Wings

12 Daughters of Eve,

So you wanna repent? Astrology turned out to be a bad boyfriend eh? And I suppose like all bad boyfriends, he started out as a real prince, telling you enough of what you needed to hear to keep you high. In order to detox from this poison, we begin by dismissing the long held egocentric notion that yours was a celestial birth (see Bible birthdays?) Or perhaps the Gregorian-Jewish calendar? The zodiac offers up a tempting assortment of traits and attributes, precariously based on a theory of time, claiming to direct the course of humanity, all while diverting creation from seeking to know their Creator. We all seek to be known. Studying the signs is a pernicious examining of self through a dirty glass.

The power of the Babylonian natal chart is activated by the mind via the ultimate power of suggestion and typically used to validate one's innate desire.  As a man thinketh, so is he; therefore, the power to control what a man thinketh is of priceless paramount in an I.D. war. It matters. The planetary projection of hell is designed to navigate our souls away from God by offering an all-edged glimpse into the future. Our interpretation of said glimpse is of no consequence to the demon who dropped it, only to thwart the path of the righteous. Deception is best accomplished when believed.

And while it appears Deuteronomy 18:14 wasn’t clear enough for stubborn hearts, perhaps the knowledge of ignorantly aiding and abetting your ancient pagan enemy should help, because with every indulgence of the forbidden fruit –demons rejoice at being discovered--after all, “It’s no fun to be clever and anonymous," they hiss. No one can conger up sympathy for the devil quite like a silly empathetic woman. Indeed, they know each other well from somewhere far, far away.

The joy of evil was complete upon Eve’s dismayed trajectory towards Babylon. The lie was a form of the truth, as she surely did not die a physical death at the infraction. Rather her spiritual seed was taken captive to be sewn among the whoring idols. Calvary sorts the seed . Symbolically, you muse the occult was delivered to Eve, via a tarot deck, by Adam’s ex-wife Lilith, to enlighten Eve of sexual inequality, well, you see how this might add to all the fury. Whatever the slick pitch to Eve—it was momentarily successful in leading her away from truth. After all, the crux of all temptation is ‘do what thou wilt.’

The deceived often ask, why does this appear to hold some truth? Because it does. There exists a form of power which denies the power thereof, or as you affectionately refer, the land of almost. It’s a popular place as you know…many visit and never leave.

Pandora-pagan's seduction entices one to explore the depth of their own spiritual ocean until completely lost. The hidden knowledge of the stars portends to satiate and replace an actual need for a personal relationship.

So now you know to crush it. All of it. The head of the snake is best kept underfoot and the eye of the eagle never sleeps.

Sincerely,

Romans 8

 

 

through the woods

The Lord has not brought you this far to abandon you now.

Winter is a lonely and reflective time. My beloved Grandmother passed away four years ago this week. She left this world graciously much as she lived her 92 years among us. She didn't preach a sermon or profit her wisdom--her character wordlessly demonstrated her beliefs. She didn't proclaim love; she was a verb. With consistent small kindnesses she loved her family. There were the perfectly peeled oranges, starched pillow cases sprayed with Lilly of the Valley, pancakes from scratch, and gently closing a light through the dark after praying over me:

I thank the Lord for all things bright
For Light by Day
And Stars by Night
For flowers so fair
And birds that sing
I thank the Lord
For Everything

Amen. And this little girl had no doubt she was Lady Laurie Anne of the Sheffield Lake Brockley Avenue Squire when visiting Grandma! She loved me like royalty regardless of a secretary's retirement. She showed her family how one might live simply, generously, and content. She was faithful with little and produced much fruit. I never saw her entitled. The trait simply didn't exist in the woman who survived the great depression. What loss we lose with our elders. I am so grateful to have touched a hand on a past where greatness burned bright.

When life and death discourage me, the red cardinal of winter reminds me that my Grandmother watches over me still.  My heart secretly hopes she is only ever able to see her granddaughter happily enjoying an orange; but if she knows the pains, then too she should know the well from where I draw strength, as she was quick to say and it echoes still--we shall overcome.

