The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association will be holding a crusade in Wilmington, NC on October 5, 2019, @ 4 pm at Legion Stadium. State coordinators have been around the area on and off for months in preparation. I attended a training / equipping conference this past Monday evening and was pleasantly surprised at the content and careful attention given to those who will be counselors at the main event. Applications for participation had to be filled-out, noting salvation accountability with a brief history in Christ, and permission given for background checks. Kudos to the BGEA for continuing to carry the torch of exemplary character! There was one main goal: be prepared to minister the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a simple and clear way.
Years ago, the Holy Spirit placed me in a position where I had to remain in bed for days (flu). I had time to read Billy Graham’s autobiography Just As I Am. After pondering its content, I concluded several things. First, instead of Mr. Graham flaunting his movie-star looks or academic accomplishments, he remained faithful to the Gospel message in a "simple and clear" way. Secondly, that God is purposeful in ordering a man’s steps (Male/ Female). Theologically speaking, Mr. Graham's teachings were sound. True to his character, which would shine forth years later, when he felt he had misjudged a situation, there was always a forthcoming apology. It seems today that Christ-followers need to have a little more mercy on brothers and sisters.
Those volunteering for this event are not participating in debating theology or doctrines. Prayerfully, there will be souls who hear the Gospel message, some for the first time and give their hearts to the Lord. What an opportunity for one-on-one counseling.
On a closing note, I will be preaching/teaching on Sunday, September 22 at First Baptist Church of Carolina Beach at 10 am regarding Intercessory prayer with the war in the heavenlies. Won’t you join me?
Love,
Molly
Proverbs 11:30The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.
(A facsimile of this article appeared in the Island Gazette, June 2011.)
Picture in your mind's eye, Jesus standing on a hillside preparing to preach/teach the Beatitudes (Matt. 5: 3-11). Finally, you surmise, there is someone who has come to help you. You sit there waiting with bated breath, barely able to contain yourself. Expectation fills the air as you gaze upon this man. He stands up in front of everyone and states, "If you give me $1,000.00, I will give you a miracle so you can enter into the "Blessing" of the Lord, and I will bless you with a hundred-fold return if you sow a miracle seed! After all, God, my Father, as He lays His hands-on His chest, wants all of you to have a new home, a new car, plenty of money, and possibly a fifty million dollar jet, if you are called to preach the gospel."
"My thoughts are not your thoughts; neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9, KJV). I had worked around banking and investments all my life but knew nothing of God and His thoughts about money. Nor did I understand what He requires from us, His children.
My first recollection of money, after entirely giving my heart to Christ was, How do you give money to God? How am I going to get it to Him? By pneumatic tube? Does He honestly need my money? Where exactly does He live? I wanted answers to my questions, so I began to ask Him based on the scripture found in Matt. 7:7 "Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you."
I am appalled at so-called shepherds, pastors, and church leaders that allow the prosperity gospel and its rhetoric to fall from church pulpits all over America and, now, beyond. I am sickened when I watch "feel good" evangelistic voices who have great big grins slapped on their faces who try to coerce those who are genuinely seeking answers for their lives ( I speak from experience).
The Holy Spirit revealed to me, at the beginning of my cross-walk, how to give unto God. I didn't attend a church at the time, so I gave my tithes (10%- Malachi 3: 8-12) where I was learning about God, and He honored my very ignorant effort. I was astonished at what began to occur as I stepped out in faith to give to God with my money. One must, however, be wise.
It is time for reformation in the Body of Christ so one can mature into the things of God, and in turn, bring hope and help to a sick and dying nation. If Jesus is the Christ, we have no excuse, once enlightened, to follow His teachings and God's ways. Tithing is one of those that one enters by faith; however, it is not a prosperity gospel. God have mercy on us for trying to "sell" a miracle for a divine provision that only God Himself doles out.
"So, when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Feed My lambs." He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My sheep." He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep."
Shepherds, the Word of the Lord: Feed My Sheep.
When you eat something decadent (say a hot fudge sundae with nuts!) you savor every bite, licking the bowl (you really shouldn't) to enjoy the very last drop. Yummy. Your appetite is momentarily satisfied. But as sure as the sun rises in the east, some craving will return. I stand as a testimony of that, especially when I am fasting for the Lord. Get behind me, Satan!
Sheep need food, especially when most of the time (not all mind you) many do not enter a church sanctuary but once a week. The precious time they are in your care could very well be the moment the Holy Spirit uses to draw them to the Father. It is a huge responsibility. Sheep must leave the presence of God's house (their pasture) knowing they are fed, which, in turn, very well might keep them for several days' worth of working/walking through life. Without this food, they will go astray. Sheep traditionally (and I use that term lightly) will remain where their stomachs (spirits) are satisfied.
