How my past affects my present

As I continue my journey of Renewing my Mind

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)

and asking God to show me His truth versus the lies I have lived with for many years, today I had another Aha moment.

Fear of Rejection and or Abandonment.

I realized that another learned behavior of mine is fear.

For this blog I want to talk about the fear of abandonment and rejection.

As I was reading this morning it said that when you have this fear of abandonment and rejection then you are susceptible to looking for a meaningful identity outside of a true and complete relationship with God.

As I was praying I found God saying, “I need to you to read that in regards to all aspects of your life, not just as words written on a page.”

Immediately I saw how this fear could allow people to get into relationships that are abusive. My immediate thought was of those who get into domestic abuse situations, but God said, “look beyond.”

As I was pondering this, I was taken to a post I had written earlier called “who are you hitching your cart to?”

It became clear that God wanted me to see that because of a fear of abandonment and rejection, that I was still carrying with me from years ago, I was making business decisions based upon the lens of my past. You see when you have abandonment and rejection as part of your story, you may put your blinders on not just in personal relationships, but also in business relationships in order to find a meaningful identity. The red flags may be so obvious that a toddler even knows there is danger, but because of your lens of the past, you push them to the side and run even faster in order to be accepted by someone; anyone.

Just last week I was talking with a friend and recounting how many times I have prayed, no scratch that, I told God what I thought was best and then made the plans to do my plan. I told this young lady that I have learned that sometimes God allows you to have it your way, because He is tired of listening to you whine about it.

Today, I have come to realize that maybe it wasn’t God giving in, it was me looking for a meaningful identity outside of a true and complete relationship with God.

I know I also need to thank God that He did not leave me nor forsake me even in my pursuit of trying to find my identity in something else besides Him.

So as I pray through my “action plan” for 2018, I have a new filter: Does this bring me closer or farther away from my identity in God?

Asthma, do I have any less Faith?

For the past couple of years I have struggled with asthmatic symptoms.

At times it has gotten so bad that I would sit in a chair all night sipping hot tea or black coffee just to keep my airways open until I could reach an urgent care facility in the morning. You see my flair ups never happen during regular business hours.

Recently, I was told it was a stronghold on me and I needed to find out what it was in my past that was creating the asthma.

As much as I agree with strongholds and how much havoc they can create in our human bodies; I also know that sometimes God allows us to keep our “thorn”, and we must learn what it means to rely on Gods strength. Paul is a great example in 2 Corinthians 12 he says this:

Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong….

So what if God does not supernaturally heal me?

Do I have any less faith?

Do I quit praying?

Do I quit seeking?

As I was doing a study that was to help guide me through breaking free from whatever it is that is creating my allergies and the asthma, I became very disheartened by the fact they pulled scriptures out of context to say the least.

But just like God does, He wanted me to see something else; as I was doing this study, it referenced Mark 11:23 it says:

“Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.

Sounds amazing right? I was thinking I am going to start reciting this day and night back to the Lord… It’s a promise and I am going to stand on it. But just as God does, He said continue reading.

Mark 11:24-25 says:

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”

You see we want the promise without the work. For me I was mentally preparing my list.. And I was like “yep, I am good”…until I was preparing to write a blog for another website.

As I was writing, I realized I was still holding grudges about a lost childhood, how I was hurt by the church and even bitterness I didn’t know I had. I was allowing satan, even 2, 3, 4, and 5 decades later to still pull the chains.

To me it wasn’t a in your face blatant “hold against you”… It was more about holding onto nuggets of my past so that I could use my story to reach more people. That doesn’t sound so bad.. Right?

Let me explain. We are hearing more and more “we all have a story to tell”, but when we re-create the story to be more focused on the negative it created versus the positive that came from it, we allow satan to have power over our thoughts which turn into words. By allowing Satan to have power over our thoughts, we are holding onto the past and not allowing ourselves the freedom to say to that mountain “Go through yourself into the sea, and it will be done”.

So I have a choice today as I tell my story, do I give satan the privilege of allowing the negative words to be heard?

If I do, this could create a victim mindset support group where no one heals, but continually lives the past in order to “hold against” the people and ultimately the Lord.

Not just another Sunday Sermon

Today’s sermon was not just another Sunday sermon, but rather an address by Bishop Kendall of the Free Methodist Church and secondly by Brad, the Superintendent of the Eastern Michigan Conference of the Free Methodist to celebrate the 125^th birthday of Owosso Free Methodist.

