Monday, August 03, 2020

Some Readers Will Jump Off This Crazy Train Blog, But Oh Well!

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"The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion." ---Proverbs 28:1


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Years ago I told you that around age 23, I felt God say, "Always live ready to raise the dead."

Rather unforgettable, right? Then months later He added, "And always stay ready to use the name of Jesus." 

You'll smile, but I actually recall a couple dreams where a man stepped forward to attack me, but I boldly spoke, "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, leave me alone!" Both times the mens' eyes went all swirly like in old-time cartoons. Their legs buckled, then they turned and crawled away. ツ

Well, I'll tell ya. I recalled those dreams last week.

Did you watch that terrible video of a woman in a supermarket shouting at a mom's two tiny daughters for not wearing masks? As the little girls look upward, she yells, "You're going to kill me and my husband! I hope you all die! I hope you all die!"

Oh. My. Goodness.

If that mom had been me and if Naomi had been 4 (instead of 40)? I would have boldly pointed and said, "No! In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, you will shut your mouth! You will not speak to my daughter that way."

And then stood and watched what God would do. 

Yes, seriously. These days in which we live? These are times for boldness and certainly not, as Christians, for being trembling wimps, letting satan do whatever.

But here's my very important disclaimer--

"Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, "In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out."...  One day the evil spirit answered them, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?" Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding. When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor."   --- from Acts 19

For decades God has readied me for such a time as this. Those ugly spirits out there? We've done battle: they won't be asking who I am.

And now, don't write yourself off, ok? Most likely, they remember you for all the times-- 


You stood up to those sent to intimidate you.
You did not quit while sorely tempted.
You reacted in love rather than hate.
You forgave.
You lost friends when you spoke truth.
You stepped out in obedience, though uncertain.
You read your Bible when you didn't feel like it.
You pushed past laziness and procrastination.
You spent hours and hours with Jesus, you came when He called, and you grew in your love for Him.
And more--

Probably you are more prepared for these Wild Days than you believe.

But if not? Please accept all the invitations Jesus sends you now to grow in Him. All of them, wholeheartedly. Listen to the people He sends you, learn, practice, do whatever God asks.

He's waiting to ready you for anything crouching in the road ahead and He'll even provide the joy, the strength, to face it all.




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"That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of [things] in heaven, and [things] in earth, and [things] under the earth..."   --- Philippians 2:10


You hem me in behind and before,
    and you lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too lofty for me to attain."   ---Psalm 139:5,6


The joy of the Lord is my strength."   --- Nehemiah 8:10




I watch all of Heidi St. John's video posts, but this one, oh my! She was on fire (the good kind). (You may need a Facebook account. Not sure. I'm still learning my way around the new Blogger dashboard and couldn't figure out how to add the video here. Alas.)


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"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15

9 comments:

Angela said...

Wow that Heidi is something else!!! Thank you!

lorie said...

When I dream that someone or something is after me, I start loudly saying The Lord's Prayer. (while still dreaming).

Betsy said...

Did I tell you before that I was singing "This World is Not my Home" last week in my sleep? I've never done that before. I have found myself feeling more and more as if we're living in the end times and that we desperately need to spread God's message while we still can. We ARE being silenced everywhere, most visibly on social media, but also in the churches. We've been watching several services online and I'm amazed at how much these Men of God, who in my knowledge don't even know each other, are preaching virtually identical sermons. Get Prepared. Fight the Good Fight. Share the Good News!
Keep on sharing Debra. Someone out there is listening!
Blessings,
Betsy

Deborah Raney said...

Amen, Debra! I do think the time has come that we need to be bold, to stand for what we know is right and true, and to not let ourselves be cowed into silence or shame where we don't deserve it! Good for you!

Pam said...

We definitely need to live in a mode of readiness. There are so many mixed messages in the media, it's hard to know what to believe. But one thing I am sure of is this: God and his word are true. He loves us and is the One who can save us and lead us through whatever the future holds. Great post, Debra!

Debi @ Tuesdays Child said...

Preach it, Sister! This was an awesome message - one definitely filled with truth and I thank you for it. Oh and by the way - this is one crazy train that I'm definitely NOT jumping from, I'm staying on for the ride to see where ya take us next!! (Hugs)

K.E. said...

So this stood out to me:
When talking about the book on George Washington Carver,she says (starting around 8:24), "...the crap racism I keep hearing about everywhere",is not "real racism".

Meaning "real racism" was over when enslaved people were freed?

Redlining is crap racism? Being denied loans - in spite of making as much money/having a credit rating as good as a white person - is crap racism? Black people incarcerated for longer sentences for minor crimes is crap racism? Being murdered in their own beds or while playing a video game with their nephew is crap racism? Being discriminated against because of their names {a Tiffany is more likely to get hired than a LaShonda) or hair styles is crap racism?

Heaven forbid anyone Black talk about, call out, or (this is the worst one) get angry about any of that "crap racism"!

Calling what's happening - what's been happening ((a/k/a systemic racism) - "crap racism" downplays real injustice that happens every day in this country to Black, Brown, and Indigenous people.

Debra said...

Angela--you're most welcome!

Dolores--as I told you in a pm, I think that's so cool!

Betsy--thanks so much! It's wonderful that during these wild times God is uniting His people with the same good messages from His Holy Spirit. Loved that you were singing in your sleep!

Deb-- long time no hear from! Great to hear from you and that's so true that there's never been a more important time for us to speak up!

Pam--it's so true there are mixed messages out there so really, more than ever, we must listen to the Holy Spirit who will only give us one message and never confuse us!

Thank-you, Deb! So glad you gained something from the message, my friend. Thanks for faithfully reading here!

Kim--Larry Elder, a well-respected black man, so often speaks from the side of wisdom about the issue of racism. He says it better than I ever could, uses humor well, also, and he addresses much of what you did here in this video. He has many other such videos out there at Youtube and elsewhere. Here you go:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TA3nInyPuFE


Thanks so much, Everyone! Blessings, Debra

Debra said...

Kim--this link may work better--


https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=12&v=TA3nInyPuFE&feature=emb_logo