Consider Martin Luther, John Calvin or Jonathan Edwards (if you have not heard of these men it is worth your time and a Google), who preached and taught the undiluted Word of God allowing the Holy Spirit to perform his duties of pricking hearts for the Kingdom. It is only the Word of God that has the power to change the way a human soul thinks, feels, or behaves. How can the sheep hear unless the Word comes forth? Where else will they be fed if not for the Shepherd's that stand flat-footed in pulpits of America (mostly on Sunday mornings) and preach the whole counsel of God? Many in the Body are frustrated in the Kingdom when all Jesus asks is to feed His sheep. One needs no devices, light shows, gimmicks, or human reasoning to bring forth God's will.
Christ's Passion gives one the ability to have life everlasting, and it is only through His blood where atonement occurs. One must stop to consider how horrific His sacrifice was when He (willingly I might interject) laid His life down for His sheep. No man can reason the ways of the Lord in its totality, but we must follow what He tells us in His written Word. Feed His sheep.
The Shepherd's role is to care for, feed, and tend his flock so they can mature into individuals with nothing missing and nothing broken. Preach the Lord Jesus Christ Almighty. Preach the Gospel accounts in full measure. Teach about the nature of God that is evident in the first five books of the Bible (The Torah). Teach about the icons in the faith that believed God Almighty. Teach about the people who turned to Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit without trying to invent another church function to swell numbers. And finally, while doing this, DO the works of the Savior: Feed the hungry, clothe the naked and give money to those who are struggling (Isaiah 58:7-14). In other words, "Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets" (Matt. 7:12).
As for you sheep, Kingdom truths are complete and well able to set the captive free completely. I know. Pray and ask God where your pasture is, for YOUR life is at stake. I am a sheep, and I need to have food/Word.
"That He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish." The Bride of Christ is the Church Universal.
Without spot or wrinkle, "Humm." One of the jobs of the Holy Spirit is to prepare the Church Universal, without spot or wrinkle, for Christ. His role is the sanctification of a believer. (I think that He has had his hands full with me!) I cannot imagine based on what I have read and have come to interpret as God's Word that God is going to accept behavior that is not befitting His Bridegroom.
Stop to consider the lengths a bride goes to preparing for her wedding day, presenting herself to her Bridegroom. First, there is the acceptance of the proposal, and in most cases, an engagement ring is given sealing the commitment. Then, great length goes into each detail, even down to the choice of greenery, which is added to adorn the bride's bouquet. Each step is calculated and then executed with precision for a stunning outcome.
Laying my phone down the other day after catching up on the weekly news bites, I repeated out loud, "It is so sad," as I shook my head. I was not speaking of the news nationally or globally, but I was targeting the name-calling, lies, and deception, which the Holy Spirit testifies to believers' hearts are not from the Bride of Christ.
It should be an honor to be an elected official in Congress having a voice in the marketplace at this time of our nation's history, but I cannot imagine spewing offensive rhetoric as many do. Views should be for the greater good, not marginalized. Yes, we must call evil what it is, but when imaginations of hearts are the norm of news cycles, we have lost our way.
So, what does the Bride of Christ have to do with the latter? I am glad you are wondering. I have explained the work of the preparation of the Bride of Christ as, "If Christ were sitting beside you, would you be saying what you are saying or watching what you are watching? Furthermore, would you be doing what you are doing?" If you pause (just for a moment) to reflect on your choices, and wobble back and forth on its appropriateness, then do not move forward. The Holy Spirit is trying to prepare you as a bride without spot or wrinkle and purge you of inappropriate behavior or actions or rhetoric.
How do officials get elected touting change when it is only by a consensus (I might add) that laws are written and established on our books of government? It seems to me that many do not understand this simple principle. I applaud the seasoned voices of reason that remain steadfast in that our Constitution continues to hold its weight and value, but the rhetoric which continues to flow from congresspersons (old/young) is disheartening to the American public. Those who continue to walk down this path are going to feel the brunt of their askew opinions come election day. They do not speak for America, which is the land of the free and home of the brave. It is my America, but this offensive language is killing America that the majority love.
Allow the Holy Spirit to prepare you for Christ as much as you would give your attention to your wedding. Be determinedly dogged (and detailed) purposefully in your walk with the Lord. Salvation and regeneration, through the work of the Holy Spirit, should be taken with the utmost care as well. I have bitten more apples than I dare to think about, and surprisingly enough, I am shocked I haven't gotten choked! Words should be without spot or wrinkle. God is not going to accept a Bridezilla.