Bishop Kendall told of the history of the Free Methodist Church and how we were FREE to worship in the Spirit but also to make to world free by knowing the One who can make you really FREE.
He also talked about as a people group we need to

Understand the story
Play our part in the story
Contribute to the story so that the story continues.

Superintendent Brad then got up and had us turn to Joshua 1 where you find this passage.

After the death of Moses the LORD’s servant, the LORD spoke to Joshua son of Nun, who had served Moses: “Moses My servant is dead. Now you and all the people prepare to cross over the Jordan to the land I am giving the Israelites. I have given you every place where the sole of your foot treads, just as I promised Moses. Your territory will be from the wilderness and Lebanon to the great Euphrates River–all the land of the Hittites–and west to the Mediterranean Sea. No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. I will be with you, just as I was with Moses. I will not leave you or forsake you.

As we were reading this I realized that this is the promise of the Lord for their obedience. But then it goes on to give us another command.

“Be strong and courageous, for you will distribute the land I swore to their fathers to give them as an inheritance. This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to recite it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do. Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

This part of Joshua got me thinking about how many times we, ok maybe this is just for me, I complain when things aren’t going the way I want or maybe I see others receiving blessings when I know (or at least I think I know) I deserve it more than they. But God, just as God does had me sit here for a moment, so I could check my heart.

Then he had us follow the story into Joshua 3:

Joshua started early the next morning and left the Acacia Grove with all the Israelites. They went as far as the Jordan and stayed there before crossing. After three days the officers went through the camp and commanded the people: “When you see the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD your God carried by the Levitical priests, you must break camp and follow it. But keep a distance of about 1,000 yards between yourselves and the ark. Don’t go near it, so that you can see the way to go, for you haven’t traveled this way before.”

Brad went on to talk about the fact that in the Old Testament you had the Ark of the Covenant to show you the way because: “for you haven’t traveled this way before.” God pricked my heart that today because we don’t have the physical Ark which represented the presence of God, we do have a guide and that is the Holy Spirit.

Superintendent Brad, went on in the Joshua to read:

Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, because the LORD will do wonders among you tomorrow.” Then he said to the priests, “Take the Ark of the Covenant and go on ahead of the people.” So they carried the Ark of the Covenant and went ahead of them. The LORD spoke to Joshua: “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so they will know that I will be with you just as I was with Moses. Command the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant: When you reach the edge of the waters, stand in the Jordan.”

“Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, because the LORD will do wonders among you tomorrow.”

Consecrate yourselves… do we, again do I consecrate myself so that the LORD will do wonders among me tomorrow? Or do I just want God to do His part without the obedience of my part? Because if we go back to Joshua 1 it clearly states that I must: “This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to recite it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.”

And I know many will say we live in the New Testament time… and you are correct but God has clearly been reminding me that in Matthew 5, Jesus said “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

Joshua then goes on to say: “…Command the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant: When you reach the edge of the waters, stand in the Jordan.”

Did you know that LEADERS are to get their feet wet? Now this was not surprise to me, because I know that when leaders lead by example, those who follow will have an easier time doing the same. Actually my husband Rob (www.RW Kendall.com) wrote a great blog called “Where you lead from the pulpit, people will follow from the pew).

But what I did not realize is that:

“Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest.” Joshua 3:15

I am not sure what you know about water flowing during a “flood stage”, but as someone whose home flooded once and backyard flooded a few times, watching water rushing and knowing if you step foot out of the safe distance zone into the water, the force will sweep you under. And God told the leaders to put their feet in the edge of the water?

Then Superintendent Brad said, “God doesn’t always do things that make sense.”

So what does all this mean to me? Maybe even for you who maybe reading it.

What is God asking you to do for Him?

What excuses are you giving?

“Those” Women

As I sat in class I heard her speaking but my mind kept wandering…what about the women like me?

What about the ones who don’t look like you?

What about the ones that have fallen on hard times?

What about the ones who have or are addicted?

My brain snapped back to attention when I heard her say, ” well you have to be worth my time. You have to commit your time to meet with me.”

My thoughts started floating back to all the women God has put in my path who don’t look like me and have different circumstances in their life that I have walked with.

If I used her model of ministry, I am afraid to think of how many missed appointments I would have had, that God would hold me accountable for because I felt my time was more valuable than their growth and eternity.

She did finally talk about those that were “different”, and how excited she was that her and her “girls” we’re able to go and serve “those” women.

“Those” women are NOT a project.

“Those” women have potential too.

