their foot shall slip in due time;
For the day of their calamity is at hand,
And the things to come hasten upon them.’

Deuteronomy 32.35

God works contrary to our understanding of the world. When we think we’ve won, we’ve actually lost. When we think it’s the end, it’s actually a newly created beginning. This only happens for those the Bible says are ‘hidden in Christ’. Hiding in any other way won’t save us from the exiting through crumbling walls. God protects and preserves His own, He watches over His word to perform it on our behalf.

Because God is just marvelous like that.

Featured Image by Pawel Czerwinski.

Cities and Stuff

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Boston

I recently returned from a trip to Boston. I love big cities. They are always awake and always open for business. I also like the way of living far more than small town – each has its advantages I suppose – one offering a slower pace to life and one engaging and always beckoning attention and involvement.

I never clocked less than 10K steps a day while in Boston, and that’s without any extra dedicated time. In small towns, there’s no great possibility of walking or biking. Stores and destinations are just too far apart. In many instances, biking and driving took the same amount of time in Boston. Even in small ‘cities’ like Lexington, there is no decent public transportation that runs frequently enough without wasting an hour and a half waiting at bus terminals. A fifteen minute car drive is the only alternative.

We’re walking through the MIT tunnels to catch the rail to a 5K, not mine, just to be clear.

I was talking with a friend up there who stated it quite perfectly. He said that there’s an energy you can feel when walking the city. You always have other people bustling about, things are happening like deliveries, events, shows, students, other runners or cyclists on the city streets with you no matter the time of day. But to walk to a friends house in a suburb of a small town, all the houses shut up, curtains drawn, lawns are the same, row after row – it’s just an excruciatingly boring walk.

It’s true!

I do my best to walk daily – which I have to make time and drive to the park. But I have to work much harder to get 10K steps whereas the city seems to provide ample opportunity for healthy living without even trying.

Anyway, I guess I want too much just in general. Maybe we all do. We want everything that is good about all we’ve experienced combined for a perfect life. It’s just not going to happen.

I daydream about living in a big city. Who daydreams about something so mundane? Maybe I’m seeing a vision, this happens to me sometimes. Will have to pay more attention to these daydreams.

Motivators

I have to consider why something is being done, why I’m taking a particular action. Shouldn’t we all consider why we are doing certain things in our life? Jesus said to lay up treasures for ourselves in Heaven because the treasures of this world rot and disintegrate and pass away. Entropy. Even ideas that seem to propagate suffer deterioration if they aren’t of any eternal value.

I’ve noticed how much the wrong ideas about God propagate on social media. People who are Christians saying that what makes a shepherd inadequate is not preaching the goodness of a particular political party to their congregations. In other words, not using a position given by God to push your own political agenda is unacceptable as a Christian Pastor. Like, what kind of Hell-talk is this? Who is embodying the essence of the great Accuser of the Brethren here?

How is it that Christian influencers are falling into this treacherous language against Christ?

And then, as if just speaking it isn’t treacherous enough, we have loads of ‘avatars’ liking the post, not because they are Christians necessarily, but because their agenda lines up with the poster’s comment.

These Christians influencers will be held accountable.

Anything we say – especially if we have followers on a massive level – will be solely our responsibility come the Judgement. ‘But someone else taught me that!’ This argument, my friend, will hold no water with God almighty. He has already warned us, ‘My people perish for lack of knowledge.’ This is why I am so adamant, esp with those God has laid on my heart, in correcting when someone is going down the wrong path. I care for them AND I care for all those children of God they are leading astray. I say children because they may be the few who are exempt, though still they will perish at the hands of ill-informed leaders, if they are never correct and taught proper biblical truth.

This is why leaders will be judged with far more weight than the children they are leading and influencing.

Hence this warning given: ‘Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.’

Now we just as easily can put ‘influencers’ in place of teachers. Same thing, same process of passing along the wrong information about God in this example. Do I know everything? Of course not! Which is why I’m grateful (though maybe at first quite irritated) when I get corrected. Correction, admonishment, saves our lives!

Now that alone keeps me from stepping out as much as I might be, it’s a grave thing to have great influence and be dead wrong about something so grave as life and death of a person’s soul and body. That’s my issue I must overcome.

The Wicked Won’t Win, Even Though Now They Appear To Prosper

The wicked shall not prosper. There’s a verse that admonishes, ‘do not envy the prosperity of the wicked.’ And it’s easy to do that. This life on earth has many interesting and pleasurable things we could use our vessels to indulge in, yet this assuredly brings death. God knows the human’s psychological makeup better than anyone or anything. Even Satan understands human psychology better than humans do, duh..

Do not fret because of those who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 37.1-3

Everywhere I look anti-Christ organizations, corpse-porations and blasphemous God-haters seem to garner praise, financial gain and worldly clout. But like, who wants that kind of ROI?