Just One

Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Idolatry. He told us not to do it. But we did it. America has found a way to idolize everything from the Apple to Zodiac-Zen. The original sin bagging us all, exchanged wisdom for knowledge. Wisdom was superior. Wisdom would have waited. But the impulse to know and enlighten oneself is powerful. The ego practically demands it. It drives us to worship none other than ourselves. Does an increase in knowledge equate with an increase in divinity? Whose? Presuppose a greater force at work in each of us reminding us of itself. Mine says the above.

How many gods does America have? Does this country stand for anything besides Babylon? Greed, the king who got us high--jacked the Land of Oz with masterful Targets, shooting Starbucks, flying McDonalds, Wizard Walmarts, and flaming Burger Kings. Can God's people live without the neon or are these Americas houses of worship? Hard to say from a terrestrial view. But then all this nags the question: how many idols do I have in my life?

No need to list here. Suffice it to say, I can readily identify a few and many more besides if I dare to ask God in prayer. Pick a vice. Pick an attitude. Why does it seem an alter where daily worship persists in spite of myself? Strongholds seemingly erected by placing myself under when my birthright is to rule over my flesh by submitting it to the holy spirit. The Apostle Paul knew this agony and it is the very same we wrestle with today. He knew Christ as the only answer when asking who will save us from this body of death.

I recognize the need for a wrecking ball to come and destroy my idols. God's purposes will be accomplished in all our lives and I pray we lay aside every hindrance to our excellence, enlist and conquer with him. By faith I must walk and if the soul of America is to be redeemed, the first step starts with me. One day at a time with one choice at a time...to try and be better than yesterday.

Keep it movin

PTSD and depression can be consecrated to Christ. Meaning it doesn't have to be a death sentence. Consecrated it is a gift. The fight or flight impulse is the muscle of instinct. The depression demon strengthens sensitivity. Equal parts aggression and compassion develop. This is a bad deal for the enemy in spiritual warfare. And while senses may be forever heightened...it never lessens the accuracy. Another word for the creation of ptsd might be called splitting. Trauma splits the identity, shatters safety, and makes for an unstable platform. Terrorism deals it up to all of us in spades of grey. The truth is Veterans are victims. The reptiles woo the best hearts and minds, slaughter and experiment in war and treason, and then use our remaining carcasses to bankrupt a country we were deceived to defend. Insert righteous indignation here. Our military are the first line of sheep being sent to the slaughter. America's best is on the front line and I bear witness to the loss. I'd get more sentimental if I didn't see the end game, but I do. We win. We overcome. We are the Victors not victims. To Christ be all the glory.

Launch

The enemy knew if my anger, ever fully sanctified, I would destroy him with the Word of my testimony. I know this Joker. He didn't want me talking to nobody. And certainly not at full throttle. I was given much seed to plant. If he could keep me from sowing into the world... if he could keep me afraid, he might thwart my purpose. But God. He said tell them about me. Tell them how I faithfully delivered you from your enemies and the snares set just for you. Tell them how depression is a tactic designed to enslave and inactivate your personality. Creativity is the antithesis to depression. Make something. Color a picture. Create, paint, sing, dance, cook, write, act, build a boat. Whatever the nudge within indicates--Yoda says do.

At present, the battlefield is our mind. If we are to physically prepare for war then we must also spiritually prepare. As a man thinketh--so is he. My mind directs me toward or away from my purpose. Either way, I will follow it. Mastering my mind means not looking at the temporal. I am empowered by an eternal vision. The more concerned I am about Him the less concerned I am about me.

I hope you catch this. I hope you tingle with a sense of your own calling to be something for God. I could not have begun before now. The preparation process is fulfilled and I am to launch and give birth to all that Christ wishes to deliver through me. And I encourage you to seek Him and do the same.

Don't shoot your messengers

I love the Holy Spirit. And I really am certain God has a sense of humor. Looking past the confusion, I muse, if I were in charge of this operation, how brilliant to insert a declarative Trump card on the final play. The same declared in big gold letters slammed down in Chicago. Parallels to a carpenter. Politically incorrect. A wee bit cocky. And a 9 billion dollar swag. The art of the deal? If God used David, Moses, Noah, Rahab, and you...who can't he use for His purposes?  Let's take a breath and discern with some wisdom what the man ultimately stands for...not for himself alone.