James 3:5-6
Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.
As I have been listening to worldly chatter recently, it occurred to me that most have no real sense of self-identity and could use a personality that is grounded in truth. For years, I struggled with my identity, not a gender one but a “who am I in this earth and why am I here?” one. Foundationally, I was only equipped with the tools I had received while growing up. Little did I know that there was so much more waiting to be revealed.
In Junior High school, I considered the life of Florence Nightingale. What a noble calling she had. I could picture myself helping others. In High school, I longed to go half-way around the world and join the newly formed Peace Corps, but those dreams were quickly snuffed out with the statement “Molly, if you can help those around you in this life then you will have done something.” I attended a community college for a (whole 1/2) semester before I quit. I had no passion, conviction, or staying power. After many personal failures, marriage became my final goal. Now, do not get me wrong, I am not against marriage. On the contrary, I believe it is one of God’s most significant institutions if both man and wife go into it through prayer and confirmation of God’s intent, but each one must set their sights on giving 100%.
Not until I turned my heart fully to the Lord, though, at thirty-nine, was there a true conversion of thinking in my heart and mind of “who” I was and what I was created for. The outcome has been nothing short of stunning, but when the blinders are covering one’s eyes, without a clear vision, much time can be wasted. God tells us that He has us carved on the palm of His hand (Is. 49:16) and that He will guide us with His eye and teach us in the way we should go (Ps. 32: 8-10). Wow! No one ever told me that, and furthermore, I always was too lazy to get into God’s Word to find out who He was and what He wanted for me. Bad choice! I discovered that God longs to have a personal relationship with His creation. I am His creation. And I found out that God never lies, so we can always trust Him at His word. He does not quit or change His mind either and is a staunch supporter of what we do in this earth if it is in His design for us individually or corporately. I wish I had turned to Him a lot sooner.
Satan, however, sits and waits patiently to act upon each soul, waiting for an entrance into one’s personality. The delusions and thoughts, which run contrary to the nature of God can seemingly be “the right course,” but unless you have been given a choice how can you know that you are making the correct decision about anything? He is the enemy of our soul and can masquerade as an angel of light (2 Corn. 11:14) packaging anything to appear like it is the way and coating it in sugar to make us think that this must be God’s choice for my life when all along one can be living a lie.
True identities are discovered in Christ alone. When you become lost, hurt, confused, or battered know that God has your identity picture and your unique description carved on the palm of His hand. He is ready to make known your true self, but you must turn to Him. He will, in turn, pull you out of your dark place and come to rescue you.
Many have been under the wiles of Satan so long with delusions of mistaken sex identity, defeat or with opportunities missed or forgotten having the mindset of “it’s too late.” God is calling you back to Him for the truth of who you are and why you are here. He is your Sav-your (save your life, home, finances, goals, gender identification, guilt, or shame). I should know because He rescued me.
When I was young, two fads that come to mind were Ouija boards and Magic Eightballs. They were the end, all for all of life's answers. The big summertime one was gathering all the neighborhood kids together after dark (because it was scarier!) to conduct séances. 'Yes, let's all talk to the dead.' 'I want to find out where Amelia Earhart is!'
When I found myself, as a grown adult, with my life "in the toilet," I called a psychic network for guidance. Even though I had grown up in church, I had not been praying or attending for years, and no one had told me that God would have the answers I would ever need. After questioning the phone counselor, trying to get her to commit to guaranteed results if I paid her the required $75.00, I ended up counseling her! Sucker.
Taking everyone else's word for what is going on in your life or this nation has become the status quo. Why would one trust one's life or have their thinking swayed by a stranger? One winces as one listens to the news about another kidnapping, another killing spree (many young children), endless arguing about fetuses and abortions. People from all walks of life are rising in the public arena, saying pretty much anything they believe they can get by with to give one a sense of false hope. The only protection one has in the days ahead are to KNOW, not think, what God says. His truth is conveyed clearly in his Word. It is the truth for all time (because I have walked through and proved it) and is not veiled in some scheme of feel good, get wealthy or entitlement system. Those come from Satan.
Ultimately, each human being is responsible for his/her life. However, each one can assess the truth answers. Isaiah 8:19-20 And when they say to you, "Seek those who are mediums and wizards, who whisper and mutter," should not a people seek their God? Should they seek the dead on behalf of the living? To the law and the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."