Death of self would be our aim today, in this world of indulgent pleasures, including dopamine kicks-and-giggles that social media tends to deliver to our starving central nervous receptors. Sometimes I wonder if Christians aren’t saying these ridiculous things because they believe the more social media likes and praise they garner means somehow they are doing the right thing and are approved of God.

My God, people! This is such a trap. All of this misdirection must burn away. Self-centered ambitions must burn away. I know, far easier said than done – and I don’t have thousands of followers…God help me if I ever do. I might run away, which would result in zero benefit to anyone.

And there are always whales at-the-ready for servants of God who run….fantastic…

It’s a problem of space and time for me, I think. It’s a problem of losing. Losing things. And I hate losing things. I hate losing time and options. I need an eternal view, not a here-and-now view. Many who are smarter than I, keep correcting my thought on this: I must narrow my path which sacrifices all other paths I could walk and proceed with all focus in one direction. This is excruciating for me even though I know that to do otherwise just keeps the wheels spinning unproductively.

Everyday Witnesses Through Their Gifts

The Lord has been bringing unique individuals to my attention. People I would never find in the circle of interests I have, and these people are full-on dedicated to the work of God’s kingdom here on the earth. They aren’t formally in the ministry at all, they are chefs, or skateboarders, or comedians – all manner of professions but they never miss a beat to talk about God during an interview about their chosen profession or craft. It’s a beautiful thing to see.

And quite frankly, they speak with much more profound depth and authority about God than those who are in positions of prestige or power within the church (noun, place) today. I became disillusioned about the structure of church organizations and institutions since the mid-2000s.

Indeed, we all wrestle with God at some point.

God always calls the Gideon, or the David, or the Esther when they are known by few and obscure. I think this is amazing and I love to watch it unfold in a life; how the seemingly smallest is made the greatest among us, not by their own hand of power, but by offering all their strengths to God to use for His glory.

This kind of wrestling is among the most difficult because it is our weaknesses, the self, the ego, the intellect like Leviathans pushing forward within us for control when, perhaps one might say, the hero overcomes them to submit his or her vessel with all its inadequacies to the will of God, as Jesus did. It’s nothing short of miraculous. Indeed, without the Spirit of God, we could not possibly do it. Faith is a powerful thing when it’s witnessed working through an individuals life.

I’m seeing this more and more, in the most far away corners of the world; God’s people lighting up and flashing a signal, as it were, that God is ever present and available to save and guide into a more abundant and rewarding life. That is, if we can pay the price. There’s always a sacrifice.

God’s Refinery

God’s fire is all consuming. And whatever is not of Him burns off of our lives. God help those of us who have built much in this world but little in the kingdom of God. It’s no fun to walk through the fire, but in the end we are certainly better for it. The continual regeneration of life is an unmistakeable attribute of God. Without Him, there is no life-force. I can’t take this train of thought too far here, it’s one blog post, but it ties in with so many other aspects of the human-Christ-eternal dynamic.

MIT tunnel graffiti, hallway art.

If anyone abides not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

John 15.6

The above scripture is exactly how it is. But there are other scriptures which indicate that what isn’t burned up, remains.

Paul says that if our work is burned up, we will suffer loss – there’s my loss hang-up – though we will be saved, but only as through fire. So I would even go as far as saying if anyone doesn’t subject themselves to the fire to burn away what should not be there, then they themselves cannot be saved. Either we chose it voluntarily and in doing so we pass through it, or we succumb to it involuntarily and lose our lives as well.

Peter tells us that everything that makes up the universe will burn and be destroyed and that heaven will pass away. This informs the reader that everyone will pass through that fire; but some things aren’t burned up but remain, continue, live on. And in the case of Christ, that living is eternal.

And again, Paul states that there is coming a great shaking and everything that can be shaken will be. But what is of God and eternal will remain. So this ‘passing through’ is a phenomenon we all must subject ourselves to, I think it’s voluntary, first. But if we don’t do this, run from it or deny God, the fire still must be passed through and we will also lose ourselves, our inhabited vessels even to the flames.

Now let’s think about our lives and how much will be consumed by the fire, how much we’ve done for our own self-centered ambitions and striving to impress other humans in this world. That’s a difficult thought experiment. But let us importantly remind ourselves of this, we are saved not by our own hand but by Christ.

This is so because we are in Him, we abide in Him and guess what? He had no evil in Him so that when He passed through the flames of Hell taking the keys of death Hell and the grave from that pesky Cherub, everything who was Christ rose again. In other words, His body also, being transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Nothing could hold Him, not even the death which was appointed to all of us to suffer, once. So indeed God’s words were true, Jesus suffered death, once as appointed to every man. But again,

 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.

Acts 2.24

And again, this is one portion of our promise, having been adopted by Him as His own children, a prophecy that is the Spirit of Christ, we shall inherit life eternal:

…because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay.