Psychology, Astrology, and the Science of Almost

Spiritual growth is self mastery. I am responsible for working out my own self /salvation. The Bible trumps the DSM-V and the Zodiac. By my best ability to explain I believe Jesus would be assaulted with the following labels: self-absorbed, arrogant, holier-than-thou, depressed, anxious, isolating, paranoid, angry, narcissistic, codependent, complex ptsd, cluster B bi-polar, manic-depressive, Scorpio, Cancer, Aries, Pisces, Gemini, etc..

My point? Those are the ties that bind us to a false self. The Bible conversely defines us as children of the Most High God. For starters. It seems to me that if I make something with my own two hands I ought to have the property rights for declaring what IT is. No? So when Abraham asked God, "who shall I tell them sent me?" God responded, "tell them I AM sent you." And Abraham walking walked with his I AM presence. I am who I AM says I am. Sam.

You know there will be onslaught when we stand for anything-- right? In fact, the effort to keep us quiet has been pretty effective thus far. "Don't get crazy. Hypocrite." Meanwhile a divine tip off identifying a warm frog bath came through. Am I the only one? Pssh. Nope. I'm just identifying some of the tactics I've witnessed in my own life to keep me paralyzed from bringing any attention to myself...let alone the gospel. Because I know I don't measure up to what I believe. Loud and Crystal. But I also know Grace paid the difference I owed.

Know thyself by knowing Him. Labels be damned.

Galatians?

Galatians 3King James Version (KJV)

3 O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?

² This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
³ Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
⁴ Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.
⁵ He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
⁶ Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.
⁷ Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.
⁸ And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.
⁹ So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.
¹⁰ For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
¹¹ But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.
¹² And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
¹³ Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
¹⁴ That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
¹⁵ Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.
¹⁶ Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
¹⁷ And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect.
¹⁸ For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.
¹⁹ Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.
²⁰ Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.
²¹ Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.
²² But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
²³ But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.
²⁴ Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
²⁵ But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
²⁶ For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
²⁷ For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
²⁸ There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
²⁹ And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Reminders

 

 

To the Church in Laodicea

¹⁴ “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. ¹⁵ I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! ¹⁶ So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. ¹⁷ You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. ¹⁸ I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

¹⁹ Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. ²⁰ Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
²¹ To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. ²² Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

13 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. ² Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? ³ I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. ⁴ Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? ⁵ I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.”

⁶ Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. ⁷ So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’
⁸ “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. ⁹ If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”

Un-Self-Reliant

When I saw what must come before the promise I ran back and threw myself into Egypt. Home of the slave and land of the comfortable coward. I stopped observing the world beyond my control.  Detachment is self-preserving.

And now I am feeling led to further detach from this world-- spiritually. As He said: Come out from among them. Take off the grave clothes of silence speaking "not good enough." Stand up and Be Still. It is with humility that I am bold. "Do it afraid" speaks the still small voice I know.

Fear. The opposite of God which is Love. I am advised to fear not, because of God's love. So the only thing to fear is My Father's Wrath; which is eternal. Not a state. Not a man. Not a anything. The promise He made to me when I first received Him has never failed. How do I doubt now? Because the noise is louder and the darkness roars? No. "Vengeance is Mine," saith the Lord, "I will repay." My Dad said that. My enemy should believe Him. Come what may...you reprobrate ... The Testimony of Jesus Christ and Him crucified will prevail to the glory of God the Father and throughout the earth every knee shall bow and every tongue confess Christ as Lord of All Creation. Not about me. And although weapons be formed to silence this truth...they will never prosper. Weeping. The cup of our all our sufferings... lasts for a night...but Joy cometh forever-after.

Lord help the encouragers of the this dark world encourage once more. Help the teachers teach, the prophets preach, and the anointed say so. Everything that has breath...belongs to Christ. We ought to praise him now.

Mumford and Sons-Awake My Soul-Lyrics