“Those” women were created in the image of God.

“Those” women are your neighbor and the ones the Priest and the Levite didn’t have time for either.

New Chapter, Making a Difference

The theme of the conference is Dream Big. We all have dreams and goals, but do we really have the expectation that God is going to answer? Yesterday I kept hearing, “you say you have faith, then why don’t you act upon that faith?”
Am I too much of a realist being a first born and having an “A” type personality? Or growing up having to become self-sufficient at a very early age if I wanted something?
It was also said yesterday, “we are kept from our goals not by obstacles, but by a clearer path to a lesser goal”.

On top of all that has been said, usually if God brings something into my path 3 times I need to listen.

Yesterday at a breakfast for women, the speaker (a man), spoke on Mary and Martha.

He was talking about how Mary was sitting at the feet of Jesus.

Here is the story in Luke 10:
“As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, He came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to Him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what He said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to Him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

According to Barnes notes on the Bible
“Sat at Jesus’ feet” – This was the ancient posture of disciples or learners. They sat at the “feet” of their teachers – that is, beneath them, in a humble place. When it is said that Mary sat at Jesus’ feet”, it means that she was “a disciple” of His; that she listened attentively to His instructions, and was anxious to learn His doctrine.
She was welcome at the table, to learn and become “a disciple”.

According to Gotquestions.org
The Greek term for “disciple” in the New Testament is mathetes, which means more than just “student” or “learner.” A disciple is a “follower,” someone who adheres completely to the teachings of another, making them his rule of life and conduct. Jesus’ followers were called “disciples” long before they were ever called “Christians.” Their discipleship began with Jesus’ call and required them to exercise their will to follow Him

Jesus was quite explicit about the cost of following Him. Discipleship requires a totally committed life.

Over the past 15 years I have devoted my life to learning, teaching and pouring into others. A saying was used years ago by a local pastor “making Disciples that make a difference”.

Today, I feel I am on a new mission, because even though God has allowed me to see many people be transformed in the way they live, if I really take a hard look at myself…. I have failed at the second part of the mission God placed me on many years ago….making Disciples that make a difference.

Worthy

If you were guaranteed success and money was taken care of, what would you do with your life?
Many of us had dreams when we were younger and for whatever reason they were dashed by the time we became adults.
We were either told, you can’t become a princess because they only exist in fairy tales or you were told to be realistic because you aren’t tall enough, skilled enough or thin enough to become “that”.

Do you remember being a kid and saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never harm me?” Now that I teach life recovery classes on a daily basis to people who are overcoming addictions, abuse or negative cycles of life, I realize that whoever wrote that was trying real hard to do the “Positive Self-talk” or they were trying to strengthen their child because of the horrible parenting they had done. Whatever the reason, if we are really honest with yourselves the words of, “you can’t do that”, “that will never work”, or “you’re not good enough”, still haunt us today and we may find ourselves stuck on this cycle of letting life happen.

I teach every week in the darkest corners of the United States, in our jails and prisons. I know what hopeless looks like. I know what oppression feels like. I also know what it is to be locked up inside my own prison filled with doubt and self-sabotage.

To know me, you would never guess I deal with the feeling of being worthless. I am full of self-confidence because I am a survivor. I have survived being abused as a teen by my stepfather. I overcame the feelings of abandonment by my father. I survived being neglected by the church, because I didn’t know all the hidden rules and I didn’t fit in, which just added to my feeling of worthlessness. I even overcame feelings of neglect as my husband worked 3 jobs and the emotional trauma of marital infidelity from both my husband and I. And just when I thought God was finished, I became the survivor of a gang attack in 2011 which has produced PTSD.

To be a survivor, you can have all the confidence in the world. But self-esteem is an estimate of yourself, and if you have been beat down by words and events, you start to believe this as truth about yourself.

This year my husband and I read a book called “One Word that will change your life” by Jon Gordon, Dan Britton and Jimmy Page. My word this year is “Worthy”. I started 2016 by repeating that “I am worthy of: (and then I would journal what I was worthy of), after a couple of weeks I realized that in order to overcome the “less than feelings of unworthiness” I needed to start taking a serious look at who I was internally and ask myself “Do I even love myself?”

Old habits are hard to break and one of my biggest habits is self-sabotage. The definition of sabotage is deliberate destruction. So if you put the word “self” in front of that you get “deliberate self-destruction”. When you couple self-sabotage and low self-esteem with a high self-confidence you find in a survivor, the results can actually be disastrous.