I came to a place where my only choice left was God. I endeavored to seek him with everything in me to discover if he was real. Society is used to talking about fortune tellers, mediums, and psychics. They are held in high regard and are paid tons of money for answers that have no lasting results. God's word is exceedingly clear over and again, people who practice these arts are from the devil and should not be consulted. A medium, psychic, or fortune teller is not from God, and one is not to delve into their rituals whatsoever.
When you stop to consider the issue, many people don't believe in the afterlife, yet they consult people who talk to the dead who are in the afterlife. Does anyone but me find that a little odd? Be wise how you listen and see life answers because overcoming truth will never be the voice of a fortune teller, psychic, or medium. Jesus is the only way, the only truth and the life that you will ever need. He is all rolled into one. You won't have to seek any further, but it will be up to you to take the first step towards overcoming victory.
"We the People" have heard enough hate speech stemming from Washington. Someone must stand up and call "a spade a spade."
One cannot continue down a slippery slope of saying anything believing it will be palatable (or believable for that matter) to the American public. Those that I move around are beginning to stop watching the news or listening to politicians who spew anger. Blaming Donald Trump for every little issue that arises has worn thin, revealing one has no firm agenda.
A battle for this nation's soul is occurring but know this: God is not going to allow this nation to be a socialist or totalitarian country. Those who are espousing this might need to consider moving to a country that will enable this type of existence because "we" will not stand for it.
The United States of America is not a foreign entity. Some of the rhetoric in Congress borders on treason, and if one cannot espouse to the framework of the founding fathers, then why would you have run for Congress?
Elected officials should be a voice of reason for a block of individuals of America, not come to one of the most prestigious offices in this great country with a bucket of chicken touting a moot (Mueller investigation is now officially closed to the tune of 25 million dollars and “we” understand this fact). Frankly, it tells shows that there is little or no passion for the United States and its current issues. The current behavior calls to mind school children fighting on a playground!
God sees, and He is not going to allow this blatant disregard for an elected office to continue for much longer. Brothers and sisters in Christ now is time to fast and pray (as mature adults) on behalf of this nation. Ask God to please expose and extract through election those who do not have this nation's welfare at the center of their hearts.
Moreover, if one is a "religious" person spewing public hatred or making death threats, you are showing your religion for what it is. Who would want to follow that kind of behavior? For those who call upon the name of Jesus Christ (a loving and just God), He does not tout slander, bigotry, hate or play silly childish games while making thousands of dollars, but He does call "spade a spade."
Today (April 19th) marks the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ, who provides resurrection power for those who believe. NO ONE can boast about having a Savior who has risen from the dead except Christians, no one. As trite as it might sound, “The tomb is empty.”
Years ago, a friend of mine asked me to watch Titanic with her. Ordinarily, this would have been the type of movie that I would have been the first in line to see, but I had held myself back and didn’t bite the apple to go when it opened in theaters. I hadn’t been watching anything but Christian television by this time in my life (about a year), and I had mixed emotions about it. I had come to understand that what “goes in the mind will most certainly come out the mouth, ” and I was trying so hard to allow the Holy Spirit to change my “old things.” She said, “Instead of buying me something, I would like for you to watch Titanic with me. My husband is going fishing on Saturday, so I could just come up, and we could watch it together." I agreed. I mean how many people just want your company and nothing more?
Saturday afternoon arrived, and we got settled in to begin watching the movie. Since this was based on an actual (but horrific) story, I was enthralled. Within approximately ten minutes, the world “G__D___M it” was uttered at least four or five times (I didn’t watch it again to count, but you get the point) Each time it was spoken, my heart felt like a dagger was thrust in and then twisted for maximum effect.
Several days went by, and I was cleaning in my nail shop. I was vacuuming, and the cord wrapped around a glass item, and it dropped to the floor and broke. The very first thing out of my mouth was “G__D___M it!” I stopped and turned off the vacuum. I stood in silence shocked. Immediately, I knew that this part of my humanness needed to be dealt with. I purposed in my heart from that time on that anytime something caught me off guard, or a sudden burst of anger would surface that I would say out loud Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus until my flesh calmed down. It took a long, long time, but my flesh finally submitted to the resurrection power of the Holy Spirit until I didn’t need to use that tactic anymore.
Resurrection power. Those who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord have a world of supernatural power available, but the key (and I use that term lightly) is that one must purpose intentionally to allow the Holy Spirit to change you from the inside out. His light will reveal the darkness if you allow it to.