Psalm 16.10

The grave couldn’t hold Him, nor will it hold us, dear brothers and sisters.

Okay, I can’t help but think how long it took me to write this one post. How does one measure time wasted or time spent productively?

Have a beautiful week, all you curious people. Or if you’re feeling adventurous; have a curious week, all you beautiful people~

Featured Image: Snapshot of more MIT graffiti, taken by yours truly~

Future Longevity vs. Dishonesty

On By Ashley GatewoodIn Bread & Butter MorselsLeave a comment

Why do people have to lie? How is it good business to do so? I was blatantly lied to by an individual who I assume thought I knew nothing about his particular area of expertise. But I did. If you’re trying to sell a product or service why not be honest and establish your company as a reputable entity that can be trusted? This way you can have repeated business in the future…man, I was so disappointed.

Then they get mad because I call them out and they have to backpedal; all for extra bucks today when had they been honest it could have been several thousand in future transactions, not to mention a stellar reputation to go along with it. I have to ask myself, what were they thinking? Maybe people aren’t very smart or they short-sell their credibility because it’s today that they are in desperate need for the extra money (or whatever it is they are lying about) and the future doesn’t matter if they aren’t around to see it.

I Could Not Say Anything

Going down a rabbit trail, I also wonder why I can’t just keep my mouth shut. I could’ve not let them know that I knew they were lying – I could’ve let it slide and still refused the service. I don’t like being lied to I guess, it pisses me off, and I also don’t like to be pushed around. My personality is quite happy-go-lucky. To some who are far more serious, it may seem an unbearable lightness of being, annoying even. But as I’ve heard it said before, I have far less play in me than one might initially think.

I don’t always know everything, (I say not always because I also can know anything there is to know by the omniscient God when He sees fit to share with me).

So then I think about myself and how there are so many things I don’t know so how might I have been taken advantage of in the past?

We May Not Understand Why Now, But the Future Reveals the Reason

Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.”

John 13.7

Fear and high pressure sales do not work on me, at least not most of the time. Liars usually have to create an atmosphere first, perhaps of urgency or maybe confusion, before selling the narrative and zeroing in for the kill. One of my first jobs was selling cutlery – they are good knives too, I still have them and they are still sharp 30 years later. When what is being sold is of high quality, no dishonest tactics are needed to sell it. Being trained to sell those knives makes me chuckle today. The manager at that time, Rich Oakes, was a stellar guy, I think he’s started his own business today and doing great. He taught me a lot of things in that short fifteen month season that I’ll never forget and the knowledge has served me well.

Sometimes we wonder why we are where we are. We might think, why am I here doing this right now when I could be doing anything else? But wow, the thousands of dollars I have saved throughout my life having been taught how sales and marketing work at a cutlery office has been of utmost value to me.

Integrity Counts for More, Respect Brings a Better Harvest

Trust. Telling the truth can cost a company or an individual a lot of money, while on the other hand, being dishonest can increase a company’s bottom line. But at the expense of what? It’s a huge risk to bet on someone not uncovering the truth. I knew the truth, called the individual on his play, and still was pressured, as even their co-worker hopped in to reiterate the urgency of a situation which later turned out not to be so urgent, as I had already known.

I guess I feel disrespected somehow. There is a certain amount of respect that comes with having a husband to handle certain situations. But what I know that people who lie to me don’t know is that I have an all-knowing Husband who can follow them home, listen to them when they’re talking about me behind closed doors, and He delivers to me far more power than an earthly husband can provide. This makes me smile, because even though things would be somewhat easier being married, having an omnipotent God as a protector is unbeatable:)

The King and His Host

And when said Husband is also King, having a vast array of angelic host at His service, and I’m His wife, well dear children of God, we all also have a power that can manifest from the invisible to the visible – the spiritual realm is no different this very day as it was in 4000 B.C. or 1 A.D. when angels manifested to speak with Abraham or Lot or Mary – and I do believe, they manifest at will around us for whatever purpose our Lord and King – our Husband – deems appropriate.

Man, it’s hard to find people who are supportive and trustworthy. But thank God I do know some who are and have the privilege of doing business with them. You know when you’ve found an honest person when the decisions they make help you increase your wealth when it could have benefited them to say nothing at all or sell you something you don’t really need.

Sowing Trust, Integrity and Good Will Now for an Uncertain Future Ahead

Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again. Divide your portion among seven, or even eight, for you do not know what disaster may befall the land.…

Ecclesiastes 11.1-2

Generous, reliable and trustworthy people and companies are growing more scarce it seems. Could it be that one day, when I open to see who’s knocking, it will be a robot who’s come to fix the problem I’m having with the car, or HVAC, or refrigerator or……

God only knows where humanity is headed. But I for one am going to strive for as much honesty as possible knowing that man may kill the mortal body, but it is God who holds the soul.

Featured Image by Ronda Dorsey