I have around me a support system that I can call on when my days don’t go so great. The challenge for many is that they look so put together on the outside, that they can’t be honest with what’s going on inside and all the while they are dying for someone to say “it’s okay, you do not have to be all put together for me”.

Please don’t go another day without reaching out to someone if you are that person dying inside. For more information about The 180 Program that we use everyday please click here.

If you want more information about having me speak for your women’s group or retreat please fill out the following form.

Jesus is Felony Friendly

This past weekend I had the privilege of being one of the speakers at a Women’s Conference. My topic was Bible 101. No it was not on facts like there are 66 books in the Bible and Paul, who was Saul; his job before writing most of the New Testament was to persecute Christians.

Actually it was on the fact that if we believe the Bible is true and I do. 2 Timothy 3:16-17

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

That we will believe Genesis 1:27

So God created human beings in His own image.

And if we are looking in the mirror and we don’t see His image; then the question becomes do you know what His image is supposed to look like?

Philippians 2:5-6a

You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God….

We do have a book full of what it means to look in the mirror and ask ourselves the question “do we look like the image of God”?

So what does this have to do with Jesus is Felony Friendly.

Romans 5:6 says

When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners.

Then Romans 5:8 says

But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

A sin is defined as a an immoral act considered to be a transgression against divine law. The synonyms are words like misdemeanor, crime, offense, wrong doing, etc.

God loved us in our sinful nature so much that He sent His one and only Son to die for us.

John 3:16-17

For this is how God loved the world: He g ave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

God woo’d us from our own jail cell. The jail cell of our sinful nature Galatians 5: 19-21

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division,envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these

The challenge becomes when you are labeled by society as a “once a sinner always a sinner” it is easier to stay or re-offend than it is to change or be transformed.

Romans 12:2 says

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

To be transformed means learning a new way, and how many of us if we are honest “re-offend”? We especially in the early states of learning to be transformed “re-offend” when all we have in our life is the world. We have no one there to disciple us, to teach us, to emulate?

Do you know someone that is trying to change and not “re-offend? I know that the pat Christian answer is read your Bible, pray, go to church, but my prayer today is that you will not give that answer to someone but instead do what the Bible says today in Matthew 28: 18-20

Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: “God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.”

But as you train and teach remember yourself that in 1 Timothy 4:12b-13

Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity. Until I get there, focus on reading the Scriptures to the church, encouraging the believers, and teaching them.

I’ll choose “B-2”

Trial is a season of unexpected and open ended pain that tests our faith.

James 1 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

Read that first sentence again in James 1 WHEN troubles come or the NIV says ” WHEN you face trials of many kinds”…

In the Sunday sermon, this past weekend, the guest preacher said ” you don’t chose your trials”.

As much as I agree, we don’t go to God’s rolodex and say “here, I can handle this trial with everything I have going on”; or “here, let’s pick ‘B2’, that trial looks like one I can beat.

I do wonder how many times we say we want to believe but we become the seed that fell among the thorns in Matthew 13

The seed that fell among the thorns represents those who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, so no fruit is produced.

So in essence because God loves us so and He wants the best for us “we do choose to be in a trial”. We choose this first with our disobedience to Gods word. We also allow worry and the lure of wealth and popularity, to choke out the flame of obedience and love we have for God and doing the things He wants us to do.

You Can’t Handle the TRUTH

The Lord has had me on this journey lately about Truth. His Truth. We live in a society where, be honest, being truthful is not required. We like what you have to offer, so we are willing to overlook the inaccuracies.

We have sayings like: “You can’t handle the truth.” or “The truth will hurt.” We also leave out portions of the conversation or story to make ourselves look better, all in the name of not wanting to hurt someone with the truth.

In Ephesians 5 it says: Let no one deceive you with empty words for because of such things Gods wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. For you were once in darkness but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.

We like to stand on our pretty verses such as Psalms 37:4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

or even Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

What we don’t care for much, is the meat that surrounds the fluff. The part of the chapter that says:

“Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the Lord. This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” Jeremiah 29: 8b-14 (NIV)

It takes time to learn to discern what the world is saying verses what God is saying, right?

It takes time to get to know the one who is speaking. We spend so much time in the world that we know its voice. But how much time do you spend listening for the voice of God? I saw a church sign yesterday that read,

” What if God listened to you, like you listen to Him?”