Let the Holy Spirit reign in your heart. Just begin. Some things will take your participation, others will take only His, and still, others will be done for you. Those choices are up to you. But won’t you at least try to be the victor in your life through the blood of Christ that was paid in full for you through His crucifixion and resurrection?
One of several inflamed issues of our day is abortions. In this blog, I speak not only from experience but from what I believe to be a sound biblical position. America is standing on the side of wrong when addressing abortions, no matter if the abortion is three weeks, twelve weeks, late-term or allowing a baby to die when the actual abortion fails. This is not only a moral issue, for those who claim the term “Christian” but a human rights issue.
The narrative that is being pushed (shoved down throats) currently is one of ignorance. God clearly tells us that His people are destroyed for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6). We are treading down a road of demonic enticement. “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly (John 10:10).
It is not as if today I am dying to rehash the mess I went through before turning my heart to the truth of God, but I have been called at this specific time to be an open book so that others can comprehend the weight of what they are believing. Having experienced abortions, it reminded me of a “death camp roundup” where you sit in a huge room with many other women and wait to terminate your pregnancy. I had listened to all those around me who didn’t have a clue about how God perceived a pregnancy and I freely walked into the room and had it sucked out of my womb.
For anyone who tells you that abortions are just getting rid of a “fleshy blob” or any such other description to make their argument palatable, one must come to terms with the fact that a fetus is a living soul. When I turned to the Lord, I came to understand that abortions were updated environmentally controlled murders that one signed off on. In a very heated almost uncontrollable moment of sobs, the Holy Spirit spoke into my heart and said, “Molly, when is it you think that I place the soul in someone—after it comes out of the womb?” That one statement cut me like a knife and I knew I had literally, yet unknowingly, killed my children.
Wake-up and smell the coffee America! If you say you are a professing Christian, then pray and ask God to confirm to you that killing children is alright with Him. And then ask for mercy on your soul. I did.
The news is out. The Trump campaign, according to Robert Mueller, did not collude with Russia in trying to tip the 2016 Presidential election. There is no evidence that anyone tried to “secretly” turn America into a Russian country through back door rendezvous.
How can we be certain that Donald Trump did not try to “fix” the election? First, he is a patriot. Anyone who watches him or listens to his heart can tell that. You can fool the people some of the time, but you cannot fool them for extended periods without slip-ups. Secondly, he is a Christian who is saved, and for general information, a truly saved individual is constantly being worked on by the Holy Spirit for the better. None, I dare say, are perfect. We all have backyards that need weeds pulled out of. Thirdly, he was God’s choice for the oval office. How can I be so certain? A group of evangelicals was sent to Trump Tower to pray over/for him and to convey that God needed a man who would stand up to the corrupt dealings in Washington, D.C.
Did he cozy up to Putin for selfish gain? Mr. Trump is a “one on one” builder and knows that to effect change relationships must be carved out. Being able to trust another at their word, in Mr. Trump’s heart, is invaluable to do successful business. He understands that the only way to accomplish this is to begin a conversation. If one is a praying Christian at all, the Holy Spirit bears witness that Mr. Trump is not only a “work in progress” just as we all are, but his actions are proving that he is trying to keep his campaign promises while fighting against Washington all the way. This concrete evidence is invaluable for those who are taking him at his word.
Now fast forward through this week and the report from Mueller. We didn’t hear a whole lot for day one or two, but then the narrative began: Obstruction of justice and there was most certainly collusion. After two years and millions of dollars, the left has decided that Mueller was wrong, and Donald Trump certainly colluded with Russia.
I believe that God has heard enough, had enough and will exonerate Donald Trump. It is a travesty to have spent all this money on a hoax that was perpetrated and paid for by the Democrats to steal the oval office. Really? Do you realize that all that money could have properly housed, in at least a tent city, those in California who are living on streets in squalor? How about all the children that go hungry right in America? Shame on us!
I am for term limits on elected officials, not only at the local level but in our highest offices. Career politicians who seem to have lost a sense of right and wrong must come to an end. Making thousands of dollars, having all the perks of the wealthy and continually stirring up trouble and hatred needs to be over. Congress was established to legislate not continue to berate the President of the United States. We are supposed to be one nation under God instead of divided political parties.
God promises in Isaiah 54:9 that He would never flood the earth again. He did this due to their out-of-control sin/lives. I wonder what He is thinking now?
When you must lie to get others to follow you, something is wrong. It reminds me of Pontus Pilate who when he said, “What is truth” (John ch.18)? Jesus did not kill, beat, steal or cheat, but because Pilate feared an uprising on his watch, he had him crucified anyway. He would not stand up for the truth of the matter.
