"Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life." --- Matthew 10:37, Matthew 19:29
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(Warning: Some of you will click away before you finish. This post is rather like the, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?," verse.)
So some of my old friends are drinking covid-19 (just-do-what-you're-told-and-stay-silent) and BLM kool-aid by the gallon. I try speaking into their lives and they snap at me (or Facebook unfollow) so unless God whispers, "Hang in there," I step away.
Does that hurt? At times, yes, of course.
But never as much as the crushing blow of grieving the Holy Spirit. I won't risk that for any so-called friend! It's just a thing I believe. So I move on and because He's wonderful, He either revives friendships from long ago or He sends me oodles of new friends.
Except I've not met them yet, well, not in-person. But that's ok: Heaven isn't all that far away. We'll meet there.
In the meantime? I watch them in videos online and hear from their mouths the very words the Holy Spirit told me, usually in wee morning hours in my sweet closet bedroom. My eyes grow wide and I thank the Holy Spirit for all this confirmation via my new friends.
Not for 26 years have I ever felt lonely, well, not for more than a minute at a time (or so). Something huge happened in 1994, but that's another blog post. Let's just say the Holy Spirit became incredibly real to me that year and always I sense His presence. Who could feel lonely with His realness?
Who's crazy enough to lose that? Hey, not me, anyway.
But the friends He gives me, the old and new ones on 'the same page'-- they are the cherries on top of sundaes, the unexpected pearls in oysters, the gift you received that you thought you never would.
They are blessings on top of the huge undeserved blessing of a wonderful life due to knowing Jesus.
And during these wild, what is happening? days, God uses those friends to help teach and assure and delight any of us who want Him more than mere mortal friendships.
Because He is so very generous to His children.
Keep Him in that first place spot and everything changes. Absolutely everything.
"For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother---- and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother." ---Matthew 12:50, Proverbs 18:24
"Therefore, "Come out from them and be separate, says the Lord." ---2 Corinthians 2:17
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I shared my 'new friend list' with you before, but here you go again, with some added names--
... and even more!
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Ever heard of the Walker Sisters? Here's a short documentary which many of you will find as fascinating as I did.
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And here's Sean Feucht's preliminary report about what happened while worshippers gathered in Seattle last night. Wow... just wow!
The worshippers in Seattle are the most courageous and bold in America!!!! THEY WIN AFTER TONIGHT!!!
It was absolutely bonkers in so many ways!! 
Violent protestors showed up flashing knives! We had an entire satanic cult march through the worshippers the entire time yelling “Hail Satan!”
We had white Antifa yelling & threatening black local pastors!
They yelled obscenities and cursed at my wife and kids all night long!
At one point, I had about 30 stationed body guards around myself and the band (you can see them in this vid) as they kept trying to storm the band and tackle them. They broke drums and guitar pedals!
They killed our generators at one point...yet through it all...SEATTLE NEVER STOPPED SINGING!!!
We saw salvations, healings, miracles and baptisms! It was on another level!
THE CHURCH REFUSED TO BE INTIMIDATED AND GOD KEPT POURING OUT!
Tomorrow you’ll see more proof of this!!!! But we made it out of the lions den of CHOP alive and have story after story of Gods power and might!
I AM SO LIT ON FIRE BY YOUR WORSHIP SEATTLE!! WELL DONE!!!!!! [thank you to the burly bodyguards!]
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I don't have the time this morning to watch the video, but I will be back later today to see it. Such an amazing blessing. Satan is prowling this earth, this country so boldly these days. We watched a video last night by Live Simple, Live Free. This past week he has done a four part video series, (not long at all), about the times we're living in. Last night was about Revelation and he had me in tears many times. Oh, how I long for the world to know HIM and turn to Him and away from the evil surrounding us. I have also lost many friends who don't want to hear what is really happening. Thank you for speaking out Debra. A voice of one calling in the wilderness.
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Betsy
I loved the video about the sisters! Thank you for sharing and keeping your eyes on Him.
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