This got me thinking. Back in the day we would spend hours getting to know someone. We would talk, talk and talk some more. There was no texting and social media. There was “snail mail”, phone lines, bike rides, and lunch hours. We also would get to know the person, NOT so that we could get ahead in life, but because we truly wanted their friendship. We could even tell you what our best friends “love language” was.

Do you even know what your friends likes and dislikes are?

Today, we look at a social media page and decide if knowing this person is going to further my popularity or hurt me?

This whole conversation that I had during my quiet time with God today, then took me to a startling question: I wonder how many people decide to be a “Christian” because they don’t want Hell?

The truth of the matter is, just because you disobeyed, and you don’t want the consequence, doesn’t mean you will NOT have to deal with the consequences.

Jesus said “drop your nets, leave your boats, and follow me”.

He did not get out the Bible and read scriptures from Romans and ask for a prayer. He asked for a response that would require them to get up out of their boat and walk away from the “truth” that the world was offering. He told them to follow Him, the unknown rebel who was stirring up conflict where ever He went.

He did not promise comfort, popularity and security.

He did promise a life full of tough choices between all the things the world offers and a RELATIONSHIP with Him.

This is the same TRUTH He offers today. How will you respond?

What… You didn’t know me?

My heart is HEAVY…

This week I finally watched “God’s Not DEAD”. After that I was doing a word study and it took me to Psalms 78 (which by the way had NOTHING to do with the word study) and then on Facebook I saw this picture

So why is my heart heavy? In watching “Gods Not DEAD”, the Professor got all but ONE to write “God is DEAD” on a piece of paper in order to have an easier time in class. People may say “its not that big of a deal. Its just a piece of paper in a college class”. Mark 8:38 says:

If anyone is ashamed of me and my message in these adulterous and sinful days, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when He returns in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Not a big deal, you say. Well sometimes God gives you a verse that means a lot to you. Its not a part of a famous sermon or one we quote often when we are looking for a “make me feel good about myself” verse. The verses that rocked my world were Matthew 7:21-23

“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’

I  will not write down all of Psalms 78 but instead I will paraphrase it:
Verses 1-8 Talks about how God issued laws to Jacob to teach His instructions to his children.  He also commanded our ancestors to teach them their children. Why?
So each generations should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting His glorious miracle and obeying His commands. Then they will not be like their ancestors —  stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful, refusing to give their hearts to God.

Verses 9-16 talks about how they forgot all the miracles He did as they turned their backs and fled the day of battle.
Verses 17-20  talks about how they kept sinning and tested God in their hearts saying: “God can’t give us food in the wilderness. Yes, He can strike a rock so water gushes out, but He can’t give his people bread and meat.”
How many times is this us; We try to use reverse psychology on God?
Verse 21-30 God becomes furious. The fire of His wrath burned. His anger rose. They did not believe God or TRUST Him to care for them. Even though God commanded the skies to open. It rained down manna.  It rained down meat as thick as dust, birds as plentiful as the sand on the seashore.  The people ate their fill.  He GAVE them WHAT THEY CRAVED. BUT GOD… but while the meat was YET in their mouths…..
Verse 31 says:  the anger of God rose against them, and He killed their strongest men. He struck down the finest of Israel’s young men.

Verse 32-33 says but in spite of this, the people kept sinning. Despite His wonders, they refused to trust Him.

Verse 34-38 says: When God began killing them,they finally sought Him. They repented and took God seriously. Then they remembered that God was their rock, But all they gave Him was LIP service. They LIED to Him with their tongues. Their hearts were not loyal. They did not keep His covenant. BUT GOD… was merciful and forgave and DID NOT destroy them all. He did not unleash His fury and anger. He was merciful and forgave their sins

Verse 39 ends with: For He remembered that they were merely mortal, gone like a breath of wind that never returns.

So why did Psalms 78 hit me so hard? I see we do this a lot in our culture. We are taught. But we walk away, grumbling and complaining when we don’t get what we THINK we need. We start doing things on our own then complaining that God isn’t big enough to fix our problems we created by walking away from His commands or by breaking His laws.

So whats really eating at me? As I have been praying for Wisdom, I have added discernment to that prayer. And one thing I keep hearing God say is: TRUTH matters.

The picture earlier in this post ends with: “says a lot about the anticipated traffic numbers”. Now lets look at the scripture reference that backs that picture up. Matthew 7:21-23

“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’

Please do not let another day go by and think that your spiritual resume, your attendance in church, or your work in the church will get you your ticket into Heaven.

John 17:3:And this is eternal life,that they know You the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

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